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As the door creaked open, the familiar scent of leather and polished wood wafted to the man, immediately calming his slightly tense nerves. Perhaps he wasn’t wrong when he assumed all the stress needed to melt away was a nice new suit. Or perhaps that was just a secondary reason for his visit. With a greeting, he tipped his hat to the younger man behind the counter whose silver eyes immediately darted to him from the piece of fabric he was presenting to another customer. Though their eyes only met for a split second, it was enough to make his heart skip a beat.
Mozus Trein was not oblivious to the… unusual tastes he sometimes displayed. Though he had loved his wife dearly when she was still alive, these days he would often find himself watching the tailor with interest as he would stretch for a roll of cloth or a set of buttons that sat on the very top shelf, and he may or may had not sometimes asked for some of them without the intent of buying them but simply for the pleasure of seeing the lean but well-built body in such graceful movement.
His name was Divus Crewel, and Mozus was convinced that he was the unfound genius of fashion. The man’s ideas were often unorthodox and seemed shocking at first but if one took the time to listen to them, and gave them a chance, more often than not they would grow to be the next hot sensation. Yet, the shop remained small and hidden well off the main street. But there was more to Crewel than his eye for fashion and brave ideas. At a time when most tailors jumped at every customer, eager to beg for the last penny, this one was picky. Though he treated those who visited the shop with the utmost respect, it was a success to be granted his time and care.
“Mr. Trein if I’m not mistaken?” An unexpected voice made him glance to a side where a young man stood, likely not more than eighteen years of age. He wasn’t from around here, that much was evident from his large build, darker skin, and the pair of wolf ears atop his head but his appearance didn’t entirely surprise Mozus. Few things about this particular place were considered normal outside of here and he came to appreciate the differences. The boy moved to the side, perhaps afraid he would offend him, but the noble only gave a nod.
“Yes, that would be me. Are you a new apprentice here?” He watched as confusion momentarily swarmed the boy’s expression before he smiled brightly, hardly containing his joy upon being recognized as one. The times were not kind to the beastfolk but Mozus couldn’t bring himself to look down on such an eager young man.
“Indeed!” The young man gave an enthusiastic nod, motioning a little awkwardly but still excitedly to the back of the room. “Please come with me, the master will be with you shortly!”
As he was being led to the fitting room, Mozus stole another glance at the busy tailor, calmly explaining the properties of a particular material to his client. It was a mesmerizing sight. The practiced movement of handling the fabric to show its elasticity, the spark in gray eyes as he explained all about its origin, the amazed gaze of his customer… Divus certainly knew how to wrap people around his little finger and Mozus for one did not mind that in the slightest.
They reached the small closed-off room in the back and the apprentice offered him a chair that he gratefully accepted. The next few moments passed in silence before a set of steps was heard coming from the stairs up to where the tailor and his apprentices lived. Mozus found himself curious about the place every time he walked by, though of course he couldn’t just ask to be let in. That could be harmful not just for his social standing.
A second apprentice soon walked in, still rubbing sleep from his eyes and combing his fingers through his blond hair. He must’ve stayed up late working on an outfit. But though it was a tad impolite to show up like this, the boy still had a tremendous amount of style. He looked up at their guest, not even phased or disturbed in the slightest, as he picked up the work vest and pulled it over his shirt.
“Good morning, Mr. Trein. Here for a new coat?” Mozus couldn’t blame the casualty with which the boy greeted him. Though anyone else might frown at it, it simply belonged to the place. Watching as the apprentice rolled his hair up to a bun, he shook his head a bit.
“Not quite. It is more of a suit thing. The ball season is coming up so I thought it appropriate to get a new one done.” He noticed the wolf boy looking between them a little confused. It was to be expected since he was apparently very new there. To be fair, he was a bit curious about him too. “Vil, why don’t you introduce me to your new colleague?”
As if only now realizing he never introduced himself in the first place, the taller boy panicked momentarily, stumbling over his words before Vil answered for him. “That’s Jack. He only started working here this week, it’s the first time he’s been this far from home too. Please go easy on him.”
“That was unnecessary…” Jack’s ears pressed back against his head a little as he averted eye-contact with his senior but from the gentle sway of his tail, Mozus could tell he was actually grateful for the help. The noble gave a nod.
“Interesting. How old are you, Jack?” He probably had the wrong idea if this apprenticeship was the first experience the boy had away from home. Of course, he couldn’t be anywhere near the age usual to enter an internship like this but that was just another thing that Divus Crewel was known for.
