"What are you doing?" The Joker asked with one eyebrow raised. His arms were crossed and his mouth downturned.
She glared at him and stumbled back a few steps. "Taking care of what's mine…" She looked him up and down suspiciously. "Why are you here?"
He sized up his opponent. Small. Short. Blonde. This would be simple. His downturned mouth turned upward into a tight-lipped grin. "I live here," He said, and then corrected himself, "Well technically 'will' be living here."
"Living here?" She questioned. She looked from the top of his dirty-blonde head to the tips of his black converse. He looks so…unlike himself. Almost unthreatening. But Harley could still see the mischievous glint in his bottomless eyes. She took a step back warily.
"I own this place, woman," He spoke. "And you are trespassing." He stepped closer. He would do just about anything to make her uneasy. She held her breath.
"Trespassing? I've been coming here for months!" Harley scoffed. "Where were you then?"
"It's been one major pain in the ass to purchase this building. I've been stringing along the big-bad mob bosses for months."
"So what? I couldn't give two fucks if you bought this building. I need somewhere to keep my pets and they've been here long enough that they can stay, no matter if you bought it or not." She finished with a steely glare.
"Listen toots. I couldn't give two fucks about your pets. So either get 'em outta here, or I will." He pointed to himself and narrowed his eyes at her.
She met his glare with one of her own. Finally realizing that he wouldn't yield, Harley pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Can we compromise?"
"Hmm…I can't understand you when you mumble," He quipped triumphantly. The smirk on his face made her want to dismember him. He'd heard her. Smiling bastard.
She seemed to seethe out her next words. "Can. We. Compromise?" Harley spoke the words with venom dripping from every last syllable.
He leaned closer to her, his shit-eating grin right in front of her face.
"Say please…"
Harley had to bring her hand back down. If she slapped him, it would be all over. She swallowed her pride before muttering, "Please…"
"That's a girl," He grinned, leaning away and walking towards the cage which held said hyenas. "I'll let you keep them here…"
Harley sighed in relief.
"-if you assist me whenever I call on you."
The smile dropped from her face. "What?"
"Ah, Ah, Ah!" He said turning back to her, face still plastered with a trademark smile. "Do you want them here or not…?"
He expected she'd put up a fight, either with words or her hands. He didn't get one.
The Joker saw her defeat and watched her mouth downturn.
Harley sighed. "You won't make me do anything stupid, will you?" She glared at him, one eyebrow erect.
He shrugged. "We'll see…"
"Alright, you have a deal. But you better not be lying because I swear I'll-"
"I'm a man of my word," He promised.
She stared at him until she found what she was looking for – truth – and nodded.
With one last gleam of contempt in her eye she turned away from him and headed for the stairs.
"Hey! You'll need this, princess," He tossed it to her just as she turned around.
She caught it with both hands, clearly not ready and fixed him with another glare. Finally looking down, she recognized the object. "My cell phone? How did you…?" She shook her head and pocketed it. "You know what? I just dropped the fuck I was about to give…"
He chuckled. "Goodbye Miss Quinzel! See you soon…" He called down to her retreating person.
He didn't quite catch her mumbled profanity, but he assumed that she was just as excited as he was.
The Joker's scars stretched once again with another grin of victory.
The clown turned to address the hyenas. "Score one, huh boys?"
They responded with quick yips and giggles.