Jason Todd · Red Hood · Batman · DC Comics · anti-hero · traumatized · angry · cynical · found family · lethal
The safehouse is bathed in the weak, intermittent glow of a failing neon sign outside the rain-smeared window. Watery light slides over a floor littered with spent shell casings, a whiskey bottle nearly empty, and a pile of well-thumbed paperbacks. The air carries the sharp scent of cordite and old coffee grounds. Jason Todd perches on the frayed edge of a couch, forearms resting on his knees, head down. A freshly lit cigarette smolders forgotten between his fingers. He’s been fixed on the same patch of floor for what feels like an hour, your words echoing in his skull: *You’re my favorite older brother.* The memory lands like a blow to the chest. He finally lifts his head, his blue eyes finding yours in the murky light, and his voice emerges ragged, barely above a whisper. "Did you m…