Though the wolf seemed a little taken aback by his sudden question, it likely didn’t bother him too much because he gave a polite smile, his eyes returning to a relaxed posture. “I’m sixteen, Mr. Trein. I know it’s somewhat late for me to come here but master Crewel said it didn’t matter. I’m just glad to be able to work here.”
“Did you always want to become a tailor?” Perhaps he was prying a little but his curiosity got the better of him as Mozus was finding himself fond of Jack’s obvious excitement.
He sort of expected the nod that came in response. “Yes, but it was hard to find a tailor looking for apprentices in my hometown. But then I heard from Vil that his master was always glad for a helping hand and here I am.”
While they were talking, Vil made some tea that he quickly served to their guest. As Mozus picked it up, he couldn’t help but feel bad for the poor wolf. He knew what he really meant, though he didn’t say it so openly. It wasn’t that the tailors weren’t looking for new people – most of them were so busy they would jump at every opportunity to lessen their workload – it was the fact that he was a wolf that made them turn him down. There was a long way to go before people of all species would be given equal opportunities outside of this particular establishment but that was one of the things that made it special in the first place.
As he thanked Vil for the tea, he saw the boy grab the measuring tape as he stepped closer. A slight wave of disappointment washed over him. As much as the boy grew on him over his many visits over the years, he was hoping to get Divus’ attention. Still, he got up from his chair, unbuttoning his jacket before taking it off. It always felt a little strange to do so outside of the comfort of his own home, as many of his body’s asymmetries, both big and small, were usually hidden under the skilled tailorship of his clothes.
The tape went around his chest as he exhaled, taking the minimum measurement as Vil drew a mark on it, holding the chalk between his lips as he instructed further. Mozus already knew how it went – a deep breath into the chest, an exhale, then a deep breath into the stomach, relaxed shoulders, standing straight… He almost missed the steps heading for the room from the main shop before the door slammed open with great energy.
“You pups!” Divus called, hand still on the door handle as the other went to rest on his hip. Mozus’ eyes quickly traveled over him once more. When he was leaning on the counter in the shop, his slender legs drew way less attention. The way his hair swayed in the movement left nothing to be desired. The light bounce in his step as he approached was confident and comfortable as ever and before too long, there he was, taking the measuring tape out of Vil’s hands, his fingers ghosting a touch against Mozus’ back. “I’ll take care of this. You two watch the shop for me. Vil, there’s a letter for you, I put it in the orders. Read it carefully, it has a seal. Now out! out! out! I need to get to work!”
To add emphasis to his words, Divus clapped his hands along as he spoke, prompting the two apprentices to hurry and leave the backroom, much to their customer’s relief. He always felt more at ease with only the master tailor around. They both watched as the youngsters scurried away, closing the door behind themselves again and letting the room fall into a comfortable silence. Then the younger man’s hands were back on him and Mozus tensed up.
“Come on, relax.” The tailor’s tone was amused, though still respectful. He straightened up the shirt before reaching around to take the measurements again. “Deep breath, in the chest, stomach, now exhale. There we go, the kid’s not too bad.”
He was talking more to himself than to Mozus but the noble couldn’t help but feel as though they were sharing a private moment together. Of course, if he just thought about it, it was obvious how stupid of a thought it was. There was no way the other customers were getting any less care. But just for now, he wished to enjoy the feeling of being so close and hearing the man’s thoughts when nobody else could.
Next up were the shoulders. Gloved fingers first carefully checked the shape, lighting every part they graced with their touch on fire, then the tape locked around. A thoughtful hum escaped the tailor and from the corner of his eyes, Mozus could see a focused frown tugging at his eyes.
There were few things that made Mozus’ heart beat as eagerly as that look on Divus’ face. It drew both insecurity and excitement from deep within his soul, leaving him in expectation. The tailor’s expression was inseparably tied to his innovative ideas, ones that always made the noble feel as though he was watching a star be born.
“How about wool?” The man suddenly spoke clearly, turning to the stack of fabric in the back of the room. He ruffled around for a little bit before his eyes returned to the customer, observing, calculating, focused. He soon pulled out a few ells of thick black cloth. The general look of it was a little rough but for a brief second, Mozus could see the elegance Divus was certainly already envisioning. He nodded without a question.
“Do as you please, I’m leaving you free reign.”
“You’ll leave a fortune in here with that kind of attitude, Mr. Trein.” The tailor joked with him, a smile that could light up the whole world briefly gracing his lips. That was before he went back to work, pinning the cloth as needed while fixing it upon his customer’s body just for the brief moment to get exact measurements. “Though I suggest we keep the usual padding as well.”
