Hey Everybody. Here be the new story.
As always I don't own 'em. I just love 'em.
This is the sort of sequel to Are There Jokers in Solitaire?
Don't worry if you haven't read it. There's no need. I will say though, I sort of take cannon and chuck it out the window.
I love nothing more than taking characters, throwing them in the personality blender and hit pureé.
Rated M for future activities...
Anyhoosits. I hope you enjoy reading. :)
Knock Knock Harley came out of the bathroom, towelling off her hair.
"Don't come in. I'm not decent."
"Miss Quinn, your presence has been requested." Harley smiled at Johnny's ever uncomfortable voice. She knew he hated when the boss wasn't around. The guy was a psychotic clown, but at least a man knew where he stood. Harley wondered into her closet and scouted for an outfit. Her eyes landed on her long, red gown with the slit up to the thigh and black aces trailing across the bust.
"Who are we entertaining tonight Johnny?" Harley called out smiling to herself as she rolled a fishnet stocking up each leg, securing it to the straps on her garter belt.
"I believe it's Mr. Cobblepot tonight." Harley laughed. This calls for a much shorter dress. She hung her gown back up and retrieved her short, black halter dress with the red diamonds accenting the drooping neckline. This will work on the old codger. After curling her hair into fat ringlets and applying the last bit of red lipstick, Harley opened the door to find Johnny leaning his back against the wall, looking like a man being killed by boredom. He sighed in relief when he saw his charge exit in front of him.
"You look very nice tonight Miss Quinn."
"John we've been together for years. When will you call me Harley?"
"When familiarity becomes more valuable than my life."
Harley nodded. "Fair play."
Johnny and Harley rode together in Johnny's black Bentley in silence. Harley daydreamed as she watched the night skyline of Gotham whizz past the window. The city was alive with crashes and screams. No one would sleep tonight and that's just how the clown princess liked it. Her fingers toyed with her silver bangles. She hadn't seen the boss in almost two months. He was so caught up in the fall out from Falcone's enterprise being destroyed that he had no time for anything else; not even the Bat. Her run in with Mario had been over three years ago, but the aftermath was far more reaching than either of them could have predicted. It wasn't just a gang war. Every criminal and would be villain in Gotham was chomping at the bit for a piece of the action. The boss didn't want anything to do with it, but couldn't help but be caught up in the mess, often acting more as a mediator than anything. This left Harley without much beyond the day to day operation of the Knife Edge. Her role in the organization was now to "encourage" people to give her prince what he wanted or to remove them from their mortal fight quietly if they refused. Her last call was two months ago when she had to persuade a young man to give her the location of Maroni's hideout in the Narrows. Poor thing. He was so young and so pliable. To call him putty in her hands would be insulting to putty. Harley continued to play with her bracelets nervously. She put extra effort into her look tonight, hoping to catch the attention of the one man she couldn't live without. Her heart nearly jumped out her throat at the very thought of him. Sadly, Harley didn't even think she played on His mind at all. Harley had made peace with that a long time ago. She knew well enough to expect nothing from him, but to always been ready should she be called up.
The car came to a halt outside the Knife Edge. Crunchy music could be heard, muffled through the vault like front doors. As Johnny escorted Harley up to the main doors, Harley stopped to gently punch one of the bouncers in the arm. Eddie had been shacked up with one of J's dancers for the past couple months, but Harley still considered him one of her closer friends and no one would dare argue that point. Eddie flashed her a dopey grin as he pulled back the door to the club.
The club was jammed packed full of people tonight. The drunken patrons danced madly as the hired dancers twisted and writhed in their cages. At Harley's insistence, they were no longer wearing harlequin outfits, but instead dressed in short dresses with high boots. Harley had allowed them to keep the masks and dark eye make up as she thought it added a hint of mystery and anonymity for the girls' protection. Harley paused to take in the salty scent of the crowd. The mess on the streets had been good for business and thanks to her boss not spending every last cent on new ways to destroy the Bat, revenues were at an all time high. It made Harley look like a pro and there were even whispers that she was the new brains behind the operation. However, everyone made damned sure those whispers never reached any clown ears. Johnny led Harley to the bottom of the stairs that led up to the boss' private booth. Wary of her silver heels, Harley gingerly made her way up the metal stairs, smoothed her dress, took a deep breath, and made her way through the beaded curtain.
"Ossie! A little birdy told me you were flying around these parts." Harley beamed at the old bespectacled man as she leaned over to plant a kiss on his cheek.
"Harley Quinn, you make a old man feel young again and a young man feel dead. How is it that you get more beautiful every time I see you?" Oswald exclaimed as he placed a gloved hand on her thigh, lifting her already short dress. Harley bent low, smiling at Cobblepot's wide eyes.
"Because every time you see me Ossie, you're a little bit older." Cobblepot covered his hitching breath with his other gloved hand.
Harley just giggled and made her way over to the eyes that burrowed through her.
Joker sat across from Cobblepot and for a moment Harley saw pure rage firing at her. Once Cobblepot's fingers left Harley's leg, Joker's expression softened back into his manic grin. Harley gently took a seat at Joker's left and swung her right leg over her left, exposing her stocking tops under the table, only for her prince to see. Joker ignored her.
"So …Ossie," Joker smiled, "What do you make of my little proposal?" Cobblepot attempted to regain his composure, but was finding the clown princess of crime more than a little distracting. She fidgeted with her bracelets and tossed her hair over her shoulder before resting her darkened eyes on the Penguin.
"Well…uhm…let me sleep on it all right and I'll get hold of your Frost in the morning with a decision." Cobblepot stood to take his leave, nodding curtly to Joker and Harley before waddling away through the beaded curtain.
Joker sat back down, grabbed his amber drink and swirled it in his hand. With his eyes focused on the clinking ice, he growled.
"You're losing your touch. That should have been an instant yes." Harley was stung by the insult, but her heart also fluttered at the first words she had heard from her love in an eternity. Harley crossed her legs in the opposite direction, leaning into Joker.
"It will be a yes. You just wait and see." Joker slammed his glass on the table.
"I hate waiting! You're getting old kitten. You can't stir the blood like you used to. What good is a manipulator if she can't manipulate?" Harley felt rage burn in her lungs and tears sting her eyes.
"Is that why you haven't been home in so long? You think I'm getting old and unattractive?" Joker's eyes flashed with anger.
"Don't you dare…don't you dare Harley Quinn get all emotional on me. I don't have time for your bullshit right now."
Harley stood up and straightened out her dress.
"But apparently I have endless time for yours. Well next time you need someone to whore for you, go get one of your dancers." Harley spun on her heel and walked out of the private booth to Joker's maniacal cackling. At that moment she could have killed him with one of her shoes, but she also knew herself well enough to know that the next time he called, she'd come running as always. As she descended the stairs, Johnny followed her out the side entrance.
"Not staying for a drink?"
Harley leaned against the brick wall. "Fuck him."
Johnny scratched his head. "Uh…no thanks."
Harley smiled in spite of herself. "Just take me home."