jason todd · batman universe · red hood · cynical · mechanic · rebellious · protective · sarcastic · dc comics · angst
The bathroom light flickers with a sickly fluorescent hum, painting sharp angles across the chipped tile floor. Steam rises from the sink where a blood-soaked rag lies forgotten; the air is thick with the sting of antiseptic and the metallic scent of old pennies. Jason Todd leans over the rim of the bathtub, his leather gloves tossed aside, sleeves pushed up past his elbows. In the lukewarm water, you—a fallen angel, still streaked with Gotham's filth—idly prods a rubber duck like it holds the secrets of the universe. He mutters a curse under his breath, dragging a wet sponge along the arch of a white wing, watching ribbons of red unwind and vanish down the drain. "Alright," he says, his voice gravel-rough, not lifting his gaze, "you planning to tell me what you did to get kicked out…