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

[wearsthecoats]

As he walks, he glances over his shoulder and asks, "What can you tell me about the ideas you've come up with so far?"

[semicharmed]

Matt speeds up to keep pace-- God, this guy is tall.

"Well, there's one approach I've zeroed in on, if I can swing it," he says.

"Altering internal body temperature is dicey, but it's conceivable that I could set a skin-level aura that would keep itself stable at a warm temperature."

[wearsthecoats]

"Interesting. Would you still feel the cold, or no?"

This is relevant to future experiments with Jim!

[semicharmed]

"Yes," Matt replies, nodding.

"But ... I'm not sure about this part, it's obviously still hypothetical, but it should be like feeling something cold on a hot day."

[wearsthecoats]

"Interesting," he repeats.

"This magic of yours—can anyone learn it?"

[semicharmed]

"There are elements of my practice anyone can do," Matt says.

"But for what we're talking about ... on my world it requires innate ability."

[wearsthecoats]

"Unlikely that I have it, then, but not totally impossible. I saw yours, after all."

[semicharmed]

He glances up at him thoughtfully.

"I won't say there's no possibility of overlap."

[wearsthecoats]

"Yes. The systems would have to be close for me to perceive yours directly the way I did. It looks a little different at home, but not very much."

[semicharmed]

He shrugs, cheerful.

"If you think at the end of this that my system would be a good one for you, I'd be happy to help."

[wearsthecoats]

"I want to learn everything about magic I possibly can."

[semicharmed]

Matt empathizes with that one.

"Then ... I can explain as I go," he says.

Quirking a grin, "And maybe assign some reading."

[wearsthecoats]

"Interesting reading, I hope."

There they are. Room 48841. Sherlock opens the door and ushers Matt into a room with an impressively large couch. There's also a bed, and it's also quite large, but that couch... well, it looks like it was designed for someone Sherlock's size.

[semicharmed]

"Oh, absolutely," Matt assures him.

The proportions in the room make him feel ... very small. But it's not necessarily a bad thing. Just strange.

"Wow," he says.

[wearsthecoats]

He closes the door behind them both.

"...Where would you like to start?" he asks, oddly shy all of a sudden.

[semicharmed]

Matt doesn't find the shyness all that odd. He himself isn't sure how to begin.

"Well, to start," he says, with the edge of another crooked grin.

"We might want to determine whether we have chemistry."

[wearsthecoats]

"I will acknowledge your expertise in that area," he says wryly, opening his hands. "I have successfully flirted with someone exactly once."

[semicharmed]

Amused, as he crosses to set his bag down by the couch, "Out of how many attempts?"

[wearsthecoats]

"One."

He plops onto the couch beside Matt, slouches comfortably, and glances at Matt's shoulders as though deciding whether it would be appropriate to put an arm around them. Because that is exactly what he is doing.

"Very high success rate, but statistically insignificant without a larger sample."

[semicharmed]

Matt turns towards him encouragingly.

Also: smiling.

"Well, if we broaden 'flirting' to 'trying to pick somebody up,' you're now two for two."

[wearsthecoats]

Hesitantly, he lets his arm settle around Matt's shoulders. He is scrupulously careful about temperature: just a few degrees below human normal, cold enough to notice but not cold enough to cause discomfort.

"Still not statistically significant, but heartening, I'll admit."

[semicharmed]

Matt snuggles up, drawing his knees onto the couch.

The temperature thing is fascinating.

"Depends on what you call significant," he muses.

"Actual statistical standards are ... what, up in the thirties? Though you've got about as decent a cross-section as you're ever gonna get, coming here."

[wearsthecoats]

"More than two, that's for certain."

He bends his head and rests his lips against Matt's hair. The texture is subtly different from Jim's. He finds it a pleasant sensation. He thinks about potential upcoming experiments and finds that pleasant, also.

"I think," he murmurs, "it would be reasonable to conclude from the evidence at hand that I am attracted to you."

[semicharmed]

Sherlock's lips are cool against his hair, as his arm is cool around his shoulder. It's refreshing, for now.

(He really is so tall. Matt kind of can't get over it.)

His heart is beginning to beat a little faster; he turns closer in, and runs his hand slowly up Sherlock's chest.

"I think we may be good on that front," he agrees.

[wearsthecoats]

"That's... promising," is the word he settles on, murmured into Matt's hair.