Joker and his Ace

No regrets

Joker woke up and stared at the ceiling. His mind was fuzzy, and he no recollection of the past few hours. He got up and felt something sticky on his sheets. Glancing down, he was unsurprised to see dark blood, whose he didn't know. He stretched and shuffled towards the bathroom, smelling like a bar. He slid out of his clothes and into the shower, where he scrubbed the blood and paint off of his body. When he was finished, he took and towel and dried off his dripping hair. He surveyed himself in the mirror, he muscular body was pale and scarred from all of the close calls he had in the past couple of years. His broad chest was followed by a slight six-pack, and his torso tapered off into narrow hips. His face wasn't the worst thing on his body, but it was still gruesome. He turned away from the mirror and slipped into another one of his suits. 

He left his room and headed for the kitchen, his stomach rumbling. Humming, he made himself some eggs, and after considering it for a second, made some for Essie too. He piled them onto two plates and made his way to her room. When he pushed open the door, he saw her figured sprawled across the bed, apparently sleeping. Smiling, he set the eggs by her and sat down waiting for her to wake up. After a couple of minutes, she turned over and Joker's heart stopped beating in his chest. What have I done? he thought in horror, taking in the damage to her beautiful face. Two wide cuts ran from each corner of her mouth, matching the ugly set he himself possessed. 

He leaned over and traced the sutures lightly with his fingertips, and she woke up. Seeing him, she scrambled to the far corner of her bed, shaking with fear. He cocked his head at her and laughed at the panicked look on her face. Shaking his head, he pushed forward the steaming plate of eggs.

"I know you're not gonna believe me, but I'm sorry. I don't feel any regret, because now there's someone out there, scared, like me! Actually, they suit you," said Joker. "Wanna know how I got mine?" he asked her. She shook her head, and tentatively opened her mouth, wincing at the pain. She carefully put in some eggs and chewed them slowly. Joker watched her all the while, never taking his eyes off of her. Somehow, in his sick, twisted mind, the scars actually made her more appealing. She glanced at him before putting some more eggs in her mouth. Joker sighed. "You are beautiful, you know, we could do such great things together, imagine, the Joker and his girl, crime lords of Gotham! You'd be like Harley, though hopefully less annoying." She looked at him and considered her options. Maybe I can go along with this, and when the time is right, escape she thought to herself. She, moving her mouth as little as possible, responded.

"Would I be your equal?" Joker looked up, surprised she even wanted to even consider it. He started to think of what it would look like, the two of them together ruling over Gotham. 

"Hmm doll, that depends on whether or not you cooperate with me!" he replied. She stared down at her eggs, then nodded her head. 

"I'll do it," she said. "But I don't want to be a prisoner anymore. I want to be like Harley, just like you said." Joker shook as he laughed.

"Trust me when I say you do not want to be like that little whore." He shook his head at her, "Once you gain my trust, and prove your undying loyalty to me, I'll consider it. But you have to listen to anything and everything I say, no matter what it is." he said, getting excited at the prospect of a replacement for Harley. She slowly nodded her head. "Let's seal the deal with a kiss, whadda ya say?" Said Joker, he leaned in and touched his lips to hers, their scars lining up. He felt a small flutter in his stomach, which made him feel weird, and he pulled away. She looked at him with those beautiful eyes, and she stared right back into his green ones. She smiled, the best she could, and kissed him again. She didn't know what came over her, but she couldn't help but put her bloody lips right back on her tormenters. He was surprised but kissed her back. 

Harley Quinn chose that exact moment to walk in. She saw them lip-locked and pouted putting her hands on her hips. 

"Puddin? What are you doin with this little slut?" She asked. Joker turned and glared at her, while Essie backed up into the corner again, blushing. Harley took everything in, the plates, the scars, the closeness of them. She was jealous to say in the least. Hmm, puddin never brought me any eggs! What's she got that I don't!? She thought. Joker continued to glare at her, and when it became obvious she wasn't leaving, he sighed at got up, motioning for her to go outside. She followed him and stuck her tongue out at the girl cowering on the bed.

Once they were out of range, Joker turned around and slapped Harley across the face, hard enough to knock her off her feet. She got up, looking back at him with hurt eyes. Unlike Essie, her eyes did nothing to Joker and he ignored her. 

"Sorry Harls, you've been replaced. She's more beautiful, more talented, less annoying. She's gonna accomplish things you never even dreamed of." he said to her. Still rubbing her cheek she glared at his shoulders.

"I've been here for so long! I've never left your side! I AM YOU MOST-" she was cut off by a knife flashing through the air, slicing into her shoulder, making her whimper with pain. 

"DON'T YOU DARE YELL AT ME HARLEY!" he roared in her face. She smacked him, and he grabbed her by the neck, cutting off her air supply. She struggled against him, cursing at him, until she had no more breath, or fight in her, and became limp. He let her fall to the ground and rubbed his stinging cheek. Grabbing her by the hair, he pulled her towards one of his cars and shoved her in the back. TIme to get rid of her once and for all he thought to himself. He put the car into drive and pulling out. He sped down to Arkham and left her tied up at the gates. He made his way home, happy to finally have gotten rid of the bitch. This was a start of a new era in Gotham, one which he'd rule with Essie by his side.