"Baseball?" Willow asked as she stared dumbfound up at Joker. "Are you serious?"
Joker slid off his last glove and placed them on the kitchen table in front of Willow. Joey chugged down the rest of his drink as he glanced over to a grinning Joker, his hair freshly dyed in his normal toxic green color.
"I am serious," Joker said with a grin. Willow frowned as she slumped her shoulders.
"Do I have to go?"
To this Joker laughed at her. "Yes, you do."
Willow rolled her eyes as she crossed she arms, absentmindedly sticking out her bottom lip as she stared at the corner of the table. Joker frowned at her, and he slowly made his way to stand behind her. Willow let out a gasp a second later when he grabbed her jaw, and he pulled her head back, forcing her to look up at him.
"Get that pout off your face," he said as he titled his head. "Or I'll do it for you. You're going," he then growled. Willow swallowed once he released her jaw and she looked back over to him.
"It's almost dark though," Willow continued on. "And won't people... see you?"
"There's an abandoned park up the road that literally no one goes to," Joey said as he rounded the counter, and he grinned when Willow rolled her eyes.
"How convenient," she mumbled.
"Willow, dear," Joker said. "Why don't you go get ready?" Joker suggested. He started to remove his coat, only to pause and turn back to Willow, pointing a finger at her. "See, I'm not going to let your bad attitude ruin my night. You're going to play with us, so go. Get. Ready."
Without another word Willow quickly stood up, and she stomped over to the stairs. Joey let out a laugh as he shook his head.
A few short minutes later, after Willow had grabbed Joker's cigarettes and descended down the stairs, she found Joker waiting at the door, clad in his purple pants and blue shirt, minus the vest, his shirt sleeves pushed up. He held onto a large sports bag, and she noticed instantly how him and Joey frowned at her once she reached the landing.
"Girl, are you serious?" Joey asked with wide eyes. They both looked down to her feet. "Flip flops?"
Willow frowned at them, annoyed. "I don't have any shoes," she said. Joey sighed as he started towards the door.
"Maybe it's better if we do just leave her here, man," Joey mumbled.
"No," Joker said. "We're all going." He stepped over to her, and he threw an arm around her shoulders as he pulled her closer. "And all six of us are going to have a blast," he added stupidly in that clowny voice.
"Six?" Willow asked. Joker slid his arm off of her shoulders and followed Joey out the door. The sun was just barely gone, leaving the skies a dark blue color, the air surprisingly warm. The street lights had already started to come on, and Joey wasted no time with starting down the sidewalk before he turned to head down a path right next to the fence that surrounded his house. "Who else is going?" Willow pushed on as she followed Joker onto the path.
"Well there's me, and you, and Joey," Joker rambled on. "Loc, Rocco, and Henshaw!"
"You've got to be kidding me," Willow said, stopping suddenly. Joker, however, continued to walk, leaving Willow to huff behind him and continue on. She reached into her pocket, drawing out the pack of cigarettes, and she was quick to light one up. Joker turned around upon hearing her flick the lighter, and he raised an eyebrow with a grin.
"You know, smoking like that is bad for your health."
"I don't care," Willow snapped as she took a long, big drag. She blew out the smoke an instant later, and Joker walked at a faster pace once Willow had caught up.
The short walk to the park was quiet, leaving Willow able to smoke her cigarette to calm her nerves in comfortable silence. The park was in the center of a ton of thick and tall trees, hiding the park from the houses that were on the hill in the distance below. As Willow followed Joker and Joey to the baseball field, and grew more and more uneasy.
"What if someone comes up here?" She asked as she glanced over to Joker, whose face was still painted up.
"They won't," Joey assured.
"And if they do..." Joker started. "We'll kill 'em."
Willow frowned as she continued to follow them, and her frown deepened when she noticed the white SUV parked on a dirt road just passed the field. Rocco and Henshaw stood outside of it, talking, while Loc leaned against the hood, smoking a cigarette. Willow scowled at him before she quickened her pace to stay close to Joker and Joey.
"Just ignore him," Joker said once they had stopped at one of the benches. "I mean it Willow."
"Why does he have to be here in the first place?" Willow asked as she crossed her arms and she glanced over to him. Joker sighed, getting more and more frustrated with her the longer they were there.
"Look," Joker said. "I'm described as the furthest thing from 'normal', but I do enjoy playing baseball just as much as the next normal guy. So quit your high school girl in gym class act, and get out of your bad mood," he growled. Willow had looked back to him once he spoke, and now she couldn't' help but smirk slightly. It was at the tip of her tongue to ask him if he'd 'punish' her the way he had just the previous night, but she decided it probably wasn't the best thing to say to him right now. She valued her life, as twisted as it was now, and she wasn't about to lose her life over sarcasm.
