"Red Robin, reporting in Labs."
"Robin, reporting to Arkham patrol."
"Batwoman, out and about in Gotham."
"Spoiler! Trying to catch a frog on Supply run."
"Blackbat. Break time, guys. See you tomorrow."
"Batgirl, going to take a break!"
"Red Hood, also following a small frog. Spoiler it's over here-"
"Catwoman, stuck in the damn bedroom, again-"
"-Selina, please- Batman, City patrol."
"Nightwing, running late and heading out to Arkham- sorry guys-" Dick nearly fell on his face as he dragged his uniform out of the dryer. There was a collective groaning over the comms. "I know I know, I'm sorry, I got back early and went to take a nap- I went a little overboard-" he cried out angrily when he put the torso of his Nightwing suit on backwards.
"Just get there as soon as you can," Batman said calmly, and the comms went silent as everyone switched them off. Dick's eyes burned behind his mask. The few hours of sleep had done worse than if he hadn't slept at all, now he could barely think straight. Still, the rest was good for his body, and he knew that he'd been in dire need of a shower.
"Well done, Boy Wonder," Barbara leaned against the door to his room, and he looked up as he pulled his pants on.
"Jesus, Babs, give a guy a little warning, would ya?" he cried, buckling his belt and then hefting his utility belt on. He clipped the holster around his leg and grabbed his jacket, yanking it over his arms as he walked towards the door.
"Sorry," she laughed. She'd taken her cowl off, and she looked tired.
"Get some rest," he kissed her head as he passed her, and she turned in the door.
"Hey Dick?" she asked, following him down the hall. He stopped by the elevator and nodded at her to continue. "I was just thinking about you. I mean, not like, about you; it's what you said about us."
"Yeah, no worries, right?" he ran a hand through his hair, and immediately noticed that it wasn't pulled back.
"Well that's what I was hoping to talk to you about for a second," she smiled a little.
"Yeah, it's fine." Dick replied distractedly, digging around in the pockets of his utility belt. "Don't have a ponytail holder…" he muttered.
"What's fine? Dick, you're not listening, I'm-"
"-we're fine, right? I mean I didn't want to ruin our friendship in any way," he glanced at her and then pushed the button to call the elevator.
"No, of course not." She smiled, and then opened her mouth to continue, but he cut her off.
"Yeah, no harm done then. I'm over it," he flashed her a smile, getting on the elevator. She recoiled in shock a bit and then stepped on before the doors closed. "Babs, you gotta go rest-"
"-what do you mean, you're over it?"
"I mean I'm past it. I figured you and I together again was a long shot, and I've moved on." Dick flicked his hair over his shoulder impatiently, tapping his foot as the elevator dropped.
"You've moved on? What has it been, a week?" she asked incredulously, crossing her arms. "You really are the Boy Wonder," Barbara muttered.
"Look I don't know what the problem is," Dick huffed as the doors slid open in the lobby.
"The problem is you can love me one day and forget it the next," she said quietly, and Dick stopped on his way out of the elevator. He turned and stared at her, the door closing behind him.
"Barbara, that's-"
"-who have you moved on with?"
"What?" he was again floored by her sudden shift in conversation.
"Who is the girl? Unless you've just decided to move on by yourself, which you don't do."
"There isn't a girl. I mean I've been talking to someone, but-"
"-just tell me!" Barbara suddenly snapped. Dick recoiled in surprise.
"Harley Quinn. I've been talking to Harley Quinn."
Barbara stared at him, and the weight of the awkward silence could have been measured on a scale. Dick swallowed hard, biting his lip.
"What?" Barbara raised her eyebrows, watching him.
"She talks to me on my patrols sometimes. Its not like-"
"-Harley Quinn!? You've been talking to Harley Quinn."
"Barbara she just wants to know what it's like in Gotham," he defended, blushing. Only now did he realize how stupid that must have sounded. He may as well have said that he was personally waging war on the Joker, which given the context; wasn't too far off.
"Yeah, and I'm just stuck in the labs because I like pretending to be a chemist!" she cried, throwing her hands up in the air. "How much have you been talking to her, Dick!?"
"Why is that any of your business?" he snapped back, hating every word out of his mouth. He closed it, pressing his lips together tight. Barbara shot him a glare.
"You're right. I guess it's not," she shrugged, her cheeks and ears flushed in her anger. Dick groaned.
