Battle of the Pin Stripes
~*~*~*~*~
He had enjoyed his tea the best he could with the officious voice behind him. It seemed to go right through him and Ianto wasn’t unconvinced that the stranger hadn’t been trying to wind him up.
He left the hotel and walked the short distance to his last, and favourite destination of the day; Savile Row. Actually…just off Savile Row. He had discovered a small, quiet tailors, run by two unassuming brothers. They made exquisite suits and managed to tailor them not just to their customer’s measurements, but their personalities too. They didn’t have a big name like some of the others, and this was just one of the reasons Ianto loved it. The service was friendly and personal, the surroundings not too ostentatious. And the other clientele was much friendlier than in other, more exclusive, outfitters he had tried.
He pushed open the door and the two men, Frank and Justin, both turned to greet him.
“Mr Jones. It’s a pleasure to see you looking so well Sir.”
Ianto had long ago given up trying to convince the brothers not to address him so formally, so now just got on with enjoying it.
“Thank you Frank. It’s a pleasure to be back. Ah. You have everything out for me I see?”
The men both smiled at him. “You are indeed our guilty pleasure. We would never abuse any other customer’s kindness in such a way.”
Ianto smiled. He knew that Frank and Justin had both been brought up in the East End. Sons of one of the remaining barrowboys, their mother had worked as a seamstress and their love of tailoring and their skills had come from her. Their accents and way of talking came from watching too many films about how they thought people expected them to speak.
Ianto moved over to the side table where everything was waiting. He removed a packet from the inside pocket of his jacket.
“I bought a new blend down for you this time, I hope you like it.”
Frank and Justin knew how to make suits, but they did not know how to make coffee. After a few visits Ianto had finally caved and begged them to let him have a go. It was now a ritual and one that they all enjoyed.
“I am sure we will Mr Jones. Why don’t we get you measured and then Sir can relax with a cup of coffee while he looks at swatches.”
“That sounds like a great idea.”
Ianto let himself be led through to a curtained off area where Justin proceeded to take all the necessary measurements, before stepping back and letting Ianto re-dress. Moving back into the main area Ianto started to make the coffee while Justin and Frank headed into another back room to find swatches and samples they thought would suit him.
Ianto heard the door open behind him and made a conscious effort not to turn around. Not everything was a threat. He could relax here. He concentrated on what he was doing.
“Ah. I see they have a new coffee boy. Well about time. I take mine with cream and two sugars.”
Ianto froze at the voice. Him. Again. Even here. How was this fair? And the cheek of assuming that he was the … Ianto looked down at what he was doing. Okay, he could forgive that assumption.
“With respect Sir, this is a very special blend of coffee. Might I suggest you have it without the cream and sugar to get the full benefit of the flavours.”
“And might I suggest you remember who you work for. Cream and two sugars. Is that so hard to do?”
“Not hard at all Sir, but I’m not going to do it. And I’m very aware of who I work for, and it’s not you.”
Ianto turned around, a charming smile plastered onto his face and held out a cup of steaming black coffee.
“Oh, it’s you again. You appear to be following me today.”
“On the contrary. I have been everywhere first. You are clearly the one following me. Now, try this coffee.”
The man glared at him and his eyes narrowed, his mouth forming an annoyed pout, as if trying to decide his next move.
Before he could say anything the curtains pulled back and Justin walked through with a stack of swatches in his hands.
“The coffee smells as divine as always Mr Jones, thank you.” He looked up to see Ianto’s new companion. “Ah, Sir James. A pleasure to see you. I realise this is a little unorthodox, but have you tried some of Mr Jones’s coffee? He really does exquisite things with beans.”
The man looked at Justin and back at Ianto. Ianto kept his face carefully passive, with just the hint of a smile on his lips.
Frank had followed Justin through, and continued the conversation.
“If you would like to take a seat Sir James, we will be with you shortly. And may I second my brother’s suggestion to have some of Mr Jones’ coffee. Do you know each other? Both working for the Government that is.”
“Oh,” said Ianto smoothly, maintaining eye contact with Sir James, “I work for the Crown actually. We don’t bother too much with the Government. We come above their jurisdiction.”
With the look of a man chewing a wasp and trying to maintain upper-class dignity while he did it, the man finally took the still offered coffee cup, Ianto assumed more because he didn’t know what else to do than anything. Ianto then picked up his own and sat down.
Holding the cup casually in one hand he looked up at Justin and Frank, who, if he didn’t know better, seemed to be smiling knowingly at him. As Sir James continued to stare Justin said with a hint of a twinkle in his eye, “You mentioned earlier that your employer would be taking care of bill for today’s suits so we have bought you the most expensive swatch books out.” He turned to the other man. “Sir James, Frank is ready to measure you now and we shall find some swatches more suitable to your needs.”
Ianto sipped his coffee quietly as the other man stalked away, displeasure oozing from every pore, followed by Frank.
He caught Justin’s eye and the two men exchanged smiles, before the tailor’s professional face was swiftly put back in place.
A swatch book was placed in Ianto’s lap and Justin poured himself a cup of coffee. Sipping it he nodded at Ianto. “This is an excellent blend, you were right as always. Now, I think you will like this book; it contains our most tactile fabrics. I believe your employer appreciates that?”
Ianto smiled and settled back with his coffee. He was really beginning to enjoy today.
