18 Unlikely Friends (Red Hood x Reader)

Prompt: Jason finds you lost and alone. He decides to help you...

WARNING: Contains content regarding depression and suicide. Do not read if you struggle with suicidal thoughts or depression.

You hoist yourself off the fire-escape and onto the concrete rooftop. The distant sound of horns and sirens fill the crisp night air. You shakily wander over to the edge, peeking nervously at the streets below. The cars cruising down the highway seem the size of ants from the forty-story skyscraper. Tears line your eyes as you think about what you came here for...

These past few months have been torture. Life on the streets seems to get more difficult with every passing day. Fresh food is scarce and stealing it from local grocery stores is nearly impossible with police constantly patrolling the streets. You can never stay in your makeshift shelters for long. Gangs will try to use them for hideouts or the cops will come through and chase you out. To try and make ends meet, you applied for a waitressing job, but the owners didn't like the idea of hiring a homeless person to serve people's food. You also tried applying to college, yet there is no possible way for you to pay tuition.

Every path you take leads to a dead end. Every time you try to step forward, society pushes you back. You're trapped with no way out. Well...you found one way, and here you are, taking it.

You lean dangerously close to the end of the rooftop. Every gust of icy wind threatens to send you over the edge. You frantically try to maintain your balance, but between the weather and vertigo, you struggle to stay upright. "Oh well," you think to yourself. "I was planning to jump anyway...right?"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

You whip your head around and gasp upon seeing the figure behind you. Standing only fifteen yards back from you is the infamous vigilante Red Hood. You've seen the old wanted posters around town. When he first arrived in Gotham, he caused unbelievable mayhem. He altered the way the people thought about vigilantes. If you're a criminal and Red Hood finds you, you'll be one unlucky soul.

"But you're not me," you say choking up. "You have no idea what my life is like."

"You're right, I don't. But I can tell you I've been where you are. I've been completely hopeless, trapped with no escape. I know this may seem like the only way out, but I promise you, it isn't."

You know that he's just trying to get you to step away, yet his words are so gentle and sincere. Red Hood is rumored to be a brutal man, yet all you see is someone who has had his fair share of suffering too.

"If you do this," he continues. "There is no way of taking it back. You'll miss out on the chance for your life to change."

"I have tried to change it!" you scream at him. "I have done everything I can to fix my life! I keep getting held back! I can't do anything anymore! I've hit rock bottom..."

You turn your gaze away from him and down into the glowing abyss. Tears begin to roll down your cheeks. You hear his footsteps coming closer to you.

"Look...you may be right. You've hit rock bottom, but that means you can only go up from here."

You cringe and curl your arms around you. He's right. Why did he have to be right...?

"If you think you've done all you can on your own...I can help you."

You laugh slightly. "Really?! No offense, but what the hell can you do for me?"

He sighs and yanks off his hood, tossing it to the ground. You bring your head up to admire his handsome face. His raven hair is drenched with sweat and his face looks weary. On his right cheek, you notice the letter 'J' burned into his skin. He looks like he's gone through hell and back. Just like you...

"There's a place I can take you. I was brought there when I was lost and alone. There's a group of people that can help you. I'll be there too. You don't have to do this alone."

He outstretches his hand for you to take. You take one last unsure look at the ground below. There are two doors you can take. Death...or life. Release...or redemption. You glimpse between his face and his hand. He remains calm, yet you can see the nervousness deep in his eyes.

You smile weakly and let him take you by the hand. He leads you away from the edge and your legs finally give out from under you. He catches you and guides you gently to the floor. You kneel there briefly, staring ahead into nothing. You gasp for air and tears spill down your cheeks.

He notices the rising goosebumps on your arms and wraps his leather jacket around your shoulders. You take it gladly and pull it snug around yourself.

"Well...if you're going to come with me, I at least think I should introduce myself," he says with a grin. "I'm Jason."

"(Y/N)...," you say feebly shaking his hand.

He smiles and lifts you back onto your feet. "Come on. I think there are some people you should meet."

TWO YEARS LATER...

You bite the tip of your eraser thoughtfully as you stare at your English assignment.

"If you could be any animal in the world, what would it be?"

You glance up from the tip of your laptop towards the other end of the couch. Jason sits with his feet propped up on the coffee table, his arm draped over the back of the couch. He gives you an expectant look. You just roll eyes.

He smiles. "Problem?"

You slap the top of your laptop closed and cross your arms. "Actually, I do. The problem is your interrupting me. If I don't get this done, my Professor will kill me."

"Relax! You're taking this school work thing too seriously! Just answer the question."

"I don't know...a cat I guess."

"Why?"

You groan and shrug your shoulders. "Because they're graceful and they don't depend on anyone. They also don't care what people think of them. They go wherever they want to go and do whatever they want to do. Happy?"

He stares at you thoughtfully. "I'd be a dog."

"Why would be a dog, Jason?" you ask, sounding very much like a parent with a toddler.

"So I could eat you," winks, playfully biting the air.

You just giggle. "You are so unbelievably weird."

"That's why we're friends!"

Suddenly the doors to study open and in walks Bruce.

"Both of you head down to the cave. I've got a lead on Two-Face." He abruptly walks out.

"I guess duty calls, Garfield," Jason laughs springing up from the couch.

"After you, Scooby!" you yell following after him.