A young man with raven colored hair sat quietly at a table in the large library, alone. Despite it being his first year in undergrad he was already known throughout the university as a loner and more often a freak. His reputation was due to his 'party trick' as most of his peers called it. Analyzing people and deducing them was something he tended to do when in the presence of others and as a result he made many enemies.
The library was one of the few places where he could escape all the whispers and work in peace without all the idiotic people surrounding him. Shutting his notebook, he his closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair, forming a temple with his fingers, searching through his mind palace. At the present moment he was involved in a case as it were. A plague of thefts had been going around campus and a fellow classmate approached him about finding the perpetrator after some more valuable items had been stolen. They didn't like him but they respected his insight enough to ask for help; which pleased his growing ego.
It had been recent that he had truly begun utilizing his skills of deduction. Many people saw but didn't observe, and that is where he came in. Once he had picked out the thief; the small ginger boy who sat in the far left corner of his chemistry class, third row down, 7th spot; he slowly opened his eyes and was met with an odd sight. Quirking his brow he stared silently at the bright-eyed girl before him, staring right back with her grey orbs. Glancing over her form he quickly deduced everything he needed to know.
-Tall about 5'8".
-Athletic build maybe from a rigorous elective activity.
-Not on a sports team here, not specific enough muscle definition.
-Staring quietly, waiting for me to initiate the conversation….she wants something.
-Eyes looking directly at me, blinking to draw attention to them so I can notice the expectant look on her face.
-Probably a friend of Sebastian again, wanting me to perform my 'party trick'.
Realizing this was probably another lackey of the man who headed up the taunting, he instantly glowered at the blonde before him. Actually, now that he noticed, it was a very warm colored blonde with hints of red highlights to bring out more of an undertone of red. So a more strawberry blonde as others would label it…but that wasn't the point.
"No" he deadpanned, putting away his things to leave. The girl's lips quirked, her eyes alight with amusement. Glancing at her he nearly did a double take. At first glimpse those eyes held innocence and warmth. But at a second look revealed an underlying iciness to her gaze. Something….almost dangerous…..This threw him off a little but he didn't show it. He filed that little snippet away for later.
"I haven't said anything." She pointed out, the melodic alto of her voice catching his attention for a second longer than usual. Another thing he mentally filed away. Interesting.
"You are a friend of Sebastian correct? Here to see if I can tell you your life story? Don't bother." He dismissed, his eyes staring at her coldly.
"That isn't at all what I'm here for." She corrected still watching him put his belongings into his bag hurriedly. The man paused, a curl falling into his face as he was hunched over to put his books away. He sighed heavily, rolling his eyes. Might as well humor her for a moment, it could prove to be amusing.
"Then what pray tell are you doing here?" he asked boredly. The girl didn't react to his cold demeanor in the way most did. She smiled, as if finding it funny.
"You fascinate me." She told him, a soft smile remaining on her face. He stared at her blankly. That wasn't what he expected. The way she had said it wasn't in a mocking or negative tone, which he usually received. It was genuine. She really found him interesting in a positive way.
"Why?" he asked lowly, his baritone filled with warning that she had one chance to maintain his attention.
"I like the way your mind works" She elaborated, smiling inwardly at the minute widening of his eyes. She had caught his interest.
"How would you know how my mind works?" he drawled glancing at her in disinterest.
"I think I would understand you better than you think. You see things like everyone else yet there is something more. You see more than most." She explained, her eyes roaming over his posture. He narrowed his blue-green eyes at her. She saw things too, he realized. Not at the capacity that he did, obviously, but the spark was there. His interest was further piqued at the possibility of another intelligent mind.
"You know Oscar Wilde once wrote that 'there are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating: people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing.' I believe you are the former and I want you to teach me." She added in his silence. He blinked, still silent. For once in his life he was unsure of how to respond. He didn't get flattery or compliments very often…..he kinda liked it.
"Teach you what?" he asked slowly, still hesitant around this girl who he couldn't fully figure out. Sure, he could deduce her to a point but she continued to spout out stuff that was 'out of character' or so he assumed. Why go any deeper into her background when the present was so delightfully contradictive? He couldn't read her mind and it was irritating yet intriguing, not knowing how she would react or say.
"Teach me to observe." She pressed, now leaning slightly on the table. The boy scrutinized her for what seemed to be the umpteenth time in the past few minutes.
"Not everyone can do that, it takes a superior mind." He boasted smugly. She grinned in a challenging manor.
"I believe you will find that I am up to the challenge. And perhaps I can offer you something in return." He pursed his lips, doubtful that she could accomplish such a feat.
"And what would you offer? Something a bit more substantial than being physically intimate I assume." He responded icily. He wasn't as susceptible to such offers as other men tended to be. So simplistic.
"I'm a psychology major. Add that to your chemistry, forensics, and….skills of observation, you could make yourself quite a name in the investigative field." She suggested. He frowned.
"I never told you what I was studying nor what I was considering for a career." He pointed out, curious as to how she knew that. He wasn't fond of the idea of a stalker. The girl pointed to his bag that had made its way to the table during the conversation.
