Vengeful clown
Joker x Reader(GN)
AO3
Weeping clown had a very... negative perception of himself, now in this limbo manor you can imagine how good having not one, but two other versions of his worse aspects around is doing to his already complicated self-image
It also doesn't help that he has found himself in a... complicated feelings sort of situation with you as well, but one thing they all can agree is that no-one messes with who they are found of, regardless of romance or not
That thing is at the door again
"So that's what I... hey... are you listening to me?"
It's little plump face is looking angrily at the ground, even tho it was clear that a cloud of sadness surrounded the small... creature... thingy... whatever it actually is...
"Joker?.... helloooo??"
He knows why it's like that, honestly since those... things appeared they only caused trouble more than their worth, but rules are rules and miss Nightingale was very adamant in maintaining these... copies... toy like creatures of the hunters around
It is for morale, he had heard, it was weird enough that he has to see, even if from afar for he avoids that monster like the plague, something that is... is such a bizarre mix of him and... and that man...
Now he has to also see that thing around in a little version, causing trouble and... being rather attached to... someone...
A shout finally breaks the distracted red head back to reality, Mike has just grabbed his shoulders and is violently shaking him
"EARTH TO JOKER! IS SOMEONE HOME?! HELLOO!!"
"ALRIGHT FINE STOP STOP!" the weeping clown says, swatting the harlequins' hands away "I am listening! What about last weeks hide and seek match again?"
".... it was a blackjack march if you must know" Mike pouts "you were staring again by the way..."
"I wasn't"
"Yes you were! Leave that little thing alone, would you? It already looks miserable!"
The acrobat boy points at the pathetic little smiley face now hitting the main entrance door with its little rocket, the sound of an impact like a spring toy making the ridiculous scene even more pitiful
The clown tsks, and continues walking towards the dining room, there where six normal matches occurring at the moment, as well as one duo hunters, hide and seek, and black jack
Plenty of survivors were out of the manor trying their best or die all over again quickly and painless, it was their eternal punishment in this limbo, as for why they were all here was mere a mystery, one the clown has no interest of unlocking unlike the most religious bunch of the flock
So that thing could be expecting anyone really, but he knows, deep down, from how many times he has seen it follow that person around, it has gotten attached, and a part of him worries, because he knows that that... that monster is him, a fucked up part of him is that giant smiley clown... so what could it mean... that a small part of that thing got attached...
To someone other than Natalie...?
"I can't be the only one who thinks that thing is weird, right?" Joker mumbles as Mike follows him as jovial and energetic as he was in life, bored probably too, it has passed such a long time that whatever.... tension the boy held was dismissed... or probably redirected to the other him
He has heard from Luca how much of a brat Mike can be kitting that clown, better that thing than him honestly he does remember what happened last time his temper showed at least... toleration was already in a thin line with each human that entered this cursed manor, all he least needs now is more adversity... especially one towards him of all people
He has to stay sane and out of conflict, for Natalie, no, Margaretha, that's her new name now, at least, in this hell they only had each other for a fact... even if he hasn't been matched with her for a while now
"It's just a pet, I bet its brain isn't bigger than a pea, ha!"
"If you say so... it still bothers me how it just... follows people around"
"Follows them around you mean" the enfasis is playful, and teasing, the blond pokes his companion with a fork as both sit at the dinning table, their favorites magically in place in a mere blink "is there something you wanna speak to the class about hmm Joker?"
"There is nothing to speak about, you brat" he swats the utensils away "they probably just gave it attention too many times, and it's now attached"
"You say that, but -"
A sting suddenly intensifies in the clowns good leg "Ouch!"
In instinct, he swings it forward, kicking whatever made it hurt in the first place, as he looks bellow he spots the small abomination recovering itself from the kick "what was that for?!"
The second the small smiley does it lunges forward again and tugs his leg out of the table
"Oi oi stop! Unhandle me you stupid thing!!"