"Honestly, why do you care so much?" he asked, and the elevator suddenly started down as someone called it to the labs. Barbara crossed her arms over her chest, not looking at him.
"You know what? I don't. Do whatever you want, Dick," she said angrily. "My only concern is the safety of the whole family, but what do I know. I haven't had any confrontation with her before. Just the man she's in love with."
Dick clenched his jaw, taking a deep breath through his nose. "It has nothing to do with what you were saying before we got on the elevator upstairs?" he asked quietly.
"Of course not. I was just going to tell you to take back what you said. I'm not interested."
Dick let out the breath he'd been holding, scoffing quietly. "Wow. I'd be lying if I said that that one didn't hurt," he breathed, and Barbara promptly turned her face to the corner of the elevator when the doors slid open and TJ stepped on. He glanced between the two of them and Dick hit the lobby button. The elevator was thick with the tension as it ascended once again to the ground floor, and Dick got off. TJ glanced at Barbara, still standing with her nose in the corner like a chastised child.
"Um… Batgirl? Are you okay?" he asked gently, and Barbara nodded.
"Thanks, TJ, yeah," she responded quietly. She hadn't put her mask back on before getting on the elevator, and standing with her face in the corner to hide her identity only added to the feeling of utter embarrassment she felt. She was almost glad, though, that TJ couldn't see her crying. Dick you impossible, reckless idiot, she thought, biting down on her lip to keep herself silent. Please don't get yourself killed.
Dick still seethed angrily on his entire ride to Arkham. He couldn't believe that they'd started that fight. He still couldn't tell where it had even come from. He parked his bike by the bridge and nodded at the lady officer standing guard. She waved pleasantly and Dick continued on his way, breaking into a run in hopes of blowing off some steam. As he neared the Arkham wall he quickened his pace a bit.
He knew that talking to Harley was a bad idea. He knew he shouldn't, but he also didn't see any harm in it. She was just curious. Besides, he thought ruefully, slowing to a walk again. She may not even show again; she didn't last time.
"Just wake up?" Dick skidded to a stop as he ran past an alley and turned to see Harley sitting on a dumpster, one leg tucked beneath her as the other swung back and forth. He broke into a grin, his fight with Barbara almost instantly forgotten. She said she wasn't interested. So move on.
"Yeah, actually. Overslept. Bat alarm didn't go off," he walked towards her, still smiling. You're only talking. What harm can it do to the family?
"Please tell me it's shaped like an actual bat." She grinned as she hopped off the dumpster in front of him.
"No, but I did have a Mr. T shaped one when I was a kid. It was… the only thing that went everywhere… with me…" he trailed off, his brow furrowing behind his mask. "What are you wearing?" he laughed a little nervously, biting his lip.
"What?" She grinned. Her hair was up in it's usual high pigtails but with a few more bangs framing her pale face. She was wearing a heavy bomber jacket with a thick white collar, but the shirt under it was more of a bra made of black and red fabric with black diamonds. She was wearing short, cargo green shorts with a Batman inspired utility belt that was gold, red, and black. There was a thigh high black sock on her left leg and a red one on her right with short white crew socks and red combat boots. "They're clothes. Ain'tcha ever seen clothes before?" She pulled at one of her red gloves as she smirked at him. "I can take them off if they make ya uncomfortable."
"No, no, you don't have to-" Dick stopped and rolled his eyes when he registered what she'd said. "Aren't you a little cold?" he asked, watching her, careful to keep his eyes on her face.
"Just my heart," she laughed. "What about you? Ain't ya burning up?" she asked as she eyed his jacket.
"Not at all. Keeps me protected," he commented lightly as they walked out of the alleyway together. Now that she'd mentioned it, the sunlight was bright, and the jacket was a bit hot.
"Okay, your loss." She grinned as she threw her arms back and tilted her head up, basking in the sunlight. Dick fought the urge to stare at her pale skin, looking away.
"Well it is a little hot," he mused.
"And muggy," she muttered. She put a hand over her eyes as she looked off into the distance. "Yup. Storm clouds," she pointed, grinning back at him. Dick shook his head and laughed as he reluctantly pulled his jacket off, the light sensitive fabric of his Nightwing suit underneath it almost shining in the sun. The black skin-tight material hugged his muscular arms and chest, emphasizing his athletic physique. He held his jacket by the collar and slung it over his shoulder.
"Looks like it's moving pretty fast," he commented, watching the growing clouds in the distance. After a moment he glanced at her. "So where were you last time? I hope I didn't scare you off," he laughed.
