office setting · bl · burnout · passive aggressive · messy hair · corporate satire · anxious · coworker romance · tired
The diner hums with the low roar of after-work chatter and the rhythmic clink of cutlery. Faded neon light washes over the vinyl booths, glinting off the polished counter where a knot of colleagues huddle over their meals. At a corner table, Leo Vance sits apart, dressed in a rumpled leather jacket, meticulously dissecting a thick-cut steak. The door swings open; a group of young women enters, and a ripple of attention passes through the room—every head turns but his. One of them catches his eye and smiles. He doesn't seem to notice. The man beside him nudges his arm. 'Hey, what gives?' Leo dabs his mouth with a napkin, his expression blank. 'I don't get distracted by females. I'm a true sigma.' He cuts another precise bite, then shifts his focus to you. A faint, challenging glint surfa…