Page 42 of Pistols and Plush Toys

“I, um, I guess I understand that, yeah,” Elliot said.

“Maybe someday all of this will feel worth it to you,” Meredith said. “Even if it’s scary and hard to manage right now. Mattia Vitale doesn’t seem like a nice man to be in close quarters with, so I’d say I’m also glad you aren’t with him anymore.”

“I don’t think I’m as brave as you,” Elliot said, looking down at his hands, “I didn’t really choose to change my life, I was kind of… taken from it. Which I’m grateful for,” he added quickly, “I probably would still be there if not for, um, all of this.”

“I don’t think that’s giving yourself enough credit,” Meredith said. “You still made a decision when Nikolai came to get you. You didn’t have to go with him, but you did. It takes a lot to leave someone who’s hurting you. It’s brave.”

Elliot didn’t feel brave, but he didn’t want to argue with her.

“I just didn’t want anyone to get hurt,” he said quietly.

Meredith made a sound of understanding. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt either. That includes you.”

The knot was back in his throat and he swallowed around it. He never had had so many people care about him before. Not in the way Nikolai and now Meredith seemed to.

Meredith let the silence sit until the car was pulling into a parking lot.

“Alright,” she said when Alex had parked, unbuckling her seatbelt. “Let’s find you some new things for your new life.”

Elliot took a deep breath. “Okay.”

***

Someone was following them through the mall.

Before the kidnapping, Elliot wouldn’t have noticed. He’d never been involved with crime or anything that would have included someone stalking him.

Now his eyes zeroed in on a man near the back of the store.

This was the third store they’d gone to, and Elliot knew he’d seen him in the other two.

The guy had short buzzed hair and a leather jacket.

He wasn’t quite as big as Nikolai, but he was big, and with his heavy brows, the piercings in his ears, and the thick rings on both hands he looked rough and intimidating.

Meredith was preoccupied with the clothing rack, but Elliot edged closer so that he could whisper. “Someone is following us.”

“It’s just Gerard,” Meredith said without even looking up. “Gerard,” she added, raising her voice so it would carry, “stop skulking in the corner, would you?”

Sure enough, the man peeled himself off the wall and sauntered over.

This… this was Gerard? The Gerard who gets goat?

Elliot had no idea what he’d been picturing when hearing the story, but this leather jacket wearing mountain of a man wasn’t it. As he got closer though, a few new details became obvious. He had an easy smile, a rainbow pin on his leather jacket, and one of his earrings was a music note.

That helped a lot in making Elliot feel less like he wanted to bolt.

“Hey Meri,” Gerard said with a flicking wave. Then he turned his attention to Elliot. “So… you’re Nikolai’s new boyfriend?”

Boyfriend? Elliot thought, panicking as he saw Meredith shoot Gerard a sharp don’t say that sort of look.

Boyfriend?

Then he remembered the plan Nikolai had talked to him about earlier. The one Elliot was supposed to be thinking about but… it wasn’t like there was another choice, was there? Elliot wanted to be helpful. Brave.

Everyone had been doing so much for him, and he wanted– wanted to be able to do something in return. If this was what got Mattia to come back, then—then Elliot would do it.

Even knowing what that would mean for Mattia.

“Or… uh…” Gerard looked guilty now. “No…?”

“Um,” Elliot blurted out. “Y-yes. I think?”

Now Meredith was looking at him closely. “That’s the choice you’ve made?” She asked carefully.

Elliot nodded, even though his heart was pounding. “You’ve all done so much for me. I want–I want to be able to help. I can do this.”

Meredith watched him a second longer and then nodded. “Alright. If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” Elliot said, trying to sound firm.

“New boyfriend—” she said, turning to Gerard. “—and I don’t know if Nikolai’s messaged you yet, but Elliot’s also his new chef.”

“Oh? Oh hey! Nikolai’s been needing a good one for ages.” Gerard grinned, which did wonders for making him not look so intimidating. “Sweet. Nikolai said you’re a good cook. I like burgers for the record, in the event you want to have us over for dinner.”

“I can make burgers,” Elliot said eagerly.

Meredith flicked Gerard in the bicep. “Less than two minutes and you’re already trying to get Elliot to make you food?”

“What!” Gerard squawked, making a show of rubbing his arm. “Nikolai has been sending me about a million pictures. I don’t get to want to try the goods?”

“He’s an employee now, and not your employee,” Meredith said, giving Gerard a pointed look.

“That’s why I said have us over for dinner,” Gerard replied easily. “Formal. Official. By the book—that’s the kind of thing you like Meri.”

