"Clowns?" Jonathan frowned as he tried to focus himself, his eyes not wanting to but he managed to use all of his willpower to finally look at the guy who was touching him. Ginger, stupid grin, about his age, not special ... except his eyes. Maybe it was the fear toxin but his eyes were bright red. Maybe. Ha, of course it was, no one had red eyes.
"I met a c-clown once. I cried." Jonathan laughed, he had to, it seemed so silly now. To be scared of a man handing balloons out when the Scarecrow was here. He was always so scared. Stupid little Johnny. "You're one of t-them?"
"Ah, no. I'm never one of them. I am more than a clown. I'm more than a man. I'm an idea, my boy." He ruffled Jonathan's hair as he smiled at him, that smile that was a little too much of a lot of things, the eyes that held knowledge and darkness and the most terrifying mirth. "I'm a curse upon Gotham and I'll haunt that city for eternity."
With that grandiose declaration, Jerome laughed again, a sounds that went from dark to bright, until he shrugged his shoulders and continued in a much more casual tone. "I just think it'd be more fun to have some friends along for the ride. Do you wanna be my friend, kiddo?"
"I don't have any friends..." Jonathan was calmer now, his heart was racing but Jerome was a distraction. He could breathe. He could control his speech and sound a bit less idiotic. All bonuses. Jonathan blinked several times to try and refocus himself and looked at Jerome. A tall, monstrous clown demon looming over him - but the laugh wasn't scary, it was a spark. A fun, little spark.
Funny. He forgot funny. That wasn't something he got much of any more. "Sure." Jon smiled wonkily at the offer. "Me, you and Scarecrow."
"Wow, two for the price of one? Not a bad deal, Mr Crane, I like your offer." He also liked seeing some clarity in those eyes. It was nice to know he was being recognised. As long as it stayed at just a given value of clarity, anyway. Jerome valued a good dose of insanity in any potential friends. "Now, listen. All I'm asking of my friends is that they entertain me. I know, I know, you've got your--" He vaguely wiggled his fingers in front of Jonathan's forehead. "--own stuff going on, keeps you internal. I get that. But sooner or later, Spooky, you've got to snap out of it. Join me in the waking worlds. Then we can bring your nightmares to all of Gotham, what do you say?"
"F-F-Fun but unlikely." Jonathan slipped off his bed and landed on the floor, crawling along the floor to where he had drawn the Scarecrow. He touched the picture and felt it screaming back out at him. "I'll never leave Arkham." It just didn't seem possible. He'd been here a long time now and he'd be here even longer. Forgotten entirely by anyone who could or should care.
Jonathan turned away from his Scarecrow, looking up at Jerome curiously. "Prove me wrong?" He wanted to be wrong. He wanted to go out there. He wanted everyone to suffer like he suffered.
"Oh, I will prove you wrong. Don't you worry. You think you can't leave the asylum?" Jerome grinned even wider, getting up and looking down at Jonathan. "We will turn Gotham into the asylum. We'll have the lunatics running the city. Then you'll fit in just fine, Spooky. You'll feel right at home. And we will spread fear and have so. Much. Fun."
He laughed again, then turned to walk to the door. "Don't forget me now, my boy. In those nightmares of yours. The clown can keep you company. I'll be back for you soon."
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"I met a c-clown once. I cried." Jonathan laughed, he had to, it seemed so silly now. To be scared of a man handing balloons out when the Scarecrow was here. He was always so scared. Stupid little Johnny. "You're one of t-them?"
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With that grandiose declaration, Jerome laughed again, a sounds that went from dark to bright, until he shrugged his shoulders and continued in a much more casual tone. "I just think it'd be more fun to have some friends along for the ride. Do you wanna be my friend, kiddo?"
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Funny. He forgot funny. That wasn't something he got much of any more. "Sure." Jon smiled wonkily at the offer. "Me, you and Scarecrow."
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Jonathan turned away from his Scarecrow, looking up at Jerome curiously. "Prove me wrong?" He wanted to be wrong. He wanted to go out there. He wanted everyone to suffer like he suffered.
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He laughed again, then turned to walk to the door. "Don't forget me now, my boy. In those nightmares of yours. The clown can keep you company. I'll be back for you soon."