HI MATT

[wearsthecoats]

Sherlock has:

• an armchair by the fire
• an expression of unreasonable cheer
• a mug of cold-pressed coffee
• a truly impressive collection of hickeys, accented by a well-bitten lip that only recently stopped bleeding.

Comments

[semicharmed]

Matt smiles, and stretches closer to his face.

Before he quite closes the distance, though, Sherlock's bitten lip gives him pause. He lifts a hand and brushes his index finger over his lower lip.

"This doesn't hurt, does it?"

[wearsthecoats]

"Not anymore," he says, somewhere between smug and disappointed.

[semicharmed]

Matt laughs.

He ... can relate.

"All right." Pulling his finger away, he leans close. "Let me know if you want me to fix that."

[wearsthecoats]

That offer could have two possible interpretations!

Sherlock decides to kiss Matt instead of asking which one obtains.

[semicharmed]

Matt tilts his head into the kiss, lips parting slightly against Sherlock's mouth.

(Maybe it's this:

Something cool, you expect to be unyielding, on the spectrum towards frozen. You expect chapped skin and discomfort.

You don't expect softness.)

One hand stays braced against Sherlock's chest; the other curls over his shoulder.

[wearsthecoats]

His lips are very soft, yes, and his tongue is wet when he touches it to Matt's lips.

(He hasn't been able to achieve the laboratory conditions to verify this, but he suspects there is no temperature at which any of his bodily fluids would freeze.)

He wraps his arms around Matt and pulls him a little closer, smiling into the kiss. He learned a lot from Jim, but what he learned was mainly Jim; with Matt he feels he ought to start from the beginning.

[semicharmed]

Matt makes a soft, pleased (only slightly surprised) noise: "Mm."

His own tongue nudges out, seeking Sherlock's.

He feels slightly awkward and twisty, but although he'd eventually love to slide onto Sherlock's lap, he doesn't feel it's quite the time yet.

He goes with the flow where these things are concerned: kisses first.

[wearsthecoats]

Thoughtfully, he smooths his palm down Matt's back.

"There's not very much of you," he observes between kisses.

[semicharmed]

Matt snorts a soft laugh, fingers drifting back up Sherlock's neck.

"So they tell me."

[wearsthecoats]

"I quite refuse to believe you haven't noticed it yourself," he says, curling his arm around Matt's waist and tugging. "Come here. It'll be more comfortable."

[semicharmed]

He laughs louder at that.

"That sounds smart," he concurs, following the tug and settling in with a cheerful wriggle.

Lap: achieved!

[wearsthecoats]

"There, much better," he says, satisfied, and pulls Matt in for another kiss.

[semicharmed]

Matt presses close, sucking at his lower lip and giving a nibble.

[wearsthecoats]

His temperature fluctuates slightly—cold, then warm again. He makes an approving sound and winds his fingers in Matt's hair.

[semicharmed]

That's happened before.

So how to replicate ...?

For starters, Matt nibbles again, a bit harder.

[wearsthecoats]

A soft gasp escapes him; he chills, then warms.

[semicharmed]

Bingo.

(The chill sets Matt shivering briefly, half from the temperature and half just from the change.

It's not wholly unpleasant, he decides.)

He turns his head to kiss along Sherlock's jaw: slow, carefully placed, sucking kisses.

[wearsthecoats]

Sherlock slumps pleasantly against the back of the couch, stroking his fingers down the length of Matt's spine.

[semicharmed]

His hands run up Sherlock's arms, fingers kneading the muscle.

His lips, meanwhile, keep traveling towards his ear, and close over the lobe.

[wearsthecoats]

"Oh," he breathes, fascinated. "That's interesting. I like that."

[semicharmed]

"Mm," Matt murmurs agreeably.

There's a trick to breathing, and speaking, into someone's ear without causing auditory annoyance. Matt tilts his head and pitches his voice gently.

"Good."

He nibbles lightly on his earlobe, then sucks.

[wearsthecoats]

"I like that a lot."

[semicharmed]

In that case, Matt does it again, drawing it out.

[wearsthecoats]

He shivers happily.

[semicharmed]

He feels as if his own heartbeat is all the hotter and louder for being so close to Sherlock's.

He breathes against the shell of his ear and lets his tongue flick out.