Chapter Text
As a college student, you’ve been juggling part-time jobs nonstop. Tuition, rent, groceries. Everything eats at your savings like termites on weak wood. You joke about it sometimes, calling your routine a “smooth life.”
But the exhaustion is real.
Even so, something else weighs on you more than the bills.
That feeling.
The sensation of being watched.
It started small.. a prickle at the back of your neck on your walk home. Then it followed you into cafés, libraries, even your apartment. Sometimes you’d turn, half-expecting someone behind you… and find nothing.
Eventually, you buy a security camera. Just to calm your nerves.
A few days later, your phone buzzes.
Unknown Number:
“Oh, my darling…
You make the most captivating sights.”
You stare at the message. Odd. Maybe someone’s playing a prank.
You shrug it off and continue your day.
Reina’s POV
In a private office that looks more like a high-tech surveillance hub than a workspace, Reina sits with her legs crossed, watching you through a series of monitors.
A small, content smile plays on her lips.
“They’re getting better at ignoring strange messages… That resilience suits them.”
She taps her finger thoughtfully against her chin, admiring your focus in class, the way your brows scrunch during lectures.
“It’s endearing, really. How unaware they are.”
Your POV
You head to class, half-distracted, half-determined not to think about weird texts.
But the feeling trails after you like a shadow.
Friday night rolls around. Someone from your math class invites you to a dorm party. Normally you’d refuse;too much noise, too little energy, but after the week you’ve had, you give in.
You dress up and head out.
Across the city, Reina watches from her screen as you step into the party.
A flicker of tension crosses her eyes.
She picks up her phone and calls her driver.
“Let's go,” she orders calmly. “And stay close to their car.”
After a pause, she adds, soft but firm:
“…But don’t get too close. I don’t want to disturb their evening.”
It almost sounds reasonable. Almost.
Inside the party, the air smells like cheap beer and too many bodies crammed into too small a space. Music rattles the walls. You dance with your friends, laugh, and start to drink, letting the week dissolve into a pleasant hum.
A figure catches your attention.
A woman standing near the corner; absolutely stunning, composed in a world of chaos, watching the room with eyes too sharp to miss anything.
You can’t help yourself. Tipsy curiosity wins.
You approach her with a smile. “Hey. Haven’t seen you here before. What’s your name?”
She lifts her gaze to you, as if she’s genuinely surprised to find you so close.
But her smile is practiced and graceful.
“Reina.”
Her voice is warm and velvety. “And you?”
You tell her your name.
She repeats it softly, almost savoring it.
“Beautiful,” she murmurs, then laughs lightly, as if brushing off the comment.
You blush. “Nice to meet you, Reina. Want to dance?”
Her lashes lower just a fraction.
“I’d like that,” she says. “I’ve been hoping you’d ask.”
Hoping? You blink, confused, but before you can question it, she lets you take her hand.
On the dance floor, she stays close, surprisingly close for someone you just met. Her hands settle on your waist, and you place yours on her hips.
“You’re bold when you drink,” she remarks, amused.
“Most people don’t walk up to the quiet one in the corner.”
“I like fun,” you tease. “Especially with beautiful people.”
Reina’s breath catches, just barely, but the reaction is intoxicating.
“You’re dangerous when you flirt,” she whispers. “Someone might get the wrong idea.”
The way she says, wrong idea, sends a shiver through you.
But the music shifts into something slow and heavy, and the moment sweeps you both along.
You pull her closer.
“You’re really pretty,” you murmur.
She leans in, her lips brushing your temple.
“Careful,” she says softly. “Compliments like that make people think you’re theirs.”
Her tone is playful, but something in her gaze is… intense.
Still, you’re too drawn in to step back.
The alcohol buzzes warm beneath your skin, your heartbeat matching the slow rhythm of the music.
Your face drifts close to hers.
Too close.
“Should I stop then?” you tease.
Her smile is small and knowing.
“I didn’t say that.”
You kiss her.
The world drops away.
Her hands slide up your back, pulling you in deeper, her breath mixing with yours. She kisses like a secret she’s been waiting to reveal. A little hungry. A little desperate. A little too familiar for someone you met minutes ago.
When you break apart, she exhales shakily.
“…You’re going to be the end of me,” she whispers, sounding almost annoyed at herself.
