#joker removes the curtain

[nerdpoe]

Danny is at a Ghost Hunting Convention in Gotham with his parents. He hates his past self for thinking that going to Gotham was a good idea.

He's in a tank, full of water, with a curtain draped over it as the Joker waxes poetic about how Batman is too late and blah, blah, blah.

Danny has bigger problems than Batman's pissing contest with Joker.

His parents are on the outside of the water tank he's been stuck in for the last twenty minutes. As a Halfa, he just stopped breathing, no big deal.

But they don't know he can do that.

He needs to do something so that they don't think he's a ghost, and going intangible is out because, obviously, that would make him a ghost.

...Hadn't Clockwork said that his status as a Halfa made him...flexible? On what he looked like?

That meant shapechanging, like Amorpho.

It would be really, really hard to explain, but also, better than being mistaken for a ghost.

He squeezes his eyes shut, hopes he doesn't come out of this looking like a horrifying version of clayface, forces himself to change.

The skin on his neck ripples, his legs fuse like when he's in his ghost form, and the sensation is so strange he gasps...and he can breathe.

The curtain is still over the tank of water.

Danny is glowing.

There are freckles that are glowing a soft green that dot his arms and...tail.

He's a mermaid. Merman.

Well.

Maybe he can say it was a recessive gene?

[specterthief]

The Spider and the Fly

in the english localization of persona 5 royal, when lavenza speculates that maruki may have used the counseling sessions to intentionally prime the phantom thieves to want his actualization, akechi references a 19th century children’s poem, the spider and the fly by mary howitt.

while this reference is only in the english version of the game (in japanese akechi merely remarks that the thieves all happily allowed themselves to be fooled) and the quote about the spider’s parlour is one of the most recognizable quotes in english literature, meaning any references other than this one are almost certainly coincidental, there are still some fascinating comparisons that can be drawn to the text of the poem and i’m going to go on about them for too long because of who i am as a person. enjoy!

"Will you walk into my parlour?" said a spider to a fly; " 'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy.

the first line, “will you walk into my parlour?” (often misquoted as “step into my parlour” or “come into my parlour”) is a quote associated with false offers of friendship, and fits perfectly with the realization that the thieves have just made in this scene and especially with akechi’s feelings about maruki—the idea that his help and friendship was always a trap, that, as lavenza suggests may be possible, he was manipulating his interactions with the thieves from the start for his own ends. (something that we know is at least partially true, from his admission that suspecting joker and his friends were the phantom thieves was his motivation for approaching them at all.)

(i also think it’s fitting of maruki that despite the fact that the line is often misquoted as a command by the spider, it’s originally actually phrased as a friendly question, the same as how he always leaves the idea of accepting his deal as a choice—even though he demonstrably has the power to force joker to comply, or erase the thieves from existence altogether.)

The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I have many pretty things to shew when you are there." "Oh no, no!" said the little fly, "to ask me is in vain, For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."

the way to the very heart of maruki’s palace is, in fact, up a winding staircase.

"I'm sure you must be weary, with soaring up so high, Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the spider to the fly. "There are pretty curtains drawn around, the sheets are fine and thin; And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in." "Oh no, no!" said the little fly, "for I've often heard it said, They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"

and in a very quick turn from a mundane detail to a very sinister one, the fly says that those who sleep in the spider’s bed never wake again; in the deadline ending, maruki puts joker into an endless sleep. he’s even surrounded by spiderwebs in the final cutscene. and as the spider worries about the fly’s weariness, claiming to genuinely be offering her rest, maruki bemoans that he’s made joker suffer by expecting him to make a decision—

—and lets him “rest” by removing his will to think and choose for himself altogether.

this also isn’t the only instance of him putting someone to sleep like this, as when he kidnaps sumire on 1/2, when joker and akechi return a week later, they find her asleep, having presumably been so since she was first knocked out (though it’s not strictly clear where he takes her or what’s happened to her in the last week.) in this scene, she only wakes from her sleep when maruki allows her.

and when they find her, the throne she’s sitting in is adorned with a veil... but one could also describe it as having a “pretty curtain drawn around.”

Said the cunning spider to the fly, "Dear friend, what shall I do, To prove the warm affection I've always felt for you? I have, within my pantry, good store of all that's nice; I'm sure you're very welcome – will you please to take a slice?" "Oh no, no!" said the little fly, "kind sir, that cannot be," I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see."

maruki repeatedly uses an offer of snacks to entice the thieves to come to counseling, and always gives joker snacks at the end of their sessions. food (particularly expensive food) as a means of him showing friendship to joker specifically also comes up in several of his confidant ranks, starting with the cookies in rank 5:

the fancy buffet he takes joker to in rank 8:

and the expensive tempura lunch they share in rank 10:

"Sweet creature!" said the spider, "you're witty and you're wise. How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes! I have a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf, If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself." "I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you're pleased to say, And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."

maruki’s very complimentary of joker’s intelligence throughout his confidant, even from the first time they meet, especially when joker’s insight is something he can use in his research. while i don’t think this is strictly false flattery (his admiration of joker seems to be honest, and a deep investment in joker’s opinion is something that comes up in his private thoughts as they're shown in his journal) it is still relevant.

more relevant to the overall point about him orchestrating his interactions with the thieves, him being very quick to praise comes up with them in their sessions too, like here with ann:

and makoto:

and then as to the line about the fly “beholding herself”:

literally beholding herself, both her true and false self, is a repeated theme with sumire in maruki’s palace.

The spider turned him round about, and went into his den, For well he knew, the silly fly would soon come back again: So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner, sly, And set his table ready, to dine upon the fly.

maruki’s certainty that joker will come around to his reality comes up multiple times, with multiple deadlines for him to change his mind and come back to take his deal.

though perhaps the most apt is 2/2;

where “the silly fly would soon come back again” could more be linked to joker not taking the deal—and going up the winding stair to eden, where maruki is waiting to fight the thieves to the death.

Then he went out to his door again, and merrily did sing, "Come hither, hither, pretty fly, with the pearl and silver wing; Your robes are green and purple – there's a crest upon your head; Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead."

maruki specifically comments on joker’s eyes being bright, as the spider does the fly. while this is part of the spider’s flattery in the poem and here is part of the scene that’s probably the most honest maruki’s ever been, i couldn’t not point out the coincidence of him describing joker in almost the exact same words.

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little fly, Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by; With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew, Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue:– Thinking only of her crested head, poor foolish thing! – At last Up jumped the cunning spider, and fiercely held her fast.

He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den, Within his little parlour – but she ne'er came out again! – And now, dear little children, who may this story read, To idle, silly, flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed: Unto an evil counsellor, close heart, and ear, and eye, And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.

this could again be compared to the sleep ending—

or the two difference scenes where sumire gets abruptly “held fast”—

but i think that line and the following ones about never returning from the spider’s parlour also fits the ending where you do take maruki’s deal, as according to lavenza, once mementos and reality fully merge again under his power, it will be impossible to escape or resist, even for the phantom thieves.

and indeed, the phantom thieves even seem to have forgotten who the anonymous “man wearing hat” is in that ending, meaning they may not even remember who they could fight back against if they wanted to. 

...and, of course, the “unto an evil counsellor” line speaks for itself. maruki is a counselor, and his confidant is the councilor arcana. the counselor who the thieves opened up to, who on some level was manipulating them from the very beginning, and uses their confidence in him to try and lure them, as akechi says, into the spider’s parlour—from where no one can escape.

[honksephreal]

Gender neutral reader x Weeping Clown from identity V Out of character probably pls I need more content of him

Joker the sad weeping clown, used to getting stares from others and degrading himself to make the audience laugh and mock him as they throw rotten food items at him.

He takes a deep sigh staring at the handheld mirror, his face the one he always hated was ruined with that acidic mixture, he made sure to close the curtains of his tent, didn't want to show his more vulnerable side

putting his head on his hands, he just can't handle seeing his scars, they just make everything worse but as long as he gets paid... the sooner he'll reunite his parents, maybe even a small cabin far away from the circuses so that he'll never be reminded of the big crowds of people mocking and laughing at his appearance

Pov change

"Hello? joker?" you spoke out, hoping he was in his tent, after that last performance of joker's, he looked troubled and you were sure it wasn't just the issues with his prosthetic again

you poke you head in, seeing him looking pitiful, head in hands yet he was quiet, there's barely any privacy in these tents so maybe he just didn't wanna bother anyone or anyone bothering him

You closed the curtain behind you, walking to the weeping clown

"Hey hey, what's wrong dear?" looking at the mirror In front of the both of you as he raised his head to look at it as well but only at your reflection

"... Sorry I- I'm not feeling all that well" he said looking away from the mirror, he couldn't face your gaze

"Bad timing for me to walk in?.." you placed your hands on his shoulder giving him a slight massage

"No no, you're okay.. I'm sorry" he apologized, he seems to be very out of it

"No need to say sorry love, here let's move to somewhere more comfortable, come here"

He let you drag him to his small bed, both of you sitting down on it as you play with his hands

"Wanna talk about it Weepy?"

The clown shakes his head negatively, he wraps his arms around you, burying his head in your shoulder. The sad clown needed your comfort and he shall receive.

you smile at him, it's been a few days since you guys cuddle like this. he only interrupted the cuddling section just to remove his prosthetic, not really comfortable or needed to sleep with on

"Sorry if I keep interrupting I-" you shush him, pulling him into you, he blushes a warm red, noticeable due to his lack of face paint due to finishing the performance

He stiffed up a bit only to relax in your touch instantly.

[wtfcraigslistnyc]

THE CURRENT

Encapsulating the oceans motion

Krill spilling into harbors

Guarded by monolithic stone towers

Driven skyward with roots of MAGMA

Foothold upon the edge of the precipice

So deep it’s boundless eminencity only hungers

To know more water and bones

To nuzzle and rest upon the firmament

Of decay and sublime KELVIN like stasis

Penetrating atoms to stand still

As the UNIVERSE expands telescopically

Removed 20,000 leagues of legendary

Silence that reaches the pits of stomachs

Churning in guts storming beaches

As battlements volley hatred and ignorance

The venom that spread all too

Effortlessly upon the prick

Systemically brokered to all the jokers

Who sally forward speaking much too loud about

NOTHING AT ALL

Commanding the attention they seek screaming out

One final SOS from the DEATH SUB

That led them deeper and deeper

To the place of stasis and entanglement

Of greed, ambition, hubris to the mother and a will that knew

Only it’s own curiosity so profoundly detached from the

Magnitude of the endeavor

Gilded in recycled carbon fiber splendor

That we remember as the screams fade to silence and the

Curtain slowly draws

As the trawlers turn back to port and gaze upon

NARWHALS for the first time

Since even the saltiest can recall

Their eyes briefly locking

Only to slip back to the liquid that we

Take so deeply for granted

Yet will move mountains and seas of blood

To spill

(9:32 12/14/23)

[j0kers-light]

I need a VERY clingy Joker 😭😭

Like every time you try to get up he will pull you back down for few more hours -

iLy! 💓🫶-

His Lighthouse: Don't Let Go (LedgerJoker x f!reader)

Don't Let Go- Oneshot

KEEP IN MIND THIS IS NOT A STORY UPDATE!

Hey hi anon!! Gosh this request is old 😭 please don't hate me!

There’s a good three or four requests lumped into this one!! Let’s see how it goes. 

We got some soft!Joker, breast play, body appreciation, clingy!Joker, body worship, and a sprinkle of overstimulation that someone asked a while back for. 

Writing soft!Joker was harder than I thought! He’s a bit too ooc for my tastes but it had to be done to keep the plot moving. Anyhoo I loved the ending. I PROMISED A POSITIVE ONE 👀 I hope you all enjoy! I stayed up late (2AM) to finish it 🤭

taglist:

@blackreaderatrisk @twinkledinkle @clemdango04 @l3ejm @tears-of-amber @what-an-angel @darthjokerisyourfather @thatsnoteii @dollster @cheetahspy @kaidennnnn @urdariingdoll @motivation-idontknowher @ins0mniac-whack @spaghettificationandpretzels @reneisance @alittlesmartcookie @ninacutebee16

Wanna be included in the His Lighthouse journey? Let me know!

You honestly don't know what got into Joker but you weren't complaining.

It all started early in the morning when the sun had yet to rise and poke through the curtains that Joker forgot to close. He usually hit the button once he came in from a long night of crime yet it totally slipped his mind.

Joker was exhausted and eager to get into bed with his Light. He wanted nothing more than to hold you close, inhale your scent, and get a good night's rest. He usually kept to a nightly routine before bed but screw that. He was too desperate to hold you so.. he skipped a few steps.

He knew you wouldn't mind.

Joker began stripping the second he entered your apartment. Shoes went flying, his cloak sagged onto the floor with the weight of his concealed weapons, and his three piece suit quickly became just a dress shirt and pants— by the time he stepped foot into the guest bedroom.

And there you were. His Light. His reason for existing.

You were facing the door so he got to see your beautiful face the moment he walked in. You looked so peaceful, like an angel with the crisp white sheets all tangled up around you as pseudo wings.

You must've washed your hair and left it natural for he noticed the silk bonnet placed on your head like a crown, although it was almost off your head.

You'd mourn your flat curls in the morning but Joker loved seeing your wild untamed hair against the white sheets. It didn't matter what state it was in; Joker always thought you were beautiful.

He removed his dress shirt as he walked forward in a trance. He could stare at you all night but he really wanted to join you.

He wanted to hold you and never let go.

Joker slipped his slacks off before he kneeled on the bed and crawled closer. Like an innocent little lamb unaware of the lion prowling forward, you slept on. He hovered above you for a sec just to take you in.

How did he get so lucky? He didn't deserve such a beautiful goddess like you in his life. Yet here you are. Soft brown sugar adorned in white.

You mumbled in your sleep and Joker easily picked up the syllables that made up his name.

Even in your sleep you thought of him. How sweet.

He fell for you all over again. He sank down behind you and chuckled at the mess of curls now in his face but gently pushed them off of his pillow. It smelled heavenly and made him slip further into a dreamscape.

Joker got comfortable and slowly wrapped his arms around your waist. There was a fifty fifty chance that you would wake up.

Tonight you just hummed and relaxed in Joker's hold.

Good, he had no intentions of waking you but he couldn't help leaving a kiss on the back of your shoulder before falling asleep.

You roused awake a little before your morning alarm clock.

You promised Ana you'd make a loaf of bread for her and her husband, James, today. They both fell in love with your recipe at the last apartment complex meeting and requested a batch for themselves.

And since you needed a loaf or two for your own week ahead, might as well rise early and get to baking.

If only you could get up.

You didn't panic since you heard Joker's soft snores behind you. He must've had a hard night but his grip on you was incredibly tight. His hands were like iron bars locked around your waist and his legs were tangled in with yours as he clung to your body as if you were his own personal teddy bear.

You tried wiggling your arms free but no dice. You huffed and pushed back a little. Joker tensed up but relaxed his hold enough to let you regain control of your arms.

A small victory. You were about to reach for your phone on the nightstand when a gravelly voice startled you.

"Leave it."

You blinked and looked over your shoulder at J. His eyes were closed but you could tell all of his focus was on you. The morning sun has yet to break the horizon but there was enough light to take in the sight of Joker.

You rarely get to see him when he's asleep and you would've admired his beauty fully if his grease paint wasn't covering it up.

You blinked twice to make sure you weren't seeing things and groaned seeing black and red makeup smeared all over your clean linen. This man clearly did not listen to your instructions.

"J, I know you didn't sleep in your makeup again." You sighed. He lazily shrugged a shoulder and tugged you back into his embrace. You went without a fight.

"Don't care... n' go back t' sleep, Bunny." He nuzzled your neck as he got comfortable again. You were left spiraling after hearing Joker's morning voice. He had no right sounding so sexy while half asleep.

He breathed in the smell of your shampoo again and purred in bliss. He was content with today being a lazy one spent in bed.

You, on the other hand, didn't have time to sleep in but Joker took that freedom from you. He rolled over and trapped you underneath him. You were instantly crushed.

