Closed under the pretence of family

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene had another weekend off and again she had told her supervisor that she was going to her aunt's shop. This wasn't exactly a lie. She was going to her aunts shop. She hadn't specified that her aunts shop was in the Salem. or that she was fairly sure her aunt was in New Zealand. not that anyone asked a lot of the people were planning a weekend away doing a pub-crawl in Copenhagen. So they didn't mind her having other plans. after all she was only seventeen. not of age in the muggle world.
She eventually came to a stop though the room kept spinning around her fo ra few seconds after her body was stationary. She was not in the book of shadows but at the floo hot point. she paused and headed outside the air here warmer than the last time she had been over yule a few years ago. she spent a few minutes getting herself presentable neatening her hair that was messy from the travel and soot and cleaning her clothes with magic. getting id of the mud stains that had become a permanent feature of her wardrobe. she then headed outside wand tucked neatly away making her way though the sunlit streets before she stopped outside the book of shadows her hand eating slightly nervously on the handle before she opened it. you see while she had said that she was visiting her aunt aunty Maya was not the real reason she was travelling to the USA Today. she paused. what was she going to do if Thackeray wasn't here she hadn't thought about what would happen if her wasn't there to greet her. or if he had forgotten who she was which would be even worse.

 

[Thackery Binns]

Somewhere inside the old shop, the southern wizard nose was deep in a book of some kind. A muggle mystery based off true crime, that's what it was. A book highly recommended by his so called 'co-owner' who shoved into his hands one day and said: read it, mate! Thackery gave the younger DeNiro a shrug and did just that. It's not an everyday occurrence, but today he just felt like reading something other than old school materials and books he had piled up in the back. It's nice to get lost in a book once in a while without too many distractions. The shop is fully functional, it had it's days. Besides that, Thackery hadn't had much to be distracted about. He wished he did though, he wished it was from a certain witch. He thought of her as he flipped a page from the book. A brief thought, and coincident enough, she showed up at his footsteps unannounced.

"Howdy, is there somethin' I can help you with? I'll be right there," Thackery calls out in greeting, closing the book.

 

[Selene Le Fey]

It had been a while since Selene had been in Salem. She had found the book of shadows easy enough though she had been given directions by another witch. she wandered through Salem on her way there it was a petty town she could almost feel the history talking to her. though she wasn't sure if this was just because she had spent the last month talking to history o if she was finally developing her seer abilities further like her mum had described.
As she entered the shop she saw one head at the back seemingly enthralled in a good book she let him read as she scanned the shelves slowly taking her time to reach the front counter. It must have been a good book because he didn't even look up at her as he greeted her. She was slightly disappointed about that. not that she had any reason to be. he didn't know who it was who had walked into the shop, for all intents and purposes she was in Europe at the dig. besides what gave her any reason to think he would greet her differently than anyone else. "Hey Thackery. I WAS going to play it cool and ask if aunt Maya was around" she said. deciding last minute that she wasn't going to be able to pull off the story she had planned. 'But it was you I wanted to see really." she said trying not to smile too much.

 

[Thackery Binns]

Thackery squinted his eyes, like he's been needing to get some reading glasses for a long time. All of a sudden he was just reading a book, then he felt his face change a tint red. Like he had disrespected Selene with his nonchalant greeting. Thackery cleared his throat, "S-selene, what a surprise," the wizard says his voice cracking some. He's caught off guard like deer in headlights. He wonders so many nights when he will see this strange beauty again. And just like a dream, she comes out of nowhere. Popping right back into his life again for a spare moment.

"Pardon me, I wasn't expected you," he says as a smile soon reaches his face. It's a surprise visit, no doubt. A pleasant surprise. "You wanted to see me? Why? I thought you were busy with school and other things. It's not that I don't want to see you, Maya just tells me you've been really busy," he's hoping she knows that he asks for her sometimes. Whenever he get the chance he always does.

