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ax_mainNora finds Gilmore's workshop to commission a gift for Piotr. Not long after, the exact reverse also happens!
That was funny. The door had been unlocked, and this was definitely the right place, but nobody seemed to be inside. Even as she called out, Nora's eyes wandered all over the workshop, her face alight with awe and delight. It was so much more than she'd imagined, even after looking at every single item on the store's website. She moved in invisible flashes from one item to the next, oohing and aahing at the crafts strewn about. It was like she'd wandered into a magical land of scents and sparkles. The other half of the workshop was equally fascinating, with its wood and metalwork and interesting machinery. There were so many things she would love to have, and she made a mental note of all of them, especially all the wonderful clothes. Nora was wearing one of the outfits provided by the school, a pink knee-length skirt and a white short-sleeved shirt. The shirt sported a heart with a lightning bolt through the center drawn in colorful glitter gel. Jester had helped her decorate it, and while that did make it a little less dull, she desperately needed to expand her wardrobe especially. she wouldn't be purchasing anything like that today with what she'd saved of the allowance the school had given her. No, she had something else in mind for her first ever visit to Gilmore's Glorious Goods.
Nora spotted a futon at one end and whooshed over to it to coo over the handmade pillows which all looked like animal faces. She picked one of them up, a cute penguin, and held it up as she wandered backward a few steps. She bumped into something and dropped the pillow in surprise with an "Oop!" Turning around, she saw that it was a dress form draped in a black fabric of some sort. It was smooth and opaque, with only a hint of what sort of garment it would eventually be. "Oh!" Nora said with a giggle, stepping toward it. Grinning privately in a moment of inspiration, she added. "You know I'm really not supposed to speak to strangers, but we've met before."
Taking the dress form in her hands, she proceeded to dance about the workshop, singing while she swayed and spun with her 'partner.' "...and if I know you, I know what you'll do. You'll love me at once..."
"The way you did once upon a dream," answered a resonant male voice from the doorway of the workshop, where an amused-looking young man with brown skin and thick black hair was leaning. It was unmistakably Gilmore himself, especially since he was wearing a space unicorn t-shirt with his artfully torn jeans. Despite all the publicity, the incredibly successful Etsy shop, the galactically famous boyfriend, and the media attention he'd garnered in his own right, the fact that Shaun Gilmore could actually sing had somehow never really become public. He had a lovely voice, untrained of course, but he probably did very well at karaoke.
"I'm afraid I don't have any convenient birdies to help you out with that promenade, Princess," Gilmore commented easily, rich and warm and not appearing upset at all. In one hand he was dangling a reusable water bottle filled up to the top, which was probably where he had temporarily disappeared to when his visitor had come in.
Nora giggled and applauded her approval, the instant of surprise at getting caught long-forgotten. "That's okay," she said, dipping into a little curtsy, "I'm not really a princess anyway." That might have gone without saying, of course, but given the number of genuine royalty at the school, one could never be too sure. "I'm Nora, one of Jester's friends. She's told me all about you, but she didn't mention that you sing so pretty, Mister Gilmore."
Gilmore straightened up and deposited his water bottle on the nearby workbench, then spread his hands in a broad shrug. "Well, I can't fault Jester for that. I have so many remarkable qualities that it can prove difficult to remark upon all of them." In any other voice, that might have sounded like bragging, but for Gilmore it was clear he simply considered it a fact of well-earned confidence.
"Anyway, any friend of Jester's is welcome here," Gilmore went on, sweeping further into the room, and casting a quick glance about to make sure neither his nor Percy's work had been disturbed. "What can I do for you, Nora?"
Face lighting up, Nora bounced on her tiptoes and let out a little peep of excitement. "Omigosh, this is really happening!" She swept the shop with her eyes once more, drawing in a deep breath. "Well. I'd like toooo buy a present for someone!" she said, the last half of the sentence coming out in such a rush the words nearly blended together. She clasped her hands in front of her with anticipation. "Something really special, and I need your help picking it out."
Living with so many luminaries at the school, sometimes Gilmore forgot that he was a little bit famous in his own right. What a delight to meet someone so happy to meet him! Nora didn't just lift his spirits, she skyrocketed them into the stratosphere. "How lucky that we are here amidst all my current stock!" he chuckled, spreading his hands wide and turning in place to indicate the entire workshop. "Why don't you start by telling me about this someone, and why they need a present from you."
Normally the answer would have come in a rush of information, but she really wanted to get to the heart of things and impress upon Gilmore why it was so important. That way he'd be sure to be able to help her pick out the perfect gift. So Nora composed herself, clearing her throat and adopting her best serious expression. Even so, she spoke without pause, punctuating each sentence with an appropriate pose or gesture, sometimes springing from one to the next without any visible sign of movement. "Okay, well, for starters, we just busted out of a bad place run by really bad people (he doesn't really like to talk about it) and his birthday was in June, so we like, just missed it. Actually he's missed a couple of birthdays. Or four. Depends on who you ask, I guess. Anyway, we've been together for so long and I've never been able to give him anything, and when you hear about everything he's done for me you'll know why I've got to do something about that."
Gilmore listened, nodding thoughtfully, though maybe he missed the first few seconds in distraction as Nora blinked from one spot to another, seeming to skip a number of movements in between. He knew other speedsters, but he'd not seen anything quite like that before. Midway through her explanation, he picked up his water bottle again and took a contemplative swig. Nora's friend would not be the first escapee from some kind of facility or containment for whom Gilmore had created something special. Though, Gilmore did rather hope he might be one of the last. How many more prisons for mutant children would they find? It was stomach-turning.
"Something personal, and something meaningful," Gilmore mused. "Not just anything will do." He lifted one hand and swirled it in the air, making a 'go on' sort of motion. "More, more, tell me more! And a name for this paragon of virtue and kindness would not go amiss."
Nora nodded her head vigorously. "Yes, yes! Exactly! His name's Piotr and he's in room 203 with Mollymauk Tealeaf." With the increase of her focus, her restless movements eased away, but the energy in her voice remained unchanged.
"See, the thing is, one time we almost escaped way earlier, but when we got outside, we found out we were on an island or something. In the deepest part of Siberia. In the coldest part of winter. He could have made it. He can survive almost anything. But me, I wouldn't have lasted a day. And well, he stayed, because all that time they never broke us because we had each other, and he didn't want me to be on my own with them."
She drifted, almost unconsciously, to where she'd dropped the penguin pillow. Picking it up, she hugged it to her chest. "Even though I begged him to go, because it was my fault he was caught in the first place. He'd kept his power a secret for a whole year, but then he saved my life, out where everyone could see, even though he didn't even know me. He stayed. That's the moment I knew he'd do anything for me. And he's proved it over and over again since then. He's always been there for me." A range of emotions played across her face as she spoke, ending in a soft, affectionate smile. "He's the closest thing to a big brother I've ever had."
Gilmore placed a hand over his heart for a moment, smiling, but his dark eyes seemed sort of wistful. "Dear Molly was my own roommate for a glorious year and a half. He is my very heart's twin, my sibling from another cribling. Of course the man who takes my place in his room must be a good and stalwart soul."
... for Molly to steadily and thoroughly lure, guide, and tempt into luxurious vice, was what he did not say. Piotr did sound like a good person, brave and loyal, which was all to the good. But he just might have an over-developed sense of morality. Mollymauk would work on that, Gilmore was positive.