"Joker, get off! I got things I... boy! I wish you would fall asleep on me." Joker just nestled more into his pillow– you being said pillow.

"J, move, you're heavy!" You wheezed out. Your Clown Prince flipped over so fast, you got whiplash. But he still didn't let you go.

Just because you were relocated on Joker's chest didn't mean you were in control.

His hand roamed down your body to move your leg to straddle his waist while his other hand rubbed your back in soothing circles. His warm, calloused hands were coaxing you back to sleep and you fought the lull with all your might.

"J... let me go. I need to make some bread." You said. Joker snorted and replied. "You got money, doll."

You bit back a laugh. You and your Blüdhaven sayings were rubbing off on Joker.

"I mean literally make bread, J! I promised Ana and James that I'd make them some, now let me go." You broke free of his hold and was about to climb out of bed when Joker dragged you back.

This time he was wide awake.

You landed on your back with Joker's heavy lidded eyes pinning you down. His hair was in need of a wash, however the strands framed his face in an alluring way.

You kept quiet knowing that Joker wasn't happy and his words confirmed your suspicions. He smacked his lips and dragged his gaze all over your body. You felt exposed under his intense jade eyes.

"What part of 'go back to sleep'.. you not getting Sugar? I want ya to stay in bed with me. Just stay with me, Bunny." He slurred onto your neck.

Joker was still sleepy but stern with his actions. Joker slid his hands up your sides then all of his weight settled on you.

Your breath left you in one big huff but surprisingly, he wasn't heavy in a weight sense. You felt all of Joker's emotions collapse on top of you.

He sighed and nuzzled his face into your shoulder while his hands roamed and explored your body anew. There was something different about his touch today. It was almost timid, as if he was scared to touch you.

Or rather, he felt that he wasn't allowed to touch you.

The morning was cool but your body quickly became hot with the way Joker's fingertips brushed against it. He mumbled something under his breath and shivered. You were concerned until you felt J hump your leg with an audible whine.

It was filled with desperation, something you never heard from Joker before.

"Joker? Are you alright?" You asked.

He didn't reply. Instead, he lifted his head and kissed you soundly.

You blinked in shock but molded your lips to dance along with his. You carded your fingers through his hair and gasped when Joker sighed out your name and cradled your head in his hands. He tangled his fingers within your freshly washed coils and began grinding his morning wood more insistently against you.

You were overwhelmed by Joker's passion. He was more needier than normal and your eyes fluttered shut when he trailed kisses down your neck to your heaving breasts.

They were clad in a silk baby doll he bought you a week ago. Joker leaned back to admire it against your skin.

It wasn't anything risque, but the soft material flattered your body well and it made Joker want you even more.

He shook his head in awe. You were simply gorgeous. Every time he thought you couldn't get more stunning, you leave him breathless again and again.

He dropped back down to plant open mouth kisses on the swell of your breasts and pulled your baby doll down to bare your chest fully to him. He then tilted his head and caught your areola in his mouth and sucked.

You arched your back with a gasp of his name. He hummed and the vibration sent shockwaves from your nipple straight to your clit. Joker knew exactly how you would react and held your hips still so he could continue his devotion on your chest.

He pulled away with a wet audible pop and flashed you a heated glare as his mouth latched onto your other nipple.

You saw his green eyes roll back in pleasure upon contact.

His hands were busy groping the rest of your body like a baker kneaded warm dough. You had no other choice but to hold onto his hair and cry out in need. Joker put his mouth to good use and swirled his tongue around your nipple until they were diamond hard. He was a touch cruel and bit down on them just to hear your startled cry.

He knew you loved it since you tugged at his hair and moaned so beautifully for him. So he did it again and soothed the sting with a swipe of his tongue.

After a few more lingering kisses and sucks, Joker let your nipple go with a heavy sigh before he drifted lower.

Your body deserved to be worshiped and he'd take every scar or blemish you considered 'ugly' under his care.

Each one would be kissed and properly loved if he had any say in the matter. He would read your body like a map and take you to the greatest of highs.

Joker didn't bother taking your nightgown off, he just pushed it up to expose your body to his gaze. And what a sight you were.

"I don't deserve ya. Soooo beautiful.." Joker murmured to himself.

You gasped hearing J's hushed tone. He was rather quiet today and opted to let your gasps and moans be the main star of the show but his unique voice never failed to make you flustered whenever you heard it.

You were about to reply when Joker hooked his fingers under your thighs and dragged you closer to him. He then rested on his stomach and admired the feast laid out before him.

A true goddess with her legs spread open for him. Your pussy was already weeping for his touch and he sighed at the sight of your walls clenching around nothing.

You needed this just as badly as he did. Joker didn't know what came over him, he just had this burning need to please you.

You earned your place by Joker's side, now it was his turn to prove his worth even if he had to work a little harder to show for it.

Your aroma made Joker's mouth water and he didn't care that his clown makeup would transfer onto your sheets and to your plushy thighs. He'd suck it up and do the laundry if you allowed him this pleasure.

Majority of his lipstick had worn off from kissing you so without further ado, Joker whispered your name in thanks and dived straight into his breakfast.

Of course you wouldn't last with the pure desperation that Joker attacked your pussy with. He was a man starved and suckled your clit into his mouth with gusto. You grabbed fistfuls of the sheets and moaned from the sensation.

Joker tossed your legs over his shoulders after you tried closing them and he splayed his hand on your stomach for better leverage.

You weren't going anywhere except coming all over Joker's tongue.

It wouldn't take long for you to come undone since he lapped at your opening and swallowed each drop of your essence like it was his last meal. The sound of your wet pussy being eaten out quickly filled the room.

Joker loved the lewdness of it and pulled back to catch his breath. He smiled seeing your legs tremble near his head.

"You taste so sweet. I want more, Sugar." Joker held his tongue steady when you started to grind your hips faster against his mouth.

He chuckled at each roll of your hips bumped into his nose. You knew what you wanted and sought after it like a bloodhound. You were so close, he wanted you to let go and feel good; however, something was holding you back.

You just needed a little.. push.

Joker held your hips down and flicked his tongue on your clit in between kisses and strong sucks. "Cmon, Y/n. F__k, you're so pretty like this..."

Joker's praise hit you like a tidal wave as the white hot coil building just below your navel finally gave way.

Your lips parted in a silent scream as your orgasm erupted right on Joker's tongue. And he was more than happy to prolong it.

You flooded his taste buds and he didn't waste a single drop. He kept sucking and it triggered another orgasm or rather a continuation of the first.

He growled and swatted at your hands that tried to push him away. He couldn't get enough of your taste and you were trying to come between him and a good meal. Joker smacked the flesh of your thigh and built you right back up in record time.

"J.. please!" Your head was spinning and Joker had no intention of stopping this delicious torture.

You didn't know if it felt good because it was too much or rather being forced to endure was the thrilling part. Either way, Joker rolled your clit in between his teeth and you jerked forward into another mind blowing orgasm.

This one gave you no warning or quarter, you were blindsided by the rush of pleasure washing over you.

You cried out and curled up into a ball on the bed. Joker mourned your retreat but let you come down from your high in peace.

He clicked his tongue at your full body shivers and prowled forward, wanting more from you. His eyes roamed over your body before he laid on the bed behind you.

"Shhh, I gotcha baby doll." He became the original big spoon again— the same position two of you woke up in.

You nodded as your clit throbbed in phantom shocks.

Joker was an intense lover; you should be used to this. It was always an unrelenting downpour of passion with every interaction you and Joker had between the sheets but it caught you off guard every time.

His hands caressed your hips and left butterfly kisses on your shoulders and back. A clear sign he was ready to continue.

You couldn't ignore the feeling of Joker rocking his hips into your backside. "I can't, J.. it's too much."

"It's never enough, Light. I need ya, please." You gasped hearing him beg. "Let me have you.. ngh.. just the tip... I promise."

He let out a shaky sigh when his dick made contact with your sex and dragged through your wetness. A prominent vein bumped against your clit and you hated how good it felt on your exhausted nerve endings.

Your body groaned with fatigue yet yearned for more.

Joker continued to coat his member in your juices as his hands kneaded your breasts. They were a perfect size for his hands and he loved giving them the attention they deserved.

Joker tried to hold back but he was losing his composure.

He wanted this to be about you and your pleasure but every whimper, moan, and sigh you made traveled straight to his cock and drove him wild.

This was about you but if he didn't have you soon, he'd combust.

Joker was coaxing you to join him back in the game with soft coos in your ear and gentle caresses, and like the greedy bunny you are, you folded like a lawn chair.

You thought about Joker's plea as he bit down on your neck to stifle his whine. You both knew it would never be just the tip.

The second Joker slid inside you from behind, he would end up balls deep guaranteed. End of story. Joker only gave you just the tip when he was punishing you.

Although this did feel like torture, J was mad with desire and who were you to deny him of anything?

You nodded, "O-Okay, just the ahh!"

Joker was already sliding in when he felt your head nod against his. He panted in your ear and enunciated each syllable of your name as he bottomed out in one push.

You clawed at the sheets as you tried to adjust around Joker's thick cock. He always filled you up and stretched you out beyond comprehension, yet today felt more intense.

You were utterly speechless as he continued to burrow deep within you. Joker choked on his moan as you finally became flush with his hip.

"Thank you sweetheart.. I needed this. F-F__k, always so w-warm." He groaned into your neck.

The fact that Joker was so needy and stumbling over his words, added another layer of intimacy here. You reached back and guided J's lips to meet yours. He devoured them and left you panting, dizzy with desire. "Thank you doll.. Thank you." He chanted.

He gave you a few extra minutes to adjust before he decided to move. Joker's grip on your waist tightened when he pulled his hips back to thrust for the first time.

"Oh my.. aghn." You mumbled incoherently as his each thick itch slowly pulled out of your sopping cunt only to return just as slowly.

Joker's cock bumped against your g spot and in the privacy of your room, he was content with delivering slow, but still deep, thrusts into your pussy.

You could hear when his fat dick smacked back into your core, you were so wet.

Each retreat of Joker's dick had you crying out for him to come back, only for your breath to be stolen upon impact. If Joker was quiet before, he was the exact opposite now and let any and everything slip past his lips.

"I don't deserve this.. you, your love.. ah, please lemme stay with ya doll." Joker rested his forehead against your back as he plowed one, two, sharp thrusts into your walls.

Your voice cracked at the momentary break in his sensual pace.

"I can be sooo good to ya. Will ya let me?" He asked.

Joker picked up his pace and grunted with each thrust into your sex. Your head lolled back on his shoulder and J left sloppy kisses on your jawline. "Answer me, baby."

You whimpered and clamped down on his dick.

He didn't add doll to the end of his sentence and in true Joker fashion, he honed in on your reaction. He felt you clenched down on him, how could he not?

"Ohhh you like when I just call you baby? Mmm I knew you would. My gorgeous goddess. My beautiful Light. Just.. take all I have ta give. Take it all, baby."

Joker threw caution to the wind and unleashed his desire on you.

His hips were a blur as they pistoled into you at an unrelenting speed. All you heard was the wet slap of his cock slotting into your sex and the feeling of Joker pouring his love out on you.

He groaned right in your ear, held you painfully close, and never missed a beat with his thrusts.

"Ohhh sweetheart. I need ya so much. Since we met, I knew. I wanted to.. fu—" He paused to laugh when your pussy began to quiver around his cock. "So d__n tight.. I swear you're sucking' me in! Ha! A-All ya gotta do is ask me Y/n, and I'll do it. I meeeean ittt. I wanna please ya sweet girl. For-ever." He moaned.

Joker was rambling but his words were true to heart. He slid his hand up to cup your throat, not to squeeze, but merely to rest there and get your attention.

He couldn't see your eyes rolling back in pleasure but your lack of words told him enough. His Princess was floating in a head space.

Joker kissed your cheek and whispered your name to bring you back. You sucked in a breath full of air and repositioned your grip on the sheets to instead grab a hold of Joker's forearm.

You were in fact drifting— lost in pleasure that Joker always gave you so readily, but you heard every word he said.

You never experienced Joker so needy before and so unafraid of expressing his emotions. You needed to see this for yourself.

You craned your neck back and immediately locked eyes with pitch black orbs. Joker's eyes were so blown out in lust, no green remained yet you could see everything within.

Eyes are the windows to the soul and Joker held the door wide open for you.

His gaze shifted from your sparkling e/c eyes to your plump lips that were parting to speak. He kept his pace up and smiled when you reached your tipping point.

Everything felt so right that you couldn't even stop your lips from moving. "I love...you oh my.. J.. I'm yes!"

Once again your orgasm slammed right into you and your world exploded into a thousand tiny pieces.

Joker watched in awe as you came with a flourish. Your face glowed with pleasure, turning you into a literal goddess in his eyes. He wanted to stay in this moment forever with you.

But he couldn't ignore what was said.

You said it. Those three magic words that he never thought he'd say to anyone. He felt blessed to hear them from you.

He had to be dreaming. You actually loved someone like him. A genuine smile broke out on his face. Joker's head grew dizzy after hearing your confession and it pushed him right over the edge.

He edged himself for too long and the pleasure became too intense to manage, but he made sure he cried out your name in between gasps for air.

You hung onto every broken moan as Joker's cum flooded your pussy and spilled down your thighs. He sagged onto your back when he had nothing more to give.

Then all was silent.

You couldn't feel your legs but never had you felt so completely satisfied than you did in Joker's arms.

The sheets were soiled and tangled up in between you and Joker and your silk baby doll was sticking to your skin in an annoying fashion.

You couldn't even move a muscle to fix it— yet Joker and his ridiculous stamina could. You felt him shift behind you and smoothed your wild curls out of his way before kissing your balmy skin.

Anywhere his lips could reach he kissed as he softened inside of you. His hands peeled your dress from its rumpled state and smoothed it down against your thighs.

Joker was fixing you back as if nothing had happened. And you were not about to let him brush off what you said in the heat of your climax.

You were fixing to roll over when Joker tightened his grip on your waist. "Stay. Lemme hold ya a lit-le longer."

"J.. I—" You had to bring it up, it was gnawing at your nerves!

Joker shushed you with a kiss to the back of your ear. "Hush Bunny. We'll uhh, talK 'bout it err later. Go back to sleep."

You sighed. "Are you.." A slight wiggle of your hips had Joker hissing. He stopped you before he grew hard again.

"It's ahhh, too go~od to pull out, Princess. Now, sleep."

You nodded and let Joker cuddle you. He reached over and hit the remote button so the curtains closed. They blocked the morning sunrise that rose above the horizon.

You had plans this morning but they all dissolved now that you were content in J's arms. Hopefully in a few more hours, Joker would let you get out of bed.

[sh6rlockholmes]

Beneath the mid afternoon Sun

I'm not sure what triggered it in the first place. Maybe it was my special tea that I hadn't brewed in a long time, or maybe the fact that I was taking care of someone I love, but what is certain is that while I was caressing Sherlock Holmes' face with a damp cloth I had a slight trip back to my childhood days that I wasn't aware of until my friend caught my attention.

"Are you all right, Watson?" he asked gently. His eyes met mine, and I was touched by the fact that even in sickness he cared for me. I denied.

"It's nothing" I replied, dampening the cloth rag in fresh water again. Holmes was in the last days of a violent cold, but I had always been pleased to be able to care for him." I just remembered something."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

Perhaps it was because I heard infinite patience and genuine interest in his voice, but I didn't feel intimidated by showing my vulnerability. Instead I spoke frankly, and my own voice echoed through the room, soft.

"It's been a long time since I've done something like this," I confessed, removing the damp cloth from his cheek as soon as I noticed that the pink there had disappeared.

"Taking care of someone?" I wasn't surprised he'd noticed, with a mind as brilliant as his. "You're a doctor."

His slight smile made me smile too, but I found myself shaking my head as I lay down next to him.

"It's not the same. It doesn't feel the same," soon I turned on my side, placing an arm over my head for greater comfort, and an indescribable warmth spread in my chest as he did the same and we faced each other. The mid-afternoon sun fell on us like a reddish curtain. "You can be healing someone with the utmost dedication and hope, but it will never feel the same as healing someone you cherish. It's not comparable."