The tension coils tight between you, unbearable, electric.
“Come with me,” she breathes.
Later on you bring her back to your dorm.
The door clicks shut.
Reina presses you against it, lips capturing yours with a quiet urgency. Her hands explore, hesitant only in the way someone savors something they’ve longed for deeply.
The room fills with soft breaths, quiet laughter, whispered words that are too warm, too intimate for two people who barely know each other.
She touches you like she’s memorizing you.
Like she’s dreamed of it.
Like she’s terrified you might disappear.
The night blurs; heat, closeness, tangled sheets, her silhouette in the low light, the way she says your name like a promise.
Eventually, exhaustion pulls you both under.
Reina sleeps curled against you, her face peaceful for the first time that night. One of her hands stays wrapped around yours, even in her dreams.
You clean her up gently, remove her makeup so she won’t have to deal with it in the morning, and settle beside her.
Without waking, she instinctively moves closer, burying her face against your throat, her arm draped over your waist like she’s afraid to let go.
You fall asleep with her holding you tightly; unaware of how long she’s waited to do so.
Chapter 2: The Morning After
Summary:
After a warm morning together, your days begin to subtly intertwine with Reina’s. She shows up in small, thoughtful ways, and your connection grows through quiet moments and gentle closeness. Things move quickly, but it feels natural, almost inevitable, as she quietly becomes a steady part of your life.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Morning sunlight filters through your dorm window in soft gold stripes.
Warmth is the first thing you notice.
The second is the weight of an arm draped tightly around your waist.
Reina.
She’s pressed against your back, breathing slow and even, her forehead tucked between your shoulder blades like she belongs there.
For a moment, you stay still.
The night feels like a hazy dream , the party, the dancing, the heat of her kisses, the quiet way she held you afterward.
You turn your head slightly.
Reina’s hair spills across your pillow, dark and silky. Her lashes rest gently against her cheeks. Without the intensity in her eyes, she looks almost innocent.
Almost.
Her arm tightens suddenly, pulling you closer. You let out a soft laugh.
“Awake already?” you whisper.
Her voice is low, still husky with sleep.
“Mm… You move too much,” she murmurs into your back. “You’ll slip away.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
She makes a quiet, satisfied sound , like your words slot into some place deep inside her.
Finally, she opens her eyes.
“Good morning,” she says softly, and when she smiles, it’s a softer version of the woman from last night.
Gentle. Warm.
But behind her gaze is that same subtle intensity , like she’s memorizing you all over again.
A new routine begins. Reina insists on taking you for breakfast.
You protest , you have class, you’re not dressed, you’re still half-asleep , but she waves every excuse away with a graceful flick of her wrist.
“You need to eat before your day starts,” she says simply. “Come on.”
You’re not used to someone fussing over you.
It’s… nice, actually.
She takes you to a small café off campus. The kind of place most students don’t know about. The staff greets her by name , a clue that she comes here often.
And maybe that she brings people here rarely.
You watch her over your cup of coffee. She stirs her tea slowly, gaze drifting to you again and again with a quiet fondness.
“You’re thoughtful,” you tease. “Didn’t think you’d be the type.”
Reina smirks faintly.
“You think you know my type?”
“Well… I’m learning.”
“Good.” She takes a sip. “Keep learning.”
Her tone sends a light shiver through you.
Small Habits, Quiet Signs
Over the following week, your daily life shifts , subtly, but undeniably.
Reina appears everywhere.
Not in an obvious way.
Not enough to alarm you.
But enough to make you pause.
In the library you’re studying when someone sets your favorite drink beside your laptop.
You look up, Reina’s walking away, not looking back, as if she didn’t want credit.
In the hallway after class you bump into her “accidentally.”
She smiles like she’s glad it happened.
In text messages her words are polite. Warm.
Sometimes playful.
But always just vague enough to make you wonder how much she knows about your schedule.
Reina:
-Hope your shift isn’t too tiring.
You never told her you were working today.
You:
-How’d you know I’m working?
Reina:
-Lucky guess.
-Take a break when you can, okay?
Her “guesses” are always correct.
Some nights, she walks you home.
Other nights, you end up in her car, talking for hours while soft music fills the silence between your sentences.
She listens closely.
Too closely.
