Yes. It's me. I'm back. For a couple of days at least, but I'm back. I know what you're thinking - you're wondering where the next chapter of "Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder" is. Truth is, I wasn't in a good place mentally. I was very stressed from uni (second year is a bitch) and my part-time job (working in a card shop near Christmas - that is all) and just life, and I lost all motivation to do my uni work and it came to exam season and I just wasn't prepared. I was very anxious and paranoid about everything, and I relapsed into some of my OCD tendencies. I also got very low some days. I had to sacrifice something to relieve some of the stress, and dropping out of uni or stopping driving lessons was just not an option. So I quit my job, got my exams out the way, and now I'm focussing on learning to drive and passing my test (the UK driving test is also a bitch), and getting my degree. I start back at uni for semester 2 on Monday, so I'm using this time to let my creativity run wild and whack out some Newtina fluff, because who doesn't love Newtina fluff?

But the point I'm trying to get at is that Quills and Swords has had to write chapter 13 of Absence (despite it being my turn to write) because I just couldn't. I'd started it, but it just went unfinished for too long because I just didn't have time. It will be up in the next 24 hours. If not the next 48. No longer than that.

In the meantime, I've decided to make a Newtina oneshot compilation of my own.

This one is inspired by a quote from a How To Train Your Dragon (yes, I had a phase of being obsessed with it, don't judge me. Still love it tbh and I'm VERY excited for the 3rd film!) HiccStrid (Hiccup X Astrid, it's canon and I still ship it SO MUCH) fic that I read years and years ago and can't for the life of me remember the title OR the author. But the one quote from that fic that has stuck in my mind is, "He was the only man she'd ever submit herself to." (It wasn't a smut fic but...yeah don't ask. Or judge me.) So yeah, that is the quote that inspired this oneshot.

Sorry for the essay, just thought I'd give you all a little life update. Enjoy!

""Tina, love, can I tell you something?"

Tina turned so she was properly facing her husband lying next to her in bed. The pair of them had been reading together for the last couple of hours and had not long given up, both ready to sleep. She looked at him quizzically. "Of course, honey. What's on your mind?"

"Do you remember…when we first met…when you took us to the Blind Pig?"

Tina smiled, "Of course."

"Do you remember the dress you wore?"

Tina chuckled. "Yes. One of the few times I've actually worn a dress. Where are you going with this, love?"

"I just…I've never admitted this to you before, and now we're married, and have a child together, and I feel like I've kept this from you for no reason. I know that we don't have any secrets, and I feel I need to tell you. It almost seems rather trivial, really, but still…"

Tina didn't say anything, she just looked at him encouragingly.

"I…I couldn't stop staring at you." he practically blurted.

Tina was surprised, "Really?"

"Yes. When you and Queenie first changed into those dresses, I remember looking at you, only you, and thinking 'Merlin, Newton, what have you gotten yourself into?'. As in, being in love with you, of course. You just looked…so beautiful. So…I couldn't find the words then, and I can't find them now. But…yes. I couldn't take my eyes off you even if I wanted to. The only time I did was when we were questioning Gnarlack. And even then I just wanted to look at you. I…"

She stopped him by placing a hand on his jaw and pressing a kiss to his lips. "Newt, I get the picture." she added with a chuckle. "But did your staring have anything to do with the fact that my dress was…shall we say…more revealing than what I'd usually wear out? Very low-cut and semi-sheer?" She grinned at him as he blushed a little.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Tina." He said with a slight grin.

She laughed, "Don't think I didn't notice your occasional glances at the neckline of my dress."

"Y-you did?"

"Yes, Newt, I did. At times I was tempted to say, 'Hey, eyes up here'." She clicked her fingers and pointed two fingers to her eyes, laughing. "But that was before I really knew how hard you find it to make eye contact." She paused, thinking about it for a moment. "That was nothing to do with it, was it?" she added with a grin.

Newt rubbed the back of his neck, still blushing, and didn't say anything. So Tina added again gently, "Honey, you can tell me. I thought you said no secrets?"

"Okay. No, that was nothing to do with me being near incapable of eye contact."

Tina laughed, "I knew it. Objectifying me before we even knew each other properly." She teased.

Newt looked even more sheepish, and, still laughing slightly, she added, "Oh love, I was only teasing. I know you wouldn't do that. Or would you? Was that you sat there undressing me with your eyes?"

"What? No! No, of course not." Newt looked almost scandalized by the idea. But then he smiled, "Mind you, you chose to wear that dress."

