Apartment Above Needful Things; Tuesday Late Morning

[totalwildcard]

Harley had spent most of the weekend on the mainland. Not just Baltimore, either - she'd taken the kid out on a little road trip. Yanno, for life lessons! Most of them criminal, of course, but that was sort of how their mentorship worked, so someone else could handle the boring stuff. Anyway, they'd had fun!

So much of it, in fact, that Harley had only landed back on the island late on Monday evening. Technically probably Tuesday? Which meant that after she'd passed out and slept her fill, the day was already well on its way. She rolled groggily out of bed, shambled her way into the living room --

And groaned when she saw the glitter bomb still waiting on the coffee table, and not downstairs attached to the front door ready to explode on Frenchie if he showed up again this week. Whether he'd already shown up or not, Harley was not in a state to go set it up now.

She shuffled around some more, in search of her phone, which she found discarded on the kitchen counter. No calls, no messages apart from Cass informing her she'd ordered breakfast delivery on Harley's account. Harley looked at the phone for a long moment more anyway, tapping her thumb against the side of it in thought. Groggy, still sleepy, not yet caffeinated thought.

And pulled up a number she'd had for a while but never actually texted before.

(Successfully, anyway. There was that time on her birthday.)

You awake yet?

(expecting one but can be open for other stuff as well!)

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

"No, I could," Marc said.

[totalwildcard]

"Oh, right!" Harley replied, in full confirmation that she'd entirely lost track on where all this had started out. "Don't I already know what that is, though?"

[hasaknightjob]

"All right," Marc said. "You tell me."

He would've made a gesture for her to continue but that would've required freeing up hands that were currently holding her. So no.

[totalwildcard]

Harley would definitely have been gesturing more if she hadn't been so invested in cradling his face instead.

She could still shrug, though. "Well, it's probably another mistaken attempt to tell me I'm more decent than I think and-or than I make myself out to be, right?"

[hasaknightjob]

"You started it," Marc replied.

So yes.

[totalwildcard]

"Yanno, I almost thought you were gonna surprise me with something else," Harley admitted on a little huff, "but nope! Still right!"

[hasaknightjob]

"Sue me for having times when I'm predictable," Marc said. Not actually upset, more teasing still. "Chance of pace from chaotic."

[totalwildcard]

"You are pretty predictable," Harley replied, helpfully.

Also please consider who was saying this.

[hasaknightjob]

"Only on the outside," Marc said. He shrugged a shoulder. "Mostly."

[totalwildcard]

"Uh huh, where we usually make our judgements about other people," Harley agreed - and tapped a fingertip very gently against his temple. "This? Is a different deal."

Well...

"Not that that doesn't also operate on its own set of rules."

[hasaknightjob]

"That's what I'm saying," Marc said. "You get the... more normal version. Comparatively."

[totalwildcard]

"So not a change of pace for me." Had he actually claimed it was? Deeply irrelevant to how Harley's mind worked. Her hand brushed up into his hair either way. "Though the 'comparatively' is doing a lotta work. You are not normal and it's one of the best things about ya."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc maybe leaned into that touch as she did it. "Good, 'cause that part's not changing. It's always going to be cracked in there."

[totalwildcard]

And Harley maybe made it a little firmer in return, the touch.

Definitely smiled at him, a little bit crooked but warm.

"Join the club, crazyhead."

[hasaknightjob]

"I like your crazy," Marc said. His own gaze was kind of warm now. "So that's okay."

[totalwildcard]

The thumb on Harley's other hand, still cradling his face, brushed back and forth against his cheek. She watched his face, just for a little moment.

"Yanno," she said, thoughtful, although most of the smile remained. "I didn't think that was gonna happen. People... likin' this version of me."

'People' was a copout, but lay off her, it was enough to manage to say that much.

[hasaknightjob]

"I didn't know not normal was an option," Marc replied in kind. "Something you could just have."

People. Situations. All of it.

[totalwildcard]

"I thought I might be too far into 'not normal', even," Harley admitted. "You put all your effort, your entire back into tryin' to become exactly what you think one specific psycho wants outta ya..."

Was that a little sigh? Maybe just a conspicuous exhale.

"It doesn't leave you with much when it ends, I can tell ya that much for free."

[hasaknightjob]

"Do you like the way you are now?" Marc asked. "Do you wanna change it now that he's gone?"

[totalwildcard]

"I have changed," Harley said, but looked past his shoulder and wrinkled her nose a little. Taking the question seriously, even if he was unlikely to get a complete answer. "But... you know how snakes do? Like, they shed their skin, make way for the new one?"

She shrugged again.

"Might still be doing that. Like I'm just a little snake, wrigglin' around, or whatever it is they do."

[hasaknightjob]

"Makes sense," Marc said. Because it did to him. "I like being along for the ride. Whatever you're figuring out."

[totalwildcard]

Harley's gaze flicked back to him. His face, his eyes. Just taking in all the things that made her feel like he meant it.

Something was wrong with her chest again. She ignored it.

Her fingers stroked through his hair.

[hasaknightjob]

Marc leaned into her touch. "I like you. As you are. Whatever you're gonna be."

[totalwildcard]

"I might become something else."

That was unlikely, which made it a weak warning. It was quiet, too.

[hasaknightjob]

"You already warned me about the unicorn," Marc said.

Teasing a little. To show he wasn't worried in general.