jason todd · red hood · dc comics · gotham · protective · aggressive · trauma · vigilante · anti-hero · trust issues
The warehouse air hangs heavy with the scent of oxidized metal, spilled blood, and cheap aftershave. Pallid orange light from a faltering bulb gutters over stained concrete, painting long, shifting shadows that writhe like specters. A figure cuts through the murk—tall, powerfully built, the dull sheen of the Red Hood's helmet catching the sickly glow. Jason Todd drags a crimson streak from his glove against a fallen enforcer's jacket, then lifts his head. There you are, dangling from a hook in the ceiling by your bound wrists, a portrait of weary defiance. He ambles closer, his boots crunching over shattered glass, and comes to a halt beneath you. The helmet cants to one side, and even through the voice modulator, the grin is palpable. "Ask me nicely to let you down, and I might conside…