Today's line: "I can't believe you watch that shite on the teller-mission."
It takes a few days, but eventually Oliver finds himself curled up on Aidan's sofa staring at a screen they've propped up on the coffee table, watching Sherlock.
"I still can't believe you own one of these things," he says as the title music unfolds, gesturing idly towards the laptop screen. "It's so… why do you own one?"
Aidan chuckles, the motion wriggling his stomach under Oliver's hands. "My uncle bought it for me," he says. "The one who taught me to fly. Muggles have this thing called the internet, and when you're out in Muggle London you can connect the laptop to it and you can basically look at all the information Muggles have in the entire world. It's amazing really, considering they don't use magic to run it. Anyway that's where I found The Little Mermaid, and Sherlock Holmes, and all sorts of things. There's so much out there. I'll show you, one day. It's really just coincidence that it can fit these disk things as well."
For the first few minutes he only half-watches the program, more interested in stroking the blond strands of fringe away from Aidan's eyes and the feeling of that lithe body curled inside the shape of his own on the sofa. Then Sherlock Holmes actually appears on-screen, and the Seeker's body ceases its contented wriggling. "Oh," Aidan says gently.
Oliver looks up. The man on the screen now is tall and dark-haired, with a strong nose and wide-set, inscrutable eyes and the most prominent cupid's-bow he's ever seen. He laughs at his lover. "New crush?" he asks.
"Who is he, he's gorgeous," Aidan says promptly.
He has to admit that there is something about the man, an air of command, control, comfort. But he wouldn't call him gorgeous. And besides, he's an actor – that aura could very easily be an affectation. "He's not that attractive," he says grumpily, shifting in his seat. "He's a bit… odd-looking."
Aidan laughs. "Well, he's not as attractive as you, I admit," he says, shifting his hand to slide his fingers between Oliver's. "But he is quite striking."
Oliver rolls his eyes and kisses the back of the former Slytherin's neck. Actually, once he gets over his fleeting jealousy for the lead actor, the program is quite good; it's clever in subtle ways, and the shorter actor playing Watson's every emotion is tangible in rather incredible ways, and every now and then he picks up tiny little references to his beloved stories that make him smile and wriggle a little against Aidan's back.
"I can't believe you watch that shite on the teller-mission."
Neither of them look around as Dylan wanders through the room, sparing a glance at the laptop.
"That's television, Dylan," Aidan corrects without moving. "And you should give it a chance, it's actually really good. Even if you don't know the Sherlock Holmes stories."
Dylan stomps pointedly out of the room. "I'm sure it is," he throws back over his shoulder. Aidan shrugs his own.
"His loss," he mutters, wriggling more firmly into Oliver's arms so that his hip no longer hangs dangerously over the edge of the sofa. Oliver puts a hand on it just in case. "You know, this is really nice. I can see why Muggles like television."
It is nice, so Oliver hums in agreement. It's interesting, perhaps, that wizards don't have anything quite like it; a way to sit down and just be with someone, or even relax by yourself, while being entertained by the fictional. "You know they watch sport on television too?" Aidan ventures. "I think wizards should come up with something like this. I mean, I think you'd have a hard time convincing them that films are a good idea, but being able to watch live Quidditch from home would be great."
"Mmn," Oliver says. "I know a few wizarding families that keep a television, though, so maybe it wouldn't be as hard as that. Maybe that could be what we do after Quidditch," he ventures after a pause. "Engineer some kind of transmission spell like television to get Quidditch into people's homes."
Aidan makes a lazy noise. "Maybe," he says. There's a pause while both are engrossed by the show; then Aidan turns his head slightly to look Oliver in the eyes. "I like that we agree we'll be together, though," he says softly. "That whatever we do after Quidditch, we'll be doing it together."
"With anyone else, I'd be cautious," Oliver admits. "But I don't feel like I have to with you. Because I know we'll still be together, and I know you know it."
The Seeker smiles and kisses him again. "Now, shush," he says seriously. "I have a feeling he's about to do something really clever."
Oliver allows him to roll back over and rests his chin in the soft dip under Aidan's ear. "It's Sherlock Holmes, and we're two-thirds through it," he comments wryly. "What a daring guess."