sherlock holmes was entirely certain that the concepts of love and romance were entirely below him.

maybe that was a bit stupid of him to think, because you'd captured his affections so easy it was truly laughable- you, one of his few genuine friends. mostly because you'd been kind to him. he found himself wincing internally at the thought- he wasn't that easy, was he?

well, causation aside, he went about it in...the most practical way anybody had ever seen. because he couldn't be exactly certain that he was in love with you- he'd never been in love before, how the hell was he supposed to know how it felt?!

so you- you poor, poor man- were stuck with his...experiments.

firstly, he touched you. a lot. and certainly a lot more than was typical for him with any other person. he'd hold you by the elbow one day, forearm the next, then wrist, and then hand. he'd notated that his thoughts seemed to zero in on the contact forearm-down.

secondly, he questioned you. not an interrogation- it was too sporadic and on-the-nose for that. he'd turn to you, eyes narrowed, and ask you a question about himself. something random, usually- he'd ask you about his favorite color with a glare, and then soften when you offered an unsure blue?, satisfied.

third- today- was possibly the most obvious of them all. he was wearing your sweatshirt when you showed up to 221b baker's street, it draping over his wire-thin form like the worlds comfiest poncho.

it was an old, worn thing that you'd honestly forgotten where you'd gotten it- soft from constant wash cycles and wear. you must have left it there one day- because there sherlock was, laying on the couch, expression blank- which you'd come to know as thinking.

he hardly looked up when you entered- only a quick glance in his direction and then a vague, almost disinterested hum of acknowledgement.

when you pointed out that he was wearing your goddamn sweatshirt, you swore you saw a barely-there flush of pink build on his cheeks.

"i was cold," he sniffed, and he truly believed it, "and i've got a depressing lack of casual attire."