Originally published on Ao3 on September 7th, 2018.

Warning: smut, and Queenie being the ultimate Newtina shipper!

It's Queenie who speaks of the elephant in the room, the evening before Newt's scheduled to leave.

"You guys don't have to chaperone me, you know," she tells them in her soft voice, laying aside her knitting to make pointed eye contact. "I ain't gonna break."

Tina watches from the corner of her eye as Newt sets aside his book — a treatise on the intricacies of Rappaport's Law, at her recommendation — to twist his fingers nervously before him. "We aren't worried about you breaking," he says in his measured voice. "Not precisely. We just—"

"—Don't want you to be lonely," Tina smoothly interjects, folding her hands in her lap. "That's all, Queenie."

"Well, it's annoying," Queenie says grumpily, rubbing tight circles into her temples. "You're both here with me but all you can think about is each other, and so loudly, too." She crosses her arms to pin Newt with a glare, her eyes sparkling dangerously. "You've been thinkin' about asking her for days and I've kept my mouth shut, but now you're gonna do it."

Tina is opening her mouth to come to Newt's defense when Queenie turns on her, somehow managing to look both benevolent and fierce. "And you're gonna say yes, Teenie. None of that false-modesty hogwash. I need quiet, don'tcha understand?" Tears fill the blue marbles of her eyes and Tina flails for a hopeless moment before Newt delicately clears his throat, his hands balling into fists.

"She's right, you know," he says lowly, "I have been thinking about it but I'm not— I haven't— " He makes an impatient gesture before turning to Tina, who's moved to take Queenie into her arms, soothingly stroking her fair hair. "Tina, would you — er, that is, if you haven't anything else planned, I'd like to take you out this evening. Alone. Just the two of us, I mean."

Tina bristles in Newt's defense until Queenie pinches her arm, hard enough to earn a yelp. "She says yes," Queenie says fiercely, sending Tina a dirty look before smiling at Newt. He ducks his head bashfully, a crooked smile tugging at the corner of his mouth when he looks up at her through his hair. Tina relaxes with the realization that, despite Queenie's meddling, he obviously wanted this.

Queenie reaches over to manually close Tina's gaping mouth before bouncing onto her feet, instantly restored to her bubbly self. She crosses the room to a still-blushing Newt, smiling down at him while squeezing his shoulder. "You're a real sweetheart, you know that?" she murmurs. "Tina's gonna clean up nice, you'll see. You'll have the prettiest girl on your arm tonight...but you already knew that, didn't you honey?"

His eyes go to Tina like iron filings to a magnet, and she struggles not to betray her nerves when she cradles her throat and manages a weak smile in return.

Newt blinks hard before turning back to Queenie, who ruffles his hair before stepping back. "Go on," she says sweetly. "Tina ain't gonna take it personally. Go take care of your creatures. I'll keep an eye on the case for you guys tonight."

He ducks his head while sidling quickly between them, hesitating a moment before sending Tina a tight smile and departing into his case. She watches him go with faint bemusement, waiting until the lid has closed behind him before turning on her sister.

"Queenie, what —"

"Hush," Queenie says gently but firmly and takes her arm. "Don't argue with me now, Teenie. That man is absolutely hung up on you, and he's been trying to find the nerve to ask you out all week. This way, you two can stop dancing around it and I can get a break from your thoughts." She squeezes Tina excitedly before pulling her forward, a radiant smile breaking across her face. "Now come on, we gotta get you all dolled up for tonight!"

"I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?" Tina asks rhetorically but offers no resistance when Queenie giggles while manhandling her into the bedroom.

An hour later finds Tina grumpily bundled in front of the vanity, the scent of orange blossoms filling her nose as Queenie sets her hair.

"Enough of that!" her sister admonishes sharply when Tina's thoughts begin to spiral inward, going over every possible way this evening could end in catastrophe. "The worst thing you could do tonight," Queenie continues with a reassuring smile, "is to not show up."

She sets aside her wand to hug Tina reassuringly, and Tina tries not to feel embarrassed by how tightly she clings to Queenie. Her sister returns the embrace with a reassuring squeeze before standing to dab her eyes with a lace hanky.

"I didn't know if I should bring this up or not," Queenie says slowly, "but Newt — he's gonna ask you back to his hotel after dinner. He doesn't know it yet, but he is." Tina gapes, and Queenie nods sagely before taking up her wand to continue working on her hair. "I want you to go. I think it'll do you both some good to spend the night together. Especially now."

