Soft Muse

On days off, Velveteen likes to spend time in Peter’s shop. They love to run their hands over the rolls of fabric, delve through the remnants basket and choose scraps of fabric to get more stock on, and look at all the new tailored outfits that Peter is working so hard on. Velveteen is at ease here, lounging at the back of the shop reading a magazine where Peter stitches together new garments. 

“Taking up space,” Peter chides playfully. But he doesn’t mean it. He looks at Velveteen and sees so much potential. He gets inspiration for outfits just by looking at them. He sits on a big plush chair, hand stitching something small together. He has an array of fabric remnants that Velveteen gathered spread across a desk. Lounging on a sofa, Velveteen raises their eyes above the magazine, watching Peter sew. They pretend to be interested in reading the latest celebrity gossip (as if Velveteen doesn’t already know! The world of super modelling leaves little for secrets.) but instead enjoys watching Peter sew. His eyes are focused on the fabric as he leaves tiny, tight ladder stitches. Velveteen enjoys the soft plucking sound the needle makes as it pierces through fabric, softly pulling two pieces together. It’s a rounded shape. Perhaps a little plush?

Though Velveteen can’t really remember much of before, they vaguely recall having a little plush a very long time ago. They still have it somewhere, kept safe in a box at home. Peter glances at Velveteen and meets their eyes. Hastily pulling back up the magazine, Velveteen tries to make it seem like they weren’t watching. With a chuckle, Peter holds out what he’s stitching.

“What do you think?” He asks. “It’s not quite taking the form I want yet, but it’s getting there.”

“It looks like a bun,” Velveteen says, sitting up straighter. They put the magazine aside, taking a look.

“I’m trying to stitch together a plush bun and a little imp to go with it.” Peter holds the half stitched plush in his hand, frowning. “Perhaps I’m being too ambitious? I’d like the bun to hold the imp somehow.”

“That’s interesting.” Velveteen takes another look. The stitches are sewn together tightly, professionally. As if they expect less from Peter! They meet his eyes again. “That’d be nice.”

“You really think so?” Peter smiles. “I’m glad you think so. It’s blue. It’s inspired by you.”

“Really, you’d take the most unappealing part of me?” Velveteen wrinkles their nose. Peter shakes his head.

“Nothing about you is unappealing,” he says softly. Velveteen is used to compliments, of course, but this one gets them. Snatching the magazine, they pretend to be very interested in the paparazzi photos. Peter laughs again, reaching over to touch Velveteen’s shoulder. “I really do mean that!”

“I inspire you even in such a form?” Velveteen rolls their eyes a little. “Maybe you need to find a better muse.”

“Why would I want a better muse when you’re around?” Peter asks, shaking his head. Changing his stitches, he focuses back on sewing together the little plush. Velveteen stares at the magazine pages, not daring to look back up.

But eventually they do. They look up to see that Peter is looking at them. Though, he looks away first, back at his little plush coming together.

“I just inspire you sooo much,” Velveteen quips, but it falls short. It doesn’t sound as confident and certain as they’d like it to.

“You do,” Peter replies, focusing intently on stitching. “You’re beautiful. Why wouldn’t you?”

They both go quiet again, an unspoken understanding growing between them. Velveteen lies back down on the sofa, occasionally glancing at Peter as they pretend to read their magazine. Once in a while, Peter raises his head to look at them, surely just gathering inspiration. Surely.