Sorry for my three or four day absence, I have been lugging and moving and getting ready to move to Florida so yea, wooo, anyway I hope you like the seventh chapter, maybe we'll make It to ten :D. Listen to Fire Bomb by Rihanna.
The prison break was all over the news. Not one, news station didn't have some kind of information of when, how, and where the whole thing went down. The most horrified person of Gotham city? Bruce Wayne. Bruce sat in his penthouse mansion staring blankly at the T.V switching between FOX news and N.B.C to even local channels, but they all said the same thing and it drilled into his head over and over as he just couldn't believe what he was seeing or even hearing. The prison break had been started by a riot all lead by Scarecrow, course the plan had been formulated by a Vice President of sorts, and Bruce already knew who that 'vice president' was. He shifted getting off his chair shifting to the window. It was nine o' clock at night, and the city was already shaken to the roots by criminals running amok. Fires were sparking even near where Bruce was and he frowned at the mayhem. He turned heading for the 'panic room' he need to his equipment, but before he got there he was swiftly thrown down out of nowhere the lights flickering out as his head span in circles as he stared into darkness. He heard a chuckle and it caused him to flinch his eyes adjusting as a weight fell on his waist. His mind cut to Burlesque, but he knew who it was, it was too obvious and ironic for it not to be.
"So Bats, I've been hearing this sick little rumor." He heard a venomous voice splatter out at him, as if the very words spoken were punching him over and over again. His eyes finally adjusted and in the dim darkness he could see the Joker's face pretty clearly, it was all made up again and his hair was greener then ever every singly muscle on the clown twitched and Bruce knew that he was in for it. Joker' chuckle sounded less then amused."I heard you were fucking a little copy cat." Bruce head shifted to the side as he didn't want to look at the man's face anymore, he didn't even want to talk about it, he just wanted to die right there, or just be tossed into a vat of acid or something to get him away from the feelings that were quickly and violently flooding back. "ANSWER ME!" The Joker shouted lightly his voice dropping a few octaves as he grabbed the collar of Bruce's shirt shaking him his head bouncing up and down off the floor. Bruce finally turned his head back his eyes barely willingly to meet the crazed criminal above him.
"So..what if I have?" He asked in a flat tone. He didn't want to say it, but he had to get away from what was pushing him to say the truth. The truth that he was sorry and he'd never do it again just as long as…A solid blow to the face cracked Bruce's nose as he repelled his arms flailing off shoving the Joker off as he stood holding his nose with one hand grunting with pain. "Why should I care what you want to know?" Bruce continued, he wincing and pulled his hand away knowing full well his nose was now broken severely. His eyes drifted to the clown who was still on the ground, either trying to withhold the rage filling his pores or completely shocked into speechless laughter.
"Your right bats." Joker was now hysterical his laughing seeming to shake the mansion as he stood cracking his knuckles."You shouldn't care." Bruce took a step back as the Joker's eyes seem to blank slightly as he just stared at him, no laughter, not even a sneer. He just stared at him for a few moments before turning his back to him. Bruce hand went out but he stopped himself firmly keeping it at his side as his other hand held his nose in place."Just remember you brought this on yourself." He heard the madman say, before he vanished, walking into the shadows. Bruce went to call out but he grunted with a frustrated sigh instead just standing there at a loss for words.
Two days, was all it took, two, Batman had barely booked three mental before the video went viral. It was a shakey video of the joker, like many others he had taken over the cross of their rivalry, only this one was more frightening then Bruce had ever seen. Not only was his makeup not on, his lips were splattered with something else, not red lipstick, not five dollar clown makeup, but blood, Bruce knew it right away, it was everywhere across the clowns face, he had ripped his scars back open and as he talked Bruce could see excruciating pain the other was in as he began his rant.
