Please note that any racial references made in this fic are not my personal opinions, but rather a reflection of the times this fic takes place in which is 1920.

Part Seven

Tom sat wide-eyed as they entered Manhatten. Charlie watched him out of the corner of his eye as they crossed the bridge.

"This is Manhattan?"

"Yeah, home of anyone who matters."

"And you live here?"

Charlie chuckled, "You better believe it."

"And I'll be living here too?"

"You're living with me so yeah, you'll be living here too."

"For how long, I wonder."

Charlie thought it would be a long time but he didn't voice his opinion. He turned onto 9a and they followed it down to 95th street. Tom smiled at the street. It was tree lined with very little traffic. Charlie pulled the car in front of his brownstone. He'd bought the house a bit over a year ago. At a little over nineteen thousand dollars, it was close to five times the cost of a place of similar size in his parent's neighborhood on mulberry street. That was of course if you could even find anything this size in the poor district.

But it was well worth the cost. He wasn't some thug in a street gang anymore. He was considered a respectable man now and lived in a way that reflected that. Though it helped that he lived so close to AR who resided a few blocks down on Central Park West. In this way he was more readily available to his employer.

Charlie saw one of his servants hurrying out of the house to get his things. Charlie got out of the car and directed Tom to do the same. Tom came around and joined Charlie in walking inside.

They were greeted by Johns, "Mr. Luciano! We're so glad you've made it back to us. Is this your guest?"

Charlie smiled at the black man, "Yes, though I don't want him thought of as a guest. More of a resident. This is Tom Marriston."

Tom smiled at the man and put his hand out to shake the servant's hand. Charlie smiled and Johns looked a bit taken aback at the gesture but shook the proffered hand anyway. Well, at least Charlie didn't have to worry about explaining the darkies to Tom. He seemed quite comfortable with them. Charlie hadn't been sure, there hadn't been any of the darkly skinned people in Montebello and Tom seemed unaware about so much.

Johns turned back to Charlie, "We've prepared the blue guestroom as you asked and I contacted Mr. Harris. He'll be here at nine am tomorrow to discuss your commission."

"Perfect." Charlie watched as his trunks were brought in and and subsequently carried upstairs.

Johns looked at the two trunks, "Does Mr. Marriston have a trunk as well?"

Charlie saw Tom's cheeks flush in embarrassment and quickly answered, "He lost his things in an accident. We're actually going to Brooks Brothers today to replace some of his lost things."

Johns nodded and asked if he needed anything else.

"No, I'm just going to give Tom a little tour of the house real quick and then take him out around the city."

Johns nodded and then headed back towards the kitchen. Charlie first pointed out his office to the side before they moved on to the formal living and dining room. Tom was taking it all in but his face really lit up when they entered Charlie's library.

"Oh! It's beautiful."

Charlie, himself wasn't really all that serious about having one but AR kept a small library in his house which indicated to Charlie that it was something a well off man should have so he'd kept it and had his mother pick out the books that went there. Charlie would admit he was almost never in there and he was sure there was no real rhyme or reason to where the books were in the room.

He watched Tom walk around the room, his hand gliding over the spines of the books and a smile tugged his lips. Tom smiled back at him and the two left the room. They looked at the kitchen and the parlor and Charlie pointed out the bathroom. He didn't comment on Tom's baffled look at the room. The man would figure it out.

He then lead his companion upstairs to the second level which was primarily guest rooms before they ascended to the third floor where he kept his own rooms and where the blue guest room was located. When Charlie had rung Johns the day before telling him which rooms to prepare, he'd been able to hear the surprise in the black man's voice. Everyone in the house knew that he always put his guests on the second floor because he liked his privacy so it was a change to have the new resident put on the same floor as the master of the house.

They came to the first door on the third level and Charlie opened it, "This is your bedroom."

As its name suggested the room was primarily blue with lovely blue floral wallpaper capping off a white wainscoting that went around the room. Tom smiled at him and thanked him again for letting him stay in his house.

Charlie smiled and then lead Tom down to his own bedroom. There was a marked difference in styles from the blue room to the master bedroom. Whereas the blue room had been light and airy, Charlie had kept this room darker with slate gray wallpaper and dark wood furniture. He was out late many times and needed to sleep into the day on occasion so he wanted a darker room to help him sleep.

