"A date?" Joker made a face as he looked to his best friend from the table. "Like, a real date?"
"Unfortunately," Joey sighed. He smoothed down his black, button-up silk shirt with a slight scowl, still feeling Joker staring at him with that dumbfounded look.
"Well," Joker said as he placed his ankle on his knee. He picked up his drink from the table and he glanced at his friend, who was standing by the breakfast bar counter. "I can sense your... enthusiasm."
"Yeah, well..."
From in the living room, Willow turned around and leaned on the back of the couch curiously to eye the two men she lived with. Joey looked ridiculous, wearing a silk shirt and leather pants, but what was even more sad was that he just knew he looked good. She couldn't help but grin at this as she peered over the top of the couch.
"So... a date," Joker repeated with a nod, his long, acid green hair swaying along with him. "Why?"
"Has it ever occurred to you that I deserve to have more of a life than babysitting you two?"
"Joseph, you don't babysit us," Joker said with a wide grin. "We're perfectly able to think for ourselves and know right from wrong. Well, at least I do..." He turned and smirked at Willow, who narrowed her eyes and frowned at him.
"Who are you going to see?" Willow asked. "Same girl?"
"Yeah," Joey said. "She works at the club, you know."
"What?" Willow asked as she sat up now and she placed her hands in her lap. "Since when?"
"Since a few weeks," Joey answered. "If you came to work anymore, you'd know that."
"Slacker," Joker said as he swished the liquid around in his glass, the ice cubes clanking. "I think you should fire her." He looked back up to Joey.
"I agree," Joey said with a straight face.
"It's not my fault," Willow complained. "You haven't been telling me when to go in!"
"You haven't been asking," Joey said back with a smirk, causing Joker to chuckle as he looked back to Willow.
"Well that's because... you usually tell me!"
Joey rolled his eyes as he glanced back at the clock on the stove, the time ten minutes after nine.
"Well, wish me luck. Even though I don't need it," Joey added with a grin, causing Joker to irritably roll his eyes as he stood up.
"Use a condom, Joseph," he said as he pointed a lose finger to him, ducking his head down, and Willow grinned at Joey's annoyed face. "STD's are bad!"
"You would know," Joey said as he started towards the door.
"You're right," Joker said. "I would. Have a wonderful night." Without another word the door closed behind Joey, leaving Joker to turn and head into the living room to join Willow. Willow's mouth was dropped as she stared wide-eyed at him. He plopped down on the couch next to her, immediately looking over to her to growl.
"What?"
"Do you really have a... STD?"
"I do," Joker said as he nodded calmly and he looked to the TV. Willow felt her skin turn cold, her throat swell and her stomach drop as she continued to look at him.
"W-what do you have?" She asked slowly, though in somewhat of a panic. Joker couldn't hold it in anymore and he grinned as he turned back to her, the shadows cast on his face from the TV causing the black rings around his eyes to appear larger.
"It's a very rare Disease called W.M.F. Very rare," he repeated as he looked back to the TV. Her mouth was still agape as her eyebrows met in the middle, and Joker turned back to her, not wanting to miss her face as she thought that over. He waited a few seconds, his grin growing wide until her eyes widened and her head snapped over to him.
"Hey, those are my..."
"Exactly," Joker said as he raised his eyebrows, nodding at her. "A very rare disease experts call Willow Madalyn Fox."
Willow was scowling at him, not sure if she should be mad at him for calling her a STD or just laugh it off. Joker was strangely in a great mood that night, he had been all week, so she decided to let it go.
"Asshole," she mumbled.
"You know it," Joker said, scowling now at the TV. "So, what are we watching here...?"
"The Twilight Zone," Willow answered simply with a sigh, and she faced forward again as she turned up the volume to the black and white show. Joker scowled at the TV as he came to rest his elbow on the arm rest.
"Why?" He asked in a flat voice. "What happened to animal planet?"
"Because I like it. And I've seen everything there is to see on that channel," Willow added with a mumble as she rolled her eyes. Joker tried to sit in silence as he watched an old-looking man talk about the piano he had just bought his wife for her birthday. After another few moments, Joker rose an eyebrow when their butler started to dance around merrily.
"What is this?" Joker asked now as he loosely rolled his head on the back of the couch to look at Willow, who was staring intently at the TV screen. She sighed as she looked to Joker.
"The piano is... magical," she explained. "It causes people's biggest secrets to come out when they listen to it."
"Really..." Joker said flatly as he looked back to the TV, the butler now looking miserable again. "Sounds... logical."
"It doesn't have to be," Willow said. "It's the Twilight Zone."
