Hi all! This not-so-little blurb is for those that reviewed last chapter:
KaylaWilton: Ah, yeah. I really can't blame ya, though I'm glad to know that you ship them together! A lot of people seem to read my OC stories and then critique the pairing for some reason.
bored411: You know, I hadn't thought of them as 'advances' until you said something. That is an apt description of what he's up to, even if he doesn't consciously realise it! This chapter doesn't touch much on what happened in the living room/parlour area as it happens, rather its more of a background thought (if that makes sense.)
4: I know that I'll probably never meet you or even be in the same building as you, but your reviews can really make a girl's day! Thank you for coming back to this story despite the pro-longed updates, though Harry Potter world was awesome. Now then, time to buckle down and address all the things you've picked up on! :) I underlined different bits in case there's something I miss and for easier reading.
Ara's ability to lie, as her creator-type-person I've never spent much time considering why she can lie so well and I ought to. With her background and her personality in mind, I feel like it comes from a combination of the situation she's been involved in over the years and her core? Core as in what drives her to do what she does throughout her life, which for Ara, I think its a need to have some control over her life. I say that because she had 0 control over her parents death, basically grew up in a boarding school where she had 0 control, and had 0 control over what she saw happening to people during WWI. She doesn't need to have full control simply because she isn't manic-just a touch traumatised-so there's an understanding that she can't control everything people do.
The Occlumency and Legilimency is a little more difficult to dissect. Seeing as she's a natural Occulmens, I'd say that it just sort of enhances her ability to lie and disguise what she's actually feeling. I mean there's just some people that are awful at lying, no matter how many times they do it or try-they're just terrible liars. Just like there's terrible liars, there's others that are great at it without any effort! Of course, just like with Occlumency/Legilimency as well as lying, you don't do very well at it when you're stressed and so far Newt's been stressing the hell out of her (wink-wink, nudge-nudge.)
She may very well possess some form of Legilimency, but the canonical-based answer for that would be that Legilimency only works on animals with a near-human or human level of intelligence. They need the ability to organise their thoughts with smells, sounds, and feelings into memories as a Legilimens can only peruse one's memories. Beasts like Nagini, Mer-people, or centaurs would be vulnerable but I'm not sure that a Niffler would be the same as they seem to be quite intelligent but possess their own undetectable charms.
Newt's point of view was fun but rather difficult to write! I wanted to keep him in character but we don't really see any sort of romantic Newt in the movies. It leaves me to gather everything we do know about him and somehow translate that into romance à la Newt. I did watch Crimes of Grindelwald! It helped a bunch to write out what Ara sees in the Grindelwald version of Percival Graves during her interrogation which will be up in about 3 chapters.
Ivana blackmouth: I am ever so sorry about the lack of romance! Its so hard to write a romance for a character that appears to be one the least romantic on the planet and not make it feel forced. Also, super-duper sorry but I most likely won't be updating once a week for the next few months! I explained a bit on that at the bottom of this chapter. I will, however, include your occamy hatching and imprinting on Ara with Newt idea for you. I hope that helps with the lack of updates!
GreyMoonHuntress: It is kinda funny, to be honest. I've no idea if its an obsession that Newt has or if he's just absolutely fascinated with having an effect on a woman he's attracted to for the first time in his life. I kinda see Newt as thinking hes the mummy, Ara's the daddy, and the creatures/beasts are their foster kids-the family scene, but one where they go live in the woods and everyone leaves them alone.
guest 17: I'm glad you like it so far and that Newt is reacting just how you'd think he would! :)
Guest: Awe, thank you. I've never heard wonder or unique used when describing my writing style! People usually get very confused with it, like confused to the point that they leave a review specifically to communicate how upset they are that I've confused them and to write better. This is when I wish I could use emojis on here because I'd add on a crying-laughing face right now.
acetwolf94/LoveFiction2019: Thank you for the encouragement and for reading so far! :) I swear I'm trying my best to update more often!
If you didn't review last chapter, please enjoy!
I'm not entirely sure as to how our plan of checking on the creatures and then escaping meant that I now found myself shoved into a twin bed with Newt. Somehow he'd decided this was the smart decision-I, in all of my mighty wisdom-agreed.
I should pay more attention to what he says, shouldn't I?
Its not my fault-okay it technically is, but I refuse to take the blame. He threw me for a loop with the whole arm on my waist and touching my hair thing, it'd been uncharacteristically smooth.
I wondered if maybe he'd done it as a tit for tat type of thing for my gawking at him being a gentleman. But then again, he'd never been much of a guy driven by vengeance. Originally, I'd decided that Newt was just a bit of an odd duck and I'd simply have to accept all of his assorted oddities. I wasn't so sure now.
