Somewhere on the Mainland; Sunday Early Evening

[totalwildcard]

You asked Harley, it was a pretty good Sunday, so far.

She'd started out her day with no plan, and yet by happy accident (and it was definitely an accident, and not someone somewhere making room in a shared schedule to facilitate things, or anything deliberate on the part of anyone directly involved!) she'd run into Marc, and that had sparked a simple and easy plan after all: to drive him to the mainland for dinner, at a restaurant she'd overheard someone talking about on one of her off-island jaunts earlier in the week. It was supposed to be a family-run, no-nonsense little Italian place, and exactly the sort of thing Harley was in the mood for, especially right now with the company she had.

So life was indeed pretty good!

And Harley's mood wasn't soured even by finding out there was actually no parking available right by the restaurant. After some searching, she'd managed to find a spot some blocks away - which was to say, she'd sniped it from right under someone's nose with a truly reckless move. Which had led to some blaring horns from other cars. Which was all good in Harley's book! She had more important things to be thinking about, anyway!

"And the tiramisu's supposed to be amazing," she was saying, as they got out of the car. "Like, 'someone's 97-year-old tiny little Italian grandma made it' kind of amazing. D'you think they'd let me order that for an app and not just dessert?"

(NFB for distance, for the one modded with permission + some NPCs)

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

"Right," Marc said. His thoughts and body were both getting focused on the here and now again. "Food. We - we could go back to that place again sometime. Get you your dessert."

[totalwildcard]

"Have to have gone in the first place to go back."

Or something. They'd made it within like a block of the place, it counted.

"But yeah, we should."

[hasaknightjob]

Something about Harley saying that, her being open to the idea - it wasn't that it eased tension in Marc. He was always some level of tense. But it helped. Helped what he couldn't articulate. Maybe there was less weight on him? Less concern? Something.

Regardless of what it was, it translated into Marc's posture being somewhat looser. "Next time."

[totalwildcard]

"Next time," Harley agreed, like an echo. Easy enough, even with whatever note of tension there was in her own body as she walked.

She didn't know what it was and didn't want to look too closely at it.

"Coast should be clear for not running into the kid next time, either."

[hasaknightjob]

"That was fine," Marc said, waving it off. Then, in fairness for what he figured was the actual problem, "I get you didn't want me knowing about her."

[totalwildcard]

He was getting a confused look for that one.

"But you already knew about her, right?" she asked. "Didn't I tell you about her months ago?"

[hasaknightjob]

"Not that she was a kid," Marc said. "Associate. That's all."

[totalwildcard]

Harley shrugged. "Woulda told you if you'd asked."

But who would think to ask, Harley?

[hasaknightjob]

"Figured I was respecting your privacy," Marc said. "Especially since it was the illegal stuff."

[totalwildcard]

Oh look, another shrug.

"It's not a big deal. She's a kid, so what?"

[hasaknightjob]

"That's what I'm telling you," Marc said. "It wasn't a big deal we ran into her. Little weird when I thought she was yours but that's it."

[totalwildcard]

Harley managed to snort. "Yeah, I definitely would have told you if I had a kid."

Also he had something backwards but Harley wasn't going to be the one to tell him.

Mostly because it was going a little bit unexamined and so she wouldn't have had the words, anyway.

"Don't got any others hidden away, either. Cass is all, and she wasn't even hidden."

[hasaknightjob]

"Don't have to tell me anything," Marc pointed out. "Would've understood if you didn't. Do you want that private? Cass?"

[totalwildcard]

Gosh, she was being real shruggy tonight, wasn't she?

"No? I don't care."

[hasaknightjob]

"Steven," Marc said. Just on the odd chance she couldn't guess who'd be the likely person to get that information.

[totalwildcard]

You know, Harley should've guessed? But she hadn't really been thinking that far into it.

"Oh, God," she groaned, "Is he going to be all weird and sweet about it? Concerned?"

[hasaknightjob]

"You've met him," Marc reminded her.

So yes.

[totalwildcard]

"Eugh."

That was not just any 'eugh', either, it was a full-body one!

[hasaknightjob]

There was a twitch of a smile at Harley's reaction. Not making fun. Just... it was very Harley. Marc tended to react in a certain way to Harley being Harley.

"It's what he does," Marc said. "Kind of his thing."

[totalwildcard]

"I know," Harley whined, in much the same vein when it came to articulating the emotion with her full self. "But it's -- whatever, he can know, he's gonna find out sooner or later anyway, might as well just get it over with."

[hasaknightjob]

"Thanks," Marc said. Not because it was life or death if he couldn't tell Steven. But this was related to Harley being understanding about Steven in general, which was always appreciated.

Marc reached over to try putting a hand on Harley's back. Because it suddenly felt weird that he wasn't doing that already.

[totalwildcard]

Kind of felt weird when he did, too but not in a bad way where Harley would have done anything to stop him, either. Maybe it was just the long absence of touch making itself known, delayed.

"No problem?" she muttered. "It's no big deal."

[hasaknightjob]

"It is to me," Marc said. Which was way more of an admission than he'd give most people. Actually maybe just one other person might qualify. Of people Marc didn't share a body with, anyway.

[totalwildcard]

"Okay," Harley said, softer, and took it for what it was. Whether she knew what to do with it or not. She didn't ask, didn't argue, didn't comment on it further.

Just let it sit.

They were already coming up on the end of Loon Drive. Wasn't going to be long to the restaurant, now.

[hasaknightjob]

"You'll let me know if you need help with those guys again?" Marc asked.

He knew Harley wouldn't be shy about asking. Mainly he wanted to say he'd be there if she needed.