The ceremony was planned so fast it made your head spin, and before you knew it, you were standing outside five days later.

It was a beautiful day. The temperature was just starting to rise again, signaling the beginning of spring after a long winter. It was in the mid-sixties, the sun was shining, and flowers were blooming. You couldn't have asked for a better day to hold this ceremony.

You could see Joker waiting for you by the fountain in the mansion's front yard, everyone seated in little fold-up chairs spread out across the lawn. It was not lost on you how similar this looked to a marriage ceremony. You wondered if you'd ever get that type of commitment from Joker. Your whole life, you'd been very anti-marriage. The idea of being tied down to one person for the rest of your life went against your free-spirited nature.

But now that you were actually in love, you felt differently. It was so much easier to shun things when you had no hope for the future.

You smoothed your hands over your dress, that extravagant dress you knew he would love when he saw it up close. It was long, sleeveless, and black, accentuating your curves but flowing beautifully. The train extended behind you so regally that you truly felt like the Queen you were.

You watched Frost and Joker interact, the former being the one to formally crown you. You were way too far away to see what they were saying, but you knew it could only be good things when Frost clapped Joker on the back. It felt good to see them bond without the pressures of a mission. Everyone needed a true friend, and Joker was no exception.

The one and only turned to look at you, not having noticed your presence until then. Even from far away, you could see him smile and gesture for you to come to him.

You did. There was no music, no one to walk you down, no distraction from your beauty. It was a silent proceeding, everyone's eyes glued to the gorgeous woman that Joker had somehow committed to. He committed in his own atypical way, but it was still a commitment nonetheless. And even if there was no ring on your finger, this ceremony would be just as binding.

You felt yourself lurch unexpectedly as you walked. You stumbled right out of your shoe. You turned, and your heel had gotten stuck in a soft spot in the earth. You should've known better than to try and be stylish on such an important day.

Despite the obvious humor of the situation, no one dared to laugh. They just stared at you with carefully blank expressions, knowing they'd die at the slightest sign of mirth.

You smiled with satisfaction at this. Instead of falling to your knees to try to yank the shoe out of the ground, you confidently kicked the other off and kept proceeding. What face was there to save? You were a Queen, and you could walk barefoot if you damn well pleased. Sure, this was just a title, but that title meant everything to the workers before you. You were no longer Joker's bitch. You were his woman.

When you approached Joker, clad in a black suit of his own, he was grinning a little at your clumsy display. You playfully hit his shoulder. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

"Your face said it all."

Frost was smiling too, knowing that he was entitled to poke fun at you. "Classic (Y/N)."

One man chuckled in the audience. In a flash, Joker whipped out a gun and moved it from person to person, searching for the culprit. He didn't find one, since the culprit shut up before he could locate him. Satisfied, he pocketed his gun again.

"You're a basket case," you pointed out, meaning that as a compliment.

He took it as one. "Thank you."

"All right," said Frost in a booming voice. "Today, we have all come together to officially crown Joker and (Y/N) the King and Queen of Gotham City. This is a symbolic ritual in order to join the two together and establish (Y/N)'s place as our ruler."

The men in the crowd did not react to this at all, likely worried that one wrong move would have them crumpled on the ground.

"We will now take orders from her just as we have taken orders from him," continued Frost. "And she will not be disrespected. I'll kill anyone that disrespects her. And if I were you, I'd be thankful it's me doing it. I think you'd rather me than him."

He gestured at Joker, who bared his teeth in a silver smile.

Another man in the audience whimpered.

Frost continued on. "She will be a damn good ruler, I can guarantee that. As God—or whoever—is my witness, this is the best decision J has ever made. And I do not see him changing his mind anytime soon, so everybody better get used to her in this position."

He paused, waiting for someone in the audience to slip up. Maybe express unwanted criticism. Maybe even roll his eyes. Anything at all to express general discontentment.

Finding nothing on anyone's face, he turned toward Joker, who had William next to him. William was holding an exquisite golden crown on a velvet pillow, smiling like this was the best day of his life. And maybe it was; it would be good to have a female voice around here.

You noticed that no one was standing on your side. Your heart dropped a little. If she had come, it would have been the plan for Harley to be the one to present Frost with your crown. And since the space beside you was empty, and since you hadn't noticed one female in the audience, you figured she hadn't shown up. You felt a little down, but you knew that you tried everything you could to welcome her into your life. If she didn't accept your offer, then that was all.

