Falling

Work Part 1

They had spent most of the evening quietly talking and kissing and had concluded that the way everyone was currently stuck in their own rut of emotions (and the fact that they wanted to avoid them meddling for as long as possible) they didn't want to break the news. So instead of giving Tina a good morning kiss at breakfast he awkwardly mumbled a greeting with a red face and then began to eat breakfast quietly conversing with everyone. Despite the fact the awkwardness at breakfast was slightly staged, Newt was still quite embarrassed at his boldness and closeness yesterday. He had never even kissed anyone before but it felt so natural with Tina like it was where he was meant to be. His mind drifted back to the softness of her lips and how her silky blouse felt as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Fido!" Newt jumped back to reality with his brother loudly calling him. Realising it was his middle name he scowled at Theseus
"What?"
"Sorry, Newton you weren't responding to anything else" Theseus responded off-handedly not sounding very sorry at all.
"Fido?" Came an amused voice from the other side of the table, Newt looked up to see Tina with one eye raised as she munched in some toast
"One of his many middle names-"
"I have two Theseus"
"Yes, Yes whatever anyway I was trying to tell you, as you were clearly not listening, that Tina and I are going into work and I was wondering if you wanted to go to your actual office and work office hours like the rest of us?"
"I'll work with the beasts this morning thanks" His eyes flitted down to Tina "But I may join you at lunch"

Theseus gained a knowing look on his face and said "Of course you will, Now Auror Goldstein let's go" Tina gave him one last glance with a secretive smile and they walked out into the street. Newt followed Tina's exit with his eyes before sliding into his chair, sighing slightly in contentment. Jacob and Nagini were gathering their things and Jacob turned to him with a hollow chuckle "Boy have you got it bad". Newt flushed red as he watched them wrap up some bread rolls they had made earlier. Jacob explained at breakfast that he had hired Nagini as his assistant and today was opening day. "See ya later Newt" Jacob called as he pushed through the door
"Bye Newt!"Nagini echoed and the door slammed shut.
"Bye everyone" Newt murmured to himself in an empty house.

As Newt looked around he was suddenly struck with a strange case of loneliness. He had spent almost the entirety of his adult life without human contact. He lived alone, he worked alone and he travelled alone. After he returned from New York there was a quiet absence in his chest but now it felt like an echoing wound. Since they returned from Hogwarts the house had been buzzing, even in the silent grief. Someone was always in the kitchen, baking or getting a drink, Someone was always in the living room reading or napping, Or singing badly in the shower much to the entertainment of everyone else, Theseus and Tina usually had some case file they were chatting and gesturing to and he often had someone in the basement quietly wandering through the habitats. Now it was silent. There was no terrible singing or quiet chatting, it was completely and utterly silent. And Newt found none of the initial comforts he thought he would.

Newt walked into the living room and found even less comfort. Since the travellers arrived the house had been rather messy with books, flour, case files and blankets strewn about but now they had straightened it up. The flour had been wiped clean by Jacob, The books had been returned to their shelves, The case files had been gathered and taken in by Tina and Theseus and the blankets were folded neatly on the backs of the chairs. Deciding that the echo of his footsteps were driving him insane he burst through the door to his basement and hurried down the stairs. Instantly a wave of comfort washed over him at the familiar growls, caws and honks of the basement. Deciding to finally get started on the monthly cataloguing of his creatures he summoned his notebook and got to work.

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Tina was apparated to a random bathroom at a subway station and looked at Theseus suspiciously. Not only was there an unbelievable amount of people entering the restrooms but the fact that Theseus was grinning like that was setting her on edge.
"Well, Miss Goldstein this is the flush system. Go into a stall, stand in the toilet and pull the chain, Ill see you on the other side" He walked into the men's room leaving Tina to walk into the woman's room more than slightly confused. Despite the fact her first meeting of Theseus had not exactly gone well she trusted him somewhat despite his enjoyment of meagre pranks, however, this was her job not transfiguring a mug of coffee to look like tea and handing it to Newt. She entered the stall, stepped in grimacing and pulled the chain.