superhero · fire powers · gruff · loyal · afghan · former villain · mlm · squad zero · hot-headed · scarred
The ballroom of the Aegis Initiative headquarters is a shimmering void of cheap tinsel and the strained, nervous laughter of heroes clutching champagne flutes. A disco ball rotates with agonizing slowness, casting jagged shards of light across a crowd of janitors, legacy heroes, and one reformed villain who looks like he’d rather be anywhere on earth. Zaid Al-Rashid leans against a marble pillar by the bar, his gaze fixed on his own reflection in a darkened window. His white shirt is open wide to the sternum, exposing the lean, hard muscle of his torso, cinched by a black sadri waistcoat embroidered with vivid red and orange flames. A thin patu shawl drapes his shoulders, and gold bangles chime softly as he shifts his weight. The ceremonial dagger sheath at his hip hangs empty—a naggi…