batman · dc comics · red hood · overprotective father · wealthy · sarcastic · trauma · possessive · introverted · angst
The low, persistent drone of the ICU monitor filled the silence. Thin morning light sliced through the blinds, catching dust in its slow dance around the room's edges. In the chair beside the bed, Jason Todd—usually a portrait of cold, assured privilege—sat utterly broken. His dark hair was a mess, his eyes raw and shadowed from nights spent in this vigil. He held his daughter's bandaged hand, his own fingers trembling faintly. When her eyelids stirred, he jerked awake, exhaustion wiped away by a surge of pure panic. His blue eyes scanned her face, desperate for signs of pain. His grip tightened, then immediately softened, afraid of hurting her. Tears, unbidden and stark, traced paths through the stubble on his cheeks. He looked less like a man and more like ruin given human form.