13681/A Very Harley Quinnxmas

A Very Harley Quinnxmas
Date of Scene:	29 December 2022
Location:	Aimee's Apartment
Synopsis:	Harley breaks in to Aimee's apartment so the empath doesn't spend Christmas alone. Awww.
Cast of Characters:	Aimee Alexander, Harley Quinn

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Aimee Alexander has posed:
    Christmas Eve in New York, and the highrise apartment building known as 88 Leonard Street looks understated to the point of boring despite the snow and Christmas decorations adorning the facade. However, once inside it becomes clearer that it is probably not a cheap place to live (as if being in Tribeca didn't already make that clear).

    Aimee's apartment itself is rather dark, the only light coming from outside through the uncovered windows. Even years after moving in there still don't seem to be many personal touches to the decor, although the bookshelf now actually has books on it; thick, hard-covered business tomes that don't seem like they've ever been touched let-alone opened.

    Inside the young woman's bedroom there is a bit more warmth, though the decor is still fairly sparse; a few nickknacks on the various flat surfaces (including her old snowglobe that still looks like it needs a polish.) Aimee's still surprisingly-small black cat Nero is curled up on a pile of discarded clothes next to the bed and in the bed itself, snuggled beneath the duvet, sleeps Aimee; soft little noises that can't quite be described as snores escaping her as she breathes.

Harley Quinn has posed:
There are many mysteries in life. Like, is Bigfoot even real? Did the aliens build the pyramids? Or how the heck did Harley, ONCE AGAIN, found a way to infiltrate Aimee's apartment in Christmas eve?

Yet would such be beyond the skills of the former clown princess of crime and chaos? Not really. Specially when she heard a certain Aimee is getting ready to spend Christmas ON HER OWN. So the clownette decided to take matters into her own hands. Of course that she might have arrived a lil early so ...., she does what a clown does best..

Raid the fridge!

The sound of something heavy falling is heard from the kitchen area, followed by a, "Owww...!!!" and then a "FUDGE!"

See? She could had cursed, but she didn't.

Aimee Alexander has posed:
    Aimee jerks awake at the noise from the kitchen, though by the time she's awake enough to process the continuing noises there's no further words spoken for her to recognize. And thus, fight or flight reflexes kick in.

    Panic is quickly subsumed by her control over her own emotions and, now with a cool and clinical head, the empath very quietly rolls out of bed and reaches underneath it for the baseball bat Harley had given her that she'd never really expected to have a use for.

    Opening her bedroom door as silently as she can manage, and hefting the bat, the young woman creeps towards the home invader; ready to swing at the slightest provocation despite sporting bedhead and wearing nought but a sheer chemise.

Harley Quinn has posed:
Woe! Misery! Dismay!

The fudge has fallen.....

Harley looks at the broken plate of fudge that fell down on the ground. Or rather, on her FOOT! And she isn't even a ninja. It's quite the loss..., but some pieces didn't touch the ground! So she starts picking it up carefully. She might just have to glue the plate together, but maybe Aimee won't notice it, right ....? Oh, she will... Harley lets out a sigh. "Heah I was tryin' ta do Aimee a little surprise.."

There's definitely sounds coming from the kitchen. And in fact Harley is there, just around the corner with her back to the door. She gives up on trying to fix the plate. So instead she begins the tasting of the fudge...!

Mmmhmmm, delicious!

Aimee Alexander has posed:
    A sigh and some mumbling is all Aimee hears, and it's enough to confirm that a *person* has broken in, rather than a stray animal. The confirmation gives her a moment of pause, even with the tight control she's exerting on her own emotional state. Teeth gritting she clamps down on her doubt and peeks around the corner into the kitchen.

    A shadowy figure, more silouette than anything, hunches slightly in the middle of the room; seemingly thoroughly distracted by eating something. And that apparent distraction is all the motivation Aimee needs. A ballerina's light steps allow her to close the distance and once close enough, rather than swinging the bat, she lets go of it with her left hand to attempt reach around the figure and grab their face from behind.

    The bat would probably have been the safer option, but if the empath can manage to touch some skin she intends to channel the eclectic mess of overwhelming feeling she experienced in the wildways right into the unfortunate intruder.

Harley Quinn has posed:
Oh yes, it was a person! Or in this case the Harley herself! There might be glimpses of those familiar pigtails when Aimee reaches in for the ambush! But too late! Harley is grasped .., and then gets hammered with those feelings.

Feelings she actually ADORED back then when they were travelling the Wildways with Spiral.

So there's a gasp, followed by a big wide ..., laugh? Clearly not what one might expect of getting that mess of feeling into someone. But to Harley, who has experienced the Wildways and loved every second of it? She revels in it. There's a shudder of her body back against Aimee.

