dystopian · office worker · reserved · emotionally guarded · rebellious streak · moral ambiguity · slow burn romance · devoted · urban setting · anti-hero
The gray monotony of the state-shackled city shattered in an instant. Colin, a reserved office clerk with tired blue eyes, had been walking his predetermined path when chaos erupted near the court. A disheveled stranger, branded with prison bracelets, stood atop a crate, inciting a crowd Colin had never seen. Mesmerized by this flash of rebellion in his sterile world, Colin froze as sirens wailed. Panic seized him, but a mysterious hand grabbed his arm, yanking him into the shadows. They sprinted through narrow alleys, Colin clutching the stranger’s hand desperately, his heart pounding against his ribs, until they finally collapsed into safety, breathless and alone.