Needful Things Building; Monday

[totalwildcard]

The Dream House was gone by morning, replaced again with the antique store and the apartment above it, both with all four walls intact, and the color scheme decidedly less pink.

And in said apartment, late in the morning, Harley woke up with a start. Like fully bolting upright and everything, with a gasp.

"... Barbie looks like me."

She couldn't believe it. She brought her hands up to her face, smooshing her cheeks.

"Like me."

This jaw! These cheekbones under her skin!

Something about it was making her eyes well up.

At least, until something else about the weekend came back to her. "Bruce!" Oh, God, he'd been eating something obviously plastic, all weekend long! Harley scrambled out of bed to find him - only to, yes, find him curled up in one of his usual spots, seemingly right as rain.

She still ended up taking him on a long walk around town. It took a while for her to be convinced that just as magically as he'd turned into a toy dog for the weekend, whatever the plastic stuff he'd been eating (and, to be fair, pooping out at what seemed like an alarming rate for a fully functioning gastric system) had just as magically turned into actually edible stuff in his guts when he'd turned back. He seemed fine! He was leaving behind dog shit that was the usual level of disgusting!

Still, between the long walk and then breakfast for both him and herself, the morning had already turned into the afternoon by the time something occurred to Harley, and sent her bolting down the stairs into the store.

There, she found the display of dolls of varying ages and kinds.

And there, tucked near the back, was a Barbie. Harley carefully pulled her out from between a Victorian-ish porcelain doll and a fairly creepy 1950s baby, and smiled down at her.

It was a little watery, but there was no one here to see it, was there?

"Oh, there you are."

Something in her chest ached a little.

(expecting one!)

Comments

[totalwildcard]

Clearly saying he liked her better than Barbie was a different matter altogether.

"Oh, well, then I have nothing to worry about!"

Like him not liking her.

[hasaknightjob]

"Except maybe turning into a unicorn that can't talk," Marc said. To be a pain in the ass.

[totalwildcard]

Harley made sure to give a big gasp at the mere suggestion --

Only to snort and roll her eyes. "Please, what've I got to worry about there? You'd probably show up and be grumpy about gettin' me whatever unicorns eat, or I'd be magical and just do it myself!"

[hasaknightjob]

"I checked that Bruce was eating," Marc said.

Because somehow that made all the difference.

[totalwildcard]

"Yeah 'cause Bruce was the animal who wasn't talking."

What was his point?

"Also I'm hearing even a peep of you disputing you did it grumpily."

[hasaknightjob]

"I don't smile," Marc reminded her.

While smiling.

[totalwildcard]

How was Harley supposed to resist the temptation to poke him in both corners of his lips and that very same smile?

No way. She did it, asking, "What the fuck do you call this, then?"

[hasaknightjob]

"A mouth," Marc replied, oh so helpfully.

[totalwildcard]

"And what's it doing?" Harley prompted. "Don't say talking, I mean the expression."

[hasaknightjob]

"There's no expression," Marc said.

Still smiling.

[totalwildcard]

"You're a terrible liar."

Not that Harley didn't see things that weren't happening often enough.

[hasaknightjob]

"I'm only good at keeping secrets," Marc agreed.

There was a reason why he didn't try to do undercover work.

(No, not that kind.)

He kissed Harley on the cheek. "Good try though."

[totalwildcard]

Harley mimed biting at his cheek. "Well, I know what I saw, as usual."

[hasaknightjob]

"It's all your fault anyway," Marc said.

Since she had a habit of making him smile.

[totalwildcard]

"I'm giving your face a much needed workout!" Harley retorted. "You got muscles in there that by all accounts haven't been getting nearly enough use before I showed up!"

Just ignore that Steven, that notorious smiler, used those same muscles plenty. Irrelevant!

"Really, I'm doin' you a favor!"

[hasaknightjob]

There was a difference between physical and emotional exercise. Steven would happily agree Marc needed plenty of the latter.

"Maybe that's why I keep hanging out with you," Marc said. He brushed a hand across her cheek. "The favors."

[totalwildcard]

"And I got all kindsa favors to dish out," Harley assured him.

With a big smirk. While also tilting her face into the touch like it was second nature to her.

[hasaknightjob]

Marc kept up with the touch, running his fingertips along her cheek and jawline.

"I like the company."

[totalwildcard]

"Is company a favor?" Harley wondered, her eyes fluttering closed so she could really take in the touching and how nice it was. "Could be."

[hasaknightjob]

"The reward," Marc suggested. He brushed his thumb along her cheekbone.

[totalwildcard]

Harley's lips curved further into a smile.

Her eyes stayed closed.

"We're onto rewards, now? I can work with rewards."

[hasaknightjob]

"Like a free lunch?" Marc asked, teasing.

[totalwildcard]

"Exactly like a free lunch," Harley replied, her eyes opening again. "For a start."

[hasaknightjob]

"Who am I to turn down if you're paying?" Marc asked.

Not that he was having fun here or anything.

[totalwildcard]

"Oh, I'm paying?"

Harley had no problem with that. She just also had problem acting scandalized by it.