Fantastic Beasts Stories

Tina: When the Rose Fell

This was very cathartic to write, since I’m bi. No, I don’t actually think Tina is, but it was satisfying to write this.

***

“Breathe, just breathe,” Tina murmurs to herself, butterflies rampant in her stomach.

It’s graduation day, and she really shouldn’t be nervous. There’s absolutely no reason she needs to be nervous. Except, well, she really doesn’t like big crowds, not when they’re all staring at her. She already puts so much pressure on herself that the thought of all those eyes staring at makes her want to—

“Tina...? Are you alright? You’re lookin’ a little green...”

A girl around Tina’s age sets a hand on her shoulder, breaking the young woman out of her stupor. Vomiting on the beautiful dress Queenie bought would be the absolute worst—not to mention the other students would only have one more thing to tease her with.

No one could ever love Porpentina, she’s too caught up in her stupid dreams of becoming an auror; no man could ever want her.

No one would ever lay with Porpentina, she’s so bland—I mean, her sister’s the pretty one, you know. Porpentina never does up her hair; no makeup or anything! No wonder she’s never kissed a boy!

Did you see? Porpentina vomited on her graduation dress! She’d be such an embarrassment to her parents if they were alive! 

“I’m fine, Brie.” Tina shoots her a smile that ends up being more of a grimace.

“Are you sure? I’m sure I have a vial of pepperup in one of these pockets...”

Brie starts to dig in her dress pockets but Tina places her hand on the other girl’s, looking into her eyes.

“I swear, Brie, I’ll be fine.”

She looks Tina in the eyes, flitting between them before cupping her cheek with a hand.

“If you’re sure...”

Tina breaks into a smile at her concern. “I am. I’d never ruin this dress. It cost too much. Queenie really shouldn’t have spent all that money on it for me.”

Brie smiles at that, brushing her thumb across Tina’s cheek before tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The future Auror presses a chaste kiss to the other girl’s lips, biting her lip as she breaks out in a smile.

“Tina! I thought we were trying to be discreet!”

“We’re in a bathroom, Brie,” Tina scoffs, fixing her girlfriend’s hair. “Who’s gonna find us in here? It’s on the other side of the school from the ceremony! Plus, you touched me first.”

Brie starts, checking the time on a watch she procures from her pocket.

“We need to go! I came to find you because the ceremony’s starting soon. Leave it to you to distract me,” she grins, grabbing Tina’s hand and pulling her out the door.

“Sorry!” Tina laughs, hiking up her skirt to run with Brie.

The girls look at each other, eyes bright as their hair flows behind them.

They separate to get in alphabetical order for the ceremony, Tina just ahead of her friend Eualie—Lally, as she prefers to be called.

“Hey, Lally,” Tina greets breathlessly, sliding into place.

“Where’ve you been?! I had to send Brie off to find you!” Lally hisses to Tina, concern in her voice. “You’re never late to anything—what happened?”

Tina clears her throat and looks at her feet. “Nothing, just nerves. I swear. You know I don’t like big crowds all staring at me.”

Lally sighs and places a hand on Tina’s shoulder, studying her body language.

“Alright, but if you ever want to vent to me, I’m here.”

Tina gives her a small smile. “I know. Thanks, Lally. You’re the best.”

Lally gives Tina’s shoulder a quick squeeze before letting go, and she looks up, peaking out of line after tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Has the first person gone yet?”

“I think so.”

“I can’t hear anything in there.”

“It’s probably two-way magic, you Dorcus.”

“I knew that!”

“No you didn’t!”

Tina bites her lip to hide a smile as she listens to the other graduates chat, and she lets out a breath, trying to stay calm and collected. Suddenly one of the school’s resident pukwudgies is beside her, offering her the necessary rose all the women would carry with them onstage. She grasps it in her hand tightly, giving them a small smile.

“Thank you,” she whispers, but they’ve already moved down the line to the next person.

“PORPENTINA GOLDSTEIN, THUNDERBIRD.”

Tina’s hands are shaking as she steps into the large, rather drafty auditorium at Ilvermorny, and she grasps her rose tightly, her small lifeline. She makes her way across the stage to the headmaster, accepting their handshake with a flimsy smile.

“GRADUATING WITH HONORS FOR OUTSTANDING MARKS IN ALL CLASSES.”

Tina blushes deeply and scurries off to her seat as soon as she can, breathing deeply to calm her nerves. Her fingers worry the rose so much that a petal falls off, but Tina can’t care less.

After all the other students go, everyone is dismissed, families creating a loud din as they search for their graduating family members. Queenie’s out there somewhere, but Tina can only focus on finding Brie so she can take that pepperup and actually enjoy the night.

She wades through the crowds, looking for Brie and her family for a few minutes, and almost gives up hope when Tina finds her girlfriend’s family.

“Hi! I’m looking for Brie? I’m her friend, Tina. Do you know where she is?”

Tina vaguely recognizes her girlfriend’s mother from what photos she’d seen, and worries her lip as the older woman begins to speak.

“She ran off with her beau, I believe—Xavier? They probably went outside.” It’s as if Tina’s fallen in a cold ocean, sinking lower and lower to the floor. Her jaw falls open for a moment before she pulls herself together. “I was hoping to spend some time with her, seeing as we haven’t seen her since Easter break, but you kids will do what you please…”

“Thank you, Mrs. Thompson,” Tina manages, forcing a small smile before rushing outside the auditorium to lean against the wall.

She bites her lip to stop the quivering of her lips, closing her eyes tightly against tears. Tina knew Xavier and Brie were friends, but she never… Of course. Of course it was all a prank. Brie never liked Tina. It was all a joke. A—a way to make themselves feel better as they tore her down using her sexuality. It’s not fair that they get to live peaceful lives together when Tina can’t even be her true self outside of her dreams.

She slides down the wall, wrapping her arms around her legs as she lets her head fall on her knees. She cries for the first time in years, then.

“Teenie…?” Queenie sits down next to her sister, drinking in her thoughts. “Oh… I’m so sorry…”

Tina leans into her sister’s embrace, letting her rose drop from her hand to the floor. After a few moments, giggling can be heard along with footsteps and a young man’s voice.

“Stay away from my sister, you monsters,” Queenie says, causing Tina to look up. She sees Brie and Xavier through her tear-blurred vision as her sister continues. “Just because she likes men and women doesn’t mean she’s lesser than you or wrong.”

Tina starts crying again after they rush off, wishing that she never fell for Brie—that she never felt the heartbreak she does now.