first note

So this is my first BB/TDK/TDKR fic, and it's a Joker origins fic. It's going to have kid!Joker (or my interpretation of him, in Nolanverse anyway) and Joker!mom. It's going to be mostly following his mom (my OC) and a bit of Joker, but I won't be focusing on him as much because I want the reader (that's you) to determine what shaped him, why, and how. I don't want to be the one telling what was it that affected him, not really. Anyway enjoy!

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When the beat-up beige Buick pulled up to the side of the school, Carmen looked out the passenger window at the children milling around outside. She was a little nervous, but tried to seem excited about it. She glanced at the other cars around. Most of them seemed newer, and even the buses looked like the paint was pretty fresh.

The school itself was rather large, just about the size of Basin City Elementary and it had a dark red roof. The lawn was cut short and on the forefront building, presumably where the administration was, was an enormous clock face that portrayed the time. It was three minutes faster than Carmen's Bettie Boop watch.

She let out a long, slow exhale and gripped the steering wheel a little too tightly before letting go of it altogether. She set the car in park and swallowed once.

Things would be different in Gotham. Maybe not great, but it had to be better than Basin City. She and Jackie could start over fresh; get a better life going for themselves here. New people, new friends, a new job, new school – it may not have been Metropolis but on a gal like Carmen's salary, there wasn't really anywhere they could go they could afford. But it wasn't like they were desperate – not anymore, at least.

Nowhere was as bad as Sin City.

A smile broke out of her face and her bright cherry lips parted at the seam slightly. "Ain't cha excited Jackie baby? New school, looks brand spankin' new - look at that roof, bunch of kids you can make friends with and they got a jungle gym!" she let her eyes dart from the school grounds to the small patch of playground she could see from her space in the car. When she heard no response or indication that her son heard her she gave him a fish eye.

Carmen reached over to the passenger seat and prodded at her ten year old son with a painted fingernail.

He turned to her slowly, dark hazel eyes solemn. "Not like it's gonna be any different. They'll think I'm a freak." His eyes turned down to his sneakers and Carmen felt a twist in her chest at the look of the old things. They weren't falling apart, but Jack grew so fast and her last paycheck from her previous workplace was late in coming, not to mention rent was due, and the poor little guy looked miserable with his Mighty Mouse stitching peeling from his right shoe.

Carmen sucked a bit on her bottom lip before reaching over and putting her face next to his. She ignored the seatbelt digging into her ribs while she spoke. "C'mon Jackie baby. Lookit, you're not a freak just cuz you're smarter than they are or cuz your clothes were from last year." She said and felt his hair tickle her cheek and nuzzled into his soft skin. "My clothes are from two years ago. They should appreciate how much effort we go to, keeping them lookin' so good."

"Mom, you're getting makeup on me," he raised his shoulders and shirked his face away from hers. "And it just means we're poor and we can't afford new clothes."

Carmen drew away from him abruptly, lips popping and her brows crashed down. "Hey. Hey," she yanked on Jack's closest shoulder to have him turn to her. "Being poor ain't something we've gotta feel ashamed of. You hear me, Jackie?" Carmen watched her son nod absently. She breathed out through her nose quickly, "We don't have anything to be ashamed of, Jackie. Nothing, nada, zilch. Being where we're at, you 'n me? Better than most, lemme tell you. Nothin' at all to be ashamed of, Jackie. 'Sides, my last check's coming in soon and I think you need new shoes." Carmen's nose scrunched up at that and Jack's face broke into a hesitant smile.

They both looked up at the sound of a bell. The dark haired woman tugged at her leopard printed coat before digging in her purse to pull out a gold colored cylinder, "Guess that's show time. I'll pick you up at three. Where ya gonna be?" she leaned towards the rearview mirror and reapplied her lipstick.

"At the library." Jack looked out the window again and unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door.

"Hey," Jack turned and was assaulted by a pair of big red lips. He felt the smear of the lipstick drag down his cheek and he made a disagreeable noise. He felt his mother laugh with her lips still smashed against his cheek. He groaned in disgust and pushed at her shoulder. She was still laughing as she sat back in her seat.

"Jesus Jackie. Lighten up, red looks good on you. I think it's your color." Carmen lifted her brows playfully when Jack began scrubbing furiously at his cheek with his denim jacket sleeve. "Okay, okay, okay I'm sorry. I'm sah-rry!" she was still giggling in between her words as she apologized with her hands up in a peaceful gesture and Jack gave her a little scowl.

She snorted in her nose and licked her thumb to help get the red smear off. She got most of it off before Jack pulled away to scrub at his cheek again.

"Okay. Library at three," she saluted Jack as he climbed out of the car. "Good luck Jackie, and if anybody calls you a freak, tell me their last name."

Jack shut the door and looked back. "So you can talk to their mom?"

"Nope," Carmen popped the 'p' in the word before she grinned widely. Jack saw that the lipstick had left a small red smudge on one of her front teeth. "So I can go punch their mom for raising such a rotten kid." Jack's eyes widened while Carmen blew a kiss and then shoved him further from the car with an outstretched arm. "Kisses Jackie!"

Jack watched the old Buick heave itself away like a reluctant mule from the curb and down the street before he shook his head slowly. He made his way to the school slowly and felt the tips of his sneakers drag in the grass.

He turned his head down to hide the smile.

/

last note

this is the prologue/me getting into the groove of writing this. if you guys spot anything, like grammar errors or things that could use some work (transitioning, pacing, etc.) please let me know. lemme know what you think, thanks!