Arthur frowned as a strange chill ran down his spine. His Spider-Sense flared like a blaring siren, and his instincts went on high alert.
That's when he saw it—Joker holding a small remote control in one hand.
(That clown bastard!) Arthur cursed.
Without hesitation, he sprinted like lightning toward Sarah and Barbara, throwing himself in front of them and wrapping his arms around both in a protective gesture.
It was in that exact moment that the Joker pressed the button.
"Boom!" the clown exclaimed with pure malice, laughing like a lunatic.
The explosion wasn't as large as a military-grade bomb, but it was enough to completely devastate the living room. The walls trembled, flames and debris scattered, and furniture was tossed like leaves in the wind. Everything became a chaos of smoke, wreckage, and deafening noise.
Arthur shielded Barbara and Sarah with his body, protecting them from the blast and absorbing the brunt of the impact. Despite the destruction, neither of them was injured—thanks to his swift actions.
Gordon, who had remained outside, stared in shock. Flames danced in front of his wide eyes. Meanwhile, Joker used the chaos to break free and bolted, laughing as if the world itself were one big joke.
When Arthur saw him running away, his blood boiled. Eyes blazing with fury, he gave chase without a second thought—and caught up almost instantly.
With a precise leap, Arthur grabbed the clown by the head and slammed him into the ground, pinning him down with his knee on the chest. His clenched fist rose like a hammer about to strike.
"Ahem! Hehe… hahaha!" Joker coughed from the impact, spitting blood, yet his deranged smile quickly returned. "So you're a freak too… just like me."
Arthur ignored the provocation, his fists tight, eyes burning.
"Even if I can't kill you..." he whispered in a deep, cold voice, "...that doesn't mean I can't beat you up."
Bang! Bang! Bang!!
Three heavy, bone-crushing punches slammed into Joker's face. His nose broke, his mouth filled with blood, his teeth stained red. And yet… the bastard kept smiling.
"Still smiling with your face shattered? Let's see if you can after this..." Arthur growled, raising his fist again—this time aiming for Joker's legs.
But before he could strike again, Gordon came running toward him.
"Arthur, stop! That's enough!" the commissioner shouted, his voice full of urgency.
He was terrified Arthur might actually kill the Joker.
Arthur didn't listen. His eyes were clouded with rage. He didn't want to stop.
But then—another voice called out, soft and trembling.
"Please, Arthur... Stop."
Barbara appeared beside him, both hands gently gripping his raised fist. Her eyes were glassy with tears, her voice shaking.
She didn't want to see that boy—the boy she had fallen in love with—become a murderer. Even if the target was Joker himself.
"I'm begging you... don't become like him."
Arthur took a deep breath, his fist still suspended in the air. He looked at Barbara, saw the desperation in her eyes… and slowly, reason began to take hold once again.
At that moment, the roar of a powerful engine cut through the silence. The Batmobile pulled up in front of the ruined house. Batman stepped out, his cape billowing behind him, surveying the scene with a stern expression.
Joker, still bleeding, smiled at the sight of the Dark Knight approaching.
"Look who's come to save me... Hehehahaha! Guess today's not my day to die, huh?"
Arthur still held Joker down, but now his eyes were fixed on Batman.
"You know he deserves to die."
"I know," Batman replied without hesitation.
"And you know what would've happened to Barbara's family if I hadn't been here?"
Batman averted his gaze briefly, eyeing the burning house behind them. The silence that followed was heavy.
"I know," he repeated, his voice lower now, darker.
Then he looked at Arthur and spoke with honest conviction:
"We're not like them. If we cross that line... we can never come back."
Arthur closed his eyes for a moment.
"Ahhh... fine..." he muttered, finally releasing the Joker and standing up. "But next time... don't expect mercy."
Gordon immediately cuffed Joker and dragged him toward the patrol car—while the clown kept laughing, even with broken teeth.
"Make sure he doesn't escape Arkham again," Arthur said, locking eyes with Batman. "Because next time, no one will be there to stop me."
After the authorities and Batman dealt with the aftermath of the attack, Sarah took charge of finding a temporary new home. Meanwhile, Arthur and Barbara made their way to the Bella Monica Hotel.
---
Later, in their hotel room...
Barbara had reserved a quiet and cozy space. The two sat on the couch, the TV on but silent. The sound of the news filled the room, but neither of them was really listening.
Arthur kept his eyes on the screen, but Barbara's thoughts were elsewhere.
"Arthur..." she whispered.
He looked over and saw her hugging her knees, her face hidden in her arms. Her voice trembled.
"I'm sorry…"
Arthur leaned slightly toward her. "For what?"
"I... I know I made you choose something you didn't want to." She slowly lifted her eyes, full of guilt. "Maybe… maybe killing the Joker really was the only way to stop this. But... if you had done it... you would've become a killer. And I... I don't want that."
She paused, swallowing hard before continuing:
"I don't want the boy I like to become someone who carries that weight for the rest of his life."
Arthur gave a faint smile and moved closer, gently wiping away a tear that slid down her cheek.
"I'm not mad at you, Barbara."
She looked at him, surprised by the softness in his voice.
"Truth is, I didn't intend to kill him, but I'll admit... if you hadn't stopped me, I might have. So really... there's nothing for you to apologize for."
Barbara gripped his hand tightly. Their eyes met, and the silence between them became meaningful.
"Thank you," she murmured.
The air turned heavy—thick with emotion. The silence shifted into a palpable tension. Barbara leaned forward, her face now just inches from his.
"Arthur... This is my way of saying I'm sorry."
And then she kissed him.
Their lips met softly at first, but the kiss quickly deepened.
Though surprised, Arthur returned the kiss, his arms wrapping around Barbara with tenderness.
That night was never meant to be a quiet one.
---
(End of Chapter)
A/N: Like I said, I gave up on writing lemon scenes—so I'll leave the rest to your imagination. 😉
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."