Chapter Text
Them again. Shu glared outside of the window of his storefront from behind his desk. Nearly every day for the past month he had seen the same dark-haired young man, always accompanied by a gaggle of rowdy, unkempt children, pass by his workshop, and every single time he suffered in silence as he watched the children smudge his windows with their filthy hands. Between the sounds of the carriages, the wagons, the horses pulling them, and the church bells that seemed to ring too often, he had enough distractions already.
“Oooh, look at that one! It’s new!” Shu heard one of the children exclaim from behind the glass. “Could we go inside this time? Pleeease?”
The dark-haired man smiled sadly at the child. “Nn, well, you know I’d let ya, but those dolls look real expensive, ‘n I know how good you are at breaking things. Maybe when you’re all older, ‘kay?”
Shu breathed a sigh of relief. Although the man looked and sounded dense, he at least had the decency to keep those children out of his store. Shu was, after all, one of the most well-respected and talented dollmakers in the country, with each one of his works being meticulously handcrafted down to the last detail. The dolls he created were priceless, with only the wealthiest people in the nation, and even some outside of it, coming to visit him to make a purchase. Between the commissions he received from his affluent clients and the few minor repairs he did on the less-precious dolls of common people, Shu was able to earn a comfortable living.
“Oh,” Shu gasped quietly, his heart skipping a beat when Mika’s mismatched eyes met his own through the glass. He hadn’t realized that he’d been practically glaring at the other man this entire time, observing everything from his strange eyes to the gentle way he spoke to the children. Snapping out of his daze, Shu turned his back towards the window and faced the shelves behind his desk, embarrassed that he’d become so distracted so easily.
“Let’s get goin’, ‘kay? It’s gonna be dinner time soon. Hurry, before it gets dark!”
Shu listened to the group’s voices fade as they scampered away along the cobblestone streets. He didn’t know why he’d felt so flustered, especially since the group’s visits had become almost routine lately.
“What an idiotic feeling…” He muttered to the blonde, delicate doll perched next to him as he began lighting the candles on his desk. “Children simply cannot appreciate my art, can they, Mademoiselle? It’s pointless to even have the curtains open…”
“Oh, you know that isn’t true! You were only a child when we met, and I know that you loved me from the first time you laid eyes on me. And you’re always complaining about being lonely, so what’s the harm in a bit of attention? Wouldn’t you care if they stopped coming around?”
“...I wouldn’t care in the slightest.” Shu insisted, peering out the window as the sun began to set. “I would not care at all.”
****
“Um, ‘scuse me…”
Shu nearly fell out of his seat. He had been so engrossed in his work that he hadn’t even noticed that someone had walked through the door. “Sorry, how can I--” he paused suddenly. The last person he expected to see this cold, gloomy afternoon was the familiar dark-haired man, this time childless and standing at his doorway. “How can I help you?”
Mika hesitantly made his way towards Shu’s desk at the back of the room. “I just, uh… well, since I’m always peekin’ in with the kids, I thought I’d properly say hello. I hope it’s alright, since you had your lights on and everythin’.”
Shu hesitated for a moment. He normally wouldn’t like visitors who were there only to waste his time, but he figured since the man had been seemingly interested in his work for quite a while that he would allow it. “Considering your entourage isn’t accompanying you this evening, this would probably be the ideal time for introductions. Please, come in.”
“Sorry, yeah… They’re noisy, but they’re cute ‘n sweet so it’s worth it. Anyway, tonight’s m’ night off and I was in the area, so I was thinkin’ it would be a good time to thank you and to apologise for all the noise. Oh, I’m Mika Kagehira, by the way.”
“Your bunch is quite rowdy, but I suppose they do keep me entertained from time to time. Although, I do wish they would touch the windows less. They’re cumbersome to clean, especially when the weather is this cold. Regardless, it’s nice to formally meet you.” Shu walked out from behind his desk. “What are they to you, then? Your pupils, nieces and nephews…?”
Mika chuckled with embarrassment. “Ah… somethin’ like that. Actually, I just take care of ‘em for work. They’re all livin’ in that orphanage a few blocks away, an’ since I grew up there too, it makes me real happy bein’ able to take care of ‘em now. Hm… I guess they’re kinda like my students, and also my nieces and nephews, then.”
