Arthur Fleck and Joker Imagines

Mermaid - Part 6

Arthur couldn't help but smile as (Y/n) sat next to him in the cab, her nose pressed firmly up against the window as she stared out in disbelief at the twinkling lights of the city.

It had taken him some time to actually talk the mermaid into entering the cab, the confused creature having no desire, as she said, to be locked inside a metal box; but as Arthur had managed to describe what it was, and how it was the best way to get the pair back to his apartment, (Y/n) had reluctantly agreed to follow him into the automobile.

Now she was transfixed by not only the cab but also the glittering lights, and the throng of people that still milled around the safer parts of the city. Every few moments, (Y/n) would excitedly grab Arthur's hand, showing him something else that she had just spied, the everyday items that he took for granted taking on a new magical life as (Y/n) tried to describe what she saw through her eyes.

It had taken Arthur quite a while to find a cab, especially in that part of the city, and as he had carried (Y/n) to the waiting car, he couldn't help but notice that the driver was taking more than a normal interest in (Y/n) as Arthur had finally placed her in the back seat, and that that interest hadn't wavered since they had set off.

Since he had met her, Arthur had done his best to read all he could find about mermaids, confusingly finding all sorts of conflicting information about the maids of the sea. Some myths said that they were portents of bad luck, even evil. Beautiful creatures that would lure unsuspecting sailors in with their song or their exquisite countenance. Other myths told of mermaids as creatures that would help those that found themselves lost at sea, that they nursed the people that they rescued back to health, often falling in love with those that they had saved. But no matter what the myth may be, Arthur found that one thing seemed to be true throughout, and that was that mermaids had a power over the male of the human species. And as the driver continued to stare at (Y/n) through the rear view mirror, Arthur couldn't help but believe that that was true.

"Hey, pal." The driver called out from the front seat.

"Where did you find her?" The man continued as he quickly looked around, watching as (Y/n) carried on looking out of the window, seemingly to taken up with her wonder to hear anything that the large man driving the cab was saying.

Arthur wasn't sure whether to immediately jump to (Y/n)'s defence, the nervous men sensing that the drivers question had some kind of lurid subtext to it, or whether he should feel a sense of pride that a woman as beautiful as (Y/n) was accompanying him to his apartment. But before he could reply, (Y/n) suddenly chipped into the conversation.

"I'm a mermaid. Arthur found me in the river." (Y/n) declared matter of factly as she turned her attention from the outside world to the man in the front seat, Arthur taken aback at her truthful statement. For a moment, Arthur feared the worst, believing that at any moment the authorities would swoop down on the pair and take (Y/n) away to do goodness knew what to her; but as the driver began to laugh, Arthur couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, if things like you come out of that river, maybe I should spend more time down there." The man chuckled, as he steered the cab around one last corner and pulled up outside Arthur's apartment.

Getting out of the cab, Arthur rummaged around in his pocket making sure that he found every last dime, hoping that he would have enough to pay the fare.

"Nah, don't worry about it. I've never had a mermaid in my cab before. I'll have a story to tell all the boys when I get back to the rank." The driver told Arthur, as he helped a shaky (Y/n) out of the car. The man kissing her gently on the hand before making his way back behind the wheel and speeding off into the night.

"What?.........How?............" Arthur began to ask in disbelief as (Y/n) steadied herself against him.

"Arthur. I am a mermaid. Things like me are the stuff of legend and fantasy to humans, so no one is really ever going to believe that I am one." (Y/n) chuckled as she took Arthur's arm. Arthur realising that he couldn't actually argue with her reasoning.

"Well, this is it." Arthur said hesitantly, as he and (Y/n) looked up at the old building. Arthur suddenly doubting whether having (Y/n) here was a good idea. It wasn't that he didn't want her with him, it was more that his dismal little home was not a place someone like (Y/n) belonged. She was meant for palaces and castles, for silken cushions and thrones, not an apartment building in an impoverished area of the city, and an old, shaky sofa.

"I love it, Arthur. Can I see inside?" (Y/n) asked enthusiastically, shaking him from his doubts, as she pulled on his arm forcing him inside the structure.

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If Arthur had through getting (Y/n) in the cab had been difficult, the ride up to his floor in the elevator was proving impossible. He had managed to explain that once again the metal box would be the fastest way to get where they wanted to go, but as soon as the doors had closed and the ancient mechanism had ground into life, the wires pulling the box into the air, (Y/n) had let out an ear splitting scream that Arthur could swear had shattered every piece of glass in the building. She had clung to him every inch of the ascent, begging for him to make the box stop. And despite how much he liked having (Y/n) hold onto him, he couldn't help but hope that the next time they had to leave the building, (Y/n)'s legs would be strong enough to get her up the stairs.

After persuading (Y/n) to release him from a delicate, yet vice like grip, Arthur tentatively unlocked the door to his apartment, pushing open the door as he reached his hand inside, flicking on the light to illuminate, what he saw as the full horror of his dingy little home.

Nervously he watched as (Y/n) wobbled into the room. He knew that she was going to say that it was awful, that even the bottom of the Gotham River was better than this. That she wanted to be taken back to the water, never to see him again; but as (Y/n) turned, a huge smile slowly pulling at her lips, the notion suddenly vanished from his mind.

"Oh, Arthur. It's wonderful." (Y/n) declared, as she carefully moved around the room examining every little wonder that the apartment had to offer.

There was just something so captivating about the way (Y/n) saw the world, a world that Arthur saw in varying shades of grey, but (Y/n) obviously saw in a kaleidoscope of colours, each brighter than the next. She had a curiosity that Arthur couldn't help but find infectious, a love for things that he took for granted. And as he watched her investigate his humble belongings, he couldn't help but pray to whatever god that may be listening, that this wonder would never end.