Holmes listened carefully, nodding as soon as I finished. I don't think he was expecting the words that followed, because his eyebrows rose slightly.

"... And it never feels the same when it comes to you. It's not because I love you and it's natural for me to worry when you're hurt. It's because you've always reminded me of Henry."

Henry was a subject of which we had never spoken, not since he had discovered his and my father's fate through the inherited watch. Holmes hummed in reply, but his eyes, heavy with interest, spoke louder than a thousand words.

"At first I thought it was because of your addiction. I called myself... I called myself an addict magnet, and when I saw your needle Henry's voice would come into my head," Holmes twisted his lips, but did not answer. "Then I realized it was never an addiction. I saw you taking care of Toby, and I remembered that Henry loved taking care of Mom's old cats. Then you teased Lestrade and I thought I'd forgotten what a joker he was, but later I remembered all his jokes. He used to tease others a lot, even himself, but he never teased me. Not once."

I had never ever spoken so frankly about Henry. Doing so caused a pain I had never felt before, but it brought with it the relief that comes with acceptance.

"He had kind eyes too. He was a good man too, at least in his sober time."

"Why he started drinking?" Holmes stroked my hip bone with his thumb, moving it in circles and giving me the time I needed to answer the question I had asked myself so many times in my worst days.

"Because things were hard, I guess," I answered, after a few seconds. "Because Dad drank too much, and Mom couldn't get out of bed."

My eyes closed sadly, and suddenly I didn't feel like I was in a room on Baker Street. I suddenly felt at home, surrounded by the thick smell of wine, dried vomit, and Dad's cologne.

"Don't talk to Dad like that, Johnny. You know he's stressed about work, he didn't really mean to yell at you. Next time be a good boy and do what he asks." Mom's trembling fingers wiped away the trail of dried tears from my eyes. "Come on."

"I know I told you I wouldn't drink anymore, but I promise that was the last time. I'm serious, Johnny. I'll never drink another drop of alcohol. We'll get out of here soon and live nice, away from mom and dad. Just you and me."

"Thanks for that tea, Johnny. Yesterday I felt like my head was going to explode."

"You're a damned coward, John! You'll go to the army to get away from me and to... to...!

"You can't even choose your words right, Henry, drunk as you are! Look how you're swaying... Look-"

"Well, go then, you chicken! Go if you're so ashamed of me!"

My own trembling sigh brought me back to Baker Street. I watched Holmes's face, impassive to others but so emotional to me, and I knew without a doubt that he felt Henry's fate deeply almost as much as I did. That my grief had become his.

"Thank you for letting me help you, Holmes," I murmured, and his eyes moistened as they had that time in the case of the three Garridebs. "And for having succeeded."

"Only thanks to you, John. Only thanks to you."

And we were both silent, as the sun fell and the moon arrived.

[thequeenxofhearts]

Bloody Knight

Summary: Jason returns home from a night on patrol. He’s hurt and bloody, and it’s up to Y/N to take care of him.

Warnings: Mentions of blood, bruises and violence

The rain splattering on the window woke you up, but a familiar sound got your attention. You glanced at the alarm clock on your bedside cabinet, 2:49AM

You heard footsteps on the fire escape outside your bedroom window. It was probably Jason coming home from patrol, but in case it was never him; you knew Jason kept an emergency handgun in the bedside cabinets.

The window slowly opened, and you wondered if it was Jason or if it was someone else; someone attempting to break in, or kidnap you as leverage against Red Hood and the rest of Batman’s entourage.

The curtains were pulled back and Jason stumbled into the apartment. You were relieved, but only for a second as you noticed something was wrong with him.

You turned on the bedside lamp and saw him lying on the floor at the foot of the bed. He groaned as he tried to stand up.

“Jason!” You exclaimed.

“I’m ok.” He groaned. You climbed out of bed and went to him, he was bleeding. Blood was dripping onto the hardwood floor, and seeping through his clothes. Mud covered his boots and you saw blood splatters.

You quickly closed the window and drew the curtains so nobody could see into the apartment. Then you tended to Jason.

 You pulled off his hood and removed his domino mask, blood was splattered over his face, along with mud.

“Jay, what happened?” You asked, holding his face in your hands, you listened to his breathing and could tell he was struggling a bit, “Jay, calm down. Just breathe.��

Jason listened and tried to steady his breathing; it didn’t take him long to get it under control, he was used to this.

You wrapped your arm around him and tried to get him to stand, “Come on.” You said helping him get to his feet, he wrapped his arm around you and it was then you realised how heavy Jason was, it was taking all of your strength to hold him up. Sure, most of it was muscle, and the rest was the weight of his costume plus and the rain, blood, and mud that it had soaked up.

You took him into the bathroom and sat him on the closed toilet seat. You peeled off his jacket and dropped it into the bathtub. You saw bruises along his muscular arms.

Ignoring them for the moment, you pulled off the rest of his costume, and he helped with the bottoms. You threw the rest of his clothes into the bathtub, leaving him only in his boxers.

You looked at Jason, “Is it bad?” He asked, “It feels bad.”

Along with the bruises on his arms, Jason also had multiple dark bruises on his torso, a cut that was bleeding and what looked like a boot imprint on his stomach. He had cuts on his legs, but they weren’t that bad. It was mainly bruising that covered his body.

You shook your head, “No, I’ll just dab some alcohol rub on your legs and clean up that cut, it doesn’t look deep. And I’ll get some ice for that.” Pointed to his stomach. You stood up, but as you reached into the medicine cabinet, you looked back at Jason and the state he was in.

You sighed. Grabbing a towel from the rack on the wall, you laid it onto the floor and removed the clothes from the bathtub and dropped them onto the towel.

I’ll deal with that later.

And you began to run a bath.

“What are you doing?” Jason asked. “I’m not letting you get into bed in that state.” You replied.

“Y/N, you don’t need too.”

“I do.” You replied.

Whilst the bath was running, you grabbed the alcohol rub and a pack of cotton balls out of the medicine cabinet and began dabbing the cuts on his legs. Jason hissed as the alcohol stung his cuts.

You chuckled, “They are only little cuts, babe.”

“The little ones are always the most painful.” He commented, “Remember that paper cut you got last week?”

“Alright, ok I get it. But the next one is gonna be a more painful.”

You were lucky that you had picked up a few things from your father, who was a paramedic and volunteered to teach first aid at some of the elementary schools in Gotham City.

You grabbed another towel, a small one this time. You dipped it part of it into the bathtub, you brought it back to Jason and gently dabbed the cut on his torso, he hissed a little bit but you thought that the warm water was less painful than the alcohol rub.

Once the cut was cleaned of blood, you poured some of the alcohol rub onto the drier part of the towel and dabbed it against the cut, Jason hissed again and you thought about how painful it must be.

But it seemed that the pain had quickly began to subside, but you continued dabbing the wound until you were satisfied that it wouldn’t get infected, when you were done you fished in the first aid kit for a bandage big enough to cover the wound, and luckily enough to find several in the bottom of the box.

You ripped the packaging open and covered the wound on his torso.

You stopped the bath running and began to put the first aid kit away but kept one of the bandages out. “Take your boxers off.” You spoke.

Jason chuckled, “You’re very bold.”

“Jason.” You gave him a look that said, this isn’t the time for jokes

And it worked, he took off his boxers and kicked the to the pile of his clothes, you put the rubbing alcohol and the cotton balls back in the cabinet. The you helped Jason into the bath.

He sighed as the hot water touched his skin

The water quickly became a mixture of red and brown as the blood and mud came off his body. You quickly went to the kitchen and grabbed the measuring jug from the cupboard and when you returned to the bathroom, you filled it up with warm water and poured it over his dark hair.

The water washed blood out of his hair and it ran down his face. You poured another jug of water over his hair before you grabbed the bottle of Jason’s shampoo and squeezed a large amount into you hand and began to massage it into his hair.

Jason closed his eyes as the suds began to run down his face, and the bubbles had turned at red/brown colour from the grime in his hair. Then you rinsed his hair a few times before you were sure his hair was clean.

 You grabbed the sponge and the bar of soap that sat on the side, and you began to wash the grime off him, staring with his face. You wiped away the blood that had been washed from his hair.

“That’s better.” You smiled. Jason smirked at you as you continued to wash him.

“So, tell me. What happened?” You asked as you squeezed the soapy sponge onto his right shoulder.

Jason sighed heavily, “It was just supposed to be a patrol. Bruce hadn’t pick up any activity on the bat computer, but he was keeping an eye on it. It was quiet until I heard a scream, so I followed it. I ended up in Crime Alley.”

You rinsed the sponge in the water before lathering it up again.

“A woman was being mugged, and I stopped it but they got away with her purse, so I followed them. I followed them to an old factory a few blocks away, and I didn’t even realise it was the Joker’s old hideout.”

You stopped sponging his back and asked, “Isn’t the Joker in Arkham?”

Jason nodded, “Yeah he is, but Harley Quinn isn’t. Nor are the Joker’s henchmen. They jumped me as I entered the factory.”

You sighed, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, Y/N. It’s not your fault.” He reached for your hand and you let him take it. He brought it to his lips and kissed your knuckles.

“The three of them overpowered me, it was Harley who did this.” He said pointing to the injuries on his torso, “But I managed to get my gun, and I shot one of the goons. I didn’t kill him, just shot his shoulder. Then I broke the other guys leg and knocked Harley out. I couldn’t wait for Batman to turn up, so I called the GCPD and I left.”

You kissed his shoulder and pulled the plug out and let the water drain. You grabbed a towel and wrapped it around him as he stood out of the bathtub.

You let him dry himself whilst you went into the bedroom and grabbed a pair of boxers for him to wear to bed.

When you came back and he was dry, you threw him the boxers which he pulled on.

Carefully, you pulled the bandage off his torso and dabbed it dry. The replaced it with a clean, dry bandage.

“Go to bed Jay, I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Leave that until the morning.” Jason said as you gathered his clothes and put them back into the bathtub.

“No, it won’t take a few minutes.” You said, running the bath again. You planned to leave his clothes soaking in the tub overnight to get the worse of the grime out, then you could put them in the washing machine in the morning.

Jason wondered into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water for you both, along with a packet of paracetamol. He was in a lot less pain that he was when he had arrived home, thanks to you, but his bruises still pained him.

He laid down on the bed after taking two of the paracetamols.

When you climbed into bed next to him, he pulled you against his chest, “What would I do without you?” He mumbled, pressing his lips to your forehead.

You smiled, “That’s a scary thought.”

Jason chuckled, “I love you.”

“I love you too. Good night Red Hood.”

“Night babe.”

[j-wont-stop]

Title - The Scarred (Chapter One)

Word Count - 1550

Fandom - Batman: The Dark Knight

Pairing - Ledger!Joker x OC

Summary - Penelope Bishop works at a florist shop in Gotham, barely getting by in the corrupted city. Her life is shrouded by therapy and judgment with little light to find her way with. However, when a certain painted face starts making himself known to her, things take a turn.

Warnings - Some Swearing

Inspired By - Cold - Aqualung & Lucy Schwartz

Masterlist

Tick.

“What do you think about your day to day habits?”

Screams flooded her ears, a deep, guttural rumbling playing in the background.

“Nothing of it.” A pen scratched away in a notebook.

Tick.

The older woman watched as her eye fluttered about the old wooden floor. “Nothing?”

A cold breeze suddenly reached her numbing skin, her mind unable to comprehend the sensation of an ever true freefall.

“Yes. Nothing.” A sigh reached her ears, her right arm coming up to run over her left. The sensation was left unfelt, unnoticed if it wasn’t for the rustling of the oversized jacket.

Tick.

A brown eye shifted to the clock on the wall. 5:53pm. Another sigh. The pen stopped, then the notebook closed. Hands folded over the leather cover. “I’m afraid that’s the end of our session, Miss Bishop.”

“Of course.” Her eye stayed focused on the clock, yet grew more and more distant.

“Miss Bishop?” With a sharp inhale and whip of a head, the woman knew she finally caught her attention. “I said that’s the end of our session.” She raised her eyebrows at the younger female whose eye shifted to the floor once again.

“Right,” Her right arm pushed her off from her chair, walking - practically stumbling - to the door to grip the knob. It swung shut with a slight thud, a sign of underlying frustration.

Her hands stuffed in her pockets she started her journey through the woeful streets of the city, her eye dancing around cautiously at those around her. The sky was clouded, grey and foreboding over the already depressive buildings and people. Her shoes softly padded against the gum and puke stained concrete, silent compared to the heels that clacked around her obnoxiously. She felt the faintest amount of joy upon seeing a familiar building, the chipping white brick a comfort.

She followed the steps up to the third floor, keys noisily being shuffled to unlock the door to what she called home. She took a deep inhale, the scent of lavender filling her senses to bring a light smile upon her face. The apartment was small, obviously run down to fit the exterior, but her choice of furniture made it seem somewhat younger. She had spent at least a week removing mold and a few stains, and by the time she had finished it seemed almost brand new. The bleach smell took a while to wear off, but it was worth it to her in the long run.

The living room was just a bit larger than the size of an average bedroom, furnished with a small kitchen, dining table and couch. It was all put together and connected through accents like curtains, family photos and knick-knacks. She quite liked that it was smaller, that everything was visible save for the bedroom and bathroom which had their own separate rooms for obvious reasons. It left little room for any intruders to hide and she knew exactly where everything was, knowing someone had come through should anything have moved in the slightest.

She hung the tan jacket on a hook by the door, kicking off her shoes and throwing her keys on the table. She made her way to the bathroom that connected to her bedroom, clothes thrown in the hamper in the corner. Her nimble fingers grasped at the soft padding that hid the left side of her face and neck, the cotton coming off with ease as she pulled. She chewed on the right side of her cheek as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The once soft, pale skin now uneven, scarred and discolored even where her eye used to be. As they traveled down they seemed to fade, stopping at her mid thigh. Though her arm had received the most damage, the deepest scars.

They used to bother her when she looked at them, but back then they had been far worse. By now, they were incredibly soft with her years of routine moisturizing and upkeep. She hadn’t been to physical therapy for almost two years, not after they told her they had done all that they could, to just continue exercising the muscle that was left before pushing her out of the door. Nothing but another block to check off.

She was now snuggled under her blankets after a soothing shower, the soft warm glow of her bedside lamp illuminating the area just enough to read the book she had recently invested in, Atlas of World History. While others indulged themselves in the words of romance, fantasy and thrillers, she much preferred factual information. Knowledge. To her, even the smallest bit of information that seemed useless could possibly save a life at some point.

__________________________________________

The bitter morning cold was relentless against her skin, encouraging her to attempt to tuck her face further into her jacket. It was moments like these where she was thankful for the bandages as they kept half of her face warm. Cars and buses alike filled the streets during the rush hour, jaywalkers slipping between them when the chance presented itself to involve themselves in the madness. She shook her head to herself, hand reaching up to open the door to a petite shop with a ‘ding’. It was warmer, even somewhat humid. The smells of different flowers and herbals were dominating. She walked behind the small wooden counter to set down her shoulder bag, hearing faint rustling from the back room of the shop.

“Penny? That you?” A woman’s voice floated over. Footsteps grew louder as they entered the front of the shop until a head of brunette hair poked out. “Hey, you!” She chirped with a bright smile while the other just returned it with tight lips. She walked over to where Penelope now sat down, pencil and journal on the counter in front of her. Her figure towered over her not only with her already shorter stature, but also because of her poor posture that would surely cause problems in the near future. “Long time no see, stranger.” She jested, gently elbowing her side.

“You saw me yesterday, you goof.” Penelope practically mumbled, attempting to bite back a smile.

“Still too long.” The woman ruffled her black hair, giggling as she watched her scramble to fix it once she pulled away. She disappeared to the back once more and Penelope picked up her pencil, beginning to jot down some notes as the brunette reentered with a small vase of assorted flowers. “Lunch is on me today, by the way.” She started to touch up the flowers to her liking. Penelope furrowed her brow at her, mouth moving to question her friend before she was cut off. “There’s a food truck just down the street I thought we should try. It’s mostly sandwiches, but I’m sure they have other things, too.” She looked up and smiled at the younger woman who gazed at her with doe eyes.

