The Joker frowned out from behind the bars that held him within Arkham. They had never truly been very much of a challenge to escape. When one had survived as long as him they learned tricks. So very many. Be they mind games, or drawn out seductions, it didn't matter. There were those who turned to putty in his hands.

But they were never what he wanted. What he onged for. Their ancestors had taken that from him. Countless centuries past. And when the memory stirred and brought long forgot feelings to the forefront his blood boiled and he had to reign in his rage.

They were his toys. And all of Gotham his playground.

However, because he'd been too focused on trying to dispel those memories and the feelings they evoked, somehow someone had slipped some drug past him. In the food he'd eaten without thought.

His eyes drooped. He tried to keep them open. But each time they closed just a tiny bit more before he reopened them.

'Someone's going to suffer.' He cackled at the thought. His focus once the drug was out of his system would be on whomever had drugged him. Whichever Beta had dared would not escape his wrath.

In drifting off, his memories twisted and turned. Like a whirlpool, warm and dizzying when left too long.

It felt almost as if he'd returned to an earlier consciousness. And even though he found himself in his much younger mind and the body it inhabited, he could not force himself to move.

He didn't want to take his eyes off of the young man riding the ancient mount beside him.

But of course he had to remember before when he'd not been knowledgeable about the truth of Prince Ma'at. Back when there had still been animosity, at least on his end.

He did not care to live through this again. But the damn drugs they'd managed to sneak into his system prevented him from shaking himself awake to escape the demons of his past.

The Beta's would pay for trying to break him. They would never bend him to their will. Didn't matter how hard they tried, he was beyond it, beyond them and their reach. Better men had tried. Worse men had tried. Time and time again they'd thought they'd cracked him, but the truth was he'd already cracked and so nothing and no one could truly harm him.

But this. This was torture.

Ma'at glanced at him, or rather at his past self. His first self. "It's getting dark and I don't see a sign of anywhere we can rest for the night, Isfet."

Frowning at the Prince one of his brows quirked. "Did you think we would find some cozy settlement out in the middle of nowhere?"

"What should we do then? It's getting cold," he shivered.

"Prince Ma'at is correct Alpha Joktar."

He turned his head, eyes narrowed. "And what prey tell do you suggest, Alpha... what even was your name?"

"Alpha Bane."

"Well then, Alpha Bane, what do you suggest we do when there is no settlement for as far as the eye can see?"

"Nothing wrong with sleeping under the stars beside a roaring camp fire."

Ma'at winced. "Fire will only draw attention from assassins."

Isfet nodded. "True, much as I dislike agreeing with a Beta. Not to mention other riff-raff looking to make a profit."

Bane lifted his hands and punched a fist into the palm of his other hand. "I'm sure we can take them."

Isfet glowered and leaned toward Bane, showing off his teeth with a growl. "No."

Bane's eyes widened. Head tilted to bare his throat. "Fine! Then we'll just have to sleep without the fire. I found a blanket in a satchel on my mount."

Ma'at's blue eyes glittered. "Right, the mounts are always prepared. My aunt must have gotten all of them ready. I don't know how she's always one step ahead." He dug into one of the packs on his mount and found a blanket.

Isfet frowned as he searched the pack on his. "I've found only coin and containers of water."

Bane smirked. "I'm not sharing." He dismounted. Tied his steed to one of the few trees in the vast landscape.

Isfet shook his head. "I would never dream of it. I wouldn't want to stink like you."

He and Ma'at both dismounted and tied their steeds as well.

Isfet lay down on his back, once he'd found a spot without a rock, where there were soft tufts of grass and far less sand. Uncomfortable, he turned onto his side.

A chill wind blew over them.

Isfet shivered.

Ma'at's eyes rounded. Walked over to Isfet and lay down, placing the blanket over them both.

Isfet growled. "What are you doing?"

"Someone has to share." His voice lowered, "I trust you more than Bane and you've already said you wont share with him."

"What makes you think I'd want to share with you?"

"Just think of survival. Of half the kingdom. Stop thinking about me as a Beta."

"I'll never think of you as an Alpha. You Beta's are always trying to dominate us in the cruelest manner possible, so I refuse to see you as one."

"Stop thinking about my gender at all. Just see me as a person. And as an ally."

"Fine. I'm tired. Shut up and go to sleep."

"As you wish." Ma'at sighed and closed his eyes.

Isfet frowned as the moon shone down upon the young prince's head, highlighting the raven hair.

Joker stared at the sleeping prince. Took in his parted lips, the tussle of his windblown tresses, the length of his dark lashes, the rise and fall of his chest. The sight of him hypnotic.

If not for the fact he could not control his past self in his dream, perhaps because it was only memory, he would not have closed his eyes.

Darkness enveloped him as slumber overtook Isfet Khaba Joktar.


A/N: Thank you all for reading. Please leave a review to let me know whether or not you're enjoying this tale and what you might suggest or like to see happen next.