Finally Willow nodded, and Joker instantly turned away from her, and he patted Joey on the back as he walked passed him, who was leaned over slightly as he went through the bag on the bench.
"Well hello," Joker said cheerfully as he leaned forward onto his toes before he rocked backward. Joey continued to go through the bag, looking for his mitt.
"So what's the deal boss?" Loc asked. "We really here to play baseball, or was that just the cover?"
"No, no Loc," Joker said, his eyes wide. "We're really here to play baseball. You'll be playing outfield."
Loc frowned as he watched the clown turn his back, and he raised an eyebrow as he watched him happily start to go through the bag with Joey.
"You didn't tell them where I lived, did you?" Joey asked quietly as he glanced over to Joker.
"Nah," Joker said as he shook his head. Joey's eyebrows met in the middle. Surely he had expected some smart ass joke from his buddy, but it was apparent Joker wasn't in too much of an asshole mood. Joey grinned now, happy to see some hint of normality existed in his friend of almost five years.
"Willow!" Joker called suddenly, and she snapped out of her daze and looked over at him, just in enough time to get smacked in the chest with a black catchers mitt.
"Ow!" She yelled. She placed her hand on her chest as she bent down to pick it up. All five men rolled their eyes at her. She frowned as she turned the mitt over in her hand.
"Please tell me you know how to put that on," Joker said with a large frown, and he slumped his shoulders. "And use it."
"No," Willow said as she stuck her hand inside. "Please, teach me." She froze suddenly, finally aware of the sarcastic tone she had taken with him, and she held her breath as she looked over to him. Joker merely grinned and shook his head as he picked up a bat.
"Willow, Loc, you're in the outfield," Joker called out as he swung the bat around, all business now, and he headed around the large fence to stand at home. "Roc, Henshaw, you got infield. Spred out!" Joker called louder, causing Willow to jump slightly before she finally started around the fence, wondering what in the hell 'outfield' even meant. Unfortunately, all she had to do was follow where Loc was going. As she followed a good few feet behind him, she wondered why Joker always seemed to pair her with him. He knew she hated him, and he knew Loc liked to mess with her despite what he had told him, so why didn't he keep them separated?
"You're too close," Loc muttered once he stopped walking. Willow looked over to him, confused. "Stand over there!" He yelled as he pointed away from him. Willow's face looked as though she had just been slapped, and she angrily stomped away from him. "Back up!" Loc now called. She sighed as she threw her hands in the hair and she looked over to him, feeling more and more embarrassed and angry by the second. She remained staring at Loc as she backed up. Finally he nodded and she stood where she was, and she looked over to Joker and Joey, who seemed so far away.
"Pitch it, baby!" Joker called stupidly as he held up the bat, and Willow couldn't help but smile. Surely this was a side she had never seen of Joker, and a side she figured she never would. He didn't look right, clad in his purple pants, blue shirt, bright green hair and evil, painted clown face as he got ready to hit the ball that was to be pitched to him. She continued to watch as Joey turned his body back before he threw the ball forward. The crack of the bat hitting the ball echoed throughout the field, that is, until Willow let out a loud scream as she ran away from the ball that was sure to hit her. The ball landed on the ground a good few feet away from where she had been standing, and when she turned back to everyone, she noticed they were all slouched, watching her with disappointed stares.
"Go get the ball!" Loc yelled at her, his eyes wide. Willow gritted her teeth as she started over to the ball, her flip flops barely allowing her to run. She finally reached the ball and she picked it up, and once she turned around she noticed Loc had his hand up and his glove opened, indicating she should throw it to him. With all she had she threw the ball, and she gasped when it went the whole distance, and Loc caught it easily. He brought the ball down and stared at Willow, an eyebrow arched.
"Hey!" He called as he threw the ball to Joey. "Home girl can throw!"
"Who would have known?" Joker mumbled as he held up the bat again. Willow smiled contentedly, though she hoped he wouldn't hit the ball in her direction again.
"You really wearing flip flops?" Loc asked her. She turned to him.
"Yes," she said sourly before she looked back over in Joker's direction. Loc remained staring at her, eying her slender legs, her short denim shorts and white tank top.
"Funny," Loc said as he looked away. "You think you would have learned by now..."
Willow's lips parted as she looked over to him. What did that mean?
Joker hit the ball again, and Willow watched as Loc ran backwards before he caught the ball easily. She frowned. Was every guy good at baseball?
