"Newt, promise me. Please, Newt, I'm so scared. Say you'll help me. Please, please, please..."
He remembered her mahogany eyes most clearly, so wide with distress. Everything made sense as he regarded her, her features forming around them. He had spent so much time studying her face. Each line was so soft and feminine, and her complexion so warm and inviting. Newt would have liked to reach out and wipe away the tears but he knew that if he tried she would dissolve into nothingness. But the hands that stroked his face were surprisingly substantial. And in that moment, his lips were locked into a kiss that was a plea, full of need and selfishness. The taste was so bitter, so hollow, but he couldn't find the strength to resist. And suddenly, Leta's face changed, her lips moulding beneath him... and he was kissing Tina. Passionately, sweetly; it was reciprocating and warm...
Newt woke up with a start. All was silent and pitch black, and in his befuddled state he could not remember where he was. "Lumos," he mumbled sleepily, fumbling for his wand. The mannequin was eerily bright in the dark room. With a soft 'ahh...' he remembered, and he brought the wand light over the brass clock beside him. It was 4:54 in the morning. What was it he was dreaming about that woke him so suddenly? Guiltily, Newt skimmed his bottom lip with his fingertip with realisation. Tina was sleeping in the next room, and he was having scandalous dreams about her and... What did Leta have to do with this? He hadn't thought about her in a while. With a yawn, he kicked away the heavy blankets that had been restraining him. It was no good, he was much too hot and sticky with sweat. Would he wake the girls if he got up? Surely not. Creaking the door, an unmistakeable snore rumbled from the sisters' room. Still using his the light of his wand, he turned the lock of his case to Muggle Worthy and extracted clean clothes from the inside. Newt knew he would feel better after washing and dressing.
Knock knock. "Newt? Are you awake?"
Tina stood tentatively at the door, her knuckles rapping on the wood gently. There was no response. Feeling a little awkward, she creaked the door ever so slightly, a tray hovering beside her. "Newt?"
She peeked around the door. When she saw that there was nobody in the bed, she tried the case beside it. Unsurprisingly, he appeared a moment later, dressed in his usual white shirt that was rolled at the sleeves and his wand behind his ear.
"G-good morning, Tina." Newt said a little shyly, a hand gripping onto the side.
"Morning. I thought you might like some coffee." Tina thought it was odd, seeing a man's head peer out from the floorboards. The witch had dressed already, wearing a loose smock top and cropped grey pants with slippers.
"Ah, lovely, why don't I take that? I've something to show you." The tray lowered into his outstretched hand as he descended back into the magical case. She followed , as she had done before in his wake, careful not to slip in her delicate footwear. Somehow the little shack had gotten more full since she had last been inside it, and she accepted the hot cup that Newt had just offered. In his own, he dropped in two sugar cubes and added cream.
"How long have you been down here?"
"Oh, for a little while," Newt replied, becoming increasingly interested in dissolving the cubes with a spoon. "It's the time difference, you know."
Tina took a sip of her black coffee. It was scalding hot, just as she liked it. She cast her eyes around the space. It really was interesting in every sense of the word. Some of the draws in the apothecary cabinet looked as though they were full to bursting, whilst others he had clearly just rummaged through in search of inspiration. Her eyes fell upon the picture frame, and she frowned as she saw it had been turned down onto the desk. Why? Feeling Newt following her gaze, she brought her attention to something hanging nearby.
"Are those from a Hippogriff?" She gestured to several different coloured feathers, tied in a bundle with a piece of red ribbon. Now those she could identify, amongst all of the strange things on display. They looked like a sort of dream catcher.
"Yes. Well spotted." Newt replied. "This chestnut one here was from my favourite mare. My mother bred them, you see. She was called Daisy."
Tina smiled. "Do all of your creatures have names?"
