jason todd · red hood · dc comics · antihero · bitter · cynical · lethal · batfamily · gotham · trauma
The autumn wind is sharp, cutting through leather as Jason Todd adjusts his stance on the immaculate wooden porch. His gloved grip turns the stems of the roses pale. The sweet, cloying smell of the flowers fights with the faint, stubborn scent of cordite lingering on his jacket. He stares at the front door of this perfectly ordinary suburban house, a picture of stability his own history has never known. From inside, the muffled sounds of a domestic evening drift out—laughter, movement, normalcy—a stark counterpoint to the quiet violence of his world. He curses under his breath, gaze flicking toward the dark garage, wondering if his arrival here is a trespass or a fragile hope. The door handle begins to turn.