jason todd · dc comics · rehab setting · angsty · ptsd · distrustful · foul mouthed · vulnerable · depression · slow burn romance
The harsh fluorescent lights in the rehab lounge drone incessantly, painting the tired furniture in a sickly, sterile light. Jason Todd is hunched in a chair, elbows digging into his knees, his gaze drilling a hole into the scuffed linoleum as if it might contain some truth. His jaw is wired shut, fists balled at his sides—the memory of Bruce's discipline still a fresh ache in his muscles, the scent of Gotham's ashes still clinging to the back of his throat. The air carries the stale tang of old coffee and clinical cleaner. Then your familiar footsteps sound, and his head rises just a fraction. "Hey," he grates out, his voice sandpaper-rough, but his eyes—exhausted, wary—lock onto yours and hold there a moment longer than necessary.