Mormor
Sebastian sighed. He looked around the room once more, scouting out any incriminating evidence. Of course, there was none. He had done this a hundred, a thousand times before. He wasn't the best for no reason. Sebastian packed up his sniper and left, leaving the dead bodies in the room as if they were a couple of discarded toys.
As he drove through the streets of London, he thought to himself about why he did his job. He used to be a respectable military man, a Colonel in the army, and now? He was employed by a psychopath to murder people. He couldn't deny he enjoyed it; it was just a bit … strange. And then there was his boss.
James Moriarty. More commonly known as Jim. He described his job as a Consulting Criminal. He was the best and the worst at his job. He was also the only person in the world to have his job. Sebastian thought about how best to describe Jim. Irish, short, brown hair, cute eyes, childish, scary, crazy, innocent, murderous, evil and psychotic. To name a few words to describe him.
But then there was that other side, seldom seen by anyone other than Sebastian. He could be almost normal. It shocked Sebastian when he realised what he had just thought, and he pushed all thoughts of his employer out of his head and he concentrated on the rest of the drive home.
After he had parked the black car in the multi-storey car-park across the road, he pulled out his key and put it in the lock. He heard the familiar 'click' and put his hand on the handle. He took a deep breath, apprehensive about what he would find today. Sebastian opened the door, walked in and looked around.
"JIM! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THE LOUNGE?!" he shouted, his anger bubbling ferociously.
"I thought it was boring. You don't like it?" An Irish accent came from upstairs.
"Funnily enough, I don't like sitting on the sofa upside-down. Or the fact that there is a hammock in front of the TV. Or the bookcase in the doorway."
Jim had materialised behind him and was now wrapping his arms around Sebastian's waist.
"But it was boring before. Now it's interesting." he moaned, like a child.
Sebastian was about to retaliate when he saw red smears all over Jim's hands. He took Jim's hand in his own and looked at them, trying to establish the source of the staining.
"Jim. How many times do I have to tell you not to do DIY?" his voice was wavering on the edge of shouting again.
"I think it was 57 at the last count." Jim's face was the picture of absolute seriousness. So was Sebastian's.
"It was 59. Now it's 60. Don't do DIY." He let go of Jim's hand. "Come on. Let's get you hands cleaned up. How did you even manage to cut your hands that badly anyway?"
Jim pouted. "I was painting."
Sebastian sighed. Why couldn't his life be normal for once. Then again, he wouldn't like a normal life. He and Jim went into the bathroom and Sebastian cleaned up Jim's hands, before rearranging the lounge to how it was before (although Jim had insisted that the hammock stayed, so that was now in the corner).
0o0o0
A few days later, Sebastian was out alone again on another job. Normally, he was with someone; Jim, another assassin, an apprentice. He sat back, his trademark sniper set up in front of him, and he waited, watching a young couple wander through the street below. They had unfortunately managed to get on the wrong side of Jim on the wrong day, and now it was Sebastian's job to dispose of them. His orders were to wait until after they had eaten. Apparently tonight was a special night for the couple; anniversary or something.
Sebastian smiled to himself. It was three years ago today that he met Jim. That was a very interesting meeting.
0o0o0
3 years ago
Sebastian had been kicked out of the army a month prior, and was drowning his sorrows in a gay bar, when up sauntered a strange guy.
"Hello soldier." the Irish man said, rather flirtatiously.
"Hello kiddo." Sebastian said, less than pleased to have company.
"I'm older than you." The short guy was extremely confident and was beginning to piss Sebastian off.
"Really?" he scoffed. "You look like a teenager." Sebastian laughed into his glass, downing the last mouthful.
"I'll get this." Jim said, ordering Sebastian another beer. "And yes, I am."
"When were you born then?" Sebastian was starting to slur his words.
"24th June, 1982 at 1.30 in the afternoon." Jim smirked. "I told you I was older than you."
"By an hour. And that was just a lucky guess." Sebastian played with his glass, staring mindlessly through the bottom, trying to remember what he was doing there.
"A lucky guess you say? Well I suppose you could be right Moran."
Sebastian froze upon hearing the Irishman drawl his surname.
"Oh?" His tone shifted to mock surprise. "So it is Moran? Luck of the Irish again I suppose."
"What do you want?" Sebastian asked, thoroughly annoyed now. He had managed to recover himself and was doing a good job of hiding his fear and surprise.
