Intertwined

Riots and Romance (part 1)

A/N: Once I realised how long this chapter was getting I decided to do it in two parts. It's currently 2am Monday where I am, but I wanted to finish this part before the weekend ended for most of you.

There's some romance, some plotting, some danger and some smut...

Happy reading my lovelies.

It was warm for October today and thankfully not raining. That meant time in the yard for most of the prisoners and the guards knew that having time outside was key to the inmates deflecting their pent up energy. Very similar to how the Knight Nursery staff felt about being able to take children out into the garden. There was however, much less chance of children stabbing each other with home - made spitball knives.

While a small fight had broken out in the yard today between two groups of the usual suspects, it had been stopped quickly and four of those found to have started the small scuffle were treated for minor cuts and bruises and then put in solitary confinement.

The guards debriefed with the governor of the facility and were praised for their quick actions. None of the prisoners were talking much about why the fight broke out except their usual slurs and name calling. It wasn't as though these kind of things were unusual, except that lately they had been. It seemed that the truce between rival gangs was over.

The quiet that preceded this event and the ease at which it was now dealt with should have raised alarm bells for the experienced staff at the facility. But it didn't.

Apparently they had started believing that murderers, sadists, drug dealing thugs and rapists, the worst criminals you can imagine, had been broken into scared creatures who cowered at batons, cuffs and a few days in a small cell on their own. Well, miracles can happen, maybe they even happen in prisons.

***

It had been a hot minute since Siobhan had experienced anything like romance. Well, it had been nearly a year actually. So a lot of minutes.

When Siobhan first started dating Roger, he had showered her with gifts and compliments. Siobhan had mistaken his pretty gestures as romance and love. But it was all just an illusion with Roger, a comfortable web to catch her in. Once he had what he wanted, he became cruel, an aggressive abuser, who seemed to thrive on her pain and suffering.

For a while Siobhan thought she could stop him, placate him. Be nice, beautiful and perfect and he would go back to how he used to be at the start. It was a naive girls fantasy; that he would realise she is everything he ever dreamed and change for her.

But Roger already had his dreams: money, power and a woman he could use anytime he wanted.

Siobhan was trying not to hate herself for staying so long, for letting him do what he wanted with her, because she was scared. She tried not to feel like she wanted to scratch all her skin away that he had touched. She had to tell herself every day that she wasn't going to give in to the lies that he told her, that she could be free of his words, his touch and his games. Yes, he was in prison, but she had far too many memories that she could never forget.

There was a knock on the door that snapped Siobhan out of her mind. She knew who it was and smiled with a little giggle, why were they knocking when they could have just come in?Siobhan thought it was sweet actually. Because she is sweet.

'Hiya Bon Bon,' said the brunette woman standing at the door. She looked at Siobhan with the sweetest expression, a sparkle in her eyes, smiling and head slightly leaning to the side.
'Hi Viv,' and Siobhan held her hand out for Viv to step inside, but the brunette produced a beautiful bouquet of blue and white flowers. Diasies, roses and violets. Siobhan stopped still for a moment. She hadn't expected Viv to bring anything when she came to pick her up, and for a moment it made her think of Roger and his gifts.
'Siobhan?' Vivian asked, concern in her voice.
'Thank you Viv, they're beautiful,' She really did love the flowers, it was just hard to accept gifts.
'The blues reminded me of your eyes,' Vivian said shyly.
You were thinking about my eyes Siobhan thought to herself and instantly felt her heart skip and she smiled uncontrollably at the thought of Vivian thinking about her when they weren't together.
'I know, cheesy thing to say,' Vivian rolled her eyes. She suddenly felt unsophisticated around Siobhan. Something she'd never considered before.
Siobhan reached for Vivian's hand as she walked inside so the brunette stopped and looked at Siobhan, her gaze soft and loving. 'Viv, they're perfect, I love them'. I love you.