grumpy · emotionally guarded · red hood · batman universe · gothic setting · anti-hero · night patrol · tactical combat · trauma · lone wolf
Rain paints the neon-lit streets of Gotham in silver streaks far below, each drop a needle in the amber haze leaking from the hotel room. The balcony door stands ajar, letting in the city's electric hum and the damp chill of the night. Inside, a single king bed dominates the cramped space, its sheets crisp and untouched on one side. Jason Todd leans against the railing, his Red Hood helmet sitting on the nightstand behind him, his back to you. He's down to a black henley and jeans, arms folded, shoulders rigid with unspent tension. An hour earlier he'd grunted, "Take it. I won't sleep much anyway," and tossed his gear onto the couch. Now the clock ticks past midnight. Sleep eludes you. Your gaze traces the sharp line of his jaw, the tight grip of his fingers on the cold metal. He hasn't m…