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Title: Watched
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Will Graham/John Reese
Fandom: Hannibal/Person of Interest
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Will Graham or John Reese, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

He could feel eyes on his back. He was being watched.

John slowed his steps, trying to glance around himself unobtrusively. He could feel those eyes boring into him, as though they were trying to see into his very soul.

He didn't doubt who was watching him. It was Lecter. He knew that as surely as if the man had stopped him in the street and introduced himself with a hand held out and a friendly smile.

But there was nothing friendly about that bastard, John thought, sneering inwardly. He was evil through and through, and he was a danger to the man who John was rapidly falling for.

Even if he hadn't developed feelings for Will, he wasn't going to let this monster keep nipping at the other man's heels. Will didnt deserve that. He'd dealt with it for far too long, and it was past time that someone stepped in to protect him from the danger he was constantly exposed to.

It was obvious that Lecter was now gunning for him, given that he had vowed to protect Will. But John welcomed the challenge. He wanted to confront Lecter.

He wanted to remove the threat from Will's life, and give the two of them a chance to have a future together without Lecter's shadow hanging over both of them.

And more than that, he wanted Will to be free. He wanted those frown lines, those marks of worry, to smooth out and to be forever banished. He wanted Will to be able to smile and mean it.

Will deserved better than to have an albatross like Lecter hangng around his neck.

John turned his head to the side, pretending to look into a shop window. He was sure that he saw someone behind him step behind another person, trying to hide themselves.

He himself was good at that. He had learned, through his work, how to unobtrusively blend into a crowd, how to become a part of the background and not stand out and be noticed.

It seemed that Lecter was good at that, too. Of course, he would have to be, for him to be able to commit the crimes that Will had described him as being guilty of perpetrating.

Those crimes had shaken John to his core. It was hard enough to imagine someone who took such glee in killing -- but the cannibalism made him feel sickened. That was something he didn't want to think about, especially when it came to Will. He had no doubt as to what Lecter had planned for the other man.

Well, that wasn't going to happen, John told himself firmly. And nothing was going to happen now, either. He was sure that Lecter was working alone, and he wouldn't attack John on the street.

Of course, there was nothing stopping the bastard from moving behind him and trying to thrust a knife between his ribs. Though he didn't think that Lecter would be quite that bold in broad daylight.

Still, he was going to err on the side of caution. He couldn't be too careful, not when he was dealing with someone who had such convoluted psychopathy.

What would happen if he turned around quickly and met Lecter's gaze?

John doubted that anything would take place. Not here. Not now. No, Lecter would more than likely simply give him a bland smile and continue walking past him.

No, he wouldn't do that. That would give John the chance to follow him, and he knew that Lecter would protect his back. He would probably go into a shop, or lose himself amongst the crowd.

John wanted to sigh in frustration, but he wasn't going to show how he felt outwardly. He wasn't going to let Lecter know that the silent pursuit was getting on his nerves.

With each step he took, the feeling that he wanted to turn around and confront Lecter publicly grew, even though he knew that would be impossible for him to do. What would he say? Accuse the other man of stalking Will Graham? That would only make people think he was insane.

No, he had to keep moving, and hopefully find some way of turning the tables so he would be the one who followed, and if possible, find out where Lecter stayed in New York City.

A fleeting, sour smile twisted John's lips. Of course, that wasn't going to happen. One thing he knew was that Lecter was exceedingly good at covering his tracks and hiding.

But he could feel his muscles bunching, feel his body wanting to turn around and force the confrontation. It was becoming almost impossible to maintain his usual stoic demeanor.

His heart rate was increasing, his breathing becoming labored.

He wasn't nervous. No, that wasn't it at all. He was letting his anger overcome him. He was letting his emotions get in the way. Harold was right about that being dangerous.

That was something he already knew. In all his years of working for the government, he'd been able to put all of his emotions aside, tuck them away as though they didn't exist.

It was getting harder and harder for him to do that as he spent more time with Will. He wasn't able to keep any of his usual cool objectivity. Not this time.

This was going to prove to be a much harder undertaking than he'd anticipated. Ever since the first time he had met Will face to face, he'd felt himself being pulled towards the other man, and he was powerless to stop it. What was more, he didn't want to. Even if it proved to be his undoing.

He wasn't going to let Lecter get at Will. He would protect the man who was growing closer and closer to his heart, or die trying. He smiled again, shaking his head. That wasn't going to happen.

He and Will were both going to get through this. And Lecter would be behind bars, where he belonged. Or better yet, he would be dead, and out of their lives permanently.

He would make that happen. Though he knew that Lecter would be a formidable opponent, perhaps more so than anyone he had ever gone up against at any time in the past.

He was going to confront this monster. Here. Now. In the street, with people all around them.

John stopped walking and turned on his heel, expecting to see Lecter only a few feet behind him at most, perhaps hidden behind some other people, keeping himself unobtrustive.

He blinked, searching the crowd behind him, ignoring the annoyed comments of the people who had to check their strides and walk around him. He couldn't believe his eyes.

Lecter wasn't there. No one was following him. He was simply walking down the street, blending into the crowd on the sidewalk. He wasn't being followed.

But he had been followed. He was certain of that. He'd felt Lecter's eyes on him, as surely as though the man held a gun to his head. There had been no denying that there were eyes on him, that he was being watched. He'd felt so certain of it. He hadn't had any doubt in his mind.

Now, though, he did doubt. Was he losing it? Was he getting so close to Will that his emotions were taking over, negating all of his training and experience?

John took one deep breath, then another. If Lecter had managed to slip away, then that was his own fault. He should have been more careful, more watchful. He'd know better next time.

Still, this would be the last time that he would take for granted that he could find a way to turn the tables on the man who was his adversary. Lecter was obviously good. Very good.

But John was better. He was certain of that. And he would prove it.

Making a sudden decision, he turned in the direction of the bookshop. He had a bad feeling about why Lecter had apparently stopped following him, and he wanted to make sure that Will was all right.

More than that, he wanted to see Will, to revel in his presence, to rid himself of the feeling of being followed. He wanted to let Will's light in, to let it obliterate Lecter's darkness.

He needed that light. He craved it. He couldn't live without it.

From a distance, a pair of eyes narrowed, still focused on him.

He was still being watched.

***