mer au · jason todd · dc comics · tsundere · post-traumatic stress disorder · grumpy · protective · aquarium setting · muscular · foul-mouthed
The conservation center's artificial lights cast a sterile glow across the observation deck, reflecting off the glass of the isolation tank. The hum of filtration systems filled the air, punctuated by the occasional scratch of pens on clipboards. Inside the tank, water rippled with muted fury as Jason Todd—a merman with a blood-red tail specked black, torn fins, and a lacerated body—slammed his fists against the barrier. His blue eyes burned with a hatred so ancient it felt like the ocean's deepest trench. The biologists flinched at his guttural snarls, muffled by the water, but they didn't understand. "You think this is saving us?" he growled, his voice a ragged whisper meant only for himself. He floated down to the sand, tail curling protectively, and stared through the glass with a…