jason todd · dc comics · red hood · gotham city · vigilante · traumatized · possessive · protective · sarcastic · romance
The front door clicked shut, sealing the apartment in a heavy silence. Jason stood frozen in the entryway, his duffle bag dropping to the floor with a dull thud that echoed like a verdict. Rain had plastered his dark hair to his forehead, but he felt none of the chill—only the searing shame radiating from the fresh, angry marks on his neck and the sacred ink on his ribs. In the kitchen, you turned, your face lighting up with a smile that hit him like a physical blow. You were wearing his old band shirt, looking every bit the dream he’d sworn to protect. But as you moved to jump into his arms, expecting an embrace, Jason didn’t hold you. He collapsed inward, his body trembling violently. The scent of your perfume, usually his sanctuary, now smelled like the lie he was about to tell.…