What Happens In Arkham...Part 10
Title: What happens In Arkham...Part 10
Authors: knives99 and heatherhouse .
Fandom: Batman; Nolanverse
Pairing: Batman(Bruce)/The Joker
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Bruce Wayne goes to Arkham in search of The Joker's Secrets and Identity and ends up with more then he bargined for.
Warnings: Slash, Violence, Swearing, Sex.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters and no profit is being made here. Batman and the Joker do not belong to me or my co-author.
Author's Note: This is a RP run story between me and my co-author knives99 . Knives plays Joker and Gordon while I play Bruce/Batman and Alfred.
About mid morning a car pulled up to Bruce’s pent house. Once he found a spot to park Gordon exited the car and approached the front door. He pressed the button to the intercom and paused waiting for a response or greeting. Bruce should have already been expecting him.
"Yes?" Came Alfred's voice on the other box installed near the elevator.
“It’s Commissioner Gordon. I believe Mister Wayne is expecting me.” Gordon answered.
"Ah...,” there was a pause. “If you could give me one moment, Commissioner. I'm afraid Master Wayne had a rather late night and is still in bed. If you wouldn't mind the wait I should be able to send the lift to you in a few minutes." Alfred assured.
“Sure." He said," Take your time. I've set aside enough time for my interview with Mister Wayne."
~
The thing about insanity is unmedicated sleep was almost an impossible thing to do for very long. Something would wake you up and going back into dream land was then instantly an impossibility. What woke up Jack was a familiar clown’s laugher and screaming in his dreams telling him off and pushing him back towards a cold and numb limbo.
After two hours of sleep he moved carefully off the bed so as not to wake up Bruce and was in the bathroom, under the hot shower, watching the green rinse out of his hair and swirl down the drain. His mind had blanked and he didn’t recall ever turning on the water. Wait, Why was he in the shower again at all? He pondered his forgetful reasons as to where he was. His mind should have been processing an escape plan just in case Bruce changed his mind and had him shipped back to Arkham. This entire night and morning had him dazed and confused.
~
Due to Bruce's rather nocturnal pastimes, Alfred had gotten used to the random bit of chaos spilling into the daylight hours. But today looked as if it was going to take the cake. He entered the bedroom with as much discretion as possible and was extremely relieved to see the Joker absent, the running water giving him a proper location for the creature as he shook Bruce awake.
"Alfred...," brown eyes squinted up at him and then at the clock before closing. “What’s going on, I've only been a sleep for two hours." He groaned. Then he seemed to notice the missing fiend and sat up abruptly.
"He's in the shower, but that's not the problem at hand. Commissioner Gordon is downstairs for that discussion you promised him the other day." Alfred explained and it was all he needed to say as Bruce became fully awake and got out of bed.
"Is he inside already?" He asked, smoothing down his hair as he reached in his closet for something to wear.
"I told him you'd been out all night, so you don't need to worry about looking presentable."
Bruce nodded and pulled on a shirt and robe. Brown eyes darted between the bedroom door and the bathroom where he could hear the shower. "Keep him in here, Alfred. Find something for him to wear and don't let him out of the room. Sit on him if you have to." Bruce said as he went for the door.
"Are you sure this is such a good idea, Master Wayne?" Alfred asked at his back.
Bruce turned and gave him a weak smile. "Right now there's nothing else I can do." He said before going over to the elevator and sending it down.
~
The water running down the back of his neck felt really good. In Arkham he didn’t get to take showers like this.. Most of the time he had to fight to keep them from getting NEAR the showers. He hated how they liked to watch you and often forced soap on you. He hated it more how when you refused they just showered you themselves…and the scrubbing was really tough on the skin.
Thinking of Arkham suddenly made him think about the movies he and Bruce watched. A slow smile hit his ruined mouth as he pondered asking to watch another stupid cartoon movie with him. He shook away silly thoughts for a moment. Right now wasn’t a time to think about that. Now was the time to think about what he was going to do next…not flirting around and watching kiddie movies!
