Page 134 of Pistols and Plush Toys

“Maybe later?” Elliot said. “Just that for right now.”

Nikolai nodded and pulled his wallet out.

It was a small thing, the price of the danish, but Elliot still felt his stomach swoop at how easily Nikolai stepped into the line to get it for him. Like it was natural for him to do, like taking care of Elliot wasn’t a burden.

Nikolai ordered for Elliot, then himself, paid for their food, and Elliot scooped up the bag of pastries. There was no seating at the crowded festival, so they moved off from the main walkway to have their breakfast.

At the first bite of his pastry, Elliot groaned. The danish was still warm, the yoke of the egg runny when he bit into it. It was perfectly balanced with the pecorino cheese, and the chives on top were the perfect garnish. His eyes fluttered closed as he enjoyed his mouthful.

When he opened them again, he met Nikolai’s blue, blue eyes, his expression focused.

Self-consciously, Elliot touched the corner of his mouth. “Something on my face?”

But Nikolai only smiled at him. “No, nothing. Is good?”

“Sogood.” Elliot said emphatically. Then his gaze dropped to Nikolai's untried pastry. He’d gone the sweet route, and gotten himself a cream cheese Danish. “How’s yours?”

Nikolai glanced down at his Danish and quickly took a bite. He nodded as he chewed. “Good,” he commented after a swallow.

“We’ll have to check their bakery out,” Elliot said, looking back in the direction of the stand so he could memorize the name. “I’d like to try some of the sweet ones when I’m in the mood for sweet.”

Nikolai hummed in agreement and they both tucked in to the rest of their breakfasts as the festival sounds went on around them. When they were finished and had thrown away theirnapkins, Nikolai's hand found its place again on Elliot’s back. Elliot leaned into it as he was guided back into the crowd to walk the main throughway.

It really was a beautiful morning to be out, the air crisp, the trees lining the street in orange and red. With a pastry in his belly and Nikolai at his side, Elliot was excited to see the rest of what the fair had to offer. It was so nice to just be out in the world again. Shopping with Meredith, going out with Nikolai, spending time with Xander… it struck Elliot again how small and painfully boring his life had become with Mattia.

They strolled past plant stands and clothing stalls, vendors selling honey and tea and vegetables. Elliot stopped here and there when something caught his eye, but he made sure not to take up anyone’s time. It was fun to look, and Nikolai was incredibly patient, stopping every time Elliot wanted to browse, but Elliot had no plans of really buying anything today.

Then they walked past a stall selling vintage jewelry, and Nikolai was the one who paused. Elliot followed Nikolai's gaze back to the jewelry stall they had just passed.

“You want to look?” Elliot asked.

“We can keep going,” Nikolai said slowly, but his attention was still on the stall.

“No, let’s look,” Elliot said, turning back toward the booth. Nikolai followed.

As they walked up to the stall, Nikolai couldn’t hide his interest, and Elliot looked around curiously himself, to give Nikolai time to browse. Almost everything at the stall was in display cases, neatly laid out and labeled, and the jewelry was cool enough, but it didn’t hold Elliot’s interest the way it did Nikolai. Nikolai was slowly walking up to each case, peering inside with a sharp, focused expression, and muttering to himself in Russian.

He finally stopped in front of a case full of necklaces, scrutinizing them long enough that Elliot came over to see what Nikolai was so taken with.

“The necklaces?” Elliot asked him.

“Sometimes I buy antique pieces,” Nikolai explained to him.

“For yourself?” Elliot asked. Nikolai certainly wore a lot of jewelry, and he did often change up what he wore. “Or for your stores?”

“Maybe for me, maybe we sell them,” Nikolai said, waving a hand from side to side. “Depends on price I buy it for.”

“What do you look for in something to buy?” Elliot asked, considering the necklaces himself now. They all looked very old and were all in different styles. The price tags on some of them were significant.

“Interesting pieces. Different designs. You see this one?” Nikolai pointed out an intricate gold chain that widened at the bottom into loops with a filigree detail. The tag in the case beside it dated it as an early 1900s piece. “Is Art Nouveau. Is not something people wear now, but the details are very good. Different.”

“That’s cool,” Elliot said, peering closer at the necklace. “Wow, you know so much.”

Nikolai laughed softly. “Is maybe something I learn for twenty years, yes?” But he was grinning, to show he was teasing. Not poking fun at Elliot to make him feel stupid. Then he looked up and caught the attention of the man attending the booth.

“Sir, I can see?” Nikolai asked, indicating the case.

The man who’d been sitting at the cashier station polishing a pair of rings, grabbed a set of keys and came over.

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