Word Professor: thanks. I'm not sure if this story will continue into season 3. Also thanks for the faves and alerts.
Mrs. Samantha Harkness: thanks for the fave and alert.
llama-hunter-on-fire: thanks for the fave and alert.
Angelhaggis: thanks, I try to continue it when I can but I don't always have the time or ideas.
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"I've been wondering," John began. Lyra and him where sitting at a café near her work, she had insisted that this place made the best muffins and John soon found himself agreeing with her. "You don't seem a lot like Mycroft and Sherlock so can you..."
"Do deductions like they can?" she finished for him. "Absolutely. All the Holmes children can, it caused all sorts of trouble for our parents especially in Sherlock's case." John smiled, he could only imagine. "Did you learn anything from Sherlock?"
"I'm not as good as he is."
"Are you sure?" she replied and looked around the room. "Deduce someone. Anyone."
"Right now?"
"You can't hone your skills if you don't apply it. You need to learn, to practice in every day situations. It may not come naturally to you but maybe it will one day."
"The guy sitting behind you might be suffering from nicotine withdraw," John stated. Lyra looked back quickly, apparently not needing much time to tell if he was right.
"Its good that you could tell that from his back," Lyra said, "but you were a doctor. Challenge yourself more John."
He looked around the room and wondered what would impress her. He knew that Sherlock would have been taking in everything about the room and could spill everyone's secrets at a moments notice.
You look but do not observe.
Well I'm trying to! he mentally snapped at Sherlock.
"John?" Lyra asked.
He realized that his annoyance must have shown up on his face. Of course she noticed, even without the science of deduction on her side John could admit that he wasn't the best actor, his face was an open book most of the time.
"Sorry," John said. "Just um..."
"You don't have to if this is bothering you."
He wondered if she really thought that the thought of making deductions was what was bothering him. Technically it was what was bothering him. Not knowing what Sherlock would say right now was bothering him.
"No. Its fine." He continued to scope around the room. "The middle aged man with the laptop sitting in the corner. He has a tan line on his ring finger, I'd say his marriage didn't end a long time ago since its not very faded. His clothes are very wrinkled, there are faded and new stains on his shirt and pants, as well as well as sweat stains on his shirt, it looks like he's been wearing it for at least a week. His ex-wife might have thrown out his clothes or he didn't have time to pack before he had to leave. He obviously hasn't had the time, money or both since then to get himself some new clothes."
Lyra was giving him her full interest. She likely could see this all herself and a thousand more things that John had yet to spot but she was giving him her full intention none the less. He had no doubt that she was studying him but wasn't sure what she was finding, what connections she was making.
The man in question was glaring at his computer but John didn't know why. Email from his wife? Politics? Maybe it was just running slowly.
Lrya smiled at John approvingly. "Good job John."
He tried not to think about how Sherlock could have done better while Lyra had already turned her attention back to her muffin.
