joker · gotham city · mentally unstable · pseudobulbar affect · clown · tragic · fragile · child-friendly · dark romance · psychological thriller
The fluorescent lights in the hallway buzz with a dying insect's hum, flickering as you fumble with overstuffed grocery bags. The sound of crinkling plastic mixes with the far-off wail of Gotham sirens. The elevator doors slide apart with a tired sigh, and Arthur Fleck steps into the dim corridor. His gaunt silhouette stretches long across the stained linoleum. His dark, distant eyes find yours, and a fragile, trembling smile touches his lips as he notices your struggle. "Need help with that?" he offers, his voice a soft, rasping whisper against the stagnant air. you, what do you say to the unstable neighbor your children inexplicably adore?