We're all rotten, buried and forgotten,

Living it up underground

That look of careful consideration met her own confident gaze as she waited near impatiently for the man to give in to let her help him. Surely he needed the money for something else. Sterling had barely finished the words and she had already agreed to them, a little wicked grin finding the corners of her lips. Okay, maybe she was just a little too eager. "You got it. Besides, how much did you spend on this sh...thing?" That would surely reveal what kind of state she was dealing with, with mister Sterling. If he over spent on this gizmo than surely he was far worse condition than even she could believe.

But damn, the challenge of going after the gypsy woman was something she so willingly accepted almost too eagerly, she was positive the distraction for both parties would be a welcomed one. Plus, with that scalpel-sharp tongue she was confident in those uncanny abilities the raven haired spitfire possessed. She welcomed the challenge of a wayward gypsy soul. "Esmerelda better have her wallet ready." She threatens. He may have been hopeless but she sure as hell wasn't and she would happily have enough confidence for the both of them.

There are those rare moments when even the woman with the steel enforced walls placed firmly around her became permeated. Not that she would dare admit it out loud. But for but a split moment she let those cracks show in that once sturdy foundation. Where would he go? He had a perfectly decent apartment, sure it needed some major pruning and he would have a damn tough time trying to get his deposit back in this state. "I don't know, you would be surprised there is a whole world out there. Sometimes anywhere is better than here." Sometimes people just needed to get away and judging by the looks of him he appeared on the cusp of some kind of breaking point. What had happened to him? She nodded as if in affirmation. "Good so its settled. I guess you're stuck with me." It appeared like they both needed it.

Seeing Ace remember the man they had once spent quite a time with filled her heart with a warmness that could not be ignored or passed off for heartburn. She mentally snapped a mental picture of this within mind. If these were Ace's last few months she wanted all the memories she could cling to. A warm but almost sad smile found its way to her lips, watching the two interact. It was that moment she wanted to cling to her partner crime like the giant black dog were a teddy bear and she were a kid convinced he was her bestest friend in the whole world. Of course, some of the sentiment was entirely true but she fights that urge to give into such an embarrassing scene. Those intriguing violet eyes watch Sterling melt further into the apartment, more like hobbled there. The man surely walked with some kind of unpleasant injury. She would have to ask him about it, but for now she all but blurts an inquiry about the jungle growing in his apartment. It was like the man was in the middle of playing a game of Jumanji! But even she knew the ridiculousness that thought that fleetingly befell her ever active mind.

It smelled humid and plant-like within the apartment, stinking much more akin to a jungle rather than a city dwelling. It was amusing to say the least and it was a nice change of scenery. Especially with most exotic thing in her apartment was that Felix the cat clock that moved with those suspiciously shifty eyes and swaying tail in her kitchen.

No, it didn't truly worry her that Sterling was a warlock, nor the powers the man possessed. He didn't seem to have a bad bone in his broken body. Just because he had epic magical abilities didn't mean he would suddenly become a monster. Although, power certainly did a have a way of corrupting what was once pure and good. She knew this truth all too well.

Regardless, it was nice to hear that chuckle slip from his lips. It was a sound that shattered his dismal gloomy disposition, at least for a moment. "Good, being a human in this cluster fuck of city is risky business." They either wanted to eat you, fuck you, sacrifice you, or take all your money. Hey, at least it was home.

The feisty woman asked him if he could still blow stuff up with his fire, she was certainly envious of that. She remembered those memories in that junk yard fondly. Harley knew she missed Sterling but hadn't realised just how much. "Hell yes!" She exclaimed. "So if you can practically obliterate anything in your path, what happened to you? Your walking like your leg went through a meat grinder." She couldn't bear to keep in in any longer and now that preliminaries were spoken, she simply had to know. Maybe somehow, it would give some insight as to what happened to make him so.. so.. Sad? Maybe he would be more willing to talk now that she made him crack a grin or two and even coaxed a decent laugh out of him. Everyone had a story and with all the time that had passed for both of them, nothing would surprise the raven haired woman anymore.

Harley asked him what he could do with his plants and that common suspicious look she garnered was all but ignored. "Well don't you worry, I am sure we can figure it out." That satisfied grin widened as she was struck with far too many ideas at once. He claimed he wanted to keep it low key but that does not deter her. "Fiinnne" She groaned but did not accept defeat. "We will stay in and make our own fun.." She paused as if contemplating something devious, trying her best to look innocent and failed. The idea she purposed seemed innocent enough. "What if we made a potion to help Ace feel better so he can come with us tomorrow and intimidate Esmerelda?" Even she knew the intimidation factor of her canine companion in his younger years. He surely knew how to put on a show. Hell, he even saved her ass a few times. Well, let's be honest, it was actually more times than she could count.

Harlequin Ray Westward