The frenzy of holiday shopping was over, and in the aftermath of high volume Libertine Ltd. was looking a little bare. There was plenty of time now to restock and tailor. In retail February - March was the long dark teatime of the soul, with only a brief spike in business about Valentine's Day.

Many stores still had their twinkling snowflake themes. Well, Darian wanted to do something different. He was tired of the cold, and so after Christmas the display window of Libertine became a veritable hothouse of multicolored blooms. Flowers abounded in buttonholes and bouquets, wreaths along the top of the window paired with climbing vines - a lovely sight to distract passerbys from the dreary English weather. The heady fragrance of those flowers congregated mostly in the anteroom where the front door opened and Misa had her desk, but Darian thought it very fine to catch the occasional whiff when a customer pushed back the curtain that led from the lobby to the showroom. For several days after Misa wore flowers in her hair and on one slow afternoon they even dressed up the pet camel.  Seeing the tiny thing trot about with its delicate flower crown did a great deal more to instill good cheer than the holidays ever had.

He was thinking of running a brief lingerie line for Valentine's, picking up his on-again off-again old hobby. As the store was empty Darian sat casually cross-legged on the Victorian divan with his lap full of colorful lace. He dropped the knickers he was sewing at the distant sound of the door chime and sprang up at once. Quick as a flash he had his coat on again and the lace was all dropped behind a potted plant.

"Mr. Storm!" he cried at the sight of a distinctive pair of cheekbones, bounding over and sweeping into an elegant bow. "What a lovely surprise! And a friend, why, I haven't had the pleasure." His eyes lingered on the new Balfour, his mien and his smile evocative of nothing but warm interest. Darian would take two fit young blokes over Ministrymen any day, the former lacking potbellies and serving as better advertisement.

"Goodness!" Johann exclaimed, clutching Balfour's arm in surprise. The front of Libertine Ltd. was decked out in a bright bloom of flowers amongst the grey January weather.

The place had been so quiet over winter, last he'd heard Darian had taken a trip into Europe, mixing business and pleasure. It was just over a year to the day that he'd first stepped foot in the shop with Ignan.[1]. Back then he'd been engaged to Hannah, and he and Darian had discussed yellow tulips much to his cousin's confusion - an acknowledgement of the hopeless love.

Darian Morgan, like others around him, had been able the truth in matters, even if Johann had still been entirely oblivious to it. They had met again in summer, Johann a little more enlightened, so to speak after pairing off with Arcturus, who was by then absent. Half an hour with Darian in Le Masque had given him the kick up the backside he needed to approach Balfour in September.[2]

The rest they said, was history.

"Mr Storm!"
"Mr Morgan, sir." Johann greeted, automatic in his respect to affix sir. That was a very formal greeting!
"What a lovely surprise! And a friend, why, I haven't had the pleasure."

Johann laughed, shook his head,
"More than a friend, Darian, may I introduce Mr Balfour Spectre, my partner. Balfour, Mr Darian Morgan." He gestured between them both to shake hands or bow or whichever they felt most appropriate given Darian's most elegant bow a moment earlier to them both. 

It had been a funny old week, to say the least. Last weekend had been spent burrowed down in Edinburgh[3] after the awful incident of Friday night[4].

It had taken a bit of restraint not to do something horrible to the Witch Weekly offices when they went past[5], but the whole trip along Diagon, arm in arm looking regularly into each other's eyes affectionately was as much two fingers up at them as anything that day.

"How are you though? I confess I had not realised you were back, Darian," Johann continued once introductions were made, reaching out to exchange more familiar kisses on both the tailor's cheeks. Darian was more the sort to engage in the acutely un-British greeting. "It can only be a good thing for Diagon Alley, not to mention wardrobes everywhere." He glanced to Balfour with a cheeky, yet affectionate smile, "A blight upon your vault balance though, my love."

He reached a hand gently out towards Darian in conversation without thinking, stood between them both. "Balfour has far better taste in clothes than I, you'll be relieved to hear." Johann chuckled. "I heard you ran off to Europe for a while. What adventures have you got up to? You're looking as young as ever."

1.	Saturday Jan 9th It Takes Nine Tailors to Make a Man, or One Darian Morgan
2.	Tuesday Sept 9th A Mask to Hide Us
3.	Saturday Jan 15th Wait Till Dawn & Then Go
4.	Friday Jan 14th Your Only Hope is Evil, Our Weakness is Clear Now, Closed and Bruised
5.	Saturday Jan 15th Lovers Quarrel in Slandermouth

Balfour Spectre was happy for the sight of vividly blooming flowers in an otherwise dismal day though no day spent with his lover should be called as such, irregardless of weather. He had met many of Johann's friends since they had gotten together, and knew many others beforehand even.

Darian was not one of the latter group.

The meeting did seem overdue, particularly as Balfour enjoyed wearing beautiful clothes. Many of his suits or robes were commissioned at Malkin's - Coralie being the sort of friend he'd knocked boots with a while ago and with whom he still held an amiable acquaintance.

But there was little harm in broadening one's horizons, and few people as fascinating as Johann and Morgan to encourage it. Balfour was charmed by the establishment's interior, gaze latching on to details in decor and then on the figure that bowed so theatrically before them.

What a pretty fellow! And such effeminate lips.

He bit the inside of his cheek with green amusement as Johann greeted the tailor as sir. "...may I introduce Mr Balfour Spectre, my partner. Balfour, Mr Darian Morgan." Introductions made, Balfour offered his hand to the other wizard and met his eyes in friendly manner.

"The pleasure is all mine," he exercised a firm grip. "I've heard only interesting things."

Not all of them from Johann either. He relinquished Darian's hand and watched his partner ricochet brilliantly between subjects, as smooth and sociable as ever one might be. Balfour knew he never had anything genuine to be jealous about but he sometimes felt a prickle of it, easily remedied by intimacies later.

So he smiled endearingly back at Johann, laughing at the remark upon his vault balance.

"It's one of my healthier indulgences," he explained with a vague gesture at the shop to indicate Morgan's exceptional menswear. "And I confess to sometimes dressing him when we are in town together. Not that you aren't already perfect, love." A gentle, teasing touch at the small of his companion's back.

Balfour was of the opinion that Johann was perfect without any clothes whatsoever but there was equal gratification to skin against silk or fine wool as there was to skin against skin. "But yes, how was Europe this season?" his attention slid gregariously back to Darian. "Caught a bit of sun I hope?"