"I think it wants to show you something" Mike immediately gets up, curious, and he tries to look back at the entrance
"Well it can fuck off and-"
"Oh shit" the boy jumps with ease out of his seat and dashes through the door, at the sight of movement, the pet hunter finally releases his grip and charges with his small rocket following the acrobat, in it's little furrowed face Joker swears he sees worry
With a sigh of disappointment, the weeping clown gets up and makes his way to the entrance, that thing is probably playing a prank again, Mike will lose his latest bombs and the next match he will get a de-buff and then Joker will laugh at his face for how stupid he is... he won't, but internally, he will
The sight that greats him is like a slap in the face
The main entrance is knocked open, a body lying on the ground being gently picked up by Mike now as the toy sized hunter worryingly sweats and spins around the pair
You have just returned from a duo match and passed out right by the entrance
Body spent, purples all over, clothes teared and burned and so much blood
How didn't you bleed out running back was a mystery
"I'll get doc!" He immediately says and marches the garden where hopefully that woman will be, Mike nods and, with all his strength, starts to carry you upstairs
...
Soon after you, Victor, the mute postman, and the magician, Servais, came along, the two other survivors of the duo match, you were the worst of them... well you and the dog
"That... could have gone better, " the bearded man comments as he carefully picks out wood farps from the boys' hands who gently caress the passed out dog on the bed
Victor nods
"Who was the pack today?" Mike asks as he selects some good bandages for the dog
"Fools Gold and Geisha" a chase heavy duo
"Off, there wasn't even a chance, was it?"
"The first triple rescue went so bad we got triple terror shock"
"Holly shit"
"We only got out because of luck... and because the duo hiperfocused on them at the end"
"No wonder they look so bad..."
Now, the doctor was stitching your wounds, your closed eyes twitching with pain every once in a while, Emilly was quiet during the exchange
Meanwhile, the pet hunter sat by the side bed, eyes fixed in you with a frown, for something that was made by the essence of a smiley clown that thing sure was full of more anger than it's little body should be capable of caring
Joker remained quiet, sitting on a stoll as the others talked, Geisha outside of matches can be found on the living room of both mansions, performing as a ways to entertain herself and others, a polite woman, he never interacted with her in any way that mattered but inside battles she was relentless
A demon, literally, you had claw marks that screamed her all over, on your legs little wholes marked her pins of butter flies that made you a living teleport point for the huntress
But the worst damage where the bigger slashes across your back and shoulders, those ragged damages could only come from Fools Gold pickax, you truly do looks like you kited two hunters at once, how you survived was a mystery and a curse
"They should have stuck to the chair, less painful that way" Emily murmurs between her work
If anyone but him heard, no-one comments
It is true, death after some damage was a less painful result than surviving, for it take mere days to that person reaper again in their room at the mansion to continue this eternal torture
But at the heat of the moment, your body could probably only think of running, he knows the feeling well too, and sometimes... between two bad situations one where you can control the outcome is better than the other
For it isn't unheard off that some matches can be so torturous that it's victim reform without the memories they made since arrival
In the end it was a gamble, survive and retain your memories, die and risk losing them, the good thing is that now you won't be called for a match for a long time, no-one can call the manor unfair for that at least
Unless you yourself decides to volunteer, which... he really hopes you won't...
You were... close, a new... acquaintance at least, perhaps a friend, you had arrived after him in the manor, and as all new guests you stuck with your own team, but after some time you opened to others
One of the others was him, the first time you met was in a normal match. You both had the misfortune of being located near the hunter and took turns hiding from him, Bane, the gamekeeper at the time
The friendship started in that day as you took the hook for Margareta, giving him enough time to arrive and whisk her away from danger with his rockets
Later he and the dancer went to give their thanks as she insisted, it was the polite thing to do to a new comer after all, even if he did hope you had no intention of saving her deep down, he can't... couldn't risk being replaced as her savior... not now that they reunited at least
And he was right. You did not see the rook, much less knew where you were going, but you were friendly enough to brush it off
"But I'm glad it helped you then...?" Margareta, the angel that she was, laughed your awkwardness off
"Don't worry about it, you will find your specialty soon enough, who knows, maybe you are a rescuer at heart and just doesn't know yet"
Not exactly, you were an assist type, soon enough the stuffed dolls you sew where given life by the manor, they now can be used as little assistants, you where permitted to carry only three at a time, one to decipher, one to heal and one to protect
He knows this because after that first time, when you two were scheduled together, you always made sure to duo with him, for rescue or decode, the clown has even lost count of how many time you took hits for him
So who wouldn't have opened up a little, perhaps with more time he could even call you a... friend...
