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baekhypnotized · 4 years

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☆— [one]

summary: Baekhyun is just a man who doesn’t believe in romance as much as Byul, who is trying to give herself to him. But day by day, he will soon realize that her fleeting actions are breaking down his cold-hearted brick wall, no matter if it takes her a million years.

warning(s): -

word count: 2.7k+

author’s note: first chapter is finally up!! feedback is much appreciated so please leave your thoughts regarding this fic!! to anyone who would like to be tagged in the next chapter, please let me know too :)

tag list: @baestelcolor

[next]>>

Today marks three months since I moved to an affordable studio apartment in Seoul. With an agreement, my mom agrees to let me further my studies in Seoul on one condition, she can only give a limited amount of monthly allowance for me. It doesn’t really matter to me because I have been planning to find a part-time job in a cafe or a flower shop to pay for rent and my college fees. Trying to find a job in a city where only experienced people will be prioritized is quite a struggle considering my lack of experience but I am grateful to be able to land a job in a small cafe near my university. I will be working in shifts to fit my class schedule and the weekends.

Since it's the weekend and some of the workers are taking their leaves, I take this opportunity to take over their shifts for extra wages. This is the only effort that I can do for my own living. Next week will be super hectic with orientation week as a post-graduate student. I’m feeling a little nervous about it that I can feel the shiver down my spine. I wake up early in the morning, prepare a simple toast for breakfast and get into my work outfit. Styling my hair with a messy bun, I apply lip tint on my lips to make me look alive for today.

The walk to the nearest train station is about 10 minutes from my apartment and since it’s still early, the amount of people on the train is less than I imagine. Maybe, most of them are still tucked in bed and enjoying their weekend with beloved ones. But here I am, working on a Sunday when tomorrow is my first day as a Master student. The view of the Sunrise, lighting up the panorama of Seoul with her gleaming rays, reflecting beautifully on the blue water of the Han River is endearing to me. The beauty of Seoul will always catch people’s attention, including me and that’s the reason why I decided to continue my studies in my own hometown. It feels good to be back in Korea after living in New Orleans for years with a new family for so long.

When I arrived there, the cafe is already open as I guess, Senior Hana arrived earlier. I greet her politely and she instructs me what to for today. An hour left before the cafe’s starts to open, cleaning the place up would be a good idea somehow. Dahyun will be here any minute now because she’s responsible to display the cakes and appetizers at the display counter. I rearrange the tables and chairs accordingly, sweep the floor and finish it up by mopping the floor.

The first bell chimes make me turns around, noticing that Dahyun has finally arrived.

"Morning, Byul!” She greets with a loud yawn.

I pause for a moment from cleaning the cashier counter to look at Dahyun, with a smile stretched. “Morning, Dahyun.”

She leaves me alone to set up the desserts by the display counter as I go back to the staff room and grabbing my black apron as I wear it, completing it with my nametag pinned on the apron. There are approximately 15 minutes left before we open for today’s business and I just hope my first day at the cafe goes well considering we’ll be getting a lot more customers on a Sunday.

"I’m done arranging them! Finally!” Dahyun huffs a loud sigh before she plops down on a small chair. I give her a thumbs up, rewarding her for her hard work. Dahyun stands back on her feet, walking towards the staff room to prepare herself. “I think we can start for today, Byul.”

"Are you ready?” I confirm it back to her, waiting for her reply.

"Yes, I’m ready. I’ll be back and you can unlock the main door already.”

I comply with her commands, go straight to the main door and unlocks it, and then turning the ‘closed’ sign to ‘open’. Waiting for customers to enter the cafe behind the cash register counter, I hum to random songs while figuring out what outfit should I be wearing on the first day of university tomorrow. I’m feeling quite edgy and anxious but I pray that everything will be fine.

A tinkling sound comes from the wind chime that my boss hung at the door, alerting the staff of new customers. My first customer for today is a he. The heels of his expensive shoes makes a clear, nice sound against the wooden floorboards. He enters the café. His hair is combed perfectly and parted in the middle, looking so sleek in his black suit. As he comes closer towards me, I can clearly see a few cute little moles on his face.

This man in front of me greets me with a smile that manages to make my heart beats loudly, my cheeks redden into a rosy pink color. I let out a small cough to control myself as I plaster a polite smile to him.

"Good morning, sir! Do you have anything in mind?”

The guy scans through the menu board, taking his time to order.

"I’ll have one cup of latte and a waffle with honey on top.” He asks with a firm voice, unknowingly making me feel nervous.

I key in his order into the system one by one without leaving anything. “That will be $15.65, sir.”

He digs into his pocket and hands in a 50-dollar bill. “Keep the change.”

"But sir… It’s my responsibility to return your change back. It’s a business policy…” I stutter while explaining to him, hoping for him to understand my current situation since I don’t want to risk breaking a rule or worse, get fired from this only part-time job that I have.

The guy is busy staring at me in amusement when I’m trying to be a good and innocent staff that wouldn't have done any wrongs. He gives me a contemplating ‘hmm’ before he complies. “Listen here,” He reads my name tag, “-Hanbyul. Let’s just say I treat your next upcoming customers. How does that sound?” He smirks slyly before taking a seat by the window, playing with his smartphone to kill time while waiting for his orders. I baffle when he just left without giving me an answer. I sigh and keep the dollar bill into the cashier and start brewing his hot latte and baking the waffle.

Dahyun comes back to the front and she is surprised with the early customer that we got. “Woah, what the heck is he doing so early in the morning? It’s only 8 in the morning!”

She nudges me with her elbow but I refuse to answer her because I am busy with my work. But, she’s right though. How on Earth does a guy wake up so early in the morning looking so handsome like this guy?! And it is the weekend for God’s sake!

Once I finish up preparing his orders, I bring the tray to him instead of calling him because he’s the only customer in the café.

"Sir,” I greet him while serving the hot latte and the waffle on the table, “your orders are here. Hope you enjoy it!” I beam brightly and bow 90 degrees as respect. The guy was busy scrolling his phone as I leave him behind.

"Hanbyul.” My name was called by his husky voice, making me stop in my tracks, turning around to face him.

"May I help you with anything, sir?” I question him as he starts to take a sip on the latte. He starts to make weird faces and I assume there’s something wrong with the latte.

"Is there anything wrong with the latte, sir?” I ask worriedly.

He shakes his head before the frown on his lips stretched into a grin. I am taken aback but I sigh in relief, knowing that I didn’t do any mistake that might risk me my position.

"It surely tastes sweeter today,” he says with a hum, taking another sip. “Yeah, definitely sweeter than yesterday. Probably because it was prepared by a sweet girl.” His eyes sparkle with a glint of something unfamiliar as he gazes at me. The intensity of his gaze is making me feel so, so warm that I’m sure he notices my whole face reddening in front of him.

What an odd day.

On the first day of class, I wake up earlier so I don’t have to rush. It’s going to be a challenging day because I’m going to meet new people for me to get along with throughout these two years except for Soomin. Thank God we’re decided to continue our study and graduate together like we used to. Living in the same house with her and now enrolling in the same class. Again. But, I will never get bored with her or maybe I would, one day.

"Wake up, Soomin. We’re going to be late for our first class.” I shake her shoulders violently because she is a heavy sleeper and waking her up softly will be fruitless. However, Soomin with her eyes still shut tightly doesn’t budge even as I raise my voice an octave higher, simply humming before going back to sleep.

I rake my head for ways to wake her up. After a few long seconds of thinking, an idea came into my mind and I can only hope for it to work. I lift her thick duvet from her body and push her off from the bed, letting her body fall to the floor with a thud.

Ouch!” Soomin sits up with her hand rubbing her back as she tries to glare at me with her half-lidded eyes.

"Breakfast is ready so please, go and take your bath quickly,” I order her as I’m busy folding the duvet before placing it nicely on her bed. She fumes in anger, holding her tongue from cursing to me early in the morning. Stomping her feet on her way to the bathroom, she expresses her irritation towards me with a powerful slam at the door.

I only let out a giggle because her tantrums are not foreign to me, I’ve known her for years, a childish yet a good friend that I would rather stick to even if it takes years to unglue her from me. The only person who understands her annoyingness is her family, me and Sehun. The three of us are best friends since high school and I’m grateful that Sehun loves her a lot by making her the only girl he would have after his mother and older sister. I couldn’t imagine an unfamiliar guy coming into her life and claim her love without deeply knowing her.

And that’s not what love is about.

Heading back to the kitchen to prepare peach tea for us, I remember the encounter I had with the guy at the cafe yesterday. The way his deep voice calling my name made me feel butterflies in my stomach and I somehow wish for him to drop by the cafe again, just so I can admire his good looks again.

"What took you so long to stir the tea?” Soomin says as she passes by me. “And ew! Is that drool?! Byul, I don’t want drool infested tea so early in the morning.”

Soomin’s voice knocks me off to reality as she was standing by the fridge for a few minutes.

"Gosh, can you please don’t hurt my poor heart like that?” I say with a soft tone and she smirks, pulling a chair to sit by the island table. She takes one french toast and take a single bite, staring at me curiously. “What are you thinking of?”

"Nothing,” I say while grabbing clean cups from the cupboard. I place them on the table and pour the peach tea before handing one to Soomin. She thanked me before taking the cup from me, blowing on the surface a little to cool it down before taking a sip. Soomin scoffs. “You never hide secrets from me.”

"How did you know that I really told you everything?” I say, successfully turning her into a furious woman as she grabs the toast, ready to throw it to me. “Okay geez. I’m kidding.”

She brings the toast for a bite but continues to give me a death glare. I chuckle silently and sip my tea, glancing at the clock hanging by the wall. It’s already 8:25 in the morning but both of us are still busy having our breakfast.

"We’re going to be late!” I hurriedly gulp down the tea and put the empty cup in the sink. Rushing to pack my stuff and making sure that I don’t leave anything important at home, I prepare myself for the last time in front of the standing mirror. Light makeup added nicely with a shade of pink blusher and the nude colour of lip matte; I’m good to go.

"Come on, Kim Soomin!”

She groans loudly to take her car keys as we leave the apartment. Crossing my fingers and calming my nerves, I stare at the outside scenery by the car window. How the fluffy clouds hang beautifully by the blue azure sky, following the Sun shining brightly. Everything will be fine, Byul.

We arrive 10 minutes early before the class starts. As Soomin and I settle down in the big lecture hall, I observe the seats around me. It’s already occupied with people who are taking the same course; Master in Business Administration. All of them are unfamiliar faces to me.

"Good morning, Byul.” Sehun greets me. I smile at him back before he takes a seat beside Soomin, leaving a peck on her temple.

"Good morning, baby.” He greets her this time with adoration but Soomin only hum as a reply. Sehun looks at me curiously when I could only shake my head and shrug my shoulders to his wordless question. “Tell me who ruined your morning, Soomin.”

Soomin quickly points her index finger to me that makes me lift both of my hands in the air, defending myself. “I only pushed her off the bed. It wasn’t that bad.” I grin as I confess. She dilates her eyes and starts pinching on my arms, causing me to groan at the slightest pain. “Okay! Okay, enough! It stings!”

