"Don't be stubborn. Try it!"
The expression on Newt's face did not change as Tina held out the pickle towards him. If anything, his face pinched in disgust even more. They were both in their pajamas, since Tina had arisen in the middle of the night to satisfy her sudden craving for the ugly green vegetable and Newt had woken up when he felt himself alone in the bed. When he'd seen what his wife was eating at the kitchen table, he'd regretted getting up. But Tina had spotted him, and so began a small battle that had started since they'd met: The Pickle Battle.
Newt Scamander had traveled the world in his lifetime. As a result, he had sampled the cuisines of every place that he had traveled. He was by no means a picky eater; in fact, he had a very open-minded palate when it came to food, and he enjoyed food very much.
However, there were a few culinary items that, for whatever reason, were simply…repelant to him under any and all circumstances. Pickles happened to be one of them.
Tina, on the other hand, happened to like them. Since her pregnancy cravings had started, however, she had grown to absolutely love them. Newt shuddered to think what would happen if their child turned out to like pickles, too. Ugh, he'd be surrounded by them!
"Tina, why must I try it?" he asked, almost petulantly.
A determined glint entered Tina's teasing gaze. "Because I am determined to make you like these before you die, and now is just as good a time as any." She gave him a sweet smile. "Just a little bite, that's all. You know you can't argue with someone who's bigger than you." She rubbed her six-month-pregnant belly, emphasizing the point.
Groaning, Newt took the pickle from her, deciding to just get it over with. His face still scrunched like a baby's, he took a deep breath and quickly took the smallest bite from the ugly thing. He chewed and swallowed as quickly as he could, and only breathed through his mouth when he let himself breath again.
Throughout all of this, Tina didn't even try to hide her mirth. She was laughing fully as she took the pickle back from Newt. "Alright, I won't push you tonight, love," she said, still giggling as she took the pickle back to the pantry.
Her laughter ceased as she pulled something else out of the pantry. "Perhaps you'd like to join me while I satisfy my midnight craving like this?"
The sour look that Newt had maintain on his face ever since he'd seen that pickle disappeared in a flash when he saw the egg custard tart that Tina was now holding. "Oh, yes, and thank Merlin!" he exclaimed.
They both laughed as Tina set it down on the kitchen table. She then walked to Newt, took his hand, and softly smiled as she put his hand on her belly. Lowering her gaze, she asked tenderly, "And how about you? A better option than your daddy's worst culinary nightmare?"
Both laughed as they felt the firm fluttering of limbs beneath their fingers. While Tina silently accepted the fact that she wouldn't be able to convert her husband over to the pro-pickle side of the fence (for tonight, at least), Newt silently rejoiced that maybe – just maybe – their child would inherit more of his palate than Tina's.
