Author's Note: I realize that it had taken me literally an eternity to update this story. I'm sorry. The truth is I had given up but I squeezed this chapter out of my brain just for The Clown Prince who's enthusiastic comment completely brightened up my day. This one's for you and everyone else who commented. Thank you.

What the hell have I done.

He knew he didn't have long before the Joker came in to check on him but he needed time to think. He needed to figure out what had come over him while he was kissing the Joker and he needed to stop it from ever happening again.

It had only been an hour since their agreement and already this had happened. How in hell was he supposed to do this for 30 days. Maybe he could call it off somehow. No.

Joker doesn't take well to rejection and blowing him off could have devastating consequences for Gotham. I can do this, for the city. I can do this.

It was just so strange. The Joker had felt so frail almost harmless when he had held him. Like someone who needed protection, not something people should be protected from. The kiss had been almost... innocent. Bruce had lost himself in Joker's need.

Bruce literally ran straight into Joker on his way out of the bathroom. The other man stumbled backwards. Bruce instinctively reached out his arms to steady him then instantly let go.

"Brucey!" Joker beamed up at him, "I was just about to check on you. Can we go to the manor now? Can we? Can we? Can we?"

It made Bruce uncomfortable how much the Joker reminded him of a child.

"Yeah," he said, "we can go now. Where exactly are we, by the way"

"East Gotham, mob headquarters." Joker supplied. He began to stride down the long hallway they were standing in. Bruce followed. Joker stopped abruptly and turned to face Bruce. Bruce almost ran into him again.

Joker stood back and gave Batman a long sweeping look. Bruce remembered that he was still naked.

"Not that I mind you in your um current state -not at all- but would you like something to um uphold your modesty."

Joker's playfulness, which Bruce would have found attractive on almost anyone else, only served to infuriate the Dark Knight. Perhaps simply because that sort of attitude was usually a turn-on for him.

"Just bring me some clothes" he said coldly.

Joker's good spirits didn't seem the least bit dampened. He skipped forward and disappeared down a turn in the hallway.

As Bruce waited, all he could feel was disgust. Why was he even interacting a man that had killed an unknown number of people in cold blood. Who knew what he had done to the mob members that had occupied this building just tonight. Sure, they were criminals but bringing them to legal justice was what was best for everyone.

Ignoring the Joker would just cause him to wreak havoc on Gotham so Bruce knew he was doing the smartest thing for the city by cooperating with the madman. Still, something, besides the obvious, wasn't right. He hated the Joker for putting him in this position.

Even though he did hate the Joker and all that the sinister man stood for, the one Batman hated most at the moment was himself. He had actually ENJOYED kissing the sicko. Something was definitely wrong with him.

This is for Gotham, he thought to himself over and over again.

Somehow, it didn't make him feel any more justified.

Joker return holding some purple material. Bruce realized it was an exact copy of the suit Joker himself was wearing.

"Stay here," Bruce said firmly

Joker nodded, smiling. He could barely contain his excitement. He was going to be living with the man he needed more than oxygen for an entire month. After that who knew. It wasn't like Joker ever looked that far ahead anyway.

Bruce left Joker in the bat mobile. He wasn't sure it was the best idea but he needed time to explain the situation to Alfred alone. He owed his old friend and butler at least that much.

Bruce entered Wayne manor from the bat cave. He pushed open the door, moving the old grandfather clock that stood in front of it on the other side.

Bruce was about to leave the study to look Alfred when he realized that the older man was sitting right in front of him. Bruce sat down in the armchair opposite his butler.

"Alfred, we need to talk. There's been a bit of a... situation and well, I..." Bruce started before Alfred cut him off.

"My apologies, sir, but before you begin, do you mind my asking why you are wearing the Joker's suit.

"I see." said Alfred pensively.

"And of course I understand if you want to leave while he's here. Paid leave, of course..."

"Master Wayne, if you think to face this alone, then you don't know me as well as I thought you did." Alfred said in mock anger.

"I was hoping you'd say something like that, Alfred." Bruce said smiling slightly.

"Master Wayne? Where is our guest if you don't mind me inquiring."

Bruce had almost forgotten. He hadn't meant to leave Joker by himself in the bat cave for that long. God only knew what kind of damage the insane man had done.

Bruce rushed back out to the bat cave. He was prepared for almost any kind of damage, but not what he saw.

Joker had taken what Batman could only guess was lipstick and written "Joker hearts Batman all over the wall of the cave.

Joker sprang from seemingly out of nowhere and ambushed Bruce in a hug.

"Do you like what I've done with the place, sweetie?" he asked cheerily.

Bruce pushed the Joker off of himself for the umpteenth time that night but was spared the task of coming up with yet another disgusted response by Alfred who said.

