The ride to Jim's flat took just under half an hour, and most of it was spent in silence. When the car stopped, Jim stepped out without a word and began walking toward the building, fully expecting Sebastian to follow him. Sebastian bit back a comment at the lack of manners, and instead followed wordlessly behind his new boss. As they walked through the common rooms of the first floor, he noticed how everyone in the room seemed to gravitate around Jim – they cleared the way for him, or nodded their heads, one even pushing the button for the lift. Sebastian was slightly impressed.
"They're all your men?"
"Of course. I own the building."
Sebastian was only somewhat surprised. He had heard that Moriarty was rich, but this was simply extravagant. The building was obviously expensive, filled with golden patterns etched on the walls and a grandiose chandelier hanging from the ceiling. He couldn't help but think that this was too ridiculous for any one man to own - and from what Moriarty had said, he had several more like it. Just how much money did this man have? Before he could consider it farther, the lift doors slid open and he and Jim stepped inside. Jim pressed the button for twelve - the top floor.
Sebastian snorted. "Top floor? Is that supposed to be some symbol of your power?"
"Do you really think I need one?"
Sebastian had to concede the point. Moriarty's name itself was filled with power, and even the way that the man held himself screamed that he was in charge. Now that he knew who the man was, he didn't understand how he hadn't known it from the moment that he laid eyes on him.
"Because I didn't want you to."
"What?" He was snapped out of his reverie by Jim's unexpected statement.
He rolled his eyes. "You were wondering how you didn't know who I was from the beginning. The answer is that I didn't want you to. I'm good at many things, and one of those things is disguise."
Sebastian was silent for a moment as he thought that over. "Why did you not want me to know? Probably would have made that conversation go a lot faster."
"Yes, but I wanted to see how you would react to me. If you had acquiesced at first, to just any man, you wouldn't have been worth my time. I need someone independent. A fighter."
Sebastian grinned. "Well then, you've got the right guy." He was silent for a moment longer before he spoke again. "What would you have done if I hadn't said yes?"
Jim didn't even spare him a look. "You did. I knew you would."
"But what if I hadn't?" Sebastian pressed.
Jim turned to look at him, telling Sebastian that he already knew the answer. "Then you would be dead."
Sebastian didn't have time for a response before the doors to the lift slid open noiselessly. Sebastian's eyes widened at what he saw. He had expected long hallways with doors littering the sides, but that was far from what he got. There were no hallways, and the entire floor was mostly open. There were walls separating rooms, but it was a far cry from the typical flat that he had been expecting. Instead, it appeared that the entire floor was Jim's living quarters. The lift doors had opened into what was obviously a sitting room, though it appeared that it was rarely used. There were paintings on the walls that Sebastian was sure were worth more money than he had ever been paid in his lifetime, and he couldn't help but whistle appreciatively.
Jim allowed himself a small smile. "Wait until you see the rest."
Sebastian decided to test his assumption. "The entire floor consists of your rooms, then?"
"Our," Jim corrected.
"Excuse me?"
Without warning, Sebastian found himself with his back to a wall and Jim's small hand wrapped around his throat. As a soldier, his immediate instinct was to fight back and get himself in control of the situation, but as an intelligent man, he knew that challenging Moriarty would not be in his best interested. He clamped down on his desire to push the smaller man off of him, and instead stood still, moving only slightly to lift his throat a bit in submission. Jim grinned ferally at him, and Sebastian couldn't help but think that it reminded him of a shark. He wasn't entirely sure that the comparison was inaccurate.
"There are certain rules that you're expected to follow when working for me." He let his hand fall from the sniper's throat, but Sebastian wisely chose to stay still, back against the wall. "One of those rules is that I detest having to repeat myself. So don't ask stupid questions when you heard what I said just fine the first time."
Sebastian allowed himself to relax slightly, every movement careful. "Are you implying that I'll be living with you?" he asked warily.
Jim let out a heavy sigh, as though annoyed at the man's stupidity. "Of course." When Sebastian merely stared at him, he continued. "You're to be my bodyguard as well as my sniper. I need you nearby at all times, including in my flat, just in case some idiot happens to manage to make their way up here. I could handle them myself, but…really, why should I, when I have you?" He looked bored with the conversation.
