HARLEY
Harley doesn't know when it became a routine. On the days there was an open mic-every two to three weeks-Arthur would arrive early. There was a time when he'd be sitting at the bar in the back, chatting with her on small talk, as she prepped the bar and put away glasses in preparation for the night. She liked that.
They talked about the news and the weather and learned little tidbits about one another. They also uncovered they were both fans of the Murray show and found themselves talking about it more frequently, and on occasion, Arthur would share with her a new joke he planned on trying out, and she'd be honest with him about whether it sucked or was a winner.
One particular night, as he was telling Harley a sample joke, both of his arms on the table, and Harley doing the same chatting with him, they were interrupted by an experienced comedian who just so happened to be participating in the Open Mic that night. Klaus Laverne was an open mic regular known to get laughs and an up-and-comer in the comic circuit.
"Well, if it isn't the comedian who laughs at his own jokes," Klaus said. He stood next to Arthur and gave him a hearty and rough pat on the back.
Harley could see Arthur flinch and tense up before he leaned back and turned to view the red-head comedian speaking to him.
"I don't think we've met," Arthur said, trying to stay courteous.
"We haven't formally, but you got a reputation around here," Klaus started, then paused to move his attention to Harley. He blatantly glanced at her chest in her tight gray shirt, then raised an eyebrow. "Hey, sweetheart, why waste your time on a guy like this?"
Harley ignored his comment and simply asked, "What are you having?"
"Maybe a tall sweet drink like yourself, sweetheart. Sweet and creamy," Klaus licked his lips, eyeing her blatantly. Harley did her best to hide her frown as he continued, "But vodka double would do, Harls."
Harley was used to those types of names and simply brushed it off and turned around to get the vodka, hoping doing so would make the guy go away, stat. She also hoped that Alexa would arrive soon, so she didn't have to be on early bar duty.
Harley poured Klaus' drink, stood before him, and took his payment from his outreached hands. She was about to grab the money from his palm, but before she could let go, he closed his hands over her hand and smiled at her.
"You shouldn't be wasting your time with a low life like this man over here, toots. I mean, look at him, wearing the same damn suit, can't even tell a fucking joke to save his life, huh."
Harley snatched her hands away, "None of your business who I talk to, thank you very much. Now get your hands off me." She said as she tried to pry her hands away, only to feel them tighten. She looked up, meeting Arthur's eyes, as a pained look came to his expression. To Harley's surprise, a burst of laughter came from his lips, though oddly, it didn't seem humorous. It was pained laughter that caught both Harley and Klaus off guard, and Klaus immediately let go of Harley's hands and turned to face the laughing Arthur.
Klaus looked angry as he watched the younger man in front of him continue to laugh. This time he watched as Arthur covered his lips with his palm. Harley looked on in horror.
"What the fuck are you laughing at, you freak?"
"Ahaha… don't…hahaha…."
"Don't what, you asshole? What the fuck is wrong with you?" Klaus moved forward, and this time he was standing in front of the seated Arthur, who managed to stop laughing after a few moments.
Arthur's pained expression was replaced by a scowl and darkness in his eyes as he looked up at Klaus and stood up until they stood face to face. His lips stern and brows furrowed, his voice contrasted his laughter; it was quiet but somehow carried a threat behind it.
"That's not the way to talk to a lady. You owe her an apology."
Klaus turned to Arthur and stood up, "I can say whatever the fuck I want. What the fuck are you going to do about it?"
Harley watched as Arthur took a deep breath, his look more intense. She watched as his hands gripped his bottle of beer more steadily, noticed his fist on his sides bunched up, and his knuckles tensed. His wiry body was no match for Klaus, a bulky man who stood just about his height.
"You need to apologize."
Klaus stepped closer and was about to poke Arthur on the chest to instigate until Harley placed an arm between them. Both men turned to look at her questioningly.
"Klaus, just leave. Please," she said, only to garner a chuckle from the red-head.
"Can't do that, doll. I gotta finish my set and show your friend how it's done, doll."
Harley met Arthur's gaze, and she hoped that he could tell she was sorry he had to go through this shit. While she wanted to slap the crap out of Klaus, she needed to keep her job and make sure she didn't make a scene. It wasn't the first time she had to deal with assholes, although this was the first time someone tried to stand up for her. Most folks ignored it and would say it's just part of the job. However, she didn't need him getting himself in trouble or fighting because of her. She didn't even know him that well.
"Then get your drink and go, then." She grumbled. "Stop wasting our time."
Klaus took his drink and chugged it. "Yeah, whatever, toots. I don't have time for this shit." He looked pointedly at Arthur and snarled, then back at Harley. "Don't waste your time on this loser, trying to save you when you don't need it. It's a waste of time if you ask me. Especially since we're friends, right, sweetheart?" He wiggled his eyebrow, and Harley fought the urge to want to gag.
Klaus was a regular and sleaze, and she hated having to do anything with him. And simply ignored him and moved toward Arthur. She stood in front of him, grabbed his empty glass of water, refilled it, and gave him a smile.
She hoped he knows he gets she's trying not to make things worst and that he shouldn't try anything else. In a low voice, she whispers to him, "Don't worry, I got this."
Klaus didn't seem to care as he slammed a few bills on the counter. "Another vodka double, sweetheart, and I promise I'll apologize." He was sarcastic at the end, and Harley gave him his order immediately. She wished there were others at the bar to divert her attention, but it was still early, and it remained simply Arthur and Klaus, along with two other gentlemen nursing their beers on the other end of the counter.