He had enjoyed his tea the best he could with the officious voice behind him. It seemed to go right through him and Ianto wasn’t unconvinced that the stranger hadn’t been trying to wind him up.
He left the hotel and walked the short distance to his last, and favourite destination of the day; Savile Row. Actually…just off Savile Row. He had discovered a small, quiet tailors, run by two unassuming brothers. They made exquisite suits and managed to tailor them not just to their customer’s measurements, but their personalities too. They didn’t have a big name like some of the others, and this was just one of the reasons Ianto loved it. The service was friendly and personal, the surroundings not too ostentatious. And the other clientele was much friendlier than in other, more exclusive, outfitters he had tried.
He pushed open the door and the two men, Frank and Justin, both turned to greet him.
“Mr Jones. It’s a pleasure to see you looking so well Sir.”
Ianto had long ago given up trying to convince the brothers not to address him so formally, so now just got on with enjoying it.
“Thank you Frank. It’s a pleasure to be back. Ah. You have everything out for me I see?”
The men both smiled at him. “You are indeed our guilty pleasure. We would never abuse any other customer’s kindness in such a way.”
Ianto smiled. He knew that Frank and Justin had both been brought up in the East End. Sons of one of the remaining barrowboys, their mother had worked as a seamstress and their love of tailoring and their skills had come from her. Their accents and way of talking came from watching too many films about how they thought people expected them to speak.
Ianto moved over to the side table where everything was waiting. He removed a packet from the inside pocket of his jacket.
“I bought a new blend down for you this time, I hope you like it.”
Frank and Justin knew how to make suits, but they did not know how to make coffee. After a few visits Ianto had finally caved and begged them to let him have a go. It was now a ritual and one that they all enjoyed.
“I am sure we will Mr Jones. Why don’t we get you measured and then Sir can relax with a cup of coffee while he looks at swatches.”
“That sounds like a great idea.”
Ianto let himself be led through to a curtained off area where Justin proceeded to take all the necessary measurements, before stepping back and letting Ianto re-dress. Moving back into the main area Ianto started to make the coffee while Justin and Frank headed into another back room to find swatches and samples they thought would suit him.
Ianto heard the door open behind him and made a conscious effort not to turn around. Not everything was a threat. He could relax here. He concentrated on what he was doing.
“Ah. I see they have a new coffee boy. Well about time. I take mine with cream and two sugars.”
Ianto froze at the voice. Him. Again. Even here. How was this fair? And the cheek of assuming that he was the … Ianto looked down at what he was doing. Okay, he could forgive that assumption.
“With respect Sir, this is a very special blend of coffee. Might I suggest you have it without the cream and sugar to get the full benefit of the flavours.”
“And might I suggest you remember who you work for. Cream and two sugars. Is that so hard to do?”
“Not hard at all Sir, but I’m not going to do it. And I’m very aware of who I work for, and it’s not you.”
Ianto turned around, a charming smile plastered onto his face and held out a cup of steaming black coffee.
“Oh, it’s you again. You appear to be following me today.”
“On the contrary. I have been everywhere first. You are clearly the one following me. Now, try this coffee.”
The man glared at him and his eyes narrowed, his mouth forming an annoyed pout, as if trying to decide his next move.
Before he could say anything the curtains pulled back and Justin walked through with a stack of swatches in his hands.
“The coffee smells as divine as always Mr Jones, thank you.” He looked up to see Ianto’s new companion. “Ah, Sir James. A pleasure to see you. I realise this is a little unorthodox, but have you tried some of Mr Jones’s coffee? He really does exquisite things with beans.”
The man looked at Justin and back at Ianto. Ianto kept his face carefully passive, with just the hint of a smile on his lips.
Frank had followed Justin through, and continued the conversation.
“If you would like to take a seat Sir James, we will be with you shortly. And may I second my brother’s suggestion to have some of Mr Jones’ coffee. Do you know each other? Both working for the Government that is.”
“Oh,” said Ianto smoothly, maintaining eye contact with Sir James, “I work for the Crown actually. We don’t bother too much with the Government. We come above their jurisdiction.”
With the look of a man chewing a wasp and trying to maintain upper-class dignity while he did it, the man finally took the still offered coffee cup, Ianto assumed more because he didn’t know what else to do than anything. Ianto then picked up his own and sat down.
Holding the cup casually in one hand he looked up at Justin and Frank, who, if he didn’t know better, seemed to be smiling knowingly at him. As Sir James continued to stare Justin said with a hint of a twinkle in his eye, “You mentioned earlier that your employer would be taking care of bill for today’s suits so we have bought you the most expensive swatch books out.” He turned to the other man. “Sir James, Frank is ready to measure you now and we shall find some swatches more suitable to your needs.”
Ianto sipped his coffee quietly as the other man stalked away, displeasure oozing from every pore, followed by Frank.
He caught Justin’s eye and the two men exchanged smiles, before the tailor’s professional face was swiftly put back in place.
A swatch book was placed in Ianto’s lap and Justin poured himself a cup of coffee. Sipping it he nodded at Ianto. “This is an excellent blend, you were right as always. Now, I think you will like this book; it contains our most tactile fabrics. I believe your employer appreciates that?”
Ianto smiled and settled back with his coffee. He was really beginning to enjoy today.