dyke lying

She probably would first wonder about it upon realizing that Ivy loved HER--which would definitely be soon after that became true--and then shove it back down just as quickly because the question doesn't serve her. In order to both a) think about it without flinching away like she touched a hot stove and b) accept that the answer is (if she’s reached that point) "yes, I do love Ivy" she would have to be in a very comfortable spot in life where she can fully appreciate how much that levels the playing field between her and Ivy, how much more complicated it makes their relationship, and the things it throws into question about Harley's life up to that point. If that makes sense? Like, Harley being the way she is, I don't think it's something she could come to terms with under duress at all. Otherwise maybe GCS #24 would have been different; but instead Harley is faced with the fact that Ivy loves her, & that she does technically have the choice in that moment to walk away, and instead she lashes out because it's too sudden and she (fairly) sees it as an encroachment on her independence/a power play on Ivy's part.

So basically. Things had to have been good. They had to have been good for a while and without any real threat of getting bad in the near future. I think after they've sorted things out between them a bit, Harley is probably better at letting shock and impulse guide her towards good ideas rather than bad ideas. But before that point, it just would feel like someone forcing her into a whole lot of new hurt that she is not ready for.