i've got a phd, motherfucker!

frank stands under one of the shower heads, allowing the lukewarm water to hit him. he is finally allowed some privacy, blessedly. however, at the sound of the heavy door opening, he glances at the entrance quickly, only to find dr. quinzel, dressed in the outfit she'd worn earlier. he is not abashed about his nudity, but can't help but feel entirely exposed, vulnerable. and he can't quite help but wonder if that is intentional. the water is turned off a moment later.

"haven't you heard?" she's seconds from saying something salacious. she's seconds from crossing another line. at this knowledge, her smirk can only grow, until she's showing off both rows of her teeth. she takes a step forward that is only cautious in the sense she's eager not to fall, what with her heels clanking against a wet floor.

now, something between them has been activated. a brow raises.

"i don't know," frank says, clears his throat, "the guards ain't on my payroll. but they're sick fucks eager for a show. you know that."

he leans forward, chains rattling against the table.

she takes this moment to smile more sincerely, which means she shows her teeth. it's a question for the ages- do fantasies matter if you don't follow through with them? do intentions matter? those questions used to mean something. now, dr. harleen knows exactly how real she wants her fantasies to be.

she leans in closer towards him, collecting her hands together beneath her chest.

he's never been great at incognito work like this, between the constant swell of his nose, the black bruises that splotch his eyes, and the breadth of his shoulders, he's easy to spot. even in gotham. it is something to marvel, though, that the woman who'd ( allegedly ) helped kill the bat's second-in-command is here. not even an open fucking secret. it's almost flippant, how blatant her display is. arrogance oozes almost tangibly off her.

he smells her perfume before he sees her, gaze intentionally avoiding hers for a moment under his yankees cap. on instinct, frank tenses, fingers reaching for the firearm he keeps tucked away in his inner pants pocket on instinct.

that's when he looks up at her, brow quirked, hands very intentionally laid at his sides.

joker's eyes are everywhere in this club, no doubt they'll find this scene eventually if they haven't already. yet, harley is fearless in her disrespect towards the clown. she places both her hands on either side of frank's face and takes a good look at him. it's just bruises and scars and blood, and everything she is so desperate to taste. he's as intoxicating as she remembers.

❛ you didn't answer my question. ❜ she lowers her voice just so, baby blue eyes staring into frank's. there is no giggling, she's all serious business now. she takes her tongue and slides it across his jawline, licking up his natural scent, blood, and sweat.

what tale will you have tonight?

i will have a story.

are you quite warm?

i've never been colder in my life!

a lot of good magic or miracles did her.

you must come here and help me.

what manner of girl-child comes here, all alone?

your father will be worried.

i was lost.

are you hurt?

how could you frighten us so?

it was very wicked.

tomorrow is soon enough for more talk.

eat and grow strong.

what brings you so far?

either you are a good judge of men, or you are dead.

come and help me.

what are you seeking?

do you wish to stay, then?

it is a hard life we lead here.

wash off the stink.

is she getting worse?

madness is a shameful thing in a line of princes.

i think you have a larger problem.

she cannot fail to be a beauty.

it would be an insult to you.

i would pray for your soul.

this is rotten stuff, already the silver is green around the edges.

you have trespassed on what is mine.

do you think faith will save you?

well, i go where i will.

don't mewl.

you are marked.

you will die.

am i so easily defeated?

what are you doing here?

he is a very fine horse.

i am too old for journeys.

you have taken something that was not given to you.

would you like some bread?

you might grow to love him.

i am going away forever.

i am sorry. it is a hard thing.

i must go and try myself, against the world.

it is a bitter thing to be a father whose sons abandon him.

do not hate me for going.

what lives in the river?

have you been listening to the peasants' stories?

can i help you fish?

who were you talking to?

are you a devil?

i look after the horses.

i need a life away from death.

you are so cute when you theorize.

i’m kidding myself to believe you’re really open to being with someone as open as me.

i think it might be too late for you.

not a lot of people wanted to take a shot on me right now.

i don’t date. i don’t even know where to start.

fuck what you wanted.

you have a gun. why won’t you use it?

there she is. there’s the fucking killer.

i’m so done with trying to be more. 

you raised me from the dead.