With a slight growl Joker looked back over to Willow, an eyebrow still cocked. He placed his arm over the top of the couch and turned his body slightly. "Okay, smartass. If you heard the- the 'almighty magical, fake piano of... truth...' what would happen?"
Willow turned to look at him, her own eyebrows raised as she thought about it. "I don't know," she said slowly, her answer suddenly coming to mind. She could just picture herself getting one of those cheesy, wide smiles while she boasted about how much she actually liked Joker and how she enjoyed being under his constant surveillance. She thought about it for a minute before she finally turned back to Joker with a shrug.
"There's a lie," Joker said with a small grin as he looked back to TV.
"Well what would happen to you?" Willow demanded as she turned her body in his direction, her eyes wide with curiosity. Joker didn't move, and his face didn't flinch as he continued to stare at the TV.
"Nothing," he answered simply. "It wouldn't work on me."
"Yes it would," Willow said.
"I have nothing to hide," he said with a grin as he looked back to her, exposing those dimples just near his scars. At that moment all Willow wanted to do was dare him to tell her how he got his scars, or what made him kill his best friend. She knew Joker had plenty to hide. Why else didn't he want to tell her those stories? It made no sense to her. But she swallowed her words and instead turned back to the TV, deciding to just accept his answer, as long as it meant for her not to express her own.
–
The first thing Willow heard the next morning was the shower just next door being shut off. She laid with her eyes closed for a few moments, the room much to dark and comfortable and the bed much to warm and snug for her to leave it. She breathed out her nose as she turned onto her side, facing the window. The shower door closed, and upon stretching her legs behind her, bending them at the knees, she clarified that Joker was the one in the bathroom. Who else would it be? She wondered to herself.
Finally, she opened her eyes, and once she realized how late in the morning it was, she decided it was probably a good time to get up. She couldn't remember Joker coming to bed after she had gone upstairs the night before; she figured she had already achieved that deep slumber state by then. With a sleepy sigh she got out of bed, wondering what the plans were for today. She knew Joker had already started collecting venom from Rampage, and she wondered vaguely if she was included in the plans of using it. She hoped she was.
With a yawn she started down the stairs, not really caring at the moment that all she wore was a large t-shirt that barely covered the black thong she wore. She was busy wondering if Joey had any orange juice left, if Joker hadn't drank it all, as she rounded the corner, only to come to a sudden halt. Her jaw hung slack as she stared at this random girl in Joey's kitchen. Joey was at the sink, busy rinsing off a plate, while the random blonde girl stood in front of the fridge.
"Joey?" She asked in a high, annoying voice. "Can I finish the orange juice?"
Willow cringed angrily. Who the hell was this chick?
"Of course, baby," Joey said with a grin. The blonde smiled as she placed the juice on the counter, and she reached up to the cabinet to get a glass, wearing nothing but tiny pink shorts and a little purple tank top. Finally Willow realized this was probably the girl that Joey had been seeing lately. Willow leaned against the wall as she continued to secretly peer into the kitchen, watching now as Joey turned off the sink. He immediately turned towards the girl, and he slid his hands over her hips and tugged her back. She let out an annoying, girly laugh as she shrugged her shoulders. Joey chuckled as he ran his hands down her thighs, leaning down so he could kiss her neck. The girl sighed as she tilted her head back, and Willow quickly leaned back once she noticed her start to turn around. Willow would have continued into the kitchen, but suddenly she had the undying urge to go see Joker... He had told her that if she ever had any urges that she had to go to him... Without another thought she quickly started towards the stairs.
She quickly entered the guestroom, happy to see Joker was sitting at the foot of the bed, his make-up freshly, but sloppily done, as if he had been in a rush to get it done. He wore his normal attire, minus his coat and gloves. He had just finished pulling up his striped sock when he leaned back up, and he noticed Willow somewhat quickly stepping over to him.
She bit her lip, unsure of what, exactly, had come over her, but she decided to take her chances with doing exactly what she wanted. Joker had just opened his mouth to say something, but she was quick to slide onto his lap, her knees on either side of his legs on the bed. She rested her hands on his chest as she leaned in. Joker responded quickly by tilting his head back slightly as she caught her lips with his. He breathed in through his nose deeply, taking a handful of her hair as he kissed back with what seemed like just as much urgency as Willow. She brought her body off his lap, forcing him to tilt his head back further as she leaned over him now. Joker slid his hands down until they came to rest on her wide hips, and Willow moaned slightly. She had no time to take a second to realize her plan had worked; after seeing Joey and his new 'squeeze' downstairs, all Willow knew was she wanted the same thing.
Joker laughed deeply now as he pulled away, taking in her smeared, over night make-up and the red and white on her chin and lips.
