Festered Lulluby: A Jerome Valeska Fanfic

#6- Thanks

Jerome's arrest bothered me more than it should have. Day after day passed and before I knew it, he was all I could think about. What was it about him that was so enticing?

For one he gave me hope. Hope that there was something better out there for my life, but I had to earn it like he earned my trust. It was such a tease knowing that he was being kept in Arkham, only a building away from me while I worked.

Eventually I couldn't take it. I couldn't take the thought of him. He saw something in me and said things that made me feel like I was worth more than this; sitting around and waiting for something big to happen to my life.

Of course though, it seemed too good to be true. What if he was lying to me the whole time? Mocking me and secretly laughing at me. I suddenly felt angry. He lied about his mom. He was a psychopath. A killer. They're all good at lying and even better at not caring about anyone.

Despite him lying or not, I needed to speak with him anyway. I didn't care if he played me for fool. I had to thank him before I left Gotham for good. It was because of him I gathered the courage to tell my Uncle Jim that I was leaving.

My heart beat frantically as I walked through the front door of Arkham Asylum. I'd be in and out. I'd say my peace and move on, that's it. Dr. Strange understood my reasoning and was all about it. He thought I was making the right decision speaking my peace.

I didn't care what he thought though. That guy had something going on- something he wasn't telling most of us. To be honest though, I didn't want to get involved.

I inhaled sharply and waited to be let in. The moment the buzzer went off I immediately wanted to turn back, but it was too late. "Well, well, well. When they said I had a visitor, I actually wasn't sure to expect you, Aryion." He said my name like it was glass, delicate and fragile.

I stood still, refusing to sit across from him just yet. "Why would you think I wouldn't come to see you?" I asked sarcastically. We both knew the answer to that one.

"Ah, well, for one I killed my mom." He rolled his head at me. "So I'm a killer aaaand a loon, now. Oops sorry, I forgot you don't like that word, but I put on a good show, don't you think?"

I smiled faintly at him and nodded. "Indeed you did." My voice had a surprising hint of anger. "I must say, you did a fine job at making me look like a fool." I scraped the chair across the floor and sat with my legs crossed and back straight. I wasn't going to make it look like he got to me. I just needed to tell him how he made me feel. "To think that I actually vouched for you, but you know what? I digress. I didn't come here to get all fluffy."

Unsurprisingly Jerome's face remained still. No sign of expression showed on his face whatsoever. All he did was sit there with a wide grin on his stupid, smug face. I knew how psychopaths worked. They didn't sympathise. I didn't care though, so I continued my rant.

"In a way I came here to thank you. Without having an ear to talk to, even if the act was fake, I wouldn't have had the confidence to make changes in my life. I'm leaving, Jerome. For good and it's thanks to you."

My stomach dropped when his face fell, shadows spiraling across his eyes. I did not expect that. "Say what?" He craned his head slightly.

"I'm leaving Gotham. I've wanted to for a long time and I just needed a bit of a push. You may have played me, but in the end... you helped me."

"But- you can't leave. I mean-" He snorted angrily. "-I was coming back for you."

I stared at him in awe for a moment. Now I was slightly confused. "Jerome, you can drop the act. Now it's just embarrassing-"

"It's not an act!" He yelled. The guards on the other side of the gate shifted uncomfortably at their posts. Jerome leaned forward across the table as far as he could. "I'm getting out of here. And when I do, you're the first I'm gonna visit. You feel something whenever we are together. None of what I said to you was an act." He paused and then added seriously, "I promise."

I gulped in response. The truth in his eyes was unsettling, which made it difficult to read if he was telling the truth or just an extremely good liar, but I seriously hoped this was some kind of joke because if it wasn't, then Uncle Jim was right: he had an obsession with me and that freaked me out.

"You killed your mom with an axe, Jerome. What makes you think I would want to see you again?" I stood and began buttoning my coat. I refused to look at him. "My flight leaves tomorrow night. You will not see me again, Jerome. Goodbye."

The moment I stepped out of the gate he began to yell at me to come back. "Aryion, wait! It was real, I'm not joking!" When I didn't respond his screams got darker. "If you try to run, I will find you. I will not stop until I do. If you try to run-" He broke out into a fit of laughter. "-people will die."

My instincts were right, I shouldn't have visited Jerome Valeska.

(:Whoops!:)

I sighed heavily as I opened uncle Jim's apartment door. "Ari?"

"Hey." I simply responded.

"Where were you? I expected you to be home packing your things."

"Just running some last minute errands." I shrugged.

He took one look over me. "Without any bags?"

"Oh shoot, must've left them in the car." I lied. Growing up with him breathing down my neck turned me into a pretty good liar. I learned well from Barbara, but she was another story. "I suppose I have a lot on my mind, moving away and all."

"Hey, I understand. I don't want you to leave, but Gotham is no good for you. I hadn't realised I'd be putting your life at such stake. I think it best for your safety that you leave for a while." He spoke with much sadness in his words.

I smiled at him. "Thank you, for everything Uncle Jim. You were like a dad to me." I wished that were true.

(:DAW:)

I had some last minute things to pick up today before I left for the airport. I hadn't actually run errands yesterday like I told Jim, though that would've been a good idea, but after my visit with Jerome I just wanted to hide in my bedroom.

I made it to the first stop when I realised that I had forgotten my phone on the kitchen table. "Shit." I mumbled under my breath. "Aw well, I won't be gone long."

After a few hours had passed I made it back to the apartment. I went to turn the doorknob when I noticed the door was open a crack. I thought it odd, but I must've forgotten to close it fully since I did leave in a bit of a rush.

I still walked in cautiously, but I didn't hear or see movement. My muscles relaxed when I spotted my phone on the counter.

I unlocked it to see that I had about a dozen missed calls and unread texts. They were all from either Uncle Jim or Harvey's cell.

"Well geez, didn't think they'd miss me so quickly." I joked, listening to my voicemail as I slowly crept up the stairs.

Aryion, you need to get to the police station, now! Jerome was busted out of Arkham and it's safe to assume that he could be looking for you-

I stopped walking in fright and continued to listen to his other voicemails.

Aryion, please pick up! I'm on my way home now. So help me, you better be there-

I booked it to my room and froze with fear when I saw what was on my bed.
It was Ellie.

"Hey there, gorgeous, did you miss me?" I felt Jerome's breath hiss in my ear as a sharp blade pressed into my throat. I attempted to scream when something stung the back of my neck and I immediately felt dizzy. "Whoa whoa, easy." He caught me before my knees caved. "You're safe! See, I told you I'd come back for you! And wouldn't ya know, nobody had to die... yet!"

His laughter was the last thing I heard as I plunged into a very deep sleep.