"I'm looking for a man. To replace an ex-employee. He must be dedicated to me, completely emotionless, and take orders from no one but me. It's a dangerous job, and only the best can do it successfully."
"And why are you looking in a gay bar?" Sebastian retaliated, motioning carelessly to their surroundings.
"I'm not. I'm looking for you."
"What did your last guy die of?" Sebastian joked, not caring about anything. He honestly thought at that moment that staying drunk for the rest of his life was a good prospect.
"The police caught him. Well I say that. I put them on his trail in the first place. He made one too many mistakes."
Sebastian studied the man harder, looking for any sign that he might be joking or playing tricks.
"You don't believe me? Fair enough, this is only our first meeting Sebastian." The Irishman chuckled as Sebastian froze again. "But I probably know you better than you do right now, and you know that's true."
Sebastian decided his best approach to the situation wad to stay silent and cold. The short man leant over, as if to hug Sebastian, and whispered something in his ear.
"Call me when you're sober."
Then he sauntered off. Just like that, a smile gracing his face. It was only after Sebastian got home that he found the stranger's number in his pocket. He recalled the man's words to his mind, and decided to call him in the morning. Or afternoon. When he woke up. Then he flopped onto the sofa and fell asleep, still fully clothed.
0o0o0
Sebastian snapped out of his thoughts as he saw the young couple he was after reemerge from the café after their meal. It looked like they had had a good time. Shame to end the fun, thought Sebastian as he took aim. The couple stopped in the street for a kiss. This is just too easy, thought Sebastian as he put his finger on the trigger. Then the couple moved right into the open, still entwined as one. Goodbye, thought Sebastian as he they dropped dead in the street.
He swiftly cleared up and left, driving away before the two bodies attracted too much attention.
Once again, Sebastian opened the door nervously. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw the lounge was still vaguely normal, and called out.
"Jim, I'm back."
He walked through the rest of the rather large flat. No makeovers today then. He walked through the rest of the house, tentatively awaiting Jim's reply. What mood will he be in today?
"Oh hi Seb." Jim said casually as he walked through the door, holding the phone to his ear. "No, I wasn't talking to you Mr. Matthews, I was talking to my number 1 assassin. I think you ought to have a meeting with him."
Business. He was working again. Threatening people with death if they didn't comply with his demands.
"Maybe not. That would be a bit boring." he mused. "You know what will happen if you don't stop meddling? I will tear you to pieces and then I'll feed you to the dogs." Jim's tone was venomous and sincere, with every shade of murder reflected in his words. The worst thing about what Jim was saying though was that he was deadly serious and literal.
Jim hung up and chucked the phone recklessly onto the coffee table. Then he collapsed onto the sofa.
"Not a good day then?" Sebastian asked, trying to make conversation without angering the criminal.
"No. Well, it's better now. How was the job? Give me some good news." Jim looked about ready for a full-scale sulk.
"It all went as planned. Not a witness in sight. That was an added bonus. I hit them mid-kiss on their anniversary."
Sebastian watched as Jim's lips twisted perversely upwards.
"How tragic." he mused.
"Yeah." Sebastian said, mindlessly agreeing; his mind on their own 'anniversary', wondering if Jim had remembered.
Sebastian stared intently at Jim, trying to read any trace of emotion in his employer's eyes. But there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. No indication whatsoever that today meant something to Sebastian.
"What?" Jim questioned, narrowing his eyes. "Why are you staring at me?"
"Jus- Never mind." Sebastian said, snapping his eyes away from his employer.
Sebastian turned round and made to go towards his bedroom, but a hand on his shoulder spun him round again.
"Sebby, I know you dear. You always have a reason for doing something, no matter how irrational. Now tell me."
There was something strangely threatening about Jim's words, especially when he started using nicknames and endearments. Sebastian swallowed and looked towards the ground.
"Shooting that couple on their anniversary tonight, it made me think." Jim raised an eyebrow. "Not like that." Jim's eyebrow fell again. "No, I started thinking about our first meeting. It's three years to the day that we met, two years since we entered a relationship -" he used his hands to put quotation marks around the word 'relationship'. "-and one year since I moved in with you." Sebastian sighed. "What I'm trying to say is that no matter how you look at this day, it has for the past three years been a day of significance for me, and I don't care what you say; it's our anniversary." Sebastian walked over to the sofa and sank down into it tiredly.
