(AO3 link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/9605585/chapters/21700997) Keeping Newt safe from trouble was a full time job. The other bowtruckles were happy with their home trees, but Pickett had known for a long time that Newt needed to be looked after. He had chosen to make Newt his home human, even if he was a lot more trouble than most trees. Trees tended to behave, Newt did not. But they had had a lot of adventures over the years.
For now, he was settled into his human's pocket, nuzzling against his warmth to remind himself that Newt was here, and was safe. The nasty man had tried to kill his Newt, and Pickett was not alright with that at all. No one was allowed to kill Newt. Not on his watch. His Newt needed to be looked after.
Pickett had saved them both, yet again. Well, Lilac had helped, but without Pickett both his human and his human's new friend would be dead. Pickett really was not sure about the new friend. She had nearly got Newt killed, and had yelled a lot. But she had given Newt nice food. Her house had been worryingly tidy, and there had been no woodlice to eat, but Newt's pocket always contained a few snacks, so for now he was willing to tolerate it. Proud of himself, he glanced up at his human.
Newt had done something funny to the ribbon at his neck. Rather than being long, it was twisted up. Newt looked a little worried, his face doing a squishy thing. Pickett wanted to reassure him. He was determined to take good care of Newt. Newt didn't need to be scared while he was there.
The place they were in was dark and smoky, and there was loud music playing. Twisting underneath the collar, he could see Newt's new friend. Her face looked a little worried as well, which wasn't a good thing. Last time she had looked worried, Newt had ended up in a bad room and nearly died. He needed a better look.
He clambered up so that he could see what was going, and narrowed his eyes when he saw that there was a goblin facing them. The goblin looked straight at him, and smirked nastily. "Wait a minute. That's a Bowtruckle right?"
That question scared Pickett, bringing back memories of Before Newt. He didn't like thinking about that. He curled back up in the pocket, feeling safer there. Newt was holding the pocket closed, and he heard Newt say "No." He wasn't going to be given over. Newt knew how important Pickett was for being safe.
"Come on, that's a Bowtruckle. They pick locks, am I right?" The nasty bad goblin was still talking, and Pickett squeaked in fear, before relaxing a little when Newt refused to hand him over. Newt was a good human. The goblin left, and Pickett relaxed a little, only to hear Newt agree to surrender him.
He tried to cling to the fabric of his pocket, screaming at Newt as Newt pulled him out. He tried to clutch at Newt's hand. "NO!" He screamed. " Don't! Don't hand me over you idiot you'll get killed..." He tried to squirm away, struggling and scrambling at him. "Pickett..." Newt pleaded, and then the clawed hand of the goblin closed around him.
He reached out towards Newt, but Newt looked away. "No! Don't, you're my human, I have to keep you safe... you'll get yourself killed!" Newt didn't listen. He was too busy talking to the nasty bad goblin. Then screaming started and there was chaos.
The muggle, the nice friendly man who was a much better friend for Newt than the shouty woman, approached, and hit the nasty goblin. Pickett cheered, and he scrambled to the nearest table, clinging onto it. It was made of wood, so at least for now it felt like some shelter. He was delighted as Newt dived towards him.
He gripped Newt's hand even tighter than before, yelling at him. "You idiot! What were you thinking you would have been in trouble! I have to keep you safe! Dougal and Lilac would be so angry if they knew..." He tried to shout, then went quiet as they disapparated. He was returned to Newt's pocket, and he curled up there protectively, eating the woodlice that remained and sulking.
He remained in a terrible mood, only too aware of the horrible things that could have happened if he wasn't there to keep Newt safe. He was relieved when he heard Dougal's chatter. Dougal was another one who would look after his human. Then they went back into Newt's case.
He pinched Newt, trying to get his attention. "OUCH!" Newt yelled, grabbing him out, and Pickett curled up on his hand. "I think we need to talk. I wouldn't have let him keep you Pickett. I would rather chop off my hand than get rid of you."
Pickett turned away. "You'd probably lose your hand if I wasn't there to watch over you." He muttered, but Newt definitely didn't understand. He carried on trying to reason with him, as though it was Pickett who had been silly. "After everything you've done for me..." Newt continued, and Pickett felt a slight sense of warmth. It was nice to know that his human understood that he was important for Newt's safety. "We've talked about sulking before, haven't we? Pickett, come on, give me a smile."
Newt might not understand Bowtruckle language, but Pickett had a much simpler way of letting Newt know he wasn't forgiving him quite yet. He blew a raspberry at Newt. Newt put him down on his shoulder, and Pickett cuddled up on the fabric of his coat, trying to monitor his human. He wasn't going to forgive Newt yet, but at least Newt seemed to have learned his lesson. "Don't ever do something that stupid again." He yelled at Newt, and ate the woodlouse he had been offered. He knew Newt would be in trouble again soon, but for now he could relax.
