The Gentle Giant

Dinner

Hazel's POV

I sit on the floor, quietly playing with the parts of the laundry machine. Axel's father works on it silently, his brows furrowed in concentration. "You alright?" He asks me, snapping me out of my head.

I look to him and nod, a blush of shame flourishing across my face.

I've been out of it a lot since Master told me he didn't want me anymore. "Master is going to sell me," I admit, slumping back against the wall behind me.

I don't know why I'm telling him this, he probably doesn't care. He's always so quiet though, he's easy to talk to and I feel the need to talk to someone about it.

Master was out of the question, but his dad was nice and would probably listen.

Axel's father is silent for a moment, playing with a screw in his hand. He doesn't look at me for a moment, "So he decided?" He asks me, an emotion I can explain etched across his face.

I nod my head and he sighs. "He said things weren't working out." I lay down on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. He doesn't say anything, just listening. "Do you think anyone will want me?" I ask him, the question that's been plaguing my mind coming to the surface.

"I'm sure someone will," he says, but I don't quite believe him. After a week, Master had given up on me, I don't know if anyone else will ever give me a chance again.

"Do you think it was something I did? I mean I know... it's because I'm crippled, but do you think I did something, something else to make him not want me?" I ask him, hoping desperately there was some other reason Master doesn't want me.

I can't fix the fact I'm crippled, but if I did something to offend him or insult him, I can always apologize and work to not do it again.

"I think Axel is making a very poor decision and I'm sorry you're caught in the middle of his foolishness, Hazel." I nod, sniffling as tears sting my eyes.

His words are nice, but they don't change the spiraling nightmare my life has become.

We fall into silence again, he goes back to fixing the washing machine, letting me cry out my sadness. A touch on my leg makes me snap my eyes open.

Axel's father smiles sympathetically at me, he squeezes my knee in support and I sit up and wipe my tears away. He opens his arms to me and I scoot to him, snuggling into his warm chest.

He doesn't offer me false words of encouragement and I appreciate that.

He runs his hand over my head, allowing me to soak up the father like affection in my weakness.

—————

Master has been distant with me since he told me he doesn't want me anymore. We barely even talk, and when we do, it's him telling me dinner is ready.

I sit curled up in my cage, running my finger down the bars, listening to the sound it makes. "Hazel," Master calls, making me look up at him.

"Why don't you come out of your cage? You've been in there all day. Don't you want to stretch?" He asks me, creeping closer. I shrug and look away from him. He sighs loudly, "Come on, girl," he calls softly, making me sigh.

I crawl out of my cage and he leans down and picks me up. I'm not really happy about him, but he does lighten my mood when he gives me extra water and the little food packet things.

After I'm done eating, he picks me up before I can crawl back to my cage and takes me down the hall. I don't want to, but I lean into his body as he carries me.