Underwater ↠ Newt Scamander

1.07 | The Expanding Lagoon

THE EXPANDING LAGOON

ARETHUSA STARED UP AT the ceiling that night, clearly lost in thought. There weren't enough beds in the apartment, thus leaving Arethusa on their sofa. She wasn't uncomfortable, yet she couldn't sleep at all. She had one too many things on her mind. The adventure to New York had taken a surprising turn, as their explorations often did. They still had to get to Arizona, yet now they were stuck in a strange woman's apartment with a muggle and a legilimen.

Most of all, Arethusa thought about Newt and Porpetina. Newt was justly worrying about his creatures, but Porpetina only seemed to be adding onto the stress. She was kinder towards Newt than she was to Arethusa, and that was beginning to psych her out as well. Even with Queenie's awkward little interjection, she couldn't help but frown when she thought of the brown haired woman.

Eventually, Arethusa couldn't take being left with her thoughts.

She slowly stood up, trying her hardest not to alert the women that she was awake. She crept her way through the empty room and towards where Newt and Mr. Kowalski were staying in. She didn't bother to knock on the door, peeking it open just a little. When she looked in she found it was empty. A cold cup of cocoa sat next to the locked case on the floor. She creeped forward, carefully moving the cocoa before clicking open the locks. It popped open on her command, allowing her to peer inside of it.

"Newton?" Arethusa called out.  A few muffled noises came out in response. She didn't hesitate to climb down, latching onto the long, metal ladder as she lowered herself into their makeshift little home. It was a small place that was filled to the brim with notes and supplies, along with Newt's bed. The area she was heading to was much smaller than all the others, shared by a multitude of creatures. It was only a temporary living space; She and Newt had plans for a much bigger enclosure in the future.

She turned her head just a bit, stopping halfway as she stared at Newt. He stood over the counter, chopping up a slab of bright pink meat for some of the creatures. Her feet hit the floor as he pushed it into the bucket at his feet, turning to face the two people staring at him.

"Thusa, dear, I was wondering when you'd be coming down." Newt said it so casually that even Arethusa didn't pick up on it right away. He studied her, his head tilting down just a little as he managed a smile. Either he didn't realize what he was saying, or he knew exactly what he had said. Either one was a possibility with Newt. "Mr. Kowalski was just about to help me check on the creatures, care to join us?"

"I was planning on checking on the lagoon," Arethusa hummed in response, taking off her coat and tossing it onto the bed. She would pick it up later. "I'm in desperate need of a swim.  I'm beginning to flake."

"Go right ahead," Newt hummed, watching as she turned, grabbing a small bucket of flobberworms from next to the ladder. His gaze lingered on he figure when she made her way out the door, something that Kowalski immediately picked up on. The man cleared his throat after a moment of dead silence, startling to wizard. Newt turned back around to face the man, managing a small smile and handing over a bucket full of meat. "Take this."

- - - -

They called in the expanding lagoon. They had yet to figure out a proper charm to control the fresh water, so it was shared by all the aquatic creatures they had acquired. Those fresh water creatures were left floating in bubbles, while the rest of the salt water fish floated about in the lagoon. As the little pool widened it grew deeper and deeper, expanding further out under the floors of the case. It was like an infinite, flooded basement.