[three years prior to A Study In Pink]
Sebastian Moran looked through his scope at the dark haired man in the window-lined room of the building next to him. The man was average height and wore a t-shirt and jeans. His back was turned to Sebastian so Sebastian couldn't see the target's face.
Sebastian was on the rooftop of the shorter building adjacent to the building his target was in. He hasn't bothered to read the target's file since he wasn't particularly find of his employer. The man wasn't paying that much for the hit, and two-thirds of it had been paid in advance anyway, so if this wasn't the right guy Sebastian knew how to make himself scarce.
He had been discharged from army service three months ago, but at least his "dear ol' da" had covered up the scandal for him before telling him never to set foot in their house again. Foolish old man, Sebastian recalled thinking, I don't have to set foot in the house to kill you. Unfortunately Sebastian's father had already finished the disinheriting process so not a penny of his late father's things went to him, and he was mostly living off of the fees he was paid as an assassin and occasionally as a part time waiter.
Move a little to the right...that's it, one more step and-
Sebastian pulled the trigger. The bullet penetrated the windowpane and entered the side of the target's head with ease. Piece of cake. Sebastian thought. Thank goodness he had been a sniper in the military or his job would be much harder.
Sebastian packed up his gun and put it in the back compartments of his cello case. There actually was a cello in there; it was good as a disguise and Sebastian could actually play quite well. He slung the case on his back using the shoulder strap (he was 6'2"; he could carry it like that) and left the rooftop via the door and staircase.
Imagine Sebastian's surprise when three burly men with guns are waiting for him on the stairs. Sebastian slid a knife from the sheathe hidden on his arm, but he only got in a few slashes before he was disarmed and pinned to the ground by a thick, meaty hand around his neck. Sebastian's head hit the wall and he swore as his vision got blurry.
"Does this count as 'attractive'?" He vaguely heard one man saying.
"How should I know? I'm not gay." Another responded.
"We can just take him anyway and let the boss decide. Come on, hurry up."
Jim Moriarty drank in the sight of the handsome unconscious man tied to the chair in front of him. He was quite pleased with this latest catch; the others had been so boring and ordinary-looking. This one was interesting.
He wore a black, high collared, long sleeved jacket with a zipper, and underneath that was a white v-neck t-shirt. He had baggy camo pants with black military style boots (and grey underpants, according to his lackeys). His dog tags had been hanging around his neck when they had taken him, but they were now in Jim's hands. He read the inscription again. Sebastian was all that was legible. The rest had been scratched out by a knife. Speaking of knives, they had found about eight knives hidden in clever places when they searched his body, and his gun was in the secret compartment of his cello case. Sebastian had military style cropped brown-blonde hair and one piercing in his left ear. He had a scar or two on his face and Jim was certain that there'd probably be one or two more scars on the rest of his body somewhere. Sebastian was muscled and tall and had stubble on his from where he had forgotten to shave. His eyes (again; according to the lackeys) were blue.
"You three can leave us. Good job today, I like the handsome ones." Jim smiled a crooked smile as the three men left the room. Jim pulled up a chair and sat in front of the unconscious man.
Jim waited a minute.
Jim waited another minute.
Jim got tired of waiting.
Jim slapped Sebastian in the face.
"What the hell?!" Sebastian jerked awake and tried to stand up, but found out rather quickly that he couldn't. His restraints were very tight and secure.
"Wellllll, look who's awake! If it isn't the little assassin." Said Jim with a crazy grin on his face. Sebastian stared at him cautiously. Those eyes were a pretty blue, the lackeys told it true.
"And who are you supposed to be?" God, even his voice was sexy.
"Jim Moriarty. Hi!" Jim patted Sebastian on the head like a dog. Sebastian glared and gritted his teeth. "I'm the man you were supposed to murder an hour ago. You shot the decoy, silly you. It was just a man as valuable as a wax dummy."
"Ah." Sebastian looked more cautious now.
"Why don't you tell me a little more about yourself, Seb? You don't mind if I call you that, do you?"
"I mind. How do you know my name?" Sebastian growled.
"Well, Seb, I don't know your full name just yet, since you scratched it out. That was awfully clever." Jim dangled the dog tags in front of Seb's face, only to stop when he got a text. "Sorry, gotta read that, just a mo,"
Colonel Sebastian Moran. Dismissed from military. Assassin for hire. Financially in danger. -C
"Well now, Mr. Moran, it's nice to meet you!" Jim said to Seb, who had stopped being shocked and now had control over his emotions so his face was a mask.
"I do wish I could say the same, but..." Seb said blandly.
"Oh, don't be like that. Here, lets make a deal! You don't like your previous employer, right?" Jim leaned forward in his chair.
"Not really."
"So, come be my personal assassin! Pay is much better I promise. You're such a good shot, too, and handsome, yes, this could work. You take orders well, I presume?" Jim watched Seb carefully.
Sebastian paused, thinking it over. "I was in the military. I take orders well enough."
"Fantastic! Great, so you get to be untied, but you have to sign a contract. And if you betray me, I'll skin you and make you into a nice pair of boots." Jim stood up and walked away from Sebastian.
"Er, can you untie me now?" Sebastian asked.
"The lackeys will do that. I don't like to get my hands dirty. I'll get them to leave you am address and phone number, I'll contact you later. You'll have to stay at my place, too, Seb, I can't have you living in some dingy flat somewhere. Catch you later!" Jim left the room and slammed the door shut. He texted his instructions to his lackeys and prepared to go to his new house in Brixton. He needed to have Sebby's new rooms prepared.
Sebastian Moran knocked on the door of the nice little house dubiously. Surely the address was wrong; there was no way this house could be Moriarty's.
A few moments later the door opened. "Seb, hi, come in, come in, kettle's just boiled." Moriarty led him through the house cheerily, showing him where the bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchen, and everything else were and letting him know that there was plenty of security in the house and multiple neighbours are payed by Moriarty. Sebastian had his cello case on his back and lugged his one suitcase around the entire time, but he knew better than to complain.
"You'll have to grow your hair out a bit, can't have you looking too much like ex-military, no no no no no. You're mine, now. Not the Queen's. Queen and country- hah!" Moriarty grinned. He watched Sebastian's face become a cool mask, devoid of emotion, and his body stiffen. Colonel Sebastian Moran did not like being laughed at.
Moriarty poured tea as Sebastian sat down in the armchair across from him. There was a coffee table in between them. Sebastian placed his suitcase and cello case next to the armchair. Moriarty delicately sipped his tea. Sebastian merely held his in his hand.
"So, boss, what can I do for you?"
