Joker was...not himself. And Celine hadn't the heart to complain.
Something unexpected shifted after their sexually-charged tussle in the hallway. She couldn't put it into words, nor really exerted much effort into doing so because it required more brainpower than she was currently equipped with. What she did know is it was equal parts foreign as it was vaguely familiar.
This juxtaposition seemed to only gather in prominence after she staggered to the bathroom to clean herself up.
The painkillers may have been kicking in, but there was a distinct soreness between her legs that not even the endorphins could shoo away. This soreness also caused her to adopt the walk of a bow-legged cowboy. Which made her giggle a little. The only way for the ache in her pussy to become less frequent was to have more sex. She dared not verbalize this, of course. An unnamed clown would never fail to remind her. Hell, she didn't put it past him to make her sign a contract proving she'd admitted to it.
Fingertips pawed at her sides the entire journey. It was as if their abdomens were linked by a strand of rope that had looped itself around them without either of their knowledge. Frankly put, where she went, Joker followed. And he was having an increasingly difficult time keeping his hands to himself.
When she threw off her tights and shimmied out of her stained dress, his palms immediately slid over her tummy, up her ribs, and cupped both breasts. A satisfied little sound reverberated in his throat as he watched her through narrowed lids, occasionally peeking over her shoulder at the breasts filling out his hands. His fingers would flex in approval, unconsciously bringing her closer to him.
That she wasn't more embarrassed about being naked around Joker surprised her. She attested part of her comfort to the fact he was just as bare to the skin as she was. Hard to feel self-conscious when you were in good company. The other reasoning was more obvious. Physically, he seemed incapable of keeping his hands off of her.
It made her cheeks glow with a steamy sort of pride. Joker wasn't a man to beat around the bush (unless it included hers, hardy har). If he was attracted to somebody, coyness or hesitancy were not in his nature to act upon. He'd alluded to having had a healthy number of former partners, and now, she better understood how that was possible.
Who didn't like someone being upfront with their intentions? Their attraction to you? So often – at least from what she'd observed in the dating world – people seemed to want a mind reader. Someone who would pick up on what you were unwilling to verbalize for fear of being too vulnerable, too forward, potentially opening yourself up to humiliation.
Joker appeared to hold no such reservations. He didn't consider his attraction to someone as something shameful or something to be stifled. Possibly because he simply didn't put that much emphasis on sex. Sex was sex, if he didn't find it in one person, he'd be sure to find it in another.
It was, for the first time since they met, a relief that he was so open in desiring her. And being on the receiving end of that desire didn't just make her remarkably giddy; it instilled confidence in a sexual prowess she didn't know she possessed. Even now, thinking back on how receptive and playful and explicit she'd been without any prompting... he was, as was becoming a reoccurring case, a reminder that she didn't know herself as well as she thought she did.
While Joker explored her body with calloused fingers, she busied herself with re-combing and re-moussing her hair.
The entire time, his semi-erect cock rested lazily on the arch of her ass.
She tried not to show too visibly just how...how...god, she didn't think it right to call it "lovey-dovey" but nothing better was coming to mind. Joker was not a lovey-dovey person, and she was sure mentioning the term aloud would instantly break this spell and catapult him into a less than friendly headspace. She'd known this about him before, but the last two days really brought it home. Joker hopped from emotion to emotion with an unpredictability that could leave you with a brutal case of whiplash.
But this current behavior needed to be acknowledged for what it was. This current juxtaposition was important. Like the analysis of Joker's memories after her dream, something crucial lingered on the precipice of conscious thought. It was imperative she figure out what was attempting to be relayed to her.
Only when she began to apply the foundation to her bruises did her arms freeze. Her eyes found his form through the mirror. His thumbs were lightly trailing over the curve of her hips, head cocked, eyes laser focused. Like he was memorizing her.
The side of his scarred cheek was reflecting back at her and it finally hit why this felt both unfamiliar and familiar at the same time.
