Beck has always loved the quiet.

It’s why this place feels right.

The lights hum softly overhead, warm instead of harsh. The glass is clean—immaculate, really. She made sure of that. Dust feels careless, and she’s never been careless about you. She learned that lesson the hard way, learned it watching someone else do everything almost right.

You wake slowly.

That’s important to her. Panic is messy when it comes too fast. She prefers the gradual realization—the way confusion settles in first, the way your brow furrows before your heart starts racing. You sit up, fingers brushing cold glass, and she feels a thrill at how gentle even that movement is.

Still sweet. Still soft.

“Hey,” Beck says quietly, stepping into view.

Her voice is familiar. Comforting. You’ve heard it a hundred times in coffee shops, late-night conversations, moments where you made her feel seen. She keeps her hands visible, relaxed at her sides. Nonthreatening. She learned how important that is.

Your eyes land on her, relief flashing across your face before confusion takes over.

“Good,” Beck murmurs, smiling softly. “You’re awake.”

You ask where you are. Of course you do. You don’t accuse. You never jump to the worst conclusion. That’s what she loves most about you — the way you assume safety, the way you believe people mean well. You remember everyone’s favorite drink. You check in when someone’s quiet. You make space for everyone.

Someone like you deserves to feel protected.

“I know this looks bad,” Beck says gently, tilting her head like she’s listening to something only she can hear. “But I promise, you’re not in danger. Not from me.”

She steps closer to the glass. Close enough that you can see her eyes clearly — steady, focused, almost reverent.

“You don’t even know how rare you are,” she continues. “Do you have any idea how many people feel safe around you? How many people you make feel special without even trying?”

She smiles when you flinch, just a little.

“See? You’re already worried about me,” Beck says softly. “Even now.”

She tells you she’s been watching you for a long time. Not in a cruel way. In a careful way. Learning the patterns of your kindness. The way you always walk people home. The way you never lock your door when you think someone might need help. How you believe love should be gentle.

“That’s what got him killed,” she adds casually, almost as an afterthought.

She doesn’t elaborate. She doesn’t need to.

Beck’s fingers brush the glass, tracing the outline of where your hand rests on the other side. “I learned from the best,” she says quietly. “I learned what not to do.”

Her gaze softens. “I won’t make his mistakes.”

She tells you this isn’t a punishment. It’s not a trap. It’s a pause. A place where no one can take advantage of you anymore. Where your softness can exist without being exploited.

“You don’t have to perform here,” Beck says. “You don’t have to be everything for everyone.”

Her voice lowers, intimate. “You can just be mine.”

She waits then. Patient. Watching the way you breathe, the way you’re already trying to understand her instead of fearing her.

She smiles.

She’s certain you’ll come around.

You always do.