CHAPTER 48. THE MOUSE AND THE TIGER

Sebastian was about to hail a cab when one just pulled up out of nowhere. He didn't say a word just slid into the back seat.

"Sir the boss said to pick you up."

"Yeah." Sebastian shook his head, he wasn't a child he didn't need James treating him like one. He killed people for god sake, he was a sniper after all, Moriarty's enforcer and in between he was the bodyguard. Thankfully James hadnt used his little nickname lately, the one he'd come up with for Sebastian, and to Sebastian irritation the boss loved to address him as Tiger. An endearment coming from anyone else would warrant a knife to the belly.

"There is a bag there sir, Mr. Moriarty had me pick up a few things."

"I bet he did." Sebastian growled knowing the paper bag would have a damn hot pack and some paracetamol. The driver didn't reply and Sebastian was glad for it.

Ever since Sebastian reunited with James, the Irish boy, had been treating him funny. Well strike that James wasn't a boy he was a man now, although he did appear so much younger than he truly was, with his young angelic face, some people underestimated him because of it. And those people wound up at the end of Sebastian's scope or sometimes if James was feeling bored Sebastian would be allowed to use his knife.

This side of James, the concerned side, was very off putting for Sebastian. True the two had grown up together but usually James never reciprocated any kind of feelings of concern or anything really except irritation. James never held back on griping, whining or throwing a tantrum, the boy had an explosive temper, worse than Sebbs's.

He had to laugh now, this whole thing he never really saw coming, James being Moriarty a name that once spoken caused criminals to scatter like cockroaches or clamber over each other to give tribute. That kid always did like attention, negative or otherwise.

James had always been so small and skittish like a mouse, and he wasn't afraid to squeak, bite and claw to get his way. Of course it helped to have a big friend? Brother? Associate, like Sebastian behind him.

All of it was a big surprise, Sebb had been sending home money to James over the years, thinking the kid was in school and working on another scholarly thing or fuck he didn't know, a Doctorate or Phd whatever they called the little pieces of paper posh fuckers hung on the walls of their offices.

Last he heard James was offered a teaching position in some maths department at Oxford, or was it Cambridge he didn't know. He just knew that James had impressed several top schools, that was before he was even out of secondary. Sebbs had urged him to go, and the boy at first refused, he looked so impossibly young almost pleading in the way he had held to Sebbs's arm.

~0~

Sebastian tried to reassure James, detaching the kids fingers from his arms and kneeling down, James wasn't as tall as the blond, the kid was going to be twelve and he wasn't anywhere near Sebastian's height. Then again Sebb was tall for his age. Made him look older than he was, and to his advantage meaner.

"James, look at me now. You can't stay here. This place isn't for you. These people are offering you a way out of the pits. You're too smart to be wasting time here. Look what you get up to when you're bored." Sebastian had looked to Mr. Hill who ran Haven home, the older man shook his head watching the younger boy start to gear up for a tantrum.

"No."

"Now James this isn't something you get to turn down." Mr. Hill growled.

"Well it is a big decision for the lad." One of the ladies representing the Uni interjected nervously. "And we did have another young man in the area we considered and he turned us down flat. So it isn't uncommon." the woman looked affronted.

"Oh, Hilda don't take it to heart. The boy's brother did reassure us he would be attending after he graduates. He only wished to stay with his class. He wasn't mentally mature to be with an age group older than his just yet. It may just be the same with this young boy." The other woman gave a sad smile. Sebastian felt the opportunity starting to slip.

"Please give us a minute. He'll go. He's just nervous is all."

"That's a good boy Sebastian you talk to him. Ladies this way please." The old idiot Hill gave Sebastian a warning look. Sebbs knew the old fart wanted to be rid of James.

"You can't make me." The younger boy protested.

"James. You can't stay here, I'm almost too old to be here, and they'll keep you when I get booted." This was Sebastian's fear, when these recruiters came around he knew he'd found a way out. A solution.

"You want to be rid of me?" The kid growled his fists balling at his side.

"Now that isn't it and you know it." Sebastian firmly gave him a shake. "I can't keep protecting you. It's time you go off and make your own way. Besides that whole Carl thing-it was a good thing that Holmes kid wasn't takin seriously. "

"That was a year ago. He deserved what he got! I stopped him from laughing."James spat.

"Lower your voice James. Yeah, you did. And lord knows I hated the kid, but you should have let me take care of it. Now we've got eyes on us. That's no good. This is the best choice."

"You're an idiot Sebastian Moran an idiot and a trader and I hate you!" Sebastian expected the swing and he accepted it, knowing it would hurt the kid's hand more than his face. "I HATE YOU!" and James kept swinging and yelling. Sebastian just absorbed the hits. The kid just needed to get it out, better he hurt Sebastian than himself, or worse.

"It's alright." Sebastian had tried to hold the younger boy, hugging the squirming kid against him, the Irish kid eventually gave in. "You'll make friends with guys who are smart as you. Just remember to stay on your guard. I don't know how those Uni boys party but you stay clear of anything that'll impair you. And if anyone of them professors try anything-"

"those" James had sniffed. "Any of those professors."

"Right, smart arse, right. Just give old Sebby a call. I'll come running. Please, please don't kill anyone. And remember you'll be back here for the summer holiday's and Christmas. Think of all that expensive lab equipment you'll have to blow up." James had pulled out of Sebastian's hold wiping his eyes, he said nothing else. Only collected his things and Sebastian watched them drive the boy away.

Sebb knew back then James would have more opportunity, and someday make his way in the world. Own a bank or some company that brought in millions.