If You Just Listened // Arthur Fleck x Reader // SLOWBURN

Chapter 6 - Silly Clown.

    You picked up the small container from your vanity, squinting at the label on it. You put this stuff on your face nearly every other day, but you didn't even know what was in it! Maybe it was important. It would be worth knowing, it was your face it would affect after all. What if there were harmful chemicals in it? What about toxins? It was time to be educated. You cleared your throat, focusing in on the ingredient list.

    "Ethano....ethano-lay-meen? Ethano-la...Ethanolamine?"

    You suddenly remembered you weren't a chemist. You were barely able to pronounce that chemical, and you were much less knowledgeable on what it actually did.

    'Well that was hardly helpful.'

    You shrugged and twisted the top off the container, scooping a generous amount of clay on to your fingers. You leaned on your vanity, watching your face in the mirror closely as you did your best to evenly distribute it on your skin.

    You woke up early this morning (for once), giving yourself a couple free hours before work. And you intended on using those hours to pamper yourself. Your hair was wrapped neatly in a towel around your head, and you had your softest robe on. The radio was tuned to your favorite station, you had a pot of tea heating up on the stove, and you had some toast and jam waiting for you on your kitchen table. You sighed in contentment, when a devious thought popped into your mind...

The only thing that would make this morning even better was a little cigarette.

    You grinned. You made sure to only smoke when you really felt like you deserved it. And you did. Hell, your feet were completely calloused from standing for hours in heels at Pogo's. One cigarette wouldn't hurt.
    You rubbed your hands together in excitement and skittered over to your purse, digging out the box of Marlboros and accompanying lighter.
    'Voila!'

    However, there was one problem - you didn't want the smell of cigarettes stinking up your place. And judging by your current outfit, you weren't exactly ready to go for a walk.

    'Hm... Ah!'
    You had a brilliant idea. You made your way to the only window in your apartment and quickly pushed it open, the cold air whipping your skin. You shuddered at the dramatic temperature change, pondering for a moment if smoking on your fire escape balcony was a good plan.

'Ah, fuck it.'

    You grabbed the window frame, carefully pushing yourself through it. First, your head. Then, your shoulders. So far, so good. You just needed to reach out to the balcony railing to give yourself some leverage and all would be well...

    Unfortunately, you forgot to clean the facial mask off your other hand. As you reached out, your grip slipped. Your eyes widened, you were barely able to make a sound. Your arms flailed wildy, trying to get a grip somewhere, but finding nothing.

    You braced for impact as you fell out of the window, your body hitting the balcony floor with a loud, metallic CLANG! You groaned, rolling on to your side in pain. Your cigarette rolled out of your hand, and fell through the steel grating under you.

    'Well, looks like the good luck train has left. Back to reality.'

    You winced as you pushed yourself up, not realizing how much damage that tumble had done.
There was a shuffling from the balcony beneath yours, your drop clearly startling whoever was there. You looked down to find an alarmed Arthur looking back up at you.

    "Good morning, neighbor," you heaved as you struggled to pull yourself up.
    Arthur quickly made his way up the steel steps, wasting no time. He knelt down beside you as soon as he reached you, taking your arms and helping you up despite your protest.
    "Arthur, please. Thank you, but I'm fine. Really," you assured.
    He looked you up and down, scanning you for injuries.
"You're bleeding," he said in the most serious tone you've ever heard him speak in. He pulled his way through your window hastily, and turned to you. He held his arms out, ready to help you in.
    "Bleeding? This is ridiculous. I'm not bleeding. I just fell." Arthur looked past you, and stared at the balcony railing. You looked at him in confusion, before seeing what he was looking at - a small area of grating was red with blood.
    "What... I didn't even... How did..." you stammered, before feeling something drip down the side of your neck. Your hand instinctively went up, trying to find the source. You winced, feeling a sizeable gash in your scalp. You realized you must have sliced it on the railing during your descent.
    "Come," Arthur directed, reaching his arms out even more. You nodded, hanging on to him as he pulled you inside.