In the Mind of Madness

Kenna was never really a big drinker. In college she’d been to her fair share of parties, but every time she tried heavy liquor it ended bad. Waking up in a frat house with no shoes bad.

But as she sat in her prison with nothing to do but bemoan her fate, Kenna figured if there was ever a time to get really drunk, it was now.

She knew that getting wasted wasn’t a healthy way to deal with your problems, but currently she had no other way to get her worries off her chest. So Kenna threw herself down at the kitchen table where a few henchman sat, and took the bottle of Johnny Walker from Darla’s hands.

“The shrink’s a lush!” exclaimed one jumpsuit-clad man with tattoos all over his face, and they all laughed at her as Kenna took a powerful swig.

“Try dealing with yourselves for a few weeks and see how you feel.” Kenna returned, then she blushed as they laughed at her again.

“Don’t worry. You can drink with us, Kenna.” Darla told her kindly, and Kenna nodded at her as she took another drink.

*

Kenna’s alcohol tolerance wasn’t exactly high, but drinking mostly made her tired. It was a few hours later when Darla turned on a radio and started to play some loud dance music, and by that time Kenna was at a state of inebriation she wasn’t sure she’d achieved before.

As Kenna floated somewhere between awareness and passing out she was ignorant of The Joker standing half hidden in the shadows, his arms crossed as he watched the scene in the living room with a grim smirk.

“Get up and dance!” crowed Darla, already on her feet and jumping around rather clumsily.

Kenna chuckled from her relaxed pose on a kitchen chair. “I don’t know any of this music, and I don’t know how to dance.”

“Anybody can dance when they’re drunk. Just do whatever you feel like. Like this.”

Darla did a backflip and landed harshly against the wall, bursting into giggles. The few henchman that lingered laughed at her, then started encouraging Kenna to join them. She set down the nearly empty beer can in her hand, staggering to her feet and smiling dazedly at Darla.

“How’s this?”

She wiggled her hips momentarily, almost losing her balance. Darla covered a laugh halfheartedly as Kenna caught herself on the table.

“Perfect, Kenna! Keep going and you won’t feel so dizzy.”

“I dunno.” Kenna murmured, letting go of the table and swaying for a second.

“I’ll help you get started.”

Darla grabbed Kenna’s hands and twirled her around, and she laughed blissfully even as her vision blurred with the quick movement. She wasn’t sure what she was doing, but it felt freeing. Both the women were laughing as they gyrated aimlessly to the music, Kenna hanging onto Darla for support occasionally.

When the other woman let go of her Kenna only faltered for a second, finding her balance a little easier to hold onto when she was moving with the music. It wasn’t like anything she listened to, but she found it made adrenaline pump through her and clear her head just a little bit.

“What are you bunch of idiots doing?”

The cold voice made the less drunk people in the room turn towards it, but Kenna was wrapped up in the music and didn‘t even hear it. Darla immediately stopped dancing, her eyes shooting wide when she saw her apparently irritated boss glaring at her from the doorway.

“N-nothing, boss.” she stammered. “Just having a little fun.”

“It seems like while there’s work to be done you should be doing it. Am I wrong, Darla?”

The way he said her name made Darla shiver, and she nodded quickly. “Yes, sir. Come on guys, let’s go.”

The men went with her quietly, averting their eyes as they moved past The Joker, who watched them go with a violent expression. As soon as they were out of sight he turned his attention back to Kenna and let his face revert back to mirth. She was dancing the same as before, apparently not aware of the loss of her companions.

When the song switched to something slow and acoustic Kenna gasped. She clapped her hands and pointed at the radio. “Darla, I know this song! Darla, I…Darla?”

Finally she realized she was alone, or at least she thought she was. The Joker stood still as a statue, watching her with an amused expression. She pouted momentarily and then leaned back so the couch would support her. After a few moments she started to sing along quietly.

“Come on get higher, loosen my lips. Faith and desire in the swing of your hips. Just pull me down hard and drown me in love.”

The Joker rolled his eyes, listening as her voice died down and she stood up straight to keep moving to the music. Her black tank top would ride up in the back, revealing a few inches of peach-colored skin above the waistline of her jeans. Kenna moved sluggishly and slightly awkwardly, obviously drunk, but it didn’t look bad.

Scowling briefly, the man in the shadows took a few deliberate steps forward until he was just a foot or two behind Kenna. She remained oblivious to his presence, her voice rising and falling with lyrics she knew. It was a few seconds after the song ended that Kenna turned around, finding herself face to face with The Joker.

“Whoa!” she gasped, taking a shaky step backwards and then forward. “Look out there! I almost…you almost…When did you get here?”

The Joker giggled at her in spite of himself. Kenna put her hands on his shoulders to steady herself, narrowing her eyes to inspect the clothes he was wearing. They were familiar, but his customary jacket was off. He was just wearing a purple vest and tie over a green honey-comb patterned dress shirt, his hands in his pockets as he watched Kenna raptly.

