Chapter 3

Leo sighed, a long, slow sigh that said he wanted to talk, but Newt replied by burying his face in his pillow.

No, he didn't want to talk.

He still didn't.

It had been three days since he'd found out Shaw Porter—older brother of Kyle Porter—was top dog on E-wing, and he'd not left the cell since. Not even to call his brothers, not even to get breakfast, lunch or dinner. Leo had horded enough instant noodles, crisps and chocolate for them not to leave the cell.

The cell was small with their bunk, a closet, a chest of drawers and a desk piled high with books and Leo's spoils from the prison shop. He had a small TV and a kettle, and Newt had watched him make at least fifteen cups of tea.

Newt had spent most of his time lying face down on the top bunk, trying his hardest to dissociate, float off into the void where there was no pain, thought, or feelings, but his condition didn't have a switch. He couldn't turn it on or off.

It happened.

And it hadn't happened since the last time in the mental health facility when Ford had visited him and showed him the magic trick with the pill.

There had been close calls, moments where Newt felt himself slipping, Jude bleeding out in the back of the Stud Muffin's van and again when he had to wait for news on Stone in the hospital.

It had been close, but Newt had managed to fix his feet to the ground.

But when he actually needed to escape, his messed-up head wouldn't allow it.

"Damn thing," he growled. Newt clutched his hair, yanking from the roots. Firm hands untangled his fingers from his hair, then placed his hand flat on the pillow. Leo pinned it there. Newt hated that he liked the feel of Leo's hand on top of his.

"I won't let him hurt you," Leo said softly. "You know that, right?"

Newt lifted his head enough to mumble, "Mickey said, ‘The top dog on the wing calls the shots. Never get on the wrong side of him, or you'll end up six feet deep'."

"Six feet under."

"What?"

"Never mind." Leo shook his head. "You can't stay in here your whole sentence."

"Watch me."

"You trust me, right?"

"I don't know you."

Leo jerked back like Newt had struck him. He didn't trust Leo, but he trusted Stone, and Stone had put his trust in Leo, so that meant Leo was trustworthy.

Newt scrunched his eyes shut.

"Sorry. I want to trust you."

"Well…that's a start."

Newt reopened his eyes. Leo was right there by his pillow. He smiled. The white scars on his lips stretched. Newt had an irrational urge to press his fingers to them. They were all different, some only a blip of white in the pink, but the thickest one put a permanent dent in the shape of his lips.

"What are you trying to do right now?" Leo asked.

"Float away into the void."

Leo nodded, but it was awkward jerks of his head, like he didn't really understand. Because of course he didn't.

"Is this the whole dissociation thing?"

Newt knew Leo had been listening in on his conversation with Riley.

"Stone told me about it…a little. He didn't want to invade your privacy, but he wanted to make me aware of certain aspects." His gaze lingered on Newt's hair where he'd been tugging it moments before. "So I could help if needed."

"It's not happening," Newt muttered. "I can't do it on command."

"I was thinking, as I know about your condition, it's only fair you know about mine."

Newt turned onto his side. He propped his head up on his hand. "The overheating thing?"

"That's part of it. I was born with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. I can't feel pain, and I can't sweat, which means overheating is dangerous." He lifted his arm, showing Newt his watch. It was a smartwatch. "Riley sorted me this. It's not connected to the internet or anything, but it takes my temperature, my breathing rate, my heart rate. It also has preset timers, like…"

He swiped his thumb across the screen. "A timer for tea."

Newt frowned. He'd seen Leo using it when he made himself a drink.

"Fifteen minutes after I've made it, the watch beeps and I know it's safe to drink. I can't feel anything, but scolded lips swell, and then they're easily bitten, and they scar up, which you've probably noticed." Leo touched his mouth. Newt's fingers twitched as Leo stroked over the biggest scar. Leo's eyes clouded over, but he blinked the look away and fixed Newt with another smile.

"Does it hurt?" he whispered.

Leo's smile faded. "I'm lucky. Nothing hurts. Ever."

"I don't believe you."

He wasn't referring to pain, but other hurt, like being different, like having a condition no one else could understand, like not feeling the same way as everyone else.

Leo took a step back. He shrugged. "I have a timer for noodles, and soup too, and workouts so I don't overdo it, and once a week I have a check-up with the doctor. Get this, I even have timers to remind me to piss."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know when my bladder is getting full. It could explode, and I wouldn't know." He said it with a chuckle, but it felt forced to Newt. "Riley is very determined to keep me alive."

