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Crack A Smile and Cut Your Mouth
Ledger!Joker Origin Story
Chapter Nine - Gotham
Warnings: None
Chapter Summary: Jack finds an apartment to rent and slowly gets accustomed to his new city life.
Author's Note: Not much to say about this chapter. It's a shorter one but we have officially moved into the second half of the story! Things will begin to change after this...
Taglist: @alittlesmartcookie @furisodespirit
If you would like to be added to the taglist please let me know! <3
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His first night in Gotham was unlike anything Jack had experienced before. Everything was so crowded and rushed. At first he drove around the city trying to figure out what to do. Finding his way around was so confusing and it was easy to get lost. Too many different avenues and street numbers.
He decided that staying in a motel for the night was probably the best thing to do until he found an apartment. He came across a cheap motel on the quieter side of the city, in the Uptown area. Even though it was quiet it looked pretty sketchy but Jack honestly didn’t care. It was getting really late and he was desperate to find someplace to crash for the night.
After checking in and paying, Jack hid all his stuff underneath the seats in the floorboard, locked the truck, and prayed that he didn’t get robbed. Then he went to his room and immediately collapsed onto the bed. He was utterly exhausted.
He took off his shoes and emptied his pockets but didn’t bother with the rest. He was much too tired to put in the effort. The bed was comforting and a welcome escape from his current reality. Tugging the blanket out of the corners, he pulled it over himself and nestled in. Within minutes he was sleeping soundly.
…
Holding an umbrella he found in the motel room over his head, Jack walked down the street from where he was staying to a small diner he discovered while driving yesterday. The rain was pouring down hard, drenching his boots. He closed the umbrella and grabbed a newspaper from the rack outside as he entered the diner and sat down in a booth towards the back. He ordered a cup of coffee and a biscuits and gravy platter.
Sipping on the coffee, he scanned the newspaper for apartment ads. There were several openings Downtown and one in Midtown. Jack didn’t care about the locations since he didn’t know much about them. He was mainly looking at the price and the apartment itself.
His food came as he was reading about the one in Midtown. He set the newspaper down for a moment and crumbled up the biscuit into the gravy. He took a bite and nearly dropped the fork in surprise at how good it was. He couldn’t remember the last time he had this. It tasted just like how his mama made it. The nostalgia sent a sharp pang of grief through his chest yet still made him smile. Even though she was gone, he would still have memories to hold on to.
Jack sighed to himself in content. The tasty food helped to settle his stomach. His nerves were practically shot. The unfamiliarity and new surroundings was putting him on edge. He hoped he would find an apartment soon so he could stop worrying and just relax for a change.
Right now one of the openings Downtown looked like the best choice. It had lots of space and contained a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and a small living room. The great thing was it didn’t cost as much as Jack was expecting.
Yeah, this one’s good.
He tore off a scrap piece of paper and wrote down the address from the ad. Pocketing the paper, he left some money on the table to pay for the meal and tip the waitress and left the diner. Once he was back at the hotel, he grabbed his things from the room and checked out.
“Back on the road again.” Jack muttered as he climbed inside his truck and took off towards the Downtown area.
About 20 minutes later, he reached the street the apartment was supposed to be on and scanned the line of buildings for the correct address. From what he could tell this location wasn’t too bad. It was somewhere in the middle of run down and affluent.
He spotted the address and pulled into a parking space by the building. As he walked in, he saw a sign above the empty front desk that said ‘office’ with an arrow pointing left so that’s where he went. He approached the door and knocked.
“Come in!” A lady called out from the back.
Jack stepped inside timidly. A middle aged woman was standing on a chair and hanging up a picture frame. She wore a purple tank top and green shorts and had curly red hair held back by a rainbow bandana. Her eccentrically decorated office was covered in knick knacks and odd paintings. Jack bit back a smirk. He liked this lady already.
The woman got down from the chair and shook Jack’s hand.
“My name’s Lydia Vernon. I’m the landlady. Are you here for the opening in 307?”
“Yes ma’am.” Jack replied.
“Wonderful. Let’s go upstairs so you can have a look around.”
She walked briskly out of her office and guided Jack towards the stairs.
“I’m sorry that we have to take the stairs. The elevator’s broken. The maintenance guys are supposed to come fix it later this week.”
“That’s alright. I don’t mind walking. This is a nice building you have.”
“Why thank you, mister um… Oh! Silly me. What’s your name dear? I totally forgot to ask.”
“Jack. Jack Napier.”
“Nice to meet ya, Jack. And…here we are. The 3rd floor.”
Lydia led Jack down the hall and stopped near the middle. She unlocked the door labeled 307 and ushered Jack inside. Jack looked around the kitchen and then the bedroom, the two most important areas in his opinion. The apartment was mostly empty and had some furniture left. He took it all in and nodded to himself. This would totally do. As long as he had plenty of space, a bed, a table, and a couch, he was happy.
“Well, what do you think?” Lydia asked, looking at him expectantly.
“I’ll take it.” Jack answered with a small smile.
“Oh that’s great. When can you move in?”
“I was hoping today.”
“That’s perfect. Let’s go back to my office so I can get your info.”
Jack nodded. They both trekked back down the stairs and sat down at the desk in Lydia’s office. She grabbed some papers out of a filing cabinet and a pen.
“I’ll need you to fill these out while I ask you a few things.”
“Sure.” Jack said as he clicked the pen and began filling out the application.
Lydia sat down across from him and started filling out something on her side.
“Do you live anywhere else right now?” She asked.
“No. I just moved here.”
Lydia nodded and scribbled something down. “What is your occupation or source of income?”
“Um, well… I was recently honorably discharged from the Army. I’m getting disability from them.”
“Oh wow. Well thank you for your service. I don’t mean to be insensitive but, is that why you have, um…?” Lydia asked, motioning to Jack’s face.
“Yeah. I’m sorry if it caught you off guard.” Jack said quietly.
“Don’t apologize. It was rude of me to ask.”
There was an extremely awkward silence after that. Jack didn’t make eye contact and hurriedly finished the application so he could get out of the office. The awkwardness completely drained what was left of his social battery. He handed her back the application as waited as she read it over.
“This looks great. Oh, there’s a couple more things you should know. I collect rent on the third Thursday of every month. I do allow pets here just please clean up after them. And if you smoke please do it outside. Okay, I think that’s it. Here’s your key. Move in at any time. Let me know if you have any questions.” Lydia informed him.