"Not all of them. Come on, whenever you're ready, then." Newt responded mysteriously. Intrigued, Tina took a large gulp of her drink and set it down. He eyed her fluffy slippers with a slight grin. "You might want to wear these. Hang on." He produced a set of purple wellington boots, several sizes too big, and pulled his wand from behind his ear.
"Reducio," They shrank as though they were merely inflatable and Newt was letting out some air. Tina raised her eyebrows as he handed them to her , shuffling out of her slippers and into the boots. They fit snuggly.
Tina couldn't be sure which creature she liked most, but she knew she liked them better inside the case, as opposed to running around the streets of New York. She loved to visit Jacob's bakery on Sunday mornings with Queenie. His buns and pastries were a sweet reminder of each of them, though he didn't yet realise that they were all real, and living inside a suitcase. Pausing by the large hill, she saw that the Mooncalves were all sleeping - they must be nocturnal, she thought. It really was marvellous what he could create, and she was filled with the same sense of astonishment as she had been the first time she stepped foot here.
"I must ask you to be a little quiet here, I wouldn't wish to disturb Suzy. She had some milk about an hour ago, " he said gently as they came to the last enclosure. The fire was still burning brightly, emitting a pleasant and controlled heat. Dougal seemed to have taken a permanent position overlooking the new area.
"Oh Newt!" Tina whispered, kneeling down on a section of rug. The kittens were curled up beside each other, eyes closed tight, although their eyelids flickered in their sleep. "They're adorable, where did you get her? Well, I mean, Kneazles are not exactly dangerous...My aunt had one when me and Queenie were younger. So I guess I should ask why."
He chuckled. "Well, believe me she did give me a good few scratches when I first found her. She was a stray. A lady who read my book recognised her for what she was and sent me an owl. I apparated to the area she described and found her within the hour. I couldn't just leave her, she was pretty far along when I managed to take her in."
That was just like Newt, Tina thought. Suzy had an eye peeking open, but she didn't seem to mind that a new person was there.
"They're very intuitive, I think that's why I like them so much." He said offhandedly. "Anyway, I really was going to ask you what you wanted to name the kittens. I think they're a male and a female." A boyish smile passed over his lips, and he put his hands into his pockets surveying her with eagerness.
Taken aback, Tina stammered before erupting into a wide smile. "You sure you want me too? Huh..." One was ginger all over, just like it's mother, whilst the other was a mixture of white with russet patches over its little body. "How about...Ginger and Patches?" Her cheeks heated suddenly. "No, sorry, that's so silly. And so obvious. Forget it, give me some time to think."
"Well, I like them." Newt glowed with appreciation. "What do you think Suzy?" Purring contentedly, the Kneazle blinked very slowly and shut her eyes .
"Teenie? Where are you?" The muffled, yet still musical, voice of Queenie called out above them. With a puzzled look, Tina moved off to Newt's study and threw open the case.
"What is it? MACUSA? Don't they know I'm on vacation? Well alright, send them a note, I'll be there soon." Newt waited as the two chatted quietly. When Tina returned, she was looking contrite, twisting the hem of her smock between her hands.
"Newt, I'm really sorry. I've been called into the office. I promised I'd accompany you to your next meeting with the publishers, but I don't know how long it's gonna be..." She swept her brunette hair back behind her ear, truly looking sorry. Tina had wanted to be a part of his work very much, and she felt guilty for abandoning him so soon after his arrival.
"Oh don't fret , Tina." Newt replied sweetly. "I understand. I'm sure we can find something to do later this evening. "
"It's a date, then." She replied. Her tone was casual, but her eyes betrayed her as they twinkled affectionately. Something in Newt's chest lurched as he remembered her lips on his in the dream, and he averted his eyes as she removed his boots.
"Yes, I suppose it is."
(A/N: I had so much I wanted to write in this chapter, but I think it will be better in little chapters so I can update regularly. I'm excited! Things will not be as they seem ~ Keep reviewing and faving~ thank you ~ alsoSORRY)
