Newt had gone to a conference in England. He was working on increasing knowledge of creatures. Percival was happy for him. He knew that Newt was living out his dream. Percival was too busy with work to travel with him, but the two of them had been talking together every night by firecall. Percival was beginning to suspect that the relationship he was developing with Newt was more than just friendship, but it needed time to develop. He didn’t want to risk what they already had.
Work was going well. Percival had his department back under control, and he was managing to wipe out the few patches of support for Grindelwald that remained. Throughout it all, Tiny was a permanent reassurance wrapped around his wrist or cuddled up in his sleeve. He would feed her snacks, and she would cuddle up against him.
During the workday, he was fine. He was being productive, he was helping his aurors and saving lives. It was the evening, when he returned back to an empty bed in an empty room in an empty house, that he struggled. He'd got used to the chaos of being close to Newt and his unending army of creatures, watching them squirm around and play at all hours. He had got used to fishing other occamy from the coffee pot before he drank any in the morning. He still checked the shower for stray demiguises before turning it on, remembering how distressed Dougal got when he found himself at risk of becoming damp. Newt staying had been simply the easiest option initially, but he hadn't realised until now just how much he wanted Newt's company.
Tiny's presence helped him to remain calm during the evenings, a constant sign that he wasn't alone. She seemed to have settled on a size which she used most of the time, the same length as his arm but thinner - it meant that she fitted within his sleeve or within a sling, but was still heavy enough to be felt.
He checked the time, and realised that he might just manage to catch Newt. He pressed his face into the green flames, and the world around him changed until he saw the young magizoologist, sitting down on a bed with books scattered around him.
Newt rushed straight to the fire the moment that he appeared. "Hello..." "Hey." Percival greeted him. "You're up late." "A little." Newt admitted. I wanted to see how you were." "Good. You?" "Hogwarts is talking about making my book compulsory reading. They seem to think that I should mention having studied at Hogwarts, leaving out...anything unfortunate."
Percival pulled a face at that, but nodded, and allowed Newt to talk on about what he had done. When Newt was too tired to continue, he pulled back and headed to the bed, wishing Newt a good night's sleep. He sat down with Tiny, brushing his fingers over her scales, and then placing her down on the pillow beside him. He closed his eyes.
He wasn't aware of when he drifted off. The next thing he was aware of was Grindelwald's mismatched eyes staring at him, a smirk on his lips. Pain shot through Percival's shoulder, and he began to scream. Grindelwald spoke slowly, telling him everything he would do, how he would torture him and make him suffer, how he would get him to watch as he killed each of his friends. Percival sobbed, helpless and terrified, as Grindelwald leaned closer, his wand hitting the delicate skin of Percival's neck.
Slowly, the pain faded, replaced with a deep pressure. He cracked his eyes open for a moment, and found that Tiny was looped around him, nuzzling her face gently into his own. Seeing that he was awake, she nipped his ear very gently before releasing him "Thank you." Percival mumbled.
He brushed his fingers over her scales, until she shrank back down. The movement was soothing, helping him to focus and chasing away the dark memories. He smiled at her. "You looking after me?" She licked his face.
He couldn't remember the last time anyone had been going out of their way to look after him - he was a Graves, it was his role to take care of everyone else, not to be cared for, but she was keeping him safe, and Newt was caring about him. "Thank you..." He smiled a little. "You know, when Newt gets home, I think I might tell him just how much I missed him..." Her only response was to curl up around his arm, but that reassurance was enough to allow him to sleep without fear.
A Tiny Problem (5/6)
Work was going well. Percival had his department back under control, and he was managing to wipe out the few patches of support for Grindelwald that remained. Throughout it all, Tiny was a permanent reassurance wrapped around his wrist or cuddled up in his sleeve. He would feed her snacks, and she would cuddle up against him.
During the workday, he was fine. He was being productive, he was helping his aurors and saving lives. It was the evening, when he returned back to an empty bed in an empty room in an empty house, that he struggled. He'd got used to the chaos of being close to Newt and his unending army of creatures, watching them squirm around and play at all hours. He had got used to fishing other occamy from the coffee pot before he drank any in the morning. He still checked the shower for stray demiguises before turning it on, remembering how distressed Dougal got when he found himself at risk of becoming damp. Newt staying had been simply the easiest option initially, but he hadn't realised until now just how much he wanted Newt's company.
Tiny's presence helped him to remain calm during the evenings, a constant sign that he wasn't alone. She seemed to have settled on a size which she used most of the time, the same length as his arm but thinner - it meant that she fitted within his sleeve or within a sling, but was still heavy enough to be felt.
He checked the time, and realised that he might just manage to catch Newt. He pressed his face into the green flames, and the world around him changed until he saw the young magizoologist, sitting down on a bed with books scattered around him.
Newt rushed straight to the fire the moment that he appeared.
"Hello..."
"Hey." Percival greeted him. "You're up late."
"A little." Newt admitted. I wanted to see how you were."
"Good. You?"
"Hogwarts is talking about making my book compulsory reading. They seem to think that I should mention having studied at Hogwarts, leaving out...anything unfortunate."
Percival pulled a face at that, but nodded, and allowed Newt to talk on about what he had done. When Newt was too tired to continue, he pulled back and headed to the bed, wishing Newt a good night's sleep. He sat down with Tiny, brushing his fingers over her scales, and then placing her down on the pillow beside him. He closed his eyes.
He wasn't aware of when he drifted off. The next thing he was aware of was Grindelwald's mismatched eyes staring at him, a smirk on his lips. Pain shot through Percival's shoulder, and he began to scream. Grindelwald spoke slowly, telling him everything he would do, how he would torture him and make him suffer, how he would get him to watch as he killed each of his friends. Percival sobbed, helpless and terrified, as Grindelwald leaned closer, his wand hitting the delicate skin of Percival's neck.
Slowly, the pain faded, replaced with a deep pressure. He cracked his eyes open for a moment, and found that Tiny was looped around him, nuzzling her face gently into his own. Seeing that he was awake, she nipped his ear very gently before releasing him
"Thank you." Percival mumbled.
He brushed his fingers over her scales, until she shrank back down. The movement was soothing, helping him to focus and chasing away the dark memories. He smiled at her.
"You looking after me?"
She licked his face.
He couldn't remember the last time anyone had been going out of their way to look after him - he was a Graves, it was his role to take care of everyone else, not to be cared for, but she was keeping him safe, and Newt was caring about him.
"Thank you..." He smiled a little. "You know, when Newt gets home, I think I might tell him just how much I missed him..."
Her only response was to curl up around his arm, but that reassurance was enough to allow him to sleep without fear.