Jack took the key and moved towards the doorway. “Thank you. I should, um, go start unpacking before it gets too late in the day.”
“Of course. I’ll be in touch.”
Jack shut the door and exhaled, wiping off the sweat from his forehead.
Wow. She’s….something. He thought as he walked back out to the parking lot to retrieve the boxes from his truck.
…
A week passed and Jack was now fully settled into his new living space. He bought groceries to stock the fridge and toiletries he didn’t already have with him. This was the first time he ever lived on his own without anyone else around and he loved it. There was so much freedom that he didn’t have before. He could sleep whenever he wanted, cook whatever he wanted, watch whatever he wanted, or go out whenever he wanted.
There were of course a few things he had to do before officially re-entering civilian life. He changed his address to his new one so he could get mail, bills, and the checks he would be receiving from the military. Then he went down to the DMV and got his license renewed. It needed to be updated, especially since he didn’t look the same. He had the scar now and he was much older than in his last photo.
Jack still wasn’t fully adjusted to city life though. The city never slept. It was always noisy and always busy. People were impatient and traffic did not wait on you. He learned that the hard way and was nearly run over a few times.
He opted to stay indoors the majority of the time. He didn’t need to work since what he got from the Army was plenty so he didn’t. Really the only times he left was to go run errands or occasionally go eat out when he didn’t feel like cooking.
Tonight was one of those nights. Jack returned to his apartment with some Chinese takeout and plopped down on the couch, settling into the cushions. He grabbed the remote and switched on the television. GCN, the city’s news channel, came on and right away he was taken aback.
They were reporting on this month’s several sightings of some guy called “Batman." Apparently, he was a vigilante who dressed in a bat costume and armor and went around beating up criminals to aid the police. A few blurry pictures some people had managed to capture flashed across the screen. Then, a civilian was interviewed and he speculated that “Batman” might actually be a vampire.
Jack busted out laughing. The absurdity of it was hilarious to him. This was the first time in years he truly had a good laugh.
“What the hell? Man this city is crazy…” He uttered in between giggles.
He rolled his eyes and bit into a crab rangoon. Gotham truly was one of a kind. Jack didn't know what possessed him to move here but he couldn’t find it in him to leave. The city was charming in its own strange way. Maybe one day he’d get used to it.
Crack A Smile and Cut Your Mouth
Ledger!Joker Origin Story
Chapter Ten - Nothing Is The Same
Warnings: Trauma responses, a bit of gore at the beginning
Chapter Summary: Still getting used to his new life, Jack wakes up from an awful nightmare and goes for a run.
Author’s Note: This took me forever sorry guys 😭 I wanted to get this posted days ago but oh well. I think it worked out better this way anyway. Side note! Jack's hair is back :D
Taglist: @alittlesmartcookie @furisodespirit
If you would like to be added to the taglist please let me know! <3
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The deafening sound of a Black Hawk circling overhead and explosions all around roared in Jack’s ears, making it impossible to think straight. He couldn’t aim his rifle. He couldn’t focus. It was like he lost control of his own body.
All Jack could do was helplessly watch the destruction around him. He tried to look away but when he looked down there were bits and pieces of maimed soldiers scattered about. Someone who had just been shot in the chest bled out at his feet. Their deadened eyes bored into his.
Jack screamed as he attempted to get away. He couldn’t no matter how hard he tried. He was drawn to it by an unknown force. The scene played over and over again in a loop. The Black Hawk flying up above, the explosions, the corpses…
The loop broke when a stray bullet hit him in the face and ripped open the flesh on his cheek, creating an oozing, gaping wound. Blood pooled in his mouth. He couldn’t breathe. The drowning sensation took over his body as he writhed on the ground.
Jack gasped and jolted awake. He sat up in bed, panting. He ran his fingers through his sweaty hair as he tried to catch his breath. His biceps, also glistening with sweat, shone as the moonlight peeking in through the curtains reflected on them.
This had to be his strangest nightmare yet. He didn’t have them as frequently as he did that week he was discharged but they were much worse this time. He didn’t know what was better, a nightmare every night or a few a week that were horrible and would rattle him for days.
Jack glanced at the digital clock on his nightstand. It was almost 4 am. He decided that now would be a good time to go for his nightly run. He completely forgot about it and fell asleep earlier than usual because he was so tired from the lack of sleep.
After stretching his tense muscles, Jack swung his legs over the bed and grabbed his pants and black hoodie from the floor, throwing them on half heartedly. He stuffed his keys into his pants pocket and slid on his shoes before quietly slipping out of the apartment. Instead of taking the elevator, he took the stairs since they were less noisy.
Once he was down at the lobby, Jack pushed the double doors open and walked out into the street, a gust of cold air hitting his face. Pulling his hood over his head, he took off to the left and sprinted down the sidewalk.
Ever since he moved to Gotham a few months ago, he ran almost every night. Normally he would stay out for at least 20 to 30 minutes. He found running therapeutic and a way to clear his head. The adrenaline was like a drug. A temporary fix to help him escape his problems.
This time Jack took a different route than he usually did. He liked to switch things up every once in a while. The dim street lights provided just enough light for him to see and illuminated his profile as he moved under them, giving his jagged scar a grisly effect. To a passerby the brief glimpse probably looked horrifying. That was partly why he wore a hood over his head.
In the end he made it all the way to Gotham River, which flowed north of Downtown. As soon as the water was in sight, he stopped and approached the nearby bridge, wiping the sweat from his brow. He dug out his lighter and a cigarette from his pocket. He lit it and inhaled the first drag, closing his eyes and reveling in the crisp scent. Leaning over the railing, he looked out over the shimmering water and exhaled the smoke, the vapor curling in different directions.
The water was oddly calming, and combined with the smoke helped to settle his nerves, which were still shot from the nightmare. A gust of wind ruffled his hair and made him shiver a little, his skin prickling at the cold.
These days Jack didn’t know what to feel. Day and night the war stayed with him. He thought he would eventually get over this, but apparently it was still lingering around, looming in the back of his mind. He couldn’t settle back into society properly. He could barely sleep. He couldn’t go a single day without being reminded of the war in some way. His scar was no help with that.
With a tired sigh, Jack finished his cigarette and headed back, tossing the butt into a trash can close by. As he got closer to his apartment building, he slowed his pace. He entered through the double doors just as quietly as he exited earlier. His eye was struck by a light that emitted from the office and streaked through the lobby.