Arthur remained quiet, although observant. Harley wondered what was going on in his head, although she still noticed him tense and his fist still formed. She gave him a light smile, which faded when Klaus obstructed her view by standing as close as he could in front of her.
He chugged his drink and then slammed the cup on the counter. "Well, I guess I'm sooo sorry for whatever I did, sweetie."
Harley hated him.
Klaus turned around, then at Arthur with a smirk. "Happy now? That apology enough for you?"
Before Arthur could say anything, Klaus turned around and left, walking towards a set of individuals who sat towards the front of the venue and laughing heartily.
Harley let out a long sigh as she watched Klaus disappear, grateful that it didn't escalate into anything. Marco has a strict "no fights, no drama" rule and doesn't want to risk it. And the last thing she needed was some sort of fight to happen because of her.
This time, she looked to see Arthur leaning his back on the counter, his arms up against it as he kept his eyes on Klaus in front of the bar. He looked deep in thought, a scowl on his face, and she still noticed he seemed tense.
Harley went behind him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. Arthur turned around, and she greeted him with a smile.
"Thank you for standing up for me, Arthur," she said, her voice almost sounding shy to her ears. "He's not worth the time, trust me. He's a certified asshole."
"Nothing to thank me about… It's not right to talk to you like that."
"Believe it or not, he's not the only one. It's sad, but I'm used to it. It comes with working in a hole-in-a-wall bar, you know?" She gives him a wry smile.
She didn't like that he still looked bothered, and she wished she could trace away the frown on his forehead, maybe even place her hands on his shoulders, massage it until it didn't seem so tense. He looked so serious all of a sudden.
She placed a hand on top of his gently, his skin soft to her touch, and she was pleased he didn't move his hand away, which was still balled in a fist. "How will you tell your jokes when you look so serious, hmm? Like you're about to go to a boxing match." She joked, and somehow that did it.
She watched as his shoulders relaxed, and Harley found herself slowly and gently prying his hand open until it was no longer a fist and her fingers spread above his. The touch felt electric, his hand warm in hers, and she knew damn well what she was doing probably was sending signs of her interest. Harley hoped it was, and before she could pull her hands away, she felt him move his hand so it rested above hers, and she felt his light close around her hand. She couldn't help but smile questioningly at him.
He was handsome and still had the slight frown, his blue eyes studying her, dropping to look at her lips which she realized she had been biting the bottom of. She felt way too warm now, and the surroundings felt like it disappeared. Then she heard him speak.
"Harley… how are you getting home tonight?"
Oh… Harley's heart quickened, unsure of the implication of such a question. She answered, "I'll be taking the bus home after we close the bar."
"Can I walk you to the bus? I want to make sure you're safe."
She realized he was referring to Klaus. Klaus tended to remain at the bar until late in the night, and after their current almost confrontation, the last thing she wanted was to deal with Klaus and his cronies outside the bar. She was, after all, one of the previous employees to leave, and until other nights, Alexa wasn't working late to drive her.
The walk to the bus stop took a while, and there was something about Arthur that drew him to her, and she wanted to learn more about him, hoping that perhaps this was a night where she could.
"Yes, I'd love that." She watched as he smiled brightly at her, his frown disappearing, and she couldn't help but feel her cheeks get warmer as she looked at their hands on each other.
A cough interrupted them, and Harley and Arthur let go of one another. A new patron arrived at the counter, and the bar started filling up with the crowd.
Harley gave Arthur a wink, "I'll see you later, Arthur. Good luck tonight! I'll be watching!"
It was his turn to blush as she waved goodbye to him, turned her attention to the new patron, and began taking their order.
The rest of the night was luckily smooth, with Klaus and his friends shifting their focus on the new performers, a group of contortionists who joined the open mic to advertise the upcoming circus they were performing in. Harley was amazed by their talents and took the time to watch as she was bussing the tables and ran back and forth from the kitchen to the bar patrons.
She was grateful that Arthur's set was during the front end of the open mic since it allowed her time to watch most of his most of the set since it was still slow before the initial rush. She stood on the side of the bar and watched as he was introduced onto the stage, and as he greeted the crowd, she wondered if he could see her in the back, watching him and giving him a broad smile and a light wave. Hoping he did, she watched as he cleared his throat to the side, opened up his notebook, looked up, and brushed his hair back. He leaned forward towards the mic.
"The observations of Arthur Fleck."
The crowd looked amused and waited as he went on. It was awkward at first, though Harley could tell instead of pretending to be otherwise, he seemed to lean into his awkwardness. As he went through his jokes, there began to be giggles until there was mind laughter. Harley couldn't help but chuckle at his jokes, wondering how he would come up with them as they seemed more focused, short, and sweet. It was as if the jokes that didn't work out were erased, and he'd found some type of formula or was about to.
Harley listened on and enjoyed the laughter. It was to the point where she could tell he was getting more comfortable, and it seemed the crowd seemed to forget he was reading directly from his comedy notebook on stage.
When one heckler tried to boo him, although, to no avail, he only received an annoyed look from nearby patrons. Arthur took it in stride, and instead of laughing it off, as he had done other times, he simply stated another joke addressing it.
"Good thing I like to close my eyes on the stage because I have drawn a picture of an audience enjoying the show more on the back of my eyelids."
Harley didn't get a chance to finish watching his set since she had to start bussing tables and helping out with the kitchen. She did, however, rejoice when she heard a decent crowd laughing and applauding as the open mic host bid farewell to Arthur as he left the stage. She wished she had the time to pause and see his facial expression at a positive and well-received set, though she knew she had to do her work first, and hopefully, when they met, she'd be able to tell him to his face. Two more hours to go.
