“Yeah, well, I’ve learned from my mistake,” Rory mumbled.

Captain tugged at the bottom of Rory’s t-shirt. “Let’s see it then.”

Rory lifted his t-shirt, and flashed the patch taped to his side. Ollie leaned over the table to get a good look, then sat back down.

“It still hurt?” Ollie asked.

“It aches, pinches when I turn too quickly.” Rory knocked his shoulder against Captain’s. “Thank you for—”

“Don’t,” Captain interrupted. “If I hadn’t taken so long coming back to the wing, it wouldn’t have happened.”

“You can’t look out for us all of the time.”

“Watch me.”

Rory shook his head. “Where did you go that day?”

“Speaking to the governor. He’s given me a cell of my own on the second floor, next to yours actually. No more terrifying my cellmate, and I begrudgingly agreed to seeing a psychiatrist.”

“That’s great.”

Captain hissed through his teeth. “I cancelled.”

“Why?”

“I left the wing for thirty minutes, and you got yourself stabbed.”

“You have to speak to someone.”

“No, I don’t. No one can make me do anything.”

“Please—”

“Stop.” Captain snapped. “This isn’t up for discussion.”

“You pulling rank on me?”

“Yeah, I am. You’re a fresh-faced private, and I’m an experienced captain.”

“Hey,” Ollie hissed, “look who’s coming…”

Sebastian strolled to their table, smirked, then crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re back then.”

“Looks that way.”

“A word…”

“No.” Rory huffed.

“What?”

“You asked for a word, and I gave you one. No.”

“Very funny, did that hospital sew your balls back on?”

“I don’t want to speak to you.”

Sebastian pouted, then looked at Ollie. “He’s not interested.”

“Interested?”

Ollie’s cheeks reddened, and he glanced away.

“What did you do?” Rory asked.

Sebastian laughed, and crouched down. Even though he was looking up at Rory, he still felt smaller, vulnerable. “Your buddy here begged me to protect you when you came back, wants to make sure Pauly doesn’t go stabbing you again.”

“That’s if it was him.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “See, I don’t do anything for free. So for my protection, and your guaranteed safety, you’d need to do things for me.”

Rory shook his head. “No.”

“Hear me out. I’m not interested in your holes, but I am interested in why you’re here…”

“Why I’m here?”

Sebastian smiled, then mouthed the word ‘drugs. “I want some brought in, a farewell score for some of my closest.”

“Your release is almost nine months away.”

“I want a long and happy farewell. Think you could smuggle some in for me?”

Rory looked into Sebastian’s blue eyes, the amusement dazzled. He knew Hamish would probably give him drugs to get Sebastian onside, to become valuable to him in the hope he’d overhear some vital information, but he didn’t want Sebastian lording his power over him.