Vernon is up pretty early. Jack thought as he started up the stairs.
He reached the 3rd floor and scanned the hallway for 307. Finding it, he fished out his keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. He stepped inside and shut the door, tossing his keys onto the countertop. He went to his bedroom and flopped down on his bed with a loud exhale.
There was no point in trying to go back to sleep. It was already morning, although very early, and now that Jack was up, he would stay up. He checked the clock beside him. It was close to 5 am. He sat up with a grunt and got down on the floor to begin his usual morning workout.
The first thing was sit ups. He could do 250 in ten minutes. Next was push ups. He could do about 150 of those. Then to finish it off he held a plank for as long as he could. His muscles were on fire by the time he was done but it didn’t bother him. It was ingrained in his head to stay in shape. He also found himself taking pleasure in the pain. It was difficult to explain.
Jack sat up and rested for a minute, catching his breath. The running and the exercises made him pretty sweaty. A shower was looking very appealing right then. So he trudged into his bathroom and slid off his clothes. Then he turned on the water and as he waited for it to heat up, gazed into the mirror at himself.
It was a pitiful sight. His eyes were heavy and sunken in with dark circles that rimmed the bottom of them. His face was gaunt and weary. Trying to be positive, he noticed his hair was growing back. It went past his ears now. He wasn’t sure or not if he wanted to grow it all the way out like how he used to have it. He would probably settle halfway, somewhere at his shoulders.
The water had warmed up so Jack stepped in the tub and stood under the shower head. He wet his hair first and lathered it with soap. Tilting his head back, he ran his fingers through his brown locks and rinsed. He was kind of ashamed to say he hadn’t properly washed his hair in almost a week. But it wasn’t like he had to impress anyone. He rarely went out and he lived alone. He could care less.
After he was done washing himself, Jack just stood motionless under the water and took in the warmth. Resting his head on the wall, he breathed in and out rhythmically and listened to the water pitter patter into the tub. As the steam rose and wisped past his face, he felt a sense of clarity that brought him out of his sleepy haze.
Jack shut off the water and pulled the shower curtain aside, stepping out of the tub and onto the fluffy blue mat on the floor. He grabbed a towel from the cabinet under the sink and dried off, wrapping the towel around his waist.
Back in his room he threw on a loose navy colored tee and black sweatpants. He felt his stomach growl and plead with him for food as he walked out into the main area of the apartment. All the exercise must have worked up his appetite. He relented and went to his pantry to hunt for food. He didn’t feel like spending the time to cook anything so it needed to be something simple.
Jack settled on a pack of blueberry Pop-Tarts and slid them into the toaster slots. While he waited he poured himself a glass of orange juice and placed it on the table. Once the Pop-Tarts were ready, he put them on a napkin and sat down. He ate the pastries tentatively since they were still hot and sipped on the juice.
He made a guttural sound of annoyance and moved his tongue across the inside of his cheek where the scar was. Food, especially the sticky kind, had a tendency to get stuck there. He noticed a few days ago that he was developing a habit of messing with the inside of his mouth with his tongue and licking his bottom lip where it had a small forked crack in it. He didn’t know why. The best way he could describe it to someone else was having a sore in your mouth that you compulsively need to mess with.
It was a gruesome, repulsive habit but Jack didn’t try to stop himself. He knew it would be hard to quit since he was going to have this scar for a long time. He just hoped nobody out in public would notice. Bearing the scar was bad enough. People already stared at him. He didn’t need to give them another reason to.
Jack sighed as he realized his life would never be the same as it once was. He had to come to terms with living with this trauma, the scar, this new environment, and the fact that he was alone. His mother was gone, his father didn’t give two shits about him, and he didn’t know a single soul in Gotham. Being a loner never bothered him before but back then he had a choice. It hurt worse when he was forced into it.
He was already alienated from the rest of society by being in the army and having to adjust back to civilian life. The scar pushed him even farther out of the norm. He hated when he was at the store and his military ID (that he kept putting off to take out of his wallet) flashed when he was pulling out money and people, noticing the card and his scar, would always say the customary, “thank you for your service.”
It infuriated him to no end. He could read their eyes. They pitied him. He didn’t want them to. They didn’t even mean what they said. Everyone said it because it was “respectful” or “polite.” He didn’t feel bad in the slightest for thinking like that. He took solace in knowing he wasn’t the only vet that felt this way.
Jack cleared out the negative emotions beginning to swirl within him and finished up his breakfast. He refused to have another bad day today. Yawning, he stood up from the table, gently tossed his glass into the kitchen sink, and threw his trash away. He plopped down on the couch in the living room and switched on the TV. Right now he really needed a laugh so he turned on some cartoons to pass the morning by.
Crack A Smile and Cut Your Mouth
Ledger!Joker Origin Story
Chapter Eleven - I'll Take A Quiet Life
Warnings: None
Chapter Summary: Jack's daily life as a shell shocked former soldier, struggling to function.
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading guys! We're down to five chapters left ☺ Btw this is several months later. At this point Jack has been in Gotham for almost a year.
Taglist: @alittlesmartcookie @furisodespirit
If you would like to be added to the taglist please let me know! <3
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Nestled comfortably underneath his covers and clinging to his pillow, Jack slept peacefully. His curly hair was sprawled out on the sheets going in different directions. He wore a dark sweatshirt, his boxers, and purple socks. All that could be heard was the quiet hum of air passing through the vent on the ceiling above and his soft breathing. Such blissful sleep was a rare occurrence so he treasured every minute that he could get it.
Sunlight peeked in through the curtains and streaked across his face, shining on the bridge of his nose and highlighting his freckles. The light hitting his eye brought him out of the comforting embrace of sleep and woke him up. He sat up groggily and rubbed his eyes, his messy hair falling over them. With a yawn, he climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth while he was there, proud of himself that he remembered to do it.
Jack decided to skip his usual morning workout and instead walked into the kitchen to make breakfast. He opened the refrigerator and scanned the shelves for something to eat, eventually choosing sausage and two eggs. He cut out two patties from the sausage roll and put them on a frying pan on the stove, turning it on and adjusting the heat.
While he waited on that to cook, he cracked the two eggs into a bowl and whisked them with a fork. Once the sausage was done, he used the same pan to cook the eggs and scrambled them, adding in some black pepper.
He moved the food to the table once it was done and grabbed some juice from the fridge. He didn’t bother with a cup because he would obviously be the only one drinking it so he just drank straight out of the container. Yet another sign of his growing carelessness.
