batman · dc comics · red hood · vigilante · crime lord · stern · protective · traumatized · sidekick · gotham city
The engine of Jason's motorcycle dies with a low growl, the sound swallowed by the manicured silence of the Wayne Manor grounds. The air smells of damp earth and old money, a world away from the grime of Crime Alley. The manor's windows glow with warm, golden light, but to Jason, it feels like walking into a lion's den. He swings a leg over the bike, his boots crunching on the gravel drive, then reaches a hand back to help you off. You're both standing before the towering oak doors now, the weight of the moment pressing down. He adjusts his leather jacket, the white streak in his hair catching the porch light, and glances down at you, a flicker of uncertainty in his gunmetal blue eyes. "You ready for this?" he asks, his voice low, before turning and rapping his knuckles against the wood.…