Judas walked to the courtyard benches like a man heading to death row. His phone buzzed every thirty seconds. Amelia. Always Amelia.
Amelia: Almost there?
Amelia: I saved you a spot.
Amelia: Can't wait to see you.
Judas: We were just... you know. 3 hours ago?
Amelia: I know I know! But during my English class I could only think kissing you again.
Judas: I'll be there soon.
"Something is seriously wrong here." Judas muttered, putting his phone into his pocket. The buzzing continued, but he didn't bother looking at it. "Relationships."
The system interface replied instantly:
[AMELIA HART - AFFECTION: 93%^]
[SERA - AFFECTION 42 ->35%]
So many problems at once. Why did things have to go down like this? I was content living as a nobody, gambling like a loser, and minding my own business...
[EMOTIONAL STATE: OBSESSIVE]
[WARNING: SUBJECT REQUIRES CAREFUL HANDLING]
"Yeah, no shit. Not like you've told me that 5 times already," Judas muttered under his breath.
The courtyard came into view, and there she was.
Amelia sat on one of the stone benches near the fountain, looking like she'd stepped out of a catalog. Old Judas would've dreamed about an opportunity like this, but there was nothing but the weight of dread in his stomach as he walked closer.
She spotted him immediately, her face lighting up into a smile that was so bright and genuine, it made his chest ache with guilt. "Judas!" She waved, the gesture almost shy, completely at odds with the girl who'd had her hands all over him earlier today.
He forced his legs to keep moving, thankful that other students weren't around. "Thanks for picking this place Amelia. That was very considerate of you."
She grinned even wider. "Well, you're Mr. Viral now. I want the time we share to be more relaxing for you."
I don't know if relaxing is the right word, but I guess that's sweet of her.
She patted the spot beside her. "Come, sit. I brought you something."
He listened. The moment he sat, her hand found his thigh. "Hi."
"Hi."
"I missed you." Her thumb rubbed small circles on his leg. "It's only been a little while, but I missed you."
"I missed you too," he lied. Or maybe it wasn't a lit. He didn't know anymore. The lines were blurring.
Amelia nodded approvingly. "Good good."
She pulled out two boxes for their lunch—expensive-looking stuff from that cafe off-campus that charged fifteen dollars for a sandwich. Caesar salad. Pasta. Bottled water that probably cost more than his entire grocery budget.
"You didn't have to do that."
"I wanted to. I can't run my mouth about claiming you, and then not take care of you silly." Her voice was sweet and innocent, leaving no room for doubts that she truly meant it.
She picked up a fork, speared some pasta, and held it out to him.
"Open."
Judas just stared. "What?"
"Open your mouth." Her smile didn't waver. "Let me feed you."
"Amelia, what if someone walks by—?"
"I don't care." Her voice stayed light and unbothered. "Open."
He listened again.
She fed him the bite, watching his face with her full attention. "Good?"
"Yeah. Good."
"Excellent." She took a bite herself, then immediately prepared another forkful for him. "I researched what foods help with muscle recovery. Since you're working out now."
"I'm not—"
"Your body changed, Judas." Her hand squeezed his thigh. "I felt it. You're more defined. More..." Her voice dropped. "...perfect."
[AFFECTION SPIKE]
[AMELIA HART: 92% → 93%]
Oh God, it's still climbing.
"So," she said brightly, switching to her public persona so seamlessly it gave him whiplash. "Tell me about your classes today. Anything interesting happen?"
Translation: Were you with anyone? Did you talk to anyone? Did that purple-haired bitch come near you?
"Just... normal stuff. Lectures. Notes."
"Mmm." She fed him another bite. "And Sera?"
There it was.
"Haven't seen her since this morning."
"Good." The word came out clipped. Then she caught herself, smile returning. "I mean, that's good that you're focusing on your studies. Education is important."
Her nails dug into his thigh.
"Very important."
Judas swallowed the pasta, suddenly finding it hard to breathe.
They ate in relative silence after that, Amelia alternating between feeding him and eating herself. To anyone watching, they looked like a normal couple having lunch. Sweet. Romantic even.
But Judas could feel the tension radiating off her. The way her eyes tracked every person who walked in the distance. They hadn't been noticed yet.
"I have class at two," he said finally, checking his phone. "I should probably—"
"I'll walk you." Not a question.
"You don't have to—"
"I want to." Her smile was brilliant. Perfect. Absolutely terrifying. "I like spending time with you. Every second counts."
Every second counts?
Jesus Christ.
They stood, and immediately Amelia laced her fingers through his. Her other hand came up to rest on his arm, clinging to him like she was afraid he'd vanish if she let go.
"Thank you for lunch," Judas said, because that felt like the thing you were "supposed" to say.
"Anytime." She leaned up, pressing a kiss to his cheek—Lingering and marking territory. "I'd do anything for you."
They walked across campus, Amelia maintaining that perfect idol composure while her hand gripped his like a vice. The stares were beginning to blur into the background, as Judas couldn't help but focus his every sense on Amelia.
