Mutual hugs are the best kind, honestly. And this one means he can feel the change in Ray's body language.
"...Are you okay?"
He nods, quickly, eyes closed tightly. He's got one hand splayed on the back of Credence's shoulder.
"Yeah. I'm proud of you, buddy. And I'm-- thinkin' about Beth."
He can't quite keep the emotion out of his voice, and maybe he shouldn't be trying.
"Oh - of course."
Back to reality for a moment.
"Will you...go home?"
He doesn't think so somehow. Not with Fraser still here.
He shakes his head, still not letting go. If ever there were a moment for a long hug, this is it.
"Nah. You?"
"No. I - I owe it to Nagini. I need to help her."
The means simply don't exist, back home.
"Undo the curse. Right?"
He's really glad he's staying. Jesus, he's proud, and glad, and-- relieved.
"Right. And a better home, if she wants it. Somewhere safe."
He owes her so much.
He finally pulls back, his eyes a little red and watery, and he keeps his hands on Credence's shoulders.
"You're gonna kill it, C."
"...Credence," he decides, with finality. "I think...I think Credence is fine. She was right. It's who I am."
Shit. He has to hug him again at that, even if it's just a quick one.
"Okay. You're gonna kill it, Credence."
Credence chokes a half-laugh against Ray's shoulder.
"I think I really needed to stop killing things."
Look, a joke.
He huffs a wet-sounding, relieved laugh against the side of Credence's head.
"Yeah, good call. See? You really did graduate."
"I...yes. I did."
He draws away, looks Ray in the face.
"I'll tell everyone soon. Today. I just...need a little time."
It's still sinking in.
"You take all the time you need," he agrees, letting go of him, still grinning but looking softer now.
"It's a lot to take in."
"Thank you."
He takes a deep breath.
"For...for everything."
"I feell-- I mean, I feel kinda-- honored, y'know? That I got to help out. I dunno what I did, but I'm glad I got to do it."
He genuinely doesn't know, but he must've done something right.
"They all...helped. Jesse, Rey, Alec. My friends. And you. I told you you didn't need to know anything about magic," he adds, quietly.
"I shoulda kept my big mouth shut and listened, huh?"
He gives him a soft little smile.
"You did," Credence reminds him, then takes a deep breath.
"...I need to go and tell Quentin. And everyone else, later."
But Quentin first, and in person.
He gives him one good, long hug again, and then lets him go.
"Yeah. Go and tell 'em. You let me know if you need anything? I'm-- I mean, I'm still gonna be your friend."
"I'll let you know. And you will too."
It's a statement, not a question. They're still going to be friends.
"You betcha."
He pats the badge in his pocket, and shakes his head in happy disbelief as he lets Credence have a moment to himself.
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timeasmymeasuretimeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 12:04 pm (UTC)Mutual hugs are the best kind, honestly. And this one means he can feel the change in Ray's body language.
"...Are you okay?"
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 12:06 pm (UTC)He nods, quickly, eyes closed tightly. He's got one hand splayed on the back of Credence's shoulder.
"Yeah. I'm proud of you, buddy. And I'm-- thinkin' about Beth."
He can't quite keep the emotion out of his voice, and maybe he shouldn't be trying.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 12:09 pm (UTC)"Oh - of course."
Back to reality for a moment.
"Will you...go home?"
He doesn't think so somehow. Not with Fraser still here.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 12:12 pm (UTC)He shakes his head, still not letting go. If ever there were a moment for a long hug, this is it.
"Nah. You?"
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 12:14 pm (UTC)"No. I - I owe it to Nagini. I need to help her."
The means simply don't exist, back home.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 12:18 pm (UTC)"Undo the curse. Right?"
He's really glad he's staying. Jesus, he's proud, and glad, and-- relieved.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 12:26 pm (UTC)"Right. And a better home, if she wants it. Somewhere safe."
He owes her so much.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 12:29 pm (UTC)He finally pulls back, his eyes a little red and watery, and he keeps his hands on Credence's shoulders.
"You're gonna kill it, C."
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 12:30 pm (UTC)"...Credence," he decides, with finality. "I think...I think Credence is fine. She was right. It's who I am."
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 12:37 pm (UTC)Shit. He has to hug him again at that, even if it's just a quick one.
"Okay. You're gonna kill it, Credence."
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 12:44 pm (UTC)Credence chokes a half-laugh against Ray's shoulder.
"I think I really needed to stop killing things."
Look, a joke.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 12:47 pm (UTC)He huffs a wet-sounding, relieved laugh against the side of Credence's head.
"Yeah, good call. See? You really did graduate."
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 01:06 pm (UTC)"I...yes. I did."
He draws away, looks Ray in the face.
"I'll tell everyone soon. Today. I just...need a little time."
It's still sinking in.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 01:08 pm (UTC)"You take all the time you need," he agrees, letting go of him, still grinning but looking softer now.
"It's a lot to take in."
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 01:18 pm (UTC)"Thank you."
He takes a deep breath.
"For...for everything."
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 01:24 pm (UTC)"I feell-- I mean, I feel kinda-- honored, y'know? That I got to help out. I dunno what I did, but I'm glad I got to do it."
He genuinely doesn't know, but he must've done something right.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 01:30 pm (UTC)"They all...helped. Jesse, Rey, Alec. My friends. And you. I told you you didn't need to know anything about magic," he adds, quietly.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 01:35 pm (UTC)"I shoulda kept my big mouth shut and listened, huh?"
He gives him a soft little smile.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 01:39 pm (UTC)"You did," Credence reminds him, then takes a deep breath.
"...I need to go and tell Quentin. And everyone else, later."
But Quentin first, and in person.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 01:42 pm (UTC)He gives him one good, long hug again, and then lets him go.
"Yeah. Go and tell 'em. You let me know if you need anything? I'm-- I mean, I'm still gonna be your friend."
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 01:47 pm (UTC)"I'll let you know. And you will too."
It's a statement, not a question. They're still going to be friends.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 01:49 pm (UTC)"You betcha."
He pats the badge in his pocket, and shakes his head in happy disbelief as he lets Credence have a moment to himself.