Intertwined ~ Credence Barebone

04: Bloody Petunias

"With succulents like this you should be very careful when watering them. They actually only need water once a week but when you water it you need to make sure you have fully saturated water. Your succulent will thrive in direct sunlight" I explained to the older woman, handing her the plant she had chosen.
"Thank you, you're so knowledgeable about these plants! If I have any questions may I write to you?" She asked taking the pot with her trembling hands.
I returned the old lady's smile and nodded, "of course, you could even come in to the store and ask me if you would like"
"That is wonderful! Thank you kindly!" She exclaimed handing me the exact amount of money before heading to the shop exit.
"Your welcome! Have a great day!" I waved goodbye to her before moving to the register and placing the money inside of it.
Shortly after the older woman left the bell above the door gave it's usual chime to signal that someone new had entered the shop.
Glancing up I saw one of my regular customers.
"Percival, and what do I owe the pleasure?" I forced a smile.
I didn't hate Percival but I never felt quite safe around him. He had never done anything ill-willed towards me but I had heard stories from Tina about his harshness and straightforwardness.
"Ah Miss Cynthea, looking as beautiful and grown as usual" he smirked.
I rolled my eyes at his words.
"What are you looking for today Mr. Graves?" I asked turning my back to him and leading him up the stairs to the dark mahogany door.
He followed me without a word until we made it to the door.
"Madam President Seraphina has sent me for more of the ingredients to the execution potion" he stated.
Turning I narrowed my eyes at him.
"So she sent her righthand man for such task?"
Percival smirked.
"Maybe I volunteered" he mused.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Volunteered? Now why would you do something like that?" I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Think of it what you may, but your age and beauty has me feeling protective over you" he stared down at me as he took a step closer.
My eyebrows shot up in shock.
"I'm not sure how I am meant to take that" I began feeling uneasy, my eyes flicking to the right, then to the left as he continued advancing towards me.
"I knew your father very well" he explained as he stopped so that he was standing just above me.
I gulped slightly but at the mention of my father my mood went dark.
"My father is dead" I glared before slamming my shoulder into his as I walked past him to start grabbing the ingredients he needed.
"Reynald Rosewood was not your father Cynthea" he spoke calmly.
Looking up from the herbs in front of me I looked at him incredulously.
"What in God's name are you saying?"
He opened his mouth to speak but the door slamming open made both Percival and I turn our head.
"Thea are you hiding from your customers aga- oh an auror. Oh! Mr. Graves!" Tina exclaimed in shock.
Percival smirked at her reaction.
I rolled my eyes and quickly handed him the bag.
"Thank you Mr.Graves. please remind Madam President to pay her bill this time" I glared at him.
He chuckled, seeming amused by the change in my demeanor.
"No need" he waved his free hand as he grasped the bag with the other.
Soon several coins formed in his hands and he flicked them into the air.
"Keep the change" he smirked one last time as I caught the coins.
"Miss. Goldstein, Miss. Rosewood" he made sure to emphasize on my last name before apparating out of the shop.
I quickly released the breath I didn't realize I was holding and ran a hand through my hair.
"What was that all about?" Tina frowned walking in the room.
"I do not know. But I do know that the man is obnoxious!" I huffed straightening my burgundy jacket.
"Did he threaten you?" She asked concerned.
"No, he was just saying weird things. He even insinuated that my father wasn't Reynald Rosewood" I scoffed.
Tina's eyes widened.
"Do you think he's right?"
"Of course not. My father died during a duel with the early resistance members and my mother was dead the moment I was born" I stated firmly.
She opened her mouth to say something but I quickly cut her off, "Really Tina, I think he was just trying to get a rise out of me. I know who my parents were and I do not want to speak any further about it"
Tina sighed but nodded in agreement.
"Anyways, what brings you here? You should be at work, no?" I furrowed my eyebrows at her.
"Oh, it was dead at the office and Queenie left her purse here the other day and kept forgetting to grab it. I did not want to trouble you so I figured I would just stop in and grab it" she explained following me back into the main floor of the shop.
"Oh yeah, I found it by the potting soil. Here it is" I grabbed the pink leather purse up from behind the register where I had moved it and held it out to the other Goldstein sister.
"Thanks! I should get going Queenie wanted to go shopping today" she groaned.
I smiled at her, "of course, you should not keep your sister waiting too long or she'll make your grocery list a mile long!" I laughed before waving at the dark haired woman.
She was almost out of the door when curiosity struck me.
"Wait! Tina!"
I quickly walked towards her and the door and she turned around with an inquisitive look.