Two hours passed by quickly, and within that time, she stopped by the table Arthur sat at to offer him a drink–he seemed to like rootbeer–and smiled at him when she got the chance. He seemed pretty pleased with himself as he sat, fully immersed in the open mic instead of sulking in the corner or writing in his notebook to plan for his next set. She liked seeing him like this.
When the bar was closing and the patrons left, Arthur remained since Harley told Marco he would be waiting to walk her home. Marco didn't seem to mind as he was too busy enjoying the fact that that night earned them a significant amount of money, and there were no bar fights.
Harley tried her best not to think about Arthur as he sat at the bar this time.
"I'll be done in a few minutes, and then we can head out." She told him.
"No rush," he said with a smile as he pulled his notebook from his pocket and started to write something in it. Harley was sure it was ideas for his next jokes; she couldn't wait to hear them.
A few minutes later, Harley finds herself saying goodbye to coworkers and ushering Arthur to follow her out the door to begin their walk to the bus stop. The biting late-night cold brushed against her face when they exited the bar, and Harley was grateful that she didn't forget her thick black hoodie. She wore it over her form-fitting Marco's Bar long-sleeve v-neck t-shirt and tight black jeans. Harley was also grateful that the new work shoes, a black pair of non-skid sneakers, were still comfortable on her feet. She knew it'd be a long walk.
"Which bus do you take?" He asked.
"55th Avenue and Park Central."
"That's the same one I take; I live off 52nd street."
"So we're practically neighbors," she joked, getting a smile from him as they headed in the same direction. "Thanks for walking with me so late when you didn't have to."
"I… wanted to make sure you got home okay, just in case that guy was trying to harass you again."
"Oh, Klaus? Yeah, he's a pain in the ass. I usually do my best to avoid him; he gives me the creeps."
He nodded.
Harley gave him a sweet smile and briefly placed a quick hand on his shoulder. "Thanks for standing up for me too. I swear I owe you twice now."
"Twice?"
"The trash bin fiasco and then now this." She couldn't help but laugh and be grateful that somehow they kept running into each other; at least, it meant they would hopefully get to know each other more.
"Does… that make me your official Prince Charming?" He joked sheepishly as he ran a hand through his hair.
She peered over at him and made a thinking face, her hand on her chin. She studied his face and then nodded. "Nope. Definitely not Prince Charming, but a friend, certainly. What do you think?"
"I'd take that. I don't think Prince Charmings are supposed to be wannabee comedians. I think they tend to be the Wayne Enterprise variety."
"First off, thank goodness you're not like those high-city folks. Nothing against them. I'm sure there are some nice ones. But the ones I've met are usually at the bar, and they're pretty crappy tippers. Secondly, I think you did great tonight at the open mic! Did you hear them laughing? Your jokes were so new. I think you probably went through several pages. I enjoyed them!"
"Yeah?" He studied her face, and Harley hoped he could see the sincerity in her words. She was glad to see he improved and wasn't afraid to switch things up and try new things.
"Yes, Arthur. You were funny," she said, "Your observations are things I've thought about, but how you word them and present them is so different. I like it."
"I was trying something new. After the last time, I realized storytelling-style comedy didn't work for me."
"Well, I like this new style you're doing. It's straight to the point and quick-witted!"
"Harley, that means a lot. I hope you know that."
"Yeah?" she mirrored him from before with a smile. "Well, I mean it. I can't imagine getting up there as many times as you have, or at all, actually!"
"Got any talents?"
She feigned being appalled, dramatically holding a hand to her heart and forehead. "Why, sir, how dare you ask such a question to a lady?"
He paused in his steps, causing her to turn to him, and he bowed dramatically, pretending to tip a hat at her, "Milady, I do not mean to offend! I'm sure you are wrought with talents, oh lady of Gotham."
She burst out laughing, shaking her head, and they continued to walk.
"I won't be caught dead on that stage. You're looking at a talentless lady of Gotham in all her glory!"
"I doubt that."
"It's true! I'm not a good singer or dancer and can't play the accordion…."
"I can't either. The accordion part that is." He grinned at her, "By the way…ever wonder why there's so many accordion players in Gotham?"
"Yes! All the darn time!"
"That accordion seller must be making a racket," he said, garnering a snicker from her. "I probably should switch careers."
"Let me know how that goes for you. I might follow suit."
"We can be business partners."
"Or rivaling accordion sellers in public, but in reality, we're one big conglomerate. Wayne Enterprise-style and Gotham gangs-style."
"Okay… I change my mind, maybe not business partners. How about you become my first customer instead?" he said in thought, playfully putting on a scowl on his face; still a smile on his lips, and she could feel him studying her.
"Sure, why not? I might even try my hand at playing on a stage in front of complete strangers."
"You might even be a natural."
"Oh yeah, absolutely. I'll just go up there and blow it out of the water."
They found themselves chuckling at the scenario, continued to banter about their imaginary plan of a future empire, and shared stories about Marco's and the absurdity of Gotham and its people. The long walk to the bus stop flew by fast, and not shortly after, they found themselves at the bus stop and then sitting within it, heading towards their homes.
The bus was quite empty in the late night, with the exception of a couple sitting and chatting quietly in the back. They were a young couple in their late teens, looking as if they had just come from a punk rock concert, their outfits in black with chains, along with heavy boots and the top of their hands stamped with a skull in a circle. Harley and Arthur both glanced at the couple, who was oblivious, and then turned to each other and smiled. They had just been talking about the various people in Gotham and how even though it had its dark side, its people still found ways to find happiness and let loose when they were good. For some, it was concerts, others open mics and bars, late-night skating or basketball (which they saw occurring as the bus passed by Harvey Public Park), among other things.
