Chapter Text
From the very beginning Frodo understood what would happen to him should he ever get captured, orcs were a brutal animalistic race and Frodo's subspecies was delicate and easily devoured by creatures like orcs. Much to his surprise and dismay they cast him aside deeming him too weak for labor or breeding and instead they took Sam away leaving him all alone.
Already weakened by inadequate shelter and food, there was really nothing he could do about it. Frodo sat alone in his cell, his face buried in his knees, rocking back and forth. Without Sam beside him the silence was nigh unbearable.
The heavy hallway door was opened and familiar footsteps entered, Frodo looked up as Derin entered the room. Derin was a half orc and as such felt pity for the Hobbits.
Derin slipped a crusty roll through the food slot in the door, saying, “A bit of something before dinner. Your friend will be back soon.”
“Thank you,” Frodo muttered, reaching out and taking the bread before curling back up.
The orc shrugged and sat down in the empty chair by the table outside the cell. He sniffed the stale air before taking out a roll to eat himself.
“You're getting close again aren't you?” He said, cracking his neck.
Frodo hummed in response, in decent circumstances he would not have so quickly told someone when his heat cycle was coming but here it didn't really matter. The orcs had long since shown they had no interest in him.
It stung a little the way they spoke of him being too weak and useless for anything but he was grateful.
Derin nodded and continued to gnaw on his bread. Frodo didn't exactly want to be friends with the half orc but a great many things intrigued him. Derin was shunned by many of the others not just because he was a half breed but because he had vitiligo.
Nonetheless he was greatly valued by his superiors.
The door was open and Frodo looked up. Two brutes opened the cell door and threw Sam in. Frodo was immediately at his side but his servant lay limp.
“Sam! Are you alright?” He asked, reaching out.
Sam smacked his hand away, yelling, “Don't touch me!”
Frodo retreated, the alpha's scent harsh and oppressive. He curled up on the other side of the cell, trying in vain to hold back his fear from showing.
Sam turned over and groaned but then shot up and looked at Frodo, trembling in the corner. His scent sickly sweet and full of fear.
“Oh Mr Frodo I'm sorry!” He pushed himself from the ground and pulled the omega into his arms, holding him gently and stroking his hair soothingly, “I didn't mean to…. Oh I'm so sorry…”
Frodo shook his head and said, “What was it today?”
Sam inhaled sharply and said, “Said I wasn't working hard enough, said I needed a booster.”
Frodo understood they had used some sort of drug, it boosted strength but on alphas it also increased aggression. He sighed and leaned into the embrace.
The journey had been a sore trial of their friendship particularly in the suffocatingly tight space of their cell but they had managed. Sam was able to comfort Frodo when he was in heat without crossing any boundaries, his self control was even more incredible perhaps than Frodo resisting the Ring. On the other hand just to be safe, when Sam entered rut he would sit as far from Frodo as the cell allowed.
They both knew each other and knew they wouldn't betray the familial bond between them. Frodo looked up at the high window of their cell towards the natural light it let in as his fever set in and his vision became blurry. Sam felt his forehead and sighed, gently dabbing at it with his filthy sleeve. Derin looked at the pitiful pair, his pale blue eyes narrowing, he wasn't sure why but something deep inside him wanted to forget all his orders and release them. The world has fallen to darkness but somehow the two hobbits maintained a sort of purity and resilience that it seemed nothing could extinguish.