"Billy, would you mind presenting me with our King's crown?" asked Frost with a similar smile to William's.

"Not at all." He offered the pillow to Frost, who carefully lifted the crown off of it.

"All right. Now, with the power and authority bestowed upon me by the Joker, I officially crown him the King of Gotham City." He lowered the crown onto Joker's head, and loud cheers immediately erupted from the crowd. Whether this was out of genuine enthusiasm or of the fear of being shot, you couldn't tell. But regardless, their energy was infectious. You clapped along with them.

"And now, I would like to request (Y/N)'s crown," Frost continued in an even louder voice than before.

You looked at the open spot again in confusion. Who the hell would be giving it to you? Nobody was there.

There was a tree a bit away from the gathering, and you saw a figure pop out from behind it, holding the crown on a similar velvet pillow.

Your heart leaped at who it was.

Harley!

It was obvious that she could barely contain her excitement. She speed-walked over to you, slightly unsteady on her own heels. She was wearing a short, navy blue dress that clung to her frame, her wobbly heels a similar color. You thought she looked gorgeous, but that her outfit was simple enough to where it was clear she wasn't trying to outshine you on your special day. That was oddly important to you; it conveyed her respect for you.

"You came!" you said in surprise as she stopped beside you, offering the pillow to Frost.

"Of course I came!" she replied as he lifted the crown off the pillow. It was smaller, yet somehow more exquisite than Joker's. "I was so excited to hear from J. I really missed having you both around, and it just made my day hearing that you wanted me to come to such an important event, especially after what I did to ya."

"Well, something about that day just really resonated with me. I understood you. I wanted to help. Even after it all, I wanted you to find happiness again."

She beamed. "And boy, did I. Thank you again, (Y/N)." She looked up at Frost. "Now, come on! What are we waitin' for? Crown this lady!"

"We were waiting for you," he said with a chuckle, everyone else following suit as he held the crown over your head. "Okay. Now, by the power and authority bestowed upon me by the Joker, I officially crown (Y/N) (L/N) the Queen of Gotham City."

The audience applauded in reply as the crown was put on your head, just as they had to Joker. It fit perfectly, and you took your first breath as the Queen of Gotham City. You felt amazing, powerful, and most importantly, at home. It was clear to you that this was what you were meant to do. You were meant to rule alongside the most notorious criminal in the city, and you were meant to do so with the grace that only you possessed. This was your calling. This was why you had felt so unsatisfied in life. When you weren't a criminal, you weren't in control. When you were, you had no companionship. Now, you had both, and you were on a high that no one could take away.

You turned to your one and only, and he was eyeing you with this animalistic gaze, like he was thoroughly enjoying how powerful you looked. "Fuck," he groaned, grabbing you and crashing his lips against your own.

The applause increased in volume as he sealed the deal, much like a marriage ceremony. You wrapped your arms around his neck as he dipped you. You let his tongue meet with yours in a desperate dance, feeling electrified in a way you never had before.

He pulled apart, still holding you low to the ground with one strong hand. He used his other to brush your hair from your face. "My Queen?" he said quietly.

You smiled from in his arms. "Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

He helped you straighten up, and only then did the applause die down. You could see Harley smiling out of the corner of your eye, but you felt guilty that you had been so carelessly flaunting your love around her. You knew this guilt was pointless, since she had chosen to come. Besides, she had expressed her approval of your relationship time and time again. Still, though, her loneliness was obvious, and even her brightest smile couldn't hide it.

"Now, everyone move to the backyard. There's a tent set up there with an array of food and drinks," Frost announced. "Your King and Queen will be with you shortly—maybe ten minutes or so—, as they will be getting their food last."

Like good little soldiers, every man in the audience stood up and obediently set out for the backyard, including William. Each made sure to keep their eyes straight ahead, knowing that if their eyes wandered to you, clad in your beautiful dress, their suits would be complimented with some red splotches.

Frost and Harley started leaving, too, but you called out to her. "Harley!"

She turned, smiling still. "Yeah?"

Even though she was smiling, you still felt awful. "I'm sorry if inviting you here was insensitive. I mean, you showed up, so you knew what you were getting into, but it was kind of a dick move. I knew that you were still struggling, and I invited you anyway."

She chuckled. "Are ya kidding? This was the nicest thing anyone's done for me." She walked up to you, resting her hands on your shoulders. "I treated ya like shit, girl. And yet you still included me in this private, intimate event."

