The Perfect Smile

She breathed out slowly, her eyes still slow. She turned around and opened her eyes and looked over at him. He was starring at her, balanced on his elbows. She walked closer and then jumped a bit as the thunder let another roar out.

Joker: Come on!

He told her in a playful way and patted a seat next to him. She smiled and chuckled and walked over and sit down on the bed. He was still under the covers, but she couldn't help but notice he slept shirtless. She was caught staring at his built chest.

Joker: Eyes up here, sweetheart.

He joked with her. She smiled, the thunder continued and he knew that it made her uncomfortable, he needed to take her mind off of it.

Joker: Why don't you like the thunder.
Maddy: It reminds me of when my mother left.
Joker: How does something as simple as the thunder remind you of that?
Maddy: It was thundering the night she left with a mob member.
Joker: Mob member?
Maddy: Mmmhm. Hence why I hate the mob.
Joker: What member?
Maddy: Sal, something. I used to know it.. but I've buried his last name somewhere within my thoughts.
Joker: Maroni.
Maddy: Yeah... how'd you--
Joker: I've dealt with the mob before.

They continued to talk for about an hour, when she looked over towards the window and noticed that the storm had passed. The skies wasn't as dark and the thunder had quit. He must have realized she was looking out the window.

Joker: Looks like the storm has blown over.
Maddy: Yeah, I guess it has..

The room fell silence for a few moments before she looked up at him with a shy smile.

Maddy: I guess I'll be heading back to my room.
Joker: Use me and leave me?
Maddy: What?

She ask with a small giggle and a smile.

Joker: You came in here and had me comfort you until the storm is over, and now you're bored with my company. I see how you are!

She smiled and tilted her head a bit at him. Was he invited her to stay?

Maddy: So do you want me to stay?
Joker: I didn't say that.
Maddy: But apparently you don't want me to go.

She spat at him sharply with attitude. He licked his lips from side to side and let a smirk form on his lips. She was a witty one, that was for sure. He knew there was something about her that first day he saw her at Arkham. Only he hadn't figured it out then, and he still hadn't quite figured it out yet.

Maddy: Scoot!

She said shooing him like a chicken.

Joker: What?
Maddy: I'm cold, and If I'm going to keep you company then you're sharing your covers.

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow for a minute before scooting over allowing her to get in under the covers. She sit with the covers over her legs and a smile on her face. He was now laying down looking up at her. He noticed her smile first, her bright smile. It was the perfect smile, he thought to himself.

Maddy: What?
Joker: Nothing.
Maddy: Tell me!
Joker: It's nothing.
Maddy: Come on.. secrets don't make friends.
Joker: I'm not looking for a friendship.
Maddy: Stop being so hateful!
Joker: I'm not being hateful.
Maddy: Why are you so grouchy then?
Joker: I'm not.
Maddy: Are too.

This went back and forth for a few minutes before they both just broke out laughing. She was surprised that his company could be this much fun. She would have never realized that he was like this. She wondered if it was all an act. If this was the way he really was. If everything he done was just an act.

Maddy: Is it an act?

She ask between giggles. Her question caught him off guard and he just looked at her for a second pondering on the question.

Joker: What do you mean?
Maddy: You're not insane like everyone thinks.
Joker: Now now, Maddy.
Maddy: You're not.. so why pretend to be?
Joker: Keeps me alive.
Maddy: Huh?
Joker: They can't put me to death.
Maddy: Makes sense.

They was laughing along to something one had said. Neither of them recalled who said it, but they certainly knew it was funny. They was really enjoying each others company, and shockingly to the Joker he was growing quite fond of her. She was laying down on the pillow beside him looking up at the ceiling. He looked over at her and saw that perfect smile on her face again and smiled to himself. She rolled over, now on her side and looked at him.

Maddy: So, how old are you?
Joker: Curious?
Maddy: Very.
Joker: 29. Yourself?
Maddy: 23 next month.

He smiled over at her and looked down for a minute. He looked at her lips and noticed she was biting on her bottom one. It was driving him crazy at the moment. She looked so beautiful to him, even if she did still have bruises on her body from when they beat her. He closed his eyes thinking about it and getting angry. He didn't know why, but even when he stood in that room and saw that she was the hostage that the Riddler had in mind.. he felt some need to protect her, hence why he stepped on the spider. He looked over at her and noticed her gazing up at him with a small smile on her lips. He couldn't help himself from what happened next.

He slowly inched his lips closer and closer, and then brushed them against hers. It felt like it was happening in slow motion. When he didn't see or hear her protesting he brushed his lips back against hers once again. Maddy's head was swimming with an ocean of different thoughts. She couldn't believe he was kissing her! One part of her told her to leave, run! The other part told her to kiss him back. She decided to listen to the second option.

She pressed her lips against his harder. When he noticed this he smiled and then nibbled on her bottom lip demanding his tongue entrance. She fought with him for a minute or two, but ultimately let him win. She wrapped her hands around his neck and let her fingers dangle through his hair. She was so caught up in the kiss. It felt so right, so passionate. It wasn't like anything she had experienced before. He was both rough and gentle. He had exactly the right amount of both.

When they finally broke the kiss both of them inhaled loudly glad to have oxygen back in their lungs. He pressed his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. He could tell there was something there, but he couldn't read it. Neither of them talked for a few minutes.. they just stayed there in that position, forehead to forehead.

Maddy: You kissed me.
Joker: You kissed me back.

She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him. He smiled down at her and chuckled a bit as he turned over making his back face her.

Maddy: What are you doing?!
Joker: Night, Maddy.

