Hannibal, as he was newly named, didn't know what to think of the human who now resided in his house. He was different from the others, he'll give him that, but he puzzled him. Most of his meals were adventure seeking, adrenaline junkies who had heard about Hannibal's home and decided to try and stay as long as they could. None of them lasted, the fae had seen to that. The longer Hannibal could play with his meals, sending them into a panic and blubbering mess, the faster his powers would grow. He was limited on what he could and couldn't do, but it was no matter. As long as he could instill fear he could drain their life force until he was strong enough to kill them.

Many of the previous prey had escaped, growing wise and fleeing the house in a matter of days or in the first week. However, the courageous ones who tried to stick it out met an untimely, and bloody, end. Hannibal would feast for days, consuming their life force and body until there was nothing left. It was unfortunate when someone came around looking for them, taking his well-earned kill. His last meal was nearly seven months ago and with his powers draining and boredom sinking in, the creature in doll form was excited when the new toy came.

But this human, William Graham, was different. He was aware of Hannibal's existence and acknowledged the mysterious deaths, but he was neither a thrill seeker nor a lover of the unusual. He was just a man who needed a place to stay, and he happened to pick the Doll House. He didn't even enter Hannibal's room when he bought the house. It was the first thing prey did when they came to the second floor, but Will only paused once before moving on. It was… curious. He probably wouldn't have even come into the room had Hannibal not coaxed him, using the little power he had left to entice the human.

When Hannibal finally laid eyes on the human, there was nothing special about him. He had unkempt hair, slight dark circles under his eyes hidden by his glasses, and scruffy facial hair. He didn't look any different than the other meals, but he was neither enthusiastic nor frightened when he found Hannibal. Carefully, he picked the doll up and held him in the light, unbending his limbs. With his façade in place, Hannibal was able to keep his eyes open without needing to blink, taking in everything about the human. Will was cautious, careful with how he handled Hannibal as if he knew he was a living creature. It was unnerving since the previous owners who dared to pick him up were all too rough and treated him like a normal doll.

Will stroked Hannibal's head and face, and a small smile graced his features. Hannibal couldn't help but noticed how young the man looked.

"So, you're the cursed doll, hm?" he asked, almost startling Hannibal into dropping his façade. "You look pretty normal to me, though it is strange you don't have any clothes."

Will put him back on the chair and looked through the boxes in the room. Not finding what he wanted, he turned back to the doll and held up one finger. "I'll be right back."

Alone, Hannibal nearly let his façade drop. It wasn't the first time humans have talked to Hannibal before, but the way he talked to the fae was as if he expected an answer back. It was puzzling. Before Hannibal could ponder on it any more, the human returned with a pair of scissors and a sewing kit. He relocated Hannibal onto the table and pulled up a chair.

"My sister owns a bunch of dolls like you. I used to fix their clothes from time to time. Usually small stuff like rips or buttons falling off. I stopped doing it once my sister got the hang of sewing, so I might be a little rusty." Will said casually, as if he were talking to a person instead of a doll. Hannibal watched as he measured him and cut pieces of cloth from the sheet, transforming it into some sort of smock. The doll wanted to blink purely in surprise as he was put in the ugliest robe he had ever seen. He considered disregarding toying with Will and bite him. The man made a small noise of approval.

"Nothing fancy, but it is better than having to stare at your nakedness." The man laughed and Hannibal was shocked again as he was bopped on the nose. Will looked shocked, too, his face heating up as he brought a hand up and rubbed his temples. He seemed to regret his actions, but the more Hannibal thought about it, the more he found he didn't mind. The human was trying to be civil. This was the first time anyone had thought to put clothes on him, leaving him to his room or making fun of his lack of clothing. This man was kind.

Will put Hannibal back on the chair and left the room before coming back with blankets and a pillow. He set up a bed on the couch, and he was about to crawl in when he looked over at Hannibal. He seemed to have an argument in his mind before he left once again, but this time returning with a washcloth and a towel. He positioned Hannibal so he was laying down, his head cushioned by the washcloth and his body covered in the towel.

"Hope this means you won't kill me in my sleep, right?" Will laughed as he readjusted the towel before turning off the lights.

