Harleen grunted as she landed her summersault a little too harshly, but she didn't take notice of it, her mind was too preoccupied. Bruce Wayne had asked her to dinner later on that night, she had first wanted to deny him, but Joan had peer pressured her into accepting. And Harleen was annoyed at caving into the peer pressure.
The alarm on her phone alerted her that it was time for her to get ready for her date. With a sigh, Harleen stretched out her body before shimming down the fire escape of her apartment and back through her apartment window. She slipped out of her workout outfit and took a quick shower to wash off the sweat.
After her shower, Harleen applied a little eyeshadow and blush before slipping into her best dress, a little red strapless dress, and stepped into black high heels. Harleen sighed as a knock sounded at her door, she really didn't want to do this. She forced on a smile as she opened her door to see Bruce Wayne standing before in an expensive suit.
"You look lovely, Harleen." Bruce told her.
"Thank you, Bruce, you look handsome." Harleen said.
"Shall we?" Bruce asked holding out his arm, biting back another sigh, Harleen slipped her arm through his.
"We shall."
-? ﾟﾒﾓ -
Harleen quickly made her way towards her office while keeping an eye out for Joan. She knew that as soon as Joan saw her she would want all the 'juicy' details from last night. But there were none. Yes, he had taken her to the most posh and expensive restaurant, he had ordered the most expensive wine, and had let her order whatever she wanted.
They talked mostly about her and why she decided to go into criminal psychology. And whenever she tried to talk about him he quickly brought the conversation back to her. He was charming and sweet, seemingly focusing all his attention on her.
But there was something that kept them from truly connecting, a wall of some sorts. And that was why when he walked her back to her door at the end of the night, she had turned her head away from his kiss, forcing him to kiss her cheek instead. Bruce had quickly apologized for 'misreading' the signs and left after wishing her a goodnight.
Finally reaching her office, Harleen quickly unlocked her door and entered. She stopped just inside her door when she saw the bundle of dark red roses on her desk. An annoyed sigh slipped through her lips, she had thought that Bruce had taken the hint last night, but apparently she was wrong. Harleen angrily shut her office door before stomping over to her desk intending to throw the flowers away. But stopped when she caught sight of the bright green smiling face on the greeting card attached to the roses.
Harleen gasped and backed up a couple of steps. Bruce had not sent her the flowers, the Joker had. This left Harleen with two questions: How and Why? Nervously, she stepped closer to the flowers, wondering if they were a trick. Gently, she removed the flowers and relaxed when nothing happened. They were just normal roses.
Harleen looked over her shoulder towards her office door. She knew that she needed to let Joan know about this, but maybe she could hold off on that until after she talked to the Joker. But her next appointment with him had been pushed back for two weeks for attacking the guards.
With a huff, Harleen moved around her desk and sat down while still staring at the flowers. Maybe she could ask to see the Joker sooner, he was after all her patient. But even if they did accept her request, they wouldn't let her see him right away. Still, being able to see him a couple days sooner was better than nothing.
Harleen quickly booted up her computer, pulling out one of the roses from the bundle and began playing with it. She began to wonder how the Joker had known that she loved roses? She had never told anyone that her favorite flower were roses? Had it been a lucky guess? Or were red roses his go to flower?
Harleen sighed and shook her head while setting the rose on her desk and logged into her email and quickly wrote up her request to have the Joker released from solitary. Just as she was about to hit send, someone knocked on the door. "Come in." Harleen called out and bit back a groan when Joan walked in.
"So?" Joan asked.
"So what?" Harleen asked playing dumb causing Joan to sigh.
"Your date with Bruce, how was it?" Joan all but demanded.
"Oh, that. It was alright." Harleen said and nearly laughed at the groan Joan gave her.
"That's it? That's all you have to say about going on a date with the Bruce Wayne?" Joan complained.
"Yeah. Other than he was a gentleman." Harleen said.
"Please tell me you jumped his bones at least." Joan asked and Harleen shook her head.
"Sorry, Joan, I'm not that kind of girl. I don't jump into bed with someone on the first date." Harleen said and giggled when Joan huffed at her.
"But you're not saying no to other dates with him right? I mean he sent you roses." Joan said motioning to the bundle of roses on her desk. Harleen bit her lip and knew that right now was the perfect time to explain that the roses were actually from the Joker.
"Actually," Harleen started, "I'm not sure there will be any more dates. I kind of turned him down when he tried to kiss me."
