“I’ll use them both.” He wants to assure her the nicotine patches weren’t a wasted investment either. He holds one up. “They gave me these back on the Rig. You’re right that it don’t replace the ritual, but it do take the edge off in a pinch.”

He reaches out to give her a hug, and if she accepts, he follows it by leading her toward the workshop. “Alright, bear in mind that depending on some proportions, it may not be done yet. I used myself and some estimated as a rough guideline.”

By now, Dan’s accumulated a few mannequins, and they’re in various states of dress. The one for Elle is obvious by the palette and shape - a padded, double-breasted coat stuffed with down and aiming for the knee length, with a white faux-fur ruff and cuffs to keep her neck and wrists warm. Dan’s been working on it for at least a few days now, alternating between the necessary machine-driven pattern making and his more soothing, meditative needlework.

“I reckon the elves are getting a little sick of me horning in on their space. Here, try it on.”