Jim sat down on the sofa next to his right hand man and sighed. "Is that all that was bothering you?"
"Like I said. Big deal for me, nothing for you." Sebastian was close to shouting at Jim.
"Well it's just another day. I don't see why people make such a big deal of these things." Jim mused, pulling out his phone to send out a few more instructions.
However, that was not the right thing to say. Sebastian was positively fuming now. He shot up out of the sofa and turned to face Jim, his eyes full of anger, but also pain.
"You know what?!" he roared. "You are the worst person I have ever met in my entire sodding existence! You don't give a damn about anybody! Not even your so-called boyfriend. I put up with all of your crazy schemes, and I patch you up when things go wrong. I'm always there for you. Always! And where are you when I need you? Nowhere near me, that's for sure!" Sebastian paused for a breath. "But no more. I've had enough. I can't deal with you anymore."
And with that, Sebastian stormed out of the door, leaving everything he loved with his boss.
0o0o0
Night had fallen over London, and Sebastian was still refusing to go back to the flat that he shared with his … with his boss. Since he left, Sebastian had walked around London endlessly. He felt lost without his job, but he refused to acknowledge it. As he walked down yet another road, he saw a quaint little art shop. On a complete whim, Sebastian went in. It was years since he had done any art. He used to love drawing. He would draw whenever he could in the army. As he looked around the spectacular array of pencils, pens and brushes, he felt a pang for his lost passion. Sebastian explored every little inch of the shop, and tucked away at the very back of the shop, was the most beautiful sketch pad he had ever seen. The cover was made from a rich, chocolate-coloured leather, and it pained Sebastian to admit it, but it reminded him of Jim's eyes. A tear came to his eye as he realised just how much he missed Jim. But then he remembered he had broken up with Jim. He snatched up the sketch book without looking at the cost, picked up a packet of pencils, and paid for it. He then spent the remaining daylight hours in a park sketching. He drew everything from what he saw in front of him to pictures of Jim.
When it got too dark to draw, Sebastian walked around London who a few more hours, too emotional to want to eat. Instead, he just wandered mindlessly until he came to an all-night pub. That was where he stayed, drinking slowly until sunrise.
0o0o0
Jim sighed, checking his watch for the thirty-third time that hour. It wasn't like Seb to be out this late, unless he was on a job. Which he wasn't. It was slightly worrying. Jim supposed he shouldn't have said something that he did, but Jim wasn't to know that his Sebbie was so sentimental. He pulled out his phone again and text Seb telling him that he was being stupid and that he should come home.
0o0o0
"Sonny, it's the morning already, and you've been here practically all night. You need to get yourself outta here. Go sit in the park across the road till you get sobered up. I don't wanna see you causing any trouble now either."
Sebastian rubbed his eyes groggily, and looked up at the American who owned the pub. "Yessir" he slurred, before stumbling out of the door.
"Oh, you left this. I picked it up and kept it behind the counter after one of the pages got splashed. It was too good to get ruined. Have a good day now." The landlord held out a plastic bag to Sebastian, who nodded gratefully before crossing the road.
He got to the park and he checked his phone. It told him the time was 5.30. The city was quiet, although the noise of traffic could still be heard. It couldn't have been long after sunrise, and the birds singing in the park were only making his headache worse. Sebastian shut out the noise and lay down on one of the benches, with an alarm on his phone set for an hour and a half later. He shut his eyes, and took a quick nap.
0o0o0
When he awoke, Sebastian felt much better, apart from the killer headache, but he had had to deal with worse after rough nights. It was just gone seven, and the city was waking up. Sebastian pulled out his sketch book and pencils, and spent another two hours drawing, and then he wandered around the city mindlessly. He walked all the way across to the other side of London before he realised that it was starting to get dark again. He was so distraught about what had happened between him and his employer that he had lost all his senses, including those of time and place. For the second time in a row, Sebastian went to sleep on a park bench, not caring how much damage he was doing to his body.
