Evelyn wasn't one to hate many things.

Dislike ? Sure. She was fine with admitting she disliked some things - but the true, burning rage that came with hating something wasn't all that evident in Evelyn's mind. But, the illusionist discovered she had an intense, deep hatred for one thing - being avoided.

After tossing a blanket over her shoulders and escorting the girl over to the medical tent, staying with her as Doc stitched the back of her head (and gave the pair a few odd looks) Joker hadn't spoken a word to her. Hadn't appeared at the mess hall. Hurried past her after performances, not even sparing a glance in her direction.

Two weeks this had gone on. And she was sick of it.

It tore Evelyn's heart apart. Not only did Beast seem to hate her now - she had caught the busty woman glaring at her more than once over the past days - but to be avoided by someone who she admittedly loved? That suffocated her. If Evelyn dwelt on the thought too long, she felt her breath catch in her throat, her eyes threatening to spill over with tears. It killed her that Joker was outright avoiding her. She wanted it - no, needed it - to stop.

All of this the illusionist had confessed to Dagger after everyone had left the mess hall one night, who listened patiently and gave the girl a tight hug, before leaning back in his seat and contemplating the situation. "What do I do?" Evelyn mumbled hopelessly, laying her head on the wooden table and closing her eyes.

"Honestly, Illusion, I don't really know. It's not like Joker to avoid someone," Dagger said thoughtfully, fiddling with a knife in his hands. "Usually he deals with things head on. Gosh, you really screwed up, didn't you?" He cracked a slight smile, lightly batting the girl on the arm. Evelyn gave him a sharp look, and the knife-thrower sighed. "Just... I don't know, talk to him."

"...What?" Evelyn raised her head, looking puzzled.

"Talk to him," Dagger repeated. "You're not going to get anywhere if you sit and let it stew. Figure out why he's been avoiding you. Be an adult and sort it out," the performer said bluntly. Evelyn stared at him, confused.

"But..." She began, as Dagger turned to her, pointing a finger at her accusingly.

"No buts! Go sort it out! Right now," He said sternly, suddenly convinced his statement was the only way to go. Standing up from the table, he took the illusionist's arm, pulling her up from the table and giving her a small push towards the entrance to the hall. Giving the boy a frightened look, Evelyn began to slouch forward, jumping about a foot in the air as Dagger shouted excitedly from behind her, "Go!"

And thus, Evelyn found herself standing outside of Joker's tent, twiddling her thumbs and wondering what on earth to say.

Could just barge in there, demand an answer, a sly voice crept into her head. Evelyn gritted her teeth. No, that wouldn't work... maybe I could be cold about it? No, that's not me at all... Perhaps I- oh, hell, she thought bitterly, as the entrance to the tent began to move. Evelyn filled with horror, mentally panicking, speechless as she came face to face with Joker once again.

The man stared at her in surprise, not expecting to meet her outside of the tent. Evelyn gazed back, feeling a small lump rise in her throat. Swallowing it, she began uncertainly. "I... um..." She stammered.

"I c-came to apologize," She found herself saying, mentally screaming at herself for sounding so pathetic. Stupid, stupid, stupid! "For... whatever it was I did... the other night..." Evelyn muttered quietly, heat rising in her cheeks as she looked to her feet. "And I was kind of wondering..." She continued, her eyes glued to the ground. Suck it up, Evelyn! "...Why you're avoiding me." She finished, looking straight up at the ringleader, her eyes blazing.

The silence was deafening.

It felt like the two stared at each other for hours - Evelyn, looking angry, while Joker looked surprised, his mouth slightly agape. Slowly Evelyn began to look down, her face burning in shame - until she heard a small sound. Her head snapping up, she saw - to her bewilderment- Joker bent over, his shoulders shaking in silent laughter as he put a gloved hand to his mouth. Eventually he straightened up, tears of laughter in his eyes as he spoke. "'M sorry," he apologized, a small smile cracking across his face. "Y'looked about as fierce as Betty for a moment there; couldn't help but laugh," Joker admitted.

Evelyn wasn't usually quick to anger, but this was special - she flew into a rage, her face darkening as she hit the ringleader's arm and turned away. "You avoid me like the bloody plague for two weeks, then laugh when I try and apologize?" She ranted, beginning to walk - or more accurately, stomp - away. "You're an ass!" She spat.

Joker hurried after her, reaching down and grabbing her hand as she went. "Let go of me!" Evelyn said angrily, trying to pull away.

"Evelyn, I'm sorry." The words rung in her ears as the redhead spoke them quietly. "I shouldn't've laughed - this is serious. I'm sorry for avoiding you, it's just..." Joker struggled to find the words.

"It's just that I've acted stupidly, isn't it?" Evelyn asked, bitterness dripping from her tone. "Became a drunken fool at that party, did... whatever that night, and now you want nothing to do with me." She said it matter-of-factly, her voice cracking as she looked at the ground once again.

"It's not like that at all," Joker said quietly, taking her other hand as well. "Waking up and seeing you next to me like that, it startled me. Flustered me," He admitted. "I had no idea what t'say to you afterwards. Didn't know how to act. So I avoided you entirely, and I'm so sorry about that."

"O-oh..." Evelyn mumbled, glancing upwards. "I'm... sorry for getting angry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that," she apologized, feeling embarrassed as she looked down to her hands, which were still clasped in Joker's. "But... why did you get so flustered?" She asked.

Joker went slightly red himself, looking away. "Ah... well, when y'started panicking, you started trying to explain yourself, remember?" A bit confused, Evelyn nodded her head slightly, thinking over the many things she had shrieked after falling to the floor.

"I am so sorry, oh my God - I guess I just wandered in here last night..."

"I mean, I do like you..."

"I never thought I would do anything like that..."

Evelyn froze, one line springing out at her like a jack-in-the-box. "I mean, I do like you..." echoed in her head like a mantra as she began to back away from the ringleader, dropping his hands and feeling her heart begin to pump at an alarming rate. "Evelyn?" Joker asked, looking bewildered.

"S-so you heard everything?" Evelyn squeaked, her voice coming out higher than usual as she began to panic once again. He knows, she thought as her stomach twisted with dread. Joker looked down at his hands.

"Yeah," he confessed, looking back up at the illusionist. "I heard what y'said, and sort of... panicked, myself." He said, taking a step closer to the girl and giving her a small smile. "Can I ask somethin', though?"

"What is it?" Evelyn questioned, wanting desperately to go hide inside her tent rather than face the fellow first-tier.

"What y'said... was it true?"

Evelyn stared at her feet, clenching her hands tightly as her face began to burn. "...Yes," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. That was when what was quite possibly the most beautiful thing in the world reached her ears.

"I hoped so."

A hand tilted her chin up and all Evelyn felt was the pair of lips pressing against her own before she melted away in a moment of pure bliss.

/INTENSE SCREAMING/ IT FINALLY HAPPENED.

It felt so good to write this chapter. Painful at first, then amazing. I tried to keep Joker in character as best I could, but you never know what the character would do in that situation - it's all trial and error.

See you in chapter 7!