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The streets of Gotham were loud and crowded, people pushing themselves through alleyways and between carts accompanied with merchants hawking their wares. Leo sat crouched on a building above, watching as people flowed in and out of the busy area. Since they came here to visit, it's been relatively calm. As calm as Gotham could be. Leo had a suspicion that it was similar to New York City in that way. There was always something going on, and it wasn’t always something good.
Noticing something in his peripheral vision, Leo was only mildly surprised to see Harley Quinn talking with Poison Ivy on a building so close it touched the one he sat on, both leaning conspiratorially into each other. During his very short stay here, he quickly noticed the women were attached to the hip. Batman said Joker was getting more erratic recently, and Leo wondered if this was why.
Harley leaned closer than necessary, giggling and leaning forward until her forehead hit Poison Ivy’s shoulder, before leaning back to listen to whatever Ivy said in response. Leo had a suspicion they were close in the way Casey and April were close. And just like with them, he wanted no part in their love life.
Carefully, he snuck under the two of them, fighting the urge to roll his eyes when they started getting gushy. Romance was so unnecessary.
“Oh! Hi, Mr. J .” Harley said it with her usual pep, but the name was said with a sneer. Leo froze where he was. Joker was here?
“Harley, Harley, there’s no need for that language.” Joker’s wheedled, and Leo felt his skin crawl from the tone. If only he could leave, he wanted no part of this drama. But the way out is completely exposed and if he moved to another area he would be spotted. Leo was completely stuck.
“Leave, Joker, Harley has said she wanted nothing to do with you. So, be a good little boy and stop being so desperate.” Ivy’s voice was calm yet strong, as unbendable as a tree.
Joker laughed, and Harley let out a high pitched yelp. “Let me go!!”
Leo heard the click of a gun’s safety being turned off. His whole body stiffened.
“Let her go.” Ivy’s voice had a slight shake to it, and Leo resignedly sighs.
He could never abandon someone in need.
Gripping the top of the building they were on, he smoothly swung himself up and over the ledge. Joker held Harley tightly in his grasp, a gun pushed into her skull. Poison Ivy was reaching towards her, but didn’t dare take a step when it could risk Harley’s life.
Before anyone clocked him, Leo ran to Joker, grabbing the gun and raising it so a bullet arched into the sky instead of Harley’s head. Pushing away Harley, Leo yelled out “Go!” and faced Joker, taking his katanas out of their sheaths.
The deranged clown hissed, turning his gun on Leo. “Don’t you remember the saying ‘never bring a sword to a gun fight’?”
“Well, good thing these are katanas then.” Leo grinned, dashing forward in a zigzag motion. Joker instantly responded, shooting a bullet straight into his arm. Leo grunted, his arm becoming numb and hard to maneuver. It took effort for him to continue, his Kantana clattering to the floor as he continued to zag. Vaguely, he was aware of blood dripping out of his body, gathering in between the creases of his scutes.
Joker shot once more, this time through his other arm. His katana was flung out of his hand, landing near Joker’s feet. Two more bullets pierced each of his legs, sending the numbness throughout his whole body. He couldn’t stand anymore, his legs giving out and crumbling, the only thing keeping his torso off the ground being adrenaline.
The deranged man picked up the fallen katana, flipping it over admirably. Grasping the hilt with trembling fingers, Joker pointed the blade towards Leo’s bleeding out body.
The word was starting to fade, black edging into his vision as the shots caught up to him.
“Next time don’t get involved.”
Joker stabbed the blade into Leo’s bicep, patting the hilt before he skipped away. Leo groaned, but didn’t have long to feel the pain as his world faded to black.