She let go, her eyes now avoiding your own awkwardly. "Of course, it still hurts a little. But that doesn't mean that I can't admire how good you two are together. I'm your number one fan, despite everythin'. And fans show up, no matter how hard it is to do that."

You smiled sadly. "Will it always be this hard?"

"I don't know." She looked at you again, her expression firm. "But even if it is, I'm gonna keep bein' there. This isn't about me anymore. It stopped being about me the second I left. This is about you two now."

"I admire your maturity. I don't know if I could be in your shoes right now."

"It's definitely not easy bein' in these things," she joked, bending down to adjust her heel.

You laughed. "Oh my God, I know. One of mine got stuck in the grass walking down the aisle."

She pressed her lips together, clearly trying not to laugh. She looked down at your exposed feet, finally letting a snicker pass from her lips. "What happened to the other one?"

"I kicked it off. I didn't wanna have to bend down and yank it out of the ground."

"Damn, girl! You really had your dogs out on the most important day of your life?!"

"That, she did," Joker chimed in. "But that's our girl."

He was looking at you fondly, with such love in his eyes that it was almost jarring. When you had first met him, he had this unmistakable look of danger, hate, and bloodlust. That's what drew you to him. But as you broke down his walls, he looked like a normal boyfriend. And that drew you to him too, just a different part of you.

The idea of good and evil is interesting; a person isn't always simply one or the other. Sometimes, seemingly evil scumbags can have a layer of humanity. A layer of something pure, like love.

Of course, Joker was only good to you. But you liked that. You thrived off of being the exception, the rule that he broke. You wouldn't love him the same if he wasn't so cruel, so dangerous. He wouldn't be him if that were the case. Instead of changing him, you had just brought out the dormant parts of his personality.

"It sure is," Harley replied with a giggle. "Clumsy in the most badass, graceful way."

There was a brief period of silence, which she broke. "Well, I should be heading to the back. Gotta make sure there's some food left! Besides, you guys should enjoy your moment. You've earned this. You've both put a lot of work into each other."

"Before you go, I have one question," you said.

"Shoot."

"Will we be seeing you again?"

She looked at Joker, smiling at the idea of being welcomed back into a group. "Depends on if your King is cool with it."

He looked between you and her, heaving a sigh afterward. "Well, I do whatever she desires. So if she wants you around more, I think you should come around more."

He grabbed your hand, lacing his fingers through your own. He lifted your hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to it, eyeing Harley with a harsh expression on his face. "But make no mistake, you will be monitored by my team for the foreseeable future, and you will not disrespect or hurt (Y/N) in any way ever again. If ya do, I'll see to it that you're six feet under. I don't make mistakes twice, and I already let ya go once. Show me that it wasn't a mistake or you'll be sorry."

"J," you scolded quietly, not wanting to upset her more than she probably already was.

"Shh, doll. You're mine. She needs to know that."

She looked so unfazed that it was almost humorous. "I read ya loud and clear. I won't let you down again, either of you. I promise. And I'll show you that whenever I'm able. I'll catch you guys later then, okay?"

"Okay. See you, Harls," you said.

And with one last smile, she walked away.

You watched her form get smaller and smaller as she walked, until she eventually disappeared around the corner of the mansion. It felt good to resolve things with her, to say what had gone unsaid. You didn't know how much you'd see her after today, but you were at least on good terms and had Joker's okay to start rebuilding that relationship. That was a start.

If you had told your past self that you would eventually yearn for Harley's approval and company, you probably would've gotten slapped in the face. After all, her flirtatious nature had been so initially irritating that you had almost strangled her on multiple occasions. But that had just been an act, and knowing that her feelings for Joker were more tormenting than lustful... It helped you break free of that green-eyed monster that had been strangling you for all those weeks.

Of course, it still didn't feel great that someone else had feelings for your man. But it was tolerable, and you were willing to tolerate it if that meant building up her confidence and making her feel less alone. Maybe she could finally get over him then.

You were snapped out of your reverie by the feeling of Joker's arms around you. "Did you like your surprise?" he muttered in your ear.

You snuggled into him. "Yeah, I did. Thanks for inviting her. I know it was probably hard for you, since you hold a grudge like nobody's business."

"It was hard. But it would've been harder to go against your wishes, dollface."

"Aww, thank you. So, was she really that bad to have around again?"

