"Oh my God!... What happened?!"
Joker turned away, shifting his jaw as he cracked his neck. When he didn't answer right away, he flicked his chin, making his frown deepen. "Was, ah, having some fun with the Bat. Guy really can't take a joke... Doesn't matter, I'll put a band-aid on it later."
The pinkette sat back, looking down at his side with a horrified expression when she saw the blood seeping through his clothes. Her leaning on him must have made it worse. It bled through the purple shirt and green waistcoat, making the fabric look dark as it spread.
"No. It looks bad... I'll grab my first aid kit. We need to stop the bleeding." Hopping off his lap, she ran from the couch to the bathroom, needing to grab the box as quickly as possible. There was no doubt that if Batman had done this to him, he was doing something wrong at the time. Whether that was the case or not, it didn't matter. She wasn't going to just leave him like that, even if he probably deserved it.
"I'll stitch it up later... Get back here!" His voice deepened as it carried to the bathroom, sounding impatient. What did he plan on doing, bleeding out on her couch without saying anything? Sakura rushed into the bathroom, diving for the cabinet under the sink, knocking bottles and soap over, trying to find the red box. It was somewhere in there... She didn't use it often, just keeping it for emergencies. As far as she was concerned, this definitely qualified as one.
"Tch...Dammit!" Sakura could hear him cursing in the other room, trying to get up off of the couch.
Seeing the box, a breath of relief left her lips when she found the kit. Not bothering to close the cabinet, the pinkette ran back to the man on the couch. Did he really think she could just sit there, while he's injured? Shaking her head and padding across the carpet, she noticed him tugging on the waistcoat, inspecting the bloodstain curiously.
"Okay, take it off." Turning her head to the side, Sakura glanced down at him expectantly. Crouching down on the floor, she settled herself between the wide space between his knees, laying the box down next to her.
"It's fine. Don't worry 'bout it." Joker waved it off, looking away from the blood with bored expression. How often does this happen that it doesn't even bother him?
"I said... Take. It. Off. NOW." Hearing the biting demand in her tone, his neck craned back, wildly raising his hands like she had a gun pointed at him. A man who thoroughly had a flare for the dramatics. Seeing the glare on her pretty face, it seemed he was surprised that this version had come out so soon.
"Fine. Fine..." Glowering at the small woman while she opened the box and sifted through the items, he fidgeted with each button of the waistcoat, going slower than necessary. Taking his time with each one, staring at them with his brows furrowed. Noticing how long he was taking, Sakura looked up curiously after placing some gauze and wrappings on the cushion next to him.
'What's with him? Why's he acting like that?'
She tried to shake it off, summing it up to the strange quirks and behaviors he seems to exhibit these days. He never had a problem ripping his clothes off when they were younger, at least when they were alone. So what's the big deal now? It's not like he has breasts or anything, like she does. Throwing him a sideways glance with a bundle of alcohol wipe packs in hand, she rolled her eyes, smacking them down on the edge of the cushion. "What's wrong? Just take it off already..."
"Ya know, sweetheart... If ya wanted me to take my clothes off so badly, all ya had to do was ask." His tongue snaked out over the forked scar on his bottom lip, teeth grazing over it as while he stalled. Was he trying to gauge her reaction?
"Ha. Ha. Ha. Come on, that looks bad. We need to take care of it now." Seeing the curl of his lip like he was getting ready to snarl, she put a hand on his knee, staring him straight in his eyes. She didn't know what was the issue or why he was getting angry, but that didn't change the fact that his wound needed attention. "Look, it's still bleeding... Please, let me help..."
"Tch... Fine. Just because you asked so nicely." Joker looked away, pulling the green waistcoat off and tossing it on to the coffee table. Craning his neck side to side with a deep frown, he plucked at the buttons on the purple dress shirt agitatedly. His dark eyes focused in on something towards the wall, purposefully avoiding her gaze.
