Crescendo: A Fantastic Beasts Newtina Fanfiction

Chapter 6

      The broad sky overhead was currently a canvas filled with endless gray clouds. A slight wind stirred Newt's mop of messy hair, and caused his coat to flare out gently behind him. He, Tina, and Queenie were making their way  through the hustle and bustle of the New York streets, heading towards a building in the distance. As they drew closer, the details came into view. The name Kowalski's was printed across the window glass in bold, bronze letters. A sweet, tangy smell wafted into the air around them, and a long line could be seen cutting through he bakery and spilling out onto the street. The threesome took their places at the back of the line, waiting. 

       Queenie walked up to the window and peered in. "Yup, Jacob's at the counter right now," she told them as she returned. "He should be finishing his shift anytime now."

       "And then we can show you around, Newt," Tina added, "New York's a big place."

       "I can imagine that." New York was by far the busiest place Newt had ever seen, a drastic contrast from the calmer streets of London. Everywhere he looked, there were people, tourists and citizens alike. The road seemed to contain a never ending stream of automobiles, and shops and streets were simply bursting with people. Newt hoped that other parts of New York weren't this busy. He hated crowds. They made him feel, trapped, pressed in, enclosed. 

       "Aw, don't worry," Queenie assured, "You'll get used to it."

       Newt started. Sometimes he forgot that Queenie was a Legilimens. It was rather unnerving sometimes. Tina glanced at him understandingly. "When we get back to the brownstones, I can lend you my copy of Living with Legilimens, if you'd like," she offered, "Not that there's anything wrong with Legilmens." She shot a hasty, almost apologetic glance at her sister. 

       "It's okay, Teenie. I know what you're trying to say." Queenie waved a dismissive hand, smiling.

       "Yes, thanks, Tina. That would be...uh, a nice read," he said.

       "Speaking of reading, I finished your book Newt. I liked it very much."

        Blushing faintly at Tina's compliment, he told her, "I'm glad you did. Really." And he was, for some reason. Knowing that he had Tina's support with his book made him feel more confident, and knowing that she liked his book made him feel strangely happy. He glanced at her, happening to catch her eye, and they both turned their heads away quickly, faces flushing.

       The line inched forward, and they were now inside the bakery. The smell of breads and pastries was stronger here, making all three of them inhale deeply. Display cases lined the walls, and several were positioned tastefully in the middle of the shop. They were filled with all types of baked goods, mostly Polish, ranging from paczkis to babkas to slask breads. Jacob could be seen behind the front counter, which held the creature-shaped pastries, ringing up change and engaging with his customers. The line crawled forward, and soon they were at the front.

        A beaming Jacob greeted them. "Hey, there! My shift will be over in a sec, guys. Well, what'll it be?"

      Queenie ordered one of the Occamy shaped pastries, and Tina chose a plain roll. Newt hesitated, not sure of what he wanted. Another thing he hated was ordering his food. To him, it was one of the most stressful things in the world. 

       Luckily, Jacob helped him out. "I'd recommend the paczki, Newt. The orange zest is just...mmm," he rubbed his thumb and forefinger together.   

       Newt nodded. "Alright. A paczki, then, please." He couldn't help but feel an immense wave of relief.

       As they tried to pay, Jacob stopped them. "No, no, no!", he insisted. "It's on the house."