Chapter 8
“Today ain’t a great day.”
Harley rested her face against her knees, looking up at Ivy through her lashes. Ivy resisted the urge to reach out and brush her fingers against Harley’s cheeks.
“Rough group?”
Harley shrugged her shoulders. “Guess so. I just… feel kinda dumb. I study psychology and now I’m like one of the cases I read about all the time.”
“Harley.” Ivy’s voice was firm. “You aren’t dumb. Don’t say that about yourself.”
They were sitting outside in Ivy’s clearing, the sky a clear and cloudless blue above them. Flies buzzed lazily around them and Ivy felt all the green surrounding them straight to her core. Peace. She wished she could give that feeling to Harley.
“My parents weren’t really… around,” Harley said. “Kinda like yours. And no one else really wanted to be around me when I was younger, cause I was loud and annoying. I thought when Joker chose me that I was… special.”
Ivy’s heart clenched.
“But I was just desperate and naive.”
Ivy hated hearing this jaded tone in Harley’s voice now, even though it meant that Harley was coming to terms with what Joker had done to her. The abuse. Ivy wished she could take away all the pain, erase every mark Joker ever laid on her, every cruel word he had ever spoken.
Ivy wished she had met Harley first.
“You are special, Quinn. He was just a dickface that didn’t deserve you.”
Harley straightened up, rubbing a thumb over the empty spot on her neck. She had thrown out the choker weeks ago. Harley dropped her arm and sent a sly glance Ivy’s direction.
“Ever been skinny dippin’, Ivy?”
“Absolutely not, Quinn. That water is fucking freezing.”
Ten minutes later and they were both in the water, taking small, panting breaths it was so cold. Harley yelped and grabbed onto Ivy’s shoulders, hair turned a dark blonde because of the water and plastered against her neck. They were both only in their bras and underwear. Basically bikinis. It felt like so much less.
“Holy moly, Ives. It’s fucking freezing.”
Ivy’s teeth were chattering. Harley couldn’t touch the bottom without going fully under, but Ivy could, so the woman was clinging onto her like a spider monkey.
“I told you, Quinn. This is your fault.”
“You didn’t have to listen!” Harley exclaimed.
She was, of course, completely right. Ivy chose not to comment on it. In fact, what she needed was to talk about something, anything to distract from Harley’s body pressed against her own, the soft swells of her breasts against Ivy’s own chest, and the occasional brushing of their legs together.
“Next time you have an idea, I’m not listening,” Ivy gasped around the biting cold. It was a wonder she could even feel that heat building, low in her core, with how freezing it was— but she did.
“Liar.” Harley leaned forward. Drops of water made paths down her cheeks. “You always listen to me, Ives.”
“I’m regretting it right about now,” Ivy muttered.
“Like kudzu,” Harley continued, her eyes searching Ivy’s face.
Ivy’s brows lifted. “I’m an invasive climbing vine species that causes soil erosion and completely destroys biodiversity—“
Harley’s soft lips against her own cut Ivy off. Ivy made a noise in the back of her throat and Harley pressed closer, pulling their slick skin flush together, and tangling her hands in Ivy’s wet hair.
“Ives,” Harley panted against Ivy’s lips. “Pammy.”
Ivy didn’t realize she had been moving them through the water until she had Harley pressed up against a rock, lifting the blonde half up out of the water. Harley’s legs went easily around Ivy’s waist and Ivy was out of her mind with Harley.
Needed to trace the droplets of water on Harley’s neck with her lips.
Needed to run her hands up Harley’s legs, feeling those plush thighs underneath her fingers.
Needed to hear the desperate sounds Harley made, how pliant the blonde went underneath Ivy’s ministrations.
Needed Harley—
Ivy lurched away, her breaths coming out fast, eyes wide. Harley stared back at her, lids hooded and lips kiss swollen.
“Pammy?” Harley asked, voice sweet.
Ivy shook her head. “We— we shouldn’t have done that.”
Harley’s legs dropped from around Ivy’s waist. Ivy reached out to grab Harley before the shorter woman slipped underneath the water. She kept her hold gentle.
“I…” Harley’s eyes skittered away. “I forgot. Ya don’t do repeats.”
“Harley.”
“It’s alright, sugar. I just—“ Harley pulled out of Ivy’s grasp and swam up to the edge, tumbling out of the water. Ivy followed after her, grasping Harley’s shoulders and softly forcing the blonde to stay still before Harley spiraled.
