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serafina20Fic: Sona
Rating: Mature
Pairing: Michael/Mahone
Summary: Hell on earth is found at La Penitenciaría Federal de Sona.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15
Michael was lying on the bottom left bunk in a cluttered cell. His face was black and blue, one side swollen. Blood painted his lips, stained the skin underneath his nose. His eyes were closed and he breathed evenly, sleeping or unconscious, Alex wasn't sure.
The man who held him was huge. Alex remembered Michael telling him about the man who'd approached him a few days before. Somehow, he hadn't been expecting...
This man was huge to the point of ridiculous.
Alex hesitated at the opening of the cell. Tony pushed past him. Crawled onto the bed next to Michael.
"Michael," he whispered. Kissed his slightly less bruised cheek. "Wake up."
"No," Alex said. He moved into the cell cautiously, eyeing the man who held him. "Let him sleep. I need to put his arm back in the socket, and it might help if he's not awake." He eyed Raoul warily.
Tony said something to Raoul in Spanish. The other man nodded. Shifted.
"I pull out," he said brokenly. He sounded near tears. "I did not mean."
That hadn't been what Alex had been expecting to hear. Not the words, nor the tears. Size or not, this man was nothing but a child.
A huge, dangerous child. But a child, nonetheless. With the right words, right actions, he could probably be controlled. Used.
He glanced quickly at the junk on the cell floor. The man had amassed quite a collection. There might be something useful in that.
The man might be useful. If they could keep him under control.
And a cell was better than a closet.
But. To the task at hand.
"It's okay," Alex said as soothingly as he could. "I know it was an accident. Of course it was. You'd never hurt him."
He blinked. Nodded. "No. I would not. But he try to leave. I have to keep him."
"Of course you do. Of course. He's valuable. Pretty white man in here? You need to keep him. But, I have to put his arm back in now, okay? Can you hold him steady for me?"
"Si," he said eagerly. "You fix?"
"I'll fix him. His arm," Alex amended. "Just hold him."
"Okay." Raoul moved onto his knees. Cradled Michael against his body, muscular arms wrapped around Michael's thin torso.
It'd been a long time since Alex had to do this. Memories of the army, of injured men surrounded him. The same smell of pain and desperation hung in the air, flowed from Michael.
Alex pushed the memories away. Focused on the man in front of him. He could see Michael's eyes moving under his lids. He was waking up, swimming towards consciousness.
He wished he had drugs to give Michael. A muscle relaxant for the shoulder. Anything.
But he didn't.
He had to make the best of it.
Alex sat on the bed and carefully draped Michael's arm over his shoulder. Wrapping his hands around Michael's forearm, he moved. Pressed at the arm, finding the socket.
The joint popped back in with a sickening crack. Michael's eyes flew open. His back arched, a low, pained cry escaping his throat. He jerked away from Alex, smashing hard into Raoul.
"Shhh," Raoul soothed. He pet Michael, down his side, over his face. Kissed his hair. "Is okay. He fix you. Is okay."
Michael panted. Tears rolled down his face, but he seemed unaware of them. He rubbed his face against Raoul's shirt. "What... I..."
"Michael." Alex took Michael's hand. Squeezed. "Breathe. You need to breathe."
Michael's eyes fastened blurrily on Alex's face. He nodded, breathing in. He coughed. "I'm gonna..." Coughed again, sitting up, and vomited over his shirt and Alex's pants.
Alex winced. Looked up at Raoul, who also had half digested food on him. He expected an outburst, anger. A beating that he was going to have to take for Michael.
To his surprise, there was none. Just Raoul stroking Michael, rocking him back and forth. "Is okay," he kept whispering into Michael's hair. "Is okay."
"Tony." Alex looked up at him. "Can you get us a change of clothes from the closet? And soap?"
"Si." He scrambled over Michael. Kissed Alex swiftly on the cheek. "Thank you, Senor."
"Just go," he said gruffly, embarrassed. He liked the kid better when he was throwing oranges at his head. He looked up at Raoul. "He'll need food. Water." Licked his lips. "I need food."
"Si. Si. I get food. You stay. I protect you. Si."
Alex hesitated, then nodded. He still didn't have a complete sense of who this man was, but, right now, he looked to be their best option. If they could keep him calm, he would keep them safe enough for Michael to begin to look for a way out.
They just had to stop him from ripping Michael's arms out.
Raoul gently lay Michael on the bed. Climbed off. The minute he rose, Alex heard T-Bag swear.
"Oh, hell no. I ain't staying around for this murder-suicide pack. Not with someone who's big enough to squish you like a bug."
"Good," Alex said. He turned, suddenly inspired. "Then you can guard the closet until we get back. Make sure no one takes it."
T-Bag eyed Raoul warily as the big man moved past him. "Guard the closet." He stepped back, away from Raoul. Looked at Alex. "You mean live in it?"
"Until we get back."
"Right." Raoul gone now, T-Bag gained some of his swagger. He leaned against the bars. Looked in. "What about the boy? He part of the deal?"
