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

[totalwildcard]

At least that seemed to finally stop Harley from barreling on like a train on a track?

She inhaled sharp and deep through her nose. Squeezed her eyes closed for a second, then opened them again. "Okay, look, Marc, you wanna be wanted for yourself, as yourself, I get it," she said, with a bit of forced calm in her voice, now. "Doesn't take a PhD to figure out ya haven't had nearly enough of that in your life."

Although it helped!

"So to backtrack a just a tiny bit: I don't even fantasize about other versions. Jesus, I'm not even sure I could, you're so -- you. Change anything, take anything out that has any significance, and it's not you anymore."

[hasaknightjob]

There was a lot in there. And Marc heard it, he did. It was just hard for him to respond to it when he both had a hard time explaining things when he did know what he wanted to say, let alone now when the concept was harder.

Like why to him a fantasy about being someone else could only ever mean wanting to become someone else.

But the more important part was hit with the last part of what Harley said. That eased something in him. So he nodded, a noticeable tension lowering.

"Okay." And then, after a pause. "Thanks."

[totalwildcard]

"I want you," Harley reiterated. Not all of her tension had dissipated yet. "But I'm also gonna have whatever thoughts I'm gonna have, and there's nothing that can stop me."

That part? Might've just been for her own benefit. Like a reminder.

[hasaknightjob]

"Wasn't trying to," Marc said. "Think whatever you want. I'm never gonna try to force you to do or be anything."

[totalwildcard]

Harley's hands had settled onto her thighs. Her fingers curled into the hem of her comfy shorts, now, for something to hold.

"Better," she decided. "Wishin' other people would change rarely does anything good in the end. Wastes everyone's time an' hurts feelings, mostly."

[hasaknightjob]

"That's all I was trying to ask," Marc said. "In my shitty way, I guess."

[totalwildcard]

"'S not shitty as long as you're trying," Harley muttered.

She'd lost a lot of steam over the last short moment, apparently.

[hasaknightjob]

"Sorry I - " Marc made a vague gesture to encompass the past however long it'd been " - fucked it up."

[totalwildcard]

Harley sighed. It took some of the tension out, but also left her shoulders looking a little droopy.

"I was just trying to tell ya a... nice thing. Yanno, to begin with. Originally."

[hasaknightjob]

"Try again?" Marc suggested. "Both of us?"

[totalwildcard]

Harley's face went all scrunchy again.

"Dunno if I wanna try the same road again. What if it's just bumpy the second time around, too?"

[hasaknightjob]

"That's fine," Marc said. "Just - I'm trying."

[totalwildcard]

"So am I."

Why did that feel like admitting something, to her?

[hasaknightjob]

"Then we're shitty together I guess," Marc said. Sort of trying for a joke but at the same time it kinda wasn't not true. "Go team."

[totalwildcard]

Harley gave another dramatic sigh with a distinct undercurrent of a whine to it.

But she also peeled one of her hands off her thigh to hold it up like the weakest offer of a high five.

[hasaknightjob]

Marc returned the gesture. Then kept holding on to her hand if she let him.

[totalwildcard]

Harley had been about to do the same, so...

Yes.

She looked at their joined hands, too. Hers looking so dainty and particularly alabaster-like in his.

[hasaknightjob]

"I don't like fucking up with you," Marc said. He was watching her watch their hands.

[totalwildcard]

Harley was clearly trying to take in all the details. Or avoiding looking at his face, or both.

"Why not?"

[hasaknightjob]

"I don't like it when you're hurt," Marc said.

[totalwildcard]

"I'm not hurt," Harley claimed.

She gave his hand a little squeeze.

[hasaknightjob]

"Okay," Marc said. He squeezed back, rubbing his thumb against her hand.

[totalwildcard]

A little sigh came out through her nose.

"I just wanted to tell ya I... think about you when you're not there."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc didn't reply right away. But the hesitation was because he was thinking before he spoke. Which in and of itself said something about how he was trying.

"Me too."

[totalwildcard]

Harley held his hand a little tighter. Reflecting something in her chest upon hearing what he said.

"And it's not some other version," she added, hazarding a glance up at his face, finally. "It's just you."