How To Fall From Grace [MxM]

Step 18: Fall prey to family (pt. 1)

Marius was already inside, talking to the man behind the counter with a smile and a wrinkled forehead. He brightened up significantly as he spotted Frey, though the confusion persisted.

"Did you realise you gave me the wrong street or something?" he asked, gesturing around them. "This is a tailor shop."

"No, you're in the right place." Frey couldn't help smiling. "Did you show him the list?"

"I mean, yeah I did, but he understandably doesn't have supplies for horses." Marius repeated his gestures, though more exaggerated before lowering his voice. "He's been making small talk though, enough so I haven't really been able to leave without being rude, and he's been complimenting me a lot."

"That's because it's what the 'list' tells him to do." Frey nodded at the piece of paper. "It's not a list at all, actually. It's instructions for him to keep you here until I arrive, while showering you with compliments."

"Oh." Marius did not look less confused, but partly relieved. "I was beginning to think he was making a move on me or something. But... Why are we here? Why are you here? I thought you were seeing your family?"

"No, not this time." Frey shook his head and gestured to the tailor. "We're here to pick up your new clothes, because we're going out."

Marius knitted his eyebrows.

"... Out?"

"You know, out, like... To have fun?" Frey wanted to lower his gaze. He was already nervous enough about his plan, so why did Marius have to ask follow-up questions?

"But you would be there?" Marius was still not convinced. "Both of us would?"

Frey had to smile again at that.

"Yes."

"You would be..." Marius lowered his voice, with a brief glance at the tailor. "... You would be seen with me? Among people?"

"That's part of why we're doing this," Frey explained. "I want to make up for last time, when the evening ended so abruptly, and... Poorly."

Marius' confusion finally let up to give way for a smile.

"Not gonna have much time over if we're buying new clothes though."

"They're actually done already, young sir," the tailor said from where he stood, not even bothering with hiding the fact that he'd overheard everything. "Lord Clausson had your measurements sent over a few days ago."

Marius raised an inquisitive brow at Frey.

"You've stared at my body enough to know my measurements, huh?"

While Frey couldn't deny that he'd been looking at Marius a lot, he was not ready to say it out loud.

"Not even I could manage such a feat," he admitted. "I had Luna steal some of your clothes from the laundry."

Marius stood dumbfounded, so Frey felt the need to elaborate.

"She just told the maids she needed them, probably with some poor excuse, but since it's her no one even batted an eye anyway."

"That's where they went?" Marius still gawked. "And young Lady Hargreaves just up and dropped everything to help you with your... Scheming?"

"Schemes and shenanigans is what she lives for." Frey honestly hadn't thought of his request as strange, given that it was Luna. "She's odd and privileged with no responsibilities."

"I take it she approves of..." Marius sent another vague look towards the tailor. "... Things, then?"

"I feel like she and her brother are already more invested than they should be. Not that their approval was ever required or wanted." Frey nudged Marius to receive the clothes that had been placed on the counter. He was determined for them to enjoy themselves, but he felt a hint of stress regardless. "Now put them on."