Tina wraps her fingers around her Queenie's wrist, firmly enough to stay her hand. "I thought you said you couldn't read him," she says in her hardest voice and cuts her eyes up to glare at her sister. "So why are you telling me this? How do you know ?"

Queenie pulls her arm away with a frown before aiming her wand. "I may have told a tiny little fib," she admits while setting a hank of Tina's hair into a complex curl, "but it was only because he was so nervous. He's hard for me to read but not as much as I implied." She smiles conspiratorially before reaching for a makeup brush. "Besides, when he thinks about you, it's clear as a bell. He wants you so badly, Teenie. He hasn't even figured out how much because every time he starts to think about it, he gets scared and changes the subject."

Something that feels very much like hope fills Tina's chest, and she carefully wrestles it aside before lifting her head. A stranger stares back at her from the mirror. She takes a deep breath before looking at her sister. "Are you sure about all...this? You don't think he's going to take one look at me and laugh?"

Queenie can see straight down to the heart of her insecurities, of course, and she tilts her head before touching Tina's powdered cheek. "He's gonna love you," she promises in a soft voice. "He's already more than halfway there, and tonight will tip him all the way over." She flicks her wand to set Tina's makeup before taking her hand. "He's not gonna know what hit him, I promise."

Tina takes a deep breath while squeezing her sister's fingers, delighting in her answering smile. "In that case, will you help me pick out a dress, please? I want to look nice for him."

"Oh, I already got just the thing in mind!" Queenie squeals, and pulls her into a brief but tight hug before dragging her into the wardrobe, chattering amicably about fabric, cuts, and colors.

Tina scrutinizes her reflection in the full-length mirror, from her gleaming hair and crushed garnet lips to the fishnet-clad stem of her legs, and hardly recognizes herself.

"You've got it, Teenie," Queenie says in an awed voice.

Tina turns to modestly agree when she stops short at the sight of the man frozen in the doorway, his wondering eyes locked on her.

Newt's taken similar pains with his appearance going by his neatly combed hair, which gleams with a fine coating of Brillantine, and smooth cheeks. He's changed into a crisp suit, waistcoat, and shirt, though still in the same earthbound colors he prefers, and she can smell the sharp, somehow masculine lavender of his cologne, a lovely counterpoint to her own orange blossom and herb scent. He gulps when his eyes fall to take in the entirety of her, trimmed fingernails twisting nervously in the seam of his trousers before visibly shaking himself and presenting his hand.

A bunch of wildflowers is clutched in his fist, slightly wilted but still fragrant. He presents them wrapped in a ribbon the precise color of his eyes, and Tina smiles bashfully before inhaling their bouquet, laughing through inexplicable tears. "Thank you, Newt. They're lovely."

He looks at her with wide eyes before ducking his head, mumbling.

Queenie takes the flowers from Tina's hands to arrange them in a simple vase. "You two should beat it," she says after glancing at the clock, slipping a miniaturized satchel into Tina's pocket with a wink before touching Newt's elbow. "You have reservations at Valentino's for six, Mr. Scamander," she tells him. "Tina loves Italian food, but make sure you show your wand at the door, otherwise they won't let you in. Oh, and see to it that she drinks at least one glass of wine, otherwise I'm gonna be cross with you both!"

" Thank you, Mother," Tina says dryly, only to blush when Newt questioningly touches her bare shoulder before helping her into a wrap. He eyes her carefully while flicking his wand, casting a warming charm that heats her from head to toe before shrugging into his own jacket. Even the familiar blue wool appears to have been cleaned and freshened, and Tina smiles while picking a piece of invisible lint off his sleeve.

"You look very dapper," she tells him quietly and is rewarded with a shy smile as he offers his arm. She takes it after pulling on her gloves and hat, shivering a little with the inert strength resting just beneath her palm.

"You look beautiful," Newt says with endearing honesty and leads her out the door without so much as acknowledging Queenie's airy goodbye. They make it down the stairs and past Mrs. Esposito's apartment, only for Newt to stop on the bottom step and look around. "Er — you do know the way to Valentino's, don't you? Otherwise, I'm afraid this is going to be a very short date."

