Unfortunately gossip did as gossip is wont to do and it spread. So even as Graves continued to come in early and leave late the rumours only grew. Snowballing from him being weak for getting captured to Picquery having him doing less field work not to ease him back to duty, but because she no longer trusted him.
The latest ones were nipping at his heels as he left the morning meeting, wary eyes scanning him as he walked the hallways of MACUSA. That he was able to come back to work so quickly, because he wasn’t as badly injured as the healers had let on and so he clearly hadn’t tried hard enough to escape. Maybe he was even one of Grindelwald’s agents just lying in wait until it was time to return to his master’s side.
Slamming his new office door wasn’t the most dignified thing in the world Graves knew that, but he certainly felt better for it.
He forced himself to focus on the tasks at hand and slowly the rumours were drowned under the steady thrum of paperwork. It was just as quickly broken though by a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
The door opened to reveal bright blonde locks and an even brighter smile, Queenie Goldstein.
“Mr. Graves, I was doing my usual coffee rounds and-”
“I don’t drink coffee.”
“Of course I know that, but I also stopped by this new bakery that is just the bee’s knees and I thought you might like to try some.”
She placed a small brown bag on his desk. Intrigued Graves opened it and pulled a pastry in the shape of an erumpent, and one shaped like an occamy.
“They’re made with orange zest and lemon curd, best in New York.”
“Thank you, Miss Goldstein.”
The pastries were indeed delicious and filling and Graves used them as an excuse to work through lunch. He also stuffed the file for a no-maj named Jacob Kowalski and his bakery at the bottom of the non-urgent pile.
---
I thought Queenie would easily figure out that Graves needs some cheering up, because she has to listen to what everyone is saying and thinking.
Re: Graves and Grindelwald - Victim Blaming - fill 2/?
The latest ones were nipping at his heels as he left the morning meeting, wary eyes scanning him as he walked the hallways of MACUSA. That he was able to come back to work so quickly, because he wasn’t as badly injured as the healers had let on and so he clearly hadn’t tried hard enough to escape. Maybe he was even one of Grindelwald’s agents just lying in wait until it was time to return to his master’s side.
Slamming his new office door wasn’t the most dignified thing in the world Graves knew that, but he certainly felt better for it.
He forced himself to focus on the tasks at hand and slowly the rumours were drowned under the steady thrum of paperwork. It was just as quickly broken though by a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
The door opened to reveal bright blonde locks and an even brighter smile, Queenie Goldstein.
“Mr. Graves, I was doing my usual coffee rounds and-”
“I don’t drink coffee.”
“Of course I know that, but I also stopped by this new bakery that is just the bee’s knees and I thought you might like to try some.”
She placed a small brown bag on his desk. Intrigued Graves opened it and pulled a pastry in the shape of an erumpent, and one shaped like an occamy.
“They’re made with orange zest and lemon curd, best in New York.”
“Thank you, Miss Goldstein.”
The pastries were indeed delicious and filling and Graves used them as an excuse to work through lunch. He also stuffed the file for a no-maj named Jacob Kowalski and his bakery at the bottom of the non-urgent pile.
---
I thought Queenie would easily figure out that Graves needs some cheering up, because she has to listen to what everyone is saying and thinking.