I finally figured out what I wanted to do next. Once I got to it this was fun as always. Enjoy!

It is only a few days later when a bank is hit. Batman can only assume it is to prove Joker is still very much a villain and willing to steal actual items. It is a group effort and everyone goes out for it, even Robin. Luckily it is a weekend and Batman is able to let the kid come along without feeling guilty about being a bad parent. They split up in order to catch all the thieves, Batman blazing a trail for Joker. He follows the laughter, coming up time and time again upon a recording. He should feel annoyed, but he is surprised that there is nothing but excitement pumping through his veins.

Before he knows it he passes the city limits – far. He finds himself at the bottom of a cliff when he finally catches a glimpse of the familiar green popping out against the deep blue sky. It is at the top of the cliff, but compared to the trek out here the distance is nothing. Batman walks up the stretch of the rise until he finally comes out at the peak and can fully see Joker.

Joker sits on a limb of the solitary tree on the cliff. "Batsy." He swings his feet as he grins down at Batman. "Did you come just for me?" He laughs.

Batman walks closer to the tree. "What are you doing up there?" He raises a brow and crosses his arms. He's just being the crazy person he is, obviously. Still he asked anyway.

Joker shrugs. "Waiting." He spins around, curls his legs around the limb, and falls backward, hanging from the tree. "What do you think?" His grin spreads further across his face. "Like my accessories?" A pearl necklace dangles from his neck. He holds his hands up and flashes the diamond rings decorating each finger.

Batman snorts in acknowledgement. "Yeah, yeah, you've still got it. Now let's go. I have to turn you in for this."

A frown twitches at Joker's lips. "Now don't say that. You'll spoil the fun." He drops to the ground. His limbs tangle on the way down and he lands face first. "Ow," he grumbles.

Batman snickers. "Maybe those jewels are weighing you down." He approaches the Joker.

Joker leaps to his feet and flashes Batman a grin. "Come on, you like them on me." He walks to meet Batman. "Admit it."

"You look like an idiot," Batman deadpans.

"Yeah I do." Joker leans forward, staring deep into Batman's eyes. At the last second his gaze flickers to the side and his mind isn't far behind, drifting away from Batman. The smile slips away from his lips and he stands straight.

Batman blinks. "Joker?"

Joker slides his feet and shifts to face the cliff. "You want to know why I really came here?" his voice is strangely solemn.

Batman stiffens. The air is thick with tension and the alarm bells ring loud and clear in his head. Does he really want to know the answer? "Why?" He asks despite himself.

Joker wanders toward the edge of the cliff, dangerously close.

Batman starts and jolts after him. "Hey!" He reaches out, his hands at the ready if Joker does anything stupid like he is so apt to do. Still, he can't just grab Joker. That would be weird. Unnecessary. Just…no.

Joker stares out at the brilliant light of the city in the distance. "It's beautiful, don't you think?" his voice is far away, just like his mind.

"Sure." Batman has never really been out here, and when he has it certainly wasn't for fun. There is rarely a reason to leave the city and he was never much of a country boy, not even a 'just past the city' kind of guy. He relaxes enough to take his eyes off of Joker and looks up. Now that he looks at the city like this he does see it – the magnificence of the lights shining like thousands of stars right at their fingertips.

Joker chuckles. "I bet you've never even been out here before, eh Batsy?" there is a light to his tone, but the sentiment doesn't quite reach his face.

"Born and raised in the city." Batman returns his gaze to Joker. His skin continues to crawl as he watches the criminal linger so close to the edge.

"Me too." Joker's eyes glaze over. "Only not."

Batman frowns and shifts with unease.

"I never belonged. Not even at home. So…I came here. To feel better."

Batman's urge to get him far away from the edge grows more intense by the second. "Joker…" He doesn't know what else to say. This isn't what their fights are supposed to be like. He chases, catches, and turns Joker in. Or, you know, accidentally lets him go. They don't talk this way. At least they never have before.

"It's peaceful," Joker rambles on. "Helped clear my mind. But also…made me crazier." A grin twists his lips. "Made me realize how screwed up my life was."

Batman swallows hard. "What happened to you?" He hates to admit it, but he never considered what actually turned Joker into the Joker. He forgets that behind every villain was once an innocent child.

Joker shrugs. "Nothing." His expression is suddenly light, as if all the pain from moments before never existed. So wrong. He plops down, sitting crisscross.

