Much to Will's dismay, the chosen positions of their little puppy pile remained consistent with Hannibal on top, Nigel in the middle, and Will, of course, on the very bottom. At first, he wondered if the Alpha's might have decided upon a turn based system to soothe egos and instincts. That was until he noticed Hannibal grabbing a pair of sweat pants Will hadn't thought the Alpha ever admit to owning every morning to disappear from the room. Upon Hannibal's sweaty return, Will realized that the departure was for some sort of exercise regime the Alpha seemed to religiously partake of.
Being the first one up on a regular basis, Hannibal was simply claiming the top position to avoid wasting time and the hassle of disengaging himself out from under still slumbering bodies. In turn, Nigel let him be king of the hill, not wanted to be thrown off in the early hours of the morning and rousing their Omega with the inevitable argument that would come after.
Morning rituals aside, Nigel didn't seem to have any problem with his place in middle, the Alpha often whispering to Will to go back to sleep before burying his nose in loose curls again to emphasise his opinion on the matter. With those strong arms still wrapped around him, the soothing sensation of Nigel's warm breath ghosting over his neck, and the heavy weight atop, it was becoming easier and easier for Will to drift off and stay asleep that way.
This morning was no exception. When Will awoke, it was to the sound of his alarm and the smell of breakfast wafting up from downstairs. As per usual, Nigel was covering his body with his own, close by his side with his fingers curled into Will's nightwear as if to keep him there even in sleep. The Alpha's nearness made Will's body resonate with an answering hum of pleasure inside and out.
"Good morning, gorgeous." Nigel purred, rolling onto his back to take the Omega with him, Will laying messily sprawled out on top of the Alpha. "You're feeling good this morning." He leaned in to nip at the shell of Will's ear, sliding a broad hand down his side to run along the curve of his hip while the other slid up to trace the healing scars on his neck.
"Are you referring to our bond in general or do you mean physically?" Will smiled despite himself, turning his head to nose at the hand on his neck until he could kiss his mate's palm with his lips and teeth.
"If I say both do I get to keep you in bed a while longer?" One of those large hands slipped from his hip to the cheeks of his ass, going in-between with his fingers to part the flesh there so that cool air hit gathering slick. Swatting grabby hands and invasive fingers away from his opening, Will lingered long enough to press a kiss to the Alpha's thin lips before rolling out of bed to try and beat Nigel to the shower.
"Not today, I've got work." Will told him, ignoring the trickle of slick that ran down his inner thigh. Lying in bed like this with Nigel was starting to become a morning ritual of sorts, one Will found that he could become quickly addicted to.
"Tease." Nigel said as he grabbed an ankle, pulling Will back into bed. With a lazy grace, the Alpha rolled the Omega beneath him so that Will's belly was being pressed into the mattress, Nigel firmly keeping him there with the Alpha's morning wood nestled between the soft mounds of his ass. Will's own was grinding its length into the bed, desperate for friction.
"Nigel..." Will growled. It was going to be his first day back to work since the bonding. He had taken more an enough time off. For someone who rarely ever took a vacation besides enforced hospital stays, two week seemed excessive to him.
"Looks like you're going to be late." Nigel grinned, nipping at Will's neck as he pushed their nightwear down and off their legs. Feeling up the cleft of Will's ass, Nigel found the slick he smelled there upon waking, had grazed with his fingertips. It was a pleasant discovery to find that they both tended to be horny first thing in the morning.
"I don't have time." Will struggled, trying to focus on getting up and out of bed when everything else was telling him to stay a long while, and revel in the exchange of body heat and the press of flesh. Will couldn't deny that he was turned on, his own body giving him away on that. If he could smell the sweetness of his own slick, Will knew that Nigel definitely could.
"It won't take long. You know we won't." Nigel whispered, licking a wet trail down the Omega's nape to his spine to press persuasive kisses along the knobs of it. Their part of the bond was taunt with a gripping need, ready to snap deliciously with a wealth of pleasure that would fill them both to the brim.
