Sherlock Imagines

The Timid Tailor (It Suits You Part II)

Request; 'It Suits You' Part II
Requested by; @MerridithE
Level; 8/9, I just love Jim in these TBH.
All his suit loving being balanced out ever so well... *Sigh*.
Also; I'm doing a contest this V-day! I've hidden a hecka ton of references all throughout these updates! PM me with as many as you can find!

Sebastian wasn't letting him go to the second fitting alone. So, now they stood, while you finished ironing it out, in the same room, Jim pacing, and Sebastian setting up a few "surprises". You came back in, suit in hand, and immediately tripped over a lump in the carpet. Sebastian was sure to grab the suit, but Jim's focus was on catching you. That's where Sebastian's second trap came in. As he caught you, he fell onto his back, arms firmly around your smaller frame. For a moment, there was just this buzzing shock that lingered as you two stared into each other's eyes, and as Jim hoped you couldn't tell his heart was racing. Shaking off the awkward tension, you both scrambled up, your face having to be as red as ravens are black.
"Th-thanks for, you know, breaking my fall." He cleared his throat, mumbling something similar to an 'of course'. Embarrassed, you scurried out of the room, immediately cringing at how stupid you were for immediately going to 'every rom-com movie ever'. Your life wasn't a fairytale, and you needed to stop relating it like it was.
"The hell was that, Jim?" Sebastian's annoyed tone got nothing but a glare in response. One of Jim's 'oh, shut your mouth' glares, to be precise.
"The hell was what?" He muttered back, hanging his previous suit jacket on the hanger, and beginning to undo his shirt buttons to distract himself from Sebastian belittling stare.
"You had the perfect shot right there, Boss! And you just let it go?!" Jim nearly cringed at the insult, a direct hit to his ego.
Hanging the shirt on the hook next to his jacket, he shot back, "She's not a target, Moran, nor am I an assassin. I haven't any idea of what you mean." He smirked at his roundabout (somewhat below the belt) sucker punch at Sebastian's livelihood. The sniper wanted to strangle him for both the comment and for playing dumb with him, but thought better of it.
"I meant; Why didn't you just kiss her, or something? Unless you're too nervous to make a move on her. Which, I suppose, is understandable. Pretty, funny, sweet, and I'm sure she's good with her hands, t-" Jim was ready to slam Sebastian to the wall. There was no reason for that kind of inappropriate innuendo. Even if he was usually the one who made said jokes.
"Bite your tongue before I tear it from your mouth!" Jim hissed in response before Sebastian could even finish. The taller man chuckled, ignoring the fact that Jim completely meant the threat, and would not hesitate to act on it.
"I'm not nervous." He mumbled, pulling on the crisp white button down, followed by the grey suit jacket. He smirked as he looked at the tie, with the little golden fox you'd added. Just for him. The thought made his heart beat a little faster, forcing him to ignore that he had been staring at the gleaming piece just a bit too long. He was pulled from his daydreaming when Sebastian's hand turning him towards the taller blonde. The same one who was smirking at the stricken response he got.
"Daw! Look who's in love!" Jim threw himself from Sebastian's grip, his glare screaming at the man in front of him. Sebastian laughed at Jim's childish behavior, as Jim ignored him, throwing off his black slacks and exchanging them for the grey. He mumbled yet another 'shut up', buttoning the jacket, and flattening it out. A timid knock befell the door, and Jim quickly folded on the tie, straightening himself out, before allowing you in.
"Come in." He consented and you slipped shyly through the door. You allowed yourself a small gasp at how good he looked. Now, you liked all suits on Jim-especially Westwood, but this one was just so... perfect. You clapped a few times, surprising a small squeal at how he captured the entire essence of it all.
"Oh! And I had sworn I'd messed up on the stitching! I swear, I've had so many clients try and pull off that one, but it just doesn't suit them! But you- my, it's perfect!" You ranted examining it for little things you may have missed, while he drank up what you had to say. He still couldn't fathom all the reasons his heart beat a little faster when you (of all the people that did) complimented him. He wouldn't dare blink- he was in the face of an angel.
