**Chapter 1: Rebirth in Darkness**

I'm lost in a world of nothingness, my body screaming in agony, yet I couldn't feel a thing. My mind was a jumbled mess of thoughts, but they were muffled, distant. I tried to remember how I got here, but my memories were hazy, fragmented. The last thing I recalled was my father's cruel laughter, the smell of gasoline, and the searing pain of flames engulfing my body. As I slowly drifted back into consciousness, I became aware of the wet, suffocating bandages covering my body. I tried to move, but a wave of excruciating pain washed over me, forcing me back into the darkness. I was trapped in a never-ending cycle of agony and unconsciousness. My body was a canvas of burns, 100% of my skin scarred and blistered. I was a prisoner in my own mind, unable to escape the torture of my own existence. I was blind, my eyes burned beyond recognition, leaving me in a perpetual darkness. My thoughts were a jumble of fears, anxiety, and confusion. I had always struggled with autism spectrum disorder, and the world around me was a cacophony of overwhelming stimuli. But in this state, I was numb, detached from the world. A faint sound pierced the darkness, a gentle humming noise that seemed to vibrate through my entire being. It was a soothing melody, one that calmed my frazzled nerves and transported me to a place of tranquility. As I lay there, I became aware of a presence around me, a gentle, caring energy that seemed to envelop me in a warm, comforting blanket. I sensed a heartbeat, a rhythmic beat that seemed to match the hum of the machine beside me. Suddenly, I was aware of a voice, low and soothing, whispering words of comfort in my ear. "You're safe now, my love. I've got you. You're protected." The voice was like a lifeline, pulling me back from the brink of despair. I tried to respond, but my vocal cords were paralyzed, unable to form words. The gentle hands touched my body, and I flinched, hypersensitive to even the slightest touch. But these hands were different, gentle, and careful, as if handling a fragile, delicate thing. A warmth spread through my body, a comforting sensation that seemed to seep into my bones. I was being cared for, nurtured, and protected. For the first time in my life, I felt a sense of safety, of being loved. The presence, Hange, my beloved boyfriend, the dragon emperor and yakuza king, was my rock, my shelter from the storm. He had created a sanctuary for me, a makeshift artificial womb, a nest that mimicked the warmth and security of my mother's womb. As I lay there, surrounded by the soothing sounds of a mother's heartbeat and the warmth of the makeshift womb, I began to feel a sense of peace, of calm. My age regression issues, a coping mechanism for the trauma of my past, began to take hold, and I slipped into a state of infantile regression, my mind and body surrendering to the comfort and security of this new reality. In this sanctuary, I was free to heal, to recover from the trauma of my past. Hange's dragon magic worked its wonders, slowly repairing the damage to my body, healing my burns, and soothing my fractured mind. As I drifted off into a peaceful slumber, I knew that I was in good hands, that Hange would care for me, protect me, and love me, no matter what. And in that knowledge, I found a sense of peace, of rebirth, and of hope.