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ex-marine finds renewed purpose in life in this heartwarming story of devotion
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Marlo finds a book that looks interesting and finds a chair that isn't in Chris's direct line of sight and reads. 

His posture is different. Not a lot, but he's not holding himself at attention. 

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Interesting. Chris makes a note of it but doesn't correct it. 

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He fidgets more, like this; he tries to keep it to small things, doesn't entirely succeed. 

He reads until his time is up. 

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Chris doesn't prompt him when his free time is up, doesn't seem to notice, watches Marlo to see what he does.

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He looks at Chris for a moment — it's possible that he actually hasn't noticed the time but Marlo would be surprised — and then, when Chris doesn't respond, puts the book down and notes the page and goes back to the table to study. 

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He can see the smile in his peripheral vision. He doesn't stop studying but you can see from his face, from the way his shoulders relax, that he's noticed. 

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He's very sensitive to praise. Not sure whether it's best to beat that out of him or cultivate it. Some masters like their slaves responsive. 

At 9:20pm precisely, Chris puts aside his paper with a sigh, goes to the bathroom, changes into pajamas, goes into bed, and regrets that he can't yet have Marlo getting himself off on Chris's boot to help him go to sleep.

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He reaches a stopping point at 9:26, which gives him less time than he'd like but more time than he needs. He's in his cot by 9:30. 

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Chris does not dream, or at least doesn't remember that he dreams.

He wakes up a little after six and checks whether Marlo is in bed.

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He is. 

(He dreams about — he never remembers what he dreams about anyway and he certainly doesn't remember now.) 

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Chris kicks him. "Lazy. You wake up before me."

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He jolts awake; it takes him half a second to realize where he is, and then he's on his feet and standing at attention. "Yes, Chris." 

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Chris backhands him. "That's not what you say when you're punished."

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Being told what's expected of him isn't a punishment. 

"Thank you, Chris." 

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"I was going to put you through your paces this morning but I'm not sure I have a use for a lazy, disobedient slave."

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His hands are shaking, just a little. 

He nods. 

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"Go make me coffee and eggs."

Chris reads the newspaper and ignores him. 

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He nods anyway. 

Chris likes his coffee with milk and no sugar — he doesn't know how Chris wants his eggs so he just hopes that scrambled is fine. 

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It seems to be fine, judging by the fact that Chris continues to ignore him. 

When he's finished eating, he's silent for two minutes.

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Marlo isn't going to be the first to speak. 

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"Plates are to be cleared away at the end of meals."

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"Yes, Chris." 

He clears the plate and silverware (and the cup if Chris is finished with it) and (lazy) washes it and dries it and puts it away. 

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"Let's give you another chance, Marlo, shall we? Attention."

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Head up shoulders back spine straight feet shoulder-width apart hands clasped behind his back body angled towards Chris. 

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