"The two of you are very close, that's clear," he went on thoughtfully. "I'm going to have to say, I don't think anything that I already have on hand will do. This sort of devotion begs for a custom creation. It will need to be something that resonates with you both, and, I think, something with a practical application. Or am I wrong in assuming that valiant Piotr is not one for frivolous decoration?"
Something (and not just any something, a Gilmore something) made just for Piotr? Nora gasped in delight at the idea. "You're so good at this!" Nora said both to answer his question and to remark on the rest of his musings. "He likes to feel useful," she said, nodding. "Doesn't matter if it's helping with chores or building stuff or fixing things or drawing stuff- he's such a good artist. Anyway, that kind of extends to the things he likes to have."
"An artist, hm?" Gilmore was already beginning to envision something, something that he could make practical and beautiful, and entirely unique for Nora's friend. Unfortunately, there was one minor matter that he had to bring up, even though he hated to do it. Nora was so very precious and so excitable, he really hated to bring practicality into the question.
Best just to get straight to it. "My dear, I'm positive we can create something perfect for your friend, but I'm afraid I have to ask. What sort of budget am I working with?" Gilmore asked honestly, without a hint of avarice, purely business. His intention was not to upset the adorable redhead who had danced her way into his workshop, but these things had to be said.
In truth, the question only seemed to excite Nora more. "Right!" she said. Vanishing from where she stood, she reappeared next to the futon and set the pillow down where she'd found it, happily giving it a few pats to fluff it. "This is going to be so much fun! I've never been able to pay for something before!" Another zip of motion brought her once again standing properly in front of Gilmore. She proudly held up her phone, which displayed her school account balance, almost the entirety of her first month's student stipend. "Here you go! If that's too much you can just take the rest, since you're making sure it's extra special. Besides, I'll be coming back here to get some things for myself when I get next month's allowance anyway!"
There was no way on this entire blue-green Earth that Gilmore was going to take up a young lady's entire monthly allowance all at once, no matter how sweet she seemed. That money was for her clothes, school supplies, entertainment. It was darling that she wanted to use it for a gift, but Gilmore had spent a lot of years very carefully learning the value of a dollar, and he just could not take advantage of someone who probably didn't.
Grinning his bright-white grin, all crooked up on one side and looking even more roguish with the black goatee, Gilmore held up a hand. "I'm certain I can work within that budget. Now, what I'm thinking is a sturdy, wooden portable easel. We can sand down one side so it's smooth for him to draw on, but decorate the back side with something that means something to the both of you. I'm thinking a nice wood-burned design. What do you think?"
"I think it's perfect!" Nora said, nodding enthusiastically. "He'll love it!"
Of course he would. The idea was a Gilmore original, after all. "Shall we sketch out some ideas, then?" Gilmore invited, gesturing her toward the extra stool at his workbench. A set of pencils and a sketchbook were readily retrieved from beneath the work surface.
Nora let out a happy giggle and bounded onto the stool. A moment later she had a pencil selected and the sketchbook open to a blank page. She quick-flashed through a series of poses, never moving from her seat, each one expressive of the thought she was putting into the design (except one, in which she was focused on balancing the pencil on her nose). "Ooh!" she said when an idea struck, and set about drawing it out. When she was done, the page revealed the flat, abstract image of a rook piece from chess, standing in the middle of large letters which spelled the word "BOOP."
"The only game they let us have was chess," Nora explained. "I guess they figured it would help us think more strategically." She rolled her eyes. "But instead Piotr invented a game for me called 'Queen of the Castle.' We'd always play it to help cheer each other up whenever things were really bad."
Gilmore leaned on the workbench nearby, letting Nora go to town on her ideas and watching her with amused interest. The design was just simple enough that he was sure he could replicate it, and evolve it with a few well-chosen flourishes of his own. And while he was curious about the friend that Nora was so enthusiastic about, his curiosity overcame him on a completely different subject. "Nora, my dear, forgive me if this a bit presumptive, but... do you think as fast as you move?"
"Hm?" Nora said, momentarily thrown off by the unexpected question. Then, with a little laugh, said, "Oh, that." She lifted her hand in a quick, dismissive wave, smiling. "Sure, I guess. When I absorb electricity and can do it on purpose the world does kind of slow down around me. The rest of the time it's more, ummm, subconscious. I'll decide to do a certain thing or be in a certain spot and then..." she bounced her shoulders and let out a quick giggle, "...there I am." Shrugging, she added, "Usually I don't even realize I'm doing it."
Gilmore was nodding in agreement and understanding. "Same for me with mechanics. It's second nature. Not even second, really." He flashed her a quick, bright smile. "I'm interested in how other people work, and how we all experience our mutations. I hope that wasn't too forward of me to ask."
"Oh, you can ask me anything you want, Mister Gilmore," Nora said, dismissing the concern with a wave. "I don't mind. Your power is mechanics?" She cast her eyes about the objects in the room with a new sense of wonder and admiration. "That's awesome!" She let out an excited gasp and fixed Gilmore with a cheerful, eager smile. "Do you wanna see my hammer?"
Normally, hammers were not strictly mechanical, so the question piqued Gilmore's interest. He had not noticed a hammer, though he had noticed Nora's ... backpack? He'd assumed it was a backpack, anyway. Both dark brows lifted with intense curiosity. "I would love to see your hammer. Tell me all about it."
Hopping down from the stool, Nora let out a musical laugh and unhooked Magnhild from its holster. "Okay, so here it is as a grenade launcher," she said, presenting it as if she were the hostess of a home shopping program. She clicked the button on the handle and it unfolded to its full size. "And this is the hammer." She struck a quick pose with it, then gripped it in both hands to offer it out to Gilmore. "It sets off a small explosion when I hit things, I can stand on it and ride it though the air, and it can be a lightning rod when I need a power boost!"
Though Gilmore listened to the explanation, the moment he lifted the hammer in his hands, he didn't need it. Everything about how the device worked, how it changed shape, and what it could do were instantly drawn out like blueprints in his head. Gilmore loved that feeling, a moment of clear and perfect understanding -- and he so rarely got to have it, since it was pretty rare to encounter a machine he'd never touched before. Still, he wasn't a fighter, he didn't try to wield it. Instead, he slid his hands over the outer casing, pausing here and there for a deeper examination of the joins and pinions.
"Is it all right to ask where this came from?" Gilmore asked, his dark eyes a little bit unfocused, since he was really watching something that Nora couldn't see. "I haven't seen anything like this before. How the hell does it fly... Oh, there it is," he added, murmuring half to himself as his hands moved over the section where the engine was housed.
Nora watched Gilmore examine her hammer with a mixture of pride and wonder. She couldn't possibly love Magnhild more than she already did, but something about the way Gilmore looked at it made her wish she could see what he was seeing. "The people who took us made it for me," she said offhandedly. "It's the only thing they ever did that wasn't horrible, so when we broke out, I decided it was coming with me, no matter what."
"Good for you," said Gilmore approvingly. His fingers passed over the mechanism that could cause the hammer to transform again with unerring accuracy, but he didn't trigger it. That was a presumption beyond even Gilmore. With a few blinks, he came back to himself, and handed the weapon back over to Nora. "Well, I myself never would have thought to combine a rocket engine with a hammer, but now that I've seen it, I like it. We've, ah, liberated a few interesting bits of technology from various assholes who think kidnapping kids is oh-so-profitable, but that's certainly one of a kind."
