They say if you go to the bridge at night, you can see them performing among the lights... swinging, swaying, flying through the air together.
They say if you go to the bridge at night and leave roses, the roses make it to the top… that the Tiger gathers them for his Magpie.
They say if you go to the bridge at night, you can hear them laughing… hear the music as they fall for each other all over again.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Jim?" Sebastian asked as he looked up at the rigging. "We've been handling the flip perfectly. They love it."
"Don't be droll, Tiger. Of course I want to do it. The twist will make it pop and really wow the audience. Choreography is all over it. They want us practicing now." Jim grinned up at Sebastian, reaching up to pat his cheek. "Oh, don't give me that look with those big blue eyes. Set up the net."
Sebastian shook his head as he watched Jim bounce away, his compact frame climbing the rigging to check things over for practice. A smirk twitched the corner of Sebastian's lips up as Jim met his gaze, one brown eye closing in a wink. With a scoff, Sebastian moved to set up the net.
A half hour later found the two of them concentrating on the choreography, flying through the air without care. Jim was elegant as he flipped and turned, body sailing toward Sebastian's large frame hanging from the pole. With skill and ease, Sebastian caught Jim, pulling him close before letting him lean out as they slid down the long pole in slow, sweeping circles, Jim's body arched dramatically.
When they reached the bottom, Jim flipped away from him, Sebastian giving chase. They moved across the space in a game of cat and mouse accented by leaps and tumbles. Sebastian chased Jim back up the pole. Jim caught a trapeze bar as it flew past him and blew a kiss when he was whisked away from Sebastian. Sebastian gave chase through the air on another bar.
The two of them swung and flipped, switching bars, continuing their game in the air. The music swelled, reaching a crescendo. So far it had been the routine they'd been doing for over a month live, and a good bit before that in practice. Jim climbed up on his bar, swinging in large, dramatic sweeps. When the music reached its peak, clamouring before plunging everything into silence, Jim dove for Sebastian, twisting his body around before tucking into a roll and then flinging his body out straight.
Sebastian caught Jim's hands, letting out a whoop of joy as the music continued and they sailed through the air. He aimed them for the pole again. Jim let go with one hand and caught it as Sebastian let go of the trapeze bar with his legs and caught the pole with his free hand. Both of them had the pole and one another, sliding down in a slow, sensual glide, Sebastian's head tucked down to Jim's.
At the bottom, Jim started to dart off, but Sebastian caught him by the wrist, the music questioning. Jim grinned, touched Sebastian's cheek and leaned up, brushing a kiss over his lips. He pressed a hand to Sebastian's chest in promise. Sebastian released his wrist and watched as Jim leapt away, dancing to what would be off stage. He leaned against the pole, fingers going to his lips as the music faded out.
Cheers went up from the crew working in other parts of the practice area and someone came by and clapped Sebastian on the back. "Fuck, man… it really sells it. I thought it was good before. You guys definitely have to keep the twist."
Jim was grinning his insufferable 'I told you so' grin as he moved back to Sebastian.
"Yeah, yeah. Shut it you…" Sebastian breathed out as he panted. "Christ, that was beautiful."
"Let's go again!"
"Jesus, Jim. Let me get a drink of water. Fucking bird, you are. Little magpie…" Sebastian kissed his forehead roughly. He jogged over to get a drink and wipe down with a towel before setting in to do it all over again.
Choreography signed off on the change two weeks later with their coach right behind them, echoing that they were ready to add it to the performance. Opening night of the new routine with the added twist, Jim was fairly vibrating with excitement.
Sebastian chuckled and kissed him. "Oi, you, breathe."
"I told you we could do this. I told you they'd love it. Love us… We'll be moved further up in the program, you wait, Sebastian… We're going to be featured performers if we keep going." Jim murmured in his ear.
"You'll be a featured performer. I'm getting too old for this shit… I'll train you." Sebastian quipped as they waited for their cue just offstage.
Jim huffed and threw his arms around Sebastian, kissing him hard before carefully fixing their makeup. "Shut up, Tiger. Fucking trainer… whatever." He winked as the lights went out on stage and they went running out.
It was gorgeous, everything was perfect. The change in choreography, though technically small, was everything. The crowd loved it. Sebastian had to grudgingly admit Jim was right.
Jim's predictions about them moving up, together, came true. They'd tried to pair Jim off with someone younger, better… but the fire wasn't there. Sebastian and Jim were a package and they sold it.
When the plans to do the act on the bridge were announced, Sebastian had his reservations.
"Christ, Jim, it's over the water… and high."
"And we can fly, Tiger." Jim retorted. "Besides, we're going to be working with netting, the city requires it."
Sebastian shook his head and pulled Jim into his lap as they went over the performance.
Practice was grueling, they worked for hours on end, six days a week to prepare for the show on the bridge. It had to be perfect, had to go off without a hitch.
Sebastian woke panting, the bed covered in sweat. He closed his eyes and swiped his hand over his face, trying to shake Jim's cry of "Tiger!" out of his head. With a sob he rolled over and clutched Jim's pillow, wrapping it to his chest and burying his face against it, allowing himself tears that only came after the nightmares.