He growled and took a mouthful of water and spit it out. Why did things feel so strange now?
~
Gordon waited patiently. His arms folded against his chest as he thought about the current case of the Joker at hand. Thirty lives lost by one man, no, a monster. It made his heart ache when he thought about the families of those whose lives had been lost. If Bruce knew anything about the Joker at all in his time spent with him it could be used to better subdue him. Hopefully Bruce knew his weakness.
Bruce pressed the intercom the same time the elevator dinged on the first floor for Gordon. His voice dripping with that clueless playboy charm. "Sorry about that, Gordon, time seemed to get away from me. I switched off the alarm so you should be able to get up here without a problem." He said before reminding himself that it had not stopped the Joker from infiltrating the penthouse the night before.
“Thanks." Gordon mumbled without pushing the button and entered the elevator. He pushed the button for the door's to close and soon the elevator was rising up. Something told him this was going to be awkward.
Bruce had a cup of coffee in each hand when the elevator doors opened, snagged from the fresh pot Alfred had left in the kitchen. He handed one to Gordon as he stepped into the penthouse.
"Morning," he said cheerfully. "How's the investigation coming along?"
He took the cup happily and took a sip,” Not so well. Not a single trace of him after he killed a final time for last night. The Joker has covered his tracks perfect enough, I’m having doubts Batman will find him without some kind of aid. You were seeing The Joker in Arkham for a time weren’t you? Want to talk to me about it?”
Bruce swallowed down a gulp of hot coffee, thinking he deserved the way it burned the back of his throat. Just like Alfred was the closest thing he had to a father, Gordon was the closest thing he had to a friend. And he would have given anything to tell the man everything. But something or, more specifically someone stood in the way of that decision.
Instead Bruce snorted and held up his taped hand. "We didn't exactly do a lot of talking." Not to mention the array of bruises and split lip that had healed almost completely. But when you noticed one you saw the others. "It was something I could do besides pay for Rachel's funeral. He had a few breakdowns between throwing his fists at me but that's about it." He said with a shrug.
Gordon winced at the taped hand and hearing Rachel’s name,” During his Break downs did he ever give you any kind of personal information. Things on his background like a name or maybe an address? He can’t just have always been the Joker.”
Bruce shook his head. In all actuality he had nothing really to show but a first name and that he couldn't give up. It wouldn't help Gordon out anyways.
"Besides acting so sane sometimes it scared the shit out of me? Nothing. He'd either taunt me about Rachel or babble on about Batman. He's obsessed with him. Might want to give the guy a heads up when you see him next."
~
He turned off the water and sighed. All his blonde hair soaked and clean and around his face. He stood still even in the shower as it was silent. What was he going to do? He wasn’t used to not having a plan of action. Bruce had shattered him. He didn’t feel like himself. Where was the Joker? Where was he? His laughter was so dull and faint. Was he just sleeping?
Jack smiled sadly and put his hand over his eyes and bowed his head. It ached a moment. Then he stepped out and noticed the discarded shirt and vest Bruce removed off him that night. He picked it up and worked into it then stepped out into the bedroom not expecting Bruce to be gone or Alfred to be guarding the door.
Alfred was taken aback for a moment by the man that stepped out of the bathroom, though he kept his eyes strictly up. It was quiet literally like seeing a performer out of element and costume. He'd never expected the Joker to be younger then Bruce and he'd certainly never seen a look of surprise like that when his face was all painted up.
"Master Wayne is being questioned by the police about your escape from Arkham." There was something only slightly accusatory about the wording. He needed to keep the man in the room after all. "He wants you to stay out of sight while he gets rid of them. A change of clothes probably wouldn't go amiss in the meantime." Alfred said pointedly without ever looking down.
Police? Fuck!...Right! The escape. His proud massacre into the ordered world again. He fought down a smile and walked over to the bed,” I don’t have a change of clothes. I came here to kill him and escape...” He said softly like he was thinking out loud. He looked up and then back at Alfred,” Does he plan to keep me prisoner here?”
