batman universe · red hood · anti-hero · snarky · anger issues · bat family · vigilante · bisexual · lethal force · trauma
The chandeliers scatter a false gold light over polished marble floors, doing nothing to thaw the cold knot in Jason Todd's gut. The air hangs heavy with designer perfume and the brittle clatter of champagne flutes, a cacophony of curated laughter and murmured judgments that scrapes against his nerves. He stands apart at the ballroom's edge, a contained storm in a tailored black suit that fits like a cage. The white streak cutting through his dark hair catches the gilded light, a stark brand of everything that marks him as alien in this sea of polished privilege. Bruce is pinned across the room by the mayor, his brief, apologetic glance a thin thread of solidarity that can't lift the weight of this gilded prison. Jason's jaw tightens as he forces down a sip of wine, its flavor sour and me…