Nodding her agreement, Nora said, "I named it Magnhild. Piotr painted the designs on it after we got here." Her favorite, of course was the front, with the lightning-struck heart flanked by stylized motifs suggestive of wings. She activated the trigger to collapse it back into its other form and slid it back into the holster. "He thinks people should associate it with me, instead of the people who made it. To show that it's mine and that it will only be used to do good things from now on. I hope the stuff you've been able to grab can be used to do good things, too."
Gilmore's glance strayed toward one of the many drawers of a locked cabinet in the room, where he kept his projects-in-progress. The latest iteration of the power-negation collar, threaded through the unstable molecule fabric now, waited in there for its next round of tests. Maybe this one would work where the other versions hadn't. Maybe this would be the one that would keep Nolan safe. Gilmore didn't care if it never helped another mutant, as long as it did that.
His gaze jumped back to Nora, only betraying his inattention for a second or two, but his smile had softened significantly. "Yeah. Me too."
Nora cocked her head to the side as she considered Gilmore, her smile growing coy. She had no idea what was in that cabinet or why it was so important, but that smile on his face? That was the real thing, right there. "Wow," she said. "He sure is lucky to have you."
Laughing sheepishly, Gilmore dragged a hand down his face as if he could wipe the doe-eyed expression off of it. "Yes, well... I feel lucky to have him." Basically the entire world knew about him and Nolan; it wasn't a surprise that Nora knew. "Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves. Apparently I wear mine on my entire face," he half-apologized with another chuckle. "Lucky for me, it's an incredibly cute face."
He clapped his hands together lightly, and added, "So. Do we have a plan for Piotr, then?"
"Do we?" Nora said, bouncing once on her tiptoes and flashing him a sunny smile. She clasped her hands under her chin, swung her elbows out and struck a pose, complete with one leg kicked up behind her. "It's the perfect plan!" Blinking out of sight, she appeared in front of Gilmore the next instant and threw her arms around him in a quick hug. "Thank you so much, Mister Gilmore! You're the best!" A second later she was standing back where she'd been before, relaxed and grinning.
Gilmore was absolutely a hugger, even though Nora was lightning-quick, and he returned her hug with matched enthusiasm. "I hope you still say that when you see the finished product. I have a bit of a backlog of orders currently, but it shouldn't be more than a few weeks. I'll text you updates, and you can drop by to see the progress whenever you like, okay?"
Nora answered with a decisive nod. "Sounds good to me!" she said. "If you need anything else, just let me know!" This was going to be so great, Piotr would be so surprised and happy. She'd been certain from the start that Gilmore's was the only place she could go for something this important and he'd more than lived up to that expectation. She couldn't wait to tell Jester and Ororo all about it!
***
This was the place. Piotr nervously tightened his grip on his sketchbook as he stood outside the door to the workshop. He was being ridiculous, of course. There was no reason to feel nervous about meeting a man who held celebrity status in a school already filled with giants of personality, style and charisma. One who just happened to have preceded Piotr as Molly's roommate, no less. He had a pretty good idea what he was in for, so why be nervous? Besides, this wasn't for him. This was for someone much more important.
Piotr drew in a deep breath and let it out. He raised his hand, folded his knuckles forward, and politely knocked on the door.
Since Percy would have walked in, Vax would have materialized out of nowhere, Nolan would have texted first, and any of his other friends would have barrelled right in, Gilmore felt certain that the knock at the workroom door meant it was someone he didn't know. He turned off his electrical tools and set them aside safely before he slid off his stool and sauntered over to the door. When he opened it, he was just pushing back a pair of plastic safety glasses into his impeccable black hair.
"Well, hello," Gilmore hummed, brows lifting as he looked up at his newest visitor. "I don't remember ordering tall, buff, and adorable. And my birthday's already come and gone." His warm, rich voice was threaded through with a good-natured laugh. "What can I do for you?"
Piotr had been a bit concerned that the workshop would be unoccupied at this time of the afternoon, but the relief he might have felt at seeing that was quickly overwhelmed by the sudden blush rising to his cheeks. This was not what he had been prepared for. "Ah, hello," he said. He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand and let out a brief, self-conscious laugh, but managed to maintain eye contact with the radiant, dark-haired figure before him. "Thank you? I am hoping it is not too late to discuss a, ah- special request. May I please come in?"
"By all means!" Gilmore exclaimed, stepping back and sweeping one arm wide to welcome the taller boy into the workshop. "Gilmore's Glorious Goods is always open. Unless you were looking for Percival, in which case, let me emphasize that Gilmore is the one who is here for you. Come in! Pull up a bit of futon, if you like. Bearold there is happy to snuggle," he added, gesturing toward one of the pillows haphazardly scattered about with a bear's face hand-stitched on the front.
Even though Gilmore had been at work for awhile, the workshop was still very tidy and well-organized. A daylight lamp was lighting the workbench, where Gilmore had recently been working with some wire and solder. A faint hint of metallic odor hung in the air, but it was steadily being dispersed by a small fan. Gilmore himself perched back on his stool, and looked attentively to his guest. "What can I do for you, my friend?"
Piotr felt a comforting wave of nostalgia wash over him as he stepped into the neatly kept workshop. He may not have ever seen a workshop quite like the one belonging to Gilmore, but it still carried an air of purpose, right down to the subtle aromas he detected. It brought back memories of craftwork and farm equipment repairs. "Thank you," he said, this time without the note of uncertainty and confusion. He eased himself on to the futon, glancing at the charming pillow next to him. "Ah, hello Bearold," he said, feeling both foolish and bemused. He didn't expect a response, of course, but considering how many surprises he'd experienced since arriving at the school, he supposed it was best to err on the side of politeness.
Blue eyes lifted back up to where Gilmore had taken a seat. "You are correct, Ah, Gilmore," he said. "It is you I wished to speak to. I would like to purchase a few items from you, and I am hoping it is possible to customize the designs. They are for someone very important." He sighed, a sentimental smile tugging at his lips without him realizing. "Very special. I have made some sketches if you believe they would help."
Big, strong, polite, and artistic. Hm. Could it be... ? Gilmore hopped up from his stool, swept the few feet over to the futon, and sank down on the other side of it all in one seemingly fluid movement. He laid an arm along the back of the sofa and leaned in with an expression of delighted interest. "My dear fellow, I would love nothing more. Crack open that sketchbook and let me help you make all of your dreams come true."
He waggled his dark brows twice, and then, almost as an afterthought, lifted a hand and flipped the safety glasses back down over his eyes. Gilmore grinned brightly, clearly playing for a laugh.
That did draw an appreciative chuckle from Piotr. It was almost uncanny how much Gilmore reminded Piotr of his roommate, who he'd grown to know well enough by now to have become well versed in reading such gestures. "That would be wonderful," he said as he turned over the cover of the sketchbook and spread a series of pages on the space between them on the futon. "Ever since she found out about your store she has barely spoken of anything else." It was an exaggeration, of course, but not much of one, and Piotr had a feeling Gilmore would not object to a bit of embellishment of that nature.