Clenching his jaw tightly, he fiddled with the last one. The muscle in his cheek jumped, muttering under his breath. Sakura couldn't understand for the life of her what was wrong. Was he hiding a knife in his gut or something else that would freak her out? It was doubtful that he was just being shy, the clown didn't seem like that kind of guy. At all... The pinkette's already seen him naked before...apparently. Was taking his shirt off that much of an issue, or did he not want someone getting close to his wound?
Smacking his lips when the last one came undone, he yanked the shirt from off his shoulders, angrily throwing it onto the floor. "There? Ya happy now?"
Sakura raised a shaky hand to her mouth, staring at the topless man sitting on the couch. The skin along his arms and chest were littered in dark, angry scars and bruises. They were striking against his tan skin... Her eyes quickly shifted back and forth with a horrified expression, taking in every bit of his battered body.
'What happened to him?!'
Jagged marks of every color left from stab wounds, slashes, bullets, burns... They were everywhere, trailing all the way down his abdomen. She could only imagine what else he was hiding beneath the rest of his clothing... The muscles beneath his skin flexed as he shifted against the cushion, dark eyes watching her while she looked him over. The injury on his side was deep, blood still running from the wound. It was staring to seep into the waistband of his pinstriped pants.
"Forget it!" Joker growled out angrily, leaning forward to snatch the dress shirt off the carpet. He quickly pulled it up to block her view, glaring down like she said something irrevocably offensive. A hiss left his lips from the sudden jerky movements, his frown pulling down on his scars.
Sakura reached up, yanking the shirt from his grasp and throwing it over her shoulder. The clown stared at the pinkette with his lips slightly parted, like she had lost her damn mind. Utter outrage displayed on his hardened features, making him look like the man on the news. It made him look older, the creases on his skin showing through what was left of the white greasepaint. His scarred mouth twisting into a scowl, grunting and narrowing his dark eyes on her. Instead of the warm pools of brown she remembered, these were sharp, pools of ink that held a thousand promises of threats and indignities ready to be thrown at a moments notice.
"What. Do. You. Think. You're. Doing? Hmm?" Each word was ground out through clenched teeth, biting and full of the rage bubbling up inside him. His large fists balled up against his bouncing knees, almost like he was vehemently trying to keep them wrangled in from lashing out.
Sakura turned away, grabbing the alcohol pads without another word, ignoring the fury emanating from the seething man in front of her. Tearing one of the packs open, she pulled the wipe out carefully.
"Well?" Joker leaned closer, turning his head to an angle to glare down at her, impatiently waiting for a response. The pinkette gave him a sideways glance, clicking her tongue, trying not to smile. She knew what he was doing.
"Something funny? Please let the crowd in on the joke, doll, 'cause none of us are laughing!" His dark eyes hardened, staring down at her wildly, raising his hands as he spoke. He was fuming, brimming with indignation at the reaction she'd given moments ago.
Joker was wearing the same face he used on the guests earlier when he was trying to intimidate them. She wouldn't fall for it... The reason he'd taken his sweet ass time and was acting agitated was because he didn't want her to see the scars all over his body. Was he worried that she would be disgusted looking at him? The expression on her face when the shirt came off wasn't from revulsion, like he must have assumed.
'Sometimes, even geniuses could be utter fools.'
Getting to her knees to be eye-level with him, the pinkette glared right back. She wasn't going to fall for his little act or let him make assumptions, especially when they weren't true. It was strange... Seven years had gone by and he still had some of the same issue and concerns as back then.
'I guess sometimes things don't really change, no matter how much they seem to.'
"I thought I told you before... Scars or no scars..." His dark eyes widened when she held his gaze, refusing to look away. She had to get that through to him. The expression on her face wasn't because looking at his body made her feel sick, not at all. It was shock from realizing how much he'd been injured over the years. He was lucky to still be alive. Still getting hurt and not taking care of himself properly.
'Again...'
"I don't care about the scars... Remember what I said before? If anything, I find them sexy... Now look who's the one forgetting shit." Joker's lip curled up, looking away when she started dabbing at the blood running down his side. From her peripheral, she could see the small grin forming in the corner of his mouth that he was trying to keep down.
