His boy? Lowery thought, as he watched Shea confront the other prisoner. Huh.

"Holla!"

Lowery recognized that there were several ways that other inmates would interpret Shea's claim on him, all of which were fascinating; or they would be if he were a free man studying the dynamics of prisoner relationships.

Lowery knows that "my boy" means Lowery has, somehow, managed to get himself into Shea's good graces. Lowery has, or does something valuable for Shea, and in exchange Shea protects him. And the rest of the prison will know it, too. Lowery knows that from the way it sounded—the inflection, Shea's demeanor—that I-found-God has no reason to think that Lowery is Shea's punk. That sex has nothing to do with whatever it is that has Shea protecting Lowery, but the rest of the prisoners will speculate. After all, Lowery's a pretty mousy guy and he still can't keep from flinching when someone moves past him in the showers or walks up behind him in the commons. He didn't do so well when he was first put in the max security prison where every guy was bigger, and all of them were looking to burn off a little energy.

Needless to say, Lowery's glad he knows Shea's real motivations.

And of course Lowery was aware that Shea's actions were done more out of self preservation than any real fondness for him, if potentially painting a target on oneself for Mr. I-found-God and his friends to go after could be called self preservation. Because now people think Lowery is worth something (what that is, none of them know), and they may just try to take it (just to have it because when you have nothing, it feels good to take anything).

No matter what the other prisoners thought, being Shea's "boy" meant with regard to what Lowery did for Shea, it meant that if anyone wanted anything to do with Lowery they had to go through Shea, and if anyone did anything to Lowery they'd have to deal with Shea.

Lowery likes that. He's never had anyone (And by anyone, he means anyone. His disappointing mother included.) defend him. Certainly his defense lawyer didn't. It makes him happy to know that there is someone in this world of uniforms and food (that is decidedly not food) who gives any sort of damn what happens to him. That Shea's willing to put himself on the line for Lowery amazes him. It's almost enough to make going to prison worth it.