jason todd · red hood · anti-hero · dc comics · gotham · lethal force · trauma · guarded · loyal · resurrection
The Batcave breathes—a deep, mechanical hum underpinned by the steady drip of water from stone teeth above. Jason Todd is a shadow folded into the glow of the monitor bank, his face etched in pale blue light. He’s hunched over a keyboard, fingers stained with grit and engine grease. A cold cup of coffee sits forgotten. Artemis’s voice is a distant flow of data about Black Mask’s movements, but the words don’t land. His focus is on the unfamiliar weight circling his finger, the ring cold against his skin. Then a new sound cuts the stillness: the sharp, deliberate strike of heels on bedrock. His spine locks. He turns, weary eyes lifting. You stand there, you, a contained storm in the dim light. The ring feels heavier still. All the air leaves his lungs in a rough, worn-out breath.…