They sat in comfortable silence, their shoulders touching and the side of their legs bumping into each other as the bush traversed through some rocky streets of Gotham and its darn potholes that, for some reason, took way too long to fix.
Harley peaked at Arthur from the corner of her eyes or when she was sure he would notice and truly admired the man. Did he know how interesting he was? She couldn't put her finger on it–she had her share of cute men she'd encountered or tried to flirt with–but never like this. She was drawn to him in a way she couldn't pinpoint. Maybe it was their banter, how easy it came, the way his eyes twinkled when he smiled, or the sound of his chuckle. Or perhaps it was the awkwardness and shyness behind his attempted confidence as he spoke to her. He was awkward, yes, but it was charmingly, and in a way, she could tell he truly was opening up to her.
Deep in thought and enjoying the silence around them, the sound of a grumbling stomach beside her took her out of her reverie. She turned around at Arthur next to her, and he turned to smile at her shyly, if not sheepishly.
"I uh… hadn't eaten in a while," he said, and Harley could tell he was embarrassed. It was close to 1 AM in the morning, and the thought of food made her hungry as well. She hadn't eaten since her late lunch and had been so busy to get any food herself. Then a bright idea came to her.
"Me too," she said, smiling up at him. "A diner a few stops from now serves a mean pie and coffee."
"Donna's Diner on Tilghman St."
"Yup! That one. I stop there sometimes after late shifts." She turned to him, their knees touching, "Will you join me? It'll be my treat as a 'thank you."
He seemed taken aback by her invitation that Harley wondered if the idea of her even wanting to spend more time with him had not crossed his mind. She was hungry, and so was he, and it was late. Gosh, she hoped he'd say 'yes,' feeling awkward if he'd decline her since she wasn't usually so forward.
"You sure?" was all he said, his eyes searching hers. They were one stop away before Tilghman St.
She nodded her head, "Absolutely."
Donna's Diner was another well-known hole-in-the-wall joint in Gotham. It's open 24/7, has been there for decades and was still under ownership by the same family. Late in the day, there usually weren't as many people there, and because of this, they had only one waiter and one cook to serve everyone. They only sold their famous pies in whole or by the slice, brewed coffee, and any rendition of eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast starting midnight onward. It was a quirk of the Diner–they were firm in the pies/coffee and breakfast only after midnight. It was yet one more interesting feature of Gotham.
The bus stopped directly in front of the Diner, and Arthur and Harley walked inside and were told to seat themselves, which they did. They sat on a booth against the mirror facing the street, with the bright fluorescent "Donna's Diner" and "We're Open" signs casting a bright white and orange glow on them ever so slightly.
Harley and Arthur sat across from each other and were about to speak when the waiter came by. She was a sturdy older woman in her sixties, with dyed blonde hair put in a bun and wore cat-eye glasses looking far too large for her face.
"Hello, dears," the woman said, looking at Harley and smiling, then turning to Arthur.
Harley noticed the slight frown on the woman's face when she looked at Arthur and wondered why until the waitress spoke. "Are you going to order more than coffee this time, mister?" The woman, named Doris from her name tag, placed a hand on her hip. Arthur blushed in embarrassment, and Harley couldn't help but stare in shock at the treatment.
Doris turned to Harley and said, "Honey, make sure he lets you buy more than a cup of coffee."
Arthur was about to say something, but Harley lightly tapped his feet which got a raised eyebrow from him. "Oh, don't worry. The only thing I can do is make sure we're well fed since I'm the one that begged him to come to join me tonight." She gave Doris a wink, hoping the lady got what she was insinuating.
The waitress frowned and looked at Harley and then at Arthur. Harley wondered if she was accessing how the heck the two of them even ended up together.
"Oh, well, that's different, dear." Doris said, clearing her throat, "Younger folks are so different now. So I'm guessing you're paying now too?"
"Yup!" Harley beamed as her eyes met Arthur's, ignoring the annoyed look on Doris. Harley then turned to Doris, "Can you give us a minute? Coffee for two would be great for now."
"Oh, sure, honey. Be back in a few with coffee. In the meantime, take a look at the menu; we serve food too, you know."
Somehow Harley knew she was pointing those words to Arthur, who seemed far more uncomfortable now, although he remained quiet and had already opened his menu to keep himself busy.
When Doris was out of sight and taking another patron's orders, Harley placed a finger on the top of the open menu and lowered it to get Arthur's attention.
"Hey."
"Hey." Arthur lowered the menu.
"So… what was that all about?" Harley leaned forward, one hand cradling her cheek as she studied him. She could sense a shift in him, felt him going deep into his thoughts, closing off from the man she had just had free-flowing conversations with not too long ago before they arrived at the Diner.
She watched Arthur run his hands through his hair again, which she noticed might be a nervous tick. She didn't mind it and wondered if his hair was as soft as it looked.
"I guess you can say I'm a regular here," he said. "I think Doris hates me, though."
"Why? Because you order coffee?"
"That's usually the case. I'd stay here to do some writing for a few cups of coffee. I don't order food most of the; not usually hungry. Plus, It's the closest one to the Cancer Center, so I stop by before or after work."
"Well, that's what diners are for, right? You're a paying customer, so…" Harley shrugged. "Tonight, though, you can get whatever you want. Pie or not, my treat, remember?"
