Page 63 of Butterfly

Leo told Ollie about his school, his lessons, and his friends, not realising he was speaking about ‘Jess’ with hearts in his eyes and a blush on his cheeks. He asked about the routine on the wing, Captain, Green, and Jack and even Rory, but Ollie managed to swerve the conversation away from him.

Rory was still too complicated to think about.

And Teddy…Teddy was too private. Ollie didn’t want to share him any more than he already had.

Maggie observed them, never guiding the conversation or interrupting, but laughing when she found something amusing.

A few times, Ollie caught her staring at him, able to sense her sadness, but he only spoke to her once to say he was okay.

It didn’t clear the expression from her face, if anything, it deepened.

When the conversation slowed, and stopped, it wasn’t awkward.

They sat in comfortable silence, watching the end of the movie, which turned out to be Toy Story.

When time was up, Leo gave Ollie another bone-crushing hug, which he readily accepted. Maggie tipped her head, smiling, then wrapped an arm over Leo’s shoulder as she led him from the room.

Stepping back onto the wing after seeing Leo hit Ollie with the same low he’d experienced when Rory had left, just minus the anger.

A piece of him had walked out of the prison, and he wouldn’t get it back again for at least another two weeks.

Teddy sat on his bunk, obsessively pulling at his lip.

Ollie nodded. “It was good,” he whispered. He struggled to raise his eyes to Teddy’s.

Teddy sighed softly, got to his feet, and pulled Ollie into a hug that felt very different to the one he’d shared with Leo.

Leo was family.

But hugging Teddy felt like coming home.

10

Olliehadfearedwelcominglife on the outside to life on the inside. They always felt incompatible in his head, but with Leo regularly visiting and Teddy being as supportive as ever, they gelled. Ollie really could have it all. His brother and his lover. Life was good.

He dropped another unopened letter from Howard into his bottom drawer, then crouched down to slip the container out from under Teddy’s bed.

In the last few days, the caterpillars had entered their pupa stage, hardening into crispy-looking nuggets. They swelled in size, leaving Ollie nauseous when faced with them.

Teddy was pleased. It was the first time he’d managed to get the caterpillars to that stage.

Ollie pushed them back beneath the bed.

Teddy told him it would take roughly two weeks.

Two weeks until butterflies would bless their cell with colour and beauty.

Ollie didn’t like them as caterpillars, or pupae, but he did look forward to seeing them as butterflies, fluttering around their cell. More than that, he wanted to see Teddy’s expression when it happened.

“I don’t understand it.” Leo screwed up his face. “Howard said he’s sent you letters.”

Not Mr Nobel, butHoward.

Ollie averted his gaze. “I haven’t got any—”

“Is there another Oliver Linton in the prison?”

“There could be.”

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