Return to New York

Fireworks

"Tina, please put on a scarf," Queenie begged. "It's cold and we'll be out there for a while."

"Queenie, I'll be fine," Tina insisted. "I don't like scarves."

Newt watched as the Goldstein sisters argued. He was sitting on the couch, a mug of tea in his hands. Eventually, Queenie let out a frustrated sigh. 

"Fine," she grumbled. "Don't come to me when you're freezing."

"Trust me, I won't," Tina said.

Queenie rolled her eyes as her sister made her way to their room. Then she turned and moved over to take a seat with Newt on the couch.

"We have this argument every year," she explained with a sigh. "Tina never wears a scarf and halfway through the night, she's freezing. She never says anything though and you wouldn't know it looking at her."

Newt shrugged. "I'll make sure she stays warm."

"I know you will," Queenie giggled. "You've got a very stubborn girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend," Newt mumbled, blushing furiously.

Queenie let out an exasperated groan. "Newt, you're dating. You decided that two days ago. If you're dating, she's your girlfriend."

Tina emerged from the room and made her way over to them.

"Okay, let's go," she said.

Queenie jumped to her feet. Newt quickly finished his tea then stood up as well.

They left the apartment and made their way to a nearby alley where they joined hands and Tina Disapparated. They appeared on the top of a tall building.

"This is the best place to watch the fireworks," Tina told Newt as she led him to the edge. There was a ledge a few feet away from the edge. She sat down on this and motioned for Newt to do the same. He sat down beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Queenie crouched down behind them. "Have fun, you two. Have a Happy New Year. I'll see you next year."

"Wait, what?" Tina said, whipping her head around to look at her sister. Queenie giggled and Disapparated before Tina could say anything else. They saw her appear on the roof of the next building.

Tina got to her feet. "Come on," she groaned. "Let's go."

Newt tugged her back down. "She wants to leave us alone together. You know she'll just Disapparate again if we follow her."

"But it's New Year's Eve," Tina protested. "She shouldn't be alone tonight."

"I don't want her to be alone either," Newt assured her. "But at this point, it seems that it doesn't matter what we want. Maybe she wants to be alone."

"Why would she want to be alone?" Tina demanded.

"I don't know. Maybe she misses Jacob and being here with us is too painful for her," Newt suggested.

Tina sighed and rested her head on Newt's shoulder.

"Maybe," she murmured.

They sat on the rooftop in silence for several minutes. As time went on, Tina began shivering more and more.

"Are you cold?" Newt asked.

Tina shook her head.

"Tina," he said, mildly exasperated. 

"I'm fine, Newt," she insisted but her teeth were chattering.

Newt smiled and shook his head in amused annoyance. He tugged off his scarf and wrapped it around her neck before she could complain.

"Your sister was right," he said. "You should have brought a scarf."

"I don't like scarves," Tina mumbled. However, she didn't try to take the scarf off. Instead, she pulled it tighter and snuggled closer to Newt.

A few minutes later, the fireworks began. They shot up into the air, exploding in huge balls of colorful light above them. The sparks rained down like colorful rain. Newt and Tina watched the fireworks in silence, happy to be together.

The fireworks went on for a long time. Every now and then they would glance at the clock they could see from their spot on the roof. Twenty minutes . . . ten minutes . . . seven minutes . . . four minutes . . . two minutes . . . one minute . . . forty seconds . . .

Newt looked back at Tina. She was staring up at the fireworks, her dark hair framing her pale face. There was a small smile on her face and she looked peaceful and happy. She was beautiful.

"Can I kiss you?" Newt asked before he could stop himself.

Tina started. "What?" She stared at him, a startled expression on her face. She didn't think she had heard him correctly.

Newt blushed and glanced away, back at the clock.

Thirty seconds . . .

"Can I kiss you?" he repeated quietly, his blush intensifying.

Tina gasped quietly. Newt wanted to kiss her. Newt, the man she had been becoming so strangely close to, wanted to kiss her. And she wanted to kiss him.

Twenty seconds . . .

"Please," she said quietly.

Newt looked back up at her. "What?"

"Please," Tina repeated.

Newt leaned forward slightly. The fireworks above them lit up Tina's features. Their eyes fluttered shut and he moved forward slightly. 

Then he hesitated. His heart was pounding. He wanted to kiss her, he wanted to kiss her desperately, but he was afraid. He had never kissed anyone before, and this was Tina.

Ten seconds . . .

Tina realized that Newt had hesitated. She knew it wasn't because he didn't want to kiss her, that he was just afraid, so she leaned forward herself. 

Their lips met. The kiss was slow and hesitant. Neither of them had ever kissed anyone before. As they kissed, they heard the clock strike twelve. They broke apart at the sound of the last stroke of midnight.

They stared at each other, blushing slightly.

"Happy New Year," the breathed in unison. Then they laughed slightly and leaned in again.

Their next kiss was longer and less cautious. Newt moved one hand up to her hair, hesitantly pulling her closer. Their lips moved against each other slowly. They pulled apart a few moments later.

Newt pulled Tina into a hug. She rested her head against his chest and let out a happy sigh. He pressed his cheek to the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her hair. The fireworks above them were coming faster, filling the sky with beautiful light.

Eventually, Tina spoke.

"Do you have to leave?" she mumbled.

Newt sighed. "Yes," he murmured into her hair. "I do. But I'll come back as soon as I can, Tina, I promise. I don't want to leave yet."

"You promise?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I promise," he repeated.

They stared at each other, looking each other in the eye. They both smiled, both thinking the same thing, the same three words that they were still too afraid to say.

I love you.

A/N: I finished this chapter so quickly! I hope you enjoyed it. Please vote and comment.

Yes, I know things are moving really quickly but they have to.

I've got nothing else to say. I should just work on something else instead of rambling here.

Have a good day!

Bye!

Written January 11, 2019.