Those Days [Newtina]

Chapter 3: Aguamenti

The next morning, everyone was sleepy, but content.

Queenie set the table and finished making breakfast just as Jacob and Tina emerged from their rooms.

"Where is Newt?" Asked Tina.

"Uhh... I think he's in his suitcase," answered Jacob cautiously.

Tina rolled her eyes and grinned.

"Why am I not surprised?"

Newt was alerted to someone's presence by the sound of a pair of feet coming down the stepladder.

He jumped backwards and tripped over the stairs on the wooden platform.

Newt stumbled, lost his balance and slipped backwards onto the floor. His spine barked out on impact and throbbing pain shot through his skull.

Newt moaned and closed his eyes.

Shen he opened them again, there was a face hovering above his.

"Tina."

Newt climbed unsteadily to his feet and rubbed the back of his head.

Tina put her hands on her hips.

"Hello, Newt. Care to tell me why you weren't at breakfast this morning?"

Newt felt his ears go pink.

Tina suddenly dropped her hands and inspected the bridle Newt was clasping in his hands.

"Are you trying to ride the Kelpie again?"

Newt looked at the wooden floorboards as he felt warmth blooming on his cheeks.

"That almost killed you last time!"

Newt glanced back at Tina.

"He's not usually like this- I think that he just needs to become adjusted to being inside the suitcase. Whenever I tend to him he's perfectly happy with it, Tina. He would never harm me-"

Tina cut him off.

"Just forget about injuring yourself... but you can't just tend to the Kelpie without letting anyone know about it. It's way too dangerous."

"Are you telling me that I need an assistant?"

Newt knew that he already had his assistant, Bunty, but she was back in London, and she'd only helped with the Kelpie twice before.

Tina contemplated the idea for a moment.

"Yes. You need somebody to be there if things go wrong, Newt. You can't handle everything by yourself."

Newt turned away from her to hide his blush and busied himself with arranging bottles of medicine and oils.

"Fine," he mumbled.

"Teach me how to take care of the Kelpie," pushed Tina.

The question took Newt by surprise. Nobody had ever asked him to teach them before. He turned around again.

"Okay," he countered, "But you will get wet."

Tina shrugged off her coat and hung it beside Newt's.

Satisfied, Newt began teaching her how to apply medicine, ride, and not get eaten in general.

When he deemed her prepared enough, he instructed her thoroughly on how to bridle and mount the Kelpie, then threw a piece of fish into the lake.

Almost immediately, the gargantuan beast leaped from the water and dove after the meat, showering the pair with a rain of droplets.

"One more thing, Tina."