Thunder and lightning roared throughout the sky as heavy rain threateningly came down like small daggers. Not a single soul dared to leave the comfort of their homes, as families clung to each other, watching fearfully through their windows; across the city people had retreated to the corners of their rooms with only a candle beside them. The trees writhed against the winds and their branches broke from the pressure, the remains strewn about on the streets. The sky was an eerie mixture of deep grays and black, swirling menacingly above the city.
All that could be heard throughout the lonely, dismal prison was maniacal laughter from the far right corner; his lips were curled into a wide grin as his teeth glowed against the dirty yellow lightbulb swinging above him. His unnaturally bright eyes glistened as he lifted his head back, projecting his laughter.
The storm intensified as he stood up, and his eyes darkened with twisted pleasure. His cell door broke free and flew in pieces before him. He smirked and slowly made his way through the opening, chuckling to himself as nobody dared, not a single inmate moved to see what was happening, paralyzed with fear.
"Hey, you there—" A guard ran towards him.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Tina shot up from her bed and struggled to breathe as she looked over to her window. The sun had only begun to rise and greet New York City; blends of gold and orange peaked through and illuminated her room, and the peaceful face of the man lying next to her. Her breathing steadied as she studied his features; he was somewhere else, clearly nowhere near where she had just been. She slowly breathed out as she pushed it out of her mind. She looked in front of her and met her own eyes in the mirror of her vanity; her disheveled hair fell around her face and touched her shoulders in messy pieces, and her eyes were surrounded by smudges of black and the only traces left of her lipstick trailed beyond her lips.
Everything that had transpired the evening before now came back to her in waves; going out into the city among the bright lights and jazz music in the air, the drinks she had consumed amongst laughter and dancing in the night, Newt's gentle lips against hers in the dark of an alleyway, his slurred words as he begged her to come with him to London, the growing petals of her flower on the kitchen table as he poured his heart out to her, the heat of his skin against hers, their mouths exploring each other. She felt warmth rise in her chest, and she unwittingly touched his hand that reached across the mattress to her.
His eyes fluttered open, and he turned to face the ceiling for a moment as he allowed for his eyes to adjust. She took her hand back, suddenly embarrassed to be touching him, as if she hadn't felt almost every inch of him only hours before. He rubbed his eyes for a moment before turning back over to look at Tina, wrapped in her blanket against the sunlight that was beginning to shine through. It took him a minute as well to remember the evening they had just had together—every word spoken between them, warm breath against his skin, luminous eyes in the moonlight as he looked down into them as they enjoyed each other completely. A subtle smile crept up his face as he admired her.
"G-Good morning." He greeted her meekly and sat up to meet her eyes.
"Good morning, Newt." Tina tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear as she glanced down at the bed, a subtle smile of her own showing through. As she looked back up at his face, she couldn't help smiling from ear to ear. Sitting here in her bed, in the quiet, peaceful company of the man before her, felt like their own private little shelter. She felt like she could survive alone on his voice, his touch, and his taste. His touch. His taste. She already began aching for him, within moments of him being awake. She had forgotten what new… love? Felt like.
He now admired Tina as she sat before him against the sunlight; her affectionate eyes were tired yet inviting as they returned his gaze, and the smile she gave him made him feel at home. Her sultry frame called him to her; he started to move himself closer to her, sliding his hand slowly up her leg as they both were struggling to keep any distance between them. The blanket fell from her grasp, and he immediately pulled her to him, craving the heat of her body against his, an addiction he couldn't see himself defeating for the rest of his life. He had also forgotten what this felt like.
He kissed her lovingly, cradling her head as they both sunk back down into bed. Their tongues desperately searched each other's mouths as their bodies melted together, rediscovering the blissful sensation of feeling each other, tasting each other. Newt let out a subtle moan as he lustfully grabbed her hips, feeling the hunger for her start to rush through his body. She whimpered as she felt him grow against her and slowly, teasingly slid her fingertips down his chest and his abdomen. He buried his face in her neck, lightly nipping the top of her shoulders as she caressed him. She smiled against his skin as his whole body responded to her touch; his hips subconsciously moved to her rhythm, his body twitched when she hit the right areas, and he breathlessly kept whispering her name in her ear, the warmth tickling her skin.
