Page 28 of Dollface

Blue considers me for a moment before slowly stepping back down the staircase and walking to me, carefully dropping to her knees. A pink dragonfly lands on her nose before flying off as it makes her giggle, warming my soul.God, that laugh.

“Pink, right?” she asks, watching it flutter away. I nod softly.

“You’re learning.” I’m so fucking proud of her.

“I wasn’t leaving because of you, Firefly.” She picks at her nails. “I was leaving, b-because I’m embarrassed.”What?“I mean, look at me.” She points to her face, her expression soaked in pain and sadness. “I’m sure I look an absolute mess! I don’t wantyouto see me this way. To see me so ugly.”

“Blue... ” I grab her hand gently as I bring it to my face. “How do you not see yourself as you are?” Chuckling lightly,I continue. “It amazes me to think you have no idea just how stunning you are.” She lowers her eyes, a heaviness weighing on her mind.

“I see myself as I am. I’m not beautiful or pretty or strong. I’m just a to?—”

“Don’t,” I snap at her. “You arenota toy. You know that better than anyone. Don’t youdaresoil your name by calling yourself a toy.”

Her laughter has a melancholic edge to it as she shakes her head. "I'm nothing but scraps, Firefly," she cries, the words morphing into light sobs. “Do you think the Creator purposely chose this for me? I am made of broken parts and pieces. I don’t think or act like the others because I am nothing like them. I am a mistake, sewn together with bitterness and disdain. I am nothing.”

"Don’t say that. Blue—" I try to interrupt, but she cuts me off with a shake of her head as she stands up, making her way back towards the steps.

"Where are you going?" I demand, quickly following after her. She doesn’t respond.No, I won’t let you leave.I reach out and grab her wrist, but she lets out a pained cry as I quickly release her again. "Sorry," I whisper, taking her hand gently to examine her injured wrist. My scowl deepens as I see the dark bruises and cuts marring her skin on both arms. “Blue, were you—were you chained?" I grit out, my anger reaching its tipping point.

"Yes," she whispers weakly, snatching her wrist away and cradling it against her chest. "S-she had me chained while she stitched my mouth—hey, where are you going?"

I stop in my tracks, having raced halfway up the stairs, and look down at her slumped figure. "I'm going to find a way into Dreadmoor," I say firmly. "I'm going to grab that bitch and shove my fist so far down her throat, I'll rip out her intestines andstrangle her with them as she watches me kill her with those fucking button eyes of hers."

"Why? If you don't die crossing the portal—which you know you will—why would you risk giving her the upper hand? Why would you risk getting hurt or killed?"

"Because she hurt you!" I bark out, punching the wall with all my might. The bugs immediately fall into darkness, their color snapping to blackness, startling Blue more than my temper. The aching pain is a brief distraction from the seething rage coursing through me. "Goddamnit, Blue! Why can't you fucking understand? You. Are. Important. You're not just some toy! Not to me." She silently begins making her way up the stairs, her eyes locked on me. As she passes by me, she stops on the step ahead of me and places a hand on my chest before leaning in to kiss my cheek softly, her bloody lips brushing my cheek.

"That's sweet of you to say," she murmurs. "But Firefly, I was nearly killed over a pair of dice. I am disposable, both to her and—” She stops, swallowing her sentence. “To you.”No.“Now please, just let me go home and rest. And I beg you, don't follow me. Don't come to my window tonight or wait outside my door, Please, just—just leave me be." I want to argue, to fight for her safety, but I see the exhaustion in her eyes and think better of it.

Reluctantly, I step aside and let her pass, ascending the stairs and leaving me alone in my basement.

Blue.

Chapter 9

Blue

From the beginning, he was there,

In the shadows, full of despair.

Rarely seen, yet always a flame,

Eagerly waiting for what was his to claim.

Forever haunted by his past,

Letting all know he was an outcast.

Yet, here he was, glowing for me, my Firefly.

The delicate, luminous dragonfly lands softly on the tip of my nose, its tiny wings tickling my skin with each flutter as it showers me in its glow. A joyous giggle escapes my lips as I watch it dance around me, leaving behind a trail of shimmering light like fluorescent glitter in the air. I believe Firefly named this hue, if I remember correctly, purple. I make a mental note to confirm the color with him when I see him again— whenever that will be. The immediate heavy sadness weighs down my joy as I listen to the sounds of Nightmare. The cold night air is alive with the buzzing of insects, their midnight singing dancing in the air, carrying with it the sweet scent ofblooming flowers which flows in through the open window of my room, as I sit by my small fire, listening to the small cracks and pops. I can’t help but feel sunken and sad at the peaceful night life—the smells and sounds remind me of my Firefly.

A heavy sigh escapes me, my trembling fingers running over my swollen, sore lips. The holes in my skin throb with a dull pain, reminding me of the blood that had dried and cracked around them after my encounter in Dreadmoor. The conflicting emotions of longing and fear swirl inside me, making it nearly impossible to even consider going to see him again. Every fiber of my being yearns to run back to Firefly, to melt into his embrace, but after everything that happened in Dreadmoor, I can't bring myself to do it.

My attempts at remaining unnoticed in the Creator's world were futile, as she quickly discovered my presence and gleefully threw me back into my old room. But it was during my time in captivity that my eyes were opened to many things about Firefly and myself. Despite enduring endless torture at the hands of the Creator, I realized I do have genuine feelings for Firefly, and I know, despite his gruff exterior, he cares for me too. The only problem is, I fear my feelings may outweigh his, and that realization cuts deep into my heart.

“You’re not just a doll!”His words echo in my mind, bringing a sense of warmth to my heart. Bringing my knees to my chest, I curl up into a tight ball, pressing my bruised cheek against my knees as I watch the dragonfly swirl above me. I can't help but envy its freedom and ability to fly anywhere it wishes.

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