Each page bore an image of a different object, several from various angles. They had been carefully drawn in the manner of fashion sketches; just detailed enough to convey the general design while still allowing for a seasoned craftsman to put their own expertise and personal touch to the final product. One showed a set of pink and white headphones with a stylized hammer and lightning bolt symbol. On the other pages were a makeup case bearing an abstract unicorn, a locket shaped like a lightning-struck heart, and a jewelry box which vaguely resembled a fairytale castle, the inside of the lid decorated with an image of a rook piece and the words, 'Queen of the Castle.' All of them items which could be filled with or carry whatever she chose to collect, from her love of music to her fondness for pretty things.
All save one. The last page only had one sketch, a simple wooden mallet, the sort that would be given to a small child as a toy.
"I know this is a lot. Possibly too much." Piotr's voice went soft, almost faint. "But she has done so much for me. I wish to do something for her, now that I am able."
Those sketches certainly answered Gilmore's question. This was the famous Piotr, much-lauded by his earlier customer. Gilmore had to admire the devotion of their friendship, and not only because it promised to profit him rather handsomely. Remaining professional, Gilmore gave no hint that he recognized the designs in Piotr's sketchbook, but instead considered each one with the thought and care it deserved. "You really are quite talented," he praised, while noting the size of Piotr's preferred drawing paper as well as his handedness -- factors he could work in to the gift he would craft at Nora's direction.
"I'll tell you up-front that electronics aren't my forte, largely because the parts are difficult to get outside of the bulk factory market," Gilmore went on. He paused to grin up at Piotr, leaning back just enough to more clearly display the silhouette of a unicorn on his current t-shirt. "But the rest of this is right up my alley. Let's make a deal, my friend, and tell me where you want me to start. Budget, materials, are we working to a deadline?"
Piotr had anticipated there might be trouble with the headphones, but as he looked around the shop, noting the finished products and items in development, other ideas came to mind. Depending on how this went, he might be able to request a substitution. He gave Gilmore an appreciative nod. It was no surprise at all why Nora was so enamored of his store, and Piotr suspected she would be just as delighted by the man himself.
As for his questions, Piotr supposed it was best to approach what might be the most difficult hurdle first and go from there. "I am afraid the most I can afford is limited to what the Professor provides all students each month," he said, giving Gilmore an apologetic look. "But I am looking for work, and if possible, I am willing to renegotiate if my current funds are insufficient."
Gilmore was a businessman first and foremost, but his friends knew that under the glamour and the glory, he had a heart as expansive as his personality. Nora and Piotr's friendship was inspiring, and he was touched by the way both had come to him to ask for a gift for the other. Nothing for themselves. Just to express the gratitude and affection they had for one another. It was a good thing that Gilmore's Glorious Goods online was so profitable, he thought to himself, or he'd be turning in to Gilmore's Glorious Giveaways here very soon.
"I can get started with that," he confirmed, chatting business now but with the safety glasses still perched on his nose, slightly magnifying his already big brown eyes. "Why don't we begin with the locket and the jewelry box? They're naturally complimentary, and I can work on them with materials I already have, which will help keep your costs down. Plus, she gets the surprise of opening up her castle and finding the locket inside, and opening the locket and finding whatever you want to put in there," Gilmore pronounced with a grin.
Piotr slowly nodded his agreement with the suggestion. "Is it possible to do that, and the rest before November?" he asked. "I would like her to have these things before her birthday." He drew his finger toward the sketch of the toy mallet and tapped the paper once. "This one is the most important, though," he added. "She had one like this before we met. It was taken away from her when... when something bad happened."
It was his fault she'd been taken. If he hadn't convinced her to meet his parents, the agents who came for him would have never found out she was also a mutant. He could never make that up to her, but he could at least try to set things right in this one, small way. "Perhaps... I have done some woodworking before. If you are willing to sell the materials and access to your workshop, I would be able to make that one."
Damn his heartstrings. Gilmore's best friend had been held in a facility similar to what Nora had described, and Gilmore had spent almost two years lavishing Mollymauk with jewelry and baubles and whatever finery he could manage just to somehow make up for it. He understood Piotr's motivation all too well. "I think we can agree to that. Percival's more of the woodworker down here," Gilmore explained, gesturing toward the half of the workshop that seemed less occupied with sparkles and scents and more concerned with metal and wood. "I'm sure he can give us some pointers."
He made a swirling gesture with one hand. "All of this by November is doable if we pace ourselves. I'm about to start university for the very first time, so..." Gilmore flashed a lopsided smile. "I could be a little bit distracted come September." Not to mention, he'd have to keep Nora's gift a secret from Piotr and vice versa.
"Congratulations to you, Gilmore," Piotr said, smiling wide. "And thank you again. Very much. This is everything I hoped you could do and more." He nearly got up to shake his hand, but stopped short as he realized he was forgetting something, and he turned a sheepish look to Gilmore. "Oh, yes. My friend's name is Nora Valkyrie. She is in room 206."
"Nora, yes, I think she's friends with my friend, Jester," said Gilmore easily, managing not to betray that he'd already met the young lady mere hours ago. He raised a brow, with a warm smile, before pointing out that Piotr had not yet introduced himself. "Which would make you... ?"
Piotr's expression went from sheepish to slightly mortified as he realized his breech in etiquette. "I must apologize," he said. "I do not usually forget my manners this badly." He gave Gilmore an embarrassed smile and offered his hand. "I am Piotr. Piotr Rasputin. Nora and I arrived a little under two weeks ago."
Gilmore took his hand firmly, clasping it in both of his as if they were old and dear friends. "Piotr Rasputin, it is a delight to make your acquaintance. Does that mean you're the generous soul who's keeping my darling Mollymauk company this year?"
Returning the grip with equal warmth, Piotr nodded. "The pleasure is mine," he said. "Both in meeting you and to share a room with Molly. I would like very much to be a good roommate for him; he speaks fondly of you and misses having you with him very much." The last would have been obvious to Piotr even if Molly had never spoken a word about Gilmore.
"Ah, I miss him, too," sighed Gilmore, with a smile of wistful affection and a hand pressed to his heart. "My sib from another crib, the twin of my heart. I'm so pleased he has someone with your generous spirit, Piotr. He deserves all the love and kindness in the world." Not to mention that any roommate of Molly's required a certain level of patience, given his tendency to wander off for periods of time, return with strange impulse purchases, and temporarily forget to put on pants.
Piotr recognized that look. It was the same expression he knew was there any time he spoke of Nora that way. Perhaps not with quite as much theatrical grandeur, but the heart of it was no different. "I understand that feeling very well," he told Gilmore. "And I hope to offer more than that. We are still getting to know each other." He conceded that much with a hint of a wry smile. He doubted anyone would accuse him and Molly as having in much in common as Molly and Gilmore. "But I would like very much for us to become friends."
If Gilmore had to give up his place as Molly's roommate to anyone, he was glad it was someone with a heart like Piotr's. "My dear fellow, I have every confidence that you will," he said, the fond smile now as much for Piotr as it was for Mollymauk.
By now the slight sense of intimidation Piotr had felt when approaching the workshop had long been forgotten. He was more than comfortable, in every sense, sitting next to Gilmore as they spoke, no longer as businessman and customer, but as two companions. "Thank you, Gilmore," he said, returning the smile. And though Gilmore still wore the safety glasses, the slight element of absurdity it gave to the situation did nothing to lessen the absolute sincerity in Piotr's eyes as met met Gilmore's own. "That means a great deal coming from you."
