Summary - Newt wasn't always the best at expressing his affection, so it wasn’t a shock when you ended up with his brother instead of him. However, with Theseus needed elsewhere and unable to care for you while you were sick, it made sense for Newt to step in. Who better than him to offer help and keep you company through your troubles?
A/n: Made this longer than intended but hopefully you like it :). Might make a part 2.
Everyone believed you and Newt were destined to get together, who wouldn’t with how close the two of you were. Spending any chance you could to hangout with each other. Though it was mostly you starting the conversation Newt didn’t seem to mind having you around. In fact he enjoyed your company because you were one of the few people who didn’t find him to be annoying or strange you actually sat there and listened to him when he went in a tangent about his some new creature he had found. In all honesty you found it quite adorable. Newt wasn’t the best when it came to expressing certain emotions, he was often shy, a bit awkward and preferred to keep his distance from other people. There were time where Newt would outright refuse to go home during the end of the year because a creature needed his help. Of course you would accompany him because you couldn’t bare that thought of seeing him alone. Even if you so desperately begged him to come home just for once but he’d always u that was just how Newt was and you wouldn’t change it for the world.
So when you found yourself engaged with his older brother, Theseus Scamander, you began to notice a shift in Newt’s behavior. Because even if it wasn’t said verbally, there was definitely something blooming between you two. Something that would have never worked out even if both of you wanted it to desperately.
Theseus was bold, charming, outgoing, and sometime took everything far too serious, traits that Newt lacked entirely. But where Newt struggled to express his affection, Theseus had a way of making you feel truly seen and valued, in ways that Newt often couldn't quite communicate.
But things weren’t always perfect between you two. Ever since the engagement Theseus was often away at work. Most of the time staying later than he was typically needed. Some nights he wouldn’t even come home at all. So you had grown used to spending long periods apart, cooking your own meals, sleeping alone. Doing everything that the two of you used to do together but now solo. Still there are times you find yourself reminiscing when all his time was devoted towards you.
This time there was no difference, you had been sick for the past week. Extremely sick. The type of sick you were so feverish and exhausted, it had
been difficult to even get out of bed and do basic task. Though Theseus had been with you as much as he could with having to work. He would unfortunately received an urgent owl that required him to leave at once to Paris. Making it extremely clear that he couldn’t stay. By now you had been feeling a bit better but the company of your finance would’ve been preferred.
“I wish I could be here for you,” Theseus sighed, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. His thumb brushed over your skin, a gesture meant to soothe, but it only made your heart ache more.
“Do you have to go?” Your voice thick with the exhaustion of both fever and frustration. You gripped his arm weakly, your fingers trembling as you looked up at him. Desperately searching his eyes for any sign of hesitation, yet there was none, “Can’t you just tell them you can’t make it? Please,”
Theseus shook his head as he stepped back to remove your grasp. His attention now turning towards his watch, “Y/n you know my job is important to me, besides Newt should be here any moment to watch you”
You hadn’t seen much of Newt lately not since you and Theseus had started dating. And now that you were engaged, things had only grown worse. Newt was still around, still existing in the same world as you, but there was a distance now. A quiet, aching space that hadn't been there before.
Every time you and Theseus attempted to invite him for dinner, he’d politely decline. Offering some vague excuse on why he couldn’t make with a soft apologetic smile. As if just receiving the invitation was a reminder of something left unsaid something neither of you had the courage to talk about.
It wasn’t that he didn’t care you. He still tried to reach out, in his own quiet, unique way. Often times in the form of a note left on your doorstep with pressed flowers native to the place he visiting. Along with a postcard with his picture awkwardly taken as he posed with a new creature each time. He even sent you his book, a signed copy personalized to you with a small note written inside. But even those gestures were becoming rarer. And with each one, there was always the unmistakable sense that Newt was slowly pulling away.
That subtle retreat hurt more than you cared to admit. You weren’t just losing a friend, you were losing Newt. The version of him who once talked your ear off about bowtruckles and mooncalves, the one who would sit beside you for hours in comfortable silence, the one who made the world feel a little softer. Newt’s absence wasn’t just something you noticed. It had become a void inside you that was no longer easy to ignore. You missed Newt.
