welcometotheughbackup

He heard that Sen was out of the infirmary and his first instinct was to rush over to him right away. Instead Norman acted like things were normal, or at least as normal as they came in prison. He even started advertising again though he hadn't exactly gone about it in the usual way. He was angry and sad, and mixed up about what had been going on with Sen recently. The only thing Norman could do was go back to being a whore.

Norman headed to Sen's cell. The least he could do was poke his head in and see that Sen was all right. That was all he could do, though. He would just make it worse for Sen if he stuck around. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Norman stood at the cell's entrance.

"Hey, Sen. You in here?"

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Sen's head appeared from the blanket piled on the floor when he heard the voice. Upon seeing Norman he scrambled to his feet as quick as he could, even though it hurt to move, before rushing over to the blonde, throwing his arms around him.

He clung for what seemed like eternity, before slowly taking a step back, looking the man over for any signs of injuries. "Thank God... He didn't kill you!"

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He wanted to scold Sen, to tell him not to aggravate his injury. But Sen was already on his feet. Norman froze. Sen was hugging him, Sen was still glad to see him after that. For a moment he stood with his body numb not knowing what to do. Then, slowly, his arms went up and he clung tightly to Sen. Norman's head bowed to rest on Sen's shoulder.

"You're okay," he breathed out. He was equally relieved that Sen hadn't been hurt too badly by what happened. Norman wanted to keep holding onto Sen like this, and not let go this time. Norman would take the blow next time when it came. "I'm so sorry, Sen," he murmured.

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Part of Sen couldn't understand why Norman was apologizing. Afterall, Sen had made the first move hadn't he? He wasn't really sure anymore, but it didn't matter all that much. The main thing was Sword hadn't killed Norman - not yet at least anyway, and if Sen had his way, he never would.

He let himself sink into the warm embrace again. "It's me that's sorry Norman, he could have killed you... I should never have put you in that situation." He clung that little tighter.

"I was worried that I'd ruined the illusion forever." He knew that friendship was just that - an illusion, but he wanted to believe in their friendship so much.

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He couldn't speak yet, at least not coherently. He just needed to hold Sen for a little longer and be sure he was real. He felt solid and warm in Norman's arms. Norman felt a calmness around Sen that he just couldn't find anywhere else in the prison. He was really starting to depend on their illusion and that... he knew that was dangerous.

"It's okay, Sen," he replied, his voice a little muffled. He didn't worry about hurting Sen with how tightly Norman clung to him. "You didn't ruin it."

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"I'm glad! I don't know what I'd do without you." He pulled back from the hug, just slightly, enough to pull his tshirt up, peeling back the dressing. "It's not too bad. Will probably leave a scar though."

Even though he was tired and hurting, he still found himself smiling for Norman. "Still, could have been a lot worse... If he'd struck you from behind, he'd probably have pierced your kidneys or something."

He offered Norman a cheeky smile then, "He could have waited a few more seconds - that's all I needed." He joked, rubbing his hand up Norman's arm lightly. "I'm not going to let him control who I'm friends with."

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He let out a slow sigh and nodded in agreement to Sen's statement. He wasn't sure how he would handle it if he lost Sen. He'd probably kill Sword, and that would be it for him. Norman just stood there enjoying being in Sen's presence, listening to him, smiling vaguely as his friend spoke. His eyes focused on the hand as it moved up his arm.

"Sen... don't do that." It was crazy, what he was wanting to do. He thought of kissing Sen's mouth, of running his fingers and tongue over the mark left by the attack. Norman liked being around Sen far too much. That was for sure. "Don't get my hopes up, okay?"

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Sen couldn't help but feel even more confused now. He was just acting how it felt natural to act around Norman - and that was wrong? He scrunched up his nose, before forcing another smile.

Of course he wanted to melt into another hug and never, ever let go. But it seemed that wasn't what Norman wanted from him. He moved then, sitting down on Sword's bunk, patting the space beside him. "Hey Norman, the guard at your Dad's bank... You didn't mean to kill him, right?"

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He didn't feel any happier when Sen pulled away. It was actually worse; he wanted Sen back in his arms already, and almost reached for him. Damn, what was wrong with him? Norman hadn't been procuring enough business lately. That had to be it. He moved into the cell, taking a seat next to Sen on the bunk.

"What's it matter anymore?" Norman asked with a shrug of his shoulders. "Murder is murder. Back then all I wanted to do was show up my old man... I killed that guy whether I meant to or not." Norman felt himself leaning toward Sen, nuzzling his neck. "That time feels like another life. UGH is my life now." He was spending most of his adult life in here, after all. It was all he knew.

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Sen slipped an arm around Norman's body instinctively, holding him close, fingers resting lightly on the man's hip. He let out a soft sigh, enjoying the warmth it created between them.

"Is that really what you think? That your crime was as bad as someone who murders in cold blood? That you're as much as a killer as those people?" He wasn't really sure why he was asking, it was a little too close to spilling his own truth, something he never wanted to do.

