"Hey," Ethan says, and I know he’s trying to sound like he’s not scary and failing. He stops a few feet away, non-threatening. "What's going on?"
The kid shakes his head, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. "Nothing. I'm fine."
I crouch down next to him before Ethan can think of a proper supervisory intervention. When you're on the floor, the last thing you want is someone towering over you.
"You're a terrible liar," I say. "No offense. At least it means this place didn’t teach you to lie yet."
He blinks at me, surprised enough to stop crying for a second.
"I'm Liam. What's your name?"
"Mason," he says, quietly, and he’s watching me in such a wary way that I think he’s calculating how to bolt.
"Mason. Cool. When did you get here?"
"Three days ago."
Oof. Three days. Christ. I remember three days in. Ethan had already spanked me by then, and I’d gotten in all sorts of trouble. I was pretty scared, and missing my dad like crazy,my weed, my old friends, even if they weren’t that great. It all sounds so distant now, like I’m remembering a past life.
"What happened?" Ethan asks, crouching down on his other side now, his khaki pants pulling tight across his thighs. Mmm.
Mason's chin trembles. "My leader. He… he hit me. With his belt." His voice cracks. "I didn't even do anything wrong. I was late for something, hell, I don't even know what exactly. He said he was going to initiate me properly in the Academy ways."
I look at Ethan, and I can barely hold back the laughter.
Not because it's funny that Mason got it, that's not funny at all, but because Ethan's face does that thing where he's trying so hard to stay composed, and I know exactly what's running through his head. The irony is thick enough to choke on. He wants to stop me from saying it, and I know he's embarrassed to fucking death. But he deserves this.
"Yeah," I say. "Same thing happened to me."
Mason's wet eyes snap to mine. "What? Really?"
"My first week here. My leader," I jerk my thumb at Ethan without looking at him, "spanked the hell out of me."
I can feel Ethan's gaze burning into the side of my face. Good. Let him sit with that.
"It's..." Mason's voice is barely a whisper. "It's allowed?"
"Technically, no. But it seems leaders do that. Part of the system."
“You fucking deserved it, Liam,” Ethan says, quietly. He seems like he's going to kill me later. Can't wait.
“Yeah, I did deserve it,” I say. "Doesn't mean it doesn't suck. The point is that you aren't alone, man. It's tough being a rookie. But soon you’ll get used to it, and it’s not even that bad here, I promise. And maybe you guys can even get along down the road. I know we did." I say, and look at Ethan, smiling. His eyes soften a little.
Mason nods, still looking miserable but the tiniest bit less panicky. Poor kid.
"So how'd you end up here?" I ask, settling more comfortably on the floor. Ethan will hate that I'm extending this, that we're losing gym time, but I don't care. Some things matter more than bicep curls.
Mason is looking at the floor. "Shoplifting. A bunch of times. And then..." He swallows. "I stole a car. It was my stepdad's, technically, and I just wanted to take it for a spin, but he pressed charges anyway. My mom didn't… shecouldn'tstop him."
The way he says it, she couldn't stop him, tells me everything.
"Yeah," I say. "I get it. I'm sorry, man. You'll be alright."
Mason looks at me, his bottom lip quivering. God, I feelbadfor the kid.
"Hey," I say, standing up and offering him my hand. He takes it, and I pull him to his feet. He's lighter than I imagined he’d be. "When you see me around, meals, courtyard, whatever, come say hi. I mean it. Don't sit alone and be miserable."
He almost smiles, but I guess he’s too sad for that. "Okay."