"What! Girl there is something seriously wrong with you if your turning down kisses from the Bruce Wayne." Joan stated.
"I just didn't feel anything for him, sure he's handsome and all, but I didn't feel any spark between us." Harleen explained with a sigh. Joan watched her for a minute before looking at her watch.
"I understand. But enough gossip for the day, we have work to do." Joan said.
"Right. About that. I know that the Joker was put into solitary for two weeks for attacking the guards, but I was wondering if there was anyway for me to continue my sessions with him sooner rather than later. Also, I think it might be best for the guards to stay out of the room. We don't want a repeat of yesterday." Harleen said and Joan looked thoughtful.
"I'll see what I can do, I'm not making any promises, but I will talk with Dr. Arkham and Warden Sharp." Joan said before leaving the room. Harleen sighed and relaxed in her chair. The bundle of roses caught her attention and sighed before getting up and leaving her office with a rose in hand.
-? ﾟﾒﾓ -
Harleen walked into the intensive treatment building with more confidence than she actually felt, she was here to see if she could get a private chat with the Joker. But she didn't get her hopes up, he was, after all, suppose to be in solitary for attacking the guards. "Can I help you?" A guard asked watching her with suspicion.
"I'm Dr. Quinzel, I'm here to speak with my patient inmate #0801." Harleen told the guard showing him her ID bag. He took it and looked at his as she let her eyes drift to his name take, 'Boles' it read.
"I haven't heard anything about this." Boles said narrowing his eyes at her.
"It's a last minute thing." Harleen said. "It'll be real quick, I just have a question for him."
"He's in solitary ma'am." Boles said.
"I know, but I gotta ask the question now. I won't be but a minute, and no one would have to know." Harleen said before stepping closer to Boles and placed a hand on his chest, she knew that she probably shouldn't be doing this, but she needed to speak with the Joker. "Pretty please? It'll be our little secret." Boles looked around before nodding his head.
"Alright, but only for a minute." Boles said before leading Harleen to the Joker. Right before they got to him, Harleen grabbed Bole's arm and pulled him aside.
"Can I speak to him alone?" Harleen asked.
"I don't think that's a very good idea, ma'am." Boles said glancing over his shoulder towards the Joker and seemed to pale. Harleen peered around Boles to see the Joker watching them with narrowed eyes, without realizing what she was doing, Harleen took a step away from Boles and the Joker smiled.
"Please, I know that if I speak to him alone he'll be more likely to answer my question, and then I'll be able to leave sooner. The sooner I leave, the less risk there is of being caught." Harleen explained and Boles reluctantly nodded. "Thanks!" Harleen chirped before bounding over the Joker and pulled the rose she had hidden in her lab jacket out.
"Care to tell me how these got in my office?" Harleen asked as the Joker smiled warmly at her causing her to smile back.
"Simple really. I put them there." The Joker said, his voice sending a tingle through her body. "Why, you don't like flowers?" The Joker asked with a pout.
"I think the guards would be interested to know you've been out of your cell." Harleen said glancing over at Boles who was watching them, she was thankful that he was far enough away that he couldn't hear them. She was also thankful that her body was hiding the flower. Harleen didn't want the Joker to get in trouble. The Joker chuckled causing Harleen to look back at him.
"If you really were going to tell, you already would've." The Joker stated shocking Harleen.
"How do you know I haven't already?" Harleen asked tilting her head.
"Y'know sweets," The Joker started making Harleen blush at the pet name, "I like you. I really do. Even your name. Rework it a bit and we get…"
"Harlequin," Harleen snapped out annoyed as she pushed back the painful memories from her childhood, "like the clown, I know. I've heard it before."
"It's a name that puts a smile on my face." The Joker said smiling while placing his pointer fingers on his cheeks. The silliness of it made Harleen giggle which caused that strange growl like sound to flow from the Joker. Harleen unconsciously shifted her body closer to the Joker, whenever she heard that sound from him she became aroused and she didn't know why. "It makes me think that there's someone here I can relate to." The Joker said finally standing up from his bed and made his way to glass of his cell in the solitary unit that was separating him and Harleen. He placed his hand on the glass and Harleen mimicked him, placing her hand where his was. "Someone who might like to hear my secrets."
"Really?" Harleen asked all but pressing herself against the glass. "Go on!" She watched the Joker's eyes fly to Boles, who she just remembered was still there and watching them.
"Not here, my dear, too many ears and eyes." The Joker growled backing away from the glass. "Come back tonight. I'll be waiting for you."