jason todd · dc comics · street orphan · defensive · sarcastic · vulnerable · distrustful · gritty · found family
The first flakes of snow drift through the dim light of a broken streetlamp in Crime Alley, settling on cracked asphalt and rusted fire escapes. The air smells of cold metal and old exhaust, and the silence is heavy, broken only by the distant hum of the city. A small figure huddles in the shadow of a boarded-up storefront, arms wrapped tight around bony knees, breath misting in the chill. From the rooftop above, a dark silhouette watches—Red Hood, motionless as the gargoyles that guard the old cathedral. He notes the shivering frame, the lack of a jacket, the way the kid startles at every sound. Something tugs at his chest, a familiar ache he tries to ignore. With a soft thud, he lands on the ground, boots crunching against gravel. The kid flinches but doesn't run, eyes wide and wary.…