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--- T ---
Toby always worries when his mother attempts to buy his clothes. He's more than comfortable in his current ill-fitting suits, no matter how many times he's told to dress properly.
But Elizabeth Hudson-Parker's wedding was the event of the year, and then there was that brat Patrick Lowell's christening the week after, followed by a formal dance for Freddie's squadron and family members.
This of course means that by the end of it all, and at the ripe age of 22, he owns a grand total of five formal suits, all of which are fitting, and in Toby's opinion... actually more comfortable than he had expected.
Don't get him wrong he would much prefer to go around in his baggy shirts but if he HAD to wear one of his formal ones... well, he wouldn't complain.
And; he thinks, looking with despair at his pile of ruined clothes, stained and sopping; on this occasion that may be a good thing.
Adil's not going to find out about this, the one time Toby tries to do his own washing.
It was fine at University, this is obviously the fault of the washing facilities at the Halcyon, and not his own error.
Then again...
That was washing detergent he put in the Tub? Not dye? Looking at the shirts, all a bright shade of lilac, the second option is looking more probable.
He curses in his head, shivering in his pyjamas as he squeezes the shirts out and drops them promptly in the washing cart to the side, he's sure one of the maids will work magic on it, those girls are bloody brilliant sometimes.
He hastily scrubs the purple out of his hands, leaving them a blushing shade of scarlet, and takes the service elevator up to his floor, only letting out a breath of relief once his bedroom door shuts behind him.
He eyes his vacant wardrobe warily, already dreading turning up to work in his fitting suit, but, he estimates, he has at least five days before his shirts even resemble their original colour.
He can do this.
--- A ---
Adil's eyes almost pop out of his head when Toby greets him in the bar the next evening. His boyfriend has donned a light blue shirt, with matching navy trousers and tie.
To say the clothes have an effect on Toby's appearence is a vast understatement. And to say they don't have an effect on Adil's blood pressure would just be a bare-faced lie.
He swallows and runs a rag along the bar, the coolness of the water seeping into it grounds him, helping him regain control of his lust long enough to look Toby in the eye.
"Fancy event this evening, Mr Hamilton?"
The words are light, he doesn't remember anything in Toby's calendar, but a last-minute shin-do is always a possibility for a Hamilton.
Toby smiles, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows, unaware of the flush rising on Adil's neck below his work uniform.
He leans on the bar, forearms straining against the glass, "Thankfully no, Mr Joshi, just an unfortunate parting from my regular wardrobe".
Adil raises an eyebrow at 'unfortunate', internally disagreeing but externally smiling, mixing Toby's preferred drink with a practiced expertise.
"Would you like coffee brought up this evening Sir?"
Toby's eyes sparkle with mirth at the request, "Well of course, Mr Joshi, it has quite become my favourite thing".
He takes his drink, brushing their fingers together for a second before heading over to Freddie and his friends, slipping into the conversation with an unexpected ease.
Adil's eyes track his movements over the dance floor, eyes glued to the fabric, tight around his waist and hips, and the fit, just right along the curve of his -
"- Adil??"
He turns to his left with a start, not having noticed Tom's approach.
Tom grins, "Daydreaming huh? Pretty girl or something like that?".
Adil smirks, passing him the now soaked rag.
"Something like that"
--- T ---
Toby's perplexed.
Four women approached him on his walk to work this morning. Four!
One even had the gall to, well, to proposition him. He's never felt so uncomfortable in his life, the interest; sudden and unexpected made his walk to work what Adil would probably call 'An adventure'.
In his opinion it was a right bloody nuisance.
Johnson catcalled him when he entered the office this morning, and all because he took his jacket off! It gets hot down there, that's not his fault.
The walk back was uneventful, if you ignore the glances and stares, which he couldn't. He's never liked being the centre of attention and today has just been one thing after another.
Even when he joined Freddie and his friends in conversation that evening, they accepted him with a readiness they had never displayed before.
Even Adil was acting a little odd, he wonders if there's something in the air.
He's sat on his bed when Adil knocks, tie loosened but still hanging around his neck, sleeves still rolled up. He'd toed his shoes off the second he'd walked through the door, and his socked feet tap nervously on the cold floor.
When Adil enters he freezes at the door, taking a moment than longer to even lock it behind him. Toby's brow furrows in concern.
"Adil? Are you okay?"
Adil blinks once, twice, then seems to realise he's staring at Toby's chest and pulls himself out of it.
He smiles, placing the tray down on the table with a quiet bang.
"Fine thank you".
He moves towards Toby, who embraces him gently, fingers threading through his hair to pull on the strands at the nape of his neck.
--- A ---
Adil doesn't like to swear.
But holy hell.
If he thought seeing Toby this evening was a shock to the senses, seeing him in the warm, dimly lit safety of his bedroom is an assault to them.
When he finally places the tray down, quickly, as to hide shaking fingers, he's swept up in a gentle kiss, exploring fingers follow a familiar path along his face to the back of his head.
