Page 87 of Caged In

He has no idea why David’s been such a prick to him. But there you have it. Izz knows who the asshole in the group is—

He throws his arms around a pile of clothing, bear hugging the scratchy cheap material towards a machine. Strangling the life out of the innocent prison greys in his hand. Stuffingthem into a machine in the far corner. Away from the other inmates in the laundry room. He came in here with a full heart, happier than he’s been in a long time, and David effectively killed it. Slaughtered it. Murdered it with no hesitation.

Who’s the killer now, you pompous ass—

Izz’s done. His emotions are surging, his anger seething. He no longer cares about the guards and potentially getting stuck in The Hole.

Slamming the washer’s door closed, he holds his head high as he stormsto the laundry room exit.

He’s done. He’s not in the mood for work, doesn’t want to be in the same room as David. Or any of the other inmates. Not even Reni or Zidie—who thankfully haven’t bothered him so far. He’s done with the lot of them. He should have listened to Sinn'ous and stayed in the male’s cell.

He’s rectifying the mistake now.

“Hey, where are you going?” Reni’s voice calls out to Izz from somewhere behind him but he doesn’t stop, or look back.

He ignores his cellmate, continuing to the only way in or out of this room. To the guard taking up space beside it.

The guard straightens up, opening their mouth to say something—

He is not having it. He is done with the guards’ shit too. Pulling up his shirt, he exposes the mark—Sinn'ous’s branding. He doesn’t falter at the door, continuing his storm out,slamming open the double doors. Exiting the laundry room like an unhappy bullet shooting out of its barrel.

I’m done with this whole fucking place.

27

Izz storms back to his own cell after leaving his job early. He doesn’t attempt to find Sinn'ous. With the mood he’s in he’s liable to complain to Sinn'ous to get the asshole killed. So, instead, he throws himself on his bunk and seethes at the ceiling.

Frustrated at how he’s stuck in here—circumstances which were of his own making. And hatred at everyone he is trapped with—not a result of his own choices.

It took him way too long to pass out. And when sleep wants to claim him, he doesn’t resist it and is grateful for the distraction from his own mind.

His sleep sucks. Restless, tossing and turning. Waking constantly.

Halfway through the night his stomach growls him awake, furious at him for missing two meals.

He finds food waiting for him on his cupboard. The moonlight seeping through the baby window allowing him to see the wrapped sandwich. Sinn'ous had clearly stopped by to check on him sometime before the nightly lockup. He must have been out cold.

~~~

The morning sun couldn’t rise fast enough. Pacing the floor in front of his cell’s bars waiting to be sprung free. His mood hasn’t improved much. Reni is sitting on his own bunk, thankfully keeping quiet and not pestering him.

At long last, the doors begin clanking open, running along the lines of cells. Izz’s out as soon as the lock clicks, shoving free—free of the cell, but screaming internally at the thought of the years before he’s free from this cage.

Thankfully, Sinn'ous is waiting for him. Leaning against the stairs’ railing, blocking the only way off this side of the upstairs cells. It’s amusing how the other inmates hang back, no one daring to pass Sinn'ous to get to the exit.

Izz feels immortal, the only one to set foot near the Satanic male and live to walk away from the encounter.

He grins, his mood instantly shifting as he approaches Sinn'ous, yesterday’s anger and frustration gone—shoved behind him without a second glance. It’s a fresh day. And he can choose to spend the entirety of it with whomever he wants.

He squares his shoulders, strutting his ass closer to the stairs, and the male awaiting his arrival. The one everyone else is desperately trying to avoid. He can feel their judgemental looks boring into his back. He. Could. Not. Care. Less.

Izz stops in front of Sinn'ous.

“Morning,” the male greets—pushing off the rails to stand at his full height.

“Good morning.” Izz boldly leans into Sinn'ous’s space, chest to chest with the taller male. “Thank you for the sandwich.”

He can get used to being treated like a special someone. Being greeted in the early mornings. Sinn'ous waiting for him to come out of his cell. Walking him down to the cafeteria for breakfast. Which is what the male is doing, why else would Sinn'ous be waiting?

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