Tina laughs before squeezing his arm. "Of course I know how to get there," she says, and steers him onto the sidewalk toward the closest subway station. "I hope you don't mind traveling the No-Maj way. You know the law."

Newt shifts so he's pressing against her from hip to shoulder, bracing her against the cutting December wind. "I don't mind in the slightest," he says and shares a smile that warms her from within, making her forget the cold.

The greeter at Valentino's inspects their wands before smiling and showing them to a table.

Newt pulls out her chair and brushes his fingertips along her shoulder before taking his seat, fussily spreading a napkin over his lap. They tip their heads together to peruse the wine selection, settling on an Italian elvish red blend, before opening their menus. Their waiter is suave but friendly in a way that instantly puts them both at ease, and Tina can't help but relax when she orders the braised beef ribs before flashing him a thankful smile. Newt ops for a pasta dish and requests a salad, and they nibble rustic bread and sip wine while engaging in halting but sincere conversation.

Their food comes, and Tina requests an obscene amount of cheese to accompany her side dish. "I thought you weren't supposed to eat dairy with meat?" Newt teases, only to laugh when she pokes her tongue out at him before taking a hearty bite.

Newt samples his dish, declaring it as good as those he's had in Italy just as a swarthy man in an expensive suit trundles by the table. The man whips around to bark something in what is presumably Italian. Newt hastily washes down his mouthful of food with a gulp of wine before answering in kind, the words rolling like marbles off his tongue.

The man laughs and slaps him on the back before switching over to barely-accented English. He introduces himself as Guglielmi Valentino, owner of the establishment, and compliments Tina by air-kissing her knuckles before showing a rakish smile and wandering away.

Newt watches him go with a furrow between his brows before turning back to Tina. "I'm not sure what just happened," he mumbles, moistening his lips, "but... I think we may have accidentally made friends with a mafia boss."

Tina chokes on her wine, groping for her napkin and covering her mouth before dissolving into laughter. Newt watches her with wide eyes before joining, resting his elbows on the table as he leans his forehead against his hands. "It was the comment about the tomatoes that did it, I think," he gasps, mopping his streaming eyes with a faded handkerchief. "They're just like what I've had in Campania!"

His words inspire another raucous gust of laughter, and Tina's ribs ache by the time they calm down, the tiny glass beads on her dress clinking musically. Newt snorts a final time before brandishing his wand, and she smiles her thanks when the tear-tracks and smeared makeup vanish from her face. He looks at her for a long moment before inclining his head, tucking his wand away and reaching for his glass to offer a salute.

"To good friends," he murmurs warmly, and while Tina responds in kind, she knows that mere friendship doesn't cover the entirety of what they feel for each other. The emotion is too complicated, too advanced. Newt's cheeks pinken when he takes a sip before returning to his meal, careful not to splash any sauce on his face as they resume eating.

Tina uses her knife to cut up all her beef before setting it aside, glancing around to make sure no one's watching before hesitantly sliding her hand across the table. Newt doesn't break stride when he meets her halfway, twining their fingers together, his eyes dancing beneath his fringe as his mouth wears a small but permanent smile.

Mr. Valentino eventually returns and helps himself to a seat, roping Newt into conversation as Tina finishes her meal. She takes the opportunity to observe them both, her hand never leaving his as Newt outlines his travels before admitting that, yes, Italy does have some of the finest food he's ever sampled. Mr. Valentino seems pleased by that, and he offers them rich desserts and generous shots of liquor before declaring their meal on the house, "For my new friends here."

Tina smiles in thanks and even allows him to kiss her cheek when they leave, sensing no threat in the gesture. Newt shakes hands with Valentino and promises to visit again should he ever find himself in New York, before helping her into her wrap and placing a warm hand on the small of her back.

She smiles at him from the corner of her eye as they meander down the sidewalk. They're less than a block away from the subway entrance when Newt fetches a deep breath and turns to her, taking her hand.

"Stay with me tonight," he blurts all in a rush, the words tumbling out of him.

Tina tilts her head to the side, squeezing his fingers. "Do you want to try again?" she prompts gently, smiling when Newt cringes at his feet before bravely setting his jaw.

"Tina," he says in a voice that shakes only slightly, "will you please come to stay with me tonight?"

She looks down at their hands, noting absently that he isn't wearing gloves, before squeezing his fingers. "I'm not sure that's entirely appropriate," she murmurs with a coy smile, seeing his instinctive flinch. "I mean, you haven't even kissed me yet, have you? So I don't know if it's proper for me to go with you under these circumstances."