As he ate, he glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall from across the table and noticed some writing on the current date.
Oh shit, rent’s due today.
Shaking his head, Jack finished up his breakfast and put the used dishes in the sink. He went back to his bedroom to change his clothes so he could go downstairs to pay the rent. He had to get a grip. Whatever this spell in his life was, it was causing him to forget the most basic of tasks and he normally wasn’t forgetful at all. Maybe it was the military man in him but he liked being timely and getting things accomplished.
After he threw on something halfway decent, he grabbed an envelope filled with cash out from his junk drawer and his keys. He left his apartment and locked the door behind him, taking the stairs so he could avoid people. Once he was downstairs, he approached the landlady’s office and knocked on the door.
“Mrs. Vernon?” Jack called out, shocked at his own voice which was slightly hoarse from disuse.
“Come in, dear!” The eccentric redhead responded.
Jack opened the door and stepped inside. He had to really hide his reaction when he saw what Lydia was preoccupied with. She had her black cat on the desk and was measuring it. There was a pile of purple and orange yarn beside the cat so Jack assumed it was to make clothes for it.
The landlady smiled and sat the tape measure down. “Just finishing up Sylvester’s measurements. Whatcha need?”
“Uh, rent’s due so here you go.” Jack said and handed her the envelope from his pocket.
“Oh that’s right. Thank you, Jack. If only all my tenants were this punctual. Sometimes I have to pry it out of a few of them.” Lydia chuckled.
Jack nodded.
“Are you doing alright, Jack? I haven’t seen you out that much.”
“Yeah. I’m okay.”
Ha. Lies.
“If you say so. I’m here if you ever need anything. Just give me a call. Oh and you have mail by the way.”
Jack took a few steps towards the door and turned to leave. “Thanks, Mrs. Vernon.” He said over his shoulder.
He breathed a sigh of relief that the interaction was over. Another task completed. He walked to the other side of the lobby where rows of mail slots lined the wall. He found his and unlocked it. Inside it there was a check from the army he had been expecting for this month and a few envelopes of useless junk mail. He shoved them into his pocket and shut the slot back.
He trudged back up the stairs to his apartment and got off at the third floor. Someone else that lived on the floor saw him in passing.
“Good morning, neighbor.” She said cheerily.
“Morning.” Jack replied quietly and reached for his doorknob.
He didn’t have any type of relationship with his neighbors and he didn’t want to, but being polite was the least he could do. Even if he didn’t feel like being sociable.
As he came in the doorway, he put the mail on the counter and the check in his wallet to cash later. Then he sat down at the kitchen table with a tired sigh. He wasn’t sure what he was gonna do today. When you didn’t work and lived alone it was easy to get bored. It made him restless. He liked the solitude but he needed something to do or he would go stir crazy. He had to keep his hands busy anyway because it distracted him from resurfacing memories and whatnot.
One of the main things he did to keep himself occupied was keeping a journal/sketchbook. It was a brown hardback that he found while running errands one day. He would write entries about the day's events or his thoughts. Other entries would be drawings or doodles that came to mind. Sometimes he would glue things in or make a collage. Whatever came to mind, he put to paper.
It seemed to work well enough. It kept his mind off things for a while. That was as good as it was gonna get. Screw therapy. It probably would have worked the exact same way, only more expensive and outside his space. Talking out his feelings to a stranger would cause him even more stress. So he stuck to the journal, deciding it would be a whole lot better in the long run.
Today he glued in some random pieces of the junk mail to make a collage, rearranging some of the words to make funny sentences. He liked to do that with newspapers too. Gotham’s papers were the best for that kind of thing with all their crazy headlines and bizarre stories.
On the back of the collage he doodled Mrs. Vernon with her cat, Slyvester. He couldn’t get that mental image out of his head of her measuring her cat so she could make tiny cat clothes. It made him chuckle a bit.
He closed his journal and put it and the art supplies away, after spending almost two hours in it. When he said the journal kept him busy, he meant it. He left the table and went into the living room. He plopped down on the couch to take a much needed nap.
…
That night he made grilled cheese for dinner. Something simple so he didn’t have to put in much effort but still passable as a meal. After he ate, he laid down on the couch again to unwind for the evening. On the coffee table beside him, the radio was playing some old 70s rock tunes. He closed his eyes and just listened, drowning everything else out.
The soft tunes emitted from the radio reminded him of his younger years. His mother would play records from Led Zeppelin or The Doors while they both cleaned the house. He smiled as he thought back on those days. The fond memories and soft music helped him to relax as he settled comfortably into the couch cushions. If he were allowed to smoke inside, he’d totally be having a cigarette right about now.
A combination of the relaxed feeling he had and his full stomach slowly lulled him to sleep. He sensed he was getting ready to drift off so he reached over and turned off the radio as his last conscious act before he succumbed to sleep. Within minutes he was out cold.
…
Several hours later Jack woke up startled from yet another nightmare. His heart pounded in his ears and he struggled to catch his breath. It was still dark outside which let him know it was still very early in the morning and not the right time to be getting up. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he sat up and scanned the room for reassurance.
You’re okay. You’re home. You’re safe.
He mentally chanted those words over and over to ground himself. Once he finally calmed down, he closed his eyes and tried his hardest to go back to sleep but he just couldn’t. After half an hour of trying, he gave up and turned on the TV to pass the time.
At first a news channel popped up, which was discussing stocks for Gotham’s business world. Jack rolled his eyes and surfed through the channels until something decent came up. He settled on a kids channel that was playing Tom and Jerry. Nothing like childhood nostalgia to distract him from the terrible evil of the world that constantly racked his brain.
More time passed and soon the sun crept in through the curtains, signaling to Jack that it was time to get up and go make himself something to eat. As he scoured the kitchen for food, he realized he needed to restock on groceries since he was running low on a lot of things. He outwardly groaned and facepalmed. The last thing he wanted was social interaction, especially after the rough start to the day.
He forced himself to suck it up, knowing that if he didn’t he wouldn’t have food. The best way to have a better day was to face it head on. He would be a productive member of society today. No if ands or buts about it.
After he finished breakfast, Jack took a quick shower and got dressed. He made sure to fix his hair a little and brush his teeth. ‘Civilized’ people frowned upon the disheveled. He stuffed his keys and his wallet into his pocket and went on his way, locking up the apartment behind him.
