Chapter Text
Outside Ace Chemicals, rain pattered against every surface that it fell on.
Lightning flashed, illuminating the dark factory for a single second, and a single second alone.
Thunder boomed, followed by the sound of a fist colliding onto the side of a face.
With one hand, the Batman held the Joker up by the collar of his shirt, and raised his other in a fist to strike again.
The clown laid limp, bloodied and broken and pliant in the bat's hands.
Scowling, the Bat brought his fist down- hard- onto the Clown's cheek bone. Again. And again. And again.
Then, the bat lowered his fist and shook the clown.
"Joker." He heaved.
The jester did not open his eyes, but he let out a sound that was most likely an attempt at a laugh. A 'Still here.' spoken without words.
Batman's shoulders relaxed.
He slipped his hand inside the clown's shirt and moved the fabric away to expose the pale expanse of Joker's shoulder.
The clown slightly cracked an eye open, peering up at the bat; still smiling.
Joker was always smiling.
The green of his eyes burned onto the side of the bat's face.
Bruce bit down on the pale skin.
This was not the first time, nor will it be the last.
Joker's smile widened, bloody but bright.
"My Bat King," The jester had muttered the first time it happened. "The Ace of Spades to my Joker." He had grinned.
Bruce had wiped that grin right off his face- With a kiss or a fist, he cant recall.
A pile of cards had laid scattered around them then, in this very room; Kings and Aces with Bats drawn on them- and Queens, Jacks and Jokers with wide, red smiles.