Agatha's 'what if' scenario. Us in the kitchen.
She swallowed.
Holy shit. I thought this version of him was dead. An alternate reality forever incompatible with this one.
He must have sensed her prolonged gaze for he looked up and met her eyes through the mirror.
Rich, vibrant honey found a cloudy cerulean. He blinked once. Immediately, his hands shot away from her sides and he took a large step back, all the while clearing his throat.
She mimicked his clearing of the throat and returned to applying her makeup, pretending nothing had happened. Pretending she hadn't seen Jack clear as day, in his longest outing yet.
To his credit, Joker didn't stalk away or lash out at her. Both would be in character for him, both have been ways he'd dealt with the intense feeling he carried for her.
She suspected her not drawing attention to it helped him to better come to terms. If she could brush it off, then so could he.
A change in topic was badly needed. That, she couldn't deny.
"Bucket of water on top a door, huh? Well, you're definitely the first to try that one on me. Fair warning, you better sleep with one eye open. I will get you back."
He crossed his arms, eyes briefly falling to her backside. He must have located his love-bite on her butt cheek because a filthy smirk soon overtook his lips.
"Not a war you stand a chance of winning, sweets," he boasted. "Got a better chance of sprouting wings than pulling one over on me. Not like I was in the wrong, you deserved it."
"Mm," she returned, tapping at her chin. "You're right, I've never pulled one over on you. Except that time I disguised myself as one of your henchmen and freed those kids... or that time I evaded you from the cemetery... oh wait, wait, there was also that unfortunate collision you made with my dashboard..."
Her teasing caused an adorable pout to form on his lips.
"Keep that up," was his grumbly reply, "and next time it'll be pig's blood in that bucket."
She shook her head and released a few disapproving tsk's.
"No need to hurt a police officer like that."
He snorted so hard she nearly jumped. His smirk made way for a wicked smile.
"Never bled a piggy dry before," he mused with a squint. "I ah like these date ideas. Keep 'em coming."
She wasn't sure if she should be concerned or amused. Concerned for the obvious reason, amused because he was open to going on dates, plural. Granted, they probably would be the opposite of normal, but what about their relationship was?
"I like cemeteries," she blurted.
Joker cocked a brow. He also returned to his original spot behind her. Though he didn't touch her this time around, his need to be within arm's reach of her made her loins sizzle like a juicy steak slapped against a flaming grill.
"One of the few guaranteed quiet places," she followed up. "No one disturbs you either. I... didn't always like them. After mom and Cathy's deaths I don't think I stepped foot in one for maybe four years. It wasn't until I came home for Anthony's wedding that my friend Lisa offered to go with me to visit her grave for the first time. We... spoke to her. I cried. A lot. It was cathartic. I know there's a lot of sadness associated with cemeteries, but I find them peaceful. An eternal resting place after you've spent so long wandering. The last bed you'll ever sleep in. Buried, safe, tucked into the Earth, finally one with it."
She glanced at Joker's face. His expression had gone blank.
Not until witnessing this did she realize maybe this wasn't the best subject to delve into. If memory served right, Joker had...he had... ejaculated into his mom's urn. Which- nebula, what a statement. You really had to hate someone deeply to desecrate them in such a manner.
Their experiences with the mother figures in their lives were night and day.
"I hated my mom."
Her bruises were now well concealed, leaving her hands with nothing to do. She almost wanted to do something. Joker's tone had transitioned to a raspy growl.
"I hated her so much, Cece. " He laughed sharply and ran both hands through his hair. "Twisted little bitch, she liked to ah play these mind games with you. Pops was too stupid to see them for what they were, or maybe he didn't care so long as it was directed at me and not him ."
His eyes narrowed into slits. He was staring at something that wasn't there.
"I didn't kill her, but I wish I had. I could fill journals with all the ways I'd do it. Shame she croaked before I really perfected my craft."
