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to say you were pissed would be an understatement.
his cheek was bloody and bruised and his lips were torn and oh my god his arm was scorched. he had promised it would be a normal night, that after his shift you could watch all the glee you want, but now he was half-conscious laying on your sofa and getting blood on the sage green cloth.
jason todd has been your best friend since you can remember. you were there when he got adopted - there when he became robin - there when he died - and there when he became red hood. through thick or thin he was the most important thing in the world to you.
but that’s all you were. his friend.
and despite how hard you’d fallen all those years ago you doubted you’d ever be anything more. i mean honestly, how could you compete? starfire was an alien who’d never gotten acne. artemis was a badass who could probably - definitely - snap you in half. roy was basically katniss everdeen and you were nothing.
but still, almost every night when he crashes in through your open windows you patch him up without saying a word.
tonight was not one of those nights.
“you’re an idiot.” you snip, wrapping the arm in a cloth bandaid after disinfecting it, “stop trying to save the world and save yourself.”
he grimaces when you apply a bit more pressure than necessary, “and what if i don’t.”
“this isn’t the time to tease jason, i mean it. i can’t keep doing this.” you hold onto the tears because you’ll be damned if he sees you cry over anything other than some sappy movie, “i hate it.”
“then why do you keep doing it?”
the words lodge in your throat. you can’t tell him. it would risk everything you’ve ever built in this friendship
but he can read you like a book and suddenly his not-burned hand is resting on your shoulder, “because i know why whenever i get hurt you’re the first person i think of - the only person i want to help me.”
“i know - that’s what best friends are for, right?” you try to smile
he sees through it.
of coure he does.
“hey - if it comes down to saving myself or the world i’ll always choose me.” he whispers like it’s a secret that only you're allowed to hear, “because i love you enough to always come home.”
“jason i-i”
“wow no ‘i love you too’? i’m hurt.”
you glare at him, but all that shows is fondness.