deal with the devil! | JOKER X READER

CHAPTER 3: lavish living.

   Joker placed a hand on the small of your back and began to lead you up the driveway. Something about his hand placement made you shiver. And, by the smug smile that spread across his face and how his hand slowly slid further down your back, he noticed.

   Once you all reached the door, Frost reached into his suit's pocket and pulled out a singular, silver key. You noticed it was in the shape of a J. He unlocked the door, opened it, and stepped aside for everyone. "Welcome home, (Y/N)," he said with a friendly smile. Clearly, he had already taken to the idea of you joining him on Joker's crazy journey.

With a grateful nod, you stepped inside, gasping quietly at the majesty of the place. It looked like something out of a movie. There were two staircases on either side of the room, both leading to the second floor. That design was definitely redundant, but classy all the same. The railings were made of elegant, polished wood, and the steps were marble. In between the two staircases was a grand piano, which surprised you. You didn't take Joker for the musical type. He probably wasn't; he just wanted to look fancy.

You looked to the right, and there laid a gorgeous living room. A huge, flat-screen TV was affixed to the wall, and a beautiful, white couch and a few loveseats were placed on the hardwood floor. You wondered if Joker had to replace those a time or twenty with all the blood that was likely spilt here. A singular lamp provided the room with its only source of light, a delicate golden glow.

   Beyond the staircases, you could see a large kitchen. Several men were running about, probably fixing a meal for Joker and his grunts. It didn't seem outlandish for him to want a warm meal when he got home. And by the scowl that made its way onto Joker's red lips, that meal should have been ready by now, but wasn't.

   Eager to explore the lower level of the mansion, you looked at Joker, knowing that he would guide you. You didn't want to interfere with the usual business of the home, or step in areas that you weren't supposed to be in. You were the new kid on the block; strutting around the place like you owned it would not gain you much favor with the green-haired villain who was now your ally.

Instead of leading you toward the kitchen and the rooms behind, Joker gently guided you toward the left staircase. "Your room is on the third floor. After going up these stairs, walk straight until you see the next staircase. Then, it'll be the first door on the left."

You turned to face him, blinking. You had always been a little slow with verbal instructions; it took you an embarrassing amount of time to piece together what he was saying, and for it to really stick in your mind.

He noticed your mental buffering and grinned. "Oh, doll, if you can't handle finding your room, how do you expect to hold up on a mission?"

"Well, hopefully, we'll have a game plan beforehand. So, if that's the case, I should do just fine," you said back, a little nervous that he could consider your response talking back.

But, he just kept grinning. Something in his eyes, however, shifted. You couldn't tell if it was a good or bad shift. You figured the latter as he crept up behind you.

"Criminals must think on their feet," he whispered in your ear, causing a shiver to run down your spine. "You'll have to adapt to last-minute instructions all the time. Will that be a problem, Miss. (Y/N)?"

You shook your head, your throat dry. "No. I can handle it."

"Very good. Then, I trust you'll find your room just fine." His lips were so close to your ear that they were practically brushing against it. Your shuddering was almost constant at the close proximity; something about him made you so unbelievably intimidated, and so unbelievably flustered.