“Um-” She gazed nervously at the floor before looking back up at her. “Thank you?”

“You’re welcome.” The woman laughed and went around the room to reorganize other vases and pots. It was quiet for a few moments, the sounds of pencil scratching on paper and her friend’s footsteps adding to the peacefulness. The outside streets were muffled in the background and Penelope relished the calming atmosphere, the ghost of a smile gracing her face. It was soon washed away when a thought reached out to her, buzzing in her head. She started to chew on her cheek.

“Emma?” Penelope asked softly, breaking the silence.

“Yes, hun?” The woman’s chirpiness had died down slightly, sensing the more serious tone in the woman’s voice.

“Do I-” She started, pausing to take a deep breath and collect her thoughts. She started to regret her decision of bringing it up, but decided that she now had to commit to it. “Do I have… habits?” It seemed the roles had been reversed, for now Emma was the one furrowing her eyebrows.

“I mean, everyone has habits, hun.” She looked at her friend’s face and immediately noticed the racing thoughts just from her eye, sighing once she did. “Penny, is this about your therapy?” Her voice took on a motherly tone and she slowly made her way over to Penelope who just nodded her head. “I don’t understand why you even visit her, still.” Her arm wrapped around Penelope’s shoulders, her hand rubbing the farther one in small circles. “All they do is pocket your money for hearing your life’s story and feed you bullshit.”

“I guess I’m just too scared to stop visiting.”

“Why, because it’ll break your routine?” Emma leaned on the counter with her elbow, eyebrows raised.

“She knows the most and I’m scared to break that tie because of how much she knows.” Her large eye finally looked up to Emma, filled with desperation and fear. “What if she uses it against me somehow? Or tells someone else and then they use it against me? What-”

“Penny.” Her mouth snapped shut and her gaze cast down to the floor once more. “Not only are your conversations confidential, but - and I don’t mean this in a rude way - what would be so special about you that would make her spill your life story to someone?”

[tarithenurse]

Spark - 18

Fandom: Enn Enn no Shouboutai / Fire Force. Pairing: Shinmon Benimaru x fem!reader. Content: Is it?? Do they?! ARGH!! A/N: Hmmm....I think I messed up in relation to canon timeline. Oh well! Feel free to ASK (or reblog) for tag – in fact: always reblog. Thanks to those who have already <3

18. Incinerator

...   Benimaru   ...

The captain of Company Seven knows what he has to do. There has never been a doubt in his heart before and there isn’t this time either as the smoke from the explosion wafts in the air across Asakusa...but for once he hesitates.

“Go,” [Y/N] grumbles, “it’s probably nothing, though...” It’s clear in the way she says it that she isn’t convinced.

Turning back to face her, he cradles her face with both hands. “You head straight home, you hear me?”

“Yeah fine, but only out of self-preservation and not because you’re bossing me around!”

There’s that annoying stubbornness and the pout that’s always always challenged by the gleam in her eye. Those lips. If only he could kiss away that frown. It’s tempting. On the other hand, she’d probably just headbutt him in response and then it would be really awkward to pick up the conversation afterwards. And Konro would know, somehow.

The thoughts flash through his head in less than a second which, co-incidentally, is just as long as [Y/N] meets his mouth and shuts up his brain. It’s a kiss. A brief one, but hard and impossible to ignore because it’s sends flames racing through Benimaru’s body, stealing his breath away and he can’t help but look to her lips the instant she pulls back.

“Go,” she says, tip of the tongue darting out as if to taste him, “and hurry home.”

The captain can’t think of anything more intelligent than nodding – not that he’d get a chance to say much as the familiar voice of Konro yells from below for him to hurry.

...  Reader   ...

Before climbing down from the watchtower, you see the two men hurry off in the direction of the smoke and flames. What just happened?

Your knees are wobbly, belly fluttering, all the way home. Did he just...?

The headquarters are silent. Not a soul left because they’ve all hurried out to do their job. Kissed...I kissed him?

“Ah, right on time,” someone says from behind.

You don’t have time to face the speaker before a sharp pain crashes through your skull and turns off the world.

...  Benimaru   ...

Looking over the rubbles of what used to be the company’s favourite teppanyaki place, Benimaru accepts his men’s decision. They and Konro are insisting on staying with the men to help with extinguishing the last flames before clearing as much of the street as possible.

“We don’t need you for this, Shinmon,” the lieutenant smiles knowingly.

It’s strange. The explosion has taken out only the restaurant, creating plenty of chaos and unfortunately injuring a dozen people. No deaths – even the cook had managed to get out before the fire spread and the place blew up. It’s all...normal. No infernals. Just an unfortunate accident in a perfect, newly renovated kitchen.

“Konro...didn’t we help -” Benimaru begins.

The cheeky grin is gone, replaced with a somberness better suited for the situation. “Yeah. Finished last month.”

Asakusa is not connected to the Haijima Power Grid like the rest of Tokyo. Mostly, it’s powered by wood and fossil fuels with the exception of a water-driven generator for the hospital.

There had been no gas line installed for the kitchen. But this is a gas explosion.

“We’ll figure it out,” Konro assures, “now go.”

That’s the second time today someone’s told me to go. At least this time he’s excited for what’s waiting for him.

...

He can sense something’s wrong even before dodging through the curtained entrance. A sweetly pungent smoke curls through the air, bringing back memories from not long enough ago. Joker.

As expected, the lanky man is waiting, leaning against the wall and his hat hanging on the coat rack as if it belongs there. No greeting, no explanation as Benimaru sits down and removes the heavy boots, noting mentally that the uninvited guest already has done the same. [Y/N] hasn’t invited him in?

The building is silent as the grave and no one comes to greet them as they walk to the kitchen where the captain fills the kettle and places it on the stove. The fire inside is almost dead, but it’s nothing a few logs and a flick of the fingers can’t fix.

Maybe she’s asleep, that’s why she hasn’t shown up, he tries to calm himself.

“I’ll be right back,” Benimaru mutters.

“She’s not here.”

What? He can feel it in his bones that it’s true. “What makes you say that?”

“I checked every room.” Joker has made himself comfortable at the end of the table where Benimaru normally sits. “She’s gone. I thought you’d protect her.”

He wants to scream, wants to punch the lights out of the guy who’s relaxing as if nothing’s wrong, wants to tear up the city if it could just bring [Y/N] back. It won’t. The captain breathes it out through his nose and unclenches his fists.

“If you cared that much, why’d you not let her stay with you?”

“Not my decision.”

“...but you care and you know where she is,” Benimaru states with a growl.

The purple, hypnotic eye reveals nothing as it stares back unflinchingly. Though different in stature, the men are evenly matched and there’s no denying the Joker has a confident swagger albeit it being a bit off-putting for people who can’t appreciate the art of taking their time to think. Konro would approve. There’s no saying what the girl in the middle of this mess would, and the uncrowned king of Asakusa doesn’t want to consider it.

A polite cough brings his attention back to Joker.

“Water’s boiling...do you want it any hotter?” the jackass grins.

Could test it by throwing it at you. Of course, Benimaru doesn’t do that but occupies himself with tea making while he waits for the other to talk. Eventually, he slams down steaming cups for both of them and sits down.

“Talk.”

[wewontstaydead]

Burtonverse Headcanons

Harvey's suits are made from some of the finest water-resistant material available in 1989, which makes them e x p e n s i v e

Still in law school ten years prior, working nights as a cook in a diner and spending weekends winning boxing championships(edited)

Although he generally dislikes facial hair and does his best to shave at least every other day if not daily, he has a striking and well-tended mustache that's become his look

He keeps his liquor cabinet well stocked with scotch and has a number of different glasses available, highball and lowball in particular(edited)

He's got more than one nickname, and the one used depends on whether you like him or you don't; his favorite is Gotham's White Knight

Wasn't a member of any gangs in Gotham, but still mostly lived on the street as he was raised an orphan; he has an intensity that means most people won't mess with him

He is more than happy to offer favors for favors

Known as a ladies man and possibly even a womanizer; often seen at public events with a new woman on his arm, sometimes leaving with an additional one

This was not previously the case - Gilda had been the apple of his eye until she left

Often plays his luck with his female associates, mostly for fun but also to see if he can; still respects others' relationship status in the long run but will still flirt anyway

Smokes cigars like a chimney and almost always has one in hand(edited)

Willing to work under the table with private investigators, photographers, and other criminal sources to gather information needed to take out the big names - more than willing to make a deal, but not afraid to blackmail if needed

Has blackout curtains in his bedroom in case he's had to work on a case overnight; on the Joker case, he was a workaholic, in and out of the house and his office at all times of night, his sleep was restless and wakeful, he usually ate in his office and ignored calls from Gilda intending to call her back later

She left sometime between a Monday and a Thursday; she had told him she would support him so long as he didn't leave her behind, and that was a promised he'd made as part of their wedding pact(edited)

In some circles, he's known as Two-Face, and he doesn't think that's a fair moniker in Gotham City - no matter your intentions, or how strict your moral compass, everything there is grey

Disregard for the influential families in town, Cobblepots, Sionises, Elliots; one exception was the Waynes, at least before Bruce's parents were murdered - they seemed to be genuinely good people who wanted what was best for the city. Their murder had been the turning point, and people started flocking to men like Carl Grissom for help

Old news that Jack Napier had killed the Waynes, but the death of Grissom at the hands of the Joker prevented him from gathering the evidence needed to prove it was a targeted assassination; the death of the Joker had left little reason to keep digging through the boxes of evidence raided from Grissom's office

Considers himself a gentleman through and through and will rarely say a word against a woman unless it's entirely necessary

Harvey knows what he's good at and is willing to work on expanding his repertoire, but he also recognizes that he can't do everything himself; that's part of the reason he's willing to hire/blackmail someone like Selina to do some dirty work for him, because he can't slink his way through vents and rafters like she can

After law school but prior to running for District Attorney, Harvey had run a firm partnered with John Bernstein, and the two had been inseparable for a time; Bernstein actually ran against him for the DA spot, claimed to know a lot of things about Harvey that the public didn't, including that Harvey had invested money in a number of buildings and apartment complexes in the older parts of town that needed some work; on paper, that work had been done; Harvey turned those accusations around on Bernstein and eventually won the DA spot

Wickedly proud of his job and often vengeful when the bad guys go to his enemies for help instead of trying to work something out with him

Still wears his wedding ring occasionally in private, but most of the time has removed it

Half is work is done via the slow ass dot matrix printer on his computer, half is done on the typewriter he keeps in one corner of his office

No siblings, no cousins, no real friends besides Bruce Wayne and doesn't talk to him much; still on decent terms with Gilda, talks with her over the phone, but it's rare to see her in person

Tries to make full use of a resource and wring it dry before pulling in someone or something else - some call him a cheapskate, but he doesn't like throwing money at problems if he doesn't have to

Growing up on the streets, he was used to scraping by with whatever coat or blanket he could find and managed to skirt the edges of frostbite most of the time

Has grown quite used to living more above his means; Gilda had enjoyed it as well and helped him develop the majority of his vices

Dislikes the Mayor and wants to oust him, but doesn't want the job for himself

[reddrobins]

of coffee cups + criminals - four [j.todd]

TW: blood, language, gore(?)

ONE - TWO - THREE

How long they had been driving was beyond [Y/N]. After an awfully hostile awakening, courtesy of Black Mask, the trade off had been initiated. One of the Mask’s men had gone behind her, tying a blindfold tight on her - already sore - eyes. From there, what happened was a mystery to her. 

There was a bunch of movement, yet never her leaving the chair. They had carried her restrained form onto - what she could only assume to be - a truck. Placing her down, not gently at all, a loud bang sounded and darkness enclosed the smaller space.

This, [Y/N] felt, was worse than anything she had persisted through thus far. 

Being punched? Not optimal, but fine.

Restrained? Okay.

Left alone in an unknown dark and dank container - not her favourite choice.

It was more so the fact that she was now aware of who would be accompanying her in said truck that instilled the terror in [Y/N]. He had been uncharacteristically silent since his appearance. Not a single laugh or chuckle or anything. That was what scared her most. It was like entering the uncanny valley, a land with silent Jokers, quiet clowns, everything the prince of Gotham was not.

Feeling her anxieties start to get the better of her, [Y/N] steadied her breathing - centering herself. If there was anything she had learned from her time with Jason, it was to remain calm in Gotham. Take everything as it's thrown at you, don't let your consciousness morph it into fear. Stay Calm.

Though her brain was yelling at her to scream, shout, do anything to alert help, [Y/N] knew that it would most definitely gain the attention of those only wanting to hurt. Crossing that off of her mental escape checklist, she tried to upperhand the blindfold. Wiggling her ears, she felt the cloth give a bit. Seemingly not as tight as it had felt, [Y/N] began to furiously shake her head, doing her best to loosen it completely.

As if a higher power answered her prayer, the right side of the blindfold slipped down, allowing her to peak out that eye. Scrunching her nose, she then maneuvered the left side to fall as well, both eyes now at her disposal. Though, evidently, removing the blindfold was not much help as the area around her was still as dark as can be. 

Turning her neck as far as possible, she scanned her surroundings - trying to grasp onto any detail that could aid her in her escape. In the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of silver. Using all of her might to shuffle the chair she sat in, [Y/N] got closer to the object. 

It was attached to the wall, a small metal lever - one that normally was used to open a moving truck. So she had been right, though the confirmation of her thoughts did little to help her out of her situation. 

If she could just grasp the bar, she may be able to open the trailer - grantering her freedom.

Once more scooting her chair towards the lever, she leaned forward, lifting her tied arms upward. One of her fingers made contact with the cool metal, not close enough to grab it yet. She bumped back once more, successfully getting a hold of the bar.

Then it seemed that all hell broke loose. A series of loud bangs and rattles echoed throughout the metal box. The floor shook, little scraps jingling about. The chair [Y/N] sat in bounced as well, moving along the rattling ground. The bar slipped out of her hold the further the chair gilded. That was until she was suddenly rammed back into the wall, the truck all but rolling onto its side.

She now layed sideways, the wall now acting as the floor. A warm substance had gathered on the side of her arm, when she was thrown against the lever, it had cut her forearm. That's not all it had cut though.

[Y/N] felt a newfound freedom in her joints, the lever had sliced through the rope holding her hands hostage. So she may have been bleeding, but now she could escape.

Cheek pressed against the cold floor, she wiggled her arms up and down, gliding the rope off of her wrists. Successfully untangling herself, [Y/N] pushed herself back into a sitting position, beginning to untie her legs.

A slam sounded from the front of the carrier, freezing [Y/N] in her place. Whomever had been driving now was out of the truck - there was no way of telling how much time she had left alone… that is, if she was in the first place.

Blocking the horrid thought from her mind, [Y/N] went back to untying the bonds, freeing her legs from the chair. She placed her hand down onto the floor to steady herself, but quicking retracted it, her fingertips now lightly coated in blood.

Covering her cut with the opposite arm, [Y/N] felt around for the latch. Finally, she felt the circular shape of the metal and pulled up as hard as she could manage with one arm. 

It wouldn't budge.

Though [Y/N] never considered herself as weak, she knew that this was a two handed job. Pushing through the sting of the injury - she used both arms to move the lever - this time it reacted.

Light seeped in slowly as the door opened, each stream of sun bringing a sense of safety into the small compartment. The gleam was harsh compared to the darkness [Y/N] had grown used to, forcing her to lift her hand over her eyes, blocking the direct rays. 

The exit slid to completion, the click alerting [Y/N] it was done - that she was free now.

Uncovering her eyes, she slowly blinked, trying to adjust to the daylight. Vision blurry, she squeezed her eyes shut then squinted them, in an attempt to make out her surroundings.

Once her vision settled, a low hiss of “oh fuck.” came out of her mouth.

Standing in front of the open truck, a sick smile plastered onto his face, Joker waved.

