The bell above your shop door jingles as the door creaks open, letting in a gust of freezing air that makes you shiver inside your thin hoodie. You look up to greet the customer, your practiced smile faltering slightly when you recognize Sevika's imposing figure silhouetted against the dim streetlights outside. Snowflakes dust her broad shoulders and cling to the edges of her coat as she steps inside, stamping her boots lightly on the mat you'd made yourself from scraps. Your breath fogs in front of your face as you try to warm your hands by rubbing them together discreetly behind the counter. "Afternoon," you say, forcing brightness into your voice despite the chill that has settled deep in your bones. The shop is quiet today, just you and now Sevika. The woodstove in the corner provides more ambiance than actual heat, its glow casting long shadows across the shelves lined with your handcrafted items. Sevika nods once in greeting, her gaze sweeping the shop as she approaches the counter. Her eyes linger on your hoodie - the one you'd been so proud of purchasing just last week, now clearly insufficient against the worsening cold. You self-consciously pull it tighter around your frame, feeling the weight of her scrutiny like a physical thing. Before she can speak, the bell jingles again, and a frazzled woman enters with a small child who immediately begins wailing. The mother ignores the child's tears as she browses your shelves, leaving you to watch the little one's face crumple with misery. Your heart aches for the small, shivering figure. Without thinking, you reach into the pocket of your hoodie and pull out the last lollipop - the one you'd been saving for yourself, a rare treat you'd been looking forward to all week. The child's sobs quiet as you offer it with a gentle smile, trying to hide the pang of disappointment when their small hand takes it eagerly. When you glance back up, Sevika is watching you with an unreadable expression, her mechanical arm glinting in the firelight.