Alfred's heart clenched, so he'd been right on the first go. 'I don't like saying I told you so,' he thought grimly. "I've no idea what Master Wayne has planned for you, but I hope yours have changed. He's putting his life and his reputation on the line to keep you out of the polices hands." He said shortly as he opened the closet and selected a pair of black pants and a plain t-shirt before holding them out to the Joker.
Jack made a smug face and took the clothes. Then began to dress,” It all depends on Brucie-Boy…and what he wants from me.” Was it something Bruce wanted that kept him? He always said he didn’t know what he was doing or that he was trying to find Jack. Soon he was dressed and he sat down on the bed fidgeting with his hands. He looked nervous. Like he was expecting the door to be kicked in and men with guns to come in and open fire on him.
Alfred refused to ease the man's worries. Let the blighter sit there and stew in his own paranoia while he so openly threatened the only savior he had in the world. He could have passed for normal if it wasn't for the scars, but a man like that couldn't be bothered with normal life it appeared. So Alfred busied himself with picking up both mens clothes from the floor, handling the Joker's with more care then Bruce's.
~
Gordon cocked a brow at that,” Obsessed with Batman in what way? I’ve seen some pretty obsessive people. The Joker just seems to show an interest in peeling that cowl off the poor guy’s head. Probably after he gets his way with that he’d tear out Batman’s heart and eat it. “
Bruce wondered how much he should tell Gordon. But the more he talked, the more cooperative he sounded. "No, I thought that too when he first started babbling about it. But during one of his sane bouts he mentioned it had something to do with keeping balance or something. Like he and Batman are the ying-yangs of Gotham. He just wants Batman to play his games." He said thoughtfully, it had disturbed him then and it still did now. Especially since Joker's infatuation had run all the way down to the baser levels of sex, something he didn’t mention.
Gordon looked to be absorbing it all in slowly,” Did he ever have a trigger that set him into a break down? A fear?” He knew there had to be something! So far...it was only sounding like Batman was the Joker’s only flaw.
This time Bruce clammed up, giving Gordon a hopeless look. "That's all I was ever to get I'm afraid. I stopped going last week because it became a lost cause, and the bruises were getting harder to explain away at the fundraisers." He said with a smirk.
The Commissioner smiled back and took a gulp of the coffee,” I had a look at the doctor’s notes on his progress in the hospital before and after. The Joker is quite the mental case. The paper‘s had theories about his past and what trauma’s he could have experienced as a child. Also they ran tests on him. He seems to have also been born with a few complexes. What makes me wonder is this: Who could be more of a monster then the Joker? What Parent or Guardian could be monster enough to tear apart a being and lead him to the life he leads now?”
Bruce nodded, relaxing more that the information take had changed direction. "That is the question, isn't it? Who is the Joker? What kind of complexes was he born with, I guess that's what the doctors were guessing made him snap to begin with." Careful, careful. It was one thing to ask as Batman, he was allowed to be bold as brass about it. Bruce Wayne didn't need to know the Joker was missing but Gordon was giving in exchange for what he got.
Gordon smiled,” According to the note’s the doctor had left you really were helping him..” Soft laughter,” What’s your secret?”
Bruce chuckled. "Just be a dependable punching bag. Everyone relates to the guy with the bloody nose."
Gordon laughed and took another drink,” You’re a funny guy, Bruce.” He sighed and then paused in speaking. He seemed to be going over Bruce’s opinions and information. After a few seconds of silence Gordon asked,” So now that he’s out are you worried he might come after you?”
Bruce shrugged his shoulders. "Well I wasn't one of the people sticking needles into him or keeping him locked up. But with a mind like that I wouldn't be surprised." He nodded his head towards the elevator. "Why do you think the alarms active this time of day? I'm not taking any chances that the delivery guy is a clown in disguise."
A nod," I understand you." He put the mug down and sighed," Well I have a long day ahead of me...and then a full nightshift."