He obviously knew how to be charming and promptly choose not to be most of the time unless he could leave me flustered. It was annoying and vaguely upsetting, like he'd somehow tricked me into thinking he was just this clumsy awkward mess of an enthusiastic guy. He hadn't attempted to trick me, as far as I knew anyway, I'd just made that assumption all on my own while travelling with him.
Though, I had to admit I was glad he wasn't a charmer 24-7, not that I'd ever mention that little fact aloud. Goodness knows the man attracted enough feminine attention as is, I'm not sure I'd be able to fit into the same room as him if he were suave all the tim-
"That Queenie's a real doll, isn't she?" I glanced across the room at Kowalski who was happily sitting in Queenie's bed, holding my copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard in his hands. It'd been my best idea as to what reading material to give him, something that might help him grasp the reality of his situation and magic a little better.
"Yeah. That she is." I nodded, turning to read through my own book which was actually Goldstein's I think.
It was called Living with Legilimens, and I was really only half paying attention to it, distracted by the uncomfortable feeling of two grown adults in one bloody bed. It didn't exactly help that we were in a relationship limbo at the moment-though I'm not sure being shoved into a twin with your teacher was any better than a guy you sort of wanted to shag.
I shifted in the bed while being annoyed that I was still wearing my trousers and boots. I was attempting to find a more comfortable spot that would help calm my thrilling anxiety and maybe even alleviate the constricting feeling of wearing trousers to bed.
I'd done this twice already since everyone got ready for bed, and at first Newt said nothing when I sat on his hand by accident. I'm quite sure that my face had turned scarlet when he gingerly pulled his hand out from under my arse. I jostled Newt's shoulder yet again in the process, but at least I hadn't sat on it? Merlin, I couldn't do anything right today, could I?
The reminder that Newt was this close sent my heart into another fit as I tried to stare a hole through the instructional guide in my lap. I didn't even understand why my heart was beating so quickly right now. I mean, we'd technically slept together plenty of times-so why was this any different?
My realisation of just how much smaller I was in comparison to my companion was suddenly brought to my attention in a twin sized bed. Our physical differences hadn't been very important in the shed, there'd been plenty of room to roll around without bumping into each other as often. Maybe that was why this felt so much more intimate?
I almost felt bad for my companion. His legs were close to hanging off the end and he seemed to be nearly flat against the wall while I sat up against the head board. Actually, any bit of sympathy pretty much disappeared when I'd found myself right at the edge of the bed. I pursed my lips, unsatisfied with pretty much everything in my current situation.
There was nothing to be done about it though, simply had to wait until Newt gave me the signal. I stared absent-mindedly at the book I'd picked up from Goldstein's night-table in an attempt to not focus on each place our bodies touched.
"What do you think of her?" Kowalski spoke up again, and I pursed my lips before turning my stare to him. I was beginning to get a little frustrated with these mundane questions. If he just kept pestering me-I might just obliviate the bloke myself.
"She's lovely." I shrugged, turning to glare at the same page I'd been staring at for the last 10 minutes. "Ara, I just wanted to tell you that uh," Kowalski paused when I turned my glare to him, losing my patience with this incessant chattering.
I raised a brow at his silence, wondering why he'd stop in the middle of his sentence. Did he not want me to look at him when he's talking? But wouldn't that be rude? With the only exception being Newt, I found it quite disrespectful to not look at someone when they spoke to you.
"Just wanted to tell you that you're a lovely lady." He nodded, quickly turning his eyes back to the book as he held it up higher, concealing his face.
I furrowed my brows at that and paused, reconsidering the differences between his reaction a second ago and now, ah. Well, I suppose I do look like a right hag when I glare at someone after not sleeping terribly well last night and dashing about all day.
"Jacob? Sorry, I'm a little...tired is all," I smiled at him when he peeked around the book. "I think you're a lovely person as well." That seemed to do the trick as he slowly lowered the book and greeted my compliment with a warm, genuine smile.
"Thank you! You know my ex-fiancée, Mildred. She didn't think I was too great." He seemed to look downtrodden at that and I raised a brow, not entirely sure as to why he was sharing this with me.
"You were engaged? When?" I titled my head, hoping this would be enough conversation for him to not bother me the rest of the night.
"Oh, until today actually. She left me before I opened up Mr Scamander's case and that thin-" He bobbed his head up and down, staring across the room while I supplied the term he was looking for, "Murtlap."
"Yeah, that." He nodded at me, glancing back down to the book in his hands, "I found the Murtlap, after my life crashed down around me...but then I found you guys. Haven't looked back since!"
He smiled and raised the book up, "I just found out magic was real and I got strudel, it's gotta be up from here." I smiled at him, it was actually sort of lovely that all he needed to be happy was a book, strudel, and a bed.
"I hope so." I nodded at him as Newt rolled over towards me with his head still under the covers, "I'm surprised you're taking all of this so well."
He shrugged, "I'm an understanding guy, and I like it that way." I raised a brow at his wording and wondered if maybe the Murtlap bite was affecting him a little more than we'd thought originally.
