“We’ve gotta stage an intervention or something.” Gonzales decided.
“Because he’s wearing a ring?” Aster scoffed.
“Yeah, because he’s wearing a ring! I don’t know about you guys, but I think this is getting pretty sad,” Gonzales insisted, “Saying you’re already with someone to get out of a date is one thing, but this is taking it pretty damn far.”
“Well we don’t know for sure his husband is made up,” Starling shrugged, “I mean, who goes out and buys an actual wedding ring just to kid people?”
Gonzales threw his arms up. “That’s what I mean! Graves doesn’t do jokes in the first place and he actually went as far as to buy a ring?” He shook his head, “I don’t like it. Something’s gotta be up.”
Aster rolled her eyes. “You’re being ridiculous. Just because we haven’t seen his husband and didn’t hear about him until a couple of months ago…”
“And he’s got a weird job, a name that sounds made up, travels a lot but is conveniently nearby when we start to doubt he’s real,” Gonzales ticked off on his fingers, “What d’you think, Goldstein?”
Tina frowned into her coffee, considering. “I admit it doesn’t sound the best, but… it’s not affecting his job or anything, is it? Whether it’s a joke or all some elaborate way to get you to stop trying to set him up on blind dates, I don’t see that it’s hurting anything.”
“Man, seriously? You’re, like, the nosiest person in this room and I can’t get you on my side?” Gonzales sagged against his desk.
“I am not…” Tina began, only to be cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat.
Tina, Starling, and Aster all turned away from Gonzales’ desk to find a man standing just behind them, apparently having snuck up without their notice. He wore a rather unseasonable blue coat and was clutching a leather suitcase in one hand and a visitor’s pass in the other, looking rather uncertain of himself beneath a mop of red-brown hair. “Ah, yes, hello, excuse me,” The man cleared his throat again, continuing in a distinct British accent, “Sorry to interrupt, it’s just- is this the department of magical law enforcement?”
“This is it,” Tina nodded, “Can we help you?”
“Yes, actually, I’m looking for someone.” The man nodded.
“Missing person?” Gonzales cocked an eyebrow, sitting forward in his chair.
“Oh! No,” The man’s eyes went wide as he shook his head, “No, sorry, I’m looking for someone who works here.”
“Well we all work here. What d’you need?” Starling prodded.
“No, I’m looking for a specific…” The man looked down for a moment, shaking his head, “Perhaps I should- my name is Newt Scamander. I’m looking for Percival Graves. Could you possibly…”
“Did you say Newt?” Tina interrupted.
“Yes,” The man tucked his visitor’s pass under one arm and extended his hand to Tina, “Newt Scamander.”
“Tina Goldstein.” Tina took his hand to shake, her eyebrows rising as she looked from his face to the hand holding his suitcase, “You’re wearing a ring.”
“…yes?” Newt looked uncertainly from Tina to the three other aurors who had just zoned in on his hand, “It’s my wedding ring.”
“And you said you were looking for Percival Graves?” Aster dragged her eyes from the wooden band around their visitor’s finger and back up to his face.
“Yes. I was hoping to sort of… surprise him, actually.” Newt admitted, “Only I’ve never been here before and I got a bit turned around. Honestly, I’ve been able to navigate jungles more effectively than this building, how do you work here every day without getting lost?”
“You get used to it.” Starling grinned, then leaned over and nudged Gonzales, “Told you he wasn’t making it up.”
Newt’s brows scrunched together in confusion. “Of course I’m not making it up. Look, I’ve got a visitor’s pass and everything, I just lost my way,” Newt brandished his pass towards the group at large, “Now could one of you please tell me where I can find- Percy.”
“Percy?” Gonzales muttered, looking from Newt to his fellow aurors, only to realize everyone was now focused on something behind his desk.
“Newt,” Graves voice rang out across the office, “I didn’t think you were serious.”
“Of course I was. I said I’d come surprise you at work,” Newt replied, quickly sidestepping Gonzales’ desk to approach Graves, “You don’t look very surprised, though.”
“I heard when your ship came in this morning.” Graves told him, not objecting at all as Newt came and stood closer to him than anyone in the office ever dared, “I have your passport flagged.”
Newt gave Graves a rather weak glare. “I know. Do you know how many raised eyebrows that gets me whenever I go through customs? Everyone looks at me as though I’ve done something wrong.”
“Because you probably have.” Graves grinned.
“Well I married you, for starters…” Newt replied, hints of his own smile tugging at his mouth.
At this, Aster grinned outright, leaning down to whisper to Gonzales. “You owe me five dragots.”
“How do I owe you money? We didn’t make any bets!” Gonzales hissed.
“You made us all miserable for months,” Aster elbowed him in the side, “You owe me money for that.”
Newt turned to glance back at Tina and the other aurors who had greeted him. “What have you been telling them about me, anyway?” Newt asked quietly, “They seemed to think I’d made something up.”