Sehun can only chortles while watching this normal catfight between us. I am only able to stop her off by pushing her away. I brush my already wrinkled blouse, thanks to her. I roll my eyes and divert my attention to the front. One by one people enter the hall up until an aged woman comes in with a rattan tote bag and I guess she’s our lecture for the financial management class.

"Hello and good morning everyone! My name is Lee Kyungmi but please call me Mdm. Lee,” she greets the whole class with a firm voice.

The whole class replies in unison with a loud ‘yes’ to her greeting. She then decides to begin our first class with ice-breaking session even though in my opinion, it is very lame for university students. But, I’m glad she didn’t jump directly into the syllabus in our first class.

We are separated into a few groups where I finally get to detach myself from my best friends and sit in a circle that is full of unfamiliar faces strangers. We begin to exchange our names within the group. Being around people whom I’ve never met is making me feel a little more confident. When it is my turn, I start to introduce myself, “The name given is Kim Hanbyul, but I prefer being called Byul.” I plaster a smile to them. After about 10 minutes, we head back to our seats and Mdm. Lee decides to start the class with the first topic.

I take out my notebook and pencil case from my bag, ready to jot down notes that will be displayed on the white screen from the projector. But before Mdm. Lee gets to continue her words, a single clear knock is heard from the door. She then calls the intruder to come in. I don’t pay attention to the intruder as I am focused on my notebook.

"Late for your first class, Mr. Byun?” She takes off her glasses to look at him as the person goes straight to an empty seat. I lift my head up to focus back on the screen, gasping softly when my eyes accidentally landed on him.

It’s him. The 50-dollar bill guy with the same dashing look from the cafe.

#exo #exo smut #baekhyun #baekhyun smut #recent #baekhyun imagine #exo imagine #baekhyun scenarios #exo scenarios #baekhyun angst #baekhyun fluff #exo fanfiction #baekhyun fanfiction #fanfiction #baekhyun x reader #byun baekhyun #kpop imagine

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wistfulcynic · 5 years

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Self-Promo Sunday: The Very Witching Time

Tomorrow I’ll be posting The Sleep of the Sun, my contribution for @cspupstravaganza and a continuation of The Very Witching Time, which I wrote for the Supernatural Summer this year. It isn’t necessary to read TVWT to read the TSotS, but just in case, here it is!

Though it starts in summer the main action takes place in October, and there’s an eerie, witchy vibe throughout. It’s a modern setting, because I love witch!Emma as a modern woman who wears jeans and watches Netflix and uses her magic to keep her drinks hot and make her pancakes perfectly circular. But of course when she’s threatened by ancient evil she can use her magic for far more than that. Or when she meets an injured dog in the forest and needs it to heal him.

I love this verse so much, and these versions of Emma and Killian, AND the next chapter of their lives, beyond The Sleep of the Sun, which I hope will appear next year for the Supernatural Summer! I just can’t let it go.

SUMMARY: Emma Swan is a hereditary witch, last in a long line of wise women who for centuries have guarded the coast of Maine and the small village of Storybrooke with their homemade cures and their ancient magic. She holds the delicate balance between magic and mundane, but now that balance is threatened by a new foe, one capable of bringing an end to everything Emma is and everything she loves. To defeat it she will need all her power, help from her friends and neighbours, and the loyalty of a very unusual dog who answers to the name of Killian.

Words: 35k Rating: M (for violence and mild sexy times) Tags: modern AU, magical AU, witchcraft AU, witch!Emma, cursed!Killian, witches, witchcraft, witch lore

On AO3

CHAPTER ONE:

Emma Swan lived atop a jagged cliff in a house that seemed an extension of it, rising up from the wind-hewn face into pointed towers that stood stark against the sky. The house was of the same stone as the cliff itself, great slabs of it, slabs too large to be used for construction, slabs that, observing them, one felt could have been formed only by the hand of nature and never that of man. It was a part of the landscape, that house, as old as the earth and only slightly younger than the sky, perched at the edge of those perilous cliffs in a way that made it impossible to imagine them without it.

The back of the house, or rather the front, as that was where the door was set, however, presented an altogether different aspect; one of a delightful cottage of typical grey Maine clapboard, squat and cheerful with a steeply sloping roof trimmed in white and a low stone wall surrounding a tumbledown greenhouse and a garden where bushes, trees, and flowers jumbled together and neither rhyme nor reason appeared to play any role. On the casual observer the effect was charming in an artless way, yet a keener eye would note method behind the garden’s seeming madness, an ancient wisdom in the randomness of the tumbling riots of colour that shifted and transmuted with the seasons. Where in spring it boasted bright red poppies and purple larkspur, delicate white anemones and pink blossoms on the apple trees twisting around each corner of the wall, summer brought fragrant freesia and heather for the bees, its warm breezes rustling through the tall irises and lilies. Autumn ushered in the muted oranges and yellows of chrysanthemums and the fluffy white of Queen Anne’s Lace, salvia and yarrow and berries from the rowan tree. Even in winter the garden provided: the glossy green leaves and red berries of the holly bushes brightened the snowy vista as pansies and orchids flourished in the greenhouse.

Beyond the garden wall a forest sprawled, dark and wild and perilous, from the very edge of the cliff where trees clung by their gnarled roots to the borders of the village where it dwindled into fenced yards and tidy houses. Here your casual observer would feel a shivering prickle on the back of his neck, that uncomfortable sensation of being watched by things not quite of this world that is more commonly reserved for graveyards at dusk and abandoned Victorian houses. He would move quickly through the dense woodland —yet not so quickly that he appeared to be hurrying— and upon emerging he would feel the sunshine as a balm on skin grown far colder than he’d realised.

The keen observer would, of course, not go into the forest at all.

Emma was as keen an observer as anyone could be but the forest, for all its determined menace, posed no threat to her. She relied on it, in fact, for ingredients she could not or did not wish to cultivate in her garden or greenhouse, just as it relied on her to keep a rein on its magic. Emma and the forest had an understanding.

That understanding failed to extend to the village which separated the forest from the lush farmlands which this stretch of Maine coastline boasted; the richest soil in New England it was said, guarded closely by the residents of Storybrooke who despite their distrust of it were prepared to put up with creepy forest at their backs in exchange for prosperity at their fronts. And though they rarely ventured into the woods themselves they were broad minded and mercenary enough to appreciate the labours of those who did, of Emma and the generations of witches who had come before her; wise women who kept the forest in check and the villagers placated with potions and tinctures, candles to encourage love or drive away evil spirits and balms to soothe every ailment from a bumped head to a broken heart.

And so, just as witches had done in Storybrooke from the time of the earliest settlement of her ancestors in this land, Emma kept an apothecary shop in the village, stocked with the wares she blended and brewed herself, travelling to and from it each day along the very same forest path that had been daily trodden by so many powerful women over the course of the centuries.

The path was so familiar to her she could follow it in her sleep, which she almost did on the August afternoon when our tale begins, lulled by the muggy weight of the late summer air. The sunlight that shone so brightly on the village barely penetrated here; just a few slender shafts of it reached the forest floor, encouraging the growth of the rare plants on which Emma’s livelihood relied but doing little to alleviate the atmosphere made dense by damp heat and malign magic. Emma was blinking heavy eyelids, her mind on the cushioned bench in her garden that was so well suited to afternoon naps when the sound of an animal in distress wove its way into her drowsy consciousness.

It sounded like a dog, which caught her attention. Wilder, less domesticated creatures like cats and witches may feel comfortable enough with the forest’s demeanour to venture within, but dogs, being the keenest observers of all, tended to avoid it with the same diligence and for the same reasons as their humans did.

The noise came again, one that hovered somewhere between a whine and a growl, pained and frustrated. It tugged at Emma’s mind, clearing away her sleepy haze as from the corner of her eye she caught a quivering in the leaves of a hawthorn bush that twisted up from the undergrowth to the left of the path and the flash of a black tail just beyond it.

Without hesitating Emma plunged into the bracken, drawing on her own magic and that of the hawthorn as she went, wrapping threads of both around the bush’s thorny branches and pulling them aside to reveal a large black dog crouched at an awkward angle behind it. The dog looked up and when it saw her it stilled for a moment, staring at her with blue eyes that were almost shocking in its black face, a deep, clear blue she’d never seen on a dog before, bright and intelligent. It blinked and shook its head then looked at her again this time with a plea in those remarkable eyes, giving three quick, deep barks.

{Please help me.}

An affinity with animals was one of Emma’s gifts, and she was not surprised to hear the dog’s voice in her head. She smiled reassuringly and offered her hand.

“Hey, puppy,” she said in a low, soothing voice. “What’s the matter?”

The dog sniffed her hand then gave it a lick, its tail wagging furiously. She petted its head and scratched its ears as she slowly inched closer. It seemed remarkably calm given the circumstances but Emma had seen enough injured animals to be wary, knowing how abruptly their pain and fear could overcome them. She knelt on the ground next to it, murmuring gentle words and stroking its back, and took stock of the situation.

The dog’s front right leg was deep in what was likely a gopher hole, buried up to the middle of its shin, and though the sounds she’d heard and the state of the ground around the hole bore witness to the dog’s attempts to free itself, it was clear to Emma as indeed it would be even to the casual observer that the dog was thoroughly stuck and also that the leg was broken.

“Oh, poor baby,” she murmured. “That must hurt. I can help, if you’ll let me. Will you trust me?”

The dog looked right at her and she could see her answer in its extraordinary eyes, filled with pain but also hope and what she would swear was comprehension. It whined and gave her chin a single, gentle lick, then nodded its head.

“Well, that’s clearly a yes,” said Emma. “Okay, let’s see what we’ve got here.” She hunched closer and examined the dog’s leg, well and truly wedged into the gopher hole, and winced. “I’m really sorry pup but this is going to hurt,” she said, looking up to catch the dog’s gaze again, marvelling at how calm it was despite its distress. She grasped its leg as gently as she could below the break and gathered her magic. “Ready? One… two…”

On three she pulled the leg from the hole, using her magic to ease its way. The dog whimpered at the pain but did not bark or growl and when its leg was free it licked her chin again.

“Okay, that’s step one,” said Emma. “Now let’s see how bad this is.” She probed the leg as delicately as she could with her fingertips, feeling the fractured bone beneath the fortunately unbroken skin. The break felt clean, with no jagged edges. “It’s not as bad as it could have been, I should be able to heal it,” she said, wondering briefly why she was explaining herself to a dog, though the animal in question was watching her intently with those intelligent eyes looking for all the world as though it knew exactly what she was saying. “I’m gonna have to set the break so there’ll be pain again and then I’ll heal it right after. Okay?”

The dog gave a short bark followed by another nod.

{Ready.}

“Okay, then,” said Emma. She gathered her magic, pulling it from the forest flowers and the leaves of the trees for backup, then as quickly as she could she snapped the broken bone back into place and wove her magic into it, knitting it together and soothing the pain in the damaged tissues.

When she finished she sat back on her heels with a sigh and closed her eyes. That was more magic than she’d used in some time and she felt a bit woozy. When she opened them again they fell immediately on the dog, who was staring at its leg in wonder.