0o0o0
Jim had access to CCTV cameras of course, but it would be suspicious if he redirected them all to focus on his Sebbie. That ghastly Holmes, the boring one, would notice and have his men pick Seb up, which he could not risk happening under any circumstance. Jim knew that if Holmes could make Seb talk, then he would get all of Jim's secrets. But he also knew that Seb was a) too stubborn and b) too loyal to Jim to let slip anything. But even so, having Seb so far away from him, and not under his control made Jim feel terribly uneasy. Jim sent out messages to two of his few most trusted employees to keep an eye on him, without him noticing, with orders to report every hour, on the hour, and sufficient threats to stop them from being late.
0o0o0
It was gone midmorning by the time Sebastian woke up. Sitting up, he stretched out his extremely sore back, taking in his surroundings properly. He was sober, and his headache had gone, but because of the daze he spent the day before in, Sebastian had no clue of his whereabouts. He pulled out his phone intending to use the map to get back to the part of London he knew like the back of his hand, only to curse at the black screen. His battery had died while he slept. 'I'll have to do it the hard way then' he thought, and he set off towards the centre of the city, hoping to find a tube station where he could catch a train, assuming Jim hadn't blocked any of his cards.
It must have been Sebastian's lucky day because he found a station in less than five minutes, and he managed to pass through the gates without any trouble at all. His unclean, unshaven look earned him more than a few glares from the mothers with children, and pompous business men who were commuting to late morning meetings. He ignored them, sat down, putting his feet up on the chair opposite him. Sebastian put his earphones in, even though he couldn't actually listen to any music, because it always made people stay that extra bit further away from him, although they normally did that. It was something about his face, he thought. It always looked so murderous.
When he got off the train, stopped by an express supermarket to pick up a sandwich, a bottle of water, two packets of cigarettes, a lighter because he had managed to leave his somewhere and some deodorant. He paid on the card that Jim had given him. He figured that he would use it until Jim blocked it, which would surely be soon. Then he went back to the park he had first found himself at after he left. He smoked the first packet one after the other, before forcing himself to eat the sandwich. He hadn't eaten in days, but he hadn't felt hungry either. Sebastian sighed. Jim's crazy habits must have rubbed off on him. When he first started, he needed twice as much sleep as he does now to function properly, and twice as much food too. Then Sebastian pulled out his sketch book and looked through all the pictures he had half-filled it with. They were all of Jim; Jim sleeping, Jim laughing, Jim smiling, him and Jim, Jim handling a gun, Jim being Jim. Sebastian felt something twinge within him and a tear came to his eye, which he blinked away quickly. He spent the rest of the afternoon and the evening in the pub drinking enough for five grown men before going stumbling back to the flat he had left days before in the middle of the night, back to his Jim.
0o0o0
Sebastian came downstairs in the morning with an earth-shattering headache. He had already taken a few painkillers, so he carried on as normal, knowing his boss wouldn't be too pleased if he couldn't work today. On the sofa was Jim. He was drawing again. Sebastian leaned over to see what Jim was drawing this time.
"Why the fuck am I wearing that thing?" Sebastian said lazily when he saw the picture Jim was drawing was him smoking whilst wearing a collar.
He had to admit, he did look sexy in it, but he had never seen it before. Jim pointedly ignored that question.
"Jim?" Sebastian began much more warily this time. "What happened last night?"
"Nothing." Jim replied, his tone convincing but the awkward shift of his neck suggesting otherwise.
"Then why are you drawing a picture of me wearing a collar I have never seen, or don't remember seeing, before? We both know you only draw something you've seen yourself. So tell me what happened last night." His voice wavered between threatening and weariness, but the difference was hard to tell.
"Nothing." Jim replied again.
That was one step too far for Sebastian and he lunged at Jim, grabbing him by the collar, and pinning him up against the wall, one arm pressing into his employer's throat.
"Tell. Me." he growled.
"It was nothing really, you just had a bit too much to drink." Jim told Sebastian in a voice that was slightly higher pitched than usual.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sebastian questioned, his eyes narrowing to slits.
"You came home drunk. End of. Let me go now, I have work to do."
"And I'm a violent drunk. Are you seriously telling me nothing happened?"
"Do I look serious?"
Sebastian studied Jim carefully, his arm still barred uncomfortably against the shorter man's throat. He thought he saw a flash of fear in his boss's eyes, but when he looked again it was gone.
After another elongated moment, Sebastian removed his arm, although he kept Jim pinned against the wall by his collar. He was just about to completely release Jim when he caught sight of some purple and red markings on Jim's neck.
"How did you get those?" Sebastian asked coldly, his fingers ghosting the bruises.
