Work Text:
was very special.
It was the middle of the night.They was on the roof. The classic setting, Bruce thought. But He, He was different today. It's like he just wanted to die by Batman's hands and nothing more. He desired it and craved it. All moves he did were exactly planned to cause self-harm. And like always, he refused to listen to the words, the only fight was to speak . But he also wasn`t talkative himself, like usual. It's like he was just tired and wanted to finish it already. No long monologues, no performances, no theatrical mannerisms. No jokes.
So after he got enough damage that his legs weren't able to stand properly anymore, he landed on the roof`s covering like a sack of potatoes, choking on his breaths.
“You know, Batsss! It is like that good ol` song..-he gestured with hand and coughed-Once upon a time I was falling in..love but now I'm only FALLING APART. That's NOTHING you can do. A TOTAL eclipse of the heeeaaaaaaaaart..”
He chuckled dryly
“There is always something you can do. You just so used to play this games and so used to love them..you don't even know any better.”
“Better?! Ha! What better can I possibly know, sweetie? The Arkham coziness? Or..”
“No, listen to me..Do you think I am joking when I offer you my help?”
“Bats…Bats…don’t you, eh, think it's too, you know…REALLY late for this? I told you that already. Why won't your pretty head realize that finally?”
“No, I do not think it is late.”
The answer was the silence and puzzled face.
Batman squatted to the scruffy sitting Joker. The look on the man`s face gave him hope again. He knew, no matter what he was going to say-he wanted it. He need it, the Joker needs his help
“Please. Let me.”
“Try?”
“No, it is not a try. I know what I am doing, I can fix things. Now I am sure I can. Not everything of course.. but still.”
Joker looked away like if he wanted to hide the obvious thoughts on his face.
“Ah, I can't believe it..it starts raining. Is it you who always comes with rain or it`s my puny self causing the dramatic effects? Or maybe it's the two of us making the weather want to clean our sins, whaddaya think,darling?”
The vigilante just laid his hand on the man`s shoulder and squeezed it gently.
“Just finish with me Bats.. I know you still do not want your hands to get all dirty, but we all have to make sacrifices, and men like us are bigger than others. I just .. I don't see any other options..where there is no point of fixing old, broken and rotten things you know. You can always get yourself a new one. Stop digging in the trash already..”
“Guess I am not that type.”
Joker raised his eyes and stared at Batman with silent question.
“I know what I see, Joker. Some of us, like you say, really are a lost cause. But not you, accept it or not”.
The criminal looked down again, his wet green curly hair had hidden his eyes and the shoulder under Batman's palm started to shake a little. After a moment of silence and only sounds of city and rain Bruce heard the other man`s quiet laughing. It becomes louder and louder and Joker collapsed with cackles and sobs, slamming his fists on Bruce`s armored chest desperately.
He was sure now, that the man is tired and has given up and he must do other risky steps or he`ll just lose Joker once and for all, so Batman let himself to make an afford for sloppy hug.
“Come on, now…You won't be alone anymore.”
The sounds and shaking stopped for a moment.