Harley was too engrossed in the match to notice anyone in the crowd. She moved too fast and threw herself hard at opponents and yes okay some of it was taking out her personal frustration. This was a hard time to be in a long distance relationship. She liked to go all out for romantic holidays but it was hard to do that on a few hours carved out between long commutes.
She didn't realize Gary was there to surprise her until after the match was wrapping up and the players headed to the locker rooms. As soon as she clocked him she shrieked in delight and careened toward him, sweaty and bruised and an absolute mess.
"Gare-bear! I thought you wouldn't be here until tomorrow!"
Gary flinched a few times, seeing how hard Harley was going, but he still cheered all the same. He didn't think anything was wrong, just that she was giving her all to the game.
When she clocked him and shrieked, he moved down through the crowd to try to get down to a spot they could meet. He didn't care that she was sweaty, bruised and a hot mess. She was his hot mess. Pulling her into a hug as soon as he could to lift her off her feet.
"I wanted to surprise you! I took the whole week off." Not like he had much work to do anyway, but honestly, he wanted to spend the holiday with her.
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and smothered his face in quick kisses as he lifted her up.
"The whole week! Oh my gosh!"
She slipped out of his arms and couldn't stop grinning back up at him. "Let me grab my stuff. We can bail on the after-party. Should I jump on the shower real quick here, orrr ... We could take one together, back at my place?"
As fun as it is to shower together, she felt grody now, and if she didn't do a proper cool down then she'll be too sore to properly celebrate tomorrow.
"Mmm, gimme like thirty minutes."
She gave him a parting kiss before skating to the locker room and trying to get through everything in a hurry. She didn't even bother drying her hair and came back damp to immediately latch onto his arm.
And Gary so wasn't comfortable following her into the locker room. Nope. He was still shy when it came to anyone besides her.
A kiss pressed to her cheek. "Sounds cool. I'll be here, babe!" He called after her.
When she returned he was waiting, his bag at his feet, playing his switch with a determined look, until she latched onto his arm. Quitting the game as he slipped it into his hoodie and used his foot to catch the strap of his bag and kick it up to catch it.
Smiling down at her. "How's Denny's sound? We could just eat there then head to your place since it's on the way." He counter offered. "Which reminds me, I made us some reservations for tomorrow night, I hope you don't mind. Also found out there is a Loony Tunes marathons at one of the local theaters on Saturday, four hours of your favorites."
She couldn't even speak when he outlined their agenda because she was so awestruck at how thoughtful he was. Imagine, a man who paid attention to things you like! And remembered! And acted on it!
"How are you even real?" She beamed up at him and held his arm tighter. "That all sounds perfect."
Gary was grinning down her way, seeing the look on her face? That always made the commute worth it. He paid attention and enjoyed trying to do all he could to make sure she was as happy as she made him.
"Raised by a mostly single mom?" He spoke with a playful shrug. Yeah, he had a stepfather, but they were never close. "Glad to hear you like it. Dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "So, to Dennys? I am totally cool with anywhere else if your burned out on it. I saw on Henchchat that its super popular here."
"Well tell your mom I said thanks." She slid her hand down his arm until they could link fingers together. She wondered if she'd ever get to meet his mother.
She tipped her head to the side. There was a good taco place she usually hit up after derby night, but most of the other skaters would be there too. She'd rather have Gary all to herself.
"Denny's is fine. It's in a sweet spot where nobody's turf overlaps, so it doesn't get hit in the crossfire. That's why it's so popular."
"Oh no, she'd want to meet you then. I'm not opposed, but it's like BFE Arizona." The commute was hell before 24 taught him to drive. He would speed where 24 drove like the old man he was. "Then there's my step siblings, and they don't know what I do."
He never really talked much about his family, but he was clearly close to his mom. Given, she calls now and then while they are half asleep in bed, and he'd answer and talk a few minutes.
"That would explain it, well, to Dennys!" He called out playfully, turning to lead them to the door.
Unfortunately, what Harley hears and internalizes is that Gary does not want his family to meet her, and she accepts that immediately. She wraps both arms around his bicep and hugs his arm as he leads them away.
She's gonna be shocked when the holidays roll around and his mother badgers him into visiting. He would be inviting her to meet his boring midwestern family, and his childhood bedroom, still the same as it was when he left last time.
"Computer programming. Which I do on the side." He admitted as he walked with her towards the restaurant, grinning at her as he did. "Money's not always good on the Monarch crew, so I've always had a side gig." Granted, he is the whole of the Monarch crew still.
Harley frowns a little. "Yeah, okay, it would be hard to explain how I'd meet a computer programmer." So she will assume the issue of family meetings is fully off the table until proven otherwise.
Gary shook his head some. "Let's be real, babe, they probably know. At least mom. I used to come home in uniform after I went home from the kidnapping." She probably knew, but just lets him lie. "Besides, you're Harley Quinn, I could have met you anywhere, and you did help me with getting past my bud's death. I wouldn't ever deny you, even before we got together."
He scratched his scruffy cheek then. "Besides, she's seen our pictures online." He did have an instagram.
