Henchman (JOKER X READER) ✅

chapter 28: lock and key

i gotta know, why can't you, why can't you just let me go?

—-

True to your unspoken promise, you withdrew.

You took other jobs within the gang- the ones that meant you spent as little time with the Joker as possible. You started coaching Sharkey in the jobs you used to do. Of all of the guys (with the exception of Jonny, but he was already doing some of the same stuff), you thought he would be best suited to your work. And probably most importantly, you left Harley the hell alone.

She still pissed you off like nobody's business, of course. It still made you sick to watch her get cozy with the man you loved- especially because she seemed intent on creating public spectacles very often.

In fact, that was what she was doing now- sitting in Joker's lap, whispering in his ear. Everyone- you, the guys, and the King and Queen- were together for once, at the Grin and Bare It for business. You fully intended on keeping your mouth shut the whole time unless it was absolutely necessary for you to speak.

Joker grinned devilishly at her, baring his teeth in a mock growl. She just giggled and clung to his shoulders, her gold and black dress swaying beneath her.

"Who's he meeting with tonight?" Fox leaned over to ask you. You watched as Harley got up and headed for the dance floor.

"Monster T," you said distractedly.

"Who?"

"Some gangster," you shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Shouldn't go too badly." Fox nodded and slipped over to Sharkey. You watched them talk hurriedly under their breaths until the door opened, and Monster T himself walked in. He was a tall man covered in tattoos and piercings, and he extended a hand to the Joker.

"We finally meet," he said.

You stood and went over to them- it had become your job to do this. "He don't shake hands," you drawled, putting a hand on his shoulder and gently maneuvering T into his seat. "Sit down, why don't you? Have a drink."

He glanced up at you with a tiny smirk, and you let your touch linger. Hell, it's a free country, and T looked... experienced. You unabashedly raked your gaze down his body and then back up again, just a quick movement, before stepping back again.

"Hey, J," T said to Joker, turning his attention back to him. "On behalf of everybody, welcome back. I wanted to come by and personally say thank you. You're makin' me good money, I'm makin' you good money-"

"Are you sweet talkin' me?" Joker viciously cut him off. He lifted a tattooed hand to his mouth and laughed. Then he grinned maniacally. "I love this guy," he commented to absolutely no one. "He's so intense!"

There was a lull in the conversation, and T used it to gaze out the bead curtain at the dance floor. Harley was there, gliding up and down a pole on the stage. You silently admitted to yourself that while you might not like her much, she sure was easy on the eyes. But then T's gaze turned to you, and the weight of his attention was heavy. You desperately tried to prevent yourself from blushing.

"You're a lucky man," T said to Joker, eyeing the gun on your hip. "You got all the bad ones."

You felt both twisted pride and a detached sense of horror as Joker's expression completely shifted. Now he looked every bit as dangerous as you knew him to be.

"Oh, that they are," Joker said lowly. He was almost growling, and you got the distinct impression that he wasn't talking about everybody anymore. "And they'll do anything I tell them to. Y/N especially." Joker's smile was cruel. "And a good driver, too. Except once, they pulled over and almost crawled in my lap. Can you believe it?" He cackled.

Your face burned. T looked over at you, clearly sort of confused. But he laughed, if only to placate the Joker. Meanwhile, Joker wasn't even looking at him anymore- he was watching you, gauging your reaction.

"Insatiable," he purred.

You gritted your teeth. That wasn't how it had happened at all, and Joker knew it. So why publicly humiliate you like this? You resisted the urge to ball your hands into fists, knowing any reaction you gave him would end in trouble.

Joker refocused on T. "You should go," he said meanly. "Take Y/N with you, actually." He looked like he meant the exact opposite of that, though. T knew it, too, glancing from you to him and back again.

A dare. One you were all too spitefully happy to take Joker up on.

"C'mon," you said to him, ignoring the roughness of your voice. As T rose from his seat, you made sure to say your next words loud enough for Joker to hear.

"Don't you wanna show me a good time?"

—-

hey guys! sorry i've been gone so long. i was on spring break and just got back to school, so i've been busy. i'm excited for this arc of the story, though, so regular updates will be back soon!

i'm also trying to figure out what our end goal here is- i didn't expect to get anywhere close to this much progress on this fic! so i don't have a lot planned. i don't want this to be super fucking long, so we're probably not going to cover the events of Suicide Squad, which means i'm gonna need a way to end this. don't get worried though! it's just a far off thing to consider. that said, if you have ideas, tell me! <3 thanks for waiting besties