The moment Tina was in the relative privacy of her own apartment, a layered array of emotions wracked through her — twisting her features — and to her horror, Newt had seen all of them. As to what expression struck him so fiercely to garner the look of concern on his brow, she wasn't entirely sure, but she figured it was not one he had expected.
"I'm fine," Tina husked out quickly before he could make a comment.
It wasn't a lie, not really. Never had she been happier for her sister — things were finally playing in their favor. What had prompted such a sudden and confusing welter of emotions was simply the speed at which everything had fallen perfectly into place. For someone who was not particularly fond of surprises, the notion of running off to Europe spontaneously was a bit of a difficult pill to swallow. Not to mention, Tina's own life was about to drastically change in only a matter of hours and she was struggling to keep up.
Newt had not moved. The look of concern was pressing deeper into his freckled brow as his eyes watched her carefully while she paced, trying to settle her nerves.
"I am," she stressed, feeling the weight of his gaze begin to suffocate her.
Work, Tina, she told herself. Busy yourself. That always calms you.
With a flick of her wand, a suitcase slid from under her bed and flew to land on her well-made linens.
"I just wasn't expecting this, is all." Tina glanced at the open traveling bag and froze. "I'm fine," she whispered, this time more to reassure herself than Newt. The innocent case sitting open before her looked daunting. She felt as though she'd just run a marathon, out of breath and unnaturally tired. Every breath that escaped her lips was heavy and laborious. Get a grip, Goldstein!
Tina stood still a moment, drawing in slow breaths to compose herself, keeping her eyes closed and let the shock and tension in her body melt away.
"Okay," she said with a forced smile, feeling more herself.
The routine and repetitive nature of packing helped put her mind at ease; folding one garment after another, carefully as though it were some strange form of meditation. Newt never strayed too far, leaning casually against the sheathed pocketed door with the same watchfulness and understanding he always held. The concern was gone from his brow, and he seemed more than content watching quietly. Tina was glad for his company, even if she didn't look it. His presence was soothing and little by little it lulled that anxious part of her.
"Are you sure you are okay with the three of us staying with you?" Tina asked, attentively folding a pair of stockings before placing them in her case.
"Delighted, actually." Newt shrugged merrily, throwing his hands in the pockets of his trousers. "You and your sister have always been gracious, generous hosts for me when I come to visit. I'm honored to finally have the opportunity to return the favor."
Tina stood, looking at him in mild awe at the sheer optimism and pleasure in his tone — not unlike an excited puppy. It made her angry, glad, and hopeful all at the same time.
"You are absolutely sure?" Tina tested, watching the play of muscles on his face for the faintest hint uncertainty.
The hopeful part of her suddenly was terrified something in that exact moment would change his mind. That wave of terror brought with it the realization she had no quarrel with going to England, or staying with Newt — all of that excited her — she just wasn't ready to let go of her sister.
Newt nodded slowly, closing the space between them with a few nimble strides until he was the only thing Tina could focus on. He smiled at her, open and completely unabashed, transforming his face and the constellations of freckles on his cheeks; it was dazzling and spilling with adoration and the very sight of it silenced every screaming thought of trepidation in her head. He held her gently, circling his arms around her waist.
"I am beyond a doubt, Tina." His voice was low when he spoke, like velvet and it made Tina's heart flutter.
All at once, Newt's proximity to her as well as the way his green eyes looked into hers, had completely distracted her from the thought of Queenie leaving her forever. The scent — his scent — consumed her and Tina had to rein in the urge to pull him closer by the lapels of his jacket to kiss him.
"Would you do me a favor?" Newt murmured, brushing calloused fingertips along her jaw.
Anything, she wanted to say without hesitation, but decided against it. "What?"
A smile pulled the corners of his lips with an impish delight as though he was about to ask something salacious of her (in that moment Tina wouldn't have minded if he did).
"Pack that dress you wore to my brothers wedding? I would very much like to see you in it again." The twinkle in his hazel green eyes that filled her stomach with butterflies and caused a foolishly smitten grin to unfurl across her face she couldn't quell.
"Really?"
Newt's boyishly crooked smirk remained as he nodded.
"Okay!" She said breathlessly, breaking free of the British wizard's hold long enough to retrieve the pink dress box safely stowed away in the bottom of her chest of drawers.
Admittedly, Tina had almost forgotten about the shimmering midnight blue dress her sister had made for her. There was something almost fairytale-like about the flowing garment. Woven in its very fabric were a number of delicate memories Tina would forever keep close to her heart; dancing with Newt in the glow of candle light, the kiss they'd shared atop that hill — all of it felt like a dream.
