That night, an hour before lock up, Ian found himself alone outside the bathrooms, leant up against the walls, having escaped to the empty exterior after finishing his rounds and acquiring the necessary payment for the sleazy jobs he did.
While on rounds, he had kept a swarm of ideas buzzing around in his head, playing each one out to himself, as the cunning mechanisms clicked into place, forming the perfect plan. And now was the time to put it into action. Now was the time when Oliver would pay for he had done to him.
But firstly, he had to play it out to the others as well, and pleasing Tala and Bryan would prove difficult, as they were not easily impressed. Especially now, since Kai had stumbled into their territory and was ignoring them to a point, where it was driving Tala into an emotional cocoon and Bryan with subtle worry for his lover. These were the days Ian was glad to be unattached.
He wasn't much of a committed person, when it came to love. In fact, the word hadn't been incorporated in his vocabulary much. The youth was just out for fun, but now he was more cautious, ever since the escapade with the French boy.
Ian growled, clenching his fists, as his thoughts travelled back to the few weeks, he had been infatuated. He had been recently transferred then, only obtaining a month of experience within the prison walls, so he was not to know that the pretty face he had fallen for, was really a wolf in sheep's clothing – and an ugly one at that. Now he knew and had twelve times the experience. He had friends all over, but he trusted none of them, excluding Tala, Bryan and Kai, who he'd grown up with. Everyone else was a suspect.
Sinking his hands into his pockets, Ian soon made a beeline for the dorms, passing officers and security guards who stared down at him, distrust in their eyes. He smirked.
They may have thought they held the authority, but Ian believed that deep down, they were scared of them. Scared to even look into a prisoner's eyes for fear of what they might see. After all, there were convicts inside that had committed the worst of crimes, but they were all considered wrongdoers, deviants, untouchables; and that's where they, as prisoners held the advantage.
When he looked up ahead, he noticed that the halls, to the dorms were now thinning out as time passed and he soon found himself at the closed door of his dorm. Feeling rather confident and pleased with himself, he turned the knob and walked in to see both Tala and Bryan sat on the lower bunk of one of the beds. They looked up, as if ready to start, but relaxed once they realised who it was.
"Have I got a plan for you guys?" Ian presented as he shut the door behind him.
"What d'you want?" Bryan leant back onto the bed, sounding uninterested.
"Okay! What's worse then being sent down the block?"
There was a small silence.
"I don't actually mind going down the block," Bryan replied. "It allows me to get away from your useless babble"
"Okay!" Ian began, a smirk playing across his face. "What's worse for normal people, then being sent down the block."
Tala blues ran from Ian's down to Bryan's, an amused look on his face.
"Did he just try and make a joke at my expense?" Came Bryan's sarcastic comment.
"I think he did" The redheaded Russian replied, his grin growing wider.
"Is he looking for a black eye?"
"I think so!"
"Should I give it to him,"
"Oh yeah!"
As Bryan proceeded to get up, so did Ian change.
"Hey! I was just kidding, okay" He raised his hands, defensively.
Bryan smirked as he set himself back down again. Firstly at himself and then at Tala. It had been the first time in days that he had seen the redhead genuinely smile.
"But honestly, my plan is full-proof," Ian continued. "We'll get the bitches back."
"And how exactly?" Tala asked.
"By turning the whole Wing against them,"
--------------------------------
"Have you seen Lee?" Kevin had asked Rei, caution in his eyes, as he surveyed their surroundings.
"Not since this afternoon," Came the reply. "You can't keep avoiding him."
"You didn't tell him, did you?"
"It's not my place to," Rei stared ahead of him, leaning against the railing of the "threes" as he often did so, when he liked to drift off in wander.
He heard Kevin sigh.
"You're a good friend, Rei,"
"I can't keep covering you like this"
"Why?" Kevin shrugged. "You're doing a good job of it".
Rei shook his head and rolled his eyes. At times, he just wanted to strangle the risk-taking youth, but as the saying went; 'what goes around, comes around' and Rei gathered that it wouldn't be long before Kevin got his just-deserts. He was treading a very fine line these days and Lee was having just about enough of the shorty's liaisons with Ian, as the two would often disappear. Rei was still bemused at the fact that the elder of the trio hadn't figured it out yet, or maybe he knew, but was just buying his time.
Rei sighed and looked down again, in a futile attempt to drown out Kevin's gabble. He allowed his eyes to wander across the laminated floorings; the pale walls; the inmates who were having mini discussions out in the halls, while the officers on duty attempted to urge them indoors for lockup. It was then that he rolled his golden orbs towards the direction of the laundry rooms that he spotted something rather interesting. He froze in mid gaze for he had found that they had rolled towards the direction of a bare-chested, slender body, complete with a shoulder towel draped around the neck, preventing trinkets of water dripping from the two-toned hair. Rei felt his cheeks warm, for Kai had just entered the corridors in nothing but his trousers and shoes, probably heading to his dorm to dry off after a late shower. As he stared down at him, Rei noticed his wasn't the only one gawking, for passers-by would stop and attempt sneak peaks or whisper to friends like common school girls. Apparently, not only was he a mystery, but Kai was quite the catch.
From the side of him, Kevin smirked.
"So, you like him, huh?"
Rei snapped out of his daze.
"What?"
"I saw you staring at him," Kevin prodded with his elbow. "But then I don't blame you, he is good eye candy, if you like that sort of thing."
Rei's face reddened even more.
"Funny enough, he was asking about you,"
"He was?"
"Oh yeah!" Kevin nodded. "Seemed dead interested to know if you and Lee were an item, but I set him straight."
Rei blinked, as if not believing his eyes, let alone his ears. Kai had asked about him? Rei Kon. And yet, he had been so keen to know more about the stoic character that it hadn't even crossed his mind that the individual would be asking of him.
"So talk to him already,"
"What?" Rei was pried from his thoughts once again.
"He's an okay guy once you get to know him," Kevin explained. "A bit secretive, but then who isn't…"
Kevin froze, as he felt a hand on his shoulder. When he turned his head, his violet eyes widened in fear as the one person he'd been trying to avoid was now stood behind him, an fascinated expression on his face.
"Kevin! How are you doing?" The sarcasm was radiating off of his tongue, more so, his face.
"Hehe…Lee. What's up?" Kevin forced a smile to hide how tense he had now become.
"I haven't spoken to you in a while," Lee continued, his grip on the younger Chinese's shoulder, tightening. "You know someone could get the idea that you're trying to avoid them."
"What? No! I've just been busy…hanging with Rei, that's all," The guilt in his voice was evident.
"That's funny! I haven't seen you with Rei that much," Lee played.
Rei rolled his eyes.
"I'll leave you guys to it," He remarked, to which he pushed off of the rail and entered his dorm.
Kevin silently cursed him.
"What's going on Kevin?" Lee's tone switched from playful to grave.
He withdrew his grip.
"Hey, listen, I've just been hanging with Ian, is all,"
"I mean, what's really going on?" Lee pressed, taking a step forwards, as Kevin retreated a tad.
"Chan! Ki! To your dorms!"
Kevin let out a sigh of relief, as one of the officers came into view. Meanwhile Lee screwed up his face in defeat.
"Yes, sir!" The reply was bitter.
"Well, you heard the man, gotta go," Kevin replied pretentiously, before heading, a little too fast for comfort down the stairs on route to his dorm on the "twos".
Lee grimaced as he turned away and headed inside his own dorm, the bolt shifting into place as he and Rei were locked in.
I'll find out one day, Kevin. Just you wait.
TBC