The..."No. Tony stays with us." He glanced over at Bellick, who was sitting in the corner, picking through the crap on the floor. "You could take Bellick."
Bellick looked up. "Fuck off.... Wait. I mean, fuck, yeah. Stuck in a closet with a one armed pervert gotta be better than stuck in here with Rhino, the fucking retard." He climbed to his feet. "Sayanora, suckers."
"You're awful eager to share a small space with a man you told not one week ago you hoped he'd go down in a hail of bullets," T-Bag said, not moving from where he was.
"Well, why don't we stay here talking about it some more so when Raoul gets back, you're stuck here too. Cause seeing you on the end of one of his rages would do me a world of good after the week I had."
T-Bag blinked. Shook his head. "I ain't no one's bitch."
Bellick smirked. "That man's three times your size with a rage button you that don't turn off once it gets pushed. He will smush your inbred, hillbilly ass flatter than flat, then crawl onto bed and treat Scofield like a little princess while you try to pull the pieces together. So. If you want to stay for that, be my guest. Me? I'm taking the closet."
"I'm sorry," Alex said, sliding one arm around Michael's shoulders. "But the two of you seem to think you have a choice in this. You don't. You will both go to the closet where you will play nice until we get back and decide what to do with you. End of story. Got it?"
The look on both men's faces were perfect. Bellick clearly remembered how easily Alex had neutralized him eons ago back in Illinois. And T-Bag, although not completely convinced, still had a healthy dollop of fear for him.
"Get out of here," he said. "Before Raoul gets back and you have to pretend that I don't already control you." Then, when they didn't do anything, he said it louder. More forcefully. "Move!"
Bellick did right away, following orders. T-Bag moved much slower, pulling away from the bars with an insolent air. He smirked at Alex and Michael. Licked his lips.
"Have fun." He laughed, then, finally, turned and walked away.
"Christ." He turned to Michael.
Michael's eyes were closed. He almost looked like he was sleeping, but he was muttering to himself. Shifting, moving his arm.
"Michael," Alex said, shaking him. "Michael, wake up."
Fuzzy blue eyes opened. "Alex?"
"Yeah. We need to get your arm into a sling." He glanced at the cluttered floor. "You think there's one down there?"
He shook his head. Wiped his running nose on the sleeve of his shirt. Blood was mixed with snot, and Alex winced to see it. "No. I don't think there's anything, like, useful there." He rubbed his eyes. "Was that T-Bag?"
"Yeah. He sort of... helped me out." He grabbed the hem of Michael's shirt and tugged. "You should get out of this. It's disgusting."
"What else is new?" He tried to lift his arm. Bit off a cry.
"Okay, don't worry. We'll cut it off." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the shiv. "This way, we can use it as a sling, too."
"Fine."
Alex slit the shirt down the middle. Slid it off Michael's chest. "Bend your elbow, put it across your chest," he instructed.
Michael did, watching as Alex tore off the part Michael had sicked on. Then, Alex rigged it until he could wrap it around Michael's arm and neck, securing the injured arm to his body.
"Thanks," Michael said quietly. His eyes were lowered, head down. "I wasn't sure if I'd see you again."
"I told you I'd find you."
"I know." His eyes drifted shut. He swayed.
"Lie down."
Michael nodded and did as told. Alex stretched out next to him. Even though Michael's torso was bruised and cut, Alex slid his hand over the skin. Felt the warmth, the smoothness. Closed his eyes, something tight in his chest unknotting.
"Tony said you were in a riot."
"Well. No." He moved closer to Michael. "T-Bag started the riot by killing... the leader of the gang I was given to. It was a distraction. Allowed to get me out. I..." He licked his lips, shame suffusing him. "I was almost raped." He said it as softly as he could, barely a whisper. Barely a puff against Michael's face.
Michael climbed over Alex and rolled onto his side. Pressed against Alex, their faces together. Broken and bloody lips rested against Alex's own. "I'm a doll. Petted and cosseted and fed and beaten when bad." He closed his eyes. Moved his head down, bristly hair brushing over Alex's face. "Who would have thought? I mean, it should have been..."
"Don't," Alex said harshly. "That kind of thinking almost got me seriously hurt. If T-Bag hadn't shown up..." He was interrupted by near hysterical laughter.
"T-Bag the hero," Michael choked out. "Saving you from...." He broke off in another peal of laughter. Tears leaked out the corners of his eyes. And still he laughed.
Alex stroked the side of Michael's face. He didn't say anything; there wasn't anything to say. All he could do was wait this out, wait for Michael to calm down, wait for one of them to think of a way to get away from the giant safely.
And as for getting out... well. Maybe they hadn't made much progress so far, thanks to Alex. But, on the bright side, they had a better idea of the layout of the prison now. So. Small favors.
Finally, Michael calmed. The laugher faded into silence. Just Michael breathing, noisily, through a congested and bloody nose. Chest heaving. Tears, silent.
