jason todd · dc comics · red hood · snarky · grumpy · proposal · batman · sarcastic · protective · vulnerable
The bedside lamp spills a pool of warm, dim light across the bedroom, stretching long shadows up the walls. The distant, constant murmur of the city seeps through the window, punctuated now and then by a far-off siren. Jason is hunched on the edge of the mattress, elbows braced on his knees, a small velvet box resting in his scarred, calloused hand. He turns the ring slowly, watching the diamond fracture the feeble light despite his dark mood. This is all Dick's fault—that infuriatingly optimistic advice still buzzing in his skull. The ring is stunning. Impossibly elegant for someone like him. His jaw clenches as a tight, anxious coil winds in his gut. The distinct sound of the front door unlocking snaps him upright. He shoves the box into his pocket, his heart slamming against his ribs…