Page 104 of Caged In

Izz watches his best friend hunch forward trying to disappear from view. Maybe hoping to teleport out of the room.

“You alright. You look a little pale,” Sinn'ous asks Izz in his usual way, expecting to be answered, arms folding over his chest. He must know Zidie wants to leave and he is blocking the exit.

A power play? Or is Sinn'ous fucking with Zid because it amuses him how much he scares others?

“No—yes. I mean. . .” Izz studies Sinn'ous’s face for any signs of anger. “I was worried you were angry at me. You stormed out pretty fast.”

He can literally feel Zidie breathing down his neck for answers. His best friend is trying way too hard to appear as if he’s not listening in on the conversation. While he’s clearly hanging onto every word.

“I wasn’t annoyed at you. You’ve done nothing wrong,” Sinn'ous states, his tone all matter of fact, hiding nothing.

“You sure?” Izz’s a little sceptical. And he’s fishing for more confirmation. “’Cause you still seem tense.”

And I desperately need to know that we’re okay. That our relationship is okay.

He can see the room slowly draining of occupants, as the inmates make their retreat. No one wants to be stuck in a small confined space with the serial killer.

“Not directed at you. Had to restrain myself, which I’ve never done. Could do with a distraction.”

Sinn'ous is referring to not killing Vince, isn’t he?

Does this mean he pulled back because of me?

Did I save Vince’s life?

What does it mean? If Sinn'ous really stopped and didn’t finish the kill because of him, what does this make Izz? Does this mean he holds influence over the most feared killer within these walls?

It’s a jittery feeling to have. One of relief and a swelling sense of pride in himself—for stopping a bad deed from occurring. His mind lightening with the knowledge he isn’t all bad. If he’s thrilled about preventing someone from dying, he can’t be all bad? Can he? Not a completely terrible irredeemable person who deserves to be locked away for life.

It’s a relief. The weight lifting off his shoulders.

“Zid, seriously,” Izz can’t hold back his grin. Half because of his friend, and half at his relief that he and Sin aren’t over, “if you couldn’t ask any louder, you’d be screaming.”

Zidie laughs, throwing his hands in the air, in an innocent gesture—like he hadn’t been silently begging Izz for details—which dies as soon as Sin’s eyes land on him.

Izz would rather have this conversation in private. Lord knows what Zid must be thinking it’s about. He happily shimmies his chair back, springing to his feet. He may also beseeking privacy so he could reaffirm, in his mind, that he and Sin are good.

We’re still together.

Even if, technically, he has not asked Sin if they aretogethertogether.

To me. We are together and no one is going to change my mind.

~~~

Izz’s much better now that he knows Sin isn’t irritated with him. Isn’t going to stop hanging out with him. Stop talking to him. He still has his escape out of this shitty prison. Into a happy little bubble where only he and Sin are allowed.

They stop at the top landing—Sin crowding up against his back—instead of walking down to the cell on the end—to spend time in Sin’s space. Izz strolls off in the opposite direction, making his way to his own cell. With Sin trailing behind him.

He sits on his bunk, patting the space beside him for Sin to join him. He smiles when Sin does so, the mattresses dipping inwards under the extra weight. Drawing Izz in closer, his weight at a disadvantage to the other’s.

“I, um. Was thinking last night.” Izz rubs at the back of his neck. Unsure why he’s so nervous, he knows Sin won’t laugh at him or judge him. Or spread gossip throughout the prison. “I would like to . . . try again. If you would like to—” His voice cracks and he cuts himself off.

Stuffing his hands into his lap, refusing to look at Sin. It’s embarrassing, how much of a virgin he’s acting like. It’s not as though he’s never been with others. He has had relationships before. This isn’t the first time he’s had sex or kissed someone.

So why is he acting like a fumbling newbie to this whole thing? Why is it different with Sin? Is it because it’s the first time he is the bottom?

A light touch brushes over his jaw, and he leans into it. Sin’s fingers curling under his chin to bring his face up to meet black eyes. The dark colourshining with more emotion than Izz’s used to seeing in the other’s masculine features.

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