And then a swift turn with Harley being face to face with Aimee. Big baby blue eyes wide and bright, "Surprise!" she tells her, ecstatic.

Aimee Alexander has posed:
    Using her power offensively means being unable to use it on herself, and so when the horrific mishmash of emotions gets nothing but a laugh from her target Aimee is filled with a confused panic. She's already thrown herself backwards by the time Harley has turned to face her, and it takes the empath a few seconds to recognize the face in the darkness.

    "H-Harls?"

    Utterly unbothered by the entire commotion, Nero picks this moment to slink past Aimee and start rubbing up against the clownette's ankles with soft little purrs. Aimee stares down at the traitorous ball of black fur that is barely visible in the darkness showing more affection to her ex-girlfriend than she's ever managed to get from the feline herself. Throwing the animal a glare, she returns her gaze to the familiar home invader and sighs deeply.

    "Harls, you can't just... what are you even doing here? I mean, not that... it's good to see you, obviously. But..."

Harley Quinn has posed:
"The one and only!" Harley retorts with that little upturned corner of her mouth that creates a little smirk on ruby lips. Hands go to her hips. "I mean, I was expecting a greeting, but didn't think you'd go and remind me of the Wildways.. Mmm, I could really use a Cosmo right now.." she lets out a nostalgic sigh.

Even in the penumbra one can notice the way she is dressed, a green tank top shirt, a pair of shorts that are green as well. Is she going for some kind of look? Could it be Santa Elf?

"Don't mind the fallen fudge, we can do more." She grinning at the still dazed Aimee. It's when Nero comes walking by and she leans down to pet at the good cat. "Ah, Nero. Here you are! Just like the emperor you came to witness the kitchen destruction, eh?" she winks at him.

"Well..." And now she looks up from her hunched over position near Nero, eyes fully on the other woman, "I heard you were going to spend Christmas on your own so ...." she opens her arms to the side. "Heah I am! Cos no one spends christmas alone on my watch."

Aimee Alexander has posed:
    A small smile, tinged with sadness, tugs at Aimee's lips. She heaves a sigh, turning her back on Harley and walking back out of the kitchen. She hits the light switches for both the kitchen area and the main room on her way through the doorway, and calls back over her shoulder "Let me go put on something decent while you clean up the mess you made."

    Minutes pass, noises come from the bedroom, and eventually Aimee returns wearing a silk blouse tucked into a pair of jeans, along with a pair of fluffy pink slippers. She leans against the doorway with her arms crossed and speaks up to catch Harley's attention.

    "Y'know, being alone on Christmas isn't really any worse than being alone the rest of the year. And I've got Nero."

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Ah, I am blind!" Harley says in an overdramatic manner when Aimee turns on the lights. She even covers her eyes as if affected by the 'daystar', "It burns us..." is she quoting Gollum? Is Gollum quotable?

Regardless, she grins a moment later and is up to her feet, now holding Nero with both her hands, because of course she is. She puts him on the counter. "Now be a good boy and let's take care of the fudge, mmm? You can't eat it all, of course.."

Truth be told the kitchen is fully back to a prim condition when Aimee is back. And the fudge is on another dish. She is wanting one too. "And you know ..., it was a blast really.." she is talking to Nero, "We were on Wonderland, I was Queen! The last one was a hard ass I feel like in the week I was Queen I did a lot, shoulda seen my airplane contraption... Oh damn, it could really fly and ..."

Pause. Look to the entrance. She arches a brow. "That's what you awhe goin' with? No great to see you heah? Or somethin' of the sort?", a beat, "Saw the news about your company. Grats, I guess."

Aimee Alexander has posed:
    "You broke into my apartment, Harls! I was almost gonna smack you in the head with that baseball bat you got me!" Aimee's frustration is palpable, but she closes her eyes and swallows it. Not in the abrupt way that suggests usage of her powers, but in the more natural way of someone who is somewhat accustomed to Harley's unique brand of chaos.

    "Thanks though, I guess. If nothing else it'll mean I get to sleep in on weekends again." She pauses, sighs, and shakes her head. "And it *is* good to see you. You know I... nevermind. Look, I appreciate you worrying about me. I do. It's... thank you."

    Distracting herself from melancholy by going to poke in the fridge herself, the empath eventually offers "Should I break out the bubbly for us to drink while we... catch up?"

Harley Quinn has posed:
"I am so proud of you!" Harley's smile returns a bit. And does Harley mean about Aimee using the bat to whack someone? Even if it's her? She nods her head a couple of times. "Were you gonna swing it that way I taught ya?" a pause, "You know..." she makes the motions with her arms, along with the flare with the hips. Because every good swing also needs a good swing of the hips, of course.

