Someone brought up a good question. Which Joker am I basing this one off of. Answer would be all of them. I love the concept of the Joker but all of them seem to have things I either like or dislike. The back-stories, looks, jokes, personality, voice, desires etc. So basically this is a compilation of Joker parts from multiple medias. I would say he looks more like Heath Ledger without make up, except paler, while in makeup he looks more traditional. His makeup isn't a mess like Heath Ledger's make-up, but it's not as defined as his original looks because he does indeed have the scars. While dressed up he has slicked back hair, but while not he has the curly short hair Ledger had. He does have almost inhumanly pale skin, and his eyes are brighter than the average green you can find in actual human beings. This goes with the back-story I am going with, which if you haven't noticed isn't consistent with any singular comic universe. It's more of just the pieces that I feel portrays my Joker correctly. I would have to say the Arkham version of the Joker is the closest to personality I've seen or heard, love Troy Baker's voice.
I feel like the range in between incarnations can be rather ridiculous. Just as Batman's portrayals aren't all the same, you can have anything from self-righteous sarcastic good humored vigilante to a dark paranoid, multiple personality, stoic anti-social anti-hero. Obviously mine is not the one with personality disorders. Lol. However with the Joker you can have anything from completely nutters, no direction, bland sense of humor, with horrible puns. (Some of those comics lol) To someone with an actual grand endgame, even though the end game makes less sense to normal human beings, he still has a direction, an intelligence and a sarcastic morbid sense of humor. He can also go from completely insane 24/7 to having an actual sense of sanity in his own twisted way. You can obviously tell which way I went with that one. Cough.
BUT! I have to say I hated, okay hate is a strong word, disliked, Heath Ledger's delivery of his lines. So I would prefer, you read his lines with the Arkham line voice. Don't get me wrong Heath did an amazing job for his brand of the Joker. He was creepy and chaotic just like the doctor ordered, but I felt he was missing the refined grace, I feel, the Joker possesses. Too many twitches. While the Joker DOES have twitches, not that often. Lol
ANYWHO! Enjoy the update! Don't flame me for not liking a dead man. 10 things I hate about you is my favorite chick flick.
Get excited Fallon.
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Shattered Identities
Chapter 5
Deranged Train
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If Bruce thought the car ride, all the way from the rundown church. Which was uptown. To the high class bank, which was down town. Was going to be a quiet one... he would be wrong, because it seemed the Joker didn't know how to shut up, regardless of how many times his head had been slammed into unyielding objects that night.
They had barely made it two minutes into the drive before the madman had broken the uneasy quiet. Those few minutes he had been spent in silence inspecting Batman intensely in the passing lights. Taking in every possible detail of the man beside him. Every trace of visible skin, the line of his lips, the angle of his jaw. The press of the cowl against his flesh, the dark charcoal makeup smudged on his eyelids. The grip of his gloved hands on the steering wheel, the taut biceps straining against his black suit. How his stormy blue eyes narrowed and jaw muscles clenched under the madman's scrutiny. Every detail, taken in intently by bright green eyes.
Bruce wanted to feel nervous, but he didn't have that luxury right now. Batman didn't get nervous, Batman had nothing to be nervous about, because Batman wasn't a person. So there was nothing for the Joker to find... if only he really believed that, if only he really were one person. Wasn't it just a few hours ago he felt Bruce couldn't handle Arkham, yet Batman could? Wasn't he Batman and Bruce? Was Batman really just a suit? He resisted the urge to shake his head, no, Batman was an idea. Justice. Yet under Joker's eyes he felt less like Batman than usual. If he had to choose one villain out of them all to never discover his true identity it would be the madman. It seemed fate had a twisted sense of humor.
Finally the Joker cocked his head, lips pursed, eyes squinting at the man as if he were a puzzle that couldn't be left unsolved. His hand, which had been tapping some unknown tune against the door of the car lifted from its position, gesturing one pale finger towards the raw scabs trailing down his cheek. His body was curled between the seat and the door, angled towards his captor, one leg bent, his foot resting on Batman's expensive seats. The scratches were a reminder of the night's events, and how the Joker's brand of insanity was unique to the rest of the high security inmates held in Arkham.
"Now those." The Joker broke into a tight smile, his tongue darting out to lick his bottom lip, he scrunched his nose in distaste.
