Chapter Text
Black out curtains were a godsend for someone with a night shift like Bruce's. They kept out the light, kept him blanketed in a darkness he appreciated. For slumber, or just in general. Bruce had always loved the shadows.
So being awoken by his curtains being forced open, the midday light practically blinding in contrast to the previous blackness, it wasn't much appreciated. "My goodness, Master Bruce. It's almost lunchtime" Alfred comments, ushering Bruce out of bed. Begrudgedly, he gets up. "Is a lay in that bad, Al?"
"Today it is, sir. You have your meeting at Wayne Enterprises at three o' clock, and your lunch date with Master Jack is in an hour" Alfred says like routine, despite Bruce's confusion. He definitely didn't remember having anything happening today, like a business meeting. Or, most importantly, who the hell was Jack?
"Jack...?" Bruce asks, hoping for some type of clarification within his foggy mind, and yet he watched Alfred go about the room, folding some clothes for him to put on for the day. "Yes. Master Jack has practically been bouncing off of the walls he's so excited. He wanted me to tell you to dress casual, so I went for your lesser bold suit"
So, not only did Bruce have an obvious gap in his memory when it concerned whoever this Jack was, but the man seemed to be within the house. From the way Alfred was talking, this seemed like something he should know. Yet all his mind provided were blanks. The last thing he could truly remember, was being on patrol last night. Still, he was half asleep and felt like he could fall asleep standing, even as Alfred freted around his room, cleaning what were hardly imperfections within the already clean room. Maybe the gaps in his memory would clear with a cold shower.
"Thanks, Al. Tell...Jack...that I'm going to have a shower and will be out to see him in around half an hour" Bruce speaks, thinking that was a considerable ask despite the gaps within his memory, and yet Alfred looks at him incredulously. "Well, Master Jack needs to get changed as well, Master Bruce. I'm sure he'll be in here in a moment, and you can disclose as such"
Well, now Bruce was more than confused. Why would a stranger be entering his room? Until he took a closer look around his room, and realized the differences. The colour scheme was different, a mix of blacks and purple he definitely hadn't fallen asleep with last night. There was two wardrobes within the room, one definitely his and another purple laced with white down the sides. "Did you...change up my room, Alfred?"
"Master Bruce, are you feeling alright?" Alfred asks, placing a hand on his shoulder worriedly. Bruce had so many questions, which he all thought reasonable, and yet Alfred was looking at him as if he was acting weird? Despite wanting to fight more, he supposed maybe Alfred wasn't the best way to get some answers. Instead, his shoulders slump in resignment. "Yes, I'm fine. Suppose I'm more tired than I thought"
"Alright, Master Bruce" Alfred takes that as an acceptable answer, despite the worry Bruce could still see within his expression.
"About time, sleepyhead! Did you have a good nights sleep?" A voice speaks from the doorway, one that makes Bruce's body go ridged. The sleepiness Bruce feels is gone in an instant, his feet fully down to the ground and stances ready to take action. "Ah, Master Jack" Alfred speaks, those words making Bruce's head turn fully to assess the situation. "Master Bruce was just telling me he was planning to take a shower"
"M'kay" Joker hums, shrugging. He looks...relatively normal. No make-up, hair a mess, clad in purple plaid pyjama bottoms and a white crop top that practically was camouflage against his skin. Still, despite his normal appearance, Bruce knew not to underestimate him. Joker was always a threat. And yet, Alfred was standing there as if his presence was normal. Calling him Jack, wherever that has come from, and Bruce feels like he has even more questions now. More importantly, what the hell had Joker done to Alfred to make him so calm?
"Jack??" Is really the only thing Bruce can muster to say, and Joker turns to look at him, as if the name was second nature, cocking an eyebrow. "Yes, darling?"
At that, Bruce falls silent, unsure quite what to say. At his lack of response, the most genuine look of concern Bruce has ever seen on the man graces his features. "You alright, Brucie?"
"I think Master Bruce is feeling rather disoriented. Tiredness, he says" Alfred speaks, and Joker smiles. Not that toothy grin Bruce is so used to, or anything horrific and deadly. It was small, looked almost genuine. "Well, you shouldn't be. You got over twelve hours of sleep"
"I'm sure I'll be fine, after a cold shower" Bruce speaks, feeling like he was missing fifty pages of a book he hadn't even started reading. Joker walks closer to him, then, and despite his movements being relaxed, Bruce only grows more rigid. "We can reschedule, if you want? There's always tomorrow"
"No, no" Bruce quickly says despite himself. The questions he has were only piling up, and it seemed better to go with the routine than change it. "I'll be fine" He adds, and with their closer proximity, he can see all of Joker's expression.