Could dogs stare in wonder? She frowned, realising she didn’t actually know very much about the canine species. As a witch she’d always considered herself more of a cat person.

“Give it a try,” she told the dog. “It’s all better now.”

The dog stood up and began to walk, tentatively at first and then with greater confidence. After a few loping steps it spun around and barked excitedly before trotting back to her with a delighted expression, tongue lolling from the corner of its mouth.

Emma, however, was still frowning. Despite the dog’s obvious pleasure its gait had a distinct limp and when it moved quickly it used only three legs, forgoing the left one entirely.

Its left leg… when she had healed the right.

“Hey,” she said. “Come here. Let me see that other leg.”

It limped closer and placed its left leg in her lap, a leg which she was now able to observe did not end in a paw.

“Oh, no!” she cried, bending to get a closer look at what was evidently an old injury and a badly healed one, with rough scar tissue and signs of wear where the dog had walked on it. “Oh poor you. This isn’t the first time you’ve been hurt, is it? How do you walk?”

The dog tilted its head in what was plainly a shrug.

“I guess you manage the best you can, huh? Well, I can’t give you your paw back but if you come home with me I should be able to fix you up with something to protect the end of your leg and help you walk a bit better. How does that sound?”

The dog licked her face enthusiastically and barked, and now that the press of emergency had passed she noticed the peculiar cadence of its cry.

“Aye!” barked the dog.

Emma blinked. She may not be the world’s foremost authority on dogs, but even she knew that they were supposed to say things like “woof” or “arf.” She’d never heard of a dog saying “aye” before.

“Aye?” she repeated with a laugh. “Well, I guess that’s pretty obviously agreement.” She stood and brushed the dirt and twigs from her legs as the dog stood patiently in its slightly off-kilter way. “What should I call you?” she asked it. “I don’t suppose you have a name.”

Killian.

The name sprang into her mind, though the dog hadn’t barked. “Killian?” she repeated, startled.

“Aye!” barked the dog.

“Really?”

“Aye!”

“You sure? It’s not Spot or Buster or Joe or something?”

The dog looked affronted, and she laughed again. “All right, Killian it is then. I guess that means you’re a boy.”

“Aye!”

“Well okay, Killian, let’s go. We can have some dinner and then I’ll see what I can do about that paw.”

Killian bounded in an excited circle around her, his tail a blur. He moved remarkably well, considering, she thought, even as she laughed at his antics, and soon he’d settled into a limping trot alongside her as she headed home.

When they reached her garden gate she opened it and went straight in but Killian halted with a short bark of distress. She turned in surprise at the sound to see him pacing to and fro in front of the gate, whining softly.

“What’s wrong?” she asked him.

He whined louder and gave two short barks.

{Not welcome.}

“But why wouldn’t you be—” Emma frowned. The wards around her garden were designed to keep humans away, permitting none to enter without permission. But they shouldn’t have any effect on a dog.

Should they?

She really needed to learn more about dogs, she thought with mild irritation. This was clearly a gaping hole in her education.

In the meantime she called to the magic in the ancient warding spells, and spoke the age-old words to quieten them. “I see thee, Killian, and I name thee friend,” she said, in a voice that echoed through the open air. “Be welcome in this place.”

The magic of her garden surged and she held out her arms as it rippled and danced around her, ruffling her hair and gilding her skin with tiny sparks of light. Killian stared at her with wonder in his eyes again, and when the sparks faded away and she lowered her arms he cautiously stepped through the gate. The moment he crossed its threshold the garden’s magic… sighed, a soft exhale that sang of enduring hopes fulfilled at too long last, and curled itself around him, ruffling his fur as it had her hair.

Now it was Emma’s turn to stare. Her magic had never done that before. She gaped as Killian seemed to smirk —could dogs smirk?— at the unseen attention he was getting before rolling onto his back and letting the garden’s magic rub his tummy.

“Seriously?” cried Emma. “That’s enough of that, from both of you, Killian, come inside.”

She marched over to the cottage door and pulled it open. Killian leapt to his feet and ran after her, pausing just at the doorstep to wink at the garden before trotting into her kitchen.

Could dogs wink?

Emma made a mental note to dig up a book on canine behaviours later that night. There must be one in her library. Somewhere.

“I don’t have much that’s suitable for dogs,” she warned him as she opened the icebox. “But I think I’ve got some hamburgers in here if that’s okay—”

“Aye! Aye!”

“Okay, let me just heat them up.”

She defrosted the hamburgers with some gentle warming magic and put them on a plate for him. The minute she set it on the floor he dove in, gobbling up the meat with enthusiasm bordering on frenzy.

“Wow, you were hungry! How long has it been since you ate?”

He looked up at her and licked his chops, tail wagging vigorously, and barked twice before digging in again.

{Long time.}

“Well, don’t eat too fast, it’ll make you sick.”

Emma made herself a sandwich and munched it as she watched him diligently try to eat more slowly. When the last morsel was gone he lapped the plate clean then came over to her and licked her hand in thanks, wagging his tail as she scritched his ears before relaxing back onto his haunches and giving her the opportunity to observe him.

He was, as she had noticed in the woods, a large dog, though not a bulky one, with long slender legs and lean muscles. Standing, his head reached her waist with his shoulders around the middle of her thigh. His fur was thick and shaggy and a deep, light-absorbing black, though a v-shaped tuft right in the centre of his chest was bright white and fluffy and so soft-looking that her fingers itched to pet it.

He watched her examine him with a twinkle in his blue eyes that she was certain couldn’t be normal for a dog, as though he knew what she was thinking. She popped the last bite of sandwich into her mouth and when he pouted —did dogs pout?— she gave him a small smirk. “You had your dinner,” she said firmly. “You can’t have mine too. Now what do you say we go and see what can be done about that paw.”

She stood and left the kitchen, Killian at her heels, and headed past the living room and the closed library door, through a dark and narrow passageway towards the rear of the house. As she approached, the solid-seeming wall at the end of the corridor began to shimmer with the same sparking light that had surrounded her in the garden and a doorway appeared, wrought from the same stone as the slabs of the house itself, curving elegantly to form a pointed Gothic arch and frame a door of solid wood, thick and heavy and older than anything that surrounded it.

The door swung open as Emma drew near and she breezed through it without a thought. Killian, sensing the darker energy emanating from the other side, hesitated as he had at the garden gate. Emma turned, her smile understanding.

“Don’t be afraid,” she said. “It’s not dangerous, just old. Old things are sometimes… indifferent to younger ones. But it won’t hurt you. Nothing will hurt you here.”

Hesitantly he came through the doorway, moving slowly to allow the magic there to get a sense of him. It was less welcoming than the garden had been, but not hostile. As Emma said, it was simply indifferent. This magic had seen too many mortal creatures come and go in its time to care overly much about yet another one.

Emma led him into a large stone room with no windows, the tall, thick candles lining the walls its only source of light. These she set burning with a wave of her hand and the illumination they produced flooded the room with a golden glow despite their modest number. Stone stairs curved up the walls on either side of the room, leading to the towers that flanked the house, their twin helixes twisting up and disappearing into a darkness too dense even for the candles to penetrate. A heavy and cluttered wooden table spanned the length of the far wall, and this Emma approached, producing a thick, soft blanket of deep midnight blue scattered with stars from a woven wicker basket beneath it.

She spread the blanket carefully over the centre of the otherwise bare stone floor, placing at each of its corners a small silver bowl filled with sea salt and thyme and a few dried violet leaves, murmuring a short incantation over them as she did. “Sit here,” she instructed Killian, indicating the centre of the blanket. “I’ll need a few minutes to get my things together.”

Obediently, he sat and watched her in fascination as she rifled through the jumbled collection of bottles, jars, and bags on the table, frowning and muttering to herself as she did.

“…comfrey and rosemary and a bit of peppermint, sage to infuse and to burn…” she intoned as she gathered the named ingredients together. When all were assembled she snapped her fingers to light a fire beneath her copper kettle, then carefully weighed out the herbs on her silver scales while the water inside it came to a boil. She blended the herbs in a large mortar, crushing and grinding them with the pestle to blend them well and draw out their essence before tipping them carefully into a painted ceramic pot and pouring the boiling water over them. Stirring them gently with her magic, with her fingertips she traced arcane symbols through the steam as it rose from the pot into the cool, still air.

When she judged the herbs sufficiently infused she strained their liquid through a clean cheesecloth into a wide copper bowl. As it cooled to a comfortable temperature, she removed a lump of pure silver from a leather bag, holding it up to observe its gleam in the candlelight. The lump was large but to complete the healing properly would require all of it, and it was also precious. Glancing behind her she saw Killian sitting patiently, watching her, his eyes wide and curious but not afraid. Trusting.

He was worth it. She felt sure of that, and though she had no idea why she did not vacillate. Emma had long since learned to trust her instincts.

She took a bundle of dried sage and held it up to a candle flame until it caught —some fires needed to be started in the mundane way— then blew the flame out with a quick puff of breath and waved the smouldering herbs around the blanket and over the copper bowl before dropping them into the potion. Carefully she lifted the bowl and carried it to the blanket, kneeling down upon it and placing the bowl in front of Killian. Closing her eyes she muttered a brief incantation before taking his damaged leg and bathing it in the warm liquid, her fingers gentle but thorough, making sure to clean away all the dirt and debris from the gnarled scar tissue. He growled softly, deep in his throat, and she shot him a smile, knowing it was a growl of pleasure.

“Feels good, huh?” she said. “Soothing.”

“Aye.” His bark was as low as his growl.

{Good.}

When his leg was clean she dried it with a linen cloth and set it in her lap, then took out the lump of silver, placing it at the end of his leg and cupping both loosely in the palms of her hands. Closing her eyes once more she focused her powers and drew forth the metal’s own magic, its primal properties of health and healing, her hands beginning to spark and glow with light as she kneaded the silver, stretching and weaving it back into itself, moulding the lump into the shape of a dog’s paw and then knitting it into the damaged flesh of the leg. Killian watched with wide eyes, whimpering slightly as the metal sank into his skin and fused to his bones. The light from Emma’s hands burst into a sudden blinding brightness, flickered out, and the silver paw was part of him.

Emma slumped back on her heels, exhausted. “Whew,” she said. “Done.” She patted the metal paw. “Give it a try.”

Killian sniffed the paw, licked at the seam where it joined his leg, then tentatively placed it on the floor and leaned his weight on it. He took a few careful steps followed by bolder ones, then turned to Emma with an incredulous expression. She laughed, happy he was happy. “Go on, stretch yourself,” she encouraged.

“Aye!” he barked, frolicking joyfully around the room, spinning in circles and leaping through the air. He ran to Emma and jumped on her, putting his paws on her shoulders and licking her face until she pushed him away, grinning through a jaw-cracking yawn. “I’m glad you like it,” she told him as she rose unsteadily from the floor. “I gotta get to bed. Um…” she swayed on her feet and Killian was there immediately at her side, pressing firmly against her leg and letting her brace herself with her hand on his neck as she stumbled from the stone room and out the doorway.