"Don't tie us together. Keep your knot out." Will grunted as his own hips canted and flexed into the mattress, his own urges driving him forward. Nigel was a terrible influence, feeding into Will's skin hunger and need for touch. While he still could, Will very carefully blocked his part of the bond with Hannibal the best he was able to. The last time they had indulged in something like this yesterday morning, Hannibal had ended dropping a carafe of juice. The Alpha had not been pleased with either Nigel or Will for that indignity.
"Anything for my darling." Nigel rumbled above him, raising his hips up off enough to place his fat cockhead to Will's moist opening, shining wet with slick. He slid fully in with little resistance, coming to hilt and halt with a delicious shudder as he was sheathed. That hadn't been an exaggeration when he said this wouldn't take long. Will was already there right on the edge with him, penetration making the Omega clench his fingers into the sheets and mouth obscenities into them. Will felt deliciously full in mind and body, his toes curling from the effort not to come right there and then.
A few slow, deep thrusts and Will was pushed over his edge, staining the sheets wet and sticky with his seed. With the heavy weight of an Alpha at his back bearing down on him, the friction and pressure within and against Will was more than enough.
"Liar." Will keened through his pleasure. Even as his mind reeled and spun, he noticed a tight ache in his nether regions as engorged flesh plugged up his hole keeping Nigel's flood in him, hot and full. He felt the Alpha's knot sealing them together on a deep level, gasping from the sensation of the Alpha emptying himself into Will's space.
"Your fault." Nigel gasped, bliss making his mind ping and pop pleasurably. There was nothing like morning sex in his opinion, the Alpha settling himself in as deep as he could within the Omega, his knot barely able to shift due to Will's tight passage, all swollen and flush around him. In his opinion, this was better than coffee, more heady than a joint, and more relaxing than booze. Ignoring Hannibal's open distain for lack of control, Nigel went limp on top of Will, covering the Omega's body with his own.
"Shut up and keep still." Will growling, turning his head to nip at what he could of Nigel's smug face. His teeth clicked sharply as he snapped at the Alpha.
"I have time to make it up to you now." Nigel grinned, lifting his head up and out of harm's way, all while keeping Will pressed securely to the mattress. He smothered kisses into the Omega's chocolate curls to be head butted for his affection.
"You can make it up by letting me have the shower first." Will said with a sigh, ignoring the chuckling Alpha. He made his passage relax, resisting the urge to clench down and keep Nigel in him for another round. He wondered how the hell his life had come to this, him lying in a pool of his own spent with a purring Alpha on top of him, one that was unrepentant about misusing his time. He could feel Hannibal was irked about it as well, among other things though Will couldn't even begin to decipher those yet all on his own. Since Nigel was being decidedly unhelpful today, Will resisted the urge to ask him. Feeling the knot deflate from all his restrained efforts, Will wiggled out from underneath the now dozing Alpha to give him a well-placed kick to the side.
"Cruel." Nigel called out with a smile, watching as the door closed behind Will. The Omega was pleased to note that the Alpha was curled up on his side from the kick.
"Merited." was heard over the shower spray, making Nigel snort in amusement even as he rubbed his sore ribs.
When Will emerged fifteen minutes later toweling off his hair, it was to a yelp of surprise as the towel around his waist was unexpectedly stolen. It was quickly replaced with familiar hands cupping his ass with a firm squeeze and a deep kiss that left the Omega breathless. Just as quickly as the amorous assault began, it ended with Nigel moving quickly away to take his own shower and avoid being kicked again.
"I'm taking a turn dressing you today, darling. You can choose between what I have laid out for you or Hanni's." Nigel grinned like a shark before closing the door.
Enjoying the more vulgar attention being given to him now that a new connection had been established with Nigel, Will approached the walk-in closet to see what his Alphas had planned for him to wear today. As he'd expected, there was a set of clothing laid out for him by Hannibal, a cream colored shirt darkening to a deep navy at the hem and cuffs with dark chocolate suit pants and a jacket to match. The Alpha had forgone the formal tie and matching vest to appeal to Will's more casual tastes. The Omega knew without even touching the materials that they would be heavenly, all brushed wool and soft silk. Hannibal was playing straight into Will's biology with the shameless manipulation of texture. It only made Will want to fight and keep his few remaining garments more.
