"I could zig zag and zig 'em again for the badge dream sparkle in my brick wall windows

Another thick installment of one night in Gotham without the wretched 'Houston we have a problem' attached to the festive batch of city goblins."

-Daylight: Aesop Rock

Wayne hung around the living room watching television until the dark receded dull gray light from the winter sun reached in through the shades. When he breathed in his heart fluttered and sped up for a moment before it settled back down and the dampness of his shirt sent chills crawling across his skin. His father's car with the red stains on the back seats. Wayne sat up and pulled his T-shirt off over his head and his heartbeat fluttered. He leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes and waited for the spins to stop he turned off the television and breathed slowly and waited until he didn't have to fight it and he could stand up. The pain hadn't come back yet but by morning it would creep up as the oxycodone worked its way out.

Wayne pulled another T-shirt out from under the coffee table and put it on. It smelled like sandalwood and classy skank like the girls he brought home in his father's car like the girls who sucked him off while he sat on the couch and listened to the radio.

There was bottle of Kaidan on the coffee table and a half empty bottle of water with the goldfish on it. He picked them up and walked across the room to his bedroom door and as he walked the city light trickled in through the shades across the carpet and his shadow followed alongside. He opened the locks on the door and walked into his bedroom to face what he had to face just to get it over with before the painkillers wore off and the guilt and the regret sunk back in. His father's car with the red stains on the back seats.

The Joker was sprawled out on the sofa with an unlit cigarette dangling from his fingers. The paint around his eyes had run and pulled streaks of black down his cheeks and the side of his face was covered in dried blood. He lifted his head and looked Wayne over. There was a clarity in his eyes that the morphine had taken away. But it was wearing off.

You here to interrogate me? He asked, smiling.

Yeah, you'd love that, wouldn't you. Wayne muttered, opening the bottle. He took a single pill and held it out. Take this. The Joker eyed the pill doubtfully.

It's Kadian, Wayne said. The Joker's eyes flicked up to him and back down to the pill in his hand and up again. Look, Wayne said, i don't want to fight. And i don't want to. Hurt you. He sat down in the chair closest to the fire and ran his hands through his sweat slicked hair.

Then why are you doing this. The growl in the Joker's voice was coming back as the morphine wore off. What do you want? He asked. Wayne considered this.

i want a time out.

W-what? The Joker laughed. Haven't had one of those since the second fucking grade. He coughed and it sounded deep and when he breathed in his lungs crackled.

Look, Wayne said, for the past three weeks, all we've done is rattle around the city tearing each other to shreds. i look like shit, i feel like shit…and i can't keep fighting day after day after day. i'm not like you. The Joker raised his eyebrows.

What do you mean.

i want a truce, Wayne said. i'm not like you.

A truce? The Joker spat. Are you nuts.

i'm starting to think so, Wayne said softly, more to himself than the Joker. Listen, if you want to settle this, we'll settle it, but all i ask is that you give me a few days off. Then we can go on beating the Christ out of each other until we're both dead. i don't care. The Joker cocked his head. He kept picking at the scabs on his arms.

If you want to get rid of me, then just turn me over to the pigs, he said. It's that simple.

They can't handle you.

You're right. A smug little smirk had settled into the Joker's mouth. He interlaced his fingers with the cigarette still between them and stretched his arms out until his shoulders popped and the handcuffs clinked metallic.

And you know who i am, Wayne pointed out. That changes everything.

That is your fault, the Joker said.

It is. Wayne looked back at him into the glare. But i've told you what i want. That's all i want. i'm not like you. The Joker wasn't smiling anymore but he still seemed amused. There were two perfect rings of purple bruises encircling his wrists and he picked at the little cuts where the metal had dug in too hard.

So what do you intend to do with me. i don't think you've thought this whole thing through very well. That's not like you.

i'm going to put you back in Arkham.

Great fucking plan, Bruce Wayne, the Joker chuckled. It only took me three weeks to get out…i'll do it again. You can't stop me. He started coughing harder and it sounded deep.

This is true, Wayne said. Do you want to go back there. The Joker shrugged.

i don't care. All my stuff's there.

i don't even know if it's worth the time, Wayne said quietly. Really.

My toothbrush…my…Best of INXS…

i could always keep you locked up in the garage until i decide. Wayne tossed the Kadian bottle back and forth in his hands. The Joker nodded.

You could. You could do that.

Yeah, but i don't think i will, Wayne said. That's my agenda and my motherfucking intentions. The Joker squinted his eyes and looked at Wayne like he was trying to see through him.

What in the hell are you on.

Percocet, Wayne said, tapping his jaw. i think you bruised the bone.

That's what i was aiming for, sport.

Really. Wayne leaned back in the chair with the bottle in his hand and watched the fire cast shadows across the floor.

You know that once i can stand, i'll find a way out, right? The Joker said lazily. Or you could just let me go if that would be easier for you-

No, Wayne said, holding up an empty vial. You're not leaving. Sergeant Morphine will see to that.

Sergeant Morphine. The Joker's eyes lit up.

That's him.

Jesus. The Joker glanced down at the needle punches in his arms. We go way back, he and i.

i believe you.

So if you're not letting me leave, does that make me a prisoner? The Joker asked. Wayne considered this.

Yeah, i guess so. The Joker smiled. It was the kind of smile that was dirty and his face shone electric. In that case, that's fine. He settled back against the arm of the sofa with his arms above his head. What happens after this.

i haven't thought about that yet, Wayne said. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Fair enough. The Joker stretched out and shook his hair out of his eyes dripping black down his cheeks. Look…you didn't have to kill me, he said. But you didn't have to save me. Wayne's throat tightened up.

i know. But i couldn't just…leave.

Yes, the Joker said. Yes you could have.

i guess i realized something.

What? A chill crawled up Wayne's spine even though the thermostat read 78 he still felt cold.

i don't know.

You are screwed, Bruce Wayne, the Joker said. You have painted yourself into a corner. Just- know that.

Believe me, Wayne said, i do. Now take this. He dropped the pill into the Joker's hand and held out the bottle of water. The Joker held it between his thumb and forefinger and inspected it.

This is for cancer patients, he remarked. You've got the hookup.

Of course i do, Wayne said. If it wasn't for him, i'd be dead right now.

That so? The Joker popped the Kadian and drank the water. The red paint around his lips rubbed off on the plastic. Any chance you could score me some Oxy 40s? He asked.

You shouldn't fuck around with those, Wayne said sternly. Trust me, i know.

Dramamine?

Keep it up.

That's what she said. Wayne turned away and bit the corner of his lip to keep from smiling. Go back to sleep. He turned on the television. What do you want to watch? The Joker shrugged again. Smiling still with the red paint smeared across his mouth.

Porn…

Wayne bit down harder but he felt the corners of his mouth turn up. He didn't know why. He didn't know. He picked up the remote and changed the channel to TLC.

Ah, why you gotta do me like that…the Joker mumbled.

What, you don't like Jon & Kate Plus 8? Wayne handed the remote to the Joker and walked out the door before the Joker saw the grin on his face. He didn't know whether it was the Percocet or the exhaustion or something about the Joker that had made him smile but he couldn't stop.

He wandered into the kitchen with the tiled floors and the stark marble counters that felt like ice brushing against his skin. All the power and all the pain was still pushing at him and his cell phone was ringing off in the distance somewhere because he hadn't shown up to work but he couldn't stop. He took the French press down from the shelf and the coffee out of the cabinet and he didn't know what he was going to do. He didn't know. The pain was there still pushing down into his veins but he was still smiling and he couldn't stop.