The Rat

by Louise Collins

  “Why doesn’t he ask himself?”

  Ollie shrugged. “You spend a lot of time with Sebastian, and I get the impression he hates Sebastian. I don’t know why though.”

  Rory sighed, “Who knows.”

  “I asked whether he’ll help us in the gym again, but he said he was busy helping some others.”

  “Yeah, busy training those bandana-wearing idiots so they can beat the shit out of Sebastian.”

  Ollie dropped his gaze. “I’m sure he’s not—”

  “Open your eyes, that’s exactly what’s going on.”

  “There you are.” Sebastian announced.

  He approached with Teddy at his side. “We were thinking, since Captain’s no longer helping you in the gym, we’d do it instead.”

  Teddy nodded, then grinned at Ollie.

  “I’m not really feeling it,” Rory muttered.

  “That’s because I haven’t worked you hard enough yet, then you’ll feel it.”

  “Thanks, but no thanks.”

  Sebastian pressed his hands together in a prayer pose and pouted. “Please, it’ll be fun.”

  Ollie nudged his side. “Come on.”

  Rory glanced at Ollie, then looked to Sebastian.

  “Okay, fine.”

  “Love it when you’re enthusiastic.”

  Rory laughed, and the replying smile from Sebastian lit up his face.

  ****

  Everything was going fine. They’d lifted weights, worked up a sweat on the exercise bikes, and ached their thighs and biceps on the rowing machine.

  Rory’s depressing mood vanished, and he and Ollie challenged each other on the machines. Heaviest lift, furthest distance cycled, fastest singing of ‘row your boat’. Each time they took a breather, Rory had to contain himself. Sebastian grunted when he worked out. Veins popped in his arms, and his tank top stuck to his body. He panted, and his chest heaved, and Rory couldn’t look away.

  Despite the emotional turmoil raging in his head, he still got aroused, he still had desires of a sexual nature, and they’d attached themselves to Sebastian Claw.

  “Hey!”

  Rory looked up. “Sorry, what?”

  Sebastian waved him closer. “Come on, I wanna see what Captain taught you.”

  Ollie jumped up and raised his fists. “Okay—”

  “Not you, him.”

  He pointed at Rory, and he hesitantly got to his feet. “I dunno if that’s a good idea.”

  “Captain taught you how to defend yourself against an attacker, how to take them down, pin them?”

  Ollie nodded along. “Yeah, I always kicked Rory’s ass.”

  “Not always.”

  “Ollie, you’re with Teddy. It’s my turn to kick Rory’s ass.”

  Sebastian stepped back, then tugged off his tank top. Rory averted his gaze, then peeked a look. His muscles gleamed with a slight sweat, and the hair on his pectorals had darkened. His skin was taut, and Rory’s eyes were dragged down to the firm skin under his belly button, the slant of his hips, and the vein that disappeared under his waist band.

  His abdominals twitched as he waited, and Rory gulped.

  “Show me what you can do,” Sebastian mumbled.

  Rory shook his head. “I can’t do anything.”

  “Sure you can.”

  He stepped closer, grabbed Rory’s hands, then put them to his chest. “Come on, Rory, show me.”

  A blush built in his face—even his ears started to feel like they were burning up. He kept his hands where Sebastian had placed them, one on either of his pectorals.

  “What’s the problem?” Sebastian murmured. “Touch me, grab me, try to throw me down.”

  Rory’s fingers twitched of their own accord, groping Sebastian’s chest.

  Sebastian grinned, then took Rory’s hands and put them on his waist. “Here see if you can get me from here, wrap your arms around me, take me to the floor.”

  Rory couldn’t move. His hands were on Sebastian’s body, his sweaty body.

  “Or how about you get a hold of my neck?”

  Sebastian gripped Rory’s wrists, brushed them up his chest, then encouraged Rory’s arms around his neck. Rory was close enough to smell him. His skin was hot and their chests pressed together.

  “Rory, are you broken?” Ollie muttered.