Next to the rich fabrics, Will noticed some of his old clothes were laid out, a green flannel shirt he'd worn to the office on more than one occasion and a pair of dark colored khakis in a mocking semblance of the neatly folded suit to their side.
Will couldn't suppress the smile as he slipped into his too big khakis and familiar flannel top. Nigel was trying to play him as much as Hannibal was, but at least he was doing it with something to make Will feel more at home. The difference in the fabric was noticed immediately, the old well-worn clothes that Will had found so comfortably warm before and soft enough to keep his Omegan needs satisfied were suddenly rough and chafing to his skin. After spending weeks wrapped in only the softest fabrics money could buy, returning to his old wardrobe made Will feel as though he'd been dressed in a full body sweater knit by some evil grandma who used the itchiest, scratchiest wool she could find in her little wicker basket. He might as well have been wrapped in the fucking wicker basket.
Sighing, Will admitted to himself that Hannibal was going to win this clothing war without even really trying. Determined to live at least a few days in his old garments, if only to get his point across, Will forced himself to turn away from the greater comfort of smooth cool silk and form fitting pants to head out in search of his breakfast instead.
"He's been gone too long and hasn't answered any of my texts or phone calls. I'm beginning to grow concerned." Will heard the soft voice of the beautiful Beta, Alana Bloom, even before he reached the bottom of the stairs. The last time they'd spoken he'd asked her out to dinner in a phone call that had ended more than a little awkwardly with her refusal, citing that his unstable mental health was a deciding factor. They hadn't had a chance to speak since then thanks to his Heat and weeks away from home. Will reasoned that must have seemed like he had been avoiding her when really Hannibal had just made it a point not to pack his cell phone. Will had found it where it had been left, the device long dead with the battery drained from being left unplugged for so long. He had a bad feeling when he turned it back on there would be a hot mess of messages waiting for him.
"Do you know how he is doing?" Alana's voiced concern brought Will back to the present.
"I'm fine. Thanks for asking." Will smiled, coming around the corner into the kitchen. Hannibal was pulling something that looked like a giant omelette pie from the oven, the Alpha greeting Will with a smile that quickly devolved into an unappreciative look at his chosen attire.
Next to him, Alana was sipping coffee, leaning against one of his marble counters in a fitted purple dress as though she belonged there. Will tried not to think about how the Beta looking far more comfortable in Will's new home than the Omega did himself.
"Will, I've been worried about you." Alana said, relief bleeding into her face and tone. It made Will begin to feel guilty.
"It was a pretty sudden decision. Hannibal took me on vacation with him to give me a break from all the stress I've been dealing with lately. We left my cell phone behind to keep me from temptation and Jack at arm's length." Will shrugged, resisting the urge to apologize for something he had no control over. There was no reason to go into detail or cast blame about. While Alana's concern was appreciated, it still rankled, making low things inside Will twist in a painful manner. He hated being treated like he was something so breakable. Whether due to his gender or strange abilities, he knew that Alana would always see him as something fragile, like he couldn't make choices on his own.
"I'm glad Hannibal was able to convince you to finally take some time for yourself." Alana smiled, all soft and friendly and warm and everything Will had ever wanted to be his since he'd first met the beautiful Beta. "Do you know when you'll be coming back to work?"
Alana paused mid-sip of her coffee as laughing blue eyes fell upon something noteworthy, their mirth disappearing in an instant as dark brows knit together. She left her cup on the counter, taking three short steps to Will's side, and nearly startling the Omega as she invaded his personal space to closely examine the bite mark peeking out from under his shirt collar. Concern shifted into rage upon noticing its matching twin on the other side of Will's neck.
"I can't believe you." Alana turned on Hannibal in an instant, placing herself between Will and his Alpha as her own inborn Beta instinct to protect the Omega kicked in. She narrowed icy eyes at the man carefully slicing into sausage and sundried tomato omelette pie to serve on decorated plates. "You bound him? Are you insane?"
