Jim Moriarty. Hi! {{autoplay}}

“Oh, I think we’d bloody better,” came Kate’s stern response, although she did deign to accept his proposal with another laugh, “Yes”. He knelt there on that damn tea towel - and how like James that was, she thought to herself, to care about keeping his trousers clean, even at a moment like this - and held her hand in his, grinning up at her with eyes that would have melted even the hardest of hearts, let alone her own. “Thank you.” 

With her free hand, she toyed with the crucifix that she wore on a gold chain around her neck. She knew that the sacrament of marriage was not something that mattered much to him, if it mattered to him at all, but to her it meant a great deal - and it meant even more to her that he was willing to enter into it with her. For her. “Really, Jammy-” Kate’s voice came out sounding curiously choked. “-I mean it: thank you. I can’t think of anything I’d like more than to marry you. Now get up here and kiss me before I have to make you, damn it!” Laughing and crying at the same time, she tugged him back onto his feet and captured his lips in a searing kiss before he’d even had a chance to draw breath. 

I love you. Oh God, do I ever love you, you bloody bastard. Sentiments that she felt as deep down as her very soul. Sentiments that she planned to take with her into the grave. 

He laughed as she pulled him to his feet. Nearly stumbling over that bloody towel and he quickly swept an arm around her back, savoring that kiss like it had been their first. No, Jim didn’t really care much about marriage, he had never seen himself as the marrying type, because honestly, who would want to marry such a tormented soul as himself. And in came his sweet Katherine, loving him even with all his flaws not despite them. A woman who was having his child, who wanted his child. Even after Jim had had done such terrible things.

His free hand cupped her cheek, thumb caressing as he took his time showering her with kisses. Laughing against her lips and tucking a stray curl behind her ear. “‘I’ll always take care of you, Katie, you know that, right? You nor our child will ever want for nothing.” A small smile, and eyes darted towards the house. They had minutes now before her mother would return home, his little distraction would only hold her up for so long. They would have to say their good byes and hopefully by tomorrow they would be on the way to starting a new life.

“Oh wow, lucky me,” Sebastian shot back. The sarcasm with which he spoke was sharp enough to bite, but still, he wouldn’t have had it any other way; no one that he hadn’t thoroughly vetted himself was going to be allowed inside their home, or near their precious little girl.

His hands moved to Jim’s thighs, helping him to settle. Then, as they kissed, they snuck upwards, one arm snaking its way around his waist, the fingers of the other sliding into his hair. The kiss was unusually soft, unusually slow, Jim was taking his time for a change, but Seb wasn’t about to complain. He shifted their bodies closer together, opened his mouth, and -

Teeth. Yes, that was more like it.

With their foreheads knocking and their noses bumping, he gave Jim one last kiss and got to his feet, holding the other man up with his legs wrapped around Sebastian’s hips. “Better get you to bed then, love.” The sarcasm was back in full-force. “Pretty boys like you do need their beauty sleep, after all …”

“No bloodshed,” Jim teased, they were, after all, looking for someone to help Alexandra not trying to cause her any more trauma. That and there were few rooms left in the house with actual carpeting due to how hard it was to clean. Sebastian had ruined more than his fair share of furniture and linens, so much that Jim had items picked out for when they would need a new one.

His legs tightened around Sebastian’s waist, inhaling sharply while Sebastian picked him up and began to cart him off to the bedroom. Jim rolled his eyes at the act, but went back for another, more biting kiss. One with much more purpose behind it. Fingers tugging at short strands and Jim moved his mouth to Sebastian’s neck, sucking pretty purple patches onto his skin.

Sebastian groaned when Jim pulled away, protesting against the renewed lack of contact between their two bodies, and Alexandra shot him a frankly disparaging look over her shoulder she followed her father into the room. “Yes,” she said, when prompted. “That’s right, we missed you, Seb. I missed you. But I certainly didn’t miss all of that- all of that-” She waved a hand towards the doorway, her face contorted into an expression that could only be called disgust. “-Grossness. Ugh. No, So before you make me see any more of it, I’m going to bed. Well, first I’m going to shower, in an attempt to get that revolting display out of my head, and then I’m going to bed. You’d just better pray it doesn’t give me nightmares, or else you’re going to be paying for my therapy bills for a very, very long time.” And with that, she departed, disappearing through one of the inner doorways of the suite with her suitcase bumping along behind her. 

