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

[totalwildcard]

"I meant to?" Harley replied, shrugging. "After I almost drowned?"

No, not that time, another one!

"But then I went straight to jail, and yanno how it is, I just never got around to it."

[hasaknightjob]

"No indoor pool in jail?" Marc asked. "Next time get pinched for white collar crime."

[totalwildcard]

"Not much of anything, in that jail," Harley scoffed. "Just a buncha trauma, really."

Said lightly, of course.

[hasaknightjob]

Lightly or not, Marc squeezed her hand a little tighter.

"Which one was that?"

[totalwildcard]

"Belle Reve?" Harley offered, fully aware it wasn't going to mean anything to him. Likely wouldn't have even to many people from her world. "It's a shithole in Louisiana."

She may have mentioned that part before.

"The kinda place they stuff ya when they really want you to just disappear from the world. Like if a black hole was a prison."

[hasaknightjob]

It didn't mean anything to Marc. He rubbed his thumb against her hand though.

"Glad you got out."

[totalwildcard]

"Well," Harley said, her tone and face going a bit wry, then a little... private. Quiet. "Mr. J was good for something."

Of course, who was also the reason she'd landed in prison in the first place? Yeah.

[hasaknightjob]

"Glad you got out," Marc said again.

He wasn't talking about the prison.

[totalwildcard]

Harley gave a weak huff, and said, "Funny." It wasn't, and it wasn't meant to be.

She was looking down his chest at their hands, again. Their arms all on top of each other, entwined. And even more quiet, she said, "You're gonna stay the night, right?"

[hasaknightjob]

"I'd like to," Marc replied, matching quiet for quiet.

[totalwildcard]

"You should."

That was nothing but a murmur. And this was as close to I want you to as Harley suddenly found herself able to get.

Sentiment was still there, though.

"I really think ya should."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc leaned his head to rest against hers as much as their position allowed. "Then I'm gonna. No rush to get home tomorrow either."

Thank you, Steven and Watts.

[totalwildcard]

"I like that."

Yeah, no shit, Harley. But she gave his hand a little squeeze, and exhaled what sounded like a little sigh.

[hasaknightjob]

"Same," Marc said, poetic as ever. But the way he said it did hint that there were more reasons beyond the usual for why.

[totalwildcard]

And Harley had had a little bit of practice by now, reading him.

Her thumb rubbed his fingers and his chest, both.

"We can order in for breakfast again. Thinkin' pancakes."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc was going to joke about having the leftover pasta for breakfast, then realized Harley probably would. Besides, something about ordering breakfast together was better.

"I'm thinking Spanish omelet."

[totalwildcard]

Harley absolutely would. He was learning!

"Mmm," she hummed. "I like your thinkin'."

She was also beginning to crawl back out of whatever maudlin hole she'd managed to briefly fall into.

[hasaknightjob]

"We could get both," Marc said, so that was clear. He ran his hand over her arm, back and forth in a light stroke. "And coffee."

[totalwildcard]

"Of course coffee," Harley agreed. "How're we supposed to wake up otherwise?"

[hasaknightjob]

Marc smirked. "I mean..."

[totalwildcard]

Harley snorted. "Oh, we're thinkin' something salacious, are we?"

Funny how she didn't sound like she disapproved!

[hasaknightjob]

"I'm just saying we'll have time on our hands," Marc said. Innocent, as he was known to be. "Throwing options out there."

[totalwildcard]

"Oh, bullshit," Harley scoffed, merrily, teasing. "You're hopin' to gift me some morning wood!"

[hasaknightjob]

"I mean if you're not into it..." Marc said. Again, so innocent.

[totalwildcard]

"Did I say that?"

The fake offense was strong, there! Grinning, but still.