Gary didn't even notice the terror, he just made an amused noise when she asked the question. Reaching into his jacket pocket and swiping his phone unlocked to hold it over to her, a picture on Instagram from one of their dates of her laughing leaning against him. No tits out.
Her boyfriend was too much of a boy scout to share nudes she gave him. Those were his. "I have a few on here, the selfies we took on our dates, babe. You can look if you want." Clearly not even phased, holding his whole life over to her. His phone was basically part of him. But, he had cleaned the porn off since he started dating her, outside of said nudes which were in a locked folder.
Oh. Oh. Okay, yes, that's fine. She scrolls through the photos with a growing smile, then holds it out to take a new couples selfie with him. #ValentinesBae
"You know I love Valentines Day, and I love that you're going all out to make it nice for me, but it's your birthday too. What do you want?"
Leaning in to some of them to grin a bit. Clearly looking happy as can be in those pictures, because he is.
"I already have what I want, Harley!" He spoke as cheesy as can be. "I'm going to eat with the coolest, girlfriend any guy could ask for. And, then we can go to your place and see where the night takes us. I'm yours for the next few days."
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She didn't realize Gary was there to surprise her until after the match was wrapping up and the players headed to the locker rooms. As soon as she clocked him she shrieked in delight and careened toward him, sweaty and bruised and an absolute mess.
"Gare-bear! I thought you wouldn't be here until tomorrow!"
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When she clocked him and shrieked, he moved down through the crowd to try to get down to a spot they could meet. He didn't care that she was sweaty, bruised and a hot mess. She was his hot mess. Pulling her into a hug as soon as he could to lift her off her feet.
"I wanted to surprise you! I took the whole week off." Not like he had much work to do anyway, but honestly, he wanted to spend the holiday with her.
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"The whole week! Oh my gosh!"
She slipped out of his arms and couldn't stop grinning back up at him. "Let me grab my stuff. We can bail on the after-party. Should I jump on the shower real quick here, orrr ... We could take one together, back at my place?"
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"Yeah, I thought that would be nice for us." He admitted, Gary was excited for a week in Gotham with Harley.
"If you want, we can go, or we can stay. I'm cool either way, I'm on your time, babe. Whatever, and wherever you want to go."
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"Mmm, gimme like thirty minutes."
She gave him a parting kiss before skating to the locker room and trying to get through everything in a hurry. She didn't even bother drying her hair and came back damp to immediately latch onto his arm.
"What do you want to pick up for dinner?"
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A kiss pressed to her cheek. "Sounds cool. I'll be here, babe!" He called after her.
When she returned he was waiting, his bag at his feet, playing his switch with a determined look, until she latched onto his arm. Quitting the game as he slipped it into his hoodie and used his foot to catch the strap of his bag and kick it up to catch it.
Smiling down at her. "How's Denny's sound? We could just eat there then head to your place since it's on the way." He counter offered. "Which reminds me, I made us some reservations for tomorrow night, I hope you don't mind. Also found out there is a Loony Tunes marathons at one of the local theaters on Saturday, four hours of your favorites."
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"How are you even real?" She beamed up at him and held his arm tighter. "That all sounds perfect."
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"Raised by a mostly single mom?" He spoke with a playful shrug. Yeah, he had a stepfather, but they were never close. "Glad to hear you like it. Dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "So, to Dennys? I am totally cool with anywhere else if your burned out on it. I saw on Henchchat that its super popular here."
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She tipped her head to the side. There was a good taco place she usually hit up after derby night, but most of the other skaters would be there too. She'd rather have Gary all to herself.
"Denny's is fine. It's in a sweet spot where nobody's turf overlaps, so it doesn't get hit in the crossfire. That's why it's so popular."
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He never really talked much about his family, but he was clearly close to his mom. Given, she calls now and then while they are half asleep in bed, and he'd answer and talk a few minutes.
"That would explain it, well, to Dennys!" He called out playfully, turning to lead them to the door.
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"What do they think you do?"
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"Computer programming. Which I do on the side." He admitted as he walked with her towards the restaurant, grinning at her as he did. "Money's not always good on the Monarch crew, so I've always had a side gig." Granted, he is the whole of the Monarch crew still.
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He scratched his scruffy cheek then. "Besides, she's seen our pictures online." He did have an instagram.
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"Which pictures?"
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Her boyfriend was too much of a boy scout to share nudes she gave him. Those were his. "I have a few on here, the selfies we took on our dates, babe. You can look if you want." Clearly not even phased, holding his whole life over to her. His phone was basically part of him. But, he had cleaned the porn off since he started dating her, outside of said nudes which were in a locked folder.
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"You know I love Valentines Day, and I love that you're going all out to make it nice for me, but it's your birthday too. What do you want?"
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"I already have what I want, Harley!" He spoke as cheesy as can be. "I'm going to eat with the coolest, girlfriend any guy could ask for. And, then we can go to your place and see where the night takes us. I'm yours for the next few days."
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She slides her arms around him and slips his phone into his back pocket.
"Let me give you a present. Tell me what you want."
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"Yes! Do you want matching ones? Should we go to a place or DIY?"
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"Oh, defintely a shop, babe. I am a terrible artist. Do you know one around here?"