AN: A short from my longer story, still a WIP. Review, critique, etc! :) More shorts on my page.
Bedroom blues
The reminder of her former lover's departure the night before, by the untouched side of his bed, gave Harleen enough of an excuse to stand and lazily make her way to the kitchen where pre-prepared coffee waited for her.
She listened to the gurgle of the machine as it brewed her black elixir. Hair a mess, glasses askew, Harleen sipped greedily and felt the warm drink relax the muscles in her chest still tight with the emptiness of abandonment. So much anger, so much disappointment; Harleen couldn't understand why it had happened, why she didn't save the relationship.
Harleen walked out onto her balcony and looked out onto the early horizon; the sun a circled drop of dull yellow against a haze of soft blue with transparent white of the clouds. It was beautiful despite the city of Gotham set below.
Harleen returned to the kitchen at the sound of a police siren, and at the sight of an absent car that was always parked alongside hers on a Saturday morning. She felt a change in the wind as she looked over the gas stain where Guy's car had been. Dressed in her red collar shirt, black underwear, she struggled with her rampant array of emotions.
Walking into her living room Harleen turned to a foul smell. Eyes widening Harleen nearly screamed form the sight; Her mug containing coffee now staining the carpet.
Smiling like the devil himself was The Joker lounging on her couch chewing on her food - her cookie jar smashed to pieces with mini shooters of Jack Daniels aligned next to it. Even her assorted variety of stashed junk foods (a secret she even kept from Guy) across the table. Being speechless wasn't ever something Harleen did; yet she was gaping.
"Surprised to see me?" He charmed. "I thought you would. I hoped, actually. I like surprises myself. No one appreciates them anymore; I knew you would."
Harleen, not sure exactly how to react or respond due to everything that happened in the short month, finally, said: "And I thought I knew you better." She was suddenly thankful Guy had left. If he had been here, Harleen couldn't fathom the chaos that would have ensued.
"Is this uh…your normal routine in the morning?" The Joker asked, frowning at her unusual reaction to his surprised visit. He expected her to scream, beg for a mercy, or at least explode with rage.
She's more fun that way. The Joker thought.
His eyes trailed down. "You uh…have a habit of walking around half naked in the early morning?"
"No." Harleen said, awkwardly covering herself with a couch pillow. "I…I just woke up. This isn't my normal routine. Why are you here?" she inquired.
"Why am I anywhere? Do I need any reason?"
She huffed. He clapped is hands in a joyful rhythm, said: "Oh good, the little girl is starting to seethe. I wonder what's next."
Harleen stormed off to her room; she could hear his grunt and quick footsteps behind her. She slammed her door and threw on a pair of tight jeans to avoid anymore comments and unlocked the window; felt calm when a gentle breeze swam past her.
The door opened and she turned to find him smiling.
"Never thought you'd invite me to bed so quickly, Doctor."
Harleen rolled her eyes.
"You got any cigars? Cancer sticks?" He asked, busy digging through her drawers.
"Why are you here, really?" Harleen asked, tempted to understand this man's mad mind, though curious on why she still cared; she handed him a cigarette from her purse.
"I heard you quit at the Asylum. Thought something might have happened to you. I heard you left by choice but I know there's another reason." He replied. "And I was thinking about our spat, the one responsible for my visit this fine morning. Got a light for this?"
"You mean the one about your childhood? And I did leave by choice, my blood pressure is through the charts since I started working at Arkham. My doctor said if I can't calm down I'm going to kill myself working there." she handed him a lighter.
He gave a halted, thick laugh, said: "It shows you care too much, such a good little doctor…such a boring, normal doctor. And the one concerning my problem with you, to answer your question."
"You have many with me. Specify please."
"Your ignoring that it happened, and I'll specify when I feel it's necessary."
Harleen looked down at her wrist; the bruise had only recently started going down. She knew what he was referring to.
"I've done some thinking about it too. You changed so fast that night I wasn't sure who I was talking to. The Joker, or someone else. Someone who you used to be. Someone who has been let down, taken to many hits, abandoned, someone who was waiting for me to accept them for who they were. Stop me if I get it."
He crossed his arms analyzing every word, coming up with his own responses of either replying in defense, anger, or mere madness. The smoke filtered through his scars and out the window. Harleen couldn't help but stare and wondered again if they felt as awful as they looked.
"You are a puzzle, Harleen. I've yet to match all the pieces. Don't think its bad, you'll stay alive longer this way." He leaned in closer, hands gripping the seal of the window, and stared far off into the city of Gotham. "Everyone else is so easy to figure out. I'm not sure if its your understanding of the human mind, but I do feel I can share things with you."
