Well...I'm back! I have to admit that I was hopelessly inspired by my dear friend Caroline and her blog post. "True beauty is found when you get your hands dirty". For some reason that just gave me an image of Batman and the Joker. (Although I can't tell you what image because it's going to be in the next chapter) so thank you dear Caroline. You pulled me out of my other stories to focus back on this one.

I hope all of you still remember this and what it's about. Aaaand this will be the last chapter to give your guesses on the contest. It's a title, a phrase kind of, that you need to get right. It's Joker related obviously. And, like I said, if you guess it right you can have a hand in writing (or giving thoughts, inspiration, whatever you'd like) for the last chapter! (It's five words.)

Another hint you say? It's in the chapters.

Laughter with an 'S'

The applause could still be heard back stage and numerous voices called for them behind the closed door.

Them.

What a beautiful word.

Joseph sighed as he pressed the back of his head against Bruce's strong chest. He turned his head slightly to listen to his heart beat thickly against his chest. "Bruce..." He whispered but his thoughts evaporated into smoke as he felt Bruce's lips press against his nape.

Joseph smiled and ran a hand through the Prince of Gotham's dark hair. "Bruce they're waiting for us..."

"And?" His hand fell down Joseph's chest. The actor shuddered. It was so unlike Bruce to be like this, especially when the public was waiting on him. Joseph knew he would do anything to protect his identity, his status among Gotham as a billionaire playboy, even if that meant forsaking him and pretending to only be friends in the public's eye. Joseph understood that, he respected that, and admired Bruce for making sacrifices.

But tonight he was going against his usual character. He was pulling Joseph's black shirt up and pressing his cold hand against the skin beneath. Tonight Bruce wasn't worried about what the media saw him as, even if it was the truth.

Joseph knew he had to remind him.

"And we've been in here for a while..." He couldn't open his eyes. Bruce's heavy breath weighed them down like darkness without any moonlight. "They might suspect..."

"And yet you still haven't thanked me for the flowers I bought you." Bruce whispered.

Joseph pushed forward, trying to get away from Bruce's wandering hand and his soft breath. He opened his eyes and looked at the bouquet of dark red roses before his vanity mirror.

The back of his throat itched as the Joker grinned behind his electric green eyes.

Joseph quickly looked away. He didn't want to antagonize the Joker and lose his time with Bruce.

Joseph turned around to fully face the dark haired man behind him. He gathered his face with long fingers and looked sincerely into those dark blue eyes. "Thank you, Bruce." He kissed Bruce softly and breathed in the Prince's intoxicating musk. Joseph's arms folded behind Bruce's neck and pulled him closer.

Bruce's hands fisted brown hair, but Joseph quickly pulled away. "Now," he said with a coy smile. "Let's go out and make a scene."

Bruce smiled gently. "Whatever you want."

Joseph jumped out of his chair and opened the door to the hall backstage. A mass of reporters turned their heads to face them and threw microphones into their teeth.

"The entire city is talking about you two!" A blonde reporter with thick red lipstick that made Joseph shuffle his feet shouted over the others. "How long have you two known each other?"

Bruce threw a masculine arm over Joseph's thin shoulders. "Well I've always been a admirer of art and I appreciate the work Mr. Kerr puts into his acting. So, through love of the arts, a long time. Personally?" Bruce and Joseph locked gazes. "Well let's just say I'm not quite finished with him yet."

Joseph couldn't help the grin that spread across his face and he lowered his head to hide it. "Oh Bruce..." He said under his breath.

Bruce pulled Joseph with his arm still over his shoulders and pushed past the crowd. "What about the rumors that you two are more than just friends?" Another reporter asked.

Bruce looked over his shoulder at her. A brunette with thick-rimmed glasses, pink lips, and thick eyelashes. "How much faith has anyone truly had in rumors?" Bruce grinned with one side of his mouth and winked. "Besides, have you seen the women I've been with? I could be six feet under and I'd still never give them up."

They walked down the hall to a fire exit and, as Bruce and Joseph pushed the double doors open, the same brunette asked, "You two are about as slippery as the Joker and Batman."

"Oh, you have no idea." Joseph said softly with a wide grin. Bruce laughed, a hearty and loud laugh, and they walked down the street.

They passed Bruce's black limo as Alfred rolled the window down. "Going for a stroll, Mr. Wayne?"

Bruce waved his hand over his shoulder as he walked. "Yeah Alfred. I think I'm going to walk home tonight."

"Very well, sir."

Bruce smiled and looked behind him. "Try not to have too much fun tonight, Alfred. I hate cleaning up the mess you always leave in the leather."

Alfred raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Apologies." The window closed and Bruce pulled Joseph down a dark alley.

He softly pushed Joseph against the brick and whispered into his ear. "I really did love the play tonight."

"Oh well thank you, Brucey." Joseph beamed, always loving Bruce's praise, and winked. "Although I have to admit, with you sitting in the front row, I almost forgot some of my lines."

"Oh?" Bruce curled his fingertips around the edge of Joseph's black shirt. "Well..." He pulled Joseph into his embrace and paused his lips before his own. "Let me make up for that."

A kiss, a simple touch of lips, and Joseph lost all control. He grabbed the playboy's face within his hands and pulled him harder against his own kiss. One hand sunk beneath dark strands as another disappeared beneath cold fabric.

Bruce hissed as nails clawed up the middle of his back and bit the bottom of Joseph's lip. Bruce grabbed Joseph's leg and folded it around his waist, pushing them against each other.

The kiss became heavy and dark and within a moment Bruce's shirt was bundled around his shoulders. Bruce pressed into Joseph's lips and his hand rubbed against the actor's wrist, feeling the slight bumps of the Batman symbol the Joker had tattooed over the flesh.

The very touch of it caused Batman to growl against Bruce's hands. Rough hands tore at Joseph's shirt and sharp teeth pierced the skin over his collar bone. The contact had giggles spilling from Joseph's lips although he tried his hardest to keep them from falling out.

Fingers fumbled with a silver button on Bruce's pants and Bruce grabbed Joseph's wrists and pushed them into the brick wall behind him.

Deep breaths followed by silent stares filled the moment as Bruce and Joseph looked at each other. They could see the change. Joseph could see Bruce's blue eyes grow darker and Bruce could see the edge of the smile creeping across Joseph's face.

"Batsy." A giggle.

"Joker." A scowl.

The Joker pressed his lips against Batman's ear and whispered, "Miss me?"

Batman curled his fingers around a handful of the Joker's hair and pressed harder against his chest. "Always."

The Joker curled his other leg around Batman's waist as they fell back into a dark kiss.

Always.