"Good morning," he finally said in that low voice. Willow ignored him and went in for another kiss, only for Joker to laugh again and gently push her away. Her face looked confused and lost, but above all slightly angry. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of... that, this morning?"
"I don't know," Willow said, a sly grin creeping onto her face. "I'm just doing what you told me."
After thinking about that for a split second, Joker grinned. "Oh reeeally?"
"Mhmm," Willow cooed, still grinning. She went in, slowly, for another kiss, only to squeal suddenly when Joker flipped her over onto her back. He smirked as he hovered over her, and he rested his hand on her hip as he went in to kiss her. Willow hungrily leaned up to meet him half way, and she relaxed, laying her head back down as Joker deepened the kiss.
"Hmm," he suddenly hummed against her lips. "What do we have to play with?" He ran his hand down her thigh and back up over her hip, Willow's eyes closed all the while.
"What?" She groaned, her feelings of pleasure and urgency rising. Joker slowly licked his bottom lip as he ran his hand back down her thigh, and he pushed past her underwear to gently stroke her with his thumb. Willow let out a loud moan as she quickly arched her back, Joker barely able to fathom how turned on she was, and most importantly, why so suddenly? He didn't care at the moment, however, and decided to just have some fun teasing her.
His plan seemed to backfire the more he continued to tease her, however. He pressed his thumb to her clit before he slid two fingers inside her easily, Willow moaning out loudly all the while. As Joker continued to kiss her, he felt himself getting more and more into it until suddenly he heard Joey on the bottom of the stairs.
"Yo, Jack!"
He stopped kissing her, and Willow felt ready to scream out of frustration when she felt him slide his fingers out. Breathing heavily she opened her eyes and found Joker staring down at her, listening for Joey further.
"Jack!"
A sly grin spread onto Joker's lips, and he placed his two wet and sticky fingers into his mouth before he got off the bed. Willow let out a sad whimper as she sat up, leaning back on her hands as she watched Joker go to the slightly ajar door. He took his fingers out of his mouth with a slight popping noise as he leaned over the railing by the stairs.
"Yes?" He asked. Willow continued to pout as she now made her way off the bed, her legs feeling loose and shaky as she struggled to stay standing. Her heart was still pounding and she was still breathing heavily. At the moment, she hated Joey.
"What are your... plans for the day?" Joey asked as she looked up to Joker.
"I don't really know yet, Joseph. What are yours?"
"Jack I'm not in the mood for your games today," Joey said. Joker sighed, and was just about to talk when Joey was quick to interrupt.
"Never mind," he said, suddenly seeming as though he was in a panic. "We'll talk later." He quickly turned to walk out of the entryway and back to the living room. Joker remained standing here, his hands on the railing, wondering what that was all about. Finally he turned around, and he couldn't help but smile when he saw how annoyed and desperate Willow still looked. She glared at him, though he could see a hint of hope in her eyes, knowing she was hoping that he'd continue. But as it turned out, Joker did have things to do, and at the moment Willow was doing nothing but distracting him. He chuckled slightly as he turned around again to head downstairs.
"There's someone down there," Willow said flatly, and Joker stopped suddenly and he turned to look at her. "Some blonde whore," Willow added in an annoyed tone. Joker grinned, thinking he understood now where her mood had come from.
"Thanks for the uh... heads up," he said simply, and he started down the stairs. Willow stepped over to the door, and she watched as Joker started down to the basement. She sighed, trying to get over her mood, and she grabbed the pack of cigarettes and black lighter from the table next to Crystal's tank and she started downstairs.
With the living room and part of the kitchen in view now, she saw Joey and the blonde girl sitting at the table. She scowled at the girl the moment her face fell when her eyes came to look at Willow, and she continued past them towards the deck. Joey was looking at her now.
"Where's Jack?" He asked.
"Basement," Willow answered, not caring if the girl recognized her not. On further thought, however, Willow remembered Joey had said she had started working at his club.
"What is she doing here?" the girl asked, and Willow rolled her eyes as she unlocked the sliding glass door. "Does she live here?" She pressed on, anger in her voice. She noticed Joey hesitate for a moment before she turned towards the blonde.
"Yes, I do," Willow said with a wide, sarcastic smile. The blonde's jaw dropped as she turned back to Joey, silently demanding an explanation. Willow grinned at Joey before she stepped onto the deck, and she slid the door closed.
"Joey," she went on. "Why is she here?"
"She lives here," Joey answered. "She needed a place to stay."
"Debbie says when Rachel needed a place to stay, you turned her down when she asked."
