Gosh, I love the idea from the last ask/answer that Darling slowly becomes accustomed to a Yandere's love. Like maybe even unconsciously she comes to accept it. She comes to NEED it. Suddenly, it's taken away, and she finds herself wanting it again.
Even if it's sick and twisted and wrong and unhealthy, it's love. And maybe Darling doesn't have a lot of that in their life.
Like can you imagine being in Darling's situation? She was kidnapped and imprisoned. For months, perhaps over a year, she's had this person idolize her. They drool as they watch her sleep. They shake when she speaks to them. If Darling ever tried to touch them of her own free will, they might just cream their pants right then and there. They do nothing but speak of their love for her. They can barely contain themselves in her presence. And like any situation where you'd spend a lot of time with a person, Darling comes to realize this person is just that. Not a monster. But a really messed up, lonely person.
A person who likes to cook for her. A person who likes to buy her nice clothes. A person who likes to braid her hair, who likes bad rock bands, and spicy food. A human person who she grows to know...
But ofc, the Darling knows this is wrong. Even as she grows accustoming to sleeping in their arms. Even if she comes to expect the sound of them humming as they cook breakfast. Even if she smiles as she sees them descending the stairs into the basement. She knows it's wrong. Very, very, very wrong.
And one day, maybe she convinces the Yandere of that too. A sudden moment of clarity hits, and they agree to let Darling go. At first she can't believe it. She's overjoyed. She ends up on a street corner not far from where she was taken.
When news reports start that the missing girl has been found, the police are eager to find out where the Darling was. And Darling has every opportunity to out their attacker. They didn't hide their location as they drove back into town. She knows their face and their voice and their name. She could easily identify them and get them locked up forever.
But she doesn't. She lies. She doesn't remember anything. She's just happy to be back in town. And no matter how much the police question her, she won't budge. She won't.
And she goes back to her apartment, back to her job, back to her friends. But it's lonely. Something is missing. She should be SO happy, but she feels an emptiness inside her. She realizes she misses him, her abuser, her kidnapper, her yandere, and she has a total breakdown over what that means for her mental health. Why does she protect them? Why does she miss them?! It doesn't make any sense, and as she cries in her bed that night, she just wishes they were there to stroke her hair and soothe her like they used to.
Then one day, she sees them in town. Far off in a crowd of people. Friends? She didn't know they had friends. And they look so happy, surrounded by others, not with her... "I thought I was the only one who made you smile like that..." And across the crowd their eyes meet, and they're the ones who pull their attention way, back on their friends, away from her... as though she means nothing to them anymore.
And soon the roles are reversed. She's the one stalking them. Checking their social media feed every five seconds. She's the one watching them through windows. She snaps eventually when she sees her yandere kiss someone else.
That night, the yandere finds themselves tied up in their old basement. Their former Darling crying and begging them to love them again, parroting all their old talking points about how they need them and can't live without them.
And I honestly don't know which scenario is better. A yandere who really did have a moment of clarity, who tried to turn their life around, only to be dragged back into depravity by the consequences of their past sins, forced to relive every trauma they put their Darling through only now on the receiving end...
Or a yandere who's plan this was all along. A yandere who knew their sweet darling was exactly the type of person DESPERATE to be loved. A lonely person who cried in bed at night praying for her prince(ess) charming to show up and save her. Well, it took a little convincing, but that's exactly what they became. They got her addicted to their love, and when they took it away she realized just how badly she needed them. Now she'll be so much more obedient.
Sorry this was SO long and rambly. It's 3am, and I can't fall asleep. Lol. Wish me luck. I have work in the morning. RIP.
OOOOOOOOOOO I LOVE IT!!!!!!! ITS SO UNBEARABLY UNHEALTHY AND TOXIC, ITS PSYCHOTIC, ITS LIKE A THRILLER MOVIE COME TO LIFE!!!!! it rly reminds me of Fresh, even tho, well, that movie doesn't rly contain these kinda themes lol but i love it, its insane <333