“I’ve seen you in an Arkham uniform, and this crazy thing.” she slurred, plucking lightly at his shirt to emphasize her point. “ You look better in this, I will say. It suits you.”

“Well, thanks.” said The Joker with an exaggerated grin.

Kenna nodded, staggering forward and even closer to The Joker. “Sorry. I don’t drink very much, and I think my tolerance my be a tad bit lower than I expected. And I didn’t eat anything today, so I doubt that helped. Can we go to bed?”

“Whatever you want, doll.” said The Joker in a teasing voice, letting Kenna put most of her weight on him. When her knees crumpled forward he wrapped his arms around her tightly, catching her before she could hit the floor.

Kenna‘s eyes widened. “I nearly fell!” she snorted and started to laugh louder than The Joker had ever heard her laugh, and he joined in after a second. His laughter was a little more manic and high-pitched, but it did die off before Kenna’s.

“I think we should get you off your feet before you harm yourself or me.”

Kenna giggled again and let her head fall onto his chest. “Mm hm.”

To go up the stairs The Joker shifted her to his side, her arm around his neck and his arm around her waist. The Joker couldn’t deny she was warm and soft against him, but he did his best not to think about it as he helped her up the stairs. Instead he thought about how badly he wanted to hear her scream, watch her bleed, but he wouldn’t do it. Maybe that wasn’t the best thing to think about. It made him angrier.

Kenna seemed like she had fallen asleep, but as they arrived at the room she shared she abruptly shook The Joker’s arms off her and moved for the bed. She flopped down onto it with a grunt, splayed out all over it rather than curling onto her side like she usually would.

“I knew you’d be more fun drunk.” declared The Joker, thinking back to one of their numerous conversations. One where he’d observed she was stiff, and getting drunk would probably make her relax.

Kenna rolled onto her side to grimace at him. Her hair was coming loose from its ponytail, corn silk strands falling into her face. “I really hate you sometimes.”

He only laughed as he toed off his boots and rested his hands on his hips. The Joker was waiting for Kenna to elaborate, but she only groaned and threw an arm over her eyes. Then she mumbled something about ‘too hot’, and she was yanking her jeans off.

Usually calculating eyes widened minutely in surprise, roving over long pale legs appreciatively. Kenna rolled again so her back was to him, and it was nearly impossible for the clown not to look at how snug her red panties were. The Joker had never seen her this exposed before, and it was admittedly distracting.

The Joker laid down next to Kenna cautiously, crossing his feet at the end of the bed and putting his arms behind his head. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, then glanced over at Kenna. She seemed to be asleep, breathing slowly into her pillow, still half on her side and half on her stomach.

“Hey…”

Her voice was muffled slightly by the pillow, but she had definitely addressed him.

“What?” he snapped when there were a few moments of silence.

Kenna sighed heavily and rolled onto her back, turning her head to face him. “I just need to clear something up. Will you answer me, please?”

“Why not.” grumbled The Joker, turning his head slightly to look at her.

“Is my mom okay?”

“Of course she is. I wouldn’t blow her up without good reason.” The Joker sniggered, because of course he would.

Kenna laughed too, shaking her head against the pillow. “You’re mean. But you know what? I don’t hate you all the time. Just when you try to make me a part of your schemes. Like what happened with Batman.”

Since he wasn’t sure what to say The Joker stayed quiet, and Kenna yawned after a few seconds. Then she stretched and tried to focus her eyes on The Joker. He waited with a hint of humor in his own eyes, then Kenna scowled deeply.

“You think it’s funny.” she growled, and then she was reaching for him.

The Joker caught her wrist as her fingers closed on the knife in his pocket. Despite how drunk she was Kenna seemed pretty aware of her situation, locking eyes with him as they both froze. The feel of her skin under his was too pleasant, the stubborn set of her face too appealing.

He actually had to swallow to say what he wanted. He was getting angry. “Don’t do something you’ll regret, princess.”

“How come you’ve done so much to make me hate you…and I still think you’re so damn fascinating?”

The Joker leaned towards her until their lips were only centimeters apart. Kenna’s breathing sped up and her eyes darted over his face, waiting for him to make the next move. He smiled wickedly and tightened his grip on her hand.

“You’re crazy.”

Kenna laughed softly, the scent of alcohol on her breath overpowering. She tottered again, making their lips brush for a split second. Kenna blinked slowly and eyed his lips for a moment, then sighed and fell onto her back, releasing her hold on the knife as he let go of her arm. Her eyes shut as The Joker watched her slightly incredulously, then she shivered.

“I’m cold.”

“You did strip your pants off.” chuckled The Joker, glancing at her naked lower half again.

Without another word she pressed her body into his side and rested her arm over his stomach, then she was truly asleep, snoring softly. The Joker could only watch her, feeling something between annoyance and something else. There was something about Kenna that…No, that was it. There was just something about Kenna.

Whether or not he would admit it to himself, The Joker fell asleep that night a lot easier than he had for years.