Joey sighed as he slumped in his seat and he closed his eyes. "That was different, Lydia."
"How?" Lydia went on. "Why is she here? What's her name again? Aspen? Spruce?"
"You know it's Willow, Lydia," Joey answered. "And it's a long story. Don't worry about it."
"You seeing her?" Lydia asked now, and she glared at Joey with her bright blue eyes.
"No," Joey answered truthfully.
"You ever hook up with her?" Her lips thinned when Joey hesitated.
"N-no," he lied. He remained staring at her, unable to help but think back to that night, and finally he leaned up. "Babe don't worry about it," he said. "She's not going to be here much longer."
"Promise?" Lydia asked.
"Yes," Joey breathed. He wasn't sure if that was true or not, and he felt the room spin upon reflecting back on this argument. He wouldn't exactly consider himself seeing Lydia. And if she thought they were under the label as 'dating', he knew he'd have to break it off sooner than he thought.
After her cigarette, Willow stepped back into the house, and she could feel Lydia staring at her.
"Smoking is disgusting," she preached instantly.
"Yeah, well." Willow ignored her as she started past her, and Lydia unnecessarily coughed dramatically. Joey rolled his eyes. Lydia had not been acting like this the past few nights...
"It's unhealthy," she went on, and Willow growled slightly. Why couldn't she let it go? "You can't dance and be a smoker."
"I do just fine," Willow said flatly as she started towards the front door.
"Where are you going?" Joey asked.
"Basement," Willow answered simply, and she disappeared around the corner.
Willow took her time stepping, on her toes, only where she could see clean, gray concrete beneath the saw dust and wood planks. In the hall in front of her she could see the light on in one of the rooms, and after a good minute of side-stepping everything on the floor to get there, did she notice Joker sitting at an old wooden table in a slightly large, but very crowded room. She quietly stopped at the doorway, waiting to be welcomed into the room, and she watched as Joker looked over a metal rack of test tubes. Next to him sat a small bowl-type object with a lit candle underneath it, wax burning in the bowl, and on the other side of him sat a metal rack, a bullet in each separate square hole.
"Come in," Joker said. "But don't knock the table."
Suddenly stepping into the room seemed like a difficult chore. On her left sat the table, on her right a large vertical pile of boxes. She carefully and slowly stepped into the room, and she now stood at Joker's side, watching as he pushed the rack of test tubes back.
"What's that?" She asked.
"Venom," Joker answered. "And your going to help me. Pull up that chair."
Willow turned around and noticed a black chair sitting behind her, and she carefully dragged it over and sat down. Joker placed the rack of bullets in front of her, and Willow noticed what looked like liquid in the hollow points.
"Is that venom in there?" Willow asked as she pointed down to the bullets. Joker nodded.
"It is," he answered simply. "I need you to seal the tops with that candle wax." Willow's eyebrows met in the middle as he looked to the small bowl object and candle in front of her. Joker sighed. "Fairly quickly, also, would be nice."
Willow continued to stare at him, confused. "Using what?" She asked.
"You're finger," Joker answered, as he stood from the table, and he turned around, placing the test tubes of venom into what appeared to be a small freezer of sorts. Willow quickly turned around, and holding back any further questions she had, she dipped her finger into the hot wax and quickly let it drop over one of the bullets. She pulled her finger back and watched as the wax quickly hardened. Figuring she had done it correctly, she repeated the process.
A few minutes later she heard the front door upstairs open and then close, and walking down the stairs a second later. Joker had just walked back into the room before Joey appeared in the doorway.
"Hey," he said instantly once he leaned against the door frame. "Willow," he added in a harsher voice. She instantly turned up to him, the wax on her finger slowly drying. Joker turned from the freezer, sensing the hostility in his friend's voice, waiting to see what was wrong.
"Next time do me a favor, and keep your mouth shut around my women, ya feel me?"
Willow's mouth fell open, but Joey ignored her look and instead went to turn around, Joker quick to speak up.
"Well jeeze Joseph, that was rude."
"No, what's rude is little miss thang having to make shit complicated for-"
"I wasn't," Willow quickly spoke up, her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes narrowed on Joey. What was his deal? Joker started to chuckle.
"I'm sure what she did wasn't even that bad, Joey-"
"Oh, you're defending her now?" Joey asked as he stepped back into the room, his eyes wide. "Just a month ago your only goal was to make her miserable."
Willow's mouth fell open again and she turned to Joker, who seemed to be at a loss of words suddenly. Come to think of it, Willow realized Joey was right. Why was he defending her? It was completely unlike him. But it seemed as though Joker had just come to the realization himself, and he started out of the room.
