Milliways OOM
Robbie walks into the tailor's, smiling pleasantly at the man behind the counter. He's known John for the last eight months, coming to the man for all his clothing needs. John knows what Robbie enjoys, even if it's a bit of time in the storeroom before a fitting. Robbie's pleasant smile changed to a bit of a fey one, which wasn't lost on John, but Robbie had other things to attend to this day.
"What can I do for you, Mr. Ross?" John asks as he comes out from behind the counter.
"I am looking to have a suit made. An evening suit, appropriate for dinner with the Wildes." Robbie goes to a bolt of fabric and fingers the smoke coloured material.
John tilts his head curiously. "I would think you had many appropriate suits already."
Robbie turns and grins. "It's not for me, John. A friend. A bit down on his luck but who would like to come to dinner. I've decided to pay for the suit."
"That's very generous of you, Mr. Ross," John replies. "Do you like that fabric?"
It was a bit light for a formal evening supper, Robbie supposes, but it would look lovely on Miniver. The fabric would enhance his eye colour perfectly. "Yes," he says finally. "This would be ideal, I think. The jacket and trousers, this fabric."
"Are you certain you wouldn't prefer something darker?" John asks him cautiously.
Robbie considers again, then nods. "I'm certain. He has these remarkably pale blue eyes," he murmurs more to himself than John. "The suit will be a perfect compliment to them."
John smiles and ducks his head to hide the expression. It wasn't uncommon for Mr. Ross to buy such gifts for pretty boys he met. "Will he be coming for a fitting?"
"No." Robbie moves from the smoky bolt to another, this one the colour of fresh blood. "He won't be in the city until Thursday afternoon." He pauses. "I think he will need two suits. An afternoon suit and a more formal one for dinner that evening." Robbie touches the red silk and smiles. "This will be for his evening suit's waistcoat," he declares.
"That is a bold colour, Mr. Ross."
"His hair is the shade of those chocolate squares sometimes made into a hot beverage, and so the ruby will highlight that." Robbie is very aware of colour and how it affects the complexion and hair. "The waistcoat must be in this fabric."
"Very well, Mr. Ross," John says, making notes. "But if he is not to come in for a fitting, how am I to create his suit?"
"He isn't too different in height and weight from me." He's perhaps an inch shorter, but about the same build and weight. You can use my measurements, just adjust them." John was a very good tailor, so Robbie had faith in him. "Now, the afternoon suit..." He wanders to another selection of bolts, eying the fabrics before him. "The pale pinstripe here for the trousers, and for the coat..." Robbie sighs, trying to decide. "This. The soft brown will look nice. Informal. And the lightly striped material here for the afternoon waistcoat. I will need two white shirts, too."
John quickly scribbles on his pad, marking fabrics, amounts, everything Robbie says, John writes down. "When will you need these?"
"Thursday morning." Robbie crosses his arms and turns to John with a smile. "Will that be fine?"
The tailor has a brief moment of panic, because that was only four days, but then returns the smile. "That will be ideal, Mr. Ross."
"Then I'll see you then, John. I need to go to the cobbler," he says with a grin.
John gives a respectful nod as Robbie left.
It was late in the afternoon when Robbie returns to Oscar's home. He can smell the scents of the children's supper as he makes his way upstairs. Briefly, he pauses outside Oscar's room, debating if he should knock or not, and just as he chose to merely go to his own room, the door opens.
"Robbie," Oscar greets with a smile. "I thought I heard you come in."
He turns to Oscar with a brilliant, adoring smile. "I had some errands to complete."
"I do like that smile turned my way, dear boy," Oscar replies as he lounges against the doorframe. "And what errands kept you from the house so long?" Yes, he's being nosey, but he does so like to know Robbie's business.
"Someone is coming to supper Thursday," he says with a coy smile. "He's very interested in the man named Oscar Wilde for some reason, and since I know how much pretty boys who blush intrigue you..."
Oscar gives him a slow smile. "This boy has heard of me?"
"Quite a lot about you. He is from an impoverished background and needs appropriate clothing. I spent the day visiting John and Edward so he can look smashingly handsome when he praises your genius." Robbie knows he's being quite cheeky, but he likes these dances of words and flattery with Oscar.
