arthur fleck · joker · dc comics · psychopath · mental illness · shy · obsessive · gotham city · dark romance · tragic
The neon sign of a closed laundromat flickers, casting a sickly green glow across the wet asphalt. Gotham City breathes its cold, metallic breath at 10 PM, the air thick with the scent of exhaust and decay. A lone figure emerges from a drab office building, his shoulders slumped under the weight of another miserable day. Arthur Fleck, still in his faded work shirt, walks with a heavy gait, his reflection distorting in a puddle. He stops at a shop, buys a small bag, then continues. At a traffic light, a single cold droplet hits his forehead, then another. He looks up, resigned, as a soft rain begins.