Mason and Caleb were returned to their cell by a different officer than the one they were dealing with before. This one looked older and more experienced, and Caleb idly wondered if Timothy had gotten in trouble for arguing with Mason earlier. 

The door clanged shut and the quiet that ensued was awkward. They both sat down on the bench, close enough that their knees were slightly touching. Mason tapped his nail rhythmically against the rusty metal, and for a while the quiet clanging was the only sound in the tiny room.

“How’s Melanie?” Caleb broke the silence.

Mason looked away from the spot on the opposite wall he’d been staring blankly at and raised his eyebrows at Caleb. “How’d you know it was Melanie?”

“Who else would come visit you?”

Mason shrugged. “I don’t know, the mayor? After what just happened to us I’m not sure anything will ever surprise me again.”

“Whatever, I know it was Melanie, I can tell from the look on your face. Seriously, how is she? Is she holding up okay?”

“I think so. She looked exhausted and terrified but she’s a tough kid. She’ll be okay.”

“That’s good, at least.” Caleb sighed and leaned back, slouching against the cold brick wall behind them. Mason took the chance to examine his friend, noting the tension in his posture and the bags under his eyes.

“What about you? Who was your visitor, your family?” Mason asked.

“Yeah, you could say that, I guess,” Caleb scoffed. “They didn’t even bother to turn up, they just sent Benson, as usual.”

“I’m sorry,” Mason said quietly. He gently put his hand on Caleb’s shoulder and squeezed.

“It’s fine, I didn’t expect them to. They never have before.” Caleb shrugged, and the motion jostled his hand off.

Mason rolled his eyes inwardly but said nothing, putting his rejected hand back on the bench between them. He resumed tapping the metal with his fingernail as he nodded, looking pensive. “So no chance they’ll get you out of this?”

“It’s not like there ever was.”

Mason sighed and leaned against him, and Caleb considered shrugging him off again, but decided against it. Mason was too stubborn, and he’d just keep trying, anyway. So he just looped his arm around Mason’s and rested his head gently on his shoulder. 

Caleb’s wavy hair tickled Mason’s cheek, and he closed his eyes, focusing on that feeling and using it to keep himself grounded. This entire situation they’d found themselves in was so surreal, but at least they had each other to use as anchors in the storm. They sat in silence and just enjoyed each other’s company for a while.

“What are we going to do?” Caleb spoke, his voice soft and apprehensive.

The quiet continued for a few moments more, and Caleb was beginning to wonder if he’d fallen asleep, when Mason finally responded in a nervous whisper. 

“Caleb, I’m going to do it.”

Caleb lifted his head up and made eye contact, his brown eyes looking almost black in the shitty fluorescent light of their holding cell. He didn’t look surprised at all, and Mason didn’t know whether to be comforted or alarmed by that.

“It’s the only way I can do right by Mel. I know I won’t win, probably won’t even survive. But they pay you. They pay you so much just to be on the show. And I can send that money to her, I can set her up for life so she won’t have to depend on me anymore.” Mason spoke quickly, as if he was trying to get all his words out in one breath. At the end he paused, pursing his lips.

Caleb searched his face before he spoke, asking about the one thing Mason really didn’t want to think about. “And did you tell her?”

Mason’s face fell. 

“No… Caleb, I–I lied to her. I promised I wouldn’t. I just didn’t want her to worry.” He looked away, towards the door of their cell. “She’ll forgive me, eventually. Maybe she’ll even understand when she’s older and has people of her own that she’s responsible for.”

“And can you live with that?” Caleb asked, continuing to poke and prod at all of Mason’s soft spots. If it were anyone else, he might’ve lost his temper.

“If I join the Tournament, I won’t have to for very long, will I?” Mason laughed darkly.

Caleb shook his head, looking sad but amused. Mercifully, he stopped with the difficult questions. That meant it was Mason’s turn.

“And what about you?” Mason asked him.

Caleb smiled. It was the sad but reassuring one he’d been using a lot lately. “I’m coming with you, of course. Can you imagine me in prison?” 

“Caleb, I can’t ask you to do something like this. We’ll… we’ll probably die.”

Caleb rolled his eyes. “Yeah, and I’ll annoy you in the afterlife, too. You didn’t think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?”

Mason laughed in a way that almost sounded like a sob and pulled Caleb in for a tight hug. When he spoke it was a whisper. “You really don’t have to do this, you know. You’ve done so much for me and Melanie already.”

Caleb just kept smiling and stroked Mason’s back comfortingly. “You know I’d follow you anywhere, idiot, I’ve been doing it since we were 14.”

“I know, you had such a crush on me.” Mason snorted.

Caleb pulled away, looking scandalized, and gave Mason a gentle punch on the shoulder. Well, he tried to be gentle, but Mason’s wince and pained grunt were a clear indication that he had failed. He couldn’t help it if he had a mean right hook. “I did not!”

The two of them fell back into their comfortable, friendly bickering. It was all they could do to keep themselves from falling apart.