A/N: Thanks for the love guys, I enjoy it! I really like reading what you guys think and it helps a lot since I'm literally winging every chapter as I go. Usually, there's always a beginning and end that I already have in mind, but this one is very different for me. Honestly, I didn't put much thought into this when I started writing this. It was just an idea gnawing at my brain that needed to get out so I could keep working on my other stuff. Now it keeps harassing me, haha.

Hopefully if all goes as planned, I should be able to update "Tsūyaku" later on today...

Tashio: Aside from your review, I got a PM from someone else who also brought up what you mentioned about Baruto. I'm not going to lie, I skipped through a few parts and just wasn't feeling it, but I didn't know that tidbit. It makes sense considering that she's a med-nin, that's why the medicine did nothing before when everyone in the block received a generous dose. I'm still working out the details in my head about parts of this, but I mostly just start typing and kind of form it as I go, which I really shouldn't (heh). Sometimes I change my mind about something, but it feels too late to change it since it's already posted.

The only things I really know about Sakura in Baruto is that she has Sarada with Sasuke in a marriage that I don't envy in the slightest and that she's 14 years older than where Shippuden left off. I read the short series with Shin, but that's about it -_-. In this story, she's suppose to be around 20 and its three years after Kaguya was sealed. The last thing she remembers is Sasuke putting her under a genjutsu and poof! I still haven't watched The Last either, so I know I've taken some liberties as far as canon Sakura. I guess it's like a Shippuden Sakura going into AU into The Dark Knight. There's a lot of the DC universe movies I haven't even watched, but I'm big on the Nolan trilogy. So I suppose I'm working with half instead of a full deck. Story of my life haha.


"If it's not too much to ask...could you get off of my chest? This damn jacket is digging into my sides as it is and you're...heavy."

"Hahaha! What's wrong sweetheart? Can't, ah, use that brute strength to break out of it? C'mon... This shouldn't be too much for someone like you." The clown couldn't help laughing hearing the labored breaths coming from beneath him.

Even though there was such a difference in size, there was an even greater one in physical strength. That in itself was ironic...enough so to earn another chuckle.

This woman had to be at least 10-11 inches shorter than him give or take, depending if he was slouching like usual. So much smaller...probably 70 pounds lighter by his estimate. That didn't stop her from tossing him around like a book bag when a pissy brat got home from school. Something like a straight jacket should be child's play for a person like that... Unless the gloves were suppressing that power. He was still working on his own hypothesis about it.

It could all just be a ploy to draw out reactions as she tried to figure him out or could be legitimate. Who knows? If there ever was an amazing actress, it was this strange person who's odd appearance could rival his own in absurdity.

"I'm tired...and you were just choking me, asshole. Now, get off before I wrap my legs around those precious ribs of yours and crush them." Her voice still sounded drowsy, but that didn't stop any promises of violence.

If anything, he should have given a good bounce or two with his full weight for her talking to him like that. Just to hear the air forced out of those lungs.

But he didn't.

With a chuckle, the clown pushed off of her with a little more force than necessary as she grunted, using her as leverage to get up. Part of him expected those skinny legs to coil around his neck and choke him unconscious.

But she didn't.

The straight jacket was only restricting to the upper body... The bottom was free to do as it pleased and there was no doubt in his mind it was just as deadly as the other half, gloves or not.

Joker shifted over to sit next to where she laid, wheels turning rapidly in his mind about what to do with this situation. He wasn't ready to return to D-Block anytime soon, not wanting to waste the effort that went into this. That wasn't all, was it? Even if it was a bit agitating... He enjoyed this person's company. Could see limitless potential if given a push in the right direction. A powerhouse with a functioning brain was a rarity these days...but to find one in such a pretty package, ribbon and all? Too good of an opportunity to let go...

Realizing there was nothing and no one in this person's life and a seemingly endless void stretching before her, it felt all too familiar. Very much so...far more than he liked. This was a perfect situation the clown couldn't resist taking advantage of.

The Clown Prince knew the ball could very well be in his court if the right moves were made. One of his many talents were giving direction to the aimless. One thing he learned on the streets and from experience was that he had a knack for drawing in people who didn't fit the "mold" society had meticulously crafted.

Most of the men who worked for him were those thrown away in the trash. The mentally unstable, murderers, thieves, criminals. People with nothing going for them, no one to stop their madness, nothing to live for. Most were unable to get employment and even if they did, it would never last. Jobs in Gotham were as scarce as empathy, practically nonexistent.

If no one else wanted to put these people to work, he would. They flocked to him like an oasis in the desert, liking the message that was being spread and wanting to get back at the city for throwing them in the garbage. The clown could only laugh as he collected Gotham's rejects. After all, wasn't it his job as an upstanding citizen to recycle?