"Those, look painful." He chuckled finally breaking his unblinking stare, shifting to sit properly in his seat, he pressed his head back against the headrest. He threw his free hand up and over the top of the chair, letting it rest limply on the edge. He snuggled into the seat, maneuvering his dirt covered standard issue shoes onto the dashboard, the toes tapping together, the only outlet for the Joker's own song of madness, the finger's handing into the back twitching slightly. Batman watched the man's movements meticulously from the corner of his eye, his hands tense ready to shove the madman away from any buttons he didn't need to be near. The Clown moved his cuffed hand from its position resting against the center console, the short chain between them tinkling with the movement. The Joker's tongue flicked up cleaning his front teeth with an audible sounds, obviously used to garner the Dark Knight's attention. A scowl tugged at his scared lips before he opened his mouth again.
"Lovers quarrel, perhaps?" The Joker asked inspecting his bloodied fingernails with distaste. Nailing something out from under his index finger he flicked it to the floor. Bruce's eyes narrowed further, debating whether just knocking the man out was a better solution for the night, he didn't want to know whose DNA the madman just left on his floor. The Clown's eyes snapped to Batman when no snarky reply came his way. His hair scrubbed against the seat as he turned his head towards the vigilante, taking in Batman's tense form with narrowed eyes.
"Dear little Cat Woman? Hm?" A little intake of breath, "Sleeping with your little Robin?" The Joker suggested leaning forward in his seat, his feet falling back to the floor, his eyes widening at the prospect.
"Is she jealous? I'd be jealous. Hell!" The exclaimed before his voice grew dark, his head tilting forward. "I was jealous."
"But!" His head snapped back up, his face bright with amusement.
"Wouldn't that be the puuuuurrr-fect lovers triangle? Or would it be a square?" The Joker giggled drawing a square in the air, watching Batman with sharp eyes, waiting for any possible twitch the man would make against his accusations.
Except he didn't. The vigilante kept his eyes on the streets, ignoring the man completely, despite how much the madman's words made the Batman's blood boil. The Clown glared, his lips tightening, his teeth grinding together briefly before suddenly the look was gone. The Joker broke his fixed gaze, taking a deep breath through his nose, he leaned towards the Bat. Placing his elbow on the center console between them, avoiding a few flashing buttons out of self preservation, he crossed his legs at the knee. Batman's gloved hand slid down to the stick shift near the Joker's new position, making sure the madman didn't send them through a building, the cuffs chain clinking between them as he moved. The Joker rested his chin on his pale fingers, smirking at the stoic man beside him.
"Aw, whats wrong Bats... Cat got your tongue?" The Joker whispered with a chuckle, again he got no answer and the madman growled in frustration throwing his head back against the padded seat with an exaggerated sigh, he took a deep breath tossing his head back, his face towards the ceiling.
"Baaaaaaaaaats!" The Prince of Anarchy whined pitifully, Bruce gritted his teeth against the irritating sound, his hand tightening on the steering wheel, the high pitched noise grating on his patience. With a frustrated huff the Clown flung himself sideways, getting into Batman's personal space, his face inches from the cowl.
"Yooouu Whooo! Bats!" The Joker yelled painfully into the vigilante's ear, Batman's upper lip twitched, obviously fighting the scowl that tried to work its way onto his features, his resolve wearing thin.
"I'm right here, Super Star! You know. I don't ask for much, just a little attention for a poor old clown." The madman complained with a huff of disappointment. The male backed away a little, scowling at him. After a second of heated glaring his free hand shot out, reaching for the vigilante. The Dark Knight's cuffed hand instantly snapped up from its position on the stick shift, seizing the offending appendage mid air inches from his suit, the movement yanking the Joker's cuffed hand with him. Batman's grip tightened painfully on the Prince of Crime's wrist, a scowl finally creeping onto the vigilante's lips.
"Shut. Up." The Caped Crusader growled refusing to give the madman his full attention, his eyes still dutifully glued to the road. Said prisoner pouted at his words his hand opening and closing in need, still reaching for him. He threw the Joker's hand back towards the man, hoping it would hit the Clown in his obnoxious face. It didn't. The madman's eyes narrowed, brows furrowed, with tight pursed lips as he cradled the hand, like it had been deemed unworthy, when in the end he was the only thing that was, but no one seemed to understand that. Determination flashed in his brilliant orbs, his chained hand, the left, glided up to hold the back of Batman's seat near his broad shoulders. The vigilante's gloved hand forced to follow the Joker's own the chain pulling taut between them.
"Awww come on hero!" The madman leaned forward again, towering a little above the Dark Knight, his head and shoulders pressing against the ceiling. Batman's eyes narrowed and he tore his cuffed hand back down, ripping the Joker's hand from its place on his headrest. The Clown almost fell from the sudden shift in his weight his other hand slapping against the front console to stabilize himself, pressing a few buttons in the process. The window wipers came on, and a cloud of smoke emitted around the car, which quickly dissipated, left behind in their speed across town. Batman barely shifted his head towards the madman his eyes leveling him with a glare.
