Love & Hate

The simple way to put things is that Tyson loves and is afraid of both Sebastian and [the] Jim[s], but it's way more complicated than that.




Tyson will freely admit that he loves his owners, he is completely smitten by Moriarty and will do anything to please Jim, but Tyson has never meant this in a romantic way. It's not untrue to think that on some level Tyson's attraction is romantic, but he isn't full aware of that and it isn't the driving force of the emotion. For Tyson, love is the only way to quantify how he feels about Jim and how willing he is to lay his life down for the criminal. But this isn't something that's returned.

Yes, Jim can be affectionate with Tyson and show that he cares about his Pup; but Tyson doesn't believe, and has no reason to think, that Jim loves him. He isn't expecting Jim to ever feel that way and doesn't need him to, Tyson loves Jim because he loves Jim. It's as simple as that. He isn't pining for anything more, not that he'd turn it down if more was offered.

Tyson and (his 'canon') Sebastian were in a romantic relationship. Tyson loves Sebastian and the sentiment was/is returned. In the beginning this was a mutant, consensual relationship. Tyson was then manipulated, by the promise of affection and love then later violence, into a position where he couldn't say no and had no choice but to go with Sebastian.

Despite everything, Tyson still loves Sebastian, though wishes that he didn't any more, and knows Sebsatian still loves him too. Tyson doesn't want this. He wants to be completely done with Sebastian and continue his life without him, but he can't. Tyson knows he will always come when Sebastian calls.

The difference is that Tyson doesn't expect Jim to return his love and that's perfectly okay, whereas Tyson knows that Sebastian returns his loves and that is terrifying.

Being afraid of Jim Moriarty and Sebastian Moran is, in the broad scheme of things, very sensible. Even though he is in a relatively safe space as a shared pet of the Moriarty Mirrors, Tyson knows better than to think he is safe; James Moriarty is a dangerous man and to be feared. For obvious reasons, Tyson knows to be afraid of The Colonel and knows what he's capable of first hand. However, even these two emotions are very different.

With Jim, Tyson knows to be afraid but at the same time he knows that, largely, he's safe. So long as he keeps himself interested and useful for Jim, he's unlikely to be gotten rid of and he knows how not to annoy the criminal; avoiding his wrath. Tyson knows to be afraid of Jim, but he's rarely given a reason to be.

More times than Tyson cares to remember, he's been on the receiving end of Sebastian's anger. He knows to be afraid of Sebastian and has been given many good reasons to be afraid of the other man. Yet, Tyson doesn't fear Sebastian as much as Jim. It's fear of the unknown.

Yes, Tyson is terrified of Sebastian, but he knows what to expect from the sniper. He knows what Sebastain is capable of, but Tyson also knows what he is capable of surviving from The Colonel. Tyson can guess all he likes, but he doesn't know what Jim is capable of dishing out and he doesn't know if he could survive it.