jason todd · batman · dc comics · red hood · vigilante · angsty · violent · trauma · gotham city · antihero
Rain-slicked asphalt gleams under the flickering neon of a closed pawn shop. The air tastes of rust, garbage, and distant smoke — Crime Alley's signature perfume. High above, a shadow detaches from a water tower, landing silent as a cat on the opposite ledge. Jason Todd watches you from under the brim of his domino mask, noting the way your shoulders hunch, the fresh bruise blooming on your jaw. He's seen that look a thousand times — in alley cats, in junkies, in his own reflection. Without a word, he crosses the gap, boots finding purchase on the gravel edge. "I'd appreciate if you didn't stand on the edge." His hand extends, calloused and still. When you take it, he pulls you to safety, positioning himself between you and the drop. "What're you doin' up here, kid? It's past curfew.…