[It's not until he's sitting in a room that is too white and smells too clean and sterile that everything seemingly catches up to him.
This was supposed to merely be a short trip so he can set free Frank back to the skies in which he belonged in. This wasn't supposed to turn into some wild goose chase for his creatures, trying to help an obscurial, and catching Grindelwald. For Merlin's sake, he's a magizoologist. He's not some hero type. Being a hero was his brother's thing, not him. He just wanted to study creatures and do his own thing and live his life in relative peace.
Yet, here he was, still in New York. It just didn't sit well with him. The idea of capturing Grindelwald and then pretending that there wasn't someone who still needed to be helped. To be found. Damn being a Hufflepuff sometimes.
It was a stressful ordeal, really. They didn't know the extent of Percival's injuries. They didn't know his state of being or how well Grindelwald was taking care of him. Newt could only assume it wasn't great, which made this search all the more nerve wracking. Taking just a little too long meant life or death and he had tirelessly used every trick and tracking spell he could think of.
Thank Merlin, the work paid off.
Percival was definitely not in the best of health, but there was so much fight in those eyes. A man broken, yet unwilling to give up. It was something kind of beautiful, but made your heartache. Calming the other down was an arduous affair, but eventually the other relented. Possibly too exhausted to really keep it up and Newt was very good at making himself small and seemingly non lethal. His touches are gentle as he brushes matted hair out of Percival's face and waits for everyone else to arrive as he sits with the other. Percival, eventually succumbing to his exhaustion.
Everything after is a bit of a blur, and now he's sitting in the hospital room in the best wizard hospital in New York. He awkwardly sits there as there's bustle and chatter around him, but no one speaks to him. It's almost as though he's invisible. He's exhausted and- when was the last time he slept? Ah, well. He glances at Percival's sleeping form in the bed before looking around again. He's such an awkward thing as he fidgets in his seat. His briefcase was back at the Goldstein's because they wouldn't let him bring it to the hospital. Something about being a danger to others or bringing a certain amount of chaos with him.
Well, he can't blame them he guesses.
He can, however, question why he's the one who is here. Newt doesn't know Percival. Just because everyone else has jobs and such doesn't mean he doesn't have work too! A quiet sight as he drums his fingers against his leg an bounces his knee.
Newt isn't sure why he's here, but hopefully the other awakens soon.]
[ The dark and dank basement was all he knew, the faint drips of water off in some corner and the tiny sounds of claws crawling along stone. It was hell if there ever was one.
He had been tormented for months, being used as Grindelwald's personal plaything while he hoped someone, anyone, would be able to find him. His once pure white shift was torn in several places, dried blood stained dark while dirt and grime dirtied his entire appearance. Percival knew better than to give up against a man everyone was on the lookout for and trying to capture time and time again.
When the door at the top of the stairs creaks open, he lets out a tired and deep sigh as he doesn't budge much aside from adjusting himself to offer some relief to the ache of his arms being chained up above his head. The Auror was prepared for another round of torture, of shit idealistic commentary but none of it comes. Only the sound of slow footsteps coming closer.
Of course, he thinks of it as a trick, one Grindelwald had played on him countless times already in an attempt to break him. Lashing out against Newt with the minuscule amount of energy he had was all that he knew to do, thinking it would please the man he thought was waiting in the wings. But Newt doesn't act or even disappear like a trick usually would before he finally decides to give up, ducking his head in defeat and exhaustion.
That's when he felt the gentlest series of touches. Ones that he flinched away from at first as light fingers move the hair out of his face and the other sits with him until more help arrive, he guesses. He wasn't about to question the other man, nor did he have the energy for an introduction. There was this huge moment of relief, that he waited just long enough that he was found and that just lifted this weight off his shoulders as his vision goes black at the sound of hurried footsteps and shouting.
Its some time before Percival starts to stir, noticing first off that he wasn't in the basement anymore and was now, laying on something soft and warm. He was dressed in far more comfortable clothes now and he can feel the light tightness of bandages in several places. He shifts a little in an attempt to sit up, noticing Newt sitting nearby, looking anxious by his body language before he glances around the room. ]
I apologize for my behavior earlier. You didn't deserve that and I am in your debt for being able to find me. Thank you.
[ While Percival wasn't the man of many words, he offers his thanks in the only way he can at the moment. ]
Why was he surprised? Of course the other was going to talk to him when they woke up. He's the only one in the room at the moment. Who else was he going to talk to? He's sure Percival has talked to plenty of inanimate objects while in captivity. He could only imagine how awful it is to truly be alone in such a space with no other living being around. His thoughts are wandering. Right. Percival is awake and they are talking to him and oh right, he should reply back. That is...That is a thing he should do.
Newt is all nerves and his entire posture is stiff. He rapidly shakes his head at the other because he doesn't think the apology is necessary. After all, Percival was just reacting much like any captive, wounded animal would. It makes total sense to him that the other would be rather wary of someone entering a room and probably not being recognizable at all even.
His first reactions is to sign to the other, which he does. Perhaps a little too quickly and he's so nervous that it would be pretty hard to decipher what he was trying to say with how choppy and clipped his hand movements are.
Not that it lasts long because he lets his hands drop when he considers if the other could even understand sign language. He points to Percival and then points to his temple. From there he keeps pointing as he waves his finger. At the very least, the other might understand him if he can read lips as the other mouths Do you understand? as he makes the motions.]
What was he told a few days ago about this meeting? Don't be late? Make sure to be on time? Be early if possible? It's very important?
Right, so that's not happening. He is running quite late and everything is quite against him, he has found. He should have known that things were gonna go disastrously when his alarm didn't go off in the morning and he all but spilled hot tea on himself and burnt his toast for the morning. The only upside to that is the toast is still somewhat edible and it was at least his pajamas.
When it rains though, it really does pour.
No, really. It's pouring because of course it is. It's New York. And he should have already known better and always keep an umbrella on him, but he was running quite late already. Of course he forgot his umbrella. Wonderful. Now that he has found himself with a dissatisfying breakfast and having burned his hand on tea, he's soaking wet. Oh, and the subways are running late, so he might as well just try and get a taxi. What was that about being wet? How about a car going by and getting splashed? Well, now he's wet with dirty water. Fabulous.
