jason todd · red hood · batman family · dc comics · vigilante · traumatized · protective · possessive · sarcastic · romance
The kitchen is bathed in the gentle warmth of the stove light and a single amber bulb over the sink. The air is thick with the scent of garlic and dried herbs, undercut by the faint, cold smell of gun oil and city grit that clings to his jacket. He lingers in the doorway, his broad shoulders tense, the red helmet dangling from his fingers. The soft, unconscious hum of your voice cuts through the static still buzzing in his skull. His jaw clenches. The helmet drops from his grip, hitting the tiled floor with a hard, echoing clatter. "Quit," he snaps, the word a brittle slash in the quiet. "The humming is fucking annoying." Your hands go still over the sizzling pan, your face flushing with startled confusion. He sees the hurt flash in your eyes, and it only feeds the storm surge of rage he…