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]

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.

[semicharmed]

"Yeah," Matt agrees languidly.

He's getting that shivery anticipatory feeling, which may soon start to combine with actual shivers.

"Do you mind," he says, hand still traveling up, "if I try without magic first? I just want to ... experience it ... without anything else going on."

[wearsthecoats]

"Of course," he agrees. "Just tell me if I'm too cold."

[semicharmed]

"Will do."

In the meantime, his hand has reached the collar of his shirt and passed it, fingertips trailing up his neck.

He's mindful of the hickeys.

[wearsthecoats]

They're noticeably colder than the surrounding area, in the same way that a standard human's bruises are slightly warm.

Sherlock tips his chin up slightly, smiling.

[semicharmed]

That is both curious and potentially helpful in putting together a few more Sherlock II-related pieces.

Matt shifts slightly, leaning against him, and one fingertip gently circles one cold spot at the side of his neck.

"I like your neck," he murmurs, stroking lightly.

"Evidently I'm not the only one, but ... for statistical purposes."

[wearsthecoats]

"So noted," he breathes.

"Although I doubt you're conducting an extensive statistical analysis, if I find parts of you I particularly like should I mention it anyway?"

[semicharmed]

"Mmm."

His thumb dips into the hollow of his throat, just brushing.

And Matt grins.

"I wouldn't take it amiss, no."

[wearsthecoats]

"Then I will."

Although for now he seems to prefer just... lying back and letting Matt touch him.

[semicharmed]

Matt is perfectly all right with this turn of events.

In fact, he has turned his body towards Sherlock's a little further, the better to stroke his neck. It's fascinating-- not just the temperature, although there's always that-- but because Sherlock really does have a sexy neck.

One covered in the evidence of somebody else.

Matt has his TMI spell up as usual, so he doesn't perceive anything from touching Sherlock aside from the obvious. Nevertheless, the obvious is more than enough.

He spends a few slow, appreciative minutes running his fingers up and down Sherlock's neck, tracing out the lines of muscle and delineating bruises.

Then his hand drifts back down over his chest, lingering at his heart.