After receiving three more hits, Joker finally retired from home and everyone switched spots. Joey went to bat, Loc to pitch, Rocco and Henshaw went, slowly, to the outfield leaving Joker and Willow in the infield. Joker smirked over to her before Joey hit the ball. Willow looked up and followed as the ball soared over her. Her eyes widened when she saw Rocco and Henshaw actually running in the ball's direction to catch it, in which Henshaw swiftly threw it back. Willow sighed as she turned to face forward. She watched as Joey swung his arm around a few times before he went to crack his neck. He stood in the batting position, only to lower the bat slightly. Willow's eyebrows met in the middle as she watched him. It looked as though he was staring at her. Loc finally turned around, a sly grin on his lips once he looked to her. She was just about to turn around when suddenly she felt a force tug hard on her shorts, and suddenly they were on the ground, Joker's loud laughter erupting from behind her as he skipped away.
"Joker!" She yelled loudly as she quickly went to pull them up. Everyone was laughing now, and she felt her face go pure red. She was ready to kill him. Joker continued to laugh loudly, now doubled over, and he pointed at her with a stiff finger. Willow frowned at him, and finally she took her glove off and threw it to the ground, and she started to storm over to the bench.
"Ay! Where are you going?" Joker called between his fits of giggles. She saw Loc was smirking at her while Joey, Rocco and Henshaw full-on laughed, and suddenly she felt Joker tug on her wrist.
"Don't!" She yelled. "I'm going home!"
"No, you're not," Joker said in an evil voice, though fits of laughter still escaped him.
"At least you don't wear granny-panties, Willow!" Joey called back. "Be proud your a stripper!" Willow frowned over at him as she tried to walk away, but Joker pulled her back, still laughing.
"It's not funny!" Willow yelled, about ready to cry. "Let.. me... go!" She continued to struggle against Joker's laughing frame.
"Fine," Joker said as he finally let her go. Willow instantly stormed over to the fence, catching herself from falling on her face as she did. "Go sit on the bench, you big baby," he said. Willow continued towards the fence, and she started around it. "I mean it Willow," Joker warned now as he pointed to the bench, a wide smile on his already smiling clown face. "Bench."
With an audible huff Willow parked herself on the middle of the bench. She looked over to home plate, noticing Joey was turned and still smiling at her. She rolled her eyes as she looked back to Joker, and she watched as he made his way over to her glove. He picked it up and threw it over to the fence. Willow didn't move this time as it landed behind her. She rested her right knee over her left and crossed her arms with a slouch, a large frown on her face. Why had he done that? It wasn't even funny. Couldn't he see she was already upset enough at it was? But on second though, she knew he probably didn't even care about how she felt, ever. She felt her stomach clench immediately after thinking that thought...
Willow remained on the bench for a good hour, silently watching as Joker and his 'crew' finished their baseball game. It was pretty neat seeing him act so normal and happy, but though she had cooled off a lot, she couldn't help but still be slightly angry. Before she knew it they were headed back over to her. Loc lit up another cigarette as Joey and Joker rounded the fence. Joey started to put the baseball items away while Joker immediately walked over to Willow.
"How's wittle-Willow do-iiiing?" He asked in that stupid baby-talk voice, and he smiled as he leaned down to her level. She glared at him; he was at the perfect height to be slapped. But she held herself back and instead looked away from him.
"Are we leaving?" she asked sourly.
"No," Joker said. "We figured the baby of the group would like to go play on the playground first!"
"Fuck you," Willow said as she turned around on the bench and she stood up, Joker laughing all the while. He reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder and he brought her closer to him. Willow kept her teeth clenched as she started over to the playground next to Joker. She glanced over at Loc, who was still smirking at her, and she rolled her eyes.
Rocco and Henshaw stood next to the slide while Loc leaned against the jungle-gym, finishing his cigarette. Willow remained walking with Joker and Joey towards the swings. It was dark now, and the moon shone brightly over them, casting large, eerie shadows all around. A slight breeze blew passed them as she followed Joey's actions and she sat down on the swing next to him. Joker stood behind her and gripped the chains as he put all his weight on his arms, leaning on it with his legs stretched behind him.
"So, Joey," Joker started. "I'm gonna need that empty room in the basement."
"Why?" Joey asked as he looked over to him.
"Venom," Joker answered simply. "The guestroom doesn't seem like the... appropriate place."
"My whole house isn't an appropriate place," he mumbled back with a sigh, only to grin a second later. Willow remained quiet as she stared at the dirt below her feet. "So how'd you ever pass gym in high school, Willow?" Joey asked with a grin as he looked over to her.
