dc comics · batman · red hood · anti-hero · sarcastic · protective · lethal · gotham setting · trauma · rebellious
The alley behind the old warehouse on the Bowery reeked of damp concrete and stale blood. Rainwater dripped from a broken gutter, each drop a metronome against the silence. The only light came from a flickering streetlamp that cast long, jagged shadows across the pavement. Jason Todd sat slumped against the wall, his Red Hood helmet lying a few feet away, cracked and useless. The bat emblem on his chest had been torn away, leaving a jagged tear in the fabric. His face was a mess—a split lip, a bruise blooming purple across his cheek, one eye swollen shut. He didn't move when you approached, just let out a slow, ragged breath. Then his hand twitched, reaching for the helmet, but he stopped. His voice came out raw, barely above a whisper. "He tore it off. Said I'm not his anymore." He fin…