The hour was nearing noon when Jacob and Queenie appeared with a swirl and a pop in the middle of the living room, long after Tina had finished her packing. Excitement seemed too tame a word to describe the aura the couple emitted; it would have been suffocating if Tina didn't absorb it gladly. Their spirit swiftly ate away any remaining traces of disquiet in Tina's mind; a welcomed element that ended a somewhat stressful morning.
Suddenly Tina was light as air seeing the grin on her sister's face. Jacob wore a similar gleam, appearing far more relaxed and unflustered — his color had even returned to him.
Without ceremony, Newt brandished a brass skeleton key from his jacket pocket and held it openly in his palm. Tina and Queenie hurriedly drew their wands and shrunk their luggage to the size of playing cards, before stowing them away in pockets. Jacob's brow furrowed as he sized up the trinket in Newt's hands with an audible 'Hmmmm…'
"So that thing," Jacob pointed, sounding skeptical, "Is going to get alla us across the pond, huh?" He yanked nervously at his collar.
"Yes, it should." Newt shrugged nonchalantly.
"Should?" Tina suddenly felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. "You don't know?"
Newt swallowed, scratching the back of his head, looking as though he had just realized the gravity of what he had said.
"I've only used it once, Tina. To come here. I've not used it on a return trip. Theseus made it for me as a gift, and while he can be a cheeky pillock at times — it's no secret." Newt's voice was characteristically calm, and Tina envied his composure. "However, I trust my brother on this particular issue; he's a bit of a knob, but he's not cruel. Having this take me anywhere but home would be cruel."
A stomach churning silence flooded the room and threatened to turn the joyous moods sour, yet Queene's grin was resolute as she shrugged off the matter with glee.
"If it doesn't take us to England, it will bring us back here. No harm done," she said.
Queenie's optimism and logic seemed to spur Newt on with a fresh wave of certainty. Tina even felt better, though she could have kicked herself for not reaching that conclusion first.
"Right," Newt said, flashing a quick smile. "Now, have any of you — erm, not you, Jacob, sorry — but have either you or Queenie traveled by portkey?"
Queenie shook her head, and Tina nodded.
"Once," she told him. "A couple of years back MACUSA sent some Aurors a few states south to help with a raid. We used a portkey to get there. A sanctioned one."
Newt sighed at her jest, though he looked relieved not to be the only one with experience as far as portkey's were concerned.
"Good, then you'll know what to expect." He paused long enough to shift his focus to Jacob and Queenie. "Now, traveling by portkey is very convenient, but frustratingly that convenience comes at a cost."
Jacob frowned slightly, once more looking pale.
"It works the same as Apparition, however the nausea can be worse for some. I passed out my first time…"
He stopped, seemly having caught the narrow-eyed glare Tina threw his way to let him know he should have kept that last bit to himself. A moment or two passed before Newt cleared his throat, finally finding the correct words to speak once more.
"Anyway, let us simply lock arms with one another…" he took hold of Tina swiftly and tightly, making her feel secure. Everyone followed his lead, hooking arms until all of them stood in a perfect circle. It seemed as though the room held a collective breath, looking to the British wizard for what should come next.
"I should be able to give this a squeeze, and…"
Instantaneously the apartment became a blur of rapidly moving colors and Tina almost wasn't quick enough to brace herself against the abrasive magical force that took hold of her. All at once, it felt as though every organ in her body was sloshing around freely, and the vertigo was just as bad. She clung to Newt as though he were life itself, fearing that if she let go, she'd be lost forever in a void. Then, it was over. The world around her became nauseatingly still.
"...we should end up in my living room," Newt said through winded breaths in a tone that sounded pleasantly surprised.
Tina stumbled over wobbling feet as they landed, everybody breaking their hold from the sheer force at which they'd arrived, scattering apart like breaking glass. There were a number of various furniture pieces nearby so Tina braced herself against a sturdy looking armoire until her nausea faded. Newt's knuckles were white as he gripped the back of an elegant looking chair, while Queenie tumbled haphazardly across a sofa looking only slightly faint. Jacob was the only one left, abandoned in the middle of the room and looking as though at any moment he was going to be ill.
"Bathroom?" he choked out hoarsely, reaching for Queenie who rushed to aid him.
"Down the hall, on the left," Newt instructed with an errant wave of his hand.
The spinning in Tina's head had lessened by the time her sister and Jacob struggled past her, and cautiously, she moved to help them navigate. Tina took hold of his free arm to help stabilize him as she and Queenie maneuvered furniture and boxes left on the wooden floor until they found the facilities. She offered her assistance, feeling much better but Queenie waved her off.