Celine did her best to gulp discretely. It suddenly felt dangerous being in such close proximity to him. Especially when that manic glint entered his eyes.
She tried instead to focus on the information he was revealing. Her only impression of the woman came from his memories disguised as a dream. If she recalled right, the woman had read through a letter Joker's school counselor had written. The letter was complimentary to Joker, clearly worded by someone who saw his best attributes.
So, what did she do? Shoved it down a storm drain, ensuring the badly needed encouragement never reached the eyes of her son.
But it was more than that. She'd unintentionally set off a domino effect. Joker stopped going to his peers for help. He stopped trusting in others altogether.
Her mouth parted. She bit her tongue, so very close to letting him know the truth. Mrs. Rivard did care. He had not been abandoned.
Acknowledging this aloud after she'd made the promise to not search around his memories without his permission would in all likelihood piss him off more than relieve him. Even if the memories technically came to her rather than her seeking them out.
One thing she was certain of - Joker wasn't lying about his feelings regarding his mother, and based on the incident with the letter, Celine could see very well how mind games were a favorite past time for the woman.
"How did she die?" she asked instead.
His brows crunched together.
"Mm... can't remember. Nothing mattered before I became this."
The remark was so raw that she found herself turning around before she could stop herself.
Joker eyed her suspiciously, not having expected her swift movement.
The comfort she longed to offer was overwhelming. She just didn't know if he'd be receptive to it.
"I-." She bit her lip. "-you shouldn't have had to experience that."
He was quiet for a few seconds, studying the sincerity of her statement. When he deemed it genuine, he threw her a nonchalant shrug.
"Ya live and ya learn. She helped teach me how to uh... sneak into people's heads. A sociopath teaching a psychopath-in-training, never saw that on a sitcom growing up . Gran-ted, not the ideal lesson for an impre-ssionable kiddo, but life wouldn't be very funny if we got to choose our lessons, would it?"
She wasn't able to fully mask her concern, which made Joker roll his eyes. He lifted his hands to her face and slipped two thumbs directly beneath the corners of her lips. One second, she was frowning, the next, Joker pushed upwards; forcing her mouth into an uncomfortable smile. The rest of his fingers dug into her cheeks.
"No frownin'," he chastised. "I ah like my bunnies like I like my reflection. Smiling. Even when lifes got me down in the dum-ps ."
Her eyes shot to his scars. Because of this, he took an exaggerated swipe at each one with his tongue. There was no ambiguity behind the action, he was intentionally trying to make her uneasy.
She wished she could say that because she knew this, it didn't work as successfully, but truthfully, the Joker in front of her was closer in mannerisms to the one she first met as a hostage.
"Smile." There was an edge to his tone as his gaze anchored her to the floor. "Smile for me, Cece. Count of three... two, one, three ."
He dropped his hands.
Smiling would appease him, but this situation did little to inspire mirth.
Joker sighed.
"We ah don't yet appear to know the difference between a request and a command. Commands are simple. I tell you do something, you do it. I order, you obey. Simple enough even my pooches understand it. And I really don't think you're dumber than my pooches, are ya?"
In an instant, he had her hair in a painful grip. With a rough tug, their chests were pressed against each other's as he stared down at her, nose nearly poking into her own. His free hand disappeared to her side. When it came back up, she was stunned to see one of his many switchblades in hand.
Oddly enough, nervous was the last thing she felt. Her first thought was -
Holy Houdini, where the HELL did he pull that from?
There too was a surrealness lingering in the air that made her feel miles removed from the current threat. Not even twenty minutes ago he was tracing her body like a sculpturalist admiring the goddess Venus in marble form. Just twenty minutes ago, he was... Jack.
"We're ah gonna try that one more time."
Her gaze focused back in on him. It shot briefly to the blade against her cheek before returning to his dead stare.