Bruce gave a sympathetic hiss. "I do not envy you, Commissioner." Walking with him to the elevator, holding out his hand. "Good luck with the case, Gordon." He said, knowing he'd have to keep one step ahead of the bloodhound cop to keep him from finding a trace of the Joker back here.
He took Bruce’s hand and shook it,” Thank you for your time and cooperation, Mister Wayne. I’ll let you know if anything serious in the case involving you comes up.” Then he turned, walked into the elevator, and pushed the button. Then he was gone.
~
A sudden mood swing of worry filled him and he grabbed his head,” He’s probably going to try and turn me in. This is all a trick. What the fuck…” Again he sounded like he was thinking out loud. He moved his arms around himself a rocked. The worry becoming a panic. Maybe if he was quick he could find a escape..
Alfred stopped what he was doing to see the Joker in a confused mess. Niceties aside, this was a powder keg near a furnace he had to defuse. "Now you listen to me. Whatever he's doing, it has nothing to do with turning you in. Even with my advice that it is exactly the action we should be taking after what you've done." He said harshly. "So I suggest you sit still, keep quiet and wait."
The rocking stopped. He clenched his teeth,” What’s his game? I don’t understand. He says you understand. Why does he do this? What does he want from me...? What do you know?” He stressed. Bruce never explained it! Didn’t he know the consequences of what he was doing? The Joker didn’t feel guilt. Though Jack was feeling that gross sadness.
Alfred shook his head. "It's not my place to explain. If you want an explanation you'll just have to wait." He wondered how long he could keep the little beast appeased.
Jack put his hands over his face stressing. More worry coming up. What if Bruce ran off with those cops and got arrested for something else and they had to search the house? More crazy paranoid questions entered his head like this. The reason why? Bruce wasn’t in his sight. He wasn’t there to answer him and tell him it was okay. All he had was some butler that obviously hated his guts telling him the situation. Joker and Jack both knew no matter what never trust people who hate you. Laughter started up in his head and he looked up and at Alfred hatefully but not speaking. Then stuck out his tongue.
~
It felt like the only sane man in the room had left the other to his madness as he locked the elevator at the bottom after Gordon.
"Sorry, Jim." He said under his breath as he moved to his bedroom and hoped there wasn't a dead man inside or that the Joker was playing with the batsuit pieces if he somehow got bored enough to check out the panic room and open it.
Lying back on the bed with his legs hanging off the bed was Jack. His arms wrapped around himself and his head turned to the side with his eyes shut. He looked like he was suffering some kind of anxiety attack. Doing his best to be paitent, relaxed, and waiting for Bruce. He was trying to sleep.
Bruce stopped in the doorway, struck dumb by the sight.
He looked so human. As if the person Gordon had come to speak about and the one lying on Bruce's bed were two completely different people. Because a man that could hold the whole city in a state of complete terror couldn't look that vulnerable.
"How was he?" Bruce asked Alfred quietly, aware that the butler was waiting for him to speak a little impatiently.
"Almost on the point of bursting out of the room after you before he went quiet. And how did things go with the Commissioner?" Bruce wasn't deaf to hear the curiosity ringing in Alfred's voice over Gordon.
"He believes me for now, I don't know how long that will last if he gets nothing new on the case, though." He said, the tightening in his chest over lying to Gordon loosening with how much he wanted to run his hand through the blond hair he hadn't seen since Arkham.
He shifted in position on the bed and moved on to his side. His back to them. So loud. People shouldn’t talk when you were resting. Jack wasn’t sleeping he was dozing and keeping his eyes shut till Bruce came back helped take the anxiety away. He could hold on like this couldn’t he? A small whimper followed by a shudder came from the man on the bed. The longer he was in this place the more things he felt. ‘I must be sick.’ He thought.
The sound caught his attention and Alfred gave Bruce a look which he ignored.
"And what's your long term plan?" Alfred asked, but Bruce had no answer for him.
"I'm still working on that. Here." He said, handing Alfred his empty coffee mug and the butler sighed in a defeated way before he walked out and shut the door behind him. Bruce slowly moved to the bed and sat behind the huddled blond.