"Oops, look what you made me do!" The Joker removed his hands quickly sitting back into his seat. Bruce resisted the urge to roll his eyes, turning back to the road.
"Come on! I'm just curious! Indulge me a little. Or a lot." The madman added flirtatiously raising his eyebrows. Batman gritted his teeth clicking the windshield wipers off. Narrowing his eyes he finally looked over meeting the dancing green ones staring back at him in transfixed amusement, obsession. Bruce hated to admit it, but that look sent shivers of concern, shock, something, down his spine. It wasn't human to be so thoroughly consumed by one person. So enthralled. The playboy had admirers of course, some of them border-lining stalkers, while others were way over that line. Yet none of them had ever held that look, that obsession. The Detective turned back to the road not a second later, refusing to give the crime lord any more of his attention, refusing to read any more from those insanity rimmed eyes.
"I'm not going to dignify your deranged questions with an answer." Batman finally grunted out through gritted teeth. The Joker gasped loudly in mock pain, jerking back as if he had been slapped, his free hand held against his chest dramatically, the other slapping against his seat, tugging batman's wrist with him.
"Ouch. Batsy! That hurts!" The madman exhaled faintly, clenching his fist around his tattered clothes, a look of deep seated pain twisting his features. Batman shook his head, fighting the urge to roll his eyes.
"No it doesn't." Batman stated dryly, his eyes still glued to the road, watching as the buildings slowly became less decrepit and decayed. He paused, letting the madman cock a curious eyebrow at his comment. The Joker opened his mouth, ready to reply when the vigilante cut him off.
"You know what does hurt?" The Dark Knight asked slowly giving the maniac a second to process his question, trying to keep the smirk from his lips. The Joker frowned briefly, opening his mouth to reply, but it seemed Batman had a different plan. He took a sharp turn hard, refusing to slow down, the Bat Mobile slid dangerously across the asphalt, gravity jerking them towards the Joker's side of the car. The madman slammed into the window painfully, his backside cracking against the bullet proof glass, the side of the door jamming into his back muscles, the top of his head hitting the moldings. The vigilante straightened the car back out just as swiftly and the Clown was hurled forward. His hands slamming against the dashboard and center console in an attempt to stop himself from falling head first into Batman. Bruce finally let the smirk slip onto his angular lips. The Prince of Crime gritted his teeth in pain, slowly tilting his head up to glare at the vigilante through matted curly green strands. Batman turned his head towards the Clown giving him a once over, an almost invisible smirk on his lips. Taking in his white knuckled grip against the car. His deep scowl and hate filled glare with intelligent absinthe green eyes. The faded hair that fell into his sickly pale face. A face that looked more gaunt then it usually did, lips less crimson, more natural, if a little too pale. Not that Bruce knew too much about how the man looked without the makeup, but no one's lips should be that light in color. Not that any of that detracted from the Detectives current amusement. There was silence in the car, and the vigilante tilted his head at the maniac, a smirk finally breaking across his face.
"Not wearing your seatbelt." Batman informed him, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice. The Joker's scowl slowly fell from his own face, followed by confusion which quickly morphed into wide eyes that stared at the Bat in near shock. Slowly those lips parted, the scared edges tugging up until a smile was revealed. Then a chuckled left the madman, slowly gaining momentum, and the Joker was laughing hysterically. Clutching his sides, he coughed through the laughter, falling back into his seat. The laughter sounded painful, and the Caped Crusader resisted shaking his head in belief at the gargled giggles. How the Joker managed to keep it up for another thirty seconds was beyond him. The sound echoing through the car, both unhealthy gasps of breath and maniacal laughter.
"You're going to hurt yourself." The vigilante muttered while the Joker wheezed in his seat, fighting painfully for enough breath to start up again. Eventually it seemed he gave up, choosing instead to reply.
"What? Hurt myself? Now why would I do that, when I've got you here to do it for me?!" The Joker gritted out, his voice hoarse from the coughing, his grin more of a grimace when he smiled. He took in a sudden sharp breath, his hand pressed against his chest, his face paler than before, breathing shallow. Bruce wanted to groan in irritation. Watching the Joker was like babysitting a homicidal, self destructive three year old with his own level of stubbornness. By the time the night was over Batman probably wouldn't even need to watch the madman, he'd of landed himself in the hospital by then, simply because he couldn't stop laughing.
"Not that I'm complaining." The Joker finally exhaled, before a small cough took him over.