Jim's reply was an awkward glance away from Sebastian.
"Oh God. So you were lying."
"Seb." Jim started. "Leave it."
Instead of doing what Jim said, he deftly undid all the buttons on his partner's shirt and hurriedly pulled it off.
"Christ." Sebastian cursed, finally releasing Jim as he himself stumbled backwards onto the sofa just before his legs gave way.
There were dark purple hand marks all over Jim's chest and neck, as well as strange markings that were not there from Sebastian's hand.
"I did this." he said, more to himself than to Jim, who was turned away and quickly redressing himself. "Why won't you tell me what really happened?"
"Fine. You came home not long before four this morning wearing that collar. You were rather … insistent that we do something-"
"-And that's how you got those marks." Sebastian interrupted faintly, Jim nodding his head ever so slightly.
His head still throbbing, Sebastian tried to think through what had happened the night before. It had started with the argument, and Sebastian storming out. He ended up at a pub getting drunk. He didn't remember anything after that.
"Was that something rape?" Sebastian asked so quietly that he was almost unheard.
Jim looked towards feet. "We're going out, why should that make sex with you unwanted?" he replied somewhat awkwardly.
"Did I force myself on you?" Sebastian tried again, his voice bordering on hysterical as he tried to come to terms with just how violent he was.
Jim said nothing.
"I did, didn't I? Fuck."
Sebastian dropped his head into his hands, his fingers pulling at his hair. He was fighting hard to keep back tears, but he was losing the battle. A strange noise escaped his throat and Jim looked around to see tears streaming down the face of his best employee.
"What's the matter with you?" Jim asked strongly.
"I used you. I raped you and abused you just like my father did to me. I swore I would never be as foul as him. And I'm not. I'm worse." The bitter loathing in his voice was clear as glass as he spat out the last words.
"I don't see why you care." Jim stated, hitting all the wrong buttons.
"Does it hurt?" Sebastian replied weakly, refusing eye contact. "Tell me the truth."
And something about how broken his boyfriend seemed compelled Jim to be completely honest.
"Yes. But I get through it. I always have done."
"Shit. I've done this before, haven't I?" Sebastian replied just as Jim realised the slip of his tongue.
"Not you." he quickly reassured Sebastian. "No, this is the first time you've done it."
"Then who?"
"All my family. I was the youngest so they picked on me."
To Sebastian's ears, Jim suddenly sounded fragile. This was the first time he'd heard mention of Jim's past.
"But it was different with you. I do understand emotions. Last night, you came home drunk after a huge argument and you wanted to know I still loved you; except you were too drink for a rational conversation. So you resorted to primal instincts - sex."
Jim started to walk closer to Sebastian, a flicker of fear still in his eyes.
"I could have stopped you if I needed too, but I knew that if I did, I would have lost you forever. So I didn't."
Jim was now sitting on the edge of the sofa, and Sebastian reached out a hand to touch Jim's cheek. Jim watched with wide eyes until he saw what Sebastian wanted, and then he closed his eyes and awaited his boyfriend's touch.
"It was different with them." Jim carried on, gentle fingers now caressing his cheek. "You were drunk and misguided last night. They did it completely sober at times. I was thrown about like a toy. I was a toy. None of my family ever loved me. I doubt they loved anyone at all. But especially not me."
Jim took in a deep breath as he felt Sebastian's fingers moving closer to his neck and the bruises he placed there.
"I'm adopted."
Sebastian's fingers stopped moving and Jim opened his eyes.
"I'm adopted. That's why my family hated me more than most. There. I've said it now. You know my last secret. Are you happy now? Run away then." Jim turned away, suddenly extremely bitter.
"Why would I do that?" Sebastian asked, hurt that Jim would think he would run away. "You know I can't stay away from you."
"Everyone else seems to think being adopted makes me cursed or something."
Sebastian opened his arms wide and pulled Jim into a gentle but close embrace. "I work for you and enjoy it. Since when was I 'everyone else'?"
Jim closed his eyes and laid his head on Sebastian's shoulder, lost for words for the very first time in his life. Sebastian didn't mind though. The time for talking was over. Now was the time for healing both their physical and their mental wounds. It suddenly occurred to Sebastian that he was probably the only person to have seen Jim so vulnerable, and he held his boyfriend closer still.
0o0o0