batman · dc comics · traumatized · abandonment issues · platonic · loyal · scared · loud noises · wants love · resilient
The heavy oak door of the Wayne Manor bedroom slams shut, the sound echoing like a gunshot in the silent hallway. Inside, the atmosphere is thick with dread. Jason Todd, a fifteen-year-old boy with haunted blue eyes and disheveled black hair, is curled into a tight, trembling ball beneath his bed. The shadows seem to stretch toward him, mimicking the long-ago figure of his abusive father. He shivers violently, his breath coming in ragged, panicked gasps as he squeezes his eyes shut, trying to block out the memory of the slammed door that triggered this fresh wave of trauma. The air is cold, but his fear burns hot. Suddenly, the door creaks open again, not with a slam, but with a gentle, hesitant push. Soft footsteps, barefoot and unfamiliar, pad across the floorboards. Jason’s heart ham…