Cruel (A Joker Story) [UNDER REVISION]

9: Conflict [Revised]

When I arrived home I put my new clothing away, scared by the fragility of the dresser I had placed them in. They creaked and groaned as I moved the drawers in and out, but I made peace with the fact by telling myself I'd buy a new dresser come next paycheck if it were to collapse on me. Thankfully, I could afford to do so now.

I had $5,000 left after buying a phone. Certainly more than enough for some new furniture, but I didn't want to indulge too quickly after having not a single penny to my name. I wanted to clutch this money close, because as comfortable as I was starting to feel in this job, anything could change my circumstances, and I could be back to where I had started.

I left my bedroom and entered Morphine General. I sat on one of the chairs next to one of the beds. I wondered how Joker felt about my desire to kill Shaun. Would he get upset if I found Shaun and just killed him before getting his permission? I wasn't sure, but I knew I was more scared of the Joker than determined to kill Shaun. I wouldn't ask him these questions yet. If I'd been unable to face him after the moment we shared, I certainly wasn't ready to talk about my ex-lover.

I crossed my legs and folded my arms under my chest. I was wearing my signature outfit again, waiting for a patient to walk in. It was about time for someone to come in. Even when the henchmen didn't have missions, they found a way to injure themselves. Most of the time it was because they pissed off The Joker, or simply crossed his path while he was in a particular mood. A henchman ran through the open door, and I recognized it to be Will. I straightened my posture and watched his movement. He was angry and pacing. Before I could even greet him, he spoke. "Okay, so, Shaun is kind of an asshole," he growled. I raised my eyebrow.

"What?" I questioned, he stopped pacing to whip around to look at me.

"Shaun doesn't think you have the guts to kill him, but as a precaution, he's trying to become buddy buddy with Joker. He's involved with Dii, now, too, apparently! Probably trying to make a statement towards you, or make you jealous or something."

"I'm more concerned of him getting close to The Joker. I don't care about who Shaun involves himself with." I shrugged, then leaned forward and groaned at the thought of my ex boyfriend and my boss becoming best friends. Why did it have to be so complicated? I rubbed my neck.

Will's eyes flashed to my neck quickly, his expression turned from concerned, to shocked. "Woah, what's that?" he questioned, I turned to look at him.

"What?" I questioned.

"On your neck. . ." he got closer to me, examining my neck.He gasped, then grinned. "Oh, man. Did someone get lucky?" 

I felt my cheeks burn, my heart quickening its pace as I stared at him with eyes as large as saucers. "N-no, I uh. . . " I groaned, realizing there was no way out of this one. He was unconvinced by my lies. "Okay, fine," I spoke timidly, I kept my eyes down.

"No shame in that," he chuckled. "Shaun's gonna flip when he sees that. So, who's the fella?" He winked.

"Someone I can't speak of yet," I laughed. "It was just a one-night stand." I tried to wave it off like no big deal, and thankfully Will was satisfied with this response. 

"Well, good for you," Will spoke, he turned to look outside of Morphine General. "Joker is in the meeting room with Shaun, you should go in and talk to Joker or something, try to assert a relationship with Joker first."

Oops. Already have.

"Okay," I spoke sheepishly, I stood up. I did want to get Shaun away from Joker. I guess I feared Joker a bit less after having sex with him, but he still made me uneasy. He was still terrifying. "Will you walk me there?"

"Of course," Will spoke. We left my place of work and started to walk down the hallway that led to the meeting room. Joker was sitting on the podium on his chair, Dii and Laa had already left, and it really was just Shaun and Joker. Shaun had taken Dii's chair as they spoke to each other. Shaun always was the type of guy able to cozy up with people and befriend them. They looked as if they were discussing plans for a heist, but I wasn't sure. I was never in the room when these matters were discussed. I was always there for the aftermath.

Will nodded goodbye at me silently as he walked away, and I was about to turn to look at Joker and Shaun to make my presence known, but Shaun had beaten me to it.

"Oh, Lucy, there you are," he spoke. I turned to look at the both of them, I walked up to their little podium and climbed up the three stairs. I sat down in Laa's chair, and looked at the Joker with confused eyes before I looked at Shaun. "I was just telling Joker an old story about us."

My face wrinkled in disgust. "Why would he want to know that?" I questioned, turning to look at Joker. "All of our memories ended in violence."

Joker was grinning, he turned to look at me. "Well, he had an interesting argument on why you shouldn't be allowed to kill him. I'm considering letting him live." 

My jaw dropped.

"Oh, my god look at your neck," Shaun spoke. "Who are you involved with?" he growled possessively, it caused a shudder to run through my spine as he angrily spat his words at me. I stood up from the chair now. "Was it that guy who brought you in here?"

"No," I spoke sharply. "Regardless, it doesn't concern you who I've been with, but for your information, he was way better than you've ever been, even on your best days."

I could see the smug smirk on Joker's face out of the corner of my eye, as he sat in the middle of Shaun and I like a quiet referee.

Shaun shook his head, glaring at me. He stood up. "What's mine, stays mine. Remember what I'm capable of, Lucy." He stood up. "And if I can't have you. . . No one can." He stormed off.

I gave up my whole life for him. My family, my friends, any chances of having a good life. He abandoned me in the wake of his destruction to pick myself up back together again, and now here he was, threatening me, trying to hold power over me as if he'd never left me. 

There was no taking him back. There was no being civil. There was only heartbreak and sadness here, in our disheveled connection. He was no longer allowed that side of me, he was no longer allowed to make me feel the vulnerable way he had. He ruined my life. He destroyed any hope left I had for myself. He turned me crooked.

I turned to Joker now.

"You heard the things that came out of his mouth, and you're still considering keeping him around?" I questioned. "Can't you do something?" He snickered.

"Why? It's your problem, not mine," he stood up. He looked at me. "I'm not your boyfriend. You mean nothing to me." he snickered. "If you want to kill him, go ahead. But it looks like he'll beat you to it."

His words hit me like a bus. And there he was, the harsh, the cruel, Joker.