Alex wiped away a tear with his thumb.
"I know," Michael whispered thickly. "You were the one almost... I shouldn't." He sniffed. Wiped his nose on his hand. "I've been mostly left alone. Except in the mess. Mostly." He pressed his face into Alex's shoulder. "He grabbed me by the wrist. I was trying to get to you, and he grabbed me and I... I attacked him."
"Pretty, but stupid." Alex slid his hand down Michael's injured arm. Carefully wrapped his hand around his wrist. "This one? He grabbed this wrist?"
Michael's eyes slid shut. He let out a shuddering breath. "Yeah. Can you... can you take the bracelet off?"
He sat up and picked up the shiv. Carefully, he sawed through the plastic binding around Michael's thin wrist. When it broke apart, he pulled it off and tossed it on the floor. "There." He wrapped his hand around Michael's wrist again. Lay down. "We're kind of fucked up, you know. Just a few days ago, I wanted you dead."
"No you didn't."
"I thought I did." A violent shudder went through him. Pain knifed through his head. His stomach. "All I wanted was to get back to you."
"You just want me for my body."
"You did promise I could do anything to you."
Michael opened his eyes. "You still want to? After..."
Alex moved in. Kissed Michael. The kiss was much gentler than any they'd shared so far. Less driven out of anger and lust and more... because he wanted to.
"Were you smoking?" Michael asked when Alex broke away.
"Yeah. A kid gave me a cigarette. And I really needed something." He kissed Michael's cheek, avoiding his mouth; he'd forgotten that Michael had thrown up, and the taste had been disgusting.
Michael nodded. "Whenever Lincoln went to rehab, he'd come out smoking. It was the only drug they were allowed." He met Alex's eyes. "Raoul gave me some cigarettes earlier. They're in my back right pocket."
He smiled. Shifted until he was over Michael, avoiding his injured arm. Eyes locked on the bright blue below his, Alex slid his arm underneath Michael's body. Wiggled his fingers until they fit in the back pocket. Found the cigarette and slid it out.
"Alex," Michael whispered raggedly.
He lowered his head to Michael's neck. Kissed and licked along the smooth column. Nibbled the flesh just above his collarbone. "Better than any drug,"
Michael laughed. "Right."
"I bring food!" Raoul announced.
"Fuck." Alex pulled away from Michael and sat up.
Raoul was carrying a bag with what looked like a week's worth of food. Setting it down on the bed, he unpacked chicken, fruit, tortillas, and rice. More food than Alex had seen since he arrived.
"You okay?" he asked Michael once he got the food unpacked. Raoul sat on the bed next to him. Tentatively touched Michael's face. Ran a finger down his arm. Touched the sling.
Michael nodded, looking tired. "Yeah. I'm okay."
Raoul nodded. Stroked Michael's neck. Turned and looked at Alex. "You stay. Here, with me. I give you food. Protect you."
"From everyone except you, that is," Alex said around a mouthful of chicken. "Barely one day and you almost ripped Michael apart."
"I not mean to! He make me."
Control him, Alex, he reminded himself. Don't antagonize.
"Of course," he said in a softer voice. "I understand. It wasn't your fault. You'd never hurt him. Never hurt me, either. Not unless we did something wrong. But here's the thing. I like touching Michael." He reached out and wrapped his hand around Michael's wrist. "He and I sleep together."
Raoul frowned. "Sleep. Si. You sleep here."
"Nosotros tiene sexo," Michael clarified.
The confusion cleared from the larger man's face. "Ah. Si. He is very pretty. Si. Sex is okay."
He blinked. Interesting. He'd expected more of a fight, an argument. He'd expected to have to manipulate the other man into it. Raoul giving in right away was... surprising.
"Oh. Then. Okay." He took another bite of the chicken. "Good."
"You stay?"
"Yeah. I'll stay."
Raoul grinned. He pet Michael's head, and almost big enough to cover the whole thing. Then he glanced around the cell. Frowned. "Where other gringo?"
Fuck. "Well, Michael and I were staying in that closet. Now that we're here, I figured the closet was yours. I sent him to guard it, make sure no one else too it."
"Oh." He frowned, then shrugged. "He still mine, si?"
"Si."
"Okay." Raoul leaned over and kissed Michael on the forehead. "I be back." He got up. Pat Alex on the head and left the cell.
Alex let out a long breath. "Thank God that worked."
"I'm surprised he noticed Bellick missing so quickly," Michael said. He picked up a tortilla and took a bite. "He barely noticed Bellick when he was here."
"I figured. I just wanted him out. The man gives me the creeps."
Michael flashed a smile. "And yet you allied yourself with T-Bag."
"He gives me the creeps, too. Locking them in a closet together makes me feel better." He rubbed the back of his neck. Finished his chicken. "A little."
"You're eating," Michael said when Alex reached for another piece of chicken. "I haven't seen you eat like this since we got here."
"I'm feeling a little better. My skin hurts, but I can eat." He rubbed his eyes. "I hope the worst is over."
