don't stand so close to me

[attending_physician]

In a perfect world, Harleen would have already gone home, but since she's living here, she's been stuck in a never-ending staff meeting for the last two hours.

She scrubs a hand over her face, shuffling toward her office. There's paperwork she needs to get caught up on, but right now all she wants is to get her purse and go home. Go home and have a strong drink. Yeah, that sounds good. The paperwork will still be there tomorrow.

If she were less exhausted, she might notice that her office isn't locked anymore. As it is, she turns the knob and opens the door.

Comments

[attending_physician]

"I know.

But people change their minds about things all the time."

Taking too much for granted doesn't pay in her line of work.

Just look at Larson.

"You gonna finish that thought?"

[manofmyword]

"Mm."

He stops; turns; smiles. Beckons.

"C'mere."

[attending_physician]

Harleen eyes the gap between them.




"Why?"

[manofmyword]

"I wanna show you something," he says, blinking innocently and turning up empty palms.

[attending_physician]

Like it's the first time she's heard that line before.

She takes one step closer to him and folds her arms.

[manofmyword]

He laughs, shakes his head, beckons again.

"No, not like that, c'mon."

[attending_physician]

Fuck it. It's late and she's really fucking tired.


The next step she takes is almost comically large; it's also enough to put her right inside his personal space.

"Now what?"

[manofmyword]

His hands settle onto her shoulders; he squeezes, then lets go.

"That," he says.

That he really doesn't want to kill her; that he's not magical, not the Devil come to life, that he can touch her without the world ending.

"Now c'mon, let's get me tucked in before somebody notices I'm gone and gets all upset. Mm?" He offers her a hand.

[attending_physician]

She can't help jumping when he touches her.

(Doctor-patient contact is discouraged, for the safety of both parties.

She tells herself that it's just her adherence to the rules that makes this awkward and nothing to do with who he is or anything he's ever said.)


She looks down at his hand like it's a grenade about to go off.

"Yeah, fine.

Okay."

She takes his hand.

[manofmyword]

He smiles again, brightly, and turns back down the hall.

Somehow they make it all the way to his cell, holding hands like strolling schoolgirls, without getting caught. The Joker breaks back into his cell and then, cheerful as you please, hands over the bent paperclip he used to do it.

The paperclip is from her office. However he got out in the first place, it wasn't like that.

"G'night, hon," he murmurs, and steps inside.

[attending_physician]

"Good night."

Harleen shuts the door after him, checks the locks three times.

She twirls the paperclip between her fingers all the way back to her office.