Disclaimer: I do not own anything. At all.
Chapter 4: And So It Begins
Home…The concept of such a place was somewhat foreign to Sebastian. During his years in the military, he had moved wherever his troop went, never staying in a single place for a long time. And really, his childhood was quite horrendous, so where he grew up was definitely not a home at all.
Home.
If he lived long enough under Moriarty, would he come to find the place home?
"So , this is where you'll be living from now on." Moriarty stated after the two of them arrived at his flat, rocking on the balls of his feet as unlocked the front door.
Sebastian didn't know what he expected.
At a first glance, the inside of Moriarty's flat looked…normal. Mundane even. But at a closer look, quite a few things were…off. In the living room especially, paintings hung crookedly off the wall. Moving closer to a better look, Sebastian found that the paintings contained similarly grotesque faces, all frozen with an eternal, silent scream or a wail on their acrylic mouths
"Come! Let me show you the whole place now!" Moriarty called, beckoning for Sebastian.
Sebastian tore his gaze from the odd paintings and hoisted his quickly packed bag further up his shoulder before walking towards Moriarty. Silently, he shadowed his new boss as Moriarty led him throughout the flat and showed him the few rooms in the flat.
"This room?" Moriarty said, jabbing a finger at a white door. "If I'm in here, under no circumstances are you to go in there. Ever. Even if I don't come out for months. Got it?"
Sebastian nodded. What could be in there? Was this where Moriarty kept hostages and tortured them for information? Was this where he perhaps kept secret files? …Was this where his Jasper worked?
"Aren't you coming? Hurry up now. It's getting late…" Moriarty said, tugging Sebastian's jacket in an effort to make him move away from the door. "Besides…don't you want to see the cellar? I think you'll find it quite lovely." He continued.
Sebastian moved away from the door and followed Moriarty down the stairs.
"Okay…okay just go over there and stand." Moriarty said, pointing into the darkness of the unlit basement.
"How am I supposed to know where there is if I can't see it?" Sebastian wryly retorted.
"Just go!" Moriarty yelled.
Sebastian sighed and walked where he hoped "there" was.
"Okay look!" Moriarty excitedly said as he flicked the lights on.
Sebastian blinked. "I…am looking at a blank wall." He amusedly said, crossing his arms.
"Gah! You're facing the wrong way! I told you to go there…NOT where you are right now. Just turn around!" Moriarty snarled, stamping his foot.
Sebastian turned around and immediately saw rows and rows of wine bottles neatly aligned along racks bolted into the wall.
"Isn't it marvelous?" Moriarty said, hopping down the last step of the staircase. "I suppose you can have some from any bottle anytime. Well, except from this 2001 bottle of St. Cosme. That's mine…You wouldn't believe all the trouble I went through to get it." Moriarty said as he pointed to a rather expensive looking bottle.
Sebastian wordlessly pulled out a bottle from his own bag and placed it on the rack.
"Macallan's 18. That'll suffice." He said, turning to a rather amused Moriarty.
"This foul Scottish stuff? Well, fair enough...Whatever works for you. And now at least I don't have to share any!" He said, staring at the sole bottle of scotch among rows and rows of wine. "Let's go." Moriarty continued, snapping his fingers at Sebastian to follow him to yet another room.
"Your room, Sebastian." Moriarty said as he waved a hand in front of a door down the hall. "Get your stuff unpacked, and dinner will be served in an hour. I'll be cooking steak and a few sides for us…" Moriarty continued before walking presumably towards the kitchen.
Sebastian slowly walked into a room that was apparently his now. It was really just a simple bedroom with white, boring walls devoid of any decoration or furnishing.
Unzipping his bag, Sebastian pulled out all of his few clothes and simply dumped them in his closet. Then, he carefully took out all his extra weapons and ammunition on the bottom of the bag and placed them in an empty drawer. When he was done, he simply sat on his bed and was left to his thoughts.
But, what was he doing here?
Sebastian was still in a mild state of silent disbelief. He had somehow landed a job and a new flat mate, and somehow, the revered and feared consulting criminal was a few rooms over cooking him dinner, for God's sake. How could this prolific criminal legend just allow some sniper like him not only get such an important job after a simple meeting, but also live with him after a day of acquaintance?
He could be killed easily any moment Moriarty wanted, and Moriarty just trusted Sebastian with knowledge of where he lived. Why? Surely Moriarty knew of the risk.
What type of game was this?
"Sebastian?" Dinner's done!" a sing-song voice echoed down the room.
Sebastian shook himself from his thoughts, and made his way to the dining room, determined to ask is boss just why.
OoOoOo
Halfway through a dinner of filet mignon and various vegetables, the previous polite conversation the two of them held slowly dwindled into silence, save for a few forks and knives tinkering softly against plates.
Well it was now or never.
"Why did you let me this close to you?" Sebastian dared to ask.
"You know, it's a gamble both ways. You could betray me any time you want. I can kill you any time I want." Moriarty nonchalantly said as he delicately sliced his meat.
"Of course. The consulting criminal and his new pet." Sebastian drily muttered back as he stabbed a piece of carrot with his fork. Even now in these early days, Sebastian knew what he was to Moriarty.
"I like you already!" Moriarty beamed from the opposite of the table, waving a knife in Sebastian's direction. "I'm sure we'll have loads of fun, Boss, in these days to come." Sebastian snorted before going back to his steak.