"Jack?"
Authors: knives99 and heatherhouse .
Fandom: Batman; Nolanverse
Pairing: Batman(Bruce)/The Joker
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Bruce Wayne goes to Arkham in search of The Joker's Secrets and Identity and ends up with more then he bargined for.
Warnings: Slash, Violence, Swearing, Sex.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters and no profit is being made here. Batman and the Joker do not belong to me or my co-author.
Author's Note: This is a RP run story between me and my co-author knives99 . Knives plays Joker and Gordon while I play Bruce/Batman and Alfred.
About mid morning a car pulled up to Bruce’s pent house. Once he found a spot to park Gordon exited the car and approached the front door. He pressed the button to the intercom and paused waiting for a response or greeting. Bruce should have already been expecting him.
"Yes?" Came Alfred's voice on the other box installed near the elevator.
“It’s Commissioner Gordon. I believe Mister Wayne is expecting me.” Gordon answered.
"Ah...,” there was a pause. “If you could give me one moment, Commissioner. I'm afraid Master Wayne had a rather late night and is still in bed. If you wouldn't mind the wait I should be able to send the lift to you in a few minutes." Alfred assured.
“Sure." He said," Take your time. I've set aside enough time for my interview with Mister Wayne."
~
The thing about insanity is unmedicated sleep was almost an impossible thing to do for very long. Something would wake you up and going back into dream land was then instantly an impossibility. What woke up Jack was a familiar clown’s laugher and screaming in his dreams telling him off and pushing him back towards a cold and numb limbo.
After two hours of sleep he moved carefully off the bed so as not to wake up Bruce and was in the bathroom, under the hot shower, watching the green rinse out of his hair and swirl down the drain. His mind had blanked and he didn’t recall ever turning on the water. Wait, Why was he in the shower again at all? He pondered his forgetful reasons as to where he was. His mind should have been processing an escape plan just in case Bruce changed his mind and had him shipped back to Arkham. This entire night and morning had him dazed and confused.
~
Due to Bruce's rather nocturnal pastimes, Alfred had gotten used to the random bit of chaos spilling into the daylight hours. But today looked as if it was going to take the cake. He entered the bedroom with as much discretion as possible and was extremely relieved to see the Joker absent, the running water giving him a proper location for the creature as he shook Bruce awake.
"Alfred...," brown eyes squinted up at him and then at the clock before closing. “What’s going on, I've only been a sleep for two hours." He groaned. Then he seemed to notice the missing fiend and sat up abruptly.
"He's in the shower, but that's not the problem at hand. Commissioner Gordon is downstairs for that discussion you promised him the other day." Alfred explained and it was all he needed to say as Bruce became fully awake and got out of bed.
"Is he inside already?" He asked, smoothing down his hair as he reached in his closet for something to wear.
"I told him you'd been out all night, so you don't need to worry about looking presentable."
Bruce nodded and pulled on a shirt and robe. Brown eyes darted between the bedroom door and the bathroom where he could hear the shower. "Keep him in here, Alfred. Find something for him to wear and don't let him out of the room. Sit on him if you have to." Bruce said as he went for the door.
"Are you sure this is such a good idea, Master Wayne?" Alfred asked at his back.
Bruce turned and gave him a weak smile. "Right now there's nothing else I can do." He said before going over to the elevator and sending it down.
~
The water running down the back of his neck felt really good. In Arkham he didn’t get to take showers like this.. Most of the time he had to fight to keep them from getting NEAR the showers. He hated how they liked to watch you and often forced soap on you. He hated it more how when you refused they just showered you themselves…and the scrubbing was really tough on the skin.
Thinking of Arkham suddenly made him think about the movies he and Bruce watched. A slow smile hit his ruined mouth as he pondered asking to watch another stupid cartoon movie with him. He shook away silly thoughts for a moment. Right now wasn’t a time to think about that. Now was the time to think about what he was going to do next…not flirting around and watching kiddie movies!
He growled and took a mouthful of water and spit it out. Why did things feel so strange now?
