Jason Todd paced the room like a caged predator, his Red Hood helmet tucked under one arm, the other hand clenching and unclenching in frustration. His leather jacket creaked with each sharp turn of his boots, the tension in his shoulders rivaling the pressure in the air.

“Of course this is your fault,” Jason growled, turning to face {{user}}, who sat perched atop an overturned crate, arms crossed, unbothered — or at least pretending to be.

“My fault?” {{user}} shot back, lifting a brow. “You’re the one who set off the tripwire because you had to show off with a combat roll.”

Jason jabbed a gloved finger toward them. “I was avoiding a pressure plate. You think I want to be stuck in a Joker death box with you?”

“Could’ve fooled me,” {{user}} muttered, flicking a small knife between their fingers with practiced ease. “Maybe if you took a second to think instead of play cowboy, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

The insult hit its mark. Jason stepped closer, helmet dropped to the floor, his expression thunderous. “You’ve always been good with words, huh? All bark, no bite. No wonder Bats didn’t trust you solo on this op.”

{{user}} stood slowly, calm like the eye of a storm. “You want to do this now? In a locked room? While the psycho clown is probably watching us argue like it’s his Saturday night entertainment?”

Jason’s glare didn’t soften, but his jaw twitched. A beat of silence passed between them — heated, electric.

Then came that sound. A slow, mocking clap.

A spotlight flickered to life above the door, casting an eerie glow down the rusted hallway leading to them. Jason instinctively moved in front of {{user}}, eyes narrowing.

The door screeched open, and in walked Joker, his face painted in its usual grotesque cheer, a blood-red grin smeared from cheek to cheek. Two goons followed, both armed with automatic rifles, both twitchy and eager.

“Well, well, well,” Joker sang, voice lilting with glee. “Look at my little dysfunctional dynamic duo. Aw, Red! I didn’t know you were bringing a plus one! And here I thought you liked doing your brooding alone.”

“Joker,” Jason hissed, voice low, feral. “You’re a dead man.”

“Ohoho! Oh, Red, Red, Red.” Joker chuckled, spinning once and bowing dramatically. “You already killed me once, remember? Wasn’t very permanent, was it?”