Chapter Text
Theseus stumbles into his bedroom. His head is still reeling from the events at Pere Lachaise and everything afterward feels like a dream. He trips against something on the floor and curses before realizing what it is.
It’s one of her shoes. The last time they’d been in here together, they’d been so eager to undress each other their clothes had gone flying in all directions. It seems like a lifetime ago.
Newt and his Auror friend are going round the house, casting wards and protection spells and he should join them but he can’t seem to get his body to move. All he can do is stare at her shoe.
She’d never liked ostentatious things. They reminded her too much of a cold childhood and an even colder father. She never asked for anything other than the necessities but he loved spoiling her, loved giving her everything.
“Thes. Thes.”
He startles at his brother’s voice and looks up to find Newt staring down at him with a concerned look. “I was saying that perhaps we stay at my place for the night.” Newt says and he shakes his head.
“Thes-” Newt begins but he can’t hear whatever his brother has to say.
“I c-can't leave her.” He says in a voice barely above a whisper. “I-I can’t.” He knows he’s not making any sense right now but he’s hoping that Newt of all people will understand. Newt’s eyes take on a look of sorrow and he understands what his brother is not saying.
“We'll stay here for the night then.” Newt says gently. Theseus starts to argue but Newt stops him with a look. “I’m not leaving you in here alone, Thes. Not after...” His voice trails off but they both know what he meant to say. Theseus gives a jerky nod and Newt leaves him alone. He can hear his brother speaking to his other friends but everything else fades out.
Theseus takes a look around his room, around Leta’s clothes flung in the corner, her perfume still heavy in the air and finally lets himself break down.
The rest of the week is a blur. He has to give statements, interviews and answer all sorts of ludicrous questions from ‘concerned’ citizens. He has a prepared statement that he keeps repeating until it almost feels like that’s what really happened. He’s taken to spending most of his nights at Newt’s place because, after the first night, the silence in his house becomes a crushing weight.
It’s weird being in the same space with his brother after years apart but Newt quietly gives him his space and teaches him how to care for his creatures.
His first day back after two weeks of mourning is eerie. He doesn’t know which he hates the most; people avoiding his gaze or them giving him pitying looks. He knows he’s not going to be able to get any work done if people keep handling him with kid gloves so he throws himself into the chase for Grindelwald.
He tracks down every lead, talks to every contact, visits every place where there’s a sighting. His office becomes his bedroom and he spends more nights there than anywhere else. It’s in this mess that he reacquaints himself with Percival Graves.
MACUSA has become something of a joke lately, what with Grindelwald impersonating a high ranking officer and evading capture. Seraphina Piquery is trying to keep control of the house while her guard dog, Percival Graves, cleans up the mess of their office.
Percival walks into his office like he owns the place and before he knows it, the two are working together like they’ve never been apart.
“I cannot understand how my little brother could tell you from Grindelwald but the rest of your department couldn’t.” Theseus says as the two share a late-night drink. They’re pretty much the only ones left at the Ministry now and they’re able to cut loose a little.
“Oh, I make sure they never forget.” Percival replies. “I love to remind them that little dragon obsessed Scamander managed to see what they couldn’t every day.” Theseus snorts at his words.
“I can see that.” He says as he knocks back his drink. “Do you still give the ‘constant vigilance’ talk to the Junior Aurors?” He asks and Percival nods.
“Hopefully it sinks in better with them than it did with the other lot.” Percival says darkly and Theseus pours him another drink.
“I heard about Leta.” Percival says casually and pain blooms in Theseus’ chest. He doesn’t talk about her anymore. Everyone knows better than to mention her name in his presence and the press has caught on that he will not discuss anything to do with her. It’s not like he doesn’t know she’s.....gone, he just can’t.
“Percy, I can’t-” The words stick in his throat and Percival waves his words away.
“Not asking you to, Thes.” Percival says softly. “I’m just saying that I understand how it feels to be fucked over by Grindelwald and have to keep moving forward.” Percival looks up at him and for a split second, Theseus can see the same pain and despair he carries mirrored in his eyes.
Theseus can only nod and Percival refills his glass. “Now, are you going to tell me how exactly you managed to convince anyone to appoint you as Head Auror?” Percival asks teasingly. Theseus glares at him in mock indignation and for a few moments, Theseus is allowed to forget.
Newt and Tina are waiting for him when gets back to Newt’s place. There are two bottles sitting in front of them and Theseus knows he’s been caught.
“I see you still haven’t figured out boundaries, Newton.” Theseus says, deciding to throw the first punch.
“How long have you been taking these?” Newt’s voice is dangerously quiet and a little voice in the back of his head tells him he’s in real trouble here. Theseus ignores it.
“Two months.” Theseus replies and Merlin’s beard has it been that long? Newt swears under his breath and Tina places a reassuring hand on him.
“Newt and I are...concerned about you. All you do is work.” Tina says slowly. “You’ve shut yourself away from your friends and family, you haven’t gone home in weeks and you’ve been taking both dreamless sleep and girding potion.”
“I miss Leta too, Thes.” Newt begins and Theseus shakes his head in denial.
“Don’t.” He chokes out but Newt just keeps talking.
“I miss her but she’d gone, Thes. She’s dead-”
“Don’t you fucking dare!” Theseus yells but Newt just keeps talking.
“-and I understand how you feel.” Newt says but Theseus has had enough.
“No, you don’t! You say that but you don’t.” He yells. “Leta was...” Theseus’s throat begins to close up and he feels as though he’s watching her die all over again. “She was everything to me.” He says in a broken whisper. “I know you hated us for being together but I loved her so much and now she’s-” He draws in a shaky breath.
“She’s gone and I can’t-I can’t-” It’s like all the air in the room has been sucked out and he can’t breathe. The room is spinning around him and he feels someone wrap their arms around him. He’s pushed into a chair and Newt’s face swims in front of him. He’s saying something but he can’t hear it over the sound of blood rushing in his ears.
“Breathe, Thes. In. Out. In. Out.”
Newt takes exaggerated breaths and Theseus manages to mirror his actions.
“That’s it. Just breathe with me.” Newt says and Theseus does so until his breathing pattern returns to normal. His brother’s words come back to him and the pain in his chest returns.
“She’s dead, Newt.” He says, his breath hitching.
“I know. I’m so sorry, Thes.” Newt says softly and that seems to be his breaking point. All the emotions he’s tried to ignore for the past two months come rushing out and he collapses in his brother’s arms as he finally lets them out.