Chapter 3
Tristan
“Okay, I think that’s everything.” I clapped my hands together as I looked at our table, making sure everything was in its place. We had two racks off to the side that held Ellery’s dresses and skirts; beside it was our table, which had all my plushies on display, ready to find their new homes.
I walked to the other side of the table, where we had another clothes rack holding a small selection of blankets I had made. I looked approvingly at the blankets, ensuring that they were all on their hangers and weren’t at risk of falling off.
“Ellie, can you make sure the card reader is hooked up to the tablet?”
The doors to the fair were about to open, and I wanted to ensure everything was ready.
“All systems are a go, captain!” Ellery stood behind the table, stifling a giggle as they saluted.
Shortly after the doors opened, people started to fill the large room. It took a bit longer for the crowds to reach us since our booth was located in the back. “Mama, look!” A little girl pulled her mother’s hand, pointing at the pink character plush on the table.
I loved playing video games and watching cartoons, so a lot of my work consisted of characters I wanted to recreate. I preferred using plush blanket yarn because it was so soft, but unfortunately, that limited what I could make.
“He’s super cool, right?”
“He is! Did you make him?” She bounced up and down, holding her mother’s hand.
“I did, I made the plushies, and they made the pretty dresses.” I pointed to Ellery.
“That’s so cool! Mama, can I buy him… Please?”
The little girl looked up at her mom with puppy-dog eyes, swaying back and forth, trying to contain her excitement.
“Yes, hon, you can buy him.”
She leans down, whispering something in her ear, and the little girl’s face instantly becomes super focused. She straightens her posture, looking very serious.
“I would like to buy him. How much is he?
I put my thumb and forefinger on my chin as I pretended to be deep in thought, making her giggle at my dramatics.
“Hmm, fifteen dollars.”
Her mother handed her the card and helped her swipe it as she giggled excitedly, trying her hardest to focus on the task.
“All good to go! Here you go, sweetie.” She reached out with grabby hands as I handed her the plush.
“Thank you! I’m gonna give him so many hugs.” I smiled brightly; her excitement must have been contagious.
“Well, you’re in luck; he happens to love hugs. I hope you have a great first day together!”
My smile never left my face as the mother led them away to the next vendor. Seeing my customers’ joy was my favorite part about making my adorable plushies. Since our store was online, I didn’t often get to see their happiness firsthand, so when I did, I loved it.
The next few hours flew by as more and more customers stopped by to purchase their new stuffie or dress. Thankfully, no one had purchased Ember yet. I knew I was supposed to want him to find his new home, but I secretly hoped I could be his new home instead.
“Tristan… I’m hungry,” Ellery whined as we both sat down after helping our last customer. We had eaten some of the snacks I had packed, but my stomach rumbled, and it was definitely time for something heavier.
“Me too, I think I saw a fast food place nearby. Do you want to stay here and watch over things while I grab us lunch?”
Ellery thrived on the hustle and bustle of the event, but I found the sheer number of people and noise overwhelming. I was looking forward to some quiet time in my car while getting our food.
Their green eyes sparkled at me with an understanding grin.
“Yes, please… double cheeseburger no-“ I chuckled, cutting them off.
“No veggies, extra ketchup, and mayo. I got you, bestie!”
I slowly cut through the crowds, taking my time to appreciate the various creations on sale.
My feet instinctively slowed as my eyes settled on a nearby table that held various wooden toys and decorations. There were all kinds of cars and blocks, all handcrafted and skillfully painted.
My fingers itched with the desire to touch and play; they were beautiful. I shook my head and reminded myself of my task.
I needed to hurry and get our food—I didn’t want Ellery to handle everything on their own for too long. I moved on, hoping I would have time later to go check them out.
Daniel
“Wow, you were right, those toys are selling like hotcakes.”
David said through a mouthful of food. I had just finished selling another toy car while David and I took turns eating the lunch I packed for both of us.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full; it’s rude.”
I smirked playfully. Both of our Daddy sides were such a big part of us that it was hard to turn off, so anytime we caught the other slipping up, we jumped at the chance to playfully Daddy the other.
David finished his bite and glared at me. “Who do you think you are, my Daddy?”
