DISCLAIMER: This fanfic is entirely based on the movie JOKER (2019). All characters belong to DC Comics, except what I invented.

Full synopsis:

Oh, Arthur Fleck! Who today you are weird looking, damaged mentality and the man who laughs. You had a story like any other person, and this is for you and me, who we are that man who laughs.

Your story, your memories, your horrible and your beautiful moments each stored in a small space of your mind, which today you will share with me whom knew your descent into our madness, who saw as the society in which we lived and the few people to around us they ignored us, humiliated us and lied to our faces, caused themselves my existence.

But was there anything behind all this, Arthur? What were the triggers to get to where we arrived? And have you ever, Arthur, had a little happiness in this life? All this has its answer. And we will gather these answers for ourselves: The man who laughs.

Notes + Clarifications:

* Thank you for coming and giving this fanfic a chance! If you already had the opportunity to read: "Joker: A Fair Lady" I have to tell you that this fic is not a continuation of that one. This is a new fanfic which will share OC's (original characters).
* This fanfic is also available on Wattpad under my other nickname called: Pomelo_Banana, so if you're from there and you think I'm stealing it, no, it's not like that. Pomelo_Banana it's me!
* The fanfic contains some serious, strong and / or sensitive themes. It's recommended for people older than 16 years. Discretion is advised.
* And from the bottom of my heart I hope that this new fic is totally to your liking or something that you hoping to read. If you have already read "A Fair Lady" I confess that there will be certain similarities with that fic, it will not be as precise but they will be noticed, they are like gesture to that previous work, and if you have not read that fic do not worry. It is not necessary to read it and/or know to understand what will happen here. Both fanfiction are different environments, only what they share are the OC's.

I: The girl with reddish hair

1954

The cold was beating on the cheeks and hands of little Arthur Fleck. He tried to eat his tuna sandwich while watching the rest of his classmates play vigorously. The laughter and shouts of joy flooded the child's ears, looking curiously at all his classmates and wanting to join them, but none of the boys seemed to like him and acted as if he did not exist. And it had always been like that.

Arthur was eight years old and was repeating the third grade of elementary school. His teacher had considered him a slow learner and absent from class, a somewhat different child for the rest of his classmates. Arthur didn't use to talk, just watched and laughed. He laughed uncontrollably. His mother Penny had talked to the superiors about the condition that Arthur possessed. No one seemed to believe about it and the doctors did not understand it, sometimes they pretended that it was and the most reliable solution was an involuntary condition. A condition that would condemn Arthur to a psychiatrist assistance, which was frowned upon by society even though his mother justified him with the fact that he was born to bring smiles and joys to the world.

He continued to eat his sandwich when he heard a cry between the laughter and happiness of his classmates. He set his lunch on the table and turned to see some boys and girls, disturbing a little girl with long reddish hair. Arthur blinked strangely, that little girl was the only one with that peculiar hair color throughout the school and his neighborhood. He had seen her many times since she become his new neighbor.

They had arrived at the apartment building months ago and the day he saw her he was surprised. He had never seen a girl like that, with those long hair intermingling red and orange, glowing green eyes with long eyelashes and a few freckles adorning her cheeks and nose. And while he kept watching her, the little girl discovered him. Arthur lay next to his mother in the mailboxes, he put on the railing and followed her with his gray-blue and severe gaze. She, who seemed to be younger than him, smiled innocently and greeted him. Amazed little Fleck corresponded to that gesture and that girl, along with her mother, disappeared in the elevator.

Arthur came to his sense and the children continued to annoy her. She hugged herself and bent down her face as she listened to horrible insults towards her person. Her crying intensified and she wanted this to end but it seemed impossible. An eye-catching laugh made the insults and pulls on her reddish hair stop. Everyone turned around and watched Arthur laugh uncontrollably.

Several of the children looked smiling, they were almost evil smiles. The freak Arthur Fleck acted again and everyone felt the need to bother him, as it had become a custom. They left the redhead alone and approached Fleck, who brought his arm over his face to control his laughter.

"Hi Artie," greet the toughest of the children, probably the leader. "What's so funny?"

His unstoppable laugh had caused a few tears in the sweet and childish eyes of the boy. He denied insistently and another of the children took his sandwich and looked at the bread, which his mother had prepared with effort, and threw it on the cold, wet ground, trampling it with any shameless.