~
Gordon waited patiently. His arms folded against his chest as he thought about the current case of the Joker at hand. Thirty lives lost by one man, no, a monster. It made his heart ache when he thought about the families of those whose lives had been lost. If Bruce knew anything about the Joker at all in his time spent with him it could be used to better subdue him. Hopefully Bruce knew his weakness.
Bruce pressed the intercom the same time the elevator dinged on the first floor for Gordon. His voice dripping with that clueless playboy charm. "Sorry about that, Gordon, time seemed to get away from me. I switched off the alarm so you should be able to get up here without a problem." He said before reminding himself that it had not stopped the Joker from infiltrating the penthouse the night before.
“Thanks." Gordon mumbled without pushing the button and entered the elevator. He pushed the button for the door's to close and soon the elevator was rising up. Something told him this was going to be awkward.
Bruce had a cup of coffee in each hand when the elevator doors opened, snagged from the fresh pot Alfred had left in the kitchen. He handed one to Gordon as he stepped into the penthouse.
"Morning," he said cheerfully. "How's the investigation coming along?"
He took the cup happily and took a sip,” Not so well. Not a single trace of him after he killed a final time for last night. The Joker has covered his tracks perfect enough, I’m having doubts Batman will find him without some kind of aid. You were seeing The Joker in Arkham for a time weren’t you? Want to talk to me about it?”
Bruce swallowed down a gulp of hot coffee, thinking he deserved the way it burned the back of his throat. Just like Alfred was the closest thing he had to a father, Gordon was the closest thing he had to a friend. And he would have given anything to tell the man everything. But something or, more specifically someone stood in the way of that decision.
Instead Bruce snorted and held up his taped hand. "We didn't exactly do a lot of talking." Not to mention the array of bruises and split lip that had healed almost completely. But when you noticed one you saw the others. "It was something I could do besides pay for Rachel's funeral. He had a few breakdowns between throwing his fists at me but that's about it." He said with a shrug.
Gordon winced at the taped hand and hearing Rachel’s name,” During his Break downs did he ever give you any kind of personal information. Things on his background like a name or maybe an address? He can’t just have always been the Joker.”
Bruce shook his head. In all actuality he had nothing really to show but a first name and that he couldn't give up. It wouldn't help Gordon out anyways.
"Besides acting so sane sometimes it scared the shit out of me? Nothing. He'd either taunt me about Rachel or babble on about Batman. He's obsessed with him. Might want to give the guy a heads up when you see him next."
~
He turned off the water and sighed. All his blonde hair soaked and clean and around his face. He stood still even in the shower as it was silent. What was he going to do? He wasn’t used to not having a plan of action. Bruce had shattered him. He didn’t feel like himself. Where was the Joker? Where was he? His laughter was so dull and faint. Was he just sleeping?
Jack smiled sadly and put his hand over his eyes and bowed his head. It ached a moment. Then he stepped out and noticed the discarded shirt and vest Bruce removed off him that night. He picked it up and worked into it then stepped out into the bedroom not expecting Bruce to be gone or Alfred to be guarding the door.
Alfred was taken aback for a moment by the man that stepped out of the bathroom, though he kept his eyes strictly up. It was quiet literally like seeing a performer out of element and costume. He'd never expected the Joker to be younger then Bruce and he'd certainly never seen a look of surprise like that when his face was all painted up.
"Master Wayne is being questioned by the police about your escape from Arkham." There was something only slightly accusatory about the wording. He needed to keep the man in the room after all. "He wants you to stay out of sight while he gets rid of them. A change of clothes probably wouldn't go amiss in the meantime." Alfred said pointedly without ever looking down.
Police? Fuck!...Right! The escape. His proud massacre into the ordered world again. He fought down a smile and walked over to the bed,” I don’t have a change of clothes. I came here to kill him and escape...” He said softly like he was thinking out loud. He looked up and then back at Alfred,” Does he plan to keep me prisoner here?”
