Page 10 of The Rat

He got to his feet and puffedout his chest. He no longer looked defeated, but stood likeagladiatorready for a fight, proud, and certain of his ability. The guardsgot twitchy, waiting for the atmosphere to explode. Rory saw oneremove his baton from his belt, and another clutch his radio.Something was about to go down—

“Teddy,” Sebastian hissed. “Ease up,yeah?”

The growling died off. Teddylooked at Sebastian, then huffed, and went backto eating his porridge as ifnothing had happened. The prison resumed breakfast, and the guardssagged in relief.

Captain sat back down, butstraighter thanbefore, alert to danger. Ollie hesitated, then started onhis porridge. He hummed in pleasure, and Rory looked over to Teddy.He was stealing secret glances at Ollie, and his lips twitched—nota smile, but closer to a smile than a grimace or asnarl.

“That was interesting,” Rorymumbled.

He could smell the sweetness,and his gut whined with jealousy.It was worse trying to eat his whenOllie’s smelled so good beside him. Ollie offered him a spoonful,then snorted when Rory narrowed his eyes.

“You want me to get pummeled?”

“Not yet, but after athousand days, I might change my mind.”

“Screw you.”

Ollielaughed and licked at his spoon likehe was enjoying it too much. He was doing it to annoy Rory, but itgot the attention of a few other inmates. They looked at him withhunger, and as soon as Ollie noticed, he ducked his head, anddropped his spoon on the tray.

“I think that’senough,”Ollie murmured.

Rory shook his head in disbelief. “Nokidding, that guy across from us is masturbating under thetable.”

“No, he’s not.”

The man in question’s body wasshaking, and his right hand was hidden beneath thetable. Hisbody shook more violently, and his eyelashes fluttered. The guardsdidn’t intervene, they pretended they hadn’t noticed, but Teddyrevved back to life.

He launched from his seat, nearenough flew over the table, and smashed the guy onto thefloor.He’ddefinitely been enjoying Ollie’s display, and Teddy punished himfor it.

He struck the man’s face, and the floorspeckled with red. Teddy was an unchained beast, snarling, andsnorting.

“Jesus,” Ollie whispered, then he coveredhis mouth.

“That’llteach you for teasing the guys inhere,” Captain muttered.

An ear-splitting siren started,and guardsrushed into the room. They demanded the inmates return to theircells, and tried to break Teddy and Masturbation Manapart.

“We’ll have to put our gymplans onhold.” Captain sighed.

Rory followed Captain up thefirst set of steps. Captain’s cellmate quivered like a leaf and darted help-meglances to his group of friends. Sebastian hung his arms over thetop landing, watching everyone scurry back to the cell. His gazelingered on Rory, then he rubbed his chin and smirked.

One of the guards pointed tohim. “Evenyou, Sebastian.”

“I’m going, I’mgoing.”

The door shut on Rory andSebastian, and he immediately bolted to his bed. Sebastian moved tothemirrorand re-wetted his hair. A stray strand at the back stuck straightup, and Sebastian cursed, cupping more water to flatten itdown

“You think hefinished?”

Rory blinked. “What?”

“That your favorite word, huh?Anything actually going on between your ears? I said do you think he finished, itwas a joke.”

Rory forced a laugh, and Sebastianflung his hands up in the air. “Forget it. I’m disappointed, Ithought there’d be more to you.”

“More to me?”

Sebastian stopped pacing andpressed his chest to the bunk. He stared up at Rory, and although he washigher, the intensity of the glare shrunk him, and pinned him tothe wall behind. Sebastian took a long time to reply, and Roryresisted the urge to tug his knees up to his chest.

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