TheDarkestShinobi: This is a short one, sorry. I'm trying to calibrate my 'take' on TRF. I spent so much time on this story today but a scene that happens in the future that honestly curls my toes. Ugh! Still, can't skip around when publishing. I have fully figured out the John/Moriarty dynamic in the future but still trying to get Jim and John.
Start
John places the teacup down and shakes his head. It does taste off but he did take half of it in a gulp. He takes a long blink as the world around him starts to sway. He opens and closes his mouth a few times as his head sways and Sherlock narrows his eyes.
"It wasn't me this time." He answers John's question as he looks around. John tries to glare at Sherlock but his head is swimming. Sherlock looks to John and remembers their case. How he saw Moriarty under the drugs, that his biggest fear is Jim taking John. Only it is not a fear, it is a reality, and one he can do almost nothing about.
"I suppose I should leave you here for Moriarty to collect; or rather Jim."
"You're a bloody arse," John slurs as he slows.
"Highly functioning sociopath," Sherlock winks as he stands. "Though I do admit, I'm interested to see if you'll re…ber… case…hat bl…."
…
"Am I just so easy to drug?" John groans as he walks into the living room before sitting at the table. Jim tilts his head back and forth as if considering the question.
"Yes." John taps his foot and Jim types something up on his laptop. John grabs a glass of water and Jim watches him drink from it. Jim sees the acceptance in John's eyes and it washes over him with such force he finds it hard to speak. Still he breathes and forces the words out.
"For example, I could have poisoned that." John doubts that the criminal would go through so much trouble to repeatedly kidnap him just to poison his water, even if Jim wasn't the criminal. At least, John thinks, not as much of a criminal as Moriarty. "Tea, twice in a row?"
"Did you?" John looks into the glass and Jim wants to laugh.
"No." John takes it at face value and finishes the glass.
"There." Jim sighs before turning back to his computer. John fetches his book from the bookcase and sits at the table to read. Interesting. That's the closest John has chosen to be to him when not threatening violence. He must believe. Jim alternates his gaze from the computer to John and only stops when John catches him. He wants to bring it up but the words won't come out. It's been so long with no one but Kate to see him that he wants to cry, get to his knees and look John in the eyes to beg 'do you see me? Am I real?'
"What?" John asks and Jim smiles fondly. John narrows his eyes before closing his book.
"Wet your lips," John's eyebrows shoot up, "and wait for symptoms." John looks back to his empty glass.
"Symptoms?"
"Stinging, Tingling, burning, numbness, discoloration. Symptoms." John nods to himself and picks up the glass cup to fiddle with it. There was a silence that was quickly stretching to awkward so Jim was going to turn back to computer but John spoke.
"How long?"
"At least a few minutes. Only get food from sources you trust."
"Hm." John acknowledges as he taps his book on the table. Jim is able to type up a sentence before John speaks again. "Thank you." Jim's head snaps up to see the genuine thanks in John. "Jim." He's not quite sure how to process it so he stares as John goes back to his book and as John reads the next few pages.
When John excuses himself, Jim doesn't look up to watch him go. He's going to burst with questions soon. Jim hears a phone vibrate and looks to his sitting next to John's on the table. The vibration is in his jacket and Jim fishes the phone out before reading the text. Jim sits up straighter as he reads the words. He leans forward in his chair and his face turns blank.
"Don't doubt me." Moriarty looks up as he growls. His hand rubs his chin and he purses his lips. "Positively boring." The phone vibrates again and Moriarty stands, pulling on the bottom of the T shirt as if it were a blazer. "Plebian."
He blinks rapidly as Jim's memories return to him. He stares down the hall that John disappeared into. He knows. Jim has managed to capture Johnny boy. Moriarty begins to think of a plan but his phone vibrates again and he growls as he reads the message. He looks back to the hallway before shaking his head. In the grand scheme of things John is nothing. He walks out of the apartment to see Moran leaning on the wall.
"Moran, send Johnny boy home." He turns down the hall without waiting for a response. He rereads the message before clenching the phone and lowering it. "A demonstration of power then," he says out loud as he turns the corner, "and maybe I'll properly introduce myself to John then." He puts his hands into his pockets. "Without the ropes." He shrugs.
"Crown jewels." He decides and grins as he walks down the hallway.