Impractical Jokers: [Joker]xReader Collection

Q x Reader - Healthy Competition

Sitting in between Brian's legs with his cat on your lap whilst he plays his video game is something you've become accustomed to the longer you spend time together. He seems content to just have you there, fingers mashing buttons and, in between levels or bathroom breaks, he'll press his lips to your head or your cheek or your neck and then begin playing again. It's enough for you - it always has been. After all, you like video games too.

It has been a little over two and a half hours of gaming when Q slowly puts the controller down and stares blankly ahead of him. The halt in button-mashing grabs your attention, makes you avert your gaze from the sleeping Benjamin in your lap and look up at him with those large [E/C] eyes of yours.

"...Q?" You dare to ask, shifting in his lap. He barely registers your speech, just looks down with solitary quietness that makes you worry. Because, for somebody who has overcome so much, he's an upbeat guy; never wears a frown for too long. "...are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah-- I'm good. Just..."

The sentence lingers in the air before dissipating into nothingness. Eyes squeeze shut for a moment in apology before you move the napping cat from your legs - causing him to wake up and mewl with discomfort - and place him on the ground. Your body is turning to look at the man before you can even consider what you're doing.

"Just what?"

For a moment, Brian remains quiet. "...I just... think I should be doing something, you know? Playing video games day in and day out... it's fun but where's the time going...?"

Thoughts mesh together in your head, leave you curious as you consider the Joker's train of thought. Doesn't he realise that he already does so much more with his life than most people ever will? He makes people laugh, makes them happy-- and hell, he makes you happy. Without the once-irritating bashing of buttons the apartment you share feels empty, resembles a graveyard with souls long-gone. It isn't right.

"Brian," you say, a hand moving to press against his cheek. The man blinks at the touch, as if it still surprises him, before he relaxes into it and looks down at you with large, overtly sad, brown eyes. A weak smile appears on his face though effort strains the corners of it, the creases under his eyes signifying that it isn't a real one. "If you're having fun then it's time well-spent."

The male tries his damnedest to look convinced.

"Q, it's fine - you already do so much with your life. Making other people happy and being with your lifelong friends-- a moment is never wasted."

The Joker bites his lower lip, thinks about your words. Does he really make that much of a difference? Before he can consider anything more, his lips are captured in a sweet kiss as you re-adjust on his lap and delve your fingers through his thick, dark hair. The attention you grant him, all tongue and soft strokes with the pads of your fingers as his beard lightly scratches your chin , is enough to make the man weak, mind forgetting time and hands mapping out your body once more. That's something he'll never forget.

The hands on the side of his face travel, flit from his skin to his clothed shoulders and rubbing at them provocatively, as if trying to ease fabric away with the very desire to do so. His controller is shunted from beside him, knocked to the floor as you begin to kiss more deeply, hands exploring one another with intent. Q suddenly diverts from your lips, nips your neck and feels the essence of your life beneath his tongue as he sucks on your pulse point, leaving you breathless and pressing against his body with a rekindled fire in the pit of your stomach as large hands rake through your hair and tug it enough to make a tiny sound leave your throat. You want more--

--but you've always been a tease.

"Okay," you say shakily, getting up from his lap and moving away - and for a moment, Brian is worried, considers the fact that he hasn't satisfied you all too possible, but you're back to him in seconds and holding the second controller, a confident grin forming on your face as your tussled hair provokes a smile from the other. "I want to play with you."

The air is somewhat tense then, a layer of competition thickening it like paint and the steady smirk that appears on Q's face is enough to make you smirk back. It's good to see his fire, always beautiful to watch the life in his eyes light up; and it's done by such simple means because, really, Brian is a simple man and all he wants is to be happy. You grant him that, make him feel more grounded when everything takes a dreary dip into existentialism.

Q retrieves his controller, devious grin replacing his smirk as he forgets all about his worries.

"Game on."