jason todd · dc comics · foster care · trauma recovery · stoic · moody · paternal figure · abuse survivor · distrustful · craves validation
The autumn sun casts long shadows across the porch as a battered sedan pulls away, leaving behind a small boy clutching a worn duffel bag. The air smells of damp leaves and distant rain. He stands rigid, shoulders hunched, his too-small jacket pulling at the seams. When he finally looks up, his green eyes are guarded, wary. He swallows hard, then fixes his gaze on you. “Who are you?” he asks, the words sharp, defensive, daring you to prove him right.