The thought of being cared for by Newt felt strange, but not unwelcome. He had always been there for you in when you were younger. Even if he didn’t say it you knew he cared deeply for you as much as his creatures. In all honesty it was shocking that he had even agreed to do this in the first place.
When Newt arrived at your flat, Theseus wasted no time in rushing out the door. Rambling some instruction about what to do, what food there was to make and who to contact incase something went wrong. Giving you a quick peck on the head and he was gone.
Newt stood just a few feet away from the door, his fingers clutching the briefcase he always seemed to carry. It’s leather worn from years of use and travel. He hadn’t changed much, not really, though somehow he felt more different than before. He scanned your flat like it was unfamiliar eyes lingering on the changes since his last visit, the subtle shifts in decor, the new arrangements. The silence between you stretched heavy, as if neither of you knew how to break it. Then, his gaze finally landed on you, as if he were trying to figure out what to say.
"Hello Y/n… you ..uh, look dreadful," Newt said with a tentative smile that wavered almost as soon as it appeared. The nervous edge in his voice only made your own smile grow. His words, though blunt, were laced with concern. There was something about the way he always said things so plainly, so honestly, that you couldn’t help but love.
“Hello Newt,” Smiling back your voice was hoarse as you let out a dry sickly cough that burned your throat.
Newt quickly moved to your side without hesitation, his hand brushing against your forehead. His touch was cool and careful. The contrast against your fevered skin sent a shiver down your spine, though it wasn’t a complaint. It was actually quite soothing.
“A common cold,” he murmured, as if he were speaking more to himself than to you. A concerned frown dragged at his lips, brows furrowed, gaze distant like he was thinking to himself. His hand hovered near your face for a moment longer than necessary, brushing against your skin with a soft, lingering touch, “Why hasn’t Theseus brewed you a Pepperup Potion?” he asked, the question laced with genuine concern.
“It’s no big deal, Theseus has been busy with work is all” But the state you were in said other wise as you let out another nasty cough. There was a quiet frustration in Newt’s, not directed at you or his brother, but at the thought of you suffering, unattended. His eyes, usually darting and restless, stayed fixed on you.
“Well unfortunately I don’t have the ingredients to make one so how about some tea?” Newt stood from his spot making his way towards the kitchen.
You groaned, “No thanks. All the tea Theseus drinks is so bland”
“Well this is nothing like my brother’s tea,” Fumbling around the kitchen Newt used his wand to pluck ingredients from his bag. You watched in amusement as the items floated out, an assortment of strange powders, herbs, and tiny vials. Amid the mix, his niffler, Teddy, clung to a shiny spoon with all determination it could muster. Newt was quick to catch on to his creature’s escape.
“Teddy, you can’t be out here,” Newt softly scolded, gently prying the shiny spoon from the creature’s tiny paws. Teddy made a disgruntled noise, his muffled protests sounding almost like a series of drawn out whimpers. Peering over the couch you could see and couldn’t help but smile, watching him move with the same endearing clumsiness that always made him so well him.
Newt sighed, giving his niffler a patient look, “You can’t just keep sneaking out of the bag, you know this already Teddy”
His voice was scolding, but there was no real anger behind it. He had never been one to stay mad at his creatures for long, no matter how much trouble they caused. The niffler let out a huff and wiggled in Newt’s hands, as though to say it wasn’t his fault. Newt’s lips twitched into a smile, “Alright you can be out but just for a little” as he turned back to his work, the niffler making its way to his pocket.
Newt turned to face you for just a moment, letting out a soft sigh,“ Do keep a close eye on your belongings,” it was like he could predict the trouble the little creature caused. Who could blame him for being cautious , you can recall all the adventures the two of you had been on all because Teddy had escaped.
It wasn’t long before Newt returned to the couch, carefully balancing a small tray with a steaming cup of tea and a plate of treats, “I think you’ll find this soothing for your throat”
He looked nervous, as if he wasn’t quite sure whether it would be to your liking. Which you didn’t understand why because anytime Newt made something it always tasted wonderful. You gasped as Newt gently placed the tray on the little table that had magically appeared beside you.