That was funny. The door had been unlocked, and this was definitely the right place, but nobody seemed to be inside. Even as she called out, Nora's eyes wandered all over the workshop, her face alight with awe and delight. It was so much more than she'd imagined, even after looking at every single item on the store's website. She moved in invisible flashes from one item to the next, oohing and aahing at the crafts strewn about. It was like she'd wandered into a magical land of scents and sparkles. The other half of the workshop was equally fascinating, with its wood and metalwork and interesting machinery. There were so many things she would love to have, and she made a mental note of all of them, especially all the wonderful clothes. Nora was wearing one of the outfits provided by the school, a pink knee-length skirt and a white short-sleeved shirt. The shirt sported a heart with a lightning bolt through the center drawn in colorful glitter gel. Jester had helped her decorate it, and while that did make it a little less dull, she desperately needed to expand her wardrobe especially. she wouldn't be purchasing anything like that today with what she'd saved of the allowance the school had given her. No, she had something else in mind for her first ever visit to Gilmore's Glorious Goods.
Nora spotted a futon at one end and whooshed over to it to coo over the handmade pillows which all looked like animal faces. She picked one of them up, a cute penguin, and held it up as she wandered backward a few steps. She bumped into something and dropped the pillow in surprise with an "Oop!" Turning around, she saw that it was a dress form draped in a black fabric of some sort. It was smooth and opaque, with only a hint of what sort of garment it would eventually be. "Oh!" Nora said with a giggle, stepping toward it. Grinning privately in a moment of inspiration, she added. "You know I'm really not supposed to speak to strangers, but we've met before."
Taking the dress form in her hands, she proceeded to dance about the workshop, singing while she swayed and spun with her 'partner.' "...and if I know you, I know what you'll do. You'll love me at once..."
"The way you did once upon a dream," answered a resonant male voice from the doorway of the workshop, where an amused-looking young man with brown skin and thick black hair was leaning. It was unmistakably Gilmore himself, especially since he was wearing a space unicorn t-shirt with his artfully torn jeans. Despite all the publicity, the incredibly successful Etsy shop, the galactically famous boyfriend, and the media attention he'd garnered in his own right, the fact that Shaun Gilmore could actually sing had somehow never really become public. He had a lovely voice, untrained of course, but he probably did very well at karaoke.
"I'm afraid I don't have any convenient birdies to help you out with that promenade, Princess," Gilmore commented easily, rich and warm and not appearing upset at all. In one hand he was dangling a reusable water bottle filled up to the top, which was probably where he had temporarily disappeared to when his visitor had come in.
Nora giggled and applauded her approval, the instant of surprise at getting caught long-forgotten. "That's okay," she said, dipping into a little curtsy, "I'm not really a princess anyway." That might have gone without saying, of course, but given the number of genuine royalty at the school, one could never be too sure. "I'm Nora, one of Jester's friends. She's told me all about you, but she didn't mention that you sing so pretty, Mister Gilmore."
Gilmore straightened up and deposited his water bottle on the nearby workbench, then spread his hands in a broad shrug. "Well, I can't fault Jester for that. I have so many remarkable qualities that it can prove difficult to remark upon all of them." In any other voice, that might have sounded like bragging, but for Gilmore it was clear he simply considered it a fact of well-earned confidence.
"Anyway, any friend of Jester's is welcome here," Gilmore went on, sweeping further into the room, and casting a quick glance about to make sure neither his nor Percy's work had been disturbed. "What can I do for you, Nora?"
Face lighting up, Nora bounced on her tiptoes and let out a little peep of excitement. "Omigosh, this is really happening!" She swept the shop with her eyes once more, drawing in a deep breath. "Well. I'd like toooo buy a present for someone!" she said, the last half of the sentence coming out in such a rush the words nearly blended together. She clasped her hands in front of her with anticipation. "Something really special, and I need your help picking it out."
Living with so many luminaries at the school, sometimes Gilmore forgot that he was a little bit famous in his own right. What a delight to meet someone so happy to meet him! Nora didn't just lift his spirits, she skyrocketed them into the stratosphere. "How lucky that we are here amidst all my current stock!" he chuckled, spreading his hands wide and turning in place to indicate the entire workshop. "Why don't you start by telling me about this someone, and why they need a present from you."
Normally the answer would have come in a rush of information, but she really wanted to get to the heart of things and impress upon Gilmore why it was so important. That way he'd be sure to be able to help her pick out the perfect gift. So Nora composed herself, clearing her throat and adopting her best serious expression. Even so, she spoke without pause, punctuating each sentence with an appropriate pose or gesture, sometimes springing from one to the next without any visible sign of movement. "Okay, well, for starters, we just busted out of a bad place run by really bad people (he doesn't really like to talk about it) and his birthday was in June, so we like, just missed it. Actually he's missed a couple of birthdays. Or four. Depends on who you ask, I guess. Anyway, we've been together for so long and I've never been able to give him anything, and when you hear about everything he's done for me you'll know why I've got to do something about that."
Gilmore listened, nodding thoughtfully, though maybe he missed the first few seconds in distraction as Nora blinked from one spot to another, seeming to skip a number of movements in between. He knew other speedsters, but he'd not seen anything quite like that before. Midway through her explanation, he picked up his water bottle again and took a contemplative swig. Nora's friend would not be the first escapee from some kind of facility or containment for whom Gilmore had created something special. Though, Gilmore did rather hope he might be one of the last. How many more prisons for mutant children would they find? It was stomach-turning.
"Something personal, and something meaningful," Gilmore mused. "Not just anything will do." He lifted one hand and swirled it in the air, making a 'go on' sort of motion. "More, more, tell me more! And a name for this paragon of virtue and kindness would not go amiss."
Nora nodded her head vigorously. "Yes, yes! Exactly! His name's Piotr and he's in room 203 with Mollymauk Tealeaf." With the increase of her focus, her restless movements eased away, but the energy in her voice remained unchanged.
"See, the thing is, one time we almost escaped way earlier, but when we got outside, we found out we were on an island or something. In the deepest part of Siberia. In the coldest part of winter. He could have made it. He can survive almost anything. But me, I wouldn't have lasted a day. And well, he stayed, because all that time they never broke us because we had each other, and he didn't want me to be on my own with them."
She drifted, almost unconsciously, to where she'd dropped the penguin pillow. Picking it up, she hugged it to her chest. "Even though I begged him to go, because it was my fault he was caught in the first place. He'd kept his power a secret for a whole year, but then he saved my life, out where everyone could see, even though he didn't even know me. He stayed. That's the moment I knew he'd do anything for me. And he's proved it over and over again since then. He's always been there for me." A range of emotions played across her face as she spoke, ending in a soft, affectionate smile. "He's the closest thing to a big brother I've ever had."
Gilmore placed a hand over his heart for a moment, smiling, but his dark eyes seemed sort of wistful. "Dear Molly was my own roommate for a glorious year and a half. He is my very heart's twin, my sibling from another cribling. Of course the man who takes my place in his room must be a good and stalwart soul."
... for Molly to steadily and thoroughly lure, guide, and tempt into luxurious vice, was what he did not say. Piotr did sound like a good person, brave and loyal, which was all to the good. But he just might have an over-developed sense of morality. Mollymauk would work on that, Gilmore was positive.