Tina lingered a moment, having been shut out of the tiny bathroom, trying to quell the abrupt excitement swirling in the pit of her stomach upon realizing she was standing in Newt's home. It was an absurd thing to stir her enthusiasm, she knew, but it was sure to be another learning experience — a wider glimpse into his world. This is a long time coming, she joked to herself, easily recalling the number of times he had stayed at her apartment. However, as she moved down the lengthy hall, Tina was once more reminded that he came from much more wealth than she had.
The walls encompassing her were less of a flat and more of narrow townhouse. It was spacious despite its slender construction, with a second floor and many rooms. There were the kitchen, living room and the cupboard-like toilet which she'd already seen. Tina had not yet gotten a better look around but she was sure beyond the parlor sat another room — a study, perhaps — and surely more than one bedroom tucked away upstairs. The decor, however, was entirely Newt's.
In that sense, his townhouse differed greatly from the estate his parents called home. It was not unlike Featherbeak, but it lacked the sterile, museum-like cleanliness of his parents home. There was a warmth to the unfamiliar walls surrounding her and neat clutter — as neat as clutter can be — lined the walls in boxes and the surfaces of tables like the work shed in his case. Despite the architectural elegance, most of the furniture was mismatched; varying wood stains, a yellow upholstered chair, an overtly floral patterned sofa, and of course there were creature related objects strewn throughout. His home had become a catchall, it seemed, for everything he had not yet found a place for in his magical world.
The most eye-catching baubles Tina found as she leisurely made her way back to the living room were the few framed photographs in the hallway, most of which were hung crookedly. Tina smiled at the enchanted pictures, recognizing the faces of his mother, father and brother. Her favorite though, was of herself, taken at Theseus' wedding. It alone was free of a thin veil of dust and hung perfectly parallel with the stripes on the wallpaper.
When she finally stepped back into the sunlit front parlor, Newt was hurriedly rearranging stacks of books, fluffing pillows on the sofa, and wiping dust from the side tables with his hands, only to smear it onto the leg of his trousers. Tina bit her lip to hide the affectionate smile growing on her face as she watched. He kept to his hasty chores, never once taking notice of her until she cleared her throat.
"Oh," Newt said, somewhat apologetically. He'd been gallantly attempting to fluff a sagging cushion on the couch only to have it sink onto itself, considerably worse for having been touched.
"I'm glad to host you, although I admit, I wasn't expecting guests," he confessed, ducking his head in faint embarrassment.
Tina shrugged, glancing around to gauge the state of things. "I don't mind. I just didn't expect your apartment to be so big." Her brow furrowed in response to her own statement, realizing too late that it came off somewhat rude. "I mean, it's big for just you." That didn't sound much better, she figured; Newt though, seemed none the wiser.
He laughed dryly, rolling his eyes around to size up the apartment for himself. "I made the mistake of having Thes and Mum find a place for me."
That makes more sense.
"It's a rather boring story, Tina. I assure you." He sat on the sofa as he spoke, gesturing for her to sit with him.
For as dated as the couch looked, it was much softer than Tina had been expecting when she eagerly placed herself next to him; the cushions were rather lumpy, however.
"I'd still like to hear it — an abridged version?" Tina urged, purposely sitting to face him.
"Well," Newt sighed, "I was living with my parents after coming home from the war — Theseus was too, actually. Anyway, I'd been building a bit of a savings from working at the Ministry, and towards the tail end of my expedition I received an advance due to the work I'd completed on my book. I sent it home to my mother with the instruction to find me a suitable residence near the Ministry."
There was a hint of ardor in his crooked smile as he looked around, gesturing vaguely with outstretched arms. "This is what I came home to. I'm certain that check was not enough to cover this place for three years, but my mother swears it was — claiming some nonsense about the landlord being a great customer of hers." He shrugged. "It is too big for just me; I mostly use the spare room upstairs for storage but there's a bed there as well. Your sister and Jacob are welcome to use it."
He stopped, tugging idly at a loose thread on the sofa before adding: "See, boring."
"I thought it was riveting!" Tina teased, causing him to chuckle.
"In any case," Newt sighed, sinking deeper into the sofa and looking content with a smirk playing on his lips. "Welcome to my humble abode."
A/N: Happy 26th birthday to me! :D
We are now over half way through this story, and I can't believe it! I really need to get back into the habit of writing so I can finish the next part of this sooner, so ya'll don't have to wait 6 months. I'm sorry I'm the worlds slowest writer lol.
Hope you liked this chapter even if it was a bit on the shorter side!
Furthermore, you can follow me on Tumblr fandom-non-sense
That is where you can keep up with my progress, check out my favorite works by other talented authors and even find a link to keep me caffeinated so I write quicker ;).
Also HUGE thank you and shout out to my betas CuivienenGazer and katiehavok. They are the true heroes here and I owe them both so much for making these chapters readable.