Newt shifts onto the balls of his feet before stepping closer, one hand rising to cup her cheek. She can feel him now, close enough for his breath to lightly wash over her skin. "Would that make it more appropriate, do you think?" he murmurs. "Kissing you, I mean."

Tina takes a deep breath, fortifying her nerves before lifting her head. He's watching her with wide, hopeful eyes, his lips slightly parted. She reaches for him, mirroring his hold before closing the gap, pressing lightly into his chest. "Yes," she says simply, and touches her mouth to his.

He goes eerily still at the contact, lips inert against her own despite his sharp intake of breath. Tina feels something small and bright and hopeful within her wilt and goes dark. She makes to pull away, only to gasp when Newt surges forward, sliding a solid arm into the small of her back before deepening the kiss. His mouth chases hers, not hard and insistent but tender and questioning and sweet. She cups his jaw and breathes him in until they break apart to lean their foreheads together, his eyes preternaturally bright in the light of the streetlamp.

"Is that appropriate enough for you?" Newt asks hoarsely.

She laughs before pushing her fingers into his hair. "More than appropriate," she whispers, kissing the corner of his mouth.

"Then you'll come with me?" The tremor is back in his voice, though she suspects these are nerves of an entirely different sort. She presses her lips along his jaw before finding his ear, nibbling its scalloped curve. His shiver transmits past her clothing, through her skin, and into her nerves, manifesting as molten warmth low in her belly.

She kisses the hinge of his jaw before smirking.

"Take me with you," Tina breathes, smiling when he slides his other arm around her waist, holding her close before spinning them into the familiar pressure of Disapparition.

Tina only has time for the barest impression of his hotel room before he's helping her out of her wrap and shoes, his hands clumsy but eager. She holds his shoulders when he sets her heels aside before massaging her feet, gently working the dull ache out of her arch and instep before sliding his hands along her calves.

The metallic clink of his boot-buckles is loud in the expectant silence of the room when he stands to toe them off, shedding his jackets and waistcoat before his hands fall naturally to her hips. Tina exhales slowly while sliding her fingers along his silk bow tie, tugging it loose to open the fastenings at his throat.

"What are we doing?" she asks while fingering the skin on his neck, delighting in his little shivers.

"Something we both want, I hope," Newt murmurs, and makes eye contact before leaning in for a kiss, his hands threading into her hair. Tina sighs in welcome, sliding her arms around his shoulders, broader and so much sturdier up close, to toy with the hair at the nape of his neck.

Newt's mouth slides away from hers to press kisses along her jaw, ending with a lavish suckle of the tender skin behind her ear. Tina tips her head back, gasping when his lips move lower, finding and laving the hollow of her throat as his hands squeeze the flare of her hips. Her dress rattles in the wake of the tiny tremors migrating across her skin, and she feels Newt's slow smile when he presses their cheeks together, his breathing almost as ragged as her own.

The gentle pressure on her left hip turns into a subtle nudge, and Newt purrs when she rotates in his arms, her back pressed against the firm plane of his chest. His hands glide across her belly as she reaches over her head to slide her fingers into his hair, humming when he lavishes the side of her neck with kisses. He gently cups her bottom, her back arching on instinct when his lips latch to the crux of her shoulder, sucking a lavish bruise before soothing the mark with his tongue.

Bowing her back with an indulgent hum, Tina is made viscerally aware of his reaction to her proximity. She rolls her hips into the line of warmth bisecting his trousers, smirking when his breath catches. Newt scrapes his teeth over her skin in retaliation, his knuckles brushing the underside of her breasts and causing them both to gasp before Tina tugs on his wrists, body aching for the return of his touch.

They remain pressed together as they stumble cross to the room, his lips branding her skin until they reach the bed. He helps her onto the mattress and to her knees, where she goes to turn until he makes a low shushing sounds, one hand resting in the small of her back, the other cradling her hip. Tina cranes her neck to watch him from over her shoulder, her skin tight with desire when he growls, actually growls before biting his lip and sliding a hand along the curve of her bottom.

"This is a lovely dress," he says in a low voice, "but I do think you'd be even lovelier without it. Can I take it off?"