"Nah, I was just busy." Harley bit the inside of her cheek. She'd thought she'd be busy, but once she got Nygma wrangled up, she'd gone back to the tower to find the Joker locked away in his office. He'd said they had plans for the day, but he ended up ignoring her. She'd kept trying to get his attention. The one time she'd gotten him to come out of his office, he'd said he'd be right back. By the time she'd realized he'd forgotten, the whipped cream had liquefied and he was back in his office. He had still been working when she went to bed that night, and the next night, and the next night. She'd gone to go see Ivy who told her about her trip into Gotham, but then Harley'd remembered what she said about Nightwing liking her. "Why," she raised an eyebrow as she smirked at him, "did ya miss me?" She didn't know why she was flirting with him; she just wanted to know if she could get him to flirt back.
"No more than reason," he said quietly, smiling again. She couldn't see his eyes behind his mask, but that smile was dazzling. She beamed right back.
"Oh, jeez Louise," she smacked his chest, "why'd you guys let Red wander 'round your city?"
"It's safer for her to be escorted than locked up in here, believe it or not," Dick laughed, and then glanced at her. "Wait, you two talk?"
"Yeah," she scoffed. "Do you think I just chat with Nygma all day?"
"Riddler made it too, huh?"
"Jinkies no. He's been a zombie for months. And reeks." She wrinkled her nose.
"Oh gross," Dick frowned, and then glanced at her. "You seem to keep yourself relatively zombie-stench free, though," he raised an eyebrow. Dick leaned a little closer and sniffed beside her ear, grinning. "Cherries?" he asked slyly, straightening up again and putting his hand in his pocket.
"Hey!" Harley caught his face and pulled him back down as she sniffed him quick. "Ya don't smell like rotting flesh or sweat. That's a change," she laughed.
Dick chuckled and grinned, the sun catching on his dark hair as the wind blew it back over his shoulder. "Nah, took a shower finally. I won't tell you how long it'd been since I'd had one."
"I don't want to know," she agreed with a laugh. A shadow passed over them, and she glanced up at the cloud passing in front of the sun. "Holee cannoli that storm's a bookin' it."
"Yeah, patrol in the rain is no fun." They'd already been walking his route by the docks, and he'd checked the cameras as they passed each one. "But maybe if you were with me it would be a little more bearable."
"Aw, ya flatter me, bird boy." She skipped in excitement for a second. "On one condition," she told him, holding up her finger. Dick raised his eyebrows.
"Alright, shoot," he smiled, running his hand through his hair. They'd reached the docks, and he stopped to look at her.
"I need my dose 'a drama. How's the lady lookin' going?" She nudged him with her elbow. "Huh?" She waggled her eyebrows. "Anyone?"
"Hmm," Dick turned and started walking down the dock again. "I haven't seen anyone so far. One girl has really caught my attention, though."
"Ooo." Harley practically bounced up beside him. Looks like Red was wrong, she thought. She was a little annoyed with herself for taking so much time to get ready this morning. Was I trying to impress him? She put her hands on her hips as she walked backwards in front of him. I just wanted him to be impressed, she admitted to herself. It wasn't about him specifically. It was more about knowing she could, and she tried not to be disappointed. "And do I know this girl?"
"Maybe. I think she was a doctor at Arkham at some point," he shrugged. "I don't know much about her yet."
Harley froze in front of him, cocking her head. "Is it Dr. Sterano? Is she still alive?" Harley had the sudden urge to strangle her. Dick continued to walk forward until he was just in front of her, leaning down so close to her that she could feel his breath on her lips.
"No," he whispered, and she could hear the smile in his voice as he looked her in the eyes, so close that she could see his behind the white lenses of his mask; his lips brushed hers for the barest second before he straightened up to his full height again. "Guess again." Dick walked around her, glancing back over his shoulder with a mischievous grin on his face before he continued on his walk. Well that answers a couple questions, she thought. It took her a second to remember to follow him.
"Okay, now that girl I like," she told him. "But is she really your type?" she asked with a grin. "She seems a little dangerous for ya."
"Well like I said, I've got a jacket to protect me," he quipped, his lips still parted in that half-cocked smile that somehow looked sweet and smug at the same time.
