Juno and Jervis arrive at their new abode, however Juno starts to get cold feet after realizing how they acquired such a house.
What had we done to deserve this? Her mouth fell agape as Jervis pulled up to a gorgeous mansion located in the country surrounding Gotham City. Far enough to be left alone, close enough to get to the city quickly. It stood silently watching as their car rode up the dirt and pebble driveway, the small stones popping and rubbing against each other and the dirt underneath the pressure of the tires. A slight haze covered the house in the darkness, adding an air of mystery to the whole situation. Even in the smog and darkness, Juno could still see the large, blooming rose bushes in the front, and a wide smile broke out onto her face.
"Oh Jervis!" She began, completely astounded and impressed. Her gaze flickered over to meet his, and as usual his lack of excitement didn’t seem to bother her. He was smiling, but his eyes didn’t reflect this. For a moment her mind wandered and her heart swelled with love. In her mind, he did this for her - to treat her like a queen, which so happened to be what he called her some days.
His Queen of Hearts.
His… Heart.
"It’s beautiful!" She exclaimed, fighting the urge to throw her arms around him yet again. He chuckled, showing his imperfect yet beautiful teeth.
"Only the best for us." He replied. Juno smiled even wider, but her reaction merely served to stir something uncomfortable within him. He wasn’t talking about her. He almost never was. Oh his poor, sweet, naive Juno; the woman who seemed to love him deeply and without prejudice. He could tear her limb from limb and she’d still forgive him wholeheartedly. He supposed that was why he kept her around for so long, after all, he’d need someone to protect him when he eventually got Alice back, and who better to do that than Juno?
"Juno, do you have that phone I asked you to get a couple days ago?" He asked her. She squinted, trying to remember what he was asking for before it clicked.
"Oh the-" She stopped as she rooted through her backpack. She pulled out a small, black flip phone.
"The untraceable one?" She asked. He nodded, smiling widely as he reached for it. This was another reason he liked to have her around - she often did things without question. It took a while for her to come around to this mentality, a lot of trial and error on Jervis’s part as well, but when she finally gave in…
She watched silently as he dialed on the phone. As usual, the quiet bred uncomfortable thoughts for Juno. Most of them were incoherent - loud murmurs in the back of her head that only served to muddle her thinking even further - but the ones she could hear made her body ache with anger and oncoming sadness. She continued to hear things like who is he calling? Is it a woman? Does he not love me anymore?
Her hands twitched before her muscles completely locked all because of one thought: “I won’t let him leave.” It wasn’t the first time she felt incapacitated by a thought, it had happened many times before, but this time it felt like a cruel joke. She’d never been in front of the home of another woman when it happened… it always seemed irrational… but now?
"Lock sense away, awaken the rascal, when I say it is so… your home is my castle." He stopped. That was when she realized he had hypnotized someone. She felt foolish, letting out a sigh of relief. He didn’t spare her a second glance as he got out of the car, his hand immediately going to his pocket to grab his watch.
Juno instinctively flinched at this, though it wasn’t the first time. She’d seen what that small object had done to others and she feared accidentally getting caught up in the sounds and being hypnotized herself. But she knew deep down that Jervis wouldn’t hurt her like that. She trusted him, she loved him, and he wouldn’t take advantage of her with his powers.
"Go to the door." Juno was quick to follow him out of the car, leaving her door open so she didn’t make a noise. He needed to focus if his plan were going to work, and if anyone else in that house - or god forbid the target - heard people outside then all that hard work and planning would go out the door, and they’d have to improvise. Juno hated improvising, because that usually meant she had to get her hands dirty. She much preferred Jervis’s method.
"Jervis?" She whispered, leaning over slightly to make sure he heard her. His gaze was colder than before - his face almost forming a malicious curl of his lip - and he put a finger over his mouth.
