In Her Darkest Hour ✞ Theseus Scamander

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Despite her stubbornness, Orla had decided to stay and was in the kitchen making the two of them a cup of tea as Theseus changed into his pyjamas. Orla looked at the clock on the kitchen wall and saw it was almost 12 o'clock, Andrew would be wondering where she was and no doubt he would be worrying over her. Orla knew she wasn't going to be going home until much later, she sighed as he realised that she would have a late night and barely any sleep, she might not even have sleep, possibly going straight to work.

Orla didn't hear Theseus come down the stairs, he startled her when she turned around and saw him standing in the kitchen door frame. Her heart was racing as Theseus starred at her with a guilty expression on his face.

"Sorry," he said softly, "I didn't mean to scare you."

Orla picked up the teacup and walked over to Theseus, shaking her head as she did. She handed him the cup and looked up at him, "I know you didn't," she smiled, "there's no need to apologise."

"Thank you for the tea," Theseus said, a small but warm smile was on his face and you could already tell he was feeling a little better than before.

Orla turned her back to him and started doing the dishes that Newt had forgotten to do before she arrived. She hummed a soft tune as she felt Theseus watch her every move, his eyes burned on the back of her but she ignored the feeling and carried on with what she was doing.

Orla picked up the tea towel and began drying the plates, placing them in the cupboard where they belong. She wasn't expecting him to say anything, but the words that fell from his lips almost caused her to drop the mug she was placing on the mug tree.

"I miss her," Theseus admitted, "every second of the day, right now we'd be curled up asleep in our bed, she'd be lying in my arms - her mouth slightly agape."

It hurt Orla, the way Theseus spoke so lovingly about Leta Lestrange, but this wasn't about her and her feelings, it was about Theseus and how he was coping with the death of his fiance.

Orla turned around and looked him in the eye, the single strand that had escaped her perfect bun earlier had slipped out from behind her ear and was once again in her face. As Orla moved closer to Theseus, she moved the strand back behind her ear.

"What else do you miss about her?" Orla asked, she thought this might help Theseus open up about his feelings more, but instead it brought tears to his eyes again.

"She always lit up the room," Theseus continued, "she always knew how to make a boring moment into an enjoyable, memorable one." Theseus sighed, "watching her die stings, her last words are replaying in my head over and over and over again. She stood very much alive, and the next thing she faded into the abyss, there was nothing left of her." Theseus looked at Orla, her eyes filled with sorrow as she genuinely felt for him. "The only thing I have left of her is everything left in our house, what makes things worse is that I can't stand to be there," Theseus looked away, "but the thing that hurts the most is that I know I am hurting Newt whilst I am here because when he looks at me he sees her."

Theseus' face dropped and his eyebrows furrowed, Orla watched as he was conflicting with himself. "Is everything okay, Theseus?" Orla asked.

Theseus looked up, it was the first time she had said his name all night and the way his name rolled off of her tongue stirred him up inside. "Just after we got in engaged," Theseus started, "I began to have my doubts, no doubt any man has, but Newt had become more comfortable talking about his visits to see you, it was almost like he thought I wouldn't change my mind once I put a ring on Leta's finger." Theseus watched as Orla began to stiffen at Theseus' words, "but every time he said your name, every time you two had been on a marvellous trek through the Ugandan mountains to see the hidden magical creatures, something inside me changed."

"What do you mean?" Orla asked.

"I had my doubts every time Newt said your name because it reminded me of how much of a beautiful person you are inside and out," Theseus admitted, "today you have proven you are not the same girl from 7 years ago, you have grown and become much stronger, I realised that when the words that used to work on you didn't today." Theseus carried on, "Newt made me think of you and each time you crossed my mind because of him, I would contemplate ending the engagement and running straight to Uganda to win you back."

Orla shook her head, "but you never did," Orla whispered. "Don't feel bad for having those thoughts, Theseus," Orla comforted him, "I had those thoughts once too, but we have both moved on from each other."

Theseus shook his head, "I just want you to know that I really never did stop loving you, I still love you," Theseus sighed, "and I know me saying this now isn't going to help me but I know it will help you get the closure that I owe you." Theseus looked at Orla intensely, "every time Newt said your name, my heart would flutter and my stomach would flip and those little things were what made me realise I still love you."

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Just a quick check in to say hi and thank you to those who have been voting and commenting, it truly means a lot. Also thought I'd mention I have officially written 20 chapters and I'm now planning the final 10 as well as an epilogue, just letting you know chapter 19 is gonna hurt, gotta prepare you all in advance :*