House: Horned Serpent

Astronomy: Extra Credit Task - Telescopes: In your Astronomy class, you must learn to care for and use telescopes properly. These devices are essential in order to see the stars clearly defined and study what is larger than life. Write about someone finally seeing/realizing the bigger picture

WC: 303

TW: mentions of past child abuse

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When realisation hit Newt Scamander, it did so like a bolt of lightning.

"I'm sorry," Credence stammered, stepping away — Newt mourned his closeness, goosebumps prickling along the bare skin of his forearms, but he knew better to chase Credence into a corner.

"Credence," Newt whispered, unable to stop himself from reaching for the other man — palms flat and turned up, not a threat, not going to hurt you, all actions Newt knew how to show, "Credence, did you just flirt with me?"

"I have been for the past year," Credence said, crooked hands clasped behind his back — hidden away from Newt, protecting them from the lash of a belt. Newt knew there would be tiny half moons imprinted on Credence's skin, and was struck once again with the notion of kissing them away, to trace his lips across old injuries and new as if his touch was divine.

"I didn't realise," Newt said, thoughts chasing each other round and round, a twisted mess of worry at how Credence had viewed his actions — cold, heartless? — and his lack of apparent reciprogation.

"It, it wasn't obvious. I can't— I couldn't…" Credence trailed off into a shrug that encompassed his shattered childhood, the guilt he still carried to this day like a fresh wound, and everything he had worked for since then.

"Can I kiss you?"

The question was barely louder than a whisper, but deafeningly loud in the silence of their tent, suitcase locked and all of his animals blissfully occupied.

Credence's shock, worry, fear melted away like snow before a sunrise; a crooked grin spilling across his face as he carefully stepped closer to Newt, tipping his face up, and kissing him — soft and sweet, the scratch of his stubble against Newt's cheeks — and everything was perfect.