The moment he first saw him, it was like a lightning bolt struck his core and awakened all his senses.
He had never experienced a feeling like this before. Not with Sophie or Murray. Not even after he saw the crowd of people cheering for him. This was something entirely new.
And like an addict, he wanted more. He needed more.
Other people would have shied away from such a dangerous feeling. But not Arthur.
Arthur longed for this feeling. It was something he searched his whole life for and never found. At least, not until then.
It was like finally being able to breathe after suffocating for so long. It was like being able to see after stumbling in the dark all your life. Whenever he was around him, he felt about ten years younger. He felt rejuvenated. He felt alive.
In fact, he didn't think he was ever truly alive until that moment he laid eyes on the man dressed as a bat.
Another psychotic freak with a passion for theatrics, how could his curiosity not be ignited?
If he hadn't been locked in Arkham, he might've heard the rumors about the Batman as the media liked to call him. But he probably wouldn't have believed them. No way was there someone wearing a bat costume and going around Gotham, beating up criminals. That would be absolutely insane, even for an insane city like Gotham.
But he was glad he hadn't heard anything prior. It gave him zero expectations when they finally came face-to-face. While he struck fear into the hearts of other criminals, Arthur was certain he had never smiled harder than at that moment.
He was so stoic and mysterious, and that only intrigued Arthur more. When he admitted he had been watching Arthur for some time–had come looking for him–he swore he felt his heart soar.
Someone had gone to all these lengths just to meet him! Dressed themselves in this costume and followed him here! Not even his most dedicated followers had done that back in the day when he first donned the clown makeup.
It was like destiny had brought them together.
Before he knew it, their encounter was over too soon. But that wouldn't be the last Arthur saw of him. He wouldn't let it be.
So time and time again, he escaped from Arkham and caused chaos just to see the Bat. And Arthur was never disappointed. The Bat would always show up and beat him until he was black and blue before taking him back to Arkham.
And every time, Arthur tried to get the Bat to break his aloof character. He knew he got under his skin and saw he could grind his gears. But he had never seen the Bat laugh or crack a smile.
But tonight, Arthur was going to do something he was sure would get the response he was looking for.
After escaping from Arkham for the umpteenth time, Arthur had made his way to Wayne Enterprises where a New Year's Eve party was being held. Lucky for him, it was a masquerade party, so it would be easy to slip into.
Not so lucky for the other guests.
Hiding behind a sinister Venetian jester mask, Arthur maneuvered through the party with ease. It was crazy to think how every one of these people was just inches away from the man known as the Joker, and they didn't even realize it. They were too busy, mingling and drinking and dancing. He watched the drunken guests silently, searching for the only one that mattered.
He was here. He could feel his presence crackling like electricity through the air. Whenever Arthur was around him, the hairs on his body stood up as they did now.
There was no other person on this Earth who could make him react that way.
The clock soon struck midnight, and while everyone cheered and kissed, Arthur made his way to the center of the floor. Raising the gun he had stolen off a guard from Arkham, he fired a shot into the ceiling. The mood in the room instantly shifted as the music shut off, and people began to scream and panic.
"What a way to start off the new millennia!" Arthur tore off his mask and revealed his painted face underneath. "With a bang!"
Everyone stared back at him, frozen with fear.
Arthur pranced over to a waiter who still held a tray of champagne glasses in his hand, albeit shakily. He snatched one and gulped it down before tossing the glass away. It crashed to the floor and shattered into dozens of pieces, which caused some people to scream again.
"Don't let me drink alone here!" Arthur waved his gun lazily at the crowd. "This is a party! Where's the music? Come on, we're here for a good time! Not for a long time!"
He waltzed over to where the DJ stood and leaned over their booth. "How about some Sinatra? A little, 'New York, New York?'"
When the DJ didn't comply and remained there trembling, Arthur could feel himself growing frustrated. He aimed his gun at the man's head and started to sing, "Start spreading the news. I'm leaving today."
Finally getting the hint, the DJ played the song and Arthur began to sing along. He turned away from the booth and spun around the floor, dancing and twirling the gun in his hand.
The crowd hadn't thinned out and continued watching him, clearly unsure of what to do. He had just reached the chorus of the song and done a high kick when someone appeared behind him, catching his eye.
"I knew you'd show up!" Arthur beamed at the man he had been waiting for.
Serious as ever, the Bat lunged forward at Arthur. Even with the other guests dressed in their over-the-top outfits, he stood out among the crowd with his all-black, armored costume. But Arthur wouldn't have had it any other way. That's what made him unique.