"Are those... pumpkin pastries!" You stared in excitement and disbelief. Almost knockimg everything over. The sweet, spiced aroma wafted up from the plate, instantly making your mouth water, "Newt how did you remember these were my favorite? I can’t recall the last time I had one,"
Newt gave a shy smile, brushing a hand over the back of his neck, “How could I forget you dragged me with you almost everyday to get one. They’re not quite like the ones from Hogsmeade,” He admitted, a hint of nervous
pride in his voice, “And the tea is something I learn from my trip to Egypt”
You did not waste a second before diving into one of your favorite treats. The flavors danced on your tongue, rich and comforting, almost as if they were melting in your mouth. It gave you a sense of nostalgia, flooding you with memories of your time back at Hogwarts. And then there was the tea, it was perfectly brewed by Newt. The warmth and depth a lovely contrast to the sweetness of the treat. You couldn’t help but compare it to Theseus, who rarely cooked due to his absence from the house. When he did, it was never quite as satisfying. In all honesty his cooking always felt rushed like there was no love or care put into it.
“Thank you, Newt,” Satisfied with the light treat you have you couldn’t help but feel of tinge of guilt, “But you didn’t have to go out of your way to do this”
He shook his head, “But I wanted to Y/n, I came as soon as Theseus called me. Besides, I wouldn’t have been able to sleep without knowing if you were all right”
His words hung in the air, Newt was so unexpectedly gentle, so quietly attentive, that you couldn’t help the warmth that bloomed in your chest. It was as if the space Theseus had left empty was now being filled strangely, by his younger brother. The irony of of it. Once, it had been Theseus who was open and affectionate, while Newt kept to himself, more withdrawn and distant as he preferred to company of creatures. But somehow, that dynamic had shifted, and now it was Newt who made you feel seen. And, for the first time, you felt that you weren’t as alone as you.
A pair of cold hand pressed against both your cheeks breaking you away from your thoughts causing you jumped as you realized you were face to face with Newt, he was looming over you a look of concern crossing his face. Startled by the sudden scare, you spilled the still hot tea all over yourself, hissing as it burned you.
“Y/N!” Newt quickly removed the tray. Fumbling for the cloth he always kept in his pocket and began dabbing at the tea-soaked fabric clinging to your skin.You hissed, your breath catching as the burning sensation lingered.
“I—I didn’t mean, I didn’t think I’d—I’m so sorry!” he blurted out, tripping over his own words. He almost didn’t know what to say, “I just—uh—didn’t think you’d jump like that, and now I—oh, Merlin…”
He was clearly spiraling, his hands hovering awkwardly, not quite sure where he should touch or what he should be doing. The cloth was damp now, and he kept glancing between your soaked clothes and your face, guilt flooding every nervous twitch. It wasn’t the most effective effort, but you could see how hard he was trying.
You placed a hand lightly on his arm, trying to calm him down, “Newt. It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault I just got startled”
He opened his mouth, then closed it again, looking thoroughly unconvinced. “No, but I—I shouldn’t have touched. Or be less...surprise-y,” he muttered, running a hand through his already disheveled hair “You’re hurt”
You watched as he fidgeted, biting the inside of his cheek, clearly beating himself up far more than necessary. It was just a simple mistake one you weren’t to upset with, “I’ll draw you a bath!” he blurted suddenly, voice a little too loud.
Despite the lingering pain, you couldn’t help the faint smile that tugged at your lips. You met his eyes, so full of guilt, concern, and that endearing Newt awkwardness.
“Thank you, Newt. That actually sounds really nice”
His shoulders dropped a bit, relief softening his features, “Just wait here a moment”
Newt hurries towards your bathroom you can hear him say some incantation underneath his breath. A moment later, you hear the sharp whoosh of gushing water filling the tub, echoing off the tiles.Just as he's casting a quick warming charm, there's a sudden splash followed by a delighted chittering sound.
“Oh, not again,” Newt huffed from the doorway, “Teddy!”