  He blinked. “No, I—”

  Sebastian grabbed him, tripped him, then pinned him to the mat. The air left Rory’s lungs in a whoosh, and his eyes watered at the breathless feeling in his chest. Then he forgot every mild pain and focused on the one between his legs. He was hard, and his cock was trapped and uncomfortable.

  “Captain didn’t teach you very well if I can pin you that easy.”

  Rory didn’t reply, he was too busy trying to breathe, but his body wasn’t cooperating. Sebastian’s eyebrows tugged together at Rory’s shallow panting.

  “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “No,” Rory mumbled, then licked his lips. “I’m all right.”

  Sebastian smiled, then went to get up, but Rory grabbed a hold of him to stop him. “Wait.”

  “Wait?”

  “Yeah, just for a second.”

  Sebastian raised his eyebrow. “A second?”

  “Yeah.”

  Sebastian smirked, then sunk back down, tilting his hips forward as he did. Rory bit back a moan, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from rolling up into his head. He couldn’t keep his unwanted arousal a secret from Sebastian, but he hoped with some luck, the rest of the inmates wouldn’t notice his hard-on.

  Sebastian flexed his hips again, then whispered, “That feel good?”

  Rory shivered, and slid his hands down to Sebastian’s hips.

  “Stop it.”

  “Oh, okay, then.” He tried to lift himself off, but Rory pulled him back down. Their crotches rubbed, and Rory’s cock jolted.

  “Shit.”

  “God, you’re as hard as a rock,” Sebastian murmured.

  Rory bit his lip and shook his head.

  “Yeah you are, but don’t worry, so am I.”

  He thrusted, and Rory felt the heavy pressure of Sebastian’s cock. Rory’s eyes rolled again, and a groan escaped his lips. His hands were tentatively holding Sebastian’s hips, fingers flexing and relaxing as he tried to get himself under control. He could smell Sebastian’s sweat, and the soap he used each morning. Sebastian’s icy eyes darkened, and when his gaze dropped to Rory’s lips, his heart missed a beat.

  “Oi! No dry humping on the floor.”

  Sebastian tutted at the guard, shot Rory a sympathetic smile, then stood up. He put his hands on his hips and stood there with the twitching in his pants clear to see. Ollie’s eyes bugged from their sockets, and Teddy grumbled in apparent surprise.

  “Get out of here, Sebastian! Go take a cold shower.”

  He raised his hands at the guard. “I’m going, I’m going.”

  Ollie snorted, then strolled over and offered his hand to Rory. He took it, and got to his feet, but the second he was standing Ollie glanced down at him, then up again.

  “Jesus, you didn’t get like that with me or Captain.”

  “I stretched funny, that’s all.”

  “Stretched funny?” Ollie rolled his eyes. “You think I was born yesterday? I’ve seen you two playing chess.”

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  Ollie laughed.

  Despite being amused, and not believing Rory’s poor excuse, Ollie still stood in front of him, blocking curious eyes, until his erection went down.

  “Thanks,” he mumbled.

  “No problem. Stretch sorted itself out?” Ollie smirked.

  “Yes, let’s not mention it again.”

  “No, let’s. It’s hilarious. You got a thing for Sebastian, and he’s got a thing for you, a massive thing by the looks of it.”

  Rory groaned, “There’s no ‘thing’ between us.”

  “You think he’s hot, and he thinks you’re hot. I’m not seeing a probl
em. Sex is sex. You’ve got no one on the outside. Does he?”

  “No.”

  “Then what’s the issue? Get stuck in or let him get stuck in you.”

  Rory looked down at his feet. “I can’t cross that line.”

  “Why not?”

  “I just can’t.”

  Rory tried to pass Ollie, but he stepped in his path. “Because he’ll be gone in a few months?”

  Rory closed his eyes and sighed. “Something like that.”

  “But you could enjoy yourselves while he’s here, have … fun.”

  “It’ll end badly.”

  “I know you’ll miss him when he goes, but you’ll still have me.”

  Teddy grumbled and shook his head. He looked pointedly at Rory, then to Ollie.

  “Not in the same way,” Ollie laughed, “but all I’m saying is, enjoy Sebastian, and yeah, you’ll miss him once he goes, but you’ll still have me, you’ve got me for your whole eight years.”