It disappeared behind her, the magic within whispering far more warmly than before, no longer so indifferent to Killian as it had been.

Emma sank her fingers into his thick fur, clinging to him as she made her way up the stairs to her bedroom. Her head felt heavy and woozy, her fingers and toes numb. Moving clumsily she kicked off her shorts and unhooked her bra, pulling it from beneath her tank top with jerky movements and dropping it to the floor before collapsing into bed, sinking deep into the pillows. Dimly she was aware of Killian moving around the room, his fur soft against her skin as he pulled the blankets up over her, the warm weight of him curling up at her back, his chin resting on her hip. With the last of her energy she reached up to stroke his head then fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

~~🌺~~

Some hours later Killian was awoken from his doze when the magic from Emma’s garden called to him. He lifted his head from where it still lay on her hip and gave a low growl, staring through the bedroom window into the pitch blackness of the night.

Something was out beyond the garden wall, moving around its perimeter, methodically testing the magical boundary in search of weaknesses. Killian could sense it there, could feel its cold determination and intent even without the garden’s warning.

Threat, whispered the garden magic in his mind. Danger. Stay with her.

Killian flexed his new silver paw, feeling the power that still thrummed within it, feeling the absence of pain in his left limb for the first time in many a year. He looked at the golden haired woman still sound asleep, drained to exhaustion by the act of healing him, of selflessly giving him this invaluable gift. He recalled her warm green eyes and kind smile, the strength and gentleness in her touch.

He lay back down, pressing tighter against her, curling his neck around her hip and placing his silver paw gently over her waist. He closed his eyes again and answered the garden’s plea.

{Always.}

Tis now the very witching time of night,

When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out

Contagion to this world.

—Hamlet, Act III Scene 2

Continue to Chapter 2

27 notes · View notes

seriestrash · 5 years

Text

12 Days of Tyrus

Summary: The cold season is upon them and Cyrus finds himself wishing for a lot this festive season, many of those wishes happen to involve TJ.

Note: Yes I will be writing a multi-chapter fic for the 12 days! No it will not be 12 parts long, it will be 6 so I shall post every second day! Also I will be including almost all of the prompts for the 12 days within this story!

Incase it is unclear the days mentioned are the sixth and seventh night of Hanukkah (the Saturday and second Sunday)

Read on ao3

Chapter One: Hanukkah

Word Count: 3538

It’s early in the afternoon on a cold Saturday in December. Cyrus is out braving the frosty bite in the air after his mother requested he run to the grocery store to pick up a few last minute things before they go to her parents house for a quiet Hanukkah celebration.

Cyrus is juggling a grocery bag in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other when he spots TJ further up the street walking in his direction. TJ is lightly bopping along to whatever music is playing in the headphones he wears, his Jackson Street Gym shirt is framed by an unzipped sweatshirt that swings gently as he moves. Cyrus smiles at the sight of TJ even though he hadn’t noticed him in return. As they near each other, TJ looks up to smile at the passerby and realises who it is.

“Cyrus.” TJ sounds pleasantly surprised. He pulls the headphones out and wears a smile that reaches his eyes.

“Funny running into you here.” Cyrus greets him with a wide grin of his own.

“On the corner of Jackson Street, where I work.” TJ says with a smirk, “A real coincidence I’m sure.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not stalking you.” Cyrus jokes with a soft chuckle before giving a playful look as if to say, ‘or am I?'

“And here I was thinking you were lingering outside my work ready to bring me flowers.” TJ jokes as he motions to the bouquet Cyrus holds. TJ’s look of mock offence makes Cyrus laugh further. Once the chuckles tapers off, TJ shifts almost nervously on his feet, “So,” TJ says with his eyes resting on the bouquet again before flicking his stare back to Cyrus’, “You got a date or something?”

“Oh yeah.” Cyrus exaggerates a smirk as he nods, “She’s an older woman. Like seventy years older,” Cyrus cant keep a straight face anymore, “She’s my grandma.”

TJ’s expression scrunches at the joke and he shakes his head with a quiet laugh.

“It’s Hanukkah.” Cyrus smiles, “We’re going to see my mom’s parents tonight.”

“Oh, it’s Hanukkah?” TJ questions and Cyrus bops his head even though it was rhetorical. “So is tonight like the big night?”

“Uh, no.” Cyrus shakes his head, “We’re just having a quiet night at their house.”

“So when is the main day?” TJ asks. “I know Hanukkah is eight nights but is it the last one that’s the biggest?”

Cyrus fights the urge to smile and TJ notices, “Oh no, have I said something stupid?” TJ frowns and drops his gaze to his shoes with embarrassment.

Cyrus wears a kind smile. “Lighting the menorah and saying the blessings each night is more or less the same but it’s not like halloween or Christmas where everything builds up to one big celebration. Some families make a bigger deal out of the last night than they do the other seven but for a lot it’s just family time during Hanukkah, some nights might be bigger than others. For me it really just depends on what family we’re seeing on the day.”

“Oh.” TJ says and he appears to be genuinely interested in what Cyrus had to say, “I didn’t really know that… I guess if I’m being honest I don’t really know much about Hanukkah at all.”

Cyrus was used to people not understanding his traditions as Hanukkah tended to fade into the background as everyone gets into the Christmas spirit. Cyrus was also used to having to explain Hanukkah to different people, he actually kind of liked it because it meant he got to talk about his favourite time of year. Cyrus especially liked getting his friends involved in Hanukkah.

“Well if you wanted to understand it a little better you’re welcome to come over one night this Hanukkah.” Cyrus politely invites TJ.

“Really?” TJ seems surprised, “I wouldn’t be like, intruding or something?”

“No way. My mom loves when I bring my friends over for Hanukkah.” Cyrus beams.

“Okay. That sounds really cool.” TJ nods. “I’d like that.”

“How about tomorrow night at my mom’s house?” Cyrus asks. “I mean you can come with me to my grandma’s tonight but she’s a cheek pincher.”

 TJ rolls his head forward with a chuckle. “Tomorrow night.” He nods with a smile. “I’m there.”

The following day, Cyrus is all too happy to dress in the sweater his mom laid out for him to wear whilst indulging in an evening with family. As the night unfolds, Cyrus' mom’s home fills with faces of people he loves. Cyrus sits on the floor of the living room with his two younger brothers, Mason - Todd’s son from a previous marriage and Noah - Sharon and Norman’s son - as they teach Cyrus a new game they made up using the dreidel. Cyrus had previously taught them both how to play properly but the young boys found it more interesting to make up their own set of rules and Cyrus was happy to go along with it.

Although Cyrus was enjoying the quality time with his young siblings, he couldn’t help but repeatedly check his watch as he eagerly awaits the arrival of TJ. The doorbell rings and Cyrus springs up from his position and looks around embarrassed thinking he might have raised suspicion amongst his family members. Although the older adults didn’t seem to be alerted, Cyrus’ two younger brothers looked up at him with pouty faces.

“I’ll be back to play soon.” Cyrus gives them both a crooked smile, “And don’t think I wont notice you taking jellybeans from my pile!” Cyrus gives them a playfully stern look each before making his way to the front door where his father, Norman has already answered it.

“Is it-“ Cyrus deflates when he realises it’s his older stepbrother - also from Todd’s previous marriage - and his girlfriend, “Oh hi, Jared.”

“Gee, Cy, I’m really glad to see you too.” Jared jokes sarcastically before lunging forward and pinning Cyrus in a headlock.

“This is exactly why I’m never excited to see you.” Cyrus groans as he tries to wriggle free but Jared’s grip is too strong and Cyrus is subjected to an all too familiar hair ruffle.

“Give Cy a break.” Allison, Jared’s girlfriend says with a soft giggle as she steps around them and into the house.

Cyrus could hear his father chuckling at the sight before he left to escort Allison into the festivities. Cyrus continues to wrestle with Jared and the pair end up out on the porch. The two circle as Cyrus struggles to free himself and when Cyrus spins towards the street his gaze catches a confused looking TJ at the bottom of the porch steps. Jared and Cyrus both stop the struggle when they spot the basketball captain although Jared doesn’t release Cyrus from his grip.

“Hey, you made it.” Cyrus laughs nervously in his stepbrothers headlock. “TJ, this is my brother Jared, Jared, this is my friend TJ.”

“Hey.” TJ lets out a quiet chuckle and sends a wave in Jared’s direction.

Jared gives Cyrus’ hair another ruffle before finally releasing him with an amused smirk as Cyrus scrambles to fix his do.

“Nice to meet you.” Jared grins at TJ before turning to Cyrus, “I’m going to go find my dad and say hello.”

“Meet you in there, jerk.” Cyrus grumbles as he straightens up his outfit.

“Suddenly I’m glad I’m the older brother in my family.” TJ jokes as he makes his way up the porch steps.

“Jared loves to torment me.” Cyrus says feeling lightly embarrassed.

“He’s your stepbrother, right?” TJ questions.

“Yeah, he’s Todd’s son from his first marriage.” Cyrus explains.

“So does that mean Mason is here too?” TJ asks and Cyrus’ expression curls into one of surprise.

“You know Mason?” Cyrus asks, he knew TJ had met his parents before but he didn’t know he had met his stepbrother.

“And Noah, of course.” TJ nods casually but then smiles at Cyrus’ rather adorable look of confusion. “I officially knew one other person at your Bar Mitzvah party and Buffy hated me back then,” TJ chuckles, “If I wasn’t aggravating Buffy I was talking to random people, most of them were your family.”

“Or when you weren’t helping me open tricky bottles of apple cider.” Cyrus smiles back fondly on the memory.

“Exactly.” TJ smiles too. “Your Aunt Ruth- Very chatty by the way.”

“Amazing.” Cyrus says to himself more than TJ, “Aunt Ruth isn’t here tonight but Mason is, he’s inside playing with Noah.”

“He is?” TJ questions. “Isn’t Noah your dad and Sharon’s son?” TJ knowing this wasn’t as surprising as TJ had officially met Noah before as he had hung out at Cyrus’ fathers house.

“Yep.” Cyrus nods, “They’re both inside too.”

“Oh, so all four of your parents are here?” TJ looks surprised.

“Yes.” Cyrus beams with excitement. “You’ve come for my favourite night of Hanukkah.”

Cyrus' family might not put importance into one single night of Hanukkah but this was certainly Cyrus’ favourite one because without fail every year he’d get one night with his divorced parents together and since their new marriages it would be all four of his parents along with his mix of step and half brothers. Now having TJ be apart of it made the night feel extra special for Cyrus.

“Come inside,” Cyrus ushers TJ in with a grin.

“I like your sweater by the way.” TJ says as he follows Cyrus.

“Thank you.” Cyrus grins, “Look, I can light the candles-” Cyrus lights the flames of the menorah on his sweater via their reversible sequins. This makes TJ chuckle fondly.

Once inside, Cyrus brings TJ to the kitchen where his four parents gathered with Jared and Allison. They each politely greet TJ and make him instantly feel welcomed.

