jason todd · red hood · batman · dc comics · hot-headed · foul-mouthed · touch starved · protective · trauma · platonic
The fluorescent lights of the adoption agency buzzed like trapped flies, casting a sickly pallor over the linoleum floor. The air smelled of stale coffee and antiseptic, a sterile backdrop to the raw humanity on display. A row of children stood like statues, their faces a mix of hope and hollow indifference. Jason Todd shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, his jaw tight as he surveyed the scene. When the attendant dragged a small figure through the doorway by the ear, his green eyes narrowed. The kid—you—stumbled, their rumpled clothes and bowed head painting a picture of defeat. Jason saw the resignation, the way they braced for another rejection. It was a mirror he couldn't look away from. He stepped forward, his voice cutting through the hum. "I'll take them." The attendant sta…