"But you're not wearing it," she reminded him. She smiled broader and slipped her jacket off of her shoulders. "And that's hardly fair is it?" She laid it over her arm, turning to him. "There, now we're even." Harley couldn't help but grin in satisfaction when Dick failed to hide his surreptitious glance as he looked over her exposed skin, and then continued on his way. A cold wind suddenly kicked up behind them, and he glanced over his shoulder. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and he stopped. The entire sky had been consumed by gray.
"Well now I'm cold," he commented, watching lightning flash between the clouds.
"Oh you poor baby," Harley taunted. "Let me help." She stepped over to him, draped her arms over his shoulders, and pressed her body against his. "Is that better?" she asked. She could feel his heart pounding in his chest. This was new and thrilling; after years spent trying to kill each other, this was more dangerous than any of their past encounters.
Dick thought for a moment, but Harley did note the blush creeping into his cheeks as he smiled. "A little." His arm wrapped around her waist.
In an instant, Dick had caught her face in his other hand and kissed her.
All of this back and forth; she didn't think he'd actually do it. She blinked in surprise and then her lips were moving against his. One of her hands twisted in his hair as she stood up on tiptoe.
"No, no wait, stop." Harley pulled her face back and looked at the white lenses of his mask. This was exactly what she shouldn't be doing. "We shouldn't be doing this." There weren't any rules, but if there were, she knew this would be against them. She didn't move away, though, her hand tightening on his forearm to hold herself against him.
"Probably not," he agreed. "But let's play it dangerous," Dick grinned, his lips brushing hers. Her lips followed his.
"Are you sure that's what you want, Wonder Boy? Cuz there's no going back," she breathed. For you either, she told herself, stop now. But her breathing sped up, and she glanced at his mouth.
"The way I see it, there was no going back the minute we first spoke to each other," he countered, kissing her again. His taste was overwhelmingly delicious, his kiss powerful and deliberate. She closed her eyes slowly as he kissed her again, his lips parting against hers. Thunder cracked across the sky above them. When they finally broke apart, his breath raced past his lips as she stared at them, the adrenaline kicking in, their hearts racing. Nightwing let go of her face and leaned back, and she watched him lick his slender lips nervously, his tongue pulling his bottom lip between his teeth.
She leaned up and tugged his bottom lip away from his teeth with hers.
"You asked for it," she muttered against his lips, pulling his face down toward her at the same time she pressed up against him. Her jacket was trapped between his back and her arm as she wound it tighter around his neck, pulling them closer as she kissed him firmly. Even through his heavy suit, she could feel his heart beat rapidly in his chest. Dick's hand tightened against her back, pulling her closer, suddenly overwhelmed with the desire to please her. Their hearts pounding, adrenaline rushing in their ears- it was thrilling. Dangerous and exciting. He tilted his head to kiss her better as thunder rumbled across the sky again, the first few heavy raindrops splashing on their heads as they kissed. Harley lifted herself up by her arms resting on his shoulders, and he grabbed her thighs to hold her in place as she wrapped her legs around his back.
"Still think this is a good idea?" she asked as she kissed along his jaw. She knew there was no turning back; it was too late because she didn't want to turn back, and she was going to enjoy this no matter how wrong it was. She nipped him gently as she kissed down his neck.
Terrible idea. Dick moaned a little, biting his lip as he held her up. He walked across the street and unsheathed an escrima stick, pausing to bite her earlobe. "Hold on," he breathed, firing a grappling hook into the wall of the hotel above him just as the rain really started coming down. He hit the button to retract it, and they both launched upward as Harley gasped, her legs clenching around his waist- Dick expertly caught the wrought iron railing of a suite balconet with his boots, and he easily stepped onto the small ledge before he replaced his escrima stick and kissed her again, balancing one arm under her as he felt up her leg for her gun. He took it out of the holster and fired two shots through the glass door, stepping over the threshold and into the dark room, abandoning his coat and the gun as he kissed her.
"That was hot," Harley mumbled. She tossed her jacket onto the floor before sliding her hands under his suit top and up his chest. "Any other moves?" she asked, her lips immediately locking with his again.
His moaning was cut off by her lips against his, and he grabbed her belt, pulling her against his hips. He unclipped it and threw it off into the dark of the room. If they were doing this, she wasn't going to be armed. "A few. But I'd hate to spoil the show," he muttered, grinning. "Though I don't know if I could top that one." Dick pushed her against the wall beside the doors, the rain blowing in and splashing on the shattered glass on the carpet. She gasped as he kissed down her neck and his hands felt down her body over her clothes, her back arching and her chest heaving as she panted for air. She thought about Joker before pushing all thoughts and guilt away.