We both busted out laughing, drawing attention from nearby people, but I didn’t care. Our banter might seem weird to others, but it was who we were, and I loved it; life was too short always to be so serious.
As the day started to wind down, I itched to take a walk and look around at the other wares vendors were selling.
“Do you want to take turns stretching our legs? I want to take a quick walk and check out some other booths.”
David leaned back in his chair, groaning. “That sounds great. Why don’t you go first, and I’ll go when you get back?” I hummed in agreement.
“Thanks, I won’t be long, but text me if you need me to come back.”
I trusted David to handle everything while I was away, but I knew that fair days could get crazy at any time. I also knew my best friend was the type to try to do it all by himself, even if it got to be too much.
“No wonder your hair is almost all white, you worry too much, go take your walk, old man.”
I chuckled, ignoring his antics as I walked away. David was only a year younger than I, and while his hair was more gray than mine was white, he was just as much of the old man he was accusing me of being.
The tension started to leave my body as I slowly made my way through the crowd. My eyes danced back and forth, admiring all the various works, from paintings to hand-woven baskets and dangling trinkets.
I always believed art was an extension of the person who created it, and loved seeing bits and pieces of these people and their personalities.
My legs instinctively halted as my eyes landed on a colorful table lined with the softest plushies I’d ever seen.
The person at the table was younger and had gorgeous dark curls that flowed over their shoulders.
They were wearing a purple satin blouse with black leggings.
When my eyes met theirs, they stood from their chair and greeted me with a bounce in their step.
“Hello, are you interested in anything?”
“I’m not sure yet.” I smiled back at them, letting my eyes roam over the table.
My heart pounded with excitement as my eyes landed on a decent-sized dragon plush that looked just the right size for even an adult to be able to squeeze against their chest and snuggle.
The dragon was a beautiful, deep red color with orange wings and a snout. His eyes were also red, but they sparkled in the light. It was breathtaking. I could tell the person who made him put a lot of love and care into the creature.
My fingers itched to touch, so I picked him up, the soft yarn caressed my fingers, and I knew this little guy was meant for my future boy and me.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my excitement as I looked up at the young man.
“This one, he’s beautiful… I can tell a lot of love and care went into him. Did you make them?”
“Ellery, I’m b-” My breath hitched as a young man appeared. His bouncing step faltered as his beautiful blue eyes met mine, holding the dragon. He let out a quiet gasp, “Ember.”
Ellery, who was relaxed, now looked at me, appearing slightly nervous, although I wasn’t sure why.
“No, I didn’t make him, Tristan did.” They pointed to the man, making him jump slightly.
I smiled warmly at Tristan, loving the way his wavy chestnut hair framed his face and how his soft freckles danced over his nose.
“Hi, I’m Daniel. Ellery here was telling me that you made this adorable little guy. He’s very soft, and I can tell a lot of care went into making him. The stitching is so clean. You did amazing.”
His eyes widened in shock, and I worried I had said something to upset him. Not very many people were accepting of an older man gushing over a stuffed animal. Even though he was shocked, his eyes still shone with excitement and pride.
“I-yes. Thank you so much. I’ve made a few other dragons before… but Ember’s my favorite.”
He rocked back and forth nervously, his fingers fidgeting with the bags of food still clutched tightly in his grasp. I didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, but I was excited to hear more about his creation.
I looked down at the plush dragon and hummed thoughtfully. “Ember is a perfect name. Do you name all the creatures you make?”
Tristan smiled, the tension easing out of his body as he set the bag of food down next to Ellery.
He let out a small sigh. “No, I don’t. I love every stuffie I make, and there’s something about bringing them to life that feels so magical. Each one has their personality, but Ember just felt… special.”
“I see what you mean. He seems very spirited, like he’s ready to fly off on an adventure.” He bounced slightly as his eyes lit up with excitement.
“Exactly! It’s like he’s more than just a stuffie. He’s got an adventure waiting for him.”
Be still, my heart. This man was precious; his joy for his craft was contagious. I would stand here all day and listen to him talk about every single one he’s ever made. I could tell he poured his whole heart and soul into his creations, and that made each one as special as he was.