Graves shook his head, also glancing over to where Aster and Gonzales were now blatantly arguing. “They think you’re made up.”
Newt gave another wide-eyed look to the aurors in question. Starling was still grinning at him while Tina at least pretended to be focused on her coffee and Aster and Gonzales continued nudging each other back and forth. “How can I be made up? I’m standing right here.” Newt looked down at himself, flapping his visitor’s pass around once more.
Tina snorted, nearly spilling her coffee. Starling shifted his weight on his feet for a moment before addressing Newt. “Do you actually carry a bowtruckle with you?”
That, at least, shut Aster and Gonzales up, both turning to see Newt’s reply. Newt shot an uncertain look at Graves before shoving his visitor’s pass into his coat pocket and reaching up to tap his lapel gently. There was no mistaking the small green creature that peered out from behind it. “His name is Pickett.” Newt told them.
Starling gave a short laugh of delight, reaching over and tapping Gonzales on the shoulder. “You owe me five dragots now, too.” He declared.
“No one owes anyone any money.” Graves snapped before Gonzales could protest Starling’s claim, “Now stop standing around staring and get back to work.”
The aurors hastened to comply, each returning to their own desk and quickly picking up files and papers, but not one of them missed the way Graves’ hand found its way to the small of Newt’s back as he led Newt away to his office.
“Why on Earth do they all think I’m made up?” Newt’s voice carried back to them over the low noise of the office.
“You should come visit more.” Graves told him.
“No, I am never coming to visit you at work again.” Newt insisted, though he punctuated the statement by leaning over and kissing Graves quickly on the cheek, just before they disappeared down the hall.
Once reasonably sure Graves and Newt had disappeared into the former’s office, Aster pointed across her desk to Gonzales. “You’re definitely buying us drinks tonight.” She declared.
“Sure. Why the fuck not?” Gonzales threw his arms up, “Wanna invite the boss and his husband while we’re at it? We can celebrate Graves’ marriage, two years late.”
“Oh, I don’t know. They’ll probably be busy tonight.” Tina replied, glancing at Gonzales over her file, “I’ll definitely take you up on a drink, though.”
Gonzales huffed, grabbing a quill and starting on his work. “Don’t know how you all decided this was my fault,” He muttered, more to himself than his coworkers, “Graves is the one with the made-up sounding husband…”
“Look at it this way, Gonzales: you found the truth.”
Fill: In Phony Matrimony 3/3 [Graves/Newt, no warnings]
“Because he’s wearing a ring?” Aster scoffed.
“Yeah, because he’s wearing a ring! I don’t know about you guys, but I think this is getting pretty sad,” Gonzales insisted, “Saying you’re already with someone to get out of a date is one thing, but this is taking it pretty damn far.”
“Well we don’t know for sure his husband is made up,” Starling shrugged, “I mean, who goes out and buys an actual wedding ring just to kid people?”
Gonzales threw his arms up. “That’s what I mean! Graves doesn’t do jokes in the first place and he actually went as far as to buy a ring?” He shook his head, “I don’t like it. Something’s gotta be up.”
Aster rolled her eyes. “You’re being ridiculous. Just because we haven’t seen his husband and didn’t hear about him until a couple of months ago…”
“And he’s got a weird job, a name that sounds made up, travels a lot but is conveniently nearby when we start to doubt he’s real,” Gonzales ticked off on his fingers, “What d’you think, Goldstein?”
Tina frowned into her coffee, considering. “I admit it doesn’t sound the best, but… it’s not affecting his job or anything, is it? Whether it’s a joke or all some elaborate way to get you to stop trying to set him up on blind dates, I don’t see that it’s hurting anything.”
“Man, seriously? You’re, like, the nosiest person in this room and I can’t get you on my side?” Gonzales sagged against his desk.
“I am not…” Tina began, only to be cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat.
Tina, Starling, and Aster all turned away from Gonzales’ desk to find a man standing just behind them, apparently having snuck up without their notice. He wore a rather unseasonable blue coat and was clutching a leather suitcase in one hand and a visitor’s pass in the other, looking rather uncertain of himself beneath a mop of red-brown hair. “Ah, yes, hello, excuse me,” The man cleared his throat again, continuing in a distinct British accent, “Sorry to interrupt, it’s just- is this the department of magical law enforcement?”
“This is it,” Tina nodded, “Can we help you?”
“Yes, actually, I’m looking for someone.” The man nodded.
“Missing person?” Gonzales cocked an eyebrow, sitting forward in his chair.
“Oh! No,” The man’s eyes went wide as he shook his head, “No, sorry, I’m looking for someone who works here.”
“Well we all work here. What d’you need?” Starling prodded.
“No, I’m looking for a specific…” The man looked down for a moment, shaking his head,
“Perhaps I should- my name is Newt Scamander. I’m looking for Percival Graves. Could you possibly…”
“Did you say Newt?” Tina interrupted.