"Me, too." He picked up a tortilla. "So much for my knight in shining armor."
"Huh?"
Michael smirked. Tore at the tortilla, mashing it between his fingers. "I was hoping to get away from Raoul. When he pulled my arm out, and I sent Tony to find you... I kind of hoped you'd get me away."
"Michael Scofield, in need of rescue?"
Blue eyes glinted under long, dark lashes. "Sometimes, even a hero needs break."
"Wanted a chance to play damsel?"
His lips twitched. "Maybe not a damsel. But I am yours to protect. So, I guess I was hoping you'd protect me."
"Michael. Why did I pull you out of the rain?"
"Because you wanted my ass."
He threw a piece of chicken at Michael. It hit him in the face.
Michael laughed. It was a strangely welcome sound.
"Because you're under the delusion that I can figure out how to break out of a prison when I don't even know the layout? Or have tools? Or a plan?"
"And what does having a giant who adores you and is willing to protect your scrawny ass give you the ability to do?"
He sighed. "Provided he doesn't accidentally kill me."
Alex put his hand on Michael's leg. Rubbed his shin through his jeans. "You know how to handle people. I know how to handle people." He squeezed. "You're able to manipulate people with more than just your body. Although, I'm sure Raoul would be thrilled if you cozied up to him one night."
"You might get jealous."
"Damn right. Mine." He squeezed harder. "Raoul is a child. He can be played. We just have to be on our guard. I'm sure we'll be able to get him to allow us to explore. We go through this crap and see if there anything we can use. And we figure out a way out of this hell hole."
Michael snorted. "Oh, yeah. Just that easy." He lay back and closed his eyes. "Do you think we're allowed visitors here?" His voice had a deep, unpleasant ache to it.
Alex finished the chicken. Licked his fingers. "Probably. Don't know how or where. Just keep an ear out, I guess. Why? You expecting your brother to stick around? Or your lovely lady friend?" He scooped some rice from the container into his mouth. "Tell me. Since she's the one who actually killed Bill Kim, do you really think she'd show up here? At a prison?"
Michael surged up, face a mask of fury. He moved, fist clenched, towards Alex. Broke off with a pained grunt. "Fuck. Fuck." He moved closer, slower this time. Socked Alex in the arm. "No. No, I don't think she'll come. I don't want her to come." Breathing heavily, he slumped against Alex. Held his injured arm against his body. "How did you know?"
"That it was her?" He shrugged. Moved closer and rested his head on top of Michael's. "You wouldn't. Not unless the gun went off on accident. Lincoln would freeze. He's a lot of things, but he's not a killer."
"And Sara is?"
"Sara Tancredi is used to making difficult decisions in a split second. It's her job. She can assess the situation and do what needs to be done. Which she did."
Michael's eyes closed. "Never thought of it that way."
"You know, she's actually a good match for you. You're a detail man. You mull things over, examine things from all sides. Contemplate and then you act. She's whip smart, can think on her feet, can be spurred to action. Just what you need in your life."
"Except now I'm stuck in a Panamanian prison hell hole, and she's out there." He yawned. "She should probably leave. Move on with her life now. Forget me."
"You're breaking my heart, Scofield."
"What about you?"
His throat closed. He blinked rapidly, eyes burning.
"Alex?"
"Everything good... about me. It was all her. And my son." He closed his eyes. A surge of anger went through him, anger at Michael for putting him here. At the Company. At himself.
A weight settled on his lap. Warm lips pressed against his. "Stuck together," Michael whispered. He kissed Alex's cheek. Ran his fingers through his hair. "If I said that I regretted... certain choices that I made... that they were made out of anger and a desire to hurt rather than.... I was angry. Because you were winning. And cheating. Because I might have let you come along if you'd asked, even though you killed my father. And David and Abruzzi and..."
"Patoshik."
"Right." Michael rested his forehead against Alex's. "I wanted to hurt you. And I guess I could say that... that I regret the impulse that drove me. But, the thing is, I'm kind of. Kind of really glad that you're here."
He let out a long breath. "Well," he said, putting his arms around Michael. "I can't say I'm glad to be here. But, guess I'll make the best of it."
Part 17
Rating: Mature
Pairing: Michael/Mahone
Summary: Hell on earth is found at La Penitenciaría Federal de Sona.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15
Michael was lying on the bottom left bunk in a cluttered cell. His face was black and blue, one side swollen. Blood painted his lips, stained the skin underneath his nose. His eyes were closed and he breathed evenly, sleeping or unconscious, Alex wasn't sure.
The man who held him was huge. Alex remembered Michael telling him about the man who'd approached him a few days before. Somehow, he hadn't been expecting...
This man was huge to the point of ridiculous.
Alex hesitated at the opening of the cell. Tony pushed past him. Crawled onto the bed next to Michael.
"Michael," he whispered. Kissed his slightly less bruised cheek. "Wake up."
