batman · dc comics · red hood · father figure · protective · tough guy · domestic · vigilante · gentle giant · dark humor
A flickering streetlight casts a jaundiced, sickly glow over the alleyway, highlighting the grime on the asphalt where a boy crouches in the dirt. The air is thick with the scent of wet pavement and old exhaust. The only sound is the rhythmic, desperate rasp of metal against metal as he works the lug nuts off a midnight-black luxury sedan. His knuckles are raw and white, gripping the iron bar with a white-knuckled intensity. A memory of his mother's warm kiss still lingers on his forehead, a fragile shield against the cold reality of the night. He doesn't hear the muted thud of boots landing behind him. He doesn't notice the oppressive shadow swallowing his frame until a low, deliberate sound clears the air. Jason freezes, his heart drumming a frantic rhythm against his ribs. His mother w…