Chapter Text
When Graves wakes up, he is alone. He slowly becomes aware of the pain- it’s all over. He groans as he sits up. For a moment, he forgets where he is.
But then he remembers.
He is being held captive in some dingy dungeon, his neck has a metal chain around it, attaching him to the wall in the most humiliating way. He is allowed a pair of disgusting sweatpants and a worn shirt that was once white but now is a specious yellow. Not mention, both garments are speckled with blood- his blood- due to Grindelwald's torture.
The worst part is he can see what Grindelwald can see. It’s in his dreams, when he closes his eyes. He sees a boy. A beautiful, beautiful broken boy. Grindelwald is using him and he can’t stand it. Graves can hear the promises that will never be kept, taste the lies on his tongue.
His name is Credence but he isn’t sure how he knows. It isn’t like he has heard the imposter say it, but he must have. It’s such a biblical name. The only prayer he says when he is down here.
After Grindelwald has done his tortures and left Graves broken and bloody on the floor, he finds himself mumbling his name before he is even coherent enough to know up from down. It almost cures the pain, stops the bleeding, erases his agony.
It kills him to know the manipulation that Credence is being put through. But the worst part is, he doesn’t even know that he is being manipulated. He is so starved for affection, for those gentle caresses, that he will take anything he can get and do anything to please the man that is so obviously using him.
Graves isn’t sure when he will get out of here, but he swears that when he does, he will find Credence. What he will do for, or with, or to him, he doesn’t know.
A lot had happened and that was an understatement.
Graves woke up in the hospital and he could see clearly for the first time in a year. The bright light burned his eyes, he cursed quietly.
“Are they too bright?” Asked a familiar voice.
He looked to Tina who was already looking at him.
“The boy- Credence- where is he?”
The Goldstein sister looked at him in perplexity. “How do you know that name?”
Graves still didn’t know how himself. “Some of what Grindelwald was seeing would bleed through. I… picked up a few things.”
She nodded. “Mr. Scamander saved him.”
“Saved him?”
Tina took a deep breath. “Credence was- is- the obscurius.”
“But he’s not-”
“A child.” She finished for him. “I know. He’s… one of the most powerful wizards I’ve ever seen.”
“Beautiful..” He mumbled under his breath.
“I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to see him.”
11 months of torture did not hurt as much as those words.
How could she say that? How could he stay away? How?
Tina noticed the wind go out of Percival’s sails. It was hard not to.
“At least for now.” She added in attempt to make it burn less.
He nodded. It made sense. But at the same time…
Percival Graves was in the hospital for three weeks. He had three broken ribs, a cracked sternum, a fractured skull, and a few torn ligaments sprinkled into the bunch. Even with magic, those injuries took time to heal. Some things, though, could not heal- even with magic.
Graves, who prided himself on his strength and mental stability, was falling apart to say the least. He couldn’t look in the mirror without seeing… his face. He barely looked at himself. How could he? After all that time he had forgotten how to be himself. Maybe this was an opportunity to be new man- to reinvent himself into a better one. No one even noticed he was gone or even different, obviously this was result of how distant he was.
He refused to let anybody get close. No one had hurt him or done him wrong. It was just the fear of it happening that kept him away.
Percival found himself quite curious though.
About a young man named Credence. He thought that maybe, just maybe, his terror of closeness and intimacy would subside after he met this incredible young man.
For quite some time Percival had done as Tina had asked of him. He had stayed away from Credence Barebone.
Granted, it was one of the most difficult things he had “willingly” done. Every fiber of his being was screaming for him to find that boy. He was his saviour in some way. That name of his kept him sane. He hadn’t even seen him- had no clue what he looked like. Honestly, it was all the more attracting. With each passing day the other man found himself longing to know Credence.
He needn’t long anymore.
