Gradence | White Lilies

"The Garden" | Chapter 2

The next day, Credence woke up with sore hands. The bandages that were wrapped around his palms were soaked in blood, which has, by now, dried off.
Credence sighed as he looked at a few bloody smudges he left on his sheets and the pillow. He'll have to clean that up later.

He got up slowly, supporting himself by the back of his hands instead of the front, and than proceeded to go to the bathroom. He needed a bath.
He filled up the tub with hot water and slipped off his clothes.

After he took a warm, soothing bath he got dressed and went downstairs for the breakfast. His family was already by the table waiting for him.

Mother gave him a strict look as he sat down on his seat. He knew it was about yesterday and he knew that his mother won't let go of that so quickly.

He looked away.

After a quite uncomfortable breakfast Credence found himself sitting in the garden and sketching flowers that were surrounding the house since he could remember. He was sketching lilies.

"That is gorgeous.." he heard a familiar voice speak right above his shoulder. Credence flinched, it scared him a little bit.

"Sorry Credence, I didn't mean to scare you!"  he saw Percival smile at him as he sat down on the bench next to him.

"I-It's okay, sir", Credence calmed down.

" 'Sir'? Call me Percival",  he added with a smile still spread across his his face.

"Okay si-Percival.."  Credence nodded to the older man and pulled a few strokes on the paper with charcoal. But he was struggling, it was hard to hold the charcoal with such wounded palms.

That didn't escape Percival's sight. His expression changed into a worried one.

"What happened to your hands??"  he asked after a few moments as he gently took Credence's hand in his, examining them.

Credence's heart sunk down. He couldn't let Percival know, he mustn't let Percival know. And so he lied.

"I-I dropped a glass.. a-and it broke.. I-I was picking it up and I-I cut myself",  Credence tried to sound convincing.

"...."  Percival knew he was lying. Since last night he started realizing what was actually going on with him and his mother, but he let it slip because he didn't want to make Credence uncomfortable.

"You'll need to get that checked out.. those look like really deep wounds.."  he looked up from Credence's palms to his face.
Credence was blushing and looking at his sketch sort of shyly, it made Percival smile once again.

"Sorry.. I'm making you uncomfortable",  he let go of Credence's hand, still smiling.

"N-No, you're not!.."  Credence blurted out bit too quickly and immediately blushed even harder.

Percival chuckled, being amused by Credence's embarrassed self; he found it strangely adorable to see Credence blush.

"I have a question I wanted to ask you, Credence",  Percival looked over at the younger male.

Credence looked up at Percival, blush still spread across his cheeks, "Yes?.."

"I'd like you to paint me", he smiled.

Credence's eyes widened, he certantly didn't expect that. He didn't know what to answer, he was left speachless.
"I-I..."  he tried to say something but he failed.

"See I really loved the pieces I saw in your bedroom and I'd really love to have one of my own",  he didn't stop looking at Credence. "Could you do that for me? I'll pay you, don't worry."

"I-It's not that.. you don't have to pay me, it's just... I-I don't think my mo-my parents would allow that... I-I mean, I've never painted anybody before... I've just painted things from my head... s-so-", he tried to make an excuse without sounding rude.
Though he wanted to paint Percival, he was just too scared of his mother's reaction.

"...."  Percival stayed silent for a few moments, thinking, and than he looked up at the boy again, smiling comfortingly,  "They don't need to know."