"No," Alex said. He moved into the cell cautiously, eyeing the man who held him. "Let him sleep. I need to put his arm back in the socket, and it might help if he's not awake." He eyed Raoul warily.
Tony said something to Raoul in Spanish. The other man nodded. Shifted.
"I pull out," he said brokenly. He sounded near tears. "I did not mean."
That hadn't been what Alex had been expecting to hear. Not the words, nor the tears. Size or not, this man was nothing but a child.
A huge, dangerous child. But a child, nonetheless. With the right words, right actions, he could probably be controlled. Used.
He glanced quickly at the junk on the cell floor. The man had amassed quite a collection. There might be something useful in that.
The man might be useful. If they could keep him under control.
And a cell was better than a closet.
But. To the task at hand.
"It's okay," Alex said as soothingly as he could. "I know it was an accident. Of course it was. You'd never hurt him."
He blinked. Nodded. "No. I would not. But he try to leave. I have to keep him."
"Of course you do. Of course. He's valuable. Pretty white man in here? You need to keep him. But, I have to put his arm back in now, okay? Can you hold him steady for me?"
"Si," he said eagerly. "You fix?"
"I'll fix him. His arm," Alex amended. "Just hold him."
"Okay." Raoul moved onto his knees. Cradled Michael against his body, muscular arms wrapped around Michael's thin torso.
It'd been a long time since Alex had to do this. Memories of the army, of injured men surrounded him. The same smell of pain and desperation hung in the air, flowed from Michael.
Alex pushed the memories away. Focused on the man in front of him. He could see Michael's eyes moving under his lids. He was waking up, swimming towards consciousness.
He wished he had drugs to give Michael. A muscle relaxant for the shoulder. Anything.
But he didn't.
He had to make the best of it.
Alex sat on the bed and carefully draped Michael's arm over his shoulder. Wrapping his hands around Michael's forearm, he moved. Pressed at the arm, finding the socket.
The joint popped back in with a sickening crack. Michael's eyes flew open. His back arched, a low, pained cry escaping his throat. He jerked away from Alex, smashing hard into Raoul.
"Shhh," Raoul soothed. He pet Michael, down his side, over his face. Kissed his hair. "Is okay. He fix you. Is okay."
Michael panted. Tears rolled down his face, but he seemed unaware of them. He rubbed his face against Raoul's shirt. "What... I..."
"Michael." Alex took Michael's hand. Squeezed. "Breathe. You need to breathe."
Michael's eyes fastened blurrily on Alex's face. He nodded, breathing in. He coughed. "I'm gonna..." Coughed again, sitting up, and vomited over his shirt and Alex's pants.
Alex winced. Looked up at Raoul, who also had half digested food on him. He expected an outburst, anger. A beating that he was going to have to take for Michael.
To his surprise, there was none. Just Raoul stroking Michael, rocking him back and forth. "Is okay," he kept whispering into Michael's hair. "Is okay."
"Tony." Alex looked up at him. "Can you get us a change of clothes from the closet? And soap?"
"Si." He scrambled over Michael. Kissed Alex swiftly on the cheek. "Thank you, Senor."
"Just go," he said gruffly, embarrassed. He liked the kid better when he was throwing oranges at his head. He looked up at Raoul. "He'll need food. Water." Licked his lips. "I need food."
"Si. Si. I get food. You stay. I protect you. Si."
Alex hesitated, then nodded. He still didn't have a complete sense of who this man was, but, right now, he looked to be their best option. If they could keep him calm, he would keep them safe enough for Michael to begin to look for a way out.
They just had to stop him from ripping Michael's arms out.
Raoul gently lay Michael on the bed. Climbed off. The minute he rose, Alex heard T-Bag swear.
"Oh, hell no. I ain't staying around for this murder-suicide pack. Not with someone who's big enough to squish you like a bug."
"Good," Alex said. He turned, suddenly inspired. "Then you can guard the closet until we get back. Make sure no one takes it."
T-Bag eyed Raoul warily as the big man moved past him. "Guard the closet." He stepped back, away from Raoul. Looked at Alex. "You mean live in it?"
"Until we get back."
"Right." Raoul gone now, T-Bag gained some of his swagger. He leaned against the bars. Looked in. "What about the boy? He part of the deal?"
The..."No. Tony stays with us." He glanced over at Bellick, who was sitting in the corner, picking through the crap on the floor. "You could take Bellick."
Bellick looked up. "Fuck off.... Wait. I mean, fuck, yeah. Stuck in a closet with a one armed pervert gotta be better than stuck in here with Rhino, the fucking retard." He climbed to his feet. "Sayanora, suckers."
"You're awful eager to share a small space with a man you told not one week ago you hoped he'd go down in a hail of bullets," T-Bag said, not moving from where he was.
"Well, why don't we stay here talking about it some more so when Raoul gets back, you're stuck here too. Cause seeing you on the end of one of his rages would do me a world of good after the week I had."
T-Bag blinked. Shook his head. "I ain't no one's bitch."