Her sudden rage caught Will by surprise, the Omega having never witnessed the Beta truly mad before, never mind the borderline fury she was omitting on his behalf now. It was an anger he would have appreciated more than a week ago when he'd first come around after his Heat. Now, it was just tiring. It seemed all too little too late.
"You're his doctor and you've mated him! You can't do that, Hannibal! This goes far beyond just unethical. As a patient, Will's reliant on you, depends on you to give him emotional support and you've bound him to you? Damn it, Hannibal! What were you thinking?!" Alana yelled, stalking toward the Alpha who appeared more concerned about his pie's presentation than the accusations being directed at him.
Hannibal was very still as he allowed Alana to unleash her rage upon him, drawing closer until her hands lay on his counter and her face was far nearer than it should have been. "I have never officially been his psychiatrist, Alana. Will and I have only ever had conversations, both in and out of the office. What happened between us maybe unethical on some level, but I have not breached any medical boundaries. We were friends before we became mates." Hannibal corrected. He didn't feel he owed the Beta any explanation about how this relationship had come to pass. Some things were private and not meant to be privy to other people's assessments, but he would allow her some inkling of knowledge if only to appease her.
"I have already found another psychiatrist to take over Will's therapy, one he will be taking on in an official capacity." Hannibal said. Despite the calm he was wearing on the surface of his person suit Hannibal did not appreciate the Beta's outburst in his kitchen or the barrier of her body between him and his mate.
Though nothing was showing on the surface, Will could feel something possessive and protective coiling within his Alpha, ready to lash out. If Alana didn't watch herself or in any way implied a threat towards the still sensitive bond being set between him and his mate, Will knew bad things were going to happen. He just couldn't tell what or the extent.
"Official or unofficial that doesn't make it okay, Hannibal! And the possessive violence," Alana sounded appalled. "Not one bite, but two? Were you so lost in Rut you were trying to mutilate him?"
Feeling suddenly self-conscious, Will brought a hand to his bonding marks, his fingers tracing the lines that had once been rendered by sharp Alpha teeth. It hadn't hurt as much as he'd been expecting, the incisions more like the sting of a glass cut than the open wounds they had been. The healing and numbing enzymes in an Alpha's saliva had helped with that. Once the initial bite was over, the pain eased and the wound would begin healing with the added lapping of a broad Alpha tongue. They would eventfully resolve themselves into fine, white lines of satiny flesh.
"If this was brought to the board, you would have your licence stricken. In fact, you should." Alana seethed the words through her teeth like weapons.
"Alana," Will tried to interject, suddenly gaining the attention of both blazing eyes, the Alpha's sanguine burning with an irritation that came with being attacked in his own home. Alana's raging skies were laced with undertones of something else entirely. It took Will only a moment to realize what that something else was.
Whether for the missed chance at Hannibal or himself thanks to a professional distance she's kept from both men, Alana was riddled with regrets. In that moment of clarity, Will felt that it didn't matter. As far as Will was concerned, Alana was being fueled not solely by her concern for him, but by her anger about missed opportunities and jealousy. Will felt his own bubble of rage swell up with that knowledge.
In the past, Will had laid his heart out on the table for her and she'd been so quick to dismiss him for being unstable, probably with the subconscious belief that he would always be there for her thanks to no one else ever wanting him as their barren, unstable Omega. She'd never anticipated for Baltimore's most eligible bachelor to take an interest in a broken man. She'd just lost her chance at not one but two good mates, and on some deep level whether she acknowledged it or not, it was killing her.
Suddenly Will didn't feel like trying to placate anyone anymore. "Back off. It's fine. It doesn't matter now about what would have been best anymore. What's done is done. Hannibal is my mate now." Will snapped, coming alive with a refreshing amount of anger. Not all of it was his own, but it still felt good flowing through his veins. That anger's true origin appeared soon enough at his side.