His laugh vibrated around the interior of the metal box, “Wow!” He started, “Quite a show you’ve put on my dear!” Joker clapped his hands, “I didn't take you for a modern Houdini, but brava!” His mock applause continued as [Y/N] stared in awe at the man before her.

She had only ever seen the Joker in full on the TV or her phone. Being before him without a screen of separation was the most terrifying experience [Y/N] had ever had. If she really were a magician, she would have loved to put on a disappearing act. 

“Well! Since you’ve so nicely done half the work for me,”  The clown now entered the truck, [Y/N] instinctively backing away. He outstretched his hand, “Come along now!” His voice was sing-songlike, horrid and shrill, “Time to get a move on.” Turning in on himself, he muttered, “As I don't think our chauffeur can drive on any longer…” The sentence was followed by his signature haunting laugh.

The Joker shook his hand, presenting an air of urgency. [Y/N], fear stapling her to the floor, hadn't moved a muscle - not that she would have accepted his hand otherwise.

Annoyed, the clown rolled his eyes, “Oh come on now. I haven't killed you yet, have I?” He phrased it as a joke, going into a set of hysterics afterward. Then just like that, his straight face was back - as if the episode hadn't happened. Thrusting his hand forward, he wrapped his icy fingers around her arm, pulling [Y/N] out of the truck.

The grip was not as rough as Sionis’ had been, but [Y/N] let out a wince - pain firing through her. Joker had grabbed her bleeding arm, white hands now wet with crimson. Letting out a laugh he lifted his hand up, inspecting the blood. A sadistic smile etched across his face, he spoke, “Looks like you’ve done more than half the work! Shame, no audience to see it.” He sighed, “Poor stagecraft on your part.”

Glancing back down at his hand, he shrugged - “Well, can't waste fresh product now, can we?”

She had yet to utter a single word. At this point she was surprised she was still alive. A finger against her face brought [Y/N] out of her semi-shock. She looked down, the acid stained digit tracing a gory smile across her face.

As Joker wiped his hands together, spreading the residue onto the other - [Y/N] shakily reached up to touch her face. Her unsteady hand made contact with her cheek, feeling her own blood painted on her skin. 

Until this point, [Y/N] had felt as though she had been handling the situation pretty well. But now as she stood in the middle of a concrete lot, in who knows where, with none other than the Joker as company, [Y/N] felt like the world was caving in. 

Pulling her hand off of her cheek, a sob escaped out of her - the blood on her fingers a final confirmation that this was not a dream. That she wouldn't wake up next to Jason, that she wasn't in some alternate reality - no, it confirmed her fears. She was awake, she was alive and most terrifyingly she was conscious. This wasn't some wack fantasy her brain had made, rather it was life, her life specifically - and she had no control over it.

“Oh no! Oh no no no.” Joker tsked, furiously shaking his head, “We can't have you crying now! I haven't even had the curtain call!” He rushed towards her, hands outward - immediately going to rub at her eyes. A mix of salt and iron smeared over her face, the blood and tears seeping into her pores. His attempt to stop her from crying failed, the physical touch only pulling more sobs out. 

The Joker, in an outburst of annoyance, gripped at his viridescent hair, “I was going to wait until he arrived, but if you insist.”  Once more grasping her arm, he dragged her towards a decrepit building. He dragged her past the front of the truck, which now she could see had clearly flipped over. The front of the vehicle was the worst, so much so - [Y/N] almost fainted. 

There was blood everywhere, spilling out of the window onto the pavement, splattered against the seat, anywhere there could be blood - there was. It was easy to deduce who it came from. The driver, or rather what was left of him, was clearly dead… and worse - dismembered. 

A sharp pull took her attention away, the Joker not waiting to spare his last victim a glance. Offhandedly he spoke, “Least good old uncle Joker could do. Couldn't have a pure soul like him going back to work for Romie, just didn't feel right.”  

Trying still to ease her nerves - solely for the sake of her sanity - [Y/N] centered her attention to their new surroundings. He had led her into the building, the disrepair showing the buildings age. After the Falcone family had dispersed Carmines extra funds, the GCPD had gentrified a bit of Gotham in an attempt to get them on the map again. The majority of central Gotham now was pretty decent, so [Y/N] knew that she had been dragged to the edges of the city. Maybe even the Bowery… 

Their steps echoed throughout the room, broken linoleum tiles reverberating with each click of the Joker's shoes. Light peaked into the halls through boarded up windows, the wood rotted and creaking with each blow of wind. In short, the building was straight out of a nightmare. It was exactly like how [Y/N] had imagined all of Gotham to be, prior to moving there. The only thing truly out of place in the dated building was in the back. 

A large makeshift stage had been poorly put together, different materials and nails clashing against one another. A homemade stage curtain accompanied it, also sewed together with multiple fabrics - some plaid, some polka dotted and eerily enough, most stained with a rusty colored substance. 

[Y/N] knew he was a maniac, but had failed to truly grasp the sanity - or lack thereof -  of the clown before her. This was nothing more than a show to him. What she presumed to be her death, was nothing but stagecraft. The last act of a Shakespearean tragedy, though it seems that there would be no knight in shining armour for this damsel in distress.

On centre stage, there sat a single seat. The set dressings bland, but speaking volumes to the audience in the room. The Joker already knew how this act would end, [Y/N] however, was left guessing, theorizing her role in the show. Would she take the crown and come out a stronger person? Or would her character simply be a pawn in the long game of life, a death with little influence.

In the midst of her melancholic monologue, the Joker had ushered her up onto the platform - his grin growing larger and larger every step she took. She was in a trance-like state, her subconscious tuning out as a protective measure for what was about to ensue. Shoving her shoulders, [Y/N] was forced onto the chair - now able to see the ‘theatre’ in full. There were rows of crates and boxes, all placed together to mimic a real auditorium. It was almost as if The Joker expected this performance to get a full house.

The clown then went off stage right, leaving [Y/N] on her own. He hadn't tied her down, but he knew she wasn't going anywhere and deep down, [Y/N] knew he was right. She was far too scared, too shocked to even think about running. Not to mention the gash on her arm, nor the amount of blood lost so far.

A squeak of wheels alerted her that the rogue was back, and this time not empty handed. The stage now hosted a horrifying bright purple cart, the wheels rusted but vibrant nonetheless. The colour was not the scary part however. On each shelf of the metal rack were several different objects, ranging from a ‘can of worms’ to a meat cleaver. 

As [Y/N] eyed the cart, the Joker walked down stage, arms outstretched in a greeting. “Good evening all!” He yelled into the empty theatre. “Boy, do I have a show for you tonight! Meet our special guest Miss. LN herself!” Doing a stage turn, he gestured to her, “And look folks, she even got all dolled up for us! Isn't that just darling?” A laughing fit followed after, the shrill sound bouncing around the vacant room. 

Crazy as the situation was, [Y/N] couldn't help but wonder, ‘why’, still. Why her? What did this all stem from, her not knowing enough about The Red Hood? Better yet, why was Joker involved? Why was he making this a spectacle for absolutely no one? Though to question the ways of a madman seemed a little mad in itself.

The laughing ceased, the Joker heading back towards the cart. “Now, I figured since Miss. LN has been such a lovely guest, coming out here to grace us with her presence - we should give her thanks.” He then turned to [Y/N], a wicked smile stretched across his white face, “And what better way to say ‘Thank You’, than a little game?” 

“Lights!” The Joker yelled, a series of clicks and flickers following. A myriad of colorful lights filled the room, some stage lights, some bedside lamps and others random bulbs all connected into an awful collage.

‘WHEEL OF DEMISE’ was spelled out with lights, the sign hanging precariously on the back wall.

“That's right all!” The Joker announced as he made his way backstage again, “I’m rehashing my ‘Wheel of Demise’ - just for good old [Y/N] over here.”

He came back onstage, a gigantic purple and green spinning wheel rolling on the floor behind him.

“If you’re not familiar with this treat, Miss. LN will spin the wheel and let it decide her gift!” Joker faced the wheel towards her, egging her on to spin it. [Y/N] remained frozen.

Sighing, he spoke to the ghosts in the house, “It seems as though our talent has gotten stage fright. Not to worry, Mr. J is happy to spin it himself!” 

A sickeningly white hand theatrically grasped the dial, giving the wheel a whirl. [Y/N] held her breath as she watched the choices tick by. 

PINWHEEL PERRIL.

SILLY STRING SNUFFING.

BALLOON BEATDOWN.

ASPHYXIATION.

FACE PAINT FATALITY.

The spinning stopped. The arrow, pointed at a bright green box, the purple letters read: TICKLE TERMINATION.

She released her breath, though at the hands of the Joker, surly tickling wasn't that bad.

The clown prince frowned, this was not what he wanted. Deciding his audience would get bored by such a bland show, he prefaced, “Well seeing as [Y/N] is the guest, it wouldn't be fair for me to choose. Think of that as a ‘test run’ if you will.” Facing her, he smirked - voice threatening, “Give it a spin, it's not nice to keep the audience waiting.”

Accepting that she wasn't getting out of here alive anyway, [Y/N] leaned forward, reaching a shaky hand out and spun the wheel.

It went around and around and around, her getting dizzy at the clashing colors mixing in her vision. Finally, it slowed down and [Y/N] almost let out a cry of happiness, the wheel was going to stop on TICKLE TERMINATION again.

Joker had caught the small glimmer of hope in her eye, and being the saint he was, diminished it as soon as possible. He would hate for false possibilities to form in her mind. So with a slight motion of his hand, he grasped onto one of the wheels pegs, bridging the spinning to a shortstop.

Both of the stage presences looked at the wheel, though their reactions were poles apart. [Y/N]’s the face of tragedy whilst Joker’s the face of comedy.

‘BLADE BEREAVEMENT’ 

“Well, well, well! It seems as though [Y/N] has chosen wonderfully! I know this is always a favourite amongst the house!” He laughed, wheeling the cart towards him. “Now the only question is, which one will be the lucky tool tonight?”

His pasty hand glided over the assortment of sharp metals, a facade of thought on his face. “Shall it be this one?” He lifted a small surgical blade, the hardware glimmering against the harsh lights. The Joker's expression showed the audience's distaste of the item, he placed it back. “How about… This one!” A larger kitchen knife was in his grip, the edges serrated and sharp.

As he continued to mime a conversation, [Y/N] was trying to stay awake. Whether it was from the blood loss or just the constant reminder of death on her shoulder - her body wanted nothing more than to shut down. She continued to remind herself why she needed to be awake. [Y/N] thought of escaping, of getting out alive, of seeing the coffee shop again, of seeing Jason again… Jason. 

God, throughout all of this craziness she never thought about how he must be feeling. He's probably at the GCPD right now, reporting her disappearance. Fuck. She was going to die and Jason would never really know why, he would just see the reports of another one of Joker's sorry victims.

A loud crash broke [Y/N] from her thoughts. Initially, she thought it was the cart, maybe Joker had knocked it over. But upon looking up, she realised that he had heard it too. The clown narrowed his eyes, looking around the spacious room for a sign of the intruder.

“It’s over fuck-face.” the voice had sounded from above them, “Let her go and maybe I won't kill you slowly.” 

As her confusion grew, the malicious smile she had gotten used to formed itself on Joker's face once more. “Oh ho ho ho! Lookie here audience, it seems like our final guest of honor has arrived!” He clapped his hands together, eyes still glued above them in search of the person.

A stray can rolled onto the stage, smoke pooling out of it, stinging [Y/N]’s eyes. She coughed and covered her face, then a lightbulb went off. The smoke. Joker can't see!

[Y/N] stood from the chair, ducking low to the ground trying to feel her way around the stage. 

“We can't have the talent leave! I hadn't called you off stage yet!” His cry took [Y/N] by surprise, as did the grip that came with it. A white claw was now locked around her throat, partnering to the cold barrel that was pressed against her temple.

“Ever the dramatist you are Hoodie! Just like your father… And I’m not talking about Batsy!” Another clang sounded from the audience, the mystery guest had decided to show themself. 

The first thing [Y/N] saw was the glimmer of crimson. Even through the smoke she could make out its blood-red color, the cool metal of the helmet reflecting the lights. 

“Ah, finally.” The Joker spoke, “You’re just in time for the show. Why don't you take a seat, Jason Todd?”

[shinydelirium]

MLQC Season 2 Chapter 5 (Kiro) Final Part [Broken Red Wire] & [The Curtain Rises] Translation [CN]

***SPOILERS*** THIS POST CONTAINS HEAVY SPOILERS FOR CONTENT NOT YET RELEASED ON EN SERVER!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!***

For the previous translations of Chapter 5: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Enjoy~

[Broken Red Wire]

After Kiro and I climbed up, I sat on the ground in shock and realized that someone really did come help us.

This person had a strong complexion. He smiled cordially at me after he noticed my scrutinizing gaze.

He looked familiar like I had seen him somewhere before.

Kiro: You’re also very late.

??: Didn’t I arrive before the end of your countdown?

He scratched his head and walked over, extending his hand out to me.

??: I didn’t say hello to you last time. I’m Ah Liu, nice to meet you.

Ah Liu: As a way of greeting, next time I formally invite you to drink the special offer from my store.

I responded with hindsight, Kiro pulled my wrist like a bear nervously taking away the sweet honey jar.

After giving him a helpless look, Ah Liu retracted his smile.

Ah Liu: There are inexplicable signal and magnetic field barriers. It wasn’t easy using Evol.

Ah Liu: After you entered the game, there was a constant delay in the positioning of the post. We were worried that something had happened. We discussed it and decided that I would go into the game to confirm your accurate location.

“We”?

I stood behind Kiro in bewilderment. Is there someone else besides Ah Liu?

Ah Liu nodded in response to the earphones in his ears and motioned to Kiro.

Ah Liu: After I entered the game, the same situation occurred and other people are still examining what is going on.

Ah Liu: But the problem here is, we’re not sure what special equipment is being used or…

Ah Liu: What special ability.

Kiro nodded solemnly at him.

Kiro: The plan is proceeding as normal.

After Ah Liu gave an “OK” gesture, he temporarily disappeared into the forest.

At this moment, I finally realized that, without a doubt, Kiro arranged everything.

He noticed my gaze and winked at me playfully.

Kiro: You see, I said I will protect you, right?

At this time, there was a “ding” sound from his microcomputer. Kiro looked worried for a moment, but he immediately collected his emotions, sat on the ground, and started the computer.

The progress bar on the computer screen showed 100%.

MC: What is this?

Kiro: This is the data analysis of that metal collar.

MC: You found a way to remove the metal collar!

Kiro was not as proud as I thought he would be. He just raised the corners of his mouth leisurely.

Kiro: Miss Chips, before you said you would get angry if I secretly left….

MC: Yeah? What about it?

Kiro: What would you do if you were really angry?

He looked into my eyes and spoke softly, but I somehow felt that something was wrong.

MC: What are you trying to say? You’re not trying to play any tricks on me, are you?

Kiro: I’m just asking so I can set a reminder to myself.

MC: That is best….

MC: Let me think, I won’t talk to you for a year and confiscate all your snacks.

MC: No matter how much you beg or apologize. No matter the reason, I will never forgive you.

Kiro: You will.

MC: I certainly won’t…

His voice was soft and when I turned my head to look at Kiro, I found that his eyes had turned to pure gold during some point.

Bathed in the morning light, there is an indescribable tenderness.

Kiro: I command you…

He gave me an extremely bright and tender smile.

I suddenly raised my hand to block my eyes, but Kiro moved faster. He quickly held my wrist and my vision was filled with a clear golden glow.

Kiro: All within my range of control belong to me.

Kiro: Get a good night’s sleep now, and don’t mention this game to anyone when you wake up.

Kiro: Then….forgive me.

He stretched out his hand gently to me, and I realized that I had lost control of my body again and couldn’t say anything.

My consciousness was slowly slipping away, and my legs gradually lost their strength. Kiro caught me.

Kiro: It’s all right, MC.

Kiro: I said, I would let you leave here safely.

My brain gradually stopped working, but I pinched my palm so that my consciousness could stay awake at the end.

I looked at Kiro, and strenuously opened my mouth to say something to him.

But I know that my whole body is being drained of energy little by little.