Hannibal remained awake, his eyes making out the form under the blankets as Will slowly fell asleep, his shoulders rising and falling with each breath.

It didn't last long. A few hours into the night Will began to mumble in his sleep, and Hannibal could taste the fear radiating off of him. He drank it in, feeling his powers growing stronger and stronger. Soon the muttering turned into whimpering, the human kicking off the blankets and his pillow fell from under his head. After another couple minutes he jerked awake, a choked scream caught in his throat. Hannibal watched from the safety of his "bed" as Will frantically crawled off the couch and fumbled to find the light switch. As soon as the light turned on, he calmed immensely, his blue eyes darting around unseeingly.

After he calmed down, he fell to the floor, and Hannibal thought for a second he was crying. Fear and sorrow continued to radiate off him, and Hannibal consumed it all. However, it didn't taste right. He didn't like the aftertaste it left behind, and he found, for some reason, he didn't like the sight of the human cowering on the floor.

Will finally picked himself up, left the room, and returned nearly an hour later with damp hair, and clean clothes. It was as if he had done this before and was simply going through the routine. After an internal debate, he switched the light off and crawled back onto the couch. Not once did he look at Hannibal. It was as if he forgot the doll existed.

Time passed and Will still didn't fall back to sleep, the dark not hiding anything from Hannibal. Hannibal watched the human, fear still coming off him but in tiny shimmers. It was all wrong. This fear was too sour and dull. It was nothing like the previous prey when Hannibal frightened them. Perhaps that was it, but the doll shook his head. He had all the time to ponder on this new human, but right now, he was uncomfortable with the human just lying in the dark, eyes refusing to shut.

Finally, Hannibal slowly sat up. He didn't have to worry about being seen; humans were such weak creatures. He had renewed energy from Will's nightmare, even if he didn't enjoy it, and climbed to the couch arm. Reaching out with is powers, Hannibal gave Will's mind the suggestion of sleep, and in return the human yawned. Surprisingly, he proved to be resilient to the suggestion, forcing shut eyes open and staring determinedly at the ceiling. He did, however, continue to yawn from time to time.

Hannibal tried a new tactic. Softly, so he didn't scare him, he began to hum. It would do him no good to have a frightened human now. He could get up and turn on the light, exposing Hannibal's perch on the couch. No, it would be best to begin his stalking tomorrow.

Will's resistance waned and his eyes drooped closed. Hannibal increased the temperature in the air and watched as the human repositioned himself on the couch and finally close his eyes for the night. Seeing the man relaxed in sleep due to his influence tugged at something inside Hannibal. He dared to move along the back of the couch and perch on the other couch arm, closer to Will's head. He reached out and ran a hand over the human's head, brushing hair away from his forehead and willing him into a deeper sleep.

Tonight he would observe, but tomorrow he would begin his hunt.


Hannibal's plan to toy with the human changed the next day. Instead of leaving him in his room, Will took him with him when he went downstairs to finish the kitchen. He put him on a shelf and made sure he was safe before restarting his task. None of the previous owners had done this, either. They just kept him locked in his room, occasionally peeking in if they've had a scare to make sure he was still there. Will, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind his presence. He would carry him from room to room or set him aside on a shelf while he worked. Occasionally, Will would talk to him. It was usually about mundane things or complaining about the state of the house, asking questions and not seeming to mind not getting answers. The more and more Hannibal observed, the more he found he liked the human.

It was after the kitchen was completed when Will gave him a name. The doll had never been given a name before, so when Will decided upon the name "Hannibal" he felt a sudden surge of energy he had never felt before. He felt powerful.


Of all of the surprises, Will's politeness was the most welcome. He treated Hannibal as if he was real, talking to him or making sure he looked comfortable. While the clothes he made for him were horrible, the meaning behind them was touching. Hannibal found he couldn't be mad too long for the human's generosity for the first few days, and when he finally received decent clothes Will was thorough in his attempts to meet with his "personality". Hannibal felt a pang of regret when he couldn't thank the man for his new wardrobe.