It was like this, and Bruce was frozen to the spot as he watched. Burlesque was hanging from a rope by his neck balancing on a tightrope twenty feet above the ground over a vat of acid. Blood ran down the side of the captive's mouth where grotesque scars curved up well past where the Jokers did. He was clearly in pain and was barely even with his skills, to keep himself from tumbling off the rope and being hung. Bruce shook as the words of the Joker's bashed across his head.
"You know what happens when Anarchy finds its only weakness?" There was a long pause as the camera panned to the Joker as he held out the camera licking blood from his opened scars."It can't comprehend it. You know what happens? It starts losing all it was. When an unstoppable object meets an unmovable object. You know what happens to them, they just mash into each other, neither one able to top the other." The camera panned over to Burlesque as a cackle came from the Joker."Till something comes in between them." For a moment Bruce heard the sound of sorrow come from the Joker's voice, it was small, and perhaps maybe it had just been his imagination but, it was covered up by a hysterical bout of laughing as the camera went dark. Then a voice in the dark filled the void."You're no longer my weakness." It was a whisper, barely audible, but Bruce heard it and as he bumped into the coffee table he found himself shaking all over. What had he done?
It was nearly ten minutes later when Bruce snuck into the place Joker had Burlesque captive. It only took two minutes for him to get caught up in the trap clearly laid for him. It was a net, presumably originally for the tightrope that Burlesque stood on. Bruce could see him easily from where he was and as he moved to cut himself free he heard a dark chuckle and his head snapped over to see Joker sitting on a throne of money as he crossed a leg over another smirking.
"Bats I wouldn't do that, if you throw your weight out of that net well…" the joker's head swiveled to Burlesque and Bruce followed his line of sight t o see that his weight was the only thing keeping the tightrope from snapping of the support poles. He wouldn't be able to get free without killing Burlesque. Bruce's eyes dropped back to the Joker's putting the blades he was about to use away. He was about to speak but the stare he received shut him up. "So I've been hearing tales from your little fucker up there." Bruce winced and he shifted slightly trying to get comfortable without flopping his weight around. "Tell me Bruce, is it all true?" This was clearly a question that Bruce was going to have to answer and he looked down collecting himself to speak when the Joker shouted."Look at me!" It was the same tone he had used before, the octave dropping as something inhuman took over, even if for a few seconds.
Bruce's head snapped up and he just stared at the clown."Yes." It was hard to say, it tumbled over his tongue, just that one word, made him flinch all over as he realized he was openly admitting to everything he had done. "Just let him go Joker." Bruce began as he tried not to recoil at the darkness brewing in the madman's eyes."He doesn't deserve this, this, this is my fault." He was making up excuses he sounded like a whiney child, but he couldn't just let Joker kill Burlesque.
"Tut, Bats..if I let him go what lesson would that teach you?" Lesson? What lesson? He heard the shifting of paper as the Joker slid of the money throne and waltzed up to the net gripping it with gloved hands. Bruce automatically tried to scurry back but the net stopped him as his body pressed into it, he felt like a caged animal.
"Don't kill him Joker…kill..me." Bruce was mumbling and coming up with things as the Joker pulled back his bloody mouth pulling into a smirk.
"Oh no,no,see Bruce, that wouldn't teach you a lesson either." He shifted and threw his hand up dramatically at Burlseque."Your going to kill him." Bruce's eyes welled up with rage as he thrashed for about a second his hands gripping the nylon rope of the net.
"No I won't!" He shouted and Joker eyes snapped back to him."Fine then." The Joker moved and Bruce watched his every move as he pulled out a gas can from a file cabinet walking up the throne of money dousing it with gas as he went then he turned around looking directly at Bruce as he lifted the can above his head pouring the rest over him, the gas sinking into his clothes and hair. Bruce's eyes widened as the Joker took out a match."Joker! No don't!" The smell of gas rocketed through Bruce's nostrils causing him to gag. Joker pushed back his gasoline soaked hair and just looked at Burlesque and then Bruce."Your choice bats." Joker mumbled as the match struck up and he tossed it at the bottom of the pile the money igniting as he stood there the flames already climbing rapidly up towards him. Bruce was horrified and he could feel his eyes begin to water as his head craned to burlesque who was now staring at the blaze transfixed with fear and shock. "Do you love him bats?" The question brought Bruce staring back at the joker as the flames rose up around him. Then it sunk in like a tidal wave of emotion. This had nothing to do with what Bruce actually did, it was the fact that he had done it in the first place, the face he had sunken so low as to not even bother getting Joker out of Gotham even after slowly admitting to his feelings for the criminal, he had betrayed him. This was his lesson. "Well Bats?" Joker said his voice cracking as he was clearly staring at the flames edging closer to him.
