Sebastian turned fifteen on September twenty ninth. The day was cold and brisk, the heating having failed so the bedroom rattled and leaves hit the window every so often, the wind whistling and screaming. Seb had been worried Jim would be scared, but he slept peacefully all night. He'd stopped wetting himself now, although he often woke up in a cold sweat. He never told Sebastian what it was he saw in his nightmares, but Seb knew it had to be Stanley. To this day Sebastian hadn't regretted burning that man alive. Jim had suffered more pain since the incident than Stanley had in that room full of flames.
Jim was practically swaddled in blankets, back in his own bed, the top bunk. Sebastian had given him his dressing gown to wear in the night and tucked him in. It was the same thing he'd done on every cold night since Jim had been eight years old. The dressing gown was a new addition, because Jim pestered him and tried to wear it so much, but the act of curling the blankets around Jim and tucking the edges under his toes came naturally to Sebastian. Jim barely stirred throughout, just made vague humming noises that could have been content or complaint.
He acted like a little prince, commanding and expectant. Sebastian didn't mind at all. It made him happy to care for Jim, and he could sleep far easier if he knew Jim was sleeping peacefully too. Jim was his priority in life and he sure as hell wasn't going to let him down. Ever since his mother's death, Sebastian had taken on responsibility for his wellbeing. There was no-one else to step up to the plate.
"You're awake," Jim drawled from the top bunk. Sebastian wasn't quite sure how he knew that, because Seb hadn't made any real noise.
"I'm awake," Seb agreed. His own voice surprised him. It was rougher than usual. Jim didn't seem shocked by it though, so Sebastian supposed it must have changed gradually, so gradually he, himself, hadn't paid it much notice.
"Fifteen. Do you feel different?" came Jim's voice as he yawned.
Sebastian thought about it. "No. Not really."
"Well," Jim declared as the bed creaked and Sebastian spotted Jim's pale toes on the rungs of the ladder as he made his descent, still draped in blankets as though they were robes. "You've definitely grown. Not overnight, but recently. And I have too, although you haven't realised."
"I have," Sebastian argued. "I've noticed you growing. Don't you remember how short you were when you came here?"
"And I was so adorable you decided to take me in and look after me," Jim said, the familiar mocking edge to his tone. He could never help himself when he said something affectionate or sentimental these days. "Or was it the other way around?"
"You what?" Seb asked, sitting up in bed and stretching as Jim watched beside him, tilting his head to one side.
"Really, I was the one that decided to keep you, wasn't I?"
"I think you mean 'befriend,'" Sebastian pointed out lightly.
"No," Jim said seriously, shaking his head. "I mean keep. Because I mean to keep you."
It was too early for this and Sebastian was hungry for his breakfast, so he let that slip. He climbed out of bed and opened the curtains, letting in the light. He loved the brightness of a new morning. Jim, however, seemed to take personal offence every time the curtains opened to reveal a new day.
"You're the size of a fully grown man," Jim commented, and Seb couldn't tell if he was appraising or criticising.
"Still growing," Seb said as he ran a hand through his hair and started rooting through the wardrobe for a shirt. He was still excluded which meant he'd spend a day studying at home. It was boring, but better than having to show his face at school. Sophie was keeping him updated, and apparently the rest of his year wouldn't leave the subject alone. Chris was back at school and Sebastian was dreading how much he'd already let slip. He could only hope that Chris was so afraid of round two that he'd keep his stupid trap shut.
"So you'll be a very tall man, then," Jim agreed with a nod of his head. This was true. Jim put far too much thought into Sebastian as a man. He imagined owning such a person. The possibility sent a shiver of longing down his spine. "'Bastian, brush my hair for me."
Sebastian grunted and then found the brush. Jim settled on the desk chair and waited for Sebastian to get going. Seb ran his fingers through Jim's fluffy dark hair and started carefully trying to tame it. Jim was determined to look as good as possible these days. He had become more and more fussy and Seb had found him looking at his reflection a fair few times.
"What you want is some hair gel," Sebastian commented as Jim purred at his touches.
"Steal me some," Jim commanded with a sigh. His eyes were closed now as he soaked in Sebastian's gentle caresses.
Sebastian knew Jim could just as easily buy himself some, but he shrugged all the same and grunted his agreement. It would give him something to do, anyway.
