Prompt: One could be Hannibal talking with his own psychiatrist about his relationship with Will and subtly (it is after all Hannibal) showing himself possessive. His therapist, who's also pretty smart, catches the behavior and pushes to find why it's there. Obviously Hannibal will get a little defensive at first, but then he'll admit that he finds Will more appealing than mere friendship, and that in spite of the conflicts that arise in him, he would like to develop a romantic relationship with him.
"Do you find yourself attracted to Will Graham?" Bedelia asks without any hint of judgement as she sits with her notepad on her lap, ankles crossed.
Hannibal has his legs crossed and hands clasped on his knee as he tilts his head, regarding her. They are both closed books, each only able to read the cover of the other. It is one of the qualities he finds alluring about her.
"I ask because you seem to beā¦careful in keeping Graham wary of the FBI," she continued.
"Not the FBI but Agent Crawford," Hannibal corrects. "I am Will's friend and I know what working with Crawford will do to his mind. I see the depths to which he would push himself and the twisted path Crawford would guide him down, and I see no positive outcome for Will."
"Would you make one for him?"
"Of course," Hannibal answers with a small nod. "Jack would have Will push himself in a dark corner until he eventually hurts himself or someone else. I want nothing more than to provide an escape from the violent empathetic nature his work drives him to."
Bedelia nods as she settles back in her chair. "What you suggests sounds more than a feeling of friendship."
Hannibal narrows his gaze in thought for a second. "You believe I'm being possessive of Will."
"Passionately defensive would be my description."
"Kinder than possessive but implies the same."
"Which begs me to ask: are you attracted to Will Graham?"
Hannibal cocked his head slightly, taking a visible breath. "In what way? I certainly find his ability to connect attractive."
"Suppose you found him physically attractive. I would think that same ability makes it difficult to connect." A beat of silence. "Do you find him physically attractive?"
Hannibal is quite for several minutes, his gaze wandering out her window before he focuses back on his colleague. "I find that, despite any type of interest I admit to, any relationship I have with Will can only end disastrously."
"You can't know that. Would you attempt to pursue a romantic relationship if you knew he felt the same?"
"Yes," Hannibal answers. "Despite both our faults, I would."
