A/N: POV switch-up in this one! I won't do this often- only when I feel it's necessary to the plot.
Carl really, truly hated it when he had to spy on his lovely Sebastian. Or, he supposed, not his Sebastian, as it seemed all his efforts had gone to waste, and the blond really did seem to care about Jim more, despite how hard Carl had been trying. And not only had he been trying to get on Sebastian's good side, but he'd been trying to keep Jim around, too! Perhaps it was because it made him seem nice, or maybe because he felt he could outshine Jim better if the other was trying and failing, but Carl had never been able to stop himself before the urge to offer the brunet unprompted advice kicked in. And after all that, there he was, still talking to Sebastian, and clearly, clearly trying to steal him right from Carl's fingertips.
That wouldn't be so easy.
No, Carl wasn't going to let Jim Moriarty get away with that. Sebastian he could forgive- after all, it was in Sebastian's nature to be kind. Carl had known that from the start. And he assumed that Jim, the nasty little bugger he was, was probably just manipulating Seb into caring. Right? Right. That was the only way. That was the only way that Jim'd ever get more attention than Carl ever again. Because Carl was important, now. And feeling important was wonderful.
"Carl?" He heard Sally call from... elsewhere. He had better go before she got too worried. because the first people she'd go to would be Jim and Sebastian. He didn't want them knowing that he was nowhere to be found. They were smart. They would find him. He slipped quietly from his bush, before heading off to find Sally.
The rest of his lunch was uneventful. Chatting with people who still think they're better than Carl- maybe they'll never learn. But someday Carl'd be the talk of the school, if he had anything to do with it. Someday he might be Sebastian Moran's boyfriend. Someday he'd be the best. They just couldn't see it yet. But, oh, Carl could.
After school, Carl got lucky enough to run into Jim. "Hey, Jim, how are you?" He asked, faking friendliness. Like Jim even deserved his friendliness anymore. He wasn't worth it. But he needed his attention.
"Oh, I'm fine. You?" Jim replied, looking in the direction of the exit. Carl guessed he probably wanted to get home.
"Great, yeah- but, um, would you have time to talk? We've just been so out of sync, lately, and, well, you know, I thought we could... catch up, maybe? Any chance you could drop by my house in a bit?" He asked, adjusting his glasses and offering a hopeful smile. That type of thing had always-
"... yeah, I can do that. See you later, Carl."
- worked. "Yep! Bye, Jim! See you!"
Oh, how little Jim knew.
Jim didn't seem all too worried as Carl's mother let him into the house, and all the while Carl was watching him, eager to see him squirm in just a moment.
"It's so nice to see you, again, Jim! Carl's missed you, you know- he loves his knew friends, but none of them are anything close to what you were. He still talks to Sebastian, of course, he's been over a time or two- did you know that he has a girlfriend? Sally, I think- she's a wonderful girl..." Jim hates his mother, Carl remembered that much. That was one thing the boys had in common. That, and Seb.
"That's enough, Mum," Carl stated with a groan. "Jim and I will be in my room; come on, Jim."
Jim followed Carl to his room, and had opened his mouth to speak, but Carl was faster, hissing into Jim's ear before he himself even knew what he was going to say. "I know what you're trying to do, Moriarty, and I'll tell you that it's not going to work. I know you think you're Sebastian's best friend, but that is going to change, you hear me? I worked hard to win him over, and I won't have you undoing that. Sebastian Moran is going to be my best friend, got it? He's mine, and I will go to any lengths to stop you from trying to steal him away from me."
Jim looked utterly shocked. "Carl, I don't know what-"
"You know perfectly well. Don't lie to me. The consequences will be dire." He had read that somewhere. It sounded... ominous, if that was the correct word.
"Carl, just calm down, please. I'm not trying to do anything, but if Seb prefers my company over yours-"
"He won't. Not when I'm done," Carl stated. He couldn't have Seb preferring Jim. He couldn't have Jim tricking Seb into thinking he liked him more. He couldn't have Jim Moriarty ruining his life. He'd stop that at all costs.
"Carl, really, if you're trying to threaten me-" exactly what he was trying to do- "it's not working. I'm not going to entirely cut off my friendship with Seb. And, sorry to say, but there's absolutely nothing you could do about it. And if you keep threatening me, I will let someone know."
"Okay, I understand," that you can't be reasoned with. "I'm sorry," for trying to give you another chance. "I won't do it again." No, no more threats. Only actions. After a pause, Carl added, "tea?"