"I'll even say cheeeeeeese if it'll hel-p ," he said, baring his teeth at her. "Never understood why that was the go-to word. I mean... why not 'anthrax' or mmm 'Auschwitz'? Gets me every time."
She tuned out for a few seconds, mentally recuperating from this unforeseen change of events.
Talking about his mom lead him here. That... is a lesson. I'm also not immune to Jack's malicious streak just because we were intimate. Another lesson. No, a reminder. One I keep forgetting, or maybe wanting to forget so it makes being soulmates with him easier.
Her bottom lip trembled a little. The fear hit out of nowhere and even she wasn't strong enough to keep it back.
She experienced a momentary wave of déjà vu. No longer was she in the bathroom with Joker, she was in an underground office with John. And he had just released into the air his most potent fear toxin yet.
Black fog invaded the outskirts of her vision. Liquid cement poured into her lungs. She had enough of a hindsight to open her mouth for air, but it was too late.
Celine's eyes rolled to the back of her head. She slumped into Joker and fainted in his arms.
x_X_x_X_x
When she came to, she was lying on the living room couch with one foot dangling off the edge. She blinked a few times, still a little sensitive to the light hitting her.
To her right, she noticed movement.
"Mm, 'bout time."
Joker swam into focus, outfitted in what he had on prior to their trifle in the hallway. His expression was closed off, but intuition confirmed the truth. The man, unlikely as he was to admit it, had been monitoring her closely. And one only does that if they feel a semblance of concern for an individual.
She sat up and looked around with furrowed brows.
"D-did I faint?"
He gave her a once over that was a little more lecherous than she was expecting.
"Like a damsel," he answered. "Sorta felt like a king and all, tending to my lady."
It didn't take long to realize why his mind was hanging out in the gutter. Whereas he was fully clothed, she was as naked as she'd been prior to passing out. Not even a blanket or sheet to give her the illusion of modesty.
She felt like covering herself now that she was the only one bare. The lack of clothes really lended itself to a tangible power imbalance.
Balling both hands into fists, she worked on standing. Joker watched her closely.
"That uh-." His index finger made a few looping motions. "-fainting thing happen often? Wasn't ah any history of it in your medical files."
She meant to answer the question, but her mouth veered off course.
"Medical files?" She shook her head. "How the hell did you get access to those?"
Joker shrugged.
"The ones in Gotham were simple. City offices store everything online nowadays, didn't take too long to hack them." He cracked his neck once to the right. "The ones up here though... they were trickier. Calgary Cliff's not quite with the times yet. Which was... frustrating. But no doctor is above a bribe, especially one taking care of a disabled child."
Her eyes widened.
"You bribed Dr. Eaton into giving you my medical files?"
He batted his eyelashes a few times.
"Your ah more surprised than you have a right being." He stepped to the side so he was now standing in front of her. "Now don't lay into the good doctor too badly, he was only watchin' out for ya. In fact, he seemed much more receptive when I revealed I was nothing more than a concerned husband, hoping to nurse his wife back to health after a lifesaving operation on a very, very nasty tumor. He uh sends his regards, by the way. Nice guy, nearly took up his offer to join his bowling league. They go by ah No Pin Intended ."
He snorted and slapped his knee.
"No Pin Intended!" he repeated with a shit-eating grin. "That's what I call a hoot and a half."
She felt like fainting again. He was right, she shouldn't be surprised. As he loved to tell her, he had done his research. More thoroughly than she could have ever imagined.
He suddenly snapped his fingers.
"Nearly forgot, you're ah-." His eyes fell to her chest. "-due for a mammogram screening this year. And next year's your pap smear. I'm a... not exactly certified, but am more than willing to provide both."
She had to sit down. He was going to send her into a premature coma.
I wouldn't trust Joker with a speculum if it depended on my life. Knowing him, he'd stick something in me. That wasn't his cock.
The thought both horrified and entertained her. As a result, her lips were oscillating between a smile and a frown.
"Well?"
