Work Text:
In this world
That we're born into,
There's someone
We give our love to
DECEMBER 1929
Tina Goldstein breathed into cupped hands as she made the trek home from the Woolworth Building. It was bitterly cold even for December and the only things she was looking forward to when she returned home was a warm blanket and a cup of hot cocoa. Even Queenie’s mouthwatering brisket for the first night of Chanukah couldn’t compare to it--and that's saying something. Really, all you should do on a day like today was curl up by a fire and never leave its nestled warmth.
Of course that was not how she spent a day like today. Instead it was detective work down on one of the avenues and then tedious paperwork. She’d still be at work if not for Queenie’s insistence--and perhaps some of her charm against one of the heads. Tina wasn’t the kind of woman to make a fuss for holidays off, it was simply better that way.
The only time she requested was to observe Yom Kippur and even that was always tentative and once or twice she’d been called in and couldn’t refuse. She’d done what she could when they were children to help them observe, but as an adult her mind kept to adult things (largely: work). It was Queenie who insisted and fussed now and she always said she didn’t care if Queenie missed the rest of Chanukah but she had to be there for the first and last nights. As much as she insisted that it wasn’t as if it was a High Holiday Queenie wouldn’t hear of it.
She doesn’t speak a word of it to her sister, but she’s grateful for it all the same. In many ways acting for the various holidays it what makes her feel like they’re still close to their parents. Perhaps, she sometimes thinks mildly, that is why Queenie insists like she does. She’ll never breathe a word of it, but she doesn’t have to either. Queenie simply knew her better than anyone else.
Finally arriving at the steps of their apartment building, Tina shook of the snow that had fallen onto her shoulders before entering the foyer. She’s only made it a few steps into the building before Mrs. Esposito is calling with her usual remarks-- Just as naturally the woman answers. Tina’s made quick work of taking off her scarf as she took the steps two at a time only halting when she hears voices on the other side of the wall.
“Now, honey,” Queenie’s voice carried, “you’re gonna wear a hole in the floor if you keep your pacing! You’re being silly-- she’s not gonna be mad you came to visit!”
Tina’s hand hovered over the doorknob for the briefest of moments. Surprise coursed through her veins-- Newt had left several weeks prior on an excursion to the Amazonian Rainforest that should take months . His letter had arrived just three days prior stating that he was kneedeep in jungle muck and (hopefully) on the trail of the creature he was looking for. There was simply no way the man would have made it here in such a short span of time!
Yet, her heart pounded with certainty as she pushed open the door and sure enough there the man stood. True to Queenie’s scolding just moments prior it looked as if he had stopped in midstride and now fixated in horror at the figure in the door. From the corner of her eye Tina caught Queenie stifling a giggle before she winked at her sister and disappeared into their shared bedroom.
“Newt?” Tina questioned, voice cracking, “what are you doing here?”
“Ah, yes--” He stumbled, coloring as he hunched further in on himself, “--about that!”
Tina pushed the door closed with her foot and tossed jacket and scarf into a haphazard pile on the couch. Her feet carried her to him of their own accord and when her hand outstretched to touch his cheek he didn’t draw back. Even Newt, for all of his uncertainty, didn’t recoil from the gentle act. Her thumb trailed a familiar scar on his jaw--He was here, really here.
“What happened to the Amazons?” She inquired.
“I--Well,” Newt said clearing his throat, “strictly speaking, I didn’t quite make it to the Amazons, you see.”
“But that’s not wha--” Tina started while Newt grimaced with a nod.
“I did mean to go, you know,” He started quickly, his eyes darting to the corner of the room, “but then I realized there was another adventure I had wanted to see. I knew you wouldn’t allow me to return so suddenly if you’d known, so I might have lied. Just… Just a little.”
