Arthur Fleck and Joker Imagines

A little shopping trip - Part 1 - Arthur x Reader

Why she had volunteered, she really didn't know. Maybe it was so that she could get five minutes peace to herself. To get away from the crowd that usually surrounded her. Perhaps it was to get away from the constant scrutiny she always felt that she was under, she didn't know. But whatever the case, as she made her way around the store, pushing a cart that was overladen with food and everything the rest of the crew had sent her for. The shopping list seeming to get longer and longer, no matter how many items she put in the cart. She was beginning to regret it slightly.

Since (Y/n) had joined the fire department, she always felt like an outsider. She was the only female firefighter in the whole city and being the first female coming into something that had always been a male dominated vocation, (Y/n) felt a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. If she did well, then other women would hopefully be able to break into the old boys' club. But if she failed, then she knew that they would all laugh. Say that they knew a woman couldn't do the job. And she could ruin any opportunity for others to follow in her footsteps. And that was something that she was not willing to let happen.

Even though the guys at the station had reluctantly begun to accept her. To trust her. She still felt like a lab rat. Something that was being used as an experiment. So as much as she was regretting volunteering and having to push the heavy ass cart around. It was at least allowing her to feel like she was normal for once.

"Yo, (Y/n)!" A voice called out from behind her. (Y/n) rolling her eyes as Dane, one of the other members of the day shift crew, that had annoyingly come on the little shopping trip with her, came up behind her. The big man dropping an armful of items into the cart, that (Y/n) was sure were all just for him.

"What's next on the list?" Dane grinned, as he draped his arm over her shoulder.

"Mickie wants some of those terrible candies that he loves so much. Trev said that we need enough pasta so that he can cook dinner for all of us. And Don wrote, chocolate. Just chocolate." (Y/n) replied, as she scrutinised the list. Making sure that everything else had been marked off.

"No problem, sweetheart. Be back in a moment." Dane told her as he ran off down one of the store aisles, looking for the rest of the provisions. (Y/n) sure that he was having far too much fun, for someone that was shopping for food.

"Oh god! I'm so sorry." (Y/n) suddenly exclaimed, as she felt her overflowing cart bump into something, or should that be someone. (Y/n) doing her best to stop everything from falling onto the floor, as she tried to get to the person that she had accidentally hit. Her eyes growing wide as she saw a man sat on the floor, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, jeez. Are you ok? I'm so sorry. I couldn't see you for the food mountain in my cart." (Y/n) apologised, as she got down on her knees next to the man.

"My name's (Y/n). I'm with the fire department. Why don't you let me have a look at you, just so I know I haven't done any permanent damage." She said, as the man finally looked up at her. (Y/n) finding herself slightly taken aback, as she saw his beautiful, yet sad eyes.

"No. I......er. I'm fine, really. I've had much worse. I'm ok." The man replied. (Y/n) not too sure as to whether he was trying to convince himself, or her.

"Look........." (Y/n) began, fishing for a name.

"A-A-Arthur."

"Arthur. I know that you are probably right. But just for my own peace of mind, why don't you let me give you the once over? I promise that I'm safe to be around as long as I'm not armed with a shopping cart." (Y/n) chuckled as she helped Arthur from the floor and sat him on the edge of the closest suitable surface. Arthur shifting nervously as the beautiful woman began to look him over.

"Are......are you a firefighter?" Arthur eventually managed to ask. A soft smile pulling at his lips as (Y/n) looked into his eyes.

"Yep. For my sins."

"I've never met a female firefighter before. I didn't know there were any." Arthur said, as (Y/n) timed his heartbeat. The firefighter finding herself smiling as the beat of Arthur's heart suddenly began to quicken.

"Well, I'm actually the only one in Gotham. Female firefighters are as rare as hen's teeth around here. And I'm also a medic. So, I have double the job. They do like to keep me busy." (Y/n) told him. A larger smile gracing her lips as she finished her examination.

(Y/n) was used to dealing with all sorts of people. All sorts of men. And she couldn't help but notice how nervous and stiff Arthur seemed to be. He felt like a bag of bones wrapped in skin. (Y/n) feeling that at any moment he would be up and bolting for the door like a timid little animal. A mouse that had just come face to face with a huge cat. Yet despite his skittish appearance, when he had smiled at her, there seemed something so sweet about him. His eyes displaying a strange kind of sadness that (Y/n) felt shouldn't be there. And she had to admit that there was something quite attractive about him. Something that she liked.

"Well, Arthur. It looks like I haven't done you any serious damage. Nothing appears to have dropped off. And there are no broken bones. So, I'd say that you were ok. But may I suggest that in future, you try and avoid women that are pushing around food mountains. I swear that I couldn't see you." (Y/n) giggled as she bent down and picked up the basket, and the few items that Arthur had been carrying. Arthur finding himself blushing slightly as (Y/n) handed it back to him.

"Oh, and one more thing." (Y/n) said, as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a pen. Tearing part of the paper from the shopping list off, before scribbling something down and handing it to Arthur. His brows furrowing as he looked down at what she had written.

"What.......what's this?" Arthur asked, as he looked between (Y/n) and the paper in his hand.

"That, Arthur, is my phone number. And don't think that you have to wait until you have a fire before you can call it. The least I can do is take you out for dinner, after mowing you down." (Y/n) replied, as Arthur stared at her in disbelief. Not sure whether this was a joke.

"Your, your number? Dinner? Me and you?" Arthur spluttered out, as (Y/n) smiled at him.

"Yes. Yes. And.....yes, to all those questions. I have to get going now, Arthur. But don't forget. Don't wait for an emergency to call me." (Y/n) told him, as she made her way back to the shopping cart. Slowly making her way down the aisle to meet up with the waiting Dane. Arthur continuing to stare as she walked away.

"Who was that?" Dane asked, as (Y/n) came up to his side. The two making their way to the cashier.

"Oh, that was Arthur. I just unexpectedly bumped into him."