alive || jerome valeska

the circus

Lili Grimes was walking between the caravans, it was strangely quiet, considering how loud the residents were not so long ago. She could only hear the animals hissing, few birds singing, until she heard the muffled sound of yelling, arguing. She grabbed her gun in her pocket, walking towards the sound, until she was close enough to hear clearly what they're saying.

"Admit it you little freak. I know it was you." said an older man, based on his voice around his forties.

"B-but she was my mom, I loved her." a younger, familiar voice cried out.

Jerome.

Lili decided to listen to the conversation a little longer before interrupting it.

"You may fool the cops, but I know you, dear nephew." the older voice spoke again "Ohh, look at that, soup's boiling. I made your favourite."

"No. No, let me go!" Jerome yelled.

Without hesitation the detective dramatically kicked in the door, raising her gun at the older man who was about to cook the boy's hand with the soup.

"GCPD, let go of the boy." she said confidently, but the man wouldn't obey. He tightened his grip around the red head, but the boy wasn't scared, he seemed like he forgot the situation he was in, because his green eyes were shining again at the girl.

"You're cop, you won't shoot me." he spit with a smirk on his face. Man usually underestimate Lili because she's a woman and she's younger, but she didn't mind, it made arresting them more fun. He made a small movement to put Jerome's hand into the boiling liquid, but before he could do so, a shot was fired, hitting the man's leg, causing both him and Jerome to fall on the floor.

He let out a loud scream, and Jerome started laughing maniacally. Lili ignored him, and began to cuff the man.

"You fucking idiot, he's the killer, he killed Lila!" he kept yelling, the girl kept her poker face.

"If you have any information that could be useful with the investigation you go to the cops, not assault the suspect." she said roughly as she put handcuffs on his hand "What's your name?" she pulled him on his feet.

"Zachary Trumble." Jerome said, still laughing.

"Zachary Trumble you're under arrest for child abuse."

"Look at him, his laughing like a mad man and you're arresting me?"

"Anything you say can be held against you, you have the right to remain silence." she hissed pushing him out of the caravan, towards her car, Jerome following her like a loyal puppy.

She put him in the backseat, locking him in the car, than turning around to look at the red head. He seemed so different from before, his hair was messy, not gelled down, his clothes were less formal, the way his eyes sparkled finally matched his facial expression, he looked like himself.

"Bye bye, Uncle Zac." Jerome grinned, waving to the pissed of man inside the car. "Thank you for your service, Detective Grimes." he turned to her, reaching for her hand, and when he touched it, it felt so warm and soft, it would've been a shame to burn a hand that nice. He pulled her hand to his lips as he bowed down a little, pressing a soft kiss against her skin "It was a nice shot."

Lili kept her poker face, but she couldn't hide the small blush from her blood rushing into her cheeks. She roughly pulled away her hand, and cleared her throat.

"Jerome, did you kill your mother?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

"Why would you think that?" he said simply, a stupid smile still on his face. For some reason that just made him more suspicious.