As we approached, the first thing I noticed was that the stall was chaotic, but somehow still neat. There was no rhyme or reason to the items displayed, from handcrafted birdhouses to crocheted monster stuffies, but they were all lined up perfectly and in their own little sections. It made me smile. Organized chaos was a concept I knew all too well, and I was already glad we hadn’t skipped coming here.

The sign above the shop door read Everything and Anything, and from what I could see, that statement tracked. There were even swords, the blades hidden inside their scabbards, but the hilts visible… and they kind of looked like dicks?

I knew it was time for us to find somewhere to stay for the night before it got dark, but I was fascinated and wanted a peek at what else the shop had first. I turned to Cair. “I’ll just have a quick look inside, then we can go, yeah?”

“Whatever you wish, pet. Take as long as you need.”

With a grateful smile I slipped in through the tall yet narrow doorway, my eyes widening at what greeted me on the other side. Stuff. Shelves upon shelves of stuff. It was a maximalist’s wet dream. An antique store, a thrift shop, and a dragon’s hoard, all rolled into one. Similar to outside, each pile of mess was contained in its individual section, with a clear path snaking through them all. I fucking loved it. There was something familiar about these types of places. They made me feel comforted and emotionally regulated, as odd as that may have sounded. I was curious by nature, and being surrounded by a wild assortment of things had my dopamine levels shooting through the roof.

I was happy.

I started at the rack closest to the door, skimming through the selection of novelty coffee mugs, some molded into the shapes of animals while others were painted with intricate designs. I didn’t dare touch anything breakable, knowing how clumsy I was, but anything more durable I would pick up and inspect, before moving leisurely on to the next section. There were backpacks in one corner, paintings in another, and nothing short of a crane could’ve prised me away from the selection of potted plants.

It really was a bizarre place, and given the chance, I would’ve spent days combing through every last square inch.

I couldn’t have taken a guess at how long we were in there, but with only a few shelves left to browse, I suddenly became aware of the unfaltering shadow blanketing mine on the floor. I peered over my shoulder at Cair, who was looming barely one step behind, not looking at anything except me.

Guilt welled in my belly. “Are… are you bored?”