if_inconvenient | (no subject)

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So. Alec Carrow.

Sherlock is aware that social boundaries apply to this situation, and that he is currently breaking them all. He doesn't much care. He is wholly capable of discretion, but he is not at all capable of remaining ignorant in the first place.

Start with finding the obituary. Work from there. How did he die? When?

(Tony doesn't know about the conversation with Alyce. Tony doesn't know about a lot of things. Tony has been spending more time than usual ensconced in his workshop with the door locked, hacking Stark Industries records like he doesn't remember that Jarvis won't keep secrets between the two of them. Sherlock is a little surprised that it seems Tony was on the level about arming him more formidably.)

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"Your friends have no taste," she says, making the assumption that someone as smart and funny (and cute) as he is must have plenty of friends.

They must be away on vacation. Or something. Hmmm.

"So I have often said."

Where he takes 'your friends' to mean... Tony.

Yeah.

"You need a new one, then."

The slushy remains of her drink are suddenly fascinating as she stirs with her straw.

"Someone with great taste."

It's about now that she crosses an invisible line. She'll defy Tom if he continues his plans.

And that? Will probably suck. But it's time to say no.

"...I would be honoured."

And the thing with Sherlock is that he can say things like that and you can tell they're genuine.

"You would?"

Really?

Sometimes Alyce lacks self-esteem. Okay, maybe a lot of the time she lacks it.

"I would," he affirms.

She hesitates for one moment. If he's playing her, she'll die. Then she'll kill him. Tom won't get to have all the fun.

She doesn't think he's playing her.

"Okay," she says, her voice quiet.

He smiles at her, kind of dazzling but also kind of shy.

His very first friend who isn't Tony or Jarvis. Imagine that.

Eeee. A friend who isn't evil and who maybe isn't even all that amoral. This is exciting.

"So what do you like to do best on lazy summer days," she says. "Besides meeting a friend for coffee."

Sherlock laughs softly.

"Research," he suggests. "Ignore whatever Tony is blowing up in the basement. Play the violin. And yourself?"

"Walk. I like to walk all over the place. Sometimes I go to the beach and watch the waves. Sometimes I like to shop. Sometimes I'll go with Trixi, or I'll go over to her house and watch movies. I don't like to stay home."

"I do like to walk," Sherlock agrees. "And do you know, after three years of taking walks outside after dark, the vampires still have not learned to avoid me."

"I never have trouble with them. If I can outsmart them, it must be crazy easy for you."

"Perhaps I resort to the laser a trifle too easily."

"Oh, like a gun?"

How exotic!

"Nothing so exciting." He grins. "There are advantages to growing up with Tony Stark. He modified a laser pointer to emit ultraviolet light. The vampires don't approve," by which he means, they catch fire and die. "I can get you one, if you like."

She rummages through her velvet purse and pulls out a little spray gun. "Holy water, charmed to never clog. It's bought me time on more than one occasion."

Plus the sizzle is satisfying.

"But that looks pretty cool. Does it dust them?"

"Yes. Quite handily, with better range than holy water and no need for refills."

Holy water has never appealed to Sherlock as a vampire disposal method. Lasers are more his style. Perhaps that's something else he got from Tony.

She has a magical solution, and he has a mundane one. He can't stop himself from smiling a little at the microcosm.

"Ooh, dusting is good. Flame throwers work well, too. I took out three at once on- uh-"

She should probably not talk about Tom's rescue. That's information that isn't necessary to share.

"On a rescue mission. A while back."

"I won't ask," he assures her, because he can't reasonably pretend not to have noticed.

"I believe I will always prefer the range and precision of the laser, myself."

"We're not always acting with evil intent," she explains. She's glad he won't ask, though.

"And I suppose I could be adaptable. I mean, I'd prefer being able to kill them with my brain, but until I have that kind of power, I'll stick to hand held objects and hope none of them knock it away."

"Yes, there is always the danger of being deprived of one's weapon." He shrugs. "And that is why it is useful to know a few things about unarmed combat."

Not that fighting vampires without his laser pointer is in any way fun. In fact he sincerely hopes he will never have to do it again.

"Spells can do that. I mean, magic's like unarmed combat. For me."

It's not so different. Sort of.

He grins.

"Chacun à son goût," he says, shrugging. "You have your areas of expertise and I have mine."

"If we're ever out walking together and get attacked by vampires, I'll save you and you can save me."

Sunnydale - bringing people together with survival strategies.