When he was outside the building, he took a right towards the shopping center that was a few blocks down. He walked there since it would save gas. There was really no point in driving to somewhere so close. Mentally preparing himself as he approached, he entered the grocery store through the automatic door and grabbed a basket from the front, keeping his head down as he went.
He walked through the aisles, grabbing the things that he needed and avoiding people when he could. Lately he found that the slightest things people did annoyed him. If someone got too close to him or if a group of people were in the same aisle he needed to be at, it bothered him.
Then there were the times people actually did something to validly upset him. People had no mercy when it came to staring at him. It was bad enough that he was taller than most people and had this intimidating aura about him that tended to put others on edge. The scar was the salt in the wound. He saw their eyes. It was unmistakable what they were looking at. They would quickly look away and pretend like they didn’t see him, as if the very sight of his gnarled face would give them a disease of some kind.
Pssh. Civilians were so easily startled.
Jack grabbed the last thing he needed and dropped it inside the basket, relieved that the shopping part was over. Now came the hard part. He walked back towards the front where the registers were and got in line.
While he waited, he looked over each of the items in his basket and internally read over their labels to keep himself from getting too overwhelmed. That was one of the biggest reasons he hated shopping. Sure other people were annoying but it was extremely stressful for him to be out in public.
It was now his turn in line so he stepped up and began unloading the basket onto the conveyor belt. As always he only spoke what was necessary to the cashier but maintained a certain amount of politeness.
The cashier finished bagging the groceries and told him the total. Jack produced his wallet from his pocket and he took out some money, handing it to the cashier. She gave him a receipt and his change, wishing him a good rest of his day. Jack just nodded in response and grabbed the bags from the counter. He nearly made a beeline for the exit, glad to be away from that sensory overload.
While he was out he figured it would be a good idea to go ahead and cash that check he got in the mail. The bank was a few more blocks away but he didn’t mind walking. He reached the stone building a few minutes later and went inside.
He stopped at an electronic booth so he didn’t have to talk to a person. He took out some money to have as cash on hand and deposited the rest into his account.
Task two of the day completed. Now he could finally go back home.
When he got back, he unloaded the groceries and put them away. He noticed how messy his space was getting and decided to take action. Once he was done putting up groceries, he washed the dishes left in the sink and cleaned off the countertops. Then he tidied up around the living room and the table and swept the floors. The bathroom needed a touch up so he got to work on that. He also put the clothes lying on his bedroom floor in a laundry basket to be washed. By the time he was done cleaning nearly three hours had passed.
At this point it was almost dinner time and Jack was trying to figure out what to make. He pulled a box of pasta from a shelf in his pantry and decided to just wing it with some sort of pasta dish. He got the noodles started by leaving them in a pot on the stove to boil. While he waited on that he made a small salad to go with it, topping it with lots of cheese and an interesting looking dressing he found at the store.
When the pasta finished cooking, he mixed it in with a tomato sauce he let heat up in a pan. Once that was done, he topped it with a little garlic and plenty of cheese. He moved to the table with the food and fixed himself a plate. The first bite was heavenly, a small reward for being productive today. He ate in complete silence as usual and relished in the peace and quiet.
Jack started to get full after a while so he saved what was left over for later and cleaned up the mess in the kitchen. He put away the supplies he used and tossed the dirty dishes in the sink. Just as he picked up a dish to wash, the pan on top of it fell with a loud crash, making him jump back and drop the dish he was holding.
Instantly he was brought back to the battlefield. The loud noise rang in his ears, imitating the explosions. He covered his ears with his hands and got down on his knees, curling in on himself and whimpering in pain.
No matter how hard he tried to snap out of it, the illusion wouldn’t budge. All he could do was stay there on the floor and ride it out until his brain decided to leave him alone.
After what felt like forever, the noise and the visions eventually subsided, leaving him shook up and struggling to breath. He felt a lump form in his throat and choked over the sob he tried to keep back but couldn’t. This attack came out of absolutely nowhere and scared him to death. Loud noises never bothered him that much before and he never thought of them as triggering. This was completely unexpected.
Jack hit his head against his hands and scolded himself. Stop crying, you whimp! It’s over now. Jeez, get a fucking grip. He rocked back and forth, trying to calm himself and ride out the last remaining effects of the attack.
Something had to give. This was getting ridiculous.
Crack A Smile and Cut Your Mouth
Ledger!Joker Origin Story
Chapter Twelve - Calloused Heart
Warnings: Self harm
Chapter Summary: Things keep getting worse and worse for Jack. He does something horribly unexpected one night and leaves the apartment to get some air. He discovers that outside things aren't much better than they are for him.
Author's Note: This took way too long. And I don't think it's even that good for the amount of time I spent on it. Oh well. Staying at home this week due to the storm has certainly helped me get things done. Anyway, we are getting closer and closer to Jack's complete transformation. Just 4 more chapters. I can't wait for the ending! 😈
Taglist: @alittlesmartcookie @furisodespirit
If you would like to be added to the taglist please let me know! <3
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Another year passed and still things did not improve. They had in fact gotten much worse.
Every day it was the same old same old. Yet Jack was starting to feel like everything was getting increasingly out of control by the day.
Tonight, he sat at his kitchen table, his mind wandering and his eyes distant. He held an apple and a knife in his hands. He was supposed to slice it and have a snack before he went on his nightly run but something had distracted him from the task, causing him to sit in silence, lost in thought.
He finally snapped out of his daze and placed the apple on the table for him to cut. He sliced it into halves and went from there. When he was done, he looked down at the sharp knife in his hands and the shimmer on the blade. Mesmerized, he twisted the knife around his fingers and played around with it.
Back when he was deployed and everyone was sitting around bored with nothing better to do, some of the other soldiers would do that knife trick from Aliens to some poor private that didn’t know any better. Jack would always watch from afar and laugh to himself.
He continued fidgeting with the knife, reminiscing about the past and mulling over his current situation. Sometimes he just liked to sit and think.
Then impulsive thoughts took over all at once.
Jack didn’t know what came over him. What happened next was all a blur afterwards. All he could think about was how he wanted to feel something again. What would just a little pressure on his arm feel like? Maybe a little more?
Before he knew it, there were two angry slashes and red trickles of blood across his forearm. He gasped faintly as he realized what he was doing and threw the knife down, rushing to the bathroom. He found bandages in the cabinet and began frantically cleaning up the wounds, dousing them with peroxide.
