"Worth come on!" I shout, not wanting to go in the rain as he just stood out there. Everyone else was in their cells and he was the only one who wasn't listening.

I didn't want to go in the rain, but at this point I'd have to pull him in myself. Didn't think I'd have to bring a damn umbrella, but I wish I did. This was so irritating and for what?

Now I removed my jacket, going out into the rain as I grab his arm. Only for him to yank it away from me.

"Don't fucking touch me." He sneers, and I frown at him.

"What is your problem Worth? You can't stay out here and it's lockdown time. If I don't put you in your cell it will be a bad wrap-."

"Let there be a bad wrap then. I'm not going inside. The rain is cold and it soothes my anger." He tells me, sighing as I look back at the pod doors.

When I look back at him I already knew he was upset about something. And I knew already it had to do with the kiss. What else would it be?

"Why do you need the rain to soothe your anger? What are you so mad for?" I question him, but he doesn't respond. "Are you mad at me, maybe?"

He still doesn't budge, but I didn't need him too. I already knew he was maybe...not mad, but embarrassed? I don't know... This is all so confusing to me and for me. Never did I think it's get to this with him.

It's not even anything really but being friends. Except I can tell...now, that he likes me. And I think I might too...?

If it wasn't for these circumstances and him sleeping around as much as he does, I'd be for certain. I'm not though, and that is unfortunate.

I've also never...been with a man before. This is all new to me.

"I'm not going inside, so unless you want to get sick, go inside and leave me alone."

"What do I need to do for you to come inside? You'll definitely get sick and being sick in a prison is not the way to go." I insist to him.

Worth still doesn't budge or respond.

That's when I looked at his lips and back at his eyes. He wasn't looking at me and I needed him to. If he did...I knew he'd possibly be willing to listen. I know his ego is probably hurt and he probably misunderstood. I should've said something, but I didn't.

...I want to fix this.

"Let me get sick then. Maybe when I get sick you'll really stay away-."

I go towards him, my hands gripping his shoulders as I lean towards him. Pressing my lips to his, I allowed myself to kiss him. His lips surprisingly warmer than I thought they'd be considering how long he stood out here.

That's when I pull back now, making eye contact with him. I see his eyes widened on me and I grin now.

"I didn't avoid your kiss that day because I didn't want it. I avoided it because I was surprised by myself...that I didn't mind it. That took me aback more than anything, and it had me pulling away subconsciously. I'm sorry." I chuckle, the rain beginning to pour harder. "You don't have to believe me, but I'm telling the truth. I wouldn't lie about something like-."

Worth's hands gripped the sides of my face so fast, pressing his lips to mine. He didn't hold back at all when it came to kissing me as he came closer towards me. His tongue even entering my mouth as it gently grazes mine.

I feel the grip on his shoulders tighten in surprise to how eager this kiss was. Almost like he's been wanting to do this for so long and it's all showing through in this one kiss.

He pulls away suddenly, grabbing my hand as he pulls us inside. Once we were inside I saw how much his clothes were clinging to him now. Showed off what I already could've guessed and knew.

How nice his body was.

I suddenly see him cradling my face again, pressing a kiss to my lips again. Feeling his thumb graze my bottom lip, I saw him grinning down at them.

"I believe you." He breathes, and I frown. "Believe you about why you pulled away abruptly. I believe you...you're words and such. I believe you so much."

Suddenly we both hear the pod doors open. I saw the Chief walking towards us and I instantly was irritated.

If he saw the kiss then...what does that mean for him?

What does that mean for me, actually? It's him he likes, not me.

"Why aren't you in your cell Worth?" He questions him sternly, glancing at me. "And why are you soaking wet? What's going on here? I see on the cameras the both of you kissing. Are you serious right now?"

I frown, beginning to realize that he was looking at Worth when he said that.

"You wouldn't kiss me, but you'll kiss him?" He questions him sharply.

Of course.

"Nate put me in my cell." Worth says to me plainly as if Chief didn't just say anything to him.

I nod, only for the Chief to point at him. Absolute frustration across his features and I could tell he didn't want to accept that. Actually...he didn't even get an answer in general.

"Worth I demand for you to answer me-!"

"I'm not one of your bitch officers that work for you, you don't demand me to do anything." He snaps fast, turning around so fast and glaring at him. "So what if I kissed Nate. What does it have to do with you? Nothing-."

"You told all of us you would never kiss anyone here. Why is he an exception? He works here, he works for me. Where's the common sense?"

