I Hate You, But I Love You

Chapter 8: I Do What I Want

Early the next morning, Alfred knocked on Bruce's bedroom door, then slowly cracked it. He didn't want to disturb their privacy, but then again, he had some important news. "Master Bruce?" He spoke softly, but loud enough to wake him. J's faded green tuft of hair was sticking up out of the blanket burrito he'd made himself into during his sleep. Bruce opened his eyes and remembered the night he had. When he saw Alfred, his eyes widened. "Alfred.. what.. um.. what are you doing?" Alfred then walked over, handing him his morning coffee and newspaper. "I'm waking you up as I always do. I'm sorry, it couldn't wait." He responded and left. On the front page of the paper, there was a small block of paper to the right that had Bruce and J's picture on it from where J had stepped out to smoke. They were embracing. His heart started pounding and he read the article. They thought he was being a sugar daddy to the Joker. Great. He simply put it down. Let them think what they want to think and he'd get on with his life. Rolling back over in bed, he pulled J closer, pressing kisses to his neck. "Wake up.." he murmured, his deep voice enough to rouse J from his sleep. His eyelids fluttered open and he smiled as he saw Bruce pampering him in kisses. "Is this as strange for you as it is for me?" Jack asked with a soft grin. Bruce shrugged a little and wrapped his arms around J. "Maybe a little.." J turned his head slightly and pressed his lips to Bruce's. "Mm.. about last night.. I don't want you to think that I regret anything. For the record, that was the best night of my life." He smiled against Bruce's lips and Bruce smiled back. Neither of them pictured each other as the loving type, but here they were. "So what about Aquaman? Haven't you ever had a crush on him?" J asked out of the blue and Bruce chuckled. "Well.. I mean, who hasn't?" J then grinned. "To be honest, there are a lot of attractive superheroes. None of them really hold a candle to you though, Batsy." Bruce's hazel eyes then met J's blue ones. "You really think so? They've all got superpowers. I mean, it kind of sucks to be normal." He admitted and J frowned slightly, looking at Bruce with disbelief. "Superpowers are a burden. Not that I would know, but I've seen them all struggle. And then there's you. You have had so much shit in your life but you just keep coming back and inventing more stuff to stop the bad guys. You literally have the strongest will and self control I have ever seen." He explained and Bruce realized it. He'd just never thought of it that way. "I just wanted to help people. Stop others from being torn apart the way I was as a kid." J admired that, and he smiled a little more. "You've helped a lot of people. Perhaps even me, though I don't want to admit it." Bruce then chuckled. "Alright, enough with the sappy sob stories. We've got things to do. I'm thinking that maybe if you wear a hat, no one will notice you're the Joker." J narrowed his eyes then, seeing the front page of the paper. "Shit." He mumbled, looking at it. Bruce frowned. "Is something wrong?" Jack read over it and chewed his bottom lip slightly. "It's just.. the other villains. They know now. Of course they don't know you're Batman, but Harley will know I'm with you. That'll put a target on your back, no doubt. And I don't want this to become the new normal." He explained and Bruce smirked a little, but then it faded. "Have you met me? I can handle Harley. And the new normal? So you want this but you don't? Fuck, you're too confusing." He replied and J rolled his eyes. "Don't get too cocky." Bruce then sat up. "I'm going to get dressed. Wear something nice. We're heading downtown." J raised a brow, one that was finally growing back from being shaved. "I still have green hair. It's very noticeable." Bruce shrugged a little. "People already know it's you that's with me. As long as you're on your best behavior, we shouldn't have any problems."

About an hour later, they were in Bruce's black Lamborghini heading to a charity gala. Maybe not the best choice to bring J, but he wasn't thinking with his brain. He was thinking with his, well, use your imagination. As they stepped out of the car, cameras flashed and everyone went quiet. J was wearing a respectable suit, one of his best, and his hair was nicely slicked back. He was wearing his lipstick, but he'd applied it with care tonight. Bruce's suit matched J's to some degree, a cheeky purple tie as a homage to Jack. Bruce took Jack's hand, ready to embrace the rumors head-on. He then pulled Jack close, without warning, kissing him on the lips. Everyone was even more shocked than before. Bruce didn't have to say anything. He'd made enough of a statement. Walking to the door, he was met with a bodyguard checking people off the list. "Bruce Wayne plus one." He spoke and the bodyguard looked at Joker with an expression of scrutiny. "He can't be here." Bruce frowned. "What do you mean he can't be here? He's not here to cause trouble." J frowned. He should have known better. The bodyguard simply shook his head when Bruce tried to bribe him, which led to Bruce telling him that he didn't want to be at a discriminatory charity event anyway. He took J's hand and led him back to the car. J was hurt, but he tried to hide it. That was the beginning of J feeling like he wasn't good enough for Bruce. The brunette was irritated that they weren't let in, so he started to drive away, glancing over at Jack. "Well.. we can't just go home. We look too good to do that." Bruce murmured with a soft smile. J chuckled and shook his head as Bruce suggested that. "Hm.. and what fancy establishment do you think will be up to our standards?" He asked playfully. "How about 'The Ocelot'? It's very classy and I'm guaranteed a table anytime I walk in." J nodded after he suggested it. "Let's go." He smiled.