"That's okay." Harley quickly yanked his suit over his head. "I can be on top." She smirked before her hands tangled in his hair, yanking his face back to hers. Dick's slow kiss intensified with his racing heart, and he bit her lip as his fingers tucked into her shorts, trailing along the hem and then slipping deeper. The muscles in his torso were sharply defined in the low light, his body riddled with scars. She could feel the heat coming off of his chest, in his arms around her; his gloves stripped away, she could feel the roughness and the callouses of an acrobat's fingers as they slipped between her legs. Harley moaned, breaking off the kiss as she leaned her head back against the wall. Her hands tightened on the back of his neck as she gasped for air. Fumbling slightly, she tossed her gloves off and let her hands explore his back and chest.
"We really shouldn't be doing this," she sighed. She undid his utility belt and let it fall to the floor. His strong body against hers was exhilarating. Her mind raced with all of the things he could do to her with it, and she craved every one of them.
"Yeah well, you do a lot of things you shouldn't do, and I'm tired of being so damn good all the time," Dick mumbled against her neck. "But if you want to stop-" he set her on her feet again and yanked her shorts down- "I can stop," he breathed, kissing her collarbone.
"Don't you dare," she hissed, pulling him against her by his belt buckle.
"You going to make sure I don't?" he asked playfully, his hands tight on her hips as he kissed her shoulder. She could feel his arousal stiff in his pants, rubbing against her a bit in his impatience. She pushed him backwards, the back of his legs hitting the bed as he fell back on it. She knelt above him.
"I won't make you continue," Harley breathed by his ear before leaning up and sitting on his hips as she slowly undid his belt. Dick moaned loudly again, his back arching a bit as his hands tightened on her hips, leaving indentations in her pale skin, and Harley ground herself against him. From what she could tell, she'd be disappointed if he decided not to continue.
"Holy deep waters, I'm in over my head," he gasped, grinning as he sat up and caught her face in his hands, kissing her hard.
"Did you just swipe my sayin'?" she asked as she undid the button of his cargo pants and pulled the zipper down. The amount of clothes between them still was agonizing.
"You stole it from me first," he laughed, biting her lip.
"Bullshit." She pushed him down by his shoulders. "Are you implyin' I'm a thief?" She abandoned trying to work his pants out of her way as his teeth tugged at her lip and instead pressed herself back down against him. Even through his cargo pants, she could feel that he was just as aroused as she was.
"I'm implying you're all kinds of wrong." He felt up her back until he reached the clasp of her bra, unclipping it. "But I'm also implying that it's a little bit of a turn-on." She leaned back so that she could toss her bra out from between them. Dick delighted in her newly exposed skin, his rough palms trailing over her sensitive breasts. Harley moaned and sat still to enjoy it for a second before leaning up on her knees, so she could shimmy his pants down. She trailed her hands along his thighs as she leaned forward again.
"But being bad is just too fun," she whispered in his ear. Dick shuddered, biting down on his lip.
"And good is just too boring," he countered. This is a bad idea. You're not just talking anymore. He grit his teeth, one hand on her waist as the other caught her leg and flipped her over, and he kissed down her neck. Dick's lips trailed over her torso, and he kissed her ribs just under her breast. He looked up. His hair fell in dark, messy waves against her skin, and a flash of lightning illuminated his smile as the thunder tore across the sky and his lips boldly moved to more sensitive places, his tongue pulling her nipple into his mouth.
Harley hadn't thought that he'd actually respond to her flirting; the Bats were always so distant. She knew she shouldn't be doing this, that it was a bad idea, but she couldn't focus with his lips on her skin. She didn't care anymore. The adrenaline, the danger of it all- it was too good to resist. Consequences be damned.
Wrapping her legs around his back, she pulled him against her as her hands slid into his hair again. It was so soft and inviting, and she was practically distressed when he sat up and her hands pulled out of his hair. He sat back on his heels, his powerful chest rising and falling with the breath racing past his lips. Dick looked out the window. He had to think about this.