"You can lay your hands on me whenever you'd like sweet cheeks." The Joker added on with a sultry look, still looking pathetic in the aftermath of his laughing fit.
"You're going to tear your stitches." Batman stated slowing down as they finally neared their destination, well close to it. He could see the flashing lights from the police barricade farther down the road. He needed to find a side alley to park in so they could make their way to the scene. Or he could. He wasn't quite sure he wanted to take the maniac in with him, but he had no way to safely knock the male out without the chance of him getting back up while he was gone. Sure he could smash the Clown's head against something hard, not that it had seemed to be doing much so far, but it never lasted long and the man was right. Those cuffs wouldn't hold him. Not even for a full five seconds. Hell Bruce wasn't even sure why he was still cuffed now. None of his tranquilizers would last the allotted time, the Joker had easily built up a tolerance to them in Arkham. Again, this seemed like the only option.
"Aww you care!" The Joker exclaimed running a hand through his messy locks, finally straightening up, sweeping them out of his face.
"Don't worry bright eyes, I'm a tougher cookie than that." The madman informed Batman, biting his bottom lip seductively, not that the vigilante was paying much attention. They had finally made it to an off alley. The police lights barely visible, even though they were only two blocks over. Normally it would be a cakewalk to get into the bank. He could glide in, zip line, grapple swing, hell he could walk in, the police would probably not pay him much mind if he slipped by silently. Silently wasn't possible while he was attached to the Joker. He could glide in but he was pretty sure the Joker wasn't going to appreciate that. Grappling could work, but they'd have to get close. Zip lining would be loud, especially with the glass windows, the place didn't have balconies. The easiest and quietest entrance would be through the roof. Speaking of the roof, or any other part of the building. Bruce lifted his wrist opening up a panel he downloaded the schematics from his database of the bank's layout. Which just so happened to be out of date, they had remodeled earlier that year. Fantastic.
"Oracle." Batman grunted, turning his headset on with his free hand, ignoring the irritated sound the Joker threw at him for being ignored yet again.
"Batman. Good to hear from you. What do you need? Are you there yet?" Oracle rambled off, the soft clicking of keys could be heard in the background.
"I'm nearby. I need the new blueprints for the remodeled floors." The Joker sighed, shifting in his seat again, throwing his feet onto the dashboard, his fingers tapping erratically against the window in boredom.
"I'm on it." Barbara informed him, the line falling dead.
"Calling your girlfriend? I'd love to meet her. Oh! We could have a sleep over! Do each others makeup! I know a thing or two about makeup. She'd be sleeping the most though. Probably wouldn't wake up, if you, uh. You get it. You always get it." The Joker chuckled darkly, his fingers tapping out an unknown tune onto the glass. Batman ignored him, one thing the Joker loved was people rising to his baits. Sadistic bastard.
"We'll have to go in from the roof." The vigilante informed him, unlocking the Batmobile, the roof sliding backwards to unleash them on the world.
"Ooooh?! I still get to come along?!" The Joker squealed excitedly, clapping his hands, he leaned in a little too close for Bruce's comfort.
"How exciting, you my friend are a saint!" The crime lord threw his arms out almost as if he expected Batman to return a hug. There was a pause, the madman licked his lips looking down sucking air in through gritted teeth.
"Buuuuut uh, I didn't purchase frequent flier miles. Don't get me wrong! I love! Oh do I love. Your body pressed against, mine." The Joker exhaled longing in his voice, then his hands came up flexing in the air as if he were grasping for something.
"It's the lack of holding places that bugs me, I mean really?! How the hell do you expect me to keep my paws off that, fabulous, back of yours? Have you, seen, those muscles?!" The madman exclaimed his cuffed hand shooting out faster than Batman could stop it, the vigilante's own hand jerking painfully after it. The maniac's fingers caressed the back of his neck, trailing to his shoulder affectionately. Bruce could barely feel the touch through his Kevlar, but it still gave him the creeps.
"Felt them?" The Joker added after a pause, taking in the feel of Batman's Kevlar encased back.
"I have. And gorgeous. It's not something you don't touch." The Joker leaned in close his voice whispering into Batman's cowl, "It's just not." The Clown whispered and the Caped Crusader's free hand jerked up, his gloved fingers pressing into the man's face, he pushed him roughly out of his personal bubble.
"Then you'll have to contain yourself because that, is what is going to happen." Bruce growled, the madman fell back into his seat with a grunt, slapping Batman's hand away from his face with a scowl.
"Is it now?" The Clown hissed through gritted teeth.