“Uh-huh,” she said dryly. “Why’re you even here? We have Alex today.”

Gerard shrugged, fiddling with the hangers on the rack beside him. “Had some time in my schedule, and I was curious. Thought I might help with some shopping. I hear the next vacation is sand and sun, so best add a swimsuit to that shopping list.”

Meredith slid the clothes on the rack with a little extra force and Gerard pulled his hands back to avoid getting pinched. “When are we going to get to go skiing?”

Gerard laughed. “Never. You know how Nikolai feels about snow.”

“But why does he always get to choose? I don’t love the sand, but you don’t see me vetoing the beach.”

“Yeah, but you’re softhearted,” Gerard said with clear affection, “You’d never make him go to the snow.”

Meredith rolled her eyes. “Well, if you have to be here, don’t distract us. We’re supposed to be shopping.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” Gerard said, standing up straighter. “Put me to work.”

Meredith immediately shoved the few hangers she had been holding into Gerard’s arms.

“I don’t want to hear any whining later when you’re behind schedule on whatever it is you’re supposed to be doing today instead of this,” she said with a sniff.

“Shouldn’t you know that, oh keeper of the schedule?” Gerard asked cheekily.

Meredith shoved another hanger into his hands.

***

Two stores and many changes of clothes later, Meredith convinced Elliot to stand for a tailor measuring.

She’d said that it would really help her with future purchases if he’d submit to the experience.

Mattia had made him go through the same process so Elliot’s clothes could be tailored in the way Mattia had wanted, so at least Elliot wasn’t unfamiliar with it.

This measuring was infinitely nicer than the one he’d done with Mattia though, Meredith and Gerard distracted him the whole time with a story about a time they’d been vacationing in Tokyo and Nikolai had been mobbed by adorable Japanese fangirls because he resembled some villain in a popular show over there.

Nikolai had ended up signing papers and notebooks after trying and failing to explain that it wasn’t his face on them, and he still felt guilty about it to this day.

The measuring flew by with their animated commentary, and by the end Elliot was even trying to hold back giggles.

It was fun to be around such comradery. Mattia surrounded himself with people who agreed with whatever he said, but he didn’t have friends . If one of those people said something Mattia didn’t like, Mattia got upset.

But even when Gerard teased her and Meredith swatted him, it was clear they liked each other. Cared about each other.

Family, Meredith had said.

When the measuring was done, Meredith took them to a culinary store.

Elliot felt slightly guilty about picking out some kitchen utensils and a pasta maker, but with Gerard at his side egging him on and Meredith reminding him that he had a salary now, he let himself put them in the cart

Wandering deeper into the store, Elliot discovered that Gerard also liked knives.

Really liked knives.

They lost almost an hour in the knife section chatting. Gerard asked him his favorites and got Elliot talking as they went back and forth looking at the store's selections.

Eventually they agreed on the best set in the store, which Gerard immediately tried to put into the cart alongside the other utensils and the pasta maker.

Elliot shook his head and took them back out. “Nikolai already has a very nice set of knives,” he explained.

“Right, but you don’t have your own knives,” Gerard said.

“Oh, I–I mean I don’t need any right now,” Elliot said, putting the box back.

Gerard narrowed his eyes, then huffed. “Fine, then at least get the ice cream machine. Nikolai loves ice cream. I love ice cream.”

Meredith’s muffled laugh from the next aisle over had Gerard’s eyes flickering that way with glee. Before he knew it, Elliot was smiling too.

“Should I?” Elliot asked.

“Yes,” Gerard said immediately with a firm nod. “Definitely. Meri?”

“Sure,” she said from the other aisle. “Nikolai does like ice cream.”

Gerard beamed like he was proud. “See?” He said as he put it in the cart.

When they were finished, Meredith headed to the checkout with Elliot’s cart and her own.

Gerard pulled Elliot away to keep telling him about a balisong competition he’d attended just last year.

Gerard had come in second place, and was gunning for first in this year’s.

Elliot had no frame of reference for balisong, but when Gerard pulled up a video and showed him, it was incredibly impressive.

They were interrupted only when Meredith finished checkout and Gerard hurried to grab the heavy bags from her. Gerard had been ferrying their shopping to the car the entire shopping venture so they wouldn’t be overwhelmed by too many bags.

“The first place video was brilliant,” Gerard said with a grin as he started to stride away. “Be right back and then I’ll show you!”

“Just one more stop,” Meredith said as she came to stand beside him. She tilted her head in the direction of an electronics store across the way.