Tina exhales shakily before arching her spine to allow him to take down her zipper. He kisses her shoulder before murmuring a spell, and her dress peels off to float across the room and drape over the back of a chair. The sudden rush of cool air makes her shiver, until warm hands cover her skin, mapping her with a sense of barely-restrained urgency. His callouses rasp over the fabric of her light girdle and his lips press the length of her spine as Tina fists the coverlet, until she finds her voice.

"You know I'm a fan of well-dressed men," she gasps into the sheets as his hands make a circuit around her hips, "but I'm feeling rather singular being the only one in their underwear. Newt… "

Newt chuckles before sliding his hands over her stomach to cup her breasts, kneading them firmly. "I suppose I could take my clothes off if that's what you'd like," he whispers into her spine, placing a soft kiss on the nape of her neck before straightening. " Is that what you want, Tina?"

"Yes," she grits out, squeezing her eyes shut when her skin seems to ignite beneath his touch. "Please, Newt."

"Now, there's no need to beg," he says lightly, dragging his thumbs across the hard stones of her nipple before straightening. She gasps at the loss of contact, only to push upright and turn. There, she's greeted to the sight of him lowering his braces and kicking off his trousers. He meets her eyes with his own heavy-lidded ones before slowly unbuttoning his shirt. Tina must brace against the mattress to resists reaching for him when he makes a show of peeling it off, her eyes drinking him in.

Tina had expected the freckles, which are as dense on his chest and stomach as they are on his forehead and nose. The weathered scars are a surprise though, countless of them, some relatively pink and fresh-looking, others silver with age. Unexpected too is the compact layer of muscle sheathing him, defining his chest, stomach, and arms, lending him a masculine vitality that his typical stuffy clothing hid very well.

Newt blinks slowly at her frank perusal before bringing his hands to his underwear, looking away when her eyes drop on instinct to the heady bulge straining the front of them. He breathes shakily while toying with his buttons, and tears prickle her eyes when Tina realizes he is waiting for her and her permission before taking that final step.

"Take them off," she whispers and makes eye contact when he lifts his head. "Then get back over here. I need you to touch me."

His hands shake but he doesn't look away when he pushes his underwear down before kicking them aside.

Tina gulps when his length flags against his stomach. He reaches for her, pressing a kiss to the nape of her neck while carefully angling his hips away. Tina can't articulate how much his gentle consideration means to her; all she can do is arch into his increasingly heated touches, gasping when he returns to her breasts before teasing the crease of her knees and thighs with his fingertips.

Newt drags his knuckles along the closure of her corset before hooking a finger beneath the strap of her camisole, pulling it aside to kiss her shoulder. Tina sighs before hiding her face in the pillow, ignoring the nervous quiver in her belly. "You can take it off," she says finally, backing into him when he kisses the plumpest part of her derriere. "You're already naked so it's only fair, right?"

"I've never thought of love-making as a competitive sport," Newt comments before circling her nipple with a single finger, earning a gasp. "You're sure, Tina? You don't need to, you know."

"I'm sure," she says and slides the straps of her camisole over her shoulders before allowing it to fall loose. Newt takes down the zipper on her girdle with teasing slowness before peeling the whole ensemble off, not even bothering to unclip her garters. She lifts her knees to assist, shivering when cool air brushes her overheated skin, eyes slipping closed when Newt sets her foundation garments aside before turning to her with a low rumble.

She feels him climb over her, the gentle pressure of his strong arms and thighs anchoring her as his mouth trails along her jaw. "Open your eyes," he whispers in her ear, a single hand stroking between her shoulder blades. She does as he asks, and he flashes the sweetest smile before cupping her cheek and kissing her, his tongue patiently detailing the intricacies of her mouth.

Tina rolls onto her back, sliding her palms over his chest and stomach and delighting in the light smattering of coppery hair she finds there before raking her fingernails along his sides. He gasps into her mouth when she squeezes the flange of his hip, one of his hands threading through her hair as she hooks her legs over his calves, the other sliding along the curve of her thigh.

Newt kisses her cheek before settling lower, pressing their bodies together. "You're so soft," he murmurs, sounding awed as his restless hands continue to explore her curves. "Tina, have you done any of this before? Or do I need to take my time with you?"

She laughs delightedly before hugging him. "I've done it before," she admits, "but I still think you should take your time."