Those with no sense of self-worth or life to live took little effort to bend to his will, that was for sure. While Sakura may not care or have any plans for the future, that was going to change. It would be sinful to waste such potential. Just thinking about what they could do once out of this god forsaken place made his blood rush. The plans, the fighting and mayhem...

Christ, the chaos...

With their combined intelligence, his experience, and her ability...it would make for a deadly combination. Killing this woman would a terrible waste, but this was a dangerous game to play. Unlike those aimless people who were drawn to him, this was different. The pinkette was exceedingly more clever and deviously cunning. If there was a will, there was a way... It would foolish to throw away a weapon that had so many different abilities instead of utilizing them. Although not a generally greedy man, he couldn't help himself when it came to all kinds of weapons of mass destruction...

Guns, explosives, knives, traps, things of his own creation built by his own gloved hands... If he could just get his claws into this woman and learn to control her, it may just be his greatest achievement. Everything else was something he already possessed or was easily acquired. Those things could be stopped or even possibly prevented if the law enforcement actually used the tools and resources they had, but their minds weren't adept enough to deal with him.

But...if it would be possible to manipulate Sakura and add her into that equation...he might even be able to draw Batman himself out of hiding faster than the original plan he had in mind. With the mayhem they would cause, the flying rat would have no choice but to come out of retirement...to stop running from the men who were after him in order to save his beloved city. Just chasing after the clown himself and the chaos it caused had been enough to throw in the towel after the events that led up to Dent's "untimely" demise...

What would happen if "The Clown Prince of Crime" and "Ice Queen" spread havoc throughout the city? The Bat would have no option but to come out and play once again. Life just wasn't the same without being pit up against the caped crusader and watching him desperately chasing the bread crumbs the clown would leave behind. There had been no one able to put any of the pieces together, let alone actually pose a threat in their pursuit to stop the chaos. It brought the clown more excitement than he could have imagined... There was no way he could leave things the way they are now.

Nope.

If this were to play out in his favor, this couldn't be another half-baked scheme like the one that was suppose to end the pinkette's life. No way... This one would take time and effort, he'd have to put his heart into this one, the same way he did when Gotham had been turned upside down and completely shook to its infrastructure. His plans had dismantled the hierarchy that ran the city, from bankrupting from the mob to effectively changing who sat in the seats at the head of the table in Gotham politics.

Steps needed to be taken properly... It would be important to gain her trust, become a confidant, aim the blade straight at her chest where it was empty and needed something to fill the space.

This would be tricky. If he wasn't careful, everything could be turned around and he could easily find the knife pressed up against his own back. The last few weeks had been spent daydreaming and practically foaming at the mouth just thinking about ending the pious little witch. Perhaps it was from the total lack of disregard she had seemed to have towards him for some time or the idea of now having something even more worthwhile to do during the wait...but there was something ready to explode just beneath the surface. Maybe he just needed to get some pent up aggression and bloodlust out of the way.

Killing Harold and Jerry helped in one way. Their useless lives had at least amounted to something in death. A sudden act of violence usually helped calm the storm in his mind, even if only a bit. Being able to finally stretch out his legs and stiff muscles, it was easier to think clearer while wandering the dim halls of the asylum...to remember the bigger picture.

"Roll over." It wasn't a request. There wasn't even an attempt to make it sound like one either. Even though it was dark, he still spun his index finger around as if she could see it.

"What? Why?" There it was. The distrust...and rightfully so... What person in their right mind would show their back to The Joker and leave themselves vulnerable?

Neither of them were actually in their rights minds...apparently.

"Just do it." Part of him expected an insult or another laugh, maybe even a kick. To his surprise, he could feel the pinkette moving, shifting her weight on the mattress.

Reaching out mindfully, his nimble fingers grabbed ahold of the straps and buckles keeping the sleeves of the straighjacket held tightly in place, making quick work of them. This was more than likely a mistake, but one he was willing to make to see it through. If she had wanted to kill him, it would have already been over quite a while ago.

"Ahh, that feels better... I really hate these things. Who the hell came up with this crap and thought this would be a great idea to use on mental patients? It's more or less a torture device." Sakura clicked her tongue, slowly pushing up off the bed and tugging her arms through the thick sleeves.

The Clown Prince just listened to the annoyed mumbling under her breath, feeling the mattress slightly dip as the small body pushed up along it to lean her back up against the wall. Smart cookie...

"Ah... That would be the French..." Smacking his lips, dark eyes glanced towards the spot he knew she moved to, becoming adjusted to the lack of light. This was nothing new, he'd spent countless times sitting in places just like this. Even just a little, he could almost make out a silhouette against the pitch black backdrop.