  The knife of guilt twisted a little more, and Rory grimaced. “Yeah…”

  “You don’t look very happy about that.”

  “No, I am… I—I stink, I need a shower that’s all.”

  Ollie wrinkled his nose. “I can’t smell you … wait, I get it…”

  “Get what?”

  “Sebastian will still be in there…go get him, tiger.”

  Rory forced a smile and rushed out of the gym. He didn’t glance towards the showers, but went straight back to the wing and slammed the cell door. It bounced back, and he only just avoided it when it swung at him.

  Rory braced himself over the sink and looked in the mirror. He didn’t like the liar looking back at him.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Rory peeked over Ollie’s shoulder. “Show off.”

  Ollie laughed and attempted to hide what he was drawing. “I’m sorry that I’ve progressed from stickmen, but you haven’t.”

  Rory flapped his sheet of paper. “My stickman battle is epic.”

  “It’s childish.”

  “I wasn’t an art kind of kid. And you said you failed at everything at school, clearly a lie.”

  “Everything except art.”

  “Where you’re like a mini Picasso.”

  “When I was drawing, or painting … or just creating, it made me feel good, and all of my troubles were gone, just for a little bit.”

  Rory swallowed, then gestured to Ollie’s picture. “You’re really good.”

  “Thanks … do you think Teddy will like it?”

  Ollie gestured to the front of the classroom. Sebastian and Teddy were sitting together, lounging in their seats as Mrs. Mason waited for the room to settle.

  “I think he’ll love it.”

  “I’m gonna ask Mrs. Mason if I can give it to him after class, I hope it’ll make up for the maggots.”

  Mrs. Mason cleared her throat, but it had no effect on the chatter. They only fell silent when one of the guards yelled at them from the back. Pauly sat a few tables away. Rory ignored his stare, and focused on Mrs. Mason.

  “Thank you,” she said. “This will be our last day on these pencil sketches.”

  “Thank Christ for that.” Rory muttered.

  “Have you volunteered to show your piece to the class?”

  Rory’s cheeks flamed. “No.”

  “Stand up and show us.”

  “No, thanks.”

  Ollie snatched his piece of paper and stood up. “Here it is.”

  “I hate you,” Rory mumbled.

  Mrs. Mason frowned. “And can you explain your piece?”

  Rory shrugged. “It’s nothing, doodles, a stickman battle.”

  Sebastian laughed from the front, and Rory’s face filled with more heat.

  “Who’s fighting in this battle?”

  Rory shrugged. “Two armies I guess.”

  “The good vs the bad?”

  “Something like that.”

  “And where do you see yourself in the piece?”

  Rory frowned at Mrs. Mason, then shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

  “Are you in the picture?”

  “No—”

  “I think Sebastian is.” Ollie snorted.

  Rory glanced up at him. “What?”

  He tapped the picture. “This one with the massive coc—”

  “It’s a gun.”

  Sebastian flexed his bicep. “I’ve got massive guns, too.”

  Mrs. Mason narrowed her eyes and studied the drawing. Rory shuffled in his seat, and his hairs stood on end. He didn’t have a clue why, but her judging his random doodles was unsettling.

  “Jesus, it’s only a stickman picture.”

  “Sometimes drawings are a window into our subconscious.”

  “Only to barking mad people.”

  “Oi!”

  Rory turned around and looked at the guard. His arms were folded, and his eyebrow lifted when their gazes met.

  “Any more of that and you’ll be out, understand?”

  “Yeah…”

  Mrs. Mason continued, “Who’s winning the battle?”

  “No one’s winning it.”

  Rory looked at the picture. Death and destruction on both sides, but no victor. It was a snapshot of a moment, it was nothing.

  “There’s casualties on both sides.”

  “It’s a battle, there’s no outright winners in battles.”

  Pauly snorted, and Rory’s attention snapped to him.

  “There will be in the upcoming one. Are you sure you’re on the winning side?”

  “Positive. You’re not on it.”

  Pauly wrinkled his nose and turned away.