“Therapy?” Sebastian went to fetch Jim’s case in for him with a frown. “Are you sure everything’s okay, Jim? I mean, what’s got her talking like that?” The last time that that particular subject had been broached in his hearing, she had thrown the most colossal temper tantrum, so to hear her speak of it with such coolness? He was concerned to say the least. 

He dropped down onto the sofa on the far side of the ante-room and beckoned for his boss to join him, stretching out an arm across its back, ready to wrap it around Jim’s shoulders when he deigned to sit down. “Still, maybe we ought to talk about it in the morning. Whatever her reasons, it is late and she should be in bed. And I want to enjoy my surprise without a third pair of eyes looking on … What do you say, darling? Shall we, as your daughter is so fond of saying, go and … get a room?”  His grin was sharp and his eyes were bright with anticipation. “Because it just so happens that the one through there is absolutely gorgeous …”

“Oh don’t be so dramatic, Xanny,” Jim rolled his eyes but gave his daughter a small laugh. Poor thing had definately seen far more than she sometimes should of, even Jim would admit that. But he’d been trying to tone it down. Make it more domesticated than it already was. He watched as she took her things and left them alone, waiting until he heard the door shut and the water in the shower turn on before going to sit beside Sebastian.

“You know what’s wrong, Bash, don’t play daft.” He might not of known all of it, but the fact Jim had a child and that she had picked up some of his mental unstableness was enough. The fear that she’d be left alone, that Jim would leave her, had to have been a heavy weight on her mind-- and Jim knew all about mental pressures. “She’s agreed to talk to someone, that’s all, and you get to help me interview them.”

A tired sigh and Jim turned, folding up onto his knees and straddling Sebastian’s lap. He kissed him, soft and slow and with all the tenderness that he’d missed in the past few days. “My current view is quite gorgeous as well.” The issue with Alexandra would be taken care of, this getaway hopefully being a healing step for her and a calming few days for Jim as well.

A little smile comes at that. Minerva has grown up around Sebastian and has (more than once) climbed up on his shoulders to be as tall as him. She knows he’ll look after her, that her father will. As long as they’re close, she’s safe. 

“I know,” she says with a chiming little laugh, all the fear gone. There was no need to be scared And at the next question, Minerva’s eyes lit, a grin crossing her lips. She got to spend time with her father, of course, but he was often busy so having him to herself was always a treat. “Can we make sundaes? And build a big castle?” Pillow forts and ice cream– always the go to.

It will never fail to amuse him, how the most dangerous men in London would crumble to dust at the cry of a little girl. But there was the truth of it, and the reason he kept her well protected. He’d been cautious at first, bringing Sebastian into the fold-- into her life. And it had turned out to be one of the best decisions he’d made in his fucked up life.

Pillow forts. There was little else that was as amusing as James Moriarty crawling around on the floor inside a blasted pillow fort eating ice cream. He chuckled, reached out and gave her hair a ruffle. “Go on then, start building.” He would have to change, of course. Rid himself of his usual and get into a more casual t-shirt and cotton trousers.

“That’s great, thank you so much.” Pausing only to grab a fifty franc note from his wallet, which lay open on the dresser, Sebastian went to get the door. He had a curious but undeniable talent for charming customer service people; waiters, waitresses, cashiers, clerks, and even telephonists seemed to be won over by his smile and his smooth manner, and all in a matter of seconds too. The person who was actually standing on the other side of the door, though … not so much.

Seb’s schmoozy grin disappeared, and it was replaced by his usual, shark-toothed smirk in an instant. “Well,” he said. “This isn’t exactly the kind of room service that I ordered, but, I don’t know, it’s definitely what I’ve been fancying …” He took ahold of Jim’s waist and pulled him up, into a hot and hungry kiss. “What are you doing here, Jim? And what did you do with-” 

“-Hi, Sebastian.” 

Ah. “Hi, sweetheart. How are you doing?” Xan stepped shyly out of her father’s shadow, watching Sebastian’s hands, which were still curled possessively around Jim’s hips. “You look like you’ve been crying … She looks like she’s been crying, Jim. Is everything okay?” 

