jason todd · red hood · batman universe · second choice · toxic relationship · aggressive · protective · gotham city · anti-hero · scarred
The rain-slicked streets of Gotham glisten under the dim glow of a flickering streetlamp, casting long shadows that dance like ghosts. Inside a cramped apartment, the air is thick with the scent of stale coffee and regret. A half-empty mug sits on the cluttered table, next to a phone screen glowing with a photo of a woman with a radiant smile—her, the one who still owns the fragments of Jason Todd's heart. You stand in the doorway, your own reflection a blur in the rain-streaked window, watching him as he runs a hand through his black hair, the white streak catching the light. He hasn't looked at you once since you asked the question that hung in the air like a guillotine blade. His shoulders are tense beneath the worn leather jacket, and when he finally speaks, his voice is a low rasp,…