Being curious from all the ruckus you stand up and peek around the corner to see his Niffler gleefully paddling around in the steaming bath, tiny paws slapping at bubbles as it tries to dive for something shiny at the bottom. But Newt removed him before he could steal anything.
Newt turned, slightly soaked, holding a dripping, disgruntled Niffler by the scruff, "Your bath's ready," he muttered. You couldn’t help but chuckle as he dried himself with a flick of his wand before tucking Teddy into his pocket.
“Teddy’s just as troublesome as I remember,” With a fond smile, you stepped past Newt. His eyes followed you without thinking until you began to undress.
“Y/n—!” Newt cheeks flushed a soft shade of pink as he averted his gaze towards the floor. The tips of his ears turned red, and he fumbled with his wand, clearly unsure of where to look or what to do. As he wasn’t expecting you to undress so suddenly.
You were amused by his flustered reaction, “Relax, Newt. Remember we used to do this all this.”
He swallowed hard, still staring anxiously at the floor. “I- well, yes, but we were kids back then and now you’re engaged, what would Theseus think?”
You frowned at the mention of his name, the sound of it lingering in the air like a sour note. Slowly, you slid into the warm bath, letting the heat melt the tension from your muscles. The water rose around you, frothy bubbles curling over your skin, cloaking everything but your head in a soft, white veil. For a moment, the room was quiet. Then you lifted one hand from the water, droplets falling down your wrist. The diamond on your finger caught the low bathroom light, throwing fractured rainbows across the tiled walls. It was massive, too big, too perfect and it sparkled with a kind of cruel clarity.
“Why should I care? He couldn’t even bother to get me a ring I actually liked” slouching over your knees you admiring the ring, not with love but with regret. You weren’t a very lavish girl, yeah sure you enjoyed nice things from time to time but only when those things had meaning attached to them. Almost anytime Theseus gave you a gift it was always a ways to apologize for always being away, most of the time the piece was something you would never wear.
Newt cautiously glanced behind him, watching you stare at ring with a gloom expression. He didn’t know what to say and more unsure if you even wanted him to chime in.
“Newt” You glanced up at him, causing Newt to quickly look away.
“You don’t have to look away it’s not like you can see anything, come on sit down” you encouraged, causing Newt to open his mouth to protest but ultimately kept it shut.
“Sorry” quietly he took a seat on the toilet seat his eye still glued to everywhere else but you.
“Do you ever miss it?” you asked quietly.
Newt blinked, “Miss what?”
“The way things were back in Hogwarts Before everything got… complicated ” You didn’t have to explain what “everything” meant. Your engagement, the way you and Newt had drifted since then.
Newt shifted again, hands folded tightly in his lap. “Sometimes,” he admitted, “But I think… some things are meant to change. Even if we don’t want them to”
You scoffed softly, rolling your eyes not at him, but at yourself, “Change is one thing. But losing a friend over an engagement?” Your voice cracked at the edges, “That’s worse.”
Newt finally looked at you then not directly, just a flicker of his gaze. But it was enough to catch the way you looked at the ring with disgust. Like it was the sole reason to all your problems.
“I never meant to,” he murmured, voice so low it nearly dissolved into the quiet between you. “It’s just… strange ”
Your breath caught, “Don’t play dumb,” you snapped, sharper than you intended, “I’ve known you just as well as you’ve known yourself,”
The words hung in the air like a slap. You saw it in the way his shoulders stiffened, in the way his eyes darted away.
Silence settled like fog. A wave of guilt washed through you, cold and sobering. You didn’t mean to upset him but it was just your emotions talking over.
“I think…” You swallowed, unsure whether the truth would make things better or worse, “I think I loved the idea of him. I wanted it to work. I wanted him to work. I thought if I loved him enough, he’d change. That he’d… become more like you”
Newt blinked slowly, like he was processing each word individually. You almost wanted to disappear in that moment feeling so stupid but what you said was the truth. You and Theseus had nothing in common and the only reason you chose him was because he could give you something Newt couldn’t. Yet here you were, without the affection you sought for in Theseus, stuck in this loveless engagement.
