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miguel leaned back into the wall, fighting back tears, or so it seemed, while douglas rewrapped the bandages around his arm. he hissed in pain at the right times, flinched at others. the others must think he's pathetic for reacting so much to such a minor wound. they'd all seen what david was capable of, this was nothing compared to what he did to some of the guards, especially the newbies.
that would never happen to miguel though. the only time david ever laid a hand on him was when miguel allowed it. ordered it. he wouldn't dare otherwise for fear of losing miguel’s attention. what the other considered some fucked up form of affection, despite the fact that miguel wouldn't be caught dead getting attached to one of his tools. his needy, disobedient attack dog nonetheless.
annoyed as he was at the other for attacking douglas just when he was close to having him wrapped around his finger, it did give miguel another opportunity to get douglas's eyes on him. surprisingly, this had been david's idea. it was one of the few times his perrucho's history at shp came in handy. douglas apparently had a tendency to take care of weaker inmates. anyone david or one of renato’s men had roughed up in the past had inevitably found themself in douglas's cell.
and sure enough, after checking up and down the hall douglas had ushered him in as soon as he noticed the bruises on miguel’s face and wrists and the cuts down his arms. the antiseptic stung, but it confirmed douglas had a way of smuggling things in.
david did too, but his way was unreliable and subject to his moods. he wasn't good at ignoring his emotions, and while he could put on a decent show for the others (even if he was only convincing because the jealousy and possessiveness was real), he couldn't act outside of that for shit.
"how's it feel?"
miguel shrugged, rolling his left wrist around. it was the only part that had actually needed attention, a wrap to stabilize it because both he and david had underestimated david's strength. he'd nearly ended up with a broken wrist from that miscalculation.
"still hurts," he murmured, "but it's better now. thank you."
“well,” douglas replied, resting his hand on miguel’s face and brushing his thumb over the bruise on his cheekbone, “we can’t have that now.”
something dark floated in his eyes, behind the caring look was something much more sinister. something that told miguel he needed to get out of there for the day. the supply line was important, but he was well aware of when to back down and leave something for another day. he had time.
he bit his lip, shot a quick glance down at the floor, pulled his hands up into his sleeves. "I should go, david gets angry when I'm with other people for too long."
douglas slid his hand down to rest heavily on miguel’s shoulder. annoying. he wouldn't just let miguel leave. he didn't want to break his cover in front of douglas, but if it was just one person, what were the odds that anyone else would believe him. annoying as it had been the other day when david interrupted him, it would be helpful in this situation.
david wouldn't be coming, though. he had been taken for his monthly visit to one of the doctors in the infirmary early that morning. he wouldn't be back until late. it's not like douglas would know that, though. he was in a different cellblock entirely, why would he know.
he grabbed douglas's sleeve, widening his eyes in faux fear. "please, you saw how he reacted last time. what if he comes by again?"
"he won't."
the certainty in his voice made miguel’s blood run cold. maybe he should have listened to his perrucho's warnings.
"how-"
douglas crossed his arms, making quite the opposing figure between miguel and the cell door. there wouldnt be a way to slip around him. "don't play dumb. david protects you while he's here, but he's not right now. there's more going on at shp than you could understand by only being here for a short time. everyone's got a history with each other. i know david better than you ever could. "
miguel couldn't come up with a response to that quickly, but it didn't seem to matter as douglas continued on.
"I know how he acts, I know his habits, I know him , which is why I know there's something wrong. he's been acting differently since ren, and you're going to tell me why." douglas slipped his hand into his pocket, drawing miguel’s eyes there. what kind of weapon-
a pill. a small, white pill.
“you can take it on your own or i can force you. your choice.”
miguel stared at douglas’s hand. choice. as if . he’d never give up control like that.
he shook his head, finally getting a plan together, feigning disbelief. he just needs a few seconds. “ protects me? you’ve seen what he-”
his head snapped to the side, and his glasses clattered to the floor; the force from douglas’s backhand disoriented him and nearly knocked him over. before he could even regain his balance, one of douglas’s hands was on his jaw, digging into the already forming bruise, holding his mouth open, and the other set the pill on his tongue. he fought the hold, but he wasn’t much of a match for douglas’s brute strength, and despite his best efforts to not swallow, the pill had already started dissolving in his mouth. whatever it was, it would take effect soon.
he was wrestled down onto the mattress, where douglas grabbed a pair of cuffs he must have lifted off one of the guards and locked miguel’s good wrist to the bed frame.
“I’ve seen what he’s done to his other interests,” douglas growled, hovering over him and holding his mouth shut until whatever he'd forced on miguel fully dissolved. “i’ve seen how long they last, the injuries they get, the way he treats them. at a glance you’re the same, but you and i both know you’re not . what makes you different?”
the disgust in his voice was apparent. pure loathing filled his eyes. his face was red with anger.
pathetic .
slave to his emotions, just like david.
miguel shook his head. “I have no idea! if this is some sort of special treatment, I…” he hesitated, making sure there was an appropriate amount of horror in his expression. "I'm lucky to survive sometimes."
he had barely finished speaking when douglas wrapped his hands around miguel’s neck. slowly, slowly tightening until miguel could feel every breath drag on the way through, not stopping even then. he twisted underneath douglas, instinct kicking in to fight for air once it was fully cut off.
finally, when his ears had started ringing and his vision going dark, douglas let up. miguel’s body was wracked with coughs as he tried to get his breath back, straining some of the newer cuts on his chest.
this was… different from what david used to do. david had landed him in the infirmary overnight more times than he could count, but usually that was because he had gone too far on accident. he had no concept of restraint. douglas was deliberate.
even after his breathing had somewhat evened out, he was still dizzy from lack of oxygen.
"ready to talk yet?"
miguel's head was spinning, vision sometimes blurring, sometimes doubling. he couldn't get his thoughts together by the time douglas raised his hands up again. it was easy to be still with david, he was clearly never going to hurt him beyond repair. at least for the most part, and not on purpose.
douglas… he knew how to keep him hovering on the edge of death. and his hands on miguel’s neck again were burning. setting him on fire .
this time, miguel scratched at douglas’s wrists trying to get him to let go. he knew nothing would happen, but he couldn't control the panic rising in his chest, couldn't control his instincts fighting to keep him alive and conscious.