She broke out of her trance and looked up at him.
"No thank you," she said quietly. "Um, do you know how long I was out?"
"Half hour, tops ," was his reply. "You uh didn't answer my question. These fainting spells something I need to know about?"
His tone was forceful, but not like it'd been when he was trying to get her to smile. It actually reminded her of the tone Dr. Eaton would use anytime he'd ask her prior to the start of a check-up whether she had consumed any illegal drugs. This stemmed from an incident where she, Cathy, and Trina had hotboxed in Cathy's car prior to her yearly physical.
There was no doubt in Celine's mind everyone from the janitor to the desk attendant to the children playing with wooden blocks in the waiting room knew she had just gotten blazed. In retrospect, not the wisest decision, especially entering a confined room with a man who was also a member of the PTA.
Teenage her didn't always think things through to the fullest capacity.
"No," she said, meeting his eyes. "Last time was after Gil-."
He tensed up; jaw clenching so hard she worried about the state of his teeth.
"-did his thing. But before that, I don't think I ever have."
His nod was barely detectable. It was clear bringing Gil's name up was another trigger, much like his mom.
Before she could explore his reaction to the man that maimed her, she redirected the conversation. There was much she wanted to say about what led to her blacking out, but she wasn't quite sure how to approach the subject. Him expecting her to listen to his commands was not okay. Likening her to his dogs also wasn't okay.
But would bringing this up also bring with it the attached memory of the mom he so despised? He was calm now; she didn't want to propel him into a bad mood right before they were due to see her family.
A conversation for a later time. One that needs to be had.
"You pulled that knife on me quick," she recalled. "Where did you- how exactly did you get to it so fast?"
He seemed to be debating giving an honest answer. His gaze was narrowed and a thumb was tapping arrhythmically against his thigh.
"Mm, got a few hidden around here in select areas. Just in case we've got... intruders."
"Intruders?" Her face scrunched up. "Not impossible, but very unlikely. You saw the dirt roads I took to get here, we're too out of the way for anyone to bother."
An exhale shot out of his nose.
"Exactly the attitude that gets your murder recreated on crime shows," he argued. "You're a sitting bunny out here, Cece . This thought doesn't occur to ya because you don't think like killers do. If fate provides the circumstances, somebody will take advantage. All alone, miles from the nearest neighbor – that's if they don't slash your tires first. Surrounded by two prime body disposal environments – woods and water. Only access for help is a dinky landline. You're not prepared, I am ."
That he was being so forthright eased her considerably. And made her wonder if he wasn't right. Was she setting herself up like a lamb for slaughter? Or bunny, rather.
"Why cut my landline cord, though? Aren't you helping the potential intruder?"
She couldn't help asking this, feeling a little bad she wasn't able to accept letting this question go so easily.
"You're not gonna let this go, are ya?"
It was as if he'd read her mind. A bit of aggravation had seeped into his tone.
"Sorry," she amended. "It's been bothering me since I noticed it."
"Guess you're gonna have to stay bothered."
If his voice didn't shut her down, his dead serious expression sure did.
She nodded.
"We um, we should really get going. Would you let me call my uncle on your phone to let him know we might be a little late?"
"Go for it."
He slipped his phone from his pocket and tossed it her way. She just barely caught it in time.
To her immense discomfort, Joker stayed rooted in place as she dialed her uncle's number. She had hoped for a little bit of space from him, but this didn't appear to be a request he was willing to grant.
Again, her lack of clothes while he remained covered made her feel... inferior. How long had it been since she'd felt that way? How hard had she worked to never feel that way again?
"Uh, lo?"
It took a few seconds for her mouth to catch up with her thoughts.
"Hey Lu, it's Celine. I'm ah using Jack's phone to call, can't for the life of me find mine."
"Sweet hell, Cece! You got no idea how close I was to coming over there."
The relief in his voice warmed her to hear. She meant to respond, but he continued.
