Finding you again

The brother's plan

"You did what?" Theseus asks the next day. Tina goes to his office first thing the next day and tells him all about her visit to the hospital.

"I did something I knew that would help Newt feel more comfortable around me. I talked about his magical creatures with him. It worked, although I did have to kinda.....lie to him a little?"

Theseus hitches up an eyebrow. Tina looks towards the floor and fiddles with her fingers.

"I had to. If I told him that I knew about them from him when he's never met me? I could've said the truth but you remember what the doctor said; 'if he finds out anything that has happened after October 1926, then it could shock him too much'. I can't have that happen, Theseus. A little white lie now is fine. "

"What exactly did you tell him?"

"I told him I had a friend when I was in school who also loved magical creatures because he kept them on a farm he inherited from a great aunt who passed away when he was 18. He's some old friend from school. I kinda made out that I lost this 'friend' somehow."

"What did Newt say to that?"

"He said he was sorry that I lost my 'friend'. And then I said I hope he comes back soon."

"Newt didn't seem to get that he's this 'friend' at all I'm guessing?"

"Of course not. I wasn't expecting him to. You know what Newt's like, he can be completely oblivious to the most obvious things. Look at Bunty, she clearly has feelings for him and he never even noticed."

Tina leans on the edge of Theseus' desk, her arms folded. Theseus stands in front of his office door, his arms also folded.

"I know, poor girl. What about you then, Tina?"

"What about me what?"

Tina's eyebrows furrow, still looking at the floor.

"How do you feel about my brother?"

Tina looks up, a little surprised at what Theseus is asking.

"I-er, well-I-d-don't really know"

Theseus smirks a little at her.

"So you are good friends"

"Well, before his accident, yes. We were very good, close friends"

"But you want to be more than friends with him"

"W-what?" Tina's face flushes red.

"It's clear to me, Tina that you have very strong feelings for Newt and I know for a fact that he feels the same way about you too"

Tina's eyes glisten in delight. Her mouth forming an 'o' shape.

"Before his accident, of course."

"Of course" Tina clears her throat and tucks some hair behind her ear. Tears start to form in her eyes, remembering how Newt did that almost a year ago, when they first said goodbye to each other. She blinks them away quickly before Theseus notices.

"I better go get some work done" Tina says as she makes her way for the door.

Theseus walks past her over to his desk and sits on his chair, quill already in hand.

"Of course. And Tina?"

"Yes?" Tina asks, poking her head and a hand through the door.

"He will remember you, someday. I will make sure you both get through this and can finally be happy together" Theseus winks.

"O-okay. Th-thanks, Theseus" Tina replies, dashing out of the door, trying to hide her blush.

-

The next day, Theseus goes to the hospital on his own with a plan.

When he arrives, he sees his brother, reading a worn 'Tales of Beedle the Bard' book. He looks a little closer and can roughly make out the little note sticking out at the top that he remembers their mum wrote to each of them when she gave them each the same book when they turned 5. 'Must of kept it all these years' he thinks with a smile as he strides over to his brother's bedside.

"Morning, little brother"

"Morning, Thes. What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? I'm here to see how you're doing."

"But shouldn't you be at work?"

"You may not believe it, but even aurors have some time off. I booked the morning off to visit you. I wanted to have a brotherly chat with you"

Newt puts down the book, marking the page with the note, on his bedside table and turns to look at Theseus, confused.

"What about?"

"Tina"

Theseus notices how Newt's eyes seem to sparkle and his mouth upturns a little at the mention of her name. 'I think that's how I looked whenever someone mentioned Leta' he thinks, sadly.

"What about Tina?"

"What is this, Newt, 20 questions? I just wanted to know how her visit with you went the other day."

"Oh, well it was good. We mainly talked about magical creatures. She had this friend who kept some on a farm you see, unfortunately she lost him years ago"

Theseus nods, solemnly. "I remember her mentioning this friend. I'm sure he will come back soon"

"Really? Because between me and you, I think Tina has some very strong feelings towards her friend."

Theseus leans forwards, his hands joining together, as if he's silently praying.

"How can you tell?"

"Well, I remember once when I was young and you were in school and you told me about a girl who had a crush on you. I asked you how you could tell and you explained how a girl's eyes sort of seem to..well....glisten. And she smiles so brightly. Well, yesterday Tina's eyes were glistening and her smile definitely brightened the whole room." Newt explains, his face looking past Theseus' shoulder, dreamily.

Theseus' smile grows wider.

"Are you sure she brightened up the room with her smile because of her feelings towards this.....friend or maybe because you find her attractive?"

Theseus smirks at his brother, as Newt's face turns red and he looks down at his lap.

"W-well....um....I mean she....she is.....erm.....q-quite.....attractive"

"You told me only a few days earlier that you think she's pretty"

"I know I did"

"And you looked into her eyes?"

"With her it just seems sort of....easy. She has the most amazing eyes, Thes. They're like fire in water. In dark water. She has eyes just like a salamander."

Newt still has the dreamy look on his face, his smile widens. Theseus casts a genuine proud smile towards his younger sibling, hoping beyond hope that he soon remembers the true story on how he has met the american auror.