What made Arthur even notice him.
"I go through all that work to break out of Arkham, and you want to send me back already?" Arthur shuffled backward with a laugh. "The night's still young and we have a lot to celebrate, Batsy!"
The Bat grabbed hold of Arthur's sleeve and nearly snapped his bony arm like a twig. He pried the gun from his fingers easily since Arthur didn't resist much. The gun was just a prop for him, a way to get the Bat's attention.
"How did you get in here?" he demanded.
"Oh, that was easy!" Arthur giggled. "Slip on a mask and no one knows who you are. But you'd know a lot about that, wouldn't you?"
The grip on his arm tightened. "Let's go. The party's over."
As the Bat began to drag him out of the building, Arthur waved goodbye to the stunned crowd. The pair walked away together in silence, the only sound coming from Arthur's shoes squeaking across the floor. When they were far enough away from any potential eavesdroppers, he craned his neck back and said,
"Even on New Year's, you can't seem to loosen up. But then again, you were always so serious. Even as a child."
The words barely left Arthur's mouth before he was slammed against the wall, the wind knocked out of him.
"What. Did. You. Say." The Bat leaned in closer, his voice deepening into an animalistic growl. He dug his fingers into Arthur's shoulders, making him wince.
"I said," Arthur wheezed as he struggled to catch his breath. "You were always so serious. Even as a child... Don't you remember? I even tried to make you smile."
Arthur lifted his fingers and placed them on the lower half of the Bat's exposed face. He didn't even get the chance to touch his mouth before he was slammed into the wall again. The Bat wrapped his hands around Arthur's wrists and flung them down so fast that Arthur could hear something in one of them break.
"Don't worry," Arthur said in between painful laughter. "I won't tell anyone. Your secret's safe with me. It's more fun that way."
From the little he could see of his eyes, they narrowed into slits. What Arthur would give to read his mind right now. He could only guess what he was thinking since he knew the Bat would never admit it out loud.
Arthur eagerly waited for his response. The possibilities raced through his mind, and with each new one he thought of, his excitement only grew.
What he got was a gloved fist smashing down on his face.
The next thing Arthur knew he was back in Arkham, still being manhandled by the Bat. He didn't remember the past hour and figured he must've blacked out.
Not really a surprise since the Bat could pack quite a punch. He had knocked him out a few times before, but never like this. Not when he hadn't even tried to harm him.
He must've really angered him.
Arthur couldn't help but frown. He didn't want to aggravate him. In fact, he wanted quite the opposite.
He wanted the Bat to smile at the news that he discovered who he was.
Of who they were to each other.
What were the odds that Thomas Wayne's son would be the Bat? That he would've been the one to become a masked vigilante and spend their time hunting him down?
Who else would have done that for him?
Arthur once heard how in Eastern mythology, an invisible red string was tied to those whose who were destined for each other. If that were true, then he and the Bat must be wrapped head to toe in the string to one another.
Of course, the Bat didn't see it that way, and Arthur couldn't understand why. For being so smart, he ought to know better. Was he just in denial then?
This night did not go at all how he wanted, and it only made the frown on his face deepen. He could tolerate the physical pain–Hell, he relished in it if it came from the Bat–but the emotional one was almost unbearable.
"Here," the Bat said as he released Arthur from his grasp in front of the concerned staff. Arthur slumped forward on the tile, too dejected to move.
"What's going on?" a feminine voice called out.
Out of the eye that wasn't swollen shut, he saw a young blonde woman come rushing forward. He recognized her. She was one of the psychiatrists here at Arkham. He didn't know her name since she wasn't his psychiatrist, and didn't pay much attention to her.
"This is outrageous! Who do you think you are?!" The woman fumed at the Bat. "You can't treat these patients this way!"
The Bat looked taken aback that she would speak to him in such a way. Even Arthur was surprised by how fearless she was. Mostly everyone in Arkham feared the Bat and tried to stay out of his way whenever he came by.
"Someone take this poor man and get him some medical attention," the psychiatrist addressed the staff, who remained there gawking at the trio. "It looks like he has a broken wrist."
She kneeled beside Arthur and smiled at him. "You'll be okay. You're safe now."
As he stared into her face, he felt that familiar tingling in his core. But he should've known then when it didn't feel like his insides were ablaze that it was not the same as it was with the Bat. No, instead, it was like a small kindling within him.
But it was better than the sunken feeling of disappointment.