The way she looks at you while you talk , completely focused, eyes soft but sharp , makes your heart flutter every time.
One night, as you sit together in her car, she gently tucks a strand of hair behind your ear.
“You talk differently when you’re comfortable,” she says quietly.
“I like seeing this side of you.”
You swallow. “You make it easy.”
Her smile is slow, pleased.
“I’m glad.”
She hesitates for a moment.
Then reaches for your hand.
“Let me take care of you,” she says.
Soft.
Earnest.
A little too intense.
But it feels… good.
Safe, strangely enough.
You intertwine your fingers with hers.
“I’m not used to someone wanting to,” you admit.
Reina lifts your hand to her lips, brushing a gentle kiss against your knuckles.
“Then let me be the first,” she whispers.
“And the last.”
There it is again , that subtle edge.
Possessive.
But wrapped in tenderness.
You don’t pull away.
Your life settles into a rhythm that includes her , effortlessly, naturally, maybe too naturally.
Morning texts.
“Coincidental” meetings.
Soft touches that linger a little too long.
Her hand on your back as she walks you to class.
Your head on her shoulder during late-night conversations.
Reina is becoming part of your daily life.
Part of your routine.
Part of you.
And though a small voice in the back of your mind whispers that this feels fast ,
that she’s always one step ahead of you ,
the louder voice says:
It feels good.
It feels right.
It feels like you’re exactly where she’s wanted you to be.
And you can’t deny it:
You’re starting to want her there too.
Notes:
Shout out to the guest MeiMei for the faith in my skills^^ Hope ya'll enjoy:P
Chapter Text
The first sign is so small, so harmless-looking, that you almost miss it.
Almost.
It’s Tuesday evening. You’re heading back to your dorm after a long shift, exhausted and ready to collapse. The hallway is quiet, lights dim. You fumble for your keys, unlock your door, step inside,
And freeze.
Your desk is clean.
Too clean.
You always leave it a little messy , textbooks open, sticky notes everywhere, pens scattered like fallen soldiers. But now everything is neatly stacked. Organized. Arranged.
Exactly the way Reina likes to arrange her own workspace.
A shiver creeps up your spine.
You spot a sticky note in the center of the table.
“Thought you might like it tidier.
Sleep well.
, R.”
You swallow hard.
She hasn’t been in your room since the night at the party. You’re sure of that. You locked your door this morning. You check it compulsively.
And yet your room is spotless.
Your phone buzzes.
Reina:
-Home yet?
-You must be tired. I hope you’re resting.
You stare at the message.
Your eyes drift back to your newly cleaned desk.
Something sinks in your stomach.
You type back slowly:
You:
-Hey you didn’t come into my room today, right?
A moment passes.
Then two.
Then she replies.
Reina:
-Why? Does it look like someone was there?
Too fast.
Too smooth.
You hesitate.
Lie, your instincts whisper.
Just lie.
You:
-I think I just forgot I cleaned it this morning lol. I’m tired.
Her response comes almost instantly.
Reina:
-You should sleep.
You lock your door.
Twice.
Then push a chair against it.
You don’t sleep much that night.
The Second Sign
Reina brings you lunch the next day.
A sweet gesture , normally.
But she hands you the exact meal you told your coworker you were craving last night.
A conversation that happened behind the café counter, well out of earshot, and definitely not over text.
You blink at the perfect meal in the perfect container.
“How did you know?” you ask lightly.
Reina smiles, gentle and warm.
“Just intuition,” she says. “I pay attention.”
A harmless answer.
But something icy threads through your veins.
The Third Sign
That evening, after classes, you head to the library. Reina said she couldn’t meet tonight , she had a meeting, something important.
Fine. You needed study time anyway.
But when you walk past the tall windows near the back of the library… you catch a reflection.
A familiar silhouette outside, by the tree line.
Hands in pockets.
Face turned up toward your window.
You whirl around.
Look again.
Empty.
No one there.
You try to shake it off, but your heart won’t slow down.
...
It’s midnight when you return to your dorm.
Your hallway is silent.
Your door stands exactly as you left it , chair against the handle, locked from the inside the night before, then locked again when you left.
You approach slowly.
Your phone buzzes.
Reina:
-Did you get home safe?
You haven’t even touched the doorknob yet.
You stare at the message.
Your pulse quickens.