"That's kind of you," he said, "but..uh... You know you don't have to. I'm glad for the company and don't mind paying."
"Shhh." Harley placed a hand atop his lightly, then pulled away. "Stop. I said my treat. It's the least I can do for you. So maybe, let me?"
She gave him a shy smile, wanting him to open up a little, and she also wanted to ask him what he said about the Cancer Center. He wasn't a patient or anything, right? He didn't seem sickly, but she didn't know any cancer survivors or folks battling it to make any observation. She wanted to know what he did there but decided it might be too sensitive to bring up, so she didn't pry.
Before he could say something, Doris arrived with their cups of coffee and took out her pad of paper to take their order. Luckily, they both decided to stick to pie and knew what pie they wanted. Arthur asked for a banana cream pie, while Harley asked for cherry pie, warmed up with a scoop of ice cream next to it. And minutes later, they found themselves with their orders in front of them and their second refill of coffee.
She took a bite of her cherry pie and a scoop of ice cream. "Hmmm…" she hummed, closing her eyes at the taste. "I swear they make the best pies!"
She opened her eyes and watched Arthur's eyes on her lips as she licked them. She found herself blushing.
"I don't usually eat sweets." She explained, "So this is definitely a treat after a long night… or morning. It's practically morning." She giggled at herself.
She peered over, watched Arthur take a bite of his banana cream pie, and admired his expression as he did so. He also smiled and nodded his head as he finished the mouthful. "I'd say it's the best pie ever, although I think they're the only Diner I know that sells this pie. At least that I know of or been to."
"Banana cream pie… hmm... You're the first person I know who ordered it. Is it good?" Harley asked.
Arthur nodded and pushed his plate towards hers, "Absolutely. Try it?"
"Maybe just a little," she said as she took her fork and took a small piece of the pie. She held it up in front of her eyes and studied it. It certainly had bananas and a lot of cream on a flaky crust. She wasn't much of a banana fan, but how Arthur enjoyed, it made her curious.
Harley took a bite of the pie and chewed. Arthur watched her questioningly.
"Thoughts?"
"Hmm… it's actually pretty good!"
"Glad you like it. You can have some more if you like."
Harley was almost tempted but stopped herself. "I'll let you enjoy it since it's your favorite." She glanced down at her pie and her scoop of vanilla ice cream, separate from her plate. She pushed it forward towards Arthur.
"Want some? It's not banana-cream pie wonderful, but it's a classic."
Arthur leaned forward and took a small amount of the pie, and was about to retrieve his fork from the plate until Harley stopped him. "You must try it with a little vanilla ice cream. Trust me."
He raised an eyebrow at her. A warm pie with cold ice cream? It didn't seem like an excellent combination to him, although he was eager to try it. His lips curved upward on the edges as Harley scooped a tiny spoonful of vanilla ice cream and dolloped it on top of the pie on his fork.
"Okay," she said, "the moment of truth."
Arthur placed the desert in his mouth and found himself enjoying it. He hummed at the delicacy and even looked surprised that he actually enjoyed it.
"Right?" Harley urged, leaning forward with her hands on both sides of her head as she peered at him smiling. "Heaven?"
"Mhmm," he said, "I think you're onto something."
She leaned back, pleased with herself as they continued to eat their pie mid-conversation.
They spoke about various topics and ended up discussing their "life outside of Marco's" since they agreed they only knew one another because of that venue.
Arthur seemed interested in her, which Harley found alluring. It wasn't often people actually showed enough curiosity in her day-to-day. It probably didn't help that Harley usually liked to keep quiet about her life since she didn't have much time outside of working multiple jobs.
"What do you do when you're not working at Marco's?" Arthur asked in between sips of his coffee. They had finished their pies and were simply seated in conversation.
"I was going to ask you the same thing," she said. "Not much, really, besides work. I work at a coffee shop in the mornings. Then off to Marco's Bar at night. Then rinse and repeat."
"Which coffee shop?"
"You plan to visit?"
"I would, as long as I don't get yelled at for buying coffee and sitting down to write."
They both laughed at that.
"It's Joe's Coffee Cup not too far from here, actually. Maybe three blocks down."
"I'll check it out when I'm close by." He looked like he was taking a mental note. "Joe's Coffee Cup, not to be confused with Cup o' Joe's."
His smile made him so much more handsome as Harley found herself laughing again. "Or Cup of Jose's on Market St." She added.
"That exists?"
She shrugged, "Okay, I made that up. But this is Gotham, so you know it probably does, along with Joseph's Coffee Mug or something like that. This is a weird place."
"I agree. Maybe I should make it a goal to check out all of the coffee shops that are named with a rendition of Joseph and Cup of Coffee."
"That's a mighty valiant effort, and I'm so here for it," she said.
"So, What do you do outside of doing standup at Marco's?" she asked him.
"I'm a professional clown at Haha's." He said it so matter of fact that Harley raised an eyebrow in question.
"Really?" her curiosity peaked, and she wondered if he was joking with her, but somehow she had an inkling he wasn't. "What's your clown name? What's it like?"
"Carnival. Carnival the Clown." He said, "I've been doing it for years. Making people smile and be happy that's something I enjoy doing. And Gotham's Cancer Center for Children is one of the places I go to perform at least twice a month when I'm not going to other gigs. Making the kids smile makes it worth it, especially with all they've been through"
"That's really sweet, Arthur. I'm sure they love having you!"