There was a sudden knock on the door, which made them both abruptly jump and sit up in the bed. In his surprise, Newt hit his head on her bedpost, and he now rubbed the sore spot while muttering to himself, his face a fiery shade of red from his embarrassment. Tina clumsily pulled the covers around them over their lower bodies, and her response to the knocking caught in her throat.
"Rise and shine, children," Queenie sang sweetly through the door. "Breakfast's ready!"
It's not funny anymore, Queenie... Tina thought, considering this was the third time she managed to interrupt her time with Newt. She looked over at him, whose only response was to stare back at her in return. She sighed, and took a moment to think before she shrugged, resigning herself.
"Well… We should probably go out there and say hello."
Tina couldn't help but scan every inch of Newt's body exposed before her; every line and edge of his bare torso beckoned her, and his perfectly toned arms tempted her to crawl back into them. She bit her lip, realizing breakfast was the last thing on her mind.
"A-Are you sure?" Newt was still completely willing to resume what they were doing before.
Tina shook her head. "No, no I'm not, at all," she giggled, looked down at the mattress. "But… we really should." She felt an unfamiliar shyness, like a teenager falling in love for the first time.
Before Newt could change her mind, she stood up and stretched her arms out, only realizing that she was still completely undressed when the chilled air hit her entire body. Her cheeks turned a light rose as she quietly hurried over to her dresser and shuffled through it, finding a plain, long turquoise robe. Newt admired her in the meantime as her soft curves glowed in the sunlight streaking against her body; he bit his lip, his trance interrupted only by the robe that now blocked his view.
"Stop watching me. You have to get out of bed too, you know." Tina teased, throwing his undershirt and pants on the bed.
He blushed, as he looked down at himself.
He hurriedly shuffled his trousers and white shirt on as she checked her hair and face in the mirror. With a gentle twirl of her wand, her makeup was refreshed—back to its minimal, natural amount—and her shiny, deep chocolate hair once again laid neatly against her jawline. Although he didn't find it necessary to put on his complete attire, he also put on his gold vest, as he didn't want to be too terribly improper around Tina's sister… well, more than he had already been.
Tina walked over to the door, grasping the doorknob before she glanced back at Newt, a warm grin across her face. Realizing he was going to have to face other people and leave their little sanctuary in her bedroom, he could feel his familiar nerves returning; but he gave her a small, slightly awkward smile and nodded at her. With that, they stepped out towards the kitchen.
They were immediately hit with the delectable fragrance of breakfast as they walked down the hallway; hints of sizzling bacon, fried eggs, cinnamon oatmeal, and freshly-baked bread danced through the air. The sound of jazz, as always, could be heard gently playing in the background as Queenie hummed along in the kitchen. She had opened all of the windows, letting the sun illuminate each room, and a gentle breeze flowed throughout the home.
Someone's in a good mood. Tina thought, unable to remember when their mornings in the apartment were ever such a production.
"Teenie! Newt! You decided to join us." Queenie winked at her sister as she looked up at them from the table, which was covered in a vibrant, enticing spread of various breakfast foods. Next to her sat Jacob, enthusiastically sampling every item. He quickly glanced up to nod at the both of them, before he continued. Pots and pans were strewn about the kitchen and the counters were covered in various ingredients—and Queenie's hair was unusually a bit out of place with a little sweat at her brow. Tina laughed to herself, realizing that she had to cook like a No-Maj for the first time ever in her life.
"Mmm, Queenie, I had no idea you were such an amazing cook." Jacob complimented between bites.
She giggled, resting her head in her hands as she watched him.
Newt and Tina awkwardly joined them at the table, each grabbing a couple of pieces of bread and scooping a fried egg or two on their plates. They glanced at each other, both a bit embarrassed at the spectacle that was Queenie and Jacob in front of them, but then silently began to eat.
"How about those storms last night, huh?" Queenie now looked across the table to Newt and Tina. "I thought we were going to be carried away!"
"Storms?" Tina asked, a mouthful of bread still in the process of being chewed.
"You couldn't've missed 'em—we barely got a wink of sleep!"
Jacob covertly, or so he thought, winked over at Queenie. She lightly smacked his arm, stifling her giggle before she looked back to them. Newt's cheeks darkened and he stared towards the window—unsure if he was more embarrassed at what Jacob was suggesting, or embarrassed at the thought of Queenie knowing his own actions, with her sister, the previous night.
