For illfluff‘s Prompt. After this vignette (lj)
Fred woke up strapped down in a hospital bed, with a nurse on one side and Jenny on the other side. Both were frowning at him. As signs went, it wasn’t the best.
He tried the restraints, not with any real force. He didn’t want to spook anyone. He really didn’t want to spook Jenny.
He worked his jaw, a bit surprised he wasn’t gagged. Then again, it hadn’t been his mouth that had gotten them in trouble.
“Fred,” Jenny said. Sobbed. “Fred, why…?”
“I…” he glanced at the nurse; she nodded.
“Go ahead, you’re not standing on protocol with me.”
“Thank you.” He reached his closer hand towards Jenny. “I’m sorry. He just got me so mad. He’s always making those stupid comments, you know…”
“He makes them to everyone. He thinks he’s better than the rest of us because he fights it. But Fred! They’re going to punish you for this. You know they are.”
“I know. I really tried not to. But… he just hit one button too many.”
“Your fighting skills are admirable.” That was from the doorway: Mr. Thurston, their home ec teacher. “But your lack of control is not. Steve backed up your story, by the way, which will mitigate your punishment. Thank you, Jennifer, back to your room now.” He hesitated, and added kindly, “I promise, if we send Fred away, we’ll give you a chance to say goodbye first.”
She swallowed another sob and fled, leaving Fred alone in the room with the teacher.
“And now the question remains,” Mr. Thurston continued, sitting down in the chair Jenny had vacated, “whether we send you away or not.”
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Field slave if he’s lucky?
Naah, if they’d been going to send him to the fields he’d already be gone.
Someone’s bodyguard, perhaps.
Bodyguard. *nods*
He’d need some training on just when he’s allowed to unleash the violence. I expect it would also put Fred in a delicate position as I expect misbehavior to be viewed even more poorly in a slave specifically trained to be dangerous. But if he handles it well, it could be a ticket to a very good position as I also expect a body guard is likely to be very well treated (really, anyone who mistreats their body guard(s) is just asking for trouble).
*nods* I think he could handle it. I think they might groom him for that.
Their real problem is gonna be separating him from Jenny. That might not go well for either of them. But I’m not sure how you could sell the two of them as a set. Not much goes with bodyguards…
I think you extrapolated more of a relationship here than I’d intended to write.