Bruce looked at the netting and at Burlesque who was now staring at him tears pouring from his eyes, he was so young, Bruce closed his eyes tight shaking his head back and forth. He heard a chuckle from the Joker and he opened his eyes again to see the joker crying. Bruce's eyes widened, the Joker was crying. Tears made trails through the dried blood dripping and sizzling on the fire as the joker bowed his head his wet hair covering his face. He was crying. Everything was falling apart, and it was because of Bruce, he was slowly watching the only person who equaled him burn alive. What kind of monster was he? His gaze went up to Burlesque and he could see Burlesque nod slowly his eyes shutting. Bruce hesitated but heard a deafening scream and his eyes whipped back to see the Joker's back go up in flame and he moved instantly the net snapping as he panicked and unthinkingly dropped from the net not even looking to see Burlesque plummet as he threw himself across the space tackling the Joker off the burning money already putting out the flames as the Joker squirmed his screams of pain tearing at Bruce like a rusty saw. When the flames were out Bruce looked own horrified to see the whole of the Jokers back burned through to muscle and bone. He looked around in a panic as the Joker just moaned in pain barely acknowledging that he was alive. He didn't want to touch him, to hurt him more, but he had to do something. He moved his cape and ripped it off carefully, oh, oh, so carefully wrapping the severely burned criminal up before hauling him into his arms, hearing the hiss of pain from the other as arms wrapped around his neck and a face was buried into his chest. Bruce paused is eyes drifted to where Burlesque had once been. His eyes filled with confusion as the rope still swung where it was left, only now the neck was empty, the tight rope had defiantly snapped but then as acid sloshed out of the vat as pale fingers gripped the side of the tub pulling a grotesque figure out of the deadly concoction Bruce realized that Joker had never intended to kill Lesque. Bruce made a run for it the Joker in his grasp, but the image was already burned in his mind. Burlesque wasn't Lesque anymore.
You only have villains, because you have heroes- Me
It took about a month for the Joker to even be well enough to make short sentences. The hospital wouldn't allow him to stay but Bruce bought everything he would need up to five months, he sat by the hospital bed in his newly refurbished bat cave as the heart monitor made its faint reassuring beeping. He hadn't slept in a week and Alfred had to forced feed him anything as he was always attending whatever medical needs he could every single second of every single day. Now Bruce was half asleep his head buried into the covers of the medical bed as he was slumped off his chair, the exhaustion had finally taken over. The Joker was barely awake, or aware, but even with his green eyes still filled with pain shifted to look at the man by him. He stared at his own hand willingly it to move and as it twitched the muscles in his shoulder felt like fire had been splashed over them all over again. He winced but didn't stop as he weakly brushed his fingers up against Bruce's ear, his scars now healed made his mouth pull into a smile, a genuine one at that, before the drugs took over his mind again causing his hand to relax and his body to drift into blissful ignorance. It went on like this for days, Bruce, no matter how hard he tried couldn't stay awake and every time he passed out the Joker would be roused awake and would touch Bruce in some way before he was out again. Finally a few weeks into this torturous game Bruce eyes flittered open just in time to see the Joker smiling at him before he was quickly taken away again. This just made things worse as energy drink cans and coffee cups littered the floor of the bat cave as Bruce himself began to get sick.
