I laid on my bed, listening fondly to my music. Some indie band I'd recently discovered, I think. They were quite good, but for now it was only background noise. Distraction.
I was waiting for mom to leave.
I stared at my wardrobe blandly, cautiously. I was pulled from my gaze when mom walked through my bedroom door- without even knocking- and smiled a little at me. I reached over to the CD player on my desk and turned it down a little, waiting for her to talk.
"Hey," She said quietly, almost timidly. "Uh, I've gotta go to work. I'm working a late shift so I don't think I'll be home tonight- I'm probably going to stay at a friend's or whatever."
I raised my eyebrows. Mom did work just outside of Gotham, so the drive was an hour or two. It wasn't rare that she was late, but it was rare that she decided to stay at a friend's. I glanced at my wardrobe, away from her gaze. I don't care anyway.
"Okay." I nodded, and she smiled apologetically.
"Stay safe. Keep the house clean. Love you, kiddo." She stepped over and ruffled my hair, kissing me on the forehead. I stifled a grin and she waved, walking out of my room. As she walked down the stairs, I snuck out to the corridor and watched her leave, hearing her shutting the front door with a light slam.
After I was sure she left, I ran back into my room.
"Okay, you can come out now." I said aloud, not being able to hold back the smile of excitement on my face. Sneaking around was fun in its own strange ways, and no matter who it was, it gave me this sense of stepping over the line. I was somewhat pumped with adrenaline. I felt like Juliet, having to hide the secret of Romeo. Only in a non-romantic way. And I despised the Romeo in this case.
My closet doors swung open and the Joker pushed himself out, heaving a sigh of relief. He took a moment to catch his breath and chuckled. "It's, uh, it's airtight in there."
"I told you to go under the bed, though, didn't I?" I rhetorically asked, turning my CD player off. "Besides, you came here at a bad time."
"Well how was I supposed to, uh, know your mom wasn't in work Saturdays until the night, huh?" He raised an eyebrow teasingly and put his hands on his hips. I rolled my eyes at him and watched as he shrugged his jacket off, swinging it over my desk chair lazily.
"You didn't," I answered his rhetorical question with a mutter, walking out of my room, Joker following. "It's just decent to let me know before you decide to break in. Illegally, might I add." I smirked, jogging down the stairs and heading straight towards the kitchen.
"Illegally?" He asked, leaning back against the kitchen sink as I went to find some glasses and a bottle of wine. "Do you, uh, think I care?"
I sighed. I took the lid off of the bottle and poured myself a glass of wine, sipping from it. "Not really, I guess."
Joker took the bottle and poured himself a glass too, drinking quite a bit at first. He swallowed and crooked his lips. "Hm. I've tasted better, but, uh, nice, I suppose."
I scoffed and chuckled, shaking my head. "Sorry, do I look like Bruce Wayne to you? Do I look like I've got the richest wines and cellars chock-a-block full of the finest stuff?" I sarcastically asked, earning a glare from the clown. "Exactly." I said.
"So snappy, little firecracker." He winked, drinking more of his wine. I pursed my lips to stop from smiling and raised my brows, trying to suss out what he was thinking. A while of isolation from him after he'd practically force fed me in the coffee shop did me good. I could clear my head. I felt like I understood his motives a little more, and I was past the point of thinking him as a stranger-stalker. But he was like the devil sitting on my shoulder- I wouldn't really call him a friend.
