Jigsaw Puzzle || The Joker x Reader

➟ Chapter Ten

You sat in the car for a few minutes to collect yourself and Joker merely fidgeted in his seat. He was trying to be... polite by staying with you, but you didn't care if he did otherwise.

"The spare bedroom is yours," he said.

"I would've taken it anyway," you muttered, resting your forehead against the steering wheel.

"I know," he replied with a smile.

You got out of the vehicle and Joker let you go up to the top floor ahead of him. You were astonished by his actions and silence since that wasn't in his character to do, but your head was far too hazy to appreciate it. The only thing you wanted was to be alone and think about what happened, mostly how you were going to kill Lau.

You entered the bedroom down the hall from Joker's on his personal floor and closed the door behind you. It was typical and plain with the necessities, but you didn't care about that. You just dragged yourself over and sat on the floor with your back against the bed. You put your head in your hands and a tear slipped down your cheek.

Everything from your childhood and the mementos that solely reminded you of your family were gone because of petty rivalries aged by decades. You didn't want to feel this way, but it was so uncontrollable.

You heard the door creek open and knew who would be stepping through. Joker sat down next to you and folded his hands over his knees, almost mirroring your position. You didn't know what he hoped to accomplish by intruding on your private time, but you were curious.

"My mom was a wonderful woman who got with the wrong man. My parents never married, but decided to stay together after I was mistakingly conceived," Joker spoke gruffly. "My father beat us until my mom fought back one day. He shot her in cold blood right in front of me. That night, I got the same gun and killed him, then went off into Gotham on my own."

"Why are you telling me?" you questioned.

He laughed shortly. "You asked a while ago, so I'm telling you. I thought it would help," he said. "The point is that we're thrown hard decisions and situations almost on a daily basis, but we always push through it. I... can't imagine how hard this is for you, but you're strong."

You grinned widely and wiped your eyes. "You're really trying, aren't you?"

"Yeah, it's weird," he confessed.

You turned your head to him. "I'm sorry about your mom, J."

Joker shrugged. "It's the past. If you hadn't noticed, I'm not the most caring individual."

"You cared enough to sit down and talk to me."

"You're different," he responded stiffly. "You're not an idiot."

"Thanks." You sighed and bumped your knee against his. "I was really close with my dad, especially when my mom turned to drugs. She said it was because I was becoming brainwashed by the lifestyle we lived and she didn't want that. She overdosed when I was fourteen."

Joker thought for a moment. "She was normal and sensible. Obviously didn't understand our type of thought processes."

You nodded. "That's true," you mumbled. "Two of a kind in a world of deadly disasters that we create for our own enjoyment."

"An archaic battle for the happiness we desire where we are neither wanted nor belong," he continued in a voice that was both soft and laced with tiredness.

"You're kinder than you appear," you said mindlessly.

Joker gave a look of disbelief. "You're out of your mind. This is why I need you around; you're fucking insane, especially after that last remark."

"Shut up," you replied jokingly.

Joker pointed a shaking finger at you. "That's what I mean, right there. You talk to me like I'm a real person, and to anyone, it looks like you're asking for death. You seriously have something wrong with you."

"Are you really the person to be saying that?" you retorted, smiling wider. "No offense, but you're not scary to me. You're a person, unstable at times, but you're fun to be around and also not an idiot."

You were caught off guard when Joker leaned forward and planted his painted lips upon yours with his hand gripping the back of your head. You thought quickly and deepened the kiss as you felt your mouths slide across each other. It was more gentle and smooth than anticipated although you never thought of Joker romantically until this.

"You do scare me when you do stuff like that," you whispered. "More unexpected than originally thought."

"It's because I like you. These games wouldn't be the same anymore without my partner," Joker said, his dark gaze burning in to yours.

"You're a special brand of mad."

You sat in silence until Joker moved his gloved hand to rest on your thigh. It was a gesture of subtle assurance and it helped you control yourself.

"We'll get Lau for what he did, along with Gotham and Batman and that Dent guy. They're all going to pay," he said with conviction.

Putting your hand over his, you told him, "We can watch the world burn."

Joker rose to his feet and brought you with him, pleased with himself that he could get you in a better mood than before and made you forget about what happened, even if for a little while. He had never cared for another's feelings this way but he found that he didn't mind since you weren't like any other people. There was no one like you and there was no one like him.

You were smart, probably smarter than him, he realized. He couldn't be fooled if this were a ploy to trick him in to something malevolent because he was the prince of manipulation. He could see through it as well as you. Joker was experiencing protectiveness and a pull like never before, but it was too mangled for him to resist.

"Thanks, J," you said.

Joker showed evident hesitation before speaking. "Jack Napier."

You knew what he meant and you glided your teeth across your bottom lip. "Why?"

He pretended to think. "I remember you saying something about loyalty and a real partnership, so this is how I show it."

You accepted his words and knew that you were growing closer together without the knowledge if it would end in tranquility or in destruction.