"Forgive me for misspeaking," Newt murmurs, meeting her eyes, "but I'm finding it harder than usual to articulate." He kisses the hollow of her throat before adding wryly, "I can't even begin to fathom why."

"I can think of a few reasons," Tina gasps when he shifts lower, the sensation pressing the air out of her. He hums indulgently before trailing his lips down her throat to nuzzle the inner swell of her breasts.

"You have... remarkable breasts, did you know?" Newt goes to his knees to cover her neglected breast with both palms before sucking a straining nipple between his lips, lavishing it with his tongue. Tina chokes and arches at the unexpected pleasure, sinking her fingernails into his shoulders to keep him there until he hums and releases her with a wet pop to drag his mouth to the other side. He sucks and nibbles as his touch converges at her inner thigh, pressing them apart to slip one hand between them.

"They taste bloody fantastic, too," he purrs into her nipple.

Tina knots her fingers in her hair as his mouth trails over her chest and stomach, breathing shaky halos across her skin only to hesitate at her navel. She lifts her head to find him watching her, maintaining eye contact when he dips his tongue into her navel before kissing it wetly. He breaks the seal of his mouth to nuzzle her lower belly, rubbing it with his jaw before reaching to thread their fingers together. His other hand covers her more firmly, parting her outer folds to tentatively dip between them. His shocked groan makes her shiver.

"You're so wet," he whispers, sounding floored before petting her more ardently. His touch sends sparks spiraling through her core, causing her muscles to tense and her skin to pucker into goosebumps. She draws her legs up on instinct to allow him better access, shivering when his fingertips find a cluster of nerve endings that makes her gasp. She rakes her fingernails across his scalp in encouragement, the feel of his hand in hers providing a solid anchor.

Newt slides lower to watch his touch dance through her folds, biting the corner of his lip and making eye contact before gently pressing a finger inside. Tina sighs in welcome, angling her hips to better receive his touch before reaching for him, her fingers brushing his cheek. "That feels good," she reassures him at his questioning look, and he nods before rotating his wrist to thumb the swollen bulb that makes her breath catch, her legs trembling around him.

"I can make this better for you," Newt says after a time, pressing his lips to her inner thigh before lifting his head. Tina arches an eyebrow when his fingers fall still before squeezing his shoulder reassuringly.

"You can do whatever you want," she reminds him. "I trust you."

He looks away and clears his throat, eyes suspiciously bright before dropping a kiss in her dark curls. "Has anyone ever used their mouth on you?" he asks in a rough voice, exhaling carefully when she shakes her head in the negative. "Then...may I?" His voice is unsteady with nerves or anticipation, she can't tell which, and Tina pets the nape of his neck before nodding.

"I trust you," she repeats, closing her eyes when the sight of Newt lowering his face to her, eyes gleaming, proves too much to bear.

The first delicate touch of his tongue is enough to nearly undo her, her hand flying to the back of his head as a whine squeezes past her throat. He makes a hungry sound as his hands cradle her hips, angling them toward his mouth, and she locks her throat against a cry when his tongue pushes inside her to find her most sensitive spots.

Tina is powerless to stop the roll that takes her hips, a subconscious search for friction and pleasure as Newt samples her. His tongue strokes the sensitive cluster that makes her vision treble, and she tosses her head back with a moan when he squeezes her hand reassuringly before sliding the other across her stomach to pinch her breast. The sensory explosion makes her gasp, sudden heat filling her as his thumb moves in counterpoint to his tongue. Tina's thighs begin to shake uncontrollably until she pushes on his forehead, desperate to escape the new and exhilarating sensations.

Newt stops pulling at her immediately to lift his head. "Too much?" he asks softly. She nods, and he kisses the inside of her thigh in apology before nonchalantly wiping his chin. It's shiny with her moisture, and she frees his hand before reaching down to touch his face, memorizing his expression and tucking it away into the secret corners of her mind.

"Come here," she murmurs, the loss of sensation making her wince as her center tingles in renewed anticipation. "Please make love to me."

He exhales shakily, his body suddenly tense, before kissing her thigh and crawling over her. He takes his time with it, lingering in the hollow of her ribs and laving her breasts with attention before brushing her mouth with his, his kiss musty. She gathers her courage while reaching between them, brushing his length in apology before taking hold of it to stroke, delighting in his sudden shivers.

"We've neglected you," she whispers against his ear, kissing him when he hisses. "I'm so sorry."