Bellick smirked. "That man's three times your size with a rage button you that don't turn off once it gets pushed. He will smush your inbred, hillbilly ass flatter than flat, then crawl onto bed and treat Scofield like a little princess while you try to pull the pieces together. So. If you want to stay for that, be my guest. Me? I'm taking the closet."
"I'm sorry," Alex said, sliding one arm around Michael's shoulders. "But the two of you seem to think you have a choice in this. You don't. You will both go to the closet where you will play nice until we get back and decide what to do with you. End of story. Got it?"
The look on both men's faces were perfect. Bellick clearly remembered how easily Alex had neutralized him eons ago back in Illinois. And T-Bag, although not completely convinced, still had a healthy dollop of fear for him.
"Get out of here," he said. "Before Raoul gets back and you have to pretend that I don't already control you." Then, when they didn't do anything, he said it louder. More forcefully. "Move!"
Bellick did right away, following orders. T-Bag moved much slower, pulling away from the bars with an insolent air. He smirked at Alex and Michael. Licked his lips.
"Have fun." He laughed, then, finally, turned and walked away.
"Christ." He turned to Michael.
Michael's eyes were closed. He almost looked like he was sleeping, but he was muttering to himself. Shifting, moving his arm.
"Michael," Alex said, shaking him. "Michael, wake up."
Fuzzy blue eyes opened. "Alex?"
"Yeah. We need to get your arm into a sling." He glanced at the cluttered floor. "You think there's one down there?"
He shook his head. Wiped his running nose on the sleeve of his shirt. Blood was mixed with snot, and Alex winced to see it. "No. I don't think there's anything, like, useful there." He rubbed his eyes. "Was that T-Bag?"
"Yeah. He sort of... helped me out." He grabbed the hem of Michael's shirt and tugged. "You should get out of this. It's disgusting."
"What else is new?" He tried to lift his arm. Bit off a cry.
"Okay, don't worry. We'll cut it off." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the shiv. "This way, we can use it as a sling, too."
"Fine."
Alex slit the shirt down the middle. Slid it off Michael's chest. "Bend your elbow, put it across your chest," he instructed.
Michael did, watching as Alex tore off the part Michael had sicked on. Then, Alex rigged it until he could wrap it around Michael's arm and neck, securing the injured arm to his body.
"Thanks," Michael said quietly. His eyes were lowered, head down. "I wasn't sure if I'd see you again."
"I told you I'd find you."
"I know." His eyes drifted shut. He swayed.
"Lie down."
Michael nodded and did as told. Alex stretched out next to him. Even though Michael's torso was bruised and cut, Alex slid his hand over the skin. Felt the warmth, the smoothness. Closed his eyes, something tight in his chest unknotting.
"Tony said you were in a riot."
"Well. No." He moved closer to Michael. "T-Bag started the riot by killing... the leader of the gang I was given to. It was a distraction. Allowed to get me out. I..." He licked his lips, shame suffusing him. "I was almost raped." He said it as softly as he could, barely a whisper. Barely a puff against Michael's face.
Michael climbed over Alex and rolled onto his side. Pressed against Alex, their faces together. Broken and bloody lips rested against Alex's own. "I'm a doll. Petted and cosseted and fed and beaten when bad." He closed his eyes. Moved his head down, bristly hair brushing over Alex's face. "Who would have thought? I mean, it should have been..."
"Don't," Alex said harshly. "That kind of thinking almost got me seriously hurt. If T-Bag hadn't shown up..." He was interrupted by near hysterical laughter.
"T-Bag the hero," Michael choked out. "Saving you from...." He broke off in another peal of laughter. Tears leaked out the corners of his eyes. And still he laughed.
Alex stroked the side of Michael's face. He didn't say anything; there wasn't anything to say. All he could do was wait this out, wait for Michael to calm down, wait for one of them to think of a way to get away from the giant safely.
And as for getting out... well. Maybe they hadn't made much progress so far, thanks to Alex. But, on the bright side, they had a better idea of the layout of the prison now. So. Small favors.
Finally, Michael calmed. The laugher faded into silence. Just Michael breathing, noisily, through a congested and bloody nose. Chest heaving. Tears, silent.
Alex wiped away a tear with his thumb.
"I know," Michael whispered thickly. "You were the one almost... I shouldn't." He sniffed. Wiped his nose on his hand. "I've been mostly left alone. Except in the mess. Mostly." He pressed his face into Alex's shoulder. "He grabbed me by the wrist. I was trying to get to you, and he grabbed me and I... I attacked him."
"Pretty, but stupid." Alex slid his hand down Michael's injured arm. Carefully wrapped his hand around his wrist. "This one? He grabbed this wrist?"
Michael's eyes slid shut. He let out a shuddering breath. "Yeah. Can you... can you take the bracelet off?"
He sat up and picked up the shiv. Carefully, he sawed through the plastic binding around Michael's thin wrist. When it broke apart, he pulled it off and tossed it on the floor. "There." He wrapped his hand around Michael's wrist again. Lay down. "We're kind of fucked up, you know. Just a few days ago, I wanted you dead."
