The Joker Made Me Do It

Chapter twenty-one

Hey guys! Sorry I didn't update. Thanks for being patient!

Love you all!!

<3 Tess!

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<Claire's POV>

"Sooo Dick. What the hell was that grunt?" I sassed him.

He looked at me all embarrassed, unknowing what to say. "Ummm...." He seemed to be thinking, but I couldn't really tell. He was just staring at me. "Well maybe..." He stopped and didn't say anything more.

I just laughed at him. "You know, for a millionaire who gets all of the girls, you suck at kissing." He looked genuinely hurt by that and my eyes softened. I felt sorry and leaned against him. He snaked his arms around my waist. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I just-"

He cut me off. "It's okay. I don't get the girls, Claire. I'm not that kind of person." he said quietly.

"Oh."

He kissed my hair. "I'm sorry for kissing you." he mumbled.

"Why would you be sorry?" Suddenly I felt kind of mad. Did he think I was pathetic? Did he pity me and kiss me before of it? Was he really that much of a jerk? I didn't think so, but now I couldn't be sure.

He turned me so that I was facing him and began speaking. "Claire, you stayed with us for like what? Two days? Yes, I know I comforted you and everything, but do I really know you? Is that fair to you?" I could see the hurt washed all over his face.

"Yeah, but it's not like Bruce adopted me or anything, that would be weird and I'm in my twenties for Christ's sake! I'm not a little kid! If I didn't want you to kiss me then I would've said to stop!" I could feel the anger boiling up inside of me, but my yelling hadn't gotten too loud... Yet.

"Claire, that's not what I meant! You can make your own choices, I know! But I'm just saying I don't think it's fair for me to kiss you when we barely know each other." He sighed and ran a hand through his dark, messy hair.

"You're one of those kind of people I feel like I've known forever." I whispered.

He nodded and mumbled something that sounded like "you too." He tried hugging me close to him, but I was still mad at him and pushed him away gently. He looked even more hurt. Then he did something I didn't expect. He put a hand to my cheek and softly stroked one of my scars. I tried to pull away, but wasn't successful under his tight grip.

"Stop squirming." He told me.

I stopped, but I felt uncomfortable. Well... I didn't really feel uncomfortable, it was just that I was hideous with those scars. I used to be beautiful and pretty, I knew that, and I'm not saying it to brag or being full of myself. I knew I was a pretty girl. But after those months with the Joker, I had turned into a disgusting monster. HE had turned me into a monster.

"Dick, don't touch them. They're repulsive, nauseating, sickening-"

"Beautiful." I stopped speaking. I felt even more angry than before.

"What, are you pitying me now?" I tried to slap him, but he grabbed my wrist. "Do you think this is some kind of joke? I was attacked! By the Joker! I was raped, broken, bleeding, scarred, cut, almost killed, and then driven insane and you're telling me my scars are beautiful?! What kind of person does that? They are horrible and putrid! The Joker created a monster out of me!" I tried to slap Dick with my other hand, but he grabbed that one too and suddenly pulled me to him by my wrists. He yanked me and closed in on me for a rough kiss. At first I objected, trying to free my hands from his grip, but he didn't budge or loosen even a tiny bit. Eventually I just gave up and went along with the kiss. I was mad at him, but I did actually kind of enjoy it. It made me happy and bubbly inside and I kept getting butterflies. I really liked Dick even if I didn't realize it.