"So that's the tour. If you ever need anything just knock on my door, alright?"

"Yes, thank you."

Charlie wrapped his fingers around his companions arm and the two headed back downstairs.

"Tom why don't you go take a look at the library real quick, I just need to get something."

"Of course."

Tom nodded and walked down the hall towards the desired room and Charlie went to his office. He walked right up to a painting hanging on the side wall and flipped it out revealing one of his many safes. He turned the combination before hearing the lock click open. The metal door swung open and Charlie looked at the stacks of cash sitting inside. While most of his fortune was in safely held in a bank run by one of his good friends, it never hurt to have a substantial amount of cash on hand for every day purchases.

Charlie pulled out about five hundred dollars. A drop in the bucket of his currently over half million dollar fortune, which was growing everyday, but it would be enough for today to get Tom some very nice suits from the suit shop and then to take his new companion out for a night on the town.

He pocketed the money, closed the safe, and replaced the painting. He walked back out to the foyer before calling, "Come on Tom, time to go!"

Charlie grabbed his hat and put it on as he heard Tom's quite footsteps coming down the hall. The two left the house and got back in the car.

"How about we get you some new suits so you don't have to run around in that one and then we'll have lunch."

"Alright, but are you sure you should be getting me all these clothes when we don't even know how long I'll be here?"

Charlie smiled and his hand came up with out any conscious thought from himself to cup the side of Tom's face. Tom was silent as the Sicilian's thumb gently caressed his soft skin. Charlie didn't dare risk actually kissing Tom out here in broad daylight but he wanted to make sure Tom got the message.

"We don't know what will happen really but I enjoy buying you things and I want you to look nice."

Tom's head cocked to the side but he didn't look uncomfortable with the intimate gesture and even when they pulled away and began driving, his hand came out to rest over Charlie's on the seat. Neither of them looked at one the other during the ride but Charlie had a sense that this was the happiest he'd been in a long time.

It wasn't long before they pulled up in front of Brooks Brothers and they got out of the car. Charlie was instantly greeted by a black man dressed in somewhat overdone finery. The man took his keys and got into the vehicle.

They walked towards the entrance and Tom asked, "Why did that man take your car?"

"He works here, he's just parking it for me. He and a couple of others stay near the entrance so they can greet people as they enter the business."

Tom looked at him, "Like a gate keeper?"

Charlie blinked at the unusual wording but he supposed that was about right, "Yeah, just like a gatekeeper, only here their called valets."

Tom smiled at being able to make a connection that he understood and they entered the building. Tom took the establishment in with wide-eyed wonder. Walls and racks all over the store covered in ready-made suits and shirts as well as many bolt of fabric leaned against the walls and fixtures.

A man dressed in a gray plaid with a subtle blue strip approached them. He didn't have on a jacket, only his vest but the measuring tape that hung loosely around his neck firmly identified him as an employee of the store, "Mr. Luciano! It's been a while! Here for something for yourself or for perhaps Mr. Rothstein?"

Charlie smiled at the attendant, "No, AR is in Scotland for the next few weeks and you guys did me to the nines last time I was here. No, I'm here to get a few new suits for my friend, here. Tom is visiting from England but he lost some of his things in an accident so we need a few new complete suits."

The attendant nodded and lead the pair back to one of the private fitting rooms. They got there and Charlie immediately sat in one of the chairs to the side while Tom was directed up onto the dais in the middle of the room.

"So, what are your measurements?"

Charlie spoke up, "I got them here."

He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it off to the attendant who examined it and nodded before saying, "Alright, so what style are you looking for?"

Again Charlie spoke rather than Tom, "Not casual, detached collars with eyelets, french cuffs, the suits should be three piece, and pocket squares and suspenders."

Tom looked confused by all the things listed but the attendant knew exactly what he was talking about. He could also see the way the mans eyes tallied the commission he'd be getting from this sale especially considering they were purchasing at least three suits and all the accessories, that entailed.

"Any particular colors in mind?"

