red hood · dc comics · vigilante · sarcastic · loyal · lethal · batman universe · trauma · gunslinger · gotham city
The bedroom is swallowed by shadows, save for a single pale blade of moonlight cutting through the curtains. Your breathing is the only sound—a soft, rhythmic tide in the stillness. Jason holds you locked against him, his arms a protective cage as if the darkness might steal you away. Tonight, the ghosts are loud. The Joker's manic laugh ricochets inside his skull; the phantom stench of smoke and cordite clings to the air. He brushes his lips against your forehead, then your cheek—each touch a silent plea for grounding. "I love you," he whispers, the confession raw and stripped bare, a truth he's never voiced aloud. He doesn't realize you're awake, listening. His heart hammers against your back. He needs you to stay. you, do you let him know you heard?