Still, you kept talking despite the ache in your throat, despite the silence pressing down on your shoulders like a weight. Because part of you, the part that had always looked for Newt in every room, hoped he would say something anything to break the unbearable quiet.
“I still kept all those letters you sent me,” you admitted softly, your voice almost trembling, “Actually… everything you’ve ever given me. It’s all in this little box I keep hidden in the back of my closet”
You dared a glance up at him, but his expression remained unreadable. Your face flushed, heat crawling up your neck with every word, but the confessions wouldn’t stop.
“Theseus doesn’t know about it and I don’t plan on telling him. I feel like he’d disapprove. He already hated that you used to send me bouquets of flowers all the time. Said it was inappropriate, like kindness had some kind of expiration date. We got into a big argument that day and I remember he left and went to his office, wouldn’t be surprised if he stayed the night there” By now, your whole face was burning, and tears were streaming down your cheeks in hot, silent rivers. You hadn’t even realized you were crying not until a gentle thumb brushed softly across your skin, wiping them away.
Startled, you glanced up and found yourself face to face with Newt.
His brow were furrowed, eyes filled with quiet concern as they searched yours. He didn’t say anything at first, just let his hand linger, tender and grounding, as if he was trying to soothe more than just your tears.
“It’s okay,” he whispered, his voice soft, but there was something in it something raw and sincere that made the words feel like they were meant with everything he had. It was soothing, but in a way that made the ache in your chest hurt more. You let out a shaky breath, feeling yourself slowly calm, but even then, the sobs still managed to break free in pitiful gasps.
“No, it’s not okay, Newt,” you choked out, your voice barely audible, trembling with the weight of your pain, “It should’ve been you. Why couldn’t it have been you? Why did I have to pick Theseus? I love you, Newt... I love you,”
“Y/n, we can’t…” His eyes were soft, but filled with an ache that mirrored your own. The pain in his gaze made your heart break all over again. You knew it was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier to hear.
Your breath hitched, the lump in your throat threatening to choke you,
“Why, Newt? Why can’t we? We’ve always been close, we’ve always been this, why can’t it be us?”
"Because I’m engaged, Y/N"
At those words, your world seemed to fracture. For a moment, you almost convinced yourself you were hearing things that this couldn’t possibly be real. The weight of the revelation pressed against you like an unbearable truth.
"What...?" Your voice trembled, the words barely escaping. Your lower lip quivered, and though your eyes burned with unshed tears, you fought to keep them at bay, refusing to let them fall.
Newt sighed, turning his head away like a guilty dog, his fingers nervously rubbing the back of his neck,"I proposed to Tina Goldstein last month"
The silence that followed was deafening. You stared at him, unmoving, as if the air had been knocked clean out of your lungs. You remembered her, she was a very pretty American girl who helped Newt. It should not come as a surprise they ended up together, they clicked almost immediately when they met.
Newt couldn’t bring himself to look at you,“I thought you moved, I never wanted to hurt you.”
You let out a shaky breath, the pieces of your heart scattering like broken glass inside your chest.
“But you did,” you whispered, your voice raw. “You already have”
Newt flinched, the guilt etched deep into his features.
“I thought I was doing the right thing-”He stopped himself, biting back words he wasn’t sure he had the right to say.
You swallowed hard, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall, “Is the right thing telling me after I confessed to you Newt. Why couldn’t you have told me before I embarrassed myself”
You rose abruptly from the bathtub, water cascading to the floor as you seized a towel with a sharp flick of your wand and stormed out of the bathroom. Newt averted his eyes, uncertain as he called your name but he still couldn’t bring himself to truly look at you. He followed anyway, just a few hesitant steps behind
“Y/n, wait! Let me explain!”
But you didn’t want to hear another peep from him. You slammed your bedroom door so hard it rattled the frame, the sound echoing like a final, painful punctuation to everything you were feeling.
You stood there for a moment as your pulse thundering in your ears. A frustrated cry escaped you, raw and helpless, as you slid down the door to the floor. It was as though the entire weight of the day,the humiliation, the confusion, the aching hole in your chest crashed down at once. All the unspoken feelings, the secrets, and the heartbreak, it was too much to handle in your sick state.
