All I ever wanted was you ( Jeremiah Valeska x oc)

I promise

As the circus train slowly approached Gotham, the performers slid on their working clothes, animals were being calmed by their trainers and in the compartment of the ringleader, yelling could be heard.

"She's only six, you can't be thinking of sending her out to perform. All she can do is playing with ribbons!" a woman hissed in a French accent. She was tall with ice blond hair tied into braids, she was wearing what seemed to be a ringleader outfit but instead of it being red and white it was silver and yellow. "Send those snake dancer boys, their mother won't mind losing them" she added.

" You don't understand eve, if she doesn't go out tonight the rest of the circus might think we've been raising a dud. Imagine how that would look running a circus with no talent or imagination, she must have something!" the man opposite the woman yelled back while banging the desk in front of him. His suit was the classic red and white, he knew his wife had a point but times were desperate, the golden days of circuses were quickly disappearing and he would be out of a job if he didn't find new talent fast. The hair that was once black on his head had turned grey over the years.

" You know perfectly well she's not a dud, she's practically a genius, her only fault is her weak body, she's only interested in books and getting out of this hellhole" she added before realizing they weren't alone, a girl with braided jet black hair walked out of the shadows. Her body was thin and her eyes seemed to do the talking for her.

"This place isn't a hellhole mummy but the people are mean here, especially the snake lady" the girl squeaked in her tiny voice, her eyes were a sparkling blue like her mother's, white and pink was the leotard she wore on her tiny frame. All she had wanted was to perform but her feet were too narrow to properly support her body weight, with shoes it was barely visible but now that she was barefoot you could see how they were tiny. "You promised I'd perform the next time we arrived in Gotham and look we're just ten minutes from the station" she added holding back tears.

"Yes I know I promised that but darling, he wants you to do trapeze with the flying graysons" her mother added."It's too risky, all it takes is for them to mess up catching you and you'll die". What she would never tell her daughter is that she knew she would be fine but she wanted to keep her to herself, her little dancer, her daughter, her Lorilee. Unless she was the one to hold her during that act, she wouldn't allow her daughter to risk her life and brains for the fleeting sensation of flight.

"But mama" Lorilee attempted to interject but she was cut by the third in command storming in and declaring that they had arrived at the station. He's always been annoying, that one she told herself." Stay in here Lorilee" her father said as he stepped out the compartment. As everyone got off the train, Lorilee looked out the window to see one of the snake dancer's sons getting out while looking around for something, he's the cute one she thought to herself. They both look cute she added while opening the window, the window was old and rusty but it gave in to her pulling. It left a large enough opening for her to jump out of without hurting her left foot too much. She backed away from the window, land on your right foot she heard her mother's voice in her head as she started to run, she closed her eyes and jumped hoping for the best.

She felt the cold gravelly earth under her bare feet and knew she had succeeded when she heard a squeaky voice screech: "Look, Rafferty just jumped out of the compartment window". Lori saw the little boy's eyes scan her face and smirk a little. As everyone quickly got over her exploit, Lori began to walk towards the half-constructed big top where her parents would be, she felt a hand grab her wrist and pull towards them. As she had placed all her weight on her right foot she quickly fell into their arms.

"Watcha doin' out here, doll," the voice said while giggling. Lori lifted her head to find it was the boy that had smirked at her, but his features seemed wilder and more carved out, his eyes gave off an aura she couldn't put her finger on and his hair like copper fell into his face. "Y'a still on planet earth or did my good looks surprise you" he added with a howling laugh. As he laughed, he helped her up on her two feet.

"Who are you" Lori finally whispered still fixated on his eyes, his dark brown eyes. He must be the other brother, he looks too chaotic to be the other one she thought. "Name's Jerome Valeska," he said while popping his collar and taking Lorilee's hand, "you must be the lovely Lorilee Rafferty, I heard you're performing tonight. I'll be sure to get a front-row seat" he muttered while planting a kiss on her hand.