"I've got you a present, you know," Jim said eventually. "You haven't even asked about it."
"Not polite to ask," Seb said with a grin.
"Did you think I'd forgotten?" Jim asked, accent thick, eyes mischievous as he turned his head slightly to look at Sebastian.
"Wasn't sure. What is it, then?"
Jim chuckled and looked back out of the bedroom window. He caught his reflection in the glass, all dark eyes and pale skin, like a ghost. Sebastian was watching him with a fond smirk.
"Well, there are two. One is just a boring object. The other is far more special."
"Yeah?"
"I won't waste time with the first one. It's under the bed and you can open it when I'm at school, otherwise you'll get all embarrassed and keep trying to thank me."
Seb nodded.
"Alright. Second one?"
Jim laughed and spun around. He reached into the pocket on his pyjama top and pulled out a tiny card, professionally printed. Seb was half expecting to see a business proposition, but when he read the words, his lips parted with uncertainty and confusion.
"What's this?" he asked, eyes still on the card.
"Read it out loud. It isn't difficult to understand," Jim ordered.
Swallowing, Sebastian began to read. "I, Jim Moriarty, owe the owner of this card, Sebastian Augustus Moran, one kiss at a time of his choosing, as a gift for his fifteenth birthday. Card is valid until my death."
Jim hummed his agreement. "That's quite simple to understand, don't you think?"
"Er… Jim?"
The twelve year old shook his head swiftly. "You don't have to claim it now, don't you fret."
"I can't kiss you," Sebastian mumbled out, still looking too stunned to think properly.
"And why is that?"
"I just… no, Jim. Christ…"
"You haven't kissed anyone, correct?" Jim asked in superior tones.
"No, I haven't," Seb admitted.
"And at fifteen you really should have."
"Loads of my mates haven't actually-"
"So," Jim interrupted loudly. "I'm volunteering. As a special favour to you."
Sebastian looked pained. Jim ignored this.
"Jim…"
"Do you want to be rubbish and get laughed at?" Jim demanded, raising his eyebrows. Sebastian was sure Jim had trimmed them recently, because they looked distinctly sharper than he recalled.
"No," Sebastian said quietly.
"Then you can kiss me just for practice."
Sebastian was still staring at him like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"No," he said firmly, looking deeply uncomfortable. "Cheers, but no. You're just a kid."
"No girl will want you if you can't kiss," Jim sing-songed at him, entirely unabashed by the less than warm reception to the idea.
Sebastian scratched the back of his neck and then stretched up into the air. Jim's eyes wandered to the stretch of tanned skin on show when Seb reached up and then returned to Sebastian's face.
Sebastian thought on Jim's statement with uncharacteristic bitterness. It wasn't like he'd be kissing any girls in the near future, anyway. Although the seed was now planted. Maybe he was too old to not have snogged anyone…
"Answer's still no, Jim. I appreciate it, but I'm not gonna kiss you."
Jim pouted.
"You love me," Jim pointed out.
"Yeah."
"What's a little kiss between friends? Hm?" Jim asked softly. His voice was persuasive, and if Sebastian hadn't been fifteen years old and logical, he might have believed there was a form of magic behind those words. Like a siren luring men to their deaths with song.
He shook his head quickly, placing the hairbrush down on the desk.
"You don't kiss your mates. You just don't. Okay? This might be one of those things you don't get, but it's like the personal space thing."
Jim was, in fact, very aware of personal space. He simply chose to ignore it came to Sebastian. In his mind, Sebastian belonged to him, so he had every right to go as near to him as he pleased. Hadn't Jim claimed him when everyone else had abandoned the blond?
"Well, don't expect me to help you next time you need it," Jim said spitefully. "I've offered to be nice but you don't like it. Your present is under the bed, just like I told you. I'm going in the bath. Come and say goodbye to me before I leave for school, and don't you dare sulk."
"Heating's not working. No hot water," Seb said.
"It will work for me," Jim declared, nose in the air.
As he flounced out of the room, he turned in the doorway with an unnervingly confident and amused expression.
"Keep the card. You'll be needing it."
With that, he trotted away to the bathroom.
Sebastian stared after him, card in his hand. Maybe it was time he got his act together? If even Jim had noticed how behind he was when it came to relationships, maybe he needed to fix that?
Maybe he would. He had boxing that evening. Time to stop being a coward.