By the time he arrives at the university, he's looking not too hot. He's soaking wet and looking a bit disheveled and he doesn't even want to know how late he is as he tries to quietly enter the room. Surely, he could at least manage quietly entering, right?
Newt all but drops his case and books with a loud and cluttered thud and he stands there like a deer in headlights before looking up with the most awkward of smiles.
Ah, well... This is going to be quite the first impression.]
[ The start to his day was simple and less chaotic, though having to travel across the city of New York was never really fun, especially in the rain. Even if he had a chauffeur to drive him to his destinations, traffic was always the same, no matter where in the city you needed to be.
The university was the best place for this meeting since it was within easy traveling distance between all parties. Of course, he wasn't here to be a guest speaker on artifacts like some have invited him to be but rather to get help from a recommended art historian and restorer on a case that he was assigned to.
Percival thought this would be like every other meeting he's ever attended, where everything would run smoothly and everyone made it a point to be on time. Except, this time he was left to wait, he didn't mind of course, but as the clock kept ticking by he started to wonder what might be keeping the other.
A few apologized heavily on Newt's lateness but he simply waved them off as it being no big deal. Taking it upon himself to get up from the chair he had been sitting on, to slide his hands in his pockets and wander around the room, idly looking at the array of artwork that adorned the walls.
And all of his questions seemed to be answered when the door opens to a clatter of books hitting the floor and turning to see the man looking like he had the worst morning of his life if his appearance was anything to go by.
Before he could even as so much welcome the other, someone else chimed in that Newt was late and complained about making them wait for him when they told him before to be early or even on time.
Percival on the other hand, makes his way over to the other and tries to help pick up some of his books. ]
Glad you could finally join us. Terrible morning, I take it?
[It's been a few months since his transfer to MACUSA and his move to America.
Newt Scamander was an exemplary Auror. Fairly skilled at charms and a rather formidable duelist. His ability to apparate in and out was rivaled by no one and it made him a rather difficult target to go against. He was a hard worker and got his work done.
The flip side was that his colleagues found him a bit odd. A bit of an eccentric they would say. A bit on the quieter side and difficult to interact with. Many found that Newt was very stubborn in his opinions. Like an unmovable object. The other was a bit difficult to get along with and he simply seemed to struggle with interpersonal relationships with how he seemed happier to be left alone than anything else.
Newt was a special unit of some kind. While he was an auror, his specialties seemed to lie in the beast division, but his talent was far too great to be simply put into the beast division. So he was an auror with certain clearance and it made him, well, possibly a bit of a thorn in the side at the time.
Namely, for a (1) Percival Graves. It wasn't even that his special clearance meant that he rudely ignored Percival's orders at times. No. Newt sometimes disobeyed them simply because he had decided that he simply didn't feel as though they were the right actions to make. The man simply just had strong morals and it seemed that those morals sat higher on doing things by the book or even following the law sometimes. A man with terribly sharp intuition, but a complete nuisance for those that prefer going by the book.
It also meant that Newt had a higher chance to injury than most others. Quite hilarious given his seemingly strong sense of preservation. Newt was someone who knew his limits quite well and seemed to know when to take a hit. It was almost scarily calculated how willing the man was to take a hit for someone else or to get injured to gain the upper hand.
Which probably did not sit well with Percival at all.
All in all, the man was an absolute menace. Stubborn and strong willed. He was far from being a limp noodle despite his gentle demeanor.
Newt knocks on Graves' office door with three polite knocks. He held a few reports in one arm. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows; his free arm lightly bandaged from a recent altercation. He was dressed down to just his shirt and waistcoat as it was warm and comfortable in the MACUSA building.] Mister Graves, you asked for me?
[ Newt had grabbed the Madame President's attention with his work after one of his more prominent cases for the Ministry, it was difficult to truly catch her attention when she was prioritizing more important things. Seraphina thought he might prove useful for some of her cases that even her own Aurors had difficulty with.
And of course, he completed a few that were presented with relative ease and was offered a transfer which he eventually accepted and the rest seemed to be history when she passed him over to Percival's watchful eye and care. The Ministry wasn't too pleased about losing one of its best though.
Percival, on the other hand, had been patient, more so than with most of the Aurors who work under him but he's reaching his first tipping point. Ever since Newt transferred, he's been this rather unpredictable prick in his side, not that he didn't respect the other's talents or strong work ethic but because he refused to obey specific orders given to him by going off on his own path. And that sort of thing never sat well with him.
And more often then not, he came back a little worse for wear with unnecessary injuries that could have been easily avoided had he listened and not constantly put himself into harm's way.
This time was no different. One of these days, Seraphina will have his head for not being able to stop Newt's reckless behavior. And it is not something he cares to explain or get lectured about.
Percival sat at his desk, a number of case files Newt was recently a part of spread all over the desk's surface and few floating idly around him. Leaning back in his chair, he stares at the door in thought before Newt's knocks drag him out of his head. With a deep sigh, he gives a gentle wave of his hand to slowly open the door, allowing Newt to walk in before he gives another wave to close it.
He watches as the other walks closer to his desk and by doing so he notices the bandage on his arm. ]
Newt had always had a bit of a negative perception of people. Not because he thought people were terrible and evil, but he did find them cruel and dangerous to some extent. He had always been a bit of a black sheep. He favored the company of creatures over people and had always been an outsider. It didn't really bother him. Being an outsider. And he certainly had met people that he liked and could trust.
Trust was a brittle thing though and it takes a little while for people to realize when Newt goes missing. It's really no ones fault. Newt had been traveling and it was normal for the man to stop corresponding to anyone for some days or weeks depending on what his plans were or where he was traveling to. No one would know any better, but no one had ever had to worry. The man was possibly the most capable wizard going out into the wild unknown.
It's when he doesn't check in with a government official for wand clearance a week after his estimated arrival date is when things are amiss. No one has seen the man and it wasn't as though it should be impossibly hard to locate a messy haired Brit in a foreign land.
