Smile [Joker Reader x RWBY]

ALT: A Bad Day

A/N: I couldn't help but wonder what if Y/N didn't jump and instead stayed and figured it'd be an interesting alternative ending. Everything will remain the same until after Ruby's line so read the canon chapter first.

Ruby: "Please! Everyone can change Y/N! You can still be a good person, if you just tried!"

Ruby tried to plead with you again, saying you could change and become a good person if you tried and that's when you begun to break down and sob, falling to your knees and feeling Ruby wrap her arms around you, a gesture you returned, holding onto her tightly. You soon hear the rest of team RWBY and even JNPR showed up panting. You ignore them as you just keep sobbing into Ruby's shoulder, not even bothering to react to Yang guiding the two of you away the edge, some tears of her own falling as she did so. 

You're unsure how long you simply sobbed holding onto Ruby with various people either giving you hugs or pats on the back but you didn't care. You just so desperately wanted to be a good person, to help people, to make them laugh and here you were... So close to simply jumping and ending everything, leaving everyone unhappy just when someone started to care about you. At least this way... This way you can face justice for the death of Flare. You knew you couldn't possibly hope to make up for it, nor could you believe you can become a good person but you couldn't hurt Ruby. You just couldn't bring yourself to rip apart the only connection you had with someone after so long and so you simply begun to sob when she told you that you could be a good person. If she had some faith you could be a good person somehow, then you had to try. Even if it was impossible. 

Eventually Ozpin begun to approach the 11 student group, you could only look up to him and he gave you a soft smile as he knelt in front of you and Ruby. You gave him a soft smile of your as tears threaten to fall once more. You had nearly forgotten all the things Ozpin did for you... He was the closest thing to a father figure you had and he took a risk bringing you here, yet you were so dangerously close to leaving him. Ozpin sighed as his smile faded and he took off his glasses, his eyes closed before he looked to you once more. 

Ozpin: "I'm sorry Y/N. I'm sorry for leaving you and letting things get this bad."

He simply told you and that's when you begun to cry again, you didn't want to hear those words, not from him. He did so much, he gave you a home, a new beginning and the closest thing to an actual family you could ask for. To hear him try and blame himself only made your heart ache. You were the only one to blame, you didn't have the spine, you were too... You weren't stable. You needed serious help and you didn't know how to get it. You were so lost. Ozpin only wrapped his arms around you and you begun crying again while Ruby backed up to give you two space. 

-------------------

Once everything was said and done, you were sentenced to be confined within a psychiatric facility called Arkham Asylum until you were cleared by the doctors and it has been a year since that day. Team RWBY, JNPR and even Aero and Azura came by often, filling you in on what has been going on and what they were doing while making sure you were okay. You were still plagued with self doubt and unable to think of yourself being capable of being a good person but you were doing your best for them, you still wanted to make everyone happy and not to spend time worrying about you. 

Ozpin and even Dr. Oobleck came to check in on you when they could find the time, which was rare, especially for Ozpin but they did check in and make sure you were doing fine while giving you some work so you can keep up with the rest of your team. It was nice to know, you could still become a huntsman even after everything and while you didn't feel like you deserved it, the reassurance from everyone was all you needed to keep going down on this track. 

You were grateful for everyone to have struck by your side even after everything. Ruby was so eager to hear from you, it was practically every day she sent you a letter telling you about the day. Weiss was an unexpected aid, she had managed to use some of her wealth to get you a good defense for the legal troubles that came from Flare's death. It was ruled a tragic accident and you were deemed not fit to stand trial due to insanity, which lead you here. Blake had been kind and supportive, you two had formed a shared interest in books, something that helped keep you simulated during the down times from therapies and treatments. Yang... Things were still awkward. She was so scared, she didn't know what to do with herself, she blamed herself and you blamed her as well. But you two were working on it, talking about it, discussing it and she even got herself some therapy. You were happy for her.

JNPR were the true unexpected friends, they seemed to blame themselves for such small, petty things and you reassured them it was okay. Jaune especially took it pretty badly but you stepping in or not wouldn't have changed anything, Cardin had his sights on you from day 1 and would've got around to bullying you anyways. Pyrrha, you honestly didn't even blame in the slightest, if anything you assumed you made it sound like you were a fanboy or something so you sought to distant yourself out of respect. Ren and Nora, those you can't even fully recall, Ren wished he could've seen the signs but you hid them well, none of the teachers suspected anything and it was their job to notice so you didn't blame him and Nora wanted to apologize about a workout thing. That one was actually a complete blank for you, you don't remember if you ever asked her or if she ever laughed you out of the room but it wasn't the worst thing anyone would've done so you forgave her for it anyways.

Things with Aero and Azula were... Strange for a while. There was fighting, arguments, blame on both sides but one thing that was underlying was the care between you all. Azula and Aero were just scared of what you could've done, what you nearly done, how you were acting and you didn't blame them. You... You weren't in the best space when that fight broke out, Flare just did what he thought was best and hell, maybe it would've been best. You were so excited to see them both hurt on the ground, you were riding a high when he tried to attack you. You.... You wish you could say you wouldn't have hurt them but that feeling was the same one you felt when you were choking Cardin. The same one that had to be stopped by Ruby. But now that you both understood why things happened, you slowly were fixing things up, the hole left by Flare would never be fixed but... You guys were making a new normal. One that won't ever be the same as before and you would never forget your time with the big man, but after so long, you were slowly coming to grips with it.

You wished you could've changed things. There was so much you wish you had changed. All it would've taken was just a few words, few explanations and so much could've changed. But you were stuck with this, you had to come to terms with it. Things could be better but you were slowly recovering, you were getting better, you knew that once you were cleared, life could resume and be better that ever. RWBY, JNPR, Aero and Azula... They would be there every step of the way, they'd watch out for you and keep you on the straight and narrow. You'd be happy. 

You could finally smile.