"Figures you would know that." Of course he would. Even before they had become a regular trend during his stay throughout the years, he'd always been interested in things like that. Wanting to know as much as possible about anything and everything that could come his way at any point. Weapons, explosives, torture devices... Something about all of it had always called to him, long before he'd ever touched one.

"How're your elbows? Being in that thing too long can make 'em swell up something fierce." Yes, he could play the good guy. Sakura wasn't the only one who knew how to do her part well.

Reaching a hand out slowly, he leaned closer towards the slim figure in the dark. This felt similar to trying to pet a large dog, not knowing if it was going to lash out and sink it's canines into your skin, trying to rip you a new one or not. How would she react? It was uncertain what she was capable of doing with those gloves on or if they were even having any effect. Why else would she have offered to heal him? Unless it was just to gauge his reaction?

Fingers outstretched, the calloused tips just barely grazed the skin of her arm as he felt the muscles beneath tense up. Running his tongue along the split skin of his bottom lip, he stared forward intently as he dared to shift closer.

"What are you doing?" The pinkette's voice was quiet, no sign of warning in her tone. Just curiosity, staying still in the same position and letting him get within striking range. There clearly had been no issues with putting her hands on him in the past, so what was wrong with him doing the same?

After all, the Joker like to think of himself as an equal opportunist... A modern thinker of sorts, everyone should have the same opportunity and he had no issue with it, especially when it came to the chopping block.

Man, woman, didn't matter. Everyone was given the chance to be at the end of the knife...

"Coppin' a free feel. What's it look like, dollface?" In a moment of indulgence, he closed his eyes as rough fingers faintly ghosted over the smooth skin of her forearm. It felt so soft, even more so than he could recall during those moments he replayed their interactions over and over again. The dreams that plagued him constantly hadn't done it justice in the least.

To his surprise, the pinkette stayed frozen in place, allowing him to continue in the small act. It wasn't lost on him that if she wanted to, there wasn't anything from stopping her from letting him know where she would draw the line. Straight jacket or not, that wouldn't stop this woman from voicing displeasure or throwing a devastating fist in his direction, making it abundantly clear if she didn't like something.

Trailing up the thin arm that was wrapped around her knees, the clown noticed how slender they really were. His hand could easily engulf the width of the pinkette's pale limb. It was unreal how much strength something this small could produce.

Hesitantly, he moved up towards her elbow, waiting for something to be said to halt the advance. Was she going to stop him? Or take the touch as something perverse? It wouldn't be a surprise if she did. Everyday, there were men ogling at her in the shower rooms whether it was wanted or not. There was barely any female employees that worked in the asylum anymore, not compared to the last time he was here.

Taking her wrist in his other hand, he extended the limp limb forward and gently prodded and felt along her elbow. After having more experience in a straight jacket than one would care to admit, the clown knew all to well the swelling it could cause from blood pooling in that area. Compared to the two weeks he'd spent in his, two days wasn't much, but it was still an uncomfortable experience.

"Hmm... No swelling..."

"Of course. What do you take me for?" The left side of his eye twitched at her retort, dropping her arm back against the raised knee near her chest. Should have known... Just from the way her arm moved and how relaxed the muscles were, she must still be able to use that ability.

'At least it confirmed somethin'. Little witch... Playing everyone like a fool.'

"So you can still heal yourself... Even with the gloves on, hm? They don't suppress your gorilla gene like the asylum assumes, does it?"

"Gorilla gene? Is that what you think of it?" There was a hint of indignation in her voice as she finally spoke. He was wondering why she hadn't said anything or acted as he examined her arm. Was she just allowing it to see what he would do?

"...The gloves disrupt the flow, but it's nothing I can't handle. All it takes is a little concentration and I can work my way around it." Joker's brows furrowed at the explanation. Flow? Was it like electrical impulses or a current? It must be something that needs to channel through the body, like the way that blood runs through veins. Someone who's careful with words like her wouldn't describe it as a flow otherwise. "I guess it's like trying to walk straight when you're feeling a little drunk. If you put your mind to it, you can do it. That's probably the best way I can explain it..."

So the gloves are inevitably useless... The staff at the asylum must think they're sealing her powers by putting them on and she goes along with it. How funny...and smart. It gets them to let their guard down, thinking they're safe as long as the pair stay on. That must be what the baton Harold had the other day can do as well. This place is unknowing very unequipped to handle such a person and they don't even realize it.

"Hahaha! What a cunning little fox!"

"Well, it's not like I'm going to tell them... I see how the staff is here. They'll keep going at it until they get it right. Their medical team is useless to help the injuries these bastards keep handing out. Look what happened with just one session with Dr. Arkham. How they left you in bed in that condition..." Sakura sighed, shifting against the mattress.

'It upset her... The night she came to heal me...'