"The two of you are very close, that's clear," he went on thoughtfully. "I'm going to have to say, I don't think anything that I already have on hand will do. This sort of devotion begs for a custom creation. It will need to be something that resonates with you both, and, I think, something with a practical application. Or am I wrong in assuming that valiant Piotr is not one for frivolous decoration?"
Something (and not just any something, a Gilmore something) made just for Piotr? Nora gasped in delight at the idea. "You're so good at this!" Nora said both to answer his question and to remark on the rest of his musings. "He likes to feel useful," she said, nodding. "Doesn't matter if it's helping with chores or building stuff or fixing things or drawing stuff- he's such a good artist. Anyway, that kind of extends to the things he likes to have."
"An artist, hm?" Gilmore was already beginning to envision something, something that he could make practical and beautiful, and entirely unique for Nora's friend. Unfortunately, there was one minor matter that he had to bring up, even though he hated to do it. Nora was so very precious and so excitable, he really hated to bring practicality into the question.
Best just to get straight to it. "My dear, I'm positive we can create something perfect for your friend, but I'm afraid I have to ask. What sort of budget am I working with?" Gilmore asked honestly, without a hint of avarice, purely business. His intention was not to upset the adorable redhead who had danced her way into his workshop, but these things had to be said.
In truth, the question only seemed to excite Nora more. "Right!" she said. Vanishing from where she stood, she reappeared next to the futon and set the pillow down where she'd found it, happily giving it a few pats to fluff it. "This is going to be so much fun! I've never been able to pay for something before!" Another zip of motion brought her once again standing properly in front of Gilmore. She proudly held up her phone, which displayed her school account balance, almost the entirety of her first month's student stipend. "Here you go! If that's too much you can just take the rest, since you're making sure it's extra special. Besides, I'll be coming back here to get some things for myself when I get next month's allowance anyway!"
There was no way on this entire blue-green Earth that Gilmore was going to take up a young lady's entire monthly allowance all at once, no matter how sweet she seemed. That money was for her clothes, school supplies, entertainment. It was darling that she wanted to use it for a gift, but Gilmore had spent a lot of years very carefully learning the value of a dollar, and he just could not take advantage of someone who probably didn't.
Grinning his bright-white grin, all crooked up on one side and looking even more roguish with the black goatee, Gilmore held up a hand. "I'm certain I can work within that budget. Now, what I'm thinking is a sturdy, wooden portable easel. We can sand down one side so it's smooth for him to draw on, but decorate the back side with something that means something to the both of you. I'm thinking a nice wood-burned design. What do you think?"
"I think it's perfect!" Nora said, nodding enthusiastically. "He'll love it!"
Of course he would. The idea was a Gilmore original, after all. "Shall we sketch out some ideas, then?" Gilmore invited, gesturing her toward the extra stool at his workbench. A set of pencils and a sketchbook were readily retrieved from beneath the work surface.
Nora let out a happy giggle and bounded onto the stool. A moment later she had a pencil selected and the sketchbook open to a blank page. She quick-flashed through a series of poses, never moving from her seat, each one expressive of the thought she was putting into the design (except one, in which she was focused on balancing the pencil on her nose). "Ooh!" she said when an idea struck, and set about drawing it out. When she was done, the page revealed the flat, abstract image of a rook piece from chess, standing in the middle of large letters which spelled the word "BOOP."
"The only game they let us have was chess," Nora explained. "I guess they figured it would help us think more strategically." She rolled her eyes. "But instead Piotr invented a game for me called 'Queen of the Castle.' We'd always play it to help cheer each other up whenever things were really bad."
Gilmore leaned on the workbench nearby, letting Nora go to town on her ideas and watching her with amused interest. The design was just simple enough that he was sure he could replicate it, and evolve it with a few well-chosen flourishes of his own. And while he was curious about the friend that Nora was so enthusiastic about, his curiosity overcame him on a completely different subject. "Nora, my dear, forgive me if this a bit presumptive, but... do you think as fast as you move?"
"Hm?" Nora said, momentarily thrown off by the unexpected question. Then, with a little laugh, said, "Oh, that." She lifted her hand in a quick, dismissive wave, smiling. "Sure, I guess. When I absorb electricity and can do it on purpose the world does kind of slow down around me. The rest of the time it's more, ummm, subconscious. I'll decide to do a certain thing or be in a certain spot and then..." she bounced her shoulders and let out a quick giggle, "...there I am." Shrugging, she added, "Usually I don't even realize I'm doing it."
Gilmore was nodding in agreement and understanding. "Same for me with mechanics. It's second nature. Not even second, really." He flashed her a quick, bright smile. "I'm interested in how other people work, and how we all experience our mutations. I hope that wasn't too forward of me to ask."
"Oh, you can ask me anything you want, Mister Gilmore," Nora said, dismissing the concern with a wave. "I don't mind. Your power is mechanics?" She cast her eyes about the objects in the room with a new sense of wonder and admiration. "That's awesome!" She let out an excited gasp and fixed Gilmore with a cheerful, eager smile. "Do you wanna see my hammer?"
Normally, hammers were not strictly mechanical, so the question piqued Gilmore's interest. He had not noticed a hammer, though he had noticed Nora's ... backpack? He'd assumed it was a backpack, anyway. Both dark brows lifted with intense curiosity. "I would love to see your hammer. Tell me all about it."
Hopping down from the stool, Nora let out a musical laugh and unhooked Magnhild from its holster. "Okay, so here it is as a grenade launcher," she said, presenting it as if she were the hostess of a home shopping program. She clicked the button on the handle and it unfolded to its full size. "And this is the hammer." She struck a quick pose with it, then gripped it in both hands to offer it out to Gilmore. "It sets off a small explosion when I hit things, I can stand on it and ride it though the air, and it can be a lightning rod when I need a power boost!"
Though Gilmore listened to the explanation, the moment he lifted the hammer in his hands, he didn't need it. Everything about how the device worked, how it changed shape, and what it could do were instantly drawn out like blueprints in his head. Gilmore loved that feeling, a moment of clear and perfect understanding -- and he so rarely got to have it, since it was pretty rare to encounter a machine he'd never touched before. Still, he wasn't a fighter, he didn't try to wield it. Instead, he slid his hands over the outer casing, pausing here and there for a deeper examination of the joins and pinions.
"Is it all right to ask where this came from?" Gilmore asked, his dark eyes a little bit unfocused, since he was really watching something that Nora couldn't see. "I haven't seen anything like this before. How the hell does it fly... Oh, there it is," he added, murmuring half to himself as his hands moved over the section where the engine was housed.
Nora watched Gilmore examine her hammer with a mixture of pride and wonder. She couldn't possibly love Magnhild more than she already did, but something about the way Gilmore looked at it made her wish she could see what he was seeing. "The people who took us made it for me," she said offhandedly. "It's the only thing they ever did that wasn't horrible, so when we broke out, I decided it was coming with me, no matter what."
"Good for you," said Gilmore approvingly. His fingers passed over the mechanism that could cause the hammer to transform again with unerring accuracy, but he didn't trigger it. That was a presumption beyond even Gilmore. With a few blinks, he came back to himself, and handed the weapon back over to Nora. "Well, I myself never would have thought to combine a rocket engine with a hammer, but now that I've seen it, I like it. We've, ah, liberated a few interesting bits of technology from various assholes who think kidnapping kids is oh-so-profitable, but that's certainly one of a kind."