He sighed begrudgingly. "No, she wasn't. But I still am feeling a little distrustful towards her, which I hope you can sympathize with."

"I can, which is why I'm okay with you monitoring our interactions if she comes around again."

"Can we stop talking about her and start talking about us?"

His request jarred you. You had been so consumed with Harley, an irrelevant party, that you had forgotten the true purpose of the day: to celebrate each other.

"Yes, of course. I'm so sorry," you said.

"Don't be. I know how focused you get on the minute details." He began to sway back and forth with you, despite there being no music playing.

You let him sway you, giggling. "Why are we dancing?"

"Well, I've never been one for cliche, romantic things before. And even though you've changed my tune on those things in general, I still haven't gotten over the shame of doing them in front of people. Kissing? Grinding? Those things are just hot. This? This is...humiliating. So I figured I'd do it with you out here, that way we don't have to do it in front of everyone later."

"You think it's humiliating? I think it's sweet."

"You would, you're a woman."

"Casual sexism is not the way to end a crowning ceremony, J."

He chuckled, holding you away from his body so that you could twirl. You did, and he swiftly brought you back to him.

"You seem pretty good at dancing for someone who thinks it's humiliating," you pointed out. "You sure you don't have practice?"

"I'm sure. I think I just have those...leadership qualities that make it come naturally. I like to lead you."

He thought for a minute. "And I never thought I'd say this, but I like when you lead me, too. I take a lot more emotional cues from you than you realize. You're my anchor, Trouble. You truly do hold me down."

"And you're my anchor, too."

He really was. He was the thing that kept you mostly sane during the whole Two-Face situation. He made you feel as safe as possible, and he made you laugh even at your most afraid. And most importantly, he loved you even during your most difficult moments, even if he didn't show it as well as he could have.

You two continued to sway in silence, your cheek rested on his shoulder. You had never felt more relaxed in your life; if you hadn't been standing, you probably could've fallen asleep. The birds chirping and the blissful temperature didn't do much to rouse you, either. You briefly wondered if you had died and you had somehow made it to Heaven.

But as he pressed a kiss to your hair, you realized that Heaven and Joker were basically synonymous. The irony in that statement was not lost on you, but if everybody had seen the Joker that you saw daily, they would be inclined to agree.

"Ya know, I'm glad we're dancing by ourselves," you said quietly.

"Yeah? Why's that, baby?"

"Even though you're a sexist, it's nice to have a private moment away from everyone on our special day."

"Oh, stop with the sexism thing. If I were a sexist, I wouldn't worship you like I do."

He paused, then added, "But, I agree. I like being alone with you."

He put his index finger underneath your chin, pushing it up so that you were looking into his eyes again. He gently brought his lips to yours, holding you flush against his body as he savored your taste.

You savored him back, holding his suit firmly. His lips were so soft. They were your safe haven. They were the lips you'd be kissing for the rest of your life, you just knew it.

You wanted this moment to stretch on into infinity. You knew it wouldn't, and that was a depressing thought. But what wasn't a depressing thought was that even though this moment would end, there would be a constant stream of new moments. There wouldn't be a moment where you weren't sharing a moment with the man you loved. Even when you broke apart from this kiss and joined your guests in the backyard, you would still be with the man you loved. Even going to sleep tonight, you'd still be the man you loved. Even committing a crime, you'd still be with the man you loved.

Joker himself was one long moment. He would never end. No matter who came and went in your life, he'd always be there. You'd always be making new memories, having new experiences.

He would always be your person.

And so, the unlikely love story of the employer and the employee, the expert and the novice, the clown and the girl, comes to an end.

But really, it's just beginning.

Forever is a long time, after all.

____

AHHH ITS OVER!!! Thank you guys so much for reading this story. This is the first story in years that I've actually completed, and the very first story that I didn't rush the ending of! I hope you guys enjoyed this book. I am honestly so touched by all of your reads, comments, and votes, and I am so grateful that you guys have embarked on this incredible journey with me. I'm actually really emotional right now over this book ending 😭

As for my future works, I'm currently undecided between a Deadpool x Reader and a Supernatural Imagines book. I refuse to work on two books at a time again because that's a recipe for me eventually discontinuing them both (I've learned that the hard way). But, I hope you guys will consider reading whatever I choose to put out! Keep an eye out for a new book, cuz it will be coming soon!

Thank you guys so much again for all the support, and that, ladies and gentleman, was "Deal With the Devil."

Much love,
-Sav <3