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. 

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

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

He reads until his time is up. 

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

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

He is. 

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

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

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." 

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

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

"Thank you, Chris." 

"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."

His hands are shaking, just a little. 

He nods. 

"Go make me coffee and eggs."

Chris reads the newspaper and ignores him. 

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. 

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.

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

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

"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. 

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

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