"What do I look like, one of your pigeons? How about we take the not so scenic route? Hm? That sounds like a fantastic idea! Yeah, let's do that." The Joker nodded vigorously shifting in his seat he placed one hand on the side of the door, getting ready to vault out of the car.
"What are you talking about?" Batman asked eyeing the madman wearily, not really sure he even wanted to hear it.
"The sewers, Cream Puff!" The Joker stated like it was obvious, making his move to exit the car, their minds made up, tugging Batman's cuffed hand with him. The Dark Knight narrowed his eyes, a frown pulling at his lips, he yanked the clown back into the car using their joined hands. Said maniac slipped backwards into the seat with a pained grunt, one hand gripping the side of the car keeping his head from from meeting painfully with the center console, his other hand hanging limply in the cuff just in front of Batman. The Clown scowled, a groan of pain passing his lips.
"Bats." The Joker growled darkly, he released his hold on the door, falling the rest of the way into the seat. Swiftly he let his knees fall to his chest, and suddenly Bruce had a jaw full of shoe rubber, his head snapping to the side, his bruised ribs slamming into the door. His ear stung, his teeth throbbing he slowly moved his free hand up to touch the side of his jaw tenderly, the taste of blood pooling in his mouth. He jerked his head towards the Joker's grinning face, the maniac's body still contorted, folded in at the waist, his legs held in the air by his head. Batman snarled viciously, snatching one of the madman's ankle before he could pull them away to safety. The Clown's grin immediately fell off his face as he tugged uselessly at the vigilante's grip, unable to do much from his knotted position.
"The sewers aren't connected to the bank, not in anyway we can get in." Batman ground out, tightening his grip on the man's ankle, he tugged him towards his side, pulling the creep farther into his folded position. The madman hissed in pain, sliding a little on the seat, his hands gripping the interior in attempt to stop himself from crushing his injured lungs further.
"That you know of." The Joker bitched, his breathing labored, his own weight constricting his ribcage. The Dark Knight threw the man's foot back to him with an irritated growl. The Joker immediately uncurled himself, taking in a deep breath as the pressure was released. He scrambled, undignified, into a sitting position, brushing off his torn and bloody clothing like it was a Prada exclusive. Blue eyes glowered at the pale man before tearing them away, he grimaced working his jaw. He leaned over the edge of the Batmobile, and spat the mouthful of blood onto the asphalt. Swallowing in disgust, he slowly turned back around, fixing the Joker with a predatory glare. He suddenly lunged out of his seat, one cuffed glove encased hand slapping against the Joker's head rest, his unshackled one cocked into a fist, ready to punch the man in his grinning face, his cape flared out behind him. Then his communications snapped on freezing him in place, the cape fluttering to a rest, his hand still poised for the punch. The madman's own free hand had shot out in front of his face, his cuffed one being held back by the cuffs, not much defense against the Dark Knights retaliation. Playful giggles passed his scared smiling lips as the Caped Crusader bore down on him.
"Batman." Oracle broke through the com, stopping him from slamming his fist into that smiling face. She didn't need to hear that. "I can't get anything, apparently the new blueprints were never uploaded digitally, it's all paper." Batman flexed his fist, scowling down at the grinning lunatic.
"Guess we're going in blind." The Detective replied to her, holding back a sigh of frustration, he let his fist fall, no longer in the mood to pound the man's face in, yet.
"Yeah, wait. We?" Barbara asked skeptically and Bruce reached his hand up.
"I'll call you later." He stated shutting the line down, watching the maniac's earlier amusement die out.
"I am. Not!" The Joker exclaimed jerking his cuffed hand to his chest childishly, yanking Batman's with it. The vigilante's hand was wrenched from its position on the side of the chair, the hand that held most of his weight. Gravity tore him downwards, his previously clenched gloved hand shooting out to slam against the side of the car. His face inches from the Joker's own smirking one. The Dark Knight growled in irritation, his grip tightening against the steel, while the Joker chuckled.
" – Crashing in through the ceiling like Zoro." The madman whispered leaning upwards, shortening the small distance they already had between them. His hot breath caressing Bruce's tense jaw.
"Not unless you want to get us both killed." His eyes shifted down to Batman's sharp lips, and he licked his own scarred ones. The Caped Crusader's muscles tensed as he pushed a few inches, increasing the distance between them, his stomach muscles taunt, keeping his body from falling on top of the Joker's.
"We wouldn't die." Batman whispered back with a deep guttural tone, the glare never leaving his face.
