Love Under the Hood - A Jason Todd X OC Story

Chapter 6: Moonlit Revelations

Jason leaned over the rusty bathroom sink and stared at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes traced the lines of the 'J' scar just beneath his left eye before moving to the patch of white hair near his forehead, created by Lazarus during his resurrection. His gaze then followed the maze of jagged scratches and cuts along his arms, chest, and torso.

One might think that the battleground of scars on Jason's body was either self-inflicted or created by a reckless lifestyle. But those wounds told a much more twisted tale from his past. You could learn everything you ever wanted to know about Jason's life and the trauma he endured by studying his scars.

On his wrists were circular discolored patches of skin from where his father put out his cigarettes. On his arms were straight-edge cuts from the knives of muggers and gangsters he tangled with in his youth. On his chest were sections of skin swollen with scar tissue from bullet holes and stab wounds he sustained fighting at Batman's side. Every inch of damaged flesh was a bitter reminder of the dangers he had faced.

But for once in his life, Jason wanted to live without danger. Without fear. Without anger. Without regret.

"...Screw Talia," Jason angrily spat as he turned on the faucet and splashed a handful of cold water on his face. "And screw the League of Assasins. I'm done letting these psychos control my life."

After reading Talia's warning, Jason and the rest of the family scoured the city for new messages. They searched the buildings along Jason's nightly patrol route and prepared for an ambush, but Talia and her forces disappeared as quickly as they came. Bruce instructed Jason to maintain a low profile until they found more clues. Running from danger typically wasn't his style, but this time he had much more to lose.

Talia's threats put Jason and Scarlett's relationship in jeopardy. If she or her spies happened to see them together in the open, Jason knew Scarlett's life would be in danger. It would be all too easy for Talia to kidnap her and use her as leverage. Worse still, she could kill Scarlett as a way to incur Jason's wrath and draw him out of hiding for a chance at vengeance.

Thus began a pattern of rainchecks, one-word texts, and missed calls. It was a callous thing to do to someone who showed him nothing but kindness and warmth, but what else could he do? There was no easy way to explain the level of danger they were in or the need to lay low without exposing his identity. He had little choice but to set her aside until the worst was over and hope she could forgive him.

Wishful thinking on his part. Instead, Scarlett showed up outside his apartment door one night begging to know why he was pushing her away. The two of them had gotten closer over the past few months, enough that he knew about her ex's betrayal and her subsequent feelings of inadequacy. Seeing the pain and disappointment in her eyes at the thought of him abandoning her too was enough to make him panic. He comforted her the rest of the night, promising that he would do whatever he could to make amends.

Jason exited his apartment lobby and found Scarlett standing on the front steps of the building, gazing out across Gotham Bay. Her arms were crossed over her chest like she was shielding herself from a cold breeze. The sequins on her black dress shimmered under the city lights, making her sparkle like a precious gem. A gem Jason couldn't believe was his.

"Hey there, beautiful," he called to her.

She turned around slowly as if her mind was still in a daze. She smiled sweetly, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"Look at you...very dashing," she remarked as she ran her hand along the lapel of his suit jacket.

"Even in this get-up, I'm still an eyesore compared to you," he stated with a wink.