Harleen smiled, said: "I'm glad you feel that way. I hope now we can finally get through your wall of insecurity. Am I really a puzzle?"
Before she could confirm it The Joker burst into a fit, clutching his stomach as he dropped to his knees. Harleen could only watch in utter confusion wondering what had just transpired, and what the fuck was swirling in that mad little brain of his.
"Why are you laughing?" she asked when his fit turned to amused gasps.
"Because your so fucking stupid! Do you honestly believe that a few kind words will suddenly get me to trust you? Your very existence is funny, Harleen. Its so small compared to other things. You're a puzzle that I've figured before. It's so easy, just like your outfit. Your easy to manipulate in this state of mind." he gestured to her head. "Your like all the rest. Gullible and stupid." He laughed again.
Harleen barked back. "But you admit that my existence is something you like. I'm easy for you to understand, which in turn you'll take for granted and miss vital details. In the end, I'm not as easy as they come. You think you know everything but you don't. Don't pretend you lack any feeling. You want to be accepted. It's inevitable. You subconsciously hope to find someone to share your madness with. And maybe, with me, you have." Harleen knew full well that consequences were always in order whenever he was around when she fired up; she was prepared.
He let out another halted, thick laugh, said: "There you go again, confusing yourself into thinking things are true when really they aren't. That's how I know, that's why your stupid. I like your existence because of it. Your kindness will get you killed. Your so easy, they'll chew you up and spit you back out before you know they've done it."
"They?" Harleen asked, gripping her seat like rollercoaster knowing the conversation had just plummeted like one.
"I'm they. They are me. We all see. We see you. And I see them. You are stupid, girl."
"We're back to girl now, are we?"
"Quick to change subjects. Are we doing that again, Harleen? You know how that annoys me. Go back to they. I'll show you them, they, we…me."
"You've gotten crazier since last I saw you." Harleen rubbed her temples.
"Not crazy! I hate that word! They hate that word. We, me, they, them! How many more are there? I'm not so sure myself. They're everywhere, Harleen. Watch out or they'll get you. And by they, I mean them, which in turn means me. Does stupid understand?"
The Joker continued with his mindless banter, acting like a child trying to convince everyone around him he was right and they were all wrong. Harleen's mind was spinning like his tongue against his lips. She wasn't sure what the hell was going on, or what they were talking of anymore, or why he had chosen to reveal himself as more than one person, or if any of them were real or just a scheme of his.
"Harleen! Are you listening?! You know, you should listen if you want to learn anything. Listening is the best way to get anywhere. I would know, they would know."
"Shut up! I don't understand!"
"Of course not. You never do. You never understand us, we, them. Why is that?"
"Because you're a mind fuck! You enjoy messing with people! I swear you get off with this."
He huffed. "This game is no fun if your not playing, Harleen."
"This is a game? From the very start you've been nothing but playing me! If this is a game, just win and pass go already!"
"You thought you had me figured out just now. Such a stupid girl." he teased.
Harleen moaned, aggravation steaming from her ears.
"What did you come here for?!" she demanded, staring him down, only to cower back as his sharp gaze pierced hers.
He then smiled: "You." he mouthed, his lips reaching for hers. "I want you. Do you understand now?" his hands were rattling near her shoulders, anticipating the right moment to cease her. Harleen wasn't sure if her meant to strangle or kiss her.
Mixed emotions caused the room to spin and Harleen wasn't sure if the next words out of her mouth would mean anything to him; Harleen didn't care. With Guy gone she threw all her chips on the table.
"Do you understand, even realize, how much you mean to me? Do you have any idea what I would do for you?"
Joker tensed as he listened.
"You've burned me down - kept the ashes and revealed who I truly am. I just didn't see it until now. Guy left me. My family hates me. I have no job, no money, nothing. I can't even imagine living the same life I did before I met you. Everything has fallen apart. Nothing is as it was two years ago. You've won. I admit it now. You've always been right, about everything. I just wished I listened before it happened."
His hands gripped her shoulders; she continued.
"Maybe there's nothing wrong with you. Maybe, your perfectly sane, and the rest of us are crazy. Maybe everything you've said to me from day one makes perfect fucking sense!" Harleen clasped her face in her hands and whimpered.
She was unable to look him in the eyes, worried she would see a cocky grin of 'I told you so'. When she looked up she saw a grin instead - scarred, and mangled, but it was something she could see on him sine before he escaped Arkham those six months ago.
"Am I crazy?" she whispered.
"No, my little harlequin, you're not." lips just above hers, he hushed: "I've found my other half."
Thanks for reading! Full story coming soon! :)