It was Shu’s turn to be embarrassed. Complaining about literal orphans was the last thing he planned on doing today. “Oh… Well. That’s noble of you. I suppose that even though dolls are quite eye-catching and intricate, children would be naturally attracted to them. That’s part of the beauty of youth, after all.”
“Yeah! I mean, they love it. It’s hard gettin’ them anythin’ new or expensive or beautiful like these dolls here, so even gettin’ to see them through the window’s excitin’ for all of us.”
Shu beamed. If even this bumpkin could find his work beautiful, then maybe there was hope for the rest of the world as well. “I’m happy to hear that. Even if they don’t fully understand the work that goes into creating these, I’m glad they are able to appreciate their beauty. You know...” His voice faltered as he became distracted by the row of buttons on Mika’s coat, all of them black and large except for one at the very top.
Why on earth would you use a brown button on a black coat, especially when not a single one of the other buttons are brown? It’s horrifying! Honestly, how tasteless--
“...Are you lookin’ at my eyes!? Nna, I know they’re weird… Everyone does this…” Mika whined. “I know, I know... I don’t mean t’ be creepy… the kids think I am, too...”
“No, no!” Shu stuttered. “If anything, they’re lovely. But even if they weren’t, you shouldn’t let anyone, especially a group of children, let you feel guilty about such a beautiful and rare trait. Is it not better to take pride in your unique characteristics than to feel the need to conform?”
Mika blushed. He’d gotten comments about his eyes before, but no one had ever called any part of him beautiful so directly. “I, uh… guess you’re right. None of the dolls have got eyes like mine, though, so how nice could m’ eyes actually be?” He asked, surveying the shelves of dainty, elegant dolls that lined the walls. “Ya make all of these yourself, don’t ya?”
“Yes, I do. And, because these are my own creations, I can confidently assure you that the reason that none of them have eyes like yours is because I have never seen any person with such a feature in the past. Honestly, this display of insecurity doesn’t suit you at all.” Shu huffed. “...To answer your original question, I wasn’t looking at your eyes. I was looking at that. ” He gestured to the unsightly button. “Why on Earth is it brown ?”
“Oh, uh…” Mika laughed nervously. “Well, sorry for gettin’ defensive, then. ‘Cause I grew up pretty poor, I always had t’ fix things ‘n use whatever I had to get it done. Even now, since I gotta set a good example, I just fix up whatever I have with whatever’s around. So if I’ve only got a brown button, then a brown button it is! Ah, ’m pretty shocked ya noticed that. Aren’t they basically the same color, kinda?”
“Non!” Shu asserted, immediately retreating behind his desk and rummaging through his shelves. “Absolutely not! Not in the slightest! Don’t you understand how inelegant it is to use these colors together so carelessly? There isn’t a single other brown button on the placket, so if you insist on being this careless, then at least commit to being consistent!”
After locating four of the blackest buttons he had, Shu pulled a chair out from a corner of the room and pushed it towards the desk, gesturing for Mika to sit. “Take that thing off and hand it over to me. Since we’ve just met I’m not entirely sure just how thick your skull is, so I’ll be kind and do it for you this time. Sit here.”
Shocked, Mika slipped off his coat and handed it to Shu. “Wow, for someone who’s practically a stranger, you’re pretty comfortable scoldin’ me already. Gettin’ advice from someone’s pretty nice, though… Now that I think ‘bout it, Naru’s always sayin’ those things to me, that I dress better an’ stuff.”
“Whoever Naru is, she sounds very smart. You should take her advice more often.” Shu said, picking at the buttons with his seam ripper.
“Mm, I prolly should. She’s my best friend, after all.” Mika set his elbows on the desk and rested his face on his hands. “Ah, that doll there looks a li’l different… Did you make her, too?” He asked, nodding towards the doll perched on the shelf behind Shu.