His eyes seemed sad as he started to share his experience. "It's probably my favorite work. The kids there have gone through a lot, yet they still find happiness in the simplest thing, the silliest joke."
"It must be heartbreaking seeing such young kids go through cancer treatment when all they want is to just be like all the other kids and be strong enough to play."
Arthur nodded, "Yeah… it's heartbreaking every time I go there. And I remind myself that if I can at least just make them forget just for a moment about the tough things they've gone through, and make them laugh, then maybe for that moment they can feel like any regular kid at Gotham."
"I love that," Harley said, touching her heart.
"Sorry, I hope that wasn't such a downer," he said.
"No, no! It wasn't. Thanks for sharing." She said, "I feel like compared to your work, mine is just… I don't know, so pointless in a way. It's not like I'm giving back to the world by serving drinks, bussing tables, and making espressos."
"I doubt that," he told her seriously. "You're kind, and that's a lot. And I'm sure you're doing what you must to survive here. There's nothing wrong with that."
She stared at him for a moment. "You're sweet, Arthur."
Arthur seemed taken aback by that statement, and Harley could see him blushing slightly. He ran a hand through his hair and asked, "What do you do on your day off?"
"Well, I–"
"Here's your check. Pay upfront when you're ready."
Doris came by and interrupted them before Harley could finish. It felt like Doris had come out of nowhere and interrupted the train of their conversation.
"Thank you," Harley and Arthur said in unison. There was a moment where Arthur made a grab for the check, only for his hand to be swatted, and Harley took it from him. He watched as she grabbed her wallet from her coat pocket and placed a $10 bill on top of the check. It seemed generous, with a tip. She put the check and cash down for a moment as she took another sip of her coffee.
Afterward, Arthur watched as Harley moved to get up to pay at the counter, and he stopped her with a smile. "I'll take it over; that way, you can finish your coffee before we go."
"No change," she said.
Harley appreciated that glad he decided to go to the cashier for them.
–
Harley was glad to watch Arthur get off the booth and head to the cashier at the end of the Diner, which was at the other side opposite where they were seated. It gave her a chance to fully admire him in his suit. She loved how the suit was tailored to his tall and lanky body. She wondered if he was always so put together and what he wore when we wasn't suited. She also wondered if underneath it all were sinewy hard muscles or if perhaps he was just lanky, although she was certain that wouldn't detract from her attraction to him.
She watched as Doris greeted him with a forced smile, and Arthur handed her the check. As he handed the check, Doris' hand closed around his, and she leaned forward and said something to him. Harley was certain it wasn't pleasant as she saw Arthur's body posture tense up, and a frown covered his face. Doris's expression seemed to show a smug grin as she let his hands go and took the payment.
To Harley's surprise, she then heard Arthur's laughter break the tenseness around them, although it didn't sound like a happy one. His laughter emanated from within him, almost forced, like when she recalled seeing him during his open mic. And just like that, he watched as Arthur hunched forward as he covered his mouth with his hands to stop the laughter.
Doris looked horrified and muttered something along the lines of "You should get out of here now."
Harley stood up to see what was going on and meet Arthur at the door when she met his eyes as he turned around, his hand still covering his mouth, him still laughing, although it looked pained. Arthur didn't make a move towards Harley, who stood next to their booth, but instead, to her surprise, he ran outside the Diner.
Harley turned around to Doris and scowled at her, and Doris simply shook her head and turned around to continue folding napkins with little care in the world.
Outside, it didn't take long for Harley to find it. Arthur leaned forward against the cement brick facing not far from the entrance of the Diner. He had a hand pressed against the cement and was hunched over, still with one hand covering his mouth as he laughed, almost in pain.
It was an odd sight; for a moment, Harley wondered if she had a fevered dream. His laugh sounded hurt, and she was sure it wasn't out of mirth. She wondered for a split second if maybe she had judged Arthur all wrong; perhaps he was too good to be true, which was a sign that something was wrong with him. But even with those thoughts, she found herself moving closer to him until she stood close to him and watched as he slowly was able to calm his laughter.
"Arthur," she whispered gently when he settled down.
He didn't look at her.
"Arthur… are you… okay?"
He didn't respond to her and simply continued looking at the ground. He seemed broken and not at all like the man she had spoken to and conversed with. Whatever Doris told him may have triggered something. Although these were just thoughts, Harley had mere guesses from what she saw.
She tried calling him again to get his attention, and when she didn't, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, which tense, although he didn't brush it away. She kept it there until Arthur pushed himself off the wall, stood up, turned to her, and her hands fell to her side.
Harley found herself peering up at him as he gazed down at her with sad eyes. She watched as he dug into his pocket, pulled out a laminated card, and handed it to her.
The front of the card read: Forgive my Laughter: I have a Condition. MORE ON BACK. The back of the card read: It's a medical condition causing sudden, frequent, and uncontrollable laughter that doesn't match how you feel. It can happen in people with a brain injury or certain neurological conditions. Thank You! KINDLY RETURN THIS CARD
Harley found herself reading the card a few times, and memories of the many times he had laughed in front of the crowd while being heckled and booed came to mind. She felt an overwhelming realization that in those times when his laughter sounded pained, he was likely feeling the opposite of happiness. And she wondered if that was perhaps why he was a bit awkward and shy at first and perhaps why he had chosen the profession of a clown in order to own his neurological conditions. There was still so much for her to process; however, her need to console him and let him know that everything was okay won out.
Harley held out the card to Arthur, and their fingertips touched as he took it from her and placed it back into his pocket.
His shoulders were hunched down, and he opened his mouth to talk, then stopped, as his eyes remained downcast.