Tina retracted her hand the confusion evident in the way she cocked her head. Dark eyes serious under arched eyebrows only served to make Newt more anxious. He glanced up hopefully in search of Queenie--though the youngest Goldstein didn’t even peek around the corner. “You had said you would teach me to play, ah, dreidel-- didn’t you?” He coaxed, his voice wavering in confidence, “but you said it would have to wait until the proper time or it just wouldn’t be the same. Well, unless my calendars and informants are incorrect-- and I have a belief neither are-- that time would start today.”
For as timid as he had started Tina is almost taken off guard by the way in which he finished. She closed her eyes to steady herself. From the sounds of it Queenie was in on it, that little troublemaker! But she does remember of when she spoke to Newt last. He’d been first curious about the mezuzah on the doorframe, but had readily accepted it. Then when he had popped in some weeks prior for the duration of Sukkot he didn’t bat an eyelash at the girls discussing how to help decorate the sukkah and having him join in.He’d never once batted an eyelash at the small customs they had kept to and had only become increasingly more and more curious in it.
Or perhaps he’d simply become more curious about her-- as Queenie would say.
She laughed, somewhat teary, and batted at her eyes before she managed to respond, “There’s a bit more to it than dreidel. And I’ll have you know Queenie always wins, so unless you’re looking for a defeat--”
“I will take any loss against the Young Miss Goldstein most graciously,” He responded easily, the corners of his lips twitching in amusement.
“Oh, Mister Scamander,” Queenie sassed, stepping out from the room, “we’ll certainly see about that! But before we can get to playing there’s eatin’ and lighting the candle-- Oh! And Jacob’s just about to knock on the door too, would you let him in, Teen? I’m going to finish setting up dinner!”
Tina gave Newt another fond smile before she rolled her eyes to answer the door. There was no use scolding Queenie on listening in on their conversations, not with her abilities or the small apartment they shared. Besides, she thought, tossing Newt another look as Jacob made his way in-- Tonight was just too wonderful a night to make a fuss about. When Queenie giggled again, Tina shot her a look but settled to leaning against a chair as the night started.
The girls said the blessings for the candle before the magical menorah began its rounds floating around the table and the night soon dissolved into fine food and even finer conversations. Queenie’s brisket wasn’t the only thing to be a hit, the doughnuts Jacob brought and the latkes Queenie made were devoured just as fast. And soon the quartet were playing dreidel and to no one’s surprise Queenie won every single hand.
The night wore on and the company didn’t tire, each elated to be in each other’s presence once more. In this way it would have continued if not for the sudden thump against Newt’s case. Four pairs of eyes drew to the corner of the room before breaking into laughter. “Ah,” Newt said sheepishly as he arose from his seat, “that would be Dougal. If you don’t mind--? It’s far past their dinnertime--”
“Can I join you?” Tina was quick to inquire as she joined him. Newt tossed her an appreciative smile before he nodded, “I would like that. Very much.” Tina’s own smile widened and couldn’t be abated even by Queenie’s sudden uptake in giggling.
She never thought that she’d feel at home in the bizarre world of Newt’s case but it was no longer something she could deny. Tina was first greeted by Dougal who climbed onto her shoulders and kept her company through each of the environments. Two years now and she was rather good at caring for the creatures and there were some that preferred her to Newt. Neither of them said as much, Newt for the fact it was something of a disappointment (though he adored Tina was at home with his creatures). And herself because, well, she felt that the one they should appreciate was Newt.
Tina had grown to have her favorites as well which was why her final trips within the case always were to the mooncalves moon. She fed them all and leaned against one of the fence posts until they were done in which case a runt of a babe would come and plop its head on her lap. This was the first creature she had named and had been the only one she’d (so far) helped birth-- to Newt’s amusement she had named her Sapphire. And for her and Sapphire it was customary to end each night with a story. When Newt had asked why she’d always said it was the only way to make the young mooncalf go to sleep. He had been wise enough not to make any further comment but he always showed up for the tail end of it.