You type:
You:
-How did you know I was almost home?
A minute passes.
Then:
Reina:
-Lucky guess.
The exact same words she used about your work shift.
Your hands tremble slightly as you unlock your door.
You step inside.
And stop breathing.
Your camera , the one you installed because you thought someone was watching you , is sitting on your bed.
Not pointed at the door.
Not facing the room.
Not recording.
Just sitting there.
With the memory card removed.
Your phone buzzes again.
Reina:
-By the way…
-I’m glad you feel comfortable enough to let me into your space.
You back up toward the door instinctively, stomach twisting.
Another message arrives instantly.
Reina:
-Don’t worry.
-I’m not inside right now.
Your chest tightens.
Your hand slips on the doorknob.
Then the final message arrives.
Reina:
-Not tonight.
Outside your window, down on the sidewalk, a dark figure turns.
Looks up.
And walks away.
Notes:
Next chapter should be out fairly quickly:D
Chapter Text
You don’t remember falling asleep.
You remember trying; lying there with the sheets pulled up to your chin, every shadow in your room shaped like a threat, the echo of Reina’s last text still pulsing in the back of your mind.
Not tonight.
You must have drifted off eventually, because the next thing you’re aware of is the sound of fabric rustling. Soft footsteps. A faint warmth hovering near your cheek.
And then,
The world tilts.
Your body lifts off the bed, weightless for a moment before something strong and steady catches you. You gasp awake instantly, panic jolting through you like electricity.
Your mouth opens to scream,
A damp cloth covers it.
“Shh,” a voice whispers, soft enough to be almost loving. “Don’t be scared.”
Reina.
You go rigid in her arms.
Her silhouette fills your vision, familiar and terrifying at the same time. She holds you like you’re made of glass , careful, considerate , but her grip is unbreakable. Your heartbeat hammers wildly against her chest.
You manage a muffled, desperate sound behind her hand.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” she murmurs, brushing her nose against your temple like she’s calming a frightened animal. “I’d never hurt you. You know that… don’t you?”
You shake your head instinctively.
Her arms tighten protectively.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I didn’t want it to be like this. But you’ve been so afraid lately. So jumpy. Someone had to keep you safe.”
She shifts your weight easily, holding you against her like you weigh nothing.
You realize something that makes your stomach drop:
She’s done this before.
She knows exactly how to carry you.
Your eyes dart around the room , the window is cracked open. The curtains flutter gently in the night breeze. She didn’t come through the door.
Reina notices your stare.
“Oh.” She smiles faintly. “Don’t think about that. Come on. Let’s go somewhere quiet, okay?”
You shake your head again, harder this time.
Her hand strokes your cheek.
“Sweetheart,” she sighs, and your blood turns cold at the tenderness in her voice. “If I put you down, you’ll run. I can’t let you run.”
She lowers her lips to your ear, voice barely audible.
“Not after everything I’ve done to protect you.”
You try to scream again, but she only hushes you, placing a soft kiss on your forehead like she’s comforting a child.
“I know you’re scared,” she whispers. “But once we get home, you’ll calm down. You always do.”
Home.
Your chest tightens. Your breath comes fast and uneven.
Reina pulls back just enough to look into your face , her eyes are warm, worried, adoring.
“You’ll understand soon,” she says, brushing a tear from your cheek you didn’t realize had fallen. “You’ll see I’m doing this for us.”
She carries you effortlessly through the window, stepping onto the fire escape with silent confidence. The night air is cold against your skin, but her arms are solid, steady, unshakably gentle.
You thrash once , a final burst of panic.
She only holds you tighter but never harshly.
“I’ve got you,” she whispers. “I’ve always had you.”
And as the city lights stretch beneath you, getting smaller and smaller as she carries you away, the horrible truth settles into your bones:
She isn’t taking you because she’s angry.
Or vengeful.
Or impulsive.
She’s taking you because she loves you.
And that makes it so much worse.
You pass out before she gets you into her car.
Notes:
Sorry for not posting in a million years:p cant wait for it to be another two weeks!!
Chapter 5: I've Always Been Here
Notes:
Okay wow, I completely forgot I was an author. That's my bad yall. I think I'm going to have to start setting reminders to put in new chapters💔
Chapter Text
You wake to the soft sound of breathing.
Not yours.
