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Ah. Yeah, I can imagine that it's more fun to figure these things out when it's difficult.

[There's a smile.]

Always. And You think you can hide something from me.

*Julian returns the smile, not in mocking, just rather confidently.*

But I do.

[He gives a quick weighted glance before speaking. He speaks rapidly, as he often does when explaining his deductions. ]

I can tell from your complexion that you don't spend anytime in the sun. I would say you have photo-sensitivity, however you're more pale than even the most severe cases I have seen. This means you spend next to no time in the sun.

Your clothes are clean, but well worn. Either your body doesn't change much or you don't buy new clothes often, probably both.

You work as a barkeep, but you'd rather be a musician. You freely admitted that as a musician, it would bring you too much fame. Meaning whatever secret you are trying to hide is big enough that if you were to be famous, you would be outed, probably immediately.

Being a barkeep, allows you to work in dimly lit buildings, which means whatever it is you're trying to hide has to do with your appearance. But it also means you won't be remembered. You're a stranger everyone trusts, but no one takes notice of.

Your fingernails are sharp but your hair is fairly unkept, meaning that you don't choose for your fingernails to look like they do.

Then there's your teeth. Oh, most wouldn't notice, but I notice everything. Two of your teeth are sharp. A very specific two teeth. Teeth that, in an animal would allow for the dispersal of poisons or the sucking of blood.

Conclusion: You are a vampire. The only explanation of all of the facts.

[He tilts his head, his voice slows down to normal.]

Curious, I've never met a vampire before.

*Julian's smile fades and is replaced by an utterly dumbfounded look as he listens. He doesn't even think about denying, which he would normally do, as he knows it would be pointless in this case.*

Uhrm. Well. Now you do.

*He tries to regain his composure, but it proves to be difficult.* You know, even when I do meet somebody very observant who might be about to draw that conclusion they are usually stopped by the fact that vampires don't exist. Not that I'd ever seen anyone who were that observant.

That is because most people have specific views of their world and they don't like to have the world-view altered. I didn't believe in vampires either. But I cannot deny what I have observed. Once I've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, must be the truth.

That said, just because I can identify you as a vampire, doesn't mean I believe that all aspects of the myth are true.

[In other words, he believes Julian lives off the blood of humans - which actually is a medical condition, but not that he turns into a bat.]

Most really aren't true, I can assure you. And I love garlic. *He answers almost automatically.*

You're much better at accepting changes to your view of the world than I was. Or, rather, better than almost everybody else. Impressive. Well, now that you know, what are you going to do?

Do? What do you mean?

Are you going to tell anyone? You don't seem to be afraid, but maybe you think you should do something about a vampire running around?

Depends entirely upon how you live as a vampire. Do you kill people?

No. I can live without harming anyone. So, unless it's in self-defense, I don't.

[Casually.]

Then what reason would I have to tell anyone anything?

You only have my word for it. I could be a liar.

[He smirks.]

Could be. But it would be better for you to stick to the truth.

[Sherlock is trying to be nice. He is not calling Julian a pathetic liar. He extends his hand as part of introduction.]

Sherlock Holmes.

Yeah. It's probably a bad idea to try lying to you.

*Julian returns the smile, appreciating that Sherlock refrains from saying it out loud, and takes the hand.*

Julian Steele. Nice to meet you.

[Sherlock is in full curiosity mode now.]

So, what are the differences between the myth and you?

*He hesitates for a moment, but then decides that he can hardly do more harm by telling.*

Well, I'm not dead. Or undead. Or supernatural in any way. No shape-changing or flying, I don't care about crosses, and as I've said, I like garlic.

So the only thing that remains is an issue with sunlight and you drink blood. Interesting. You said you don't need to kill. Blood banks?

Yes. *Every now and then, he has to hunt, but he hasn't lied. Nobody dies in these cases.*

It's like with many things that have become myths over time. They may have some truth at their core, but the rest is fiction.

[He chuckles, slightly amused.]

Well, that is the definition of myth. It wouldn't be believable if there wasn't some truth to it.

Sure. Although without all the exaggeration that made the myth, things would easier in a way.

Well, I suppose it would be easier in one sense... But, somethings are true in every myth. The thrill of the hunt...

[Yes, he knows it's there.]

*He looks away, feeling suddenly ashamed.*

That's ... one of the things that aren't made up, yes.

[He nods, he saw as much.]

Yet you choose not to kill. So how do you feed that desire?

Most of us choose to live like this.

And I keep myself busy with other things. Running works fine, for example. The good thing is, I can mostly ignore it until, well, there is a hunt.

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Sorry for the TL;DR - this is what he does when he's explaining his deductions

Hah, no, that's fine. In fact, this is brillant. In my mind, I can so hear him saying this! :D

Oh good! The deductions are always the most difficult part XD

I can imagine! Good work, really. My colleagues were wondering why I was grinning at the screen. :D

Again, thank you :)

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