Divination (Joker x Batman x OC)

Chapter 180

"Doc is gone for the day," the Joker said to Adriana as he pulled a ginger ale from the vending machine.

"I was actually here to see you," she said to him.

He pulled the tab on his drink, popping it open.

"I thought that since you're leaving in a couple of days," she said as he began to drink . " I thought that maybe we could talk? Last night it seems like you had a lot that you needed to say to me... And I had to rush off."

"I said what I needed to," he said to her.

"Okay then," she said. "You said everything you needed to say, but was there anything you wanted to say?"

He looked at her, saying nothing and holding his drink.

"Listen," she said. " In less than three days you'll be leaving the country permanently. I think it would be best for both of us if we just got everything out in the open so we won't...I don't know. Leave loose ends?"

"I am actually a good cook," he said.

Adriana crossed her arms wondering where he was going with this.

"Oh?" she asked.

"Oh yes," he said.
 
" Is this about when I said you can't cook? You told me that you know how to make eggs. But, you can't just scramble eggs in a pan with no butter. That's just dry," Adriana said. " And impossible to clean from the pan afterwards."

"I can make other things," he said.

" I know what you can make," she reminded him. "You make delicious paninis. But, you can't live on only panini sandwiches and raw eggs cracked into a glass like you did before. Variety is very important for nutrition reasons."

"Seems like you have a lot to say," he said to her.

"So do you," she said, almost laughing. " Anything else I've said that's offended you?"

"Sure," he said. "Perhaps not something that you said explicitly."

Adriana uncrossed her arms. "What did I do?"

"You fear me," he said. 

"Why would you think something like that? I'm not afraid of you at all," she told him.

"Perhaps not with regard to your own well-being," he said and took another drink.

"Whose then? Bruce's? You think that's why I've been trying my best to prevent him from coming down here? Because I think you would hurt him?" she asked. "Actually, I'm more afraid of what he could do to you if you found out that you were here."

"Not Bruce Wayne," the Joker said, almost under his breath.

" Then-" Adriana started to say but then she realized who he was talking about.

She was quiet for a few moments.

"Off to the gym I go," the Joker said and tossed his empty can into the recycling bin.

" Wait," Adriana stopped him by grabbing his arm. "Jack...that wasn't about fear."

She swallowed before continuing.

"I just... I thought that.." she said.

The Joker looked at her, waiting for her to finish her thought.

"You're leaving," she said. " I never brought him here because... You're leaving. You're leaving and you can never come back. It's not safe for you here. If anything ever happened, if you ever happened to have a run-in with the police and if they needed run your prints... It would be over. Your life would be over and I don't think they would find you not guilty by reason of insanity after all of this. They'll think you orchestrated this whole thing, faking your own death, changing your appearance."

She was still gripping his forearm. He waited again for her to say more.

" It wouldn't make sense for me to bring him here... I mean why would you want to see a child you would never know? That you would only see a few times and never see again? I just assumed that... you wouldn't want to."

The Joker gently peeled her fingers off of his arm one by one.

"Perhaps in the future, if you ever find yourself in the situation again," he said. "Ask instead of assuming."

He walked away and out of the door and turn left, on his way to the gym.

Adriana felt frozen in place, dumbfounded for a few moments. She wanted to go after him, ask him what he meant. Did he want to see Arsenio? Suddenly, she felt like a horrible person. She had made such a monumental mistake.