"Maybe if I give them a little wooden sword, they can stun the hunter..." You commented once, sitting on a stud as you sewed your broken cloth doll back to health
"They can always sting the hunters eyes with their pins" he commented as he saw another plank of wood, even in hell, they could still walk around the manor, even if they could never actually leave, at least it was good to change scenery from time to time, and continue some hobbies as well
"They could... but then the hunter might try to hunt me in the mansion if my dolls make them bleed"
"They will do that regardless, you know? Have heard even Mike was hunted down because of his bombs"
"...Have you? Since your rockets can stun them, I bet there are some hunters who take it personally"
"Once or twice, but also that clown doesn't need an excuse to hunt me down out of match, he does it for the sport I think"
"What clown?" That made him stop at the time, Smiley was usually one of the most common hunters, there was a very low chance you haven't fought him yet
"The red one? The only one we have? The one with a creepy grin? Smiley face? You haven't had a match against the clown?"
"... after you said it so much you probably jinxed me, why? Is he that vengeful?"
"Vengeful?! Ha!" The corners his perpetual frown hurt from the smile you pulled out of him "that thing is a maniac! A sadist! He has broken so many limbs of so many survivors! Hell, he let me leave the match with my arms broken on purpose!"
"... oh, yeah, alright, that sounds... intense"
"You have no idea, if you ever go against him pray he doesn't find you and if he does keep jumping out of windows and pallets, never run a straight line, he will catch you with his rocket"
"... oh damn he uses a rocket like you too?"
"..." Later, he thinks he should have told you the truth that time, maybe... maybe then you wouldn't have got curious and closer to that thing, maybe then he wouldn't need to see how that part of him could even be... better than him
But... where was he now? Not here... Joker was, by your bedside, alone...
The clown was so lost in thought that now he notices how the infirmary has gone quiet, and only him and the toy smiley remained, your face was now serene, only sleep claimed you, bandages all around, but peaceful
You were breathing, you were alive, from dawn to night, he had stayed here for a long time... Natalie must have returned by now... he should check on her...
You... you were stabilized now, he could leave... he should leave actually, so you can rest properly, him as well since he probably will have a match tomorrow noon, as it tended to happen with the survivors that didn't picked matches as often as him, forced to participate after a big wave like this
But just as he got up he hears a tsk, the little pet hunter sneered at him and turned back to you
"Don't look at me like that, they are fine"
He frowns at the thing, it proceeds to ignore him and wave it's little hand for him to get out
"Why do you even stick around them so much anyway? Don't you have pranks to plan? A script to prepare? I do, I have to go check up on Natalie- Margaretha"
The little hunter barks a small laugh, when it turns to him it gives a wicked smile and shows its tongue out as one of it's hand flies to his forehead making a L
"You are the one waiting on the bedside of a stranger" he rattles "I at least am caring for some I have History with, instead of... of whatever uncertainty this thing you two have"
"Then get out no one is making you stay" the raspy voice came directly from behind him, it sent shivers down his spine and instinctively Joker readies his good leg to flight as he flexes his hand on an nonexistent handle of a rocket
Smiley face was right behind him, the taller hunter towered, his usual cruel smile was replaced by a frown and a snarl, in this position, he looks even more like...
The weeping clown holds his breath, he is not the same man he was in Hullabaloo, he is not a coward... he killed that man that night
So he looks up, directly at his hunter counterparts face, the manifestation of his sins and others nightmares
"What... are you doing here?" His voice cracked a bit, but he will not back down
"Fuck you think I am doing here dumbass? A tour?" The larger clown step around him and sat on the comically small stoll Joker once was, the little pet hunter jumps forward to its bigger mirror
The toy smiley starts to blabbering an incomprehension string of noises as he mimics with the best if it's little body ability what has happened until now
Despite his better judgment the survivor clown stays and watches as his hunter counterpart listens intensely to the little thing show
The pet hunter does a series of impersonations, but the two that stand out is when he uses his toy rocket as a bat, however one with context could interpret it as a pickax, especially when it tries imitating Fools Gold maniac laugh, and the next it tries to be very proper and then it snarls, like Geishas' forms
Joker sighs at the absurdity of it all, but the second he touches the door handle, he hears his own voice stop him
"You know... Michiko usually keeps her shamisen in living area by the fire place" Smiley face says
He can make a quick detour before checking on Margareta