"I don't know," Willow mumbled. "I never went."
"A pothead and a skipper?" Joker gasped jokingly. "Don't we have quite the delinquent."
Willow rolled her eyes but she couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her bratty face.
"Well, I've witnessed first hand what an incredible toker you are, Ms. Panic Attack..." Joker paused to grin over at Joey, who grinned right back at him. "But I'm sure you made skipping an art-form."
Willow was ignoring him now as she moved some of the dirt back with the tip of her sandal.
"What's with the tattoo?" Joey asked now as he looked back over to her. Willow shrugged.
"Seemed like a good idea at the time," she said her usual answer.
"I offered to get rid of it," Joker said, and Willow jumped suddenly as Joker grabbed her hips, and he started to move backwards, pulling her with him. "But I don't think she'd uh... appreciate my way of doing so..."
Willow clutched the chains and a wide, goofy smile came to play on her lips as she soared forward, the wind cool in her face. She swung back, and she giggled when she felt Joker push her again, his hands heavy on her lower back.
"Man, you can't just cut off a tattoo," Joey pointed out.
"Why?" Joker asked, looking over to Joey as he pushed Willow forward again.
"Because," Joey hissed, at a loss for words. "Are you crazy?"
"Well obviously, Joseph," Joker said flatly as he continued to push Willow, who had decided she was high enough now and didn't need to be pushed any higher. She could just picture herself looping right over the top bar, and the thought caused her to tense up a little. Once she expressed her concern, Joker only laughed at her, and once she came back towards him, he quickly plucked off one of her shoes.
"Hey!" She yelled. "Don't!" She let her other foot slide on the ground, an attempt to stop herself, but Joker was quick to pluck that shoe off as well. "Joker!" She screamed.
"Yeees!" Joker sing-songed at her with a big grin and he stepped over to the other side of Joey, who was chuckling to himself now. Willow growled and huffed, deciding she'd just let herself swing until she came to a stop herself. She was busy admiring the thick forest that lay just ahead when she suddenly noticed Joker and Joey walking away from the playground.
"Hey!" She called to them. "Wait!"
Joker and Joey laughed to themselves as they continued on, leaving Loc to roll his eyes as he tossed his cigarette away, and him, Rocco and Henshaw started to follow.
"Help me!" She whined after Joker, and he dramatically flinched as he turned to Joey.
"When did she get so verbal?" He wondered to himself as they stopped walking.
"I don't know, man," Joey said with a grin. "Remember how shy she used to be?"
"Yeah," Joker said in a dreamy tone. "But then your club made her get confident. You've created a monster!"
"Yeah, right," Joey said as he rolled his eyes. "I created the monster. You're a fucking lunatic!"
"Thank you!" Joker called as he started back over to the swing to a pouting Willow. He remained chuckling to himself as he walked behind Willow, and he reached out quickly, putting his hands on her hips and Willow yelled softly as he halted her to an immediate stop. She remained sitting on the swing, waiting for him to give her her shoes back, but he appeared in front of her a second later, starting off towards the rest of the group that was waiting.
"Joker," she growled. She finally stood up, cringing at the dirt underneath her feet and she skipped over to him in a very girlish way. Joker dropped her shoes behind him and she slipped them on, scowling as Joker walked away with Joey, Rocco, and Henshaw. Loc, however, had stayed behind, full on grinning at her as she started to walk.
"You know, it's a shame," he said as he walked next to her.
"Leave me alone," Willow spat, not even bothering to look at him. Loc laughed, feeling as though nothing could ruin his mood suddenly. Seeing Willow in any type of agony always always pleasurable to him.
"Well, it is," he went on smoothly.
"What?" Willow growled at him, looked over to him with only her eyes. Loc suddenly reached out and pushed her in what seemed like a playful manner, and Willow stumbled before she fell down, the rest of the group walking on. With wide eyes she looked up to his grinning frame as he hovered over her.
"I've seen this before," he claimed smartly before Willow could speak. "I didn't think you'd be walking this quickly though. Oh well. Guess my aim was a little off," he sighed as he leaned away from her. "Better luck next time..."
Suddenly if felt as though everything around her was spinning, and she felt as though she was going to be sick. Her ears rang, and behind the ringing she could hear Loc's voice lingering, taunting her with what he had said, and she immediately thought back to the night she had been caught...