"No you didn't."
"I thought I did." A violent shudder went through him. Pain knifed through his head. His stomach. "All I wanted was to get back to you."
"You just want me for my body."
"You did promise I could do anything to you."
Michael opened his eyes. "You still want to? After..."
Alex moved in. Kissed Michael. The kiss was much gentler than any they'd shared so far. Less driven out of anger and lust and more... because he wanted to.
"Were you smoking?" Michael asked when Alex broke away.
"Yeah. A kid gave me a cigarette. And I really needed something." He kissed Michael's cheek, avoiding his mouth; he'd forgotten that Michael had thrown up, and the taste had been disgusting.
Michael nodded. "Whenever Lincoln went to rehab, he'd come out smoking. It was the only drug they were allowed." He met Alex's eyes. "Raoul gave me some cigarettes earlier. They're in my back right pocket."
He smiled. Shifted until he was over Michael, avoiding his injured arm. Eyes locked on the bright blue below his, Alex slid his arm underneath Michael's body. Wiggled his fingers until they fit in the back pocket. Found the cigarette and slid it out.
"Alex," Michael whispered raggedly.
He lowered his head to Michael's neck. Kissed and licked along the smooth column. Nibbled the flesh just above his collarbone. "Better than any drug,"
Michael laughed. "Right."
"I bring food!" Raoul announced.
"Fuck." Alex pulled away from Michael and sat up.
Raoul was carrying a bag with what looked like a week's worth of food. Setting it down on the bed, he unpacked chicken, fruit, tortillas, and rice. More food than Alex had seen since he arrived.
"You okay?" he asked Michael once he got the food unpacked. Raoul sat on the bed next to him. Tentatively touched Michael's face. Ran a finger down his arm. Touched the sling.
Michael nodded, looking tired. "Yeah. I'm okay."
Raoul nodded. Stroked Michael's neck. Turned and looked at Alex. "You stay. Here, with me. I give you food. Protect you."
"From everyone except you, that is," Alex said around a mouthful of chicken. "Barely one day and you almost ripped Michael apart."
"I not mean to! He make me."
Control him, Alex, he reminded himself. Don't antagonize.
"Of course," he said in a softer voice. "I understand. It wasn't your fault. You'd never hurt him. Never hurt me, either. Not unless we did something wrong. But here's the thing. I like touching Michael." He reached out and wrapped his hand around Michael's wrist. "He and I sleep together."
Raoul frowned. "Sleep. Si. You sleep here."
"Nosotros tiene sexo," Michael clarified.
The confusion cleared from the larger man's face. "Ah. Si. He is very pretty. Si. Sex is okay."
He blinked. Interesting. He'd expected more of a fight, an argument. He'd expected to have to manipulate the other man into it. Raoul giving in right away was... surprising.
"Oh. Then. Okay." He took another bite of the chicken. "Good."
"You stay?"
"Yeah. I'll stay."
Raoul grinned. He pet Michael's head, and almost big enough to cover the whole thing. Then he glanced around the cell. Frowned. "Where other gringo?"
Fuck. "Well, Michael and I were staying in that closet. Now that we're here, I figured the closet was yours. I sent him to guard it, make sure no one else too it."
"Oh." He frowned, then shrugged. "He still mine, si?"
"Si."
"Okay." Raoul leaned over and kissed Michael on the forehead. "I be back." He got up. Pat Alex on the head and left the cell.
Alex let out a long breath. "Thank God that worked."
"I'm surprised he noticed Bellick missing so quickly," Michael said. He picked up a tortilla and took a bite. "He barely noticed Bellick when he was here."
"I figured. I just wanted him out. The man gives me the creeps."
Michael flashed a smile. "And yet you allied yourself with T-Bag."
"He gives me the creeps, too. Locking them in a closet together makes me feel better." He rubbed the back of his neck. Finished his chicken. "A little."
"You're eating," Michael said when Alex reached for another piece of chicken. "I haven't seen you eat like this since we got here."
"I'm feeling a little better. My skin hurts, but I can eat." He rubbed his eyes. "I hope the worst is over."
"Me, too." He picked up a tortilla. "So much for my knight in shining armor."
"Huh?"
Michael smirked. Tore at the tortilla, mashing it between his fingers. "I was hoping to get away from Raoul. When he pulled my arm out, and I sent Tony to find you... I kind of hoped you'd get me away."
"Michael Scofield, in need of rescue?"
Blue eyes glinted under long, dark lashes. "Sometimes, even a hero needs break."
"Wanted a chance to play damsel?"
His lips twitched. "Maybe not a damsel. But I am yours to protect. So, I guess I was hoping you'd protect me."
"Michael. Why did I pull you out of the rain?"
"Because you wanted my ass."
He threw a piece of chicken at Michael. It hit him in the face.
Michael laughed. It was a strangely welcome sound.
