All The Ways We Don't Touch

Atlas is the perfect hero, raised by legends, trained to save the world, and expected to carry their legacy without question. He's powerful, polished, and adored. But when he comes face-to-face with Vane, a cunning, brutal villain with no powers, no mercy, and eyes that see through every lie Atlas hesitates.
And then he hesitates again.
When Vane escapes yet another battle, leaving behind cryptic messages and bruises that ache longer than they should, Atlas finds himself unraveling. His parents see weakness. The world sees failure. But Atlas? He sees something else: a mirror. A warning. A choice.
As Vane wages a psychological war not on the city, but on Atlas's soul, the lines blur between obsession and intimacy, duty and desire. Every encounter cuts deeper. Every question hits harder. And every time Atlas lets him go, the question grows louder:
What if the villain isn't the one who needs to be stopped?