[Nightlight]

[seeagreatergood]

So things got awkward and Auggie moved his stuff back out of the Stark household into Milliways.

And he's been totally fine with it. Honestly. It's been kind of a relief not to have to keep such a close eye on himself the last three or four days. Milliways is kind of anxiety-inducing, but less anxiety inducing than living in a house with those two young men.

Of course, he misses the easy camaraderie. But it's not like this is the first time he valued safety over friendship.

Comments

[if_inconvenient]

Being at Milliways hardly means he will never run into them, however.

In fact, it makes it that much likelier for him to run into them under... certain circumstances.



Sherlock comes down the stairs humming a cheerful tune under his breath and moving a little stiffly. There is a lingering hint of a certain cologne in the air around him, and even fainter than that, the smell of blood.

[seeagreatergood]

Auggie is stationed at a table near the stairs, sipping a coffee and reading. It's the humming he notices; he lifts his head with a grin as it gets closer.

"Sherlock?"

[if_inconvenient]

"Auggie." He smiles, detouring to stop at Auggie's table. "And what are we reading today?"

[seeagreatergood]

"Asimov. Tales of the Black Widowers--"

He breaks off, frowning slightly.

"Are you okay?"

[if_inconvenient]

"Very much so," he says happily.

[seeagreatergood]

"Did you get hurt somehow?"

Somehow like by the mysterious wearer of that cologne? The one that's shown up on Tony's clothes more than once?

[if_inconvenient]

"Not in the way you mean."

[seeagreatergood]

--Ah.

"You know, if you're bleeding, you might be playing a little rough."

[if_inconvenient]

"A little, yes," he agrees. "But it's so much fun, you see."

[seeagreatergood]

(There's a slight shift in the tension of Auggie's shoulders.)

"Well -- if he's safe."

It could be a she, but he doubts it, between what he knows about Sherlock and that cologne.

[if_inconvenient]

With certainty: "He is."

[seeagreatergood]

"Good."

Yep.

Well, it is.

"Do you want to sit down, or are you headed out somewhere?"

[if_inconvenient]

"I am not in any hurry."

He settles into a chair at Auggie's table with a contented sigh.

[seeagreatergood]

"How've you been? How's Tony?"

[if_inconvenient]

"Quite well, on both accounts. And yourself?"

[seeagreatergood]

"Oh, peachy."

Having a less exciting sex life than two eighteen-year-olds, but that's not really an accomplishment, he supposes.

[if_inconvenient]

He grins. "I am pleased to hear it."

[seeagreatergood]

He half-smiles. It's good to hear Sherlock grinning; it means there's probably no hard feelings over him leaving.

"Little weird not having Jarvis to wake me up, though."

[if_inconvenient]

"Well, I am afraid there is not much I can do about that."

Besides wake Auggie up himself. But that would come with its own attendant issues.

[seeagreatergood]

"Nah, it just means I need to suck it up and get an alarm clock from Bar."

[if_inconvenient]

"But an alarm clock is so much less friendly," he points out.

[seeagreatergood]

"You raise a good point. I'll have to find someone friendly to wake me up, then."

(It's out there before he really thinks about it.)

[if_inconvenient]

"I am innocent of suggestions."

He really isn't.

[seeagreatergood]

He raises his eyebrows.

"Did you just put yourself and innocent in the same sentence?"

[if_inconvenient]

"It would appear so."