"He said you don't attend the group therapy. You don't want to shorten your sentence."

Leo shifted. "I have my reasons… So…I don't know how to politely bring this up, but…"

"I'm weird?"

"No." Leo laughed. "You stink."

"What?" Newt struggled upright. He slipped down from the top bunk, landing on his feet in front of Leo.

Leo had at least a foot and a half of height on him. "I do not stink."

"You're making my eyes water."

"Perhaps you're smelling yourself."

Leo smirked. His face split into a broad grin. "Yeah, I'd say the smell in here is part stale air, instant noodles, and me and you for not showering in almost four days."

Newt twisted to eye the cell door. "But…"

"Shaw is in the gym. Most of the prisoners are either in the gym with him or outside in the yard. This is the ideal time for us to take a shower, and I'll be with you every step of the way."

"Okay," Newt breathed. "I trust you."

* * *

They were both only wearing a T-shirt, some boxer shorts and black Crocs when they stepped out.

Newt felt eyes on his bare legs. He didn't have Leo's build; he was thin, small and pale, and the mocking wolf whistles tipped Newt's chin towards his chest.

The showers were only a short walk from their cell and up the stairs to the first floor, but it might as well have been a mile march through dangerous terrain.

"Ignore them," Leo said over his shoulder. "They're a bunch of animals."

They each had a plastic bag with shower gel and shampoo and a towel slung over their shoulders.

Leo went in first. He pointed out the pegs on the wall. "Get your shampoo and shower gel out and put your clothes in the bag. You hang them up here, then put your towel over the top of the hook. The last thing you want is your towel falling into everyone's pubes."

"Okay," Newt whispered, hurrying across the tiles.

He placed his shower gel and shampoo on the floor before reaching for his T-shirt and tugging it over his head. When he turned back to Leo, he was naked, standing with his hands on his hips.

Newt whipped his gaze to the ceiling so fast his neck clicked. He stared at the tiles above.

"Erm, Newt? What you doing?"

"Keeping my eyes up."

Leo smirked. "I can see that, but why?"

"It's unwise to look too far south."

"Newt…" Leo's sighed, exasperated. "Look at my dick already."

"What?"

"You're going to see it at some point, I'm surprised you haven't seen it yet, considering we've been sharing a cell for almost four days."

"Mickey said looking at another guy's junk is a bad idea."

"There's a difference between looking and staring. Look at my goddamn dick, Newt."

"Okay." Newt scrunched his hands up in fists by his sides and did just that. There was no embarrassment in the way Leo stood. He let it all hang out.

He looked Leo in the eyes.

"Wasn't so bad, was it?" Leo said, withholding a laugh. "Now, take your boxers off, and let me see your dick."

"What?" Newt squeaked, stumbling back.

"You can't have a shower in your boxers, and the sooner you get over this…crudeness, the better. You're going to be seeing many, many dicks in here, hopefully the majority flaccid. This place desensitises you to such sights."

Newt took a deep breath and then slipped off his boxers. He cupped himself with both hands.

"Newt…"

"Okay." He lifted his hands away.

Leo looked at him, then looked back at Newt's face.

"Huh…"

"What?" Newt asked. "What's wrong?"

"The top matches the bottom." Leo snorted.

"Of course it does."

"Come on," Leo said. He pointed to one of the cubicles. "In you go."

Newt cupped himself and shuffled over. He stepped into the cubicle, swiping one-handed for the button on the wall. The shower choked and spluttered before spitting cold water at him. He yelped, launching back, and knocked into Leo's chest.

Leo steadied him with a chuckle.

"Didn't see a spider, did you?"

Newt glared up at him. "I'm not afraid of spiders."

"Good. You've volunteered for spider duty in our cell."

Leo gave him an encouraging push. Newt tested the water with his hand before sighing and stepping under the spray. He shivered at the warmth running down his back and took a few moments to enjoy the harsh rush of water in his ears.

"Get on with it," Leo said, handing over Newt's shower gel. "I'm not soaping up your back or washing your hair. That's a step too far."

Newt glanced over his shoulder at him. All the cubicles were doorless, so Leo took his position in front, acting as the barrier between Newt and the wing. He stood casually, rolling his eyes every time Newt glanced his way.

Then he changed.