Focusing on the task at hand, she got rid of the blood that already started to dry and a good portion that was still trailing down his tan skin. The wound looked deep, enough that it definitely needed stitches. The Bat must have gotten him pretty good...
'Dammit... I don't have the supplies to fix this up. It's just a basic first-aid kit. He needs to go to a hospital, but that's not an option. If I can't do anything, he'll just leave it as is.'
Sakura sighed deeply, not knowing what to do now. Bandaging it up wouldn't be enough. Why did he constantly have to get himself hurt? Even when they were growing up, Jack always had bruises or cuts, but not to this extreme... Just looking at the gaping wound, her chest tightened painfully. No matter what period of time in his life, he was always being hurt one way or another.
'It's not right...'
What had happened to cause all these scars? Some looked newer than others. They were jagged and hard to look at, like someone literally tore his skin open. What kind of shit did he get himself into? These weren't all from Batman, he only appeared about a year ago. There were scars that looked a few years old, maybe even more than that.
Running an alcohol pad gently around the wound, Joker suddenly jolted, hissing and biting down on his lower lip. It made her heart hurt as she looked up at him, trying to be as gentle as she possibly could. He was still staring at the wall, trying to control the expression on his face.
Jack was always like that. Acting like he wasn't in pain, even if it was unbearable... Putting on a brave face to prove how durable and strong he was to both of them. That he could take it... Why did he always have to be hurting? All their lives, he willingly took the brunt of everything, no matter how much she objected. Trying to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders and protect her. Always working hard just to make her happy...
'I only I could take that pain away. I wish I could do something...anything. Just a way to help him, the way he's always done for me...'
Closing her eyes, the images of the time they spent together filtered through her mind. He had always been kind to her... Even when he yelled occasionally, it was only out of concern. Always there, trying to ease her pain... The pinkette focused on that feeling, the ones she felt in those memories. It always brought such warmth and comfort.
'If only... I want to help him... Take his pain away and return some of what he's always done for me... What can I do?!'
"Ahhah!" Joker jumped back against the couch, staring at her wildly. Hearing the sound he made, she yanked her hands back, startled at his reaction. "What did you do?!"
Sakura looked horrified seeing the expression on his face. Did she accidentally push the wipe too hard into his wound? It hadn't been on purpose. She didn't mean to hurt him. "I'm-I'm sorry, I was just trying to help..."
Sitting back and taking in a deep breath, he raised his arm, looking down at the wound. Her eyes followed, widening at the slash on his skin. It wasn't as deep as before...and the bleeding stopped.
Joker gazed from her to the wound and back, a curious look on his face. "I felt something, ah...warm on it and the alcohol pad is cold. Didn't mean to yell at ya..."
Sakura sat up, furrowing her brows as she dropped the pad, reaching forward. Concentrating hard, she tried to recreate the feelings and thoughts from the last time. The internal plea with herself to help Jack. If it worked before, she should be able to do it again, right?
'Please...do something... How did I do it last time?'
The vein in her forehead pulsed, squeezing her eyes closed and trying to focus on her desire to take his pain away. That seemed to do the trick last time. Pinching her lips together, the pinkette groaned trying to force it out again. A tingling warmth started spreading down her arm, stopping just short of her wrist. Letting out an exasperated breath, it disappeared as quickly as it came.
'Keep going... Please keep going... '
This was frustrating. When it happened before, she didn't even realize it. Now that she was determined and thinking it through, it was a struggle. The pressure in Sakura's head moved from the violet birthmark on her forehead while trying to concentrate solely on Jack and wanting to help him. The strange sensation pressed on, trailing through her shoulders and kept going.
'Take it away...'
Gritting her teeth, she pushed the warmth past her wrist and down towards her slim fingers. Opening her eyes, the first thing she saw was Joker's face, staring intensely as he looked down. He was completely absorbed in the scene, intrigued and curious about what was happening. From his expression, he mustn't have seen anything like this before, like she thought.
A small green glow came from the tips and going with the feeling in her gut, let them hover right over the open wound. Both stared in amazement when the skin started mending itself. The skin pulled back together, forming a seam and closing. In just a few moments, it disappeared completely.