Batman follows suit, side eyeing him. This shift is almost more unsettling than the way he was before. As he contemplates Joker his eyes catch on something. It slowly drifts down, caught by the shifting wind, until it lands on his nose. He blinks. Cold. Oh. "It's snowing." He peers up and sees that more flakes are following suit and for the first time he realizes how cold it must be. With his outfit he never does notice the temperature, not without some visual cue like snow or rain.

Joker follows Batman's gaze. "Huh. So it is." He holds a hand out to catch a flake.

Now that he is not so worried about Joker jumping, Batman notices one other thing. Joker's body is shivering with surprising intensity. He starts. "Why did you come out here tonight when you knew it was going to be this cold?" He frowns and shoots Joker a scolding look.

Joker shakes his head. "Didn't know. Don't watch the weather channel."

"You should have known the second you stepped outside." Batman crosses his arms.

Joker hums thoughtfully. He holds his hands out and watches as they shake before his very eyes. How strange. Now that Batman has mentioned it, yes, he feels a bit of a chill, but nothing like what his body appears to be experiencing. "Just another defect," he mumbles.

Batman double takes. "What?"

Joker shakes his head and manages a smile. "Nothing." He sets his hands on his knees.

Batman narrows his eyes. It bothers him that Joker has made no move to solve the cold problem he is clearly having. "You seriously can't feel it?" It's either this or he wants to suffer and Batman refuses to even contemplate

Joker shrugs. "I guess not." It certainly made nights on the street more bearable. More dangerous for his health, but certainly easier to endure.

Batman sighs. He grabs Joker by the arm and tugs him closer, close enough for him to wrap his arms and cape around the idiot. "Only until the cops get here."

Joker's lips curl upward and he bites his lip. Content floods through him and his face flushes. He leans into Batman. "You're not very good at being the hero."

Batman rolls his eyes. "I caught you didn't I?"

"The hero is supposed to beat and cuff the villain, not cuddle them into submission."

Batman snorts. "This is not cuddling. I'm making sure you don't freeze to death before you can go to prison. Nothing more."

"Okay." Joker may not be able to feel the cold, but he feels the warmth slowly seeping into his body. It tickles him to think that Batman is naturally warm while he is so cold. He has no proof, this is really the only time they've been this close long enough to even contemplate body heat, but it would be quite poetic. He rather likes the idea.

"Why else did you come out here?" Batman asks absently as he stares out at the dark sky above the city.

Joker blinks. "What?"

"There was another reason. Right?" He can't dismiss the image of Joker standing so close to the edge tonight. He'd rather forget, but he wants to know the truth.

Joker tenses and his expression hardens. "I told you, it was nothing."

"I'm not stupid."

Joker sits up, as far away from Batman as he can manage without leaving his hold. "Then you'll drop this, Batman."

Batman starts at the force and venom behind his name. "Joker…" He opens his mouth around empty words.

"We aren't friends, Batman. You're the hero and I'm the villain. Only Harley knows about those parts of me. She's the only one who deserves to. If not for her…" He stops himself before he gives too much away.

Batman sees the police cars pull up at the bottom of the cliff. "Come on." He withdraws his arms and cape from Joker. He holds a hand out to help Joker to his feet. "Time to go."

Joker accepts the offer and leans in close as he is pulled up. "I'll get out, you know." He grins, shoving the conversation from a moment ago to the farthest recesses of his mind. He doesn't want that to be his last thought and interaction with Batman before he goes away for a while.

Batman smirks. "You wish."

"So do you."

With that Batman leads Joker to the police car and watches as they drive away. Deep down he knows exactly what this place was to Joker, what he did. Well, almost did. Still, he wishes he could hear it himself. But he knows Joker is right. They aren't friends. A hero and a villain. Forever at odds. There is no place for these emotions in their games. He knows it as well as he knows the Joker. Even so, he can't help wanting Joker to admit it to him. Just like he can't help wanting Joker to escape. Again, and again, and again. Into eternity.

I got a bit of my headcanon of Joker's past in this one. I'll probably better explore it later if I can find a good enough setup. I also used someone else's headcanon about Joker not being sensitive to the cold. I love the idea of that and it lends itself to cute scenarios.

Also, I wouldn't mind requests for this story. However I do reserve the right not to do the request if it doesn't interest me or if it just won't fit right in this story. Still, I'll gladly hear anything anyone might suggest, so feel free. Please review!