You and Newt had traveled across the border into Peru, following the curves of the Amazon River, bringing the Vipertooth home. You'd stop almost every day, of course - Newt always finding a new magical creature to document and study. On this particular day you had stopped to inspect a family of Peruvian Salamanders who were sunbathing on a rock nearby the river.
You climbed out of the case after doing your usual rounds of feeding to see Newt stretched on his stomach on the ground. He was watching the Salamanders and scribbling hastily in his notebook, biting his lip every so often and crossing out something he wrote. You smiled, imagining him doing the same thing as a child.
"I brought you tea," you said, sitting down next to him in the grass and handing him a mug. "I know it's a bit warm for it, but…"
"No, thank you," he said smiling. "I could do for a cup."
"I made sure to add about six spoons of sugar for you, even though I think it's disgusting how you take it -"
"It's perfect," he interrupted, flashing you a grin. You sat in companionable silence for a while, listening to him scribbling and enjoying the sunshine.
"What were you like as a kid?" You asked him.
"Oh," he said, surprised. "Well...quite as I am now, actually." He glanced up at you and smiled sheepishly. "Eccentric, I'm sure people would say."
"I wouldn't say that," you said, sipping your tea.
"No?" He asked, turning to his side and facing you.
"Well, it's not the only thing I'd say," you joked. He laughed.
"What would you say?"
You thought for a moment. "Compassionate. Kind." You met his eyes. "Warm."
He flushed under your gaze. "Oh," he said. You both fell into an easy silence for awhile, watching as the family of Salamanders stretched their tails in the sun.
"What were you like?" Newt asked.
"Quite as I am now," you smiled. "Reckless." You glanced at Newt and caught him looking at you with a strange expression. "What?" You asked.
"Is that really how you see yourself?"
"You can't tell me you disagree?" You raised a brow at him.
"Autumn…" he said, gazing at the river. "You are so much more than that." You waited for him to continue, but he didn't. You followed his gaze to the water, watching as the sun glistened and gleamed off the surface.
"Should we return her tonight?" You asked, breaking the silence. He looked at you, smiling sadly.
"I think we must," he said, "though I'll miss her." You snorted.
"That dragon has tried to bite me at least a dozen times," you said.
"She considers you competition," he said, giving you a lopsided grin.
"Competition!" You laughed. "For what?"
"My attention," he said, coloring a bit.
You huffed. "Well, you and your lady dragon can take all the time you need."
Newt chuckled, standing and brushing off his pants. "Tonight we can release her. She'll be able to find her own colony here."
You smiled, knowing he was sadder than he was letting on. "It'll be good for her be with her own kind, Newt."
"I know," he said, his voice dark.
"Come on," you said, standing. "I'll make us dinner, and then we'll take her."
It was a tricky thing, transporting a dragon. After you ate you had taken the case deep into the forest, looking for a good place to release her. Newt had stopped several times, appraising different sites, again and again deciding they weren't acceptable. Your leg had started to throb from all the walking, but you knew how important this was to him, and how hard it would be for him to let her go. You had just came upon a small clearing in the forest when Newt held up his hand.
"Here," he said. "This is the perfect spot." He kneeled down, opening the latches on his case. "You might want to stand back," he said, turning to you. You didn't have to be told twice. You watched him as he opened the lid and stood, taking a few steps back himself. He brought his hands to his face, cupping his mouth, and let out the loudest roar you'd ever heard.
For a moment nothing happened. All you could hear was the sound of Newt's breathing and the ever-present hum of the insects that lived in the Rainforest. Then, suddenly, it came - a low rumbling and the answering roar to Newt's earlier cry. He had just enough time to shield you before the Vipertooth burst from the case, exploding herself into the night sky. You both watched as she hovered for a moment, flapping her wings and screeching at you, before taking off higher and higher, until she disappeared into the clouds.
"Wow," you marveled. "She really was amazing, wasn't she?" You turned to Newt. He was still watching the sky. You reached and took his hand. He jerked his gaze towards you in surprise. "Thank you," you said.
"Whatever for?" He asked, confused.
"For sharing this with me," you smiled. For a moment he said nothing, searching your face. His eyes softened.
"It's nice to have someone to share it with," Newt said, squeezing your hand. You grimaced as a pain shot up your leg. Newt frowned. "It's bothering you?"
"A little," you admitted.
"Did you take your potion today?" He asked.
"I'm fine," you said, giving him a weak smile.
"I don't like seeing you hurt," he said slowly, as if he was just realizing it in that moment.
"Well then," you breathed. "Let's medicate."
Back down in the case Newt watched as you poured him and yourself another Firewhiskey.
"This isn't quite what I had in mind when you spoke of medication," he smiled.
"I like to keep you on your toes," you said. You were both sitting on the grass in the Mooncalf habitat enjoying the artificial moon and stars. You knew Newt didn't typically drink and that he was indulging you, so you poured him half of what you poured yourself. You handed him the glass and leaned back, resting on your elbows and looking up. "It really is magical," you whispered.
"Hmmm?" He asked, sipping his drink. You nodded up at the sky.
"All of it," you said. You gave him a lopsided grin. "Everything you've built." He smiled.
"I like to think so," he said quietly. You could feel his stare burning your skin.
"You can ask, you know," you said.
"No," he said quickly. "I don't need to."
"You want to," you countered.
Newt fidgeted a bit. "How did it happen?"
You sat up, hugging your knees. "I was training to be an Auror, as you know," you said, seeing Newt nod out of the corner of your eye. "About three years ago we were tipped off about some Dark Magic being used… it was an anonymous call, of course, but they said some strange things had been going on in this old abandoned house in Godric's Hollow." You paused momentarily, taking a sip from your glass. "It was only meant to be an investigative raid, we didn't expect anyone to actually be there…" You trailed off, realizing you were crying. You shook your head. "Some of Grindelwald's followers were there, and they took us by surprise. I tried to fight them off, but they were so strong…" You stopped, a sob wracking your body. Newt wrapped an arm around you, pulling you to him. "They killed my partner right away," you said. "He didn't have a chance…" You closed your eyes. "They… they kept me, Newt." You felt his arm tighten around you. "They tortured me, for days. They broke my knee, and kept re-breaking it…" You stopped, pulling your head back and looking at him. His eyes were watery. "I don't know why they didn't kill me," you said, "but they didn't. After a few days, I guess they got bored. They left me for dead… but they underestimated me." You let out a laugh that sounded like a hiccup. "I'm too stubborn to die."
Newt made a strangled noise, pulling your forehead to his lips. He kissed you there, then hugged you to his chest. "I'm so glad," he said, voice thick and desperate, "that you are so stubborn." You laughed into his chest, your tears wetting his shirt.
You stayed like that for a long time, holding one another, until your breathing evened out and you started to drift to sleep. You felt Newt shift underneath you.
"Come on," he said, standing. You followed him groggily to the shed, where he made up your cot. You dropped down to the mattress immediately, feeling tired to your bones. You grabbed his hand as he started to walk away.
"Stay with me," you said. He blushed. "Sit with me," you clarified. "I don't want to dream about it." Newt hesitated momentarily, then nodded stiffly. He sat down in the armchair next to your cot. You smiled, laying back.
The last thing you noticed before falling asleep was that Leta's picture had been removed from the room altogether.