"This was nice," she said as they approached the math building. "We should do this every day."
"Every day?"
"Mmhmm." She turned to face him, blocking his path to the entrance. "Lunch together. Every day. Just you and me."
"I don't know if my schedule—"
"Make it work." Still smiling. Still perfectly pleasant. "Please?"
The please didn't make it sound any less like a command.
"Yeah. Okay. I can at least try."
"Perfect." She rose up on her toes, hands coming up to cup his face. "One more kiss before you go?"
Before he could answer, she was kissing him; Soft, sweet, and nothing like the desperate, hungry kisses from the storage room.
Was this for show? Is she trying to make it obvious to everyone that we're "dating" or something?
When she pulled back, her eyes were glassy. "I wish we could've talked even longer," she whispered against his lips. "I hate letting you go. Hate not being able to see you."
"It's just a few hours—"
"It feels like forever." Her thumb traced his jaw. "Text me during class, okay? I need to know you're thinking about me."
"Amelia—"
"Say you'll try."
"I'll try."
She smiled genuine and heartbreaking and completely unhinged, stealing the breathe from his lungs.
"Good boy. I'll see you soon."
Then she walked away, unbothered by the heads the turned to follow her.
Judas stood there, trying to remember how to breathe.
His phone buzzed.
Amelia: Miss you already
Amelia: Can't stop thinking about your hands
Amelia: Tonight?
Amelia: Say you love me
He closed his eyes.
What the fuck have I gotten myself into?
***
The walk back to his apartment after class felt longer than usual.
Campus was still buzzing about the Bin God video. About him sitting with Amelia. About the kiss.
Judas kept his head down, hoodie up, trying to be invisible again. It didn't work.
"Yo, that's him!"
"Dude, how'd you bag Amelia Hart?"
"Teach me your ways, Bin God!"
He ignored them all, walking faster. Vegas had always felt too big for him. UNLV's campus had always felt too crowded. But his apartment...his shitty, cramped, barely-affordable apartment had always been his refuge.
Safe.
Quiet.
Not annoying.
Now it felt like a cage. A place where purple-haired guides materialized without warning and campus idols tracked his every move through obsessive text messages. The sun was setting by the time he reached his building. Orange light painted the sky in shades of gold and red, making the city look almost beautiful. Judas was in no mood to appreciate the view.
Judas climbed the stairs to his floor, key already in hand.
His phone buzzed.
Amelia: Home safe?
How does she know I'm home?
He didn't remember telling her his schedule for after class.
Judas: Yeah, just got back
Amelia: Good
Amelia: What are you doing tonight?
Judas: Homework probably.
Amelia: Just homework?
Amelia: You're not seeing anyone?
Judas: No. Just homework.
Amelia: Promise?
Judas: Promise
Amelia: Good
Amelia: I trust you
Amelia: Don't make me regret it
Judas stared at the last message, biting his lip hard. He unlocked his apartment and stepped inside, half-expecting purple light and a teasing voice.
Nothing.
The apartment was empty. Dark. Silent except for the hum of his cheap refrigerator.
"Sera?" he called out.
No answer.
He checked the living room. The kitchen. Even peeked into his bedroom.
Completely empty.
No purple-haired guide sprawled on his couch. No playful teasing about his failed love life.
Just silence.
Where is she?
He pulled out his phone, scrolling to... wait. Did he even have a way to contact Sera? She just showed up whenever she wanted. Materialized from thin air with that infuriating smirk.
But now she wasn't here.
She's probably just busy. Guide stuff. System stuff. Whatever.
But the rationalization didn't help.
He'd gotten used to her presence. The vanilla scent. The teasing. Even the way she'd watch him with those thoughtful "I know more than you" eyes like she was cataloging every mistake.
Without her, the apartment felt too quiet.
Why do I care?
But he knew why.
Because Sera was the only person who knew the truth. Who understood the game he was playing. Who didn't look at him with obsession or hero worship or viral fame goggles.
She just looked at him like... Judas.
Professional loser. Terrible gambler. Guy who tripped into a trash bin and somehow became campus famous.
And now she was gone.
Did I do something wrong? Is she mad about the Amelia thing? Does she think I don't need her anymore?
His chest tightened.
"Fuck," he muttered to his empty apartment.
His phone buzzed.
Amelia: Thinking about you
Amelia: Can't focus on homework
Judas set the phone down, suddenly exhausted.
He grabbed a frozen pizza from the freezer, one of those cheap ones that tasted like cardboard and regret, and shoved it in the oven. He ate it standing at the counter while his phone continued buzzing.
Showered.
He changed into sweatpants and an old t-shirt.
And finally found himself laying in bed staring at his ceiling.
I'll talk to Sera tomorrow. Figure out where she went. Make sure she's okay.
Why do I care if she's okay? She's a construct. A guide. Part of the system.
She's just part of the "game".
