AN: Uh...Hi. I'm back, baby! I recently have had a crazy amount of free time and so I fixed the laptop and here we are. Also in celebration of the movie now being available to stream, here's a new chapter! It gets a tiny bit steamy so fair warning. Hopefully everyone who reads enjoys. Let me know in the reviews if you can. Without further a do: Chapter 10
I honestly couldn't say how many days passed since I last met him. They've been a blur of fear and nerves. I sleep most of the day away and keep an eye on the news. I don't care much for most of what they say, all I do is listen for word on the Joker.
It's been so long, I'm starting to relax again. I even consider job hunting. Rent is way over due at this point and I would really prefer not to be homeless. It makes it easier for me to meet up with Him again. But, then again, so does getting a job. At least with my luck. The fact that more than one of our meetings has happened at my place of work is so strange, I begin to wonder if he's right and that it is fate. Yeah, right.
My life has been so stagnant lately, I've begun to actually look forward to super lame things like a mayor's speech and parade. I'm excited, that is, until I hear that the Joker will be attempting to assassinate the mayor. And what better time to do it than during his speech? Right outside my freakin apartment? Is it fate?
I hear bagpipes in the distance, growing louder. I also hear the synchronized stomping of polished boots on the pavement. I close my shades all but an inch and peer out the small slit of the visible window. I don't want to be seen. Not just by the Joker, but anyone. I'm not wearing a bra or pants. Just a ratty t-shirt and boyshorts. It's not my best look. The succession of uniformed men march past my window and I can barely see the podium they're heading toward. Once the group passes and the crowd is gathered, I realized my apartment is a good fifty feet from the back end of the parade. The mayor is hardly audible from my vantage point. This is good; this means that my apartment and the surrounding area would be a shitty place to attempt to murder the mayor from. I relax a little and strain to listen to the speech.
"Commissioner Loeb dedicated his life to law enforcement and to the protection of his community. I remember when I first took office and I asked him if he wanted to stay on as commissioner and he said he would, provided that I kept my politics out of his office. Clearly he was a man that-"
I was wrong to feel any excitement for this. I'm so bored. His words are just so boring. Maybe I should care more about this city but I just don't. Honestly, I don't care about much these days. I sit through the speech, my mind drifting lazily. I wonder if the Joker is out there now. I bet he's perched in one of the top floor apartments with a rifle pointed right at that podium.
No, that's too simple and too easy to stop. I'm sure he's got some intricate brilliant plan to execute and escape with ease. Or does he even plan that far ahead? He always has this reckless energy with everything he does. Like the night he swept me away and-
Gunshots fire in rhythm. I barely register them as my cheeks grow warm. The way he pressed me against the wall, the way he carried me so gently when I fell asleep. He's an enigma, but I'm certain I'm just a pawn to him. The thought makes me sad. I don't want to be just a pawn. I want...What do I want? I want him to hold me again. Wait, what?
Screams tear me away from my confusing thoughts. Oh, great. More gun shots fire, this time scattered and frantic. I hear and see the crowd tear through the streets. The Joker is near and that makes my heart pound. Out of fear, I'm sure. I watch through my window another moment before realizing I should probably lock the door, just to be on the safe side. Before I can rise from my crouched down position, my door is flung open and slammed closed in the blink of an eye. And there was a man in my apartment. I feel a mix of relief and disappointment that it wasn't the Joker. He was one of the Military Uniformed men that were part of the parade.
"Hey what the hell do you think you're doing?" I demand, rising. I glare into his eyes and there's something familiar there. My eyes drop to his mouth, twisted with scars. No way.. He must have seen the realization on my face.
"Don't worry, sweetheart, I won't count this meeting as fate." He smiles and begins undoing the buttons on the uniform.
I'm struck silent. You mean he came to my apartment on purpose? I stared at him dumbly as he flung the jacket away, revealing a white undershirt. Well, I can find comfort in the fact that I was right; there is a handsome man under the makeup. His skin is pale and even, except the scars, but I don't really mind them. The longer I stare the more blatantly handsome I realize he is without makeup. I only look away when he began removing his pants.
"Dude! C'mon!" I say, flustered and turn away from him.
He laughs that laugh, "Don't be so shy." he purrs and I hear him plop down on the couch in only that t shirt and boxers.
"Make yourself at home." I say sarcastically with a frustrated sigh. I turn back around and fight through the blush in my face.
"Why are you here?"
"I just missed you so much." he jokes, though his tone is serious. He is staring at the television and flipping through channels before settling for the news covering the event outside. He reclines back and spreads his arms out on the back of the couch. He whips his face toward me and pats the seat next to him with a smile. I don't smile back, I feel too nervous.
Bang bang bang. Ugh, now what? I go to the abused door and open it to two police officers. I feel sweat prickle under my arms. I resist looking behind me, where the most wanted criminal of Gotham just sits casually on my couch.
"Can I help you?" I ask, proud of the lackadaisical tone.
"Ma'am, we believe that a wanted criminal may be hiding in the nearby apartments. I'm sure you're aware of what just happened. Please allow us to search your home."
"Yeah, no. There's no one here." What am I saying? Why am I protecting him? This is my chance to get him away from me possibly for good.
"Who's that?" The second officer asks, pointing passed me to the Joker, now learned forward in his seat, his hair hiding his face.
"My.. husband. And?" I swear I hear a breathy chuckle behind me and repress and eyeroll.
"Sir, may we speak with you?" The man talking passed me.