"So you, ah, just couldn't help yourself... Could you? I'm touched! Didn't know you cared so much about what happens to poor ol' Mr. J." A smirk tugged at his lips and he let it. It wasn't like she could see his expressions in the dark anyway. Right?

'Shouldn't assume anything. Made that mistake one too many times. Anything is possible. I can't underestimate her more than I have already.'

"Guess that's not the case anymore, right? Like you said before, ya should have let me rot. Or was that all an act as well?" Grazing teeth over his bottom lip, he was convinced that at least 90% of what happened the other day was all for show. Just a way to stay in the asylum and not get transferred, just like she wanted.

Sakura chuckled playfully as she moved off the wall, slim silhouette shifting in the dark.

"Smart man. I like that about you... Not everyone can put two and two together, even when I lay it out for them." The mattress dipped as the pinkette leaned foward in front of him, waiting to see what she would do now. "You're an interesting man, that's for sure."

"Interesting?"

"Yeah, to say the least... What you did was pretty shitty, but it was the reason behind it that was so...intriguing. Why go through the trouble of trying to get part of a file? Or doing what you can to rile me up? There were so many other things you could have done with that time and effort. Why waste it like that? You see, I just couldn't help thinking about that since I've been sitting here all by my lonesome."

Even in the dark, Joker knew there was a sneer on that pretty face...could hear it in her voice. So confident in her deductions, always knowing and seeing far more than should be possible. The same way he was, except when it came to her. Even if there was a grasp on this strange woman, it was only featherlight...

He always had a tight grip on the situation and people around him. Perhaps that's what made this so interesting. Knowing what was going to happen and how people would react was how he made it though everything, but this brought some much needed excitement. Life would become boring if there wasn't a challenge, something to keep him on his toes.

There really was no way of knowing how this would turn out. It was like having a scratch off lottery ticket and you could only use a coin to take off a little at a time. The anticipation of wanting to know whether you won or not was gnawing at your insides, but you had to be patient until all the numbers were revealed and see if anything matched.

"Oh, is that right? And what did that little pink head come up with? Hmm? Let's hear it." Shifting on the bed, he craned his neck from one side to the other, the noise from it cracking sounding louder than it should have in the quiet room. It was a good thing Harold was playing a good substitute right now... He didn't want the guards interrupting their conversation. It was always interesting to try getting a peak at how the wheels in the pinkette's head turned.

"Well...this is just what I think, to be honest... I think that you wanted to push me straight off the edge, to make things easier on yourself. From what I've gathered, you don't like anything that causes doubt or to second guess yourself...Can't stand things that are out of your control or can't be manipulated..." Dark eyes narrowed in her direction as his jaw shifted from one side to the other as he listened.

"Someone like me doesn't fit into that category as comfortably as you'd like, so instead of trying to work around it, throwing it away or trying to break it probably seemed like an easier choice..." The shifting turned to clenching, his teeth grinding noisily. "Instead of feeling relief like you hoped, it left you with a hollow victory and even more self-doubt. To a man like you, that probably seemed unbearable, haha."

"Christ, woman! Get to the point!" Joker was starting to feel that familiar agitation ebbing away at the patience he meticulously put back together, trying to resist the urges gnawing at his insides. If this woman wasn't valuable, her neck would have been snapped after the first few sentences.

"Okay, okay... Calm down, Rambo. I'm getting there..."

'So this bitch knows what that is, but doesn't know what playing cards are? Should have known... Plays more damn games than I do.'

"Tch. So damn impatient... Anyway, you weren't satisfied with the result, probably didn't feel as mighty like you thought. I mean, come on... You can't have some "pink-haired witch" undermining the great "Clown Prince of Crime", right? It was probably eating away at you that your little stunt just got me my own private room... Somewhere you couldn't see the results of your efforts, like planned. Someone who likes to sit back and watch things burn the way you do was probably clawing at the glass, huh?" The way she laughed made his temples throb worse than any loving caress the good doctor could have given with his favorite toys.

"...Sakura..." The words came out in a low growl, warning the playful woman that her observations and teasing were taking a dangerous turn. Rough hands clenched at his sides trying to hold themselves back from doing something foolish. Dirty nails bit into the palms they dug into, threatening to break the skin and draw blood.

"Wow... That's the first time you said my name..." The little matter-of-fact tone and surprise in her voice threw him off momentarily. He'd started letting himself become so angry, it hadn't dawned on him that it had even been uttered to his sudden horror.

There had always been a point for Joker to not refer to the witch by her name. Aside from using nicknames to get under people's skin, it made things less or more personal depending on the circumstances. In this case, he used derogatory titles to separate her from the person she was...to make it less human, just like the strange abilities she had. It was a way of not acknowledging her.

