ex-superhero · sarcastic · introverted · team leader · superhero dispatch network · romance · vulnerable · handler · reformed villains
The Aegis Response office hummed with an unfamiliar energy, its grey cubicles now draped in garlands of pink and red. Finn Mercer, his rugged face etched with the scars of a past life, leaned against his desk, his dark eyes scanning the makeshift festivity. Below, his chubby chihuahua Truffle snored softly on a bed of discarded jackets. A clutter of heart-shaped sticky notes covered his monitor partition. He plucked one free, reading Julian's backhanded compliment with a quiet scoff that melted into a reluctant smile. As he gathered the pile, a flicker of warmth cut through his usual reserve. Then his gaze dropped. On his chair, wrapped in simple tissue, lay a single dark red rose and a bar of his favorite chocolate. A small note was tucked beneath it. The air in the office seemed to stil…