"What is it Thea?"
"I just had a question...the Barebones, I know they're the reason you got demoted but what do you know about Credence?" I asked curiously.
She rose her eyebrows.
"What is with this sudden interest in the Barebones?"
"I asked you first" I smirked slightly.
She 'tsked' before nodding, signaling that she agreed to tell me about him.
"Well he is the eldest of that wretched woman Mary Lou Barebone's 3 adopted children. He has two sisters Chastity and Modesty. She is abusive but she has a much more compassionate hate for Credence. He gets the brunt of it all" She explained.
I felt my teeth grit and my fists clench slightly at her words.
"And the MACUSA just wants us to sit on the sidelines and allow this to happen?" I scoffed.
"Thea, we aren't allowed to interfere with no-maj conflicts. That means all and any of them. Now it's your turn to answer my question. Why are you so interested in Credence Barebone?" She sent me an inquisitive look.
"Hey don't give me that auror look!" I scolded.
"Auror look?" She furrowed her eyebrows slightly, obviously confused on what look I was referring to.
"Yes, it is the look that you have when you have already charged me for my crime" I rolled my eyes at her.
"Did you commit one?" She frowned.
"Not yet- wait no that's not what I meant!" I stammered blushing slightly at my own slip up.
Her eyebrows shot up.
"Er uh anyway! As you said earlier you better leave! Best not keep Queenie waiting!" I quickly placed my hands on the small of her back and pushed her towards the door.
"Wait- Thea!" She yelled at me.
"Bye, love you!" I called out before shutting the shop door and locking it.
Pressing my back against the shop I sighed looking around the store.
"Things are getting too eventful for me" I complained.
Pushing my body off of the door I moved back into the shop.
Turning around I glanced out my store windows and saw that it had began pouring rain. The sound of the hard water droplets pelting my window gave me a sense of serenity.
I closed my eyes for a moment and focused on the sound.
My mind was at ease for the first time in days when I quickly opened my eyes.
"Oh no! My roses!"I exclaimed as my eyes dropped to the ground in front of the shops window.
Quickly unlocking the door I ran out into pouring rain and began collecting the potted roses.
When I reached for the first one, I overreached due to my vision being clouded by the harsh rain and grabbed the stem tightly.
"Ow!"
I quickly pulled my hand back hissing painfully.
I looked down at my hand and opened my palm to reveal my hand was bleeding from several different spots.
"Damn"
Suddenly the rain stopped.
Furrowing my eyebrows at the sudden dryness I realized that the rain had not stopped at all but someone was standing above me.
Looking up I was startled to see Credence standing above me, soaking wet from rain, holding his now drenched suit jacket above my head.
"Credence? What are you doing here?"
He glanced around before looking down at me.
"T-There was a man- h-he was watching you" he explained.
My eyes widened and I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up as I stood and looked around the street.
If there had been a man watching me he was either long gone or the heavy rain had masked his presence well.
"Let me help you get these in-inside" Credence quickly added.
"Okay. Thank you" I bowed my head towards him before we each grabbed two of the potted roses and brought them inside.
"Set the two you have by the petunias" I made my way across the room setting my two by the hydrangeas.
Turning back to Credence I saw him in the center of the room looking around unsure, a flower pot in each hand.
"Oh! Sorry. I often forget not everyone knows flowers like I do. Petunias are the purple ones to your left with the white spots" I explained.
Crendence quickly nodded and set the pots infront of the flowers.
"They're ve-very p-pretty" Credence admired the flowers as he stood up.
I smiled at his remark and made my way across the room so I was standing beside him.
"These are a particular species of petunia. I think they are probably my favorite flower in this entire shop. They're called purple night skies. The purple with the white spots gives off the illusion of stars in the night sky" I hummed reaching my left hand out to caress the flower with my thumb.
"You are bleeding!" Credence quickly caught my wrist.
I was confused at first but when I noticed the purple flower now had a dark red smear on it, I looked down at my hand.
"Oh.. I accidentally grabbed one of the roses by the stem and the thorns dug into my hands. Even said the wounds are strangely deep for rose thorns" I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, turning my head to look at the rose I grabbed.
Then I remembered what Credence had said about a man watching me.
My mind pondered the possibility of maybe it being a curse or a charm but I also couldn't come up with any reason someone would want to do that to me.
But Credence seemed to have no interest in how I was bleeding, but rather the fact that I was and that I needed to care for my hand.
"Let me help you c-care of you hand" he demanded.
Startled by his sudden change in character, I just nodded.
"Okay"