Hell Has A New Name

44

Juice stood in the cell, mere millimeters from Tully, and yet the man hadn't moved. It was unnerving how Tully managed to sleep through the intrusion. Typically, he would have woken up at the buzz, it was almost as if the man had given up. Juice wasn't sure, but he knew that wasn't normal. He slowly approached the curled-up figure on the bed, in the bright darkness of the cell he could see him plainly. It was never completely dark in prison, just dark enough to hide the details.

A flash of fear flooded him, what if Tully was dead? Though the gentle rise and fall of his shoulder told him otherwise. He slowly walked into the cell, inching closer.

"Tully." He whispered. No response.

He took another step closer. "Tully." He whispered again.

This time the man's breathing changed, but he did not move. Juice realized he was in defense mode. The man knew he was there and was simply waiting for him to be close enough to pounce. Juice knew he could snap his neck before he ever had a chance to speak, he decided to stand still.

"Papi. I know you're awake. Look at me. It is important."

Tully held his breath for a moment, maybe it was a gasp, Juice couldn't be sure. Slowly the figure rolled over, squinting his eyes to make out Juice.

"Boy, that you?"

Juice relaxed a little and smiled. "Hey Papi. It's me. I need you to come with me."

Tully rubbed his eyes and sat up. "You really in here? How in the hell did you get in here?" His thick drawl came out in his sleepy voice, though the question was directed into the air and not at Juice.

Juice bounced on the balls of his feet, grinning proudly. "I'm really here, Papi. If I come closer are you gonna kill me?" His tone joked but it was a serious question. He heard Tully sigh, and walked to the bunk anyway.

"Guard dressed me up. He thought you would like it." Juice cringed internally; he wasn't even sure why he had said what he said. Survival mode, that's all he was concerned about. Right? He didn't actually want this man to be pleased with his appearance. Did he?

"Baby, I got you out, why in the holiest of hells are you in here?" He looked genuinely confused, accepting that Juice was in fact standing in front of him. The hair on his neck spiked up as he gave Juice a once over, a crooked grin resting on his lips. " You do look good boy, but I'm guessing this aint why you're here?" He gestured to Juice in general.

Juice moved to sit down on the bunk beside him. His body moved on its own accord, he couldn't will it to stop. He knew it was risk, but he reached and pulled Tully into a hug. "I do miss you sometimes Papi." He held tighter, his brain was screaming to let go, to stop, but his body refused. The arms that wrapped hesitantly around him rubbed his back soothingly, not lustfully. This was a different thing, a thing Juice couldn't process or understand. A thing that seemed to make Tully more uncomfortable than Juice.

Finally, he let go, he only had a few more minutes to lure Tully from his cell to the conference room so that they could talk. "I bought the conference room. The guard that dressed me up in this sent me to get you because he thought it would be funny when you bashed my head in. Too bad for him, I told him you liked my face more than his. Also, I know you don't like to be woken up. I know a lot of your tricks Papi. That idiot though... Papi, he is gonna have to be dealt with."

Tully knew which guard it was. Andrews, guy was an idiot, but he was a part of the Brotherhood. He raised a curious brow at Juice. "How so baby? What did he do to you?" His voice carried the same tone of authority Juice remembered. Tully didn't like it when his things were messed with.

"He didn't do anything to me, 'cept for dressing me up. Don't worry, I've already taken care of the problem. Got me thinking like you Papi. Now come on." He tugged at his hand.

Tully wrapped his arm around Juices waist and pulled him back down to the bed. Not roughly, not forcefully, Juice could have broken away easily if he had tried. The smile on Tully's face was real, a big toothy grin, much like Juices own. Juice had only seen it one other time. The day he killed him, well pretended to kill him anyway. That was the last face he had seen before his eyes closed. Juice didn't feel scared at all, simply at peace with whatever was about to happen. Not numb. He should be terrified; he was in the devil's house. He wasn't worried.

The arms snaked around him tighter, pulling him into a laying position until they were spooning on the tiny cot bed. "Just lay with me, just for a minute. Please." Juice relaxed against the body he hadn't felt in so long. Listening to whatever nonsense Tully was speaking into his hair. Knowing the words weren't really meant for him to hear, he didn't respond.

More than a minute passed, several minutes in fact. Juice opened his eyes again, feeling the limber sleep leaving his body. The soft breaths on his neck reminded him Tully was still behind him. He didn't know how much time had passed, but it was still dark in the cell. He wiggled himself free, turning to look at the man whose eyes were also closed.

"Papi. We fell asleep. I need you to wake up." He shook the man gently, "Papi. Come on."

Finally, the man stirred, opening his eyes. "Holy shit. Fucking shit. Ju...Baby? This actually.... You aint just a dream" Tully was still in complete disbelief. He shook his head and stood from the bunk.

"Let me piss. Be right there." Juice turned away. About the time Tully was putting himself away, and Juice was adjusting his hat, the door swung open. A cheeky looking Andrews was standing there. At first, he looked like a cat who got the mouse, but then his smile fell when he noticed that he hadn't caught them in the act. He looked Tully over, subtly but Juice noticed the look of disappointment in the man's eyes. He actually thought Juice was here to kill him.

"It's been an hour. If you're taking that room you'd better come on." He snapped at Juice.

Tully pulled on his orange shirt and followed them down the dark hallway.

"We're gonna have to talk about how you did this, you know that right?" Tully whispered leaning so Juice could hear.

Juice grinned. "We're gonna have to discuss your poor vocabulary, you know, that right?"

Tully was taken back for a moment. "What?" He asked confused.

"We don't say aint. We are educated, proud Americans. Only hillbillies and uneducated members of lesser societies say such words." Juice recited proudly. He had heard Tully, or a crew member spew their garbage for four years. It had made an impact.

Tully scoffed at the articulate recital. "You're right. your right."