It takes days before they finally find him and the damage was done. Newt spends some time in a coma and even a longer time recovering in the hospital even after coming to.
Physical injuries would always eventually heal and there wasn't anything long lasting that couldn't be fixed with magic and time. Newt's mental state, however, was far from the best. Less trusting of others and more skittish and anxious around people; the man was even less open to others than he had been previously.
But, Newt's physical state was far from recovered and it took almost begging from Theseus for the man to finally agree to an assistant since relieving Bunty some time ago. Of course, Newt wasn't in any particular good state to do any sort of screening, so Theseus was in charge of that. The man was at least thorough. His interest in Newt's well being to the point of being overbearing came in handy in this instance.
It's why Newt was currently sitting in the living room of his small townhome waiting for Theseus and his potential assistant. Tea had been made and snacks had been laid out. He drums his fingers against his leg absentmindedly. He could feel anxiety bubble already. He hadn't had strangers in his personal space in awhile and he isn't too keen on the idea.
Kielo had the pleasure of meeting Newt when he was out in the field some time ago. He had gotten into a scuffle with traffickers that thought he'd would be perfect for some attraction or someone's personal pet somewhere in the world while he was out forging for food. He wasn't to keen on the idea and easily fought back even at the cost of several injuries that he wasn't healing from as quickly as he usually would.
At first, he didn't think he could trust a wizard after the incident but Newt found him on the shoreline of the lake, stayed with him and was incredibly gentle with him until he healed. It only felt right to return the favor for his help in some shape or form when he was up to travel. Even though he didn't know where to start when it came to finding him.
The Ministry was the closest wizarding hub that he knew about, having past one entrance the very few times he'd gone into the city for whatever reason. Kielo easily packed a bag with clothes, snacks and general miscellaneous items for the road. Most of which he did by foot. It was the only real time to blow off so much pent up energy that he kept constantly and running cost nothing compared to being stuck on a crowded train with little room to do anything.
Being a horse racing against said train was fun in its own right, it definitely entertained the children on board. However, city goers don't take to wandering horses without an owner to well so he simply shifted where he wouldn't be noticed. Finding the Ministry, on the other hand, was a little difficult when he couldn't remember where some of the entrances were. It took a few hours of careful watching before he found one, easily slipping inside a bustling building where he was incredibly lost in.
It wasn't until he heard a name in passing that he tried to find the source of that conversation before lightly tapping the shoulder of Theseus. The Kelpie is quick to apologize for the interruption but he described Newt to the best of his ability, asking if it was the same person. One thing led to another and he found himself on his way to Newt's home with his brother as a guide, running him through what seemed like a list of things including Newt's current condition.
Kielo was a bit worried about meeting Newt again in form that the other had never met him in but he stands behind Theseus when he knocks on the other's front door.
[Newt had asked the Professor to use the pensieve. He had no real love for things that intruded on the privacy of one's thoughts and memories, but pensieves were very handy things. He could go through memories and notice things that he hadn't noticed before or to confirm certain details or information that he wasn't sure on. Used correctly, and they were terribly useful tools.
Perhaps they also helped when one had a bout of nostalgia.
The large basin had been left unattended with the silvery contents of Newt's memories. Newt had been called away by Dumbledore and Newt felt the need to oblige. He had asked a favour after all, and he saw no harm in assisting in a few chores around Hogwarts while he was there. He trusted that no stranger would intrude on Professor Dumbledore's office nor did he think he would be gone long either.
Though, it would be easy to stumble upon it if they were seeking Dumbledore or Newt out and came by the office first. The young freckled face and bright hair of the man that flitted in and out of the misty substance was a dead giveaway as to who the memories in the bowl belonged to.]
[Now that the rush of returning to Hogwarts and temporarily stopping Grindelwald from destroying Paris has worn off, Theseus almost feels numb. He sometimes finds himself just standing and staring at a familiar wall of his old school, but even the familiarity of the old building does nothing to evoke any sort of emotion from him. Sometimes he just feels like collapsing somewhere and crying, but even that notion feels distant to him.
Maybe he feels lost? Getting revenge for Leta is the only thing that remotely feels right, but with no leads, it's near impossible.
...
One way or another, Theseus absentmindedly finds himself moving throughout the halls of Hogwarts. He's not sure what really led him to Dumbledore's office, maybe something in the back of his mind telling him that the powerful wizard might be able to shed more information about Grindelwald, but the Auror still quietly opens the door without even bothering to announce his presence.]
...Newt?
[The familiar bright hair is enough to bring Theseus out of his trance, blinking a few times as he notices what his brother is looking into. A pensieve??]
[The town he had lived in wasn't small, but also not too big. He wouldn't call it modern, but he also wouldn't say they were completely old fashioned either. Rustic, perhaps, is the word that he was looking for. It was quaint and quiet and comfortable and he quite enjoyed it. Newt didn't care for city life and much preferred to wander the forest by the town.
The townspeople weren't particularly fond of him. They always considered him odd. Queer. A strange man who seemed to get along better with animals than his own neighbors. And there was a lot of talk that he was doing dubious things. Witchcraft. After all, how can he befriend every creature he came upon. And so, Newt lived more in isolation with the animals around them as his companion.
At least until he disappeared.
There's talk in the town that the forest has some deity. A deity they had angered due to their previous brazen ways. The deer were sacred, the townspeople say. They warn outsiders never to bring harm to the rare deer that reside in the forest. Beautiful and white, like pure snow. Their horns also a white ivory that made them quite fetching. Almost as though they were made of crystal and ice. The townspeople had been foolish to bring harm upon them before and so the deity had cursed some creature into the forest. A protector of some sort.
Ever since the appearance of the creature; a grotesque antlered beast of some kind, the townspeople had been more mindful not to harm the special deer. They speak about the man who went into the forest, but never returned once the creature appeared and that they cautioned not to anger it lest they wish to share the same fate as him.