  Mrs. Mason hummed and tapped her finger on her chin. “Interesting.”

  “No, it’s not. Do you know what is interesting?” He snatched the piece of paper from Ollie’s hand, then ripped it in two, then four, then struggled to rip it into eight, but just about managed.

  “There,” he announced.

  Rory saw the guard approaching and didn’t protest. His bicep was grabbed, and he was hauled to his feet.

  “Right, Rory, I’m taking you back to the wing.”

  Pauly stood up. “I’m gonna go, too.”

  The guard narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

  “Got a bad case of the runs.”

  “Fine, then.”

  Sebastian stood up, but the guard pointed at him sternly. “No, you can wait.”

  Rory walked out the door first, and Pauly quickly followed. They walked side by side back to the corridor, but didn’t speak or glance at each other. They stopped at the gate, the guard opened it, then they were back on the wing.

  “Interesting picture you did…”

  Rory rolled his eyes. “Don’t you start.”

  “You forgot to draw the red bandanas though.”

  “Whatever.”

  Pauly blocked his path. “You wanna know what my picture was of?”

  “Not really.”

  “I called it splats.”

  “Splats?”

  Pauly hummed. “Yeah, red splats, blood splats, all that will be left of Sebastian once we’re done with him.”

  “I’m not listening to this.”

  “And when we’re done with him, there will be no one between me and you. We’ve got eight years together and we’re gonna have such fun.”

  He patted Rory on the head, then walked off in the direction of his cell.

  ****

  Rory hung his arms over the railings, watching the wing from the second floor. Metal grids stopped anyone hurling objects or people from the walkways, and Rory watched the inmates through a double cage filter. He counted twelve bandana wearing inmates, and sighed in relief when he saw Captain, still not wearing one.

  The gate opened, and Ollie walked inside with his drawing pressed to his chest. Teddy followed him, tilting his head, trying to catch a glance of the picture, but Ollie laughed, and denied him.

  Sebastian stepped onto the wing, and connected gazes wi
th Rory. He didn’t smile, but marched straight to the stairs. Rory went back to watching Ollie and Teddy.

  Ollie ducked his head as he presented Teddy with the picture of the butterfly. He’d spent four weeks on it, and Rory hated to admit it was good, more than good. Ollie’s arrogant grinning was justified. Teddy gawped, took the picture, gawped some more.

  Then he reached for Ollie, crushing the picture between their chests as he hugged him. His lips found Ollie’s ear, and Rory swore he saw them move.

  Hands tugged Rory back, and he didn’t fight against Sebastian’s hold on him. He let go of the railing and ended up leaning against Sebastian’s wide chest.

  “Pauly didn’t do anything to you, right?”

  “No, he didn’t touch me.”

  Sebastian slipped his arms around Rory’s middle. “What did he say?”

  “Said he’s gonna hurt you.”

  Sebastian chuckled, and Rory tried to turn around, but his arms clamped around him, holding him in place.

  “You’ve got to take him seriously.”

  “Why?”

  Rory’s arms were trapped, and he couldn’t point, instead he stuck his chin out. “Because those guys down there are taking him seriously.”

  “Pauly’s all posturing, and no action. He won’t do anything, and when I leave, he’ll claim he was ready to take me on, but it was too late. It’s all talk.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Aww, you really are worried about me, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah … I am. More and more inmates are wearing those red bandanas. Choosing his side.”

  Sebastian hummed by his ear. “What’s to say they’re choosing his side, what’s to say some aren’t loyal to me, and are keeping me informed?”

  “What?”

  “I’ve got everything under control, trust me. Love your picture by the way, very … simple.”

  Rory pressed back into Sebastian. “Asshole.”

  “That picture took you three lessons?”

  “I’m not good at art.”

  “No shit, bet your dad didn’t put your drawings on the fridge…”

  “He did actually.”

  “Out of pity.”

  Rory’s mind went back to the fridge when he was a child. Covered in pictures of butterflies and unicorns from Erica, then his questionable squiggles.

  “Most probably.”

  Sebastian laughed. “Shouldn’t have torn it up, although I guess it looked better as confetti…”