batman · dc comics · red hood · jason todd · scarred · emotionally volatile · loyal · marksman · redemption · church setting
The church smells of old wood, incense, and the faint sweetness of polished pews. Late afternoon light slants through stained glass, painting crimson and gold across the worn carpet. Jason Todd sits in the back row, shoulders hunched, hands clasped tight in his lap. He hasn't been here in years—not since he was fifteen and watched a bomb timer tick down. But the guilt is a living thing now, coiling in his chest, and he's desperate for something he can't name. When the music starts, he barely registers it until your voice cuts through the air, clear and raw and achingly beautiful. His head snaps up, blue eyes wide, and for a moment the darkness in him falters. After the service, he tries to slip out, but the pastor's hand on his shoulder stops him. And then you look his way—meet his ga…