Title: Strength, Not Weakness
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Will Graham/John Reese
Fandom: Hannibal/Person of Interest
Rating: PG-13
Table: 1drabble
Prompt: 10, Weakness
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely John Reese or Jordan Hester, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

"You're certainly focusing diligently on Will Graham."

John raised his head at the sound of Harold's voice, raising one eyebrow and trying to look casual. "Oh? I wasn't aware that I focused on him more than anyone else."

Harold shook his head, a slight smile curving his lips. "John, I've worked with you for a while now. And I can tell when you aren't telling me the truth." He tilted his head to the side, a worried frown marring his brow. "You know that you can't let yourself become .... involved .... with a number."

John shook his head, wanting to deny that he felt drawn to Will more than he ever had been to anyone. But he couldn't get the words out. They simply wouldn't come.

Probably, he told himself, because they weren't true.

He was attracted to Will. He wanted to reach out to this man, not just to protect him, but to be something more to him than a person who helped him and then vanished.

"Will Graham is a beautiful man, and I know that you have a weakness for people in trouble, John," Harold continued, his voice soft despite the way that his words fell into the silence like pebbles on the still surface of a pond. "But you cannot get involved with him. It wouldn't be right."

"I'm not involved with him," John snapped, shaking his head. "I'm just .... interested in his situation. We've never gotten a number who was being threatened by a serial killer."

Harold shook his own head in response to John's words. "We don't know that it's Hannibal Lecter who is causing the problem. Don't jump to hasty conclusions."

But John knew in his heart, despite Harold's words, that it was Lecter who was the root of the problem. He was sure that this man was threatening Will, making his life more complicated than it needed to be. And he was determined to protect Will, no matter what the cost might be.

He was silent until Harold spoke again. And the words were something that John didn't want to hear -- because he knew that those words were all too true.

"Will is your weakness, John. You can't get involved with him."

John shook his head again, not trusting himself to speak. He knew that what Harold said was true. Will could be a weakness that could be ruthlessly used against him.

But he didn't want that to happen. He wanted to let Will be his strength, not his weakness. He wanted to let these feelings that had already begun to grow within him out, to let them flower and burst into bloom. He wanted those feelings to lead him to place of light and love.

Abruptly, he pushed that thought aside and stood up. He needed to walk. He needed to think. And he needed to get away from here for a while.

"I'm going out," he told Harold, and left without a backward glance.

***