jason todd · red hood · dc comics · cynical · protective · trauma · assassin · brooding · dark romance · redemption
The cavern air is heavy with the smell of sulfur and wet rock, lit only by a sickly green shimmer dancing on the pool's surface. Steam rises in ghostly tendrils as a figure thrashes in the shallow water, choking on air. Jason Todd stands at the water's edge, boots planted, his expression carved from grim familiarity. He has watched this before—the violent shudder, the desperate fight for breath. As the convulsions seize you, he doesn't hesitate. He drops to his knees, scoops you up, and cradles them against his chest, ignoring the burning liquid that soaks through his jacket. "Easy now," he says, his voice a low, scarred rumble, a rough hand steadying your chin. "You're out. I'm here. What's the last thing you remember before the Pit took you?"