So I think I finally figured out what to do with NMAI!Percival Graves. I was debating killing him off or not but either way clegan is endgame. So I have finally decided and the answer is yes, I'm killing him off. (It's not much of a spoiler cuz it's mostly backstory anyway.) And I'm killing him off in the worst possible moment for Theseus. My guy is about to be traumatised.
Remember the Nurmengard mission? Yeah. The mission goes south pretty badly. It's an absolute FUBAR. The whole team gets slaughtered and the last positive touch Theseus experiences before his imprisonment by Grindelwald's hands is Perce gently cupping his face as he lays dying, tears streaming down Theseus' face as he holds Percy's hand against his cheek until he finally goes limp.
He kisses Percival's forehead and gently lays down his hand (maybe even taking his ring with another soft kiss to his ringfinger) and rains down absolute hell on Grindelwald's acolytes, Percy's blood streaked across his cheek and slicking his hands. It is not enough.
Theseus goes down, wakes up a prisoner, gets horrifically tortured and healed and tortured and healed and—the cycle goes on. He slowly develops some for of touch aversion as a result of all the torture and a dependency and later unwilling addiction to the health potions Grindelwald keeps forcing down his throat.
And then he escapes. It is half a miracle that he managed it and Newt finds him halfway delirious with withdrawal symptoms and blood loss from a cut open throat, his front stained with blood, tears staining his face as he wished not to wake up before passing out in the snow.
