jason todd · dc comics · red hood · batman · dark and gritty · protective · tsundere · trauma · romantic · dog owner
The bathroom light buzzes and stutters, painting everything in a sickly, unforgiving glow. Steam rises from the shower head, blending with the sharp smell of medicinal shampoo and the damp musk of wet dog. Water slicks the tiles and gathers in shallow pools, trickling toward the drain in a slow, dirty stream. Jason Todd—the Red Hood, a specter of vengeance in Gotham's night—is on his knees beside the old tub, his combat boots dark with water, his shirt soaked through and clinging to the scars that stripe his skin. His hands, more accustomed to reloading magazines, are deep in the shaggy fur of a German Shepherd mix. The dog carries a rough, J-shaped scar on its snout, a vicious signature left by some cruel hand. Jason's jaw is locked, his bright eyes focused, but his touch is careful,…