"Excuse me?!" I say with an attitude, "Why? Cause he's the 'man of the house' yeah, right. I'm the WOMAN of the house and I said no. So you can go get a warrant or get the hell off my doorstep." sass is oozing from me.
The two men share a look and leave with a "Have a good day ma'am". I shut and lock the door. I take a deep breath before turning around. What's gotten into me?
"Thanks, doll." he breathes in my ear.
I whip around with goosebumps shooting to my fingertips and toes. I almost bump into him he's so close.
"I really owe you one." He grins, taking a step closer.
I gulp. I'm standing in his shadow, my back pressed against the door, looking up into his intense eyes. I feel like a sheep cornered by a wolf. I can feel a tremble begin to take over.
"What's wrong, 'WOMAN of the house'?" he smirks, cocking his head.
"What's wrong? Are you kidding?" I ask, a little harsher than I meant.
"No." he says, his smile dropped and his neck craning down to look directly into my eyes. I swallow hard.
"You're making me nervous." I say honestly, deciding I can't play it off or act cool. Him being the Joker aside, there is a man in very little clothing standing close enough to kiss me. Not to mention, I wasn't dressed much better. It's hard to remember that he's the Joker without the makeup. He just is a man to me.
"Nervous?" he says, no trace of a smile still, but he sounds almost genuinely curious. He inches closer. "Does that make it worse?" he asks, his eyes trace over my body briefly before returning to my face.
He's playing with me, trying to get a reaction. My whole face is hot. I don't speak; I can't. I refuse to tear my face from his, though. I'm not a pawn. I won't do what he wants or expects anymore.
"What about this?" he leans in.
I squeeze my eyes shut. Nothing happens.
"Huh." he says and I feel his warmth leave me. I feel air fill my lungs and I realized I was holding my breath. I open my eyes to see him standing a reasonable distance from me. His eyes are slightly narrowed and…I'm surely imagining this. His cheeks look a little pinker than before. Now I narrow my eyes and step toward him, hands on my hips. He meets my gaze without moving. I'm close. It's nerve wracking but I need to know. I look up into his face, only an inch away from mine. I notice he's holding his breath. I, on the other hand, am breathing rather quickly. I might be shaking. It's hard to tell what's going on because my head feels fuzzy and my body feels like it's vibrating. I have no idea what my plan is right now. I just…I just want to know what is going on in his head. My hands drop from my hips. We stand in silence for several seconds. He grins an almost shy grin.
"Brave little mouse, aren't we?" he says and suddenly advances on me. I back up quickly and stumble back. His arm wraps around my lower back to break the fall into my thin wooden door. His other arm leans on the door, surrounding me with his smell, his heat, his presence. I feel my apartment fading away in the background. My TV static brain scrambles further. All I am aware of is the extremely warm hand pressing the small of my back. I feel weirdly calm. I somehow feel that I have control over this situation, despite the fact that he is the one holding me in place. I blink calmly as I gaze up into the handsome, smiling face. At this distance, it's easy to tell. I wasn't imagining it. He's flushed. Blushing, almost. But why?
I peel my palms from the door and slowly but determinedly move them to his chest. What the hell am I doing? His smile drops. His breath quickens and he seems to move his face just a little bit closer. Or maybe I moved? What are you thinking, Mr. Joker? My brain whispers.
"You really want to know?" he answers and I realize I've spoken aloud.
"Yes." I say in a low yet sturdy voice as my face flushes. I can feel the heat traveling down my neck and reaching my ears. .
"I think…" he begins in a voice matching mine, "You want to kiss me."
I pull my head back and it only moves an inch before thudding into the door.
I see the corners of his mouth twitch, "but you're scared."
I open my mouth to speak, but I don't know what to say. With my lips parted, my eyes dart toward his unexpressive, scarred mouth. I feel his heart under my palms. I think it's pounding but there's no way. I look back to his eyes.
"I…I think you are too." I say. I feel sick. How could I say that? Did I really just have the balls to make a freakin move on the Joker himself? I'm embarrassed as hell there's no he feels that way. There's no way I feel that way, right? I shock myself even further in the following seconds. They happen so fast my brain doesn't comprehend my actions.
Before his responds I suddenly grip his shirt and pull his lips to mine. As I question if he's kissing back, I release his clothes and pull back. His head follows mine. What? He's actually kissing me? It's like that night, but different. He opens his mouth very slightly against mine and I find myself doing the same. I think I'm about to tongue down the Joker. I feel my closed eyes pickling under the lids. The panic ebbs and I feel my heart slowing. My mind is blank aside from the feeling of his touch, his lips, his tongue.
The word begins to come back to my senses as cold hair replaces hot breath in my mouth. I open my eyes slowly. I attempt to read his face. I've never seen his thoughts so obviously painted on his face. It's not what I expected, though. He looks confused. He cocks his head slightly to the right. He begins to lean in again but my hands gentle pressure on his chest causes him to hesitate.
"I.." I trail off. He is the first person I've kissed in years. I've never been much into the dating scene. It's just not my digs. His eyes show something I haven't seen directed at me so rawly before in my life: desire. Just as I notice it, it's gone.
"Interesting…" he mutters. Suddenly he pulls away completely and walks back to the couch. He sits and looks back to me where I am frozen against the door, suddenly cold. He's smiling that Joker smile as if nothing completely and utterly insane happened.
"I'm stuck here until nightfall. You have any snacks?" I follow the lead and attempt to brush off the whole situation as if it didn't happen.
"I have liquor." I answer.
He rolls his eyes and grins.
Thanks for reading! I think I'm going to be posting at least occasionally. I don't work and have a lot of free time lol so see y'all soon!