"I'm touched, Joker..." Taking in a deep calming breath, he slowly exhaled, making the cracked skin along the sides of his mouth puff out. This woman was intentionally being antagonistic, trying to bait him into doing something. For what reason...it didn't even matter.

The clown played along to her tune for far too long and it was beneath him to allow someone to lead him by the nose this way one time too many. He was smarter than that and needed to act it. If something this small could set him off, how was she going to take him seriously? The goal was to learn to control and manipulate this weapon, not succumb to it.

When you train a dog, you can't just yell and smack it every chance you get. Otherwise, the results won't turn out as planned and everything would just be a waste. Patience and effort...that's what it takes to successfully mold a belligerent animal into an excellent tool for the craft.

"Don't get used to it, sweetheart. Just wanted to, ah, see how it felt rolling off the tongue... Gotta admit-I have an easier time with stomach acid." There it is. As long as he could keep calm and think clearly, she wouldn't be able to slide that razor blade under the layers of his skin. After all these years, it had become quite thick and couldn't let the little things pierce it so easily.

"Mhm...sure. Anyway, I'm sure after having some time to reflect and see how things were with me finally gone, you found yourself incredibly...bored. It didn't turn out as planned. For the last few weeks, we got to know each other a bit and...have an understanding of sorts. Our game just isn't as fun if both players aren't there, is it?" Chuckling sweetly at her own clever words, she moved a little closer on the small bed.

"Besides hating Harold's guts anyway, you were probably too restless and needed something to do in order not to fall deeper into that "gray area". Killing him and stealing his uniform gave you access to do what you've been trying to put off the last two days and got rid of some pent up frustration you couldn't take out on me...among other things. Probably felt like hitting a small flock of birds with one stone, didn't it?"

"And thats what's so interesting? If ya did your homework like a good girl, it's not a secret that I do things like this all the time in lock down. Sometimes, smart women who think they know everything end up putting the cart waaaay ahead of the horse." Putting off what? Coming to see her? How arrogant... Already assuming so much and that he took out his rage out on the guards instead of doing something to her. Too full of herself to realize his actions weren't out of some misplaced feelings towards her instead of him wanting to keep the witch in one piece to use later on. Is that what she believes?

"Hmm... I don't think so, clown. Honestly, I think you missed me... You missed our conversations, the games we play, feeling like there was someone who understood you and had common ground with. It's the little things, even behind the big moves, that says more about the kind of person the Joker actually is. People only see your actions at face value." Joker cocked his head to the side, agitatedly prodding the ruined skin on the inside if his cheek. If he wasn't so intrigued by her assumptions and observations, he wouldn't be able to subdue the urges to lash out.

"Murdering important figures in Gotham, but not asking why. Robbing banks run by the mob without trying to understand the reasoning behind it. Why steal the mob's fortune just to burn it? What was the point of blowing up a hospital, yet give them enough time to evacuate instead of just torching the place? No one ever tried to understand anything...Always looking at the crimes, but not the effect they had."

This woman...talks far too much. Sees and hears too damn much. Perhaps keeping someone like that alive could be too dangerous, even with a goal in mind. He didn't like it. Not. One. Bit.

Someone like Sakura couldn't truly understand the reasoning behind his actions or why he does things a certain way.

"I see the way the guards and other inmates react around you, an anti-social man who makes far more enemies than comrades. What the media says and the public's opinion. You don't care what anyone thinks, not really...but I can tell there's a part of you that wants someone who's just as twisted that can keep up and really see things for what they are. Even if you haven't realized it yet yourself... Mhmm."

Frozen on the spot, Joker almost couldn't believe the shit coming from this woman's mouth. Someone really had done their research...and had done it all while being locked behind bulletproof glass in the most secure facility in the entire region. It really was flattering. In a way, it really reminded the clown of himself... All the effort and work he'd put into his plan over the course of a year before revealing himself to the mob and pushing everything into motion.

If she hadn't been talking about him, he would have been even more impressed. Part of him couldn't help wondering how crazier things would have been in the events that led to the Bat's retirement had this woman been by his side. So much more could have been accomplished... In the same token, the fun could have ended too soon if she had a change of heart along the way.

'Things happened the way they were meant to.' There was no use fantasizing about something that's already happened. The only thing to do was plan ahead, leave the past where it belongs.

"HAHAHAHAAA!" The clown could feel the way she jumped, even so slightly, at his raucous laughter from the movement on the mattress. Even if he couldn't see her, there were other ways of picking up her subtle reactions and feelings if he paid close attention to detail. "Think ya got me all figured out, don't ya!"

Sakura said nothing, but he could tell she was on guard, listening intently and waiting for him to react. What was she looking for? Trying to confirm in that little pink head? Things couldn't be taken literally and there was always a chance everything could be an act to get what she desires. What that truly is...no one but the witch knows for sure.

