A/N: I just enjoy writing from this point of view, might eventually plot out an actual alternate s4 with Moran as the main antagonist, but meanwhile I'll keep writing scenes with him
Reading You Will, isn't necessary but it gives more of a look of how I imagine Moran
You will smile at the couple having a loud discussion in the middle of the aisle.
You see that they are standing in front of the gondola dedicated to the newborn and toddler items. The man — short, blond, left-handed — is wildly gesticulating with an infant breeze baby butt fan, while the woman — short, blonde, pregnant — rolls her eyes. Both of them are currently unarmed, but the man is ex-military and the woman is a trained assassin; you think through multiple plans to incapacitate them as you approach them.
"Welcome to Mothercore, where catering to a mother's needs is our core value, how may I help you today?" you can feel the muscles pulling at the right side of your lips lag a second behind the left; you are used to only using one half of your face when you smile. You practiced these words and the intonation countless of times, you also studied the other sales associates say the same thing. You will mimic them perfectly.
The man and the woman both speak at the same time.
"We're all good here," he said.
"Yes, we'd like some help," she said.
You will blink as you wait for them to come to a consensus. People did not like being stared at.
"Mary," the man spoke through his teeth, "we got this, we can get everything and be out of here in 10 minutes. We don't need some..."
A beat. Then man looks at you and squints.
"Sales associate?" you offer the struggling man.
another beat and the man shakes his head.
" — Sales associate getting involved."
The man is still holding the baby butt fan, but he has stopped waving it around. You notice the gold band around his finger and see a matching one on the woman's hand. They were married, you knew that already, but now you were stuck thinking about their ever present risk of degloving and ring avulsions. It makes you feel some sort of way.
"Honey, we've been here for half an hour already and the only thing we've grabbed is a fan," she raises her eyebrows as she gestures to the object in her husband's hand. "Which was not on the list, by the way"
You will look around, mostly for show, but also to take a stock of your surroundings. The store is not particularly crowded and no one has entered in the past 10 minutes; the customers are mostly women in their mid-20's and early 30's, but there is a couple of children zooming around and exactly 4 men. The quickest route of escape was clear.
The man sighs, so you turn back your full attention to the couple.
"You know I'm right, love" the wife looked back at her husband with a closed lipped smile. Her head and shoulders were back and only one of the corners of her mouth was raised. A smirk, you reckon.
The man's eyebrows lower and pull together as he frowns. He crosses his arms, but says nothing more. The fan remains in his grip.
The wife shifts to address you. She smiles widely, but her eyes don't crinkle.
"My husband and I were shopping for our first child, and it's been kind of overwhelming," her voice takes a different tone when she addresses you, more silvery. More fabricated.
"Yeah?"
"I mean there's just so many products here and we don't even know what half of them even do," she laughs lightly and you copy her. Her husband stands back staring with what you think is at the very least discontent, at worst probably anger.
The woman continues.
"Like, what's even a peepee teepee?" You tilt your head and frown briefly.
A what?
You will resume your customer service expression, though. Whatever that thing is, it is unimportant and not part of the job.
You blink, your shoulders didn't drop fast enough. You needed to practice that.
"Isn't that lovely..." she says it in a way that makes it sound like she doesn't think it is lovely at all.
Suddenly, a phone beeps. Then beeps again.
You know that alert. It isn't your phone.
Then man scrambles to get his phone out from his pocket and in the process the fan falls and hits the floor. It makes a loud sound, but you are used to loud sounds so you simply look at the thing.
"I'm sorry, Mary. It's Sherlock and he needs me. Rain-check?" Watson looks back at his wife, eyes wide, eye-brows raised. Expecting.
She rolls her eyes with her full body, but a smile is present. Her eyes crinkle this time.
"Yeah, yeah. Tell Sherlock I said hi," she shakes her head as her husband runs out of the store.
"You guys know Sherlock Holmes?" You say while picking up the fan. It's broken.
"Yup"
"Cool," you hand the woman the fan and she frowns. "What else are you looking to buy today?"