He presses upwards, wandering hands already making their way to Toby's shirt buttons. He murmers nonsense against Toby's lips, something along the lines of:
GodTobysogoodyoulooksogoodohmygo-
Tobypleasepleaseplease-
Toby doesn't seem to mind, even as he takes him to bed and pushes him down, bringing the both of them an undeniable pleasure.
The only thing better than a neatly dressed Toby, Adil ponders later that evening, sweat still cooling on his skin; is a naked one.
--- T ---
His mother is acting strange today. He's sure he's not the only one to have noticed, even the staff are eyeing her strangely.
Today's suit is an unfortunate shade of dark red, unfortunate only when a person is as prone to blushing as Toby is, but he's managed okay so far.
As dinner gets underway a couple of girls, no older than sixteen, flit around their table, giggling. When Toby looks at them curiously they both flush and quieten down, running off impishly.
Toby chooses not to comment.
His mother clears her throat and he mentally rolls his eyes, meeting hers with a forced smile.
"Yes, mother?"
She dabs at her lips with a napkin.
"I can't help but notice your... recent change in wardrobe darling".
Toby grimaces.
"Yes I had a rather problematic experience i'm afraid, all will be back to normal by next week".
His mother huffs, rolling the napkin between her fingers as if it were a cigarette.
"So you're not trying to... Impress a girl? At work?"
Her voice rises hopefully at the end of the sentence and Toby represses a shudder, his hand clenches around his fork, his nails digging into his palm almost painfully.
"No Mother, this is entirely temporary".
She looks disappointed but doesn't call him out any further, instead choosing to gesture for Adil.
Toby's so glad he's on table service this afternoon, he doesn't think he could cope without Adil's friendly face to offer silent support.
--- A ---
Toby's never worn this suit in front of Adil before, it's red, and shimmery, and the fabric alone looks more expensive than all of Adil's clothes added up.
Toby looks...
Stunning isn't a good enough word.
Adil smiles politely when Lady Hamilton calls
him over. He nods at Toby, restraining himself, and turns to take her order.
It doesn't come.
Instead, she turns to him.
"What is your name?".
The question is sharp, with no space for ignorance.
"Adil Joshi, Ma'am".
Lady Hamilton sniffs in disdain and Adil's tense posture becomes more difficult to hide. Even Toby looks worried and unsure, hands shredding his napkin into tiny pieces.
"Mr Joshi" Lady Hamilton continues, "You know of my son, Toby of course".
She raises an eyebrow expectedly and Adil swallows nervously, nodding in response, "Yes Lady Hamilton".
"Mother wha-?"
Adil feels reassurance at Toby speaking up but he still stands catiously, waiting for whatever final blow Lady Hamilton wants to deliver.
"Have you noticed anything different about him recently?"
Adil blanches, eyes flicking to Toby for a reassurance that never comes as Toby pointedly stares at the table, face red and eyes wide.
---T---
Bloody Hell.
Thank you Mother that's exactly what was needed in this situation.
Toby resolutely maintains eye contact with his knife, suddenly fascinated by it's carved handle, and sharp blade and - and, well it's a knife it's really not that interesting but for God's sake.
He wonders how much it would hurt if it found his way into his thigh, it probably wouldn't save him from this embarressing scene.
When Adil finally speaks, the sudden sound in the silence makes Toby almost jump a mile.
"I'm not quite sure what you mean, Lady Hamilton".
Adil's accent is thicker, his vowels heavier. His voice usually only gets like this when he's nervous or consumed by lust and - well, Toby certainly hopes he's not the second right now.
His mother tuts, "Of course you do".
She gestures to Toby, who is attempting to hide his red face behind his hands, obviously uncomfortable.
"Does he look different to you? Yes, or no?".
Adil swallows, Toby watches him through his fingers, nervousness sending his stomach into knots.
"I suppose so, yes Ma'am".
His mother nods, seemingly pleased with herself, "Better you would say?"
Toby glares hard at her before schooling his expression into one of neutral displeasure, hoping for Adil's sake that each answer is a step closer to escape.
Adil looks rather like a deer in headlights, and at his sputtering Toby's mother speaks up again.
"For Goodness sakes boy it's not a hard question, does he look better or worse?".
---A---
Adil sweats under the pressured glare of Lady Hamilton, he's uncomfortably aware of Emma watching from the corner of the room, and of Toby, face hidden, shy and trembling.
"He looks like Mr Hamilton, Ma'am, no less, no more"
"You look as good and well as you always have, Sir".
He addresses Toby at the end, hoping it will tempt him to make eye contact; it doesn't. But Toby's shoulders shift, the fabric stretching down over his arms.
Adil bites his lip and shifts uneasily, tacking a hasty "and Lady Hamilton" to the end of his sentence.
It's obviously not the answer she was expecting as she huffs, sending him off quickly. He makes eye contact with Emma as he slips behind the bar, shaking his head when she looks at him quizzically.
Watching them for the rest of the dinner service, he notices that Toby doesn't meet his eyes for the rest of the night, even deigning to leave his mother alone at the table before dessert is served.
He counts down the minutes till his shift is over, slipping upstairs and knocking on Toby's door, eyes tracking down the hallway as he waits for it to open.