I’m going to fall asleep soon.

During this time, Ah Liu came back. He seemed to have known this would happen, so he didn’t ask much, and neatly connected a data cable to the girl’s neck.

Kiro: Are you sure this is analytical data?

Ah Liu carefully checked the analysis results and shook his head.

Ah Liu: The design of this metal collar is a bit unique. The time is too short so these results can’t remove it perfectly.

Ah Liu: He has a special heat induction system installed, which is quite troublesome. I can give you about 1.5 seconds at most and it shouldn’t be detected.

Kiro: Enough.

Ah Liu: OK.

Ah Liu took out the equipment without hesitation, leaned on the girl’s side and carefully dismantled the metal collar.

Soon, he found a small button that was not easily noticeable and Ah Liu cautiously reconfirmed the other lines before lightly poking in with a metal wire.

With a sound, the metal collar instantly turned into two halves.

Within the next second, Kiro swiftly closed them around his neck, resolutely and firmly.

Ah Liu lifted the girl on his back and said nothing more.

“I will not let go of your hand.”

The girl’s voice seems to be ringing in his ears.

Kiro glanced down and watched his hand slowly close up.

Out of nowhere, the forest was engulfed by a raging fire, and the wind blew away the last remnants of gentleness.

The silver hair was clear and distinct in the flames, like a sharp knife shining with cold light.

Electronic voice: Congratulations to Hunter No. 29 for advancing.

Fiery sparks rose in the air, covering Helios’s fading back.

Half asleep and half awake, I feel as if someone is running with me on their back.

On the electronic screen of the contact lens, the cute pixel bear went away by itself in the opposite direction of the flower bear. The red line between them stretched straight.

The word “warning” kept flashing in front of my eyes.

Warning. About to exceed the connection range.

Wait a moment….I begged silently in my heart.

Warning. About to disconnect.

Suddenly the little bear stopped.

It seems to have seen the same warning. The red thread is tightly connected together, like a distant but silent entanglement.

It stayed in place as if reluctant to sever the red thread.

My consciousness finally dissipated in the vague darkness, and as the little flower bear continued to move forward, the red line quietly broke.

Warning.

Connection disrupted.

[The Curtain Rises]

At the edge of the forest, two figures suddenly appeared out of thin air.

Ah Liu: Feeling this Evol! Strangely, there is a problem with this forest.

The sound from the headset seemed to be coming from another guidance, and he cautiously looked at the sniper rifle hidden in the woods.

Ah Liu: In this way, even if a player had a chance to run to the edge and ask for help, they would be dealt with.

He pointed to the highway ten meters away.

Ah Liu: This distance should still be movable.

As soon as Ah Liu spoke, a silver-white arc was drawn in the air and a man’s figure appeared in front of them.

Behind him stood a teenager in his early teens. The mist made them unable to see the man’s face and his eyes were faintly glowing with dark gray light.

Ah Liu turned around without hesitation. The moment he disappeared with the girl on his back, the man stretched out his hand.

Teenage Boy: Are you sending Evol? It looks amazing!

The boy widened his eyes in surprise as e he looked at the silent forest, showing a cruel smile, then turned to the man.

Teenage Boy: Teleporting Evol should involve jumping between spaces, what if you find that you can’t use Evol while jumping?

Teenage Boy: Joker, where would they be teleported to?

The man named Joker smiled, his eyes full of playfulness, and he did not speak.

The silver-white arc once again struck the air and the dim underground passage behind the white light appeared in front of his eyes.

I woke up groggy, feeling a faint pain all over my body.

I looked around and found myself in a tunnel, like an abandoned underground railway.

I suddenly remembered everything that just happened. The hunter game and Kiro leaving.

MC: Open map.

The air was quiet. I lowered my head and found that the metal collar on my neck is gone.

MC: Kilo, display location!

On the cold mechanical screen, only a bear wearing a flower is shown.

MC: Kilo, display satellite signal, zoom in.

The screen appears to show that I’m still in the forest but underground.

I took a heavy breath, gritted my teeth and stood up.

In any case, I must leave here first.

-End of Chapter 5-

[delusionland]

STEPHCASS FOR THE MEME <3

PRE-RELATIONSHIP

How did they first meet?

here is my personal hc. tim told cass about a girl. he didn’t tell her anything about the girl, just that she was woefully unprepared to be a crimefighter... but also she was kinda cute, in a totally naive way (90s tim was kind of an asshole, never forget). cass couldn’t quite understand what he was saying while he showed her the batfile on her---the picture of the spoiler, etc. but she got his general tone and body language. cass then sought steph out. for nights. nights looking for the spoiler. when she found her---she tackled her, immediately engaged her in a fight. she went so, so easy on her. she just wanted to see what a cute girl was. and steph... was definitely a cute girl. at the time, cass couldn’t talk, couldn’t communicate with her. but she left her a gift. a nice knife that she had throw at her head---deliberately missing it, that was... especially ornate, and seemed shiny and valuable, and most of all purple to match her costume. pretty purple girls like pretty purple things, right?

What was their first impression of each other?

steph probably did not think well of cass, at first. after that first outing---the batfamily got involved. cass was to help steph with her fighting. steph was to help cass with her speech. without the mask on---steph could see how much cass enjoyed her company. it was hard not to realize she had a sense of humor about everything. the laughter she had exhibited on a still-baby-at-the-time spoiler screaming her head off about what she thought was some kind of demon-ninja batgirl was... genuine, and not malicious in the slightest. she seemed to want to be friends, and every time steph frowned at her, or was a sore loser, cass simply smiled and laughed harder, finding everything steph did perfectly amusing. as they got to know each other---cass got better at talking, and steph got better at fighting, and they kind of, met somewhere on the outer edges of the middle for a while. there was always something standing between them--though. a resentment, not between them, but a misunderstanding. that cass belonged to bruce and the bat. and steph belonged to tim.

Did any of their friends or family want them to get together?

i feel like conner kent at the very least shipped it. alfred really thought there was a spark between them, and during their brief frenemy stage---alfred made sure steph knew cass genuinely cared for her. bruce did NOT want them to get together at all, though. neither did tim, for obvious reasons.

Who felt romantic feelings first?

cass. it was love the first time steph managed to punch herin the face. did she win? no. but she GOT her. and through that tenacity, cass realized that her friend was so much more than a silly, pretty girl. she was a fighter. she was a champion. and more than anything, she was brave, and determined, and they had practiced a thousand times for just this moment. and afterwards, steph was just so proud of her overall failure instead of being herr typical loser.... cass couldnt help but know steph was always going to be the love of her life.

Did either of them try to resist their feelings?

they both did! didn’t want to ruin the friendship!

If you had told one of them that the other would be their soulmate, what would they think?

cass would get a curious look, steph wouldn’t believe you!

What would their lives be like if they had never met?

they would be a lot worse, a lot lonelier. steph never would’ve become batgirl, that’s for sure, and cass would’ve learned to speak---but in a way entirely removed from her own personality and love of herself & life.

GENERAL

Who initiated the relationship, and how did it go?

it was a mutual thing in ocean city, maryland. they were in a photo booth, sitting in eachother’s laps, leg over leg, they did a silly face, and then another silly face, and then their faces were so close---and then SMOOCH CITY, and they WOULD NOT LEAVE THE BOOTH lol.

Did they have an official first date? If so, what was it like?

they considered ocean city their first date. but they’re not really the ‘dating’ types. they both LOVE to fight. they both LOVE to crime fight. they both LOVE spending time together doing NOTHING. if anything, the first time cass had to go to a gala with her was the first time they realized---ugh, do we REALLY have to be WAYNES? do we really have to have REAL LIVES? why can’t we stay in our cuddle - asskicking bubble forever?

What was their first kiss like?

it was the most natural possible thing, and it was something they had both almost had so many times before that it was like drowning in sensation after you had subsisted off of gerbil-cage drips of water for years. they couldn’t stop! they were consumed with want, and they only stopped when they started to get a little TOO frisky and somebody moved the curtain of the booth because they wanted to get their own picture taken and they were like ‘fuck! okay lets get french fries!’ lol

Were they each other’s first anything (kiss, relationship, etc.)?

steph is cass’s first gf, and vice versa.

What’s their height difference? Age difference?

cass is 5′7″ JUST tall enough to be taller than her gf >: )

What’s their relationship with each other’s families?

cass will kill the puzzler or whatever the fuck his name is. he sucks. steph’s mom loves her tho :’ ) and well. the less said about bruce and steph the better, but like. your whole blog is proof of how much the rest of the batfam loves steph!

Who takes the lead in social situations?

they both are the ‘HAHA! THE ECONOMY!’ gif tbh.

Who gets jealous easier?

cass. steph is special cargo, the first girl / person she ever loved romantically, the first friend she ever had. however, cass has made it very publically known she wants threesomes with other hotties of multiple genders.

Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear?

CASS CASS CASS.

LOVE

Who said “I love you” first?

steph, and she agonized over it, only for cass to say it so easily in a way cass didn’t think it would ever be easy for her to say. like steph is some magical fairy tale princess that lifts the curse on cass to never be able to express love the way love is supposed to be expressed. steph just makes things easy. she makes everything easy.

What are their primary love languages?

TOUCH. GAMES. QUALITY TIME. GIFTS.

Who uses cheesy pick-up lines?

they both do they’re TERRIBLE.

How often do they cuddle/engage in PDA?

batgirl and the black bat are forced on seperate patrols bc they do this so much and they HATE it and SNEAK OUT and kiss ANYWAY!

Who initiates kisses?

cass!

Who’s the big and little spoon?

cass is big spoon!

What are their favorite things to do together?

they really like watching wrestling and kung fu movies together i think. steph also likes girly movies, but cass gets bored after a while and just starts wrestling with her over the popcorn and then wrestling leads to hankypanky. most of all they love fighting and dancing AND PLAYING PRANKS on the bat boys.

Who’s better at comforting the other?

cass is.

Who’s more protective?

CASS IS.

Do they prefer verbal or physical affection?

physical affection.

What are some songs that apply to their relationship, in-universe or otherwise?

jenny - studio killers

What kind of nicknames do they call each other?

they both call each other batgirl affectionately, cass also learns new words to say girlfriend and sweetie all the time and uses those.

Who remembers the little things?

STEPH.

DOMESTIC LIFE

If they get married, who proposes?

they COMPETE to see who will do it first. they use the batcave to make sure the other isnt going to look for rings. and when they find the other one shopping for rings. its fucking GO-TIME BITCH. you’re not going to propose to me, i’m going to propose to you! when they pop out the boxes at the exact same time, cass steals the ring from steph’s hands and holds it up over her head and throws hers at steph’s head like ‘YOU HAVE TO MARRY ME FIRST. NO TAKEBACKSIES.’

What’s the wedding like? Who attends?

it’s a big wedding. cass loves, loves people. it’s a whos-who, especially since cass is gonna be batman and she has all the justice league contacts now. cass turns a bit into a bridezila, but like, as a joke, mostly, and she calms down when steph is like ‘i thought we could be more intimate...’ lol

How many kids do they have, if any? What are they like?

they adopt some bratty street kids that are tangentially related to joker / black mask / puzzler / lady shiva as a fuck you. they love their kids so much.

Do they have any pets?

so many cats. a million cats.

Who’s the stricter parent?

cass.

Who worries the most?

steph.

Who kills the bugs in the house?

cass.

How do they celebrate holidays?

they go to concerts!!!! big loud concerts where they can mosh!!!

Who’s more likely to convince the other to come back to sleep in the morning?

cass! no school! just cuddles!

Who’s the better cook?

steph. cass doesn’t know how to, and also refuses to, fry an egg.

Who likes to dance?

cass most of all!

[commander-orca]

COTW FANFICTION

CHAPTER 9: THE BROKEN AT EACH OTHER’S THROATS

“Hello Kannavi! Itia greeted, stepping into the infirmary through the front door.

She wore a tunic from here she’d been given on the first day, after the treatments. Her brown hair, still very soberly tied, was discreetly tousled by the wind and her monocle bore the traces of the sun on the glass. She seemed relaxed and the smile on her face, although shocking at first had gradually become one of the expressions she was wearing the most.

"… Hello Itia," the latter replied hesitantly, looking up from his remedies. "Tell me, weren't you supposed to stay in bed for five more days here so the wounds would heal well?" "

Itia nodded in his direction, keeping her smile, bathed in warm light.

“No worries, I'm counting on it. It’s just that I’ve gone out to listen to Suoh's speech.

-Ah. And how was it? "

The young woman raised her palms to the sky, showing that she had no particular opinion.

" I don’t know. He didn't show up.

-Oh ".

The rays of sunshine which accompanied her arrival faded once the door closed with a heavy slam and the room was plunged back into the shadow. Itia quickly took off her shoes and hung her jacket on the coat rack. Kannavi’s eyes followed her as she strolled across the room to her assigned bunk to sit comfortably, legs under the sheets. She breathed peacefully, her chest heaving in regular gusts of air and was mentally present. This carefree, almost lazy air was also new to her, who always seemed wary in Empire territory. Kannavi kept his inner remark to himself and went back to work, rolling up his sleeves.

He was busy crushing herbs in a mortar, then pounding them with a roller, doing a bit of a botched job. He had fallen behind on the chores he had been given for today since he had failed to wake up on time. Fortunately, the infirmary was half empty, most of the patients were still sleeping and Itia's excursion benefitted him well since she didn't seem to have noticed that he had only emerged from bed half an hour ago. Using the excuse of a new environment disrupting his sleep schedule might work for a while, but people here would eventually find out that he wasn’t actually very punctual. However, keeping up appearances for a while wasn't bad in itself; this would allow him to form a new, more flattering temporary image before inevitably one would decide to fire him. In addition, this job was not stressful and did not have the constraints of a superior on your back screaming at you all day that you sucked, unlike back in the Empire. This job was pretty relaxing. So, Kannavi would push himself to work hard and try to stay affiliated for as long as possible.

There were only a few things that really mattered in his life. Making sure you didn't end up on the streets or in jail was one of the most important things. The rest didn't matter. Since childhood, he had had little free will in the end, lugged from family to family like a trinket. Then the army. All these things had been decided for him, without him having a say or being able to influence the course of it and yet, it did not bother him that much. Making decisions for oneself seemed to affect people with crippling anguish and give them all the tools for an even stronger grudge against themselves. That didn't mean he wasn't attached to anything. The young nurse was careful never to stray too far from Orca. But Kannavi preferred his little quiet position; the rudder of his life was not in his hands, he was content being carried by life, chance, people, and if he found himself in an unpleasant situation, he would only have to wait until it would pass. Knowing that we wasn’t at fault for the misfortunes that befell him, or those of others, was a calming thought.

The water in the pot began to boil and he set the temperature to low. He lifted the lid, added the few mint leaves he had pre-cut and the herbal powder he had crushed. The water immediately took on a reddish tint. He replaced the lid on the container.

Rather than a fear of trying or failing, the reason was outrightly simpler than that: Kannavi really didn't wish for anything. Nothing really arose any desires and that surge of excitement others sometimes had looking at their goal from afar, motivating them to work harder, was relatively unknown to him.

"Excuse me if I'm disturbing ...", asked suddenly Itia's voice hatching through the hissing of the pan, "But can I talk to you about something?" 

Kannavi raised an eyebrow, astonished by this wording. People never came to him for serious discussions. Hands caught in the herbs, he continued to extract their juice and stir it vigorously in a bowl. Without looking back, he said:

“It depends on what you want to talk about. I am often told that I am not very delicate, you know ... "

Behind his back, Itia's voice grew more hesitant. The blankets had just moved and she too, making the slats of the bed creak. Outside, a gust of wind shook the windows and the shutters creaked against the walls; the weather was getting colder.

"I know, but ... I have the impression that you are the only one who can really enlighten me on that topic”.