"Arthur–"
"Harley, I–"
They spoke simultaneously, building more into the awkwardness of the interaction.
"You go first," she told him, wanting to see what he was about to say.
"Harley, I should have told you…." he said, "but I figured… maybe it wouldn't happen and maybe I wouldn't make a fool of myself… I'm sorry…" he stopped himself, shaking his head and running a hair through his hair, but she stopped him catching his hand in hers. Another bout of laughter caught him, and it was painful as he covered his mouth again to stifle it, and Harley's hand Feel to her side.
She struggled to find what words to say. Her heart beat steadily against her chest as she didn't know what to do or how to take control of the situation for the first time that night,. She had never dealt with anything like this before. If she was in his shoes, she'd probably wouldn't want to be shunned. It probably was what so many people would do, either let him be and leave him to his own devices, or let him go through it and ignore that his bought of lauder even happened, like out of sight of mind.
Harley did neither. Instead, she moved closer to him and placed a hand on his back as she felt him continue to shake with his laughter, which was now slowing down. She called his name and told him it was okay, and said calming phrases as she rubbed his back gently. "It's okay, Arthur. It's okay," she said until his shaking body steadied.
"Arthur, I'm still here." She said the words meaning far more weight than they should, and she hoped he understood. She wasn't running away; she wasn't going to look down on him or treat him any different. The handsome and interesting man she had spent time with was still the same in her eyes, and she hoped she understood that.
"It's okay," she told him as she pressed a gentle hand to his shoulder to urge him to turn to her fully and look at her. And he did, his eyes glistening and a look of embarrassment so clear on his face.
"Harley… I can understand if you don't want to have anything to do with me—"
She placed a hand on his cheek and felt the coolness of his skin against the warmth of her hands. It was an urge that she succumbed to, to touch him, to let him know she wasn't frightened by his condition.
He looked down at her; his embarrassment turned to shock at her soft caress on his cheek as she urged him to meet her gaze.
"I… you having this condition doesn't take away the fact that you're a sweet guy and I enjoyed our time."
She gave him her warmest smile as she let her hand drop from his cheek and took his hand in hers.
"You mean that?"
"Yes," she told him, his hand still in hers. She bit her lower lip, trying to find the words to say, wanting to talk about his condition and know more about this sweet man, but instead simply asked him, "Do you want to talk about it?"
He shook his head, and Harley was certain he would say sorry again or try to explain himself, but she didn't give him the chance to. She didn't want him to worry about it anymore, knowing the state it put him through. She simply squeezed his hand, met his gaze, and nodded her head understandingly. With gentle hands, she felt him urging them forward to walk towards the bus stop. Harley slipped her arm in his, getting close to his warmth, which he didn't seem to mind. Harley understood it wasn't something he was ready to discuss, and he wanted to continue on from it. Part of her was glad he did.
It was a quiet walk to the bus stop, and more so when they both entered the bus and sat next to each other. Harley found herself in her thoughts, her mind filled with many questions about Arthur and his life and past. What happened to him to give him his neurological condition? Were there other things she didn't know about? She was more mindful of it since she had been diagnosed with bipolar depression and knew the struggles and how that could impact her life. She wondered if he, too, was going through hardships of just trying to get support for his medication because she sure as heck did.
Harley glanced over at Arthur, who seemed deep in thought, furrowing his brows. She wondered what was going through his mind but didn't want to ask or bring up what had happened. She wanted so badly to ask about what the waitress said but decided against it. She was certain it wasn't pleasant, whatever she said since it triggered such a response for him.
Harley was more annoyed and angered at the waitress's lack of care or decency. She vowed to avoid that specific waitress in the future, or the Diner altogether if possible, even though they did have the best cherry pie, and as Arthur mentioned it was the only place that sells the banana crème pie.
The thought of pie brought her back to their conversations and time together before it ended with Arthur sharing about his condition and their mood back to an awkward and walls-up state. Harley found herself smiling at the memory of their conversations about their jobs and favorite pies and general bantering. She recalled his gleaming eyes and enjoyed the curve of his lips when he smiled and the twinkle in his eyes. She remembers when he laughed–not the pained laugh he couldn't control–but the one she caused as they exchanged jokes and silly observations.
"I enjoyed tonight, Arthur."
Arthur met her gaze, his furrowed brows lifting slightly at her words as he searched her face as if wondering if he was dreaming about her statement. It was almost like she could tell he was thinking through it all until he finally found himself smiling down at her.
"Me too, Harley." he started, then continued, his hands folded on his lap.
She watched him take a breath as if to gather his courage, and she wasn't surprised when he asked exactly what she hoped he would.
"Would you like to do it again sometime? It'll be my treat."
"Yes, I'd like that. Probably after work again, like today, but earlier. Hopefully, Doris won't be there; she wasn't very pleasant."
"Unfortunately, I think she practically lives there." He shook his head sadly. "I'm used to it, though. It's not like it hasn't happened before."
Harley frowned, "Well, that's not right. I hate that."
He shrugged, "Don't worry, Harley, I'm pretty determined when I want a cup of coffee and the only banana cream pie in all of Gotham."
"I'm sure of it, although we need to get you better coffee."
"I'm taking you on that offer."
"Good," Harley said with a nod as she watched his smile widen.
Several minutes later, Harley watched Arthur as he stood up to prepare for his stop, which was before hers. His tall body loomed tall as he stood in front of her, his hands on the handles on the ceiling. And before he left, he bid her goodbye, his lips still curved up with a smile, his eyes kind and observing, and before he left the bus, she felt as if he was studying her to memory. She waved at him and even watched as he exited the bus when his stop came and watched as he turned to walk towards his apartment building.
