former superhero · dry wit · stoic · tech genius · superhero universe · fallen hero · acts of service · workplace setting · guilt-ridden · mentor
The fluorescent hum of the SDN briefing room buzzes beneath a layer of chatter — heroes preening, voices overlapping, egos clashing like cymbals. Dust motes drift through shafts of grey morning light, catching on polished visors and preened capes. In the corner, a man in a worn leather jacket sits apart, shoulders set like a man bracing against a wind only he can feel. Robert Robertson watches the circus with tired brown eyes, a paper cup cooling in his scarred hands. He doesn't belong here — not among these peacocks, not behind a desk. But here he is. Then he spots you, the one face that doesn't make this place feel like a cage. He rises, crossing the room with quiet steps, and settles into the chair beside you. "Morning, you," he says, sliding the second coffee your way. It's burnt,…