The maintenance of psychopaths and their house pets

[ha_in_havoc]

For a dangerous killer, the Joker has taken very good care of his captives. There's been occasional shouting, he's stormed out, meals have been delayed or missed after disagreements or fights... but never more than one. Aside from those instances, both of his house guests are fed three times daily. Mostly fast food, microwaveable fare, pizza, or

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[notatvcharacter]

It's surprised Luke, but only a little. He's trying to let go of his expectations, trying not to look at what the Joker's granted him as anything remarkable, or unnecessary. He knows the mechanisms behind Stockholm Syndrome, and he wants to keep as far away from that as possible.

(But the man could have killed them both weeks ago. He knows that, too

[ha_in_havoc]

The Joker wants his captives not to worry too much about leaving. Not to feel any urgency. It's also, quite honestly, less work to treat them decently than to torture them. If he wanted them dead, that would be one thing, but with them being useful alive... Alive and well is easier.

Unaware of his staff taking Luke's money without going through him, he hasn't stopped it. Not yet. They're unlikely to ever notice the codes. The clown, though, would expect it. It's so hard to find good help these days. Especially when your hostages provide them with therapy.

The Joker shrugs, not much caring for the actual time until it becomes relevant to something. He comes in and has a seat at the foot of Luke's bed.
"You've been talking a lot, haven't you? Tsk. I can't have you breaking my staff, you know. They're not easy to replace!"

[notatvcharacter]

"I don't know about breaking." Is McCoy annoyed at the Joker's apparent viewing of therapy as a detriment, when it's his employees who are getting it? Sure. But he's not surprised. "They want to talk to someone who'll listen. I'm obliging 'em. It's not like I've got a hell of a lot else to do." He knows as soon as he says it that he's going to regret it, and raises a hand on the futile hope of forestalling the consequences. "That wasn't a request."

[ha_in_havoc]

"Well, if they're less useful to me..ah...then they're broken." See? Is it that hard to see that he's handpicked them for their specific flaws and likes them that way? "Don't oblige them. If they need someone to talk to, they can come to me. I'm an understanding boss. I've got an open door policy and everything."
Except walking in that open door can get you shot. Still, being the only small comfort or hope these men have is sort of solely his position. He can't have Luke upsetting that balance.

"I could find you things to do, though. Interesting things."
He shrugs and runs one gloved hand over his hair.
"Do you talk to Harley, too? Hmm?"
The Joker's smile as he asks is not a very positive sign. It means the answer matters.