Dream: Joker's Lies

Date: 7/16/2020

My name was Ezra Jackson. I was a young man that was living in a world where the superpowered were treated like celebrities. They would take part in a powerful and competitive event called "The Game" where their abilities would be tested against each other to see who was the best. Subterfuge, sabotage, manipulation, all of that was fairly common. The Game sickened me. In this game I was known simply as Chameleon. My abilities helped me to blend in and adapt to each event's situation. There was another who was similarly skilled. They were climbing to the top of the charts pretty fast. Their name: Joker. No one knew if Joker was a guy or a girl. No one had gotten close enough to find out anything really. Almost no one. I lived next door to them and their father for the last nine years. Top floor of a cliffside apartment place. Guess they chose to live semi-modestly as I did. I may not have seen Joker but we spoke through the walls. We used a sort of Morse code on the wall between our rooms. I liked to think we'd become friends over the years. When we weren't talking, or participating in that wretched game… I was listening. Joker's father was obsessed with making them win. Even more so after the death of Joker's brother a couple years prior.  Sometimes 'The Game' takes lives. Sometimes it leads the 'celebrities' to take their own. At the least, it does a damn good job at making it seem that way. The Game is corrupt. I haven't been able to get the proof I need to start bringing it down but it is corrupt. My father died in its chaos. Joker's brother is another fatality. I could hear screaming again. Joker's dad. He was drunk as shit from the way he sounded. I could hear the balcony door open so I ran out to mine. Maybe I could convince Joker to just hop the balcony to my place till their dad sobered up? Joker slammed the balcony door in their father's face. They went to the balcony edge and stared at the crashing waves far below. I instantly activated my abilities. I could see their plan clear as day. "Don't do it!" I shouted but Joker dived off the balcony. I cursed as their father came out. "You fucking bastard! You pushed them to this!" I dived after Joker. My abilities flared to life as I pushed through the crashing waves and began to track Joker beneath them. I pushed. Breath wasn't easy to hold onto but I still pushed forward. A pull. Like an ache that got stronger as I got closer. I followed it and there Joker was. Unconscious. Getting tossed about by the waves. I grabbed their wrist and pulled them close to me. I had to save them. I got us above the waves. Now that I could see our balconies I felt a bit calmer. I held tight to Joker and teleported us into my apartment. I gently laid them down on my couch and quickly shut my balcony door. "C'mon Joker, dying isn't an option. Not yet." I whispered as I closed my eyes and let the next ability adjust itself.  I ran my fingers over Joker's forehead and opened their mouth. I then began to use my ability to pull the water from their lungs. Giving them a chance to breathe again. Which Joker did. They breathed but remained unconscious. "It's a start." I whispered and grabbed a change of clothes from my room. When I returned they were sitting up on the couch in a slight daze. "Where am I?" Joker asked. Their voice was surprisingly effeminate. I knelt in front of them. "You're here with me. Ezra. Or Chameleon if you prefer that name." Joker looked me over and nodded. Their eyes, now that I could see them, were a dull gray in color. Not quite blind but definitely not seeing everything. "Thank you." I led them to the bathroom where they grabbed a warm shower and changed into the clothes I gave them. When Joker sat back on the couch I felt an ache. Discomfort maybe? Like they weren't sure how to act. 'Their father's doing no doubt..' I thought in annoyance. "Ezra… thank you…" Joker whispered and I nodded. "I'd like to check for any injuries you might have. It may seem… invasive… but I want to be sure you're ok." I explained and they nodded. I closed my eyes and gently took their hand in mine. My x-ray vision activated. I scanned them. A male body, just slim enough to be mistaken as a woman's. Small bruises across their ribs from the dive. A sprain in the left ankle. Nothing life-threatening. That was good. My vision returned to normal and Joker looked away from me, clearly not used to this kind of treatment. "I need you to rest for now. Your ribs are bruised and your ankle is sprained. Although not life-threatening, they're still not gonna be healing right away." I told Joker. "I appreciate that. Is… is my father alright?" They asked and I sighed. I activated the x-ray vision again and looked at the wall between our apartments. "He's passed out in a chair but still alive." I returned my vision to normal. "That's good. He's a dick but he doesn't need to die." Joker stated. He wasn't wrong. I just hated how his dad treated him. "Since I know your name… I'm Emilio Sanchez." Joker stated, "Despite the voice I am a guy. Though I can be a girl if I want." And right in front of me their body changed just enough for them to be a young woman. I watched with widened eyes. "A shifter…" Joker smirked and grabbed my hand, "You're welcome to feel them." My hand was pulled up under the shirt and placed upon their breast. I gulped but went ahead and gave a light squeeze. Their smirk changed to them lightly chewing their lower lip. "Very real." I whispered and let go of their breast. They nodded in satisfaction. "Which do you prefer?" Joker asked, "Me as a man? Or me as a woman?" I could see now where this was going. "I prefer you as you. Whichever you enjoy being more." I answered honestly. They smirked again and pulled my hands to their hips now. "Will you let me thank you properly." Yep. Exactly where it seemed to be going. I sighed and kissed the top of their head. "Nothing more. You need to rest." I explained and they seemed to tense up. "But I haven't…" Joker started but I put a finger to their lips. "You want to thank me properly? Then let yourself heal. Maybe after that I'll allow it but you need to FULLY heal… and I don't mean just physically." I told them and they just nodded quietly. I think they were just unsure how to proceed with my way of treating them. I nodded in response and motioned for them to stay there. I went to the kitchen and made hot tea and some soup for both of us. I put them on a tray and brought the tray out. Joker ate the soup pretty quickly. They sipped at the tea as they seemed to contemplate whatever was on their mind. I ate my soup, drank my tea, and took the dishes back to the kitchen. "I think while you're here I'll call you Milo. This way anyone who may know who you are won't be able to tell who is rooming with me." I told them. A nod and a small grin then silence. They seemed to be thinking on it, "What am I to you, Ezra?" I answered without hesitation. "My friend. With all the years we communicated through the walls I hoped we'd at least become that much." I held a hand out and they took it. I got them to their feet and helped them to the bedroom. "Yet you bring me in here?" Milo asked with a playful grin. I rolled my eyes, "For rest, Milo. The bed will be far more comfortable for someone to heal on than my couch." "Oh." Was all I got in response. I helped them onto the bed and positioned a pillow under their ankle for extra support. It didn't take long before they fell asleep. 'I will protect you this time, Milo.' I thought as I got a cot set up by the bed and laid back.  (I awoke after that.)