“Yes,” The man tucked his visitor’s pass under one arm and extended his hand to Tina, “Newt Scamander.”
“Tina Goldstein.” Tina took his hand to shake, her eyebrows rising as she looked from his face to the hand holding his suitcase, “You’re wearing a ring.”
“…yes?” Newt looked uncertainly from Tina to the three other aurors who had just zoned in on his hand, “It’s my wedding ring.”
“And you said you were looking for Percival Graves?” Aster dragged her eyes from the wooden band around their visitor’s finger and back up to his face.
“Yes. I was hoping to sort of… surprise him, actually.” Newt admitted, “Only I’ve never been here before and I got a bit turned around. Honestly, I’ve been able to navigate jungles more effectively than this building, how do you work here every day without getting lost?”
“You get used to it.” Starling grinned, then leaned over and nudged Gonzales, “Told you he wasn’t making it up.”
Newt’s brows scrunched together in confusion. “Of course I’m not making it up. Look, I’ve got a visitor’s pass and everything, I just lost my way,” Newt brandished his pass towards the group at large, “Now could one of you please tell me where I can find- Percy.”
“Percy?” Gonzales muttered, looking from Newt to his fellow aurors, only to realize everyone was now focused on something behind his desk.
“Newt,” Graves voice rang out across the office, “I didn’t think you were serious.”
“Of course I was. I said I’d come surprise you at work,” Newt replied, quickly sidestepping Gonzales’ desk to approach Graves, “You don’t look very surprised, though.”
“I heard when your ship came in this morning.” Graves told him, not objecting at all as Newt came and stood closer to him than anyone in the office ever dared, “I have your passport flagged.”
Newt gave Graves a rather weak glare. “I know. Do you know how many raised eyebrows that gets me whenever I go through customs? Everyone looks at me as though I’ve done something wrong.”
“Because you probably have.” Graves grinned.
“Well I married you, for starters…” Newt replied, hints of his own smile tugging at his mouth.
At this, Aster grinned outright, leaning down to whisper to Gonzales. “You owe me five dragots.”
“How do I owe you money? We didn’t make any bets!” Gonzales hissed.
“You made us all miserable for months,” Aster elbowed him in the side, “You owe me money for that.”
Newt turned to glance back at Tina and the other aurors who had greeted him. “What have you been telling them about me, anyway?” Newt asked quietly, “They seemed to think I’d made something up.”
Graves shook his head, also glancing over to where Aster and Gonzales were now blatantly arguing. “They think you’re made up.”
Newt gave another wide-eyed look to the aurors in question. Starling was still grinning at him while Tina at least pretended to be focused on her coffee and Aster and Gonzales continued nudging each other back and forth. “How can I be made up? I’m standing right here.” Newt looked down at himself, flapping his visitor’s pass around once more.
Tina snorted, nearly spilling her coffee. Starling shifted his weight on his feet for a moment before addressing Newt. “Do you actually carry a bowtruckle with you?”
That, at least, shut Aster and Gonzales up, both turning to see Newt’s reply. Newt shot an uncertain look at Graves before shoving his visitor’s pass into his coat pocket and reaching up to tap his lapel gently. There was no mistaking the small green creature that peered out from behind it. “His name is Pickett.” Newt told them.
Starling gave a short laugh of delight, reaching over and tapping Gonzales on the shoulder. “You owe me five dragots now, too.” He declared.
“No one owes anyone any money.” Graves snapped before Gonzales could protest Starling’s claim, “Now stop standing around staring and get back to work.”
The aurors hastened to comply, each returning to their own desk and quickly picking up files and papers, but not one of them missed the way Graves’ hand found its way to the small of Newt’s back as he led Newt away to his office.
“Why on Earth do they all think I’m made up?” Newt’s voice carried back to them over the low noise of the office.
“You should come visit more.” Graves told him.
“No, I am never coming to visit you at work again.” Newt insisted, though he punctuated the statement by leaning over and kissing Graves quickly on the cheek, just before they disappeared down the hall.
Once reasonably sure Graves and Newt had disappeared into the former’s office, Aster pointed across her desk to Gonzales. “You’re definitely buying us drinks tonight.” She declared.
“Sure. Why the fuck not?” Gonzales threw his arms up, “Wanna invite the boss and his husband while we’re at it? We can celebrate Graves’ marriage, two years late.”
“Oh, I don’t know. They’ll probably be busy tonight.” Tina replied, glancing at Gonzales over her file, “I’ll definitely take you up on a drink, though.”
Gonzales huffed, grabbing a quill and starting on his work. “Don’t know how you all decided this was my fault,” He muttered, more to himself than his coworkers, “Graves is the one with the made-up sounding husband…”
“Look at it this way, Gonzales: you found the truth.”
“Shove it, Starling.”
-/-/-