He showed his thanks by not destroying the mutt he brought home with him. Hannibal hated dogs. They could see through his façade and alerted their masters to his true self. The only thing that stopped the doll from striking the dog down was the fear that radiated off Will. His fear, while aimed at Hannibal, circled around what the doll could do to the dog. Will wasn't a stupid man, he knew there was something wrong with the doll. Hannibal could see the doubt in his eyes when something unnatural happened, especially if it involved the doll moving. While he was still trying to maintain his disguise, Hannibal wanted Will to slowly come to terms with the fae's supernatural properties. But no matter how hard he tried, Will continued to turn a blind eye.

However, despite choosing to ignore the supernatural, Will still had a healthy dose of fear when it came to Hannibal. When the dog became aggressive toward the doll, he wasn't scared of Hannibal, he was scared of what Hannibal could do to the dog should he attack. Instead, Hannibal willed the dog to sleep, as much as it pained him to use the little energy he gained on the stupid mutt.

He knew he did the correct option when Will carried him to the little bed the human graciously bought for him and tucked him in.

"... If you are cursed, Hannibal, please don't hurt Winston. He's just a dog; he doesn't know better." Hannibal felt another swell of emotion as Will gently touched his nose and turned away. "Have a good night, Hannibal. See you in the morning."

A small part of Hannibal wished he could have said, "Good night," back.


Over the course of the month Will lived at the Doll House Hannibal learned many things about his human.

Will liked to stay busy. He finished refurnishing and fixing the living room and kitchen within a week, and he turned his attention on the other rooms soon after. He left Hannibal's room alone, which the fae was grateful for. He didn't want to be sitting in a room that smelled like paint for hours on end. When the bedroom and guest rooms were all fixed, Will worked on the outside of the house, the fence, the garden, and soon he ran out of things to fix. After that, Will would be gone for long periods of time on certain days, always bidding Hannibal with a "see you in a little bit" before heading off to fish or go into town.

The second thing Hannibal learned was Will loved and cared for his sister very much. Abigail would call the house practically every day, or Will would call her. He was in constant contact with her, telling her how his day has been or asking her about school. They never talked for long, but Hannibal could tell Will enjoyed talking with his sister. He would smile more for the rest of the day after he talked to her. A pang of nostalgia would strike Hannibal on such days, but he forced the memories away. That was the past; there was nothing to look back on.

The third was Will had nightmares. Lots of nightmares. Sometimes he would wake up during them, sometimes he would remain asleep, and his cries and whimpers would trail into Hannibal's room. On such nights Hannibal would take what he could despite their pungent taste. He didn't understand why he didn't enjoy the taste of his fear. He scared him on purpose once, moved from one room to another to see his reaction. Will jumped and was scared, but the taste still didn't sit well with the doll.

Then Will started to sleep walk. It took a few times for Hannibal to realize he was sleep walking for Will only walked around on the top floor, never venturing down stairs. It was when he entered Hannibal's room and stood listlessly near the wall did the fae see the vacant look in his eyes. After that, Hannibal kept a closer eye on him, following him from room to room with his rejuvenated powers.

One night Will's routine changed and, in his slumber, he walked downstairs, Hannibal and eventually Winston following closely behind. The human wandered around the living room in laps before wandering to the kitchen. Hannibal had just enough time to reach out his powers to hold the front door shut when Will grabbed the handle. The man pulled desperately at the door, a small sob escaping his lips.

Refusing to remain silent, Hannibal called out. "What are you doing William?" When Will didn't answer the fae crawled up the human's body and perched on his shoulder, whispering in his ear. "What are you doing, William?"

"I-I have to find her." Will said as he yanked on the door knob. His head moved around, as if he was looking for something.

"Who?" Hannibal asked, stroking Will's face and trying to calm him. The man quieted slightly, but not by much.

"Cassie, Cassie Boyle. She's missing. I have to find her."

Not understanding who this was, Hannibal played along and coaxed, "But, William, Cassie is safe."

"No, no she's not!" Will argued.

"Yes, she it," the fae said softly. "She's sleeping in her bed, see?"

Will's body turned, his eyes seeing nothing, but he must have seen something in his mind. He walked a short distance, hand reaching out to touch whatever he was seeing. Winston approached, fur brushing against his hand as he sniffed the offered hand.

"See?" Hannibal coaxed, sensing a change in Will's body. "She's fine, William. Come, let's go back to bed."

