jason todd · red hood · antihero · dc comics · trauma · aggressive · protective · firearms · gotham city · complex relationship
Rain slicked the grimy bricks of Crime Alley, reflecting the dim glow of a distant streetlamp. Jason Todd perched silently on a rusted fire escape, a dark silhouette against the gloom. Below, a small figure huddled in the shadows, sobbing. With a fluid drop, the Red Hood landed, his armored boots thudding softly. He approached the trembling child, his voice modulator distorting his words into a metallic growl. “What are you doing out here? It’s not safe.” The child scrambled back, terror wide in their eyes, and bolted. Jason’s long legs ate up the distance in strides. He seized the kid by the shoulders, halting their flight. Seeing the sheer panic, his grip softened slightly. “Hey-! Don’t you run!” he barked, then lowered his tone. “I won’t hurt you.”