UNDERGOING REWRITE // Apples [Ledger Joker x OC]

Chapter 5: Silent Films

Chapter 5: Silent Films

Television.

Multicolour. Technicolour. Black and white. Colourless. Pixels waltzing. Voices mute. Static screens. Electric stars. Erotic dancing. Wordless comedy. Thoughtless drama. False reality. And the six o'clock news every night.

His favourite shows, eyes wide, with the volume off.

***

"Come in." Dr. Arkham sighed dismally from inside his office, and quietly nervous Juniper Stoltz stopped nibbling her nails and stepped inside, closing the tall mahogany door as gently as she could. She never liked coming into Dr. Arkham's office much, as the decoration was so intimidating that it honestly set the scene far too accurately for when she'd meet the wrinkly old douchebag himself. It was very much like stereotypical villains' offices from the movies: blood red carpets, mahogany furniture that was more black than brown, and abstractly shaped ornaments that lined the bookshelves behind his desks; no light ever came in through the windows as the blinds he had fitted for them were never open. She hoped that after she'd finally got him to assign her to Joker's case, she would never be here again, yet here she was.

As June approached the chair opposite his desk, she caught a glimpse of him quickly putting away a whisky bottle and hiding the glass in his drawer, but he cleared his throat to act as if nothing had happened. Folding his hands together, he didn't even try to smile as he saw the girl walk through his door. The fact that she had the gall to come into his office with her hair frayed with reckless abandon like that was insulting- hadn't the girl any sense of professionalism? 'Natural' hair he'd heard her call it- but damn him if he knew what she meant by it. She'd probably never even brushed it.

For the first time in a while, he decidedly commented on it, "Miss, um... Miss Stoltz, it seems you have yet to fix your hair."

Self consciously, she raised her hands to it and patted her curls gently. "What do you mean? What's wrong with it?"

"Hair like... that is not acceptable for a workplace like this."

She frowned. "Hair like what?"

"Hair like... like..." He struggled to find a subtle way to say it- big, disheveled, frizzy- and instead made a wild gesture with his hands around his head as if to mimic its shape. "Like this."

"Sir, it's... it's my natural hair."

"Indeed." He raised an unamused brow and rolled his eyes, completely conscious of the fact that she could see it. Asshole.

After a moment of thought, she finally found her voice again. "Dr. Arkham, I don't want to come off as rude or... or unprofessional, and I apologise."

"Just..." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Just tie it up."

June didn't reply, but looked at him to let him know that she'd listened. A please would've been nice, of course, but she didn't really expect that of him. Eventually, June sat down in the chair and sighed dejectedly, letting go of her hair as she stopped fussing with it. This wasn't the first time he'd ridiculed her for it, and it wouldn't be the last, she knew that for certain. There wasn't even technically any rules for staff on how to present themselves besides wearing the uniform, making sure makeup and other products are sanitary, and no unnaturally coloured hair, so it wasn't even like she was breaking any rules. She liked her hair and was proud of it. In fact, it looked just like Mama's did when she was her age.

Crossing her legs one over the other, she continued with what she wanted to say. "Anyway, I came here because I've got a request."

He snorted, "A request?"