"Says you, soldier boy. I on the other hand happen to be flesh and bone." The Joker reached down pulling up his shirt, exposing the flesh of his stomach. Batman pushed himself back farther, unable to stop himself from glancing down, taking in the train wreck on the man's skin. Bruises littered his torso like a disease, spreading from one side to the other, up his lithe abs, dotted with scrapes and scratches. The right side of his chest was bandaged blood soaking through the white material, the left still had his tattered shirt covering it, a nipple barely peaking out. Bruce's eyes snapped back to the madman's.
"I'm sure you've noticed." The Joker smirked as Batman stared down at him in stunned silence, those bruises would hurt like hell.
"Besides if this guy is even half as smart as most people he'll have the entire upper floors booby trapped. It's what I'd do." The Joker informed him slyly, jerking his shirt back down, Bruce swallowed taking a deep breath, tearing his eyes away from the madman's vivid green ones.
"He's not you." Batman replied vaguely, unable to shake the sight of the man's abused skin from his mind.
"No, he's not." The Joker answered, his free hand leaving the hem of his shirt to press sensually against the Vigilante's hard abs.
"And you keep that in mind." The Clown suggested his hand trailing up along his abs, and over chiseled pecs. Batman's cuffed hand snapped up, snatching the Joker's free hand away from his body.
"What's that supposed to mean?" The Dark Knight growled, lowering himself a few inches, trapping the other man's hand against the back of the seat, his cuffed one stuck in the same vicinity.
"That he could have no, qualms, about killing your pretty little, self." The Joker chuckled his hand flexing against the seat, Bruce could feel the tendons shift beneath his fingers. Batman's eyes narrowed in thought, unsure of the madman's suggestion. The last one hadn't seemed too gung-ho about killing him.
"If he's a clone – ." Batman started, but a hand closed around his neck, jerking his own away from the seat. The Joker's face suddenly inches away from his own, an angry snarl on his lips.
"You think they can clone me?!" The Joker hissed his grip tightening. His cuffed hand encasing as much of the vigilante's neck as it could. Batman still held the madman's free hand in his own cuffed one, their wrists getting tangled.
"My brilliance?! You think that is just, What? Bought in a doctor's office?" The madman spit at him, anger clear in his absinthe colored eyes that bore into Batman's own, his grip becoming painful even for his Kevlar suit. Bruce released the Joker's hand to grab the other one, attempting to pull it away from his windpipe, he wouldn't do any real damage. Not like he had done at Arkham yesterday.
"I have books, upon books, of speculations! About me Bats! And none of them, even come. Close. To who." The Joker laughed sardonically, "To what, I am." The Dark Knight tore the madman's pale hand from his throat, a matching scowl on his own lips.
"Hell I don't even know! So how the fuck would they?!" The Joker ripped his hand out of the vigilante's grip. He raised those, palm up by his head in a gesture of surrender.
"All I know, is that I keep you around, for fun." The man whispered, his free hand moving up to caress Batman's masculine jawline, a small chuckle leaving his lips. The Dark Knight jerked away from him, straightening up and out of this reach entirely, one knee on the center console, the other leg still in the driver's seat, his boot on the floor board.
"Of course. Who the hell would think your fun?! I mean look at you! Dower and dull." The Joker complained gesturing to the perfect male specimen towering above him. Batman glared down at him, his lips tight, while the Joker stared back, a loose smile on his own.
"Fine, say you're right." Batman indulged him, his hand coming back up to lean against the Joker's head rest, but still not anywhere close to his personal space.
"I'm right." The Joker insisted with a frown and a cocked eyebrow.
"They remodeled several months ago, what if they blocked your entrance?" The vigilante countered darkly, looking down on the Clown.
"Oh. They didn't." The Joker insisted rolling his eyes, when Batman didn't look impressed he elaborated.
"Come on! Its how they smuggle the French mobs money in and out of the city." The madman, gestured back and forth sitting up, with a superior smirk on his face.
"The what?" Batman asked his eyes narrowing, he'd never heard of such a thing.
"Exactly." The Joker sang with a giggle.
"I've never heard – ."
"That's the point." The Clown whined, tossing his head back in exasperation.
"There aren't many things I don't know about." Batman growled his grip tightening on the seat again.
"You're rather near sighted peanut, there's plenty you don't know. You care about this city." The Joker stated, the soul piercing stare leveled on the vigilante.
"Not much else. Wonder how your bat boys handle that." The Joker replied smugly, his hand reaching out yet again to touch the Bat. The Dark Knight's hand stopping him for a third time with an irritated grunt.
"Stop. Touching. Me. And no. I won't let you run me around in circles, if those people die, it won't be on me." Batman growled out, leaning back he turned around leaping gracefully out of the Batmobile, his right hand tugging painfully behind him when the Joker didn't follow fast enough. The maniac glowered at him, then narrowed on the cuffs, debating.
