Chapter Text
“Who the hell are you?” Sebastian asks, reaching for the gun he has tucked away in the waist of his jeans, looking at the stranger untrustingly. He would never say he’s the type of man to get nervous or scared but walking into a flat like the one he and Severin have been living in since the end of their first army tour leaves him on edge, no matter if the man does appear to be no more than a teenager.
It’s not like they have anything worth stealing, most things being secondhand and worthless, practically. The man hasn’t taken anything yet, it seems so it wasn’t that, plus the fact that he is sitting there, unmoving, staring Sebastian down with a look that feels as though he’s dissecting him, reading his innermost thoughts and worries. He would dare guess the man is just high and wandered into the wrong flat but this feels more intentional than that.
“You’re Sebastian Moran, correct?” He asks in an accent all too similar to the one Sebastian has, clearly they have both come from Ireland originally, though very different places, if the dialect is anything to go by.
He had been sitting on the couch, waiting for one of the two brothers to get home for a while now, and hoping Sebastian was the first one back instead of Severin. He had looked up and found where they both lived once he heard they were both back from the military for a while and decided to pay a visit, maybe do some flat shopping as well while he’s at it.
“Yes, I know my own name, what I don’t know is yours, who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my flat?” Sebastian asks again, quickly losing patients as the pistol comes out and is held at his side.
Jim notices the gun immediately and smirks, “Going to kill me, Moran. I’ve heard you’re a good shot, never miss. I’m certain if you decide to kill me you’ll succeed. I don’t think you will though,” He continues, “You like this, the not knowing the danger of it all. You’re showing me a lot about yourself right now, you know? Your willingness to fight, the ease with which you can pull a weapon.” He gets up off the couch and walks over, closer to Sebastian, walking around him slowly.
“Stop that,” Sebastian demands, turning to look at him, clearly annoyed by how the night was going. He had wanted to just come back and fall into his bed, full from dinner and a couple of drinks with some beautiful company at the pub. This was far from relaxing though.
Jim laughs, “Jim Moriarty. I was looking for someone that could help me out a little. I have a job, you see, one I’m not pleased with, mostly because I’m not the one in control. It’s been my goal to own a business such as this one but I’m still a bit young. I thought I would work here for a while, move up in the ranks and overtake it, claim it as my own. The only issue is I can’t get close to the boss and the job I have within the company is one I never wanted.”
“You’ve come to me for help?” Sebastian asks, more annoyed now than before. “Go get a gun and take care of the fucker yourself. I’m going to bed, I believe you can see yourself out.” He moves to push past Jim but he’s stopped.
“I’m a terrible shot and I’m telling you to help me, not asking, I’m not that nice. I know what I have to do to move forward in this world and I’m willing to do it. You’re going to help, how do you feel about having a job as a sniper when you get out of the military? I can offer you that. Stick with me and you will have job assurance for years to come, be my right hand at the top of my business, and make sure I’m safe. You need jobs like that, right? Rugby, one of the more dangerous sports, into the army, a sniper working his way up the ranks, you search for it and I’m telling you I can ensure you have it for longer.”
Sebastian looks at him, meeting the dark, almost back eyes with his ice blue, “You talk big but I’m not a businessman, never had any interest in that life and never will. Besides, what kind of work are you in where you’re going to need a bodyguard?” He asks, tired of the games and not knowing.
“Consulting criminal.” Jim responds, not backing down, “I’m in a crime ring at the moment, the job I have wasn’t what I was expecting and I feel I need to get out there and take over, take the job I want and work this pathetic excuse for a business into the empire I know it could be but, I hate to admit it, I need someone to assist me in that. You have the skills, you can shoot, I know your background, your abilities, all of it. I know you’re not that kind of businessman but I believe I can be. I want to be.”
Sebastian looks at him, staring for a moment before nodding slowly, “Okay, so, let me get this straight. You’re going to open up a crime business and you want me to do the dirty work for you? That’s what this is?”
