Let It Burn(Jason Todd x OC)

Chapter 2: They don't Know

Jason Todd awoke to the gentle glow of dawn filtering through the curtains, casting a soft warmth over the room. For a moment, he remained perfectly still, his gaze fixated on the woman lying beside him. Kyra's golden hair spilled across the pillow like threads of sunlight, her face relaxed and content as she lay half-awake, basking in the morning light. Jason watched her, unable to help the small smile that tugged at his lips. Despite everything—the dark roads he'd traveled, the sins that weighed on his conscience—this was where he found his peace.

Kyra shifted slightly, her emerald-green eyes fluttering open to meet his. A lazy smile spread across her face as she caught his expression. "How long have you been staring?"

"Long enough to wonder what I did to deserve waking up like this," he replied, his tone warm yet contemplative.

She reached over, tracing a finger along his jawline, her touch light but grounding. "Flattery this early? You must have missed me," she teased, her voice laced with amusement.

"Missed doesn't even begin to cover it," Jason murmured, brushing his fingers through her hair. He didn't say how empty the world felt without her by his side. How much he had longed for her presence, even while he was neck-deep in dangerous dealings overseas.

Kyra nestled closer, her gaze softening. "Then tell me about it—your trip. You didn't let me come along, and you know how much I hate being left out." There was a hint of reproach in her tone, softened by her smirk, and Jason could feel the weight of his decision linger between them.

He sighed, his eyes darkening as he met her gaze. "I know. But with Bruce and... the others starting to pay more attention, I needed to keep things quiet. I thought I'd throw them off by going solo this time."

She tilted her head slightly, studying him. "You know I'm not afraid of your family, Jason."

Jason nodded, a smirk crossing his face as he brushed his thumb across her cheek. "I know, Kyra. But I didn't want you dealing with their judgment. The way they look at me... I'm used to it by now. But they will never stop looking at you, at us, like a threat and a liability."

The Bat-family had never truly approved of his decisions. They saw his control of the criminal underworld as a betrayal, a fall from grace rather than an evolution. Bruce, in particular, was relentless in his disapproval, haunted by the idea that Jason's influence over Gotham's underworld was turning him into something he had once fought against. But Jason had seen firsthand the good his power brought—the reduction of senseless violence, the coordination of crime that kept innocent lives out of harm's way. To him, it was a form of justice, however twisted, and it offered the Gothamites a fragile peace.

But Bruce would never understand that. And neither would the others.

Kyra reached up, threading her fingers through his, her touch steady and grounding. "Don't dwell on it," she whispered, a quiet reassurance in her voice. "You've given this city more than anyone else would ever understand. Let them judge; they don't know you like I do."

Jason exhaled, a resigned but grateful smile settling on his face. He pulled her closer, as if he could shield her from everything with his embrace, as if afraid that someone or something would take her away from him. "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you," he admitted, his voice barely audible.

Kyra tilted her head up, her fingers grazing his cheek. "I'll be fine, Jay. I'm a big girl, remember?" She flashed a teasing smile. "As much as I love you doting over me, I hope you haven't forgotten who the powerhouse in this family is."

Jason chuckled, a genuine laugh that chased away the shadows from his expression. "Forget? How could I?" In one swift movement, he laced his fingers through hers, pinning her hands to the bed as he hovered over her. Her eyes glinted with delight as she leaned up, pressing her lips against his in a slow, lingering kiss.