Jack was starting to feel the pain now that the initial high of the adrenaline had worn off. It burned and spread across his arm like wildfire. Tears pricked his eyes. What the hell was he thinking?
Thankfully the cuts weren’t too deep. He dressed them with bandages and not long after went back into the kitchen. He stared down in disbelief at the bloody knife discarded on the table. This was a new low.
“I’m so fucking tired…” He said to no one in particular, rubbing his weary eyes.
He decided that in order to clear his head and ward off those harmful thoughts, he needed to go get some fresh air. After all he still had that run to do.
Throwing on a brown flannel over the black long sleeve shirt and worn out gray slacks he was wearing, Jack grabbed his keys and out the door he went. The January night air was crisp and sharp. It burned through his lungs as he took off running.
He slowed to a light jog as he moved into a busy area. The streets were alive with activity. Groups of people walked briskly from place to place. Being a Friday night, which Jack had totally forgotten, businesses in Gotham were booming.
Jack kept his head down as he went, avoiding eye contact with anyone. He chose to take a side street and get out of that mess. Weekends were never a good time to go for a night run.
Leaving the busy side of town, he entered a quiet street with little traffic or nightlife. The few people that were out were usually homeless or like Jack and just wanted to go outside for a bit.
As he passed an alleyway, an older man jumped out in front of him. Jack flinched, a little startled. The man wore a blue beanie, a tattered heavy jacket, and jeans nearly torn to shreds. He pawed at Jack’s arm desperately.
“Can you spare me a few bucks, son?” The man asked.
Jack felt horrible. If had any money with him, he would have given him some.
“Sorry man, I don’t have any cash on me.”
“Oh. That’s alright. Sorry I bothered ya.”
The man turned away and walked back to his spot in the alleyway. Jack saw his ‘homeless veteran’ sign laying next to the pile of blankets he was sitting on and felt even worse. Maybe he would see him again when he had some money.
The further through the city Jack went, the worse things got. The streets were trashed and dimly lit. He passed another alleyway and caught a glimpse of a man shoved against the wall being mugged. The man looked utterly terrified. Jack quickened his pace and chose not to get involved. The mugger looked like he might have a gun.
Jack finally stopped at an intersection and looked out at the rest of the dismal city. He figured out pretty fast that this run was not going to benefit his already fragile state.
It isn’t any better out here than it is inside. He thought with a sigh.
He made a mental note to never go this way on his runs again. Instead of turning around, he took another route home and ran with a quicker pace so he could get home faster. He slowed down as he got closer to his building and paused to catch his breath.
Jack trudged up the stairs back to his apartment, defeated. He didn’t know what to do. Nothing was helping him feel any better. He tossed his keys carelessly on the counter as he entered, flipping on the dim kitchen light.
He grabbed his journal off the shelf and sat down at the table, opening to a new page. He sketched the homeless old man he encountered and the mugging he witnessed in pen to make it look more rugged. Above the drawings he wrote down his stirred up thoughts about the whole situation. After the brain dump, he sat back and read over his work, shaking his head at himself.
Here he thought all of these problems he was having would somehow disappear. It seemed utterly hopeless now that he saw the state of the rest of the world. Wars, increased violence, poverty…
He would have to tough it out just a little longer and hope things miraculously got better. It wasn’t looking likely. How could he ever expect to recover from the horrors in a world that was so dark and cruel?
Jack closed his journal and stood up with a grunt, placing it back on the shelf. He moved into the living room, took off his flannel, and kicked off his shoes, throwing them on the floor. He sat down on the couch and turned on the TV to yet again pass the time, skipping through the channels.
The evening news popped up. They were talking about the fighting in the Middle East. Jack wanted to turn it off so bad but something made him keep it on. The images on the screen nearly jumped out at him. He was there in the hot sandy desert reliving it all over again. Witnessing death and destruction.
The media made the soldiers seem like such heroes and patriots. Jack didn’t feel like that at all. He thought back to that little girl in the village where they had the firefight. He may not have done anything directly but he was there. He contributed.
New outlets and political campaigns glorified war. If they had actually experienced it themselves right in the thick of it, they wouldn’t be doing that.
Jack felt his blood boil, a deep hatred and rage brewing inside him. He threw the remote across the room as hard as he could. It struck the wall and cracked the plastic, breaking it into several pieces. The anger melted away. Destroying that remote was weirdly satisfying to watch.
But then the satisfaction faded and he came to his senses. Why did he just do that? Did that help anything? No.
He sighed, disappointed in himself, and got up to shut the TV off. He turned back to the batteries and scattered bits of plastic on the floor, embarrassed at how immature he just acted. Hastily he swept up the mess and threw it away so he didn’t have to look at it anymore.
There was nothing left to do now but go to bed and get some rest. Jack knew that was nearly impossible these days. Still, he had to at least try.
So Jack walked into his bedroom and stripped off into just his boxers. He crawled into bed, nestled under the covers, and turned off the lamp on the nightstand beside him, closing his eyes and beginning to drift off.
Heh. I’m gonna need a new remote.
Crack A Smile and Cut Your Mouth
Ledger!Joker Origin Story
Chapter Thirteen - There Ought To Be Clowns
Warnings: None - This one is actually kinda wholesome lol
Chapter Summary: Jack finds out that the circus has come to Gotham and decides to go as a way to pick himself up after the rough night he had.
Author's Note: I got this done fast and it's longer than the last two chapters! Yay! I was nearly in tears while writing this. Jack is so adorable my heart- 😭
Taglist: @alittlesmartcookie @furisodespirit
If you would like to be added to the taglist please let me know! <3
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Jack was up way too early. He’d gotten up earlier to use the bathroom, but now he couldn’t go back to sleep. All he could do was stare at the ceiling blankly, wishing he could have a normal sleep schedule. Fed up, he roused himself from his bed and threw on some clothes, stumbling into the kitchen.
It was unusually cold this morning which meant the heating units in the building were broken again. Mrs. Vernon was probably going crazy trying to get that fixed. Jack picked up his flannel from the floor and put it on to stay warm. He placed his coffee pot on the stove and brewed a batch. Once it was ready, he grabbed a mug from the shelf and poured himself a cup.
He sat down at the table and sipped on the warm drink. Caffeine always gave him an energy boost that made him feel better after a night of little sleep. That and cigarettes.
