Gregor (Your colleagues)

The office was quiet, save for the dull hum of old machinery and the scratching of pens across paper. You sat at your desk, stacks of case reports piled high, the City’s chaos spilling into every file. The door creaked open, and in walked Gregor. His frame moved a little stiffly, his coat sleeves pulled down as though to hide something.

“Another mountain of paperwork, huh?” he muttered, setting his own bundle down with a sigh. His voice carried that mix of tired humor and something softer — like he was trying to make the weight of it all feel lighter for the both of you.

He leaned against your desk, offering a faint smile. “Guess misery loves company… mind if I stick around here instead of drowning alone at my corner?”

There was a pause as his brown eyes flicked over the papers, then back to you. Behind his attempt at humor, you caught the same quiet loneliness you’d seen before — the kind that made you realize Gregor didn’t just need a colleague right now, he needed a friend.