Tina immediately thought back to the dream she had last night—the storms, the people cowered in their homes at the sound and sight. The ominous, dark swirl in the sky above the city. The twisted laughter from the man inside the jail cell. The killing curse. She unwillingly shuddered.
Keep it together, Tina. It was just a nightmare.
"Strange… we didn't hear anything." Tina finally responded, before she looked down at her plate and took another bite of bread, rationalizing the coincidence in her head.
Newt was now curiously studying her, being the only one who noticed her sudden distance from the conversation.
"Oh, geeze, I apologize for being so rude—we're sharing our breakfast together and I don't even know your name." Jacob started, finally satisfied from his hearty meal. He extended his hand across the table to Newt, offering a polite smile. Newt blinked for a moment, taken back by having to introduce himself to Jacob for the third time.
Queenie pursed her lips, realizing that she probably should have found a way to warn Newt that she had once again had to obliviate Jacob after the incident at the bar. And not only Jacob, but… half of the other patrons.
Jacob's eyes shined with genuine interest as he waited for Newt's hand. Newt cleared his throat and nodded at Jacob, the absence of liquid courage in his system this time allowing him to ignore the faint ache in his chest as he looked at his friend.
"Scamander." He shook Jacob's hand quickly, before he awkwardly brought it back down to his lap.
Jacob nodded politely. "Kowalski."
"Well, I think it's about time we head out, don't you think? We have a big day ahead of us," Queenie's voice cut through the air like a knife, breaking the one-sided tension between the two men. She couldn't bear to deal with it right now—nothing would dampen her first date with Jacob. She stood up, smiling brightly at him. "We're going to the fair, remember?"
"Of course I remember!" Jacob exclaimed, standing up as well. Queenie reached for Jacob's hand and they both quickly walked around the table, then towards the door.
"Teenie, I'll talk to you later tonight, okay? I'll see you soon, Mr. Scamander."
"Hey, it was nice meeting ya both!"
They both waved, and were almost instantly out the door.
"Who's that, Queenie?" A high-pitched voice, within seconds, could be heard from the hallway.
Tina covered her mouth, struggling not to laugh. Newt's eyes widened subtly, having had forgotten completely he wasn't even supposed to be within this building. If he wasn't nervous before, he certainly was now.
"O-Oh, just a friend! Nothing to worry about—oh, please, don't scold me like that! He was locked out of his home last night—am I supposed to just let a dear friend sleep out in the rain? I couldn't do that!"
A few moments later the apartment was silent once more, and Tina and Newt sat there at the table, alone to themselves once more.
"U-Uhm… Is everything alright?" Newt asked quietly, now feeling paranoid of being overheard.
"What do you mean?" Tina looked over to him.
"Well, you just seemed to have a rather odd reaction when your sister brought up the weather…"
"Did you hear them?" She immediately touched his arm and leaned closer to him.
"I did, yes… they were pretty terrible, but I've experienced worse… What about them?"
This calmed her down. If Newt had heard them and thought nothing about it, it must've just been bizarre coincidence. She sighed and gave him a gentle smile.
"Oh, I'm fine, Newt." She looked over to the window now, realizing how ridiculous she had been. "I just had a bad dream last night, that's all."
He took her hand from his arm and held it tightly, feeling oddly protective of her, even if it was just from her nightmares. He would have protected her from everything negative in this world if he could. She leaned her head onto his shoulder, as she slowly started to realize he would be leaving within the next couple of hours. She gazed at the magnificent, vibrant flower before her, every line of the poem he recited to her replaying in her mind; she then leaned into him even more, enjoying the warmth of him against her face and his soothing scent that filled her senses. Tina wished she could keep it in a bottle so she could always come back to the night they had together once he was gone. Newt pressed his face up against the top of her head, having the exact same thought as he inhaled her delicious, feminine fragrance. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close, and they stayed perfectly still—content as they enjoyed the gentle breeze and sunshine through the windows, and simply, each other.
