Ice for that Burn? (Andy/Emilian)

[Andy Moreau]

Andy was wearing slim jeans and a white button-down shirt with blue vertical pinstripes when he pushed open the door of the jewellery shop. It mattered what he was wearing because he wanted to impress Gavin later on and that meant finding some jewelry that went with the outfit. It wasn't femme or anything, but they were back at school and Andy was back to cross-dressing on weekends that he visited his brother.

The problem was that he didn't know exactly what he wanted. He peered into a case filled with necklaces, charms, and other odd amazing gorgeous incredible ice. His darkly lined eyes widened, and his wide, full lips curved into a hint of a rounded O.

[Emilian Sota]

When Emilian saw the kid in his shop, he couldn't help but grimace, though he got it under control as quickly as possible. Kids only showed up to cause trouble, and they rarely ever had enough money to buy anything he had. Well, at least anything good, naturally he had a few cheaper pieces to encourage whim purchases. "If you need help, just ask," he said from his place behind the counter as he absently tugged at the glove on his hand.

[Andy Moreau]

"I need help," Andy said. He looked up from the display case and over at the guy behind the counter. This place was more or less ignored by everyone at school, but he'd been interested. There were vague rumors that the owner was some ugly old hunchback Azkaban escapee, but Andy would totally leave if he saw that guy.

"I'm looking for a necklace. Something really nice that wouldn't be like... totally overboard for me. I mean, this is beautiful," he said, pointing to a vintage diamond necklace scattered with tiny, delicate white gold flowers. "But I can't wear anything that would look good with it." Because stupid people would think he was a freak if he wore like, a floor-length satin gown to class. A really pale pink one. Or maybe mint green.

"I go to Hogwarts," he added.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian was forcibly reminded of a Hogwarts student that had come into his shop some years before, but if nothing else that made him force himself under more control. He brushed off the memories. The student was certainly male, although the implication that he was interested in wearing more feminine or flamboyant clothes intrigued him. No. Emilian forced himself back into a purely business mindset and stepped around the counter toward a display cabinet. "Look at these. They're more simple, but still elegant."

[Andy Moreau]

Andy nodded eagerly and glanced back at that masterpiece of white gold and diamonds just one more time before following the shopkeeper. When he saw the simpler necklaces, he had a thought that stopped him. He glanced at the man beside him, then thought a moment longer before asking. "Do you know if people at St. Mungo's are allowed jewelry? Like, people who are there long-term?" He wanted a necklace, but he'd put off visiting his mother for a long time, even though he'd been given permission last year. Maybe if she had something with her it would be easier for her to remember.

[Emilian Sota]

"I'm not sure what's allowed at Mungo's," Emilian said as his gaze switched between the boy and the display. "However, if you want to purchase something and put it on hold, I can do that." He could do a lot of things, a lot of things he found little pleasure in. Keep a necklace a person liked in hopes they would purchase it and refuse other customers who had the funds. Emilian resisted an annoyed breath and sigh.

[Andy Moreau]

"Would you?" Andy asked. He looked up at the man with hopeful brown eyes, then back at the necklaces. He'd save his Galleons to buy something for himself. His mother was more important. He pulled a breath. "I'm sorry to be so much trouble, but could I see bracelets instead? I want to buy something for my mother. She... has trouble remembering things. Maybe a charm bracelet? Are there nice charm bracelets?" He didn't want something cheap for his mother. He wanted something dazzling, something that would feel like home. Dazzling like Vegas, but elegant like the time with Tam's dad.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian gestured to his side and led the kid to a selection of charm bracelet bases, complete with a few different common charms. "I can also order or build more charms," he said. Ignore the eyes. Ignore the boy entirely. He was too young, anyway. Damn his slip, it would make it much harder to resist even when he wasn't actually interested.

[Andy Moreau]

"You can build charms?" Andy looked from the display up to the man behind the counter. Building them. He could get anything that way, couldn't he? It would be expensive, but it would be so worth it just for the chance that she might remember something between visits, that she might not forget him the moment he was out of sight.

"Could you make a pyramid?" he asked, his entire body tense with expectation. "Maybe with a jewel at the top? A blue one?" Yes, it was specific, but that was why it might work.

[Emilian Sota]

"I'm not quite that talented yet, but I have contacts," Emilian said, "and it would be more expensive for a custom piece unless we can find one. Come here." He gestured to the counter, then stepped around it to pull out a catallogue or two. "You can look through these, see if there's one good enough. Stock pieces can be customized to a degree, sometimes by me." He pushed one of the books across the glass top that protected bracelet chains from dust and grimy fingers. "It's a bit early for Christmas shopping, isn't it?"

[Andy Moreau]

"She won't know," Andy said, looking into one of the books. He didn't hear the vulnerability in his voice. He heard matter-of-fact and doesn't-bother-me, but the vulnerability was there all the same. He saw some slightly-flattened pyramids studded with diamonds, a pointy ancient-looking one hanging from its tip, lots of the pyramid shape usually seen on belts, some decorated with Egyptian-looking designs, but nothing that felt right.

He sighed as he kept flipping through. "I think I'll need to order something," he said. His dark brows drew together. "It doesn't matter how much it costs, I'll find a way to pay for it." He looked at the man again, determination working hard to shield the sadness that was a part of him. "I'll do anything."

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian took a deep, bracing breath, and started working at his hand, digging fingers into his palm and his thumb into the back in what had become a nervous habit. A few years before he would have taken that offer and ran with it. Hell, he might have done it now had he not still had the vivid memory of what had happened the last time he'd done anything with a student. And the kid was way too young, of course.

"Kid, my cheapest jewelry is maybe fifty galleons. Custom pieces can be hundreds for something like this," he said. "I do payment plans for some people, but I'd need to know you could pay it before I ever started the order."

[Andy Moreau]

"My name is Andy," Andy said, teeth gritted around the words. "You don't have to talk down to me. I'll find a way to pay for it." Hundreds of Galleons. Fifty for the cheapest. But this guy could do it. He knew how, he had connections, he'd said. "I might look like some stupid broke kid, but I'm not." He was and he knew it, but how dare this guy just tell him he wouldn't be able to buy anything here? His eyes flashed earth and amber with determination.

[Emilian Sota]

"How much can you afford?" It was blunt and would be considered rude if it was any of his normal clients, but a young student with colored hair wasn't exactly the type of person that usually came into Emilian's shop. Once the thing was ordered, he would be out of that much money if Andy couldn't pay it, and though he made enough to get by on, he couldn't afford to take huge chances.

[Andy Moreau]

Andy blinked at the question. "Five hundred Galleons," he said, choosing a number out of thin air. Five hundred was hundreds, right? "Um, eight hundred," he corrected. There, that covered hundreds. Any more and the guy would have just said a thousand, right?

"Listen, it has to be perfect. I can't just give her a pyramid, I have to give her this one, and I'll do anything to get it. I'll find a way to pay for it." He wasn't begging, he wasn't, no matter what it might sound like.