Questioning My Masculinity (A Moriarty Gender Bender) [Sherlock Fanfic]

Only A Nightmare

"Moriarty!"

Jim bolted up in bed and almost screamed when he saw his sniper Sebastian standing at the foot of his bed. He knew exactly what was running through Seb's head: he was concerned about how pale Jim looked, about the fact that he had been screaming in his sleep just a few minutes before. Jim was confused until he suddenly remembered what he had been going through just a short time before and practically flew out of bed, into the bathroom, and slammed the door shut.

With relief he checked and found everything was back to normal. He staggered forward and leaned against the edge of his sink, looking at his features in the mirror. His black hair no longer spiked but tousled from sleep, his dark brown eyes no longer surrounded by very thick and feminine lashes. He was back to his old self. He would've cried if he was prone to those kinds of things, but he was back, so he didn't have to worry about spontaneous outbursts of emotions.

What was that? He still didn't entirely understand what it had been. Some kind of drug induced dream he was sure of it, but he couldn't remember what happened. While this annoyed him to some degree, he was just happy he was able to realize that it had all been a dream. A nightmare if he wanted to use mundane terms. And he wasn't going to have to deal with it anymore.

There was a light knock on the bathroom door. Jim sighed, pulling his pants back on before taking a deep breath in and out and opening the door. He was once again faced with the blue eyes of his sniper, but he felt absolutely no inclination towards the man in any way except the usual: business. It pleased him in some small corner of his mind, but it was overtaken by his usual calm demeanor as he said, "Sebastian."

"Mr. Moriarty." He said simply. He knew he didn't have to say anything, that Moriarty already knew what he had been concerned about. "You've recovered from the drug then?"

"Yes." Moriarty said calmly. "Temporary delusions. Only a minor thing really."

Both men knew that wasn't really the case, but would put that aside. It was part of their relationship after all; neither one of them questioned his strength and capabilities. Anyone who did got dealt with quickly. At the same time neither man could deny that he had been at his most vulnerable that night. Moriarty almost wondered if he would have to get rid of Sebastian, but the look in his sniper's eyes told him he was safe. With another sigh he moved passed him and into the bedroom, moving over to the closet and starting to change.

"Do we know who gave me the drug?" Moriarty asked as he slipped his pants off again.

Seb nodded. "Wisconsin's men. He must've realized we were too him and decided to try and take you out of the equation."

"But didn't realize what the drug would do." Moriarty rolled his eyes. "Ordinary people are clueless Seb. Is he at his safe house."

"Arrived there shortly before you woke up."

Moriarty found himself smiling. Of course the idiot would go right to his safe house after trying to get rid of him. He slid his shirt on and started doing the buttons saying, "Perhaps we should pay him a visit?"

Sebastian smirked and nodded. "Yes sir."

With a wave of his hand Moriarty sent Sebastian out of the room. It wasn't until he heard the door shut that he allowed himself to relax. He finished buttoning up his shirt and grabbed the matching suit jacket he needed, sliding it on and doing it up before standing there a moment staring into space. He could remember everything from the night before as clearly as any other memory he had; the sights, smells, sensations...

Leaving the closet Moriarty glanced around his room again. His mind flashed to when he first woke up in the dream; everything looked exactly the same. He grabbed his shoes off the floor and sat down on the edge of the bed, slipping them on and tying the laces. It was strange to him that it still seemed so...real. He paused for a moment and thought back to everything that happened. Of all things that drug could have caused...

He supposed it really didn't matter. It was something that happened and he needed to just move on past it. He shoved the memories as far into his Mind Palace as possible and returned back to the present. Wisconsin...of course it was him. He didn't know why he bothered working with ordinary people. They always ended up betraying him and in the end he had to get rid of him. He supposed it was because he couldn't do all his own dirty work.

A few short steps took him into the bathroom where he started doing his hair. His mind whirled through the possibilities of how to get rid of his informant; there were many options. Hm...poison maybe...I want him to suffer. Suffer for the torture he put him through. No one ever went against him without consequences. Moriarty opened the medicine cabinet to grab his toothbrush and shut it only to find himself staring at Jamie. He staggered back in surprise, but after blinking a few times his own reflection returned in the mirror.

Never speak of this...never. He shook his head and finished getting ready, turning off the bathroom light and walking over to his desk. He grabbed his phone and slid it into his pocket, taking a deep breath in and out as he moved over to the bedroom door and pulled it open. When he made it into the living room he saw Sebastian sitting there polishing his sniper rifle. Brown eyes met blue ones and Moriarty said, "Let's get this over with."

Both men walked out of the flat. Sebastian walked out without a single thought about what happened the night previous; he knew his boss could handle it. Moriarty walked out of there with one simple truth: his mind wasn't as strong as he thought.