He guided Will back upstairs, carefully directing his feet so he didn't stub his toes or trip. As Will passed Hannibal's room the fae had an idea.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

He willed the door open and directed Will in. He wasn't sure what Will saw, but the man uttered a small "Oh, right."

Hannibal made sure he was back in his usual spot before Will reached it, and he allowed himself to be picked up. Will cradled him gently in his arms and returned to his room, Winston following close behind. Will eased back into the bed and held Hannibal to his chest. The man's eyes were still open, uncomprehending what was going on. Hannibal reached his hand up and began to stroke his cheek. Soon, the eyes drooped close and Will fell back into a deep sleep. Hannibal continued to watch the human, his mind working out what he had just witnessed, and his body sorting through the surge of power he felt as he was cradled in Will's arms.


Something drove Will to the Doll House, that Hannibal was sure of. No human as normal as Will would dare to even consider moving into the fae's prison. Hannibal learned early on the human had a dark past and was still haunted by it. He hid it well, Hannibal had to give him props for that, but the nightmares got progressively worse, and in turn so did the sleep walking. The fae was able to steer him out of harms way, and now that he was stronger he was able to move freely, moving to Will's room when he sensed a nightmare coming. The human would calm under his care, growing still and pulling Hannibal closer to him. The fae wondered what brought these dreams, what was responsible for Will's distress.

It was only after Abigail came to visit Hannibal fully understood what happened, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor man. The pieces fell into place: Will's need to protect, his caring heart, and his dreams filled with the frantic search for a girl who was beyond saving. Hannibal listened from his spot crushed between the siblings as Will cried his eyes out, Abigail quietly trying to sooth him.

"I couldn't do it... I just couldn't do it..." Will sobbed, and Hannibal wanted nothing more than to reach out and hold the human. It was a strange feeling, one he had not felt for a long time. To have a human bring out Hannibal's need to protect was beyond anything the fae was willing to delve into. Right now, he had a Will to console.

Extending his power, Hannibal put Abigail and the mutt to sleep, but Will's mind resisted as it tended to do. The fae stroked Will's rough cheek, gently shushing him.

"Shh. It'll be alright, William."

Will's shoulders relaxed almost instantly and the human tumbled into sleep along with the others. Hannibal didn't sleep that night. He kept a vigil over the room, ensuring all of the tenants slept throughout the night.

The next morning Hannibal found himself in Will's lap as the human stared down at him, his face completely blank. Will just sat there before slowly moving forward. He paused and came to a decision before he laid a gentle kiss on the fae's head.

"...Thanks, for not killing me, Hannibal. I... both appreciate and hate you for it."

At that moment, Hannibal knew he could never kill this human.


Hannibal thought Will would have improved after Abigail's visit. He had been living at the Doll House for nearly a month, and his spirit was up. He had applied for a job in town and he was going to go back into town to set up a date to start. His steps were light and he smiled more, which Hannibal found he was grateful for. He liked to see his pet happy.

However, when Will returned from his trip in town his good mood was shattered. Hannibal had been placed in his room, and when Will failed to come get him he snuck down to the kitchen where he found Will pacing, his cellphone against his ear.

"Are you safe?" Will practically shouted, his brows furrowed and sweat beginning to trickle down his face. "Where are you right now?"

Abigail's voice ran clear over the other end, replying just as shaky as Will's own. "Will, I'm fine-

"No you're not! I'm coming to-"

"No! The world doesn't know I exist, so I'm fine, but he could be after you, Will. I'm scared."

As Will tried to comfort his sister, Hannibal's ears perked up. He? Who was this he?

"Have the police contacted you at all?" Will asked.

"Yes, your old partner called me. He tried to get a hold of you, but..." Abigail trailed off, but Will nodded. It was something only the siblings knew, but Hannibal didn't pay it any attention. Whomever they were talking about was upsetting his William, and that simply wouldn't do.

"I'll check my e-mail to see if he tried to contact me," Will continued, his free hand flying to his computer. "I'll tell him I want you under police protection-"

Abigail's distressed voice cut him off, cracking and trembling. "Will, don't you see? He's after you! He's after you."