"Handle this yourselves then," he mumbled, and he disappeared into the hallway. Joey looked back down to Willow, pointing his finger at her.
"Next time I got a chick over, stay upstairs, or don't say a word, got it?"
Fuck you, Willow thought sourly, and without a word she looked away from Joey, dipping her finger into the wax again to finish sealing the bullets. With a growl Joey turned from the door, each footstep on the stairs making Willow angrier and angrier at him. She hadn't done anything wrong. It wasn't like Joey actually cared about that chick. What was the big deal? With a huff, Willow figured all she could do was just ignore the issue.
–
About half an hour later Willow finally ventured upstairs. The house was deathly quiet and she noticed the guestroom door was cracked open while Joey's bedroom was shut. What a bunch of babies, Willow thought to herself, and she rolled her eyes as she headed into the kitchen.
Much to her surprise, Joker was in there, eating from a can of black olives. Willow ignored his odd choice for a snack and headed to the fridge to get herself a glass of ice tea.
"I finished with the wax," she said offhandedly. Joker nodded as he continued to stare at the muted TV. Willow turned to him, and she sighed quietly as she took a sip from her glass. Why was everyone acting so stupid today? She remained staring at him, waiting for him to say something, and instead sighed when she realized it was useless. She somewhat angrily started past him, Joker watching as she went, secretly admiring her ass before she started up the stairs. He growled to himself as he popped another black olive into his mouth. What was happening to him? It seemed every time she walked by he couldn't help but always stare. She was the only thing that ever preoccupied his mind anymore. She was so... distracting.
Joey had been right. Just months ago he enjoyed terrorizing her, confusing her, hurting her. And now suddenly he was defending her? He felt like stabbing himself. How could he have gotten so off track? All the while she was in Arkham he moped around, thinking about her, truthfully wondering to himself why, exactly, he had left her. He acted like a fool trying to convince her to go back with him. He made a face as he swallowed: he actually... enjoyed spending time with her it seemed. He had killed Loc, one of his best henchmen, for her, all because she hated him? What was that!
He angrily slammed down the can of olives, some of the juice splashing up and landing on the counter and floor. He growled as he shook his head, Joey just barely startling him as he walked into the kitchen.
"You gonna clean that up?" He asked as he nodded to the can of olives.
"No Joey, I'm not. Don't start with me," Joker snapped back. Joey made a face, but couldn't help but grin.
"What's wrong?" He asked as he leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. "Do you want to talk about your feelings?"
"Joey, I'll kill you right now. Shut. Up."
Joey continued to laugh as he turned around to grab a bowl. Next to him Joker sighed as he stared at the floor, a few minutes later finally speaking up.
"Joey, what's happening to me?" Joker mumbled. Joey turned, a grin still on his face, but it faded into a frown once he realized how seriously bothered his friend looked. "I fucking defended her?"
"Yeah, you did." Joey said flatly as he turned around, unable to believe it himself. Suddenly he remembered the conversation he had with Willow, and what she had confessed to him. It was at the tip of his tongue to tell Joker, but he held it back, though it was tempting. But he was a man, an adult, and he knew he was better than childishly getting back at Willow that way. With a deep breath he pushed the thought to the back of his mind, telling himself that simply laying down the law to Willow would be more beneficial than embarrassing her, or worse, maybe even getting her killed. "Look, homegirl pissed me off, so that's why I'm mad. But you? I don't know what your deal is lately with her. I don't know Jack, ever since she left for Arkham and got back, you haven't been yourself, if you want the truth."
He quickly turned to the fridge, reaching for a can of fruit cocktail. Joker growled again as he finally looked up. He was about to tell Joey that no, he did not want to hear the truth, but decided instead to just stop talking. He was stupid to even bring up anything in the first place. Nothing was wrong. Everything was normal and fine. He was just letting Willow distract him a little too much lately. All he had to do was get himself back on track.
"Tell her she's working tonight," Joey said suddenly, breaking his thoughts. "From ten 'till two."
"That your way of punishing her?" Joker asked as he raised an eyebrow.
"No," Joey said as he dug his spoon into the bowl. "Maybe I should only have her dance for the fat, sweaty guys."
"That'll do it," Joker said sarcastically, and he rolled his eyes as he turned around to start upstairs. He found Willow sitting on the bed, holding her snake with a pout on her face. "You're working tonight," Joker said as he reached for his gloves on the end table.
"Wee," Willow said in a flat tone as she rose her eyebrows. Joker turned to her, tempted to do something about her tone with him, but instead he took in a deep breath. He was king at mind over body, at least he once was... He closed his eyes as he started to slide on one glove.