Jack finished the coffee and stood up from the table with a yawn. He tossed the mug into the sink and grabbed his keys from the counter. He wasn’t completely woken up yet and was bored. So to change things up he decided today he would go for a morning run instead of doing it at night.
After he put on shoes and locked up, he took the stairs down and waved to Mrs. Vernon as he passed through the lobby. Once he was outside, he took off and started with a light jog, gradually increasing his speed to wake himself up.
Keeping in mind his discoveries from last night, Jack went a different route, running towards the harbor this time. The morning air was chilly and as time went on it got slightly lighter outside as the sun started to rise. Traffic was still present but very slim compared to the night before. Jack loved quiet mornings like this.
When he finally reached the harbor, he stopped at the railing and gripped it tightly, trying to catch his breath. He looked out over the water, admiring the pinkish orange hue shimmering across it. He had to admit Gotham’s sunrises were beautiful. They were a brief moment of peace before the daily hustle and bustle of the city set in and Gotham became depressing as usual.
He took one last look at the harbor before he turned and headed back. As he ran, he noticed red flyers attached to the light poles and taped up on street corners. Curious, he stopped to see what they were about.
The flyers read: Haly’s Circus comes to Gotham City Fri. Jan. 12th and Sat. Jan. 13th. Come one come all! A silhouette of a striped circus tent was in the background. At the bottom it listed the place where the show would be held and the times.
Huh. That seems nice. Maybe I should go. I have nothing better to do. Jack thought and pocketed the flyer.
It would be good to go out and do something instead of sitting around the apartment like he usually did. After the rough night he had, he needed something to pick him back up. Maybe even boost his mood some. He loved the circus and fairs growing up. He always went to the carnival that came to his small town every year. There was a certain allure and magic that came with it.
One of his fondest memories was when his mother saved enough money to take him to the circus in a neighboring town when he was eight. He loved it. He remembered thanking his mom nonstop after that. The circus was all he talked about for days.
Jacqueline was just as happy. Taking delight in seeing the pure joy on her son’s face but also because Scott finally let her do something out on her own without his control.
She had little excitement in her life. She only went out to run errands and was barely allowed to go to church on Sunday. She cherished the few times she was allowed to leave the mundane.
…
Little eight year old Jack sat in his mother’s lap, his eyes sparkling as he watched the show unfold in front of him.
“Do you like the circus, Jack?” Jacqueline asked, smiling softly.
Jack nodded, his attention focused solely on the ring. The animals came out a few moments later. An elephant stood up on its hind legs and lifted its trunk, trumpeting loudly.
Jack giggled at the sight. “Mama what is that thing?”
“That’s an elephant, dear.”
“Woah…”
Jacqueline chuckled at the awe struck look on her son’s face. His fascination only grew as the show continued, especially when the clowns came out. The colors and sights and sounds made the young boy’s head spin.
Jack held his mother’s hand as they walked out of the tent once the show was over, bouncing with excitement. Before they got in the car, he hugged her tightly, burying his face into her chest.
“Thank you for taking me, Mama.”
Jacqueline smiled and patted his head. “You’re welcome, baby.”
…
On the way to the circus, Jack grabbed a quick bite to eat at a nearby pizza stand since had a little time to kill before he went and got a ticket. He bought two slices from the stand and brought it back to his truck. He let the pizza cool off as he drove to the red striped tent set up in the distance.
He parked in the gravel area near the tent and left the truck running so the heat would stay. As he ate, he observed the area outside the tent. There was already a line forming and people walking around outside. He glanced at his watch. He had a little under 30 minutes before the show started.
Jack finished eating and grabbed his jacket from the passenger seat, throwing it on as he got out of the truck. He shut the door and walked towards the line, pocketing his wallet and keys. As he waited in line, he surveyed his surroundings.
The air smelled of popcorn and fried sweets. Everything was bustling with activity. Outside the tent different food vendors and carnival games were set up. Couples walked by holding hands and children ran around playing and laughing. The vendors were busy making food and taking orders. The people running the games were calling out to the crowds, trying to get their attention.
Overall the noise wasn’t too bad. Jack hoped it would stay that way when he got inside the tent.
Soon it was his turn in line and he approached the booth timidly. It probably looked really weird to everyone else that a grown man would be here by himself. But the girl behind the counter was really friendly and didn’t seem phased which put Jack more at ease. He took the ticket from the girl and headed towards the entrance.
Once he was inside, he scanned the area for a good seat. He found one towards the top where very few people were sitting. The show would start in 10 minutes. That meant that the seats around him most likely wouldn’t fill up, much to his relief.
As he waited, he started to grow antsy. Maybe this was a bad idea. He hadn’t been in a crowd this big in a long time and he was sure the noise would bother him. Why did he decide to do this again? He was setting himself up by walking into a direct sensory overload. If he wanted a pick-me-up why didn’t he just go get ice cream or something? You gotta start out small before you move to bigger things.
Soon the lights started to dim and the show began. It was too late to turn back now so Jack took a deep breath and focused on what was in front of him. The ringmaster opened with a few words and then a trio of jugglers were introduced.
They started out with safe objects like bean bags and eggs and then it got much harder. The number of objects increased and the safe objects were replaced with knives or flaming torches.
The jugglers finished their act and then the animals came out next. Two lions, a tiger, two elephants, and a bear were all paraded through the ring. The elephant, decorated in colorful beads and a cloth draped across its back, balanced on a small ball in the center of the ring. The lions and the tiger leapt through various sized hoops the trainers held up and performed various tricks. The bear, dressed in a pink tutu and bow, was somehow riding a unicycle.
As cool as it was to see these exotic animals up close, it seemed cruel to Jack to have them in this environment. It wasn’t natural for them to live this way. He hoped that the conditions they were kept in were at least humane, unlike most circuses. Hopefully maybe this one was different.
After the animals left and the stage was cleared off, the lights shifted to a purple hue and a young woman wearing a glittery blue leotard walked out into the ring. A hoop was lowered close to the floor and the woman gracefully swung her legs through it, sitting on the hoop as it moved up higher.
Empowering instrumental music played in the background as the woman elegantly contorted her body around the hoop. The crowd cheered as she increased the difficulty. At times she was only hanging from the hoop by her feet.
Jack found this type of sport fascinating. It was mind blowing how she was holding herself up while barely touching the hoop so high in the air. He figured it took an incredible amount of strength and agility to be able to do that.