"Our mate, darling." Nigel corrected, strolling into the kitchen to see what all the commotion was about, barefoot and half naked, dressed only in faded jeans with his ashen hair still damp from the shower. He grinned in greeting as he wrapped his arms around Will's tapered waist to press a possessive kiss to his mating scar, showing Alana just how much more truly complicated this whole shit show was.
"Nigel Lecter. I'd say 'it's nice to meet you' but you're pissing off my mates. Not the best way to make a favorable first impression." Nigel smile was more teeth than any real welcome, the expression sharp and feral.
Alana was left stunned with even still more disbelief when she noticed a far rawer marking on Nigel's throat, the dark bruising around the healing scar on the Alpha hinting towards an Omega's blunt teeth as its cause. As a general rule, Omegas didn't get to bite their mates. It didn't work that way, ever. Alphas were generally too proud to stroll around displaying a mark, admitting to the world that they had submitted to their Omega. It was something usually only found in old Shakespearean plays and fairy tales. More modern romance novels tended to avoid the concept under the principle of how unrealistic it was for an Alpha to allow such a thing. Will could tell that the strange purpled marking on the Alpha's neck wasn't really her concern. The one Nigel was claiming on Will's neck for his own was.
"A double bond?" Alana finally voiced her thought. She slowly turned back to Hannibal, completely at a loss with the three men in the room. "You created a double bond with your brother and a mentally unstable Omega? Hannibal are you trying to kill him?"
"There have been no negative side effects with the bond thus far," Hannibal said patiently. He was trying to remain civil despite being yelled at, he really didn't appreciate having the Beta get in his face. "A true double bond made by two Alpha's has never been attempted before, or at least the results of which, have not been well documented. Death was only a possibility, and a slim one at that. Nothing we have ever read before on the matter can be applied here as a guarantee."
"You're risking Will's life and his mental stability based on speculation you could have never known to be true." She protested again to be met with a wave of power from the forgotten Alpha in the room. Nigel was clearly done dealing with the Beta talking shit about his mate. He was starting to see where all Will's bad ideas about being too broken to love may have come from.
"Don't speak of Will's disposition so carelessly." Nigel was beginning to get pissed, acutely aware of his twin's rolling anger, and his mate's displeasure and insecurities about being discussed like he wasn't in the room. Will's self-loathing was making a whole lot more sense now. Nigel had thought his darling Omega had been exaggerating when he said people thought he was too unstable to love. The Alpha hadn't been expecting anything like this, for people to really think that Will was too broken and damaged to be cared about. Nigel made damn sure Will knew otherwise by pushing a wave a warmth through their link, his possessive need to comfort and protect kicking in as he flooded the man in his arms with the obsessive want that raged from deep inside him.
"Do you have any idea what he does for a living? What effect it has on his psyche?" Alana turned on Nigel, not yet ready to give up the fight she was destined to lose. "It's bad for him and this," She turned back to Hannibal, locking eyes to make sure her point was being made crystal clear. "This is bad for him too. Both of you are."
"This is one of the best things to have ever happened to me." Will spoke up for himself, "I finally have emotional and physical stability. I have acceptance and understanding, and I am grounded. In the time I've been bound to Hannibal and Nigel, I haven't suffered lost time, night sweats, sleep walking, or bad dreams. This is probably the most stable I've ever been."
That statement seemed to make Hannibal ponder, the doctor tilting his head ever so slightly as he considered the information provided. Will hadn't been suffering any of his usual inflictions. It was as though his Heat and their bond had been the cure for them, but that left the question of why. He would have to take some time to think about that answer later on.
"Do you honestly believe this is good for you, Will?" Alana asked Will, looking worried as though she wasn't sure whether or not Will actually knew his own mind. All things new and old considered, the Omega found it more insulting than endearing at the moment.
"Yeah," He laid a hand over Nigel's linking their fingers over his hip as he leaned back into the comforting solid heat behind him. "It's the best I've been in a long time." The flood of thanks at his own realization feeding though the link had both Alpha's turning to him. It was a real acceptance, a true acknowledgement of how good their bond had become. "I don't want you to take this to anybody, Alana. I'm happy with what has happened, and more to the point, it's working."