"Because you're under the delusion that I can figure out how to break out of a prison when I don't even know the layout? Or have tools? Or a plan?"
"And what does having a giant who adores you and is willing to protect your scrawny ass give you the ability to do?"
He sighed. "Provided he doesn't accidentally kill me."
Alex put his hand on Michael's leg. Rubbed his shin through his jeans. "You know how to handle people. I know how to handle people." He squeezed. "You're able to manipulate people with more than just your body. Although, I'm sure Raoul would be thrilled if you cozied up to him one night."
"You might get jealous."
"Damn right. Mine." He squeezed harder. "Raoul is a child. He can be played. We just have to be on our guard. I'm sure we'll be able to get him to allow us to explore. We go through this crap and see if there anything we can use. And we figure out a way out of this hell hole."
Michael snorted. "Oh, yeah. Just that easy." He lay back and closed his eyes. "Do you think we're allowed visitors here?" His voice had a deep, unpleasant ache to it.
Alex finished the chicken. Licked his fingers. "Probably. Don't know how or where. Just keep an ear out, I guess. Why? You expecting your brother to stick around? Or your lovely lady friend?" He scooped some rice from the container into his mouth. "Tell me. Since she's the one who actually killed Bill Kim, do you really think she'd show up here? At a prison?"
Michael surged up, face a mask of fury. He moved, fist clenched, towards Alex. Broke off with a pained grunt. "Fuck. Fuck." He moved closer, slower this time. Socked Alex in the arm. "No. No, I don't think she'll come. I don't want her to come." Breathing heavily, he slumped against Alex. Held his injured arm against his body. "How did you know?"
"That it was her?" He shrugged. Moved closer and rested his head on top of Michael's. "You wouldn't. Not unless the gun went off on accident. Lincoln would freeze. He's a lot of things, but he's not a killer."
"And Sara is?"
"Sara Tancredi is used to making difficult decisions in a split second. It's her job. She can assess the situation and do what needs to be done. Which she did."
Michael's eyes closed. "Never thought of it that way."
"You know, she's actually a good match for you. You're a detail man. You mull things over, examine things from all sides. Contemplate and then you act. She's whip smart, can think on her feet, can be spurred to action. Just what you need in your life."
"Except now I'm stuck in a Panamanian prison hell hole, and she's out there." He yawned. "She should probably leave. Move on with her life now. Forget me."
"You're breaking my heart, Scofield."
"What about you?"
His throat closed. He blinked rapidly, eyes burning.
"Alex?"
"Everything good... about me. It was all her. And my son." He closed his eyes. A surge of anger went through him, anger at Michael for putting him here. At the Company. At himself.
A weight settled on his lap. Warm lips pressed against his. "Stuck together," Michael whispered. He kissed Alex's cheek. Ran his fingers through his hair. "If I said that I regretted... certain choices that I made... that they were made out of anger and a desire to hurt rather than.... I was angry. Because you were winning. And cheating. Because I might have let you come along if you'd asked, even though you killed my father. And David and Abruzzi and..."
"Patoshik."
"Right." Michael rested his forehead against Alex's. "I wanted to hurt you. And I guess I could say that... that I regret the impulse that drove me. But, the thing is, I'm kind of. Kind of really glad that you're here."
He let out a long breath. "Well," he said, putting his arms around Michael. "I can't say I'm glad to be here. But, guess I'll make the best of it."
Part 17
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no subject
Date: 2007-09-20 11:03 am (UTC)I was on tenterhooks cos I thought Raoul would go ballistic when he found them together but thank god he didn't. I'm worried how he agreed so easily to Michael/Alex sleeping together, is he expecting to join in?
"Si." He scrambled over Michael. Kissed Alex swiftly on the cheek. "Thank you, Senor."
"Just go," he said gruffly, embarrassed. He liked the kid better when he was throwing oranges at his head.
I think that was my favourite part! I forgot to mention for the last chapter how much I loved it when Tony threw his arms around Alex cos he was so pleased to see him. Just totally fabulous!
I also really liked their convo about their loved ones, nice touch. And Alex owning T Bag and Bellick? Awesome!
So much to love in this chapter!
no subject
Date: 2007-09-21 01:52 am (UTC)Isn't he? :)
I love how you're bringing in his Psyop background in his handling of Raoul. It feels incredibly canon.
I wish they would bring it in more in canon. His scene with Haywire last year, while sad, was amazing. I want to see him manipulating people, dammit. :)
I was on tenterhooks cos I thought Raoul would go ballistic when he found them together but thank god he didn't. I'm worried how he agreed so easily to Michael/Alex sleeping together, is he expecting to join in?
Not really. He's more of a collector, you know? He just wants stuff to have it, doesn't necessarily need to sleep with his stuff. :)
I forgot to mention for the last chapter how much I loved it when Tony threw his arms around Alex cos he was so pleased to see him. Just totally fabulous!
Tony has warmed to Alex. Stress does that. :) I love Tony. Just want to cuddle him.
Thank you!!