Rectify↦Newt Scamander

Awkward Encounters of the Newt Kind

Although the two were able to reach locations much faster than using muggle transportation, Newt and Tegwen once again found themselves on a train heading towards their next destination. Newt never voiced it out loud, but the longer it took for them to arrive at a location, the more time they were able to spend with each other and less time working. It was slightly selfish on his behalf, however, he covered it up with the idea that they could stop at several places along the way if Tegwen wanted to. 

She didn't seem to have any complaints about traveling in a slower style either. The woman boarded the train without protest and sat beside him each time. No matter how many times Newt kissed her, he somehow always grew so nervous when she sat beside him. He never knew what to say or do, leaving them to sit in awkward silence for a great deal of the trip. Unless Tegwen spoke or if one of the creatures ended up doing something, he would just draw blank after blank.

He knew he could go on much longer like that and he was sure Tegwen would probably start to question herself if he kept it up. She probably wondered why he continued to act so awkward around her, especially after everything they had been through. They had already confessed their feelings to each other but it was if it didn't happen because of the way he was acting. He figured he might as well say something to the woman before she came under the wrong impression. Since they had plenty of time on the train, he thought it was the perfect opportunity to approach the subject. 

Yes, he knew exactly how he was going to do it. He would approach the topic the same way he approached a danger beast on his own. In a calm and collective manner.

"I'm sorry!" He blurted out.

He had failed. If the topic had been a dangerous beast, he would have been dead and buried six feet deep in that moment. 

Tegwen had been occupied with watching Pickett and Freud sunbathing in the window that she was completely startled by Newt's outburst causing her to flip the book in her hands and throwing it across the way. 

The train compartment fell silent with the exception of Pickett's hushed clicking as he spoke to Freud.  Newt and Tegwen were eyeing the book as the book's binding was placed under some stress from its awkward landing. Eventually, Newt stood up and quickly retrieved the book before brushing it off and handing it back to the woman.

"Sorry," he apologized again.

"You keep saying sorry but I can't figure out why you're apologizing?" Tegwen said as he sat back down beside her. She turned her body so that she was facing him but that didn't make things easier for Newt. He refused to look up as he played with the sleeve of his coat, adjusting the cuff. 

When he didn't answer right away, Tegwen took it upon herself to approach the subject once more.

"Newt? Are you alright? Is there a reason as to why you were apologizing just a few moments ago?"

"Yes," he answered but he said nothing else. He kept his gaze focused downward as if he were a child preparing himself to be scolded by his mother. Tegwen wasn't sure how to approach him because he seemed intimidated even though her tone was soft and neutral. She wasn't upset with him by any means, but she wondered if she should be since he had just apologized randomly.

"Are you going to tell me the reason?" She asked him.

"You mean you truly don't know?" He questioned her in return.

"No, that's why I'm asking you," she chuckled. "I thought that part was kinda obvious. But perhaps not."

Newt sighed as he realized he had basically dug himself into a hole, one that he couldn't climb out of either without assistance. He was going to have to tell her, which was going to make things even more awkward because apparently, she didn't think there was anything wrong. He wanted to internally punch himself in the face, but even just the mere thought of doing that to himself caused him to flinch.