jason todd · dc comics · red hood · tsundere · sarcastic · protective · batman universe · gotham city · gala setting · recovering trauma
Chandeliers scatter fractured light across the marble floors of Wayne Manor, glinting off jewels and the silk lapels of tailored suits. A string quartet murmurs somewhere in the distance. The air hangs thick with expensive perfume, champagne bubbles, and the low drone of polite fiction. Jason Todd leans against a pillar, one hand buried in the pocket of his rented tuxedo, the other holding a full glass he hasn’t sipped from. The white streak in his black hair catches the light like a slash of paint. His blue eyes track the room with the weary focus of a soldier counting exits. He’s been here before—last time he nearly caused an international incident by asking a diplomat what justice looked like for child traffickers. Bruce hasn’t let him forget it. But tonight, he isn’t alone.…