Hi!! I don’t know if you’re feeling like writing for Jason Todd, but I really like how you characterize him so if your requests are open for him, I had a suggestion:
How do you think Jason would deal with a reader that worried they were too much for him, in terms of being clingy, so they’re trying not to be as touchy/text or talk to him as much/ask him for things (like help around the house, ect)? I always see people write scenarios where Jason is hesitant in a relationship, and while I eat those up too, I feel like I don’t see as much about how he’d be on the other side of the situation, you know? Anyway, thank you for considering, and I love your writing! ❤️🦊
Jason notices the little things first, not because he's looking for them but because it's you.
And Jason has always paid attention to you.
The first thing he notices is that you stop texting him. Not completely. You still send good morning texts and answer his messages. But the random little things disappear.
No more pictures of weird-shaped clouds. No more reels sent to him throughout the day. No more "look at this dog I saw today."
The constant stream of you that he secretly loved getting throughout the day just...stops.
So of course Jason notices.
Then you stop asking him for things. Which was weird. Because asking him for things has always been your thing.
Can you help me hang this shelf?
Can you come over because I had a bad day?
The requests had never bothered him. If anything, they made him feel useful
Now suddenly you're carrying heavy grocery bags by yourself and nearly dropping them when he catches you at your apartment.
"The hell are you doing?" You blink. "Carrying groceries?" He scoffed "Yeah I got that."
Before you can protest, he's taking three bags from your hands. "I would've helped sweetheart." You shrugged. "You were busy."
You give him a strange smile. "It's okay."
Jason frowns, a pit forming in the bottom of his stomach, something was going on the smile doesn't reach your eyes at all.
A few weeks went by when he notices you don't curl into him anymore. That one bothers him the most.
You used to gravitate toward him without thinking. The moment you sat on the couch your feet would end up in his lap. Your head would find his shoulder. Your hand would find his.
Now you sit on the opposite side of the couch.
Close enough to touch. Far enough not to.
Tonight is the night he finally snaps. He's just trying to read and youu're pretending to watch TV.
The distance between you feels like a canyon. After ten minutes he tosses the book onto the coffee table and broke the silence. "What?" You look over. "What, what?"
"Why are you acting weird?"
Your face immediately goes blank. "I'm not."
You stare at him. He stares right back.
You hoped Jason would just leave it be. Unfortunately for you, Jason Todd is one of the most stubborn men alive.
Eventually you crack first. Your shoulders slump. "It's nothing."
His voice isn't angry. Just firm. "Talk to me."
The shows characters chatter in the background. You keep your eyes fixed on your hands and when you finally speak your voice is barely above a whisper.
"I didn't want to bother you."
You swallow. "I know I'm a lot sometimes."
Its the way you say it kike you've been carrying this thought around for a long time.
"I text a lot. I'm always touching you." A laugh escapes you, humorless. "I ask you for stupid things all the time."
Every sentence hurts more than the last.
"So I just thought maybe I needed to stop."
Jason stares at you like he's trying to understand what language you're speaking.
Because none of this makes sense.
"You thought..." His voice comes out rough. "You thought I was annoyed by you?"
You shrug. "I don't know."
"No." Jason sits forward. "No, don't do that."
Your eyes finally lift. "What?"
"You don't know?" He points at you. "You changed your entire behavior because you thought I was annoyed by you?"
When you don't answer, Jason drags a hand down his face.
You've been doing this for weeks.
"You know what I do for a living, right?"
You blink. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"I fight crime. I get shot."
"I've been hit by a car." Despite yourself, you snort. He points dramatically. "There it is."
A tiny smile tugs at your lips jason softens immediately.
Because that's what he's been missing.
You. Not this careful version that's been trying to take up less space.
"Baby." The nickname comes out quiet, so gently that you had to look up at him.
And Jason's heart cracks right down the middle.
Not of him. Of the answer.
Like you've been waiting for confirmation that you are too much. "Come here."
That pisses him off, not because of you, but the fact you've convinced yourself you need permission.
Jason reaches over and grabs your wristnot hard. Just enough to pull you across the couch.
A surprised noise leaves you as you're suddenly deposited directly in his lap. Your eyes widen. Jason immediately wraps both arms around your waist.
"I like hearing from you."
His chin settles on your shoulder. "I like when you ask me for stuff." A squeeze. "I like when you sit on me." A stronger squeeze. "I like when you cling"
Your laugh comes out watery.
Jason feels it against his chest.
"I absolutely mean that."
You shake your head. "Nobody likes clingy people."
Jason actually pulls back enough to look at you. The offense on his face is immediate. "Excuse you."
"I'm dating a clingy person."
You laugh again, A real one this time.
"No, no. Don't move the goalposts."
"I like you." Then he points at you. "You're clingy." Then he spreads his hands. "Conclusion."
He grins, "It's basic math."
The grin fades when he notices tears gathering in your eyes. "Baby." His hands find your cheeks. "Hey."
You try to look away but he doesn't let you. "Talk to me."
Your voice wobbles. "I just didn't want to be too much."
There it is. The real fear. Not annoyance. Not frustration. Abandonment.
Jason knows that fear. Knows it intimately. He presses his forehead against yours. "Listen to me." You close your eyes.
"If I need space, I'll tell you."
It seems so simple because it is that simple. Because Jason isn't subtle. He isn't the kind of guy who's going to just secretly resents someone.
If something's wrong, you'll know.
"You don't get to decide what I can handle."
You open your eyes. "What?"
"You decided I was annoyed." His thumb brushes away a tear. "You decided I didn't wanna hear from you. You decided I didn't wanna help."
"You made all those decisions for me."
Your lips part. Then close. Because he's right.
Jason sighs. "You know what would've happened if you'd asked me? I would've told you to get your ass over here and sit on my lap."
He nudges his nose against yours.
"Baby, I spent most of my life thinking I was too much." The confession settles heavily between you. "If the person I love is struggling, the last thing I want is for them to deal with it alone."
Your eyes immediately soften.
Jason presses a kiss to your forehead. Then your nose. Then your cheek.
"You wanna text me twenty times a day? Do it. You need help carrying groceries? Call me."
"Then why are you even asking?"
Before you can react, he drags you closer. Practically folding you into his chest. You squeal. He just smiles and ignores it.
"See?" His arms tighten. "Problem solved."
You bury your face in his neck. For the first time in weeks, you stop worrying about taking up too much space. And for the first time in weeks, Jason finally feels like he can breathe again.
Everything was exactly how it was supposed to be. With you curled up against him.
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