The pinkette's jaw dropped, looking at the tan that was previously torn open. It worked... Like here hadn't been anything there in the first place. Staring at her dainty hand, she moved it back and forth, examining it. It was amazing, like a true miracle. With this...gift...she could help Jack. Some deity in the universe blessed her with something that could take his pain away, heal both of their wounds.
'Now it makes sense... The wound on my arm... The cut on my finger... My body must have fixed itself up...'
"HAHWHOOHAHA!" Joker jumped off of the couch, raising his arms up to stare at spot where the wound had been. "How interesting!" He looked like a kid who just woke up for Christmas to a whole room full of presents... All for him. A smile spread across her face from watching him moving around experimentally, laughing at the Bat's futile efforts to slow him down.
"That's what you get Batsy! Ya bastard! HAHAHA!"
'I'm able to do something good for him...'
"Ya know, I thought something was off when that cut disappeared...but this. This is really something else. I feel a million bucks! What an amazing gift." His fists moved around wildly, brimming with energy. It was strange seeing him this way after how he'd been acting the last few weeks. Stoic, cynical, impatient, grouchy or smug, always with a dark and twisted sense of humor. This version of him was more like the Jack she knew in the past, the side he would show her when they were alone and he was excited about something.
"Hold on, Jack... I want to try something..." Trying to imitate the feeling from before, she let the warmth run to her hand and reached forward over one of the large purple splotches on his skin. The green glow appeared again, and they both watched the discoloration faded, until only tan skin was left. Moving slowly, she got rid of most of the bruises one-by-one, while Jack stayed frozen on the spot, letting her do as she pleased. He watched on curiously, wanting to see for himself how it worked.
"I wonder..." Putting her hand over one of the gnarly scars from a past knife-fight, a large hand wrapped around her wrist, pulling it away from his chest. Peering up at him, she gasped at the look on his face. The playful expression was gone, replaced with something much colder, frigid.
"Don't... Leave the scars." Sakura nodded slowly, not understanding why he'd want to keep them if she could take them away. Wasn't he the one who always complained about his scars? How they made him an outcast and made life harder than it needed to be?
'They must mean something to him. He probably doesn't want to be like everyone else anymore. Perhaps he's already accepted them. They are a part of him and turned him into the man he became. I won't mess with that or push it. It's his body, his choice.'
Mistaking the way her bottom lip was protruding for being upset at his reaction, Joker clicked his tongue, shifting his jaw uncomfortably. He wrapped his arms around the pinkette, pecking the top of her head. "They stay." The words were softer than before, attempting to convey that he wasn't angry at her.
The room started to spin as she felt light-headed, completely drained of energy. Suddenly, the pinkette's legs gave out, unable to hold up her own weight. Everything felt like jelly, her head lulling forward, ready to drop to the floor. Joker quickly grabbed her, so she wouldn't fall, pulling them back onto the couch. Ripping off the other glove, he shifted Sakura closer, letting her head rest against his scarred chest.
"I think you, ah, overdid it a little, doll. Too much, too soon..." He was right... Her body felt completely exhausted. It was like everything was asleep from lying on it for too long. Small pants pushed through her lips, washing over the tan skin she was leaning against. "You need to be more careful..."
"I...just wanted to help. You're always taking the shots." His warm skin felt soothing against her tired body, just lying limply on him.
"Trust me, sweetheart. I give out a lot more shots than I take. Hahaha!" Sakura groaned feeling his fingers running through her hair, completely relaxed even if she was drained. Even the rumbling in his chest from laughter was comforting. The laughter that terrorized Gotham...
"Don't push yourself." Bare hands gripped her tightly, burying his nose in her hair. "One thing. Don't tell a soul about this...or let anyone else other than me see it. If you do, we're both going to have trouble on our hands. People would want to use that ability for many reasons in this city. Trust me on that."