Worth doesn't say anything, just looking at him with a plank expression. It was obvious just getting no response was already bothering him, but for Worth to not even flinch or show an expression bothered him more.

"You can go to your cell." I tell Worth, and he walks away now.

I began to feel a hand grab the collar of my shirt, yanking me towards him. I looked down at Chief as he glared at me.

"You better end whatever you have with Worth right now. You are breaking many laws-."

"Says you, hypocrite; and we didn't technically break any rules. All we did was kiss, ooh, so illegal. Compared to what you all have done with him, I'm a saint." I try to pull back from Chief, but he held onto my shirt. "Let go of me, you're out of line and surpassing your bounds as Chief."

"Don't talk to me like I don't know how to do my damn job." He snaps at me, and I feel myself pulled back from him. I already knew who it was as Worth was in front of me fast.

I fixed myself, already knowing I'd be sick...maybe since I've stayed in these wet clothes for so long.

"Worth what are you doing-?!"

"I've tolerated a lot of your bullshit, but the bullshit I won't tolerate is grabbing at him. I'll fucking bash your face in and really be in jail. I don't need to be here, but I am. Charge me already dammit!"

"No." Chief says quietly, looking away from him. "I'm not charging you until I get my answers. You're not fooling anyone. I can easily tell Nate everything and have him in on it since you both seem to care for each other so much-."

"Shut the fuck up." Worth sneers, and this look of frustration crossed his features. "Why must you always try and interfere with my life? Just charge me already."

The Chief rushes away now, not even willing to listen. Worth even beginning to go after him. Except when I went to go after them too I suddenly found myself dizzy.

Not even able to catch my own self as I found myself falling to the ground.

-next day-

"I caused you to get sick, I'm sorry." Worth apologizes, and I grin at him awkwardly.

"It's fine, I needed a reason to get a little break. Used my first sick days on the job. I'm curious, how'd you get here?" I ask him now.

I saw his eyes divert off of mine, only to flicker back onto mine. He just grins at me solemnly and I already knew.

I don't say anything at that point, my lips tightening together. Lying down on my bed, I look up at him as he looks at me. He laid his head beside mine and looked right into my eyes.

"If you coming here has to involve you going to that extent for my sake, I can do without it. It's not what I want."

"I'm used to it though. It doesn't bother me and it's for someone I care about-."

"Don't say it like that. It makes it sound...icky." I shook my head, coughing into my arm a bit. "They are practically capitalizing off of you. They know...your circumstances and they know that you'd take it to this point. I say this seriously and I want you to listen to me, Malakai...?"

I see his eyes widen, and I could tell he instantly understood I was serious. He ends up nodding in wait.

"Just because you're in here doesn't mean you should stop caring about what comes in the future."

"I'm doing this because I do. This is my way of protecting my future."

"I don't...I don't believe you." I say softly, causing him to look taken aback by that. "You're lying to me."

"I'm not. I do this to preserve my future, what I care about, and I don't mind fucking those who are corrupted. That's not my asshole that's getting loose. It doesn't bother me. I'm using them-."

"You're telling yourself that to make yourself feel better, but no...they're using you."

"No, you don't get it." Worth snorts, shaking his head. "The way I have this going and what I am doing is working. I did that for you and I'm doing all of this for my brother and me-."

"What does your brother have to do with this?" I interrupt him, and his eyes flicker back onto me menacingly.

He clearly realized his mistake and now was going to try and place this upon me.

"Who is your brother?" I question him now, and he doesn't answer me. "He clearly is the main problem. He's done stuff, I just don't know what. Who is he-?"

"Don't do this Nate." Worth interrupts me, shaking his head fast. "It's not wise for you to pry. I suggest you just...be happy the way things are-."

"But I'm not happy!" I snap at him, sitting up as I look at him with narrowed eyes. "How the fuck am I happy with the way things are? The way things are is shit! Someone I possibly like is being manipulated by the system, his brother is an absolute dick, and I want to fix a place that doesn't even want to fix itself! How the fuck am I to be happy with 'the way things are'?! What's to be happy about?!"

I glared down at him, as I was sitting up. He still was crouched and I shook my head at him.

Worth just looks away from me entirely now, glaring at something that wasn't me. He practically avoided looking at me now.

"Happiness...is nothing to me when I see someone suffering this way. You're suffering more than anyone else. You're very good at hiding it, but you're not fooling me. I can see right through it and it upsets me greatly. You're trying to change the narrative in your mind to help yourself come to terms with it more, but I'm not fooled. This isn't something anyone can tolerate alone, and I want to help you." I insist to him.

