Fantastic Beasts and What Happened to Them (Pt. 1)

Chapter 4. Unwieldy Situations

"Yes. Very."

Tina watched Queenie from across the room. Newt, who was facing away from her, was oblivious to her reading his mind. Queenie looked at Tina, her face was full of sadness. She shook her head and went back to work. Tina couldn't imagine what she could've read.

"I'm sorry Newt" Tina said sadly. "I shouldn't of asked you all those questions"

"Don't be, its perfectly fine. Besides, nobody really asks about my creatures, so its nice to talk a little about them. Um, were do you want my to set my things?"

Tina, who was still feeling bad, gestured to the stairs.

"Just upstairs, go a little to the left and there will be a door on front of you, its a spare room with two beds, feel free to choose one" She said giddy about having Newt back, like old times.

"Great, thank you." Newt said, walking to the stairs. Tina watched him disappear around the corner, waited a few seconds until she heard the footsteps moving around upstairs, then moved to Queenie.

"Oh, Tina" was all Queenie could say.

"What happened?" Tina asked.

"He really misses his brother. I saw a replay, I saw Newt, he was very young, wearing a robe. These boys, they were hitting him, kicking him. All of a sudden I saw another boy, he was older, he ran in and fought off the other boys. It was his brother, then a there was a quick flash to him and Newt saying goodbye, and his brother had a suitcase." Queenie said, looking incredibly sad. Tina took in what her sister had said.

Upstairs

Newt stood at the top of the stairs, not moving. He had heard Queenie talking to Tina about him and his brother. He remembered his brother always fighting off the boys who liked to beat him up. Newt reached and touched the side of his head where there was a scar only few knew about. It was the same scar he got from being thrown into a desk before his brother came in. Newt would never forget the look on his brothers face when he saw him on the floor. Never had he seen him so angry. His brother was suspended for a few weeks after what he did to those boys. Newt closed his eyes. He was so heartbroken after his brother had left to go on the front lines, and so terrified something would happen to him. Newt shook of the memories and sat down on the top step. He couldn't believe she had read his mind. Queenie's voice floated through his head.

"People are easier to read when their hurting."

Hadn't he told her before not to do that? Newt couldn't help but feel a little angry and embarrassed she had shared it with Tina. He really didn't know what to do. He didn't want to just leave or anything, but he also didn't want to go down and face them now that they probably felt so bad for him. He heard Queenie speak again, but couldn't make it out since it was in a hushed voice. He didn't have time to get up when Tina peeked her head around the corner. Her eyes went wide slightly.

"Oh Newt! How long have you been sitting there?"

Newt tried coming up with something in the moment.

"Oh sorry, I was just thinking." Newt could tell Tina was worried he had heard them talking. After all, he didn't answer her question.

"Well come on down, were just about to have lunch."

"Alright, just give me one minute I need to check on them." Newt said, standing. Tina nodded her head and walked back downstairs. She walked out of the living room.

"What happened?" Queenie asked. Tina shook her head. She immediately knew.

"He heard me? Oh no.." she said, putting a hand to her mouth.

"Its fine Queenie, you didn't mean any harm-"

"No it ain't Tina, it wasn't any of my business."

"No this is my fault, I shouldn'ta asked."

Both girls stood there feeling guilty. Footsteps sounded from upstairs and started coming down the stairs. Queenie straightaway started making sandwiches, and Tina went to the fridge and got a pitcher of water and ice. Newt came around the corner, seeing both girls working all of a sudden. Tina tried making conversation.

"So, are all the beasts accounted for?"

"Yes."

Tina thought of what else to say.

"How's Pickett?"

"He's good. Finally convinced him to say with the other Bowtruckles. Felt bad, but it needed to be done."

Newt said. There was an obvious tension in the air, making it slightly uncomfortable. Tina tilted her head, slightly, looking at something on Newts shoulder, Newt looked to where she was pointed and groaned.

"Pickett, really? We've talked about this." Newt whispered, picking up Pickett in his fingers.

"Terribly sorry" Newt said to Tina and Queenie. "I'll go put him back real quick". Newt walked back to the stairs, rejoicing in his head he could go back upstairs for a second.

"Pickett, this cant go on forever, you know you can't do this."Newt said, walking up the stairs slowly. Pickett chirped and scrambled up Newts arm to the back of his head into his hair.

"Ah! Pickett!" Newt exclaimed, reaching for the small creature as it moved out of the way down the back of his head, and crawled down the back of his shirt. Newt gasped at the sensation.

"Okay, this is not funny!"

Pickett, who was still eager to not be caught by Newt scrambled under his clothes. Newt furiously thrashed about trying to get Pickett out of his undershirt, and didn't notice Tina at the bottom of the stairs watching, engaged in what was happening.

"Newt?"

Newt froze, and slowly turned to Tina completely embarrassed.

"Is everything okay?"

"Oh-yes, just...uh.." Newt, still frozen, looked down as Pickett popped his head out from his shirt.

"Gotchya!"

Newt grabbed the tiny animal and held him in the air.

"Little brute" Newt mumbled, keeping a firm grip on him.

"Excuse me." He said sprinting up the stairs. Tina stared after him. She slowly walked back down the stairs. She laughed and rolled her eyes replaying what she had seen in her head.

"What was that all bout?

"Oh nothing" Tina chuckled.

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