The scent of Jim's pillow brought the day they'd met to his mind.
"Who's the new one?" Sebastian asked Victor as he leaned against a pole, watching a lithe, brown haired man work on the silks.
"Jim Moriarty. He's fucking phenomenal… just watch."
And Sebastian had… for hours, until Jim came over and stood under his pole.
"Hey, Tiger, you going to stare at me all day? Or you going to come down and take me for a drink?"
They'd been fucking within a week and working together inside a month… married eight months later between shows. They'd gone back to Ireland for their honeymoon. Sebastian's mother was the only parent they had living between them. She'd been delighted.
When she died six months later from an aneurysm, Jim had been more torn up than Sebastian.
Thirty minutes later he was dressing in the shirt Jim bought him last Christmas, the one that made Jim light up whenever he saw Sebastian in it. He pulled on his best trousers and dress shoes before stealing Jim's second favorite tie, the one Jim always insisted looked better on Sebastian. He took a deep breath, looking around their place, a small smile on his lips as his eyes found all the little touches of Jim. Before he could lose his nerve, he forced himself out.
The ride to the hospital was ingrained by now, the switch of trains, the blast of air waiting on platforms, the homeless man in the corner he gave a fiver to every three days. Sebastian stopped in front of him and handed him two, crisp one hundred dollar bills. The man reached up and caught his wrist.
"May peace find you, wherever you go."
Sebastian's smile was tight and his nod sharp. The man squeezed his wrist before letting him go again.
The hospital smelled the same, death and decay hidden under tons of antiseptic and the smell of overly bright floral arrangements people sent their loved ones. He rode the lift to the correct floor and walked the route to Jim's room by muscle memory. His brain went over the phone call from the afternoon previous.
"Mr. Moran? This is Dr. Walthers… I'm calling with the results."
The call echoed through his head.
"I'm afraid there's nothing else to be done, the damage is irreversible."
He blinked as he shook himself from his thoughts, standing and looking at Jim's form in the hospital bed.
"Hey there, Magpie."
The whoosh of the ventilator answered and Sebastian moved to the side of the bed. He tenderly smoothed Jim's hair back from his face.
"Missed you last night." And the night before… and every night since I put you in this God forsaken place…
"I think I'll sit with you for a while today… if that's alright. Stole your tie. Hope you don't mind." Sebastian turned the little MP3 player on and took up Jim's hand as their practice playlist started.
Four hours later as The Thieving Magpie played, Jim's body struggled. Sebastian sat with him, stroking his hair, whispering words of love to him. The tubes were all taken away, the ebb and flow of air from a machine gone. As though he'd planned it, Jim stopped when the music did. The tears that had threatened since Sebastian's arrival spilled, tracking down his face.
Sebastian leaned over and kissed Jim's forehead before smoothing his hair back one last time.
He lost track of how many people came to the funeral. The entire cast and crew, their friends, their neighbors. He didn't know how many 'I'm sorries' and 'If you need anything' or the inevitable 'Call us, okay?' he heard. Sebastian took Jim home in the gorgeous double urn.
"Smart choice for partners," the helpful funeral home director pointed out.
Sebastian picked the one with swirls of color that reminded him of the first time he'd met Jim.
There were friends in the flat 'Apartment, Moran, we're in America!' taking care of things, putting food in his fridge… He didn't care. Sebastian sat in his chair, staring at the urn on the mantel, and let his thoughts drift. He looked up when someone patted his shoulder.
"We're leaving… you need anything?" Victor asked, voice gentle.
With a sniff Sebastian shook his head, looking around at the clean place, the smell of food, the good bottle of whisky on the mantel next to Jim. "No," he answered, voice rougher than he intended. "Thank you, Victor…"
A sad smile and another pat were all Victor could manage before he herded the others out. When they were gone, Sebastian set to writing the letter. When he was finished, he placed it under the urn. He kissed the urn and smiled, trailing his fingers over it.
"I'll see you soon, little Magpie."
The body of a local Cirque performer was found in the river after 911 calls tonight. Witnesses report that he climbed The Brooklyn Bridge where he performed a series of spectacular aerial stunts before flinging himself into the East River.
Initial reports coming in are that the body is Sebastian Moran… Partner of Jim Moriarty, who just one month ago fell during a performance on the bridge. The fall, after Moran failed to catch him during a shared stunt, ultimately resulted in his death when safety equipment malfunctioned…
Victor looked around at the boxes in the apartment Jim and Sebastian had shared as he held the urn and a picture of the three of them at practice.
"Did as you asked, Seb… set up a trust to help people who can't afford to fly out for auditions. I'm taking you guys home…" Tucking the picture of the three of them under his arm and toting the urn, he let himself out. Victor flagged a taxi. "Airport… international departures, please."
They say if you go to the bridge at night, you can see them performing among the lights... swinging, swaying, flying through the air together.
They say if you go to the bridge at night and leave roses, the roses make it to the top… that the Tiger gathers them for his Magpie.
They say if you go to the bridge at night, you can hear them laughing… hear the music as they fall for each other all over again.