FILL: Fantastic Humans and How to Keep them Safe (Part 1/6)
Keeping Newt safe from trouble was a full time job. The other bowtruckles were happy with their home trees, but Pickett had known for a long time that Newt needed to be looked after. He had chosen to make Newt his home human, even if he was a lot more trouble than most trees. Trees tended to behave, Newt did not. But they had had a lot of adventures over the years.
For now, he was settled into his human's pocket, nuzzling against his warmth to remind himself that Newt was here, and was safe. The nasty man had tried to kill his Newt, and Pickett was not alright with that at all. No one was allowed to kill Newt. Not on his watch. His Newt needed to be looked after.
Pickett had saved them both, yet again. Well, Lilac had helped, but without Pickett both his human and his human's new friend would be dead. Pickett really was not sure about the new friend. She had nearly got Newt killed, and had yelled a lot. But she had given Newt nice food. Her house had been worryingly tidy, and there had been no woodlice to eat, but Newt's pocket always contained a few snacks, so for now he was willing to tolerate it. Proud of himself, he glanced up at his human.
Newt had done something funny to the ribbon at his neck. Rather than being long, it was twisted up. Newt looked a little worried, his face doing a squishy thing. Pickett wanted to reassure him. He was determined to take good care of Newt. Newt didn't need to be scared while he was there.
The place they were in was dark and smoky, and there was loud music playing. Twisting underneath the collar, he could see Newt's new friend. Her face looked a little worried as well, which wasn't a good thing. Last time she had looked worried, Newt had ended up in a bad room and nearly died. He needed a better look.
He clambered up so that he could see what was going, and narrowed his eyes when he saw that there was a goblin facing them. The goblin looked straight at him, and smirked nastily.
"Wait a minute. That's a Bowtruckle right?"
That question scared Pickett, bringing back memories of Before Newt. He didn't like thinking about that. He curled back up in the pocket, feeling safer there. Newt was holding the pocket closed, and he heard Newt say "No." He wasn't going to be given over. Newt knew how important Pickett was for being safe.
"Come on, that's a Bowtruckle. They pick locks, am I right?" The nasty bad goblin was still talking, and Pickett squeaked in fear, before relaxing a little when Newt refused to hand him over. Newt was a good human. The goblin left, and Pickett relaxed a little, only to hear Newt agree to surrender him.
He tried to cling to the fabric of his pocket, screaming at Newt as Newt pulled him out. He tried to clutch at Newt's hand.
"NO!" He screamed. " Don't! Don't hand me over you idiot you'll get killed..." He tried to squirm away, struggling and scrambling at him.
"Pickett..." Newt pleaded, and then the clawed hand of the goblin closed around him.
He reached out towards Newt, but Newt looked away.
"No! Don't, you're my human, I have to keep you safe... you'll get yourself killed!" Newt didn't listen. He was too busy talking to the nasty bad goblin. Then screaming started and there was chaos.
The muggle, the nice friendly man who was a much better friend for Newt than the shouty woman, approached, and hit the nasty goblin. Pickett cheered, and he scrambled to the nearest table, clinging onto it. It was made of wood, so at least for now it felt like some shelter. He was delighted as Newt dived towards him.
He gripped Newt's hand even tighter than before, yelling at him.
"You idiot! What were you thinking you would have been in trouble! I have to keep you safe! Dougal and Lilac would be so angry if they knew..." He tried to shout, then went quiet as they disapparated. He was returned to Newt's pocket, and he curled up there protectively, eating the woodlice that remained and sulking.
He remained in a terrible mood, only too aware of the horrible things that could have happened if he wasn't there to keep Newt safe. He was relieved when he heard Dougal's chatter. Dougal was another one who would look after his human. Then they went back into Newt's case.
He pinched Newt, trying to get his attention.
"OUCH!" Newt yelled, grabbing him out, and Pickett curled up on his hand.
"I think we need to talk. I wouldn't have let him keep you Pickett. I would rather chop off my hand than get rid of you."
Pickett turned away.
"You'd probably lose your hand if I wasn't there to watch over you." He muttered, but Newt definitely didn't understand. He carried on trying to reason with him, as though it was Pickett who had been silly.
"After everything you've done for me..." Newt continued, and Pickett felt a slight sense of warmth. It was nice to know that his human understood that he was important for Newt's safety.
"We've talked about sulking before, haven't we? Pickett, come on, give me a smile."
Newt might not understand Bowtruckle language, but Pickett had a much simpler way of letting Newt know he wasn't forgiving him quite yet. He blew a raspberry at Newt. Newt put him down on his shoulder, and Pickett cuddled up on the fabric of his coat, trying to monitor his human. He wasn't going to forgive Newt yet, but at least Newt seemed to have learned his lesson.
"Don't ever do something that stupid again." He yelled at Newt, and ate the woodlouse he had been offered. He knew Newt would be in trouble again soon, but for now he could relax.