When Toby drags him in by his sleeve the first thing Adil notices is he's rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, and has taken his jacket off leaving behind a waistcoat, hugging his chest, with the top few buttons of his shirt undone.
He can't be held responsible for what he did next.
---T---
Toby lets out a breath of surprise as Adil pushes him back against the door, threading his fingers through Adil's hair almost instinctively; he keens as Adil's mouth finds his neck, deft fingers undoing his waistcoat buttons.
"Do you have any idea what you looked like today?"
Adil sounds breathless, his cheeks stained a dark red as he shucks the waistcoat over Toby's shoulders.
Toby helps him, half in a stupor, only to find himself pushed back again once the waistcoat is off, he goes to pull the shirt over his head but a hand on his stills him.
Adil swallows, Toby tracks the movement with his eyes, "Leave it on"
The words are whispered into the air between them and Toby draws a breath, the air thick and heavy in his lungs. He nods as Adil leans in to kiss him, quickly removing his own jacket and tie.
Toby's head spins as Adil drops to his knees, Toby's fingers still gripping the strands of his hair tightly.
He thinks they should talk about this, but as Adil unzips him and looks up at him with eyes shining with lust, he thinks that conversation can probably wait.
Oh yeah.
It can wait.
---
One of the maids knocks on his door the next morning, hours after Adil had left to begin his shift.
She curtseys when Toby opens the door, halfway through fixing a cuff-link to his left sleeve, the silver complimenting the velvety green almost perfectly.
She then proceeds to stand there for around thirty seconds without saying anything, Toby finds himself waving a hand in front of her face, not too close to be obnoxious, to make sure she's okay.
She blinks suddenly, blushing and avoiding eye contact, he notices the pile of clothes on her tray and takes them with a quiet "Thank you".
He also tips her, his mother may be a tight-fisted old bat but he tries his best. He smiles at her as she walks away, pulling the clothes to his chest as the door shuts.
He leans against it for a moment, before rushing over to his bed; depositing them on top of his quilt. He runs his fingers along the necklines, turning each shirt over, feeling the sleeves.
Every trace of purple has vanished, and Toby makes a silent note to talk to his mother about raising the staff's salaries.
He wastes no time in shucking off his suit, arms getting stuck over his head in the hurry. He eventually manages to switch over all his clothes and falls back onto his bed with a satisfied groan.
---A---
Toby looks... normal again.
Adil can't say that he doesn't miss his boyfriends... tighter, wardrobe, but it's nice to see Toby smiling again, and looking less uncomfortable in his own skin.
He's partway through mixing Toby's gin and tonic when his boyfriend speaks up unexpectedly. This part of the bar is quiet, allowing the words to go unheard by anyone else.
"Adil..." Toby speaks hesistantly, obviously not sure how to word his dilema, Adil chooses to continue mixing his drink, knowing Toby will voice his problem sooner or later.
"Why have you been acting strangely lately?"
Adil scrunches his nose, shaking his head a little as he pours Toby's drink into the awaiting glass.
"I'm not quite sure what you mean Mr Hamilton?".
Toby fiddles with his tie, fingers tightening then loosening the knot methodically, andhe tries again.
"Yesterday at dinner with mother, and then the last couple of nights in the -"
He staunchly blushes, reaching out for his drink and taking it in one sharp move.
"-In the bedroom"
He whispers.
"You've been a lot more -"
He gestures slightly with his hand, Adil raises an eyebrow, still none the wiser.
Toby sighs wearily "-More ... comandeering?".
He tapers off as Adil finally understands and blushes, grabbing a nearby rag and wiping the bar down to give his hands something to do.
Toby quickly continues, "Not that i'm complaining - Mr Joshi, I'm just curious, is all"
Adil swallows tightly and risks making eye contact, Toby's face is a beautiful splotchy array of reds and Adil's heart jumps at the sight.
He steels himself, hoping Toby won't make fun of him too much.
"It's been your - your clothes, Sir"
Toby's eyes crinkle with confusion.
"What about them?".
Adil bites his lip to prevent himself from smiling at the memory or the maroon suit that swims to the front of his mind.
"They've been rather - tight? No, fitting, Sir, very... well fitting"
He watches a range of emotions flicker across Toby's face, finally settling on barely concealed mirth.
---T---
"You're telling me people have been acting funny around me these past few days because of ... my clothes?"
Adil raises an eyebrow in disbelief, "You really don't see it?"
Then he starts again, "Wait, what do you mean people?"
Toby blushes, fiddling with his now empty glass "A couple of girls the other day, some people on the way to work, my workmates..."
He trails off, leaning conspiratoraly over the bar closer to Adil, "You don't think that means Johnson's...?".
Adil grins, not reassuringly, "Maybe he was just helplessly attracted to you".
Toby scoffs, "Now you're just being silly".
Adil carries on regardless, "No I'm quite sure he was just about ready to fling himself at you"
He places Toby's next drink down on the bar and leans in close, "After all, I usually am".
He winks, and moves off to serve someone else, leaving Toby in a state of disbelief, he laughs at the absurdity, mock shaking his head at Adil as he moves off.
Helplessly attracted to him, ha.
...
Maybe he'd wear the suits more often.
Just in case.
.