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"It's just a cold, Hannibal, I'm fine."
Those words echo over and over in Hannibal's head as he sits next to Will's hospital bed.
Just a cold.
Just a cold.
Just a cold.
He wishes he'd noticed the scent sooner; it wasn't just a cold and now they're not sure Will is going to be able to recover.
"I miss my dogs." Will murmurs, sleepily.
"I know, my love, hopefully I'll be able to take you home soon to see them. They miss you very much too."
"I don't know if I'm ever going home."
"You'll come home, Will. I'm sure of it."
"Hannibal, I've got stage three cancer, I'm not getting better, you know it and I know it. No matter what you say or what you hope for."
"Every day of treatment you get a little better." He argues.
"No, Hannibal I don't, I feel sicker and weaker and I'm just tired."
Hannibal sighs, "I'm not going to spend my time with you arguing."
"Baby, don't get mad. I'm sorry, I'm just not feeling well and I miss my dogs and our bed and I'm scared."
"I'm not mad, I could never be mad at you."
"You've been mad at me dozens and dozens of times."
"Never truly mad, Will."
"It doesn't matter. Come here." Will reaches for him, and Hannibal obliges.
He moves in closer to Will, pressing a kiss to his cheek and then forehead. Hannibal takes Will's hand into his own. "I love you."
"I love you too. I want to go home."
"I'm afraid you're stuck here for at least another month."
"No, I don't want to stay here, I want to go home, please."
"Your treatment-"
"I don't care." He interrupts. "I just want to be with you and my dogs, and I want to be comfortable." Will has tears in his eyes.
"Don't cry, mylimasis." He reaches up with his other hand and strokes Will's cheek with the backs of his fingers. "Another month and then you'll be home with us."
"It's always another month. I don't want to keep waiting. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in this fucking room."
"You're not going to, I promise you, Will. One more month of treatment and if they want you to stay longer I'll get the appropriate AMA forms and take you home."
"I hate not being able to sleep next to you, I hate these white walls and the smell of disinfectant. I should've listened to you when you said it was more than a cold."
"Please, darling, don't blame yourself, even if you had come in then, there is no guarantee that it would've been found or that the outcome would've been different. I don't want you dwelling on the past and what could've been. I want you to think of the future, of us together cooking dinner, of running around in the yard with your pack, I want you to think of sweaty cuddles after hours of frantic sex. Focus on the good, not the bad."
Before Will can say anything else, there is a swift knock. His doctor walks in.
"I hope you two are doing well." He says.
"Why're you here? I had tests yesterday and I don't have treatment again until tomorrow."
"I came to discuss your case, Will."
"What about it? I'm still sick, still dying."
"That's why I'm here."
"What? What is it? Just tell us." Will squeezes Hannibal's hand.
"The tests showed significant shrinkage of the tumor, the treatment is working."
"What?" Will's voice shakes. "It's actually working? I-I'm getting better?"
"It looks that way, yes. We need to continue this round of treatment and then check it again, but the treatment is working."
The doctor talks for a while longer and while Hannibal absorbs all the information, he doesn't actually pay attention, he's too focused on Will. Watching how he reacts, the slight changes in his expression and tone of voice; Hannibal sees excitement and relief in him.
When the doctor leaves Will practically throws himself at Hannibal.
"I love you." He says over and over, pressing kisses all over Hannibal's face.
"I love you too, Will. But you need to calm down, rest and not overexert yourself."
"I don't want to rest, this is the best news I've heard in almost a year."
"I know, Will, I'm very happy too. But I can see how tired you are. I know your treatment takes a lot out of you, I want you feeling better, I want you to rest."
"Fine, I am tired. Stay with me?"
"Always." He presses one last soft kiss to Will's lips before Will's eyes slip shut and he begins to snore.