The time had come for Newt to head towards his ship, as it was leaving within the next hour. They had apparated down the block some ways when they left the apartment, and now they strolled, hands linked, down the street together. The weather was nearly perfect, humid from the previous night of storms but balanced by the pleasant breeze. All of the local people were out along the street; groups of young children chasing each other, weaving through crowds, hungover young adults, some still wearing last night's attire, sitting at tables in front of cafes attempting to cure themselves with coffee; old couples perched on benches together as they fed the birds beneath them, and loud, enthusiastic callers for the daily newspaper standing and hollering at nearly every corner. The neighborhood was alive—and although he was relieved to be returning home and to the Ministry after his years of travelling and compiling his new book, the book he knew would define his career and immortalize all of his hard work, he couldn't help but feel like he was leaving a part of himself here, in this little piece of New York City.
That part of himself, obviously, was Tina. She lived here, worked here, had what was left of her family here… he knew he couldn't be selfish and expect her to leave.
But she also lived here, laughed here, gazed into the sky with her lovely deep brown eyes here—slept in that bed, here… nowhere near where he was going.
She squeezed his hand, almost as if she sensed all of the thoughts and emotions currently running through his mind and chest. He squeezed back and continued to hold tighter now, struggling to get used to the rushes of feelings that he had spent so many years distancing himself from. Little did he know that she was having the exact same struggle at this exact moment, and was doing everything she could to stop the tears that threatened her eyes from spilling. Yet, at least.
"Won't I be seen here?" Newt questioned, attempting to distract himself from his mind and nervously glancing around as they walked. He wasn't necessarily afraid of MACUSA, or being jailed for that matter—it had happened on multiple occasions before when trespassing to save animals and on his other various adventures—but he wasn't quite ready to have the experience consecutively within forty-eight hours.
"Well, you might, to be honest," Tina lightly laughed. "But the dock isn't too far from here. Would you like your moustache and black suit back?" She joked, gazing up at him.
"No offense to your sister, she did a wonderful job… but no, I think I'm quite alright."
She smirked and gazed back at the street. After everything they had been through, from nearly having him arrested, to chasing magical creatures, to them both being arrested, to facing Graves—no, Grindelwald, to the night they had just had together—a night of discovery, exploration, and passion—she was glad that he was leaving, if he absolutely had to, on a day like this. The atmosphere was bright and hopeful; she felt secure in their connection, and everything had fallen into place. Her preference, of course, was for him to never leave; yet part of her was already excited for his return, book in hand, months of life to catch up on with each other. And then they could be together… forever? She blushed at the thought.
Tina suddenly felt a grip on her wrist, and she snapped around to meet the almost unnaturally light features of a young man; his blonde hair was the color of lightning, and his mint eyes pierced hers. She lightly gasped, pulling her wrist away from him and backing up several steps. Within a few moments Newt realized what was happening and stepped in front of her, his features uncharacteristically threatening.
"What do you think you're—"
"Hey, I meant no harm. I apologize. I shouldn'ta startled ya like that. I'd like to talk about something—"
"We're not interested." Tina interrupted, and grasped the edge of Newt's jacket so they could continue walking.
"J-Just hear me out. This is about… us." He smirked, offering his hand.
"What does that mean?" Newt inquired, not moving an inch.
"…Us." The man reached into his pocket, and inconspicuously revealed a part of his wand. "I'm not looking for trouble. Just hear me out."
"L-Look, I don't know what you're talking about, but we're going to be on our way now." Newt then began to turn away from him, grabbing Tina's arm.
"Just take this, then." He pushed two pamphlets into Newt's other hand, and Newt reluctantly took them.
"Have a nice day." The man smiled at them both, and then turned and walked away.
"What is that?" Tina grabbed one of the pamphlets from Newt's hand.
TIRED OF HIDING IN FEAR OF PERSECUTION?
TIRED OF EVERYONE BEING PROTECTED—EXCEPT US?
WE WILL NO LONGER LIVE IN FEAR OR BE CONDEMNED.
WE WILL NO LONGER STAND FOR THE ASSAULT ON MAGICAL LIFE.
JOIN US.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE BACK WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY OURS.
Tina's hands started trembling.
She suddenly realized who that was in her dream.
A/N: Hey everyone! I apologize for taking so long to update. Finals week has officially begun and I have been extremely busy. Good news is, after they are over, I am going to have a LOT more time to write and focus on this story over break. I am very excited to continue, so stick with me! :) Also thank you all who reviewed. Your feedback keeps me going!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please let me know what you think!
