The Gentle Giant

Kara

Hazel's POV

Something runs over my head and I curl away from it, seeking the warmth of whatever I'm wrapped up in. A whine leaves my lips as I bury my face into the warm material and a chuckle draws me from my sleep.

I look up, squinting my eyes against the faint light in the room. "Morning, Hazel," a deep masculine voice says, making me pull away from the hand letting my head.

Upon blinking the sleep from my eyes, I can finally see it's Axel's dad. "Sorry, sleepy head. I didn't want breakfast to get cold. Will you come eat with me?" He asks me, continuing to speak as I search the room for Master. "He went to work, he'll be back later to pick you up."

I sit up, tugging at my arms. Without me even having to ask, he undoes the restraints for me. "There we go. Should we eat breakfast in here?" He asks me, as I tiredly nod my head, still waking up and not up to talking.

He pats my head gently and leaves me alone in his living room. I begrudgingly get off the sofa, sitting on the floor for my daily bowl of water.

"You can stay on the sofa, Hazel," Axel's dad says, making me look up at him in surprise. He motions me up on the sofa, holding two plates of food in his hand, real food, just like last night.

I lick my lips and crawl back up onto the sofa, looking between him and the plate of food in his hand. "There you go, girl." He pats my head after he places a plate down in front of me.

I look at him for reassurance and he smile and nods. He grabs his own fork and sits to eat beside me. I moan, tasting the yummy breakfast he made me.

I inhale the soft fluffy pancakes. Axel's dad smiles softly at me, chuckling as syrup drips down the corner of my mouth.

I blush deeply and cover my mouth with my hand, hiding the syrup. I lick the sticky substance off my hand and face bashfully.

"How did you sleep? Well I hope?" He asks, making me nod my head.

"Ou?" I ask him, blushing even more when my words come how slurred with all the pancake stuffed in my face.

He smiles sympathetically, "I slept good...so does Axel not feed you?" He asks me carefully.

I swallow my bite of pancake and wipe the syrup from my face. "He feeds me," I assure him, becoming more and more embarrassed about how desperate I am for solid food.

"You just seem like you've never eaten before," he observes.

I blush even deeper, "Yes... well, I haven't had solid food in a while," I admit, pushing around a piece of pancake in the syrup.

My stomach protests the solid foods I had last night and now, but I can't stop myself. I've only had that tasteless water stuff for years. I miss eating things with tastes and textures and smells.

"Axel doesn't give you real food?" He asks, sounding surprised.

"He gives me the little water packets. I mean they're enough." I shrug, not really even believing my own words.

Enough, is relative. Enough for what? Survival, yes. To make you full or stop you from being hungry, no.

He huffs and takes an angry bite of his food. "I'll talk to him," he grumbles and I can't bring myself to assure him I'm fine and he shouldn't.

It would be so nice to have solid foods more often. I've always wanted to try chicken or something sweet like chocolate.

My stomach clenches and I pause in my eating, fighting down the urge to throw it all up.