Still unhappy but willing to cave for her friend's request, Alana nodded her quiet agreement. "If that's really what you want Will." She cast another look to Hannibal before picking up her coat to leave, a quiet state about her being to let the Alpha know that this discussion was far from over. "I'll see you at work, Will. I am sorry for interrupting your breakfast."
Alana saw herself out after that, leaving the three to consider what else may come to pass before the end of the day as their relationship was brought to light. There were caresses being passed through Will's and Nigel's bond like feather kisses to his mind, Nigel passing on a comforting reassurance that Will was not as mentally unstable as Alana may have liked to believe, and even if he was, Nigel didn't give a fuck. He had fallen into a terrible love with the Omega, and there wasn't a force on this earth that was going to take that away. Will was receiving similar reassurances from Hannibal, all soft strokes of cool wind through his being like fingers through his hair, soothing away his rage and promising Alana's own frustrations were misguiding her.
"She was only looking out for your best interests, Will. Alana doesn't know the full story of what has come to pass between us." Hannibal soothed as he joined his mates, Will leaning in to nuzzle the pair back as he basked in their soothing natures. For now, he let the Alphas flood him with calm and do as they saw best.
"I know." Will whispered, brushing his face against theirs in turn to scent mark the Alphas. Squeezing the hands on his waist, Will made himself pull away from the comforting pair despite wanting nothing more than to cover himself in his mates' scents and light touches until all the bad feelings had passed. Will chided himself that he was a fully grown man, not a child that needed to be coddled. "She's just has my best interests at heart." He said, making a show of investigating the plated meal.
"You know that is not true. Don't believe in delusions to make yourself feel better. There will be more of this type of hostility when you return to work tomorrow, Will. We will have very few allies in this relationship." Hannibal warned, taking the plates from beneath Will's nose to set the table before the Omega could get any bright ideas about eating while standing or, God forbid, with his fingers.
"What do you mean 'tomorrow', and when did I agree to see a new therapist?" Will frowned, following the food. He was feeling hungry enough to keep his appetite for a change. Nigel dropped into a chair next to him instead of across like proper etiquette dictated, the Alpha reaching across the table to grab his plate and cutlery to re-set for himself in the seat of his choice much to his brother's dismay. Noting a distinct lack of caffeine at the table, Nigel left the table with a mouth full of well-seasoned food to fuck around with his brother's coffee machine until something hot and caffeinated came out. Hannibal pushed a reminder to the delicate workings of said machine and how to make it properly function for the best cup of coffee without breaking it. The instructions earned him a devious smile before his other half disappeared. Shaking his head, Hannibal returned his visible attention to that of his unimpressed mate.
"I've made the point of us taking an extra day off from work to help you learn how to control your side of the bond. I believe Jack can wait one more day for his top profiler's return." Hannibal said, giving his mates a hard look, whether they could see it or not. At least Will had the decency to look guilty. The 'no fucks given' coming off of Nigel could be felt all the way from the kitchen. Though he was pleased Will and Nigel had made their peace with one another, Hannibal could not risk a more public repeat performance during one of his many social functions or a therapy session going terribly wrong with one of his patients. When Franklyn had come vividly to mind, Hannibal made the call to Jack, letting the agent know that Will needed one more day.
His curiosity had also been piqued since viewing the bloody, bruised mark on Nigel's neck. Will's teeth had left behind a ragged wound, especially when compared to an Alpha's. It was obvious though from its healing that Nigel had smeared his saliva into the wound. His twin wanted it to permanently scar.
The part of the bond that was all Will's and Nigel's hummed with a refreshing vitality as well. Peeking in on it from where he stood in his mind palace's many balconies, Hannibal was amazed to see something unexpected and new in their shared space. Streams, clear and sparkling as liquid diamonds, now ran through Nigel's dirty city, turning walkways into bridges and streets into waterways. It reminded Hannibal of Venice in a way, the Alpha pleased by the change in aesthetics until he noticed there where none in his own kingdom. The scrawling city that lay outside his dark walls glittered like a rare gem with its new addition, and the once admired view made Hannibal retreat inward to avoid looking at it.
