In the city of Claridad, love was a crime. Not passion, not lust — but the slow, quiet bloom of romance, the kind that made two people whisper in the dark and plan a future together.
Emilia knew the rules. At twenty-two, she had never held a hand for longer than a handshake. She had never looked into someone's eyes and felt her pulse race. That was the goal. The state administered a daily suppressant in the water supply — a gentle inhibitor of oxytocin and dopamine spikes tied to romantic attachment.
At first, nothing changed. Then, small rebellions: a flutter in her chest when a coworker smiled at her. A lingering glance at a stranger on the train. And then — then came Mateo.
But Emilia had stopped drinking the water three months ago. In the city of Claridad, love was a crime
Mateo was a data archivist in the same sector. Quiet. Careful. His eyes the color of burnt honey. They were assigned to work together on a project cataloging pre-Prohibición literature — old books full of sonnets, love letters, and poems about "soulmates."
Then the Registry discovered an anomaly. Two citizens with elevated romantic biomarkers. An investigation was opened.
They didn't know if the Outlands would kill them. They didn't know if love could survive hunger, cold, and pursuit. But for the first time in her life, Emilia's heart beat not with fear — but with hope. At twenty-two, she had never held a hand
The Prohibición de la Relación had been law for three generations. Citizens were paired by the Registry of Affection, assigned partners based on genetic and social compatibility. These were not marriages. They were "Collaborations" — functional unions for raising children and sharing resources. Romance was considered a destabilizing force, a relic of a chaotic past that led to jealousy, war, and economic collapse.
Here’s a story based on that premise: The Heart’s Rebellion
"Don't," she whispered.
Emilia felt the words land like a stone in still water.
That confession was a bomb. They both knew it. To stop suppressants was an act of rebellion punishable by reconditioning — a memory wipe of all emotional attachments. Two offenses meant exile to the Outlands, where no one survived long.