"You did it," she finally mumbled hoarsely to herself, swearing that she felt her ankle start to burn like it had that night it had been cut. Her hands shook as she struggled to stand up. "You fucking did it!" She yelled suddenly. Loc's stomach dropped as he slowed his pace, and just as he started to turn around Willow ran into him, her fists swinging as she tried her hardest to hit him. He quickly grabbed her wrists, struggling with her. Tears streamed down her reddened face, and with a harsh shove she fell to the ground. Joker and Joey immediately re-traced their steps, and within an instant Joker had thrown Loc to the ground while Joey went to Willow. He stood behind her and gently pulled her up.
"What's going on?" Joker growled angrily as he looked from Loc, who had started to stand up, then to Willow. His eyebrows met in the middle when he saw that she was crying, and hard.
"He did it," she forced herself to say as she tried to get away from Joey, but he tightened his grip on her upper arms and held her in place. "He's the one that made me fall!"
Joker made a confused face as he turned back to Loc. He widened his eyes and shrugged as he stood at his full height now, trying to pull off he didn't know what she was talking about. His heart raced a million beats per second, however. This was not supposed to happen...
"Willow," Joker said as he stood in front of her now, and he placed his hands on her shoulders, only for her jerk away and struggle more against Joey. "Willow!" Joker called again as he tried to hold her still as well. "What are you talking about?"
"He caused me to go to Arkham!" She yelled between sobs. "He's... why..." her face reddened and she looked down as she continued to cry. Joker remained staring at her, and Joey raised an eyebrow as he looked to Joker. Joker immediately thought back that horrid night, and in his vision he could see Willow on the ground, screaming. As he remembered further, however, he recalled the pool of blood under her that he knew didn't just randomly appear.
His whole happy demeanor changed as he took a deep breath in though his nose and he instantly he turned around, his knife already flicked out as he started towards Loc. He nervously started to back up, but Joker was quick to grab his neck and pull him closer.
"What is she talking about?" He asked in a deep, angry voice. Loc nervously glanced down at the knife that gleamed in the moonlight before he looked back to his demon of a boss.
"I-I don't know-" he started.
"He's lying!" Willow screamed. She struggled against Joey again. "Let me go!"
"Dustin," Joker growled Loc's first name. "What is she talking about!" His sudden booming voice caused Loc to flinch, and breathing became harder as Joker squeezed on his neck.
"She's-" he started, and Joker loosened his grip a little so he could at least talk, though he still struggled immensely. "She's blaming me for something I didn't-"
"Kill him!" Willow screamed behind Joker. She angrily continued to struggle, seeing nothing but that night and all the things Loc did to hurt her in her mind. She wasn't sure why Joker hadn't already killed him, but now, like an idiot he had admitted he was the cause of her fall. He was the cause of all her suffering in Arkham...
"Kill him!" Willow screamed even louder, wanting to just go beat on him until his last breath. Joey nervously looked up to Joker, unsure of what to do. Rocco and Henshaw held their ground, holding their breaths while Joker looked over to Willow. Her hair was thrown in her face, her face was red and her make up had streamed down her cheeks due to her tears. He had seen her like that before, and it pained him slightly. He growled, not knowing himself what to do. He looked back to a nervous-looking Loc.
"Tell me," Joker said. "Did you have anything do to with it?"
Loc swallowed as he started to shake his head, and he gasped when Joker squeezed his neck tighter and he held his knife up to him, his face going purple quickly.
"Did you?" Joker asked again, really losing his patience once and for all. Loc continued to gasp for air as he tried to speak.
"Please," Willow begged, her voice quiet behind her sobs as she let Joey be her complete support to stay standing. Joker heard her pained voice behind him, and he remained staring into Loc's frightened eyes as he thought. It made sense, didn't it? All the times Loc had bothered her before, surely he'd pull of something drastic to get rid of her He hated her. And where else would that blood have come from? Thinking back, Loc had disappeared once they had started to run...
Joker's eyes wandered all over the barely healed scratches and cuts on his face, and he remained staring at the burn on his cheek. Loc's breathing got slower and slower the longer his kept his grip on his neck, Joker's muscles tensed up to the point of them being as hard as a rock. Willow remained crying in the back, and she finally raised her head. She took in the sight of Joker standing in front of a purple-faced Loc, his eyes closed tightly, Joker's arm bent at the elbow as he held him in place.
"Do it," Willow finally sniffled. "Do it!"
"Jack..." Joey started as he loosened his grip on Willow a little. She immediately tried to run away, but Joey was quick to tighten his grip again. This was not how the night was supposed to go. What had happened?