Maddy raised an eyebrow and then after noticing he wasn't going to roll back over anytime soon she laid her head down on the pillow. She just starred at his back until she fell asleep.

He rolled over to try to collect his thoughts. He was well aware that he had just kissed her, but his question to himself was why? Why was he kissing a girl who barely knew? Better yet, why was he kissing her at all? He didn't understand anything. Why was he even protecting her? She was of no purpose to him. He didn't need her. He was just keeping her out of the hands of Two Face and Riddler. Nothing made sense to him. He was feeling things he hadn't felt in a long time. Thinking about thoughts that he thought was long gone. Once he heard her soft snores he realized it was safe to roll back over. He slowly and softly rolled over and looked at her. She lay there with her eyes closed. One eye still having a yellow ring around it due to her beating, and a cut on her left cheek. But she was still flawless, especially to him. He licked his lips and closed his eyes hoping sleep would calm his thoughts.

...........................

Maddy fluttered her eyes open and let a yawn escape her mouth as she raised her arms up to stretch. She heard water running and looked towards a door, a bathroom to be exact. She smiled a bit to herself remembering the kiss that she had shared with him. It was one of the most exciting kisses she had ever experienced in her life. But then again it was also one of the most bittersweet. He rolled over though, which to Maddy either meant it was a mistake or she was really really bad at it.

She was brought out of her thoughts by a door opening. She looked over and saw him standing there in a pair of ripped jeans, toweling his hair dry. He tossed the towel to the corner and looked at her with a smile forming on his lips. She smiled, noticing today he didn't bother trying to cover up his scars.

Joker: Just gonna lay it bed all day, Princess?
Maddy: I may, and what are your plans.
Joker: Target practice.
Maddy: What?
Joker: Wanna join me?
Maddy: Sure.. just let me get a shower.
Joker: Meet me in the back yard once your finished.

He walked over and grabbed a black t-shirt out of the top dresser drawer and slipped it over his head. He slowly disappeared from the room. Maddy bit her lip as he left, and then let out a sigh. She tossed the covers off her legs and walked down to her room. Going inside she walked over and picked out an outfit for the day and then headed into the shower.

She stepped out and got dressed in some of the clothing that the Joker had picked out the previous day. Towel drying her hair a bit and adding some gel she let nature take it's natural course. She looked in the mirror and noticed that she still had a yellow circle around her eye, but there was nothing she could do about that at the moment. Once she was ready for the day she walked out of the room and headed towards a back entrance of the house. She came to a large glass sliding door and looked out. She saw him standing there, now shirtless tossing knives at a dummy that he hanging from a building. She pulled open the door and walked out to where he was standing.

Joker: Nice of you to join me, Princess.
Maddy: Nick name for me now or something?
Joker: I think it suits you.
Maddy: So this is target practice hmm?
Joker: Yeah, wanna try?
Maddy: Oh no.. I'm not any good.
Joker: You'll never know until you try.

He then placed a small knife in her hand and instructed her on how to toss it. She did as he ordered and giggled once she missed her target.

Joker: Wow.. you're really bad at this. Try this instead.

He said handing her a small pistol. She aimed for her target and pulled the trigger allowing the bullet to penetrate the dummy.

Joker: So you're a woman who knows how to work a gun, I like that.
Maddy: I never knew I had the talent until I came in contact with you.
Joker: Maybe that's a good thing.
Maddy: Maybe.

She said and aimed for the dummy again and pulling the trigger. Hitting it right in the head once again. He was amazed at how well she was with the gun. It surprised him in a way. He would have never expected her, of all women to know how to aim a gun. Too back she couldn't toss knives as well.

She took a seat on a barrel and watched as he tossed more knives into the dummy. She couldn't help but notice what a nice body he had though. He was just the right size, not to built, not to thin, muscular in all the right places, and with arms and an abdominal to die for. Sweat beads dropped down his chest and forehead as he tossed the last knife. He reached down and picked up his shirt and rubbed his face with it, clearing himself from the sweat.

Joker: What do you say we fix some food, Princess?

Maddy nodded and hopped off the barrel and followed him inside the house. She walked inside the kitchen and saw him digging through the cabinets for something, messing up the original order everything was in.

Maddy: Hey! You can ask where I placed it you know.
Joker: I told you not to arrange it!
Maddy: What are you looking for?
Joker: Pancake mix.

She walked over and tip toed up to a cabinet two over from the one he was at and reached for the box. He laughed at her struggling. She finally managed to get it down and look up at him.

Maddy: What are you laughing at?
Joker: You.
Maddy: And why is that?
Joker: You couldn't reach it!

Maddy then looked up and laughed a little bit too. She was only 5'3''. He towered over her, standing at 6'2'', nearly a foot taller.

Maddy: Well some of us aren't giants.
Joker: And some of us aren't midgets.

They laughed at each others jokes and then he began making pancakes, which shocked her. She didn't know he could cook, which was a shocking factor to find out. She watched as he flipped the pancakes into a plate and then sit them on the bar where she was sitting on a stool. He also brought two places over, placing one in front of her. She stuck her fork into one of the pancakes and placed it on her plate.

Joker: Nu uh. Not yet, Princess. The only way you're biting into that pancake is if you do a little something for me.
Maddy: (Raised eyebrow) and what is that?
Joker: I want another kiss.

She looked at him confused and then laughed. She leaned over(he was sitting directly in front of her on the other side of the bar) and placed a soft kiss on his lips. She felt him smile through the kiss. Once they departed she placed her fork on the pancake, cutting a small piece out and placing it into her mouth. He was a very good cook, and a even better kisser.