“Thank you for having me here tonight.” TJ smiles at Leslie. “If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”

“Thank you dear but you’re fine, you two go off and have some fun.” Leslie’s smile is kind, “Dinner shouldn’t be too far off.”

“We can hang out in my room.” Cyrus says with a grin but before the two could get past the living room he’s nearly tackled by Mason and Noah.

TJ gives them both a happy high-five each which visually cements in Cyrus’ mind that TJ had previously interacted with them both prior to tonight.

“You said you were coming back to play?” Mason looks hopeful.

“Oh yeah.” Cyrus furrows his brows, “But TJ and I were going to hang out…”

“I’ll play.” TJ wears a goofy smile, “But someone’s going to have to teach me the rules.”

Cyrus turns to give TJ and ‘are you sure?’ look but he’s already crouching down to sit with the children. Cyrus joins the three and looks at his pile of jellybeans which has seemed to diminish in his absence.

Cyrus quickly explains to TJ what the dreidel is and what is written on each side. “They’re letters from the Hebrew alphabet, Nun, Gimel, Hei and Shin. Together they make an acronym, nes gadol haya sham which translates to-”

“A great miracle happened there.” Mason excitedly finishes.

“Exactly.” Cyrus smiles at his younger brother. “So you were listening when I taught you how to play?” Cyrus turns back to TJ, “The miracle being-”

“A one day supply of oil lasting eight days.” This time is TJ that cuts in proudly with an answer.

Cyrus coaxes his head in bewilderment. “I thought you didn’t know much about Hanukkah?”

“I didn’t.” TJ admits, “But I did some research last night.”

“You did?” Cyrus’ smile creeps wider.

TJ just gives Cyrus a small smile before turning his attention to the two youngsters that are patiently waiting to play the game. “Right, so how do I play?”

“Well I explained what the dreidel really says but Mason and Noah have made up their own meanings.” Cyrus laughs, “Each side is a colour corresponding with a colour of jellybean...” Cyrus goes on to explain the new game and the four of them get quite competitive as they play. They continue right through until Sharon lets them know that dinner is ready.

“I’m starving.” TJ jumps up from his place and makes his way over to the table. Cyrus watches TJ with a smile as he approaches the table and he looks to Leslie as if to ask her permission. Leslie picks up on it and tells TJ to sit wherever he likes.

“I want to sit next to TJ!” Mason comes charging over.

“No I want to sit next to TJ!” Noah rushes over too.

“Hey, good thing I have two sides.” TJ shares a goofy grin between the two.

“Hey?” Cyrus looks over at them with a frown. “What if I wanted to sit next to TJ?”

TJ gives Cyrus an unapologetic shrug.

You can sit next to me my little cookie pie.” Leslie squeezes Cyrus into a side hug.

“Mom!” Cyrus groans embarrassed. TJ chuckles softly and with rosy cheeks Cyrus joins his mother at the table, he ends up directly across from TJ with his mother on one side and his father on the other.

Dinner unfolds and the vibe in the room is joyous. The adults quiz Allison and Jared about their college studies, Mason and Noah take up most of TJ’s attention whilst Cyrus sits back and happily watches his family and friend.

Leslie explains a few of the foods to TJ incase they were foreign to him but the basketballer ate everything seemingly without question. Then it’s Cyrus’ father who turns his attention - and subsequently the attention in the room - towards TJ.

“TJ, are you and your family planning anything special for the holidays?” Norman asks.

“No, nothing special,” TJ grows sheepish, “Sort of just waiting for them to be over…” TJ’s last statement struck Cyrus as odd and the basketball captain did his best to avoid Cyrus’ quizzical gaze.

“You’re not a big Christmas fan?” Norman further questions.

“Not really.” TJ shrugs in place.

“At least the break off school will be nice.” Norman smiles trying to make TJ feel more comfortable.

“Now that’s something to look forward to.” TJ smiles.

“TJ, if you’re not doing anything your family you’re welcome to join us on our ski trip this year.” Leslie says genuinely and Cyrus’ excitement level soared.

“Really?” TJ seems surprised.

“Oh course.” Leslie smiles. “Andi and Buffy are both coming this year too and Jonah is still waiting for his parents to decide.”

TJ appears to look uncertain as he finds Cyrus’ stare across the table. “It will be so much fun.” Cyrus nods his approval.

“Says the lousy skier.” Jared teases from further down the table.

“Leave Cyrus alone.” Todd scolds his oldest son. “I’m sure Jared will be more polite during the drive to the lodge.”

TJ thanks both Leslie and Todd for the invite and says he’ll speak to his mother about it when he goes home.

Once everyone is full from dinner - although they each know desserts were still to come - Todd leads the group in lighting the menorahs. The family gather around at the front of the house where a few menorahs were sat on a table.

“There’s more than one?” TJ questions quietly.

“Yeah, that one is mine.” Cyrus matches TJ’s soft tone as he points out his one.

Todd holds the matches and lights each shamash either an adult or child was holding. Everyone starts to say the blessing. TJ had been given a sheet of paper so he could try and follow along, which for the most part he did but the boy looked extremely lost and a little embarrassed by his attempts. During the second blessing Cyrus gives TJ an encouraging smile for his efforts and this seems to put him a little more at ease.

After Cyrus lit the first candle he goes to pass the shamash to TJ who seems panicked. “Are you sure?” TJ mumbles to Cyrus as if Cyrus’ entire family wasn’t watching them.

Cyrus again smiles encouragingly and hands the shamash to TJ, their fingers brushing against each others in the process. Although he was sheepish, TJ rather proudly lights the next candle. The two middle schoolers exchange a warm smile afterwards. The two continue to take turns lighting the next candle on Cyrus’ menorah.

After the menorah lighting is complete everyone makes their way back towards the living and dining area for a more informal desert.

TJ throughly enjoys a good helping of the sufganiyot although he has to revert to calling them doughnuts as he butchered the name.

After a night full of family, friends and filling food, Leslie wraps up two extra sufganiyots for TJ to take home to his twin siblings.

It’s not until Cyrus is walking TJ out for the night that they finally get a moment alone.

“You’ve got to light the extra candle now.” TJ steps forward and uses his index finger to ‘light’ the sequins on the next candle of Cyrus’ sweater. This gesture made Cyrus’ skin tickle with goosebumps and he was thankful his Hanukkah sweater concealed them. “I can’t guarantee these are going to be given to the twins,” TJ laughs as he holds his wrapped desserts, “They’re so good.”

“I’ve been eating them all week, I’m going to turn into one if I’m not careful.” Cyrus jokes.

“Thanks for inviting me tonight.” TJ says.

“Thanks for coming, sorry my brothers bothered you all night.” Cyrus apologises.

“No bother at all.” TJ insists, “I had a lot of fun.”

“You did come for my favourite night.” Cyrus’ smile is small but full of warmth.

“Because all your parents come together for it?” TJ questions.

Cyrus nods. “Every year during Hanukkah I bounce around between mom and dads houses. Extended family on both sides come into town or sometimes we’ll go and see them but every year without fail there is one night of Hanukkah where all four of my parents get together and we have a big celebration.”

“For a divorced couple your parents get along really well.” TJ lightly kicks the ground and something about it felt like TJ had spoken a thought out loud.

“My dad makes a few digs at Todd here and there but he is only ever joking,” Cyrus lets out a single laugh, “My mom is his best friend.”

“How often does that happen for split couples?” TJ looks away.

“I know, I’m really lucky.” Cyrus acknowledges, “My parents were high school sweethearts and they got married right after college and then had me. I think they both denied it for a while but they weren't in love anymore - although they constantly assure me I was born out of love -” Cyrus pauses to laugh before continuing, “They split up when I was two but I don’t really remember that.”

“You have a really nice family.” TJ’s smile is soft.

“Well you’ll get to spend more time with us on the ski trip - well my mom, Todd and Jared.” Cyrus corrects, “Mason will be with his mom.”

“I don’t have to come to that.” TJ shakes his head.

“But I want you to come,” Cyrus frowns, “Only if you want to come that is..” Cyrus adds quickly.

“Your mom invited me, you invited your friends.” TJ is shy as they broach the subject, “It kind of feels like a pity invite.”

“That’s not what this is at all.” Cyrus’ frown deepens at TJ even having the thought, “I asked my mom if we could invite you.”

“You did?” TJ seems unsure.

“Yes.” Cyrus is genuine, “I was going to talk to you about it tonight but my mom beat me to it.”

“Still.” TJ shrugs a shoulder and Cyrus didn’t like that TJ still didn’t believe him but he decides not to push it much more, instead Cyrus gives TJ some information to take back to his parents.

“So mom, Todd and I will be going on the 24th and then Jared who’s spending Christmas with his girlfriend will be driving to the lodge on the 26th. He’s taking Buffy, Andi - and Jonah if he’s allowed - in his car.” Cyrus explains, “Jared is a pain in the neck but he’s a safe driver. Your parents can talk to my mom and Todd about it if they’re unsure.”

“Okay. I’ll speak to my mom about it.” TJ nods and a car pulling up interrupts them both, “That’s my mom, I have to go.”

“Remember to ask about the ski trip.” Cyrus adds eagerly.

“I will,” TJ nods, “Thanks again for inviting me.”

Cyrus watches as TJ disappears down the street in his mothers car. Cyrus can’t help but reflect on TJ’s off mood during that conversation. Cyrus’ insecurities would normally lead him to believe that this was because someone like TJ wouldn’t want to hang out with someone like himself but Cyrus knew that wasn’t the case, Cyrus believed TJ genuinely didn't understand that Cyrus really wanted him there.

Cyrus remains alone out in the cold December air for a while longer and he finds himself wishing TJ knew how much he meant to him.

End notes: Day one complete!!!!!!! Firstly I want to say thank you to @malepresentingleg and @scarybasketballguy for letting me quiz their big beautiful brains about Hanukkah! They both have been SUCH a help to me! I honestly couldn’t have finished this chapter without them!

Also, the sweater Cyrus was wearing for reference [x] I request by Shir that I was happy to fulfil hehe!

As mentioned in the notes at the beginning this will be a multi chapter fic and I will be uploading every second day! (6 chapters in total)

Please let me know how you’re liking the story so far!!

Tag list! If you would like to be added or removed at anytime please don’t hesitate to ask!

❄️ @baby-its-gayy-outside ❄️ @byersrainbows ❄️ @geekingbeautytx ❄️ @shadows78787 ❄️ @caprisunandcookiedough ❄️ @joshua-rush-fanpage ❄️ @thedampjofangirl ❄️ @homosexualearthworm ❄️

#tyrus #andi mack #12daysoftyrus #12 days of tyrus

99 notes · View notes

charliebattinson · 6 years

Text

MOVIN IN | Moving in with Shawn [BP] | Shawn Mendes

A/N: Hi here’s another bullpoint thingy haha. I’m planning on two other bps! Chrismas! Shawn and Best Friend! Shawn. Tell me if you want me to make them! Hope you like this! Feedback is welcomed! Much love xx

Moving in with Shawn:

You guys have been dating for so long

You and shawn are just probably having a late night drive

He just asks “y/n do you want to move in together?”

You love the idea but you tease him about it “why would ya want to move in together?”