"When you didn't answer your cell phone, didn't think much of it. God knows I only just learned how to get mine off silent." She smiled a little. "But when I didn't get so much as a dial tone from the landline, I uh... well, I-."
He left the implication hanging in the air. She had a hard time arguing with his concern. He was spot on to worry.
"I'm sorry." Her voice softened. "The phone jack is pretty shot, I'll um stop in town sometime today and replace it."
"I got a spare at the house I'll let you take," was his quick response. "Just uh...I don't like you being... I just don't like not being able to contact you is all."
She nodded.
"I know, sorry again. We got up late and have been picking up everything we took down to the beach last night."
She hoped this was sufficient enough of an explanation to convince him, but his next question alerted her he wasn't fully buying it.
"Celine... you alright? I mean... are you being... mistreated? If uh, if he's standing there and you need help all you gotta do is answer with 'Salmon sounds fine'."
Her eyes located Joker. He was watching her intently, offering no hint as to what he was thinking.
Sweat gathered at the nape of her neck. She felt like a member of a bomb squad, carefully navigating wires so as to avoid an explosion.
"I'm good, Lu," she assured, resting a palm on her knee. "Truly. I just called to say we might be running a little late, we're um gonna stop at Leo's for a quick bite. Jack wants to see where I spent my teenage years waitressing with mom."
Her fingers tightened on the phone when he didn't respond right away. Thankfully, the hiatus was brief.
"Alright, alright. Good to hear, I'll let everyone know." She relaxed. "Viv and Gene just got here; they got a little surprise for you."
She smiled.
"Do they? Shoot, I can't wait."
"Celine?"
"Yeah?"
"I uh- I'm glad you're okay."
"Thank you, that's... sweet of you to think of me." She stood and rolled back her shoulders. "We should be there in about an hour, maybe hour and a half. I'll call if anything changes."
"See that you do. We can't wait to see ya."
"I can't wait to see you guys either. Bye Lu."
They hung up and she returned Joker his phone.
He was still studying her face, brows furrowed.
"Take it I'm not leaving a good impression on him," was the first thing he said.
"Cutting me off from the outside world might do that," she returned, a little sharper than she meant to.
He made an unimpressed noise in the back of his throat.
"Guess I'm gonna have to win them over with my... charming personality."
"I'm starting to doubt you have one."
Anger was brewing in her chest. She didn't like entertaining this emotion for her energy was precious, but it would also be unhealthy to suppress it. Between what had led to her fainting and his moodiness because through his actions her uncle was now more suspicious than ever, it was taking a great deal not to spew out all of her frustrations.
"No need for that," he remarked coolly. "I'm under no contract to be... nice to them."
Her nod was one of defeat. She threw him a humorless smile.
"You're not," she agreed.
Without another word, she maneuvered around him and went to get dressed.
Unsurprisingly, Joker followed. But whatever comments circulating in his brain, he kept to himself.
It was when she managed to pull up a new pair of panties and clasp her bra that Joker decided he couldn't bare the silent treatment any longer. A muscled arm wrapped around her chest and pulled her backwards into his waiting form. He dropped his chin to her shoulder, scarred cheek pressing against her own.
They were both quiet for a minute. She was waiting on him, and he seemed reluctant to speak.
"This," he emphasized, "is why I don't do relationships. You're always saying something wrong; the woman is always in a mood, and suddenly, no one wants to hear my jokes. That last one... insults me like you wouldn't believe."
In his own complicated way, he was offering her the podium to speak. Asking 'what's wrong?' didn't come as easily to him as it did the average person.
"I don't like having my intelligence compared to a dog," she voiced, recalling from the numerous psychiatrists she worked with how important it was to focus on 'I' statements and not 'you' during a disagreement. "Not that dogs aren't smart in their own way, but coupled with you expecting me to obey you like one, it feels just as insulting as someone not laughing at your jokes."
