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]

Joking or not, Marc gave it some thought.

"When I surprise you."

Which wasn't specifically a sound but her reactions were often audible so Marc figured it counted.

[totalwildcard]

It'd been mostly joking, but only because in Harley's experience, getting him to name things could be a little hit-or-miss. So, an actual answer? A treat!

"When you surprise me?" she echoed, lightly, not not surprised by that answer in itself. "Hunh. Wouldn't have thought of it like that."

[hasaknightjob]

"Could even call it fun," Marc said, fully aware of how rare it was for him to say that.

[totalwildcard]

"Someone could."

Yes, it was a joke about how rare it was from him.

[hasaknightjob]

"Not me," Marc agreed. Because sometimes he had jokes.

[totalwildcard]

"And good," Harley replied, immediately, "'cause you shouldn't surprise me so much I suffer a heart attack like twenty feet from my front door."

Totally what happened when he called things 'fun'.

[hasaknightjob]

"Then who's gonna be a pain in my ass?" Marc asked.

Ignore how he held her closer when he said it.

[totalwildcard]

Harley was ignoring it so hard she just happened to sway more into his side just from the sheer force of her ignoring!

"Oh I'm sure you could find someone if you looked hard enough," she assured him like she wasn't smirking (smiling, she was smiling), "but I'm already here and ready and equipped to be a pain, so..."

[hasaknightjob]

"And there's nobody else like you," Marc said. He had his own sort of smirk/smile thing going when he did.

[totalwildcard]

They were literally like a minute away from the Needful Things door. But Harley thought not of such things, so she went with the urge to slide her arm around his waist, pulling him in that last little bit up against her side - complete with a tip of her head against his shoulder.

It would only be for a minute, so no harm done, right?

[hasaknightjob]

No harm indeed. If anything, as close as they were Harley might be able to feel another level of tension easing inside of Marc, deep inside his muscles. At the same time he moved his hand to her hip to hold her closer.

If she did notice the change, the timing of the cause was fairly obvious.

[totalwildcard]

Harley noticed - and it was one of those things even her blabby mouth knew to keep itself shut about. She liked it, the way she liked every new nice thing she learned about him, and maybe more to the point, the ways she could make those happen.

(Even if it all did weird things in her chest.)

If she walked just a little slower now, it was just that that was more comfortable for her lean. Definitely not just to make the rest of the walk longer than a minute.

[hasaknightjob]

This was on the way from his place to Harley's, which was a path Marc had walked in both directions enough times by now to know how long it should take.

So maybe he noticed it taking longer than usual. Maybe he also didn't mind because it gave him a chance to lightly rub his thumb against her hip.

[totalwildcard]

Weird how his hand just fit there, huh?

Even with all of Harley's stalling, they did eventually come up to the door. And that meant she gave him a subtle squeeze, and an even more subtle sigh, then straightened up and pulled her arm back again so she could get her keys, then reach out and open the damned door for them.

[hasaknightjob]

"Lemme know if you need me to get those," Marc said, indicating the other bags. Not that using keys was complicated but whatever. Maybe she wanted her hands free.

[totalwildcard]

Well, if he was going to offer, then Harley was going to just hand them on over to him. "Go on, be a gentleman," she teased as she did.

Of course, then she unlocked and opened the door, and made an 'after you' gesture.

[hasaknightjob]

"That make you a lady?" Marc asked as he passed her. Because honestly. Gentleman.

[totalwildcard]

"Absolutely not," Harley snorted, "I'm doin' this so I can ogle your wonderful derriere."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc ogled hers often enough it wasn't like he could point fingers. So instead he settled for a smirk. "Want me going up the stairs first too?"

[totalwildcard]

"Absolutely yes," Harley said as she closed the door after them. "See, you're getting it!"

[hasaknightjob]

Marc shook his head at her, but it was a mock show at best. "Least the hyena's getting used to me?"

Marc certainly hoped the hyena was getting used to him. Otherwise walking past Bruce could get awkward.

[totalwildcard]

They were going to find out in just a moment since Bruce could be found hanging out in the back room, as usual.

(He was right, though.)

"I think he's learned you're not a threat," Harley said with an easy shrug. "Mostly means he doesn't give two shits about you, unless of course you inspire me to get loud in the wrong ways."

[hasaknightjob]

"Doing my best," Marc said. He gave Bruce nod as he passed him. This was about the same level of outward, purposeful acknowledgement that Watts and Steven's cat got so it was sort of a sign of respect in a way.

[totalwildcard]

As predicted, Bruce didn't have much of a reaction to him beyond watching him go, but he eagerly accepted the scritches Harley gave him as she passed by.

"And that's why you haven't been bitten by a hyena yet!"

[hasaknightjob]

"Just you?" Marc replied.