62 The Dream

Jules' pov

"Mama, do you think it's okay that I'm not like the other kids?" I asked as I snuggled into the warmth of my mother's arms. She smelled of a blend of different fragrances at once, a scent I translated as comfort and peace.

She left out a soft coo as she slowly combed her fingers through my hair.

"Of course, love. It's very okay that you're not like the other kids. If you've been born like them, then nothing would have made you special. You're not like them because you're special and perfect, Labyrinth."

As she spoke. I gripped her tightly while snuggling into her warmth even more. I wanted to believe her really bad, but something at the back of my mind still held me back.

"Mama… if I am special and perfect, why do the other kids treat me horribly? They mock me for being different. I- I don't like being different, I don't want to be special… or perfect, I just don't want to be hated because I don't hate anyone." I mumbled and she grew silent after that, choosing to stroke my hair over and over again till I almost drifted off to sleep in her arms.

"If only you can see yourself through my eyes, labyrinth… If only. Not only are you perfect, you're also destined for great things. The kids making fun of you are gonna need you to rescue them one day… they're all gonna bow at your feet and worship the ground you walk on…"

Everything she was saying didn't make a lick of sense to me, so I didn't dwell on it as I let myself be pulled into the lull of sleep.

~~~

"Mama, I miss you every day. It's hard living life without you. Everyday is harder than the previous one. Why did you have to leave me the same night as everyone else did? You promised to never leave me, you promised to always be with me." I cried out desperately as tears rolled down my cheeks.

A soft glow surrounded my mother's striking features, she had a sad smile as she peered down at me, because I was currently hunched over on the ground, crying my eyes out.

"I'm sorry, my star, my labyrinth… so sorry… so, so sorry…"

_______

When I jolted away, my cheeks were wet with tears along with the spot my face had been pressed into.

A sudden wave of sadness rushed over every inch of my body and I pressed my hands over my face as I broke down, sobs wracking through my body as something snapped inside me.

I missed my mother so much, I wasn't certain I've ever let myself fully accept and come to terms with the fact that my mother was no more.

None of my family members were alive, my mother, my sister– my best friend… Anya, she was no more. My silly brothers who usually teased me to death, who also cared about me oh so fiercely. My brothers who still treated me like a child, like their baby, they always claimed that I'd always be their little baby whom they'd also protect from harm no matter what. And now, they are all gone.

All completely gone.

The sobs increased even more and I didn't try to stop it this time, I wasn't sure I'd be able to stop it even if I tried, and so I cried until my head started to hurt, until my face felt swollen.

"Bunny…"

It was Blaze's voice and I instantly tensed up because somehow, I had completely forgotten that I had been asleep in his bed. As I blinked at him through the tears, I realized that he had been awake for a while.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly and I blinked once, and twice before breaking down all over again, covering my face with my hands as I sobbed.

Moments later, large hands were gently tugging my hands off my face, and before I could protest, I was being pulled into a warm embrace.

"Shh." He whispered, hand stroking my hair and holding me firmly against him. In a way, his action felt so similar to the dream I had of my mother and I found myself crying harder into his chest while clutching his shirt tightly.

He didn't interrupt me, didn't try to get me to speak, he just held me and kept whispering soft words that kept setting off the waterworks over and over again.

After a long while, I finally stopped crying, all that was left behind was sniffles. Blaze still held me against him for long minutes before slowly moving backwards so he could peer down at me.

As I blinked at him. I felt extremely drained, eyes hurting from all that crying. Blaze touched my cheek, thumbing the tear track and I felt a spot in my heart flutter. When he leaned down and brushed his lips against that spot on my cheek which he had just thumbed, I felt my heart fluttering once again.

"You know… I've always wanted to see what you'd look like while crying. And now, I don't think I like the image very much, at least not like this. When you cry, I want it to be tears of overwhelming pleasure, tears of overstimulation, of maddening edging… of happiness, not tears of anguish and pain."

I swallowed emptily, unsure of how to respond to that, because I didn't half of what he said.

He didn't give me a chance to respond, seeing as he rolled out of the bed and easily picked me up, ignoring the startled squeal I let out as he crossed the room to the restroom, settling me down once we were inside.

I sniffed once before gripping the hem of Blaze's large shirt which I still had on from yesterday.

"Aren't you… um, leaving?" I mumbled, feeling extremely drained as I watched Blaze fiddling with the bathtub and soaps.

"Why would I do that? I'm here to take care of you." He responded as he threw a bunch of soaps into the slowly filling tub.

I chewed on my bottom lip and sniffed once again, while silently wondering how he'd react on seeing me fully naked for the first time. On a normal day, I'd have put up a fight and insist that he give me some privacy, but right now, I felt extremely drained.

I remained frozen until he returned to me, staring down at me for a moment before reaching down to tilt my chin up. His lips brushed against my forehead and as my eyes fluttered close, a teardrop rolled down.

Blaze didn't comment on it as he tugged his shirt off my body, leaving me in a pair of shorts.

When his hands settled on the top of my shorts, I sucked in a sharp breath, heart pounding nervously as I hurriedly gripped his wrist, blinking up at him with teary eyes.

"What's wrong, bunny?" He murmured softly and when I tried to speak, all that came out was a sob and I slapped my hands over my face while silently cursing the universe for creating me in an unusual way.

Blaze gently tugged my hands off and pressed kisses against my palms, throwing off my entire insides.

"It's alright, okay? I'm here now so it's all gonna be fine." He cooed and I sniffed once again, slowly nodding my head in response.

When he gripped the top of my shorts a second time, my heart flew into my throat and I gripped his wrists once again.

"Is something wrong? Do you not want me to look? I can keep my eyes closed for you, pup." As he spoke, I felt my heart clench in my chest as I slowly nodded and shook my head at the same time, my emotions a complete mess.

"I- I don't… I'm not…" I trailed off to suck in a deep breath.

"I'm… I'm not normal, you see–"

I was still speaking when Blaze sank to his knees, hands around my hips and I felt my heart stutter in my chest. He brushed a soft kiss against the top of my jutting hip.

"Shh, bunny. You're perfect, do you understand?" He murmured and I nodded my head as tears tumbled down my cheeks.

When he gripped the top of my shorts this time, I had to fist my hands, head turned away and eyes squeezed tightly to prevent myself from reaching for his wrist again.

I felt the shorts slowly getting peeled away, right as the cool air of the restroom hit me down there, sending a wave of numerous emotions rushing through me at once.

Blaze still remained on his knees even after the shorts were pooled at my feet. This was the first time I'd be fully naked in someone's presence since I discovered how different I was from other people. After a while, I slowly blinked my eyes open, eyes wide and filled with so much fear as I blinked down at Blaze who had a blank expression on.

I swallowed the sob bubbling in my throat as I averted my gaze. "Y- you can go ahead and say it." I whispered through the urge to burst into tears.

"Say what?" He asked, sounding genuinely confused and I had to work through the lump in my throat.

"F- freak."

Blaze remained silent until I risked a peak down at him.

"Not freaky, bunny." He murmured, and then he leaned forward to brush his lips over the smooth part of the spot between my thighs, causing my heart to stutter as color flooded into my face.

"Not freaky at all." He repeated. "But perfect. Perfection."

This time, I couldn't hold back the tears even if I tried and they freely tumbled down my cheeks as he rose to his full height, towering over me once again.

He chose to ignore the tears– which I was really glad about, as he picked me up and walked towards the bathtub, carefully dipping me into it.

As the hot water enveloped me, I let everything in my mind fall away.