《 Skip a Beat 》

White, red and purple

"Ugh."

Newt flopped backwards onto the mattress. He was tired, he'd just completed a round-the-globe trip, and he didn't feel like socialising with anyone just yet. It had only been three days since he got back- he had things to do. He hadn't even had more than one fleeting visit back to his own house- just to see his other creatures and make sure everyone was in good health.

A sudden streak of colour flashed in his peripheral vision. Newt sat up, then did a double take.

There was a mirror in front of him.

Newt frowned. His brother must've bought it before he arrived. He sat up, curiosity igniting inside him like a flame. Why would he get a mirror for a room that no one ever uses? He was only staying for a day- he wouldn't use it.

Newt got to his feet, stifling a yawn. He circled the mirror. It seemed a rather curious object, to him.

There wasn't a spot of dust on it, and the holographic, oval lens fit the rim perfectly- exactly the kind of thing Leta and Theseus would take a liking to. The frame was a pearly white- cloud-like. It arched over the mirror like a rainbow, in perfect swirls that closely resembled clouds curling around each other in fluffy wisps.

Newt decided that the new mirror was nothing more than a piece of furniture that had caught Leta's eye somewhere and fit her taste well enough for her to buy it. He sank back onto the mattress, trying to shake the strange vibe it radiated by pulling off his socks and deciding what to hastily throw on for dinner.

Newt had just yanked off the first grey sock when a glint of gold snagged his attention.

"Wha-?"

The surface of the mirror was rippling slightly, as if someone had dropped a pebble into a still pool of water. Newt squinted forward, trying to decide if he was hallucinating or not.

An image slowly faded into view, fizzling at the edges. His own reflection stared back at him, a mix of irritation and fatigue written into its features. Newt shook his head. It was just his reflection. He imagined everything else.

It's just a mirror, Newt. Calm down.

Yet, there was something peculiar about this item of furniture. He scanned it up and down, trying to decide what gave him the slightly uneasy feeling in his gut.

There. That flash of gold again.

Newt backtracked to where he first saw the tell-tale flicker. He froze when he glimpsed it again.

There was a golden band around his left ring finger.

A wedding ring.

Newt quickly looked down at his hand- nothing. There was nothing on his finger. Yet...

His reflection followed his gaze- looking at him. Newt blinked.

He was definitely hallucinating. Was he? Mirrors didn't just do whatever they wanted- he looked it up and down, but his mirror image just grinned at him, the ring catching the light once again.

His reflection almost seemed to understand what was going through his head, and Newt's mirror image lifted its left hand and wiggled its fingers. It was definitely there- a beautifully crafted golden band circled neatly around his ring finger. His reflection beamed.

Newt found himself smiling slightly back. He didn't know what was wrong with the mirror, but it didn't seem all that dangerous.

The surface rippled again, and he was left staring at himself- his actual reflection.