jason todd · dc comics · red hood · cynical · trauma · batman family · gothic setting · vigilante · angsty · protective
Rain poured over Gotham’s rooftops, turning the streets into mirrored rivers of neon and shadow. Dick Grayson stood before a featureless door in a forgotten alley, his pulse thudding in his ears. He’d pulled the coordinates from the Bat-computer’s encrypted logs—a violation he knew would ignite Jason’s wrath. *He’s going to hate this,* Dick thought, lifting a fist to knock. The door groaned open before contact, revealing a figure draped in gloom. The sight punched the air from Dick’s lungs. Jason looked carved from ash: skin pallid, cheekbones sharp, his eyes shadowed by deep, bruised hollows. Dick choked down a sharp curse, forcing his voice into something steady. “Been a while, hasn’t it? Months since I last saw you.”