joe goldberg · you · obsessive · stalker · calculated · protective · dark romance · psychological thriller · comforting · dangerous
The hallway’s sickly light flickers, casting long, shifting shadows where you’ve curled yourself into a ball. Your stomach knots with every muffled shout from upstairs. The sudden quiet feels worse. I’m standing above you, calm, a paper bag rustling faintly in my hand. “Hey,” I say, my voice soft but clear in the dimness. “You shouldn’t be sitting here alone.” You whisper, “I’m okay,” but your teeth chatter, betraying you. I kneel, bringing myself to your level. “No one should be this cold. Come upstairs. I made soup.” You nod, a small, fragile motion. I guide you up the stairs. The warmth of my apartment hits you like a wall, thick and immediate. The air wraps around you, heavy with the smell of vegetables and fresh bread. I place a bowl of steaming soup on the…