-Mmh. Go ahead... "

At that moment, the door to the infirmary swung open and cracked loudly against the back wall. A clear, confident voice exclaimed, echoing through the room:

“Kannavi! "

Itia jumped up and fell silent, crouching in the back of her bunk, disappointed. Taken by surprise, Kannavi whirled around, his gloves dripping with berry juice beading on the floor. Orca strode towards him. He looked cheerful and more light-hearted than he had been in the past few days, which reassured him. When he had visited his friend at his place a few days ago, Orca had subtly tried to hold him back, stealing part of his night before he had returned to his own hut. The young nurse suspected nightmares, linked to their last adventures perhaps ... However, he was dumbfounded to find him here; usually, he refrained from visiting the most vulnerable and from mingling in the places where the inhabitants gathered.

Orca grabbed his shoulders, half laughing, half teasing. His pale hair twitched at the rhythm of his smile.

"Kannavi, I thought I was going to die of laughter ... I walked out of the council and ... Saw you take a sprint all the way here half-dressed ... I see someone overslept again!

The nurse gritted his teeth and turned a quarter of a turn to glance over his shoulder; he could feel stares on him. Awakened by this sudden animation in the infirmary, a few patients sat in their beds and were now staring at them with a disapproving air. Kannavi grabbed him by the arm, a small displeased pout clearly visible on his face. What an idiot. The duality of his personality was probably a little too strong at times: playing the eloquent strategist at important meetings and immediately switching to a carefree joker when he was no longer doing anything related to his personal affairs and interests. That was probably why he got into so much trouble.

"Oru ... Lower your voice a bit!  Come to the back-shop ... And you just ruined my coverage! I'm going to be fired now ... "

Orca took a quick look around and looked as though he had finally realized the presence of the convalescents. He immediately put his hand to his lips, feeling sorry. Nodding, he quietly followed the direction his friend was pointing. But it would have been to be underestimating Itia who sat up on her pillows, looking furious and threw her legs to the side, ready to jump.

“Wait… Kannavi !?, Itia exclaimed, whose mind had just connected the dots to Orca's words,“Did I hear correctly? You just arrived ?

-Uh ... "

Kannavi readjusted his apron, looking for something to make up or justify. But frankly, there wasn't much to say… He sighed, giving up any attempt to lie.

Orca watched him, putting his hand over his mouth once again, but most likely hiding a chuckle this time around.

“Itia, please come too. If you want to reprimand me, reprimand me in the back-shop”.

Itia got up hastily from her bed, her face closed and fists clenched, and walked in a straight line towards the storage room.

"And that I will do," she muttered through her teeth. "You too, Sir Orca".

Orca raised a few fingers awkwardly at her as she walked past him, a sly smile on his lips.

“Hello Itia.

"Hello Sir Orca," Itia retorted, coldly, as if she had just returned a mockery.

Her figure disappeared under the beaded curtain that separated the main room from the storage area. The brown beads tinkled for a few moments, knocking against each other, hinting between their strings the shape of a shelf and medical posters stuck against the yellowed walls, then froze again, giving the curtain the air of a real wall. Silence fell in the infirmary. Orca exchanged a look with Kannavi, Kannavi's wide eyes meant he was expecting to be given some wild dressing down. His friend nodded, pulling his long hair to the side and shrugging, silently exposing him that he didn't know what he had done to get there. The two men followed her, both looking constrained and sheepish. Kannavi entered the storeroom and leaned against one of the shelves containing the syringes, stethoscopes, and other essentials. Orca removed a stack of papers from the old chair and sat down, bringing the papers to his knees. Itia, for her part, closed the door to the storeroom and remained standing in order to appear more authoritative. She crossed her arms, looking at them in turn, saying nothing. Orca turned his head, pretending to be captivated by the medical scale. He whispered faintly to his friend:

"Ah ... I don't like it when she does that." It means she will -

- Tell me, are you not being serious ?! "

Orca stopped talking immediately, blinking several times. Fury shook Itia's voice, the two of them didn't have to look at her to know that.

"Do you think you are on a vacation or staying at a hotel? Think you can afford to skip your assigned duties and lounge around all day ?! "

“Itia…” Kannavi began, taken aback, “I must have told you already, but… I'm not very good at keeping a job. But I’m trying, obviously. I don't want to lose this job, it's the quietest I've had so far ... "

Itia's face took on a more scarlet color. Swooping down on the young nurse, she grabbed one of the flyaway locks sticking out of his head.

"I can’t believe it! Is that all you care about, Kannavi ?!

–Not my hair Itia, please, ”he begged,“ They still have to grow! "

Orca stared at them, alarmed and hastened to cover his own hair with his hands.

Itia released a panicked Kannavi and walked away. In the corner of the room was an old, moth-eaten desk, neglected because of its disparate surface area that made it difficult to disinfect. The young woman grabbed it with both hands and pulled it with her. She brought it to the center of the room, in front of the two men, after much effort and squeaking. Perched on the table, her legs hanging out to the side, she smirked. It was a more than satisfying sight: these two slackers, looking at her from below, somewhat tense, anticipating what her next move would be. A rare sight that neither of them turned a deaf ear to her or only half-listened to her! But, remembering what she had to say, she lost her smile and granted them a serious expression.

“I believe you’re still caught up in your illusions or you just don't realize, but these people are our only chance to have a normal and maybe even happy life. We hurt them tremendously, many of them died under our attacks. And yet, they’re forgiving us! "

She paused, scrutinizing them closely. Strangely, a glimmer of full attention burned in Kannavi's eyes and he had shed his slumped position. On the contrary, Orca was looking away, occasionally smoothing out the folds of his dress over his crossed leg.dominant, but his wiggling pupils in their sockets, proved that he was also drinking her words.

“We need to give them reasons to trust us a and to have forgiven us! If all goes well, maybe they will allow us to live here. It would be convenient, we who have nowhere to go now! But it is not by botching your work - Itia stared firmly at Kannavi - or by doing nothing - she let a glare fall on her superior - that they will come to consider such a thing!

Kannavi held up a quiet hand, hoping to be able to place a word. He made a small thoughtful sound, but avoided completely contradicting the young woman. His hair still had a long life ahead of it.

"Excuse me, Itia, but I think Orca does a lot for the Clay Whale. He participates in all the councils and has recently started on guard tours ... "

Orca turned his head towards him, eyebrows raised. Itia scowled, looking annoyed. Her hands took the shape of a triangle as she looked up at the ceiling light.

"I know that, Kannavi, but you see, I think Sir Orca has to work twice as hard as we need to."

“Not to the point of collapsing anywa—” the other protested, before being interrupted by Orca who had placed a soothing hand on his shoulder, as if making a call for him to stop.

“No need, Kannavi. She's right. I have to try harder ”.

Kannavi stared at him flatly; Orca was already very involved. Was it possible to try harder? Itia, meanwhile, fixed her pair of eyes on the commander, as if she was rediscovering him. He rarely admitted his wrongs. It was a good thing, it put her in a good mood.

“Anyway, we owe them a lot and I think it is essential for us to help. I can clearly see the efforts of Sir Orca ", she resumed, in a more tender voice,"And I see, given the level of fatigue he has shown in recent days, that he’s worked a lot ".

Even though, embarrassed at the thought that he had plausibly caused her chickweed, her superior lowered his head.

"Get more involved ... What I mean by that is that I find you oddly withdrawn, Sir Orca," Itia said, a soft and compassionate smile dawning on her lips. “You should dare more to sympathize with them. Regain self-confidence. The people of the Clay Whale also recognize you as the one who saved them from an undisputable disaster now ... "

With that, her superior looked away again. Itia, who continued to look at him, began to swing her legs off the top of the old desk, having lost track for a moment. Kannavi took hold of the silence to think about something that had just re-appeared in his thoughts. Itia had said she wanted to talk to him on a certain subject. A subject on which only he could enlighten her ...

"Well ... I'm aware that I haven't done much myself either. I have caused concern and as an injured person I require extra work. I hope I can get down to business soon.”

- You must not feel guilty Itia. These injuries are not your fault… I'm sure you'll find a way to be useful here and fit in really well, ”Kannavi assured him.

The young woman smiled at him, thanking him with a nod, then her gaze fell on Orca who had risen from his chair and dusted his dress vigorously. Itia put her hand towards him as if to hold him back, then hid her hand behind his back.

"Leaving already, Sir Orca?" "

Orca's bangs slid to the side as he swiveled his head towards her to fix her in amusement.

"You give us nice talks about the usefulness of being productive but find it useful to just sit there twiddling your thumbs?" "

Itia scowled and crossed her arms again.

“We’re not twiddling our thumbs. I argue with you for the best. You could have waited for me to finish! "

Orca raised his eyebrows, not losing that mocking smile.

" Well ?

"M-Make an effort to get along with people, please," Itia grumbled, irritated by his impatience and rudeness, “And be more polite”.

Her boss gave one last cheeky little smile before nodding and walking out the door. He arched his back to squeeze under the curtain. The young nurse followed him with his eyes, inwardly amused by this vision; Orca was almost too tall for the dimensions of the Whale, and you sometimes thought you saw an intruder in a children's village. In front of him, the young woman came down gracefully from the office and slandered in frustration. Why did he always have to nod with that smirk that seemed to mean he didn't get it?

“Ah! By the way, Itia, you wanted to talk to me about something ...? Kannavi asked.

The young woman seemed to hesitate. After a while, she opened her mouth to start something, but a high-pitched crash suddenly interrupted her. Then, bursts of voices. Dismayed, Kannavi got up immediately and hurried to the main wing of the infirmary. Itia sighed loudly. You could never have calm for a second here ... Following the nurse, she stepped through the beaded curtain and froze, just like him at her side. The two young people found Orca on the other side of the curtain in confrontation with the Prince of Amonlogia. Slightly behind them, the island's chief, Suoh, stared at a small object at his feet, his palms still open suggesting it had once been in his hands. Rochalizo took a step closer to Orca, his concave nose upturned with great contempt.

" What’s your fucking problem!? You’re all quiet now. Think you can get away with this ?! "

The atmosphere that fell on the room had grown heavy. Dozens of pairs of eyes on them, the two leaders stared at each other in silence, exchanging mute threats and disdain. Orca met his gaze, firm, yet not trying to defend himself in the slightest. Rochalizo's heterochromic eyes were very lively, seething with explosive rage. Kannavi focused on the faint marks of saimia appearing on Orca's forearms, jiggling dangerously, then on the Prince's clenched fists which vibrated crescendo on either side of his body; he thought for a moment that they’d come to get into a fight. But the tension dropped somewhat and the latter finally clenched his teeth and exclaimed again in a calmer, hissing voice:

“Go back to the Country, you only cause issues here. Nobody wants you, not even your sister! "

Orca rounded his eyes for a moment, but didn't show more of him  being destabilised. Hiding behind his eyelids and long bangs, he walked out of the room quickly.

Running after him, the young nurse held back the clapper and also rushed outside. Silence fell, sharper this time and suffocating. Itia bit her lip, completely shattered. Presumably unaffected by his surrounding’s unease, Rochalizo crouched down to pick up the pieces of the object - the small sculpture of a tree made of wood, half of the branches and trunk of which had split in two from the shock. . Once gathered between his fingers, he came back to Suoh's height and sought his gaze insistently.

“Suoh? Are you okay ? He jostled you, didn't he? "

The young chief's face darkened a little more and his hands fell against his sides like a relaxed rubber band.

"Hey, answer me," the Prince persisted, scratching his friend's apron with the tips of his blue fingernails. The words were harsh but the gesture was gentle.

Itia could only watch them, feeling deep inside her a great despair threatening to drown her entirely. Was it futile to try to obtain forgiveness from civilians? Rochalizo was not part of the Whale but they seemed to have adopted him for good. The inhabitants, maintaining in their customs a sympathy and a great compassion for others, had never reproached her for not being in her place or for being an enemy, nevertheless, this tradition of 'forgiveness obliges' did not say everything and sometimes she could feel a reminiscent indignation in their hearts, which had not been listened to, for lack of any outlet. Rochalizo's lack of tact was certainly hurtful to those who ran and crashed into it, but Itia appreciated it for the sole reason that she was sure it was the key to understanding how people here felt, what 'they dared not say. The Prince must have had grown up in an environment which had encouraged him to be frank… Itia couldn't say that was wrong, but his harsh words risked causing further clashes.

Did Rochalizo's words hurt Orca by the way? No one could be sure. She would probably go check on him later in order to oversee the mental strength of his superior. Superior who had just caused another incident ... What a pity. She was starting to wonder if her words had really had effect, when Suoh's voice pulled her from her personal introspection.

“Excuse me, Itia. I was dumbfounded for a while and - he gave a light laugh - I must’ve dramatized. After all, it's just a statuette. It is possible to do it again! "

Rochalizo, looking unhappy to have been pushed to the conversation’s background, leaned forward, still trying to get the island chief's attention.

“It's not just a statuette. Remind me how many hours you spent there ?! You have the right to be pissed off.

"As long as it's not human loss, I don't care," Suoh assured, looking serene.

With the broom hanging from the workbench, he too knelt down and quickly collected the last splinters of wood littering the ground that Rochalizo had neglected. Itia was starting to feel more and more uncomfortable. In normal times, she would have paid little attention to it; the misfortunes of others are usually not her problem. Taking care of other people's problems always brought a lot of trouble. However, in this delicate position, his inability to be able to repair the damage caused or to be able to do something to alleviate the situation caused her great distress. Mortified, the young woman bowed before them, not knowing how else to express the guilt that was rising to her head.

“I'm really sorry for what happened. I'm sure Sir Orca didn't wish for any of that to happen, "she stammered a little before coming to herself and stating clearly," You have to know ... He thinks highly of you! "

Rochalizo mumbled something between his teeth that sounded like a:

"Yeah, well when he gets something from it ..."

Itia bowed again, an attempt to renew her assertion. A benevolent smile broke on Suoh's lips. Clasping his hands together in front of his now soft face, he reassured her as best he could.

“No need to apologize, Itia, please. There are still tensions between our two peoples, but it will only get better, - the Prince pulled a pout which was ignored by all - I am convinced of it, believe me! "

The young woman nodded. Suoh was the lung of the island; his patience and the strength of his ideals would guide them. She had no choice, she left it entirely to him. If the Clay Whale and the United Kingdom of Siderasia had managed to come to a diplomatic understanding despite barbaric beginnings, there must be chances of striving for peace between their nations. Tensions would eventually run out of steam and, perhaps, new bonds would blossom, based on a land of mutual trust and aid.

"I'm in your hands, Suoh," Itia repeated, solemnly, her eyes closed.

A ray of sunlight shone through the infirmary, lighting Suoh's face in a golden glow. His long dress shimmered in the light, its whiteness evoking a divine sign, uttering in the room, a moment of peace. His clasped hands tightened more firmly, a proof of his resolve.

" Of course. Our agreement is only partly postponed. After all, even though we are so much more than that, we are all here victims of the Empire, aren't we? "

As they left the building side by side, Rochalizo pulled Suoh by the sleeve, forcing him to slow down. His worried expression, shaded by the red strands falling over his eyes, he seemed to want to give in to anger, before resigning himself. Hoarse and at the same time cracked, like the sound of a candle crackling in the night, he called out in a low voice:

" Hey. Suoh. Your hands are bleeding again”.

Suoh didn't bother to lower his head to the skin covering his joints, unalarmed. He was used to seeing on his hands, those fingernail marks crossing his flesh with scars or bright red gashes barely coagulated, manifestations of his anguish and inner sadness. It was a habit before, a daily sight since the day Sami died. However, knowing that they were engraved deep in his skin, accompanying him in daily adversity, was a sign of comfort inexplicably. It was the evidence that he had survived until then all the most disastrous days and that he had a way of getting rid of strong emotions. Suoh resumed his walk, imperturbably.

“I'll take care of them when I get home.

“No, you're going to take care of them now,” the Prince stubbornly raised his voice.

With force, he grabbed the shoulders of the young chief, standing in front of him to block the way and anchored his eyes in his menacingly.

"And wear bandages. Now."

The threat in his voice was clear, but his nervous twitching lower lip implied another thing.

"I would like to know ...", Rochalizo reiterated, his voice shaken, as Suoh looked down at the stream of blood flowing from his knuckles to his elbows, "... Why you hurt yourself so much these days".