Relaxed Leo became tensed, and puffed-up-like-a-blowfish-under-threat Leo.

He stood up straighter. His expression turned stern. Newt knew it wasn't because of him, but the change came from someone else entering the shower room. Newt tried to ignore the feet slapping against the wet tiles, getting closer.

The shower in the next cubicle spluttered to life, and Newt jumped.

"Isn't this a surprise…" The voice was slow, drawn out, hiss-like almost. "Do you remember your brother was late to my appointment after you'd been such a naughty boy…"

"Back off," Leo growled in warning.

"Whoops."

Something knocked into Newt's foot. He made the mistake of looking down, blanching at the bar of soap. A foot stuck out beneath the partition, the top of it tattooed in a black-and-green snakeskin pattern.

Newt snapped his head up.

Those tattoos, that hissed-out voice. Newt remembered him visiting the back room of the bakery. He left an impression. He couldn't not. Thomas. Two-tongue Thomas.

"Thomas," Leo said slowly. "If you don't pick up that bar of soap, I'll insert it so far up your rectum it'll clean your tonsils."

"Oh, Leo, are you trying to turn me on?" Thomas chuckled.

"Now," Leo growled.

"Relax, Leo." Thomas used his foot to hook the soap and pulled it back into his cubicle. "Me and Newt have met. I offered my services the last time he was naughty, but his brother declined on his behalf."

Leo shifted. "What services?"

Thomas clicked his tongues to the roof of his mouth. They sounded wet. "A good spanking. He'd look even more irresistible with a glowing red bottom."

"Final warning," Leo said.

"I'm going," Thomas replied, stepping out of his shower. Newt sensed him standing behind him with Leo.

"That is a cute arse I'd loved to slither inside."

"You're grotesque," Leo muttered.

Newt risked a glance, only to stare at Thomas in all his naked glory. A snakeskin tattoo covered him from his feet to the top of his bald head, including his penis, which thickened as Newt stared at it.

"Too long," Leo muttered. He shot Newt a pointed look. "You're staring at it for too long."

"Shhh," Thomas hissed. "He needs a moment to take it in. It's tattooed…every inch, every angle, both inside and out."

Thomas's nose had been flattened, giving him a Lord Voldemort vibe, and Newt was pretty sure Stone hadn't been the one to perform that modification, but when Thomas's lips spread into a smile and he poked out his forked tongue, Newt saw his brother's handiwork.

"Your eye," Newt whispered.

Thomas sucked his tongue back into his mouth. Newt wasn't referring to the black orb in Thomas's right eye socket, but his other eye, the one he could still see out of. There was no snake eye contact lens but a blue iris that seemed surreal matched with the dark colours of his tattoo.

"Riley's trying to get my contacts the okay," Thomas said, folding his arms. "The governor is protesting, but they're part of me, part of my identity."

Newt took a step closer, mesmerised by the unique shade of blue.

"How about it?" Thomas asked.

Newt frowned. "How about what?"

"A little fun in my cell."

Newt backed up, smashing his skull into the tiles beneath the shower. "What? No."

Thomas made a sound of disappointment. "Remember, my cell door is always open, if boredom gets the better of you and you change your mind…either of you…or both, that could be something."

Leo shook his head. "No thanks."

Thomas's feet slapped against the tiles as he left.

Leo relaxed again.

Newt sighed and lathered up his body. He scrubbed his hair and let the water cascade down his back.

"Are you done?" Leo asked. "I need a shower too."

Newt nodded, re-cupped himself and waddled out of the cubicle. Leo shielded him from the open window that faced the wing as he scuttled over to his peg. He snatched up his towel and covered himself.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now are you okay to dry yourself, or do you want some help with that too?"

Newt squinted. "I'm capable."

"Good." Leo chuckled before stepping into the middle cubicle. "What the hell happened just then?"

"Huh?"

"You and Thomas, it was like he was hypnotising you."

Newt shook his head. "For a second, I thought I recognised him."

"You did recognise him. Your brother treated him at some point, or that's the impression I got from your conversation."

"Yeah, he did." Newt frowned. "But…it doesn't matter."

"You sure?"

Newt nodded.

Leo turned around.

He lathered himself up and stepped under the spray. Newt tried not to stare at his back, but Leo's skin was patchy, red, and sores shone. Other patches were white, and yellow, bumpy with thick skin. Burns, Newt realised, and lots of them.

