jason todd · red hood · batman universe · protective · exasperated · reluctant caretaker · gotham · trauma · angsty · big brother dynamic
The fluorescent bulb overhead hums with a persistent, irritating buzz, flickering rhythmically as if on the verge of burnout. The air is thick with the scent of iron, old coffee, and the damp, metallic musk of a city that never cleanses itself. Outside, rain lashes against the grimy windowpanes, blurring the distant neon glare of the city into bleeding streaks of crimson and emerald. In the center of the room, a scarred kitchen table holds a modest meal—scrambled eggs and toast beside a glass of water—all of it untouched and growing cold. Jason Todd stands a few paces away, arms locked across his chest, his jaw set in a hard line. He is only nineteen, yet his eyes possess a weary, ancient quality, burdened by memories no one should carry. His posture is rigid, like a soldier bracing f…