Finally, with a deep breath, the choice on what to do seemed obvious. All within a swift move that seemed to take just a few seconds, Joker turned Loc around, his back to him, and he clutched each side of his head before he twisted Loc's it quickly and effortlessly. With a loud -snap!- Loc's limp and lifeless body fell to the ground heavily. Joey had let go of Willow and she instantly ran towards to Loc, and she screamed as she kicked him in the rips, bringing her foot down as hard as she could, his body lose as it moved due to her kicks from the bottom of her shoe. Joker had put his knife back in his pocket and he stood behind her as he pulled her away from him, and he turned her around. She continued to cry and Joker frowned as he looked at her.
"Willow," he started. "Willow! He's dead!"
She continued to cry, struggling to get away from him until her body completely relaxed. She felt as though she had no more energy and she allowed herself to lean against Joker as she continued to cry, feeling as though she couldn't breath herself. Joker looked over to Joey as he gently placed his hands on her hips, her face buried into his shoulders. Joey was staring at him, a large frown on his face. Joker glanced over to a somewhat frightened looking Rocco and Henshaw and he quickly cleared his throat as he looked away. He gripped her waist and hoisted her up and over his shoulder, and he started back towards the baseball field.
"Go home," he growled rudely to Rocco and Henshaw.
"But boss, what about Lo-"
"Go home," Joker growled again. Without another word Rocco and Henshaw quickly started over towards the SUV. Joey glanced over to the the lifeless body that lay a good ten feet from the swing set. He felt uneasy about leaving the body there like that, but he decided right now probably wasn't the best time to confront Joker about it. He turned to follow his friend as he swung the sports bag around his shoulder. Joker walked ahead of him, Willow continuing to sob as she hung loosely from his shoulder, Joker's arm around her lower back, his free hand clenched into a fist. Had the intentions been different, Willow's position would have been funny, but Joey knew better than to laugh. He still found it hard to believe that Loc had been the cause of Willow's fall, but he found it even harder to believe the finger hadn't been pointed at him before...
Willow was still quietly sobbing once they got back to the house. Joker had carried her the entire way home over his shoulder while Joey had remained silent, keeping a safe distance behind him. He knew the simplest thing could probably set Joker off; he saw how quickly he had turned away from Rocco and Henshaw when Willow had started crying on him, and how quickly he went back to barking orders. He knew it wasn't like his friend to care for anyone or be that shoulder to cry on, literally or not. Because of this he wondered why, exactly, he wasn't telling Willow to suck it up and get over it. He knew better than to bring it up, however, at least right now.
Joey quickly unlocked the front door, and he walked in first, heading straight to the counter for a drink. Joker had gently set Willow down in the entryway and he turned to close and lock the door. He turned back around and immediately looked to Willow. Her head was down, her hair wet in the front due to her tears, her whole body loose and slumped. With a frown he placed his finger on the bottom of her chin and forced her to look up. When he moved some of her hair out of her face he saw all her make-up had smeared down, and thin, black trails traveled down her cheeks. Her eyelashes stuck together in clumps, and her eyes were slightly blood shot and puffy as she looked at him.
"C'mon," Joker said as he turned her around towards the stairs. "Let's go shower."
Joey heard her still crying as she slowly climbed the stairs, Joker right behind her, and he sighed as he uncapped the lid off his rum. He poured it into the glass he had prepared, and after re-capping the bottle he immediately took a large, calming sip.
Once in the bathroom, Joker flipped on the light and closed the door, leaving Willow to stand in the middle of the bathroom. She felt exhausted, and all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep off what could possibly be the second worst night of her life. But on the other hand, a shower did sound nice and much needed. Her feet were dirty, and her face and hair felt disgusting. She took in a deep, quivering breath, her way of trying to stop crying, while Joker took it as a cue to finally speak up.
"Willow," he said in that clowny voice, his tone flat as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Why are you still crying?"
Willow opened her mouth to talk, but instead most tears came and she looked down. She took a deep breath and talked down to the floor.
"Because," she said, her voice quivering. "H-he... is why I... w-went to... Ark-"
"No, Willow. He's not," Joker interrupted. "Here, look at me..." he tilted her chin up again, and she looked at him behind teary eyes and wet, tangled hair. "He's not why you went to Arkham. I am, Willow," he admitted easily. What ever happened to never bringing this up again?
Her faced reddened and she looked down again as more tears splashed the floor, memories of the emotions she felt when he turned his back entering her mind. Joker sighed loudly as he gently gripped her neck, his thumbs on either side of her jaw. He didn't want to talk about this again, but he had to get her to stop crying. For some reason it was making him feel funny...
