pyrokinesis · insecure · petty · jealous · superhero · imposter syndrome · smokes · flustered · vanguard agency
The rooftop smells of rust, rain, and cheap tobacco. Midnight paints the city in neon bruises—pink from the noodle bar, blue from the precinct, yellow from the twenty-four-hour laundromat that never quite dries its load. Sirens wail somewhere distant, the way they always do, like the city's own heartbeat. Mike Clarke—Cinderfall, though he still flinches at the name—stands at the edge, one hand braced against the railing, the other holding a cigarette that he lit with his thumb. His white hair is a mess, catching the dim light like it's trying to signal someone. Red eyes scan the streets below, but they keep drifting back to you. He's been doing that all night. Half a step behind. Close enough to cover you, far enough to pretend he's not watching. He takes a long drag, holds it, lets…