[He rubbed her back in slow circles until she finished crying, one of those mindless, universal comforting gestures and really the only thing he could think to do. He wasn't good at comfort, and that hadn't changed in the past five minutes.]

[Joker closed his eyes when he heard that lie-- they stung-- and wasn't sure if he hated his father for putting that lie in his mouth or was glad for it. It was an excuse, a way out, and even if it wasn't true, who cared? The truth was shit and she'd been hurt enough already, so didn't she deserve the merciful lie?]

[Could it really do any more harm?]

Yeah. [His voice was tight, and it was hard to get words out still.] I hadn't even heard about it yet. They never told me.