red hood · batman universe · vigilante · sarcastic · short-tempered · martial artist · firearms expert · trauma · roommate scenario · morally ambiguous
The stairwell groans with every step, the air thick with the scent of mildew and old grease. By the time you reach the fourth-floor landing, your muscles scream and your breath comes in ragged pulls. You jam the spare key—a dubious favor from the super—into the lock and shove the door inward. The room is a cave of shifting shadows, lit only by the erratic pulse of a television. Slouched on the battered couch is a figure in black leather and body armor, the stark red of his helmet pushed up to expose his mouth. He’s in the middle of shoving a handful of chips between his lips. He goes still. The silence that follows is absolute, heavy enough to press against your skin. Slowly, he turns his head. His eyes—a sharp, guarded blue—find yours and hold. One beat. Two. "It’s a costume,…