“So I don’t have to pay full rent and someone can do my laundry and cook for me”

“Dick”

You happily agree though

You guys move into a cute place thats just right for you two with a cute little balcony

Boxes everywhere

Painting rooms together

Painting each other

“Do you know hard it is to remove this shit?”

First night in is just talking the whole night, planning on what to do next with the place and just being super happy

You sleep on the floor because you haven’t fixed the bed yet

Christening the whole place

“We gotta really clean the kitchen area”

Getting to know the neighbors

First weeks are just lazy, living through boxes and take outs

Its getting frustrating because you’re both searching for what you need in every box

“Where the fuck is the kettle”

“Oi we’re really need to unpack these boxes”

You eventually got everything unpacked

Shawn sees the makeup in the bathroom and he’s so confused by them

“Babe why are there paint brushes in the bathroom?”

Showers together

Shawn doing a mohawk while in the shower

“Rub my back and i’ll rub yours”

Attempting shower sex but you both just end up slipping

Taking bathtubs together

Shawns always so eager to drop the bath bomb

“LEMME DO IT”

Furniture shopping

Heading out to ikea and playing house. Watch this for visuals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARoB1nWPsxo

Assembling furniture together

“Did you know assembling ikea furniture is the greatest test of all relationships?”

When you guys thought you actually assembled it perfectly then you realized you screwed the wrong legs on all sides“

“Fuck this. We’re done”

Shawn buys random cooking appliances

“Why’d you buy this? You don’t even know what its for”

“IT LOOKED COOL OKAY”

Plant shopping too

You guys forget to water the plants tho

“I thought it was a fake plant”

“Shit we’d make horrible parents”

Grocery shopping

Sometimes you’d have late night grocery shopping and shawn would attempt to ride the cart

You’d be at the cereal area and shawn would just pretend not to know you and try to flirt with you and use pick up lines

“Do you like kellogs? Wanna frost my flakes?”

“Sorry but my idiot boyfriend is waiting for me”

Debating on what ice cream to get

“Fuck you we’re getting vanilla”

Trying to pick out wine because you’re feeling fancy

“How the fuck do you pick out a good wine?”

“Just get the fancy looking one, that probably tastes good”

Cooking dinner together while jamming to miguel tracks like told you so and pineapple skies

Shawn pulls you in for a dance

Teaching shawn how to cook

Him coming behind you and wrapping his arms around your waist and kissing your neck, cheeks and shoulders while teaching him how to cook the chicken

It puts a smile to your lips cooking for two instead of always cooking for one

You’re both afraid to go near the pan because of the oil sizzling

Shawn joking around like he’s on a cooking show and acting like gordon ramsay

“Its fucking raw!”

Rock paper scissors on who has to clean the dishes and take out the trash

“HA SUCK IT BITCH” “shawn” “sorry”

Jamming to 80 and 90s tracks

“THIS IS HOW WEEEE DOOO ITTTT”

Sitting on the balcony sipping on wine

Slow dancing to “The Way You Look Tonight by Tony Bennett” by the fireplace

Also not knowing how to set the fire to the fireplace

“This looked easier in the movies”

Sex by the fireplace

Sleeping by the fireplace naked

Doing laundry

“SHAWN YOUR SUPPOSE TO SEPARATE THE WHITES FROM THE COLORED ONES”

“oops”

One of his tops shrinks 2 sizes

“Honestly shawn how did you survive living alone?”

“I ask that myself too”

When you guys fight or have arguments he sleeps in the couch but you miss having him there in the bed so you go to the couch and he gives you some space to sleep beside him

Afternoon naps in the couch

You would go home to see shawn sprawled on the couch shirtless and only jeans writing lyrics

“Yeah i can get used to this view”

Sex on the couch

Lazy sundays

Naked sundays

“Sundays should be spent naked”

Midnight snack raiding the fridge in just your underwears

Shawn surprising you with breakfast in bed

“You just bought this in the local bakeshop didn't you? You didn't cook anything”

“Yeahp”

You guys try baking one time

Total fail.

It just ended up as a food fight and making out on the kitchen counter and shawn covered in flour and you covered in eggs

Camping out in the rooftop

You ask the landlord if you can leave a sofa type of furniture there

The rooftop also becomes a place to unwind and have a beer

Movie marathon

You guys attempt to watch all 8 harry potter films

You guys fell asleep midway through the first

“Fuck I’m getting old”

“Babe have you seen my keys?”

“Babe have you seen my wallet?”

Shawn opens the front door and shouts “HONEY I’M HOME!!”

You think you’re sly in stealing some of shawn shirts and hoodies and placing them on your side of the cabinet

But shawns has hunch you’ve been stealing them

“You’ve been stealing my clothes haven’t you?” “I have no idea what you’re talking about”

He goes to your cabinet and finds most of his hoodies and flannels

“AHA CAUGHT YA”

“Babe i need my clothes back or else I’ll have nothing to wear” “thats the point shawn!”

You wear them when he’s away on tour because it smells like him; like a part of him is here

Bed feels so big without him

Deciding on what pet to get

“We can’t get a dog” “i don’t want a cat”

You both decide to get a goldfish

“Let’s name it sushi” “rude shawn rude”

You forget to feed it the first few days

He comes home tour and you just let him sleep it out. Doing his laundry and everything

You would always cook for him every time he comes home from tour

And you would just sit on his lap while he eats and he’s just so happy because he gets to taste a home cooked meal again

“I miss your taste too”

There’s a part in your bedroom that has a wall of polaroids of your special moments

Making the bed together every morning

Smiling at each other through the mirror when you both brush your teeth

You do the bring it on brushing their teeth scene. Watch for visuals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3-ywpMj4Jk

Cooking and eating breakfast together

Shawn resting his chin on your head while you get ready for work

Shawn would leave it post it notes in different places when he leaves early for work

Leave cute words like “you’re so fine” using the letter magnets on the fridge

He would bring you home flowers sometimes

Forehead kisses in the morning

Shawn waking you up with kisses in the morning

Waking each other up when the other doesn’t want

“WAKEY WAKEY”

“SHAWN PUT BACK THE PAN AND STOP HITTING IT WITH THE SPATULA. IM AWAKE IM FUCKING AWAKE”

You guys give each other back massages when the other one is tired after a long day of work

Shawn trying to fix the lightbulb thats always flickering because he wants to feel responsibe

“If you get electrocuted…”

He ends up getting short by the lightbulb

Theres always the spider and cockroach situation

“YOUR TURN TO KILL IT” “NO ITS YOUR TURN I FEEL SO GUILTY ALREADY”

You guys make a hobby of working on like a 500 or 1k piece puzzle to destress from work

Framing them when you’ve finished

Playing the xbox once in a while

You both get so competitive with each other

We all know who the sour loser is

Attempting to have sex but you both just pass out on the bed

Shawn in just his boxers playing his guitar on the couch while you’re there trying not have a heart attack from the way he looks

Shawn chasing you around the apartment

There’s the “just us” kind of clean

There’s also the “holy crap our friends are coming over. Pick up your underwear” clean

And the “parents are coming over. we gotta make this place look like its never been used. DISINFECT EVERYTHING!!!” kind of clean

Bringing coffee or tea for shawn when he’s at his “in the zone” mood in his little studio room and him making tea for you when you’re working a lot

Taking care of the other when sick

“I got ya chicken noodle soup”

“I’m going to make you into a blanket burrito to keep you warm”

You guys hide snacks from each other

“SHAWN DID YOU FINISH MY CHEETOS?”

Shawn would pretend to be shocked

“WHAT? ME?”😦😦😦

Just having this natural and comfortable silence while both of you are doing your work

There’s always been a spare room and you ask shawn what do with

“Baby room in the future?”

You always schedule a date night especially at times when the work is too much and you don’t spend enough time. No phones. No work. Just the two of you enjoying each other.

“Cant wait to spend the rest of my life with you” “we’ll see” “Y/N” “just kidding i love you bitch. Can’t wait either”

#Shawn Mendes #Shawn Mendes Imagine #shawn peter raul mendes #shawn mendes smut #shawn mendes blurb #shawn mendes one shot #shawn mendes fanfic #illuminate #illuminate tour #illuminate world tour #magcon #magcon boys

