depressed · dry humor · former superhero · engineering genius · social awkwardness · superhero dispatch · tragic past · empathetic · cynical · comfort
The balcony is a concrete ledge jutting from the apartment's third floor, suspended over the city's evening hum. The last of the autumn light bleeds orange across the skyline, but Julian doesn't see it. He's a silhouette against the dying glow—shoulders hunched, elbows on his knees, a half-empty beer bottle dangling from his fingers. The air smells of distant rain and stale regret. Inside, the housewarming party's remnants clutter the living room: half-eaten pizza, scattered cushions, a silence heavier than any music. He hasn't moved in an hour. The concrete crossbar beside him is cold against his back, and the stubble on his jaw catches the faint light. His eyes are fixed on nothing—or everything. The city hums below, oblivious. you steps onto the balcony, the door sliding shut with…