In the time since J had left Harley back at the mansion, she had been mainly trying to get over J. Inside, she knew he was no good for her, but she'd always want him. When she received the paper that had the picture of him cozying up to Bruce Wayne, she was absolutely infuriated. She was angry at him for not telling her, even more so that he acted like such a coward when he left. She decided to follow them and confront him in front of his new boyfriend or whatever he was. Purely on a tip from one of J's many henchmen, she knew they would be going to the gala. For the gala, she knew her normal look wouldn't pass, so she spent hours getting ready. She bleached her hair back to blond, hating everything that the Joker had made her. Harley also put on foundation to make her less pale, as well as concealed her tattoos. Once her dress and heels were slipped on, she waited in her car. Once Bruce and J stepped out of the car, she was shocked. He seemed so happy. Were they holding hands? Everything then seemed to move in slow motion. Bruce leaned in, his arm snaked around J's waist. J smiled and leaned in to meet his lips. She didn't want to cry and ruin her makeup, but it really sealed the fact that he was in love with someone else. "P..puddin?" She whispered to herself and watched them walk up to the door. She was about to get out of the car when she saw them get turned away. She waited and watched as they drove downtown to the restaurant, following them at a safe distance. She also waited for them to walk in, walking in herself and smiling charmingly at the host. He was taken by her beauty. "Yes, I am meeting Bruce Wayne here for dinner." She spoke smoothly and he let her through. J and Bruce were enjoying their wine and dinner when J noticed Harley walk in. She was almost unrecognizable. His face paled more than usual and Bruce noticed. "What's wrong?" He asked and Harley slipped into Bruce's side of the booth. "So how's ya date with Mr. Wayne going?" J narrowed his gaze at her slightly. "How did you find me?" Harley giggled. "Oh, silly... I followed you. Seems to me like someone's a little gold digger." She giggled again and reached across the table to grab his hand. J was angered even more. "Are you kidding me? Why are you doing this?" Harley leaned in a little more. "Well you're going to need the money for when the baby comes." J felt his stomach drop. "Leave. Right now." She pouted and then turned to Bruce. "I don't know if he'd be such a good daddy. He's not very nice to me when I'm a bad girl." She turned to the side, her bruised cheek still slightly showing through all of the makeup. "Get the fuck out of here!" J growled and she gave him the positive pregnancy test. "I'm not a liar, Mistah J. You are." Bruce was stunned by seeing her bruise, remembering all of the times he'd seen the bruises and thought nothing of it. And talking about a baby... what baby? Everything was becoming too much for him. He felt claustrophobic. "I need some air." He then hurried out of the restaurant. J turned to Harley, distraught with everything. "Why the hell are you doing this? Were you so pissed that I was happy that you had to go and make him upset like that?" She shook her head. "J, ya  said you wanted me. Ya said ya wanted a life with me and I found out I was pregnant right before ya left me. You've always treated me like shit and I ain't gonna take it anymore. We're gonna have a baby, you gotta come back." J then stood up and shook his head. "I'm not coming back to you. Get rid of it, I don't care. I'm not gonna be a father." He spoke out of anger and he raced out to catch up with Bruce. Harley teared up and ran out of the restaurant. Bruce was in an alley, taking a breather. He saw J and crossed his arms. "You hit her? You literally brainwashed her in Arkham and you weren't happy with her even when she did everything you wanted exactly how you wanted it. You abuse her, J. I mean, I gave you the benefit of the doubt and I hoped that you didn't do any other horrible shit, but this tops it. And she's pregnant. You really fucked this up, Joker." J frowned. "It's not like that.. I.." Bruce frowned and raised his voice. "Don't make fucking excuses for that! She wanted a normal life and she can't have that now!" J then felt anger well up in him. "So is that what you want too? You want a normal life without me fucking everything up? Fine. You can have it. I'm done." He had said it out of anger, but it really stung. Bruce was silent for a moment, feeling like he was metaphorically slapped in the face. "This is why you are alone, you push away everyone that actually gives a shit." He then walked away from J, getting into his Lamborghini and driving away. J was left there in the dark alleyway. Jack never showed emotion, but this time he couldn't control it as the tears rolled down his face. He shouldn't have said what he did, and now he'd pay for it.