All the children laughed together. The sound mixed with Arthur's anguished laugh and his tears that did not stop sprouting. The little boy dropped his arms on the table and hid his face, avoiding looking at all those fools he had for classmates. In those moments, the laughers stopped dead, Arthur did not want to look but the sudden silence was overwhelming for him. He raised his head a little, his agitated breathing with his laughter seemed to be controlled and he discovered how that red-haired girl had hit the group leader with her metal lunchbox.

The boy who tried to assimilate what happened, observed surprised on the floor and the rest of his companions were amazed at the act of the girl. In those moments he looked up and watched both terrified and furious at that gingerhead girl.

"You're a fool!" He shouted at her. "A silly and ugly one!"

One of the girls who accompanied the group approached her and stretched her hair. She screamed in pain and released her lunchbox to hold those big, thick hands. Arthur felt his laughter calm down, he had been surprised by her act and by a strange instinct, he got up and took the girl's wrist.

"Let me go you freak!" She shouted, almost disgusted.

Several children threw themselves at Arthur, causing him to release her and fell to the ground. The little redhead watched with terror the moment and sought to get away from the grip, throwing swipes in the air to scare that intrepid girl. A scandal came up and the teachers who watched the kids, ran desperate to stop the chaos that the group had created.

Being impossible to separate several of the children, they requested the help of the male teachers and separated several of the kids. Arthur could feel the air in his lungs as soon as all who were on him were moved away. He looked up and glance on the red-haired girl who, being supported by one of the teachers, she also saw him. For a few minutes he appreciated those green eyes, like emeralds, watching him in a way unknown to him. The teachers drove the girls away from the chaotic male group and gradually the image of that little girl faded away, until one of the teachers raised Arthur and started yelling and blaming him for what happened, however, he didn't hear any sound.

The redhead disappeared as she crossed the threshold of the door and with it came the reality that Arthur was evading. The scandal of his teachers hit his ears and he looked at them with an exhausted face and cheeks adorned in a curious crimson. His lips trembled lightly, it seemed that laughter would make its appearance again, however, he discovered that the crying wanted to take hold of him and tried to prevent it.

The last thing Arthur heard was that a severe punishment should pay. The rest of the children received punishment but they were not of the magnitude that Arthur was condemned. Several of those companions laughed silently, enjoying that all the worst was taking him. As it usually happened to be.

School time was over. Arthur was grounded in the corner and his head was leaning against the icy wall while his eyes lay closed and avoided to cry. It was impossible for him to control his feeling while his slight sobs flooded the lonely classroom and in the end the little boy sipped his nose and rubbed his eyes.

"Hello," he heard from behind and terrified, turned to discover the little red-haired girl. She smiled sweetly. "Hi."

Arthur did not respond and decided to get back on the wall. She frowned and left her things on a desk, approached him and watched him with her childhood curiosity.

"You do not speak?" He did not answer. "Why do you sometimes laugh so hard?" She questioned innocently.

"Leave me alone," annoyed, he asked. The girl clenched her lips.

"I don't come to bother you ..." the little one continued without answering. The little girl let out a bitter sigh and approached her things, took her lunchbox and took out her lunch. "Here," she offered as she extended her hand. Arthur remained motionless and she despaired. "I'm going to leave it right here," she said as she put it on the desk next to him. "For you to eat, since they didn't let you eat ..."

Arthur moved his face a little bit and watched the redhead leave her food in that place.

"My mom will soon come for me." He quickly hid his face in the wall, hoping she hadn't discovered him. "Your name is Arthur, right?" Silence. "Well, that's how I heard your mom calling you ... I'm Grace," she said with her sweet smile, "I'll see you soon."

Grace turned around and took all her things to leave the boys' classroom. Arthur turned his head and looked at the intrepid girl until she left and inside him an incredible surprise harbored him. Never, no girl had come to talk to him. He felt his legs tremble like jellies and heard his stomach roar, he appreciated the sandwich she had left him and without thinking about it he took it, took off the napkin and discovered a ham sandwich. He ate desperate and thanked for that meal.

By satisfying his stomach and waiting for his punishment to end, Arthur could not forget that little redhead. His mind did not stop in pronouncing that name and the act of nobility she forged towards him left curious sensations in little Fleck. The feel of his heart beating at an incredible pace and his cheeks warming up, even if only during those moments of solitude in the classroom, little Arthur Fleck smiled. An honest, natural smile. It was not due to its peculiarity or a forced one as it used to do to survive the day, it was pure and he loved to feel that way.

A/N:

Thanks so much for reading. I will be deeply grateful with any comments, constructive criticism, opinions and / or suggestions :3