"Thursday night?" he muses. "A good night, I think. I shall be certain to be as witty and dashing as ever."
Robbie shakes his head and chuckles. "As if you are ever anything else..."
"What can I do for you, Mr. Ross?" John asks as he comes out from behind the counter.
"I am looking to have a suit made. An evening suit, appropriate for dinner with the Wildes." Robbie goes to a bolt of fabric and fingers the smoke coloured material.
John tilts his head curiously. "I would think you had many appropriate suits already."
Robbie turns and grins. "It's not for me, John. A friend. A bit down on his luck but who would like to come to dinner. I've decided to pay for the suit."
"That's very generous of you, Mr. Ross," John replies. "Do you like that fabric?"
It was a bit light for a formal evening supper, Robbie supposes, but it would look lovely on Miniver. The fabric would enhance his eye colour perfectly. "Yes," he says finally. "This would be ideal, I think. The jacket and trousers, this fabric."
"Are you certain you wouldn't prefer something darker?" John asks him cautiously.
Robbie considers again, then nods. "I'm certain. He has these remarkably pale blue eyes," he murmurs more to himself than John. "The suit will be a perfect compliment to them."
John smiles and ducks his head to hide the expression. It wasn't uncommon for Mr. Ross to buy such gifts for pretty boys he met. "Will he be coming for a fitting?"
"No." Robbie moves from the smoky bolt to another, this one the colour of fresh blood. "He won't be in the city until Thursday afternoon." He pauses. "I think he will need two suits. An afternoon suit and a more formal one for dinner that evening." Robbie touches the red silk and smiles. "This will be for his evening suit's waistcoat," he declares.
"That is a bold colour, Mr. Ross."
"His hair is the shade of those chocolate squares sometimes made into a hot beverage, and so the ruby will highlight that." Robbie is very aware of colour and how it affects the complexion and hair. "The waistcoat must be in this fabric."
"Very well, Mr. Ross," John says, making notes. "But if he is not to come in for a fitting, how am I to create his suit?"
"He isn't too different in height and weight from me." He's perhaps an inch shorter, but about the same build and weight. You can use my measurements, just adjust them." John was a very good tailor, so Robbie had faith in him. "Now, the afternoon suit..." He wanders to another selection of bolts, eying the fabrics before him. "The pale pinstripe here for the trousers, and for the coat..." Robbie sighs, trying to decide. "This. The soft brown will look nice. Informal. And the lightly striped material here for the afternoon waistcoat. I will need two white shirts, too."
John quickly scribbles on his pad, marking fabrics, amounts, everything Robbie says, John writes down. "When will you need these?"
"Thursday morning." Robbie crosses his arms and turns to John with a smile. "Will that be fine?"
The tailor has a brief moment of panic, because that was only four days, but then returns the smile. "That will be ideal, Mr. Ross."
"Then I'll see you then, John. I need to go to the cobbler," he says with a grin.
John gives a respectful nod as Robbie left.
It was late in the afternoon when Robbie returns to Oscar's home. He can smell the scents of the children's supper as he makes his way upstairs. Briefly, he pauses outside Oscar's room, debating if he should knock or not, and just as he chose to merely go to his own room, the door opens.
"Robbie," Oscar greets with a smile. "I thought I heard you come in."
He turns to Oscar with a brilliant, adoring smile. "I had some errands to complete."
"I do like that smile turned my way, dear boy," Oscar replies as he lounges against the doorframe. "And what errands kept you from the house so long?" Yes, he's being nosey, but he does so like to know Robbie's business.
"Someone is coming to supper Thursday," he says with a coy smile. "He's very interested in the man named Oscar Wilde for some reason, and since I know how much pretty boys who blush intrigue you..."
Oscar gives him a slow smile. "This boy has heard of me?"
"Quite a lot about you. He is from an impoverished background and needs appropriate clothing. I spent the day visiting John and Edward so he can look smashingly handsome when he praises your genius." Robbie knows he's being quite cheeky, but he likes these dances of words and flattery with Oscar.
"Thursday night?" he muses. "A good night, I think. I shall be certain to be as witty and dashing as ever."
Robbie shakes his head and chuckles. "As if you are ever anything else..."