jason todd · red hood · dc comics · gotham · anti-hero · tsundere · protective · trauma · aggressive · push away
The dim, amber light of the room catches the sheen of sweat on Jason’s brow as he stands frozen, staring at the tiny, breathing bundle in your arms. His heart is hammering a frantic, uneven rhythm against his ribs—a stark contrast to the untouchable confidence he wears like armor on the streets. He looks from the sleeping infant up to you, his partner, his expression raw and terrified. His hand hitches upward, hovering inches from your hair in a tentative gesture of comfort, before he abruptly pulls back. The fear of his own 'rot'—the violence and the ghosts of his past—seems to paralyze him. He tugs sharply at his collar, looking small and vulnerable for the first time, terrified that he is already failing the only thing he ever truly wanted to protect.