just realized it did not upload properly the first time lol. sorry~

Don't fuck with me, don't fuck with me
Since you shipped my ass off to sea
I never knew where I was goin'
I went where the water was flowin'

- DOT

Do you ever decide to do something, and in the moment it seems like a brilliant idea, but later you find out it was quite possibly the worst decision you could have made?

That's the exact feeling I felt while running hand in hand with the man who had committed a murder on live television just hours ago.

In the moments my brain wasn't bombarded with the illusion of dopamine, I had time to think about who exactly I had become around Arthur.

With this realization, I stopped dead in my tracks.

"We're stopping again?" Arthur asked me, an annoyance in his voice.

"Arthur, are you going to turn me in if you get caught?" I said to him, a frown plastered on my face. He stepped towards me, also taking the opportunity to light a cigarette.

"What would I have to gain from turning you in?" He asked me, smoke leaking from his mouth.

"Let's be honest, Arthur, you don't exactly operate on reason," I said. He put his hand up and stopped me briefly

"Actually, call me Joker now." He threw the used cigarette away. I watched it roll on the ground into the sewer and then looked at him, still waiting for his answer to what he would do with the dirt on me.

Instead, he held his hand out to me.

"Let's just enjoy this fleeting moment." He said to me. I sighed but took his hand anyway.

When we turned the next corner, we both nearly jumped out of our skin at the sight of a police car. Looking around frantically, I pointed out a building on the other side of the street that had only been partially boarded up.

We crawled inside it and went to the top story. It was a pretty good hiding space with minimal light and few pieces of furniture left. Arthur suggested that we try to hide indefinitely.

I agreed that it was probably the best thing to do meanwhile. I didn't want to face the consequences of my actions quite yet.

But then our minutes turned into hours, and our hours into days.

On the third day, I was really close to being ready to face the action of my consequences if it meant being able to go outside to find a shower and a real bed. I had been cooped up but seen Arthur occasionally go outside for god knows what.

This was also that day that I couldn't take it anymore.

I sat up from the metal desk I had been laying on and spotted Arthur in the corner dancing while he did some thinking. I sighed.

"Arth- I mean- sigh , Joker, we can't keep living like this," I said to him and stood up off the desk. "We've got to make a move at some point."

Arthur stopped and looked at me. "Do you want me to be arrested?" He asked me.

I was offended. "Of course not, but what's the difference between being dead and doing absolutely nothing here?" I asked him. He walked up to me and grabbed my chin. I frowned at him.

"We're going to stay here, okay?" He said to me and gave me a peck on the lips.

That was it.

I began to walk down the stairs to exit the building. I almost made it out but was stopped by Arthur towering behind me.

My stomach turned as I realized what was pressed against my back. I stopped moving immediately, the cold metal cooling my skin. I held my breath in anticipation.

"I need you to do something for me." Arthur started. "It's not anything bad, in fact, it's kind of a funny joke."

I gulped. I had heard his definition of a funny joke three days ago and knew it was definitely bad.

He turned me around to face him.

"This way it's fair. I keep your secret and you do a favor for me." He smiled at me. I wished he wouldn't.

He stroked the back of my head. "I want you to bring me someone. There's a burial happening tomorrow."

"A burial?" I asked, "Like for a funeral?" Arthur nodded.

"There should only be two people there, according to my guy on the outside. I want the younger one." He handed me a small revolver that he had been keeping in his pocket. Where the hell was he getting weapons and intel? Were his followers that devoted?

I took the revolver. "I'll do it but on one condition. I want a real fucking place to stay."

My request was fulfilled, it wasn't the nicest motel in Gotham but I also knew that we couldn't get away with staying at a nicer place.

I went up to the counter alone and got a room. As the woman at the counter was writing something I hesitated. "Also, can I get two beds?" I asked her. She nodded.

I kept telling myself that my time with Arthur was limited and that it was probably for the best. You probably shouldn't spend too much time around someone who willingly presses a gun to your back for demands, but then turns around and sweet-talks you.

I took the key and headed to the room with Arthur. We went in and looked around the room. It wasn't great , but for a budget motel, it was okay.

"They gave us two beds?" Arthur wondered out loud.

"Uh, yeah, I guess she gave me a free room upgrade," I said.

Without another word, I headed to the bathroom. I needed that hot shower. Arthur too as he tried his best to get the makeup off but there were some spots he couldn't get off. Pretty disappointing too since he made us stop for more makeup.

Once I finished my shower I tried to wash my clothes with shampoo and water. It wasn't great but it worked. I put on a towel and exited the bathroom to see Arthur watching the news. I walked over and looked at the screen.

" Holy shit!" I said out loud.

It was me, on the screen. Goddamn, those Gotham detectives were good. But it was probably only a matter of time since we were both missing at this point, and I had been questioned before.

I sighed and sat on the bed Arthur wasn't on. "I think we should go to sleep soon, seeing that just fucked me up." I dried my hair with another towel. Arthur turned off the television.

"Probably." Was all he said. He stood up to take his turn in the bathroom. I hung my clothes up, hoping they would dry completely overnight.

I left one light on and then slipped under the covers of the bed I had been sitting on.

The sound of the shower provided some white noise as I started to slowly drift off to sleep.

The next morning was Burial Day. We both got ready in silence and then got ready to head out. I rolled my eyes at Arthur once again in his full Joker attire. I wasn't sure how he expected to hide from the law when dressed like that.

