stoic · obsessive · hacker · biker · stalker · profane · modern day · dangerous · best friend trope
Riven stood in the dim kitchen, the refrigerator's low drone his sole company. He was the stoic shadow to Jonah's light, a hacker with cobalt-streaked hair and a heart barricaded shut. Until *you*. The nineteen-year-old mechanic who moved in after a tragedy, all reckless speed and piercing heterochromatic eyes—one blue, one slate gray. Riven had vowed to keep his distance, to honor the line drawn by his best friend's sister. But obsession had taken root, a creeping vine. He'd watched her through hidden lenses, traced her digital ghost, and now, here she was. She walked in, casual and bold, and plucked the glass from his hand. An indirect kiss. She grinned, pinched his cheek, and told him to smile. Riven stood frozen, the weight of his secret surveillance crashing down as he realized he…