"Ten 'till two," he said. "So be ready. You're driving yourself."
Without another word he immediately exited the room, leaving Willow to glance up and watch as he started down the stairs. She felt like screaming. What the fuck is going on today? She wondered angrily. She stood up and put Crystal back in her tank, angrily slamming the lid back on before she latched it. She plopped back down on the bed, fuming at this point, wondering what had come over Joey and Joker. She closed her eyes, trying to make herself not think about it.
Nine thirty finally rolled around, and Willow had just started her car. Joey and Joker had already started to the club in Joker's Tahoe, leaving Willow by herself as she drove to work. Her long nap had done nothing but only irritate her more, especially after getting the silent treatment from both Joey and Joker. She had tried talking to them both, she even apologized to Joey. But in return all he did was repeat his new rule about girls in the house, leaving her even more upset and angry.
She was dreading work now, in no mood to dance or pretend to be nice. As she strolled into the club she did nothing to hide the scowl on her face, and she wasn't prepared to hide her bad mood either. On her way to the dressing room she noticed the looks she was getting from all the other strippers, it seemed, but she ignored him. After deciding on an outfit, she sat down to straighten her hair, deciding to make herself look good on her terms rather than trying to impress Joker. He just did not deserve it that night.
It seemed all the chatter in the dressing room was at an all time low that night. The few that talked mumbled, and Willow could have sworn she heard her name a few times. But she ignored them all, hoping that the night would go by as quickly as possible. She had just finished straightening her hair, and she jumped slightly when she stood up, Lydia standing right in front of her with her hands on her hips.
"So what makes you so special?" She asked rudely as she leaned in some. Willow stared at her for a short moment before moving around her. Most of the girls in the dressing room now had completely stopped what they were doing to watch the drama. "Hey bitch. I'm talking to you."
Willow continued to ignore her, only making Lydia angrier, and she stepped up to Willow as she started down the dressing room and she shoved her. Willow stumbled forward but caught her balance quickly, and she angrily turned around and shoved Lydia back.
"What the fuck?" She spat, her eyebrows angrily furrowed.
"Who the hell are you to be staying at Joey's? What makes you so awesome that he allows you to stay there than any of us?"
A small grin crept along Willow's face. "Is this seriously what this is about? Grow the fuck up, and mind your own-"
Lydia pushed Willow again, and a few of the girls cheered in Lydia's favor.
"You're fucking fake, thinking you're better than everyone cause you're Joker's girl? I bet you're nothing when he's not around..."
Willow's eyes widened as she caught her balance, and she stared at Lydia. She had completely spoken Loc's words, and it seemed as though Willow blacked out with rage. She gritted her teeth as she advanced on Lydia, and she immediately grabbed a fistful of her hair. Lydia yelled out and quickly dug her nails into Willow's wrist, prompting her to let go. The other girls all yelled out as Willow and Lydia spun in circles, struggling against each other. Finally Willow let go, and attempted to punch Lydia as hard as she could, her loose knuckles clashing against her eye. Lydia ignored the pain, and instead grabbed Willow's hoop earrings, and Willow screamed out as she pulled on them. Willow brought her foot up, kicking Lydia in the stomach, and she stumbled back in as she screamed out. Willow had just jumped on her, ready to start wailing on her, when she suddenly paused when she heard Joey behind her.
"Hey! Hey! HEY!" He was making his way quickly through all the girls, Joker calmly walking behind him, and he instantly grew furious once he saw Willow hovering over one of the other girls. Willow resisted as best as she could as she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her force her back. Joey angrily threw her behind him, Willow stumbling as he quickly tended to Lydia. With angry eyes she watched as Joey helped Lydia up, and as she panted she touched her finger to her throbbing ears, her lower pierced holes bleeding.
"What the fuck is going on?" Joey yelled now, noticing how all his girls instantly quieted down and backed up to give him space. He had only ever had one other physical girl fight in his club, only he had caught it before any serious damage could occure. Now, Lydia's eye was blackening, both girl's make-up was smeared to hell, Willow's ears were bleeding, and Lydia's hair was tangled in tight knots. "I said what the fuck happened?"
"S-she hit me," Lydia started behind tears now, and she held her hand to her throbbing eye. Willow's mouth fell open and she took a step forward.
"She's started it!" Willow yelled. "She-"
"Stop!" Joey said as he held his hand out to her. This fight was seriously backing up his business right now. "I don't want to hear who the fuck started it. I want to know what happened!"
"I'm trying to fucking tell you!" Willow screamed at him, unable to hold it back. Joey's eyes widened and his lips thinned, and he instantly turned his body to face Willow all the way.