Nodding her agreement, Nora said, "I named it Magnhild. Piotr painted the designs on it after we got here." Her favorite, of course was the front, with the lightning-struck heart flanked by stylized motifs suggestive of wings. She activated the trigger to collapse it back into its other form and slid it back into the holster. "He thinks people should associate it with me, instead of the people who made it. To show that it's mine and that it will only be used to do good things from now on. I hope the stuff you've been able to grab can be used to do good things, too."
Gilmore's glance strayed toward one of the many drawers of a locked cabinet in the room, where he kept his projects-in-progress. The latest iteration of the power-negation collar, threaded through the unstable molecule fabric now, waited in there for its next round of tests. Maybe this one would work where the other versions hadn't. Maybe this would be the one that would keep Nolan safe. Gilmore didn't care if it never helped another mutant, as long as it did that.
His gaze jumped back to Nora, only betraying his inattention for a second or two, but his smile had softened significantly. "Yeah. Me too."
Nora cocked her head to the side as she considered Gilmore, her smile growing coy. She had no idea what was in that cabinet or why it was so important, but that smile on his face? That was the real thing, right there. "Wow," she said. "He sure is lucky to have you."
Laughing sheepishly, Gilmore dragged a hand down his face as if he could wipe the doe-eyed expression off of it. "Yes, well... I feel lucky to have him." Basically the entire world knew about him and Nolan; it wasn't a surprise that Nora knew. "Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves. Apparently I wear mine on my entire face," he half-apologized with another chuckle. "Lucky for me, it's an incredibly cute face."
He clapped his hands together lightly, and added, "So. Do we have a plan for Piotr, then?"
"Do we?" Nora said, bouncing once on her tiptoes and flashing him a sunny smile. She clasped her hands under her chin, swung her elbows out and struck a pose, complete with one leg kicked up behind her. "It's the perfect plan!" Blinking out of sight, she appeared in front of Gilmore the next instant and threw her arms around him in a quick hug. "Thank you so much, Mister Gilmore! You're the best!" A second later she was standing back where she'd been before, relaxed and grinning.
Gilmore was absolutely a hugger, even though Nora was lightning-quick, and he returned her hug with matched enthusiasm. "I hope you still say that when you see the finished product. I have a bit of a backlog of orders currently, but it shouldn't be more than a few weeks. I'll text you updates, and you can drop by to see the progress whenever you like, okay?"
Nora answered with a decisive nod. "Sounds good to me!" she said. "If you need anything else, just let me know!" This was going to be so great, Piotr would be so surprised and happy. She'd been certain from the start that Gilmore's was the only place she could go for something this important and he'd more than lived up to that expectation. She couldn't wait to tell Jester and Ororo all about it!
This was the place. Piotr nervously tightened his grip on his sketchbook as he stood outside the door to the workshop. He was being ridiculous, of course. There was no reason to feel nervous about meeting a man who held celebrity status in a school already filled with giants of personality, style and charisma. One who just happened to have preceded Piotr as Molly's roommate, no less. He had a pretty good idea what he was in for, so why be nervous? Besides, this wasn't for him. This was for someone much more important.
Piotr drew in a deep breath and let it out. He raised his hand, folded his knuckles forward, and politely knocked on the door.
Since Percy would have walked in, Vax would have materialized out of nowhere, Nolan would have texted first, and any of his other friends would have barrelled right in, Gilmore felt certain that the knock at the workroom door meant it was someone he didn't know. He turned off his electrical tools and set them aside safely before he slid off his stool and sauntered over to the door. When he opened it, he was just pushing back a pair of plastic safety glasses into his impeccable black hair.
"Well, hello," Gilmore hummed, brows lifting as he looked up at his newest visitor. "I don't remember ordering tall, buff, and adorable. And my birthday's already come and gone." His warm, rich voice was threaded through with a good-natured laugh. "What can I do for you?"
Piotr had been a bit concerned that the workshop would be unoccupied at this time of the afternoon, but the relief he might have felt at seeing that was quickly overwhelmed by the sudden blush rising to his cheeks. This was not what he had been prepared for. "Ah, hello," he said. He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand and let out a brief, self-conscious laugh, but managed to maintain eye contact with the radiant, dark-haired figure before him. "Thank you? I am hoping it is not too late to discuss a, ah- special request. May I please come in?"
"By all means!" Gilmore exclaimed, stepping back and sweeping one arm wide to welcome the taller boy into the workshop. "Gilmore's Glorious Goods is always open. Unless you were looking for Percival, in which case, let me emphasize that Gilmore is the one who is here for you. Come in! Pull up a bit of futon, if you like. Bearold there is happy to snuggle," he added, gesturing toward one of the pillows haphazardly scattered about with a bear's face hand-stitched on the front.
Even though Gilmore had been at work for awhile, the workshop was still very tidy and well-organized. A daylight lamp was lighting the workbench, where Gilmore had recently been working with some wire and solder. A faint hint of metallic odor hung in the air, but it was steadily being dispersed by a small fan. Gilmore himself perched back on his stool, and looked attentively to his guest. "What can I do for you, my friend?"
Piotr felt a comforting wave of nostalgia wash over him as he stepped into the neatly kept workshop. He may not have ever seen a workshop quite like the one belonging to Gilmore, but it still carried an air of purpose, right down to the subtle aromas he detected. It brought back memories of craftwork and farm equipment repairs. "Thank you," he said, this time without the note of uncertainty and confusion. He eased himself on to the futon, glancing at the charming pillow next to him. "Ah, hello Bearold," he said, feeling both foolish and bemused. He didn't expect a response, of course, but considering how many surprises he'd experienced since arriving at the school, he supposed it was best to err on the side of politeness.
Blue eyes lifted back up to where Gilmore had taken a seat. "You are correct, Ah, Gilmore," he said. "It is you I wished to speak to. I would like to purchase a few items from you, and I am hoping it is possible to customize the designs. They are for someone very important." He sighed, a sentimental smile tugging at his lips without him realizing. "Very special. I have made some sketches if you believe they would help."
Big, strong, polite, and artistic. Hm. Could it be... ? Gilmore hopped up from his stool, swept the few feet over to the futon, and sank down on the other side of it all in one seemingly fluid movement. He laid an arm along the back of the sofa and leaned in with an expression of delighted interest. "My dear fellow, I would love nothing more. Crack open that sketchbook and let me help you make all of your dreams come true."
He waggled his dark brows twice, and then, almost as an afterthought, lifted a hand and flipped the safety glasses back down over his eyes. Gilmore grinned brightly, clearly playing for a laugh.
That did draw an appreciative chuckle from Piotr. It was almost uncanny how much Gilmore reminded Piotr of his roommate, who he'd grown to know well enough by now to have become well versed in reading such gestures. "That would be wonderful," he said as he turned over the cover of the sketchbook and spread a series of pages on the space between them on the futon. "Ever since she found out about your store she has barely spoken of anything else." It was an exaggeration, of course, but not much of one, and Piotr had a feeling Gilmore would not object to a bit of embellishment of that nature.