"I don't know what you're tryin' to get out of me, but it seems you have a few, ah, wires twisted in that pretty little head of yours." A sneer was plastered on his marred face, running the words the woman had said on another loop. She really was crazy, but he could appreciate that.

Moving across the bed and closing the small space between them, Joker grabbed ahold of the pinkette's jaw in a bruising grip, pushing her back and using his full weight to pin her to the wall. It didn't matter if she could pummel him to death, he wasn't afraid of her or death. Batman or not, he would do as he pleased.

A small squeak from the slip of a woman as the air rushed from her lungs made him smile wickedly, lips pulling back over his teeth. There was no way of controlling this person if she thought he was afraid of being hurt. The Clown Prince wasn't worried about pain, it was the inconvenience of a broken body halting his plans that made him hold back before.

"Tell me, Sakura... You think I'm some kind of sucker, hmm? An anti-hero? Villain with a righteous cause? Is that what you think of me?!" No, he wasn't... Even if that's what she wanted to believe. "Wanna come up with some stupid shit to make me sound better than I really am? Would that ease your conscious? Because we both know you're drawn to me the same way. Hahaha!"

The pinkette was tense against him as he leaned in just inches away from her face, his hot breath fanning across her pale skin. A snarl tore from his throat as she tried turning away.

"Look. At. Me." The hand gripping her jaw tightened painfully, fingers digging into the soft flesh as he held her still. The witch needed to hear this.

"Don't want to accept that I am what I am? I do things because I want to. Not for some valiant cause. Nope... The only love I have in this world is for chaos, destruction, to tear down anything this city builds and show them how futile everything is. To send a clear message to the world and show them what is fair in this word they created. We've talked about reality, how things truly are... You do understand. My existence is to create problems and destroy solutions, rinse and repeat."

Dark eyes hardened at the pinkette he had pushed up against the cold surface. This was the closest he'd gotten to her that wasn't in a dream... The adrenaline was racing through his veins, making his heart beat fast against his chest. So close...he could smell the long silky hair that was dangling between them as he held her eye level up off the mattress. Small knees just barely resting against the orange fabric covering his upper thighs, just a small shift in weight and she could have kneed him in the groin. Part of him was confident she wouldn't as his own were planted into the sheets, holding their position.

The muscles in his face flexed, tensing up as he pursed his ruined lips together. The twitching in his eye wouldn't calm down as he stared at the shadowy form in his grasp, dark orbs flickering back and forth, trying to find something to direct his glare towards.

What was Sakura really looking for? A kindred spirit? A replacement for the man who undoubtedly killed her heart? Or something else... Was this all an act solely for the "Ice Queen's" entertainment?

It didn't matter... One way or another, Joker would force her to submit to him. Whether she liked it or not. He wasn't an anti-hero, nor a gentlemen. Wasn't the type of man to be help out or save others. The plans he put together weren't done out of some twisted desire to make Gotham a better place. He did what he wanted, because he could.

The clown was angry and intrigued. Was this woman trying to redirect traits from someone else onto him? When Sakura looked at him, was she really seeing the Clown Prince or someone else? It really drove him up a wall, not knowing for sure, but unwilling to ask. Was she trying to mold him into a substitute for Saski or whatever that bastard's name was? If he knew what kind of person he was, it would be easier to determine if she was in fact genuinely interested or trying to force him to be something he's not.

A thought he refused to entertain resurfaced it's ugly head once again.

Nope, he wasn't going there...

'Is it never enough... Jeanie?...'

Goddammit...

Sakura sighed deeply, as if she was dealing with a temperamental child, drawing him back to the reality of the situation. If only he actually could read minds like he believed she could do all this time... Had a way of finding what this little minx desired or wanted from him. All this time, they played a game of tag with him trying to chase after what he wanted from her and as soon as she didn't seem interested, she started chasing him. This just seemed to be an endless cycle with neither knowing why or what they were actually looking for. At least that's how it seemed to him. For all the clown knew, the pinkette already knew what she wanted and how to get it.

"Hahaha..." Reaching out, Sakura grabbed the sides of his face as he held hers. Right now, both of them could hurt each other if they wanted...but they weren't going to. Even if Joker wouldn't admit it, he knew it was true. "You seem to misunderstand something..."

Like the night she healed him, her thumbs brushed along the puffy cracked skin along his cheeks, just as gentle and careful as he remembered. Brows furrowed as he struggled with the inner turmoil and the urge to throw her off to the side, to get her away from something so personal. Why did he let this woman get so close, allow her to touch his scars like this? Anyone else would never have even had the opportunity, let alone still have a full set to dare repeat the offensive action.

Despite knowing better, he felt his muscles start to relax, the hold on her jaw lessened by a hair. All it took was a single touch anymore and she was able to make the anger start to ebb away. Was it part of her ability? Or just the effect she had on him?