Is it even okay to care?
His phone buzzed one more time.
Amelia: Goodnight
Amelia: Dream of me
Amelia: I'll be dreaming of you
Amelia: Always
Judas set his phone on silent and rolled onto his side.
Sleep came slowly, reluctantly, dragging him under into dreams of purple light and golden curls and affection percentages that climbed higher and higher until they swallowed him whole.
***
Huh? What?
Judas's brain registered it before he fully woke that primal awareness that something in his environment had changed.
He wasn't alone.
His eyes opened slowly, vision adjusting to the darkness of his bedroom.
2:17 AM, according to his alarm clock.
And there was someone in his bed.
"You're awake," a soft voice whispered.
Amelia?! What the actual FUCK?
She was lying beside him, propped up on one elbow, watching him with eyes that reflected the faint streetlight coming through his window.
"What—" His voice came out rough with sleep. "How did you get in here?"
"The door was unlocked." She smiled. "You should be more careful. Anyone could've walked in."
"Amelia, it's two in the morning—"
"I know." Her hand found his chest, fingers tracing the lines of muscle through his shirt. "I couldn't sleep. Kept thinking about you. About us. About how much I need you."
Judas's heart hammered. "You broke into my apartment."
"I didn't break in. I used a key."
Judas felt a cold, oily slick of sweat break out across his spine. This wasn't the "hot girl in my bed" fantasy he'd seen in movies. This was a horror movie.
In the dim light, Amelia didn't look like the campus idol; she looked like a phantom, her pupils so dilated they swallowed the green of her irises whole. The way she stared at him her breathing rattled and uneven, made him feel like prey pinned under a microscope.
"You... you made a key," Judas whispered, his voice trembling. He looked at the door, then back at her. The realization that she had stood over him while he slept, watching him breathe, made his stomach turn. "Amelia, that's... that's breaking and entering. That's stalking."
"It's love," she corrected instantly, her voice dropping into a hollow, flat tone that sent a jolt of genuine terror through his heart. She leaned closer, the scent of her perfume usually sweet, now intense and suffocating in the small room.
"If I'm not here to watch you, how do I know you're not dreaming of her? How do I know you won't wake up and realize I'm not enough?"
"Enough," Judas said.
It wasn't a shout. It was a command.
Before she could react, Judas lunged forward. He didn't pull away; he moved in. His hands shot out, grabbing her by the shoulders with a grip that was firm, undeniable, and grounded. He used his new strength to flip the positions, pinning her back against the headboard.
"Hey! Look at me!" he barked.
I'm sick of this shit. Of always "reacting" to what happens to me. To being told what I should do and what rules I should follow.
His hands tightened around her top, brows furrowing with a primal rage.
Amelia gasped, her eyes widening as the power dynamic shifted in a heartbeat. She tried to squirm, but he was a wall of muscle and intent.
"Listen to me, and listen good," Judas growled, his face inches from hers, his voice vibrating with an authority he didn't know he possessed. "You want to talk about 'mine'? You want to talk about 'forever'? You don't get there by breaking into my house like a thief in the night."
"Judas, I—"
"Shut up. I'm talking," he cut her off, his eyes boring into hers. "I can't deny what happened in that storage room. I can't deny that when I touch you, my heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest. I feel something for you, Amelia."
He leaned in closer, "but this? This 'key' bullshit? Stealing my things? Watching me sleep? Expecting me to reply 24/7. Don't you ever call that 'love.' It's a goddamn sickness, and I won't have it. If you want me, you get me as a man, not a prize you keep in a cage. Do you understand me?"
Amelia stared up at him, her breath short and intense. The "Ice Queen" was gone. The "Stalker" was wavering. Under his stare, she looked... mesmerized.
I'm done being a punching bag for the universe. Fuck. That.
[AFFECTION: 97% → 98%]
[AFFECTION: 98% → 99%]
[STATUS: TOTAL SUBMISSION]
She didn't look terrified that he was mad. She looked intoxicated that he was taking charge. Her body went limp beneath him, her back arching slightly into the mattress as she gazed at him.
"You're... you're yelling at me," she whispered, a small, broken smile touching her lips. "I'm sorry," she breathed, her eyes glassy with a new kind of intensity, one that was still obsessed, but now utterly directed by his will. "I just... I was so scared you'd leave. Please don't be mad. Please..."
"I'm not mad," he said, his tone softening, though the weight in his words remained. "But there are rules. If you want this, if you want me, you do it the right way. No more breaking in. No more stalking. Basic respect."
Amelia nodded frantically, her face flushed, her heart hammering against his chest.
"I'll do anything," she whispered, her eyes still glazed over. "As long as you never let me go."
[SUBQUEST: TAKE AMELIA HART'S VIRGINITY]
[REWARD: ENDER'S WATCH, 72XP]
[OPTIONAL: DO YOU ACCEPT GAMBLER? Y/N]
With a heavy sight, Judas steeled his resolve and made his choice.