Each page bore an image of a different object, several from various angles. They had been carefully drawn in the manner of fashion sketches; just detailed enough to convey the general design while still allowing for a seasoned craftsman to put their own expertise and personal touch to the final product. One showed a set of pink and white headphones with a stylized hammer and lightning bolt symbol. On the other pages were a makeup case bearing an abstract unicorn, a locket shaped like a lightning-struck heart, and a jewelry box which vaguely resembled a fairytale castle, the inside of the lid decorated with an image of a rook piece and the words, 'Queen of the Castle.' All of them items which could be filled with or carry whatever she chose to collect, from her love of music to her fondness for pretty things.
All save one. The last page only had one sketch, a simple wooden mallet, the sort that would be given to a small child as a toy.
"I know this is a lot. Possibly too much." Piotr's voice went soft, almost faint. "But she has done so much for me. I wish to do something for her, now that I am able."
Those sketches certainly answered Gilmore's question. This was the famous Piotr, much-lauded by his earlier customer. Gilmore had to admire the devotion of their friendship, and not only because it promised to profit him rather handsomely. Remaining professional, Gilmore gave no hint that he recognized the designs in Piotr's sketchbook, but instead considered each one with the thought and care it deserved. "You really are quite talented," he praised, while noting the size of Piotr's preferred drawing paper as well as his handedness -- factors he could work in to the gift he would craft at Nora's direction.
"I'll tell you up-front that electronics aren't my forte, largely because the parts are difficult to get outside of the bulk factory market," Gilmore went on. He paused to grin up at Piotr, leaning back just enough to more clearly display the silhouette of a unicorn on his current t-shirt. "But the rest of this is right up my alley. Let's make a deal, my friend, and tell me where you want me to start. Budget, materials, are we working to a deadline?"
Piotr had anticipated there might be trouble with the headphones, but as he looked around the shop, noting the finished products and items in development, other ideas came to mind. Depending on how this went, he might be able to request a substitution. He gave Gilmore an appreciative nod. It was no surprise at all why Nora was so enamored of his store, and Piotr suspected she would be just as delighted by the man himself.
As for his questions, Piotr supposed it was best to approach what might be the most difficult hurdle first and go from there. "I am afraid the most I can afford is limited to what the Professor provides all students each month," he said, giving Gilmore an apologetic look. "But I am looking for work, and if possible, I am willing to renegotiate if my current funds are insufficient."
Gilmore was a businessman first and foremost, but his friends knew that under the glamour and the glory, he had a heart as expansive as his personality. Nora and Piotr's friendship was inspiring, and he was touched by the way both had come to him to ask for a gift for the other. Nothing for themselves. Just to express the gratitude and affection they had for one another. It was a good thing that Gilmore's Glorious Goods online was so profitable, he thought to himself, or he'd be turning in to Gilmore's Glorious Giveaways here very soon.
"I can get started with that," he confirmed, chatting business now but with the safety glasses still perched on his nose, slightly magnifying his already big brown eyes. "Why don't we begin with the locket and the jewelry box? They're naturally complimentary, and I can work on them with materials I already have, which will help keep your costs down. Plus, she gets the surprise of opening up her castle and finding the locket inside, and opening the locket and finding whatever you want to put in there," Gilmore pronounced with a grin.
Piotr slowly nodded his agreement with the suggestion. "Is it possible to do that, and the rest before November?" he asked. "I would like her to have these things before her birthday." He drew his finger toward the sketch of the toy mallet and tapped the paper once. "This one is the most important, though," he added. "She had one like this before we met. It was taken away from her when... when something bad happened."
It was his fault she'd been taken. If he hadn't convinced her to meet his parents, the agents who came for him would have never found out she was also a mutant. He could never make that up to her, but he could at least try to set things right in this one, small way. "Perhaps... I have done some woodworking before. If you are willing to sell the materials and access to your workshop, I would be able to make that one."
Damn his heartstrings. Gilmore's best friend had been held in a facility similar to what Nora had described, and Gilmore had spent almost two years lavishing Mollymauk with jewelry and baubles and whatever finery he could manage just to somehow make up for it. He understood Piotr's motivation all too well. "I think we can agree to that. Percival's more of the woodworker down here," Gilmore explained, gesturing toward the half of the workshop that seemed less occupied with sparkles and scents and more concerned with metal and wood. "I'm sure he can give us some pointers."
He made a swirling gesture with one hand. "All of this by November is doable if we pace ourselves. I'm about to start university for the very first time, so..." Gilmore flashed a lopsided smile. "I could be a little bit distracted come September." Not to mention, he'd have to keep Nora's gift a secret from Piotr and vice versa.
"Congratulations to you, Gilmore," Piotr said, smiling wide. "And thank you again. Very much. This is everything I hoped you could do and more." He nearly got up to shake his hand, but stopped short as he realized he was forgetting something, and he turned a sheepish look to Gilmore. "Oh, yes. My friend's name is Nora Valkyrie. She is in room 206."
"Nora, yes, I think she's friends with my friend, Jester," said Gilmore easily, managing not to betray that he'd already met the young lady mere hours ago. He raised a brow, with a warm smile, before pointing out that Piotr had not yet introduced himself. "Which would make you... ?"
Piotr's expression went from sheepish to slightly mortified as he realized his breech in etiquette. "I must apologize," he said. "I do not usually forget my manners this badly." He gave Gilmore an embarrassed smile and offered his hand. "I am Piotr. Piotr Rasputin. Nora and I arrived a little under two weeks ago."
Gilmore took his hand firmly, clasping it in both of his as if they were old and dear friends. "Piotr Rasputin, it is a delight to make your acquaintance. Does that mean you're the generous soul who's keeping my darling Mollymauk company this year?"
Returning the grip with equal warmth, Piotr nodded. "The pleasure is mine," he said. "Both in meeting you and to share a room with Molly. I would like very much to be a good roommate for him; he speaks fondly of you and misses having you with him very much." The last would have been obvious to Piotr even if Molly had never spoken a word about Gilmore.
"Ah, I miss him, too," sighed Gilmore, with a smile of wistful affection and a hand pressed to his heart. "My sib from another crib, the twin of my heart. I'm so pleased he has someone with your generous spirit, Piotr. He deserves all the love and kindness in the world." Not to mention that any roommate of Molly's required a certain level of patience, given his tendency to wander off for periods of time, return with strange impulse purchases, and temporarily forget to put on pants.
Piotr recognized that look. It was the same expression he knew was there any time he spoke of Nora that way. Perhaps not with quite as much theatrical grandeur, but the heart of it was no different. "I understand that feeling very well," he told Gilmore. "And I hope to offer more than that. We are still getting to know each other." He conceded that much with a hint of a wry smile. He doubted anyone would accuse him and Molly as having in much in common as Molly and Gilmore. "But I would like very much for us to become friends."
If Gilmore had to give up his place as Molly's roommate to anyone, he was glad it was someone with a heart like Piotr's. "My dear fellow, I have every confidence that you will," he said, the fond smile now as much for Piotr as it was for Mollymauk.
By now the slight sense of intimidation Piotr had felt when approaching the workshop had long been forgotten. He was more than comfortable, in every sense, sitting next to Gilmore as they spoke, no longer as businessman and customer, but as two companions. "Thank you, Gilmore," he said, returning the smile. And though Gilmore still wore the safety glasses, the slight element of absurdity it gave to the situation did nothing to lessen the absolute sincerity in Piotr's eyes as met met Gilmore's own. "That means a great deal coming from you."