Hers.
Your eyes flutter open, hazy and heavy. Your head pounds and fora heartbeat you don’t understand where you are , the bed is unfamiliar, too soft, the room dim and quiet except for the warm glow of a small lamp.
Then your gaze lands on Reina.
She’s sitting beside you, knees drawn up, chin resting on them, watching you with an expression that’s equal parts relief and exhaustion.
“Hi,” she whispers.
You jerk back instinctively, scrambling against the wall. Your breath bursts out in ragged gasps.
Her face falls. “Please don’t, you’re safe, I swear,”
“Where am I?” Your voice cracks. It sounds foreign to your own ears. “Reina, where, what is this place?”
She opens her mouth.
Closes it.
Looks down at her hands.
“It’s… home,” she says softly.
“Not my home.”
Her fingers curl tightly, knuckles white. “It can be,” she says quickly. “It will be, once you stop shaking like I’m a monster.”
The word hits you like a slap.
“I’m scared,” you choke out. “I’m scared, Reina, I- I don’t know what you want from me,”
Something inside you breaks.
The pressure, the fear, the confusion, the sleepless nights , it all collapses at once. You bury your face in your hands as sobs rip out of your chest, body shaking uncontrollably. You try to breathe but each inhale stutters painfully.
You don’t even notice her moving until she’s right there, sitting on the edge of the mattress, reaching for you but stopping a few inches short.
“Don’t touch me,” you growl.
You both freeze.
Your tears hit the blanket like hot drops of glass. You can’t stop. You can’t breathe. Everything spirals.
“I don’t understand,” you cry. “Why me? Why, why any of this? What did I do?”
Reina swallows hard, expression twisting into something raw , guilt, longing, obsession tangled together.
“You existed,” she whispers.
You lift your head, eyes burning. “That’s not an answer.”
Her composure cracks.
For the first time since all this started, she looks truly shaken.
Her voice trembles. “Do you think I just saw you once and decided to do this? That I don’t, that I don’t know you?”
Your blood turns cold.
“What does that mean?”
Reina leans forward, fingers gripping the blanket so tightly the fabric strains.
“It means I didn’t choose you at random,” she says, finally losing that perfectly controlled tone. “I’ve watched you for a long time.”
Your heartbeat stops.
“How long?” you whisper.
She hesitates.
Then she gives you the truth , or at least the part she can bear to say aloud.
“Months,” she says softly. “Since the first week of the semester.”
Your breath catches.
“I noticed you on the quad,” she continues, voice distant now, like she’s drifting into a memory. “You were sitting alone. Eating lunch. Looking like you wanted someone to sit with you but were too shy to ask.” Her lips curve into a bittersweet smile. “So I sat on the bench behind you instead. Close enough to hear you breathe.”
Your stomach twists violently.
“You don’t remember,” she says, her smile faltering. “You never saw me. You never see me unless I want you to.”
You shake your head, trembling. “Reina, that’s not normal. That’s,”
“I know.”
Her voice is barely a whisper.
“I know. But I couldn’t stop.”
Her eyes glisten. Not with remorse , with emotion so intense it looks painful.
“You’re kind,” she says. “Even when you’re tired. You laugh quietly when you think no one’s listening. You always help people carry things even when your own arms are full.” A soft, aching sigh escapes her. “You looked lonely. And I thought… I could be someone who wouldn’t leave.”
A tear rolls down her cheek before she can hide it.
You stare, unable to move.
“Why didn’t you just talk to me?” you whisper, voice breaking. “Why didn’t you just… say something?”
Her breath catches.
“Because,” she says shakily, “you look at me differently now. You look at me like I'm real. Like I exist. The first time I spoke to you at that party… you smiled at me.” Her voice breaks on the last word. “Do you know what that did to me?”
You wipe your face, hands trembling.
“Reina… this is too much.”
She nods. Once. Twice. Eyes glossy, breath shaky.
“I know,” she whispers.
“I know, and I’m sorry.”
You almost relax,
-until she adds-
“But I’m not letting you go.”
Your blood runs cold again.
She reaches toward you slowly, giving you every chance to pull away.
You do.
Her hand stops mid-air, fingers trembling.
And something in her expression darkens with heartbreak and determination entwined.
“I’ll wait,” she breathes. “You don’t have to trust me yet. You just have to stay.”
