Arthur Fleck and Joker Imagines

A voice on the line - Part 1 - Joker x Reader

Request for VeloySR595. Hope you all enjoy this first part.

Joker looked at the phone. His palms beginning to itch and sweat. It had been so long since he had called the number. Or should that be, it had been so long since Arthur had called the number. But how could he talk to her now? She, like everyone else, must know what he had become. What he had done. Yet he would give anything to hear her voice again. To hear her speak softly to him. To talk as they had once done. And what would be so bad about making just one more call? He could use an assumed name. Put on a different voice. He could ask for her, and then everything would be ok again. Well, that was if she would talk to him again.

It had all started so long ago now. Arthur had called the number originally, due to loneliness. Because of a need to hear a female voice. To receive a few loving comments. For some relief. But he had never intended that it would turn out like it did. He had never intended to fall in love with the voice on the line.

He had picked the card out from the many that littered one of the pay phones near Ha-Ha's. The card promising all sorts of things for only 95 cents for the first minute and 45 cents for each additional minute. The promise of a friendly female voice that wouldn't get scared off by the way he looked or his sometimes unusual behaviour quite welcome. A female that was admittedly being paid to be nice to him, but still.

Arthur had hesitated for so long before he had made that first call. In truth, it all seemed a little grubby. A little demeaning. But he was a man, and he had needs just like every other man. Like every other person. And at least this way he was afforded some anonymity. He could be anyone, anything. He could change his name. He could be a rich playboy. A pilot. A doctor. Anything but a clown. And what would they know? What would they care? He would get what he needed, and the woman on the other end of the line would get paid. Surly it was a win, win situation.

Joker could remember how Arthur had hesitantly picked up the receiver. How his hand had shaken as his placed his finger in the hole to dial the first number. How his heart had begun to beat rapidly in his chest as the phone began to ring. He could remember how his weak and pathetic alter ego had slammed down the phone as a voice had answered. Arthur feeling his palms sweat, as he just stared at the phone. He had known it was stupid, but to actually hear a voice had shocked him. He knew that it was obvious that someone would answer, yet his mind had just frozen when the female voice had said hello. Taking a deep breath, he had picked the receiver back up. His finger redialling the number. The clown steeling himself as the call had gone through.

"Hi honey. My name is Candy. What's yours?" A beautiful, deep and seductive voice said. Arthur finding himself sitting bolt upright, his eyes growing wide as he heard the dulcet tone.

"A-A-Arthur." Arthur stammered out. An embarrassed glow heating his cheeks as he heard a soft giggle.

"Well, hello there Arthur. Now why don't you tell me what you like........." The conversation had begun. Arthur rubbing his sweaty palm on his pant leg as he began to nervously tell the woman on the other end of the line, why he had called.

From that moment on, Arthur had found himself calling whenever he could. Thankful that his mother had no idea about the phone bill. Always asking for Candy when a woman would answer. Arthur finding himself smiling every time he would hear her voice.

Arthur had never expected the subjects of conversation between he and Candy to evolve. He had never expected the topics to change from the usual chat to something more personal. Arthur finding out that Candy's real name was in fact (Y/n), and that she hadn't wanted to take the job on the line but had had little choice. Not actually enjoying having to speak to unknown men about the most intimate of things. But in a strange way was now glad that she had, because it allowed her to talk to him. Arthur finding himself telling (Y/n) all about his life. His real life. And finding that (Y/n) was doing the same to him. In the end, the two talking like old friends whenever he would call the line. Chatting about their days, about funny things that had happened, and the absurdity of life that had allowed the two to come together.

After some time, Arthur had actually summoned up the courage to ask if he could meet (Y/n) in person. The clown more than a little shocked that she had happily agreed. Yet before that much anticipated moment, his life had taken a downward spiral. One person after another falling to the pain that had been building up inside him for years. Falling to the betrayal. Falling to the abuse and suffering that had been inflicted upon him by an uncaring society. The city only learning of the monster that it had created, when it was too late. The beast no longer kept caged. It now born. Free to roam. The new being taking the name, Joker. The metropolis burning around him as he basked in its fiery glow. The chanting of his clown mask wearing followers filling the ash laden air, as he stood triumphantly atop a police car.

And now that he was no longer Arthur. Now he was fully Joker. Could he really call her? Could he ask to speak to Candy? And if he did, would it still be (Y/n). And would she still want to know him?

Joker took a seat in the large armchair that sat next to the phone. His eyes never leaving the devise, as he wondered what to do next. Even as the Joker, he still felt alone. He was now feared. Respected by some. Loved by others. And hated by most. He had had women that had wanted to know him now. Wanted to be with him. Yet he found that he wanted something more. He wanted a woman that didn't just want him because he was Joker. He wanted a woman that had liked him when he was Arthur. A woman that had liked the virgin clown. He wanted (Y/n). He wanted to have the meeting that they had never been able to have. He wanted to see the face of the woman that made his day every time they spoke. He wanted to whisk her away from a life that had forced her to take such a job, just so that she could survive. He to make her the queen of Gotham. His queen.

With a deep breath, Joker reached forward and picked up the receiver. His hand shaking as badly as the first time that Arthur had made the call. His finger pressing into the hole and turning the dial for the first number. His heart pounding violently in his chest, as the phone began to ring.

"I'd like to speak to Candy." Joker said, as he heard a woman's voice. The phone going silent for a moment, before a familiar beautiful, deep and seductive voice said hello.

"(Y-Y-Y/n)?! Is that you?" Joker asked. The line going quiet again. The only thing the clown prince able to hear, was the nervous intake of breath down the line.

"A-A-Arthur?"