Afterward, Harley turned her head to look at her reflection against the window and saw that she had a wide smile on her face. She realized that she hoped she'd run into him again. Unfortunately though they hadn't exchanged numbers to stay connected.
"Oh, Harley. That's a fail," she thought as she shook her head. Then again, no matter what, she would likely see him at Marco's if he didn't stop by her work. It would be a test of whether or not he truly had an interest in getting to know her or even becoming friends.
After a few minutes of thinking it through and finally getting out of the bus to her stop, Harley thought about her life and just how busy it was. Perhaps it was for the best that they hadn't exchanged numbers. Perhaps it wasn't the best time to spend time with someone new to get to know them. She barely had time to sleep and just do things outside of work.
"But it gets lonely sometimes," she thought, although nothing against her close friend Alexa and her son. She just wished she had other friends in Gotham outside of the only one she had from her hometown.
"Well, life, I'm letting it all go, and we'll see what happens."
Harley shrugged and then took a deep breath. She knew she would dream of Arthur, probably lay in bed thinking of her day and her interesting night with him. She was determined to continue with her life and not worry about seeing him again once the new day dawned.
"Stay focused, Harley." She reminded herself. And focus, she absolutely had to do. She had to ensure she followed through with her goal to save enough money to go to school to get her cosmetology license. That was the primary goal, and everything else was nice-to-haves and 'what will be, will be.'
–
The following day, while Harley was at the coffee shop early in the morning, right after the morning rush, she heard the jingle of the door as it opened. She looked up from wiping the counter and saw Arthur. He wore dark brown slacks, a white shirt, and a dark gray sweater, and in his hands, he held a notebook and pen. He smiled up at her. He remembered, and he came to see her, Harley thought as she welcomed him and took his order.
Their interaction was natural as if they'd been old friends reuniting. She made him coffee, gave him a pastry, and watched him sit near the window with his pen and paper.
When he came up for a refill on his coffee, he seemed shy but then had the courage to ask her.
"May I get your number? I.. can't believe I forgot…."
Harley couldn't help but smile as she placed a hand in her pocket and took out a yellow post/with her name and number scrolled on it. She handed it to him.
"I figured I'd give it to you, even if you didn't ask."
He seemed to smile as he opened his notebook, ripped a small piece from the corner, and handed it to her.
"I was thinking the same. Well, sort of, after I got yours."
Harley took the paper from his hand and was pleased when he brushed her hand with his, stopping her for a second. He smiles at her.
"I'll call you tonight," he said.
"I can't wait."
A cough came from behind them. Harley didn't notice the person who appeared behind Arthur.
"Let me get that refill." She said as she turned around and did just that. She handed it to him, her smile wide like his as their hands brushed.
For an hour, he sat there writing, and she would glance at him only to see him look up and meet her gaze with a smile. He stayed until he had to bid goodbye while venturing to work. Seeing him made her day, and she felt it brighter.
The next several days brought with them new experiences for Harley.
Arthur made it a point to call her that first night he got her number, and they found themselves speaking for an hour as they discussed where they'd have their date and tried to work both their busy schedules— well, mainly Harley's busy schedule.
She hoped he didn't think she was playing hard to get since it took time for them to agree that what would be best for them was to go on a date together after one of her shifts at Marco's the following weekend. Harley wanted to spend time and get to know him as soon as she could, actually finding herself missing his company. His earnestness to see her and wanting to take her on a proper first date (sorry, Donna's Diner) made her heart flutter, and she counted the days.
The rest of the days, she'd see him so by for coffee, sometimes quickly before he went off to work, and they chatted when it wasn't busy. Other times he'd sit at the coffee shop to do his writing or drawing—she noticed that he'd at times be listening to his headphones as she sketched scenes of the cafe or Gotham.
On one occasion–which later became many– during her quick break and on a very quiet early afternoon, she sat next to him on a table and leaned over to watch him sketch. She could have easily sat across but was surprised when he pulled the chair next to him. The thought of him wanting to be closer to her made her heart flutter. She playfully brushed her shoulder with his as she asked and his sketches and writing.
During that time, he'd share with her his sketches; they were beautiful, showing the business of the coffee shop, the many places of Gotham, and certain sceneries. Next to them were quick notes, questions, and quotes–almost a look into his mind. And he would even try out some of his bits he'd thought of for future standups, which she would provide feedback or found herself giggly at.
–
In the third week, Arthur joined Harley for a walk to the park during her lunch break, the first time their schedules aligned to do so. He had stopped that afternoon for a coffee and to say hello after a gig. They sat on one of the benches, chatted, and observed the people around them in the bustling park. The sunlight showed at them, making Arthur's hair look a lighter brown and his eyes bright, and someone among all the friendly chatter and time they spent, this time felt different.
Arthur leaned toward her as their conversation died down to a comfortable silence, and they finished eating. Harley felt her heart beating quite fast, feeling drawn to Arthur at that moment, wishing they had more time and that her work and life weren't so hectic. Before he could say anything, she leaned forward, gave him a peck on his left cheek.
"Thank you for being so sweet, Arthur. I can't wait for our official date," she said.
"I'm counting down the days," he said as he stood up and helped her get upfront the bench with his outreach hands. Without a second thought, Harley grabbed it, and they began walking back to the cafe.
As they continued their trek, neither of them let the other person's hand go. It felt comfortable, and it felt right.
TBC