oblivioni traditæ

Introductio

"Tina?" Newt called.

She looked up to see him enter the room, carrying his case.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I forgot to tell you, we're having company this evening," he said. He had crossed the room to the kitchen and set his case on the table.

"Company?" she repeated. However, she didn't make an effort to move from her seat on the couch. She had her feet tucked up under her and a book open in her lap. Queenie had given her a haircut the day before so her bangs were no longer falling in her eyes.

"We're having guests over for dinner," he explained as he lifted the lid of his case.

"But I thought Queenie and Jacob weren't coming."

Newt sighed and came back into the living room, taking a seat on the far end of the couch. "I didn't say Queenie and Jacob were coming. I said we were having guests."

"I thought we were your only friends," Tina teased.

Newt rolled his eyes. "No," he said. Then he hesitated. "Well, kind of. Anyway, it's not exactly friends. It's just two people who are related to me the way Queenie and Jacob are related to you."

"You mean a sister and a brother-in-law?"

"No, a brother and a sister-in-law."

"Do I know them?" Tina asked. "Or rather, do they know me?"

"Yes, they know you."

Tina sank back into the couch. "Great," she muttered. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Because I completely forgot about it until I had left the house. Besides, today has been a hard day."

"How so?"

Newt ducked his head and shook it, unwilling to explain. He didn't want to make her feel guilty but she had been the reason his day had been so difficult. She hadn't done it on purpose but he had found it nearly impossible to be around her. That morning, she had tentatively accepted his offer to let her help him feed his creatures. She had learned quickly, even faster than the first time. The two of them working side by side had been such a familiar experience but had only made him long for the time he had been able to tell her how much he loved her and follow his words with a kiss. Tina had spent the majority of the day curled up on the couch with a book and the familiar sight had only made his heart ache. He longed to be there with her, reading his own book with her head in his lap. That was why he had left the house, claiming he needed to buy food for his creatures.

Realizing where his train of thought had taken him, Newt shook his head and looked up at Tina. She was watching him curiously.

"Sorry," he mumbled, getting to his feet. "Anyway, they should be here in a few minutes and I need to prepare food."

Tina frowned slightly. "Okay."

She set down her book down and watched as Newt moved around the kitchen, pulling ingredients out of his case and beginning to prepare the food. Just as he was nearly finished, a knock came from the front door.

Realizing it probably wouldn't be a good idea to ask Tina to get the door, Newt crossed the living room and made his way to the front door. He pulled it open to reveal his brother and sister-in-law.

"Hello, Newt," Theseus greeted cheerfully.

"Hello," he replied.

Leta flashed him a smile. "Hello. You're finally back in London."

Newt laughed slightly. "Yes, I am." He stepped to the side. "Come in."

Leta and Theseus came into the house. Newt shut the door behind them as they began pulling their coats off. He took Leta's coat and hung it up beside Tina's.