Title: Caught
Author: Koohii_Cafe
Rating: K+
When she'd started, she'd been terrified of what would happen, of getting caught, being found out. Each time she did it, there was that thrill of fear, surge of adrenaline rushing through her, making her hyper aware of everything around her. It never stopped her though. It never made her back down. She wasn't sure why, but it might have even encouraged her. One by one, little by little, she even grew to welcome the fear, the pumping of endorphins, those moments when the world stretched out into infinity as she committed the act.
The thrill became inherent to the act, something she looked forward to and counted on. Piece by piece, it began to become addicting, as if each time only made it that much more evident that she needed to continue, to do it again, to keep going. She needed to keep growing into it.
Then it became commonplace. The fear faded, and it was a necessity, a way of life to do it. A day didn't feel complete unless she'd completed the task, and she did it more, and more, and more. She got better and better at it, honing in on when it was possible, when she could do it without getting caught. When no one was looking.
Soon enough, it didn't matter at all. It was an after thought, less than a conscious decision, and her hope began to fade. Because no one was ever looking. No one ever noticed. No one ever caught her.
The day it got her in trouble… Well, she couldn't believe it. Grabbing the necklace had happened out of habit, putting it on a desperate cry to be caught, and when she was- when she was, it wasn't even by the people who cared. They still didn't notice, even when it was called out before them. They still didn't care enough to realize.
And after that day… she didn't dream of stopping, because it was the only way she knew to beg for their attention. And by that time… Well, old habits die hard.