Jim Moriarty twiddled his trumpet lazily. "Seb." He hissed to his clarinet friend. "Seb!"
"What, Jim?" Seb hissed back.
"I'm bored."
"Well, pay attention." Seb turned back to the Director.
"But he's boring. And I memorized the music already." Jim pouted.
"Well, I haven't!"
"That's not my fault." Jim scoffed. Seb refused to respond to Jim after that. Jim whined and prodded Seb with his trumpet. Seb rolled his shoulder and continued to face the front. Jim continued prodding Seb with his trumpet impatiently. Seb batted the trumpet away and leaned forward in his chair. Jim prodded him again. Seb sighed and looked at his music. "Seb!" Jim whined.
"Stop it, Jim!"
"Sebastian Moran!" The Director snapped. "Is there something you'd like to share with the class?"
"Only that the person sitting behind me is being very annoying." Seb sat forward again, head braced on his hands. Jim pouted and kicked the back of Seb's chair, hurt emanating from him. Seb turned back and glared at Jim, and then refused to look back at him again.
Later, when they headed outside to march, Jim refused to acknowledge Seb and trailed along in front of everyone. "Look, it's the psychopath." One of the other students hissed to one of his friends. Seb rolled his eyes at his classmates. He growled internally at their comment, but was unwilling to say anything after Jim had embarrassed him that morning. Jim seemed to hear them as he grew smaller for a moment before retreating into the back, avoiding even Sebastian since he didn't bother to defend him. Perhaps Seb wasn't his friend after all.
"Look, there he goes. Probably to cry and carve more words into his arms." The students sneered.
"True words. Stupid. Retard. Psychopath. Fuck-up." The words followed Jim as he retreated and he grew smaller with each of them. Seb looked at his shoes, not sure of what to do. He decided not to say anything but kept an eye on Jim for the rest of practice. It wasn't hard, considering Jim was in front of him for most of the formations on the field. Jim did his movements obediently but was quiet for the whole practice. He said nothing and didn't glance once at Sebastian. Seb followed Jim until lunch, making sure that no-one else hurt him like the kids in band practice. If someone opened their mouth, he simply glared in their direction until they looked back at their work. Jim continued to be silent until they went back inside.
Later, during lunch, Jim was getting his food when one of the other students shoved him down. "Fucking psychopath." They hissed and Jim got up slowly, not making any movement to defend himself. Seb caught wind of what was happening, he tensed and watched to see if the bigger kids would leave Jim alone.
"Why don't you just go to an asylum already?" One of them spat.
"Or better yet, cut yourself open!" Another laughed.
Seb had finally had enough. No matter how mad or disappointed he was in Jim, nobody picked on his friend. He stalked over there and stood boldly in front of Jim. "Stop it. If you really want to pick on someone. Pick on someone your own size." He ground out.
Jim cowered behind Seb slightly while the other students sneered at Seb. "Oh, please. Quit hiding your queer boyfriend."
"No. If you want to fight it out, I'll see you later." Seb turned his back on the bullies, ushering Jim away from them.
Jim flinched away from Seb's touch. "Don't." He whispered.
"Deal with it." He said gruffly. He pulled Jim into the auditorium lobby. "You okay?"
"I'm fine." Jim mumbled.
Seb looked him in the eye. "You sure?" Jim nodded. "Alright. I'll let this go for now." Jim didn't reply and instead scurried out of the auditorium.
The bell rang and students flooded out into the hallways. All except Jim, who hung back in his last class, cleaning up his spilled supplies that the others had knocked out of his hands.
Seb came in looking for him. "Did they leave you alone, Jim?"
Jim didn't look at him. "What's it matter to you?" He muttered.
"Jim." Seb looked at him exasperated. "You know the answer to that already. Now, do you want to come to the park or not?"
"No." Jim mumbled before hiking his backpack onto his shoulder. Luck was not on his side, however, as it had been cut by some scissors and all his stuff spilled out. He looked as if he was about to cry for a moment as he looked down.
Seb pulled out his gym bag and stuffed his clothes into his bookbag. "Here." He bent down and placed Jim's things in it. Jim's bottom lip quivered before taking the bag from Seb and putting it on his shoulder.
"C'mon then. I'm guessing you missed the bus. I'll give you a ride home. Are you sure you don't want to come and watch me beat the shit out of Robbie and Carl?"
