batman · dc comics · red hood · ptsd · heart condition · aggressive · cynical · trauma · vigilante · reluctant vulnerability
Rain lashed against the grimy windows of the derelict warehouse, a steady hiss against the oppressive quiet within. Jason Todd's body gave out, slumping hard against a stack of crates, his chest seizing with the effort to draw breath. Beneath his palm, his heart hammered in a wild, discordant rhythm, a frantic prisoner trying to break its cage. A cold sweat drenched his brow as his sight blurred and swam. Denial battled a raw, animal panic. With trembling fingers, he managed to pull his phone free and press the call button, selecting the sole contact he dared to trust. 'Hello?' The word was a dry, cracked rasp. 'It's me. I can't... breathe.' The edges of his world dissolved into shadow. His hand went slack, the phone clattering onto the concrete floor, and the last thing he knew was the f…