An Abundance Of Oneshots

Take A Break (Newt)

Just something I had to write when school got to be too much. Dithered for a long time on who to write it for! But I know that someone who reads these is a fan so Newt it is! Pretend "Muggle Studies" means normal Muggle courses, instead of studying the Muggle world, I don't know which it is.

Title: Take a Break
Fandom: Fantastic Beasts
Pairing: Young!Newt Scamander x Reader
Request: my own stressy soul

Warnings: fluffffffffff

•••

Either you were going to kill math, or math was going to kill you, and right now it was up in the air. Could go either way. The numbers stopped making sense a few chapters ago, and you weren't entirely sure when you slipped into using letters, and the parchment was stacked so high you could vanish into it.

Could you punch math?

Surely, in a world of magic, one could find a way to physically punch the abstract concept of math.

You settled for letting your face hit the table.

"Working hard?"

You didn't look up, groaning in response. You knew who it was. "Whoever invented math needs to receive a strict talking to. Possibly with a brick."

"Brick?"

Your head rose from the table, eyes still closed. "Yes, Newton. The brick would be making an acquaintance with their face."

You wanted so badly to be good at this. You needed to be good at this. Nobody expected you to be good at this - what were you thinking, taking Muggle studies, as if you were not only a Muggle but also a male. If you were a muggle, this would be college material.

You needed to prove them wrong.

But you were seriously going to punch math.

When you opened your eyes, Newt Scamander, your oldest friend, was still standing there, looking at you like you were about to bite him.

"Newt, are you alright?"

"I wanted to show you something."

Oh, cruel world. You wanted nothing more than to escape with him, leave math behind, but you just couldn't let yourself fail. You'd never hear the end of it from those idiots in your class. You opened your mouth to decline, but shut it again when you saw the look on his face. His adorable face.

Math could eat your dust.

"Thank the Lord, I needed a break anyway."

•••

"-so then the professor says, 'Don't plan on a stellar report, come end of term.'" You make your voice extra deep and snobbish to prove the point. "As if I'm a child! And I know, technically I am, but he doesn't speak to the male students like that, no, it's all, 'Good job, you'll get it next time,' and then these STUPID numbers won't do what I want them to."

You threw another rock into the lake, watching it skip over the water. Newt was somewhere behind you, getting whatever it was he wanted you to see, and you'd been instructed not to look until he said so. Still, you were pretty sure he could hear you not-exactly-shouting.

"He thinks I'm, I don't know, mentally inferior. He grades me more harshly, he's an ass, I don't... Maybe I'm not cut out for this, Newt. Maybe I'm not smart enough for advanced maths."

"Nonsense," you heard his distant mumble.

You threw another rock.

"All... Alright, you can turn around, Y/n."

You sighed, still geared up, and turned on your heel. What you saw nearly took your breath away. Newt was cradling something in his arms, about the size of a toddler, covered in fur so thick you couldn't see anything of the creature but two silver eyes and a color that couldn't decide if it was black or deep blue. It was purring gently.

Your breath left you. "It's beautiful, Newt," you whispered, remembering the time you were too loud and scared a creature he was trying to introduce you to. He was smiling down at it, glancing at you, so you couldn't tell which one of you had earned that smile.

"I found him in the forest. He hasn't got a name yet, and I know you like to, erm, name them, and I thought... I thought you could do the honors."

You. Not Leta, who'd stolen so much of his attention. You felt all warm and happy inside, sure your smile was breaking your face while you nodded. "I would love that."

He gently passed the creature to you. His soft words and softer touches corrected your hold, and in the end, it was a lot like holding a cat. You were so focused that you didn't notice Newt was still standing very very close from the handoff.

"Can I pet him?"

"Yes, but be careful not to pull."

You always listened to his instructions. Gently, you shifted the creature to one arm so you could run your fingers through its fur. It was the softest thing you'd ever touched, smelling faintly of honey and home.

"They're quite friendly creatures," he cooed. "But they're endangered, because their fur is so soft, people like to hunt them for it. They're native to American forests, no clue how this little one got here, I've been trying to simulate his habitat and feed him. He likes salty things."

"That explains the crackers I caught you sneaking out of the Great Hall," you chuckled. "He's wonderful, Newt."

So are you, he almost said.

"If," he started instead, his ears turning pink, "if you'd like, I could bring him out here, when you're struggling with your studies. He seems to like you."

Your cheeks hurt from smiling.

"...You're very bright, Y/n. You'll finish your work, you just, need a break sometimes. It doesn't mean you're any less capable than before."

A moment passed, a perfect moment, with the creature trilling happily in the little space between you, in perfect silence and serenity. All of the tense anger left you. You filed away this moment for whatever the future would bring, to remember things this way forever.

Newt looked up at your face, he so rarely did that, and his hands twitched at his sides. "Oh no, you're crying, did I, did I say something wrong?"

"No," you breathed, trying to blink back the tears, grinning ear to ear. Careful not to squish the creature, you leaned forward and gently kissed his cheek. Both of you were blushing when you moved away. "No, that was perfect. Thank you, Newt."

"You're..." He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're very welcome."

Math would still be there. The world would still be there. But so would this, and with this, you could face whatever came.