Curbside
By: PhoenixJustice
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"I'm trying to fucking sleep!"
"Shut up." Joker suddenly hisses.
"What?" Bruce says. "Don't try and distract me. Tell me where the-"
"That's Old Nana."
"Stop stalling and-"
"If I have to come out there."
"Bruce, PLEASE." Joker says, the shock of him saying Bruce's real name shocking him out of his next hit. He shouldn't have been shocked that Joker knew it, perhaps, but he never thought he'd hear Joker say it while Bruce was still in the cowl. "Unless you want to be hit by the cane-repeatedly-of a woman who has dealt with more shit than either of us combined and is probably older than Gotham itself-"
"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU... Joker, is that you?"
"It's me, Old Nana!" Joker exclaims.
A tiny looking old lady pops her head out the window of the old, crumbling apartment next to them. There weren't many people who still lived this far out in the Narrows alone, but this tough looking old lady didn't seem surprised or scared at the sight of either them. Just highly annoyed.
"You didn't come last Tuesday. Garry made his special recipe!" Old Nana said, looking down at Joker disappointed.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I got caught and thrown into Gotham the day before. But I got out the day after!" Joker exclaims proudly.
"Hmph. Alright. Well I don't care what happens; Poker on Friday with Marianne and Cindy."
"Marianne is Nana's granddaughter and Cindy is Marianne's wife." Joker says in a staged whisper, to Bruce's continued shock. "Wouldn't miss it for the world, Old Nana!"
"See that you don't." She starts to turn to leave, but stops. "And bring your boyfriend next time."
She looks pointedly at Bruce, causing Bruce to flush.
"I'm not-" He starts.
"Only because you won't make an honest man out of him yet." Old Nana says, shaking her head. "He's waited for you for years."
She straightens up and while she couldn't have been more than five feet tall, if that, the steely look in her eyes freezes Bruce in place (he could see why she invoked such terror in even Joker.)
"You'll come on Friday. Bring refreshments."
"Yes ma'am." Bruce says.
She shakes her head. "Yes, what?"
"Yes, Old Nana."
She smiles. "Good. Now get the hell off my block and let me get some sleep."
The curtain on her window closes.
It's quiet for a very long moment, but eventually, Bruce turns to look at Joker. The open and honest look in his eyes makes Bruce's breath catch.
He's waited for you for years.
"Bruce." Joker whispers. There, again, his name.
"What time do they usually start?" He asks hoarsely.
Joker blinks. "What?"
"The poker game." He feels himself flush again and looks away. "What time do they start?"
"Oh." Joker says softly. "Usually around 7. 'Cause Garry-Old Nana's nephew-cooks dinner first."
A home cooked meal. Playing cards. Talking about people like they were family. It causes a flip in Bruce's stomach.
It was...domestic. He hadn't known Joker was capable of those things. Or that he could want those things.
He's waited for you for years.
He swallows, forced now to look at truths which he hadn't want to admit to-or see-for so many years now.
"I'll be there." He says now, just as softly as Joker had spoken. His head turns and his eyes catch Joker's, the green shining so brilliantly at him that his heart aches with it. Beautiful.
"You will?" Joker asks, in obvious disbelief.
He moves a gloved hand to cup Joker's neck, taking in Joker's intake of breath with pleasure.
"Well." He says, in a husky tone now, moving in closer. "I have to make an honest man of you, don't I?"
"Yes you do." Joker whispers.
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