Salamander's Eyes

Part twenty-one

Here we go..

I wanted to write two parts today because I didn't update for a couple of days.
I promised some more fluff, so I hope you'll like it - I do.

Besides, maybe some of you will recognize the last part of the dialogue, I took some inspiration from one of my favourite scenes in a TV series you might know, please comment if you have a guess, I'm curious;)

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Newt and Tina had returned from their visit to England the day before. The rest of their stay had been wonderful- after talking things over with Leta, the tensed atmosphere had changed to everybody's relief. The day after the party, Newt and Tina had spent some time with the Scamander family, before Newt had shown her around London, no time for Tina to concentrate on anything but the beautiful city. Mr and Mrs Scamander, accompanied by Theseus and Leta, had finally waved them goodbye after a long and emotional farewell at the docks. Mrs Scamander had hugged Tina and then Newt - and Tina could have sworn to see how she whispered something in her son's ear that caused him to blush almost imperceptibly. But Tina had been saying goodbye to Theseus in the meantime, so she was distracted and couldn't be sure what she had seen afterwards. When they finally arrived at Tina's apartment in New York it was already late, and since both were exhausted by the events of the last days and the journey back, they went to bed immediately after feeding Newt's creatures. 

Now it was the afternoon of the next day, both had been busy to unpack and organise the work Tina had to catch up because of her break. Finally, they were sitting in Newt's case as they did so often after finishing their daily tasks. Tina cuddled in Newt's side, absent-mindedly playing with his hair, and thought for the first time since their return about all she had experienced. She went through everything, when she had seen the mansion for the first time, the meeting with Mrs Scamander - Camille, Tina reminded herself - the rest of the family, the party, and then their conversation in the garden...her thoughts were caught on this part, she tried to call every detail to her mind and as she came to the end of their talk, a question flashed through her head, a question she had already been asking herself at the moment Newt had told her about his feelings, but she had been too distracted by her own overwhelming emotions to pose it then.

"Newt..?"

"Hmm.." His voice was muffled by her hair as he rested his head on her's.

"I was wondering...do you remember what you said..in the garden..during the engagement party?", Tina asked hesitantly.

"Of course", Newt replied, obviously surprised.
"How should I forget? Why?", he wanted to know.

"At the end...when you were talking about Theseus..his speech....you said that-...that he described what you felt, too..", she told him.

"Mhmm.." He confirmed, but still unsure where this might lead.

"Well...do you also remember what your brother said? In this speech, I mean, he-..he didn't only say that he immediately knew that he loved Leta but...that he wanted to spend his life with her...." Tina paused, taking a deep breath, "soo, I wondered if- if that means..you-...", she trailed off.

"Yes...yes, that's...actually,...that was especially what I meant to say.... yes..", Newt stuttered a little embarrassed - less because of his admission, but because he was surprised by the sudden question, for he hadn't expected her to be insecure about his intentions at all.

"I know we've never talked about..that...", he explained further, wanting to leave no doubt in her mind,
"how we will proceed, after returning to New York. I've never stayed so long in one place before....You know how I am, Tina, you know what my work requires, and I love what I do, but-....I would give it up, if you asked me to, you know? Without having to think about it." The sincerity in his voice warmed Tina's heart, but she could also feel the spark of sadness that accompanied the thought of breaking with his previous life and work.

"Newt I-...as much as I might wish that you stay in New York with me..I couldn't ask it of you..", she replied truthfully.
"Never. Because I know you...", she affirmed. "I don't want-...see, I couldn't bear the thought that you might wake up one day and find that you feel like you're stuck with me.." Her voice faded away and she looked to the ground.

"But that's the point." She raised her gaze again in confusion.

"What is?"

"I want to be stuck with you", Newt said firmly.

"I'm..not convinced I can be hearing this right..." Tina didn't know what to think, could he really mean...? Newt took a deep breath to gather himself and looked at his hands, wringing them nervously.

"You are, if you think..I'm..asking you to m-marry me."