Ain't it warming you, the world gone up in flames?

Ain't it the life you, you're lighting of the blaze?

Ain't it a waste they'd watch the throwing of the shade?

Ain't you my baby? ain't you my babe?

NFWMB / Hozier


The cigarette between my lips tasted stale. I was drunk. Had been since about halfway through Alexis. I had wanted her to last longer, to savor it more. I felt sorry for that now, I often did afterward. So young…

But, she had made her decisions. I had to respect those decisions regardless of age, sex, or ability.

The room was smokey already, my cigarettes only adding to the cloud that followed J everywhere. The light streaming in through his window looked almost diseased, unclean, and leaving the room washed in an unhealthy shade of early morning light. I knew they had changed base multiple times during this spat with Ed- because Ed and his guys had begun finding and sending the GCPD their address. Over, and over. Apparently, J barely made it out last time. I hadn't spoken to him much recently, my refusal to pick a side irritating both men to the point of ulcers. So I decided to let them work their shit out. What I hadn't expected was J to fall into bed with another woman so soon.

It had been easy to find their place, especially after finding Alexis' cell phone. The address was saved into her notes, like a child. I had messaged Johnny from the car, watching as he, Schiff, and two other guys climbed into a van and sped off. They didn't even lock the door. Though, I suppose, locking the door with someone like J inside seems redundant to them.

My eyes drifted back to the sleeping man, so much more peaceful now than he could ever be in consciousness, harsh lines relaxed into the smooth canvas of his, for once not coated-in-greasepaint face, Acid green hair spilling around him. Wearing his boxers, and a stained wife-beater, that stretched across his scarred chest in a way that left me breathless. Peaceful, serene. Two things so unlike him that they gave me pause. I had entered the room glaring at him. Angry, and considering shooting him in his sleep. Now, as I sit here, I feel nothing but a bone-deep weariness, that threatens to drag me under.

"I know you're awake J."

"I know, I was- uh, giving you a chance to stop being a pussy." He said without moving, and my jaw dropped.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you clearly brought the gun here for something."

"Not for you."

"Liar." He smirked and sat up, but the smile seemed to harden on his lips when he really looked at me. "What?"

I just looked at him, suddenly embarrassed I let myself become so emotionally invested, before shaking my head and laughing. "You know what, J? I don't even know why I'm fucking here." I stood.

"I have a pretty good idea," He said dryly, watching my reaction, and though I tried to keep my face neutral, all the air in my lungs rushed out, and I felt tears prick into my eyes.

"Don't you dare fuckin' play with me."

"Why not, you've never minded before?"

"God damn it, J." I hissed through my teeth, "Can you take fuckin' anything seriously?"

"No." He said with that shit-eating grin I loved.

"Fuck you," I growled at him.

"I'd certainly like to."

"Never. Again."

"Hm, that's a shame." His smile turned mocking, "But I guess I'll call Punchline-"

My fist connected with his jaw before the sentence was finished, and I followed it by grabbing the front of the dirty white tank he wore and pulling him back up to look into his eyes.

"Did you fuck her?"

"Well, uh, duh, Harley," He said with that same mean smirk and rolled his eyes. My chest grew tight, my head started swimming, and his words rattled around in my skull like a wasp trying to escape a Coke bottle. "Come on, Harley, She was here, and she was easy. I mean, of course, I would have preferred you, but it's not like you've been giving it out." He finished, in a sickly sweet tone.

My fist connected again, and I hauled myself on top of him- he worked to try to change the dynamics- at one point even successfully pinning me under him as we rolled across the bed and onto the floor, where I was able to get an advantage, as his legs were still tangled in the blankets, and I pinned his arms down with my knees, applying my weight directly onto his arms, causing him to hiss in pain and glare up at me, as I pulled a blade from my bra and held it to his throat.

"You gonna kill me, Harley?" J asked in a teasing kind of way, laughing at me even now. "Are you gonna kill Mr. J?"

"Shut. Up." I pressed the knife closer and felt tears fall from my eyes.

"What is it, Harley? Did you not realize that I could replace you too?"

I let out a sharp bark of laughter, leaning in until our foreheads were pressed together. Rage and pain colored my tone as I rasped at him, "J, the idea that that pathetic waste of space is any kind of replacement for me is fucking laughable. Do you wanna know what I did to your new little girlfriend, J? She died in agony, J. And I will do it again and again, I will rip into them with my teeth if I have to. If I'm stuck with you ugly ass, the least you can do is be fucking faithful. This is your only warning. Next time you touch another woman, I will amputate your fingers and wear them as a necklace."

J had been watching silently through the little speech, but now, leans his forehead into mine.

"Baby. You're the greatest." His voice was hushed, and my lips met his a moment later, a sob fighting to get out of me, but he shushed me, and sat up, shifting my weight from his upper chest down to his lap, where I leaned into him, and cried silently.

"I. uh." He seemed unsure how to continue, and I looked up at him, curiously. "I didn't."

"Oh?" I still wasn't entirely sure that I believed him, but it was good to hear him say it regardless.

"Yeah."

I leaned in and kissed him again, before pulling back. "This is still your only warning." I clarified.

He laughed, "Good, I like living on the edge."

Suddenly his phone rang and he stood, to retrieve it, lifting us both, my legs wrapping around his waist automatically to latch on.

"It's Johnny, gotta take this."

I pulled a face, not sure how he would react to the mess she had left for Johnny to find.

"Mmhm, I know." J nodded rolling his eyes and looking down at me. "Yeah, she's here." he nodded, "Nope, still kicking." then he went silent for a moment.

"Is that so?" His voice was different, in a way I couldn't place.

I watched, waiting for his response, but unable to meet his eyes. "Yes, well, Harley and I will be having a discussion about that then. You boys may want to stay out tonight- Oh! I forgot that was tonight. Eh, with her dead we don't have a distraction anyway. I'll figure it out later."

As they discussed the logistics of the heist I had apparently foiled without even trying, I stepped down, unlatching from him, and feeling a bit sheepish for having caused work trouble.

"Yes, Alright. I'll see you then." and snapped the phone at the wall. I had time to flinch and glance up at him, just in time for his lips to crush mine, causing me to gasp against his mouth, which only gave him the opening to deepen the kiss. He lifted me again, using his hands to re-wrap my legs around his waist. "God, Harley," He gasped, leaning his forehead against mine. "Fuck. When you said you killed her-"

"She tried to take something that belonged to me," I whispered, running my fingers through his hair, styling and positioning it with my hands, as he leans into my touch.

He chuckled. "God, Harley. I gotta say, I've never had a girl scalp and disembowel somebody for me before."

I shrugged, "Well, I wanted to be clear. These rules-"

"God, Harley, shut up." he sighed and his lips were on mine again, and they remained on my body for most of the night.

AN: You will get your smut when I get to it in UD, no cheating lol. Also Please comment, I am unable to see any views on my stories here, and that deeply affects my drive to write. As well as the fact I finished this chapter yesterday but was unable to post it due to the site crashing. Maybe check out my AO3? Same name. Idk. also if you have any questions or one-shot requests please send them to my Tumblr, I've been looking for inspiration haha.