"You're right," he finally said, running his hand through his hair. "This is..." He trailed off, thinking of Barbara. She's not interested. And you want to move on. He looked back at Harley. Her ivory skin looked so damn tempting in the low light as she lay there in nothing but her underwear, those carnal, sultry blue eyes watching him hungrily. She panted as she caught her breath, waiting for him to make his decision, and Dick couldn't keep his eyes from watching her chest trembling with the action. He couldn't help but think about how hateful Barbara had been, and then his mind wandered to Jason. He'd been right. Have fun and leave them with a story. It had been months since he'd gotten any; Dick was too 'good,' and he almost resented himself for it. Not to mention the threat- knowing that she'd tried to kill him a hundred times before, and that they both may be killed for this- just how wrong it was- made the urge just too good to resist. Now that would be a story.
Thunder rumbled outside and the wind through the smashed glass door blew his hair around his face as he leaned down, his hands running up her chest and over her neck to hold her face. He kissed her hard. Harley's hands clawed at his back as she pulled his body against hers; he groaned loudly, kissing her with more intensity. She knew he was right even if he hadn't said it out loud. This was a bad idea. She didn't even know his name, or what he looked like under the mask, but she just didn't care. His hands were feather light on her skin, his lips deliberate against hers, and it made her not care that this was a mistake. One of her hands trailed up his neck and into his hair while the other slid down his side to the waistband of boxers and tugged them down. Dick rolled again so that she straddled his waist, his lips still locked with hers. Everything about the situation made him dizzy, and he kissed her hungrily, wrapping a hand around her pigtail in her hair, his other hand tangled in her underwear as he held her against him. Harley rubbed herself along his length before smirking into the kiss and moving just far enough back to be able to wrap her hands around him. Dick groaned loudly, pulling her hair a bit before yanking her underwear out of his way. She let her head tilt to the side with his pulling at her hair and kissed just under his jaw. She kissed along his neck as she used her hands to steer herself into place. She paused just as he pressed against her, and it was agonizing to stop, but she waited for him to make the final move. The logical part of his brain pushed one last worry at him and he dizzily dismissed it, finally giving in completely to her touch. In one thrust, he was home.
The storm raged on until it began to grow quiet outside. Thunder rumbled in the distance as the dark sky stilled, the storm retreating from the city and leaving it overcast and drenched in the smell of the fresh rain.
It was hours before they'd had enough of each other. Harley looked at Dick, lying beside her, his chest still heaving. He looked... Not sad, per se, but... guilty? His strong jaw was set forward, his lips pursed as he bit the bottom one, smiling a little. His ebony hair was tangled around his shoulders, and a bead of sweat dripped around his mask on his face and ran down his slender neck, disappearing over his shoulder where a puckered bullet scar was reddened from the exertion. He turned his head to look at her.
"Terrible idea," she sighed. "Great execution. Seriously, A-plus work, champ." She patted his chest. He laughed.
"You weren't so bad yourself." Dick let out a breath slowly. "A little on the violent side-" he glanced at his shoulder, where there were still marks from her fingernails- "but hey."
"You," she rolled onto her side, resting her elbow on the pillow and head on her palm, "said ya wanted dangerous. It's not my fault if ya couldn't handle it."
"Oh, I can handle it," he laughed, flashing her his half-grin again. Harley grinned at him before her face twisted in a sort of grimace.
"I think we can agree that we shouldn'ta done that." The guilt was starting to gnaw at her, and she tried to ignore it.
"Definitely shouldn't have done that. Definitely not four times, either," he agreed, biting his lip. He smirked. "Doesn't mean I didn't want to…"
"Well I'd be kinda put out if you didn't enjoy it," she grinned. She put her hand on his chest and winked. His body was still hot against her palm. "But I'm in a bit of a long term relationship." Her brow furrowed when she mentioned the Joker.
"Hey don't pin this on me like I made you do it, you started it," he laughed, his arm shifting under her as he pulled her against him, his lips close to hers as he smiled. "You were the one flirting and damn near stripping in the street."
"Okay, flirting is part of my charm along with the stellar puns and killer knock knock jokes." She rolled over, sitting on his hips. Dick groaned at the sudden jolt, still acutely aware of his own sensitivity where she'd planted herself. "And it's not my fault if ya couldn't stop lookin', Wonder Boy." He smiled up at her, his hands on either of her legs around his waist. Biting his lip, Nightwing glanced out the window.
"It's Dick, by the way," he said hesitantly. "My name is Dick." She raised an eyebrow and glanced down his body with a smirk, rolling her hips on him a little. he bit down on his lip, trying not to moan out loud.
"Well yeah," she sighed and laughed, leaning her head back and enjoying the sensation. "But is that really what ya wanna go by?"
