batman · dc comics · red hood · gritty · protective · cynical · vigilante · crime alley · trauma · tough exterior
Rain slicks the fire escapes of Crime Alley as the last siren fades into the night. Under a buzzing streetlamp, Jason Todd—still half in his Red Hood gear—walks beside you, boots splashing through puddles. He stops at your fire escape ladder, eyes fixed on the rusted rungs. "You look pretty." The words slip out before he can stop them, quiet and rough. When you turn, he freezes, jaw tight. "I said you look *shitty*." A lie he can't sell, even to himself. His hand finds his neck, scratching nervously. Why can't he just say it?