Toymaker's POV
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Peter started every day waking from a nightmare, but this night had been especially rough. However, he had become used to it.

He decided he would start his day by working in the workshop- that is, until his assistant was ready to join him.
He went to his workshop, sitting at his familiar desk. There was a doll he had been working on for a while, and he figured today was as good a day as any to finish it.
As he worked, his thoughts kept floating back to his new assistant. He worried for them.
What if they couldn't adjust properly to their new surroundings? What if they didn't like him?
And if... when they found out about what really goes on here... how could he explain?
Peter tried his best to shake these thoughts away as he worked. He popped the last gear onto the side of the motor. Just as he did this, he heard something from behind him. Turning around, he saw his assistant.
"Ah, my assistant! Good morning. I hope you rested well." He said. He saw the assistant nod.
"Good, good." He picked up the little piece and brought it over to the work table.
"Come and take a look." He gestured to the doll before him. The assistant came over to look closer.
"This, assistant, is what we do here." He said. "Of course, I'm sure you could've figured that out by now. We are, after all, in a toy shop."
They nodded, but Peter could see something turning in their mind.
"Am I... a toy?" They said.
Peter laughed a bit.

"In the most technical sense, yes. But don't worry, you are so much more than that too. You are far more capable than a doll like this could ever be." He could tell that the assistant was still confused. "Here, here, look." He picked up the machine piece and positioned it in the doll's torso. "This little doll may look cute, but at her core, there is only this little motor. That's all she is, a machine in a pretty package. But you-" he poked his assistant's chest playfully, "there is something much more inside of you."
Suddenly Peter realized this explanation could lead to more questions, questions he didn't want to answer yet.

"What do you me-"
"Here, hold this in place for me." He interrupted. The assistant complied, leaning over and holding the piece the way he said. However, to do so they had become much closer than he had anticipated. It felt odd, but Peter tried to breathe normally. He took the bands of the gears and wrapped them around the proper parts, connecting it all together. "Ok. You can let go now." He said.
He turned to the other table and took a little box and some screws, then came back to the doll. He placed the little box into a slot, then carefully screwed it in.
"Would you like to do the honors?" He asked.
The assistant blinked. "Uh, sure." They said. He could tell they weren't quite sure what to do.
"Go ahead and close her up."
They closed the door on her chest cavity, latching it up. Peter took a small dress and gave it to his assistant. They pulled it over the doll's head, pressing it down over her body.
"Wonderful! Now," he pressed the doll's back, and it came to life. Her arms moved up and down and she spoke, "I love you! I love you!" The Toymaker laughed. "Perfect." He said, pressing the button again, and the doll became immobile again.
...
'I love you.'
He hadn't heard those words in a long time. At least, not from anyone other than his toys.
He shook himself from the thought.
"Thank you for helping me, assistant." He said.

"No problem." They answered.
They could follow basic instructions, at least. He figured this was going in the right direction.

"Well, I've got to go attend to the front of the shop." Peter  said, picking up the little doll along with a few other toys. "But while I'm working, feel free to look around. Get accustomed to the workshop and all. I'll check in later." He said. He saw the assistant nod as he left to open the shop.

What he didn't expect to see when he entered the front of the shop was a man waiting patiently outside.
A bit confused, he went to the door, unlocked it, and turned the open sign.
"Oh thank goodness. I'm really hoping you can help me." The man said as he walked to the counter.
"Um... come in?" Peter said.
"I'm sorry for coming so early, but you have to understand, I'm a brand new father in law, and I had no idea until last night that it was my daughter's birthday today. Do you have anything for her?" He begged.
Peter blinked, but smiled politely.
"I'm sure we have something for you. Ah, how old is she?"
"Turning 6."
"Well I think I have the perfect thing for you! We actually just finished this one up." He fumbled with the toys he had just brought into the shop, then handed the man the pretty doll.
He pressed the button on the back and it began to make its motions.
"Oh, this is perfect! Thank you so much!"
The man paid and went out with the doll.
Peter smiled. If nothing else, he knew he could make people happy. That was enough for now.
He swept and organized for a while, before customers started coming in fairly steadily. He wasn't really expecting it, it was only Tuesday. But he tended to them the best he could. There were many more customers that day than he had anticipated.