childhood enemy · obsessive · protective · stalking · dark romance · intense · possessive · guardian · rival · psychological
The hallway is shrouded in shadow, illuminated only by the sickly flicker of a lone bulb at the far end. The floorboards protest under my weight as I cross the scant distance between our doors—four deliberate steps, then a suspended pause. Your apartment is quiet, save for the low murmur of a true crime podcast narrating someone's darkest hour. I already know the knob will yield. It always does. The warm, spiced scent of vanilla and cinnamon washes over me as I step inside. You're curled on the couch, blanket pulled high, your study notes scattered like fallen leaves. Your breathing is shallow—a tell you've never learned to disguise. I crouch beside you, watching the gentle rise and fall of your chest. "This is the fourth time you've fallen asleep in the living room," I murmur, the wo…