[asagi-s-garden]

WB is the worst when it comes to DC. It's no coindence that Constantine is leaving 'Legends of Tomorrow" in the wake of the upcoming HBO Max show. And this pandemic ruined a lot of plans. As you said "BL" wasn't meant to be in the Arrowverse put when it happened they were all gung-ho for it. They had plans for Jeff to visit Central City and for Anissa and Grave to chill in Gotham. But then the pandemic and whatever BTS drama that got "BL" canned. Like *something* happened. It got an early renewal in Jan then it was cancelled in Nov. And CW didn't even bother to have proper trailers for new episodes. Don't tell me somebody on the show didn't rub the network the wrong way to result in that level of pettiness

Yeah, WB isn't just the worst with DC, but really the worst with favoritism in my personal opinion

They tried so hard to make the DC streaming service a huge success but as soon as they saw it wasn't going to be they got rid of everything like it was on fire, HBO Max is the new golden child so they're cutting their own throats in other areas to make it succeed- IE: Theaters

My poor Suicide Squad 2 ;_; no I won't say "my THE Suicide Squad" it won't roll off the tongue it was a sacrificial lamb to the damn streaming service :(

I know it's an unpopular opinion to not be all over streaming but they're really clearly cutting way more than just corners in order to feed that specific beast and try to make it compete with Disney+, that's why they're starting to draw the string on the Arrowverse :/ The same thing happened, I think, with the DC streaming service though, when they saw that the biggest success of DC was the Arrowverse, they decided to pull their dying streaming service as well as the DCEU into it to pump the Arrowverse up more, now that the Arrowverse is starting to go under- with three shows being gone, Batwoman being in questionable territory, and the two biggest successes of the year being largely disjointed from it (Superman and Stargirl), I think they're going to try to scramble it like eggs :/ They're doing the same with the DCEU to a degree though, by having loosely connected stories that do more universe hopping and tone changes (IE: Joker coming out just months before Birds Of Prey and having been preceeded by Shazam!) I think since they're seeing more promise in that approach right now for the movies, they might be trying to do the same for TV- or they're just trying to let the Arrowverse die of neglect so they can pump up HBO Max like you said

Ofcourse now that WB has been bought by Discovery, we might get some big changes to this; Discovery already said they wanted to pour seven BILLION dollars into DC properties specifically in the first year alone, and I know the rumor is that they're only going to try to gloss up DC so that they can sell the assets to the highest bidders once their "probation" period ends but like.... seven billion is a hell of alot of gloss..... and if they can start pulling in more numbers like Joker, Superman & Lois, and The Suicide Squad (wich may have not been a huge hit at the box office but wich reportedly smashed the HBO Max numbers enough that WB is circling James Gunn like a starving shark), then I have a hard time believing they'd be wanting to get rid of it, especially when, let's face it, DC is easily the most well known and most marketable asset Discovery has ever had and probably ever will have purely because of Superman alone, you can't find a person anywhere who hasn't atleast heard of Superman, regardless of how much the film properties are hit-and-miss financially, I have a hard time believing anyone would just throw that kind of name power to the wolves....

But onto Black Lightning, I actually have a pretty strong theory about that one

I'm almost certain that China Anne McClain is why the show was canned

And do not get me wrong, I don't mean that in a snippy way, but China quit Black Lightning pretty urgently- to the point that she only wanted to do limited episodes for the final season

Backing up a moment here though, let me explain why I think this was the nail-in-the-coffin

Black Lightning was very quickly becoming centered around Lightning specifically

That doesn't mean to say that it wasn't still Jefferson's story and that Anissa wasn't still important, but Jennifer was getting set up to be The Powerhouse of the show, with the bulk of the drama probably surrounding her and the thought of her potentially taking on her father's mantel

It seemed like the idea of Black Lightning retiring or atleast putting on the suit a little less was starting to become a thing, and with Jefferson firmly accepting his daughters as part of the world of Metas at that point, that would have lead to Anissa and Jennifer taking much more of the spotlight than they had in the beginning- that's a natural progression of things, and although I actually prefer Anissa's storyline (it's just more my personal cup of tea), I will readily admit that Jennifer was the one who had the ability to carry an entire season's worth of story on her shoulders.... not so much Anissa, who has her wife (so romantic subplots are pretty toned down), her powers are developed and stable (nothing quite like the learning curves Jennifer was facing), she has a stable job and a stable superhero identity- two, in fact-, so no literal schoolyard drama or issues with "Am I in my father's shadow? Is this how the world sees me and do I want them to see me this way?" much like what Jennifer was starting to experience in the end of the show either

TLDR Anissa mostly had her shit together, wich is great for her, but it doesn't lend to being able to carry the most dramatic storylines like it does with Jennifer, who's still figuring out pretty much everything

I think Jennifer was already starting to take a very large amount of the story as of the last season and even starting to steal the spotlight before that, if they were to come back for more I feel like she would have been in a place of being much more obviously groomed to take on the main charector status wile Jefferson stepped back just a little bit to be more supportive to her journey instead of the other way around

And the show could still exist very much as Jefferson's story wile that story happened to center on Jennifer

.....Buuuuuuuuuuuuut that's where the problem comes in

China said before the show was cancelled that she was going to step down from playing Lightning because she wanted to focus on her faith more and be removed from anything that wasn't "in service to God", wich is totally fine for her, but it does put Black Lightning in a bit of a difficult position because the charector they were gearing up to make their breakout star was suddenly going to either have to pull a Winn and just... be.... gone.... or have to get recast

To be entirely honest, I'm not sure why they didn't stick with the recasting instead, I thought Laura Karuki did a fantastic job as Jennifer and the "Am I Jennifer or am I JJ?" story would have been a great thing to explore for an entire season, but if I had to guess, they maybe just didn't want to mess with it?

Black Lightning had good numbers but it wasn't in the top five or anything to my recollection, not since it's premiere season anyway, and it could have been a compound decision of "We weren't going to keep this up much longer anyway so let's just take this as a sign to wrap it up", although I think that the way the recast was done could have presented a stable option for them if they had decided to give it a go for a full season, although maybe that's just my opinion and they initially made the recast so that the people behind the curtain could see if Laura would work well enough as Jennifer and when they decided that the vibe wasn't right they went on ahead and pulled the plug rather than risk getting the same um... resistance.... than Batwoman met over their recasting choices

Although I could go on for days about why that situation is different (to be clear: I do like Ryan quite alot but I don't think the Batwoman situation was nearly as seamless as Black Lightning's in terms of recasts, but that's another story for another day)

TLDR I think if China had stayed aboard they would have gone on for atleast another season or two, but there are some shows where members of an ensemble cast are so essential that their leaving is too big of a blow to stay through

It's much like when Dylan O'Brien had to bow out of Teen Wolf for a little wile, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a fan who absolutely loved season six, and even before that people were having a hard time staying with a lack of Tyler Hoechlin, with some even stepping away when Crystal Reed left, even though- at both of those points- most of the core cast was still there and at no point did the titular main ever leave, I feel like Black Lightning's situation is very similar, people were just too invested in Jennifer

[diyunho]

The Joker x Reader - “Ashes”

After The Joker’s daughter accidentally drowned, his relationship with Y/N fell apart: they were guilty of failing to protect what they loved, blaming each other and themselves to the point of no return. The sole palpable proof of Emma existence is her ashes encapsulated in glass pendants her parents wear and that’s hardly a memento able to help in such a difficult situation. Ashes are not meant to bring people together.

“Happy Birthday, Pumpkin Pie,” The Joker grumbles. “Here’s Charlie: I thought you would like to see him,” he places the purple hippo on Emma’s headstone.

Today his daughter would have been 4 years old. Instead of the usual party filled with laughter and presents he’s at “Eternal Peace” cemetery early in the morning for a different kind of festivity.

J never celebrated birthdays before yet once she showed up in his life the anniversary got a fresh new meaning: Y/N ensured that The King of Gotham was aware of how lucky they both were to have her. And he did learn to care about that tiny being he created who first called him something similar to “dada”, then a cute “da’y” and finally the word he craved to hear every single day until she was gone: “daddy.”

Being a father thought him a couple of things, but the most important was quite stunning: the index finger from his right hand wasn’t only meant for using a trigger; it was also his child’s soother.

Emma would keep it prisoner when she slept from an early age; of course all babies do it although in this case it didn’t go away once she got older.

And he misses that…

A lot.

Actually, he would give up on a robbery or anything that involves him holding a gun if she could clutch to his finger one more time.

That’s how much he misses The Princess.

“Sir, sorry to interrupt,” Frost gets him out of trance. “There’s movement at the South gate. We have to go…”

J snatches the plush animal and follows Jonny on a path behind the crypts when a woman walking on the alley leading to Emma’s grave catches his attention: although she has a red wig and sunglasses on, her disguise doesn’t fool him. It’s Y/N.

She’s carrying a small cake and intensely stares at the pavement, unaware of her surroundings.

The Joker can’t really tell what she’s doing once in front of the tomb, nevertheless he guesses she’s singing “Happy Birthday” while wiping the tears strolling down her cheeks.

He didn’t see Y/N in about 4 months. They went to the cabin by Moon Lake after Emma’s drowning and things were so rough he left immediately. She never followed, called or texted.

J didn’t either.

Why bother? They were guilty of failing to protect what they loved, blaming each other and themselves to the point of no return.

Today is extremely difficult to deal with, especially since the catalyst binding them vanished forever.

The sole palpable proof of Emma existence is her ashes encapsulated in glass pendants her parents wear and that’s hardly a memento able to help in such a difficult situation.

Ashes are not meant to bring people together.

***************

After 2 Hours

“Hi,” The King of Gotham drags his feet on the porch and takes a sit on the chair next to yours.

“Hi…” you whisper, surprised to spot him after such a long absence.

Complete silence, then he utters:

“I’m here for the cake,” he points at the sweet treat resting on the wood table: vanilla- strawberry combo, your daughter’s favorite.

“Are you?”

“Yeah, I crave the taste…”

You lean over and cut two slices, sharing Emma’s birthday cake with her dad. It’s really painful to swallow the morsels knowing your baby can’t; it seems J is in the same boat.

“I can’t make anybody happy…” The Clown mumbles under his breath and the randomness of his statement makes you wonder what’s going on in his mind.

“Me neither… Sweet Pea was happy, wasn’t she? She was a happy kid…”

The Joker moves his plate towards you, hissing:

“She was and she would still be with us if instead of flirting you would have watched her!”  

“… … W- what?!...” you glare at him, astonished he has the nerve to pop up and hurt you in such a manner. “Since when talking to somebody is flirting?! Where were you, huh? Where were you??? In your goddamn office plotting more schemes in order to get more money because nothing is enough!” you raise your voice and burst out crying in the next second. “She was ours to protect, the only treasure that mattered! I just… I just took my eyes off her for a few moments, I had no idea my baby was drowning in that pool …” you keep sobbing at the horrible memory, heartbroken. “I could have save her…Why didn’t I…?…”

The Joker can’t understand what you’re saying anymore, yet he doesn’t reply to your accusations or remorseful confessions.

How could he?

He’s equally responsible for Emma’s demise but it’s easier to attack her mother.

You abruptly get up and rush inside the cottage, abandoning J to his own demons. He doesn’t know if he should bail or stay, thus he continues to gaze at the lake numb to everything.

Still… The quietness is becoming unbearable so he finally gathers the strength to stand up and search for you.

“Y/N?...” he shouts. “Where are you?”

Silly question since the cabin is a little area with a kitchen/living room combo, one bedroom and bathroom: easy to find what you’re looking for.

No response but the shower is on which queues him Y/N must be there.

The Joker approaches the bathtub, unwilling to remove the curtain and talk to you face to face.

“It was my fault too…” he admits a fact that tormented him since the accident. “I should have kept an eye on her… I couldn’t predict she’ll sneak out to play by the swimming pool… I would give away a fortune if I could fix it… Do you believe me?...”

You sniffle and cover your mouth, trying to avoid his trap: if you engage, he will probably bite more and that’s the last thing you need.

“I have Charlie in the car; I thought you might want him tonight,” J reveals the true purpose of his visit. “Drop him off tomorrow at 3pm, I’ll be at the warehouse on 17Th Street. You can’t have the toy, it belongs in her room…”

You hear his steps receding and gasp for air, completely crushed by despair: the agony of grief is stronger than any consolation a stupid purple hippo could offer.

But it was Emma’s favorite and The Joker is willing to share a token of what you both lost; now that you think about it… you really missed Charlie…

**************

Next Day, 2:05pm

“Where’s everybody?” you mutter whilst entering the code at the gates. Usually there are at least 8 henchmen guarding the fence and no sign of them so far. You drive up the unpaved alley, curiously checking out the landscape: same trees, bushes and trucks you’re familiar with, except you can’t discern a single goon patrolling the perimeter.

You honk to get the crew’s assistance without any success and you wonder if The Joker tricked you; I mean, you should have seen it coming: he is probably attempting one of his convoluted strategies to punish you for the tragic past.

You stop in front of the building, intrigued to notice it appears deserted.

Suddenly, a powerful blast shakes the ground and you watch part of the roof collapsing on the north side; a few windows shatter also.

You jump out of the car, totally confused at the strange occurrence.

“Hello?” you yell. “J???”

There’s smoke coming out of the opened metal door and you hesitantly walk in the warehouse, coughing at the suffocating odor.

“J?...” you scream. “J!!!!!”

A faint knock in the distance prompts your attention.

“Y/N!!”

“J??” you run towards the source of the noise only to find him under rubble next to the south entrance. “Oh my God!” you kneel by his feet buried under bricks. “What happened?!” The Queen frantically removes debris as he groans in pain.

“Explosives, that’s what happened. Shit, I think I fucked up my legs!”

“Where are the guys??!!” you inquire, managing to free his feet enough for him to move.

“I gave them the day off,” The Joker’s explanation puzzles Y/N. “Hurry up, please!! Another detonation will follow shortly!”

“Jesus Christ!” you quicken the pace and push the last bricks out of the way. “Can you stand?”

J rolls on his side, unable to comply.

“No, you’ll have to haul me out of here!”

“Come on!” you place your hands under his underarms and start pulling. “The exit is right there!”

You huff while straining to get to safety as The Clown aims to aid by lifting his body off the ground as much as he can.

“Behind the truck!” he urges once you’re out of the premises and you barely have time to hide behind the vehicle when a second bang levels half of the construction.

“This didn’t go according to plan,” J admits in a low tone, panting a storm after the ordeal.

You asses his wounds, pressing on the ankle and he immediately growls.

“The bone’s fractured,” you wipe your sweaty forehead.  “What plan?”

“It’s actually your fault for all of this; I told you to swing by at 3 o’clock. You’re early!”

“Huh?”

“You were supposed to come when I told you then boom! Before you reached the building it would go up in flames: you would flip thinking that I’m dead and then I’ll show up and ask you to come back home. You would be so excited to see I’m alive you couldn’t refuse. Yet you ruined everything: you appeared out of nowhere, I panicked and messed up: you know I’m not good with this stuff!!”

You can’t even process the plot he’s throwing your way.

“What kind of plan…”

“I just told you I’m not good at this stuff,” he interrupts. “You know I’m not.”

You touch your chest, baffled at the ridiculous story.

“My pendant!” you exclaim when you realize the chain is not around your neck anymore. “It’s gone!” Y/N desperately searches the grass. “My baby, where’s my baby?” you part the green lawn on the verge of crying. “I can’t find my pendant! Maybe I dropped it the building,” you whimper and prepare to flee when J grabs your jeans, firmly holding on.

“Don’t go; the poles might cave in and whatever is left standing will squash you!!”

You don’t comprehend why he’s so worked up and his plea catches you off guard:

“Don’t go! I’ll give you half my ashes, ok?”

The Queen debates on The King’s proposal, conflicted by his candid offer.

After all, if ashes tear people apart, how come they can’t bring them back together?

Also read: MASTERLIST

https://diyunho.tumblr.com/post/153664676321/joker-x-reader-masterlist

You can also follow me on Ao3 and wattpad under the same blog name: DiYunho.