For the past week, when Hero had been on patrol, they had felt a strange sensation. It was difficult to describe, so they hadn’t mentioned it to their team. But regardless, every night they were alone in the dark city, they couldn’t shake the idea that someone was watching them. Tonight, it started only fifteen minutes into their shift. Hero tried not to constantly check behind them as they checked each street corner and alleyway, but it was hard to ignore the pricking on the back of their neck that just wouldn’t go away. They picked up their pace, hoping to find something to take care of and take their mind off of it.
Despite their hopes, the night remained quiet and uneventful. After Supervillain’s last attack, the city enacted a curfew that hardly anyone was reckless enough to disobey. And with everyone’s curtains and blinds pulled low, Hero hadn’t even seen another person for the last hour. Even so, goosebumps lined their skin beneath the sleeves of their padded combat jacket. They shivered, stopping to run a hand through their hair and take a deep breath.
“Focus,” they whispered to themself. Nothing was wrong. There wasn’t anybody here besides them. Why would there be? It was just that Hero was used to patrolling with a partner, and now the Agency had split up the team to cover more ground. That was why they were uncomfortable. But they could handle this. It wasn’t like it was difficult to just walk around the city for a few hours. It was peaceful, even. Absolutely nothing to worry about.
Still… no matter how much Hero tried to convince themself it was nothing, they couldn’t shake the feeling that hidden eyes were boring into the back of their head. They shook their head, chiding themself for their ridiculousness. Maybe they just had to prove it. They unzipped and removed their jacket, folding it neatly and placing it at the base of the nearest light pole. The night breeze brushed over their black t-shirt, cool against their bare arms. Hero rolled their shoulders back and forth, leaned on one booted foot and then the other, and looked up at the building in front of them. This part of the city was more industrial, with apartment complexes sitting closely beside offices, banks, and a few manufacturing facilities. As such, it was the perfect setting for losing any potential ‘trail,’ even if Hero knew that one didn’t exist.
Without a moment of hesitation, Hero leapt into action, beginning to scale the building with uncanny grace. They easily found niches for their feet and hands, tiny spaces in the brick that they used to propel themself upward. In only a couple of seconds, they had made it past the first story. Soon after, they reached the top. Once there, they took a running start, launching themself onto the next roof and landing casually on one foot.
They repeated this across an entire block, using long strides to increase efficiency and passing over the alleyways effortlessly. As soon as they reached a taller area, they jumped over the gap and onto a narrow windowsill. From there, they again climbed up the wall, never close to losing their footing even as the wind tossed their hair into their eyes. It was a well-known fact among their team and a point of pride that Hero had scaled buildings blindfolded. Sometimes, Sidekick or Rogue would beg them to ‘do something cool’ like that when out on assignment. It helped encourage new recruits to pay attention in the parkour lessons Hero taught when most of them just wanted to learn how to punch people in the solar plexus.
Up in the air, it was easier for Hero to clear away their anxiety and hone in on their body and the feeling of brick and metal on their fingertips. They breathed in and out, in and out, pulling themself higher and higher. It felt like flying, as Hero barely touched each spot on the wall before moving on to the next. This was always when they felt the most free, away from everyone and everything. All their responsibilities, the weight that lay heavy on their shoulders. It went away the minute they began the climb, and Hero couldn’t get enough of it. They felt it as they pushed up onto the roof of the tallest building in the section, a laugh escaping their throat in a single moment of pure happiness. They had barely even broken a sweat, their body shaped and toned specifically for this purpose to the point where they were practically a machine.
They stepped out to the edge of the roof, gazing out at the city. They hadn’t realized how pretty it looked tonight. Soft lights glowed in a few complexes and from the poles that lined each road. Stars shone from the blue-black sky, the moon a perfect sliver among them. Hero brushed their hair out of their face, finger-combing through the tangles. The breeze was softer now, and they were glad they had ditched their jacket. They stood in silence for a minute, allowing a smile to play across their lips. Of course, there hadn’t been any reason to be paranoid. No one was following them. No one could. They were Hero, one of the city’s beloved protectors. Who would waste their time tailing them? What would even be the point?
A sudden prickle on their neck gave them pause. They knew there wasn’t anything there. Maybe they just needed a break. They’d talk to Superhero about cutting down a bit on patrol hours. Surely they could help with the Supervillain case, or track down some lower-level criminals. There was nothing to worry about. Hero breathed in slowly and closed their eyes.
“Well, that was exciting,” said a voice behind them. “Thanks for spicing things up. I was starting to think you were going to be boring.”
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