"Would it kill you to smile", Sherman asked in frustration at Starved dog who sat across from him eating a gecko kebab. Starved dog actually wasn't wearing his helmet, face wrap, and sunglasses for a change, showing off his scarred face to the world.
"I'm not happy. Why should I smile?", He asked as he chewed on a jalapeno.
"Because it's fucking creepy that's why!", Sherman shouted.
"Ladies, ladies, please calm down", Chief said sarcastically as he sat down on another old chair in the circle. He bit into his own meal of grilled mantis and yucca fruit.
"What's Sherman bitching about now?", Titas asked as he limped over to sit with them.
"Same as always, anything and everything", Chief joked.
"I hate you both", Sherman whined.
"Don't be a girl about it", Titas said, happy to not be the one on the receiving end of the teasing for a change. Titas and Chief both laughed at that.
Everyone than turned to look at Starved dog when without warning he got up from his seat and began to walk away from the group.
"Hey, where are you going?", Chief asked, "Julius and Burning Ant aren't even here yet".
"I gotta piss", Starved dog grunted.
"Why are you still holding your kebab?", Titas asked.
"Am I not allowed to piss and eat?"
That left the other three silent and disgusted.
...
Siri sat next to Melody on the ground as they ate their bowls of soup together. Siri looked at some of the other slaves who were eating as she ate and tried not to think about the horrible taste of the blood red soup.
A male and female slave lean against each other with tired smile on their faces caught her attention. A tired smile was the only kind she'd seen on any slave except for the some of the kids. The woman seemed to be telling the man about something but Siri couldn't hear them. Maybe her day? The man happily nodded along to the woman's story.
Siri smiled at the two. It was little things like that, that kept her going day in and day out. Other slaves huddled in small groups. Some would talk or even joke with each other while others stayed silent and kept their heads down encase one of the guards suddenly got bored and started looking for a fight or a quick fuck.
Several legionaries were trying to cut through the crowd in different directions to whatever task they had. Some just walked by while some of the more sadistic intensionally stomped on the slaves' finger and toes as they made their way through the group of eating slaves.
She than noticed one helmetless legionary on the far side of the large group seemed to be scouring the slaves for something, looking back and force across their dirty faces with no subtlety what so ever. His eyes landed on her and he began to walk directly towards Siri.
What did he want with her? She couldn't do anything but sit in fear as he approached.
As he got closer she noticed the horrible burn scars that covered the lelt side of his neck lower face. The scare went from his cheek to beneath his armor and tunic.
Next she noticed he had a kebab in his hand. That was definitely odd. He didn't stop coming towards her though. What did he want with her? She looked down at her wooden bowl. She found that legionnaires went easier on you if you were 'good submissive little slaves and did what you were told', as one legionary told her when she was first taken.
She could hear his foot steps now as he got closer. He stopped just as his boots reached the edge of he vision he stopped. He was silent for the longest time.
Siri prayed to what ever god there was for help. To (if nothing else) protect protect Melody who continued to eat her soup like nothing was out the ordinary with a legionary right in front of them.
"Take this", he ordered.
Take what? Siri went to the worst senario she could think of. Did he mean his cock? Was he going to rape her in front of Melody and all the others while he ate his supper?
Siri looked up hesitantly only to see he wasn't even looking at her but at Melody. He held out a piece of gecko meat from his kebab for the young girl.
The young girl didn't say anything as her expression went from of confusion to realisation to absolute joy.
"Mister dog!", Melody cheered as she jumped up and hugged the legionary, "I didn't recognize you without your helmet and mask".
Many slaves and legionaries turned to the girls shouts only to all be confused by the sight of a legionary standing awkwardly as a slave child hugged him happily. Siri sat still in silence.
"That's not my name", he said seriously. If he was happy to see her his face certainly didn't show it.
"Sorry", Melody apologized.
Starved dog grunted in response. He took a jalapeno of his kebab and gave it to her before turning to leave. As he turned around he gave Siri a once over. Siri wasn't even surprised by this, all legionaries ever saw women as were pieces of meat.
"Thank you", Melody said as he walked away.
He gave a quick dismissing wave of his hand to her as he left. A recruit legionary seemed to make some comment about Starved dog as he walked past. Siri watched as he knocked the recruit to the ground with one punch and not even stopping as he marched away.
After that most of the other legionaries around suddenly found much more interesting things to look at instead of him, like the dirt or the sky or literally anything else that wasn't the prime legionary.
"So that was Mr. Dog?", Siri asked as she watched the scarred man walk out of sight.
"Yep", Melody said happily, "isn't he nice".
...
Starved dog made his way back to his squad to finish his supper with them.
"So you wanna tell me what that was about?", A voice asked.
He turned to see Chief standing there looking at him with his arms crossed.
"The girl is a good slave", Starved dog said bluntly, " honestas, industria, prudentia, she full fills these better than most other slaves. I thought she deserved a reward, sir".
"Is that all?", Chief asked.
"Yes, decanus".
"Alright than. Let's get back to the others." As they walked back to the others Chief started talking, "You know most other men would have tried to deny something like that or play dumb".
"I have nothing to hide. The girl serves the legion well."
Chief chuckled at that and Smacked starved dog on the back, "Lighten up a little. You should actually take Sherman's advice and smile more".
"Is that an order?"
"More of a suggestion".
"Than no".
(Comments, recommendations, reviews, and critics are greatly appreciated)