“Harley, baby. You’re— you’re still healing.”
Harley tipped up her chin, expression defiant. “If this is about the one night stand only thing, just say so, Ives. Don’t give me bullshit excuses.”
“Harley.” Ivy ran a hand through her wet hair. Couldn’t believe they were having this conversation in their underwear. “You just got out of a relationship. A bad one. You loved Joker and—“
“No,” Harley said quietly.
Ivy’s mouth snapped shut.
“I thought that was love, but it ain’t.” Harley was looking at her, expression heartbreakingly earnest. “Love is soft. Creeping. Love is your best friend.”
“Harley…”
“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same, Ives. I just—“ Harley bit her lip. “I wanted you to know. How much ya mean to me. How much you’ve taught me, just by being your grumpy, prickly, marshmallow self.”
Ivy stepped forward. She didn’t do people. She didn’t fuck around with someone for more than one night, and she most certainly didn’t do relationships.
None of that mattered, anymore.
Because Harley Quinn had changed her irrevocably. Ivy had been lying to herself for weeks— longer. Because Harley Quinn was the most beautiful person Ivy had ever seen, the brightest soul she had ever encountered, and Ivy was just going to— what? Let this slip through her fingers?
Fuck no.
“Harley.” Ivy tipped up the blonde’s chin. “You’re so precious to me, do you know that? This strange woman who declared herself my best friend after a one night stand.”
“To be fair,” Harley said, eyes sparkling. “It was some pretty fantastic sex.”
“I want us to go slow.” Ivy brushed a thumb over Harley’s cheek. “I want you to take some time for yourself. And I want to— maybe go to therapy too.”
Harley’s eyes flared open. “For what?”
“So I can learn how to process my emotions with my girlfriend, Quinn, and not be emotionally constipated.”
Harley’s smile was pure sunshine.
“Girlfriend? Do you mean it, Ives?”
Ivy pulled Harley close, sealing the deal with a kiss.
---------------------------
“We’re gonna be late!” Harley called. She was lounging in Ivy’s living room, legs kicked up on the arm rest. She hadn’t been over in a couple days— Harley had moved into another dorm, gotten a restraining order against a certain dickface, and overall been slammed with schoolwork.
Really, Harley hadn’t understood why she had to move out from Ivy’s. But her girlfriend (Holy moly, that still gave her a thrill to say) said it was important they have boundaries, move slow, and Harley’s therapist agreed so whatever. Harley could go back to dorm life. Didn’t mean she wasn’t pouting about it, a little.
Which is exactly how she guilted Ivy into doing this with her.
“I look ridiculous, Quinn.”
“Never, doll face,” Harley shouted out. “Now let me see you.”
Ivy walked into the room and Harley howled with laughter. She couldn’t help it— the woman just looked so wonderfully disgruntled in the bar wench outfit Harley had gotten for her. And damn— if it didn’t make Ivy’s boobs stand up out and proud. Harley understood the hype behind renaissance fairs, now.
“This is a form of torture,” Ivy deadpanned. “Why do you get to be the knight?”
Harley struck a pose, pulling out the wooden sword at her side. She had her hair done up in two space buns and some fake chainmail on. They were matching colors— both wearing a deep, rich green that looked fantabulous with Ivy’s skin— and Harley was grinning so hard it hurt.
“I’m chivalrous, obviously.”
“Obviously.”
Harley strode forward, threading her arms behind Ivy’s neck.
“Do I win my maiden’s favor?” She said, puckering her lips.
“Your maiden is currently being suffocated by this corset.”
“My maiden looks like a dime. I’m gonna have to be fightin’ the broads off with this sword.”
Ivy pressed a soft kiss against Harley’s nose. “There, baby. You win my favor. No fighting.”
Harley lunged forward, crashing their lips together, because no way was Ivy dressing like that and only giving Harley a chaste little kiss. When they finally pulled away, they were both panting, and Harley almost wanted to forget the fair entirely.
It was still strange, all these months later, that life could be so good.
That love could be so gentle.
But it was.
Harley pressed one last peck against her girlfriend’s lips. She pressed up on her tiptoes, talking close to Ivy’s ear.
“Guess what?” Harley whispered. “I got Jefferson a little page uniform also.”
Ivy snorted and Harley couldn’t stop the laughter that burst out of her. She was shining with happiness, with love, and it felt like sunshine pouring out of her skin. Ivy looked at her fondly and Harley looked right back.