sewing flowers | tewkesbury ✔︎

vi. it's a small world

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Please pretend that Enola got lodgings first, and then went to buy new clothes :)

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Enola! You look absolutely mesmerising!" I exclaimed, as she surveyed her thick red gown. She looked unrecognisable, every inch of her looked regal and commanding. The strange-looking boy was no more, and in his place, was a dazzling lady.

"This corset is stealing my breath." She scrunched her nose, adjusting it. "And must the dress be so heavy?" She groaned, collapsing onto a chair out of exhaustion.

"Although this dress is very beautiful, Octavia. Amazing needlework." She relented, smiling at the rich red fabric.

"Sherlock will have a hard time finding you, you look completely different," I said, lighting up her mood, "You've sent him on a wild goose chase."

"Oh, I truly hope I have," She sighed, handing me the money for my services, "I plan on staying free for as long as possible."

"Thank you, by the way, for helping me out." She graciously said, moving to leave the shop.

"Well," She said as a matter of factly, glancing around the shop, "I guess this is goodbye."

"Or not, we might just bump into each other once more like today." I grinned, before frowning slightly.

"Are you sure you don't want to take up on my offer? You could always reconsider." I said. "I have more then enough room to accommodate you and Tewkesbury."

"It's tempting," She admitted, before sweeping her skirt over the floor, continuing to move towards the door, "But I already have lodgings. And i'm on a mission of my own."

"So mysterious, Enola Holmes." I chuckled, as the entrance bell rang once more, signalling another customer. "Well, i've got another customer, but i'll see you around? You're always welcome here."

Enola left the shop, leaving one last glance and smiling, before disappearing into the crowd once more.

—

It had been around 5 hours since Enola had left, and the day had been just as ordinary as ever. Customers would come and go, buying various garments. Sometimes, I slipped back into the memories of adventure, my heart accelerating at the feeling of jumping from a train and warmth spreading from the comfort of a cozy fire.

The sun just barely peaked through from the tall buildings of London, sending golden rays through to the shop, bathing the dresses in an ethereal glow. The sky was golden orange, tinges of pink settling in, signalling sunset.

I sighed, it had been another long day at the shop. Not one little peak from a brunette haired boy yet, and certainly not one from a viscount...

Lost in melancholy thought, I absentmindedly moved to the door to lock it for the day, when a sudden glimpse of a familiar boy brought me back down to Earth.

"Tewkesbury!" I exclaimed, shocked but replacing it with a smile, "I thought you were gone for good, come in!"

"Hi Octavia." He ruffled his hair, checking his watch. "Sorry, I don't want to impose but I was busy securing a job."

"And did you get it?" I raised my brow.

"Of course." He chuckled, smirking and stealing a glance at me, "I'm not entirely an idiot."

"Not entirely." I grinned, before tugging his arm towards the back of the shop. "Come in, i'll show you around."

—

I ended the tour in the living room, where Tewkesbury collapsed onto cushioned chair out of exhaustion. He ruffled his hair, sighing as he curled up comfortably.

"Who knew being independent could be so damn tiring?" He groaned, snuggling up comfortably as I sat into a chair next to him.

"You're saying that to an orphan, you realise?" I quirked my eyebrow up as he chuckled, throwing his head back in laughter.

"Touché." He glanced over to to a weathered book laying on the coffee table in front of us. It was open, with diagrams of plants spewing from it's pages sitting next to an empty cup and a folded blanket.

"What's this, Octavia?" He asked, flipping slowly through the pages of the book. His eyes flew over the words with interest, botany was clearly a favourite subject of his.

"One of my father's old textbooks. He was a professor." I yawned, my eyes browsing the bookshelf next to me, looking for another book to give him.

"He was a teacher." I explained, handing him a book on flora and fauna. "After he died, I read through every single one of his textbooks.

He smiled, still leafing through the pages with awe.

"As you can see, I still read them quite often. It's very comfy to read them while drinking a hot tea and draped with comfy blankets." I sighed wistfully.

"And I shall enjoy doing so in the coming weeks." Tewkesbury grinned, extending his hand.

"I take it that your accepting my offer?" I inquired, shaking his hand.

He smiled, nodded, and went back to reading his newfound novel.