“Mademoiselle? No. Well, I made her clothes, which is why we’re matching, but I didn’t make her . She was given to me by my grandfather in my youth, and we’ve been together ever since.” Shu explained, his gaze focused on the coat as he worked. “We used to do everything together, but now that she’s aged, I prefer to leave her at home where I know she won’t be damaged.” He set down his seam ripper and reached down to thread his needle. “It’s ironic, isn’t it? The most charming feature of a doll is its eternal youth, and yet in reality they age just as we humans do. Though I should be thankful, since the diminishing quality of dolls over time guarantees that I’ll be afforded an income through repairs…” His voice trailed off as he began to sew the new buttons onto the coat.
“...Ya know, ya seemed pretty standoffish ‘n weird at first, ‘n now you’re sittin’ here getting all thoughtful. It’s pretty funny, ‘n a bit cute.” Mika laughed. “ You’re fast, huh… I wish I could do that as fast as you. ‘Specially how ya got the thread through the needle so quick! That part always takes me a minute or two, ‘n sometimes I even poke my finger...”
“ I’m the weird one?” Shu scoffed. “I take pride in my craft, so sewing this hastily is not something I’m happy to do. I just don’t want to keep you here after dusk.”
Mika’s eyes widened as he realized how dark it had gotten outside. “Nnah, how long have I been here for! I only meant t’ introduce myself. Sorry t’ waste more of your time…”
“It’s not a waste. If I could fix that eyesore, then I think it’s well worth the effort.” Shu gave the new buttons one final inspection before handing the coat back to Mika. “I’m assuming that you’re aware that there is a massive hole in the seam of the lining as well?”
“Thanks…” Mika took the coat back hesitantly. “ ‘n yeah, I noticed, but I’m pretty nervous about fixin’ it since it’s all inside out ‘n stuff.”
Shu sighed. “With all of the mending you claim to do, you’re telling me you’ve sewn a slip stitch in your life?”
“Nn, well… no? I think ya saw already, but I’m pretty sloppy since I gotta fix everythin’ all the time, so I just kinda do whatever. Actually, I never learned how t’ sew for real. I’m mostly wingin’ it.”
“Didn’t you just say that you wanted to set a good example for the children?” Shu bit his tongue, holding back any further insults as best as he could. “...Okay. When’s your next day off?”
“Ah, a week from today, I think?”
“Then come back a week from today. ‘Doing whatever’ isn’t good enough, especially when you’re setting an example for impressionable youngsters. Luckily, it seems that you have plenty of untapped potential, so hopefully you won’t be too hard to teach. It’s nearly winter, so it would be wise to mend the seam as soon as possible. From now on, no more ‘winging it’.”
Mika’s smile grew with surprise. “Really? Ya want me t’ come back? I thought I was jus’ annoyin’ you...”
Shu shook his head with exasperation as he walked Mika towards the door. “I already told you that I’m not annoyed, although I will be soon if you keep repeating yourself. Helping people make their own lives more beautiful is a privilege, so if anything I should be thanking you for the opportunity.” He insisted as he walked Mika towards the door.
“Nn, sor-- okay, okay. I’ll see you next week, then. Ah, wait--” Mika turned in the doorway to face Shu once more. “Ya never told me your name.”
“It’s, um…” Shu’s breath hitched as they made eye contact. “...Shu Itsuki. It’s on the door, isn’t it?”
“Oh! Yeah, guess it is. Hah, ’m kinda an airhead so I miss things like that, even though I’ve walked by here a million times before. I should pro’lly start payin’ attention, huh?” He grinned as he began fastening the new buttons on his coat.
“That would be helpful.” Shu hesitated for a moment as he reached for the door handle. After spending so many evenings alone, it would have been nice for Mika to stay for a longer while. “It’s starting to get dark.”
“Nn, yeah… Thank ya again. I really mean it!” Mika turned away, his face turning pink from a combination of elation and the cold autumn air. “See ya next week, then!”
“Get home safely.” Shu couldn’t help but smile as he watched Mika walk away so excitedly that it almost looked like he was skipping. He never thought he could have that effect on a person-- or that a person could have that effect on him, either. “And you get a hold of yourself…” He muttered, placing his hand over his heart in a futile attempt to calm its rapid beating. He had a feeling that the next week would pass by far too slowly.