A soft knock at the door startled you from your spiraling thoughts,"Y/n?" Newt pleaded, “Please… just let me explain”
But his words did nothing to soothe the storm inside you. You pressed your palms into your eyes, trying to wipe away the flood of tears that had already started to gather. You couldn’t face him right now. Not like this. Not when everything felt so complicated. The silence between his knocks and your refusal to answer felt like an eternity. The door, the space between you both, had never felt so wide.
“I only proposed to her because she was the closest thing to you,” Newt gulped, “After I found out you and Theseus were getting married, I couldn’t sleep I could barely even eat, Y/n. It destroyed me. You were the only girl I ever loved, and I’ve loved you since we were kids. I just… I didn’t know how to tell you. I was too scared you’d reject me because you thought I was too weird or annoying”
He let out a shaky breath, his words coming out in a rush, as though the weight of everything he’d kept inside was finally breaking free, “I couldn’t stand the thought of losing you, not without even trying. So I made a choice a stupid, selfish choice. I thought if I could just… if I could just move on, maybe it would stop hurting so much. But it never stopped”
He paused, a quiet ache in his voice as he continued, "And now, I’ve hurt you Y/n all because I was too afraid to tell you the truth, I love Y/n you’re the only girl I ever felt like this for" The weight of his regret pressing heavily between you both.
You both stood still, unsure of what to say. The only sound was the shallow, uneven breaths coming from the other side of the door. Your mind raced. Newt had never been this vulnerable with you before and yet, somehow, you knew he meant every word.
Slowly, your hand found the doorknob. You opened it gently to find him sitting on the floor, his back leaned against the frame, just like you. His eyes lifted to meet yours, lighting up slightly the moment he saw you but even that flicker of hope couldn’t hide the pain etched into his face.
He scrambled to his feet, as if unsure whether to speak or stay silent. His lips parted, then closed again. But the way he looked at you with such regret, such aching empathy, you couldn’t find it in yourself to stay angry.
Without a word, Newt stepped forward and wrapped his arms around you in a tight hug. It was rare he was never much of a hugger. But this time, he held on like he didn’t want to let go.
“Do you… do you really love me?” your voice trembled, almost breaking, as though saying the words out loud might undo you completely.
Newt buried his face in the crook of your neck, his warm breath fanning against your skin, sending shivers down your spine.
“I love you more than anything in the world,” he whispered. And it was all you needed to hear. It was all you’d ever wanted to hear.
The two of you stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, unmoving, as time seemed to slow around you. There were no more explanations, no more words. Just the warmth of his body against yours, the steady rhythm of his heart, and the unspoken truth that maybe… just maybe… things would be okay.
It wasn’t until the sun began to set that Newt gently led you toward the bed. He’d insisted on sleeping in the living room, murmuring something about giving you space but the thought of being alone, even for a moment, made your chest tighten. You shook your head, and after a quiet hesitation, he agreed to stay.
You both lay there in silence, his arms wrapped around you just as before. It was a silence that didn’t need to be filled soft, steady, and comforting. For the first time in what felt like forever, the stillness didn’t feel empty.
Before you drifted to sleep, your fingers brushed against the ring on your hand. You hesitated, then slowly slipped it off something you had never done before. It felt wrong to wear it now. Once, it had felt like a promise. Now, it was nothing but a lie wrapped in gold a reminder of a future you no longer believed in. A ring meant to symbolize forever, yet all it represented was a loveless engagement you felt trapped in.
You had no idea what would happen between you and Theseus, and for the moment, you didn’t care. You were far too exhausted to untangle the mess your heart had become. As you sank deeper into the warmth of Newt’s arms, your mind quieted, and finally fell asleep.
When morning came, the fever had broken. The early sunlight slipped through the curtains, painting the room in soft gold. Newt was still there, curled up beside you, his arms still gently holding you even in sleep. His face was peaceful, and it made your heart ache in the best possible way. You smiled faintly, brushing a stray curl from his forehead.
For a fleeting moment, you allowed yourself to imagine what it would be like to wake up like this every day. To have this kind of care, this quiet warmth, this love.
Just maybe the two of you could be happy together.