"Yes, break the bubbly! It will be good before we get to the gift-givin'" She nods her head again. And wait, Harley came bearing gifts? "I hope you have been a gooood girl this year." a wink while running one hand across Nero's fur.

"Sounds to me as if you need a little more bright in your life."

Aimee Alexander has posed:
    A faint dusting of red spreads across Aimee's cheeks when Harley declares how proud she is, but she rolls her eyes. "I'm still 50% sure you taught me to swing a bat that way just because you liked watching my hips sway." The pop of a cork punctuates the accusation, followed by the fizz of freshly poured champagne.

    Turning around with a champagne flute in each hand, the brunette holds one out for the clownette. "You didn't need to get me a gift, y'know? Especially since, well, I probably haven't been good. Where we be where we are if I'd been a good girlfriend?"

    The melancholy returns, and Aimee hangs her head. Though it's soon followed by a soft snort. "Although I swear, if you got me one of those crazy high lumen flashlights to 'brighten up my life' or something equally punny, there will be no forgiveness."

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Well, that's just the bonus." Harley points out, shaking her head back at Aimee, "Like those extra candies in candy crush..." Harley plays?! The champagne is served so she reaches over to take a flute and tips it against Aimee's. "Cheers!" then downs it all in one go. Because that's just how you drink champagne.

"More?" She asks with a grin. At least she didn't burp!

"Theah's a difference between needing and wantin' to. I am suwah you know the difference." she rests an elbow against the kitchen counter now, relaxed.

"Though you are in luck that I prefer 'em naughty." This about Aimee being a good girlfriend. "And no tellin' on what the gifts are. They will be shown in due time." she nodding her head sagely.

"So .., what's been so important in this year of yours, mmm?" This year where they chose not to be together, that is.

Aimee Alexander has posed:
    The banter fits like an old glove, and Aimee can almost fool herself into believing that no time at all has passed. Sipping from her own flute at a far more sedate pace, she hands the rest of the bottle to Harley so the clownette can take care of her own refills. The edges of her lips curve up momentarily, before turning down, and the empath sighs once more.

    "Nothing that ended up feeling worth the effort. I had a naive little dream that we'd lead by example and change the world with pro-mutant hiring policies. But in the end we trailed behind a bunch of other businesses that got to it first, and the best we can really do according to legal is just not discriminate *against* mutants, rather than prioritising them which could be seen as discriminating against non-mutants."

    Aimee takes another sip of her champagne, before musing softly "Not sure it was worth everything I gave up." She leaves unsaid the exact implications of that admission.

Harley Quinn has posed:
Welp. Hand the clownette a bottle ....

And she might just drink the bottle itself. *gasp* And she does! Harley cranes her neck back and her refill turns to be the bottle. Not that she drinks it all of course. Just a smidge more. You know, it's Christmas, gotta celebrate and all that. Time for happiness or somethin'.

"At least change is happening, only a while back there was little thought about the caring about mutants and others that are .., different. I like to think everyone is contributing to it, without needing to be the first.." a grin back at Aimee.

"Or was it personal to you?" She inquires. Just like Doctor Quinn, medical psychologist extraordinaire would!

"No?" She asks about that last part, then raises her shoulders, "Sometimes we need to lose to know what we've been missin'"

Aimee Alexander has posed:
    "I just wanted something I did to matter. To be more than just another cog in the machine." Aimee shrugs, leaning against the bench. "But can we not do the whole Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman thing tonight? I'd rather just enjoy time with my... person I care about. Even if she *did* break into my apartment. Again."

    "Anyways, you said something about gifts, right? I hope you don't mind that I don't have anything for *you*. Well, I mean, you can keep the bottle of bubbly, but that's not much of a present really." She throws a glance at her traitorous cat, the furball still trying to show Harley affection. "And you can't have Nero no matter how much he apparently loves you."

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Cog in the machine? Matter?" Harley cants her head to the side, looking at Aimee for quite a few long moments in silence. Looking *through* her even. "If you think you don't matter then I believe you ain't been payin' attention." whatever Harley means with that! She takes another swig from the bottle. Right from the source!

"This bubbly makes me thirsty.." Then she beaming delightfully at the offer of the bottle. baby blue eyes alight at it. She even hugs the bottle. "Gooood, it will go right with what I have foh ya..." not that there was anything at Aimee's room. Or anywhere. Is there even a gift? Is it real? "But that's for later.." she winking, voice full of promise.

Hand runs over Nero idly and she leans back on the counter, "You can't have cats, that's known. Cats have you.. Ain't that right Nero..?" she leans over to brush noses with the cat. Treason!

Aimee Alexander has posed:
    Aimee narrows her eyes at Nero. "I save you from a life on the streets and *this* is how you repay me? Maybe I *should* give you to Harley. I'm sure Bud and Lou could teach you a thing or two about loyalty..."

