Arthur Fleck and Joker Imagines

Nothing between us but the night - Part 3

"Thank you." (Y/n) whispered, as her hand moved up to rub the reddened skin around her neck.

"I can only imagine what would have happened if you hadn't been there." (Y/n) continued, as she desperately tried swallow the lump that had formed in her dry throat.

Arthur stood next to the door, feeling like a startled rabbit in the headlights of an oncoming juggernaut. Despite her thanks, would she phone the cops? He had been watching her, following her. He couldn't blame her if she was as scared of him, as she had been of the thugs on the street.

"Could you..........could you get me a glass of water, please. The kitchen is just through there." (Y/n) croaked, as she pointed in the direction of the kitchen, carefully making herself more comfortable on the sofa.

Arthur hesitated. Part of him wanted to bolt, to run into the night never to return. But the other part of him couldn't help but do as she asked. She had already been through so much, who was he to deny her such a simple request.

"What's your name?" (Y/n) asked, a small smile pulling at her lips as Arthur passed her a glass. (Y/n) sighing happily as she took a drink of the water. The cold liquid soothing her aching throat.

"A-A-Arthur. Arthur Fleck." Arthur replied, almost apologetically. As he cautiously took a seat across from his ballerina, not sure what else to do.

"Arthur? Hmmmmmmm. I like it. It sort of suits you. Though I must admit that when I thought about you, Arthur was not the first name I would have come up with. Although I suppose that the way you acted tonight, was sort of like you being my knight in shining armour. Maybe like King Arthur of Camelot. Anyway, its very nice to finally meet you Arthur. My name is (Y/n)." (Y/n) said, as she held out her hand, waiting for the obviously nervous man to shake it.

"You........you have thought about me? Why would you......why would you do that?" Arthur asked, as he finally took (Y/n)'s hand and held it gently.

"Well, to be honest, I've noticed you watching me for a long time now. You aren't all that good at hiding you know. I know most people would be a little creeped out by having someone watch them. But I suppose that I'm a bit weird, and I sort of found it.......well, found it nice that someone would be so interested in me. Sort of found it comforting. I started making up stories about you in my own mind, things like you being a secret agent, or a time traveller, that had come to watch over me. Protect me. I actually started hoping that you would be there, that you would always be there. It's like the highlight of my day when I see your tan coat hiding in the shadows. I know that that sounds crazy. God knows I should probably be locked up in Arkham, but, well, I suppose that I am just a little lonely, and you made me feel like I wasn't the only lost soul in Gotham. That something greater was watching over me. Stupid huh?" (Y/n) admitted, as Arthur stared at her in disbelief.

She had noticed him, yet she wasn't scared. She liked him being there, found his presence comforting. Arthur couldn't believe his ears. Anyone else would have probably called the cops, got him dragged away and locked up. But instead, she had thought about him, made up stories in her own mind about him, just like he did with her. Arthur himself had given his beauteous dancer a name, created a whole world for her in which he had played a major part, the hero to his ballerina's heroine. Most of his days were terrible, but as he had watched her dance, as he had thought about her at night, all the terrible things seemed to vanish, and he became the male protagonist in his very own love story. A love story that up until now he had always believed would forever remain just in his head.

"I'm afraid I might be a little boring in real life." Arthur began, finally plucking up enough courage to properly speak.

"I'm not a secret agent, or a time traveller, unfortunately. Just plain old boring Arthur Fleck from Gotham. I........well I work as a clown doing kids parties, and spinning signs for businesses, that kind of thing. I want to be a stand-up comedian, but I haven't had much luck yet." Arthur confessed, having a terrible feeling that he had disappointed the woman that he would give anything to impress.