Jerome Valeska //Jeremiah Valeska // One-shots

Jerome Valeska - Innocence

Requested by lonely-entity on Tumblr

The sweet smell of cotton candy invaded my nose as my eyes glazed over, taking in the overwhelming atmosphere and burning bright lights surrounding me. The bustling crowds and screaming children masked me from view, giving me the privacy to not be analysed by on looking eyes. A sigh of relief left my parched lips. In a crowd, I could go unnoticed, unbothered whereas elsewhere everyone's vulture eyes would be zooming in on me, picking me out and prodding at my flaws. At school, at home, everywhere I go, I would get comments about my hair, my clothes, my body, how wrong everything is about me. At least here, at Haly's Circus, everyone is too busy to notice my lone figure. It was perfect.

Today was busier than ever, the crowds swarming around me. Yesterday, a woman had been found dead, brutally murdered. News like that spread fast in Gotham, drawing the attention of crowds hungry for gossip, letting their curiosity drive them into the lions den. That wasn't why I was here however, I was here to get away from my life for awhile. I was here to breathe for the first time in a long time.

"Miss! Miss! Step up and win for just $5!" My head snapped up, my eyes focusing on the large man towering over me, offering a small wooden ball and gesturing to a carnival game behind him.

The close proximity shocked me, my feet involuntarily taking a step back before I finally spoke, frantically shaking my head,"N-No thank you."

"Come on, only $5! Win a teddy bear!" The man, covered in muck and grease, continued refusing to take my no as an answer.

"I-"Before I could finished my sentence once again refusing, he pushed the wooden objects towards me once again. His blatant refusal to accept my answer upset me, but I didn't dare get angry or say anything to him, so I simply shook my head again.

"I believe the lady said no." A charming voice spoke from behind, drawing the persistent mans attention from me, his eyes widening in an emotion I couldn't quite place.

Flipping my head around to see the owner of the voice, I came face to face with a tall ginger boy, looking around the same age as me, his hair slicked back. My eyes met his, a flicker going through his eyes as his mouth quirked up before I tore my gaze away, staring at his muddy shoes, unable to hold the eye contact. He was very cute, he was incredibly hot. My thoughts surprised me as I had never found anyone cute, let alone hot before. What am I thinking?

"J-Jerome." The unrelenting man stuttered for a second before regaining his composure and scuttering off back to his stall hurriedly, leaving my standing alone with the ginger boy who saved me.

"Thank you." I wouldn't be surprised if the boy, Jerome, didn't hear my whispered gratitude.

"My pleasure. I'm Jerome, nice to meet you." His cheerful voice caused me to jump, not expecting a reply from my saviour.

"I'm Y/N...thank you for getting rid of him." Sucking up my nerves, I looked up at him again, seeing he was already staring at me with a slightly unnerving smile on his face.

"Beautiful name, gorgeous." Hearing the compliment, my entire face heated up, a dark crimson blush no doubt occupying my cheeks.

"Do you wanna get some cotton candy? I work here, I can get it for free." He winked at me when he finished and I didn't think my face could go anymore red.

His offer was nice, however I did not want to be in any situation that involved not being alone so I slowly started to shake my head, racking my brain for a polite excuse.

"Please, I insist." Jerome smiled brightly at me, although there was something about him that made me wary I chose to ignore it, nodding my head reluctantly as he did help me. Getting cotton candy with him was the least I could do.

"O-Okay." My answer caused his smile to grow impossibly as he grabbed my hand in his cold one, pulling me through the crowds before I could resist.

It was not until we flew past the cotton candy stall, moving towards the dark trailers did I grow worried. Starting to pull my hand, trying to get it of his grip, I called his name worriedly as my voice raised slightly.

"Shh." He turned his head back towards me, putting a finger to his lips before he dragged me out of the crowds and into the silent rows of pitch black trailers.

"Jerome!" Frantically pulling my hand, tears sprung to my eyes as I tried desperately to get away, his grip on my hand tightening.

"Sorry gorgeous, but you are making far too much noise." Before I could question his words, a flash of ginger spun in my vision before something collided with my head, my vision going dark as I fell into a pair of outstretched arms, the world fading away.

"Wakey, wakey." A familiar voice sounded throughout the darkness, slowly drawing my mind into consciousness, I could not remember who the voice belonged to however.

Blinking, my eyes opened as white light blinded me, a groan escaping me as my head pounded painfully. When the black spots finally faded from my vision, the world becoming clear once again, my mind froze as I remembered what had happened. Jerome, he had knocked me out. He kidnapped me. My breath came faster, my eyes nervously scanning my surroundings as the realisation that I was kidnapped set in. Trying to move my hands, my legs, I couldn't as I noticed thick ropes tying me to a old chair, padlocking me down and preventing escape.

"Ah, there she is." Panic consumed me as Jerome knelt down in front of me, his eyes searching over me, analysing me, his unnerving smile now a sadistic smirk.

It was only now that I realised what the look in the mans eyes was when he looked at Jerome earlier, it was terror. I was a hundred percent sure that the same look of fear now encased my eyes.

"What do you want from me?" Tears trailed down my cheeks as I muttered the question, unconsciously trying to curl into my self to appear smaller.

"Ah you see, that's where is gets funny. Originally I was just gonna use you as leverage but...I like you, you're just so-what's the word?" He broke off, tilting his head in thought before he snapped his fingers abruptly causing me to jump as he leaned closer to whisper in my ear sinisterly, "Innocent."

Goosebumps broke out on my flesh as he broke into a manic laughter, sitting back onto his haunches as he cackled at my fear.

"L-Leverage?" Unwillingly, my eyes dropped to the stained carpet floor of the unknown room I was in, noticing broken glass bottles all around. I assumed the dingy room was his trailer.

A hand gripped my chin surprisingly gentle as he forced my eyes up, making me look at him as his eyes widened along with his grin, "I needed you as leverage against the police and ole Jimmy. If they find out it was me who chopped up mommy dearest, then it would help to have a hostage, you know?"

"You killed your mother?!" My eyes widened, matching his except my eyes were filled with horror whereas his were filled with glee.

"Yes, very satisfying by the way. Anyway, I like your innocence, I've never met anyone who could be so pure and naïve so, I'll find another hostage. I would hate to kill you."

"Please, don't." His words shocked me, however I had no time for shock or questions right now.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you." His tone turned mock gentle as he lifted his hand cautiously, wiping one of my tears away whilst staring into my eyes, trying to appear reassuring. Every fibre in my being was screaming at me to not listen to him, to try and escape, but I couldn't. Everything froze as I stared at him, my thoughts turning to ice as I came to a startling realisation. A realisation that bewildered me completely. I trusted him.

This mad man, this murderer, was the only person to ever pay me any attention and for some strange reason, I trusted him.