 

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene was at serious risk of letting her cool veneer slip. as she looked at thackery and watched a smile spread across his face. and was it the lighting or could she see a spread across his cheeks the same as she could feel on hers.
when he said that he wasn't expecting her she chuckled. "I wasn't expecting to be here until last night" she said realising after she spoke how it sounded. She hadn't meant it in any way other than last night the rest of the people in the group had decided to go on the pub crawl. "do I need a reason to see you? you are my friend and I haven't seen you since last year" she said. the last time she had seen him was her birthday party which being the 31st December was last year. "she is right I have been busy. but busy still needs friends" she said rambling a little and fidgeting slightly as she stood next to the counter both actions trying to stop her waling around and giving him a hug.
It wouldn't be a bad ide as such but she didn't want to give the wrong impression. well maybe the wrong impression wasn't quite the right way to put it. it was more she didn't want to scare him off. or was it that she didn't want to give herself the wrong impression like she had done with nell and when she realised what her feelings were she had left her crushed and broken and she still wanted to hug her but as a friend not anything else.

 

[Thackery Binns]

So, she planned last night to see him? Is that what he was hearing, though, most of it sort of fell on deaf ear. Thackery held onto the edges of the smooth surface of the counter. It felt like he was preventing himself from floating away. Or, stopping himself from grabbing Selene up just to feel that she was really here. That she's not some conjured image that persistently existed in his dreams at night. The shopkeeper shook his head in response to her question. "No, I guess not. But it's a long travel from New Zealand, you shouldn't have to trouble yourself over me," Thackery chuckles lightly. He muster up some courage somewhere and went around the counter to do what he was trying to avoid. His long arms found their way around her midriff, Thackery pulls her in for an embrace. "It's good to see you. Really, I'm flattered you came all this way to see me," he can't deny it. He would've made the same trip, perhaps plan it in advance as he had the shop to worry about. Maya wouldn't mind it either way, the older DeNiro is more in the know than Thackery like to think. Thackery took in her warmth, she felt so cozy in his arms. So right. He's kind of afraid to let her go in fear that she will disappear from him. Exactly how she does in his dreams when he awakes.

 

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene bit her lip. maybe this hadn't been the best idea. maybe she should have given him a heads up. maybe she should not have come on her own out of the blue. "Oh, I wasn't in New Zealand. I am spending my break doing a summer program at an archiological dig. last night the other people decided to go to Copenhagen for a pub crawl and as I'm not eighteen I couldn't go so I said I would go and visit my aunt instead." she said. she may be an adult in the magical world but as she was in a muggle program she had to abide by muggle rules.
she felt more than saw Thackeray come around the counter. felt his arms around her holding her close. he was taller than she was and she wrapped her arms around his back feeling his presence warm and comforting like a blanket. she let her head rest against his shoulder and felt the vibrations as he spoke. "It is good to see you too. we should see each other more often" she said her words list slightly to a mumble against his chest. she hoped that he didn't have plans for after he closed the shop. she was hoping that they could hang out together. wander though Salem like they had done first time they had hung out together many years ago walking though the snow, how they had kissed, her first kiss, outside the parish's house. not that there would be snow in the middle of summer, but while the snow had made the walk around the town magical it certainly hadn't been the best part of the walk. She had already seen that instead the town was alive. flowers blooming and the smell of roses drifting from people's gardens. but walking on you own was different to walking with a friend. "If you are free after you close up we should hang out" she said. she would be happy doing anything just so long as she could hang out with him.

 

[Thackery Binns]

Thackery listens, he's interested in what she has to say. "Good," he's relieved she hadn't to travel so far to see him. Whether he wanted to admit it to himself or not, he's happy to see her. Delighted, though, at first it didn't portray such a reaction. "Archaeological dig? Here in Salem, or some other nearby town? That's interesting I didn't know you were into that sort of stuff," it makes sense. Given the history of this town, and given that they took a tour together to know more about it. Thackery shouldn't be too surprise. "Is it with muggles? If it is, do be careful. There some that still don't take too kindly to us around here. You woulda think think that was more a southern thing, right?" Thackery chuckles, releasing his hold over her. Wishing at once he hadn't. Thackery nods, agreeing. "We should, you'll be done with school soon. We can see each other more often," he likes knowing there will be more possibilities to see her. That it wasn't just a fleeing chance, or, when one was invited to some gathering that they see each other. "Actually," Thackery looks around the shop and gestures with his arms wide open. "I'm free now, it's a slow one," he tells Selene and goes to lock up the front door. He turns the old open sign to closed. Thackery returns to her, gesturing to the shop's little kitchen in the back. "Come on, let me get you a drink, we can go in the backyard if you like, it. It's nice and sunny there, and there's a tree for shade."