"I won't..." Sakura understood exactly what he meant without having to go into detail. People with abilities were often sought after, either offered money to work or taken by force, depending on the situation. Jin had been the former, accepting payment from the mob in exchange for use of his gifts. The pinkette didn't want anything to do with either.
"This city changed so much since you left. Got so much worse... The only silver-lining I could think of was that you didn't have to live in this terrible place anymore..."
Slim fingers ran over the scars along his chest, tracing each dark mark against his tan skin. "I'm sorry, I wasn't there. We would have made it out and you wouldn't have had to go through everything by yourself..."
Joker hummed, looking from her to wall. "Things always happen for a reason...even if it's not a good one. I didn't wanted you to suffer in this shithole longer than you had to. I was...willing to do just about anything to get us out of here. To live together...like we planned." She glanced up from under her lashes, feeling that old sadness coming back from watching his face. That's right... Jack really would have done anything to get them out of The Narrows. Sometimes, it worried her just how willing he was, even to the point of being ruthless. The pinkette was always concerned that his impatience would make him careless, and he'd end up getting himself hurt in the process.
"So would I... I still do." The clown looked down at her with a raised brow, almost like he wasn't sure if he'd heard correctly. The pounding just beneath his skin told her otherwise. He did hear her, but wanted the pinkette to repeat it, to elaborate and make sure she understood the gravity of what was being said.
"Careful, doll. Remember who you're saying that to." It wouldn't have mattered anyway. He seemed hellbent on forcing her hand from the start, stalking from a distance and harassing up close. Breaking into the apartment and scouring through her belongings. Hanging around in-and-out of disguise, watching and listening to everything that was going on. Blowing up and taking out any option of leaving the city and trying to isolate her from everyone else... She's told him to go away before, only to show right back up for dinner. Even if this wasn't something she wanted, was he really going to give her a choice? That was very doubtful. He just wanted to make it seem like choosing to be with him was of the pinkette's own accord. Any other day, it would have been a straight-up lie, but not now. "That's not something you can just say to me... Not unless you mean it."
Green eyes gazed up at the man holding her, watching him carefully. Despite all that's happened, something had given her a key to unlocking everything that had been pushed away long ago. Like Pandora's Box, it was now open and anything that mattered, spilled out.
"I do mean it. I just...want to be with you again. "There was silence for a few moments, and she knew he was mulling over her words, picking them apart to make sure they were true. Her slim legs shifted, making the bottom of the emerald gown drape over the edge. The movement exposing her milky white skin, turning to curl into the man that surrounded her. Sakura always felt so small in comparison, but she liked that. It made her feel safe being enveloped by him and he was all for it. He always enjoyed wrapping himself around her, keeping her safe and snug, like a prideful watchdog in the form of a man.
"You would do...anything?" The way he said it made her raise a brow, wondering why he would ask such a thing. She didn't know what he had in mind or if he was testing her again. He wouldn't...ask her to do anything illegal, right? No, Jack would never do that. Even when they were younger and he was reckless, he always kept her as far away from that kind of lifestyle as possible.
"Yes."
"Would you...live...for me?" Joker was tense, no longer running his fingers through her hair. He was waiting for a response, she could tell from his breathing that he was on edge. Where was he going with this? What did living for him really mean? Sakura always lived for the both of them before, speding most of her time by his side or dreaming up things they could do together when they were apart for small periods of time. Is that what he wanted? For her life to completely revolve around him now? He always was needy, constantly wanting her attention and affection back then. It was the only thing that didn't try to harm him in some shape or form.
"Of course. As long as it's you..."
"Don't worry. You won't be dragged into the mess going on outside. I don't need an accomplice-" His fingers started moving again, trailing and lacing themselves into the pink curls just below his face.
Jack was the only one, besides her father, who never made ignorant comments about the strange color. On the way home earlier, a memory resurfaced of them from when they were just small brats. She was maybe around five at the time, him two years ahead. They were sitting in the hallway, playing with an old ball they found out front of the building. The other boys in the complex always teased her about it or tried pulling her hair, but Jack never did. Sakura thought he was a strange kid, always seeming much older than he really was, but she liked his company anyway. He randomly said he liked her hair, that it reminded him of flowers on the calendar. Ones he never saw in a place like The Narrows. Looking back on that incident, it must have shown him there was something outside of the tiny dirt-and-concrete world they lived in. Gave him some hope.