"You met me barely an hour ago, and you're already trusting me to be your bodyguard? To be in the same flat as you while you're sleeping?" Sebastian was incredulous. There were men he had known his whole life that he didn't trust that much, and never would. Though, he supposed that he would have to trust Moriarty with it now. It didn't matter - Moriarty could kill him no matter where he was. The surprise, though, was that Jim trusted him.
"Yes." Jim told him, as though it were obvious.
Sebastian pushed the issue. "What if I decided to kill you?"
"You won't." Jim was confident.
Sebastian nearly sneered. All his life, people had been intimidated by him. He wasn't used to being talked down to, and he didn't like it. "How can you be so sure? You wouldn't be the first life I've ended, you know."
Jim smiled at him. "Oh, I know. That's half the reason I chose you. You're an excellent killer."
Sebastian let the compliment roll off him, not yet letting himself consider how Jim would know that. "And the other half?"
"Because you'll obey me without question." Sebastian merely raised on eyebrow, and Jim continued. "Well, with a little training, at least."
"I still haven't even accepted this job offer of yours."
Jim began walking throughout the flat. "Yes you have."
Sebastian began to mutter a protest, but Jim turned, pinning him with a look.
"Moran, do not question me farther. We both know damn well that you've already accepted this position, and now you're only pushing your limits to see how much you can get away with. If you hadn't intended to accept, you never would have followed me out of the pub, and you certainly never would have let me push you up against that wall when you could have easily over-powered me. Now, I'm going to go change clothes. Make yourself comfortable."
As Jim walked out of the room, Sebastian stood gaping at him for a moment. All of what the smaller man had said was true, but Sebastian hadn't expected him to be perceptive enough to pick up on it. No one had ever read him as easily as this man seemed to be able to, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. Instead of thinking too hard about it, he sat down on the sofa nearest to him, hoping that he was allowed to touch it. Jim had told him to make himself at home, after all, but he wasn't sure exactly what privileges that allowed. He didn't want to cross Jim - he knew that for sure.
When Jim came back out into the room, he was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt. Sebastian raised his eyebrows, surprised to see the man in such a casual state of dress.
"What? You thought I wore three-piece suits in the privacy of my own home? That would get a bit uncomfortable, wouldn't it?"
Sebastian grunted his agreement.
Jim wrinkled his nose. "Don't grunt. You aren't a caveman."
"Err." Sebastian really wasn't sure what the proper protocol for this situation was, so he went with the first thing that came to mind. "Yes, sir."
Jim laughed light-heartedly. "You can call me Jim. Or, if you're more comfortable with formality for awhile, call me Boss. That's what most of my employees call me, to my face at least."
Sebastian rolled that over in his head for a moment. "Alright…Boss."
Jim grinned at him. "Now, to talk about pay!" He clapped his hands together. "I admit, I didn't have a specific number in mind, but suffice it to say that anything you could want for will be yours. You'll be staying here, rent free. Your food will be payed for, and I will, of course, be buying you an entirely new wardrobe."
"Hey!" Sebastian protested. "What's wrong with my wardrobe?"
"Did you see the men downstairs? All of my employees are well dressed, and you are far from the exception. In fact, since you'll be so close to me, you must be even more impeccably dressed than all those underlings. You are a reflection of me, and I refuse to be seen as anything but perfect. I expect you in suits whenever we're doing official business - we'll go out tomorrow to have you fitted. For more…covert operations, you'll be allowed to dress in a more relaxed manner, but you will never, ever look sloppy. When we're here at home, you may where what you wish, but you can guarantee that it will be designer brand."
Sebastian thought that that was all rather unnecessary, but he didn't argue. He knew that it would have been pointless, and he could guess that it was one of Jim's rules that he hadn't heard about yet.
Jim continued talking. "In addition to all that, I'll set up a bank account for you, and it will always be full. You will be left wanting for nothing. If, by some chance, there ever is something you want that you can't afford, you can simply come to me, and I'll make sure you get it. I have the money to throw away, so it really isn't an issue. Understood?"
"Yes, Boss." Sebastian was still soaking up all this new information, and really had no idea what else to say.
"Great. Then let me show you the rest of the flat."
Sebastian nodded, following after his new employer.
