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Screaming. That’s all Jervis heard in a day from ex-Captain Barnes of the GCPD in the cell beside him. God it was insufferable. Despite the Captain being blessed by his dear sister, blood, Barnes was insufferable. Personally, the dull walls inside Arkham were a bore. No wonder people went mad. Guards dismissed him as a lunatic, most of his fellow inmates trying to ruin his makeshift paper mache top hat to tease Jervis. Oh how he hated it in here. Nobody wanted to be the Hatter’s friend. Well, nobody until recently.
One night as he laid awake on his paper-thin mattress, being kept awake by the baldy next to him, Jervis sighed loudly, “My goodness, Captain! Is it so hard to keep quiet? I must say, you don’t have to keep our experiences more miserable than it already is.” He spoke through the vents. This was Jervis’ second night in a row being kept awake.
“H-he won’t listen, you know.” A shy voice spoke to him. Was he really that mad now he was hearing things?
“Who’s there?!” Jervis called, sitting upright. A rattle on his wall vent coloured him curious.
“Down here…” the voice spoke again. Jervis sighed and crawled onto the floor and peered through, met with another inmate with blue eyes, scruffy hair and lean figure, “H-hello.” He said.
Jervis blinked a few times in confusion as he looked at his friend through the vents, “Would I know you, my friend?” He enquired.
“Maybe? I-I’m Jonathan. Jonathan Crane.” The scruffy man said. Crane…that name was familiar to Jervis.
“Ah yes! You were entailed with that…oh what was it called? Fear toxin, no? Your father made it if my memory serves me correctly.” Jervis hummed, “Well, Mr Crane, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Tetch. Jervis Tetch.” He said as he dipped his hat at Jonathan.
“Tetch? Didn’t you like…use your sister’s blood to make Gotham violent?” Jonathan asked, already having second decisions on talking to Jervis.
“Ah, you know of my dearest sister, Alice’s, virus. Word clearly spreads fast through here.” Jervis flashed a malice grin, “But, indeed, my dear Crane. That is true. But sadly my advances got cut short by Jim Gordon slicing my neck like a fish and making an antidote.” He growled as he tilted his head to show a scar on his neck.
“Jim Gordon.” Jonathan scowled, “Oh how I hate him.”
“Ah, so you’ve met the fellow have you? Isn’t he a bundle of joy?” Jervis sung in sarcastic glee. Jonathan nodded, agreeing with Jervis.
“Dreadfully delightful. That man killed my father.” Jonathan mumbled. Jervis’ eyes lit up like Christmas had come early.
“One thing we share in common, you and I. For you see, big ol’ Jim killed my dearest sister. A crime in which he must pay for who knows what else stands in our way.” Jervis spoke with a twisted grin and dark eyes, “You know, dear Crane… I think you and I share similar goals. Say, if we find a way out of this dreadful prison we work alongside one another to bring Jim Gordon to his demise?”
Jonathan’s own eyes darkened and his smile lit up with horrific glee, “How could I pass on your offer? It sounds great! Well- as long as He doesn’t disrupt our scheming…”
Before Jervis could ask what on Earth Jonathan was talking about, a guard whacked against his door with a baton, “Keep down, tea boy. You should be sleeping.”
Jonathan waved at Jervis as he bowed his hat in a goodbye before both climbed back into bed to attempt to sleep.
‘A new friend…’ Jervis thought, whilst sitting on his mattress, ‘One who sees Jim Gordon for the monster he truely is. Maybe this place isn’t so bad after all.’
Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall, Jonathan was facing the wall as he laid on his side. The Scarecrow was taunting him as he tried getting shuteye. For once, he felt seen by someone who wasn’t a constant horror lurking around him. And for the fact that this new friend understood Jim Gordon was a problem? It was like a salvation.