"How do I look?" The sadistic mastermind's face was somewhat softened by the gaping beam, as he steadied the large crown on his head.
"You were right, you look superb. To think that I even doubted you..." his voice trailed off, his thoughts were unusually scattered.
"What's on your mind?" The enquiry was fought off by Sherlock, but Moriarty was –in his own way- a people person, incredibly good at mind-games. He knew how the mind worked, and how to make it tick. "Don't tell me nothing is wrong my Angel."
That ghastly nickname made Sherlock flinch in an antagonising way. It almost pained him.
"Why is it that you constantly insist on calling me that?"
"Umm... wait a minute. Answer my question first, you know that's how this relationship works, and it always will. I will always most definitely be first, and you – if you're lucky- will get your turn later. I'm sorry, but that's just how it is."
"You're not sorry." The answer was shot across the room, yet it bounced straight off his other half.
"I know, but I can't sound too cruel now can I?"
"Anyway, I don't have an answer to provide you with."
"Wow, have I made Sherlock Holmes: Reichenbach hero, and master of death speechless? Again!" His head tilted with the snide remark. Knowing that he had hit a raw nerve he waited for a response, listening intently for the world's one, and only consulting detective's response.
Sitting back, he tried to mask his emotions, knowing that there was no point trying to hide anything from the non-human intellectual before him. "No. Don't be ridiculous. There is nothing wrong, yet you have already stated that you will not accept that as an answer."
"You miss him, don't you? I knew would at the start, but now you're just disappointing me a little bit." His pitchy Irish tone stayed consistent and at fairly low volume. "When, my love, will you start to see, start to understand how much better this is? How much better am I, Moriarty the great for you than he is? This is a little bit slow, even for you. He'll never understand you like I do. Never fully appreciate you in all of your glory. He just sees you as very smart."
Realizing just how close he was to getting close to the centre of Sherlock's feelings, he began to dig deeper. He began to act out an imitation of Watson. "WOW! Sherlock that was amazing! How do you know all of these things Sherlock?" He surveyed the now weakened man in front of him; he twitched in his current uncomfortable state. "I challenge you; I have given your busy, yet wonderful mind something of use to do. Why won't you accept that? Moriarty grew desperate. It was extremely late, his voice quietened. He had one final card to play. "I knew you were boring, but you have really blown me out of the water with this Sherlock. This is unbelievable, even for you."