"Oh please, you never mess up on the stitching." He commented, chuckling a bit. His words made your face tint pink and stop for a moment while the compliment sunk in, but soon you were examining it, again. Bored with how you two making google eyes at each other without making even a sidestep of a move, he slipped his foot in front of your path, tripping you. Your eyes snapped shut, preparing for the worst. You expected to feel the tile floor at any moment, but it never came. When you peeked your eyes open, you nearly fell, again. Jim had caught you, and you were close enough to distinguish the black of his pupils from the near black of his irises. Those eyes... You needed a map, because damn, were you lost in them. Sebastian mental slapped himself for misjudging how much you weighed, because he expected it to be a little more. At least enough to send Jim tumbling after you, and landing on top of you. But, once he realized you two were touching noses, and completely engrossed in each other's eyes, well, his purpose was met, at least. After about two or three minutes of patiently waiting for you two to just kiss already, he quietly groaned.
"Will you two just smooch and get it over with?" He muttered, and Jim thanked whoever was looking out for him, because you hadn't heard it. Taking this as his cue to help you up, he straightened you out, clearing his throats nervously as he avoided looking directly at you.
"Nice catch?" You chuckled, trying to eliminate the tension that had risen in the room. You couldn't quite place why it was there, maybe it was because of your little crush, or maybe it was just an extremely awkward thing, but at least Jim chuckled.
"Yeah, but I'd owe it more to good timing." He sent a glare you didn't notice to Sebastian, a small one to remind him of his place. Sebastian may be Jim's best friend; but he was still the boss. Your laughter fluttered through the room, and he swore his heart was echoing it. Sensing it was your time to let him see the suit for himself, you left without another word. He always wished you'd just stay for a teensy bit longer, and there had been a couple times when you did. The one where he'd asked you to, so he could discuss a coming order. Once when you were avoiding an ex client that had made a very inappropriate pass at you. That was the same time he'd messaged Jack to handle said client, and the man had ended up in the sewers; rotting like the filth Jim knew he was. And then one of his favorite: When you told him about your sister's demand to get out more. You'd spent most of the time going on and on about suits, and the conversation had kind of just flowed, and he'd found it so easy to talk to you. And you'd seem to find him easy to confide in, as well.
"You should just ask her out." Sebastian was leaning on the wall, watching as Jim realized he'd gotten lost in his thoughts, and had been gazing dreamily at the fox pin- the one you chose just for him. That would forever be its title; he didn't care what anyone else said.
"She's my tailor. Its inappropriate." He chided as a response. One that Sebastian clearly didn't accept as an excuse.
"Boss, since when do you care 'bout 'appropriate'?" Sebastian raised a brow at his choice of words, which only got him an eye roll in return. They heard the bells chime- odd since this was normally right after you closed, hence when the doors were normally locked.
"Y/n?" The voice clearly came from a woman, but he couldn't figure out why. He heard heels clinking past his door, and waited silently at it.
"Oh, hi! I wasn't expecting you for another half hour, I'm with a client at the moment-" Your sister enveloped you in a bone-crushing hug, and at your calm tone, Jim found himself drawn out of the room. He silently slinked to your work station, and watched how your eyes lit up at seeing her. She wasn't your favorite person in the world, but she was your sister- and you loved her.
"O-Oh! Jim, uh, this is Anjalive, my sister." You introduced your gorgeous older sister to the guy of your wildest dreams. Wait-did you seriously just think that? Yes, you had. And now, you were blushing madly. You noticed how she immediately changed when she saw him, and your heart sunk. She always got whatever man she wanted, and you could only assume this time would be no different. He offered her his hand as a formal greeting, and she didn't hesitate to comply.
"My, my, you didn't tell me any of your clients were this handsome." She pretended to comment to you, but the compliment was solely to him. He suppressed an eye roll, and offered a soft smirk instead.
"You're too kind." He deadpanned, but neither of you seemed to notice. Oh, that smirk, you swore it'd kill you one day. Yet, you felt a stab to your heart as you realized he didn't reserve it for you. He was a flirt, and it seemed you'd forgotten that along the way... She continued to flirt with him, and he beat down the urge to slap her. This was supposed to be his time to attempt to catch your eye; to captivate you as you had captured him. You owned him and his heart, and he just wanted your attention. Now, she was ruining it all.
