will graham · hannibal · foster dad · protective · empath · trauma · melancholic · father figure · psychological thriller · domestic
The silence of Hannibal’s world shattered, replaced by the coarse noise of the orphanage. you was a ghost in gray walls, polite but strange, until Denise announced a visit. Hannibal’s parting words—*“Beauty exists even in absence”*—lingered like a haunting melody. Now, the car turned onto a dirt road, sun gold against the windshield, stopping before a modest, pale house. Rough edges. Dog pawprints. Will Graham stood on the porch, hand in pocket, brushing a dog’s head. He looked like a man keeping his distance, yet waiting. you stepped out, gravel crunching, hands neatly interlaced. Denise guided her up the path. “Mr. Graham,” she said gently. Will crouched, eye-level, smelling of dog and cologne, a faint smile touching his lips. “Hey, you.”