"-Just want my woman. I'll make sure you're safe..." Looking down at the scars the pinkette was tracing, he closed his eyes, relaxing into the cushions.
'I deserve every scar...'
A bright light hung low from the ceiling of the white room. A table with chairs sat in the middle, two people sitting across from each other.
"Are you enjoying your smoke, Mista J?" A woman with long blonde haired pulled back into a ponytail stared at him from over her glasses.
"Mhmm..." Smoke floated up, dancing around as he let it spill out from the corner of his scarred mouth. A long ash hung from the end of the cigarette. The straight jacket pinning his arms down made it so he couldn't move his hands. The blonde reached across the table, trying to take the cigarette from his between his lips, but he bit down hard. The ash fell onto the table, falling apart.
"Ahh... You made a mess again. Don't worry, puddin'... I'll clean it up when we're done."
Joker rolled his dark eyes, craned his neck back to smack the back of his head against the metal chair. This woman...was so goddamn persistent. What the hell was wrong with her?
"Don't care..." Every day since he'd been dragged into Arkham, different doctors here had been eager to evaluate and 'attempt' to rehabilitate him. They never lasted long and that's how he wanted it. What reason was there to let these pompous assholes take a look inside his head? They would never understand him, even if they tried. A joke isn't funny anymore if he had to explain it.
The latest Doctor, Harleen Quinzel, was the latest bane of this shitty excuse for a hospital... A new young doctor that everyone was talking about, saying how smart and beautiful she was... That didn't matter to the clown. There were plenty of chicks out there who looked like that. What did they find so special about her appearance? It wasn't unique at all. Women like her are a dime a dozen, too normal to even attempt to catch his interest. For some reason, she just couldn't grasp that concept, always trying to reach out to him and build a bridge. He would just do what he's always done and set fire to it.
'I couldn't care less...'
Session after session, he did the usual-like with the other doctors-which typically resulted in them running for the hills. This stupid woman only seemed more interested the more he acted out. She was completely fascinated with his views on everything, from politics to basic human concepts that people always failed to grasp. Talking killed time and was a good way to flex his cognitive muscles. At least with Harleen, she didn't constantly interrupt him, letting him go on tirades during those sparse and random moments he felt the need to. It was more like he was mussing to himself than actually speaking to her, but she ate it all up, eager for more.
No matter which doctor it was, it always seemed like a never-ending interrogation or questionnaire. He knew what they wanted and were trying to do. They wanted to get inside his mind and see what made him tick, hoping they would get a chance to tinker around in there. Trying to diagnose him and fill his body with an overload of useless medications and treatments.
Why do you kill people? Why rob banks? Why do you like fire and explosives so much? Why wear greasepaint? How did you get those scars? What was your childhood like? What is your objective? How can you really feel no remorse for the things you've done? What made you like this?
Each time, a different tale was spun, never revealing the truth. They said he was insane... That isn't true. They were the ones who were crazy and couldn't even realize it. He just understood the realities of this world, refusing to see things through those rose-colored glasses they desperately clung to. How could an Ivy League or some big fancy university graduate understand someone like him? What the hell did they know?
Those people could never comprehend his suffering or the way his mind works. They were just simple pawns in the systems order that was set-up for ignorant fools who would fall for it. Money, promotions, big homes, nice cars... It's the only things that seemed to matter. That's all anyone cared about anymore... Why couldn't these people realize how insignificant all of it is? Just superficial and materialistic shit that would come and go.
At the end of the day, everything burns the same.
"Mista J... What are you thinking about over there?" The annoying voice with a thick New York accent grated on his ears. She didn't like it when he was quiet, silently mulling things over in his head. Always interrupting his thoughts, wanting to be a part of them in some way.
