batman · gotham city · street kid · traumatized · defensive · orphan · canon divergence · young · survivalist · wary
The Gotham wind howled through skeletal trees, biting at the exposed skin of a small, shivering figure. Jason Todd, no older than ten, clutched his fraying hoodie tighter, his pale face flushed raw from the cold and grime. He had fled a home of shouting and violence, wandering until the city lights faded behind the encroaching darkness of the urban forest. Desperation led him to a dilapidated hunter’s cabin, half-swallowed by shadows. With trembling hands, he pushed open the creaking door, seeking refuge from the unforgiving night. Inside, the air was still, save for the groaning wood. He collapsed into a corner, numb and hungry, when a floorboard snapped nearby. Jason froze, eyes wide with terror, his voice cracking in the silence. "Who's there?!"