fantasticbeasts_kinkmeme | Prompt Post #1

(This part is a little shorter than previous installments -- kind of a bridge between the last part's emotional conversation and the next part's emotional boning. I know, I keep promising you guys cunnilingus and not delivering. Soon, though!)
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"What would that mean for you?" Percival says. "What would make it real?"

"I'll want what you want," she says, because that's how this is supposed to go.

"No," he says. Credence feels herself flinch. She tries not to stay tense: better to be pliant than have apprehension mistaken for resistance. "That's not an answer," he says. He sounds almost apologetic. His thumb moves in slow circles over the back of her hand -- trying to soothe her, maybe. She shouldn't need soothing, but she likes that he wants to try.

"I don't know what you want to hear," Credence says. Her voice has thinned out to a whisper. "I promised to be obedient, but you haven't told me what to do."

"When did you promise that?" Percival says.

"When I married you," she says. She risks a glance over at him. "Didn't I?"

"You didn't," he says. "And you should have received a thorough outline of the ceremony, besides being told whose care you were being entrusted to." He's not angry with her, but he is angry, or at least frustrated. He might vent his frustration on the source or he might not want to wait that long. Credence wants to believe the best of her husband, who has been good to her so far, but she knows the way anger can be redirected. Ma's punishments were always harsher when a sermon hadn't gone well. It's worse if you are the one who has done wrong, though, so Credence has other worries.

"Please don't reprimand Miss Goldstein," Credence says. Miss Goldstein is something like a friend to her. "I didn't think to ask the questions I should have."

"Miss Goldstein?" He looks taken aback. "She was only there for moral support. You seemed to trust her, and she thought it might help. Someone else was supposed to meet with you in a more official capacity." Credence shakes her head. There had been no one. Some people hate her, and they have good enough reasons. Better than the reasons she was hated before she killed anyone, at least. She can't completely blame them for avoiding her. "Your case has been badly mishandled, and I'm sorry for that."

"What did I say?" Credence says. "What were my vows?" She thinks again of her ma's sermons: books signed in blood, forfeiting souls for earthly power. She might have said yes to anything without knowing.

"You promised to share my hearth and my cup," Percival says. "My bread and my power and --" he stops short. "We did keep to the traditional vows, because you wanted a legal marriage, but it's all symbolic language."

"What else did I promise?" Credence says. She's afraid that the answer will be something terrible, but hopes that it might be the key to winning him over. He might choose not to ask for the thing he wants most.

"You promised to share my bed," Percival says.

Credence squeezes her eyes shut. Of course it's that, it always comes back to the base desires of the flesh. Even among witches and wizards, who have all the wonders of creation at their fingertips: what they crave is mastery. She knew that already, had felt it in a different form. And, after all, she has nothing else to offer him in return for his guidance and protection. She is unschooled in magic and useless in his society. She could keep house for him, but he has already said he doesn't want that. There must be spells that could accomplish the same work in half the time. But there may not be spells that can replace a warm body, or the satisfaction of another person's submission.

"I won't hold you to that," Percival is saying. "I assumed from the start that this arrangement would be more pragmatic."

"No," Credence says. Her voice is still faint. "I will, I will." She opens her eyes and brings their joined hands toward her. She takes his hand in both of hers and turns it, kissing his palm. "Let me be your wife."

"You are my wife," he says. He doesn't strike her; he doesn't pull away. "That can mean whatever you want it to."

"Let me give you this," she says. It's all I have to give, she doesn't say. She brings his hand to rest at her waist. This is as far as she can go. He will have to be bold for her now. If he can be bold, she can be good. They can manage it together.

"This isn't a good idea," Percival says. He leans toward her, and Credence keeps still. "It might even be a bad one."

The robe's belt comes loose at the same moment Percival's lips brush hers, and she feels doubly exposed, though he has seen her in her slip already. The kiss is neither hesitant nor demanding. It suggests more confidence in the course of action than his words did. Credence lets him lay her out on the bed like a sacrifice with his robe spread out around her. Better to let him guide her. Better to be soft and yielding than to let him know how nervous she is, even now. Her husband is a kind man and maybe a good one. He might still hurt her because that's the way of things.

"Tell me if you want me to stop," Percival says against her neck. Credence nods and then turns her face away. She has already decided she will deny him nothing.

Such a good story! Seriously. The story and characterizations are so delicate that I think in someone else's hands would have failed. But you're capturing what feels genuine and is completely real in how humans act. Like you maintain a great balance between the emotional tone while still having a story go forward. So good! Cant wait for the latest update!

Author-anon here, and I think this might be one of the nicest things anyone has said about my fic! I'm glad you think I've found a good balance between plot and tone, and that you found my characterization nuanced and compelling. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story, too!

Echoing all of above anon's commentary, and adding that you have me nervous on both their behalf now! (This is a compliment - and, like Credence, I believe. That you will see the poor dears safely through their night.) But Percival is so kind and patient, never condescending, and Credence so brave and resilient when it comes to the "other Mr Graves" that I can only cheer them on - and you!

Author-anon here, and I'm so glad to have inspired both emotional investment in the story and trust in my writing! Percival and Credence are coming at this situation from very different perspectives, so there's some tension inherent in that, but they're both trying their best. I think their good intentions will win out, despite the circumstances.

I'm beginning to think I must have saved a bundle of orphans in a past life to deserve something this awesome. I love the wedding vow culture clash (ofc they'd be different, why wouldn't they?) and how careful he is and how brave Credence is in spite of all she's suffered. Also I want to fill this with lines that killed me, but I'm gonna restrain myself to "He might vent his frustration on the source or he might not want to wait that long" "If he can be bold, she can be good. They can manage it together." and "Her husband is a kind man and maybe a good one."

Author-anon here, and I'm so glad you're still digging this fill! I'm glad you're into the wedding vow conversation in particular, because (as a longtime HP fan with well over a decade of thinking about this stuff) I love speculating about how wizard culture has evolved and changed over time. And I think Credence's experiences with GrindelGraves would cause her to differentiate very sharply between kindness and goodness, because she knows now that they're not the same thing, so I'm especially glad you singled out that last line you quoted as being worthy of attention.

Darling, you have slain me xx

Author-anon here, and hopefully (as the saying goes) satisfaction can bring you back!

Prompt Post #1

fill: "to honor and obey" (original!Graves/fem!Credence, part 4/?)

Re: fill: "to honor and obey" (original!Graves/fem!Credence, part 4/?)

Re: fill: "to honor and obey" (original!Graves/fem!Credence, part 4/?)

Re: fill: "to honor and obey" (original!Graves/fem!Credence, part 4/?)

Re: fill: "to honor and obey" (original!Graves/fem!Credence, part 4/?)

OP Here

Re: OP Here

Re: fill: "to honor and obey" (original!Graves/fem!Credence, part 4/?)

Re: fill: "to honor and obey" (original!Graves/fem!Credence, part 4/?)