"Don't scream at me," he said in a more calmer tone, and he pointed his finger to her. "At home I may be your friend but here I'm your fucking boss, and you do not yell at me. You are this close to being fired, you hear me!"
Willow felt tears swell in her eyes and her bottom lip quivered as she instantly backed down. She had never seen Joey so mad, and it honestly scared her. Joey was breathing hard, unable to fathom how angered he was, and he looked up to stared behind Willow. The room grew gravely quiet as Joker slowly appeared behind Willow, his eyebrows raised as he looked from girl to girl. Willow glanced up at Lydia, a single tear sliding down her cheek, and she noticed how terrified she looked as she stared at Joker, her crying completely halted now. Willow gritted her teeth.
"Yeah, who's nothing now?" Willow spat at her with a shaking voice. Joey instantly looked down to Willow and was just about to speak, but Joker was quick to beat him to it.
"Hey now," he started in that deep, clowny voice. Willow was shaking badly, but she felt her body relax a great deal when Joker placed his hand on her hip, resting his arm on her lower back. "Look, let's settle this like mature, adults, shall we?"
All the girls continued to gawk at him, terrified that he'd whip out that famous knife at any minute and go on a killing spree. Their eyes nervously fell to Willow, some noticing how calm she looked suddenly, while others were left still scared and confused. Some considered running or sneaking out of there, but the consequences of getting caught scared them stiff, literally.
"Willow," he started, and he looked down to her. Using his free hand he touched his gloved finger to the bottom of her chin, forcing her to look up at him. The leather was cool against her skin, and the dim lighting caused him to look more evil than normal. "You need to just. Stop. Talking. Okay?" Joker nodded his head once as he started into her eyes, and she swallowed as she nodded. She was still somewhat mad at Joker, though at the moment she couldn't remember why, but she knew it best to always listen to him, no matter what. "And Joey, is this really the way to handle a cat fight? By sinking down to their level and screaming?"
"Jack, shut the fuck up, I don't need you to-"
"Ah, ah," Joker said as he waved his finger in front of him. "Listen to me. We'll give both girls a chance to tell their side of the story. Fair?" He looked at Willow, who rolled her eyes and nodded, then to Lydia. Her eyes were wide with fear, and he took her nervous swallow as a yes. It wasn't that he actually cared to solve the fight. He just enjoyed being in the middle of everything. "So since Willow seems to be acting the most... childish, Lydia, why don't you go first?"
At first no words came to Lydia's mouth, and she nervously glanced at Joey. Joey sighed. Unfortunately, Joker had found a way to quiet down the whole scene, as weird as that was, and luckily he seemed to be the only person who could shut Willow up at this point. That he was thankful for, so he decided to just let his friend handle the most of it.
Finally Lydia stuttered out her first word, figuring since Joey was here, an obvious friend of the Joker's, he wouldn't try anything. "W-well, I-I just asked her a question, and I guess she took it the wrong way because she suddenly punched me-"
"That's bullshit!" Willow yelled instantly. With a growl Joker quickly pulled Willow to the side so she stood in front of him, and he slapped his free hand over her mouth while he held her against him, his arm over her hips.
"Please continue," he said with a false smile. The other girls all cowered back more, surprised at Joker's sudden action with Willow.
"S-she just punched me and it went from there..."
"Mhmm," Joker said as he slowly nodded. "So, tell me, why are Willow's ears bleeding?"
"I grabbed them in attempt to get her off of me," Lydia said. Joey looked from Lydia back to Joker now, noticing how Willow was glaring at Lydia.
"Makes sense, don't you think, Joey?" Joker asked. Joey rolled his eyes as his answer. "Willow? Will you calmly tell your side of the story?"
Willow sighed, nodding her head as best as Joker would allow, and he removed his hand from her mouth, but kept his firm hold on her against him. She licked her lips as he pointed at Lydia.
"She pushed me first when I was headed out. I was trying to fucking ignore her, and then she pushed me again-"
"I did not!" Lydia quickly started. Willow's eyes widened and she tried to take a step forward.
"You fucking did! Every girl will agree on that!"
With another growl Joker pulled Willow back, and Joey breathed in deeply through his nose. Joker and Joey looked around the room, and Willow felt her stomach drop and her heart sink, all at once, as every girl nervously shook their head no. Her mouth dropped as she now struggled against Joker.
"That's fucking bullshit!" She screamed. "I didn't do anything!"
"Willow!" Joey yelled above her voice, and he took a step forward. "You're fired!"
Willow's ears rang upon hearing this news, and the entire room spun as she instantly settled down, and she stared up at him. "What?" She asked in a small, helpless voice, but Joey remained firm.