Hannibal withdrew from his spot, returning to his room. He could feel his anger boiling, his powers growing with his fury. How dare someone threaten to harm his pet. He wouldn't stand for it. Hannibal began to extend his power, beginning to put a veil over the house. Suddenly, he stopped, an idea coming to him. Hannibal needed to feed off something other than Will's fears. If the human was to continue living here, then his safety was at risk. Even though Hannibal didn't want to hurt him, he could still accidentally begin to feed off of him. And that wouldn't do.

Raising the veil, Hannibal sat back in his chair and waited. His new prey would be here any day.


While Hannibal had his feelers out for any signs of the man who caused Will such distress, he had to keep his eye on his poor pet. It was harder than normal; Will stopped coming into his room to carry him with him, to talk to him, or to wish him goodnight. In fact, the fae doubted Will slept at all over the past two days. The human's mind was elsewhere, making it easier for Hannibal to follow him from room to room. Soon the fae discovered Will would completely black out, but his body would keep on going. At first it wasn't anything to worry about, until he caught Will with a knife near his throat.

Hannibal snapped at the human's mind, thrusting him back into consciousness. Once Will became aware, he gasped, dropped the knife, and ran into the bathroom. He did not come out for the rest of the day. Hannibal sat outside the door, listening to see if he was going to do anything foolish, but the only thing he heard were sobs. The fae couldn't stand to hear the noise, to taste the pungent fear, and he willed the human into sleep.

As he helped guide Will's sleeping body back to bed, Hannibal felt it. The life force of the man who was hurting his pet. With Will in bed, Hannibal returned to his room and using nearly all of his power he called out to the man, beckoning for him to come.

He smiled when he felt his prey respond.


Will was distressed. More than he had been for the past two days. It was as if he knew the man was coming. His fear ran clear throughout the house, the dark circles under his eyes prominent and his hair growing curlier and curlier as he sweated. Hannibal couldn't risk putting him to sleep this time. He had to save his energy for when his prey came, but he didn't like the state Will was in. He still had not come to his room, so Hannibal decided to go to him. His presence seemed to calm the human.

The fae waited patiently in Will's room, and when Will stumbled in, he forced himself to remain still.

Will stopped. He watched Hannibal, and the fae knew he had made a mistake. Will's face screwed up into a scowl and he stalked closer to the bed.

"I know damned well I put you in your room, Hannibal." The human snarled, and Hannibal was shocked. This was the first time he had ever seen him remotely angry. "How did you get here? Why are you here?"

Hannibal didn't answer, which made Will angrier.

"Stop fucking around, Hannibal. I know you're real! You moved! I didn't move you, you did it on your own. Stop playing with my head and do something!"

It took massive effort not to do something, just to assuage the human. Instead, he sat on the bed and watched as Will stormed around the room.

"Why? Why are you keeping me alive?" Hannibal jerked, but Will didn't notice. "I bought this house knowing people die here, and yet I come along and nothing happens. Why? Is this fun to you? Do you enjoy watching me going insane? Why haven't you killed me yet?"

Is that what brought the human here? To die? Hannibal almost couldn't believe it. The realization made him… angry. No, he was furious. How dare Will think he could seek out his death at his hands. That was not allowed.

"Why won't you kill me, you stupid doll?"

Will would have to be taught a lesson. The fae wouldn't punish him too harshly; the human wasn't in his right state of mind. Any other human would have been turned into a bloody mess, but Hannibal knew Will didn't mean it. He had seen his heart and knew it would not make a good meal.

Hannibal decided for his punishment Will should be frightened. Not too much, but just so he knew what he was dealing with. Locking the human in place, Hannibal allowed himself to move, just slightly, and look straight into Will's eyes.

The reaction was instantiations. Will violently shook, breaking out of Hannibal's hold. Before the fae could do anything, Will had backed up against his desk and fell over, his head cracking against the wall. Hannibal leapt from his spot and raced to his side, but the human was out cold. Blood trickled down his forehead. Hannibal cursed and held his hands against the wound, sealing the broken skin shut. The smell of Will's blood drove him crazy. It took all of his will power to stop himself from giving a little taste.

"You poor, thing." The fae said, brushing the curls out of the human's face. "Don't worry. It will all be over soon."

He might not accept the fae, but Hannibal was going to do everything he could to ensure he was safe.


