[COMPLETE] ??? ???? ?? ??? ??????「Sherlock」

015; The Magician and His Assistant

Chewing at her lip, she hummed. He could be so stubborn at times that it was stifling. Singling out a black metal bench, the two settled themselves down and broke out the plastic forks, their pasta steaming in the frigid evening. Snow peppered Sherlock's dark hair and caught within Julia's auburn lashes, the two beginning to grow warm as they feasted side by side. At a few points, she had to fend him off again, seeing as he wanted to try some of her bolognese. "You have your own," she mused. "Why must you always steal my meals?"

"Because I was the one who paid for our drinks at Katherine's. Now, you must pay," he insisted, lunging with his fork drawn. She thwarted his efforts and then dove for his fettuccine, earning a hiss from him as some of it slopped on the ground between them. Julia ended up forcing some into her mouth, wiping a bit of the creamy sauce from her cheek as she ungracefully finished her successful intervention. She was a giggling mess, coughing slightly on the scalding hot food she so quickly chewed. "You ass."

She batted her apatite pools and then leaned closer to him. "It's what I'm best at, Monsieur Holmes."

"Parles vous français, Madame Fuller?"

"Un peu," she responded, offering her food over finally, just because of how handsome he looked with the street light in his stunning pools of azure, the brisk wind nipping at his cheeks and turning them faintly rosy. "Mais pas aussi bien que toi."

The rest of their dinner was mowed down in silence, poor Julia only managing to eat half of her own before she had grown too full. It was quarter past eight by time they finally stood up, warming their hands by sticking them in pockets and blowing hot air between them as they were cupped together. The snow was falling without mercy, which Julia had taken the time to pause once in a while in order to catch a few upon her tongue. The detective, on the other hand, merely observed her actions and commented upon how childish they were. She had contemplated nailing him in the back with some snow, but seeing as they were within a crowd and she didn't wish to embarrass Mr. Holmes, Julia decided against it.

"Oh, I love your boots!" A woman piped up as she passed by Julia, her headphones falling from her ears as she beamed over toward her.

"Thank you," she bubbled, falling behind as the two women came to a standstill. "I bought them in Glasgow before I came here."

"Oh! How long have you been in London?" the lady asked, her purple hat gathering even more snowflakes. Her shell-pink lips were smooth and glossy, hazel set resting upon her features with friendly, open-minded demeanour. The blonde's hand slithered out, offering her a handshake. "Katie Steinmetz, by the way."

The rosette's dimples grew more apparent in the Christmas lights and she squeezed Katie's hand in response. "Julia Fuller. I've been here for a little over a month, nearly two now."

"So you're here for the holidays! Delightful! How are you liking it?"

"I-It's been a bit busy for my taste," she admitted, shrugging her slender shoulders. Tucking some hair behind her ear, she chewed on the inside of her cheek. She must have looked like a fish out of water to Katie. "I'm just glad that I haven't been in this alone."

Katie laughed. "I understand. I've been studying here as an overseas student. I used to live in Minnesota. Ever been?"

Minnesota? Wasn't that in the states? She brought her hand to her lips in thought. "Come to think of it, I never have heard of it, let alone been there. How is it?"

"Cold," her new friend remarked glumly. "The weather is certainly better than it is here, though..." Katie's attention was drawn to Sherlock. The man was standing with his shoulder to them, his clever blue eyes examining the busy streets. "Where are you and your boyfriend headed?"