everyone wanted to get out of here. you at least had a shot.

i’ll figure something out. but i’ll figure it out alone.

i’m uninterested in letting the past define me.

i’m not gonna ask you for help. i’m not gonna ask you for anything.

you know i wouldn’t say no. not to you.

will you two just make out already? get it over with.

we do not have to stay here.

i don’t wanna be me anymore. 

i am so sorry, but i need your help.

i feel like i’m hanging on by a thread here.

this will be so fun. a little slumber party.

we’ve both done terrible things, but we’ve done them for each other.

can’t tell if it’s been 20 minutes or 8 hours.

when it really comes down to it, you’re like… wallpaper.

are you mad at me now?

we don’t have to be friends for me to make sure you’re okay.

don’t you just assume that i’ll go along with whatever you say.

i never really thought of us as a “we.”

if i’m the right person, i think it’s supposed to be easy.

closing your eyes to reality doesn’t change anything, it just makes you blind.

we’re just two tired, shitty people who needed to feel something.

i don’t think he’s ever talked to a woman in a hoodie before.

i’m not gonna make you pay rent. i kicked you out.

you’ve got your own life, and i’m taking up too much space in it.

you can’t rise above something if it’s eating you up inside.

up until 20 minutes ago, i didn’t know i liked you.

i’ve never been confused about the fact that i’m a piece of shit.

does that make her a murderer, or just… quirky?

so i’m not normal because i want to live my life the way i want to?

turns out i’m actually good at doing terrible things to people who have it coming to them.

sometimes taking the high road is overrated. especially if it’s driving you crazy.

you keep coming back alive, don’t you?

if this is you broken, stay broken. 

maybe we can die alone together.

i’ve done some shit. i’m like a monster now. i hurt people. 

i just risk everything, so that afterwards, when it’s done, i just die alone.

you think i can pull off big and violent?

can we just talk for a minute and i’ll fuck off after if you want?

i am realizing i used to think you were kind of stupid.

what the hell are you supposed to do if you can’t close your eyes and picture a better life?

do you ever think about trying to have just a little bit of fun?

i just need to be depressed and alone.

i was in some sort of delusional state last year.

it’s only when you’re alone that the real haunting begins.

i’m just here because i’m so fucking supportive.

oh, i see. you’re funny all the time now.

something great happened to me, and that’s all i care about.

i think you know i think you’re pretty.

from where i’m sitting, you wanted someone to listen and nod and agree with you.

do not fucking follow me.

you can’t live in fear. you gotta be honest with yourself.

i’m always impressed with how you can make nothing to do with you all about you.

we’re in that mutually assured destruction territory now, yeah? 

actually, i just wasn’t having any fun.

just take care of yourself. alright? and i’ll do the same.

we’ll be depressed together because i am not leaving you here alone.

i had a stupid fight with someone.

basically, i was embarrassed.

you blew up my life. was that just for fun?

i’m trying to be less of an idiot now.

if you do not stop smiling at me like that, then i’m gonna have to kiss you. 

are you gonna be this romantic all year?

like it or not, you have a way of bringing people together.

what scares me even more is that i need you.

why don’t we just be scared together?

i think… i think i cheated.

today’s the worst day that i’ve had in a decade.

fuck that, i am not leaving you here.

i’m always ready to lie to an adult.

you’re only honest when it serves you. 

i don’t have the energy to pretend to be nice.

damn, you make it hard not to love you.

sometimes looking the part is more important than what’s really going on.

so if we hate each other so much, then why do we keep ending up in the same fucking room?

i am a walking shit show. i’ve let people down multiple times.

that kiss was just me fucking things up like i always do. nothing more.

there’s so much anger between us. maybe that’s how it’s always gonna be.

you don’t know me like that.

are you always this fucking helpful?

your skin glows like your heart holds a piece of the sun.