That being said, the game was strong and it attracted plenty of hunters, especially during the winter time. The town was picturesque with lights decorating and the windows of shops filled with pies and other goodies. It brought many people to enjoy the festivities and the hunt.
Some come for the hunt. Some come for the festivities. Few come to learn more about whatever was lurking and protecting the forest.]
[ City life was all Jonathan had really known, besides those years in his childhood that his family had lived in a smaller town much closer to nature than what you'd find in the middle of a crowded city. Every winter they return to the house that they have there as a sort of tradition. Though, being gone for a huge chunk of the year, one misses out on the strange occurrences surrounding the forest.
He slowly started to learn about the deity that watched over the woods to the rare deer that you weren't supposed to harm to the man that was said to have disappeared only to be replaced by an antlered creature that seemed to protect the forest.
Nothing more could be said no matter how many times he asked with every new season. People were too afraid to venture further to investigate and no one dared to anger the lurking creature.
His family never participated in the hunt but rather left a series of offerings in the dark of night on a flat-ish stone a little deeper in the woods than most would dare to tread. Sometimes they might catch a glimpse of the white deer, others they might catch a glimpse of the antlered creature or the crack of a branch in the night. He was always taught to respect nature, to take only what was needed to survive, to give some sort of thanks, and never let anything be wasted if a creature's life had to be taken.
Jonathan very much preferred the festivities and learning about the mystery looming over the forest protector that the townspeople tell tales of over the aspect of hunting, no matter how plentiful the game might've been that season.
And just like every year, he hopes he doesn't get dragged into it which luck was not on his side for.
What he didn't enjoy was the fact he got singled out by a group of hunters that needed an extra body while he was out and about enjoying the sights of the town. Trying to get your voice heard while being grabbed by the arm in what felt like every direction by a group of excited people with weapons in hand was easier said than done and he gave a rather defeated sigh and simply went along with it. He may have had a weapon thrust into his hands but there were no rules about having to use it.
There was a certain level of calm as Jonathan trailed behind the group, taking in the sounds of the forest over the idle hunter chatter. ]
[ Lately, encounters with smugglers was becoming more and more frequent. They would stake out areas of the forest surrounding the lake the Kelpie called home and waiting till he went out foraging to trap him in strange new traps he hadn't encountered before. It had been a few weeks since he had seen the last group and he let's his guard down when he knew better.
Everything happened much too fast for Kielo to even attempt to escape, it didn't help that his horse form made a much easier target then his human one. No amount of thrashing or kicking eased the restraints they put him under, leaving him to eventually burn himself out enough to cooperate and be pulled in any direction they wanted.
Sometimes its a tarped cart or large case or something generally inconspicuous that he's led into but the inside is always the same. Various sized cages and tanks, crates, strange bottles that were usually drowned in loud creature calls and smells. A few predators lunge at their confines causing Kielo to jump and bang hooves against anything nearby.
He wasn't expecting a cage to be sized properly to him, they never really are, as he gets prodded into one and the only fear he has becoming a reality as his captors take the bridle away from him before they lock the cage door. Kielo was a the mercy of whoever held it, his only downfall compared to other kelpie breeds.
There's a moment of frustration at this as he slams his body against the sides of the cage before resigning himself to his fate and letting out a huff as he looks around at the neighboring cages. Kielo partially shifts back to feel less claustrophobic as he sits on the ground, hands holding onto the bars. He hated how overwhelming such a place could be and all he can really thing about was Newt's suitcase and how it was far less harsh than here.
He wonders how the magizoologist was these days. ]
[It wasn't that he didn't know it was risky business. What he was getting into. Of course he knew the dangers of his career. If anything, he knew better than anyone else. Handling magical beasts of any kind was riddled with dangers. He didn't believe the creatures he cared for to be dangerous persay, but he never considered them a danger to him. He could understand that in most situations involving people, they would be dangerous. Not because they are mindless beasts, but because he can't imagine any social environment that wouldn't stress an animal out and cause them to retaliate.
This was also ignoring the more dangerous part of his work. Smugglers and traffickers and the like. They were who he truly thought were dangerous. Greedy men looking to make a pretty galleon off creatures. Dead or alive. They were as heartless as they came and didn't care about the product they were handling. Product being living and breathing creatures.
And they didn't like the magizoologist. He meddled and whisked away their wares and the Brit won't deny he has made quite a few enemies through his travels.
He just didn't expect them to pursue him as they did.
It wasn't even that he had recently done anything to gain their ire. Hell, his travels had been within the cities and countryside and had nothing to do with chasing creatures (which is honestly more of a shock to anyone that knew him and himself). But perhaps he had let his guard down because of that.
And perhaps Kielo will see the curled up form of the man. A cage with so little room that he could even sit up. Instead, the man was curled and laying in his cage; feet tied together and arms tied behind his back. The usual coat of his absent along with his waistcoat and his usually off white shirt dirtied with dirt and blood. For extra measure, he had apparently been blindfolded and gagged as though they were worried if they gave him any amount of freedom, he could make do with it and escape and free everything with him.
Not a terribly bad idea given Newt's handiness even in bleak situations.
Honestly, it was probably a sad sight along with everything else.]
[Living with others is a bit of a strange phenomenon. It wasn't that he wasn't used to it persay. Given that he cared for a plethora of countless creatures, it was ridiculous to imply that he wasn't used to sharing his space. It was different when it came to people though. He had lived alone for quite awhile now. He had traveled without other people. Things had significantly changed though and he had found himself connecting with others through the worst of it all.
And he had found love. Moving on from Leta had been difficult. He had already started that when he fell in love with Tina, but the bitterness of old wounds prevented him from fully letting go properly. Love was a rather difficult emotion and heartache seemed to be a common feeling that came with it. He had fell for a few who had come and gone and he earnestly was surprised to end up with Percival Graves of all people. Percival had always been more Theseus' friend and not his, so for them to end up an item had blindsided him honestly.
Even more surprising was becoming physically intimate. Newt had always been terribly awkward at best and an absolute embarrassment at worst. Being in an intimate relationship, much less a sexual one had not even occurred to him to being a possibility for himself. It was nice though, he found. There was a certain level of comfort and security that it brought that he desperately wanted and needed that he now had. Newt quite likes it.