"No-" he laughed, shaking his head. "It's Richard. Dick for short." Stupid, he argued with himself. But, yet again, what was the harm? It wasn't like she had a computer on hand to find out anything more than he told her.
"Okay. Harleen." She held out her hand. "Harley for short, but some a my friends call me Harls. All one of 'em. Nice ta meet ya."
"Nice to meet you," he chuckled, shaking her hand.
"So what brought you to this fine establishment, Richard?" she giggled, leaning her elbows on his shoulders.
"The fine company, of course," he smiled, watching her. His hand trailed absently up her side.
"Ah yes, the company!" she agreed. "It has often been told that the bed chambers are quite exquisite as well."
"Combine the two and you have a mighty nice time, if I do say so myself," Dick grinned, turning his head to kiss her arm where it rested on his shoulder.
"There is nary an occupant who does not agree," she laughed. "Although the service is deplorable. I ordered my cake ages ago."
"Damn them!" he cried, grinning. "I'll fight them all."
"My hero!" She kissed him on the cheek as she giggled. Dick smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"I should be going, huh," he watched her, his smile fading a bit. Now that their initial fervor had passed, the panic was setting in. How long had he been off patrol? Harley's bottom lip stuck out as she pouted.
"Very well me lord." She sat up and stretched. Dick sighed slowly and followed suit, sitting up before catching her face and kissing her slowly.
"Will I see you again, fair lady?" he smiled.
"I dunno." She pursed her lips and looked down. "We can't do this again." She shouldn't have done it this time. There was the Joker, and she'd just betrayed him. With his enemy. She didn't know what she'd been thinking. Clearly she hadn't been thinking at all. She shouldn't have even started talking to him let alone let it get this far. The Joker would hate her if he found out.
"Of course not, but you can't just love me and leave me. I thought that was a guy thing," he laughed, cupping a hand under her chin and gently making her look up.
"So what?" She glanced between the lenses of his mask. "I just show up at your patrols, and we pretend this didn't happen?" Dick bit his lip, nodding slowly.
"Yeah, you're right," he raised his eyebrows and ran a hand through his hair before getting up to pull his clothes back on. He shook the rain off of the torso of his Nightwing suit, pulling it over his head.
"What did ya do with my underwear?" she asked as she searched around the bed while clipping her bra back into place.
"It's over by the door," he said absently, pulling his gloves on before buckling his belt around his waist.
"Thanks." She went over and grabbed them, stepping into them as she came back. She sat on the bed and started pulling her socks back on. Dick stood silhouetted in the window as he tugged his jacket over his arms, looking down thoughtfully. His dark hair fell in front of his face. He didn't say anything; he didn't know what to say. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he turned to look at her again.
"Well, I…" he shrugged. "Thanks, I guess?" Dick laughed. Harley looked up at him as she laced a boot back on.
"My pleasure." She winked.
Nightwing- Dick- watched her for another moment longer and then shrugged, stepping through the broken window and stepping up onto the balcony railing. He dove off, and with that- he was gone.
Harley fell back on onto the bed, grabbed a pillow, and screamed into it. You are a moron. A complete and total moron, and Joker is gonna be so mad. She tossed the pillow to the side and stared at the ceiling as she contemplated what to do.
She could just not tell him. It's not like Dick had anyone he'd tell that would get the message back to the Joker, and this was going to just be a one time thing. She gnawed on the inside of her lip. But that made her feel guilty. The thought of telling him made her feel worse because that would get Dick in trouble, and she didn't know what the Joker would do to her. Harley ran a hand through her flyaway bangs and sighed. She loved the Joker, but it was probably best if he didn't know.
Dick rounded the corner into an alleyway, took a swing at the wall, and then stifled a cry as his knuckles split on the brick, cracking it. You complete idiot. You're embarrassingly stupid, and that was so dangerous. Batman will be furious. He dropped his hand by his side, trying to think of an excuse for what he'd done.
Then again, he didn't know. With Selina and Barry and his regular patrol- Batman didn't necessarily have to find out. If it didn't happen again. Batman wasn't stupid, he'd figure it out, but Harley had made it clear that it wasn't going to happen again. Dick bit his lip. His guilt didn't lie in keeping secrets from Batman- secrets were all too familiar in the family- it lay in how much danger he could have put them in. Anything could have happened while he was with her, and he'd even told her his name. Idiot. He ran his hand through his hair and groaned. He was in deep, and there was no way he was telling anyone.
