YEAH I know. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!? WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEEEEXT!"
Well here it is.
This is Batman/Joker slash. Don't like it? DON'T READ IT. Please. It does me a favor of no hate mail! Anyways, this is also Bruce/Joker of the movie world. I really loved the movie Joker, and the movie Batman. There may be some elements of cartoon Joker, or cartoon Bruce. That's… because I like combining them.

I don't OWN any of the rights to Batman or Joker. It's just a fanfiction.

"Alright, ALRIGHT." He heaved himself from the floor where he had been laying on the carpet. He fixed the old green vest, placing his hands on his hips and checking himself like a model in the mirror. "Hmm…"

The green tendrils of greasy hair fell over his face and over his ears, which was easily remedied by a forceful hand combing it all back. He scratched his chin with a frown, smudging white face paint.

He was dressed in his finest- his good vest, his nice button down shirt, pinstripe pants… he was ready for action.

"Ooo Bats, what 'til ya get a load of me!" He chuckled as if about to leave on a major date, and grabbed an ancient looking cell phone off a nightstand in the makeshift bedroom.

After the pleasing sound of loud dial tone and then fuzzy, bad reception, the clown waited, holding the phone to his cheek, not minding the white makeup now all over the wireless telephone. "Hmm hmm hmm…" He hummed some delightful tune, which he had gotten stuck in his head for the longest time.

"Oh when the saints… go marchin' in…"
The Joker stepped out onto the pavement, breathing in the smells of the city; asphalt, smoke, gunpowder… and salt. He could smell salt. That meant the winds were blowing.

"And when the winds blow…" The clown didn't bother finishing his random comment, instead rushing to the beat up white truck waiting for him. He would be driving solo today; no cronies sat waiting to drive him off to some location so he could blow it up; instead, he would go by himself.

The Joker had become a bit more easily excited since his little escapade with the Batman. He was now a bit happier, gleeful of blowing up his favorite things. Smashing flowerpots had never been more fun.

For some reason, violence had become an even more important part of his life. Breaking things was exciting. It proved that that exact thing in front of him was not INVINCIBLE. It could break, and it could never be repaired. Sometimes it could die. It depended on what you were breaking.

"I could break Bats..." The Joker laughed aloud, smacking the steering wheel in hysterics. THAT was a good one. Like he'd ever get to see the masked vigilante again, after he had practically 'made a fool of himself'.

Oh, the clown prince knew what the bat was thinking right then; he knew it was wrong, and he knew he shouldn't be feeling anything… and he probably regretted it… felt disgusted… wanted to throw up. Maybe he had! But the Joker wanted to see it. He wanted to see the Batman churn in disgust. He wanted to see him powerless.

"Oh when the saaaaints go maaarchin' iiiiiin…."

"I'm tired, Alfred…"

"You have been lately, Sir. Maybe you should take a nap."

"I can't. I have to go to the meeting."

"Mr. Fox already cancelled. Please rest."

The butler glanced over at the television when a sudden news report came on. He walked over quickly, about to turn it off before the entrepreneur could see, but Bruce was far too quick.

"Wait…" He sat up from the large bed, leaning on his arms and watching the newscast.

"The city is in an UPROAR today, as the famed criminal 'the Joker' is out and about again. Five citizens were shot in a coffeeshop downtown. When the cashier, a bit shaken, was asked what the man of crime was doing in there, he replied, 'ordering a decaf.'… Naturally, we have not heard much more information on this case, but we will broadcast any gained evidence as soon as we-"

"Damn it!" Bruce got up angrily, slicking his hair back with one hand and staring at the television. "Five people!? Five!? He usually only does one, to set an example. What is he thinking?" He sat back down on the bed, groaning. "…I can't sleep NOW, Alfred."

"…Yes, well…" Alfred glanced at the television, nodding his head. "Go on then, Mr. Wayne. I will see you later on."

"…What do you think he's doing?" Bruce asked as he got his shoes on and grabbed his motorcycle helmet for his trek to the underground batcave.

"…I think… he's getting your attention." The butler replied simply and effectively, nodding to Bruce. "…Be careful." He walked off to the stairs and leaving him alone. Bruce sighed, getting into the elevator.

Getting his attention? Why?

"Oh how I'd want to be in that number…" He hummed, tapping his feet and sitting alone on the roof of a tall building. Wind buffeted his hair left and right, His purple trench coat pushed about limply. He was waiting, still.

He had been waiting for five hours now. And he hadn't gotten anything! But… he could wait. He would be patient. It wasn't a big deal. The bat might have been busy… maybe he just caught the news program. Maybe he only now saw all the police officers around the café, or the tons of cars crowded around the center of town.

…Maybe he just didn't come.

The Joker frowned at that. The Bat came to EVERYTHING. He wouldn't miss this chance. His dark red lips twitched and he licked them subconsciously, pushing his hands into his pockets. He stared down at the mass mayhem far below him, breathing in the scent of sulfur.

