Work Text:
Batman slinks into Joker’s lair, blending into the night. He fixes his mask on his face, adjusting it so the fabric wouldn’t irritate his face.
The indoor air was stifling, causing Bruce to hold his breath as he walked into the central hub of the Joker’s lair. The lights turned on all at once. In a flash; a carnival of colors flooded Bruce’s sight, twisting, turning, glaring, causing him to reel back and squeeze his eyes shut. All around him, a voice began to echo.
”Oh well look who it is!”
Bruce recovered from his shock, hovering his hand over his belt to prepare to equip a weapon.
“Batman.”
Wait. Bat…man? How did he-
“My greatest enemy…”
Joker walks out into a stage, a Broadway-esque display of props, with the lights continuing to spin. A true display of grandiose.
“Joker!” He cries, finally grabbing and wielding his weapon fully. He pauses, eyes darting around the display infront of him, before he continues with the central thing on his mind: “…how did you know I was trans?”
The Joker stills. A comedic freeze really, his face morphs into one of confusion.
“You say you’re trans at the end of almost every sentence? Doesn’t everyone know?”
He…. He noticed?
It started occurring to Bruce in that instant that maybe he needed better friends. How did the Joker notice, his greatest enemy, but his closest companions still called him Emma? Maybe he should finally tell Alfred. Maybe… maybe he would understand.
Batman shook his head and began running up to the joker, dismissing the thought. A line of thought for after Gotham city was saved once again.