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[mahem]

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[mahem]

the tumy-whatever it's called?

sounded like people were saying it comes around once a year
so i guess we got more to look forward to if we're all still here by then
why?

[redrighthanded]

great

whatever it's doing has been making me do things
the kinda things I don't do normally
and I couldn't say no
like I didn't even want to say no

guess I don't know how to deal with that

[mahem]

and you feel weird about it?

i guess the thing is we're all dealing with shit like that here
you're not alone
whatever influence they throw at us
and people who know you know YOU
and wouldn't hold it against you either

[redrighthanded]

sure

I guess I'm worried because the guys who usually want to use their influence on me want to do it because they want some dangerous stuff to happen

world ending kinda dangerous stuff

and I've always depended on being able to say no
being able to fight it off

[mahem]

so you'd been through something like that at home is what you're saying

considering big picture i feel like world-ending stuff isn't even remotely on their radar
but maybe studying how we react to everything they throw at us tells them something
not that i could even tell you what they really want from us with all this

[redrighthanded]

I guess

hey anyone ever tell you that you're good at this

[mahem]

what
texting?

[ she's teasing a little on purpose. ]

[redrighthanded]

yeah

that and knowing what to say

[mahem]

look i get being freaked out by all of it
or not liking being in control of yourself
i know what that feels like

but even if it seems like you're the only one going through it
we're kind of all in it in different ways yknow?

[redrighthanded]

yeah, I know how that goes
we've got to look out for each other

[mahem]

something like that
makes it a little less overwhelming

[redrighthanded]

yeah

thanks

I'll let you get to sleep now

[mahem]

well you know what would make it extra perfect
a big warm blanket

[redrighthanded]

it would?

maybe I should bring you one

[mahem]

you gonna read me a bedtime story?
tuck me in?

[redrighthanded]

will that help you sleep?

[mahem]

might just put me to sleep like a little baby

[redrighthanded]

good

I'll be there in a little while

[mahem]

i'll tell em to let you right on up

[redrighthanded]

[ As it turns out, getting to the Up is easier with practice. This time Hellboy barely even glances at the SIN guards and thankfully they decline to question him on why he's unaccompanied so late at night, and he makes decent time to Harley's apartment building, letting himself admire the glitter and hum of this part of the city at night.

The click of his hooves muffled by the fancy carpet, he arrives outside her door and knocks carefully, not knowing who else he might be waking up. ]

[mahem]

[ it's definitely a very mature hour, so mature it could probably get into an r-rated movie all by itself, but the harley who answers the door isn't the harley he's probably used to seeing, even if she's still wearing bright colors. no, this harley looks... softer, blonde hair freed from its pigtails and her face scrubbed clean of any makeup, lips an almost-bloodless shade without her trademark red.

paired with her off-the-shoulder sweatshirt and a pair of rainbow leggings, she either looks like she's on her way to a dance class or ready for some hardcore snuggling, but she leans against the ajar door and grins sideways up at him. ]

Ya know, I almost didn't think you'd show.

[redrighthanded]

[ He doesn't bother hiding the smile that crooks up the side of his mouth, either because of her grin or her outfit, though he makes a show of looking a little offended at her accusation. ]

Hey, I'm a man of my word. Didn't want you to end up sleepless on my behalf. And.. [ He reaches into one of the big pockets of his coat, pulling out something loosely wrapped in wax paper which turns out, when he shows Harley, to be a thick beef bone. ] I got something for Bruce.

[mahem]

Well, you're just spoilin' both of us then, aren't you? [ she has to get enough momentum in order to rocket herself up onto her tiptoes so she can reach his cheek in order to deposit a kiss there, a quick peck before she sinks back down onto her heels and carefully takes the package from him. ]

We can surprise him with this in the mornin', he's totally passed out right now and I like to let him get his z's in. [ because a tired hyena is a cranky hyena, to no one's surprise, and sure enough, if hellboy happens to look over at the living room sofa there's a furry body splayed out on it snoring almost as loud as a person would, occasionally making little barking noises in his sleep. harley glances back over her shoulder at him, clucking her tongue once. ] Isn't he the most precious thing you've ever seen?

[redrighthanded]

[ Hellboy's grin spreads in the wake of that kiss, bordering, a tiny bit, on being goofy for while she's occupied with taking the gift from him before he pulls his composure back. He follows her look into the living room, expression softening again at the sight of Bruce sprawled out like that. The hyena isn't anything like Mac, the dog that's almost seventy years behind him now, but he's got a soft spot for animals that the passage of time hasn't managed to erode yet. ]

Yeah, he's pretty far up there. [ He glances back at Harley. ] Didn't pull you out of bed did I?

[mahem]

Who, me? [ she's already in the process of finding a place to toss that bone — in the fridge seems like the best way to keep it fresh until bruce can chow down on it — and she glances up at him over the open door before letting it close quietly. ] Nah. I'm gonna be the one pullin' you in in a minute.

[ because she reaches out to slip her right hand into his left one, giving it a small tug to lead him down the hallway to the last door on the end, a smile clinging to her lips. ] Might be a little bigger than what you're used to sleepin' in down there, but —

[ that might be an understatement; the bed in the room is obscenely large, enough to sleep at least ten people let alone two, and there might be a few articles of clothing haphazardly tossed at the foot of it, but she slips free of him to bound toward it and hoists herself up, spinning around to flop onto her back with her arms outstretched. ] Mmmm. Like layin' on a cloud.