 

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene smiled as Thackery asked if the dig was in Salem. He must have missed that she said Copenhagen. or maybe there was a town near by called Copenhagen. after all a lot of towns in the us shared names with European cities. "Okay i wasn't that close. the dig is in Sweden. and yes my head of house suggested it as a potential career and managed to get me on the program." she said. "It is a great mix of my favourite subjects, History, runes and a bit of divination" she said thinking about when she had started working she would get some weird dreams. many she couldn't remember but on a few occasions she had suggested trying some spot or another. they would laugh at her but after they had found some artifact three times in a row they listened even though she insisted that she was just a lucky guesser and didn't do it often enough to arouse suspicion from the muggles.
as Thackery said that they should hang out more. and after her last year at the school they would be able to. "yes NEWT year. it should be fun. I think Cyzarine and Lars will get head boy and girl" she said. she had been thinking about the option and she was sure that there would be no one else would be even close to her two friends. they were two very different people but would compliment each other well.
as Thackery said that it was a slow afternoon and he would close up she felt bad. this was his livelihood. I appreciate the offer but you dont have to close just for me." she said. she would be happy looking to see what was in the shop, she could already see a lot of things that were different from the eye. But as she watched him close the door and turn the sign to closed she felt a slight flutter in her chest. "A drink would be lovely. and under a tree in the back garden would be perfect" she said. it was still warm out and warmth sunshine and fresh air would make for a perfect afternoon. she didn't know what they would have but some cool lemonade or iced tea would be amazing. but really anything without alcohol would be delicious.

 

[Thackery Binns]

Thackery could listen to her talk all day, she had a lot to say. She a busy witch, and he appreciates that she would relate to him past and current events. It's more than what he could offer her, Thackery only runs a shop and that was it. It's a simple life he was leading, and he didn't quite mind it. "Yes, Maya mentioned you and your mama indulges in the subject of Divination. Personally, I never was too keen on the subject myself, just learned the basics from Maya," Thackery grabs two glass cup from the pantry. He set them up with crushed iced and pours fresh squeezed lemonade his mama made for him and Gwen DeNiro upstairs if she wanted any. "She said your mama runs a shop too? Is it anything like this one?" Thackery ask. He opens the back door which lead to a porch and yard. The porch is spacious, big enough to housed a table and comfy chairs on one side, the other a bench swing. Everything so quaint and solid as it should be. Thackery not only ran the shop, he's the keeper too. He didn't know how he ended up with that position, he only knows that it made sense. "I'm afraid we don't have much of a garden here, just some crop plots. That's where we grow some ingredients and whatever that needs harvesting. We can go sit there or," Thackery shows her the swinging bench. "There. Gwen likes the swing when she comes downstairs. It's her favorite spot outside the house when it's warm like this. Good shading area, the trees here and porch keeps the sun from burning ya," Thackery awaits her decision. It's nice to close up shop once in a while and have someone actually to talk to besides his mama and Mrs. DeNiro. Don't get him wrong, he enjoyed their company. He prefers them more than hanging out with his witches and wizards his age, really. The young crowd don't interests him much. Except Selene, he didn't mind at all spending any time with her.

 

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene listened as Thackeray asked about her mum and divination and the eye. "Yes. it is a skill that is used by many in the le fey family" she said wondering why hwe phrasing sounded so weird. "and the shops are similar. the eye has more divination tools and less of everything ele. but the vibe between the two is very similar" she said as thackery opened the back door and led her out into the garden. the garden was small but quaint. and the veranda they were standing on felt homely even if she had never been there before with comfortable chairs on one side and a swinging seat on the other. she gravitated towards the swinging seat. it really wasn't even a decision she had to make. It wasn't a large seat, really it was more of a love seat than a bench. which was part of what had subconsciously drawn selene to it. They sat on it couldn't couldn't avoid being close to each other, torching each other. Before even five minutes were up the two of them had shifted position first her leaning into him then him putting his arm around her until they ended up snuggled up together comfortable and content each lost int their own thoughts. Selene was thinking of how he smelled like fresh bread, sweet peach tea and something herbal that she couldn't put a name on. and how comfortable and happy she was just sitting her in companionable silence. and how if she shifted her position just a little bit, tilting her head a bit more like so she could see the smile playing gently on his lips. If she kept her head there and if he turned his head towards her, oh she wanted to turn his head towards her, they would be so close. their lips would be practically be touching. oh how much she wanted that.