Leo shuffled around again. He lifted his face to the spray, closing his eyes. Newt looked at him. Wide and muscular, he had a trail of dark hair leading down from his belly button, getting thicker the closer it got to his cock. He was flaccid, and once Newt's mind got over the shock of seeing his cock, he noticed more scars. Unlike Leo's shoulders, the marks on his upper thighs were straight, horizontal, and evenly spaced.

Leo stepped out of the spray. "Too long."

Newt jumped and looked at the ceiling again. "Sorry, I…"

"Don't worry about it."

Leo didn't take long to tug his vest and pants on, then they were both making their way back to the cell to get dressed.

Newt didn't ask about the scars.

Leo paused towelling his hair. "So, I was thinking…it's about time you phoned home. Your brothers are probably freaking out."

Newt tugged on a sweatshirt, sorted his messy hair, then nodded.

Leo led him to the phones, then stood with his back against the wall.

Newt slid in his card and dialled Stone's number.

"Newt?"

He blinked. The phone had only rung once.

"Is…is that you?"

Newt clutched the phone in both hands. "It's me."

His eyes welled up at the relief in Stone's voice. "Thank Christ, hey, Mick, Robin, Newt's on the phone."

Newt let out a wet snort as he heard Mickey and Robin calling for him.

"No Jude, though, he's at the hospital?—"

"Oh God, Luck?—"

"He's awake, Newt. Luck's awake."

Newt sucked in a breath. "Yeah?"

"He woke up the same day you got sentenced. He's going to be okay, just grouchy as hell at being cooped up in hospital, and he literally won't let Jude leave his sight."

"They kissed and made up?"

"Yeah, they're going to be fine. Luck did some grovelling; Jude did some blubbering. Hope apparently videoed the whole thing, but I haven't seen it yet. How…how are you?"

Newt glanced at Leo. "I'm okay…thanks to the bodyguard you hired."

Stone breathed out harshly. "Leo told you about that?"

"He told me."

"And how do you feel about it, about him?"

"You trust him?"

Leo met Newt's eyes.

"Yes," Stone replied.

"Then I trust him too."

Leo grinned, looking entirely too smug. Newt bit his lip to keep from smiling too.

"Good," Stone exhaled. "That's good. He's been looking out for you?"

"Yeah." Newt narrowed his eyes slightly. Leo frowned in reply, mouthing "What?" as he hiked up one eyebrow.

Newt put on his best innocent voice.

"Today he made me look at his dick."

Silence from Stone.

Leo's mouth popped open.

"And afterwards he asked to see mine."

Leo's eyes were wide and darted all over the place. He shook his head, still with his mouth agape.

"He said my top matches my bottom."

"What the hell, Newt?" Leo breathed out in a rush. "That's not how it was."

Newt covered the bottom of the phone with his palm. "Kinda was." He winked, then lifted his hand. "Stone? You still there?"

"Yeah, I—I'm still here, and I think me and Leo need words."

"I'm messing with you." Newt laughed. "Leo's been great."

An eery hush fell over the wing. The prisoners, who had been mostly ignoring Newt and Leo, fell silent, but their eyes were glued to the gate.

Leo stiffened as three prisoners stepped onto the wing. Newt recognised the man with the kitchen-floor haircut, and the other guy—Bull—with black eyes and a nose splint in place. But the guy between them, strolling onto the wing like he owned the place and everyone in it, he was new. He wore a tight long-sleeved top and black gloves. His black hair was cut short, and notches were shaved up his sideburns. His chin and top lip were dotted with stubble, and his eyes were black, fixed on Newt.

The prisoner didn't smile. Neither did the guy with the patterned head, but Bull lifted his shoulders and gave Newt what he read as an apologetic grimace.

"Newt?" Stone said in his ear.

Newt couldn't breathe.

Leo stepped away from the wall. With everyone watching, he moved in front of Newt, blocking him from the trio. They stopped and postured, exchanging glares. Leo didn't back down. The prison guards watching didn't get involved.

Newt looked around Leo to the man in the middle, the man he knew was Shaw.

Shaw attached his dark eyes to Newt, then he smiled. It was predatory, shark-like, then he laughed, knocking his shoulder to Bull's. He strolled by without saying a word.

"Newt!" Stone shouted.

Newt startled. "Sorry? What?"

His heart thumped in his chest, jogging his whole body.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I…I've got to go."

"But—"

Newt tore his phone card out, cutting the call.