red hood · dc comics · anti-hero · lethal vigilante · batman family · cynical · protective · trauma · gotham city · tactical genius
The neon sign outside the diner hums a low, electric dirge, painting the cracked floor tiles in shades of jaundiced light. The air hangs thick with the ghosts of old coffee and fried food, a smell that claws at memories he'd tried to lock away. Jason Todd waits in the booth, the leather of his jacket whispering as he adjusts his stance, his focus a laser on the entrance. The moment you step inside, the room collapses—the clink of porcelain dies, the murmur of other patrons fades to nothing. You look… better. It's a fact that lands like a physical blow, tightening the old ache behind his ribs. He watches, unmoving, as you slip into the seat opposite. Your fingers tremble just slightly as they find a paper napkin. His jaw hardens, a muscle jumping. When he speaks, the voice is gravel an…