Fear and Payback (Scarecrow x Two-Face)

Everywhere he looked Jonathan Crane could only see hellish demons with forms much like bats, standing all around him and staring as if waiting for him to become vulnerable for them to sweep in. In reality they were criminals Batman had been rounding up all night, but to his fear-hazed mind he couldn’t differentiate the difference so he just curled up and clutched his head, trying to stop the monsters from coming closer to him. At some point another ‘demon’ flocked to join the others, though this time the demon came to his side, a warbled and scratchy voice screaming his name. This sent him into a panic and Jonathan let out a shriek, scrambling back to hit the cell bars, the other Rogues and criminals scattering as to not deal with him. The ‘demon’ only came close and gently touched his shaking knee, Crane wide eyed in fear as he stared at the horrific bat-like creature who continued to scream his name. However the longer they were there their voice slowly changed into a soothing tone, its form becoming less like a bat creature and more of an angel as it registered to Crane whoever it was before him meant no harm. With a bit of coaxing his angel had managed to get Crane to sit on their lap, ‘wings’ closed around Jonathan as he clutched at them almost desperately, hoping the ‘demons’ would stay away from his savior. His angel turned out to be Harvey Dent, the half-scarred man having been caught by Batman after his spree of robbing banks. He had been worried about Crane when he saw Batman inject him with potent fear toxin from his canisters, knowing Crane had made it even worse than what the Cloudburst had distributed just for Batman, and couldn’t even fathom what the shaking man was witnessing. So he settled in for the long haul and held him close, making sure the other cell inhabitants kept well clear of them as the night dragged on minute by minute. When morning came and the GCPD finally got backup to take the inmates to Blackgate Jonathan became almost hysterical when they tried to part the two, Harvey calmly punching the three guards who were trying to subdue Crane and picked him up, deadly silent as he followed the line out to waiting prison buses.

It took over a month for the toxin to leave Jonathan’s system, waking to find his world no longer ablaze and filled with monsters at every turn. He noticed a cell usually meant for two people, the bolted down table across from his cot filled with books and a single coin smack dab in the middle. When he noticed the coin it registered to him there was an arm tucked around his middle, his back against someone’s torso which rose and fell gently signaling they were asleep. He knew it was Dent and relaxed into his hold, staring at the wall across from him as he had no desire to quite go back to bed yet.

”Are you still afraid?” Two-Face’s raspy voice broke the silence, Crane shaking his head as he turned to face the other male, their scarred and mangled faces inches apart.

“Not really…I find myself unable to fall back asleep.” Dent nodded as Crane closed his eyes with a sigh, one hand subtly gripping the other man’s uniform. The toxin had damaged more than he was letting on, as it would become clear over the coming weeks as guards began to get their revenge on Crane by daily beatings, both physically and mentally when it became known he was now terrified of bats. There were nights when fear overcame him when guards left paper bats around his cell deep in solitary or something similar, reducing him to a screaming and shivering wreck instead of the cool and collected man he had been during his takeover of Gotham. However one day they went too far and tried to pull off the mask he never took off, not realizing it was literally a part of his face when they exposed the mutilated flesh that he covered with said mask. The silver air purifiers lodged in his neck were used to help him breathe like anyone else, Crane falling to the ground and gasping for air when one of the bigger guards yanked them free. Once it became clear what was happening they quickly filed out from the showers where they had cornered him, the psychologist slowly choking from lack of air as his world slowly turned black and he passed out. He did not expect to be waking back up, his world blurry as he tried to focus on one of the blobs above him as it slowly sharpened into focus.

A green question mark.

Nigma.

“Riddle me this! Who is dead, yet alive at the same time?” A too cheerful voice chirped from beside him, Crane rolling his eyes as he sat up. “Why that would be you!”

“Shut up…” His hand went to his neck, noting his purifiers felt different.

“I went ahead and updated your purifiers, and I must say they look so much better.” Nigma grinned, giving Crane a mirror to show the updated and slimmer purifiers he had fashioned for him. “And you gave us quite a scare, we almost didn’t bring you back.”

“How long?” He questioned, noting his mask had been repaired and set back on his face where it should be.

“7 minutes. Harvey got to you right after you blacked out and flat-lined.” He handed the taller male some water, clapping his hands when Dent walked in. “Try not to make too much of a mess lovebirds, daddy will be working downstairs.” He grinned, leaving the two younger males to themselves as he hopped down a fireman’s pole with a grin akin to a kid at Christmas.

“Jackass.” The duality based man sat beside Jonathan, who looked a tad embarrassed. “They’re all tied up for you.”

“…thank you.” Dent only nodded and the two shared a look before Crane steeled himself and grabbed his nearby fear toxin needle glove, a grin crossing his mangled lips.

It was time they knew fear, for no one got away for hurting Scarecrow.