The Whole Thing

The Part With The Fight

"What are you reading?"

Noel had crept up behind Julian who was sitting on one of the many courtyard benches.

Julian was enjoying reading his book in the sun as the inmates seemed collected today and there was no reason to intensely watch over them. He had jumped, however, when Noel spoke which made Noel laugh.

"Lolita"

"Bit pervy, innit?"

Julian just shrugged and closed his book to look at the criminal. He was holding an apple and took great pleasure biting into it when they secured eye contact and the juices squirted onto his face. He licked them up and Julian took a deep breath.

"I don't read it because I am into pedophilia, I read it because it is classic literature"

"Alright, professor" Noel smirked, "You're a prison guard, classic literature ain't got you nowhere"

"I think you mean 'anywhere'"

Julian sighed and opened up his book again. Since their little sex affair had started, over a month ago now, he had had to put up with Noel's endless teasing and public flirting. He started to worry that people would notice. He would never dare stop him though. No, he liked it too much for that.

Noel bit into his apple again but then seemed too distracted to even hold the thing. He dropped it on the cement, watching something from afar. Julian was too caught up with reading to notice that Noel had walked away from him.

"Lolita?"

Dolly had appeared beside Julian now, and again, the speaking made him jump. He shut his book and glared at her but it only made her laugh. He reluctantly nodded to answer her question and she took a seat next to him on the bench.

"So you and Noel?"

Now Dolly had Julian's full and somewhat panicked attention. What did she know? How much did she know?

"What of it?"

Julian tried to play it off nonchalantly, hoping she didn't notice the beads of sweat developing on his temples.

"You're very...close"

"He's a good kid"

"Ju, he's killed people. Sometimes I think you forget that about the inmates. They're not 'good kids'. They're criminals serving their time"

"I know that. I just meant-"

"You like him. It's okay, I like some of the inmates too. I mean, maybe not the mass murdering ones but nonetheless. I'm just worried"

"About what people are starting to think?"

"No. I'm worried about you. You're getting too attached to him when you know very well he has an expiry date"

Dolly rubbed Julian's shoulder but he shied away from her touch. He wasn't attached. He was just used to their arrangement but he couldn't tell her that.

"I'll be fine"

Julian had grumbled eventually and opened his book again. Dolly took that as a sign to leave and left with quite an audible sigh.

A few minutes went by and when Julian began chapter twenty eight, Noel began a fight. The impact of Noel's clenched fist against another inmate's jaw was so loud it echoed throughout the courtyard. Julian had only just witness the uppercut when flicking the page and was stunned.

Yet he just watched when the inmate reciprocated the punch. He felt paralysed as he watched Noel defend himself, getting bloodier and more bruised as the punches wore on. At one point Noel has sunk his teeth into the man's hand and that's when Dolly got there.

She was able to seperate them with minimal damage to her person. She turned to face Noel to give him a good telling off. As soon as she started, Julian was on his feet and crossing the courtyard to stop her.

"What are you doing?!"

Dolly was startled when Julian harshly grabbed her arm to pull her away from the battered criminal. Julian shared a quick glance with him. His nose was more crooked than usual and bleeding, the cut on his lip that had previously healed was reopened and he had a black eye forming. Julian had to return his attention to Dolly though.

"He started the fight"

"Yeah cause that fatass was belittling and berating my friend over 'ere" Noel defended himself, "He was a bully so I put him in 'is place"

"Shut up, inmate"

"Don't speak to him like that" Julian growled.

Dolly angrily struggled free of Julian's grip and glared at him.

"He. Is. An. Inmate. He started a fight. I have every right to talk to him the way I want to. If anything I should send him to Max"

"I am your boss.  You will not be talking to him like that and you will not be sending him to max, only I have the authority to do that. He was merely defending a fellow inmate. Due to a technicality, the other inmate initiated the brawl with his unkind words and actions whether or not he made the first punch. I'll take Mr. Fielding to my office for a full recount of the incident and then send him to the infirmary to fix his wounds. Take care of, of, uh..."

"Mr. Brown, if you bothered to learn anybody else's name but Fielding's you would know... Dave Brown..."

Dolly was definitely pissed off as she hauled the other inmate, Dave Brown, who Noel had attacked, away to the infirmary.

"You right, man?"

Noel asked the inmate he must've been defending. Julian recognised him, his name was Rich. Rich Fulcher. He knew the inmates names. He knew the good ones, at least. Screw Dolly.

"Yeah, thanks mate"

"Noel"

Julian tried to redirect his attention.

"Office?"

"Now"