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This was…certainly a new experience.
She had known, from a very young age, she wanted to be involved in some form of criminalistics, something on the science side. Maybe work in the crime lab for Scotland Yard or one of the smaller counties nearby London, or teach forensic sciences at a university and train the bright young minds of tomorrow. Her father had been a coroner in Northamptonshire County until he got too sick to continue, but even when he’d been on his sickbed he used to regale her with stories from his glory days. When he’d died, she decided she wanted to follow in his footsteps, and that meant starting with his alma mater, King’s College London.
It wasn’t a bad place, she supposed. She’d gone through her undergraduate program quite easily, determined to do her absolute best in all her courses. She still made time for having a social life, making a few friends at the university and going out with them. All in moderation, of course; she wasn’t about to become a party girl and go all wild, but she still managed to get out to a party or two, go to a club every once in a while.
Sally Donovan had become her best friend in the years she’d been there. She’d finished her undergrad program a year ago and had gone into Scotland Yard. She was a fully fledged copper now, much to Molly’s amusement. They’d talked about how interesting it might be if they worked together at some point, if they were to help each other solve crimes and how many idiotic men they’d have to deal with. Sally was already getting her fair share and she teased Molly about still being in school and not being in the “real world” yet. Molly would usually just roll her eyes and scoff saying the post-graduate program wasn’t exactly a bed of roses, either.
Most of her time was spent taking courses at both the GKT School of Medical Education and through the department of Pharmacy & Forensic Science, just so she’d have all her bases covered, but she’d managed to take a few classes out of the Arts & Humanities department throughout her time at the university and this term she'd landed in a class in the Culture, Media & Creative Industries studies. She had to admit, at times it was much more interesting than being elbows deep in cadavers. Her professor had offered extra credit to students if they did a comparative study in a form of non-digital art, and Sally said she had found the perfect thing for them because she figured that she wouldn’t want to do it alone.
And that was how she had ended up at an art class taught by Adrian Dutton at Eastbourne House in Bethnal Green.
A Life Drawing class, apparently.
“You didn’t say it was a life drawing class,” Molly hissed towards Sally as she eyed the models clad in bathrobes. There were two women and a male there. She was staring at the man more than the woman. He was tall, with curly dark hair and, when she could catch a glimpse of them, eyes that seemed either blue or green, depending on the light. He had a bit of a scowl on his face, as though he didn’t really want to be there. Well, she wasn’t quite sure who really wanted to pose nude in front of a room full of people, even if they weren’t the only ones doing so, but she supposed he had his reasons.
“Well, I assumed when your professor said non-digital art he’d be more impressed with something that was classical, and you don’t get more classical than nude models,” Sally said with a grin. She looked around. “I paid for five classes for each of us. I figure that should give you enough to satisfy your professor.”
“She would probably love more, but I have to get through the first class first,” she said, trying to suppress her nervousness.
Sally’s eyes widened. “Oh! Oh, I’d totally forgotten.”
“Mm-hmm,” Molly said, an uncomfortable look on her face. She was quite thankful that Sally didn’t say the painful truth out loud: she was a virgin and had never seen a naked man before. She was painfully embarrassed by the fact that she was twenty-three and a college graduate in postgraduate studies and not only had she never shagged a man she’d never seen a man naked. Or at least a living one, at any rate.
Well, apparently that would change tonight.
She went over to where the supplies were. Sally had told her not to bother buying anything and for tonight at least not to bother bringing any money to pay for anything. Soon enough she had some sketching paper and charcoal and pencils, and a few sheets of the nice A1 acidfree high quality cartridge paper in case it turned out she had talent and wanted to transfer it over to something nicer. She and Sally moved over to trestles closer to the male model, which she was sure Sally did on purpose. She glared at Sally, who gave her an innocent look. “What?” she said.
“Couldn’t we have gone closer to the female models?” Molly asked, avoiding looking over at the male model.
“You should get used to it, Mols. One day you’re going to meet a bloke who catches your eye and you’re going to want to get to see him naked. You should get used to it, and what’s better than ogling a fine male model and getting credit from your professor at the same time?” Sally began setting up her things. “Kill two birds with one stone.”
Soon the models began to disrobe. She averted her gaze from the male model as much as possible, but at first glance of seeing him fully starkers she let out a giggle. She couldn’t help it. She clapped a hand over her mouth as he looked at her, narrowing his eyes. “Sorry!” she squeaked. She looked down, her cheeks turning red just like the tips of her ears. She looked up again and another giggle escaped.
“Stop giggling,” he said quietly, getting into his pose as Sally elbowed her in the ribs.
“I’m trying. I’m just…nervous,” she said, flushing.
“Then focus above my waist,” he said with a sigh.
She raised her eyes, quickly sliding her gaze past his naughty bits to his chest and shoulders, and then up to his face. He was really quite handsome, to be honest, in a rather striking way. She wasn’t sure she could do him justice drawing him, as she’d never really had any talent. God, she was going to draw this handsome man and make him look ugly. What a travesty.
She studied him and then put the pencils to paper, trying to make him at least look decent on the paper. After about an hour or so they took a break and she rotated her wrist to loosen it up. She studied the drawing, tilting her head. It looked…well….
“You need quite a bit more practice.”
She jumped slightly at the sound of a male voice behind her. His voice, the model’s. He was garbed in his robe again, she realized as she looked up. Thank goodness, she thought to herself. She wasn’t sure she could deal with him being that close and nude. She looked back at the drawing and sighed. “Yeah, I’m hopeless,” she said.
“No, you just need practice,” he said. He pointed to the drawing. “Your sense of form is decent, and your shading is good. You should work on proportions, and depth. And…” He leaned forward. “Do you really think my hair looks like a wild bird’s nest?”
She smiled slightly. “I hate drawing curls. I mean, they look nice on you but they’re a pain in the arse to draw.”
“Ah,” he said. He pulled back. “Why were you giggling earlier?”
She felt herself flush again, her cheeks warm as he gazed at her. “I, uh…I’d never seen a living naked man before.”
“Never?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You appear to be in your early twenties, possibly mid twenties. You’re reasonably attractive. Pleasant enough. You should have suitors coming after you trying to court you, or at least men wanting to get into your knickers. Surely you should have seen at least one man stark naked by now.”
She shook her head, looking down. “No. You’re the first.”
“Interesting,” he murmured. He was quiet a moment, and then stuck his hand in her line of vision. “Sherlock Holmes. Full time postgraduate student at University College, going for my third Masters degree, and part time art model.”
She smiled at that and then lifted her head up before reaching out and slipping her hand in his, shaking it. “Molly Hooper. Full time medical student at King’s College, plus going for my MSc in forensic science there as well, and potential part time artist.”
Sherlock nodded, giving her a slight grin. “I think it will be quite interesting to see what comes of all this,” he said.
“Yes,” she said, her grin getting wider. “I think it will be.” His grin grew a bit more before he moved away to head outside, probably to get a smoke or to chat with someone else. She watched him leave and then turned back to her unfinished piece of art, looking over it. She had the feeling she would take full advantage of the rest of the classes Sally had paid for, and then some…at least where Sherlock was the model.