Newt reaches down to cover her hand with his own, urging her to stop. "It's hardly neglect for me to pleasure you," he says, kissing her cheek when she threads her fingers into his hair. He shows a small smile before reaching down to angle her hips, urging her legs to bracket his waist.

Tina lifts her head to kiss him when he slides his hand along her thigh, nibbling his bottom lip before using her hold on him to guide his way.

They share a shaky sigh when his hips press forward, breaching her fully. Newt presses his forehead against hers to initiate eye contact while calmly remaining still, allowing her body to cradle his as she adjusts to the invasion, his palm sliding along her arm to weave their fingers together. She hears the click in his throat when he swallows, feels the restrained tremble in his hips and abdomen, and smiles before kissing him deeply, relishing the warm velvet of his tongue.

"I'm okay," she says when they come up for air and he remains still. "I don't need an hour to get used to it, you know."

Newt chuckles quietly before scraping the edge of her jaw with his teeth. "Who says I'm waiting for you?" he asks, only to turn sober when she jolts her hips against him, anxious for motion. "Tina, I apologize. I don't mean to tease."

Tina clings to him, gasping in delight when he pulls his hips back only to anchor them forward. "I know I shouldn't be so impatient," she says dazedly when he does it again before cupping his jaw to guide him in for a kiss. "I just want you so badly. I want to watch you and—"

"You have me," he murmurs, settling lower over her as their hips find a rhythm all on their own, making her gasp as she arches to receive him. Newt cradles her hand to kiss her palm before pressing it just above his heart, pulling air between his teeth. "You carry me, Tina, don't you know? You carry my heart."

"I would s-say that's impossible," she gasps, turning her head as unfamiliar pressure builds deep within, making her tremble. "But then — these past few days, I—"

Newt moves his mouth to her neck, sucking a bruise into her skin. "Hush, now," he admonishes gently, sliding his arms beneath her to wrap his hands around her shoulders, pulling her into his body. "Let me love you properly."

Tina closes her mouth, only to gasp when he finds the precise carnal, worldly angle she craves. Her eyes open wide as she braces against his chest, feeling his heart pound when they kiss, their lips sliding together to the same primal rhythm as their bodies until he breaks away to press his face into her neck, his heavy breathing fogging her skin.

"Oh, Tina," Newt sighs, and she rakes her fingernails along his spine to tug his hair, her mouth falling open on a breathless moan as increasing friction breathes warmth into every cell and nerve ending in her body, warming her from within. The sensation is intensely new, unlike anything she's known with previous lovers. Tina opens her mouth to beg for succor or deliverance, she can't be sure which, when Newt kisses her sweetly before pressing his lips to her ear.

"I've got you," he breathes, and her breathing stutters when he voices a masculine moan before cradling the back of her skull to initiate eye contact, assuaging all her fears and doubts. "I'll catch you, Tina. You can let yourself go."

Their rhythm builds in intensity until all she can do is gasp soundlessly, clinging to him when he murmurs her name before sealing their lips together. They kiss dizzily until she breaks it to cry out, blossoming heat demanding an outlet. He tips his forehead against hers, gently nuzzling her face, and her entire being seems to draw inward before flashing out, sobbing into his neck as she dissolves into pleasure.

Newt sighs promises above her but she is only peripherally aware of them, her heart fluttering when he trembles and shudders before going still, molten warmth signaling his release. His fingertips sink into her shoulders hard enough to bruise but Tina can't find the energy to care when they sag together, his lips brushing her sweaty skin, panting and sated and more affected than they have any right to be when he lifts his head to bestow upon her a heart-stopping smile.

"Tina," he murmurs warmly, pushing the hair out of her face — only for his smile to vanish as trembling fingers touch her cheek. "Tina...why are you crying?"

Tina looks away, only to sigh when he moves with her in his distress. "Did I hurt you?" Newt asks, his own eyes turning liquid when he presses his lips into a thin line to control their trembling. "Was I too rough? Are you in pain?"

She shakes her head, throat locked against a sob, before tugging him closer. He seems to understand, folding into her with a low murmur. Tina squeezes her eyes shut when he rolls them onto their sides, making low, soothing sounds while stroking her hair. Tina hides her face in his chest, inhaling the heady aroma of sweat, sex, and creatures clinging to his skin until she calms, the tremor in her limbs gradually subsiding.

