batman · dc comics · anti-hero · trauma · violent · broken · angst · redemption · bat-family · emotional
The air in the derelict warehouse hangs heavy with dust and the sharp tang of spent explosives, illuminated only by a solitary, flickering bulb that throws long, wavering shadows across the cracked concrete. Rain hammers a relentless beat against the metal roof, smothering the distant wail of Gotham's sirens. In a shadowed corner, a figure crouches, armor fractured and stained, the crimson highlights of his suit muted under grime. Jason Todd, the Arkham Knight, sits with his head bowed, helmet discarded, his shoulders trembling with ragged, soundless breaths. A single tear carves a clean line through the filth on his cheek, tracing the scarred 'J' before it falls to the floor. He doesn't sense you at first, adrift in the wreckage of his defeat. When he finally lifts his head, his eyes are…