'Sorceress and her spells...'

The gloves covered everything but the ends of her fingers, but it was enough. They trailed along his skin curiously, feeling around his face in the dark. Swallowing hard, he stilled as she focused in on his scars. For some reason, she seemed to enjoy touching them to his bewilderment.

Sakura's finger tips felt along the cracked skin, slowly ghosting over every dip and curved on each side, as if trying to commit them to memory. The clown couldn't fathom her actions. Were the vicious marks attractive to her or was this some disturbing fascination with how the body heals itself? He couldn't bring himself to ask, almost unwilling to find out or for her to stop.

They stopped hurting years ago, but left him with some nerve damage and horrific scarring. The only times he really felt anything from the marks were right before it would rain and this. Something grazing against the swollen marks, which were almost always his own fingers or tongue. No one touched them unless it was to try punching him in the face...usually the Bat was the only one able to accomplish that feat.

This was a completely different sensation. It had his nerves on edge, wondering if she would give in to the sadistic urges he knew she was capable of and using those delicate fingers to tear them open again.

What a sight that would be... To see that sneer on her face...gloved hands covered in his blood.

'Mmm... That would be...beautiful...'

"I don't think of you like that at all... There aren't some stupid ideals I want to push on or change you into. I like the monster you already are... Don't want to change any of it. I know what we both are and so do you... We're not the good guys in this story."

Joker almost jumped back as her hands twisted into his hair, yanking him forward as she pressed her lips to his. This had to be another screwed up dream, because it sure as hell wasn't real. The "Ice Queen" would never do such a thing...

It was just a dream... So whatever happens won't effect reality when he wakes up.

It wouldn't matter then, right?

Hesitating for a moment, the grip on her jaw tightened as he tried to debate with himself, but no coherent thought would surface. This wasn't reality anyway, so it wouldn't hurt to indulge himself the way he did during the nighttime. The drugs the asylum dealt out were really something else... Now he couldn't even tell when he was sleeping or not anymore.

Throwing caution to the wind, he let his own lips move against hers. The pounding in his chest was just as erratic as it always was in these moments of deep sleep, feeling more real than he ever would have liked.

Letting go of her jaw, he dug his large hands into her hair as she slid down the wall without him balancing her weight against it. Not willing to break away, he leaned forward to follow, fingers griping the pink locks harshly at the root so she wouldn't move.

'Fucking hell...'

Closing his eyes, he reveled in the warmth coming from the small body against him. It was always so soothing, just like her touch. Calming the roaring storm in his mind, but starting up another in its place. It was these moments that really made him question his own sanity...

Joker groaned into her mouth, enjoying how soft her lips felt against his damaged mouth. They were more supple than they usually felt in his dreams, her kiss sweeter and more demanding than he remembered.

'This isn't a dream...'

Eyes sprung open as realization dawned on him. The Sakura in his dreams always followed up with some act of violence, but this one was content with just being close and tasting him.

With a growl, he shoved Sakura away from him and onto the mattress. Anger flared as his tongue snaked out, swiping off the remnants of her poisonous lips from his own. This wasn't how it was supposed to go, a few steps of his plan had been skipped and he was practically handing her the reigns.

"What's wrong?" The pinkette's confusion made his chest tighten painfully as he tried shaking his head clear of the nasty spell she had him under. No...he had to be the one to wrap the chains around that scrawny neck, not the other way around... "Isn't that what you wanted?... Did I misunderstand something?"

"Don't get it twisted, dollface." Leaning over to where he pushed her, he reach out to grasp the pinkette's jaw, caressing the soft skin with his calloused fingers. "I know what I want and you misunderstood more than you could imagine..." Hearing the way her breath came out in small pants excited him. Yes, there was doubt in his mind now what he wanted, bringing clarity to his indecisiveness.

"Then what is it? Because you're confusing the hell out of me..."

"You... I think I'm going to, ah, keep you after all, Sakura." Even if it was for different reasons, that didn't matter and she didn't have to know. He was going to keep this game going until he was satisfied with the results. All the clown did know was that he needed her to keep it going and nothing else really mattered beyond that.

"Hah... Let's see who keeps who...Joker..."


"I know, I know..."

How many times did it feel like this conversation had happened already? It was becoming far too repetitive for Harleen's liking...

"Look, I'm just trying to look out for you. You're my little sister.. I'm just worried about you."

There really was no need. Honestly... Couldn't anyone else see tha\?

Looking down at the papers on the coffee table, the blonde shifted uncomfortably, trying to keep the phone wedged between her shoulder and ear. The same old concerns, over and over again.

