Forever
“Forever?” Newt murmured, his voice quiet and unsure. Grindelwald’s arms wrapped around his thin waist, the German pressing soft kisses to Newt’s neck. The sensation was unfamiliar, making shivers go down his spine.
“Forever,” Grindelwald confirmed, Newt could feel his damn smirk against his skin.
“I’d say it’s like selling your soul, but your freedom is worth much more than your soul, isn’t it Newton?”
If Grindelwald wasn’t holding him up, Newt probably would have collapsed. His knees felt weak as reality rained down on him. The Magizoologist didn’t have much of a choice. His freedom, his travels- his creatures, what would happen to them?!
Newt didn’t even notice when he started crying only that he was no longer facing away from Grindelwald. Instead, the other man was embracing him.
“Keine Tränen, mein liebling” Grindelwald murmured, brushing away his tears. His voice unbearably soft.
It wasn’t that hard of a choice, in a way. If he agreed to this, to bond with the Dark Lord then Theseus, Leta and his friends from New York would all be safe. His creatures, too of course. Grindelwald knew better then to not include them in the deal.
“Please don’t take my beasts,” the hand brushing through Newt’s hair paused for a moment before stopping to tilt Newt’s chin up. His hazel eyes meeting Grindelwald’s mismatched ones.
“You’ll get used to it, my darling- but I won’t be taking your beasts. Why would I? After all, I said I’d be taking your freedom not your soul.”
To his credit, Grindelwald didn’t lie. He didn’t take Newt’s creatures and even helped Newt transport many of them to Nurmengard. He’d bring Newt creatures that his followers found for Newt to heal and help.
Every now and then, Newt would be allowed to go on trips, usually accompanied by Grindelwald or Vinda and an entourage of followers.
Grindelwald- rather, Gellert as he preferred to be called by Newt never forced the Hufflepuff into his bed. Which, Newt had to admit was admirable if the bar was set considerably low. Sometimes, the blonde would kiss his cheek, or just spend hours in his hospital just watching Newt but not much else. It initially made Newt very uncomfortable but he got used to it.
Newt wasn’t sure how long he’d been bonded with Gellert when it happened. One day, the man just seemed to appear and embrace him.
“It seems I was wrong,” Gellert kissed his forehead, looking so unbearably sad that Newt’s heart couldn’t help but break at the sight.
“Your freedom is your soul, darling. Every day you spend here, I see a bit more of your light fade away- leave Nurmengard. I release you.”
The Magizoologist just stared at him for a moment, completely dumbstruck.
“J-just like that?”
Gellert nodded, trying to smile and look less like he was falling apart.
“Just like that.”
-
Newt was only gone a week. He couldn’t help it and couldn’t do much to explain it. Every night, he felt cold. Even if they weren’t having sex, Newt tended to crawl into Gellert’s bed just to get warm.
Nurmengard was damned cold.
He didn’t know what it was but he was too cold to sleep at night, and just for fuck’s sake- he missed his husband’s arms around him!
The Magizoologist dropped his teacup when he realized that. Theseus was at his side in a moment, a wave of his wand cleaning up the mess and healing his hand from the burn.
“Little one?”
“I’m sorry-“ Newt muttered, not even looking at his brother before he ran out of the flat, his hand on his case.
-
Newt didn’t bother knocking when he barged into the meeting room for Gellert’s followers. He could feel their stares on them, making Newt immediately curl into himself. He stuttered out an apology, unable to meet his husband’s eyes.
He barely noticed it when Vinda brushed the others out of the room, leaving it empty except for Newt and Gellert.
“I’m sorry- I can go-“
Gellert, instead of throwing him out, hugged him again. Holding him so close, Newt was surprised their magics hadn’t surged and created a single being instead.
“You came back,”
Newt smiled for the first time since he left.
“I missed you,” The sound Gellert made may have been a laugh or a cry. So, Newt did what he assumed normal husbands did when their partner was upset.
He kissed him.