"Stay here and stay quiet. We can’t let anything mess this up." He stated in a condescending manner. Juno frowned at this, feeling the utter shame of him having to scold her build up within her. He was jumpy, that she understood, but she just wanted to help in some way. It felt wrong for her to just be standing there in the late night September air. She would do what he asked though.
A man opened the door and let Jervis in. Juno assumed he was one of the volunteers from the nightclub earlier. The world was quiet for a moment, with storm clouds rolling in over her head. Juno’s body felt heavy and her eyelids fought to stay open. Even then, standing outdoors, leaning against her car, she felt exhausted. It was just about three in the morning, and Juno hadn’t slept since her nap two days before. They fought, and because of that, she found it hard to do anything.
A flicker of lightning in the distance brought her out of her thoughts and sleepy haze. It was definitely going to rain soon, and she feared that getting caught in another storm would make her sick.
She pressed her lips into a thin line as she considered going inside. Jervis wouldn’t be pleased with that, but it was between him getting mad at her and her getting sick…
The voice was back, begging her to stay put, or to at least sit in the car if it started to rain. She really didn’t want to hear it at the moment, though. She was tired and already chilled to the bone, not necessarily the best combination. Any time she thinks of doing something that goes against what he wanted that stupid voice tells her not to. In all honesty, she was getting sick of the way she listened to his every command.
She should never have come back to Gotham.
Screw it, she thought to herself bitterly, and screw him! Her own thoughts began to drown out the insecure, sycophantic voice as she turned to the car to grab her bag. It felt good to actually be alone for a moment, because when he was gone she felt like herself.
She grabbed some dry clothes and slung her backpack over her shoulder, closing the car doors as quietly as she could.
The path was a bit hard to navigate in the heels she chose to wear, as she struggled to keep her balance on the pebbles. The rest of their bags could stay in the car for now, and she secretly hoped that people stayed away from this part of Gotham. She was sure that both Jervis and her would be very upset if someone stole their stuff.
As she approached the open door, she heard Jervis’s hushed muttering. Her attention was quickly taken by the sheer beauty of the interior. The inside proved to be just as grand as the outside was - with dark oak floors and stairs. The furnishing was sparse, leading Juno to believe that this was a vacation home for the couple. She assumed (correctly) that the original inhabitants of the house were dead, though this didn’t stop her from being unnerved at the sight of the small droplets of blood tarnishing the floors. It was a grim reminder of how absolutely not normal their life was.
Jervis was a murderer - a man with blood on his hands because of his own bleeding heart… just like Juno.
Her heartbeat quickened and her stomach turned uneasily as she thought of everything she did for him - everything she’d continue to do for him in the future. How many more innocent people would get hurt or die over someone who didn’t even want Jervis to find her?
Her breath caught in her throat at that one thought.
There was always a part of her that knew Alice might not have wanted to see Jervis again, especially considering how he threw her to Dr. Strange and Indian Hill a few years prior, but Juno had never actually thought or said anything about it. It was always just a feeling, something she could never quite explain or understand.
She found herself anxiously looking around, though she wasn’t sure what she was looking out for.
“Oh Juno, there you are my dear. I was wondering when you’d come in.” There he was again, standing there with a concerned smile on his face and his hands on her body.
“There’s blood on the floor.” She frowned, messing with the hem of her skirt. There was a loose thread. It bothered her.
“Yes, I know, I’m going to need you to help with the roses in the backyard first, then we can clean this up.” Roses. She knew what that meant. Someone was dead and probably needed to be buried, and she was going to have to do it. Her body fought against the familiar fatigued feeling as she prepared to do what he asked.
“Jervis, I’m exhausted. I haven’t slept since Wednesday.” She didn’t expect that. Her eyes widened as if she didn’t realize she was speaking aloud. His hands left her shoulders almost immediately.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that I… I’ll go do it now.” She stated in an attempt to save face.
The constant fighting had truly taken a toll on their relationship as Jervis had begun to realize. His mind was working harder than it had in the last few months, all thanks to Juno. Keeping her happy and satiated was hard work, seeing as she was a very high maintenance lover and partner in crime.