"I get that... I appreciate that you guys care, believe me. Look, this is what makes me happy. It's what I look forward to. You might not understand and I don't know if there is a way to explain it, but that's what it is. I enjoy my job, it's always something different every day." Despite her words, there was no doubt that Ash was going to worry anyway. They had always been close growing up and still were...but her sister just couldn't understand the life she wanted to have.

Ash had a husband...children. Beautiful babies that Harleen loved with every fiber of her being. Maybe some day she would be a mother herself. Who knows...crazier things have happened. It just didn't seem to be in the cards for the time being.

"...Harleen... I'm just worried that...this job is taking over your life. Honestly...I don't think you would have come to Mom's funeral if your boss hadn't made you take off for the week. As soon as it was over, you wanted to drive straight home! I know this is a hard time for all of us, but I don't think you're handling it in a...healthy way." The voice on the other line made the doctor internally groan, wanting to tell her sister not to worry...that she was a grown woman who could make her own decisions.

Even after all these years, Ash still wanted to act the part of the older sister, complaining and fretting over anything that didn't seem "normal" to her. So what if Harleen loved her job and would rather be at the asylum than sitting home doing nothing worth while? What did it matter if it felt more productive talking to serial killers than going out on dates? It was a preference.

Harleen would rather use her time wisely trying to help rehabilitate her patients than sit through dinner with another man her sister tried to set her up with. More often than not, the doctor just sat through the meal and pretended she cared about whatever insignificant mundane story her date would drone on about. Didn't she spend enough of her time listening to other people talk about themselves anyway? Most of the time, no one even asked her how she was doing or felt. Everyone was just concerned with themselves... It's was frustrating...

Glancing down at the papers, a smile spread across her lips seeing the transcript from one of the sessions she had recently. No one could possibly comprehend how she felt, especially someone like her sister who was content with the life she had.

"I just don't understand..."

No...most people couldn't...


Fastening the last buckle on the straight jacket, Joker sighed, running a hand through his wavy hair. This had taken a much different turn than he could have imagined. A few weeks ago, a scenario like this would have never played out in his mind, not even close. He probably would have stabbed himself to death even thinking it.

'Life really is hilariously unpredictable... That's what makes it interesting...'

To think that not only did the "Ice Queen willingly kiss him, but that he returned it with just the same hunger that she exhibited...unbelievable. How many times did they promise to kill each other during the late nights in that first week? How many different ways he fantasized murdering her? A few times, he actually tried to or attempted to physically harm her. Part of him still wanted to...

'That's what makes it exciting.'

"Are you going to come visit me again?" Sakura's voice was soft, an innocent enough question. If only she knew the side of him it was bringing out...maybe she would have kept silent.

A malicious grin spread across his face, something terrible blossoming in his chest. No, the little witch had no idea what her words and actions were doing to him. Some day, she might regret ever giving him her attention or drawing his.

Pushing up off the side of the bed, he couldn't wipe the expression from his face, even if he wanted to. This encounter wasn't anything more than a few choice words and a kiss, but it cleared up everything he needed. This woman sealed her fate the moment she felt his scars tonight. Maybe he had done the same. It didn't matter, nothing really did.

Walking over towards the metal door, he slipped the keycard out and cracked it open by a hair to allow a sliver of dim light from the hall into the dark room. Seeing the green eyes staring at him from the corner of the small cell, a different sensation spread through him that he'd been searching for the other night.

Victory. Unlike the lame attempt at trying to make the pinkette lose her mind through anger two days ago, this one actually was a win.

"What do you think?" There wasn't any need to say it. They both already knew what was going to happen. She just wanted to hear it, but h wouldn't give her the satisfaction.

Smacking his lips together with a pop, he gave the woman under the blanket one last look before disappearing through the door, leaving her in the darkness.

How fitting... Seeing the tiny form in the dark room, she almost looked like a speck of light against the black backdrop.

Reaching up and adjusting the collar on Harold's uniform, dark eyes glances both ways down the hall of J-Block. The voices of the guards echoed from further down, still in the same spot as before. At least the men in his own block would act like they were doing their jobs...

Looking down at the keycard in his grasp, his smile widened, walking away from the cell keeping his little bunny caged in. The Clown Prince felt good...better than he had in a while. The way he had when roaming the streets of Gotham while Batman chased him so desperately. After weeks of this mundane setting and sorry attempts of abuse, it was like life had been breathed right back into him. Fists tightened with the energy coursing through him, feeling more alive than he had in months.

Yes, this felt great...and it was still early. At least by his standards... The little date with his pink haired doll had better results than expected, but there was still pent up energy that needed to come out. Instead of taking it out on her body like he desired, he would just have to shake up the asylum a bit.

After all, it seemed like the guards were becoming a little too complacent. It wouldn't be fair if they didn't have to work for their money like everyone else did, right?