Alfred's heart clenched, so he'd been right on the first go. 'I don't like saying I told you so,' he thought grimly. "I've no idea what Master Wayne has planned for you, but I hope yours have changed. He's putting his life and his reputation on the line to keep you out of the polices hands." He said shortly as he opened the closet and selected a pair of black pants and a plain t-shirt before holding them out to the Joker.
Jack made a smug face and took the clothes. Then began to dress,” It all depends on Brucie-Boy…and what he wants from me.” Was it something Bruce wanted that kept him? He always said he didn’t know what he was doing or that he was trying to find Jack. Soon he was dressed and he sat down on the bed fidgeting with his hands. He looked nervous. Like he was expecting the door to be kicked in and men with guns to come in and open fire on him.
Alfred refused to ease the man's worries. Let the blighter sit there and stew in his own paranoia while he so openly threatened the only savior he had in the world. He could have passed for normal if it wasn't for the scars, but a man like that couldn't be bothered with normal life it appeared. So Alfred busied himself with picking up both mens clothes from the floor, handling the Joker's with more care then Bruce's.
~
Gordon cocked a brow at that,” Obsessed with Batman in what way? I’ve seen some pretty obsessive people. The Joker just seems to show an interest in peeling that cowl off the poor guy’s head. Probably after he gets his way with that he’d tear out Batman’s heart and eat it. “
Bruce wondered how much he should tell Gordon. But the more he talked, the more cooperative he sounded. "No, I thought that too when he first started babbling about it. But during one of his sane bouts he mentioned it had something to do with keeping balance or something. Like he and Batman are the ying-yangs of Gotham. He just wants Batman to play his games." He said thoughtfully, it had disturbed him then and it still did now. Especially since Joker's infatuation had run all the way down to the baser levels of sex, something he didn’t mention.
Gordon looked to be absorbing it all in slowly,” Did he ever have a trigger that set him into a break down? A fear?” He knew there had to be something! So far...it was only sounding like Batman was the Joker’s only flaw.
This time Bruce clammed up, giving Gordon a hopeless look. "That's all I was ever to get I'm afraid. I stopped going last week because it became a lost cause, and the bruises were getting harder to explain away at the fundraisers." He said with a smirk.
The Commissioner smiled back and took a gulp of the coffee,” I had a look at the doctor’s notes on his progress in the hospital before and after. The Joker is quite the mental case. The paper‘s had theories about his past and what trauma’s he could have experienced as a child. Also they ran tests on him. He seems to have also been born with a few complexes. What makes me wonder is this: Who could be more of a monster then the Joker? What Parent or Guardian could be monster enough to tear apart a being and lead him to the life he leads now?”
Bruce nodded, relaxing more that the information take had changed direction. "That is the question, isn't it? Who is the Joker? What kind of complexes was he born with, I guess that's what the doctors were guessing made him snap to begin with." Careful, careful. It was one thing to ask as Batman, he was allowed to be bold as brass about it. Bruce Wayne didn't need to know the Joker was missing but Gordon was giving in exchange for what he got.
Gordon smiled,” According to the note’s the doctor had left you really were helping him..” Soft laughter,” What’s your secret?”
Bruce chuckled. "Just be a dependable punching bag. Everyone relates to the guy with the bloody nose."
Gordon laughed and took another drink,” You’re a funny guy, Bruce.” He sighed and then paused in speaking. He seemed to be going over Bruce’s opinions and information. After a few seconds of silence Gordon asked,” So now that he’s out are you worried he might come after you?”
Bruce shrugged his shoulders. "Well I wasn't one of the people sticking needles into him or keeping him locked up. But with a mind like that I wouldn't be surprised." He nodded his head towards the elevator. "Why do you think the alarms active this time of day? I'm not taking any chances that the delivery guy is a clown in disguise."
A nod," I understand you." He put the mug down and sighed," Well I have a long day ahead of me...and then a full nightshift."