Jim nods, “Yeah, that about sums it up. I don’t like getting my hands dirty but I enjoy maths, the accounting side would be great for me, and on occasion, I like to plan the murders, watch the life drain out of people’s eyes. If you’ve never seen it up close before, I’m sure you’d enjoy it too. There’s an adrenaline that comes with it,” He says, eyes glazing over, thinking back about it, playing the scene in his mind over and over, “Watching, knowing you have that power, the ability over them. Knowing it was your work and your planning, finally leading to an end for them.” With a blink, the look is gone. “There is nothing like it.”
“You’re a sick little shit aren’t you?” Sebastian asks, sounding more amused than anything, as he keeps his eyes on the other, “You’re just a child, how many people have you even killed? Do I want to know?”
Jim smirks at him, “I’m seventeen and I’ve killed two people so far. It’s been a while but I miss it. I have plans for more, if I can just find the people to use them on. Are you telling me yes, Moran? You’ll take the job.”
“God, you’re like a child.” He says shaking his head, “So, how exactly is this going to work?” He asks, going to sit down, looking at Jim, tired of standing but knowing there’s going to be more to this conversation.
“Basically like this, I’m going to be the head, the brains, top of it all. I do the planning, you carry it out. Trust me when I say I’ve searched everything I’ll be telling you to do and won’t give you anything that couldn’t be done. Most of it, I’m sure, will be sniper stuff, finding a place, waiting for the target, and taking them out. But, more than that on occasion. I need to have someone I know I can trust and I think that will be you.”
Sebastian nods, thinking it through for a moment before coming up with more questions, “When is this job going to start then? You said you’re already working for them? In a job you don’t like?”
Jim looks at him a moment, eyes seeming to get darker, face cold and closed off, more so than it was before. “I’m not sure, I’m still working on getting alone with the current boss, I’ve been working my way up and earning some money to put away for the future as well, that’s been going well.” He explains, “It should be with a year or so.”
“And you understand that I might not be around when you get to that point, right?” He asks, looking at him, “I mean some of the stints in the army are. Two years, some are four, it wouldn’t really be easy to work around that.”
Jim nods, “Yes, of course, and I understand that your army career comes first.” He responds, “I just need to make sure I have someone else in my corner to back me up when this happens. I won’t be able to constantly be watching myself, from all angles. That’s why I need you to join me. I can wait until a time that you are here to do it before you leave again, I’m not sure yet, I need a little more time to plan.” Jim admits, looking to Sebastian, hopeful but not letting it show, “Are you agreeing to do this?”
Sebastian looks at him for another moment before nodding, “Yeah, alright. I’ll join whatever insane bullshit I’m about to be pulled into. If nothing else, it sounds like it would be fun.”
A smile spreads across Jim’s face, enough to made anyone feel uncomfortable and a tinge of fear. “Alright then. You’ll be hearing from me, Moran.” He states, turning to leave.
“Wait, what if I want to get in contact with you?” Sebastian asks, watching him. “I mean, I have no information other than a name. Can’t I get your number or something?”
Jim stops and turns to him, smirking, “No, that won’t be necessary. You don’t get in contact with me. I contact you. And you will be hearing from me before the end of the week. Might be best to notify your brother in case he’s the one to find me next.”
With that, Jim turns and walks out of the flat, whistling to himself as he goes, glad that, for once, things seem to be going in his favor and he’s no longer going to need to worry quite as much about watching his own back, at least not when Moran is in.
Now, just to find someone to watch over his brother so Jim doesn’t have to worry about him constantly. At least he wouldn’t have to explain it, his actor brother having a bodyguard would be normal enough. Yes, things were going well for him for once.
Sebastian watches him leave, staring at the closed door and shaking his head, blinking, trying to figure out what just happened and what he had agreed to. Some little shit just talked him into murdering for him and he’d just gone along with it like it was nothing. So, maybe he is addicted to adventure and what others would call fear. He has to keep that in mind for later. At least his time back from work wouldn’t be nearly so boring and complacent anymore that he has to go out to play cards and cheat for the same high being an army sniper gives him. Not that the two are close in comparison.