#ler!moran

It had been a couple of days since the Moriarty household had finished up with hosting the dreaded tea party, and everything had settled down once again. Everything, except the troubles that swirled in William's mind.

The family of three brothers sat enjoying each other's company, along with Fred and Moran whilst Jack was busy elsewhere. William turned the page in his newspaper looking up as Moran stood, pulling his coat over his shoulders.

"Right. I'd best be off then. Got a few errands to run before dinner." He announced, tugging gently on Fred's coat sleeve to get him out of his seat. "Thanks for the tea, Louis. William, Albert." He gave a nod to each brother before turning to leave.

As he did, William stared, an image flashing in his mind. Moran left him. That day, at the tea party. He turned his back and left him to flounder at the mercy of those desperately flirtatious women. He left him. How dare he!

On the surface, William was calm. Composed. He even offered a friendly smile as his friend left to continue his duties, but beneath that cool exterior, a storm was brewing. A plot for revenge. No one betrays William James Moriarty. No one.

-------

Later that same evening, before dinner was prepared, William approached Moran in the hallway, a look of seriousness on his face. "Moran. I have something to discuss with you in my private study if you could meet me there in five minutes, I have something important to discuss." He spoke quietly, earning a professional nod of acknowledgement from the other.

"Am I to bring the others?"

"No. Come alone. This only requires you." William gave a reassuring smile, heading off towards his study to prepare.

-------

Exactly five minutes later, Moran arrived outside William's study, knocking on the door. "William. It's Moran... I'm coming in." He opened the door, seeing William sitting at his desk inside.

"Close the door, please. And have a seat." William ordered, smiling softly as he watched Moran do so. So far, it didn't look like his friend suspected a thing. Why would he? William was his trusted boss and friend.

"So, Moran, I trust that you enjoyed your time at the tea party we hosted a couple of days back?" He asked, standing up once Moran was seated, moving to pour the two of them a drop of whisky. Moran watched him, smiling fondly at the memory of all those lovely ladies gathered in one place, not to mention the few who were fawning over him as he stood in the garden.

"Aye, sir. It was an entertaining affair." He chuckled, taking the drink as William handed it to him. The blonde hummed, taking a sip of his own.

"I'm glad you found it so enjoyable. I do hope the job you were given wasn't too taxing."

"Of course not, William. It was a piece of cake."

William set his drink down, standing behind his tall friend as his tone changed. "Piece of cake, you say? Then, do tell me, friend, why is it that you neglected to assist me in my time of need?"

"Sir?" Moran raised a brow, not quite catching on.

"When that woman was viciously flirting with me during my advice hearing. You saw my suffering and turned your back on me. Did you not?"

Moran froze up. How could he forget. "I-I't wasn't meant to be malicious, sir. I just-"

"Just what? You weren't actually fit to help your boss when required and lied to me about your capabilities? Or is it that you left me to undergo such torment on purpose? Mutiny, essentially." William cracked his knuckles as Moran gulped.

"No sir, I wasn't intending to-"

"You really did turn your back on me, Moran. Which was your first and last mistake!" In a flash, William dove upon Moran's sides, squeezing a massaging his fingers into the well-toned muscle, a wicked grin on his cheeks.

"Now you will-... Wh-?" William's smile faded when he got no reaction from his attack. Not even a flinch? How is he not laughing? It's like he just turned off all his nerve endings. Like he's made of stone or something! "How- Uh!" His blood ran cold when he looked up, seeing Moran's playful, smug grin and vengeful side-eye.

"Oooh, you are a scary one. Ain't ya, Lord of Crime?" He grinned, standing from his chair and calmly leaning over William to put his drink on the desk behind him. "Yep, you sure taught me a lesson."

The smaller blonde took a step back, bumping into his desk as his hitman towered over him. "I-I was only having a laugh, Moran. You know I would never truly be hurt by something so trivial." This was true. Of course William was only playing. But Moran didn't look satisfied with this excuse.

