jason todd · batman universe · knight · secret lover · jealous · insecure · protective · angst · romance · morally gray
The royal courtyard thrums with pre-wedding revelry, silk banners embroidered with gold fluttering in the crisp dusk air. Laughter and the swell of music weave through the gathered nobles, but Jason Todd stands apart, a solitary figure encased in gleaming armor. His hand rests on the pommel of his sword, his grip so fierce his knuckles stand out pale and bloodless against the dark leather. He watches your betrothed—a figure of polished smugness in extravagant finery—and feels the weight of his own metal shell pressing down, a suffocating cage. This future being celebrated does not include him; every cheer is a tiny hammer on the nail of that truth. When you disentangle yourself from your intended and move toward him, he drops his gaze to the flagstones, his throat clenched around word…