"Get out." The vigilante grunted giving the man's wrist a tug with his own. The Joker tossed his head backward in exasperation.
"Come on! First you want me in, now you want me out! Make up your mind! I'm beginning to wonder which one of us is more of a woman." The madman giggled slinking his way out of the Bat Mobile, to land in front of the Vigilante just as gracefully.
"We're going my way. From the rooftop." The Dark Knight grunted at him, daring the man to challenge it. The Joker hissed in some air through his teeth, tensing his shoulders he rocked onto the tips of his toes then back a few times. Groaning the madman looked down at the ground, looking back at him up at him with a sweet smile which quickly turned into a smirk.
"Good luck getting me up there Sugar." The Joker exhaled, then slumped to the ground bonelessly, making himself comfortable on the grungy asphalt near Batman's boots. Slightly surprised the vigilante simply stared down at him for a few seconds, while the madman just smiled pleasantly back, one arm suspended limply in the air by the cuffs. The Caped Crusader nodded his head dryly, his lips tightening. He shuffled his boots, closing the short distance between them and the Joker's body, the tips of his toes knocking against the man's side none too gently. Batman hovered over him, his shadow cast over the man. A smirk graced his angular lips as the vigilante bent down, grasping the thin man under his arms.
"Good thing you're light." He smirked easily hauling the Joker off the black pavement. The Clown let out an indignant yelp as he was thrown effortlessly into the air and over the Dark Knight's shoulder. A gust of air left the madman's lips as his bruised stomach met the Kevlar hardened shoulder. Bruce almost wanted to feel sorry, but there was no sympathy for the devil.
"Hey! What the Hell! Let me down you giant oaf! I'm not going, damn it!" The Joker exclaimed his feet kicking violently forcing Batman to tilt his head away from the man's squirming legs.
"You should eat something." The vigilante replied closing the subject of the crime lord having a choice in the matter, he hefted him into the air again fixing his grip. The Joker growled his hands fisting into his black cape.
"How about you?!" The madman growled his teeth digging into Batman's Kevlar suit, doing nothing but hurting the Clown in the process, he gnawed away at pieces of his muscled back regardless. Batman felt slightly sorry for his cape, but it had seen worse.
"Don't hurt yourself." Batman suggested with a smirk carrying the Joker down the grungy side alley and around a corner, looking for a fire escape, anything he could get the Clown to the roof with, with out losing him with all his thrashing. There didn't seem to be any however and Bruce didn't want to waste time looking at another building. Unbuckling his grappling hook he ignored the Joker's howled protests, and flailing limbs, shooting it onto the roof top.
"Batsy! Babe! Seriously! Let's talk about this! It's really not that – ." Batman pressed the button and they zipped up the side of the building, barely half a second later the Joker's stomach was in his throat. There was a loud zing, a snap, and the line went slack. The world slowed down the ground moved towards them, Joker face first for the show. They passed one set of windows, and the vigilante's grip on the madman loosened throwing him back into the air. The Joker stared in horror as he pulled the Bat's cape with him, his hands still fisted in its fabric, their bodies parted, air rushing between them, fear gripped the madman. Not fear of dying, fear that Batman would actually let him, that he wasn't worth saving. Then he felt a tug on his clothes, hands tightened on his back, the ground so close, he was pulled back in, their bodies finally touching. Strong arms tightened around him, holding him flush against a well toned build. They hit the ground hard, the air rushing painfully out of both their lungs from the impact. Batman's head was curled up near his own, avoiding a collision with the pavement, his back taking all of the blow, the Joker safely clutched to his chest. Hot breath rushed across the Joker's neck, the he was unceremoniously thrown off of the vigilante, who rolled over onto his side, coughing painfully, one hand clutching his stomach. The Joker could feel more scratches on his arm from the meeting with the pavement, the Bat could have been gentler. His own hand came up to press against his wounded chest, his other hand straining harshly against the cuff, bruising his wrist.
"I told you. It was a dumb idea." The Joker wheezed, his breathing painful, he could feel his bandage saturating in blood. Groaning the Clown collapsed back against the ground, staring at the smoggy light polluted sky. Batman got to his hands and knees, painfully making his way onto his feet. The vigilante stood for a second, trying to push down the pain coursing through his back. There were going to be some ugly bruising tomorrow, much like the Joker's stomach actually. Finally Batman moved, walking a few feet away from the building, tugging Joker's hand with him, the man sliding across the pavement with each step, his tattered shirt doing little to save him from the rough surface. The Caped Crusader picked up his grappling gun, inspecting it. The end was severed completely, which wasn't possible with normal bullets, he designed these to never fail.
