"Newt… You are here early" Said Theseus.
He had decided to arrive to work earlier than usual, with the excuse of having a busy day ahead, it wasn't really a lie. Still his nosy brother had to be the one that he had encounter in the lift. He had bad luck today it seems. He just wanted to run from his feelings toward a certain brunette witch, and the ministry looked as the perfect place for that.
"I need to do some work before the others arrive" He replied with the same lie that he had told his American guests.
"Is she… Perhaps trying to seduce you?" Asked a gobsmacked Theseus with a knowing smile.
Newt turned beetroot. She was not trying to seduce him; it was just his imagination playing tricks on him. That and his subconscious searching for signals were there was nothing and making all her movements appealing and sensual. She was after all with someone else.
"Don't worry brother. I am going to help you through this." Said his older brother with that smile that infuriated him, whatever that he was planning can't be good. Or at least not good in his definition.
"I don't need your help." Said an offended Newt.
"You are coming willingly early to the ministry." Stated Theseus. "You hate the ministry. You hate your office job. You run away from it at the first chance. I even know from a good source that a desk job was your boggart." Said Theseus with a serious face, he pokes him in the chest with every affirmation, demonstrating just how much he knew him. "So, I am going to help you get laid." He finished with a smirk.
Newt gasped at the forwardness of his brother statement; he could feel the brush climbing from his neck to his face. Theseus was insane, Tina didn't like him like that. Even if she liked him that way, it wasn't his business.
"Or I could just let her torture you." Theseus lifted his gaze deep in through, he looked more deranged than usual. "I could even begin a bet pool!" He said with a smirk plastered on his face. The lift announced his department and before he knew what happened Theseus had shoved him out of the lift to the hallway.
Newt arrived home late that day. No, he didn't arrive late to avoid Tina, the calm and ordinary day had turned into a nightmare. The first reason was his brother and his petulant bet pool, that half of his aurors where already part of. He wouldn't be surprised if Tina already knew of the bet. He really had to talk to her about it and clarify that it was Theseus idea and that he had nothing to do with it. Tina wasn't in the same aurors team as Theseus but still the gossips in the ministry spread quickly. He just hoped that she had take it as a joke. Yes, a joke from his infuriating older brother.
The second reason was a bunch of wizards that thought that they could possibly manage to tame an ironbelly. At least the dragon was still a little baby, so it didn't do much damage and the culprits managed to get out unscaled from their little adventure. Still that little accident left Newt with a new ward and unfortunately more paperwork. That is why he left the ministry late. When he had controlled the situation with the dragon in his case and the wizards handled to the aurors he had to do the damn paperwork.
And the third reason, was the bet. Yes, the teasing of the bet pool, the moment that he arrived at the ministry the aurors began to make their way to him. Some just told him, the dates in which they had put their money. Others tried to give him advice on how to please her. He ended closing the door and working on his case, he didn't want to humour nosy aurors. At least no one dared to go down there, they still feared the case after the little mishap a few years ago. In summary one of the secretaries of Theseus had tried to summon him, she went down there but the niffler had assaulted her. Her reaction was to get out screaming of his office, he saw her running to the lift from the other side of the hallway. After that his case became some type of urban legend, the story turned even more bizarre every year. He was proud of that, it meant that no one would enter again, but since that day he kept the case close to him.
Well at least all his creatures had already been taken care of. Thanks, Merlin, for Bunty and Naggini, in days like this when the ministry was a little too much, he thanked all the deities that he had them to help him. Newt took a glass of water and headed downstairs to have a well-deserved sleep.
He had reached the bottom of the stairs when he heard her voice. "Don't worry, darling. He must be on his way" Said Tina, he approached the direction in which he had heard her voice. He found her near his office in his Aurey spot, the armchair had turned ragged from its not so graceful landings.
She was covered with a blue blanket petting Dougal gently, at least from there he could see that she wasn't using a nightgown, it seemed to be some type of normal white pyjamas. He felt the disappointment spread in his system, maybe last night was just an accident, and after all his brother was wrong. The Demiguise scurried away the moment that he had sense him, he must have searched for comfort when he didn't arrive to the nighty rounds.
Tina turned to see him watching her near the second row of stairs. "what took you so long?" Asked an irritated auror, in the same tone of voice that she had used in Paris. Was she angry for yesterday? Or maybe for this morning?
"Long day at the ministry." Was the simple explanation that Newt gave her. However, that wasn't enough for Tina, it almost seemed like she already knew why he was home so late, but she wanted him to tell her. So, Newt followed his gut and took a seat next to her, to tell her about his new ward and piles of paperwork that he had to fill after that.
But she was still glaring at him with the same odd look she gave him in Paris, could it be that he had heard about the bet pool? After all, she was an auror and he knew that Theseus team liked to talk a little too much.
"Are you angry?" Asked Newt carefully. For him Tina was even more dangerous than the fully grown ironbellys that he had tamed in the war.
"No" came the short retort from her. The answer told him the exact opposite. She was very angry and worst of all she was angry at him. That only meant one thing that she had heard about the bet and was very displeased of the idea. It broke his heart that even the thought of been with him was so nauseating to her, she didn't even take it as a joke, like Leta had done when similar bets had run around in Hogwarts.
"Theseus team made the bet pool …" He began to stutter, but he was cut by her.
"Who is she?" She demanded with venom on her voice, to the surprise of Newt.
How is it that the full gossip didn't arrived to her, she was in the same department as them after all, was this story like the one of his case? The story had already torn so much that when it reached her ears, she didn't take notice that she was the woman the bets were centred on.
"Do I know her?" Asked Tina, to take out Newt from his thoughts. Newt was watching his shoes very closely; he was surprised by the conversation. It even seems as Tina was jealous…
"Yes" He said. He was telling her the truth after all.
"At least tell me who is she" she sounded broken, as if in any moment the flood gate will open and crash in despair.
Newt emboldened himself and met her eyes. She immediately avoided his gaze looking at the entrance of the basement. "Well, she is here…" Tina grunted, probably thinking of Naggini it was the only other female on the house apart from Queenie, but she didn't count, after all she was basically married to his best friend. "and I am talking to her right know" Newt finished.
She beamed at him, finally meeting his gaze. Her change of behaviour let him out of breath, she was jealous then maybe Theseus was right. But even if he was right, then why did Queenie had told him about the auror. "Goodnight Newt" Said Tina who was standing next to the armchair, at some point she had stood up and he hadn't even realised. But now that he was seeing her, he was left speechless. She was only wearing a man shirt, it barely covered her, he could see all the extension of her legs, and even have a glimpse of her butt cheeks. As alluring as she looked, the shirt could even be a symbol of what she shares with the American auror. Yes, the shirt must be his.
He observed her making her way to her room. If she was letting him see, then he must take advantage while it lasts. She made it to her door, however, she lingered there and turned to him with a smirk, taking into notice how Newt was ogling her. "I hope you don't mind; I took your shirt." She said with that sensual tone of voice, then she closed the door. Leaving behind a flushed Newt with more questions than answers.