He nodded to himself before turning his thoughtful gaze back to my book, "even if Mildred says I'm a pushover-I'm no pushover," he shook his head as he settled back down under the covers, putting the book on his chest. "Didn't fight in the Great War just to be a damn pushover."
I pursed my lips as he began angrily mumbling to himself. Alright, so Mildred was a touchy subject for him. I'd never fancied the name 'Mildred,' probably because it reminded me of 'mildew' and there was a Mildred in my third year potions class that constantly critiqued my cutting techniques. Might as well redirect his attention, right?
"You fought in the war?" I'd hoped my question would have him focus on something less...potentially upsetting. But after I'd heard my own words, I wasn't sure that I'd actually made it better.
I waited until he nodded, "I'm only curious because I was too." He was still staring at the book on his chest while he flipped a page, but appeared to have noticed I'd spoken when he sat back up after a few seconds of silence.
"Oh yeah?" I watched as a drop of sweat fell from his forehead and onto my book.
"Yeah." I swallowed the muted annoyance that the sight of his disgusting fluids touching something that had been a gift from my parents in order to focus on my original goal of distracting him.
"Was you uh-uh one of the, um." I raised brow when he started to snap his fingers and point at the air.
I opened my mouth to respond but was distracted by the feeling of what might have been a warm hand travelling up my thigh. I knew Newt was a bit of a cuddler in his sleep but I hadn't expected him to-well. How could he actually fall asleep at a time like this? He was supposed to be pretending to sleep, not just snooze away while he felt my leg up!
"The nurses with 'em?" He glanced back at me, appearing to struggle with recalling the word, 'nurse'. I made a mental note that Murtlap bites might affect long-term memory. Briefly, I wondered if it'd be smarter to reach down and pull Newt's hand off of me before things got out of hand...no pun intended.
When the hand stopped it's journey at my hip, I found that the warmth seeping in through my jeans wasn't entirely unwelcome. New York was rather chilly and all things considered, it wasn't a bad idea for him to kip a pinch considering the day he'd had so far. Though, I didn't have the chance to get any-bit unfair if I do say so myself.
"No. Infantry, actually." I hid the small smile at his expense by feeling the corners of my lips with my pointer and thumb. "I was apart of the Queen Victoria's Rifles regiment."
"Oh." Kowalski frowned, nodding slightly as though he figured the concept made perfect sense and he just couldn't comprehend it at the moment.
Alright, he deserved some rest. He did get rather grumpy when he hadn't slept enough, though Newt's grumpy was more like my version of surly. I was quite snappish, short, and had a tendency to spout passive-aggressive comments offhandedly whilst slamming things with more force than necessary. Grumpy me was rather similar but instead of getting over it in a few minutes, I took a few hours.
"Where were you guys?" He furrowed his brow, seemingly unfamiliar with my regiment's name. I pursed my lips for a short second, uncomfortable with the subject now. I'd been hoping this would just get him to start rambling on about the glory of his war days, but no such luck.
"We spent a good while in France. Course we spent most of the war in the trenches, so its all possible you were near us-just too far away for us to meet." I detailed what I was willing to recall of my time in the trenches and sat back.
We were mainly just in France because we'd ran out of soldiers. Out of the 150 people we'd started with, only 14 of us emerged on the other-side. Hard to press on when you lost that many men.
"But, you're a woman," his mouth dropped open in shock. I slid my hand under the blue cotton blanket to scratch my upper thigh when Newt's hand seemingly twitched, squeezing my hip lightly. While I knew he was just asleep-that it hadn't been on purpose-the knowledge of that fact didn't stop a strike of heat from rushing down to my toes.
I cleared my throat and refocused to nod at his statement of the obvious, "you're not wrong."
"I-what? Were Brits letting women into the war?" His brow furrowed even more as he watched me.
"Witches and wizards can transfigure bits of our appearance. I had a scar right here," I dragged a finger down across my right eye and stopped right below my nose. "Had a proper beard going for a while too."
"That's crazy." I wasn't sure how to take the look of incredulous shock mixed with disbelief on his face as he gawked me.
He didn't say anything else so I just sort of slowly shrugged, not willing to remember any more of that time in order to continue the conversation. I kept all of my memories from that in a nice little box in the back of my mind, and I liked it that way. The nightmares and bouts of numb despair had finally drifted away, remembering only brought those back.
Sorry guys, I know I've been ever so slow with updates. I've got about 15,000 words just sitting in my drafts right now and I promise I'll post them at some point. My uni has started once more and because of that, course work/research papers take priority over this. I've also started working in an archives which means that about 20 hours of my week are now taken up with a job.
So, to make a long story short-updates will be slower than what I've been doing but I can promise there'll be an update at least once a month. My update goal for the next chapter is February 16th, 2019.