"I suppose you'll be wanting this cleaned up."

"No, thank you, Alfred." Bruce said politely.

Both Alfred and Joker looked at him, a little surprised.

"Joker, here, will take care of it." he clarified.

Alfred left the bat cave.

Joker looked up at Bruce, evidently proud of himself.

Bruce ignored him.

"Come on," intoned the Dark Knight, "lets go get something to clean this up with.

Bruce walked the Joker the the cleaning supplies closet.

"Get a bucket, some cleaner, and a rag." Batman ordered.

Joker grinned and obeyed. He was definitely getting off on being bossed around by his obsession.

Batman took Joker back to the scene of the crime (his most innocent one to date) so he could clean up the mess.

Bruce wasn't exactly sure how he was going to handle the Joker for 30 more days but this was his turf and he was feeling a little more in charge.

The Dark Knight supervised as Joker removed every bi of lipstick graffiti from the walls of the batcave. The Joker worked silently which was a pleasant surprise to Bruce, but when Joker turned around to face his new roommate, he looked dejected and on the verge of tears. Bruce felt a pang of guilt despite himself and he didn't know why.

"Come on," he said to the sad clown, "I think that's enough excitement for one day."

Joker once again followed Batman out of the batcave and into the main part of the manor.

How could he have been so stupid. He was never going to make Batman understand. The month would be obe like that ad he'd be all alone. Forever.

Everyone in Gotham thought that Joker was crazy. He wasn't. He was more sane than any of them. Better than anyone he understood how silly it was to waste time trying to be perfect when all your good intentions and plans can be reduced to shambles in an instant. Just like now and how Joker was realizing that his plans would fail. He never even made plans usually, but everything had changed all ecause of his obsessive need for Batman.

Before he realized it, Joker was in a large, nicely decorated guest room with a luxurious looking king-sized bed. How long had it been since he'd slept Joker wondered. He couldn't remember so he figured it had been a while.

Batman gestured for him to sit on the bed.

"Stay here." Bruce said sounding both stern and tired.

He disappeared into a bathroom connected to the guestroom and quickly returned with a basin full of warm water and a washcloth. Bruce sat down on the bed, next to Joker, dipped the washcloth in to the water and wrung it out. He then began to wash the paint from Joker's face.

Joker thought about recoiling but the reality of Batman holding his fave with one hand and wiping the warm towel over his face with the other was just too good, too comforting, to mess up, even if it meant showing his face. He'd known he would have to soon enough and Joker couldn't think of a better way for it to happen.

But all too soon it was over and Batmans hands were off of him. Joker didn't know how long he could stand not toughing or being touched by Batman after what just happened and the kiss earlier. Joker was so caught up in his separation anxiety that it took him a while to notice that Batman was staring at him.

I caught Bruce offguard to say the least.

It had taken him remobing the face paint for Bruce to see the longing in the Joker's eyes. And his face! It had never occured to Bruce that the Joker even had an age much less that he was about the same age as himself, and by the look of Joker's face he this had to be the case. Sure Joker's face looked a little careworn but he was still very handsome.

Wait. Very handsome? What?!

Once again, Bruce was appalled at himself for thinking such thoughts about the Joker.

He looked back up at the sadistic mass murderer, trying to see if the other man had noticed the shame registering on his face. Bruce couldn't tell if he'd noticed or not. Joker had the same expression as before. One of desire and lust and need. It mad Bruce extremely uneasy. Not just in the obvious ways. He wanted it to stop and instinctively Bruce knew one way to make a need go away. Fulfill it.

Before either of them knew what was happening, Bruce had grabbed either side of Joer's head and was crashing their lips together.

Bruce had been wrong. There was no fulfilling Joker's desire. It filled Bruce full and overflowing. It didn't matter that it had been pure instinctive problem solving that had caused Buce to initiate the kiss, as soon as he made contact everything Joker was felling consume him and he couln't separate Joker's longing from his own.

Soon Joker's tongue was massaging his own. The taste of the two of them mixed to from something new and they savored it to the fullest.

Bruce had just begun running his fingers through Joker's dirty green hair when the full realization of what he was doing hit him.

Bruce pushed himself away from Joker and stood up.

Joker stared at him. So many intense feelings clouding up behind his eyes it was impossible for Bruce to decipher what lie there.

"Well... um. There's a shower in that bathroom. You should probably take one. A shower. Your hair's really greasy."

Bruce didn't care that he sounded stupid. He'd kissed Gotham's worst criminal twice that day and he was sure that was the bigger issue. Not to mention that criminal was male.

Joker gave him another one of those looks like he knew exactly what he was thinking. Then, he burst out laughing.

He laughed so hard he fell on the floor and Bruce could still hear him laughing as he walked away.