"Willow," he said in a slight growl, getting frustrated. "He's dead, Willow. You don't have to deal with him anymore. He's not the reason why you went to Arkham. I am," he repeated. "He might have caused you to fall, but I'm who left you."
It seemed he was stressing the wrong words, and Willow tried to look down as even more tears fell. Joker full on growled now and he forced her head back up again, pushing on her jaw with his thumbs, and her eyes snapped opened, and they grew wide as she looked at his slightly angered face.
"Willow, you have to stop crying. Why are you still crying?"
Willow took in as deep as a breath as she could, focusing on the fact that Joker was actually trying to... help her? Surely he wasn't... this was all a dream. And if it was a dream, then she could do or say anything and not get hurt, right?
"I just hate thinking about that night-"
"Then don't!" Joker said loudly, and she flinched. "It doesn't matter anymore! Look, think of it this way. It only made you stronger. You over-came it, and now you're here with... me."
Joker paused as he looked away, suddenly feeling tongue tied. His stomach dropped and he found it hard to take in a breath. He wasn't sure what he had been trying to say; suddenly he felt as though he wasn't thinking before he spoke, and he knew Willow probably just took that the wrong way...
Willow swallowed as she remained looking at him. He had slightly turned his head, showing that defined, masculine jaw-line, the white paint ending just on it. Her eyes rose back up to his. She licked her lips, and without warning she suddenly forced herself forward and caught his lips with hers, and her eyes slid shut. Joker was slightly shocked at first, but his body quickly relaxed and he tightened his grip with his hands, running his thumbs back and forth on her jaw. Willow's shaking hands snaked their way around his back, and she locked them behind him, keeping herself as close as she could to him.
She licked the top of Joker's lip, hungrily waiting for him to let her in, unsure where this extreme want had come from. Joker opened his mouth, only to quickly bite Willow's bottom lip immediately after. Her whelp echoed throughout the bathroom and she pulled away from him, a sad and confused look on her face. Joker smirked at her as his eyes traveled down to her shirt. He ran his hands over her shoulders and down her sides until he came to the bottom of her shirt, and he pulled it up. She raised her arms, allowing him to pull the shirt off easier and he tossed it to the ground. Her heart excitedly skipped a beat when he leaned back down for a kiss, his lips already parted in a small grin. Willow leaned up to meet him as she closed her eyes, but she froze and grew confused when she never felt his lips touch hers. Her eyes snapped open, and she saw Joker grinning down at her.
"Take a shower," he commanded with a satisfied smirk. "Then come to bed."
Willow's jaw dropped as she watched him head to the door. You've got to be fucking kidding me! The door closed behind him, and with an angry growl she turned and started the shower.
After her incredibly hot shower to burn away those random sexual tendencies she had been feeling and, most importantly, those hurt feelings of knowing what Loc had done to her, she grabbed a towel and wrapped herself up in it, leaving her hair to drip behind her. She stepped onto the rug and wiped away some of the fog on the mirror and looked at her make-up less refection. Her eyes will still a little red and puffy, it was obvious she had been crying, but she knew all she could do was ignore it.
Upon stepping into the hallway, she noticed the guest bedroom door was still slightly opened, and that the light was off. She raised an eyebrow; Joker had already gone to bed? With a sigh she started towards the stairs, deciding she'd get a quick glass of water before she joined him. She was still upset over the way he had teased her; she was sure she had never wanted him so much, and at the weirdest time, as well. But there was just something in the way he had been comforting her that caused her to be that much more confused with her standings with him and how she felt. Why did he care so much?
She turned around in the kitchen and took a large sip from the glass, and she noticed Joey's office lights were on just passed the living room. She finished her drink as she clutched her towel in front of her, and after setting her empty glass in the sink she started over to the office, figuring she'd say goodnight to Joey.
The door was open, and she saw he was sitting at his desk, a large stack of paper piled in front of him. He was writing something on one of the papers before he he set it down next to him, and he picked up the next in the stack to start reading over it.
"Hey," Willow said as she stepped inside. Joey looked up, his eyes flickering over her before he looked back to her eyes.
"Hey," he said. He looked back down and set the paper on the desk before he signed the bottom, and he put it to the side "Is everything... okay?"
"Yeah," Willow said. "Sorry about that..."
"Nah, it's cool," Joey said as he leaned back in his chair, looking back at her. "But what... happened?"
"Apparently he was the reason why I... fell," she started with a sigh. "My ankle had been slashed, and I guess he was the one that did it."
"And he just randomly... told you that?" Joey asked as he rose an eyebrow. Willow nodded.
"He's a fucking idiot."
Joey laughed as he leaned forward. "Yeah, it's crazy Jack killed him though."