The woman finished with a bow and walked off stage. The room went dark after that. Suddenly the lights flashed colorfully in all directions. A group of dancers entered and began their routine. Jack closed his eyes for a few moments until the flashing subsided. It would give him a severe headache if he kept looking and he didn’t want the lights to trigger anything.
He finally opened his eyes when he could tell the lights returned to normal and watched the dancers wave around colorful silks as they danced and tumbled. He was paying attention but he had to keep his eyes focused on one thing at a time. It kept him anchored through the noise and the flashing movements, all things that could easily trigger him.
The dancing act concluded and Jack breathed a sigh of relief. The spotlight shifted to a trapeze set up towards the back. At the very top stood a family of acrobats, dressed in red and green and waving to the audience. They swung from the bars back and forth across the ring, doing flips in mid air and catching each other.
Among the acrobats was a young boy that had to be no older than seven or eight. The boy was grinning ear to ear as he flew through the air, flawlessly keeping up with the others. Jack was impressed. He couldn’t fathom being able to do that at such a young age.
After the acrobats and a few more bizarre acts were done, at last Jack's favorite act came towards the end. The clowns. Several of them came out at once with painted exaggerated faces and colorful costumes.
They fumbled over themselves due to their baggy pants and big shoes. The children in the audience laughed. Jack couldn’t help but smile a little. Seeing the clowns uncovered his childhood memory of the circus once more, giving him a warm fuzzy feeling.
He admired the clowns and the artistry put into their makeup and costumes despite their silliness. Each one had different faces, different colors, different wigs, and different patterns. They were all unique in their own way and Jack found that so cool.
Clowns could even have a symbolic meaning behind them. The makeup was like a mask. It hid their true emotions. The paint made them look like they were smiling or some other exaggerated expression but in reality behind the paint was a different emotion entirely.
Jack could somewhat see himself in that. Appearing fine on the outside but really on the inside he was struggling. Over time, more specifically the last few years, his mask began to fall. Now just by looking at him in his sleep deprived and disheveled state, you could tell he was going through a lot.
Finally, the show ended with the entire cast and crew standing in the ring, wishing everyone a good night. Jack hopped up from his seat and quickly made it to the exit before the crowds started rushing out. This allowed him to get to the parking lot faster and pull out before the traffic picked up.
As he drove back to his apartment, Jack was actually feeling really good. He even noticed a small smile tugging at his lips. That meant his idea worked. He couldn't believe it.
The circus was really enjoyable and Jack loved it just as much as he did when he was eight years old. But even though he liked it, he probably wouldn’t go to one again because everything in the show could’ve easily triggered him. The lights, the noise, the music, the crowd, etc. He was very surprised that he stayed calm the entire time.
He wouldn’t put himself in a stressful situation like that again, but at least now he knew that if it was absolutely necessary he could stop himself from being affected by things that could trigger him. He felt so proud of himself. Maybe this thing was beatable after all.
the mortician in s3e13 of gotham who reanimates jerome is also in dark knight! i’m so tickled by the actors who are like—of course i’m gonna be in as many batman franchises as possible, obviously
I don’t know what it is, but for some reason Nolanverse Batjokes just does not do it for me. When you get into the earlier Batjokes content on a03 it’s, understandably, primarily centered around the hype of Dark Knight. But there’s something about it that… doesn't hit the way I want it to.
It's here! It's now the SPOOKY SCARECROW HOUSE!! Anything related to these will have It's own tag lmao
(Also these heads headshots would be great for stickers or charms)
🎃SEMIFINALS🎃
It started as a normal drawing, but got a little carried away. Hue
Couldn’t put it all in one post because I drag out what should only be a few panels… I also based Salecrow’s look on the scarecrow from Hush.
How do all the Cranes feel about birds?
What ho? Masters of Fear, New Year’s Evil (Mistress of Fear), and Arkhamverse have joined the… party? This one took a long time, lol… hope you like it, anon!
I also think it's cool, like most fear toxin formulas are purely chemical in origin , with no organic source but Nolan has the flower origin that he perfected and i just think that's neat, Ivy who? Nolan boy out here making you afraid of flowers
Oh, every rose has its thorns...
i would imagine that Noland and Yellow Lantern Jon's would eventually get along because both were utterly robbed of screen/comic time to shine, yellow had his ring stolen and Nolan was utterly just YEETED for most of the movie until he got tasered at the end
Every friendship has death threats… right?
Since it is confirmed Sinestro Corp Scarecrow is a metal fan, what genres of music do the rest of you prefer? Any particular bands or songs that resonate with ya'll?
*I was actually thinking of making a post of some songs that personally remind me of each of the Cranes, but they weren’t all music I think they’d actually like, so I’ll try and answer both..?*
Lantern- The Prodigy - Spitfire / Mindless Self Indulgence - Shut Me Up
Year 1- Cousin Marnie - Cain / La Dispute - Fulton Street I / My Chemical Romance - Mama / Rusty Cage - With Extreme Prejudice / Halsey - Nightmare, Gasoline, Control
Nolanverse- Twenty One Pilots - Heathens / JJ Demon - Friday Night Alone / The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony / Green Day - Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams
New 52- Zager and Evans - In The Year 2525 / Hania Zdunek - Two’s a Party /Frank Sinatra - My Way
Arkhamverse- Awolnation - Hollow Moon / Big Data - Bombs Over Brooklyn / Reid Anderson - The Heart Of A Riding Man / Gorillaz - Rhinestone Eyes
Master- Thomas Newman - Drive away / Murray Head - One Night in Bangkok /
Scarebeast- E Nomine - Das Tier In Mir / Sean Lennon - A Monster in Paris / Schubert - Serenata D.957
Mistress of Fear- Johnny Cash - (Ring of Fire, Hurt, Won’t Back Down)
BTAS- Steve Martin - Dentist / Blarsa Remix - Grim Grinning Ghosts / Jekyll and Hyde with Anthony Warlow
Salecrow- Nightwish - Storytime / Andrew Lloyd Webber - Phantom of the Opera Overture / Cosmo Sheldrake - The Moss
All the cranes, So really fast question. Fear toxins are like sleep paralysis?
Inquiring about a hurt man’s work is the greatest way to calm him, understand him, and love him…
Can the other scarecrows help our boyishly handsome Crane in the suit get a properly scary costume besides the mask? The suit just really messes with the Master of Fear vibe.
Their styles would clash, but some would, somewhere, agree on something.
Poem by Jordan Rowan
Nolanverse Jonathan, you are the most handsome man ever!
Hold on a second…