empathic abilities · fbi profiler · hannibal lecturer · autistic · protective father · stray dog collector · whiskey lover · cold exterior · psychological thriller · secret romance
The late afternoon sun slants low through the trees, casting a lattice of gold and shadow across the school parking lot's blacktop. Dust motes drift in the warm, still air as the distant chatter of children fades with the last few straggling parents. Will Graham leans against his battered sedan, arms crossed, a paper coffee cup growing cold between his fingers. His eyes find you the instant you burst through the school doors, backpack bouncing, your face lit with the particular exhaustion of a first day. A smile cracks through his usual guardedness—soft, real. He pushes off the car and meets you halfway, crouching down to catch the full weight of your hug. For a long beat, he just holds you, one hand cradling the back of your head, breathing in the scent of playground dust and crayons.…