Jerome Valeska x Reader x Jeremiah Valeska : Psychotic

Chapter 12

Your POV:

The night wasn't kind to me with all the nightmares that plagued my mind. Before going to sleep I had made sure to lock all the doors and windows. Too much has happened to me in such little time for me not to take these precautions. Jonathon left, Fish is gone, and Jerome turned out to be a crazed murderer.

The next morning when I went downstairs I found out that Oswald was gone but he left a note on the fridge with a sincere apology. He felt bad for what he told me about Fish in his drunken state and he needed to leave to meet up with Jim. I roll my eyes when I see the detective's name, he did protect me from Jerome but he's still part of the GCPD at the end of the day.

I make myself some breakfast as I try to figure out what my next move is. The house is empty and I'm at a low paying job. My life is going great.

-

It's been a couple of weeks of peace but without Fish here I wasn't so sure if this place was safe. On top of that I had to be on the lookout for any of her enemies who may still hold a hatred towards her. She certainly wasn't the neighborhood sweetheart.

I needed to leave soon to somewhere safer, free from the darkness that drowns this city. But I couldn't afford to leave Gotham with my wage at the coffee shop. With how cheap my boss is I'm surprised he even pays me. I can't even ask Oswald for help since he has been coming less and less to visit me, he always seems tense. He mentioned Jim Gordon but I don't know why they even have a reason to talk. He calls him a friend so I guess Jim is another crooked cop.

I get an idea as I look for the safe in the back of my closet. I quickly enter the combination before I'm greeted with stacks of green. Here is where I store away the money I make from working at the coffee shop. I had hoped to use this money for when I moved into a place for Jonathon and me. I stare down at my hands which are gripping the paper stacks in concentration. I could afford to move but not far yet. I let out a heavy sigh as I go over my next steps.

Fish isn't here so right now would be a perfect time to move out. She had raised me to become next in line as a mob boss and wouldn't accept no as an answer. If I leave before she comes back, she wouldn't be able to track me down. If I was no longer under her control, she couldn't force me to be part of her life of crime. Her bodyguards aren't here either which is perfect. Now I just need to disable the security system so the cameras she had installed don't catch me on film. A smile grows on my face when I realize I have found the solution to all of my problems.

-

It had taken a couple of weeks of searching to find the perfect apartment. I needed a place that was closer to my job and that had a low profile. I also needed to be able to afford it obviously. I took advantage of the secrecy that the night offered to move out my stuff without Oswald knowing. It's not like he stops by anymore. His absence hurt me but I needed to focus on myself right now. If he wanted to make alliances with Jim Gordon I wouldn't stand in his way but I wasn't going to be that detective's friend by default.

Tonight was another long shift of taking people's orders and the occasional obnoxious customer who wanted free food at my expense. As I trudge down the long streets of Gotham I stop in front of a light blue dingy old building. I enter the lobby and get into the elevator. I punch in my floor and let the static of the contraption calm down my tired body. Today I felt more exhausted than usual for some reason. A single ding indicates that I've arrived at my stop. I step into the long hallway and make my way to my unit.

This has become my daily routine. I made sure not to make rash expenses in order to save money. That meant living in a rundown apartment that overlooked the dirty streets of Gotham. It's not that bad, at least now I'm free.