"Rooftop snipers?" The Dark Knight muttered staring around at the top of the neighboring buildings. Obviously they were covered on the street, it was only when they cleared the shorter building towards the bank that they were shot at.
"Wow! Why didn't I ever think of that?!" The Joker exclaimed sarcastically, one hand holding his tender chest. He pushed himself a little off the ground, leaning on one forearm, leveling Batman with a dry stare.
"They must have armor piercing rounds." The Detective stated staring at his broken gadget.
"Cheats." The Joker muttered, flopping back to the ground.
"You know. I'd like to stay in the car. I'm not dying, for your self-righteous, incentives." The Joker complained with a hiss, glowering around the dirty, yet garbage free street, it was obvious they were downtown.
"Oh look, the entrance to the sewers! How convenient is that?! To bad, someone! Is a stubborn little bitch and couldn't have just taken. My fucking advice!" The madman continued with his sarcasm, throwing a tantrum like a child, gesturing angrily towards a circular metal lid in the middle of the street. Batman looked towards the rooftops again, his lips tight in anger. It looked like he didn't have a choice. He couldn't leave the Joker here, so he couldn't take out all of the snipers, or even stealthily make a path to the bank.
"Calm down." Batman suggested staring at the sewer entrance, debating any other option than trusting the word of a madman, what was it that the Joker always said? Did I ever lie to you? Technically he never had, that didn't mean he doesn't tell half truths.
"Don't. Tell me. To calm down! I'm the one with a shot wound here! This isn't like Arkham City! I can drown in my own blood, well, actually. I could have there too, to be honest." The Joker chuckled with a morbid smile. The Dark Knight turned his gaze down to the madman, taking a deep breath.
"If this is a trap or something, I will kill you." Batman threatened, and the Joker laughed up at him, taking a sharp breath he cut off, swallowing hard.
"Sure you will Heartthrob, and I will drop my jokes and become an upstanding citizen of Gotham." It was obvious the Joker wanted to cackle with joy at his own jest, but couldn't thanks to his injury. Bruce tugged at their cuffed hands, getting the madman's attention.
"Let's go." Batman grunted already taking a few steps towards the sewers before the Joker could get to his feet. Sighing dramatically the Clown followed after his favorite hero. They stopped near the lid and the Bat stooped down yanking it from its rusted place, holding back a grunt of pain as it strained his bruised back. The metal screeched along the ground as he tossed it aside.
"Hubba hubba." The Joker muttered wagging his eyebrows. Batman's eyes snapped up to him, a glare firmly in place as he straightened up. The madman stood on the other side of the open hole, staring down into the darkness.
"Well, ladies first." The Prince of Crime snickered, gesturing for Batman to take the lead.
"You're right." The vigilante stated tugging hard on their joined wrists, the Joker took a step forward to stop himself, realized there was nothing to step on and lost his balance slipping into the opening. Batman stepped forward as well, wrapping a hand around the man's back, pulling him close they fell into the darkness. His boots splashed into the rancid water, the chill creeping through his suit, the Joker groaning in disgust against him. The Caped Crusader released his hold on the man pulling out a flashlight, he clicked it on.
"Ack. This was a terrible idea, whose idea was this? They're barmy." The Joker complained jokingly, and Bruce accidentally let a small chuckle escape. The madman's head snapping up to stare in wonder at the cowled man. Then the pale male flashed the Dark Knight a dazzling smile. Bruce took a step back, swiftly tearing his eyes away from the man. He had a job to do, ignoring how, strange, normal, that smile had been on the man's face.
"It should be to the left." Batman said waiting for the Joker's confirmation. The madman remained quiet for a moment, a dour mood settling over them.
"Yeah," The man answered with a sour whisper, "It should be." Then the Joker trudged ahead of him, his shoulders slumped, one hand on his chest, the other trailing behind him linked to the vigilante's own. Batman watched him for a few seconds, slugging through the water, for once completely silent. Watched the murky soak into his already dirty clothes. Bruce was suddenly glad he sprayed his wounds with a liquid repelling bandage. This place smelled disgusting, why was this night so irritatingly long?
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This Chapter is definitely shorter than the last two, but to be honest. I have to have the Joker in every chapter. Because life's fun like that. So unless he's in it, it'll keep going until he is lol. Anyway, the next chapter will probably be shorter as well... maybe. Who fucking knows, I sure as hell don't. Rofl.
ANYWHO! Your comments make me happy. Kudos and favorites make me smile. :D
Yes! Fallon! I know! You want more! Lol. You keep me going man. :P