Bruce gave a sympathetic hiss. "I do not envy you, Commissioner." Walking with him to the elevator, holding out his hand. "Good luck with the case, Gordon." He said, knowing he'd have to keep one step ahead of the bloodhound cop to keep him from finding a trace of the Joker back here.
He took Bruce’s hand and shook it,” Thank you for your time and cooperation, Mister Wayne. I’ll let you know if anything serious in the case involving you comes up.” Then he turned, walked into the elevator, and pushed the button. Then he was gone.
~
A sudden mood swing of worry filled him and he grabbed his head,” He’s probably going to try and turn me in. This is all a trick. What the fuck…” Again he sounded like he was thinking out loud. He moved his arms around himself a rocked. The worry becoming a panic. Maybe if he was quick he could find a escape..
Alfred stopped what he was doing to see the Joker in a confused mess. Niceties aside, this was a powder keg near a furnace he had to defuse. "Now you listen to me. Whatever he's doing, it has nothing to do with turning you in. Even with my advice that it is exactly the action we should be taking after what you've done." He said harshly. "So I suggest you sit still, keep quiet and wait."
The rocking stopped. He clenched his teeth,” What’s his game? I don’t understand. He says you understand. Why does he do this? What does he want from me...? What do you know?” He stressed. Bruce never explained it! Didn’t he know the consequences of what he was doing? The Joker didn’t feel guilt. Though Jack was feeling that gross sadness.
Alfred shook his head. "It's not my place to explain. If you want an explanation you'll just have to wait." He wondered how long he could keep the little beast appeased.
Jack put his hands over his face stressing. More worry coming up. What if Bruce ran off with those cops and got arrested for something else and they had to search the house? More crazy paranoid questions entered his head like this. The reason why? Bruce wasn’t in his sight. He wasn’t there to answer him and tell him it was okay. All he had was some butler that obviously hated his guts telling him the situation. Joker and Jack both knew no matter what never trust people who hate you. Laughter started up in his head and he looked up and at Alfred hatefully but not speaking. Then stuck out his tongue.
~
It felt like the only sane man in the room had left the other to his madness as he locked the elevator at the bottom after Gordon.
"Sorry, Jim." He said under his breath as he moved to his bedroom and hoped there wasn't a dead man inside or that the Joker was playing with the batsuit pieces if he somehow got bored enough to check out the panic room and open it.
Lying back on the bed with his legs hanging off the bed was Jack. His arms wrapped around himself and his head turned to the side with his eyes shut. He looked like he was suffering some kind of anxiety attack. Doing his best to be paitent, relaxed, and waiting for Bruce. He was trying to sleep.
Bruce stopped in the doorway, struck dumb by the sight.
He looked so human. As if the person Gordon had come to speak about and the one lying on Bruce's bed were two completely different people. Because a man that could hold the whole city in a state of complete terror couldn't look that vulnerable.
"How was he?" Bruce asked Alfred quietly, aware that the butler was waiting for him to speak a little impatiently.
"Almost on the point of bursting out of the room after you before he went quiet. And how did things go with the Commissioner?" Bruce wasn't deaf to hear the curiosity ringing in Alfred's voice over Gordon.
"He believes me for now, I don't know how long that will last if he gets nothing new on the case, though." He said, the tightening in his chest over lying to Gordon loosening with how much he wanted to run his hand through the blond hair he hadn't seen since Arkham.
He shifted in position on the bed and moved on to his side. His back to them. So loud. People shouldn’t talk when you were resting. Jack wasn’t sleeping he was dozing and keeping his eyes shut till Bruce came back helped take the anxiety away. He could hold on like this couldn’t he? A small whimper followed by a shudder came from the man on the bed. The longer he was in this place the more things he felt. ‘I must be sick.’ He thought.
The sound caught his attention and Alfred gave Bruce a look which he ignored.
"And what's your long term plan?" Alfred asked, but Bruce had no answer for him.
"I'm still working on that. Here." He said, handing Alfred his empty coffee mug and the butler sighed in a defeated way before he walked out and shut the door behind him. Bruce slowly moved to the bed and sat behind the huddled blond.
"Jack?"