Oasis

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Two-Face snarled and briefly let go of Joker's hair. He threw Olivia off with a sweep of his arm. "Stay out of this, Olivia. This is between me and Joker."

He turned back to the bathtub and lunged forwards. "I will not let you keep doing this to me, Joker!"

[The Joker]

Joker didn't have time to ask what Two-Face would find more enjoyable when his head was suddenly forced underwater. Joker did not like that sensation one bit. He struggled hard, digging his fingers into Two-Face's wrist.

The moment he felt the hand release him he surged up and took in a gasping breathing. Water had found its way into his lungs and he coughed violently, blood, mucus and water splattering onto the floor.

He hardly registered Olivia's presence as he threw himself out of the tub and onto the floor. He weakly swiped at Two-Face's leg. "You were fine the other day! You said you wanted me and that I was welcome here. Make up your goddamn mind!"

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Two-Face's rage damped down a little as Joker flopped heavily onto the bathroom floor and he was reminded of just how ill the man was. He flung a bath towel at Joker, mouth still twisted in a grimace.

"I do. I wanted you. I still do. But you keep turning away from me, Joker."

[Olivia Hale]

Olivia stumbled backwards as Two-Face pushed her away. She inhaled sharply as a very wet and very naked Joker emerged from the tub, coughing painfully. "Jesus Christ." She muttered. Seeing the clown's body gave her a new perspective on him. Scars of varying ages covered his torso and back. His ribs jutted out almost painfully. It was rather tragic.

She hesitated a moment before her disgustingly compassionate nature forced her into action. She grabbed the robe from the floor and placed it around his thin shoulders, dropping into a crouch next to him. "Shout at him later, Two-Face." Olivia said softly, looking up at him. "He's ill."

She slipped a hand under his elbow and attempted to help him up. "Come on, you need to lie down. I'll make you some tea and soup but do insist you put some pants on. Just because Two-Face is fond of your bits doesn't mean I am."

[The Joker]

"'m sorry." Joker mumbled as the towel was thrown at him.

He was shivering when Olivia placed the robe around his shoulders. He leaned against her, vaguely aware she was speaking.

"I like pants." He said absently as he stood. "I think you'd like my bits, though. I can do fun things with them. Ask Face, he knows."

He wrapped the robe tightly around himself as he started wandering back into the bedroom. "Tartlette, where are my pants? I can't put them on if they're not here."

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Two-Face gripped the edges of the bathroom sink for a moment, anger and sadness pulsing through him in equal parts. He couldn't bear to see Joker so vulnerable and frail, to see the insane darkness in his eyes clouded by illness and confusion, but he knew that if it weren't for his illness Joker would not be here at all. When Joker mumbled an apology, Two-Face thought his heart would break.

As Joker departed with Ollie, he looked up at his reflection in the glass. It was an effort not to smash the mirror.

[Olivia Hale]

Olivia blinked in surprise as she felt Joker's weight against her. It was bizarre seeing him this bad.

She ignored his remarks about his bits as she followed him out into the bedroom. She pulled the sheets back and shrugged at him when he asked where his pants were. "I don't know. Two-Face, I hate to ask but could you find something for him to wear, please? I think we'd all appreciate it."

For a moment Olivia considered leaving and going to stay somewhere else but decided against it. Joker needed someone to take care of him and Harvey would only do that half the time. Helping a psychopathic clown that had a passion for chaos was something she was struggling with morally, but he was human. She couldn't let him die, not like this.

She stuck her head back in the bathroom. "Can you get him dressed, please? I'll go start on his food. I don't think having a doctor come in would be the worst idea."

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Two-Face felt Harvey struggle for some measure of control as Olivia spoke to him. He looked up at her reflection in the mirror. "Go work on your Nobel Peace Prize speech while you're at it," he said, and stalked into the bedroom.

He stood gazing at Joker for a long moment. "What's happening to you? To us? Things were never this... ugly."

[Olivia Hale]

"Oh fuck you." Olivia snapped as she turned on her heel and stalked out to the kitchen. She slammed a pot onto the stove and began fixing Joker's soup, grumbling to herself as she did so.

She hated herself for helping Joker. She hated herself for cheating on Harvey. She hated herself for making foolish decisions and getting herself hurt.

All in all, Olivia Hale was not happy with her life.

In her usual way, she shoved the feelings aside and began fixing tea as the soup heated. She rested her elbows on the counter and buried her face in her hands.

[The Joker]

Joker stared after Olivia as she left the room. "How did she end up with you? I don't know if I've ever met someone who's so goddamn good. I can't decide if I want to bash her head in or snuggle her."

He turned his head slowly to look at Two-Face. For a long moment he simply stared, trying to figure out what he was feeling. Finally he crawled up the bed and curled up against the pillows. "I 'unno." He muttered, wrapping his arms tightly around his chest. "Don't ask me questions. It's not fair when I'm all vulnerable and weak. You shouldn't take advantage of the mortally wounded."

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Two-Face nodded slightly at Joker's assessment of Olivia. "Harvey asks himself that every day. I'll let you know when he comes up with an answer. He sure as hell doesn't deserve her. And he knows it."

He looked at Joker in silence for a moment, then turned to the chest of drawers, finding one of Harvey's old t-shirts that he only wore in the gym, and a pair of pyjama bottoms with a draw string that Joker could adjust to fit his much narrower hips. He laid them in front of Joker then sat down on the end of the bed.

"I would have pulled you out before you actually drowned," he said shortly.

[The Joker]

Joker shrugged off the robe and reached out for the shirt. He slipped it on and sighed happily. "It's so soft and smells so good." Humming happily, he awkwardly pulled on the pants and pulled the draw string tight. "They're kinda big, Face. You should think about losing some weight."

Two-Face's words caused him to pause. With a weak smile, Joker burrowed himself under the covers. "I know....I think. I hoped you wouldn't actually let me drown." He looked down the bed at Two-Face, looking pouty. "It made my chest hurt worse, you know. Make me feel better...or go help Tartlette make me feel better. Everyone should make Joker feel better..."

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "It's called detergent, Joker. That said, I'm actully glad one of me is domesticated."

He gave a faint scowl. "And you should think about putting some weight on," he snapped. "Anyway, it's all muscle. And you said I was far more comfortable and made a better pillow with some meat on the bones."

His eyes were far away as Joker pulled the soft blankets up over himself. "I'll make you feel better." Two-Face moved up the bed, coming closer to Joker. "Why can I never say no to you...?" he asked softly, almost to himself.

[The Joker]

"You're so touchy." Joker said, his voice slightly muffled by the pillow he'd shoved his face in. "I was just teasing. You know I like your body so don't get your panties in a twist."

When he felt Two-Face's weight moving up the bed, Joker turned his head to get a better look at him. "Because you loooove me." Joker said, smiling. "C'mere, I'm cold and your muscles are good heaters."

He coughed and curled up into a smaller ball. "Don't get any funny ideas. 'm sick and weak and not up for any sort of fuckery."

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Two-Face shot him a filthy look for a moment when he mentioned love. "Not funny, Joker." The look was soon replaced by a darkly charming smile. "Would I do that?"

He settled against the pillows and pulled back the covers a little to slip one arm beneath them and draw Joker close against him. He wrapped the other arm around the thin man's waist, absently running his fingers up and down Joker's back.

"Better? I can find you a sweater if you're not warm enough."