Here we are at chapter three.

The_life_of_a_line_is_dull_and_grim.

The Joker grinned down at his new… Minion? No, that wasn't right. Friend? He snorted. No. Not a friend. Companion? He hummed and nodded to himself. Yes, that would work.

The hair-blob dipped to the side a bit, as though the person beneath it had tilted their head at him. He copied the motion, mirroring the hair-blob-creature as it tilted to the other side as well. He chuckled again.

They had managed to get away easily enough, there having been neither hide nor hair of the bat, and had found themselves in a safehouse Ivy so conveniently procured for them before busting them out. A simple abandoned factory on the edge of town with a few smaller building surrounding it; one of which had a few skylights and had been converted into a greenhouse for Ivy's precious plants. The factory appeared to have been responsible for making shoes at one point and the whole area smelled like old leather.

The Joker had taken up residence in another of the smaller buildings, dragging his little furry puzzle with him and slamming the rusty metal door in Harley's face.

"I really think," He started, "that you could use a haircut." The hair-blob's form became very still, the pale little hands that peaked out clenching into fists. The hair-person made a wide shaking motion that he interpreted as it shaking it's head. He frowned, catching the first scent of fear off the figure. This little oddity wasn't afraid of him, a murdering sociopath, but it was afraid or getting it's hair cut?

"Please?" He asked. Begging wasn't his style, but for whatever reason, he didn't want to force his funny hair-blob. "I wanna see that face of yours though. Pretty please with sugar on top?" The hair-blob didn't shake it's head again, but the hands remained clenched in fists and it made no movement.

It jerked in a surprised flinch as he placed his hands on either side of it, squeezing a bit in a bastardized attempt at comfort. He wasn't so good at this kind of thing but he had seen some things on the television. "What's there to be afraid of?" The hair-blob remained tensed for a few moments and the Joker came to wonder if perhaps force was necessary. With a rougher voice, he tried again, squeezing what he felt was shoulders beneath the hair tighter. "You do realize," He drew out the word with a growl, "that I will cut your hair whether you want me to or not?" The final word clicked slightly on his tongue and he offered a dark grin.

His smile grew wider when the hair-blob slumped in defeat and he let go. "Well then!" He spoke loudly, but his new little fascination didn't jump or flinch. He picked it up like before, and once again was left without resistance.

The little building was filled mostly with metal and tables not unlike a science classroom. There was a tub of sorts in the corner that had no nozzle, but a drain. There was a hose hooked up outside and it was long enough for him to drag it inside to use it; knowing already that (who had been staying here with Ivy) had set up the plumbing to work properly. He set the hair-blob down next to the low tub, which only came up to maybe his ankles or so, and was perhaps better described as a basin.

"If you've got clothes on underneath all that I suggest you ditch 'em sweetheart. Unless they need a bath too." He giggled and ran off to fetch the hose. When he came back be found his soon-to-be-not-a-hair-blob sitting in the basin (or at least he thought it was) with a typical shirt and pants uniform from Arkham flung carelessly on the floor a couple feet away.

The Joker looked around a bit before noticing a hook hanging from the ceiling. He looped the hose up through the hook and fixed it so that it would spray down on the little grey mass and ran back to turn it on. He returned again to see the water beginning to soak the mass of hair and wondered how heavy that hair was while wet.

Already the water running down the drain is grey and filled with filth. The Joker doesn't bother to remove his own clothes as he steps into the basin and kneels next to the grey-blob, pulling out a knife as he does so.

It's a sharp little kitchen blade, and as he grabs a bit of hair to saw through it before throwing it to the side. It lands with a splat on the floor. It's a funny sort of sound that makes him giggle, so he continues, if only to hear it again. He laughs louder and louder with every bit of skin that is revealed and soon becomes aware that his hair-blob-turning-person is a male.

As he continues, the little strange being pulls up his legs and buries his head in his knees, wrapping his hands round himself. He is shivering, and Joker supposes this is because the water is so cold, but he makes no effort to make the male more comfortable. He continues onward and frowns angrily as his work reveals a very thin sickly frame in which he can count every rib and the vertebrae of his companion's spine is well defined.

He recalled knocking a tray out of the male's hands, but did he ever actually eat? When was the last time his little strange one had been fed?

He cuts until the hair it a mess of soft fuzz on top of the males head. Even wet it seems to twist and spike and flip in every direction in an untamable sort of way. It comes down past the oddity's ears now and the Joker is conscious of the fact that the little male had continued to hide his face in his knees and so he has yet to see his face. He is also aware that his hair is now white like snow, rather than the grey mass it had appeared to be due to the excess of dirt.

"Look at me." He orders with a strained grin. He does not like that his little puzzle is so thin, and he especially doesn't like the fact that he cares enough not to like it in the first place. The little white-haired being shakes his head and the Joker growls. "Look at ME!" He snarls, and is surprised that the male doesn't even flinch. He does however, after a moment's hesitation, lift his head to look up at the Joker as ordered.

The Joker stares in shock, taking a step back before he can catch himself.

His little oddity is beautiful like an angel. Pale, unblemished skin is stretched a bit too tight over his cheekbones perhaps; making them stand out more than they should, but it does not steal from the teen's beauty. And he must be a teen, for his face is very young, but, there is a sense of age in his eyes that suggests he is older. Perhaps he is in his twenties then? Rather androgynous, in the right clothes he could be taken for being either gender.

His eyes are very large, too large on his small face, and are framed by lashes as snowy white as his hair. They are a strange sight. A bright purple flecked with little spots of green, and they reveal nothing in the way of the boy's emotions. His nose is small, and angular, a nice contrast to his large round eyes. His lips are a shade of pale pink, matching easily with the overall paleness of his skin, and like his nose they are small.

But that is not why the Joker stares.

No, it is what lies upon the boy's lips that have surprised him.

He tentatively reaches out a hand and touches them, the thick black thread feeling rough beneath his fingers; the dark color standing out starkly against the male's skin. Little scabs mar the skin where the tread meets it, and he doesn't think this is freshly done, but rather they are old wounds that tear open occasionally.

His eyes narrow after a moment and he nearly snarls. He had claimed this little puzzle as his companion. His possession. Someone had dared to hurt what was his. He cupped the male's cheek. He understood now at least. This explained why he was so thin, why he clearly didn't eat. It explained why the Joker had yet to hear him speak. It explained why he had been so against showing his face.

For someone, for whatever reason, had sewn his puzzle's lips shut.

The_life_of_a_line_is_dull_and_grim.

This was fun to write. I feel I should warn you right about now at the possibility of slash. Not guaranteed of course. There may be moments where it seems like it though, but for now there is not. I may or may not however pair our little former-hair-blob with a male, or a female, or I won't pair him up at all. Nothing in this story has been planned so I really don't know.

Reviews?