Haly's Circus ~ Jerome x reader

12: A Wonderful Future

Y/n pov:

The summer vacation. You might think it's fun because it is supposed to be. But only I couldn't enjoy it. Not as much as I would with Jerome. It's been almost a year since he's gotten into Arkham. We could go to the beach together, watch movies, go to a park and do a lot more. Something normal teenagers on our age do. More than just sitting in a cell, and having to write letters to each other to keep in contact. I visited Jerome as much as I could, but a lot of things have changed for me also.

I and Anne didn't have a lot of contacts anymore, she finally finished school and would love to go to college. It's just that she has a lot of family problems she doesn't want to share with me. And then randomly she ghosts me, like I'm some kind of thing, that you use whenever you need it.

Then we have my dad, who officially announced that he and my mother aren't a thing anymore. He's with Lee now. Somehow I just can't see myself getting friends with her. I feel so bad for everyone around me, and I feel like it's all my fault. I have no idea why, but of course, the guilty feeling about my deed will never go away. It's not just something, you know. Killing somebody. Anyways, somehow I am also happy for my dad he found somebody that cares for him the way my mother used to do.

My sister is in 6th grade and she's doing a fucking great job. I've been there with her, bringing her and picking her up every day. Every single day. And I don't mind it, I know she would do the same for me. And if I could choose one family member, no doubt. We never stopped the pieces of training, and she got really good.

My job? Ohh... My job... Things got complicated. Turns out the Graysons aren't as nice as I thought they would be. And the Lloyds... They wouldn't ever become friends I guess.

"Hey y/n, you dreamin' about Jerome?" I put my pen on the table and rest my head on my palm. "I wasn't. I was just writing about my day in my diary." "Yeah think so too." Barbara gives me the newspaper. "Zaardan... Zaardon?" I read stuttering. "What the heck- " I try to look at the picture from the creepy guy in the Gotham Gazette.

"People are going insane in this city." Barbara leans backward on the chair. "Every day it seems like more bullshit flows into our house." I throw the newspaper into the trash can. "No more bullshit. Okay?" Barbara nods and walks upstairs. Rest in the tent. I can continue my dramatic life story now.

I pick up my pen again and start writing whatever comes to mind. Where'd I stay?

~

Jerome pov:

Barbara lets out a dramatic sigh. "Someone tell me a funny story." She says while Aaron applies nail polish on her feet. Sionis slams on the table. "I have a good one." I turn my head. "So, when I was in college, I played for the varsity polo team. And I had a string of ponies..." He gets interrupted by a dude who just got into Arkham. "Greetings!" He screams idiotically loud. "I am Zaardon the Soul Reaper!" No one seems to be interested. "So I had these ponies..."

I wanted the story to continue, but Zaardon needed some attention from us. "Hear me, slaves." He yells out loud. Like the whole prison can't hear him yet. "My patience is wearing thin. Surrender your souls to my mercy," Zaardon says while pointing at his lips. The man was little, but a bit fat. He had this adjective look on his face, trying to make us all listen to him.

"Or I swear by the Master, I shall feast on your pain! I shall gorge on your torment!"

We all pretend to be interested in talking, which we aren't. "I shall crush you like a bug." He now stands on one of the tables in the room of prison. I kinda wonder how not even a security guard takes him down. Suddenly he starts couching through his laugh. Still, no security guard who cares, and we all are impressed by the fact that he's now laying down on the table, fighting for his life.

Purple steam escapes his mouth, flying around the room causing us all to cough, my eyes started burning. I couldn't see anymore. Then I didn't hear a thing anymore, everything seemed to stop working in my body. A loud beep is going through my head and I fall in pain. Everything is black.

~

I wake up in a square room, with just four walls. And a door. First I do nothing but look around. Aren't there other openings? Cause the door was locked. I hear voices coming from the other side of the door. It sounds like they are walking straight at me. The door got opened by a man, I couldn't recognize his face before he placed a bag over my head.

Everything was black again.

They placed me on a sort of trolley, and I had no idea where we were going. "And our last one... Jerome." The bag was pulled from my head. I was now in a different room. I wasn't the only one at this place, Greenwood, Aaron, Arnold, Sionis, and Barbara. It was very confusing to me, but all that mattered was that this not Arkham was. A man with black hair walked into the room.

"Welcome, everyone. My name is Theo Galavan. This is my sister, Tabitha." All of us started mumbling words when Tabitha came walking behind Theo. She was very pretty, but not as pretty as y/n. "I understand you're feeling confused... Scared, a little groggy, but please, relax." Theo continues speaking as he walks past us. "Today is the first day of a wonderful future for all of you if you want it."

"Who are you?" Barbara is the first to contradict him. "Well, now, the question is, who are you?" I don't know what this guy wants from us, but I do know he broke us out of Arkham. He chose us. He chose me. "The world sees criminal lunatics." He says when he looks at me. "I see brilliance. I see charisma. And power. I see power." I can't keep myself from saying something.

"Yes! Exactly, my man. That is so spooky. This is me to a T. These other bozos, I don't know, but you're singing my song." I say. Not that someone has done this before to me, but I kinda like this guy. He knows what he's doing. "Quiet, Jerome," Sionis yells at me. "Keep talking." He nods at Theo.

the room had large windows through which the wind whistled. "Imagine a group of brilliant outlaws like yourselves, each selected for a unique ability, all working together as a team. Imagine the synergy. Imagine the impact. Gotham would tremble before you." This guy talks much. "Well, that sounds fabulous, but I'm not a brilliant outlaw," says Barbara. "I just have... Issues." Everyone turns their head at her. Somehow Barbara talks the same way as y/n does. Weird is that.

"You have ferocity and beauty and desire. And that's enough." Theo walks toward Barbara and holds her chin up. "Come with me, Barbara. Whatever you want in the world, it's yours. He gets interrupted by Sionis. "Theo? That's your name, right? Theo. First of all, keep your hands off her. Second, this whole 'magic team'? I gotta pass. I don't take orders." What a scumbag. There's someone who actually believes in you and still, you don't want to listen?

Theo sighs. "This is very disappointing." "Fair play. You want a reward for busting us out of Arkham. I'm grateful. How's a million bucks sound? Pretty good?" Theo seems very disappointed in him. God, I wish the man had thought this through. Not everyone can be a star. Especially not assholes like Sionis.

"Money's not the concern. I had such high hopes for you. I didn't anticipate sexual jealousy. That always poisons the well. You have to go, Tabitha will see you out." The man who was watching us all this time behind Theo now untied the bands around Sionis and he walks to the exit. Suddenly Tabitha throws her sweep around his neck and he chokes. Oh my gosh, finally some action! I laughed as Sionis was laying on the floor trying to catch a breath as Tabitha stabs him multiple times in the face. Blood spatters around.

"Anyone else wanna leave?"

Arnold shakes his head. I'm impressed by Theo. He's exactly my man. I wonder what he wants us to do first. A smile grows on my face. I'm kinda worried about y/n though, she can be at Arkham right now searching for me. Or she probably already got the news from her mom or Jim, that there was a prison break. And I was included.