He has always had an odd schedule. He wasn't exactly a morning bird or night owl. He was neither and he was both. That being said, he usually was up early, whether because he stayed up or because he woke up early, but Newt ends up making his way into the kitchen rather late in the morning. It was practically noon actually. Newt was dressed down. Pajama pants with a wrinkled dress shirt like he had attempted to put clothes on proper and had decidedly just given up to get tea started. He hadn't even fully buttoned his mess of a shirt; the top two buttons undone. Newt places the kettle onto the stove to start boiling water before he runs a hand through his bedhead.
He was...sore. It was a pleasant feeling, overall, but he can't deny that it makes for starting the day to be difficult. He's much too tired to realize the rather obvious bruises on his neck and collar that was exposed; the marks that disappeared under his shirt.
[Theseus has honestly been quite stressed ever since arriving in Deerington, constantly worried about Newt, about Luna, and basically everyone that's become their small family here. It's part of his duty, his role, to worry like that, so he's not really complaining, just still stressed. Nonetheless, this particular late morning, the Auror finds himself a little less anxious, enjoying a cup of tea as he sits at the dining room table with a quiet exposition. He wasn't waiting for anyone in particular, despite finding it a little odd that Newt wasn't up yet. Not odd enough to make him fret, however.
Nonetheless, his eyes watch Newt as he makes his way to the kitchen, a greeting ready-- which only completely dies when he sees the state his brother is in.
Oh.
Merlin.
He's honestly just gobsmacked for a good few minutes, his cup just hovering in the air as he stares at Newt. It's clear how unused his brother is to all this, not bothering to hide any of the marks on his skin. The only question is who did he get lucky with.
An obvious answer sounds in his mind, but Theseus pushes that aside for now.]
Mute OU
no subject
This was supposed to merely be a short trip so he can set free Frank back to the skies in which he belonged in. This wasn't supposed to turn into some wild goose chase for his creatures, trying to help an obscurial, and catching Grindelwald. For Merlin's sake, he's a magizoologist. He's not some hero type. Being a hero was his brother's thing, not him. He just wanted to study creatures and do his own thing and live his life in relative peace.
Yet, here he was, still in New York. It just didn't sit well with him. The idea of capturing Grindelwald and then pretending that there wasn't someone who still needed to be helped. To be found. Damn being a Hufflepuff sometimes.
It was a stressful ordeal, really. They didn't know the extent of Percival's injuries. They didn't know his state of being or how well Grindelwald was taking care of him. Newt could only assume it wasn't great, which made this search all the more nerve wracking. Taking just a little too long meant life or death and he had tirelessly used every trick and tracking spell he could think of.
Thank Merlin, the work paid off.
Percival was definitely not in the best of health, but there was so much fight in those eyes. A man broken, yet unwilling to give up. It was something kind of beautiful, but made your heartache. Calming the other down was an arduous affair, but eventually the other relented. Possibly too exhausted to really keep it up and Newt was very good at making himself small and seemingly non lethal. His touches are gentle as he brushes matted hair out of Percival's face and waits for everyone else to arrive as he sits with the other. Percival, eventually succumbing to his exhaustion.
Everything after is a bit of a blur, and now he's sitting in the hospital room in the best wizard hospital in New York. He awkwardly sits there as there's bustle and chatter around him, but no one speaks to him. It's almost as though he's invisible. He's exhausted and- when was the last time he slept? Ah, well. He glances at Percival's sleeping form in the bed before looking around again. He's such an awkward thing as he fidgets in his seat. His briefcase was back at the Goldstein's because they wouldn't let him bring it to the hospital. Something about being a danger to others or bringing a certain amount of chaos with him.
Well, he can't blame them he guesses.
He can, however, question why he's the one who is here. Newt doesn't know Percival. Just because everyone else has jobs and such doesn't mean he doesn't have work too! A quiet sight as he drums his fingers against his leg an bounces his knee.
Newt isn't sure why he's here, but hopefully the other awakens soon.]
no subject
He had been tormented for months, being used as Grindelwald's personal plaything while he hoped someone, anyone, would be able to find him. His once pure white shift was torn in several places, dried blood stained dark while dirt and grime dirtied his entire appearance. Percival knew better than to give up against a man everyone was on the lookout for and trying to capture time and time again.
When the door at the top of the stairs creaks open, he lets out a tired and deep sigh as he doesn't budge much aside from adjusting himself to offer some relief to the ache of his arms being chained up above his head. The Auror was prepared for another round of torture, of shit idealistic commentary but none of it comes. Only the sound of slow footsteps coming closer.
Of course, he thinks of it as a trick, one Grindelwald had played on him countless times already in an attempt to break him. Lashing out against Newt with the minuscule amount of energy he had was all that he knew to do, thinking it would please the man he thought was waiting in the wings. But Newt doesn't act or even disappear like a trick usually would before he finally decides to give up, ducking his head in defeat and exhaustion.
That's when he felt the gentlest series of touches. Ones that he flinched away from at first as light fingers move the hair out of his face and the other sits with him until more help arrive, he guesses. He wasn't about to question the other man, nor did he have the energy for an introduction. There was this huge moment of relief, that he waited just long enough that he was found and that just lifted this weight off his shoulders as his vision goes black at the sound of hurried footsteps and shouting.
Its some time before Percival starts to stir, noticing first off that he wasn't in the basement anymore and was now, laying on something soft and warm. He was dressed in far more comfortable clothes now and he can feel the light tightness of bandages in several places. He shifts a little in an attempt to sit up, noticing Newt sitting nearby, looking anxious by his body language before he glances around the room. ]
I apologize for my behavior earlier. You didn't deserve that and I am in your debt for being able to find me. Thank you.