“Hello, Ti-” well hello indeed, no time to finish salutations before Jim was being tugged against Sebastian. Instinctively pressed tighter against him and let a hand wander to the back of his head and grasp at short strands. Forgetting, just for a moment, that Xan was still loitering behind him-- watching her father have a full on snog session with his Chief of staff.

Jim gave a half shrug, his arm loose now around Seb’s neck and he simply gave Alexandra a secretive smile. Of course Sebastian would notice those faint reddened eyes, he’d raised her almost as much as Jim had. “It’s fine, Sebby,” Jim spoke softly with a singular shake of his head, his eyes stern. A look that said, yes, she had been crying but that was a matter for them to discuss later not now. The last thing he wanted was for Alexandra to spend her days here in misery.

“Does he hide in your closet?” Minnie asked, not quite comprehending why Sebastian would want to be in a closet. Or why he would need to. He was like her father– he didn’t need to hide, not in her eyes.

On her own two feet, toes digging into the carpet, Minerva rocked. She had no reason to doubt her father. Why should she? Perhaps there were things that could have been done better over the years but it was nothing Minerva would know of, and more over her father was the sort to scare monsters away.

“Okay,” she said softly with a small nod but still braced herself a bit… but nothing. No monster. Just a box. And relief flooded her. A small smile formed on her lips and she nodded. “Yes, Papa.” Of course she understood. She was safe, and her dad would always see to it that she was.

“No, mousey,” he chuckled, “But sometimes he is in the background and you don’t see him. Protecting you.” She was the only thing he’d willingly put himself in the line of fire for. A bold statement coming from someone like himself, never letting little things like feelings show or get in the way. Unless it came to his daughter.

Jim gave her a soft smile, hand reaching out and running down her tiny arm, grasping her hand and leaning in to press lips to her forehead. “You are so very precious to me, you know that?” Amusing to think that he had been shouting about carving someones eyes out not half hour ago and now here he was, on his knees in a child’s room, soft as can be.

Youre goddamn adorable ♡

“’M sorry,” she mumbled again, mopping up her face with the sleeve of her sweater. “About your shirt, I mean.” One glance at Jim, who was always impeccably dressed and so well put together, with stains all over him, even managed to put a smile on her face - albeit a very watery, and self-deprecating one. “I’ve made a bit of a mess of it, I’m afraid.” 

It was hardly surprising then, that he wanted to change, so she left him to it, and went up to her own room to pack a suitcase. Shirts, t-shirts, jumpers and jeans were all crammed in, alongside a stack of books, her favourite pair of boots, and the softest pair of pyjamas that she owned. She had to sit on it, but finally she got it zipped shut and out into the hallway, where it was left at the top of the stairs whilst she was in the bathroom, washing her face and reapplying her make-up.

When the tell-tale signs of tears had all been hidden under foundation and concealer and the barest hint of blush, she returned to collect it, calling out, “I’m ready!” to her father; a subtle hint that he should now hurry himself up. They didn’t want to be too late to check in for their flight, after all. 

He changed, packed a small rolling case for himself and tied off any loose ends he might be leaving behind before meeting Xan at the base of the stairs. If he hadn’t known better, he wouldn’t have known she’d been crying not even a half hour ago. She could hide her emotions, same as him, up to a point anyway and that would be a key skill to have when she got older.

They took a private plane, spent most of the time on his mobile looking at potential new clients and sharing photos of the suites they’d be enjoying over the next few days. Made a small itinerary to keep her busy, including a night in one of those cabins with the glass ceiling so you could really enjoy the lights. It was rare that he got time to play doting father, but when he did he went all out.

It was entirely possible that Sebastian could have fixed it himself-- but it’d of been sloppy and painful and just overall a bad job. It hadn’t been the first time Seb had come back bloodied and Jim knew it wouldn’t be the last. Came with the job, and his precious Tiger was the best in his field and the only man Jim trusted to do it right.

He didn’t speak, not at first, just silently loaded a small syringe of lidocaine and numbed up the area around the gash. Reached for the suture kit he kept on hand and began a neat line across Sebastian’s arm. “Leave your coat, I’ll have it cleaned.” That or Jim would burn it and buy him a new one entirely.