Kylo + Quinn: Book 1: Trauma Bound - Chapter 1: The Last Harlequin

Ch. 1.12 - Hold Up

--Psst...60fps again. *That means it's in slow-mo btw.*--

(🎵"Hold Up" by Beyonce starts.)

A door opens and a flood of water rushes out all around Harley as she struts out in her caution tape jacket, customized punky jean shorts and a crop top with "Harley" printed all over it.

In reality, she awakens in a bacta tank and gasps for air as she brings her head out of the cold water. Flashes of her acid baptism flicker around her as the water rushes down her face and gaping mouth. She looks up toward the figure standing over her, shadowed by the blinding lights of the bathroom. The shape of The Joker flashes like a rapid shudder in the light and dissipates. Hux states abruptly, "There. That solves that." He dusts off from his Harley dunking, and straightens, "Now get cleaned up, you have a briefing in an hour." She shakes her head as his guards pull her out of the tank.

She turns, now facing herself in her shattered vanity. She puts on messy pink and blue eyeshadow. Various reflections of herself stop applying and point a finger at her, all singing, "Hold up, they don't love you like I love you. Slow down, they don't love you like I love you." She hums along as she puts on her bright red lipstick, completing her look.

(🎵Can't you see there's no other man above you?
What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you.🎵)

She turns and skips into her bedroom kicking at the clothes still strewn across the floor. Kylo's gloves he left behind go flying across the room.

(🎵"Something don't feel right because it ain't right
Especially comin' up after midnight."🎵)

She takes a hundred dollar bill out of Beaver's mouth and inspects it in the light. Nodding at her to finalize the deal. A new bet made and won already.

(🎵"I smell your secrets, and I'm not too perfect
To ever feel this worthless"🎵)

She grabs her bat and arms the light, grinning at the cracked dresser as she slashes through it to get to her clothes.

(🎵 "I don't wanna lose my pride, but I'ma fuck me up a bitch." 🎵)

She holds up one of the empire nightgowns now split in half and tosses it behind her with a shrug.

(🎵 "Know that I kept it sexy, you know I kept it fun.
There's something that I'm missing? Maybe my head for one." 🎵)

She pulls on her caution jacket and dusts it off. Completing her look from her vision of her leaving the flooded doors.

She skips out the room to a waiting Finn and kisses his helmet, leaving a big red smooch mark on it.

"How long was I out for?" She asks Finn, arms still wrapped around his head, buffing out a smudge on his armour. "Only...48 hours," he says quietly, not wanting to break the news. Harley exclaims, "Christ, we got shit to do!"

(🎵 "What's worst, lookin' jealous or crazy? Jealous or crazy?" 🎵)

They turn and they start walking down the hallway in slow motion, bat disarmed and resting behind her shoulder confidently.

They pass some storm troopers who point, talking about her impressive training session in reenactment gestures. They turn their heads as they pass. She beams, feeling her radiance.

(🎵 "Or like being walked all over lately, walked all over lately.
I'd rather be crazy." 🎵)

Another trooper ahead elbows a friend and points at the kiss on Finn's mask and hoots. Harley spins with a flashy slow-mo caution tape twirl, and swings her bat across the back of his head. Knocking him the ground as they pass. She grins and licks her teeth as she struts past another trooper who backs into a nearby room.