[ While Percival wasn't the man of many words, he offers his thanks in the only way he can at the moment. ]
no subject
Why was he surprised? Of course the other was going to talk to him when they woke up. He's the only one in the room at the moment. Who else was he going to talk to? He's sure Percival has talked to plenty of inanimate objects while in captivity. He could only imagine how awful it is to truly be alone in such a space with no other living being around. His thoughts are wandering. Right. Percival is awake and they are talking to him and oh right, he should reply back. That is...That is a thing he should do.
Newt is all nerves and his entire posture is stiff. He rapidly shakes his head at the other because he doesn't think the apology is necessary. After all, Percival was just reacting much like any captive, wounded animal would. It makes total sense to him that the other would be rather wary of someone entering a room and probably not being recognizable at all even.
His first reactions is to sign to the other, which he does. Perhaps a little too quickly and he's so nervous that it would be pretty hard to decipher what he was trying to say with how choppy and clipped his hand movements are.
Not that it lasts long because he lets his hands drop when he considers if the other could even understand sign language. He points to Percival and then points to his temple. From there he keeps pointing as he waves his finger. At the very least, the other might understand him if he can read lips as the other mouths Do you understand? as he makes the motions.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Modern AU
no subject
What was he told a few days ago about this meeting? Don't be late? Make sure to be on time? Be early if possible? It's very important?
Right, so that's not happening. He is running quite late and everything is quite against him, he has found. He should have known that things were gonna go disastrously when his alarm didn't go off in the morning and he all but spilled hot tea on himself and burnt his toast for the morning. The only upside to that is the toast is still somewhat edible and it was at least his pajamas.
When it rains though, it really does pour.
No, really. It's pouring because of course it is. It's New York. And he should have already known better and always keep an umbrella on him, but he was running quite late already. Of course he forgot his umbrella. Wonderful. Now that he has found himself with a dissatisfying breakfast and having burned his hand on tea, he's soaking wet. Oh, and the subways are running late, so he might as well just try and get a taxi. What was that about being wet? How about a car going by and getting splashed? Well, now he's wet with dirty water. Fabulous.
By the time he arrives at the university, he's looking not too hot. He's soaking wet and looking a bit disheveled and he doesn't even want to know how late he is as he tries to quietly enter the room. Surely, he could at least manage quietly entering, right?
Newt all but drops his case and books with a loud and cluttered thud and he stands there like a deer in headlights before looking up with the most awkward of smiles.
Ah, well... This is going to be quite the first impression.]
no subject
The university was the best place for this meeting since it was within easy traveling distance between all parties. Of course, he wasn't here to be a guest speaker on artifacts like some have invited him to be but rather to get help from a recommended art historian and restorer on a case that he was assigned to.
Percival thought this would be like every other meeting he's ever attended, where everything would run smoothly and everyone made it a point to be on time. Except, this time he was left to wait, he didn't mind of course, but as the clock kept ticking by he started to wonder what might be keeping the other.
A few apologized heavily on Newt's lateness but he simply waved them off as it being no big deal. Taking it upon himself to get up from the chair he had been sitting on, to slide his hands in his pockets and wander around the room, idly looking at the array of artwork that adorned the walls.
And all of his questions seemed to be answered when the door opens to a clatter of books hitting the floor and turning to see the man looking like he had the worst morning of his life if his appearance was anything to go by.
Before he could even as so much welcome the other, someone else chimed in that Newt was late and complained about making them wait for him when they told him before to be early or even on time.
Percival on the other hand, makes his way over to the other and tries to help pick up some of his books. ]
Glad you could finally join us. Terrible morning, I take it?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Auror AU
no subject
Newt Scamander was an exemplary Auror. Fairly skilled at charms and a rather formidable duelist. His ability to apparate in and out was rivaled by no one and it made him a rather difficult target to go against. He was a hard worker and got his work done.
The flip side was that his colleagues found him a bit odd. A bit of an eccentric they would say. A bit on the quieter side and difficult to interact with. Many found that Newt was very stubborn in his opinions. Like an unmovable object. The other was a bit difficult to get along with and he simply seemed to struggle with interpersonal relationships with how he seemed happier to be left alone than anything else.
Newt was a special unit of some kind. While he was an auror, his specialties seemed to lie in the beast division, but his talent was far too great to be simply put into the beast division. So he was an auror with certain clearance and it made him, well, possibly a bit of a thorn in the side at the time.
Namely, for a (1) Percival Graves. It wasn't even that his special clearance meant that he rudely ignored Percival's orders at times. No. Newt sometimes disobeyed them simply because he had decided that he simply didn't feel as though they were the right actions to make. The man simply just had strong morals and it seemed that those morals sat higher on doing things by the book or even following the law sometimes. A man with terribly sharp intuition, but a complete nuisance for those that prefer going by the book.
It also meant that Newt had a higher chance to injury than most others. Quite hilarious given his seemingly strong sense of preservation. Newt was someone who knew his limits quite well and seemed to know when to take a hit. It was almost scarily calculated how willing the man was to take a hit for someone else or to get injured to gain the upper hand.
Which probably did not sit well with Percival at all.
All in all, the man was an absolute menace. Stubborn and strong willed. He was far from being a limp noodle despite his gentle demeanor.
Newt knocks on Graves' office door with three polite knocks. He held a few reports in one arm. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows; his free arm lightly bandaged from a recent altercation. He was dressed down to just his shirt and waistcoat as it was warm and comfortable in the MACUSA building.] Mister Graves, you asked for me?
no subject
And of course, he completed a few that were presented with relative ease and was offered a transfer which he eventually accepted and the rest seemed to be history when she passed him over to Percival's watchful eye and care. The Ministry wasn't too pleased about losing one of its best though.
Percival, on the other hand, had been patient, more so than with most of the Aurors who work under him but he's reaching his first tipping point. Ever since Newt transferred, he's been this rather unpredictable prick in his side, not that he didn't respect the other's talents or strong work ethic but because he refused to obey specific orders given to him by going off on his own path. And that sort of thing never sat well with him.
And more often then not, he came back a little worse for wear with unnecessary injuries that could have been easily avoided had he listened and not constantly put himself into harm's way.
This time was no different. One of these days, Seraphina will have his head for not being able to stop Newt's reckless behavior. And it is not something he cares to explain or get lectured about.
