Coffee and Comfort
Fandom: Batman the Animated Series
Ship: Harley and Ivy
Word Count: 1,567
Warnings: None
The night was an especially quiet one and the darkness seemed to weigh heavily on Harley's shoulders as she poked her head around a corner, her head-dress silhouetted against the abandoned club's shadowy watched the hyenas closely to insure the sleeping pills she'd slipped into their meat had worked. Their breathing was even and neither moved an inch. She'd hated to do it to the babies but she couldn't have them waking the Joker. She tiptoed across the room and sighed in relief as she closed the door behind her. The night air was sharp and cold as it tended to be in September but Harley Quinn found it refreshing against her hot face. She hopped into the Joker's car, tossing her bag into the seat beside her before sticking the key into the ignition. She hesitated at first, afraid the sound would awaken her puddin' but she couldn't walk all the way to her destination. She bit her lip as she cranked it and took off as quickly as possible in case it did disrupt his sleep. The last thing she needed was for Mr. J to catch her stealing his car.
She sped away into the sleeping city in silence, nothing but the sound of the wind to interrupt the first peace she'd had in a while. Her destination had been decided beforehand and she paid little attention as she followed the familiar path to the ends of town. She had come here seeking solace so many times it was a wonder the Joker hadn't killed her comforting companion by now. Of course she hardly had to worry about Red. She could definitely take care of herself and if the need ever arose she knew in her heart she would stand between the madman and her precious flower. She sighed as she pulled up to Ivy's house and wished she had never met either of them. She wished she'd never become Harley Quinn.
She parked the car and sat there for a few moments. Now that she was here she was having second thoughts. When the Joker woke in the morning to find his car missing he would be so furious she had no doubt that he would try to kill them both. But she couldn't convince herself to turn back. How could she turn away from Ivy's warmth to return to such cold, unaffectionate arms. She dropped her head to the wheel and sat there in indecision for a while. She wondered if she would ever stop coming here like this. She wondered if there would ever come a day when she didn't return from here. She couldn't have them both forever. It was inevitable that one would kill the other.
"Harley?"
She jerked her head up to see Poison Ivy standing in the doorway with light spilling out over her. She stared at her as she stood there. She was dressed in nothing but a tank top and her underwear, red hair hanging over her shoulder as she gazed at her with those bright, hazel eyes. She was radiant with that light shining behind her. Like an angel. Harley felt tears well up in her eyes and she kicked the door open, running to her arms. She didn't know what had come over her. She hardly ever cried when coming to Ivy and when she did it was always for far more serious reasons.
"Oh, Red." she cried. "I just don't know what to do anymore. Mr. J..."
"What did he do this time?"
"Nothin'." she sniffled.
"The usual, huh? Come inside, girl. It's cold out here."
Harley let herself be pulled inside and sat at the table with her hands in her lap, head hanging sadly. Ivy let her sit there while she made them both some coffee for the long night she knew they would be having. Harley lifted her head to watch her move about the kitchen, standing on tip toe to reach the coffee mugs, bending over to search the cabinets for filters and all sorts of other tantalizing actions. She blushed lightly as she turned to face her and she smiled.
"So, spill it. What was the particular injustice this man bestowed upon you to force you to take refuge here tonight."
"Nothin' really, Red. I just wanted to get away for a little while. Sometimes it gets a little...depressin' there, ya know?"
"Yeah. I can imagine."
Harley took the cup as it was handed to her and held it to warm her hands more than anything else. She took a few sips to appease Ivy but she didn't think she would be able to drink very much with her stomach in the condition it was. The truth was that Mr. J had somehow managed to turn her babies against her earlier that day. They had leaped at her so ferociously that she had feared for her life but they only growled and snipped at her heels as she ran. Obviously he hadn't been able to corrupt them completely. She sighed and put the coffee cup down.
"Red."
"Yeah."
"I don't know why I love him."
"Neither do I." she sneered. "The man's a lunatic. He does nothing but abuse you."
"But I love him."
"Then love yourself more. If you don't leave him, Harley, he's going to kill you one day!"
"I can't." she sighed shakily, lowering her head again. "I can't love myself that much."
"Then love me more." she whispered, placing a hand on hers. "Please, Harley."
She wouldn't look up into those pleading eyes. She couldn't. Ivy was so strong and she didn't want to see that begging look on her face. Poison Ivy didn't plead and she didn't beg. She took what she wanted. Harley wished she would just take her sometimes. Hold her there forever and never let her leave no matter how much she wanted to. She could imagine how it would be when the Joker arrived. How Ivy would fight to save her. And it made her feel warm inside but a bitter sadness was welling up behind that warmth. She wanted to love her more but she knew she couldn't. For some reason beyond all her comprehension she loved the Joker more than anyone else in the world and there was no way she could change that.
"Harley..." Ivy repeated, voice cracking. "Look at me!"
"I'm sorry Red." she sobbed, covering her eyes with her free hand. "I'm so sorry."
Poison Ivy took the hand from her face and placed her palms softly against her cheeks. She slowly forced her to raise her head and look her in the eyes. She was looking back from behind those icy pools of water with such apology that she had to struggle to keep her own sadness from showing. She forced a small smile though it only made her face appear more melancholy than before. Harley felt more tears trickle down her cheeks as she touched her lips to her own gently. As she pulled back she caught the sight of tears gathering in the corner of her narrow eyes despite the smile she was still displaying for Harley. She lunged into her arms and buried her face in her chest as she sobbed like a child. Ivy held her close, bending over her and cradling her in her body as though she wanted to shield her from the pain she was feeling.
Harley didn't even know how much she needed Ivy until she left the Joker's. But here, in her arms, Harley could feel a greater love filling her heart. That love tried to smother what she felt for Mr. J but it always failed. She could see him in her mind's eye with that smile - that innocent grin like a child pretending he wasn't into mischief - and the thought made her smile into Ivy's shirt. And though she smiled it only brought more tears to her eyes, knowing how she hurt Ivy with her indecision.
Ivy would never demand that Harley leave the Joker. She would bring the subject up every now and then when she was more concerned than usual for her little harlequinn's safety but she never tried to force it. She never threatened to leave her if she didn't leave the Joker. Sometimes Harley wished she would but other times she was grateful for her tolerance. Harley was grateful for her love, her patience, her kindness... How did someone so kind become a villian?
She was strong-willed and the woman knew what she wanted. She had a sense of justice in her own way though it differed from the norm. Of course, this never bothered Harley. She fought for what she believed in and she had an old Pagan feel about her. It was as though she fought for a higher power sometimes. She fought for Mother Earth. Harley would never know why she loved the Joker but she definitely knew why she loved Poison Ivy. She sat up with a sniffle and wiped the tears from her eyes, smearing her face paint. This made Ivy laugh and Harley followed suit. It would be a good night, she decided, pulling her head dress off so that her blond hair feel around her shoulders. She didn't regret coming at all even if the Joker did show up the next day. She would never regret coming to Poison Ivy.