1K notes · View notes

peachnymphuniverse · 6 years

Quote

little things i love/love to do -smell my fingers after peeling an orange -sit on my roof late at night -playing uke under the porch while it rains -opening my windows when it’s chilly and bundle up -slide around in fuzzy socks while my dog chases me -paint my nails and take it off around ten minutes later -when my ukulele strings leave dents in my newly painted nails -listen to my broken record player so that the song registers in my head as a little off key -journal about people’s smiles -in airports i walk around and smile at everyone and get sad if they don’t smile in response (sometimes i double back and repeat the process until they do) -talk to people i’ve just met in the way i wish i did to the people i’ve known -make cookies and dance in the kitchen -close my eyes and guess what flavor jelly bean i get -buy razzles and read in the merc -new sheets -freshly cleaned hair -playing with short (relatively guy) hair -making tea after a rough day -nailing a song first try -sweaters from thrift stores -the feeling when a stranger is nice to me -cheeks hurting from laughing so hard -sporadic adrenaline and finally doing the thing -almond milk over ice -this one gray and pink plate my mom got -mismatching soft patterns on my bed -cuddles with pets (or humans on a good day) -the warmth that occurs when someone calls me beautiful -shiny hair -writing a good song that makes you feel something -piling blankets and pillows in a corner and reading -my mom asking me if i’m happy everyday (and legitimately caring about the answer) -any type of garnier hair product (smells hella good) -the use of the word heck in any context -flowers and flower tattoos -when my sister compliments me (its like the highest form of praise in my life) -the temperature tea is at when it’s hot enough to warm your whole body but not too hot that it burns -tea that has too much honey -hummingbirds in general -my dads laugh -seeing people kiss (not in a creepy way i just really enjoy love) -guys in sweaters and pastel colors -incense from rockin rudy’s -new pj’s -my cat -the sting of hot showers -speaking native languages -people who take random pictures of me -kale salad -dresses that make me look coot -the smell of burning paper -hugs -soup -people who give me their hoodies -making jokes during movies -folded chips -the farmers market when it rains -people with warm hands -people with cold hands -people (ik i say otherwise but people are actually v wonderful sometimes) -cinnamon on hot cocoa -finding a song that relates to your life -stars -blue eyes -baths with music and tea -wearing my stepdads sweaters -making a really nice house in sims -nice teachers @franzen @elder -people with nice eyebrows #envy -buying people coffee -going downtown alone for a few hours and not talking while reading or drinking tea -airports -beaches (the smell mostly) -vanilla perfume -waking up when the blankets are still perfectly in place -when i’m wearing shorts and my warm kitty curls up on my bare legs -layers (button down, sweater, jean jacket) -pretzels with peanut butter -yellow -new socks -citrus smelling stuff -dark chocolate -old cameras -rose and mint flavored lip balm -tiger lilies and sunflowers -when my hair is damp and my head gets it warm -rupi kaur -new watercolors -thrift store vinyls -mike and eleven -knee high socks -overalls -big flannels + jean jackets -popcorn with chulula -drive around in my moms convertible -japanese cherry blossoms -going to the library with @anna everyday -finding a new song and listening to it till you know each word -rain (the smell) -crunching leaves -the stars at 2am -using my kitty as a pillow when she’s curled up -playing the piano (badly) -white curtains -photo booths -nice handwriting -earrings -being under a bunch of blankets -pretty journal pages -hugs when it’s cold out -ink drawings -making my bed -the fact that my favorite band has a song called hannah -genuine laughs and smiles -warm soup on cold days -new jackets -thick socks -when it’s cold outside but you have a v good coat and ur all toasty and happy -soft blankets -finishing homework early -fetal position+big sweaters+floor=happy hannah -making up chords on the uke and giving them names like bartholomew and furghi -remembering inside jokes from forever ago and laughing -laughing so hard you’re incapable of breathing -belting theatre music when home alone -suppa warm bagels -chess w/ tea and mi madre -making spotify playlists for every mood -pretty journals -yellow -knowing little quirks about my friends -asking little questions back and forth with someone i care about -freckles -boys eyelashes -hiking alone -my soft doggy -post-it note quotes -edamame beans with a lil salt at 3 am -my new mattress (praise the lawd) -getting stuff in the mail -the people who actually read all of these lmao -long hair (rly missing mine rn) -big shirts w no pants -people who have specific smells ex. cotton, lemons, lavender, cinnamon -hugging tall people -watching the previews before the movie -messy scribbly handwriting (i think really good handwriting is lacking in character) -this one picture of my dad from the eighties -sweet potatoes -people who use the word beautiful instead of hot -spoken poetry -asking boys what their favorite flower is (odds are they actually have one) -waking up on sundays and making myself breakfast -being hydrated: drink water kids -almond milk w a bit of nutmeg + cinnamon -mixing different teas (i’ve concluded that mandarin orange + ginger is v good) -knowing you somehow made someone’s day better -people who play with my hair -picture books with good plots -sparkling apple cider -asmr (lol don’t judge me) -realizing the other day that i am pretty, and if you don’t think so, that’s ok. -popping popcorn perfectly (ur welcome for the alliteration) -waking up ten minutes before your alarm -elevators arriving right as you push the button -warm winter days, today was v nice -powder blue shirts -hearing a song from ages ago and realizing that you know every word -plugging your phone in at 1% -the amount of hugs i get every day -cuddles -painting myself or people -when a boring class is over @science -watching a movie after thinking about it for a while -packing for a plane ride -new ringtones -going to the merc and getting the last muffin there -holding hands with people in a platonic way -hugs from behind -comfort food (ex. brown rice and tofu w spinach) -crème brulèe -driving at night or in the rain -the way it feels when this certain person says my name -soft hands + long fingers -mild weather -putting my hand out of the car when it’s chilly -nail-polish that peels off in one piece -messy/curly hair -new pj’s -hugs that last a while -giving birthday presents -calling my cat bean -“hannah bee” (nickname from my mam) -cinnamon gum -noice cancelling headphones -calling people by their full names -stiles stilinski falling -new soap -brown eyes -long eyelashes -soft breathing -bronze -swearing but not actually swearing (heck, darn) -fetal position anywhere -being hydrated -nose highlight -small stuffed animals -chocolate milk w straws -my sister -having paint left on my hands -light gray shirts on people -pillow forts -highways at night -bumper stickers -drinking sparkling apple cider out of wine glasses -when my room is hot + i put my hand on a cold wall -hearing my cat purr -catching people looking at me and just smiling at them -hugs that nearly make me fall over -or that squeeze so tight you have to readjust your footing -new pads of paper -dropping a toxic person/thing and feeling weightless -my new room -shopping w my sister -eating hot dogs in target w my sister -friends who ask if you’re ok randomly -when lil asks how my day went -singing fallout boy/ed sheeran/bad rap w reya -chocolate cake -washi tape + journals -kicking a ball really hard to relive stress -p4 spanish -hearing nice things people say abt me -having a messily clean room (w a few things scattered around) -walking around downtown w tea and friends -hot pockets (new discovery for me circa monday) -cracking my neck, knuckles, back -having a heater in my room and always being warm -taking my hair down when it’s still a lil damp and being able to smell shampoo -a teal 1987 ford bronco in my neighborhood -slow orchestra music -piano solos -watching mystery movies and figuring it out before the people do -subtitles -protective friends -today being the first day i haven’t felt spaced out in years -old book smell -rain-soaked hair -resting my head on someone’s warm chest or arms -the acoustic versions of songs i like -the three people who i’m ok w calling me banana -how i don’t swear unintentionally anymore -21 questions -sleeping at school -cutting pancakes into triangles -jim and pam -jelly beans -perfect pancakes -tucking my cat into the crook of my stomach -the office -empty movie theaters -coke zero w a straw -the smol boy me and kenzie became friends with -my package came today -the way my mom sings to her houseplants -being tickled -sofffftttt kitty pawssss -sleeping in really late cause i normally wake up early -golden milk -lullabies -granola w yogurt + maple syrup + cinnamon -sleeping on the ground in my moms office -big sweaters tucked into jeans -mad-libs -collaging -thin sweatshirts -drinking soup out of mugs -small straws -target hot dogs

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bountyofbeads · 5 years

Text

Mourning Humble ‘Uncle Kwok,’ Killed in Chinatown Rampage

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/07/nyregion/nyc-homeless-chinatown-killed-victims.html

SAY HIS NAME: CHEUN KWOK Rest In Peace Brother🙏🏼🕊️"But for the Grace of God"

Mourning Humble ‘Uncle Kwok,’ 83, Killed in Chinatown Rampage

He was among four homeless men beaten to death on Saturday. “Our friend and brother,” read a note left at a memorial.

By Sharon Otterman and Jeffrey E. Singer | Published Oct. 7, 2019 Updated 8:02 PM ET | New York Times | Posted October 7, 2019 9:24 PM ET |

For years, he lived outside, sleeping in a small alcove in a storefront on the southern end of the Bowery. For meals, he often ate at modest restaurants in the neighborhood, always ordering inexpensive, filling meals — a pork chop or roast duck over rice.

People tried to get to know him: an 83-year-old homeless man that some residents of Chinatown knew as Uncle Kwok. But he kept to himself, they said, never wanting to talk about what landed him on the streets.

Uncle Kwok, whose given name was Chuen Kwok, was bludgeoned to death on Saturday as he slept in the familiar alcove where he had sought a degree of security. He was among four homeless men beaten to death with a three-foot, 15-pound metal bar in attacks that took place just after 1:30 a.m. on a chilly night.

Randy Rodriguez Santos, a homeless 24-year-old man with a history of violence, was arrested two blocks away and charged with their murders.

Homelessness in New York is not always fleeting or anonymous. A homeless person can become a fixture in a neighborhood, accepted as part of the local community fabric, and cared for — a recipient of spare change, castoff clothes or the leftovers from a meal. Mr. Kwok seems to have been that kind of character, accepted and liked by those who encountered and helped him.

“There are many homeless men around, but for some reason he caught my eye,” said Kim Mui, who brought incense to his alcove on Monday to mourn him. “He’s such an elderly man,” she remembered thinking when she first met him. “He’s not bothering anybody. He’s so quiet. He just seemed so sweet.”

It was Mr. Kwok’s murder that led to the police finding and arresting Mr. Santos. A couple returning home saw Mr. Kwok being beaten with the metal bar, his blanket wrapped around him. They called 911, and then flagged down a passing police car and helped officers comb the neighborhood until Mr. Santos was found.

Mr. Kwok appeared to have been the last victim of the night.

Police said Nazario A. Vazquez Villegas, 54, had been killed minutes earlier, as was Anthony L. Manson, 49, whose last known address was the general delivery address of Manhattan’s main post office, a place where many homeless people get their mail. The fourth man, found at East Broadway, had not yet been identified on Monday.

All were killed by repeated blows to the head, resulting in skull fractures and brain injury, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Monday. A fifth man, David Hernandez, 55, was left in critical condition.

At around 2 a.m. on Saturday, Mr. Santos was arrested after a police officer spotted him near the intersection of Mulberry and Canal Streets, police said. Fresh blood and hair clung to the metal bar he was carrying, the police said.

On Monday, at the spot where he was killed, someone had placed a photo of Mr. Kwok, looking up as if to answer a question, amid bouquets of flowers. “A polite, humble, gentleman,” it read, under his name, which is sometimes spelled Kok, and the years of his birth and death, 1935 to 2019.

“Our Friend and Brother,” read another note, along with a translation in Chinese.

As people paid their respects on Monday morning, or gathered for a nearby vigil led by local elected officials, no family members of Mr. Kwok appeared. But Ms. Mui, her hair askew and in dark sunglasses, spoke lovingly of him to anyone who asked, taking on the role of surrogate daughter.

In an interview, she recounted that she had met Mr. Kwok two decades ago and had visited his apartment, when he still had a home. He had been an old friend of her mother’s family, known to her as Uncle Kwok, and he had lived in an old tenement building on East Houston Street with a bathtub in the living room.

“I remember him standing in the living room,” she said. “He was wearing a tank top and he was smiling.”

She said did not recognize Mr. Kwok at first when she befriended him about a month ago on the streets, helping him to get food and chatting with him in Cantonese. Then her mother told her he was the same family friend who had been living on the streets and tended to avoid people he knew.

What We Know About the Suspect in the N.Y.C. Homeless Killings: Randy Santos

Randy Rodriguez Santos, 24, had a history of violence and strange behavior before he was charged with murder on Sunday.

By Nikita Stewart, Ashley Southall and Katie Van Syckle | Published Oct. 7, 2019 Updated 7:17 PM ET | New York Times | Posted October 7, 2019 9:20 PM ET |

The man accused of bludgeoning four homeless men to death on Saturday had a history of violence and strange behavior leading up to the horrific attacks, which have shaken the homeless community and renewed awareness of the dangers faced by people living on the street.

The accused killer, Randy Rodriguez Santos, 24, was himself homeless, bouncing from a shelter in Brooklyn to his mother’s apartment in the Bronx and even to a squalid, abandoned building next door to her building.

Mr. Santos was formally charged with four counts of murder on Sunday, but did not speak or enter a plea.

The grisly murders have prompted calls for the city to do more to help an estimated 3,600 people living unsheltered and to address mental illness.

Here’s what we know about Mr. Santos:

Early Saturday morning, Mr. Santos, walked through Chinatown stalking men who lay on the ground. He swung a three-foot, 15-pound metal pipe at their heads, killing four men, including 83-year-old Chuen Kwok, whose surname is sometimes spell Kok. Another man was critically injured.

The first attack happened at about 1:30 a.m., when a homeless man asleep in front of 17 East Broadway was struck in the head and killed, according to a criminal complaint.

Minutes later, three men were attacked with a metal bar in front of a pharmacy at 2 East Broadway near Chatham Square, an attack filmed by a security camera. Two died.