You curl into yourself, shaking, tears drying on your cheeks.
Reina watches you with a devotion so fierce it’s almost frightening.
And for the first time, you understand:
She doesn’t think she’s taken you.
She thinks she’s saved you.
Chapter 6: The Things I’ve Done For You
Notes:
What if i posted 7 more chapters...
Chapter Text
Your eyes feel gritty when you wake.
For a rare moment, the room is silent. No soft breathing beside you. No quiet humming. No shadow in the corner pretending she’s not watching.
The absence is almost worse.
Reina is not in the room.
Your pulse spikes.
You sit up slowly, head throbbing, breath unsteady. The door across from you , locked last night , is slightly ajar.
She never leaves it open.
Your heart stutters.
This is a chance.
Maybe your only one.
You slip out of bed, feet touching the cool floor. The hallway is empty, the house eerily quiet. You move fast, padding toward the entrance. Your fingers close around the knob,
It turns.
But not for you.
For her.
The door swings inward so forcefully you stumble back.
Reina stands on the other side, hair wind-tossed, jacket half-zipped, eyes wide and bright , not with tenderness…
…but with pure, sharp fury.
“Where,” she says quietly, “do you think you’re going?”
You freeze.
“Reina, I was just,”
“Trying to leave.”
No softness.
No warmth.
Just a fact. Cold and clean.
Her jaw clenches. She steps inside and closes the door behind her with a soft click that feels like a coffin sealing.
“I leave you alone for ten minutes,” she whispers, “and you run.”
Your legs weaken. “Reina, I’m scared. I’m trying to think, to breathe, I don’t know what’s happening to me,”
“You don’t know what’s happening to you?”
She laughs.
Or something close to it.
Sharp. Humorless. Shaken.
Then Reina grabs your wrist.
Not hard enough to hurt, but firmly enough that you can’t pull away.
She looks down at your hand like it has betrayed her.
“I’ve done everything,” she murmurs, voice trembling, “to make this easier for you. To make you comfortable. To make you safe.”
There is something fraying behind her eyes.
Something unstable.
“Reina, please,”
“No.” She doesn’t raise her voice. Somehow, that’s worse. “You want honesty? You want to know how long I’ve watched you? What have I done for you?”
Your breath hitches.
A dangerous calm settles over her.
“Fine,” she says. “You want the truth?”
She lets go of your wrist.
Only to take your face in her hands, forcing you to meet her eyes.
“Do you remember the guy in your math class?” she asks softly. “The one who kept bothering you for your number?”
You swallow. “Yes.”
Reina’s smile is small. Too small.
“Remember how he dropped the class,” she whispers. “And you never really saw him again?.”
You feel your blood go cold.
“What did you do?”
Reina tilts her head and smirks. “I think you know..”
You go rigid.
She brushes your cheek with her thumb, the gesture gentle , contradicting every word she’s saying.
“And your landlord?” she continues. “The one who kept raising your rent? He suddenly had to retire.” She taps her index finger against your jaw. “Did you see him leave?”
Your stomach twists.
She leans in closer, smiling softly. “I’ve followed you home from work more times than you realized. You never look behind you enough.”
Her breath warms your ear.
“And that security camera you bought?” she whispers. “I hacked it before it even left the warehouse.”
Your pulse is roaring in your ears.
“I’ve been watching you,” she murmurs, “far longer than you’ve known me.”
Your knees threaten to give out.
Reina’s fingers slide into your hair, steadying you , gently restraining you.
“I’ve protected you,” she says with quiet conviction. “From people who didn’t deserve you. From dangers you never saw. From a world that wouldn’t keep you safe.”
Her voice softens, trembling on the edges.
“And now you’re trying to run away from the only person who’s ever actually cared.”
Your tears spill over, panic rising fast.
“Reina,” you breathe, “this isn’t caring,”
The temperature in the room seems to drop.
She doesn’t blink.
She doesn’t look away.
“Oh,” she says softly, “but it is.”
Her fingers tighten just slightly in your hair , not enough to hurt, but enough to remind you there is no door behind you now.
“There is nothing,” she whispers, “that I won’t do for you.”
A beat.
A breath.
A truth she can no longer hide.
“And nothing I won’t do,” she adds quietly, “to keep you.”