Another nod, a little smaller than the last one so as not to move too much before all of the fabric was held up as it needed to be. The chalk did its work, dividing the material into pieces to be cut and sewn back together later. It braced down against Mozus’ thigh, leaving behind a chill. A pleasant one that ran right up his spine, making the hair on the back of his neck stand. As the tailor drew back to finish up the finer details on his table, the noble spoke up again.
“I saw you have a new apprentice.”
“Mhm.” Though he was consumed by his work, there was no doubt Divus was listening to him attentively.
“He seems like a nice boy.”
“Yes, yes, he is.”
“Work must be easier with two apprentices around.”
“It is but I shouldn’t get too used to it.” Rolling up the finished sketch, he took up the tape again, approaching Mozus once again for the sleeve length. While taking up the older man’s arm, his fingers brushed ever so slightly against his naked wrist, almost sending a jolt through him.
“Is Jack the type to give up easily?” He didn’t seem that way but Divus was bound to know better. With his keen eyes and great ability to read in people, Mozus would probably listen to him even about his own daughters, were they still at an age when they needed his guidance. He sometimes wondered if he should have asked back then.
Divus only gave a chuckle, shaking his head with more vigor than Mozus would expect. “The lad is fine. He’s persistent and works hard. But Vil will be leaving the nest soon.”
“He will?” Surprising as it was, he supposed it somewhat made sense. This wasn’t a usual establishment. The master tailor was working on all stages of the clothes-making, and he would tolerate no less from his apprentice, but he never tried to purposely hinder the boy either.
“The letter that arrived for him is one of appreciation. I let him handle some important clients lately and he proved himself worthy of every last penny they threw at him. He has a good sense for these things too. He’ll be setting up a store of his own before long.”
There was no envy in his voice, and Mozus found himself drawn to the man all the more. In a world where professionals would not give their apprentices any chance to grow and master the craft on their own, Divus was a teacher. He helped them set up businesses in the same line of work without fear for his own clientele and he supported them on their way to success. Vil was not the first apprentice who ended up leaving his services with much more than they could ever bring in. But there was another point in what Divus said.
“Is that why he was taking my measurements today?”
A laugh bubbled up the tailor’s throat before he hummed as he thought about what to answer. Eventually, he took a gentle hold of Mozus’ chin, sending blood right up to his cheeks, and lifted his head to take measurements of his neck. “No, that was just his way of challenging me. A naughty puppy, that one.”
The ease with which he said that made the older man’s head spin. It sounded so personal. So intimate. His hands balled up in fists by his side from trying to sort out his feelings in a way that wouldn’t be unbefitting a man of his status and age. But taking a note of that, Divus’ movements stopped, leaving the tape hanging around Mozus’ neck as his hand went to grab his chin once more.
“Don’t get tense on me now, Mozus . We’re not done here yet.”
But the tension didn’t leave. He felt his heartbeat shoot up, throbbing in his ears as his tailor’s overwhelming presence came over him, the scent of soap and leather and chalk overwhelming his senses. But there was something else that lingered in it – something predatory and alluring, something that he couldn’t quite place. Something that screamed of Divus and nothing else he had ever experienced.
And then the man drew away, running a hand through his hair with a ghost of a chuckle playing on his lips. In his other hand hanged the measuring tape with a new mark added as he moved back to his table. Though he was facing away from him at the moment, Mozus could feel his eyes boring holes in the back of his head. And while his tone returned to the casual and politely playful one from before, the air remained just as suffocating and excited as it was just before when they were mere inches away from each other.
“Should we add a new pair of pants as well? I have some ideas you might like.”
And while every last part of him begged he accepted the offer, pleaded with him for the gentle touch on his inner thigh as Divus leaned down to mark the length and width, and reasoned about not having an excuse for another visit until the end of winter, he knew his limits. With a small, resigned smile, he only shook his head lightly.
“Not today. I only came for a new jacket. Perhaps a coat if you will.”
The stare he felt remained for a little longer before the tailor peeled himself away from the table, handing him his jacket and hat once more from where Jack had put them away at the start of his visit. “In that case, I believe that’s all. Thank you for your patronage.”
“And thank you for your service.” Even the usual phrase came out shaky and unfocused as he was fumbling with the buttons on his coat but he tipped his hat before leaving the shop, bidding his goodbyes to the boys in the front as well.
As he left, the master tailor had returned to the shop as well. As he busied himself with the fabrics, picking what best to serve the gentleman who had just left, the older of his apprentices watched from across the room.
“You seem to be in a good mood today.” He noted, a knowing smirk on his lips.
Divus only returned the sneer. “But of course, Vil. I’ve just been kissed by a muse.”