"I heard you talking in your sleep."
Tina blushed as she watched Newt pour out two cups of tea in her kitchen. He'd been down in his case for half of the night, nursing a sick mooncalf, and the sound of the kettle boiling had woken her up.
"Oh…I'm sorry if you couldn't fall asleep," she said, concluding that this was why he hadn't joined her in bed and instead decided to make himself a cup of tea.
He smiled at her reassuringly before kissing her softly and saying, "No need to worry, love. You know I like to enjoy a cuppa before turning in, anyway. Will you join me?"
Tina nodded, and they sat at the table with their cups. She'd always liked tea, and had grown to like it even more as she came to share it with Newt (whom she was convinced couldn't go a day without a cuppa tea). After a few quiet minutes, Newt reached out and stroked her wrist. "Is something troubling you, Tina? Your sleepy mutterings sounded a bit…stressful."
Tina sighed, taking his hand in hers. "I don't expect they were. I've been told by Queenie that I talk in my sleep when I'm extremely anxious or nervous. And considering the assignment that I'm doing tomorrow…"
Newt nodded, understanding coming to him. This afternoon, Tina and her fellow aurors had received a tip-off that a new branch of Second Salemers had set up new headquarters in the Bronx. Tina knew that she would be under double the scrutiny on this one, considering what had happened the last time she had gone after the Second Salemers.
Knowing what she needed right now, Newt tugged on her hand gently and said, "Come here, love."
Tina gladly moved from her chair to carefully sit across his lap. He kissed her cheek as she cuddled against him sleepily, and he said, "You're a brilliant witch, Tina, and a top-notch auror. More than that, you're a person who learns from their mistakes. President Picquery wouldn't have put you on this team, let alone reinstated you as an auror, if she wasn't sure of that."
Tina let her body relax as her mind was reassured. She lifted her hand to touch his collarbone, pressing her palm to where his chest was exposed by the loose buttons at the top. She felt his warm skin and that calmed her even more. She smiled to herself as she looked at the opal ring on her finger, shining even in the modest kitchen lighting.
Newt's own hand had sneaked under her pajama top, his fingers stroking the skin of her lower back. "Do you feel better, Tina?" he said in a low voice that only Tina was privy to.
"Mmm," Tina purred, pressing her smiling lips to his before saying. "Nearly there. If we move to the bedroom, we could reach our destination."
She let out a very undignified squeak when Newt had stood up with her still in his arms. He had a very cheeky grin on his face as he walked her towards the bedroom. Why did she nearly always forget how well-built he was beneath his buttoned-up, English exterior?
As he began to ravish her once they'd climbed onto the bed, Tina decided that she didn't mind forgetting from time to time – because it was such a delight to rediscover it all over again.