The man was useless, not even worth Hannibal's time. The fae reveled in his screams as he tore into him, consuming his flesh and life force. The blood was sweet upon his tongue and the flesh exquisite. It had been far too long since Hannibal last fed. The swine deserved every bite and every rip of skin for daring to harm his darling pet. Will's shoulder had been dislocated, and the thought of his poor human in pain caused a surge of anger to ripple through Hannibal as he tore into man once more. Now that he had completely exposed himself, Hannibal knew Will couldn't deny the fact he was real any longer. As much as he wanted to continue his feast, once the body grew silent and still Hannibal went out to search for his pet. He couldn't risk letting him leave the house.

Will was in the kitchen, his body shaking and his arm hanging uselessly at his side. Hannibal observed the human as he took tentative steps toward the living room. He paused in front of the stairs, his functioning arm raised to grab the rails. At the last minute, he skittered back to the kitchen, his eyes becoming cloudy in panic. Unseen, Hannibal jumped up to the shelf Will liked to put him when he cooked.

"William." Hannibal cut through his panicked haze and the man jumped. His eyes shot to where the fae perched and immediately looked away. Hannibal frowned before leaping to the table. Will took a shaky step back, but he didn't run, which Hannibal was grateful for. The human watched as he approached in his peripheral vision, his good hand clutched to his chest in defense.

"You should sit, Will," Hannibal said softly.

Will shook his head.

"William, I must insist that you sit down. You're trembling." Hannibal pushed the slightest bit an order in his suggestion, and it took mere seconds before Will practically fell onto the chair. Pleased, Hannibal reached out to help ease Will as he had done in the past, but the human violently jerked back.

"Are you going to kill me?"

"Do you still want to die?" Hannibal lowered his hand, pushing aside the pain of being rejected. "Judging how you fought back against—what was his name? Hobbs?—you seemed like you wanted to live."

The kitchen fell into silence, and Hannibal sighed. His pet was going through a traumatic experience. He had to be patient with him.

"Here's what I want you to do, William." The fae began, trying to gain eye contact, but the skittish man denied him at every attempt. "You are to go into the living room, take off your clothes, and throw them into the fireplace. You will start the fire before you head upstairs to take a shower." Hannibal stood up, and Will's eyes flickered at the movement. "After your shower, you are going to go to bed. Do I make myself clear?"

Will's shoulders slumped in defeat, his eyes closing as he nodded.

"Good. I still have the mess upstairs to clean up, so I'll be in the bedroom as soon as I'm done."

Will opened his mouth, a small noise passing his lips before he fell silent once more, his mouth snapping shut. Hannibal held his hands out, encouraging him to speak.

"Yes, Will? You may speak."

"…W…What about my arm?" Will finally spoke, his voice nothing but a whisper. Hannibal studied the limp limb, knowing well any movement would cause harm.

"Can you move it?"

"I… Yes, but I shouldn't."

"Try not to use it, then. Because of your current state of mind I don't want to try and set it now. I'll assist you in getting out of your clothes and in the shower."

Will's eyes widened and he shook his head slightly. A clear form of objection, did Will oppose of the thought of Hannibal's hands upon him? Or was it the idea of the fae helping in in the shower? Either way, the human had no choice in the matter. It was for his own good.


It didn't take long for Will to fall asleep, the shock and pain did wonders on his system. Hannibal sat on the pillow, running his hands on the man's forehead and still damp curls. He had just set his shoulder, waiting until he was in a deep sleep before attempting to touch it. Combined with his body's defenses and Hannibal's powers, Will did not wake.

Hannibal continued to comb his claws through Will's hair before leaning down to give him a kiss. They would have to talk in the morning. Hopefully, Will would be rational and consider his current predicament. It wouldn't be hard to keep him bound to him now that the fae had his powers at full strength for the rest of the month. He just had to sway Will before the next month was up. Yes, they would have to talk, for Hannibal was unwilling to give up his new pet. He would keep him, even if it was against his wishes.


Hey all! Just wanted to say thanks for all the comments and faves and in general thanks for reading :D I will be gone for a little bit because I only have one more full week of school before finals. Got to attempt to get some good grades if I want to graduate next winter :D

Until next time~