He buried his face in her neck, exhaling roughly against her skin. Against her hickeyed pulse, he spoke.
"It ah... wasn't my smartest choice of words."
"I'm not one of your henchmen," she continued, speaking gently but sternly. "Unless you're paying me to obey you, I'm under no obligation to do so. If that's what you want in a relationship, I am not the woman for you."
His grip immediately tightened on her. Her only response was a distracted hum from the back of his throat.
"My uncle does find you suspicious. In all fairness, you've not done much to make him think otherwise. That... is not something I can entirely fault you for. As... the Joker... fear, nervousness, and anger are the responses you strive for. They're the most successful at getting you what you want. But... we're not in Gotham. We're here, in Calgary Cliff. You need to ask yourself... what do you want while you're here? How do you want to be perceived? What benefits you most, and how do you go about getting it? Is it possible that this time around... fear is not the way to do it? Is it possible that this time around... what's easy isn't necessarily what's right? Or maybe... what's right isn't necessarily easy? All questions to consider... making an effort to answer them might be more... helpful than you think."
Halfway through her speech, he'd taken to playing with a strand of her hair; curling it around an index finger and then letting it bounce free, only to repeat the action.
"Done?" he asked.
"Done," she confirmed.
She nearly melted into him when he placed a deceivingly soft kiss against her hickey. She'd not realized how tense her body was until it encountered his lips. He then ran his scarred cheek over the hickey, before starting the process again a little further below.
"Not," she stuttered out, "the... time. We're... gonna be... late."
"Mm," he murmured against her neck, "can't help it. You ah say words good ."
He slipped a hand into the cup of her bra and palmed her nipple until it hardened into a peak.
"Jack-."
"Your body benefits my libido," he interjected with a series of nips. "And your pussy benefits my dick. See, I'm doing my homework. I'm a good pupil, Miss Har-low ."
Him saying her last name in such a low, provocative manner was more arousing than she ever would have anticipated. He too knew how to say words good.
"We can't," she tried again as her head dropped back to rest on his shoulder. "And you're just... you're trying to make me forget how much of an... ass you were."
"When in doubt," he told her, "fuck it out. Proverb 4:79 from The Book of Jack ."
God, it was hard anymore to stay mad at him for more than ten minutes. And not just because he was so good at using humor to diffuse a tense situation. No, it seemed neither of them liked to leave a situation on hostile terms. Anger was not the foundation of their relationship. Mutual admiration, playfulness, curiosity... those are the things that first drew them to one another. Returning to this space seemed to be a priority, whether they were aware of it or not.
Joker continued to lavish her neck with a mix of teeth, tongue and lips. His cock rutted against her ass and the second he'd removed her bra and tossed it across the room, she knew round 3 was past the point of returning from.
They were going to be so, so, so late.
Many, many chapters ago someone left a review that said roughly this 'If the Joker was in a relationship with Celine, I couldn't imagine it being entirely healthy' and not only did I personally agree, but chose this route to explore. It's also what I think is most realistic. Joker is a deeply broken, troubled man who cultivated a persona that made him untouchable, unrepentant, an unstoppable force. Can this persona co-exist with who he becomes when Celine is around? And if it can, should it? Could it be healthier for them to be apart, for both of their sanities? I'll be pursuing some of these questions. At heart, I believe in love, in the fictional world anyway. I hope it prevails. I'm rooting for them just as much as I am madly throwing obstacles in their path. Mwah ha ha ha ha ha.
Happy Holidays you fine folks! Around this time last year someone had requested that I update a chapter as a Xmas present for them. I was so mentally unwell at the time that all I could do was stare helplessly at the comment. I'm so thankful to be in a better headspace a year later, and to have gotten this chapter out for you all on this day in particular.
You know the drill – stay warm, safe, healthy, yadda yadda. I read a tweet recently. It said 'No new years resolutions, it's time for the circumstances to improve.' Yes. Mine and yours both. Take care !