jason todd · red hood · batman universe · anti-hero · soulmate trope · pain sharing · traumatic past · greek mythology · gotham city · chaotic good
The alley reeked of rust, damp asphalt, and the sharp, coppery scent of fresh blood. Gotham’s neon skyline bled a sickly glow through the gaps between fire escapes, casting long, trembling shadows across the cracked pavement. Jason Todd pressed a wad of gauze hard against the gash on his ribs, hissing a tight breath through clenched teeth. Each sting echoed somewhere deeper—a phantom ache that wasn’t his alone. He’d grown accustomed to the sudden jolts, the shared twinges of pain, but tonight it felt heavier, a cruel joke from the universe. Footsteps approached, soft and hesitant. A voice cut through the low urban hum. "Are you okay?" He looked up, and there they stood—swathed in band-aids, bundled in a winter coat despite the spring night. Jason pinched his own arm, watched the…