Harley pulled her jacket across her chest as she crossed her arms and continued pacing the hotel room. Maybe I should talk to Red, she thought. She's just gonna yell at me… She turned and paced back toward the window. But Ivy would be her only living friend now, and she didn't have anyone else to talk to about this. She'd told Dick she wouldn't see him again since this was a mistake, but was she willing to go back to bored days waiting behind the waiting behind the wall for anything to happen? At least Dick hadn't thought she was ridiculous for wanting someone to talk to. She'd just taken it too far. She paced back toward the other wall. This hadn't been her only... transgression of sorts since she's first met the Joker, they'd had many breaks or incidents and she'd never been one to turn down company especially if it would benefit her or even her and the Joker plans, but this was definitely the worst.
It was her fault. She'd taken the flirting too far. It had just been fun to see what reaction she could get out of him by doing it. Only he hadn't been as opposed to it as she thought a Batman lackey would be, and she'd secretly enjoyed that. Now she was stuck in this predicament, and wasn't delusional enough to think the Joker would be okay with it. She was crazy, not stupid.
Dick zipped his coat over the Nightwing symbol on his chest as he emerged from the alley on the next street. It had gotten colder when the rain broke the heat. I could tell Jason, he thought. God, he'd never let me live it down. His boots splashed through a puddle. Jason would be the only one who might understand, though, and the only one who'd keep his trap shut. Maybe. Harley's adamant insistence that they wouldn't speak again had kind of offended him, then again, would it really be a bad thing? At least it had passed without incident, none of his family was compromised, identities intact. He'd just stepped way out of line. He turned down to walk his patrol route again.
It had been completely his fault. He should have had more control than that. It was just a welcome change of pace to step out of the monotony that had become his life. He'd thought he was going to get punched as soon as he'd kissed her, but she hadn't been as predictable as a rogues gallery villain usually was, and it had surprised him. But now he was tangled up in this mess, and he didn't know how he could quadruple-flip his way out of this one. There was a small chance that Batman wouldn't kill him, but he wasn't stupid enough to take it.
"He's Batman's sidekick!" Harley cried to the empty room. "He is the freakin' sidekick, and you decide ta bang him." She rubbed her hands over her eyes as she let out an angry noise. Why had she even been talking to him in the first place? To gather intel? Ivy was right; that was ridiculous. That had been her excuse for getting out of Arkham and her original intention, but she'd be lying if she said that's what it'd still been about. She hadn't even been able to get him to tell her things they did know about Gotham. The only thing she'd learned is that his name really fit his body, but how many Dicks had there been in Gotham before the Infection broke out? Definitely more than she could remember, and with such a high profile life choice she bet he kept his personal life out of the newspapers.
You're a moron, she scolded herself. You've got a good thing goin' with Mistah J and this could ruin it. She really had just wanted someone to talk to. She hadn't actually meant to betray him. It had just… been too good to stop. "If ya can't keep yourself under control, Harls, you're not leavin' the wall." She pursed her lips. It had to be strictly business from now on. She'd rather have someone to talk to and hear more about Gotham, like she was supposed to, than repeat what had happened- she glanced at the messy bed- no matter how great it'd been. No repeats, she told herself. If she couldn't stick to the Joker's plan, she'd have to remove herself from the situation. No more Dick.
"She's the Joker's girlfriend!" Dick cried, and then made sure his comm was off. "She is the only human being alive that he shares anything with, and you couldn't keep it in your pants?!" He ran his hands through his hair and groaned in frustration. Why had he even allowed it to get that far? They didn't have orders not to talk to them, but he definitely knew that it wasn't what was expected of him. He was expected to do his job, take care of his family, and take care of Gotham. That was it. The entire job description. And he'd screwed up all three in one moment of weakness.
Selfish, he thought angrily. If Damian got hurt or anything slipped by while you were supposed to be on watch, that's on you. But it had been so different. He'd never had much direct confrontation with her before this, but he knew enough to know that she was the enemy. It had just… been too good to stop. "Seriously, curb the emotion. If you can't get ahold of yourself, you're telling Bats to take you out of Arkham rotation." He knew he couldn't let that happen again- he glanced back at the hotel- no matter how good it had felt. Too risky, he reluctantly decided. He jogged off towards the docks, unaware of the figure standing on the Arkham wall, watching him.
Lightning cut across the horizon as the Joker grinned darkly.