"No." Jim mumbled. "I don't need a ride. I can walk."
Seb shrugged. "You have my number if you need anything."
Seb groaned. That had been a dirty trick. He had both Robbie and Carl just about to the dirt when Dylan had come up behind him and kicked his knee out. Then everyone left, seeing that Seb was down and out of their way. He tried to sit up and look at his knee but the pain became too much and he passed out. Jim came out of his place in the shadows a few seconds later and put Seb onto his back, lugging him along without much difficulty. Seb grunted every time his knee was jostled by the uneven ground. Jim said nothing, simply continuing to lug him along. Seb finally awoke. "Jim? What are you doing?" He ground out.
"What does it look like?" Jim sighed. "I'm carrying you."
"Why?"
"Because you were unconscious."
"Wh- owwww." He started to gasp. "Ne'ermin, I know now."
Jim snorted. "Now you know."
"Where we goin'?"
"To get you fixed."
"Where?" Seb was starting to have a hard time concentrating.
"I don't know. Your house?"
"Dad's pissed out of his mind. Not good."
"Fine. We can go to Charlie's."
"Okay." Seb ground out that last word before promptly passing out once more. Jim rolled his eyes but continued to carry him.
Seb awoke slowly, unsure of where he was or how he got there. All he understood was that his knee was on fire. He groaned. Jim glanced over. "Moran?" He asked.
"Yeah?"
"Oh, good, you're awake."
"How long?"
"A few hours."
"Not bad. Why?"
"Your knee."
"Got that bit." He winced as it twinged. "What happened?"
"You went after Robbie and Carl. They played unfairly like always." Jim shrugged.
"Alright. Which was the unfair bit?" He struggled to sit up.
"The fact that they totally ambushed you."
"Oh." Seb blinked and Jim scoffed. Seb gave up on trying to sit up. "So, where are we?"
"Charlie's."
"Oh. Uh, why?"
"Because you didn't want to go home and I didn't have anywhere else to take you."
"Yeah, Dad's probably drunk…" He yawned. Jim frowned darkly but didn't comment.
"Thanks, Jim." Seb smiled in his general direction and fell back asleep. Jim was quiet for a moment before leaning over and kissing his forehead before retreating out of the room.
A few hours later, Jim awoke on the couch, blankets covering him that were undoubtedly put on him by Charlie. He yawned and rubbed his eyes drowsily. Seb snored quietly in the next room over. He yawned again before blinking around the room. A slight hitch in Seb's snores was the only indication of any pain he might be feeling. Jim stood slowly before stumbling into Seb's room. Seb lay sprawled on the bed, knee carefully held so it wouldn't hurt. Jim reached over and placed a brace on it carefully. Seb groaned and did his best to shift around. "Shh." Jim murmured soothingly. Seb settled and reached out to him unconsciously. Jim flinched before taking Seb's hand carefully. He smiled slightly and relaxed a bit more. Jim smiled softly before kissing Seb's hand softly. Seb started to snore again. Jim smiled before sitting in a chair and curling up to sleep once again.
Seb awoke later. Jim was asleep in the chair next to the bed. "What time is it?" He groaned. Jim didn't wake up. Seb sighed and hauled himself carefully out of the bed. He hopped to the bathroom and then went to sit at the kitchen table.
"Evening." Charlie greeted.
"What time is it?"
Charlie looked at his watch. "Six."
"We missed school!" Seb shot up and promptly staggered.
"I called you in."
"What about Dad?" Seb sat again and buried his face in his hands.
"He's…" Charlie faded a bit. "He's not around at the moment."
"What? What are you talking about?" He looked up at the older man.
"He's just… indisposed."
"Drunk? Dead? No, that would be too much luck on my part. Stoned, kidnapped, held against his will?"
"Dead." Charlie whispered. Seb looked at him, not comprehending with his mouth hanging open. Charlie nodded.
Seb groaned. "What now? I don't know what to do now." In his panic, he got up and started pacing on his bad knee.
"You could come stay with Jim and me." Charlie offered but Seb ignored his surroundings and kept pacing, limping now and working himself into a full blown panic attack.
