Hard Time's

somebody's watching me

Over the next few days, you watch her and something is off once or twice she drops things. You've noticed she's stopped sketching altogether and when she is trying to inspect designs she's squinting. At first, you brush it off but when she stumbles as you walk into her office you have to say something. 'Your eyes are getting worse aren't they?' you close the door behind you. The Baroness looks over at you. 'What?!' she snaps. You sigh. 'I know you are struggling with your sight.' The Baroness snorts. 'Don't be ridiculous.' she sits down grabbing a stack of papers not making eye contact.

You walk over standing in front of her desk until she looks up at you, glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. 'Can I help you (y/n)?' her voice is a warning. You lift the papers she's reading turning them around. 'They're upside down Baroness.' The Baroness blinks you see her features fall slightly and she looks back at the paperwork. 'Sweetheart, the doctor said the operation would be perfectly safe just think. You'd be able to design as you used to.' she doesn't reply at first. 'I have a headache.' You sigh and retrieve her some painkillers and a glass of water then take your leave.'What if it goes wrong?' you stop and look at her. 'What?' The Baroness knocks the pills back and then sips the water. 'The operation. Things are a blur now but if I lose my sight entirely' You go back over to her. 'You're worried you won't be able to design anymore?' you sit on the side of her desk. 'Design, walk, keep up my appearance, do anything independently. I'll be forced to rely on John I don't trust the other staff I've not exactly a good bond with them they'll take advantage and unfortunately, I don't trust John to see me dressed properly.' You place a hand on her shoulder. 'Calm sweetheart.' you squeeze.

The Baroness looks away. 'The operation has a high success rate it will only be a few days love. Besides what am I chopped liver? I can assure you it would be me taking care of you. And there's no way in hell anyone will be dressing you but me.' The Baroness touches your hand. 'I can't ask you to do that.' you shift behind her and lean over her shoulder kissing her cheek. 'I'm going to be looking after you and that's final.' you shift so you can sit in her lap. Leaning in you kiss her softly. She returns the kiss pressing her forehead against yours. '

The operation is not a serious one the surgery she needs is minor years of having the perfect eye for detail have taken their toll but it can be reversed. The baroness agrees to finally get the operation when you collect her at the hospital her eyes are covered with bandages her hair is tied up in a scarf. You enter feeling a pang of pity as she sits still in a chair for a moment you feel guilty you didn't get her a bear or something. A nurse passes you bringing in a glass of water. 'Baroness.' she greets gently. The nurse places the glass into her hand and she sips. 'I said room temperature imbecile, this is cold.' she tosses the glass and you narrowly miss it. You imagine if you'd brought a bear its head would now be detached from its body.

The nurse glowers at the baroness. '(y/n), are you going to take me home or stand there like a doorstop all day.' oh boy injured baroness is great fun. 'Huh? How did you know I was here?' you enter tying your hair up. 'I could smell you.' At this, you immediately feel self-conscious. 'Chanelle, mademoiselle. You always wear that perfume.' You raise your eyebrows. 'Impressive.' you enter the room the nurse passes you mumbling good luck. 'Will we get you dressed?' you sit on the hospital bed her outfit was prepicked of course.

'Please.' she softens a little but she always does with you. 'Cmere.' you help her up and draw the curtain around the bed and help her undress. You admire her body she is inhumanly perfect. '(y/n)!' At this, you jump and help her with her bra and underwear she flinches when you pull on her stockings. 'Don't touch the ankles!' You raise an eyebrow wondering whom she thinks she's talking to. 'Don't look at me like that.' she pouts. 'You can't see.' you point out. 'I can feel it.' You frowned slightly and help her into her dress and- 'Heels? Are you kidding me you couldn't have worn flats even now?' The baroness sniffs indignantly. 'I'm blind, not dead.'

Shaking your head you help her into her heels. The baroness breathes a sigh of relief. 'That's better.' You roll your eyes and stand up. 'You haven't got a coat. It's freezing.' The baroness shrugs. 'Come here.' you take off your leather jacket helping her into it. 'This better not ruin my outfit.' In truth, it doesn't match her outfit. 'Oh yeah sure, looks great on you.' you lie. 'Let's go.' she starts to lead the way as she usually does but of course can't see. She slips on the water that she threw earlier. You grab her from behind and kiss her cheek. 'I've got you, your ladyship.' you soothe and she reaches for your hand squeezing it.

'Thank you (y/n).' she speaks quietly she trusts you and she knows you will keep her safe no matter what. 'John will be at the car just hold onto me.' you lead her out of the hospital ward and hear the cheering the second the door closes. Doctors, nurses, and patients alike were all glad to see the back of her. '(y/n) how do I look? There could be cameras out here.' You smile holding her close. 'You look like a dream.' you reassure her.

Looking after her is simple when it's you and her but when you leave to look after things at the house of baroness she has trouble with the staff. She is driving them crazy. This adds to your stress, you come home and hear her ranting about things not being in the proper place. There is a bruise on her shin and you do wonder if someone hurt your girl on purpose. Mid rant you see the maid bringing her food stop and spit in it. At this you make your presence known. 'Hungry?' you ask sweetly. The maid pales looking at you. 'Please, by all means, eat it.' your tone is dark. '(y/n)? The baroness calls from the dining room. You look back at the maid. 'You're fired. Don't darken this house again. 'Is that you?' The maid curtseys and leaves with the tray. You enter the dining room seeing your lover. 'Yes your ladyship I'm here.' you sit beside her stroking her cheek and leaning in you kiss her gently. 'The idiot girl has not brought my meal yet.' she complains holding your hand. 'Change of plan my queen, I'm going to cook for you.' you don't tell her what you witnessed it'd frighten her. 'I've good news.' you smile. 'Did one of the idiots finally design something worth a damn?' she asks dryly.

'Oh I don't know you can tell me, the doctor said I can take the bandages off today.' at this she is still. 'Today? Are you sure?' You don't answer instead you start to take off the bandages. When it's removed she blinks a few times adjusting to the light. 'Well?' you ask praying nothing has gone wrong. The baroness stands up looking at you. 'Did you always look so old?' At this you smirk raising your eyebrows, she smirks looking back at you. 'Very clever baroness. I'm going to get started on lunch.' you roll your eyes laughing. 'What's this?' she looks at a brown paper envelope in front of her. 'I don't know love it was there when I came in.'The baroness is looking at everything drinking in the ability to see better than ever. You head towards the kitchen to cook something not containing another bodily fluid. '(y/n), (y/n)!, (Y/N)!' You haven't left the room yet and rush back to her. 'What is it? What's wrong?! Is it your eyes?' you are by her side in a mere second. 'Someone has been watching me.' she looks frightened you're confused so you view the contents of the brown envelope. Pictures of the baroness in the hospital and inside Hellman Hall. The most frightening one is of her at the top of the stairs with bandages over her eyes. A gloved hand reached out eager to push her to her death.

Even you are startled by this. You flip the picture over and read the writing on the back. "I'm watching you."

I always feel like somebody's watching me
and I have no privacy.
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Tell me that it's just a dream.