Percival sat at his desk, a number of case files Newt was recently a part of spread all over the desk's surface and few floating idly around him. Leaning back in his chair, he stares at the door in thought before Newt's knocks drag him out of his head. With a deep sigh, he gives a gentle wave of his hand to slowly open the door, allowing Newt to walk in before he gives another wave to close it.
He watches as the other walks closer to his desk and by doing so he notices the bandage on his arm. ]
You did it again... didn't you?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Weeps over how soft that icon looks
I got lots of soft bois.
my heart for soft
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Physical Therapy
no subject
Trust was a brittle thing though and it takes a little while for people to realize when Newt goes missing. It's really no ones fault. Newt had been traveling and it was normal for the man to stop corresponding to anyone for some days or weeks depending on what his plans were or where he was traveling to. No one would know any better, but no one had ever had to worry. The man was possibly the most capable wizard going out into the wild unknown.
It's when he doesn't check in with a government official for wand clearance a week after his estimated arrival date is when things are amiss. No one has seen the man and it wasn't as though it should be impossibly hard to locate a messy haired Brit in a foreign land.
It takes days before they finally find him and the damage was done. Newt spends some time in a coma and even a longer time recovering in the hospital even after coming to.
Physical injuries would always eventually heal and there wasn't anything long lasting that couldn't be fixed with magic and time. Newt's mental state, however, was far from the best. Less trusting of others and more skittish and anxious around people; the man was even less open to others than he had been previously.
But, Newt's physical state was far from recovered and it took almost begging from Theseus for the man to finally agree to an assistant since relieving Bunty some time ago. Of course, Newt wasn't in any particular good state to do any sort of screening, so Theseus was in charge of that. The man was at least thorough. His interest in Newt's well being to the point of being overbearing came in handy in this instance.
It's why Newt was currently sitting in the living room of his small townhome waiting for Theseus and his potential assistant. Tea had been made and snacks had been laid out. He drums his fingers against his leg absentmindedly. He could feel anxiety bubble already. He hadn't had strangers in his personal space in awhile and he isn't too keen on the idea.
no subject
At first, he didn't think he could trust a wizard after the incident but Newt found him on the shoreline of the lake, stayed with him and was incredibly gentle with him until he healed. It only felt right to return the favor for his help in some shape or form when he was up to travel. Even though he didn't know where to start when it came to finding him.
The Ministry was the closest wizarding hub that he knew about, having past one entrance the very few times he'd gone into the city for whatever reason. Kielo easily packed a bag with clothes, snacks and general miscellaneous items for the road. Most of which he did by foot. It was the only real time to blow off so much pent up energy that he kept constantly and running cost nothing compared to being stuck on a crowded train with little room to do anything.
Being a horse racing against said train was fun in its own right, it definitely entertained the children on board. However, city goers don't take to wandering horses without an owner to well so he simply shifted where he wouldn't be noticed. Finding the Ministry, on the other hand, was a little difficult when he couldn't remember where some of the entrances were. It took a few hours of careful watching before he found one, easily slipping inside a bustling building where he was incredibly lost in.
It wasn't until he heard a name in passing that he tried to find the source of that conversation before lightly tapping the shoulder of Theseus. The Kelpie is quick to apologize for the interruption but he described Newt to the best of his ability, asking if it was the same person. One thing led to another and he found himself on his way to Newt's home with his brother as a guide, running him through what seemed like a list of things including Newt's current condition.
Kielo was a bit worried about meeting Newt again in form that the other had never met him in but he stands behind Theseus when he knocks on the other's front door.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
I just realized this reply had escaped the thread so I'm reposting it skjfg
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Theseus
no subject
Perhaps they also helped when one had a bout of nostalgia.
The large basin had been left unattended with the silvery contents of Newt's memories. Newt had been called away by Dumbledore and Newt felt the need to oblige. He had asked a favour after all, and he saw no harm in assisting in a few chores around Hogwarts while he was there. He trusted that no stranger would intrude on Professor Dumbledore's office nor did he think he would be gone long either.
Though, it would be easy to stumble upon it if they were seeking Dumbledore or Newt out and came by the office first. The young freckled face and bright hair of the man that flitted in and out of the misty substance was a dead giveaway as to who the memories in the bowl belonged to.]
no subject
Maybe he feels lost? Getting revenge for Leta is the only thing that remotely feels right, but with no leads, it's near impossible.
...
One way or another, Theseus absentmindedly finds himself moving throughout the halls of Hogwarts. He's not sure what really led him to Dumbledore's office, maybe something in the back of his mind telling him that the powerful wizard might be able to shed more information about Grindelwald, but the Auror still quietly opens the door without even bothering to announce his presence.]
...Newt?
[The familiar bright hair is enough to bring Theseus out of his trance, blinking a few times as he notices what his brother is looking into. A pensieve??]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Protector AU
no subject
The townspeople weren't particularly fond of him. They always considered him odd. Queer. A strange man who seemed to get along better with animals than his own neighbors. And there was a lot of talk that he was doing dubious things. Witchcraft. After all, how can he befriend every creature he came upon. And so, Newt lived more in isolation with the animals around them as his companion.
At least until he disappeared.
There's talk in the town that the forest has some deity. A deity they had angered due to their previous brazen ways. The deer were sacred, the townspeople say. They warn outsiders never to bring harm to the rare deer that reside in the forest. Beautiful and white, like pure snow. Their horns also a white ivory that made them quite fetching. Almost as though they were made of crystal and ice. The townspeople had been foolish to bring harm upon them before and so the deity had cursed some creature into the forest. A protector of some sort.
Ever since the appearance of the creature; a grotesque antlered beast of some kind, the townspeople had been more mindful not to harm the special deer. They speak about the man who went into the forest, but never returned once the creature appeared and that they cautioned not to anger it lest they wish to share the same fate as him.
That being said, the game was strong and it attracted plenty of hunters, especially during the winter time. The town was picturesque with lights decorating and the windows of shops filled with pies and other goodies. It brought many people to enjoy the festivities and the hunt.