"A joke." Why did he have to listen to all this senseless banter? His mind drifted off to a sweet voice in the recesses of his mind. It was the only thing that helped calm the storm brewing inside, blocking out all the other sounds he wanted to disappear.
It had been years since she was gone, but everyday that went by...it never stopped hurting any less. Not a single day had gone by without her face haunting him, whether it was in his sleep or the middle of the day. Every time he saw his own scarred face in a mirror, he couldn't stand looking at it, smashing the glass with either a fist or something lying around. Arkham itself no longer had a single one left in any of the area patients were allowed to go. They shouldn't have had them anyway... Didn't they realize what this place was supposed to be?
'... All my fault...'
If Sakura hadn't been left alone, none of this would have happened. If he was in his room, then he would have heard what was going in the next apartment. That door would have been smashed into a million pieces by his fists, before ripping Todd to shreds. If only he'd been there...then Sakura wouldn't have tried crawling out onto the fire escape... He was supposed to keep her safe, protected. That was the promise he made himself when they were still kids. It was all for nothing, he failed miserable and now nothing would ever be the same again...
"HAHAHOHAhAHA!" The look on that piece of shits face was priceless when he found him. That night was a sweet memory, carefully stored away in the vault for a rainy day or when he needed a good laugh. That way, he could relive it over and over again... He could still smell the blood pouring out from carving the drunk up with a kitchen knife, just like the one that was used on Sakura.
Joker's smile faded, the images reluctantly shifting to something he didn't want in that special place. All the blood on the ground when he got home from that job... The splatters and red hand-prints, the police tape sectioning off the spot where she died, all the gossiping and people huddle around to see what happened. Why?... Why did it have to happen? Why didn't he just stay home?
'All for money...'
Just the sight of cash made him want to burn it. Sure, it was useful to buy weapons and whatever else he needed, but that didn't change the fact that he wanted to set it ablaze. He hated it and everyone who lusted after it. Selfish, egotistical people who were willing to sell their souls and left nut for more.
'Fucking blood-money...'
The happiest he'd ever been in his miserable life was when he didn't have a cent. There were things in this world that money could never buy. Now, he could get his hands on endless amounts of cash, but it meant nothing. The dreams of living quietly with the only person who ever gave a damn were long gone. She was six-feet under somewhere, and he was locked up in Arkham.
'... All my fault...'
"You wanna tell it to me? I like jokes."
Trying to get the images to disappear, he swung his head forward, smashing it against the surface of the table. Blood ran down his tan face as the skin on his forehead split open, but he didn't feel anything. Hardly ever did anymore...
"Nah... You wouldn't, ah, get it anyway..."
"Dr. Quinzel, do you need us to come in there? Is everything okay?" A man's voice spoke over the intercom in the corner of the room. The damn guards, who loved nothing more than to have another reason to berate and beat him to their liking. They always had three around to escort him anywhere in the building, after strapping him securely to a gurney. They were finally learning. It only took losing a few of their staff and another handful left maimed to get the idea.
"N-No... That's okay." Any other doctor would have had him escorted away immediately. She never wanted to cut their sessions short, thinking she was 'oh so close' to making a breakthrough... Never realizing that everything that came out of his mouth was utter bullshit.
Joker wasn't an idiot. He knew this woman had become infatuated with him...annoyingly so. Whatever she wanted from him, he was unwilling and unable to give.
The blonde was always trying to pry into that pitch black piece of coal that was left of his heart. Asking question after question. Did he have friends growing up? What were his parents like? Did he ever have a girlfriend? Did he ever love anyone? When she asked things like that, all it resulted in was a needle being jabbed into his neck and being dragged off to whatever hole they were keeping him in at the time.
"Mista J..." He hated it when she called him that...or puddin'. It made his damn stomach churn. "It's clear that you have suffered a lot of abuse and pain in the past. That's why you won't let anyone in... I think I have a solution... Something that could honestly treat you, if you're willing to keep an open mind and hear me out." She leaned in with an excited expression, as if something like that was even possible.
'Not unless you can bring back the dead...'
