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Will was stuffing his files into his bag as quickly as possible. Today had been a nightmare, not only had fellow teachers at the academy but also his students had cooed at him. Frankly, it was utterly embarrassing. He is a private person and likes to keep his private life exactly that, private, but this recent scandal had everyone thinking they can suddenly come up to him and compliment him. Infuriating.
He is pleased to have avoided Jack and his team of goons today, which he would count as a blessing because they are not going to let him live it down.
"Hey!"
Oh, how foolish he had been to consider himself blessed.
"I knew I would have to run down here to catch you," Beverly said, coming into the lecture hall.
Will left his things on the table as they were, bringing his hands to cover his face. He thought of wounds and band-aids and ripping behind closed eyes. He rubbed his face, taking off his glasses, he turned around.
"Alright, let me have it," he prompted.
Beverly- the evil woman, curse her -innocently asked, "Let you have what?"
"I know why you're here," he said without fanfare, "get it out of your system."
Beverly's face was pure confusion, any lesser empath than him would be fooled by that face. Though he had more empathy than most, she was also his best friend and he knew every thought that went on in that brain. After a couple of minutes of intense staring, his unamused face versus her thoroughly confused one, she broke.
"Oh, screw you, Graham." Beverly smacked his arm as a grin invaded her face. "You're taking the fun out of this."
"Ha ha," he scoffed, then scowled, "it's not funny."
"Shut up!" She rolled her eyes at him, still grinning as she reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone. "It is the cutest thing I've ever seen," she said as she tapped away on her phone, "How did your grumpy ass manage to make something so cute?"
"Oh, no no, don't pull up the video," he groaned as she leaned, next to him, on the table, "I've seen it multiple times, everyone who could show it to me today, did."
"Well then watch it again, with me." He yelped when she smacked his arm again. "Don't pretend you haven't saved it on your phone, Graham. I know you."
Before he could refute her, which would require him to lie because that was quite literally the cutest video he had seen, she pressed play.
Abigail filled the screen, a conspiratorial smile on her beautiful face, her big blue eyes sparkling with mischief. He couldn't help but smile as fondness bloomed in his heart.
"So I was babysitting my step sister," Abigail flipped the camera to show his two year old daughter playing with her porcelain tea set, on the plush carpet near the couch. A couple of their dogs could be seen on the screen dozing near the hearth.
"-yeah yeah I know she's cute, but watch this. Lily?" His daughter looked up at the camera and smiled, a spitting image of her father.
"What's your father's name?" Abigail asked her.
"'annibell," Lily replied.
He chuckled, shaking his head, while Beverly covered her mouth with her free hand, holding in her laugh.
"What did you say, baby?"
"'annibell," Lily replied, frowning as Abigail giggled.
"She's totally your daughter," Beverly commented. He shoved his elbow to her side. "Ow."
"Now for the best part. Baby? Lily?" Abigail called again when Lily didn't look up from her precious cups. "What's your mama's name?" She asked when the two year old looked up.
"My love," Lily answered, face drawn in seriousness.
He knew it was coming. He had seen the video multiple times just since he got to work, but everytime Lily said this, he couldn't help but blush.
"No, baby, I'm asking your mama's name," Abigail asked again, emphasising the word name.
"I tell you, my mama's name is my love," Lily answered, all too irritated for a two year old.
Abigail flipped the camera back to herself, her lips pressed in a line and her face flushed from holding back her laughter. "She thinks her mama's name is my love, ugh, isn't that the cutest!" Abigail screeched in excitement before ending the video.
He giggled, seeing his daughters smile and Lily being adorably wrong about something so sweet, he almost melted into a puddle on the floor.
"How did the two of you make something so cute?" Beverly said as she came down from her laughing fit.
He glared at her, though his smile and the flush on his cheeks probably failed its purpose.
"I'm serious! You're so grumpy and he is such a stoic person, the maximum intimacy I imagined between you two outside of a heat or rut is just a handshake-"
He shoved her shoulder, "hey!"
"And to find out you two are so chummy chummy your daughter thinks your name is," Beverly giggled as she said, "My Love. Though it is a very Hannibal Lecter term of endearment."
"Stop it," Will said, hiding his face in his palms. His cold fingers soothing on his warm cheeks.
"Oh god, you two act so professional whenever he comes around here. I knew you were horny rabbits-" Beverly expertly dodged his shove this time. "-and the only reason you two won't kiss here is because you won't stop."
"Beverly!" He tried to sound threatening.
Beverly backed away from him towards the door, "Oh, My Love, you've just won me a long time bet with Jack, I knew my horny rabbits had a soft side to-" She paused as she knocked backwards into his alpha. "Doctor Lecter, it's so good to see you."
"The pleasure is decidedly mine, Ms Katz," Hannibal replied, glancing at him before adding, "Though I must ask you to refrain from calling Will as such."
"As horny rabbit?" Beverly replied.
Will covered his face again, trying to hide from this long day that just keeps getting longer.
"I'm just kidding with you, Doctor Lecter," Beverly interrupted Hannibal as he opened his mouth to clear up what he had meant. "Rest assured I would not address Will by that special endearment that you two have."
"Thank you, Ms Katz," Hannibal replied with a genuine smile, who was he kidding, all this was terribly amusing to him as well.
"Alright, I'll see you guys later, give the kids my love," Beverly left yelling the love over her shoulder, not caring who would listen. Sometimes he wishes he could be as carefree as her.
His musings were interrupted by Hannibal coming to stand right in front of him, towering over him as he balanced on the edge of the table.
"Are you ready to go home, my love?" Hannibal asked, taking his hands as he pulled him close.
Will nodded, resting his head on Hannibal's shoulder, as his arms engulfed him in a tight hug.
"Are you alright, my love?"
"Just...it was an overwhelming day."
"Anyone I need to take care of?"
Will scoffed, "No one was rude, just everyone adores our daughter."
"She is quite adorable," he could hear the smugness in his alpha's voice, even if he couldn't see his face.
"That video went viral, Hannibal," Will groaned, pushing tighter into the hug.
Hannibal chuckled, rubbing Will's back, "Do you want me to carry you out to the car or-"
Will shoved out of Hannibal's embrace, not giving him the chance to do just that, he warned, "Do not get any ideas in that alpha brain of yours."
"Of course, my love," Hannibal teased.
"Don't forget to bring all my stuff, darling," he said, twirling Hannibal's car keys on his index finger, as a show of the stealth he had just accomplished.
Hannibal checked his breast pocket and found it empty. Will winked at his alpha as he walked out of his lecture hall, and if his hips had an extra sway, it was Hannibal's problem.