Those eyebrows were furrowed, concern genuinely in those eyes. Bruce didn't think Joker could fake that even if he tried. He watched, as his face slowly went back to a more neutral look, one Bruce was more used to, seeming placated by his answer. "If you're sure, darling."
"I'll leave the both of you to get ready. I'll have the car prepared in the garage for the both of you" Alfred speaks, and Joker turns to the butler before he leaves. "Thanks, Alfie"
"No problem, Master Jack" With that, Alfred is gone, and Bruce somehow feels more on edge without Alfred there. Joker turns, and Bruce is fully prepared for the act to slip, as he watches him make his way to the purple wardrobe. "Are you excited, my love? It feels like we haven't had a date in such a long time"
Because we never have, Is what Bruce wants to say, but he holds his tongue as Joker continues. "You and your business meetings, always taking up so much time! Harley says you're a workaholic, though I suppose being a CEO is a reasonable excuse. Still, I get lonely. It'd be nice to have you around more, you know" Joker rambles, pulling out a purple button up shirt and blue jeans and placing them on the bed messily.
Taking a shot in the dark, Bruce asks, hoping for it to be a neutral question. "How is Harley?"
"Oh, she's great! She got promoted at Arkham, and her and Ivy are going strong. Harley even says she found a ring in Ivy's lab, and thinks she's going to pop the question soon. I'm happy for her. They've been going out for so long, it's about time" Joker answers, and Bruce listens intently. Well, at least he has a small part of information about someone.
"And how are...you?" Bruce asks, and Joker looks at him a little weirdly before going with the question. "I'm good. Happy, now that you're back from that work trip. Alfie's great, but it gets a little lonely in this big mansion without you here. Although Dick popped round a few times, we even had a little movie night. Oh, and he said to tell you that his exams went well. He thinks he's going to graduate Uni easily"
Bruce takes in the information, pondering what kind of universe he's been dropped into. Whoever's behind it, despite being hard to admit to himself, he didn't think Joker was the culprit. Not when this sort of...thing wasn't his style. Bruce wanted to ask more, but the moment Joker began to take off his top to get changed, he quickly looks away. "I'm going for that shower now"
"Okay, Darling." Joker hums, picking up the purple top from the bed. Bruce goes to make a bee-line to the bathroom, but is halted by a hand grabbing his wrist. He turns, watching the sad kind of smile on the clowns face. It feels surreal, these emotions laid so plainly upon his expression. Even in his tone, as he speaks, an almost kind of longing laced between each word. "Are you sure you're alright?"
Bruce ignores the way that expression pulls at his heart strings, instead ignoring his own bashfulness to fully take Joker's appearance in. His hair was a little longer than Bruce had last seen it, almost to his shoulders, and most noticeably there was no scars. His skin was completely clear, marks he knew he had left against his skin as Batman seemingly disappeared. Let alone the self-inflicted marks, the two scars next to his mouth he usually liked to use as fear factor no where to be seen.
Bruce reaches out, in a last attempt to see if this was a trick. He watches the clowns eyes contract, something he'd seen so many times, as he laid a gentle hand against his cheek. His thumb gently traces the corner of those lips, tracing where the scars should be, something he'd only dreamed of doing in the dark recesses of his mind. He'd almost expected there to be some kind of make-up he couldn't see, and yet all his thumb traces along is gentle, smooth skin.
Joker melts into the touch, eyes fluttering as he leans into the hand against him. Bruce merely watches him, at a complete loss for words, as he nuzzles into the touch. Bruce had seen him do that many times. Upon rooftops when it was just them and Gotham against the world, rough yet lingering touches as they fight in a mindless stupor. Yet this...it was domestic. Soft, something he didn't think he'd ever see out of the clown.
"I'm fine, Jack" He says, eventually, when the silence goes on for too long. When he feels he can no longer handle the confusing feelings this all brings. Joker, well he isn't actually quite sure this was him, it couldn't be, but he smiles. Places the smallest of kisses against Bruce's thumb before stepping away. "Good. Now go have that shower, or we're going to be late"
When he does finally managed to get into the shower, practically icy water against his skin, his mind feels clearer. Something was happening. What it was, he wasn't sure, but he needed to investigate and get back to the normality. The only thing he could do at the moment was let the day play out. Stick with the routine that had been written for him, and later on he can investigate. He'd just have to act as normal and inconspicuous as possible.
Though when you have no clue about what normal should look like, it makes the act a little harder.