Chapter 27

1.8K 39 2
                                    

It had been a few weeks since you had revealed the news to Jerome; he had been acting slightly off ever since but not enough to worry you. You would hear him muttering to himself every now and again, sometimes asking questions about the baby. You brushed it off as shock and curiousness.

"So, I've concocted a brilliant plan to achieve what I've been wanting for a veryyyy long time" Jerome had led you to a car he had presumably stole and helped you inside.

"And what is this plan of yours" You asked slightly worried but also slightly used to it. "Well, you see, these people out here. They all have a dark side whether they'd like to admit it or not. I want to let Gotham be the ground where they can be free just like Arkham" He jumped in beside you and closed the door, ready to drive off.

"The world out there, that'll be the asylum" He stared at you with danger in his eyes. Chills shot up your spine with the knowledge that none of this could end up good; Jerome had this insatiable need for fun and danger but whatever he had planned never went right, and that's what scared you. "I see. So where are we going?" You asked Jerome who had begun driving away from the house.

"To visit an old friend" He replied all giddy and ominous.

-----------

After a while you arrived at a rather large mansion. Jerome had aided you out of the car and skipped towards the front door with you having to try and keep up with him.

Jerome knocked on the door continuously until an armed man opened the door in annoyance. "Can I help yo- oh it's you" He took one look at Jerome and scowled, opening the door wider. "Ouch" Jerome spat sarcastically.

You went to follow Jerome inside but was stopped by a hand pushing you back "who's this?" The man stared you up and down a few times before Jerome explained how you were with him. "Well aren't you a lucky man" He smirked at Jerome before winking at you.

Jerome balled his hand into a fist, quickly moving towards the man- "it's alright J, some people have no manners" You snarled at the man holding Jerome's hand and walking off down a hallway.

"In here" A familiar voice called from the furthest room on the left. "Is that who I think it is?" You asked Jerome who simply shrugged in response.

Your suspicion was correct as you walked into a grand Hall with a dining table layed out in the middle and saw Oswald Cobblepot sitting at the far end. He was dressed in a feathery attire with his hair in his usual spiked up style looking beat.

"Oswald?" You were just as shocked as the other two. This must've been his house which didn't come much of a surprise to you knowing who he was and all. He must've escaped with the others during the break out you concluded, but why was he tangled up with Jerome? You could hear Jerome whisper "you know him?" In your ear before Oswald interrupted.

"Y/n?" Oswald's confused expression soon faded as he worked out what was going on "I should've known Mr. Valeska would bring his partner along" He sounded a little sarcastic but you tried to take no notice.

"Well!" Jerome clapped his hands, breaking the tension of the room "now that we've got to meet each other, let's settle down. Our guests should be arriving soon". He walked over to a chair and pulled it out for you to sit before taking his own seat at the opposite end of the table from Oswald.

The table was set out nicely with candles, plates, cutlery and nameplates designated to different guests. You could see one specific label from where you sat, it was addressed to a 'Mr. Crane' you had no idea who that was but you remembered Jerome mentioning the name back in Arkham.

-------------

Within minutes people started arriving, all looking unique to the average person. A girl in what looked to be a fireproof suit and goggles with her face half misshapen, a man in a large metal suit with frost coming out the top, and a man in some sort of ragged, stitched suit with a bag for a head, reminding you of a Scarecrow, all took their seats around the table.

No one seemed to pay attention to each other, except Jerome. A man came round with a plate of sausages flicking them onto people's plates in a lackadaisical manner, while each guest looked confused and/or judgemental.

Oswald rolled his eyes at the entire scene unfolding in front of him as Jerome picked up his glass and tapped it a couple times. "Hear ye, hear ye!" Everyone's attention was drawn to him as he continued to speak.

"I'd like to officially welcome you all to our first ever, mandatory brunch meeting" Oswald stared at the ground sighing, clearly someone wasn't happy about all this.

"Now I know what you're all thinking- why have I gathered this legion of horribles? That has a nice ring to it, write that down will ya" Jerome continued, unaware of Oswald's antics. A man standing behind you quickly pulled out a pen and notepad furiously scribbling down every word.

"Well, back when I was in Arkham. I came up with a plan to turn this city into a madhouse" The entire table was fixated on Jerome and the things he was coming out with, even you, finally you'd get to understand what he was planning. The 'ice man' you called him tried to raise his hand but Jerome shot him down before talking to other people.

"Mr. Oswald" Oswald's attention instantly focused on Jerome "thank you for doing your part in hosting us today" Jerome nodded towards him to which he responded rather bitterly "anything for an old friend" Something seemed off with Oswald but you put it down to the events that took place back in Arkham.

"Hmm, Crane!" Jerome moved onto the next guest, 'baghead' who raised his head ready to respond to anything Jerome asked.

"Where are we at with the.. You know what" Just when you thought you were going to hear the ins and outs of Jerome's big plan, he ruined it all by keeping certain things a secret. You were unsure of who knew what at this point.

"It's coming along.. Dreadfully" Hearing his response made you feel uneasy about what was going down behind your back. If it backfired, whatever it was, you would always feel like you played a part in all of it; you had the power to stop it and yet you didn't.

"Freeze, ice man, you're our science guy. We're gonna need a lab. A big one" Next up was 'ice man' who seemed almost lost, not in this situation but in the world. You could sense something had happened a while back and now he had no real purpose in life.

"Easy enough" His blank response made you feel sorry for him, whatever happened must've really broke him.

"Now, all we need is Mr. Tetch to return with some very important information and-" Jerome slammed his hand onto the table cutting off his sentence "USE THE TONGS CARL" he yelled at the man serving food who shyed away the minute he was told off. It was rather comedic you had to admit.

"You still haven't told us how you're going to take over the underworld" A new, female voice broke out, directed towards Jerome. "Who say's I wanna do that?" Jerome retaliated. "I'm an artist. I just wanna paint the town crazy" He gave you a smile for the first time since the guests arrived before talking again.

"Once that happens I could care less how you horribles rip the city apart" You suddenly felt a weight drop over your body now knowing what could happen if things go Jerome's way. If any of these guests had the chance to do whatever they liked to the city there was no hope. Gotham would be destroyed within a matter of minutes.
And by the looks of things Oswald seemed to agree.

The girl you called fire lady suddenly gave Jerome a smile and spoke "I'm in! Let's do this" Speaking for the whole table.
"Well, not yet. Nothing can happen until we have our one last essential ingredient" Jerome spoke in a hushed tone as the door to the room opened and a man in a top hat waltzed in.

You didn't recognize him by looks, he had a full checkered outfit and such hypnotic eyes. "The one thing that'll tie it all together" Jerome's mouth curved into a child like grin as he motioned to a seat opposite you for this mystery man to take.

You looked around the table at all the guests who mostly seemed fine with this man however Oswald's face said otherwise. He must know this man because the minute he walked in Oswald's eyes grew wide in shock as if he knew what was going to happen.

If the previous stunts Jerome pulled were anything to go by, this man meant a lot of trouble...For everyone.

jerome x reader || hi gorgeous, I'm jerome (COMPLETED)Where stories live. Discover now