Finally, with more persuasion then even Alfred thought he had, he forced Bruce into bed and somehow kept him out of the bat cave for a few days until the Joker's vital signs dropped for one heart wrenching moment, but as soon as Bruce scrambled in the heart monitor kicked back into rapid steady beeps and Bruce in that instant made himself a sleeping bag on the floor next to the medical bed. Alfred could no longer argue this point and gave up. It was about half a month later that Joker could stay awake for a few hours at a time. They didn't talk much, there was nothing to talk about, but one fateful day Joker told Bruce a story, the story of his scars, Bruce wasn't sure if it was true, seeing as Joker didn't even seem to clearly remember the event himself, but it didn't matter, the only thing that stuck in Bruce's mind was the name. Jack, Jack, his name was Jack.
It was so ordinary and human that Bruce almost didn't believe the bedridden clown, but when he looked it up in the files, he realized it was true. Jack…Jack..Napier.
It seemed like years, even though it was only a few months till the Joker could decently be pushed around in a wheel chair, he wouldn't be able to walk till his back was significantly more healed and the skin grafts had taken, nothing could be ripped or jostled open on fear that it wouldn't be repaired. Though it was still pleasant, it did seem weird at first. Bruce pushing the Joker, Jack, around the mansion in a wheel chair as the spoke of random topics, one would make a comment about them as the other tried to swiftly change the subject. It was like a little game of cat and mouse; they never did say the word love, or even the prospect of it actually being between them. Did they even have to say it? Could someone really explain them in one word anyway? Everything seemed fine, finally, the idea of treating Joker like he use to horrified Bruce and he treated Joker like a fragile china doll, much to the clown's annoyance. They shared kisses occasionally but Bruce was terrified of harming Jack and decided against anything, even after a professional medic okayed Joker to walk around on his own. This whole worrisome mother hen thing pecked(no pun intended) on the princes nerves until he had had it. He had shoved Bruce into a wall pain stretching across his face as old muscles went to work pumping adrenaline. Bruce was already trying to talk him down with a soft voice and the Joker only rolled his eyes crinkling, his makeup free face displaying every sign of wanting to slap Bruce across the face.
"Are you going to make love to me eventually or are you just going to keep me as a puppy for the rest of my life." The sentence came out in a whirl and Bruce eyes blinked as his mouth and jaw dropped into a sign of utter surprise. Jack could only hold Bruce against the wall and cackle his lips pulling into an amused grin. This dumbfounded look on the Batman was exceptionally amusing.
"W-what?" Bruce stuttered stupidly. The jester rolled his eyes letting Bruce go crossing his arms, wincing as he did so, but tried his best to hide it.
"MAKE L-O-V-E to me brucey." He mocked lightly spelling out the word instead of saying it this time only furthering Bruce's shock.
"N-n-n-no…w-wait..you're in no condition for…..that!" Bruce was now acting like he had never done anything of the sort and was clearly losing it. This only furthered the Joker's amusement as he broke into a fit of laughter doubling over causing pain to spread across his face unable to hide it. "See! Even laughing puts you in pain." A school girl, Bruce was acting like a school girl, his face was as red as a tomato and his arms were flailing around flamboyantly as he went out to help the Joker straighten his back. Jack just shrugged off Bruce's touch standing straight his jaw tightening as a cord of pain rippled up and down his back.
"You're impossible." The Joker turned waltzing down a hall leaving Bruce to his dismembered thoughts. Bruce stood there dumb, to the world, the joker, Jack, what..just..HUH? Bruce sank against the wall his head spinning, what had just occurred. The 'intention' of the Joker's words were not what was affecting him, it was the words he used and the way he said it so casually was what shook Bruce about. He had said it as if they had been saying that…that…word..forever. He blinked and his eyes drifted up the hall Jack had disappeared around. Bruce puffed out air his face burning as his head dropped onto his knees. Love….?
Haha, sooo yeeaaa, slow ish chapter, um tell me what you think, comments are welcome, even flames if they are constructive, and tell me what you think might happen next and I might add it in somewhere. :D…