The woman stroked the mooncalf’s nose, telling her about her last case that involved tracking the culprit through several department stores and more than a little property damage. Sapphire was well asleep and Tina onto it when Newt reappeared. “Should I leave you here?” He questioned amused at the sight of the woman with a pile of mooncalves.
“Mmm,” She started, cracking her neck, “well you could-- but something tells me one of us would be disappointed.”
Newt laughed and offered her his hand. Tina gladly took it, whispering her goodbyes to the sleeping creatures, before she followed the man back out of the enclosure and into the main space of the case.
“So when are you leaving again?” She inquired tiredly.
“At the very least I would like to stay through the festivities,” Newt said hesitantly, he flickered her a look to which he nodded, “but I was quite hoping I could stay a while longer.”
“Are you expecting me to tell you to leave?” Tina retorted, somewhat bemused at the idea he’d be wary of overstepping his presences there. He’d been visiting for two years and was never turned away! If anything, more than ever, he was wanted around. She especially did, even if they were doing this odd tiptoeing around-- Well, this .
“No, no, no,” Newt returned coming to a halt, “I don’t believe you or Queenie particularly mind. I think your sister quite encourages it--” Tina has to snort at that “--but I was hoping for something on a bit more of a… permanent basis?”
Tina’s heart stopped.
There were many things she came to expect from the man. She expected to want to pull her hair out when she read a letter where he had almost--probably-- should have died. She expected to laugh when he told her about the Niffler getting out again. She expected to wait anxiously for each letter and hold it close to her like a prized possession when it arrived. More intimately she expected to never tire of the way his hand felt clutched in her own or the way his lips molded almost possessively against her own.
She didn’t expect such quick and easy declarations.
“What do you mean?” Tina retorted, throat dry.
For a moment Newt doesn’t respond. Instead he settled on looking towards his feet before he gave a short, rapid nod of his head. His hand clutched Tina’s more tightly before he pulled her away from where they stood-- She’s wise enough not to ask a question. When Newt was like this deterring him could enter a mess, besides some part of her heart didn’t want to. He let go when they reached the small hut and the man began digging around inside.
Tina could hear small snatches of his argument as he went, “Where’d I put--if that blasted bugger got his hands on it--ah!”
A moment later the man came stumbling out of the hut with his hand clutched tightly in his fist. Tina’s heart hammered still more quickly in her chest. She knew-- Or perhaps it was simply hoped that she knew what was coming. Her eyes fell as she tucked her hair behind her ear, “You were saying?”
“I was saying,” Newt agreed, stepping forward. The man’s hand brushed against her cheek before his fingers curved to find the tip of her chin and tilt it upwards. Azure eyes shined with tears of apprehension both but somehow he’s never looked more sure of himself before. “I’m aware most people find my impossible to deal with. But then, I hear you’re nearly just as impossible yourself--” She scoffed there and he laughed before continuing, “and I realize what I have is quite simple, but anything more extravagant didn’t seem… fitting… More to the point, I’m a man of odd taste and odder sensibilities-- I suppose, well, I cannot promise you a simple life, but perhaps one of adventure will do?”
She can tell he’s spent time trying to find the perfect words and even now is hesitant on what he wished to say. It’s charming in a way only Newt can be and she would be lying if she said her own eyes weren’t watering already. Newt swallowed before he unraveled his hand to show the simply silver band as its center. There is no jewel or design, just smooth silver as she swallowed roughly.
Dark eyes met light once more and the nervous energy that had surrounded the both of them appeared to disappear.
“Will you--?” Newt started but Tina moved before he could finish. Her lips pressed firmly against his own, claiming and answering him all at once. “I’d love that,” She breathed against his lips, barely parting from him, “ very much. ”
Newt chuckled in response.
As she leaned in for another kiss Tina had to concede that her earlier beliefs weren’t accurate. What days like today needed was warm conversations, creatures, and Newt. There was nothing else better in the world and she had to wonder just how many Chanukahs this man was going to change for her. All for the better.