His grin softened as he grabbed Williams's wrists, holding them over his head with ease. "My turn~" He jeered, bringing his free hand to William's stretched-out ribs, starting to lightly pinch up and down his slender frame.

Each squeeze earned a hiccup-like squeak from the Lord of Crime as he flinched and jumped at the tickly zaps that sent shivers down his spine.

"Wait! Mor-Aha! I didn't Hah! Let me explAHAin! Stahap!" He blushed, embarrassed by how easily he was reduced to a giggly mess, with the defence of a wet napkin. He was so glad he shut the door, lest some prying eyes fall upon the scene. "Stahap it, Moran!"

His pleading only seemed to egg the hitman on, switching from small squeezes to continuous drilling between and on the sensitive bone. "Oh come on now, William. You should know better than to try something like that on me."

"I-I'm sahaharry! Ahaha! Nohoho!" Will gasped as he managed to slip his wrists free, making a break for the door. Just too slow. He felt the large hand of his attacker grab his shoulder, pulling him back before wrapping his arms around William's stomach, lifting him clear from the ground with ease.

"Pardon my roughness, Sir. But I can't let you go just yet." Moran grinned, shaking his fingers into William's sides, chucking as he listened to his loud, boyish laughter.

"Wahahait! Oho lord- Ahaha! Mohoran! AHA!" He grabbed and pushed on Moran's python-like grip, desperate to wriggle free from the ticklish prison. It was no use, nothing could escape the gargoyles grasp once you became ensnared in it.

"Plehehease! AHAHA!" His laughter turned to bubbly, chirping, giggling as Moran's hands started shaking into his tummy. "Ehehehe! N-Not thehere!"

"Not there?" Moran raised a brow, shifting his hands further up and sinking into the poor man's underarms instead. "How about here? Is this better, sir?" He teased, gasping as he narrowly missed a kick to the bollocks as William flailed.

"GYAHAHAHA! Nooo! AhahaAHA! P-Plehease! Oh lohord!"

"Tickle, tickle, tickle, William~ To think, you would have me suffering the same if you could. How cruel of you." Morans mocking tone only made things worse for William.

"AHAHAHHAHAAA! P-Please forgihihive meee! HAHA!" That was twice Moran almost had his jewels booted, time to change again. He set William down, quickly straddling his hips, pinning him on his back.

"No! Nononono! Wahait!"

William fought off his hands with his killer precision, but the ghost tickles were too much of a distraction and he was soon under attack again. This time Moran pinned one arm up, clawing mercilessly at the sensitive underarm as William tried in vain to defend himself.

"AAAAH! Moran! I-I'll do anythihing! Plehehease!" The boy's cheeks were red as the roses that bloomed in the garden, and wet with mirthful tears as he howled with laughter.

"Oooh, anything? Hmm... Nah." This man was evil. He just wanted to make William regret trying to attack him. His hands switched back to William's sides, shaking in vigorously as he smirked teasingly.

"Morahahan! Th-This is ridihiculous!"

"You started it!"

"A-Ahalright!" William snorted. "I-I give in! Plehehase!"

"Well, since you asked nicely." Moran smiled, patting William's cheek as he stopped his attack, still sitting upon his boss's lap. "Hehe, look at you." He smirked, referring to William's tangled hair and wrinkled shirt collar.

"I-Ihihi... I'll have to tidy... mysehelf before... Dinner."

Moran nodded, starting to poke at the tired assassin's tummy as he spoke. "Look, William, you know I respect you. Hell, I'd give my life for you. But I'm afraid when it comes to tickling, I just can't let you walk away from an attempt on me like that." He chuckled, watching him twitch and bat at his poking hand.

"Ohokay! Stop, stop... Haha... I'll remember that..." William chuckled, taking Moran's hand as he helped him up.

"There is only one man who knows how to beat me in a war of tickles. And I'm afraid he ain't you. Better luck next time though." The large man grinned, patting his friend's hair before leaving the room, winking as he shut the door behind him.