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"I could be a killer," Norman said simply. He leaned more into Sen, that little part of him reserved for Sen aching. "I could be just as cold-blooded as the rest of these guys. Sword, for example..." He paused, his expression turning darker. "I wanted to kill him when he beat you up, and just a while ago when he cut you up.... I was so close to grabbing the scissors, Sen."

Norman let out a slow breath. The murder he'd been charged with wasn't pre-meditated. Norman could still remember the guard going down, then the cold realization hitting him that he'd taken away this man's life. "If I keep being with you, I might end up..." He stopped there, but his silence was enough.

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His heart skipped a beat, he felt like it was stuck in his throat. Within an instant he was burying his face in Norman's chest, tears running down his cheeks. "Don't... Don't say that, Norman." He clutched the fabric of the man's shirt. "Please... please don't say you can't be around me... please..."

He didn't care that he seemed weak and needy, he wasn't prepared to let Norman leave. "I couldn't cope without you."

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"Sen..." Damn that Sen. He always managed to disarm Norman. The blonde held onto his friend, stroking his back slowly. "Recently when I'm with you I want to get my hands all over you and feel you fuck me. Hell..." He let out a short, merthless laugh. "I wanna kiss you right now. That's dangerous for you. Sword will likely kill us both. I can't seem to control myself around you."

Norman needed Sen to understand this. Illusions were fine but when they started bordering on reality, that's when the game was lost and things started getting dangerous.

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Sen continued to cling to Norman's shirt. Tears flowing more freely. Afterall, Norman was his lifeline, the one thing - apart from Sword - that made him feel alive in UGH.

"Is... it really so bad to love your friends? Really? Because I love you, and that's no illusion!"

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Luckily, for all three men, Sword hadn't heard any of the conversation in his cell. He walked up and leaned against the 'door' of the cell. He could have flown off the handle seeing Sen and Norman embracing the way they were, but he couldn't. If he had it would ruin what he had come here to do.

"Yo. Sup?" He said, letting his presence be known.

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Sen pulled away from Norman's chest when he heard the voice, wiping his tears away on the back of his hand. Part of him wanted to walk over and punch Sword, part of him wanted to hug him so tight and never let go, another part of him wanted to beg him not to kill them, and part of him wanted to cling to Norman and never let go. The whole thing had him feeling like he was going to throw up.

Eventually, he looked at Sword, but didn't move from the bed. "...Sword."

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Sword completely ignored the fact that Norman was there. He needed to, if he was going to stop himself from killing him. He desperately wanted to kill the blond, and this time it was for more than sleeping with Sen.

Sword smiled sadly at Sen, "How are you feeling?"

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Sen shrugged his shoulders a little, before returning a sad smile of his own. "Hurts like a bitch, but then falling on scissors usually does."

He pulled up his tshirt a little, peeling back the dressing once more - soon the surgical tape would lose all it's stick the way he kept pulling it off. "Doctor says it's fine, will probably scar though."

He stole a glance at Norman then, before returning his gaze to Sword. "COuld have been alot worse."

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Sword eyed the wound and felt a little sick. Though he didn't show it. Sen was hurt because of him. Granted Sen had stepped into it. But if he hadn't tried to stab Norman in the first place, it wouldn't have happened.

He hated it when Sen looked over to Norman. It made his stomach tie in knots. He nodded, "Yeah, it could have been." He said rubbing at the back of his neck. He wanted to apologize, but his pride just wouldn't let him with Norman there.

"Norman, could you excuse us? I need to talk to Sen alone for a moment." He hated sounding so polite. Especially to Norman. But he had to act friendly so Sen wouldn't think he was going to die as soon as Norman left the cell.

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Sword had interrupted at the perfect time. Sen's words had left Norman speechless. He was glad to be ignored for a while, feeling like an unwanted third wheel. Norman didn't complain when Sword asked him to leave. He nodded numbly, heading out of the cell.

"Hey, Sen." He stopped, turning back. He couldn't just leave those words hanging and not give a response. "What you said a little while ago..." He hesitated, not wanting to say too much in front of Sen. "Me too," Norman said. Hopefully Sen would understand. He quietly walked out and left the two of them alone.

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Sen offered Norman a bright smile. The blonde's words touching his heart. It certainly made him feel safer knowing Norman cared - yet at the same time, he knew it was dangerous to trust too completely - he just couldn't help it.

He flopped back on the bed then, narrowly avoiding hitting his head. "What is it, Sword?" He asked, most curious as to why Sword had sent Norman away even though the cells weren't exactly private.

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Sword waited for Norman to leave. He could probably guess what they were talking about if he put the tiniest amount of thought into it. Be he didn't want to know. He had to remain calm and he couldn't do it by discovering that they declaring their love for each other right there in front of him.

Sword shook his head, "Not here. Come with me to the showers. There we can talk in private." He offered a hand to Sen to help him stand, before moving towards the showers.

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