"Well, I'll leave you two." You muttered, trying to hold back a solemn heartbreak during this somberly dreadful situation. You were so stupid to convince yourself that maybe he liked you, even the tiniest bit. That that glint in his gorgeous eyes was just for you. It was a stupid thought, but you couldn't help yourself... He was just so... Well, yeah.
"Y/n! Wait! You didn't tell me if you were going to tailor your own dress for Danielle's wedding or not!" Her attention was back on you in a flash, and you seriously didn't want it at the moment.
"I already told you, I'm not going. She's just making a point, the same one she always has. That's the only reason she wants me there, to prove her life is so much better than mine. It's fine, I know. But I've got work to do." You scurried to the back room, her shaking her head slightly.
"She wouldn't be able to if you'd just bring a date!" She tried to call, but it was too late. Sure, you'd heard her, but the only man you were really interested in she was flirting up a storm with. Your eyes glazing over the rows of gorgeous stitching and marvelously grained fabrics. If only you could stitch your heart back together this well. As Anjalive began bugging Jim again, Sebastian followed you to the back room, hoping that maybe this would be the perfect opportunity to get you two together. He found you examining the cuffs of a new Armani suit you'd gotten in.
"Y/n? Hey, I uh, wanted to talk to you about Jim..?" He offered, trying to get a glimpse of your face, but you didn't turn to greet him. Actually, this kind of human communication with someone who was basically a stranger threatened to send you into a panic attack.
"It's just, he really likes you..." As a tailor. A friend, if you were lucky. You weren't the confident woman your sister was, you could be considered cute, pretty, even adorable... -ly sad. But she was a boisterous bubbly beauty who you didn't stand a chance against.
"And, I really think you should give 'im a chance. I get the whole 'don't mix work and leisure' thing, but..." He chuckled, and you swore you looked as red as the setting sun. Was he saying that... Jim fancied you? N-No, he couldn't be... right?
"I mean, you've had to 'ave noticed? Like, who needs eight suits in a week? And that stunt with takin' off 'is shirt? Between that and the coffee, I really don't know how he hasn't lost his mind in this littl' crush, you know?" Your heart was going to break your rib cage. Sebastian was right; he'd been especially kind with bringing you coffee, and had seemed all too comfortable with you taking his measurements like that. Could Jim- Did Jim- Like you?
"I just wanted to say, it seems like you really like 'im, too. I thought, maybe, you wouldn't mind givin' him your personal number or some thin'. It'd make his month."

Jim was just about to leave and you had really reflected on what Sebastian had said. And decided on a course of action, much more straight forward than the original plan. Jim was a bit upset he'd "failed" at getting you to notice him- again- and was doing his best not to sulk out the door. Sebastian also felt Jim's pain, because you had yet to react to what he'd told you earlier, actually, he was more pissed off than anything. He left without a second word, completely missing the goodbyes you and Jim were exchanging.
"I'll see you soon, then?" He asked with interest, and you figured this was your chance. You twiddled the small paper containing your number between your thumb and forefinger, before you forced yourself onto tiptoe, and pressed your lips to his cheek, fully startling him. In his paralytic state, you took his hand, and pressed the number in his palm, closing his fingers around it as your face went further than red and turned fuchsia from embarrassment, before you gently helped him out of the store, and locked the door behind him. Sebastian noticed Jim's odd behavior, and exited the car to see what had happened.
"Boss?" Jim couldn't believe what had just transpired. You-You- kissed him. Granted, it was on the cheek, but still. His fingers came up to brush where it had happened, not daring to touch the actual place.
"Sh-She kissed me." His breathless disbelief brought Sebastian around the car, a ball of excitement, when he noticed Jim's hand clamped around something.
"What's that?" He pointed to said limb, and Jim's fingers loosened their death grip, allowing him to get a good look at the digits you had given him. He looked over his shoulder, the makings of a smile there, but in his shock it wasn't quite formed yet. Pulling out his phone, he typed it in, then tried to figure out what he should say... Pretty soon, Seb had pulled it from his grasp and done the work for him.
I heard you needed a date to a wedding?