He was losing her, though, and that continued to be one of his worst fears. He couldn’t afford to lose her at a time like this, when he needed her most. So, with a smile on his face and a brief touch to her cheek, he spoke.
“No worries, my dear, I’ll get it taken care of. Get some rest.” He saw the change in her eyes almost immediately. The way the tired, hard glare softened into one of adoration and admiration. A small smile broke out on her face. Her hand reached for his, entwining their fingers effortlessly, like she’d done a million times before.
“Jervis,” she couldn’t help herself, the way his name rolled off her tongue was undemanding and familiar. It fell from her lips without a thought. If she was truly battling herself at all times, then there was at least one thing the opposing sides agreed on.
“Yes, my love?” His words set her heart ablaze and cast a haze over her mind. His other hand was now caressing her cheekbone, following the soft flesh to her jawline. She stared up at him with wide, doe-like eyes.
“Can I kiss you?” She whispered, as if afraid the mere sound of her voice would scare him off. He didn’t reply with words, but his actions answered for him. His lips ghosted across hers for a moment, barely touching in a teasing manner to keep her wanting more.
Her movements were timid and unsure, as she usually was. It didn’t matter how many times he held or kissed her, Juno was always a bit shy. When her lips finally met his he couldn’t help but notice how gentle her touch was. She was always so careful with him, but she was especially careful now. Since this whole Alice thing happened, she’d treated him like glass.
He pulled his hand from hers and grabbed at her waist, pulling her closer to him for a moment. She sighed as she felt his tongue slither between her lips, craning her neck up further to deepen their kiss as she pressed her cold body against his. The warmth he radiated was comforting and she hoped he would forget about the bodies for the moment and worry about hers for the night.
Her actions only managed to make him pull away, pushing her away gently by her shoulders.
“Go rest, Juno.” He stated simply before pushing past her to the backyard. She stood, dumbfounded and still slightly turned on. If the lack of his body heat didn’t leave her shivering, she likely would have stood and waited for him to come back. She supposed, though, that maybe she could wait for him. She was tired, that much was true, but she didn’t mind the potential alternative.
As she trudged her way upstairs, she couldn’t help but wonder if Jervis was truly going to bury the couple himself, or if he was going to hide them someplace else. She knew that if she did it they’d be buried and then some - never to be found. Him, however… she feared his manic state would cause him to be reckless. At least he wouldn’t blame it on her.
Her night clothes were soft and warm compared to the now only semi dry dress that she’d been wearing all night. The fluffiness of the pants she brought were a welcomed feeling against her clammy skin. All she wanted at the moment was comfort, something Jervis had issues providing at the moment. As she looked down at her flushed skin she couldn’t help but wonder what he was playing at. Why would he let her get all worked up before leaving her to be alone for - presumably - the whole night?
Juno stared at the unkempt satin bed sheets and that familiar feeling from before was back. Her hands struggled to find something to fiddle with, something to keep her grounded so she didn’t completely freak out.
She was in someone else’s home. They were living there - living their lives as if nothing would go wrong a few hours later. She shouldn’t be there. They deserved peace. They were caught in a terrible crossfire - killed over something that didn’t even matter to them. They didn’t know who Alice was or where she could be.
Innocent. They were innocent.
She found it hard to go near the bed, opting to continue staring at it as her breathing picked up. There wasn’t much for her to fixate on when it came to the hem of her shirt; no loose threads or holes to play with, and as she fidgeted with the fabric, she couldn’t help but realize how little it was helping.
In the distance there was a crack of thunder, startling Juno out of the trance she seemed to put herself in. She stared out the window, looking over the hazy countryside as the rain began to trickle down the windowsill. It would be downpouring soon, and she worried about Jervis for a moment.
