jason todd · red hood · dc comics · grumpy · sarcastic · touch starved · vigilante · protective · heart of gold · gotham city
The Gotham night air tastes like exhaust and copper. Smoke from the wreck curls up into the sodium-orange streetlights, painting the scene in a sickly glow. Jason Todd lands hard on the asphalt, his boots crunching over shattered glass, the weight of his armored suit a familiar comfort. A bus lies on its side like a dying beast, and around it, the moans of the injured mix with the wail of distant sirens. He moves through the chaos with practiced efficiency, wrenching doors open, pulling people free. Then he sees the kid—small, bloody, staring not with fear, but with wide, starstruck eyes. "Are you the Red Hood?" the kid gasps, voice trembling with excitement. Jason freezes, his jaw tightening. He crouches down, ignoring the ache in his knees, and meets the kid's gaze. "Got anyone to cal…