I see his eyes slowly move back onto mine, void of any emotion or expression. He actually looked upset more now that I said that.

"I'm not snitching."

"I didn't tell you to snitch, I just told you how I felt about the situation and you say that instead?" I shook my head, and he looks away.

Snitch about what?

There were so many loopholes and things missing from this. It honestly gave me a headache if I thought about it for too long because there's so many possibilities. I just can't possibly choose one considering how anything is possible in the crime world.

"Oh...I thought," He stops, sighing as he looks up at me solemnly, "This is very troubling for me."

"What is?"

"You are, you're very troubling for me. Disrupting my flow and making me think about shit I never thought about before. Not thinking about it is best...and I was fine with how things were because I didn't think about it. Now, I'm thinking about it and it really...pisses me off." Worth breathes, and I hoped I got through to him. "It pisses me off that I can't tell if you're truly genuine, or just undercover to...get information out of me."

I shook my head, laying down as I tried to hold back a cough.

"The Chief and my subordinates barely speak to me unless it's about being pegged in the ass by you. I'm not an undercover to anything, believe that." I say surely, not even going to talk about it any further. "I'm telling the truth, at this point, it's up to you to believe me or not. I haven't lied to you before, why am I going to start now?"

Worth just grins, not saying anything as he lays his head down beside mine. He looks at my face and I could tell he was beginning to believe me.

"I just want you to know that I deserve to be here, this is my destiny." He murmurs, and I frown.

He messed up there.

"Well...if you deserve to be here, wouldn't it just be your fate? Why your destiny?" I question him now. I saw his eyes divert off of mine as he smiles.

"You're tripping me up." He breathes as he smiles at me. "I guess, but I was destined to accept this as my reality. I'm supposed to be here."

"What makes you say that? Didn't you do that stuff, you said you deserve to be here."

Worth just chuckled at me, shaking his head as he looked away now.

"I'll just keep my mouth shut on it now...before I slip up." He clears his throat as he pulls back from me. Except I found myself grabbing his shoulder, pulling him back down to me.

The look of shock in his eyes was very obvious, and I raise my eyebrow.

"Slip up on what? What do you have to hide?"

"Don't." He says very seriously. Just the very talk of such a thing put him in a state. Wasn't sure...but after what Chief said...I need to learn about what is going on. Except not in the way the Chief is doing it.

I'll do it the natural way. Getting to know him and being there for him, like this. And I do want to help him...he doesn't need to be here. It's so obvious...yet everyone is willing to condemn him to this place wrongfully.

And for what? Some dick?

Well, not anymore.

I cradle Worth's face, and I saw him look at me in shock. I grin at him because I really cared for him...more than I even realized.

This supposed destiny of his isn't his choice...or maybe it is because he's been misled into believing it is his "destiny". I wouldn't wish this kind of "destiny" upon anyone...

But I bet his older brother would.

I need to find a way to understand what's really going on here. What do they want him to confess to? If I can learn that...maybe these missing pieces of the puzzle will finally be filled.

And I can also help the person I care for.

"Nate?" He says my name, and I pull my hand away.

"Sorry...I was thinking-."

Worth was rushing towards me, his lips hovering above mine and our eyes were locked on each other's. I saw his lips tighten together as he pulled away.

"I won't disrespect you by kissing you...considering where I've come from. I will go to the room across the safest pod on our level. That's an abandoned room. I will go there...for an hour right at twelve at midnight. I'll wait until you're no longer sick and when you're better...meet me there at that time. Okay?" He says, and I look at him.

I saw that look in his eyes that told me he wanted to do something to me... It was so tantalizing in nature that it had me almost wanting to...know now.

"Okay..." I breathe, and he pulls all the way away. Walking out of the room fast, I could feel my heart beating fast.

I don't even know why.

I have a mission myself to figure out what is really going on and here I am... About to get caught in Worth's trap...just when I wanted to help him out too...

Am I about to be his fool too?

...no, definitely not. This is much different.

I'm helping him, and we just so happen to like each other too. That's the point!

It works out perfectly...for us both.

__________________🌚

does it? 🌝

does it really? 🙇🏽‍♀️

we'll see about that. 😮‍💨

or will we? 😲

or is it all a misunderstanding? 🤨

who knows! 🤷🏽‍♀️

just kidding... 😀

i do. 😌

vote, follow, comment~✨

- yolo 🫶