Some come for the hunt. Some come for the festivities. Few come to learn more about whatever was lurking and protecting the forest.]
no subject
He slowly started to learn about the deity that watched over the woods to the rare deer that you weren't supposed to harm to the man that was said to have disappeared only to be replaced by an antlered creature that seemed to protect the forest.
Nothing more could be said no matter how many times he asked with every new season. People were too afraid to venture further to investigate and no one dared to anger the lurking creature.
His family never participated in the hunt but rather left a series of offerings in the dark of night on a flat-ish stone a little deeper in the woods than most would dare to tread. Sometimes they might catch a glimpse of the white deer, others they might catch a glimpse of the antlered creature or the crack of a branch in the night. He was always taught to respect nature, to take only what was needed to survive, to give some sort of thanks, and never let anything be wasted if a creature's life had to be taken.
Jonathan very much preferred the festivities and learning about the mystery looming over the forest protector that the townspeople tell tales of over the aspect of hunting, no matter how plentiful the game might've been that season.
And just like every year, he hopes he doesn't get dragged into it which luck was not on his side for.
What he didn't enjoy was the fact he got singled out by a group of hunters that needed an extra body while he was out and about enjoying the sights of the town. Trying to get your voice heard while being grabbed by the arm in what felt like every direction by a group of excited people with weapons in hand was easier said than done and he gave a rather defeated sigh and simply went along with it. He may have had a weapon thrust into his hands but there were no rules about having to use it.
There was a certain level of calm as Jonathan trailed behind the group, taking in the sounds of the forest over the idle hunter chatter. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Vampire AU
no subject
Everything happened much too fast for Kielo to even attempt to escape, it didn't help that his horse form made a much easier target then his human one. No amount of thrashing or kicking eased the restraints they put him under, leaving him to eventually burn himself out enough to cooperate and be pulled in any direction they wanted.
Sometimes its a tarped cart or large case or something generally inconspicuous that he's led into but the inside is always the same. Various sized cages and tanks, crates, strange bottles that were usually drowned in loud creature calls and smells. A few predators lunge at their confines causing Kielo to jump and bang hooves against anything nearby.
He wasn't expecting a cage to be sized properly to him, they never really are, as he gets prodded into one and the only fear he has becoming a reality as his captors take the bridle away from him before they lock the cage door. Kielo was a the mercy of whoever held it, his only downfall compared to other kelpie breeds.
There's a moment of frustration at this as he slams his body against the sides of the cage before resigning himself to his fate and letting out a huff as he looks around at the neighboring cages. Kielo partially shifts back to feel less claustrophobic as he sits on the ground, hands holding onto the bars. He hated how overwhelming such a place could be and all he can really thing about was Newt's suitcase and how it was far less harsh than here.
He wonders how the magizoologist was these days. ]
no subject
This was also ignoring the more dangerous part of his work. Smugglers and traffickers and the like. They were who he truly thought were dangerous. Greedy men looking to make a pretty galleon off creatures. Dead or alive. They were as heartless as they came and didn't care about the product they were handling. Product being living and breathing creatures.
And they didn't like the magizoologist. He meddled and whisked away their wares and the Brit won't deny he has made quite a few enemies through his travels.
He just didn't expect them to pursue him as they did.
It wasn't even that he had recently done anything to gain their ire. Hell, his travels had been within the cities and countryside and had nothing to do with chasing creatures (which is honestly more of a shock to anyone that knew him and himself). But perhaps he had let his guard down because of that.
And perhaps Kielo will see the curled up form of the man. A cage with so little room that he could even sit up. Instead, the man was curled and laying in his cage; feet tied together and arms tied behind his back. The usual coat of his absent along with his waistcoat and his usually off white shirt dirtied with dirt and blood. For extra measure, he had apparently been blindfolded and gagged as though they were worried if they gave him any amount of freedom, he could make do with it and escape and free everything with him.
Not a terribly bad idea given Newt's handiness even in bleak situations.
Honestly, it was probably a sad sight along with everything else.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Theseus Why
no subject
And he had found love. Moving on from Leta had been difficult. He had already started that when he fell in love with Tina, but the bitterness of old wounds prevented him from fully letting go properly. Love was a rather difficult emotion and heartache seemed to be a common feeling that came with it. He had fell for a few who had come and gone and he earnestly was surprised to end up with Percival Graves of all people. Percival had always been more Theseus' friend and not his, so for them to end up an item had blindsided him honestly.
Even more surprising was becoming physically intimate. Newt had always been terribly awkward at best and an absolute embarrassment at worst. Being in an intimate relationship, much less a sexual one had not even occurred to him to being a possibility for himself. It was nice though, he found. There was a certain level of comfort and security that it brought that he desperately wanted and needed that he now had. Newt quite likes it.
He has always had an odd schedule. He wasn't exactly a morning bird or night owl. He was neither and he was both. That being said, he usually was up early, whether because he stayed up or because he woke up early, but Newt ends up making his way into the kitchen rather late in the morning. It was practically noon actually. Newt was dressed down. Pajama pants with a wrinkled dress shirt like he had attempted to put clothes on proper and had decidedly just given up to get tea started. He hadn't even fully buttoned his mess of a shirt; the top two buttons undone. Newt places the kettle onto the stove to start boiling water before he runs a hand through his bedhead.
He was...sore. It was a pleasant feeling, overall, but he can't deny that it makes for starting the day to be difficult. He's much too tired to realize the rather obvious bruises on his neck and collar that was exposed; the marks that disappeared under his shirt.
no subject
Nonetheless, his eyes watch Newt as he makes his way to the kitchen, a greeting ready-- which only completely dies when he sees the state his brother is in.
Oh.
Merlin.
He's honestly just gobsmacked for a good few minutes, his cup just hovering in the air as he stares at Newt. It's clear how unused his brother is to all this, not bothering to hide any of the marks on his skin. The only question is who did he get lucky with.
An obvious answer sounds in his mind, but Theseus pushes that aside for now.]
Merlin, it's finally happened.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)