"Guess you could have stayed in bed a little longer after all." Nigel purred in a manner that made Hannibal press his lips thin and tight together to keep from saying something unfortunate as his twin emerged with three cups of fresh coffee.
Setting down the cups before taking a sip of his own, Nigel knew he already missed Bucharest for this alone. The coffee in Baltimore just wasn't the same as the delicate dark brews he had grown used to having in the morning at the quaint tables of the local cafés he favored there.
The Alpha's sigh followed by a flicker of homesickness was enough to make Will not tell Nigel to shut up, though he wanted to. He decided to turn his ire upon the other mate in the room, the one who had altered his schedule without permission or consult.
"I don't appreciate you making that decision for me. I am willing to acknowledge that we need to test our connection's limits and poke toes over boundaries, but I have no interest in taking on an official psychiatrist." Will picked his words carefully, feeling how they worked past his clenched teeth. "My reluctance to work with you should have given adequate insight about that matter. If it hadn't been for Hobbs, I would not have graced your office with my presence."
"But you did and you've benefited greatly since. I think it is important that you continue your therapy, Will. As your Alpha, I will always be available to you for physical, spiritual, and emotional support, but I believe that continuing with treatment that is professional and uninvolved would still be best." Hannibal answered in a matter-of-fact manner as he cut into his breakfast.
"You're sending him to your shrink?" Nigel grinned. He knew he was, it would be Hannibal's way of giving Will what he needed to the public eye while keeping it all under his thumb. Nigel didn't give a flying fuck, would let his brother get away with whatever he wanted so long as long as he didn't hurt Will in the process. As soon as the Omega's physical or mental well-being came into question though, there would be hell to pay.
The Alpha realized belated that he must have felt this very strongly, Will casting a questioning glance at Nigel before returning his attention back to Hannibal. To both Alphas' delight, Will didn't stop eating like he had a tendency to do in the past when stressed. The fallout from that was the Omega's hunger would be passed on to his Alphas instead of being personally felt. Nigel and Hannibal did not like the feeling of starvation, their own or Will's. It brought back too many ugly memories with its presence.
"If I was to continue my...therapy, who would be my psychiatrist if I did go?" Will asked, taking his time with breakfast now that he could.
"Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier, the same therapist that I myself see." Hannibal said. He paid no mind to his twin or the suspicious look he gave him. Nigel didn't need to know every move he made with his pieces on the board. Here in Baltimore, his twin was so far in the dark he couldn't even begin to guess what game was being played. "She is discrete, Will. I believe you will like her, or at the very least, be able to tolerate her. I've already spoken with Dr. Maurier regarding taking you on as a patient. As a great personal favor to me, she has been agreeable to the concept despite being retired. Your first appointment will be Saturday morning."
Will could feel Hannibal's feelings begin to seep through the bond like a warning. This was non-negotiable and even more so, needed. They both knew that he would not be allowed to return to work without an appointed psychiatrist in charge of Will's mental health. Hannibal was telling him not to fight this as gently as he could. "I didn't think therapists generally worked weekends. One of the perks of the profession." Will ventured instead.
"She's agreed to make the exception due to contrasting availability and the impact of recent events. I'm sure a more regular schedule can be negotiated and maintained at a later date." And then Will got it. This would be killing two birds with one stone to both protect Hannibal and his career in what had come to pass between them all. It would also provide a source of support for Will that would have no strings attached or pressure.
"Does she understand what kind of therapy I need?" Will decided to ask instead, accepting the idea of a new doctor as he finished his omelette pie. He hadn't tasted a bite of it, could have been eating ash for all he knew.
"Dr. Du Maurier is well aware of your particular dislike for typical therapy." She will endeavor to accommodate you." Hannibal reassured, sipping his coffee. He almost spat it out when he tasted salt, glaring at the source of this trickery. Nigel grinned wickedly back at him in answer.
Despite its childish nature, there was a quiet warning there.
OoOoO
TBC