Arthur had us walk to a phone booth so he could make a call. I noticed that the temperature had plummeted and the sky threatened to throw precipitation. I stood outside the phone booth and waited, anxiously scanning our environment. After about 10 minutes Arthur finally stepped out.

"There's a car coming for us, we'll be picked up and taken to the graveyard. They're going to bring you flowers so you can pose as just a typical visitor." Arthur lit a cigarette.

"Okay." Was all I said, giving him an attitude. I was still pissed off from last night.

The car actually came pretty quickly, I guess we didn't walk far. Arthur got into the front passenger seat and I climbed in the back.

Arthur and the driver chatted a bit about the recent events and the driver expressed his gratitude for what he had been doing. I just stared out the window at Gotham, listening to their conversation but saying nothing.

We arrived at the entrance of the cemetery. Arthur handed me the flowers that the driver brought and told me that I should be looking for the graves of Martha and Thomas Wayne, but we wanted Bruce. My mind turned at their names. They were oddly familiar.

"Just try to be inconspicuous and then take the opportunity when it comes. We'll pull up and help you when it's time." The driver told me.

I put my hand on my coat pocket to check for the revolver. It was still there.

I got out of the car without a word and began to walk down the road paved through the cemetery. It wasn't a huge cemetery, but the only people were far away enough to be small figures.

The cemetery was scattered with gravestones of various sizes and shapes. A small drizzle began from the sky and stuck to the grass. The road began to turn darker.

I finally got close enough to the figures that I had initially seen in the distance. There was, of course, a giant hole and two caskets. I counted six people. Four of them looked like they were helping with lowering the casket and then, as Arthur predicted, two were in formal, black clothing.

I furrowed my brows and squinted my eyes at the two who were visitors. One of them looked at least 40, but for the second, I had to triple-check what I was seeing.

I thought it couldn't be true, but as I walked closer and the figures became clearer, I knew it had to be.

It was a child. Arthur was trying to kidnap a fucking child.

I headed towards a random grave about 10 feet behind them as I walked closer.

I stood in front of the grave I had randomly selected, it read Cynthia Villa, b. 1963 d. 1981 .

What a grave to randomly pick, someone so young. I thought to myself and wondered about the cause of her death.

Foregoing all else, I continued with my act and placed the flowers on the ground. I got on my knees and into a praying position. I sat in silence and listened to the burial happening in front of me. The small sobs of a child echoed through the air.

I closed my eyes.

Fuck. I thought as I pieced the situation happening in front of me together. I can't possibly do this. Kidnap a recently orphaned child?

I heard a car in the distance, driving on the opposite side of the 'island' the road formed. They're probably expecting me to do something soon . The sound continued to come closer.

It was now or never. They would definitely take the situation in their own hands if they needed to.

I stood up abruptly and started to walk towards my 'victims'.

"Excuse me," I said loudly. They all turned to look at me. "I- I don't want to alarm you, but you're in danger, you need to get out of here."

They blinked at me. The older visiting man stepped towards me and defensively in front of who I assumed was Bruce Wayne. "Excuse me?" He asked.

"I was sent to take him, to kidnap him," I pointed towards Bruce. "But I didn't know he was a child, so I'm giving you a chance to escape. "

The sound of the car was finally right behind me. I heard the engine turn off and glanced over my shoulder.

I looked back at Bruce with a worried expression.

They all stepped back slightly, still in disbelief and confusion.

I sighed and pulled out my revolver, hoping it might encourage them a bit more.

" Go!" I yelled at them.

They finally ran towards the car they had parked near the grave. The workers helping with the burial also scurried away worriedly, unsure of what was happening. The car managed to drive away remarkably fast, and the layout of the cemetery made it fruitless for Arthur and his driver to try and pursue them.

I looked towards the car with Arthur and his driver. I could imagine their frustrated exclamations happening inside the car.

They both got out. I heard a loud laughing from Arthur and the driver immediately turned towards me and yelled: " What the fuck ?!" Arthur said something back to him that I couldn't make it out. They started to walk towards me, I stood still. Arthur slowly stopped laughing as they approached.

"Vicky, honey," Arthur said, I gave him a dirty look for the stupid nickname. "What happened?" He asked me in a fake sweet voice. I could clearly see rage on the drivers' face, I assumed Arthur felt the same but knew that I could be manipulated easier this way.

"I could ask you the same question. A child , Arthur?" I said. His face turned darker. He sighed lightly.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Joker?" He said.

I laughed slightly. "From now on, never." I threw the revolver that he had given me on the ground. "Because you're never going to see me again. I'm leaving. Feel free to shoot me as I leave, I don't care." I turned around and started to walk. I heard the sound of a weapon preparing behind me, but nothing after that.

They didn't shoot. I gulped, unsure of what I was doing or even where I was walking to. But I still faced forward, not looking back.

I heard the car start again and begin to drive off. I looked straight ahead.

I wasn't sure of anything, but one word lingered in my mind. Revenge. There was already proof that I wasn't as powerless as I felt. Maybe Arthur didn't shoot because he knew that all I had waiting for me were consequences. Admittedly, I wasn't sure how my intended one-night-stand with a neighbor had turned into me ready to turn us all in for a crime. But I also pondered about whether I would choose to change it.

My midterms absolutely didn't matter now, that was true.

And revenge, the word was exciting. I still needed that.

Still, I walked until I found myself at the front of a police station.

I took a deep breath and stepped inside, ready to finally end this madness.