His dusty, grease-ridden boots padding along the platform, Theodore let out a long sigh as he stared around him. All platforms within his sight had been entirely vacated by now, with the last train of the evening having just rolled on through, and it was time for Teddy to call it a day. The strap of his bag hastily slung over his shoulder, the soft brown leather tinged from top to bottom in a mixture of engine oil and soot, he exited the station and fumbled clumsily for the key in his pocket. Pulling it free from the mountain of candy wrappers, as well as weird and wonderful souvenirs he'd managed to wrangle to give to Ethan, he unlocked the chain that secured his bicycle to the fence outside, and hopped on as he readied himself to go home.
With his legs pumping rapidly as he pedalled through the dark, empty streets of the city, Teddy pondered over the strange sense of melancholy that was rippling through him. He hadn't had a difficult day at work, nor had he had any bad encounters, and yet the emptiness in his chest remained. In fact, he'd had a relatively enjoyable day, and had been lucky enough to encounter a whole plethora of delightful people from various different walks of life – some locals, and some who were only visiting the city on vacation.
He supposed it might be a fair assumption to make that, perhaps, those cheery encounters were, in fact, the source of his discomfort, in a peculiar sort of way. Meeting people who had travelled from so far just to see new cities only made him yearn for his home back in Russia, and for the life he'd previously known. Of course, usually when he found himself in these moments of nostalgia, missing a home that could never be his, and a family that had long since forgotten him, he would turn to his nearest and dearest. After his less than amicable break up with Leonard, who had discarded him without so much as a second glance, he'd found himself withdrawn once more, much too shy to confide in even Wren, Harper, or Ryke, for fear of inevitably scaring off the few, most charming friends that he had been lucky enough to to gain.
With the cap atop his head in danger of being whisked away as he tore down the street, the chill of the evening wind whipping across his face, he edged ever closer to the Messina apartment complex and, in a last moment of uncertainty, steered himself in the opposite direction and opted not to return home just yet. Instead, he decided he would pay Smith a visit, and see if his friends was, perhaps, in the mood for a little company. Smith was, among others, one of the many friends he'd acquired over the years since leaving Russia, and he'd most certainly consider the man to be one of his best friends – though Wren, Owen, Harper, Ryke, and baby Loanie shared that title – and he often found himself turning to the other moment in moments of duress, or whenever he found himself in need of a distraction and a friendly face.
Spotting the Diner in the glow of the surrounding street lamps, Teddy dropped one foot from the pedal, letting the sole of his boot glide along the pavement until he eventually skidded to a stop. Then, propping the two-wheeler up against the side of the building, he smiled up at it fondly. He'd had many wonderful encounters in this diner, never quite managing to find a better meal anywhere else in the city – no matter how hard he tried – and already he could feel his spirits lifting. He knew that they weren't technically open for business anymore, not at this hour, but he often found Smith still inhabiting one of the booths even after hours, and thought that he might try his luck once more.
With the handle of the door twisting easily under his grasp, a wild smile spread its way across his face as he carefully pushed his way into the dimly lit diner, only to stop short when he realised that there seemed to be music coming from the restaurant.
Still, vaguely unperturbed, he pushed on and glanced around for any sign of his friend, a soft smile playing on his lips as the unfamiliar voice echoed through the room. While finding no sign of Smith, his curiosity piqued, Teddy finally found the source of the music, his eyes landing on a woman dancing her way around the room. That same, soft smile only grew wider as he watched her twirl herself along the shining tiles, expertly swinging her mop around her as she went. He hadn't ever seen her before, and he could only assume she was an employee – and if not, he wasn't certain how to break the news to Smith that he'd walked in on a rather generous, softly sung burglar with a proclivity for cleaning.
When it became all too evident that the woman in question hadn't noticed him standing there, Teddy cleared his throat by way of grabbing her attention, only to have startled the poor woman, and in turn shocking even himself. He watched as she, back still turned to him, dove out of sight, loud crashes and clangs following her actions, and he winced at having inadvertently caused her humiliation.
Luckily, she soon rose from her hiding place, a tiny, rosy-cheeked face peeking out from behind the counter top to stare at him.
“I am very sorry, I did not mean to startle you!” he called out.
Logic should tell him that he was being polite, and that his words would hold some value, but his anxiety was begging his vocal chords to remain gentle, so as not to further alarm the stranger.
“I did not mean to interrupt your performance,” Teddy chuckled, unable to help himself. He had been rather delightfully endeared, and he hoped she wasn't too embarrassed. “I am actually here to see Smith.”
On that note, he only hoped she would understand his predicament, and perhaps point him in the right direction. While he was confident enough to know that he had meant no ill-harm on the girl, he couldn't blame her if she were uncomfortable with an intrusion upon her time alone, and he imagined she would be none too pleased to send him on his way.
“He is my friend,” he added, almost as though to further reassure her.
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dailybridgerton
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