Then at about 1:50 a.m., a fifth sleeping man was clubbed a block north at Doyers Street and East Broadway; he also died. Two passers-by witnessed the last attack and called the police, who arrested Mr. Santos at about 2 a.m. at Canal and Mulberry Streets, still carrying a metal bar with blood and hair sticking to it.

People who knew Mr. Santos in the Bronx neighborhood where his mother lives said he appeared to be unraveling mentally in recent weeks. He had been doing odd jobs for his mother’s neighbors, Lydia and Segundo Segarra, cleaning up debris in their yard, but stopped showing up in late September.

“He seemed lost,” Mr. Segarra said. “He would forget that he just saw you.”

The day before the attacks, residents of the building where Mr. Santos’s mother lived saw him lying down in an empty hallway, possibly trying to get his mother's attention to let him in. Mr. Santos, generally quiet and affable toward neighbors, was withdrawn.

“He wasn’t making eye contact,” said Candy Santos, 41, who had no relation. “He was just laying there. There was something in his eyes that felt different. It’s like he wasn’t there.”

Mr. Santos had previously been accused in a string of violent assaults targeting random people.

Much of his record is sealed, but he had most recently been arrested in May, when he was kicked out of a men’s shelter in East Flatbush. He pummeled another 24-year-old shelter resident in the face. That case was dismissed.

A year ago, Mr. Santos choked a 55-year-old man and bit his breast at an employment agency in the garment district in Manhattan, the police said. He had leapt across the counter to attack the man. Four days later, he was on a northbound Q train, between Canal Street and Union Square stations, when he yelled out, “We need to stop it!” and punched a 33-year-man in the eye.

He was charged with both assaults.

There were more incidents this year. On Feb. 25, police officers spotted Mr. Santos enter the Hoyt-Schermerhorn subway station in Brooklyn through an exit gate without paying and arrested him. At the precinct, he spat on the floor toward a sergeant, the police said.

Less than a week later, he was arrested on a charge of groping a 19-year-old woman at the front door of her apartment building in Jamaica, Queens.

His family in the Bronx had kicked him out. His mother, Fioraliza Rodriguez, told The Daily News she was afraid of him. “I never thought he would kill someone,” she said. “I was afraid of him, though, because he punched me. That’s when I told him to get out of my house.”

The Daily News also reported that Mr. Santos broke his grandfather’s nose in 2016, and sneaked into the family’s home last week and stole a watch, a phone and three phone chargers.

Denielda Jordan, a neighbor of Ms. Rodriguez, observed Ms. Rodriguez refusing to let Mr. Santos into her apartment. But the mother would give food to her son. “If your mother doesn’t let you in the house, there’s a problem,” Ms. Jordan, 58, told The New York Times.

The Post reported that Mr. Santos had been living in squalor inside an abandoned house at 691 East 183d Street, near his mother’s apartment.

Mr. Santos most recently worked in construction, a job he lost because of excessive drug use, said Nelson Reyes, also a neighbor of Ms. Rodriguez.

“He started smoking crack,” said Mr. Reyes, 39, in an interview with The Times. “Then he started losing his mind.”

The police said Mr. Santos’s last known address was a shelter in Brooklyn, the same shelter that kicked him out after he attacked another young man.

But he was frequently seen eating the free breakfasts and lunches served at the Bowery Mission, one of the city’s oldest aid organizations, located about ten blocks north of Saturday’s murders.

Laura Dimon, Edgar Sandoval and Alex Traub contributed to this report.

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lumos-star684 · 7 years

Note

All of them. Just to be a pain

Can’t believe I’m about to answer these but its either this or a marketing assignment so here goes…

1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk?

more cereal

2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day?

Yes!

3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books?

blank revision cards and raffle tickets

4: how do you take your coffee/tea?

white with sugar

5: are you self-conscious of your smile?

yes

6: do you keep plants?

non but i would like to (in fact, I’m going to buy one next week)

7: do you name your plants?

nope

8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings?

none im not very creative :(

9: do you like singing/humming to yourself?

yep

10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach?

side or stomach usually

11: what’s an inner joke you have with your friends?

hmmm can’t think of this (wait you should know this any idea?)

12: what’s your favorite planet?

Pluto

13: what’s something that made you smile today?

my little niece started talking to me about flying pigs

14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like?

like the friends apartment with loads of little quirky shit

15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is!

Venus is the only planet that spins backwards relative to the other planets.

16: what’s your favorite pasta dish?

good ole simple pasta with tomato sauce and cheese

17: what color do you really want to dye your hair?

dark purple

18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up.

i have no stories omg

19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it?

non

20: what’s your favorite eye color?

don’t have one in particular, depends on the person really

21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that’s been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces.

there was my little karrimor rucksack that i had all throughout (most of ) secondary school and it broke on the day before the last day of Year 11 but still holds a special place in my heart

22: are you a morning person?

nooooooooo (unless its morning where you’ve been up all night)

23: what’s your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations?

make tea and watch tv

24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets?

nope (i don’t have a lot of secrets though??)

25: what’s the weirdest place you’ve ever broken into?

a hotel kitchen (by accident i should add)

26: what are the shoes you’ve had for forever and wear with every single outfit?

at the moment, my black boots

27: what’s your favorite bubblegum flavor?

mint?? idek

28: sunrise or sunset?

sunset

29: what’s something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing?

there’s this one little shit that always sends me asks on tumblr

30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared?

yes

31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about sock

socks, my friend, are a fucking brilliant invention. i have a bit of love-hate relationship with socks because i feel like they confine your feet (i mean why would you want to lock your feet into little pockets of cloth?) but on the other hand THEY’RE SO CUTE. little socks with funky patterns and little animals and the super soft house socks as well. having said that, all my socks are black with either pink purple or blue on the foot and heel parts. SO, my favourite thing to do is always wear mismatched socks - but nobody can tell because the main part of the sock is black. It’s like a little secret I can wear all day knowing that my socks are not the same even though it looks like they are.

32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends.

we’d just left a club in prague and headed over to burger king. we sat down and then out of nowhere in the middle of prague this group of gujarati kids came and sat down next to us. I had a conversation with them and forgot that the other girls hadn’t the foggiest idea what the fuck we were talking about. we were leaving and then one of them asked me to marry him……

33: what’s your fave pastry?

er…something with chocolate? or apples

34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it?

there was this little black dog that used to be my sister’s, i can’t remember what i used to call him but I’ve still got him somewhere

35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often?

I absolutely love them but can never bring myself to use them (I eventually did and my Latin notes are so fucking pretty)

36: which band’s sound would fit your mood right now?

Bahamas

37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean?

messy but organised messy

38: tell us about your pet peeves!

when people walk slowly in the middle of the street and when people think they’re better than you

39: what color do you wear the most?

black

40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what’s it’s story? does it have any meaning to you?

i have a little harry potter necklace i got for my 16th which i wear almost every day

41: what’s the last book you remember really, really loving?

me before you

42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it!

don’t like coffee shops much

43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with?

nobody

44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything?

last sunday

45: do you trust your instincts a lot?

no lol they’re shit

46: tell us the worst pun you can think of.

all puns are good puns

47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe?

ermm dunnoo

48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today?

can’t remember exactly what my biggest fear was, but it’s not the same as today (although probably quite similar)

49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought?

nope don’t own any

50: what’s an odd thing you collect?

empty glue sticks

51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them?

you - la vie en rose

52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far?

LOOL some of the trump and theresa may ones have been pretty good

53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them?

no but they’re all on my list to watch

54: who’s the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face?

probably a stranger on the train

55: what’s the most dramatic thing you’ve ever done to prove a point?

moved out

56: what are some things you find endearing in people?

people tagging in posts and memes

57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics?

currently ill in bed so i didn’t even move -_-

58: who’s the wine mom and who’s the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why?

keef is the wine mom and i reckon you will be the vodka aunt :)

59: what’s your favorite myth?

there was this one where zeus was cheating on hera and when he got caught he turned the woman into a cow

60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves?

yes! usually just snippets i read on the internet though

61: what’s the stupidest gift you’ve ever given? the stupidest one you’ve ever received?

given is what we gave keef and received…i don’t think ive ever received a stupid gift?

62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind?

sometimes yes, either the innocent strawberry and banana smoothie or the orange and passionfruit tropicana

63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be?

music yes, it all has to be in particular playlists and books no, they’re just stacked randomly

64: what color is the sky where you are right now?

bright blueee

65: is there anyone you haven’t seen in a long time who you’d love to hang out with?

you :( and a couple of people from school actually

66: what would your ideal flower crown look like?

tiny little black red and purple flowers

67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel?

a bit eh actually, but also nice if i’m inside and in bed

68: what’s winter like where you live?

not great, just a bit grim and rainy and no snow

69: what are your favorite board games?

monopolyyyy

70: have you ever used a ouija board?

nope

71: what’s your favorite kind of tea?

breakfast tea

72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you’ll forget it?

1000000% yes

73: what are some of your worst habits?

picking at the skin around my fingers and overthinking (the standard tbh)

74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns.

newcastle born and bred sarcastic little shit who can be a bit annoying but also has a heart of gold

75: tell us about your pets!

MY LITTLE BABYYYYY Goghi is my cat - black with little white paws, a white stripe down her front and a white moustache. Softest fucking fur EVER. She has one funny eye, hates people and sleeps all day. I also have about twenty fish in the pond and two little ones in a tank inside. Varying sizes and no names

76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren’t?

a marketing assignment, the laundry and cleaning my room

77: pink or yellow lemonade?

noooo idea..

78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub?

fanclub. they’re one in a minion those things

79: what’s one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you?

little things like when people come and see me i cant think of a particular example

80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why?

beige and nope we just painted the whole house that colour

81: describe one of your friend’s eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of.

*can’t remember what anyone’s eyes look like*

82: are/were you good in school?

yeah i was a pretty good student

83: what’s some of your favorite album art?

the airborne toxic event and green day’s american idiot

84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones?

yesss but not sure yet!

85: do you read comics? what are your faves?

nope

86: do you like concept albums? which ones?

i have never heard of concept albums (upon googling it appears i do like some of them, yes)

87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives?

3 idiots, dead poets society and kuch kuch hota hai amongst others

88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy?

non

89: are you close to your parents?

90: talk about your one of you favorite cities.

Londonnn - its just….everything (but also expensive)

91: where do you plan on traveling this year?

croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and hopefully a couple of other city breaks

92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch?

drowns

93: what’s the hairstyle you wear the most?

hair down if its straight or pony tail if its curly

94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday?

my little cousin’s birthday was yesterday

95: what are your plans for this weekend?

stay in be all weekend drink tea and eat soup

96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot?

procrastinate, all the time

97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house?

INTJ/INTP, gemini and ravenclaw

98: when’s the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it?

ncs? loved it but also hated it because i don’t like climbing

99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them.

Current favourites: Sometime Around Midnight, Vampire Smile and Wasn’t Expecting That

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why?

Future - five years ago i was there and twas a bit shite

oh my god you don’t know how long those took me YOU BETTER READ THEM ALL @findinganiqa XXX

#aniqaunderground #messages #bloody hell this is long #this took me all week

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