"Seb?" Jim mumbled, stumbling into the room. Seb refused to stop or look up, even though his leg was giving out every other step. "Seb." Seb kept walking. "Sebby!" Jim took Seb's hand in his. Seb finally looked up, eyes wide with panic and disbelief, he looked at Jim and fell to the ground as his knee gave up. Jim caught him before he hit the ground and supported him. "Careful." He murmured, carrying him to the couch. Seb just looked at him, eyes blank. "Talk to me, Seb."
"Dad." He croaked.
Jim froze before glaring at Charlie. "Did you tell him?" He hissed. Seb looked up to the two of them confused.
Charlie shifted uncomfortably. "I may have mentioned something…" Seb zoned out, on the verge of panicking again.
Jim leaned over to Seb. "Tiger?" Seb stared at the wall, oblivious to the outside world. "Sebastian, please." Jim whispered desperately. Tears leaked from the corners of his unfocused eyes. "Sebastian!" Jim cried. In a sudden burst of motion, Seb grabbed Jim and held him to his chest, sobbing into his shoulder. Jim blinked in shock before holding Sebastian tightly to him. "It'll be okay."
"What do I do now, Jim?" Seb's voice came out in a broken whisper.
"Stay with me." Jim murmured. "Please." Seb nodded against his shoulder, unsure of what else he would do. "Good." He kissed Seb's forehead softly. Seb held onto him like he was his only port in the storm of emotions he was currently feeling. "It'll be okay." He murmured.
"What now, Jim?" He whispered.
"You're going to stay with me." Jim murmured.
"But what will I do? His stuff, the house, the guns?" He shuddered. "Don't know what to do!"
"We can go through it all. All of your stuff has been transferred here already." Jim murmured. Seb was getting overloaded. "Just relax, Sebby. It's a lot to take in." He murmured soothingly before kissing his forehead softly. Seb tried to relax, but instead started to hyperventilate. "Shh." Jim murmured. "Breathe." He rubbed soothing circles on Seb's back.
"Trying." Seb attempted to regain control of his breathing, leaning into him for support.
"Just relax." Jim murmured, continuing to soothe Seb and ignoring the comment. Seb got a hold on his breathing as he squished Jim to his chest. Jim grunted before shifting so he was still in Seb's arms but not crushed by the bigger teen. Seb buried his face in Jim's hair, refusing to acknowledge the outside world. Jim kissed Seb's jaw, murmuring soft words to him.
"I'm free, Jim. Finally free." Seb whispered in his ear.
Jim smiled. "Yeah you are."
"Free." Seb smiled, eyes filling with tears of joy.
"Mhm." Jim smiled back, brushing the tears away gently. Seb sat there for a bit, a small smile forming on his face. Jim simply sat there, brushing his hair back gently.
"What do I do now?" Seb frowned a bit, thinking.
"So, Seb, do you want to stay with Charlie and me?" Jim asked, almost as if he had read his mind.
Seb nodded, not sure what else he would do. "So, how did my old man die?"
"Drank too much." Charlie sighed. Jim's mouth became a thin line.
"Alright."
"Okay let's sleep." Jim stood up suddenly. "We have school tomorrow and I'm tired." He marched abruptly to his room.
"Okay?"
Charlie sighed. "That kid…" He then retreated to his room. "You're rooming with Jim!" He called before shutting the door.
"Okay, how am I supposed to get over there?" Seb shrugged.
Jim poked his head out of his room. "You coming? I'm tired and I want a nap."
"How do you propose I get over there?" Seb frowned at him and raised an eyebrow.
Jim rolled his eyes and helped him into the room. "You're lucky you have me around." He grunted.
Seb sighed. "Yeah, I am. Just don't let that go to anyone's head."
Jim snorted. "Like I have anyone to tell."
"I meant you, silly."
Jim blinked. "Oh." Seb smiled and shook his head. "So…"
"Hmm?"
"You sleep in the bed. I'll sleep on the couch."
"If you want." Seb shrugged and lay down on the bed. Jim clenched his jaw slightly before shedding his clothes and changing into pajamas. "You are welcome to join me if you'd prefer that instead." Seb's eyes sparkled with mischief. Jim blushed before mumbling something in reply and crawling next to Seb. Seb huffed with laughter. Jim blushed darker before snuggling close to his fri- no… He didn't know what Sebastian was, but he was more than just a friend. Right? Seb smiled and rubbed Jim's back until he fell asleep. Seb soon followed him.