"When the saaaints go marchin' IN."

A crack was heard and the Joker turned his head in surprise. It was too late- a fist crashed into the side of his jaw and he tumbled off the side of the building, laughing wildly at his luck. So the Bat did care!

Wind blew by him fast, and he could see the earth rapidly ascending towards him.

"Oh dear…" He murmured under his breath, lost by the chaos about him.

Something caught his ankle and he was hoisted up, up, and up until finally he had his face pressed against a brick wall, still upside down. He could hear a deep, gravelly voice shouting down at him.

"Five people!?"

"Ooo so you DO care, Batsy!" The clown laughed happily, clapping his hands when he knew the other wouldn't drop him. Far too easy…

"I care about the five people you killed!" The hero's voice was still monotone, but the coldness tinged in the way he spoke, the much more venomous glare… the Joker could tell he had struck a nerve.

He was hoisted up easily enough, and the Bat grabbed his collar, shaking him over the side of the building as if threatening to drop him. He looked… upset. Angry.

"Would you rather I just killed one?" The Joker asked with a pout, watching the other shift back and forth quickly as the vigilante's strong arms shook his body.

"…" Bruce threw the other across the roof and watched his thin body tumble across the hard flooring. The villain laughed hoarsely, pulling himself up onto his knees, which seemed to be shaking.

"I guess not. Well, Bats, I can't ALWAYS get your attention. It's hard enough getting you here to talk- and we always fight! I don't want there to be any hard feelings… let's just talk!" The clown smiled, but it faltered a bit when the tall man punched into his gut, causing him to double over. "Ooooo hoo hoo, you're so EAGER to inflict pain. What's wrong, Bats? Am I some sorta stress reliever? Not that I mind! Keep going!" That earned a kick in the face, and he fell, turning around on the floor and grasping his ringing ears.
A song was playing over and over, and bells… a loud siren… screams. His head hurt. "Ooo you've done it now, babe…" The Joker's voice came out in a bit of a whisper; so quiet that Bruce had to lean in to hear exactly what he said.

The clown on the floor was still holding his ears as if trying to muffle sound, thought the ringing was from the large kick he had received. "Ooo that was a knockout…" The clown mumbled absently, feeling himself fly through the air as his collar was grabbed and his face was brought right up to Batman's… another stare down.

"DON'T underestimate me, Joker. I will not tolerate it." Bruce's words were icy; it was obvious the hero was upset about the five deaths.

"Diiid I kill anyone you knoooow?" The Joker seemed to sing it a bit, music still playing in his ears, an eerie, hurting symphony. His head ached and he giggled like he was on laughing gas.

"…None of your concern." Batman replied in the opposite tone of voice of his villain counterpart- cool, calm, and slowly regaining more and more composure.

"Whaaat, do you think I… I wrote down their naaames or somethin' to check their relatives to find you out?" The Joker snorted at that. "You give me… give me… FAAAAAR too much credit, sweetcheeks."

"Shut. UP." Bruce growled out. The Joker chuckled again, his head rolling back as he regarded the other with slightly glazed over eyes.

"Mmm… you know you… waaant to hear what I'm gonna saaaay… right?" He asked with a raised brow, his dark eyes boring into the criminal who grasped his collar, holding him up above the city as sirens went off, police men ran about in search…

"I could just leave you over there for the police." Bruce gritted out through his teeth. He didn't want the other getting beneath his skin. He didn't need it right now.

"Getting under… under your skin!? Ha! He ha he … sounds like fuuun…" The clown coughed and grinned up at the other. "Okay, okay… let's seeee here… you found me to release… release frustration. Because you're… aaaangry about what happened LAAAAAST time. AND my cry for… for attention? You don't like it. Am I… reading this… uh, this situation correctly?"

"..." Batman's silence was usually a quiet consent. The Joker went on with his dulled speech, constantly distracting by the fading and amplifying music ringing in his ears.

"Aaaand you KNOW that the only uh… only way to get rid of your FEEEEELINGS is to KILL me. But you don't want to kiiiiill me, do ya Bats?" The Joker's grin widened and his eyes darkened. "Is it… your one 'rule'? Or is it something else? Something I might… not know about? But maybe… but maybe you should TELL me. I'd LOOOOVE to know. LOOOVE to hear it, Baby."

One more hard punch at the jaw, and the Joker was completely knocked out. Bruce carried the thin body over one shoulder easily, bringing him down from the tall building and dropping him off at the police station.

Bruce didn't think about what the Joker had said. In fact, he didn't even think after dropping him off… not about anything. He went home, and he slept. He slept better than he had in ages.

He had no idea why.

SORRY this took so long! I started up school again- LOTS of work. BUT I will try and add a chapter to my fanfictions every couple of weeks. PLEASE don't give up on me! I hope you like it!