The Joker and the Harlequin

A Word: Dark, dark fic. AU too.

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The laugh is eerie and echoes through the docks in a way that turns the unwary person's blood to ice. The wary people who actually know better don't bother to stick around past the first echoing sound of it. Most of Gotham knows to get off the streets when the Joker is loose and on the prowl for some fun. The tall figure of the psychopath strides down the docks, thick arms gesturing wide as he dances more than walks. The lurking form of his henchmen follow at a respectful and fully warranted distance.

Joker's mood is capricious and can turn on a dime. Happy and giddy one moment to absolutely out of his mind enraged in the next. The insane green of his eyes flashing and burning with an unnatural light that lets even the stupidest of people know they need to get as far from him as possible.

Bells jingle as a smaller figure follows close behind. Well within striking range, but absolutely unafraid as the red and black clad shadow follows behind Joker with adoring blue eyes that can be every bit as insane as Joker's. Harlequin sways under the weight of a massive sledgehammer that looks too large for his smaller form, but more than a few people have ended their lives as smears underestimating the strength in his arms.

"This, this, this!" Joker stops and flings his hands out toward a freighter ship that looks the exact same as all the others. His grin grows wide and demented as he frames it with his hands. "Oh yes, Harley Dear, this one will be fucking perfect."

"You heard him," Harlequin tosses one belled head at the clowned up crowd following him. "Let's get Mr. Jay's ship all pretty and nice now."

The promise of senseless violence is, as always, enough to get their men going. Joker laughs as they swarm over the lightly guarded ship an start breaking things. The smart guards have already jumped ship and are swimming away unmolested, but a few screams rise up to be cut short showing that not all of them were very smart.

Joker spins around and gets an arm around Harlequin. Spinning the younger man around in a mad dance that leaves his weapon to crash to the docks with a splintering sound that echoes. "It will be so perfect! He'll come and we can have ourselves a proper little family reunion."

Harlequin grins up at him and pulls away just enough to wrap his arms around Joker's neck. He smiles up at him and the expression almost makes the white pain caked on his face crack. "With cake and fireworks and rusty ships. It'll be just like old times."

The vans come up next to unload their precious cargo and Joker watches with glee as the bound and unconscious forms of his brothers and sisters are hauled out. The perfect bait for the man they all called father in one form or another.

Laughter rings out over the dock as the explosives follow and the night slowly passes.

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