"I don't want you to dance here," he said harshly, not bothering to justify his reasons. "Jack take her out," he added, and he turned his body away, swinging his hand out as if she was trash. Joker was frowning at Joey, not sure, exactly, if he agreed with his decision. Joey turned to start saying something to Lydia quietly, and more tears streamed down Willow's face as Joker turned her towards the door, walking her out of the dressing room. It seemed everything about that day suddenly hit her hard, and now she was fired? It wasn't fair. Why did Joey suddenly hate her so much, and so randomly as well? They had just made it to the doors of the club when Joey finally made his way towards them, instantly pushing passed the doors. He shot Joker a look as he turned around.
"Let's just go now, man," he said as he nodded. "I need this."
"Willow, go home," Joker commanded in more of a firm voice. Willow's mouth fell as she looked up at him, suddenly feeling stupid with what she was wearing, and she attempted to cover up with her arms.
"By myself?" She asked sadly "I-I thought I was going too..."
"Go home," Joker added, getting slightly annoyed suddenly himself. This night was supposed to be fun, and now it was turning out to be anything but. Joey threw her her clothes and keys, and without a word started towards Joker's Tahoe. More tears streamed down her face as she stomped towards the Audi, and the second she started the ignition, she sped away.
The front door slammed shut behind her, rattling, it seemed, the entire house. Willow threw down her clothes and keys, not caring where they landed, and she stomped into the kitchen, ignoring completely the pain from her ears. She ran her fingers through her hair before she grabbed a fistful and she pulled down as she let out a yell of anger. She threw her hands to the side as she turned around, and she paced back and forth in front of the kitchen as she breathed deeply.
She tried to recall how the day had gone wrong. Her late morning had started off perfectly, it seemed, until Joey just had to interrupt, and from there is when it seemed to take a turn for the worst. She tried to think back to what, exactly, had put Joey in such a fowl mood. All Willow had done was confirm Lydia's answer to her forceful question. Trying to put herself in Joey's shoes, she figured he probably thought she had only done it to make him angry, which she really hadn't. But the more she thought about it the more she became confused, and she knew she'd never find a logical answer, especially with Joker's case.
He had actually gone for her antics in the morning quite willingly, which lead Willow to believe they were on a great track, especially after what she had stupidly admitted to Joey. But suddenly in the basement, once Joker had seen how angry Joey was, it seemed the mood instantly rubbed off on him, and lasted for the rest of the day into the late night.
A tear slid down Willow's cheek as she recalled the stupid fight she had gotten into. How could Joey have taken Lydia's side, a girl he barely knew and had just hired? Her side of the story was ridiculous, she knew Joey should know that she wouldn't just up and start a fight. She loved her job there, and she would do nothing to jeopardize it. Though, she knew it didn't matter now. She was fired.
She took in a deep breath through her nose and forced herself to stop pacing. Maybe, she thought, Joey and Joker needed a long, chaotic night out to themselves. She had been excited to go, she wanted to see how it would all go down. But as she tried to calm herself and take a minute to think, she figured that it would maybe be a good way for them to vent out some anger, and hopefully come to realize she really had done nothing wrong that entire day.
Thinking a little more rationally now, suddenly being alone in Joey's giant house scared her a little, and she made her way to the door and she locked it quickly. She picked up her clothes from the floor, finally realizing she was still in the black lingerie she had picked out. She placed her car keys and the spare house key Joey had given her on the narrow table in the entryway and she started upstairs cautiously. The heat lamps for the snakes illuminated the guestroom, casting eerie shadows on the walls, and she calmed down some once she flipped the light on, quickly finding her large black t-shit to throw on over her tiny outfit.
After taking her earrings out and trying to clean up the crusted and fresh blood from the holes, she ventured back downstairs, and she paused atop the basement stairs. Her body still shook with left over anger, but it seemed fright was slowly taking over. She stared down at the stairs that led down into what seemed like pitch black. All she wanted to do was let Joey's dog inside so she wouldn't be alone and smoke a cigarette, but the task seemed rather difficult. Finally she forced herself down the stairs, cursing to herself for being so scared, angry at herself for even wishing Joker was there, especially under the certain circumstances. The moon shone in through the sliding glass doors, and sure enough there was Arlo, wagging his tail, ready to come inside for the night. Willow smiled as she let the dog in, locking the door after him, and they both ran upstairs. Now all that was left to do was hang out on the deck with Arlo and wait for Joey and Joker to come home...
a/n: this is definitely not willow's chapter, ahaha :( sorry for the long wait though! please review if you want the next one! :D maybe things will improve.. or, maybe they wont.. :D