the king's crown | j. moriarty (18+)

nine

ELIZABETH LET the thought develop in her mind as they sat there, nibbling her lip again and their glasses of alcohol untouched.

"I-" And as Elizabeth thought, she imagined that whole changed lifestyle. The lifestyle of an untouchable man who walked an untouchable walk in designer wear, with the most heavenly yet devilish expression and the power of an army at his fingertips. If that were her, and she did it for a living, if she had the power to create and destroy so effortlessly-the world's first successful fairytale villain; she couldn't help that think maybe she would revel in such a thing. Heroes themselves destroy to get to their own way, to save who they believe is good, so what makes good and evil so drastically different? They did practically the same thing. What made James Moriarty so convincingly evil when he was sat innocently opposite her drinking red wine and smiling at much to ordinary girl?

"I think I would."

A starter of soup arrived in front of her, steaming and smelling delicious and she smiled at the man taking a long, hungry look at the brunette. It was as if she would disappear at any given moment. There was a content silence for a while, Jim with the same placid yet entertained expression and Elizabeth with her childlike intrigue, smiling up at him constantly, "What makes you a criminal, Jim?" She asked after his food arrived also.

"Crime." The girl scoffed at the humour in his rolling eyes and grinned at the sound of entertainment mixing once again with that Irish hum.

"Yes but why?" At that, James squinted and shrugged, honest.

"I get bored Elizabeth. So very easily." Picking up her spoon, she nodded and blew on the liquid.

"That's understandable, I do too." Though she never contemplated killing someone: "I guess I just never invested my time so productively." The criminal chuckled, watching her again push the brown strands out of her eyes- Why her?

"How can you just go outside by the way, if you're a criminal-or just walk out of court?" She shushed her rising voice, looking around with anxious eyes and an apologetic frown to which James hadn't even reacted to. Elizabeth smiled after that and shook her head; he was impossible.

"I think you've asked me enough questions now, darling." He leant forward and Elizabeth felt aggravation pull at her; she wanted to know. "My turn." She nodded, blowing her spoon again.

"Your family." He stated simply, watching her eyes flicker to and fro.

"That's not even a question, James."

"You're nervous." He retorted, eyeing her as she shifted and refused to let her expression alter. If he hadn't known better, he would've almost been impressed at how she reacted to him with such ease. How she knew full-well he was a very dangerous person but still, it was almost like she was too, because she seemed to like it.

"You're intimidating." But she couldn't be, she was too honest, too introverted-to innocent to be such a thing.

"I'm a criminal, Miss Dallon." Her mouth opened to respond but closed again with the tilt of her head.

"I guess that's fair." The male repeated the question to her and Elizabeth took a second to sip her soup a little longer. Refusing to look away from him. "I don't speak to either of my parents."

"Why?" She placed down her cutlery, crinkling her nose like he'd seen her do twice before and she rolled her lips together,

"I just don't."

"Why?"

"Do you speak to yours, Jim?" James didn't reply or even alter, he just waited until she sighed and gave up her attempt at changing his conversation. She knew he wanted her to continue and to be honest, Elizabeth didn't even know if he'd heard her say it at all.