When he finally went back to work they had him doing silly tasks that an intern would normally be doing. Graves knew it was just MACUSA’s way of integrating him back into the force but he couldn’t help but feel just a bit like an underrated new recruit. With all the loads of extra time that he had, he wandered around the office- attempting to get acquainted with the place he once knew like the back of his hand. He found prying eyes everywhere he went. He could practically hear their thoughts.
Is that him? The real him? What did Grindelwald do to him?
It itched him more than a wool sweater and he couldn’t stand it. He was breaking at the seams and he had to get out of here.
Graves turned his eyes down, making his way rather quickly to wand registration where he knew he was bound to find one of the Goldstein sisters. As much as he was friends with Tina, he hoped it was her sister, Queenie, who he found flouncing around the office. He didn’t feel like explaining and he knew that with the rose gold woman he wouldn’t have to.
His hopes were fulfilled as she was there, smiling and talking to someone out of view.
“Queenie! I don’t mean to bother but-” He couldn’t help it, standing in front of his was the most exquisite man he’d ever seen.
He wasn’t “conventionally” attractive. In fact, he wasn’t sure if he was handsome at all. Gorgeous seemed more fitting. This young man had lips dusted by roses, skin made of delicate porcelain, and the biggest, brownest, saddest eye’s he had ever seen. He was so incredibly gaunt. You could tell in the way his cheeks sunk in, how dark the circles under his eyes were, and how baggy his clothes were. All Graves wanted to do was pull the young man towards him and apparate home to cook him a nice warm meal- he looked like he needed one.
Queenie stared in wonder at the older man, a small smile playing on her lips as she undoubtedly heard his thoughts.
“This is Credence Barebone.” She said softly.
Graves coughed. “I’m… sorry. I shouldn’t be here.” He said quickly, turning on his heels and walking as fast as he could to away from the wand permit office.
“Mr. Graves!” Called her delicate voice. She was trotting to catch up with his wide strides and fast pace. “Mr. Graves!” Queenie tried again.
She caught hold of his coat tails and dragged him back. He huffed like a child who knew he was about to get in trouble.
“I’m sorry, Queenie. I didn’t know he was there.”
“It’s no problem.” She smiled. “There’s no way you could’ve.”
“I hope I didn’t…” He hoped he hadn’t scared him, brought up those bad memories that must lay just on the surface.
“You didn’t scare him.” Queenie confirmed. “You jus’ surprised him.”
Graves couldn’t meet her eyes. She was already wandering around the roads of his mind, reading his thoughts, he refused to let himself be so vulnerable.
“It doesn’t make you weak. You can look at me.” Her voice was so calm, so soothing. She sounded like the lullabies his mother use to sing to him when he was a child.
Queenie laughed quietly. “He likes being sung to before bed. I bet you’d do that for him, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes!” Percival responded too quickly, too enthusiastically.
Just then, Credence came up behind Queenie, standing just slightly behind her as if he was an abused animal. His shoulders were raised just slightly and his eyes were hiding themselves under his hair.
He was beautiful. A masterpiece painted only in shades of black, white, and grey. No doubt Queenie heard that, she bit her lip just slightly, the tip of her heel dragging against the floor.
“I think it’s time the two of you met- for real that is.”
The two men stalled for a moment. Graves didn’t want to do anything that may scare Credence away, his demeanor was that of a rabbit- any sudden movements would send him reeling and he may disappear from whence he came.
Credence didn’t look up but offered his hand. “I’m Credence.” He spoke quietly. The words may not have been audible had Graves not been on the edge of his seat just dying to hear that voice.
It sent shivers down his spine. Those two words brought him more excitement that any case he’d ever been giving. They fuzzified his head more than any shot of Jack or Whiskey. He was so lost, swimming in those eyes of Credence that he forgot how to speak.
“Graves. Percival Graves.” He replied when he finally found his voice. He took Credence’s outstretched hand and melted. The boy’s hands were rougher than his own. Against Graves palm he could feel years of damage- welts that never healed quite right, scars that would never go away.