She couldn’t lay down. Not now, not yet. The mere sight of the bed sent her spiraling and -
“You’re still awake?” His voice was soft and full of confusion. The expression on her face told him everything he needed to know. Her tearful green eyes met his and… she was different, yes, but she felt good in his arms. “What’s the matter, darling?” She vaguely gestured to the bed before curling into his chest. She couldn’t look at it anymore.
“The bed? I don’t…” He trailed off as he finally realized why she was so distraught.
“Juno, look at me.” His grip tightened on her arms. “I need you to listen, alright?” She nodded as one of his hands left her arm.
____________
Juno woke up with her head laying on his bare chest, confused and still not completely awake. The sunlight streamed through the open window, casting its golden rays onto the floor and white blankets. It was quiet. It was peaceful. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this relaxed.
The sheets were soft against her skin. The satin didn’t help her escape from the chill in the air, and if there was anything she remembered from the night before, it was how cold she was. Luckily though, the blankets retained heat easily. If it weren’t for Jervis’s tight grip on her, she would have buried herself under the blankets.
Buried.
There was something off about that word currently, but Juno couldn’t figure out why. Merely thinking about it caused her to feel uneasy; her palms would start sweating and goosebumps would form on her skin as a chill ran up her spine.
Her fingers traced along his arms gently so she didn’t wake him up. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt more in love with him at that moment than she had in the last few months. She would’ve thought that when they moved to Gotham two years prior, into the lovely countryside mansion they currently resided in, that she would remain deeply in love with him, but for some reason that love had faded.
It was back that morning though, that much she knew.
In his arms, she felt at peace.
There were no screaming voices to warn her of whatever red flags he gave off, no fighting within her. There was only love.
He opened his eyes slowly, focusing on Juno for only a moment before his gaze was taken by the clock on her side of the bed. While he may not have been looking at her, her eyes never left his face. He let out a sigh, slight annoyance peaking through his usual calm and jovial facade. Juno furrowed her brow at this, frowning in confusion and concern.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Something about that felt wrong. She was so close to him at the moment, legs intertwined as she laid in his arms, yet there was a solemn part of her that was trying to tell her something was wrong.
Juno thought that this was merely a feeling caused by his lack of affection, and she continued to shrug it off as this.
“I have to be somewhere.” He muttered. His eyes were blank, as if he himself were in a trance. She knew what he was thinking about - his sister. It was almost always his sister.
“Maybe afterwards we can chill here for the night.” She suggested lightheartedly. He grabbed her wrist and moved her dancing fingers away from him.
“I’ll be at the Sirens again tonight.” The short answers were starting to bite at her, making her head fill with terrible, self doubting thoughts. She sat up as he slid out of bed, clutching the silk sheets to her chest.
“Again?” Her voice reflected disappointment.
“Yes, again. It’s part of the plan.” He stated as he pulled on one of his dress shirts. Juno tilted her head as she thought deeply about the “plan.” She knew a few key points, but the finer details were kept away from her, locked away in the maze that was Jervis’s mind.
“I wasn’t aware of that.” She mentioned, scooting closer to him as he sat to put on his socks.
“Because you’re not supposed to come. You weren’t supposed to be there last night, either.” She couldn’t help but glare at him.
“Are you kidding me? You asked me to go and then…”
“And then what?” He prodded, waiting for her to realize what he meant.
“I said no.” Shame quieted her voice, making it seem like she was whispering to him. His hand came to rest under her chin as he made her look at him. He was unreadable, which made her heart speed up. There was something disturbing about him when she couldn’t tell what he was thinking, and sometimes she feared that he’d hurt her.
“Exactly. So I expected you to stay behind like you wanted.”
“No, no. You don’t get it, I physically couldn’t stay behind last night. There was something in me that just… it was screaming at me, Jervis. Calling me stupid and telling me I made the wrong choice. I was miserable. I had to see you.” She practically sounded like she was begging. He smiled at her.
“Fine, my love. You and me, tonight at the Sirens, I promise.” She smiled widely and wrapped her arms around him tightly.
