The Transition Of Jim Moriarty To Richard Brook

Chapter 18: A Chat With Sebastian

Richard was walking, fast, too fast, his hands thrust in his hoody pockets and his head down, when the van roared up, braking suddenly with a harsh screech of metal on pavement. Richard yelped, flinging up his hands to shield his face, his eyes blinded by the headlights but the dirty grey van stopped before it could crush him. A figure was leaping out of it and Richard knew who it was before the man had pulled off his black balaclava and beamed widely at Richard.

"Hi there! We've got to stop meeting like this, but I thought you might need a friend."

 Richard stopped him before he could continue. "Listen to me. Everyone lies to me- John, Mrs Hudson, Mycroft, Lestrade...and you,"

Richard's friendly stalker had the decency to look ashamed.

Richard went on. "And frankly, I'm sick of it! Sick of feeling like half the people I know babying me and treating me like I'm too weak or stupid to know what's going on, and the other half seeming to secretly hate me. I don't even know which camp you fall into. If you're going to keep bothering me and acting like you're doing it to help me, I'm going to need you to tell me your name. Give me a reason to trust you."

"My name is Sebastian Moran."

"Ok. Thanks...Sebastian. And who are you, to me?"

"I was your- your best friend, I guess. We worked together."

"On the tv shows? The kids' shows?"

"Uh..." Sebastian looked sheepish, but then his face hardened and he reached forward, gently cupping Richard's face with a massive hand. "Have you been crying?"

Richard awkwardly patted his red, puffy face. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing. Is it that Watson? Has he done something?" Sebastian's grip tightened and Richard squirmed. "Did he hit you?"

"What? No! He's just...weird, as usual. He's never...real with me." Richard pursed his lips, feeling his face grow hot with embarrassment.

"If he does anything, says something, does something you don't like, you tell me and I'll sort him out. I mean it. Gives you a funny look. I swear." Sebastian looked so fierce, his strong brows drawn together, his jaw clenched, that Richard didn't argue. Richard ducked out of Sebastian's hold and nudged his arm.

"Thanks, but I'm fine. He's been good to me, really. But it's nice knowing you care."

Sebastian stared at him sadly. "Of course I care. I always care. I'd kill for you, Richard."

"I think people normally say 'die for you'."

"I'd do that too. I'd jump in front of a bullet, die with a smile on my face if it meant you could continue living in this world, Richard. You're supposed to be here, always. The world needs you, it's not right without you."

Richard flung his arms around him, speechless. This was what he needed, a friend. Someone who cared and wanted to listen to him, not sweep his concerns under the carpet or placate him with lies. To his surprise, Sebastian hugged him back tightly. A bit too tight, it was hard to breathe, but he didn't care.

"Come with me," Sebastian said firmly. "You'll have your answers. Please."

And Richard found himself saying yes.

Sebastian's flat was...not what Richard was expecting. He was expecting heating, working lights and a stocked fridge for starters. Instead, Sebastian led him to a filthy-looking estate, the pavement was dotted with dried chewing gum, a car alarm screeched from a nearby van but nobody attended to it, and a group of teenagers sprayed graffiti on a wall.