[ soothe ] sender kisses receiver to stop them from shaking

[ forehead ] sender tenderly kisses receiver's forehead

[ brief ] sender sneaks a kiss to receiver's cheek as they walk by

[ brow ] sender kisses the bridge of receiver's eyebrow

[ impossible ] sender kisses receiver as a final gesture, knowing they can't be together

[ hiding ] sender checks the area around them before kissing receiver, trying not to get caught

[ handful ] sender peppers the receiver's cheek with multiple, playful kisses

[ line ] sender draws a trail of kisses down the length of receiver's shoulderblade and up their neck

[ almost ] sender and receiver are centimeters apart, about to kiss, but something interrupts them

[ side ] sender places a kiss on the side of receiver's nose

[ tip ] sender kisses the tip of receiver's nose

[ underside ] sender leans in and places a suggestive kiss just under receiver's jawline

[ giggle ] sender starts tickling and kissing the receiver all over in order to make them laugh

[ knuckle ] sender lifts receiver's hand to their lips and places a polite kiss there

[ last ditch ] right before receiver leaves for battle, sender rushes into their arms and kisses them desperately

[ the middle ] in the midst of a battle, sender steals a second alone with receiver and kisses them to reassure them

[ dreamy ] sender and receiver indulge in a handful of slow, romantic kisses

[ darkness ] sender and receiver makeout in a completely dark room

[ ear ] sender nuzzles and kisses receiver's ear

[ recline ] sender climbs ontop of receiver and steals a kiss

[ lazy ] sender kisses receiver to wake them up from a comfortable sleep

[ dramatics ] as sender and receiver argue back and forth, sender launches forward and kisses receiver to stop the fight

[ distance ] across a large space, sender blows receiver a kiss

[ hold ] sender and receiver are hugging, and sender kisses receiver on the cheek in a tender display

[ regret ] sender and receiver start to kiss, but sender backs away in the middle of it, knowing it's a bad idea

[ reunion ] thinking they'd never see each other again, sender and receiver are reunited and run into each other's arms, sharing a kiss

[ inner ] in a heated moment, sender trails kisses along receiver's inner thigh

[ lovebite ] in the midst of kissing receiver's neck, sender changes tactics and gives them a tender little bite

[ greeting ] sender and receiver greet each other with kisses to both cheeks in quick succession

[ bunny ] sender gives receiver a bunny kiss by rubbing their noses together back and forth

[ supportive ] sender kisses the top of receiver's head

[ fingertips ] sender places light kisses to each of receiver's fingertips

[ tongue ] sender and receiver indulge in a heavy makeout that involves tongue

[ first time ] sender leans in and kisses receiver for the first time

[ final ] sender and receiver share a kiss for the very last time, and they know it's their last

[ storm ] caught in the midst of a torrential downpour, sender can't help but close the distance and kiss receiver in the rain

[ scar ] sender sees one of receiver's scars for the first time and gently kisses it

[ desperate ] the situation is dire, and sender can't stop themselves from rushing forward and crushing receiver into an aggressive, frantic kiss

[ tend ] while tending to receiver's wounds, sender gives receiver a reassuring kiss

[ stolen ] sender and receiver cross paths and can't resist ducking into a safe place to makeout before they carry on with their day

[ irresistable ] sender taunts receiver by easing closer, promising a kiss, and then backing away, making receiver chase their lips

[ lipstick ] sender is wearing lipstick, and uses that fact to mark receiver with a few lipstick stains

[ chest ] sender removes receiver's shirt and immediately rushes forward to kiss their chest

[ shivering ] sender places small kisses all over receiver's stomach

[ fake ] sender and receiver pretend to be a couple and are forced to kiss each other to blend in

it isn’t his first or second or third session with the pretty blonde doctor, and this isn’t the first time frank thinks of the fact that she’s been practically thrown to the wolves in this place, nonplussed as she seems about it all.

suddenly, she speaks.

❛ you think they'd let you take me? ❜ her eyebrow rises, and she feigns innocence, all wide eyed and a trembling lip. it's a fascinating choice of words: not will you kill me, but will you take me. it's deliberate as it is fascinating. and soon, that feigned innocence is drowned out by a huge smile, and a fire in her eyes. ❛ you think if we took these pretty little chains off you, and you lunged at me, the guards would just let it happen? ❜

❛ A PERMIT! I KNEW I WAS FORGETTIN' SOMETHING! ❜ She brings her finger to her temple and pretends to pull the trigger, laughing all the while. There's a dumb blonde joke floating in her mind, but then she gets the sudden feeling that The Batman is being, well, serious in his question. What a buzzkill!!!