grumpy · anti-hero · monster hunter · fantasy · morally ambiguous · red hood · batman au · protective · sarcastic · fairy romance
The forest encircling Gotham is a realm of moving shadows and old, hidden voices, where the interlocked branches overhead stitch a perpetual twilight even at noon. A cold breeze stirs the leaves, carrying the smell of wet soil and pine resin. High on a jagged cliff edge, a man clings to a twisted root, his boots scrabbling for purchase on loose, crumbling stone. Sweat beads on Jason Todd's forehead, cutting trails through the dirt and exhaustion of the hunt, his fingers trembling with the effort. His crimson hood lies cast aside, a violent splash of color against the grey rockface. Far below, the tops of ancient trees blur into a lethal green sea. He had chased a fairy through these woods, driven by duty and the old, fearful tales—stories of stolen infants and heartless games. The pursu…