Percival never wanted to let go. But he knew how inappropriate this must be. He felt like he was practically forcing himself on the boy.
“I would love to stay…” He uttered. “I- I have some work I must attend to.”
The older man drew his hand away, closing it into a fist in an attempt to savor the feeling. Credence seemed to be doing the same thing. They stood there a moment longer, taking in the sight of each other.
Queenie broke in. “Want some lunch, Credence?’
He looked up to her and then back down. “I would love some.”
Graves smiled, at least he knew that his boy was getting a hot lunch. The two had walked past him, Queenie offering him a kind smile as they went. Percival couldn’t find it in himself to leave just yet- he remained planted where he stood.
“Mr. Graves..” There that sweet voice was again. It pulled the man towards the sound.
“Yes, Credence?” The name was delicious on his tongue, Graves could say it all day.
“Would you like us- me- to bring you something for lunch?”
His heart skipped a beat. He was craving an opportunity to see him again- this brief encounter wasn’t enough and as he looked at the young wizard in front of him… He was ripping apart at the seams.
“No thank you, Credence.” He couldn’t stop saying it.
Credence seemed defeated, nibbling on his bottom lip a little bit before looking up and nodding. He turned away and leaned into Queenie.
It is too soon. I can’t give him too much too soon. He reflected, praying Queenie was inside his mind.
She nodded and flashed him a smile, signaling she understood.
That’s how things went for a few weeks.
Percival would find some stupid reason to find his way to the wand permit office- that’s where he would find Credence. He made it a point to never really speak to Credence unless Credence was the one initiated the conversation. He knew that Grindelwald didn’t force himself physically on the boy, but all he could think of was all the pain this face- his face - must’ve caused him. Graves was amazed in all honesty, he had difficulty looking at himself in the mirror, and here Credence was, talking and asking questions.
Once again, Queenie and Credence went for lunch, Credence as usual by asked Graves if he would like anything. Just like always, the older man declined, thanking him anyways.
After the two had left, Percival retired to his office. Once lunch came, he rarely saw Credence. He figured that he was working in the wand permit office by now- MACUSA was kind but they wouldn’t just let him hang around the office doing nothing.
There was a knock at his door, timid and quiet, but a knock nonetheless.
Without looking up from the stack of paperwork he was doing, he sighed a “Come in.”
His heart banged against his rib cage as he saw Credence Barebone standing in the doorway. He stood up quickly, the force of his movement knocking his chair over and sending a few papers to the ground. Credence watched it unfold and couldn’t help but smile just a bit.
It was a delicate smile, barely there. It faded fast like the shadows of the night.
“Mr. Graves.” He said curiously.
The older man couldn’t speak. He’d lost his voice.
“Queenie told me that you’re scared of me.” He paused, those innocent eyes searching Graves face. “I-Is that true?”
He didn’t know what to say.
“Yes and no.”
Credence cocked his head to the side slightly, wordlessly inquiry what that might mean.
“Please- sit down. I could get us some tea or coffee if you’d like.”
He shook his head. “No, no- that’s okay. But I would like to know why you’re scared of me.”
Percival sighed, returning to his chair and dropping his head to hands. Without looking up, he began. “I’m scared of you, Credence. I’m scared of what I could do to you. I don’t- I don’t know where you are in this recovery process, you certainly have a lot to recover from, and I don’t want to set that back.. He was using my face, after all.”
“You’re so much different than him.”
It wasn’t the response he was expecting. “Obviously not.” Graves paused. “He replaced me for 11 months and no one noticed. What does that say about me?”
Credence pondered, “It says you’ve never let anyone in. That.. you don’t get close.”
The older man raised his eyebrows. “Spot on.”
“I don’t let anyone in.” Credence continued shyly. “I don’t get close.”
He smiled just slightly. “I was thinking I should change that about me.”
“You were?”
“I was- am.”