Charlie hadn't changed his mind since the day before, "Green"

The attendant left the room saying he'd return with some choices. Charlie hoped they would be able to at least get one suit that fit perfectly today and have a few others tailored to be picked up in the next couple of days.

The attendant returned baring a black and gray plaid suit that sported a subtle Forrest green stripe along with a dark green shirt and green on green paisley tie. A few other accessories completed the outfit as the attendant hung the pieces on the hook beside the mirror.

Charlie stood up from his chair, "I'll help him put it on, come back in a few minutes."

The man nodded before leaving the room, the door closing softly behind him. Tom met his eyes as the green eyed man began to remove his jacket and vest. Charlie walked over so he was standing directly in front of his companion and used nimble fingers to begin unbuttoning the shirt. He couldn't resist the urge to run his hands over the smooth pale skin that was steadily being revealed and when the shirt only hung from Tom's shoulders their eyes met once again and Charlie leaned in for a kiss, his arms coming around the barred midsection.

Tom was enthusiastic as he returned the kiss and Charlie even felt the other man's tongue coming out to swipe over his own lips. They continued this way for a few minutes before Charlie pulled back. Tom's usually thin lips were red and swollen and his pale skin was flushed as he took a few breaths but didn't release his own hold on Charlie's arms.

"We need to get you dressed."

Tom nodded and stepped back a bit from the Sicilian, his hands coming up to unbutton his trousers. Their eyes never lost contact as Tom dropped the pants to the floor. Charlie handed the new suit pants to Tom and as he drew them up his slim hips to his flat stomach, Charlie was gratified to see they were a perfect fit on the tall man. Tom left the top of the trousers unbuttoned as he awaited the shirt to be handed to him and Charlie found it was a good look on him. Respectability mixed with debauchery.

Charlie handed the shirt over and Tom slipped into it before buttoning it all the way up and tucking it in at which point Charlie walked over with the detached collar and direct Tom to turn around as he buttoned it in place. He draped the tie over the taller man's shoulders and Tom turned to face him once more.

They were perhaps closer than they needed to be as charlie did the small buttons of the collar and then tied the tie in place. He then positioned the tie pin and positioned the last few buttons. As he'd known, Tom looked stunning in more formal attire, especially when it fit. Charlie handed off the black suspenders and then the waistcoat.

The attendant arrived just as Tom was sliding the jacket over his shoulders. Charlie saw the way the man's eyes slid over Tom's sleek form taking in each detail and committing it to memory. Charlie, again, felt a spark of jealousy. He wondered, not for the first time, if he would need to beat his competition off with a stick. He had more than noticed how men and women alike gave the green eyed man a second glance and even a third or fourth when they thought they could get away with it.

As it was Charlie stepped in front of the man blocking his view of Tom, "Yes?"

The man took in a sharp breath as he was caught staring by his patron, "I-I have a pocket square here the same pattern as the tie and I saw he has no pocket watch so I picked this one up from one of our cases.

Charlie took the watch and nodded the attendant over who promptly moved to stand in front of Tom to put the pocket square in place. Charlie examined the watch. A Prima brand Swiss watch. He opened the face and saw the silver content, .800 a decent amount. The watch had a leaf motif etched into the metal. He liked it quite a bit so he walked over to Tom and showed it to him.

"Do you like it?"

Tom looked up at him and Charlie could tell he didn't even know precisely what it was but thankfully he said, "Yes, it's very lovely."

Charlie nodded before turning back to the attendant, "We'll take this outfit. We'll be out in a moment to discuss getting a few other items."

The attendant nodded and snuck one more look at Tom before stepping out. Charlie ignored the man and threaded the chain into the button hole on the waistcoat before holding the watch out so Tom could look at it.

"We use this to tell time."

Tom held up the watch closer and further examined it, "Time..."

Charlie looked closely at Tom, "Yes, when you were putting on the jacket, that happened in the past, five minutes ago. And whatever happens five minutes from now is in the future. And this moving hand here, tell you when that five minutes has passed."

Tom opened his mouth as if to say something and he blinked several times as he worked the information over in his mind before he simply nodded and slipped the watch into the pocket it was made for.