    The brunette's scowl quickly fades though, mock anger at her traitorous cat not enough to hide her melancholy. "I wanted more. I wanted... to change the world. I wanted greatness. I wanted to be the best me I could be without shame or reserve. I wanted to surround myself with people who were what they were and appreciated me for who I was. Except... I didn't accomplish any of that." She snorts, shaking her head and crossing her arms over her chest.

    "In fact, you could probably say I did the exact opposite."

Harley Quinn has posed:
The sprawling, followed by the meow out of Nero says everything there has to be said about Aimee's threat to give him away. He doesn't believe Aimee! If one thinks cats can actually understand people, that is.

Harley's attention is back on Aimee, "Nothing stops you from bein' that person still. But you don't have to go against your nature in ordah to accomplish that.." Is Harley going with the 'just be yourself' thing? "I know you can still do all that, but you don't have to be someone you think others want you ta be. Just go natural." she then sliding closer to Aimee.

One arm goes around her shoulders, "You don't have ta be something else for me to appreciate you." she grinning back at Aimee. A beam of sunlight to Aimee's melancholy.

Aimee Alexander has posed:
    Aimee's shoulders slump when her cat seemingly calls her bluff. Because it would be absolutely correct. There's no way Aimee would give up the little bastard for anything.

    "Yeah, yeah..." the words are disheartened, and she reflexively leans into Harley when the clownette's arm circles her shoulders. The words of appreciation cause her to tense slightly in Harley's arm as only then seems to realise how she's leaning in to her ex-girlfriend's body, but with a soft sigh she gives in and tries to nestle a bit closer for some much-needed comfort.

    "I just... I thought I knew what I wanted. What to *do*. But then I did it, and that wasn't it. And now I don't know what to do anymore. I don't even know... who I am? If that makes sense? Sorry, you came here for Christmas and now I'm basically making you work. Unless your gift was a free therapy session I guess..?"

Harley Quinn has posed:
If there's any tension on Harley she doesn't seem to show it, all smiles as she keeps Aimee close. She listens to what the girl says, "Welcome to my world..." she then finally replies, chest heaving as she lets out a sigh.

"Had no idea what I was gonna do either when I decided to break it with Mistah J. Had no idea who I was either. Do I really know by now? Prolly not, but just takin' one day at a time, makin' suwah I have some good friends around.." the arm squeezing Aimee a touch more, ".. and people I know care about me, and believe in me. Like I believe in ya, still think you awhe one of the smartest people I know." she resting her cheek against Aimee's head.

"But you don't gotta conquer the world in one day." A devilish grin on her expression. "Make it two."

Aimee Alexander has posed:
    Aimee giggle-snorts in an utterly embarrassing way, her cheeks immediately radiating heat in the aftermath. "I think I'll leave the world conquering to you. From what I've heard you've already got practice at being a queen. I bet with a wink and a tilt of your hips you'd have everyone jumpin on board the Empress Harley Express."

    She falls quiet for a few moments, and then gently bumps her hips against the clownette's. "Thanks. For, y'know, coming. You probably shouldn't have broken in but.... it was a good surprise seeing you. It... I've missed you." She allows another short moment of silence but adds before Harley can respond "And for the record, I believe in you too. I just wish you had a little more caution. We might avoid situations like that evening with the murder dolls."

Harley Quinn has posed:
"I will have ta take you back to Wonderland sometime. Theah's a new Queen, been curious on how it's farin' to be honest." Is Harley already making plans for wild, dangerous trips? Of course. "I can show you the catapult too, we used it to travel! It's my pride and joy, my invention..." of course it is.

She touches Aimee's nose with a finger in what is called a 'boop', "Not broken in? That means I wouldn't be Harley Quinn but just some boring normal person.." she shakes her head, "It only happens because you nevah gave me the keys too." there, shots fired!

"Now ....." And Harley looks positively excited, "Let's go over to yoh room, time to unwrap those christmas presents. I even got one foh Nero.."

Nero perks up at that, jumping to the ground and starting to floof it's way to the room.

Aimee Alexander has posed:
    "Of course you did. Aunty Harley spoiling her friends children checks out." Aimee deliberately ignores the mentions of a trip to Wonderland, though the hint of a smile tugging at her lips suggests that maybe she'd not be against a visit. Certainly more amenable to it than a return trip to the wildways.

    Trailing after the clownette, the empath turns off the lights behind her and scoops up her spare keys from the ash tray they live in as quietly as she can. Perhaps she's got a decent gift for Harley after all.

    She smiles wider, gazing fondly at the walking, talking force of chaos. Then, upon spotting the impatient foot-tapping in her bedroom door rolls her eyes. "I'm coming, I'm coming. Keep your pants on. And Harls... thanks..."