[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

[seeagreatergood]

". . . Maybe," slowly, "you should tell me what else you've deduced."

Because what stresses Auggie out is not Sherlock touching him without permission.

[if_inconvenient]

"I would rather not go into detail in public, if it's all the same to you."

[seeagreatergood]

Auggie's pretty sure his heart skips a beat.

[if_inconvenient]

There is a dry smile in Sherlock's voice when he continues, "My room? I won't push."

[seeagreatergood]

"Jesus, Sherlock--"

[if_inconvenient]

"I want to talk to you where we will absolutely not under any circumstances be overheard. That is all."

[seeagreatergood]

"Christ."

He closes his eyes, take a breath. There is no fucking reason a conversation should be as frightening as an op. Not even with Sherlock.

If Sherlock wanted to blackmail him, Auggie reminds himself, they would have had this conversation a while ago. And there is technically nothing illegal about getting turned on by eighteen-year-olds who use safewords, and Sherlock doesn't have access to anyone from Auggie's world in any case. And besides, the idea of Sherlock blackmailing anyone is absurd.

(He still feels nervous.)

"Okay. Lead the way."

But he'll be keeping his hands to himself.

[if_inconvenient]

He stands up and offers Auggie his arm, touching his fingertips to the back of Auggie's hand as a convenient way to locate him.

So there's that.

[seeagreatergood]

Auggie picks up his cane from the table and unfolds it, then pick up his book, leaving him exactly no hands free to take Sherlock's arm.

"I'm good."

[if_inconvenient]

"All right."

Making no comment on the circumstances, he leads Auggie to the stairs. And he is leading; he's making the amount of noise a normal human makes. Sherlock only ever does that on purpose.

[seeagreatergood]

Yep.

Auggie knows that that, if anything, is a sign of Sherry caring about him.

Maybe that's why this whole thing scares him.

[if_inconvenient]

It's not far to his room, but there are a lot of turns once they reach the third floor.

When he opens the door, the space on the other side is small. Even smaller than Sherlock's room at home, and that is already the smallest bedroom in the house.

[seeagreatergood]

". . . Huh," Auggie says from the doorway, listening to the acoustics. "Is there even room in here for both of us?"

[if_inconvenient]

"Oh, yes," Sherlock affirms. "Come on in. You can take the armchair—straight ahead."

[seeagreatergood]

Auggie is rather proud of himself for not making any Chris Hansen jokes as he finds the chair and sits down.

[if_inconvenient]

Sherlock takes a seat on the bed, tucking his feet up under him and leaning back against the headboard.

"You are sexually interested in us," he says evenly.

[seeagreatergood]

Okay, well, it's out there now.

Flat: "I haven't been as discreet about it as I'd've liked."

[if_inconvenient]

"No amount of discretion could have prevented my noticing."

[seeagreatergood]

"Yeah."

[if_inconvenient]

"But I don't intend to bother you about it."

[seeagreatergood]

--Auggie lets out a laugh, incredulous and not very humorous.

"I really don't know what to do with that."

He puts down the cane and book and runs his hands through his hair.

"How do you feel about me being sexually interested in you?"

[if_inconvenient]

"Lest any doubt remain in your mind, I assure you I return it."

[seeagreatergood]

He breathes in.

When he breathes out, his shoulders slump visibly as the tension goes out of him. He leans forward, elbows on his knees, resting his head on his hands.

"I didn't want to assume." He lifts his head, looking toward Sherlock. "I would never assume."

[if_inconvenient]

"Well. Thank you," he murmurs. "I did think I was being quite obvious, but that is a kind thought and a good principle to follow. It remains, I suppose, to ask whether we are going to do anything about it."

[seeagreatergood]

"We shouldn't," immediately. "You're more than ten years younger than me, Sherlock, and don't give me any crap about actually being a hundred and fifty. It would be extremely inappropriate."