"Your books. You have multiple that would be used in those two classes. Additionally, you don't strike me as the type to take interest in theoretical thought, so something a bit more concrete and fact filled like science was an obvious choice of study. The investigative field was a lucky guess. It seems I was right as you have yet to correct me. Most people are reluctant to tell you things but they love to correct you." She hummed in explanation. Blue-green eyes glanced at his closed bag. Thinking back on his actions during the conversation he distinctly remembered her eyes were on him for most of the time. Allowing no longer than a second to glance at his books. She had to have read them quickly and upside down in the span of that time and used that glimpse to logically deduce his classes.
"Photographic memory?" he inquired, quirking his lips ever so slightly.
"Naturally." She hummed, waiting for him to come to a decision. Slowly but surely, she was continuing to hold his attention while to proving herself to maybe…possibly…be useful to him. Maybe he could teach her as she seemed to be more intelligent than she let on.
"Perhaps. I will admit that you have my interest….for the moment. I shall attempt to teach you but should you prove to be an inadequate student or you start to annoy me we shall terminate this agreement." He told her decidedly, not letting the hard expression fall from his features. She smirked, starting to realize that he was just like this all the time. She could handle that. With a nod she stuck her hand out politely.
"Adara Corrigan." She introduced herself. The man eyed her hand before briefly shaking it with his own.
"Sherlock Holmes." Adara grinned before swiftly standing, gesturing for him to join. Once he had stood, the duo began walking alongside one another.
"Sherlock, I believe this will be the start of a beautiful friendship." She chirped, keeping her eyes forward as they navigated deeper into the library. Sherlock scowled.
"I don't have friends." He countered.
"Not yet." She quipped, sending him a pointed side glance. He didn't correct her.
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"She's sleeping with a professor."
"Now you're just making that up."
"You know I'm not."
"How can you tell? I mean yes she's a bit of a skank but I wouldn't go that far to say she was sleeping with a professor." Adara questioned, with an amused grin. She and Sherlock had claimed a spot under a secluded tree where they had a large view of the quad. He had been working on her observational skills and they would use their free periods to practice. Currently they were deducing a classmate of Adara's. One that drove her up the walls, so she had no qualms about digging up dirt on her.
Sherlock chuckled at her curiosity. A genuine chuckle, not those he threw about in the company of the general public.
"Would you like me to start small? Or do you want the most obvious facts?" he inquired smugly. Adara rolled her eyes, groaning at how arrogant he was.
"Fine start with the obvious things. I need to get those cues down first." She relented, ready to absorb whatever he said. He eyed her with….dare he admit it….fondness. Over the past month she had begun to grow on him. As she claimed, Adara was very interested in learning from him and soaked up what he had to say like a sponge. It was odd for him to actually have someone who wanted to listen to his ramblings. He shifted closer to her, leaning to murmur in her ear.
"Well just to name a few things….her normally immaculate hair is a few strands out of place; along with it being parted on the other side now. Her skirt has shifted a centimeter higher on the left side. On the back there is still a crease, where she was apparently up against the desk. Shall I go on?" he rattled off, Adara's eyes scanning over the girls form and finding what he had seen. She pursed her lips in frustration.
"No, I get it." She muttered sourly. Sherlock quirked his lips.
"Alright then, how about you tell me which professor it is?" Sherlock suggested. Slowly but surely, she was starting to learn but was nowhere near where he was yet. Normally he would have kicked her to the curb by now but she just kept him hooked. Her unpredictably was addicting for him and he couldn't rid himself of her even if he tried. Adara nodded and began scanning the quad.
"Would I be right to assume that they are nearby?" she asked. Sherlock nodded minutely. Her grey eyes continued perusing through the faculty members. As her eyes went over a group of men, Sherlock scoffed.
"No." he immediately shot down. Adara grunted in displeasure and continued looking. She frowned not finding anyone who was matching the profile she had formed in her head. Sherlock pressed his lips close to her ear once more and she became very aware of his proximity.
"You see it but you don't observe. Don't stick with the mainstream ideas. Think outside the box, exclude nothing." He advised her. Adara cleared her throat, resisting the instinct to lean in closer to his form. Focusing her mind, she looked over the faculty again. Her eyes landed on someone she wouldn't normal pick out. But now that she truly 'saw it', there couldn't be any other explanation. Adara gasped, her mouth dropping in shock. Sherlock grinned, knowing she had figured it out.
"Mrs. Chimiski?" she inquired, turning to him with a grin. Sherlock's breathing hitched as he was sucked into those soulful eyes once again. Both of their cheeks tinged a faint shade of pink, but it was ignored by both parties.
"Obviously. She and her husband have been having issues for the past few months. Little does she know that her husband is sleeping with her brother." He informed her with a smug grin. Adara let out a short laugh, before covering it up. Talk about a twist. Sherlock chuckled at her reaction and shifted to lean on his arm, incidentally allowing his bicep to brush up against her back. Adara said nothing to deter him. She grinned over at him, excitement flashing across her features. Sherlock's chest warmed at getting her to smile.
"Let's do another one." She pleaded. Sherlock tilted his head in agreement and began looking around the yard, eager to appease her wishes.
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I do not own the BBC series Sherlock, and therefore don't own the story line or the characters outside of my original ones.