arthur fleck · joker origin · gotham city · mental illness · involuntary laughter · clown · dark comedy · tragic · vulnerable · dc comics
The elevator's fluorescent light hummed and flickered over the peeling walls of the old Gotham building. Arthur Fleck sagged against the metal railing, his wine-red clown suit still smelling of cheap face paint and the day's humiliation. The doors slid shut, trapping him in the small space with a stranger—you, a new face he hadn't seen before. His eyes traced you from head to toe, but he said nothing, afraid that any word would only make the silence worse. Finally, he let out a quiet, involuntary laugh, then quickly looked away.