oo3; audio, untraceable | minutes after midnight of June 21st

[kingofrooks]

Celebrating your anniversaries now? You're becoming predictable.

[ A sharp inhaling breath. Thump, thump. The sounds of scuffling, shifting clothes. A crash of glass. Gibbering screams. Cloth flapping in the air. A rush of wind like bat wings. A sharp shriek, in the distance. Chattering teeth- whumph.

Then- bone against concrete. CrackSilence

Comments

[he_is_wild]

Hey! I didn't escape! I've been good!

action in the next two, three tags

[kingofrooks]

Did I accuse you of that?

Finally having a guilty conscience?

[he_is_wild]

Stop beating me up when I'm staying put!

[kingofrooks]

Ironic.

[he_is_wild]

It's not ironic, it's funny.

[kingofrooks]

No one's laughing.

[ Oh look, your doorknob is shaking. SHAKING- and phomp the door slams open. ]

You've lost your humour, Joker.

[he_is_wild]

[Joker tucks his knees up to his chest, rattling the chain around one ankle]

Hiya, sexy!

Do you like my anniversary gift? Do you?

[kingofrooks]

[ He stays at the door, looking at him, head tilted upwards. Definitely haughty, looking at the Joker like he's dirt under Batman's feet. ]

No.

[he_is_wild]

Well, poo, ungrateful.

[Joker curls up on his cot with his back to Batman]

[kingofrooks]

Don't be a fool, Joker. You did it for your own sake.

It's been a year since you were here, and you still haven't managed to throw off the Core's power.

[he_is_wild]

I don't have to.

[He reaches his good hand towards Batman]

I'm right where I want to be.

[kingofrooks]

Is that so?

[ It's not a good idea for him to be here. It' not a good idea at all, not when he was so close to tipping into the abyss because of him. But Bruce looks at him steadily- and flips out a batarang, encircles his own throat. Cuts the cowl a little to show a flash of white skin beneath.

Waits. ]

[he_is_wild]

[Joker quirks a brow at the gesture]

What happened to you, anyway, you rabid rodent? You've looked better.

[kingofrooks]

[ ... He's actually the first person who noticed how banged up Batman is. Have a prize. Also, this is so. Ironic. ]

Before I came, you still didn't try to leave. [ He cocks his head. ] You believed that I killed you. You believe that we will kill each other.

But that's not true, Joker.

Someone else came much closer. Just for here. [ A dark little smile, and he takes another step closer. ] You've been overshadowed.

[he_is_wild]

[Joker snarls, his expression that of a child who just found out someone else had broken one of his favorite toys]

Who?

[kingofrooks]

[ Oh good, a reaction. Bruce steels himself, wipes his face clean of his expressions. ]

Which one?