"Oh, yes…Imagine all the bodies and the rubble left by us. What fun! I can't wait to give you your first high-profile assignment. This is going to be magnificent." Moriarty sighed, thinking of all the havoc he could cause with his new pet.
And that was that.
Sebastian was just a fun pet to have. But, what would happen if Moriarty would get bored with him? Sebastian didn't want to think of that now...
After a bit of more…casual conversation, Sebastian finished his dinner, and simply sat in silent turmoil. Should he just…get up? But, what if Moriarty got offended? Would he be killed? …Should he stay a moment longer? Should he just sit here until his new boss was done with his own dinner?
This was ridiculous. Sebastian pushed away his abnormally ridiculous thoughts and rapidly stood up, his chair loudly scooting backwards.
"Thanks for dinner, Boss." Sebastian said. He didn't need a middle-aged man to tell him he was excused from dinner like he was a toddler.
"No problem, Sebby." Moriarty said, causing Sebastian to stare pointedly at the man. "Here, shall I grab your plate for you?" Moriarty continued as he stood up as well.
"It's fine." Sebastian gruffly said, taking his plate as well as Moriarty's to the sink.
"Well, if there's one thing I can't stand, it's filth…no matter what scrumptious food was cooked from it all." Moriarty disgustedly sneered at the pile of dirty dishes and pans.
"Here, I'll do it, Boss….though I never knew washing dishes was in my job description…" Sebastian offered, turning on the kitchen sink.
"No, I'll do it. It's your first day, after all…" Moriarty said, pushing Sebastian away from the sink before picking up a sponge. Sebastian snorted to himself before heading to Moriarty's living room. It wasn't very often that one saw the feared Moriarty scrubbing dishes with sickly yellow rubber gloves.
Sebastian then walked towards the living room, picking up a discarded newspaper from the floor on the way. Sitting on one of Moriarty's couches, Sebastian opened up the wrinkled papers. What was wrong with the world today?
So, with the sound of his new boss washing dishes in the background, Sebastian read the news. Today, some group of people successfully robbed three banks all at once. How…amateur. Sebastian knew one bloke who robbed five all by himself in a single period of time…
A few moments later, Sebastian noticed the absence of running water and dishes knocking lightly together. Lowering his newspaper slightly, Sebastian was met with a sickly smirk and a pointed gaze from the Irishman sitting in front of him.
"Sebby…Do I have your loyalty?" Moriarty casually asked out of nowhere.
"Yes, though if you keep calling me that, then we'll have some issues." Sebastian dismissively replied, refocusing his attention to the newspaper article he was reading.
Moriarty sighed and lifted himself off his armchair and walked to the couch before he lightly plopped down next to Sebastian.
"How interesting…It's time I told you about the one thing I consider worth dying for in this world. And then we'll see if that newfound loyalty still remains." Moriarty stated, snatching the paper out of Sebastian's hands.
"Fine. Go on, then." Sebastian disgruntledly said, turning his head to face the man beside him.
"Have you ever heard of Sherlock Holmes?" Moriarty asked, closing his eyes and smiling to himself.
"I believe I've read quite a few things about him in the news. So, I suppose so. Isn't he some sort of a private detective?" Sebastian replied, unsure of where this was leading.
"He's so much more than that…Our minds were made for each other…And, in this dull world, only he understands as well exactly what it is like to have such beautiful minds above all the other pitiful humans' comprehension." Moriarty murmured.
"Well, that's nice, Boss…How pleasant of you to think the rest of humanity are average and not worth your consideration." Sebastian retorted.
"It's nothing personal, Sebastian. It's just…he knows what it feels like…to be so different…to be bored all the time…It's refreshing, you know…" Moriarty continued on.
Sebastian simply stared. Moriarty seemed to be talking as if Sherlock and he were the last two beings of a species left on the world. Clearing his throat audibly, Sebastian attempted to interrupt Moriarty's ramblings. "I've only been with you for a day…just one day…but I know there's more to you than just this. Men like you love to win and know they're superior to everyone else. You're going to destroy him aren't you?"
Moriarty opened his eyes in surprise. "Who knew you could be so clever?" He said. "But, yes…You're quite right. Toying with him is all too fun, but I'll end him someday when I've won this little game we're playing."
"Game?" Sebastian simply asked.
"Yes…I'm sure you'll figure it out soon enough. But, you do need to know that I would be willing to do whatever it takes to win…It's such a noble cause after all…For Sherlock Holmes himself…" Moriarty ecstatically said. "And, I expect you to do the same…To do whatever it takes." Moriarty continued.
Sebastian remained silent. What a day it had been…This man…this odd little man had plucked him out of whatever life he had been living and brought himhere…into this crazed world of sophisticatedly organized crime and some bloke called Sherlock. Did he…did he owe him anything? It usually would take years and years for loyalty to be earned. Could he really just throw his life at Moriarty and hope for the best?
"Now, I must ask again…Do I still have your loyalty, Sebastian?" Moriarty asked, leaning closer to him.
"Yes." Sebastian firmly said without any further hesitation. To hell with it. It had been only one day, but Sebastian Moran was genuinely intrigued with this Moriarty and what he had to offer.
And his life was essentially forfeit anyways.
"It seems that I have made a good decision choosing you…But, do keep in mind that from now on, Sebastian….Your life is tied to mine." Moriarty said solemnly, his expression darkening for a split second to heighten the severity of his words.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! :) Now that I've posted a new story though, hopefully I can manage this one and the other one without forgetting about the other one. But because I have never had any alcohol, I do hope all of the minor details in this chapter are accurate.