"You didn't hurt me," she says once she's found her voice. "I don't know what just happened but whatever it was, it was very intense." She looks up at him shyly, biting her lip until he uses his thumb to gently displace it, his eyes drinking in her face. "I've never felt anything like that," she admits in a whisper, "and it scared me a little. I'm sorry if I overreacted."

Newt shifts lower in the sheets to cradle her face between his hands. "You have nothing to apologize for," he says sincerely. "If anything, I should have been more careful with you. I took the fact that you had prior experience to mean you had been satisfied in your previous encounters. It never occurred to me that you hadn't."

"Well, no woman wants to admit they're all but frigid," Tina says bitterly, "especially not with a new man."

To her surprise, Newt chuckles before drawing the blankets over them both, pulling her snugly into his chest. "You are far from frigid, Tina," he drawls, kissing the top of her head before resting a light hand on her breast. "In fact, I'd say you are positively fiery once you put your mind to it."

Tina laughs, the tense, achy knot in her chest easing in the warmth of his regard. "I think you'll find you're alone in that opinion," she teases and squeezes him when he begins to protest. "No, it's true, but I don't mind. Your good opinion of me means so much more than all their bad ones. Even if I'm fairly certain you've spoiled me for all future men."

Newt huffs bashfully and presses his face into her hair. "That wasn't my intention," he says, "but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't flattered. Thank you, Tina."

There's the promise of something more in his words, some half-formed sentiment that neither of them is willing to put a name to, but Tina doesn't mind. She reaches for his hand and he promptly threads their fingers together before sighing, his bright eyes steady on her.

"We'll have a rest," he whispers before lightly kissing her forehead. "And if you should decide to wake me in the night and try all that again...well. I don't mind. Not in the slightest."

Tina nods and exhales slowly, releasing the last of her tension before burrowing into his chest. His arms go around her, holding her close, and she dapples his skin with kisses until he goes slack and her own breathing yaws in rhythm with his, surrounded by his warmth.

She wakes him two hours later and there, in the shifting light of the streetlamps, the act of love had never been sweeter.

The morning brings no awkward encounters, no lingering insecurities.

They wake together at dawn to share secret smiles, neither of them truly surprised when their good-morning kiss expands until their feelings are too large, too consuming, and they come together to express them.

Newt turns her onto their side, making love to her from behind as his hands map her skin. Tina muffles her gratified cries into the pillow until he scrapes his teeth along the back of her neck and follows, gasping her name.

He allows her to use the attached washroom to clean up before dressing himself, fastidiously straightening his bow tie and waving his wand to freshen and re-press his suit. Tina smiles at him shyly as she pulls on sturdy underthings, a comfortable blouse, and a long skirt, covering it all with her favorite black coat. She feels her cheeks heat in a blush when Newt looks at her appreciatively before touching her cheek.

Tina kisses him in the doorway of the room where everything between them had changed after taking one last look around, ensuring they have all their belongings before locking it. Newt squares the bill upon checking out and he doesn't hesitate to take her hand when they step into the cold December morning, his smile rivaling the sun in intensity as they drift down the street.

Queenie greets them at the door when they return to the brownstone, smoothing an affectionate hand over Newt's neatly-combed hair before passing over the suitcase. They share a laugh when she presents it secured with rope, and their laughter buoys them through a sumptuous breakfast before Queenie tells her quiet goodbyes to Newt and makes herself scarce.

The walk to the docks is poignantly bittersweet, the sting of separation sinking into the marrow of Tina's bones. Yet, just when all seems lost, Newt offers a glimmer a hope: he finds an excuse to return, a promise shining in his eyes when he touches her one final time before turning away.

Tina uses the memory of his tender smile to carry her home, her feet barely touching the pavement.

She enters the apartment to find Queenie preparing a roast for supper, singing softly to herself as she flicks her wand in practiced motions. "He'll be back, Teenie," she says quietly when Tina can only stand and stare, temporarily mired in a fugue of loss.

She shakes herself when the sudden sense-memory of his eyes, his mouth, his hands washes over her skin and smiles.

"Yes, he will," she agrees and pulls Queenie into a hug before retreating to the bedroom, closing the door softly behind her.

Written as a prompt fill for the wonderful Kemara, who doubles as my beta- and proof-reader. This one's for you!

Want one of your own? Come find me on Tumblr at katiehavok and drop me a line!