UNDERGOING REWRITE // Apples [Ledger Joker x OC]

Chapter 8: Bittersweet

Important disclaimer: Dr. Arkham is a total dick toward June in this chapter, so his narrative and inner monologue obviously matches, so of course him slandering poor Junie is inevitable as he's actually a piece of human garbage. There are no slurs though, as I genuinely would never bring myself to write that. So just know that anything he says does not reflect my views, in case it wasn't obvious. If you'd like any more stuff about these kind of disclaimers, please read the one at the beginning of this story. Thanks!!

But anyway, BOY this is a chapter. Like, probably the whole reason I started to write this story in the first place because of the concept... wow! I'm so hyped to share with you!!

Have a dorky picture of Mr. J for good luck and good vibes!! <3 I'm genuinely tempted to just include a random pic of him for every chapter... I have too much y'all his pics take up like 97% of my storage space.

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Chapter 8: Bittersweet

He was quite into bondage if he had to admit, although he usually liked it when it was him tying the knots and not the one being bound underneath them. Of course, straightjackets never hurt anybody, but on the other hand, they never helped him sleep either. The tightness around his arms and waist was just so deliciously uncomfortable that he always felt too excited to sleep and he'd stay up for hours, most times all night, the days melting into the nights and the nights melting into the days. It was Junie that helped him count the time. It was Junie who had that calendar in that little black pocket planner of hers and it was Junie that he... wanted... to kill.

Maybe it wasn't the straightjacket that made him uncomfortable at night. Maybe it was her.

Her sickly sweet smiles, her delicate hands- pill box, pill box, darling little pill box- her big rounded Bambi eyes and her hair. Her hair. Her hair, always her hair. Long curls and black and silky and still he could feel it between his fingers, even now, when they were restrained by his sides in bed. He'd contemplated her for a while now. He wanted to kill her, yes, but why? He'd never really needed a reason before, just let the hand of fate choose and shoot, but for Junie he'd make it mean something. After all, the deck of cards she'd given him were more fun than he would've expected, so he had her to thank for that. Of course, having to smuggle them back in his pants wasn't the most dignifying thing he'd been subjected to, but in the hours where he got to sit around his cell without the straightjacket was made much more blissful when he could play a game of solitaire to pass the time. Her kindness was valuable.

But the point was, Joker's death wish toward Junie wasn't a fantasy incited by karma or revenge, wasn't an imaginary plot that would lead to something greater, no. He wanted to kill her to prove that even being kind and caring and sympathetic wouldn't cease something so unstoppable and chaotic as him. Killing 'em with kindness never works, Junie. You gotta kill 'em with a knife. Or a mallet. Or burn it all down...

Then the image of his hands around her neck shone a certain light upon his imaginations and eyes closed, he silently groaned. Thumbs popping her oesophagus shut so nothing would be heard of her but the silent croaks crawling up her little throat with that betrayed look on her face, those wide eyes of hers that he'd give anything to see brim with the swelling of tears, bloodshot, face blue, she'd be looking at him the whole time. Painted lips slowly parting into an enamoured circle, he moaned at the thought, genuinely moaned and it slowly stretched into a sickening and perverse grin that hurt his face enough to have him exhale through a long and low whistle.

Fantasy material that he would finally get to realise during tomorrow's session.

***

In the doorway of Dr. Arkham's office the next morning, tremulous Juniper Stoltz stood in a stiff stick-like position, almost afraid to set foot on the crimson carpet he'd summoned her to. "Dr. Arkham? You asked to see me?"