Tina chuckled again, "Yes, I did." She admitted. "But I didn't notice you staring at me the whole night."

"Well, I was. Merlin, Tina, you looked…ravishing. I mean, at first I was a little…embarrassed, I guess, because I felt like I was seeing more of you than I should. But then…you just looked so wonderful I kind of forgot about it. I could barely concentrate on what was going on around us."

"I bet your English mind was running wild." She teased again.

"Um, it was a bit, yes." Newt thought back to that night for a second, then grinned and added, "When we walked in and you said, 'I've arrested half the people in here', I just remember thinking…God, this is a little embarrassing, but I just thought, 'Wow, what a woman' for a split second."

Tina laughed out loud, good-naturedly. "You were so into that."

"Yes. I was." Newt admitted and laughed, if a little nervously.

Still chuckling, Tina pressed another, slightly longer and more heated, kiss to his lips, "And now I know why." she added suggestively.

"Oh shush." He grinned and let her pull his face down to hers, kissing her again and smiling against her lips.

When they broke for air and he settled back next to her, hand slung across her waist, she asked, "Can I admit something to you? About why I wore that particular dress?"

"Of course, my love." Newt replied, intrigued.

"I wore it…so you would notice me. In that way."

Newt looked positively shocked, "You did?"

"Yes. I…never would have admitted it at the time, of course. I even threw up my Occlumency walls to stop Queenie seeing it. But…yes. I'd already started to catch feelings at that point."

It was Newt's turn to tease her. "Obviously due to my dashing good looks and English charm."

She shoved him playfully. "Oh, shut up. But yeah, it was actually. And I found your…social awkwardness, shall we say… rather endearing? Is that wrong to say?"

"Not at all. I'm not offended, love. In fact, I'm glad you said that. Most people just find it frustrating."

"I'm not 'most people' though."

"No. No, you're certainly not." he replied lovingly and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

She smiled, "And also…I found your accent incredibly sexy. Still do. Always will."

He grinned and teased her again, if while blushing slightly. "Of course you did. You'd never met an Englishman before."

"That I hadn't. And Mercy Lewis, was it was worth the wait. I could listen to you talk all day." She grinned, blushing a little bit before adding, "Especially when you're making love to me. When your voice goes all low and husky and just…unbelievably sexy. It drives me crazy."

He grinned. "I know. That's why I do it."

She laughed but then went a little more serious. "Seriously, though, Newt, it's true what I said. About me wanting you to notice me in that way. And the fact that I had already caught feelings."

"As had I, Tina. As had I." he smiled tenderly.

"And I guess…I guess I just wanted you to find me attractive. To look at me the way a man is supposed to look at a woman. I mean, clearly it worked," she said with a small smile, "But it had never happened to me before, and it never used to bother me…but it did then."

"Oh, Tina. Yes, it most definitely worked, but I already did find you attractive, even before you changed into that dress."

"Really?"

"Yes. And oh, God, I always will. I will always and forever remain unbelievably attracted to you, my Tina. My life, my wife, my everything." He ran a hand down her side, gently tracing her curves. She smiled and kissed him again. When they broke she leaned her forehead against his, "I love you, Mr Scamander."

He grinned, "I love you too, Mrs Scamander." And he kissed her again, but all too briefly as she pulled away.

"Can I admit something else to you?"

"What is it?" he asked patiently.

"Do you want to know the reason why I've never worn a dress that revealing again?"

"I'd never thought about that, but I do want to know now."

"It's because…since I met you, I didn't want any other man to look at me. In that way, I mean. And since being with you, you're the only man I've wanted to reveal myself to."

His hand, which had been resting on her side, slid up her abdomen, pushing her pyjama top up. Tina shivered at the feel of his hand on her bare skin. His voice took on that tone that she had not long admitted to driving her crazy. "I'm very glad to hear that, Mrs Scamander." He shifted so his knees were either side of her hips. Neither of them felt sleepy any more.

Before her mind could go completely blank, Tina added, trying to take on a similar tone, "And the only one I will ever submit myself to."

His forehead was still resting against hers, and his breath was hot on her face as he murmured, "And I feel privileged to have that honour, my love."

She grinned teasingly. "Get on with it then."

"Yes, ma'am." He laughed before he pressed hot kisses to her mouth and neck, and after that all coherent thoughts were out the window.

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Hopefully it won't be too long until the next one - peace out!