"Why?" Willow quickly asked. Fully interested suddenly, she sat down on the small red couch by the door. She moved her hair over her shoulders and stared expectantly at Joey, who was frowning.
"Because... I mean... I don't know," he said. "Never mind."
Willow sighed as she slumped her shoulders. She thought back to what Joker had been telling her in the bathroom.
"Well, it must mean something that he killed him, for me, right?" Willow spoke her thoughts out loud. Joey immediately looked over to her, a slightly worried look on his face.
"...what?" He asked, and Willow sighed. "Look Willow, I don't really-"
"I mean, cause he always told me Loc was one of the best on the team. It has to mean something that he killed him purely for the purpose that he upset me, right?"
She sounded hopeful, and her eyes were wide as she waited for Joey to answer, and he knew she was waiting for him to agree. But he continued to just stare at her. He had known Jack for a long time, and he knew the issue here wasn't that he had killed Loc because he upset Willow. Just thinking that made him want to grin, but he fought the urge as best as he could.
"Maybe," he said, being half honest.
"It's just..." Willow started, only to immediately pause and look away. "Never mind," she sighed. "You'll think I'm crazy..."
"Babe, I already do," Joey said with a grin as he continued to look at her. "What?"
Willow grinned slightly, only to let out a sigh a second later as she stared at her feet. "Sometimes I feel like I... feel something... towards him..." She lifted her head, and her stomach dropped again when she saw his confused face. His eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes wide, his lips slightly parted.
"What?" He asked, unable to wrap his mind around this. "Alright girl, now I really think you're crazy..."
Willow looked down with a small smile.
"Willow..." Joey started a moment later as he searched for the right words to say. "Jack's... not that type..."
"I know," Willow said quickly as she looked back at him with wide eyes. "I know I just... I don't even know why I told you." She rolled her eyes as she started to stand.
"No," Joey said quickly, and Willow stopped just before she was about to stand up. "I guess I get it. Jack can be charming when he wants, and if it wasn't for those fucking scars on his face he'd be an attractive dude." He grinned, hearing in his head the joke that Jack would be making right now. "But, it's useless, girly. I'm sorry."
"I just hate it," Willow said a moment later as she looked back down to the floor. "Just all these signs he throws off. One minute he's... gentle and caring and the next he's fucking choking me..."
"Yeah," Joey said, honestly feeling a little bad for Willow. "He's a hard guy to read. I'm not gonna lie to you, Willow, but it's best if you forget anything you're feeling towards him, ya dig? It's just worthless, and you'll only end up getting hurt even more."
Willow bit her tongue, trying hard to keep anymore tears from falling. She took in a deep breath and looked back up to Joey, forcing a smile. Joey slightly smiled back before he leaned back in his chair with a yawn.
"We'll I'm going to bed," Joey said as he stood up.
"Yeah, me too," Willow said.
"Just accept that Jack's... insane, in a way," Joey continued as he rounded his desk. "He's found a way to completely shut off his capability of feeling any human emotion." Willow swallowed. What he was saying made sense, but she wasn't so sure he was right... "He just does what he wants, when he wants. No emotions involved."
"Yeah," Willow said, her voice. "Well night, Joey."
"Night."
Willow instantly started out of his office, and she took a deep breath as she started up the stairs. She wasn't sure why she had admitted that to Joey, but now that she had spoken her problem out loud, she finally realized how big of an issue it was. She wished she didn't feel anything towards him, but what could she do? She wasn't sure anymore why she was still with him. Why would she be if he 'didn't care'? She knew some of the things he did had to mean something. Like how he he was the one that came looking for her when she got out of Arkham. And how he killed Loc for her, and how he always dealt with her moods. It all had to mean something. She knew there was some emotion involved in all of those examples, something deeper than just pure boredom..
She gently pushed the door open to the dark guest room. She closed the door quietly behind her and made her way to the bed. She was suddenly way too lazy and tired to even think about getting dressed, so she let her towel drop to the floor. She climbed into bed and laid her head on the pillow, and she closed her eyes with a sleepy yawn, her back to Joker.
Just when she figured Joker was sleeping next to her, she heard him growl slightly as he turned around to face her. Her eyes opened as she listened, and she gasped quietly when she felt him snake an arm around her and pull her towards his bare chest. She froze, and a slight grin crept onto her face when she felt him wander his hand over her thigh, over her hip and onto her chest. He hummed and deeply laughed quietly from his throat as he pulled her closer. Her smile widened and she comfortably closed her eyes again, knowing Joey had obviously been wrong...
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