"There's a new trial drug out on the market that doctors are very interested in. This medicine has been in the works for quite a few years now. It's all very exciting, especially for people in my field. Our job is to diagnose and rehabilitate those less fortunate in certain areas. For some patients, it's the demons of their past that just won't let them go..."
Joker eyed the woman across from him suspiciously. He didn't want any of their shit, especially something they're still testing out... Hence the word 'trial'. "And what does this new drug do? Hmm?" He cocked his head to the side, running the tip of his tongue over the scars that seemed to fascinate the blonde.
"Well... It will help you to forget what happened in the past. You know, to be able to start over. Let go off all the terrible things that happened... Have a fresh start. The only thing holding many of the patients back is what happened to them and being unable to cope with it. At least the ones who weren't born mentally ill..."
A loud bang made the doctor jump in her seat when he smashed his head against the table again.
'That's the answer she came up with?! Erasing my mind? That's their idea of rehabilitation? Getting rid of everything that makes me who I am?'
Anger surged through him as he glared up at the woman, the urge to rip out her throat overwhelming.
Why? Why did this world always want to strip him of every last thing he held on to? Was his existence that much of an issue? It took away his family, his home, Sakura...and now wanted to get rid of him all together... Couldn't a man like him have anything?! The only thing he had were his memories and now they wanted to steal them away too.
They wanted to take Sakura away from him again... All that was left of her in this world were the images and voices in his head. It was the only thing that brought solace to him in the war going on throughout the city. She was the ray of light he held onto in the darkness...and the woman across from him wanted to kill her. He wouldn't let them... Over his dead body...
"Hey, Harley..."
She looked up with a smile, loving when he said that. "Yes, Mista J?"
"I swear on everything left in this shitty world that if you fuck with my memories in any way, even the slightest... I will cut your throat open and make you drown in your own blood."
Pushing her glassed up into her hair, she pursed her lips together tightly. "Please... Think about my offer. It could be a new life for you. You could start over... Let others in..."
What? Was she referring to herself?
"HAAHAHAHAHOHAHAHA... And I thought my jokes were bad..." He ground his teeth, glaring at the blonde as blood ran down his face, dripping onto the orange jumpsuit they shoved him in. "Don't even think about it. If anything starts missing-" Rolling his head from one side to the other, suddenly cracking his neck loudly. "-or feels off, I really will kill you. That's not a joke, it's a promise!"
Harleen stared at him quietly, lost in her own thoughts, searched his face for any sign he might be joking again. Shifting forward so the men outside the room couldn't hear, she whispered. "Mista J... You know I would do anything for you. I'm just trying to help, puddin'."
"Anything? You want to help me?" This was too easy... He knew it would be. That was the only reason he even humored this woman in the first place. Rattling the chains to lean as far across the table as they'd let him, the blonde's eyes widened at how close she was able to get to him. "Good. Then maybe you can help me. Hmm? I need you to bring in something for me... You know to, ah, help cheer up the gloomy patients in this hell-hole."
"Mista J, I don't know if... I can do that..." She stared at him intently, silently pleading with him not to push her in this direction. He would and she was going to follow. They both knew that very well. This woman had been practically begging him to fuck her for weeks and was trying everything she could to win him over. He was a man who demanded total submission in every form. Part of this seemingly independent blonde who had a bright future and potential for greatness was secretly begging to be dominated. He was more than willing to do that, just not in the way she hoped for. She wanted to be a puppet on his string, desiring to bend to his will and do anything asked of her.
Joker cocked his head to the side, scarred lips puckered out in a pout. "But I thought you said you'd do anything for me, pumpkin..." Her eyes widened at the pet name he gave her. He hated that word..pumpkin. It was what his dad used to call Sakura...
"I would... I-I will... I'd do anything for you, Mista J... After all, I already told you before that... I'd be willing to die for you..." Her eyes fluttered as she sealed her own fate, hammering the last nail into her own coffin.
"Good." What use was it for someone to be willing to die for him? It only takes a second to do that. He wasn't impressed in the slightest.
Dying for another person was easy... It was living for someone that was a real challenge...
