Forever Forgotten [Book Two]

Chapter 1

Credence opened his eyes and stared into those of the man across from him. Graves' eyes were shut and his mouth hung slightly open. He was still asleep.

Dear God he was beautiful.

Credence lazily traced a finger over the other man's cheek and around his jawline, as gentle as he could, before leaning forward and placing a long, sweet kiss on his lips.

Graves' eyes flickered open."Good morning, Credence." He muttered, smiling. He wrapped his arms around the other and held him in a tight embrace.

"I still can't get over how beautiful you are." Credence sighed.

"And you grow more beautiful each time I lay my eyes on you." Graves kissed his neck. "It's breathtaking." He sighed.

Credence shuddered as he felt Graves' fingers run over his back, tracing the marks which remained as a reminder of the pain they went through.

"Don't." He muttered.

"Shh... It's alright. You're beautiful, I told you that... And that includes your scars."

Credence's injuries from all that time ago, back when he had stood up to his mother before killing her shortly afterwards, had been too deep and too brutal to heal properly. Even with Graves' help.

"I should be getting to work." Graves sighed, slipping out of bed and getting changed after kissing his boyfriend one last time.

"Do you really have to go?"

Graves smiled weakly. "You know I do, Credence. I'll see you this evening."

"You're cooking tonight." Credence grinned as Graves walked out of the room. "Give Tina my best!" He called after him.

"As long as you give Newt mine!" Graves called back before the door slammed shut behind him.

- - - - -

Graves marched purposefully into the Woolworths building and into the head quarters of MACUSA. He saw Tina on the ground floor, stood next to her sister. He smiled as he walked over to the two of them.

"Scamander!" He greeted.

"Well hello there, Mr Graves!" Tina and Queenie said at the same time cheerily.

"Queenie." He nodded in the blond's direction.

"Oh, I'm afraid, Mr Graves, that you will have to get used to calling me by a different name..." She said, smirking mischievously.

"Is that so?"

She waggled her left hand in his face, so that he could see the glimmering emerald ring on her finger.

"Jacob proposed?" His smile grew.

"Yes!" She squealed, Tina joining in soon after.

"Congratulations, Queenie!" He gave her a quick hug.

"So, Mr Graves..." Tina spoke in a hushed voice. "When are you and Mr Barebone going to make a similar special announcement?"

Graves' face fell. "Tina, please, not in public. It's illegal, you know that. No one apart from you and your men know that we're together..."

"Y'know..." Queenie muttered, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It used to be illegal for Wizards and Witches to marry No-Majes, but look at me and Jacob! Times will change, Percival, be patient. People will become more accepting."

Graves smiled sadly in response. "Yes well... I'd better get going anyway, I have a lot of work to do. Hey, would you like to come over for a celebratory dinner tonight? I'm cooking."

"That sounds great, thank you." Tina smiled.

Graves left them with a heavy feeling in his chest.

- - - - -

"So did you hear about Queenie and Jacob?" Newt asked Credence, sipping some tea.

"No? Dear God they haven't bought another cat have they?" Credence asked, taking a huge gulp out of his coffee mug.

"No, no. They thought that six was enough. But they're engaged."

"Really? That took them a while. But good for them."

"Yes, well, I don't think they were in a rush were they?"

Just then a persistent tapping sound came from the window. Newt set his tea down on the coffee table next to his suitcase before going to open the window.

"It's an owl from Tina." He said over his shoulder.

"And what does the Mrs say then, Newt?" Credence said, raising his eyebrows.

Newt scanned the note quickly. "She says that we're all having dinner at your place tonight, to celebrate the happy couple." He grinned, strolling back over to sit down again. "I hope we're not intruding, I can't help but think that this was Tina's idea. Out of the blue, like always."

"No trouble at all, Mr Scamander." Credence grinned. "In fact, I'm almost certain that this would've been my man's idea. Sounds like the sort of thing Percy would do."

"Percy?" Newt chuckled as Credence blushed.

"Well yes, I mean... What was it Tina called you last time I was here? Oh, that's right! Honey."

"Not as bad as the names that Jacob and Queenie have for each other."

"Yes... I believe I once caught Queenie calling him 'Sweetums'..."

Newt thought for a second. "Actually, I think that's one of their cats' names."

"... Oh."

- - - - -

By the time that Graves had gotten home Credence was already there waiting. He had been reading a book when he had heard the door open and close.

He folded the corner of the page he had been reading and placed the book shut on his bedside table. He shuffled over to Graves as he was facing away from him, toeing off his shoes, and wrapped his arms around the man's waist, placing his head into the crook in his neck and kissing him there.

"Good afternoon, Mr Graves." He muttered.

"Good afternoon, Mr Barebone." Came the response.

Graves turned around to face Credence and kissed him, fingers running through his dark hair.

"Just to warn you, Credence, our dear friends are going to be coming over for dinner."

"Oh yes, I heard. I was still with Newt when he received Tina's owl."

"I was thinking about making pasta."

"What kind?"

"Macaroni cheese. I know it's your favourite." Graves chuckled.

"Oh good." Credence wrapped his arms around the older man's neck. "And how much time do we have to spare before the others come over?"

Graves smirked and leant in close to whisper in his ear, nuzzling his face into the soft wisps of hair there.

"Enough time."

And he picked Credence up, arms around his waist, and carried him to their bedroom.