Jokers Daughter Imagine: Harley’s Dance
Request: (anon) Ok so do you know defying gravity? They're like a dancing team I guess?? And they glow in the dark lol but Idk but maybe could u write something where js daughter is a part of them and she kinda hides it bc she doesn't let them know she likes dancing but him and Harley show up at one of her shows
One two three.... one two three.... you kept track of your steps as you ran through the routine again and again. It was nothing you hadn’t done before, except this was going to be your first live show. Meeting the team, joining, practicing that was all done and down. But showing the world was its own animal. Part of you was excited and could feel the adrenaline rushing through your veins, but the other part was nervous out of your mind. It wasn’t about being confident in your skills, you had loved dancing your whole life and knew you could do this. It was that the two people who you felt closest to didn’t know. It wasn’t that you didn’t trust them, it was just that you knew it wasn’t what they wanted...
“She doesn’t trust us Puddin.” Harley said pacing back and forth in the living room hearing something going on in their daughters room.
“Don’t act crazy Harls... well more than you already are that it.” Joker cackled watching his queen panicking.
“She’s been hiding something from us, can’t you see it? She doesn’t have the same enthusiasm she did. When’s the last time she looked like she enjoyed a heist? a murder? Those are our favorite family past times puddin....” Harley’s bottom lip quivered and Joker knew she was serious.
He threw back the rest of his remaining scotch and walked over to her. He twirled her pink pigtail in between his fingers. He had a softened look in his eye that Harley only recognized after they got away from Batman. A look that told her Joker was completely relaxed. “Maybe for us but not her” he stated arrogantly.
“All tight Puddin, what do you know that I don’t?” Harley was beginning to go from curiosity to anger. She hated not knowing everything that went through his brain.
Joker walked away from her with a bit of skip in his step having the upper hand. “All I’m saying is...” he grabbed his glass and continued over to the bar to refill it. “Maybe our little princess...” he hesitated every time he started a new motion with his hands and poured more scotch for himself. “doesn’t want to do what we...” he turned around and put the glass up to his lips “do”. He took a sip and his blue eyes stared at Harley over the top, burning holes into her head.
Harley felt goosebumps rise all over her. That only happened when she wasn’t in control. Last time she felt them it was the day she was taken to join the squad. However she was feeling something new. A feeling only her daughter could cause her to have: worry. Since she was born, Harley and Joker raised her just as they wanted and saw fit. It was a no brainer type of thought that she was go into their line of work and enjoy what they did. Harley couldn’t lie to herself, hearing that her baby might not want to follow in her footsteps hurt. What was even more surprising was that Joker didn’t seem to have a problem with it.
“That’s it Puddin? You’re not upset by this at all?” Harley said walking upp to him with hands together over her chest like a little girl asking for candy. Her eyes were widening and she pouted her lips, she knew her man could never resist that look.
Joker teased his lips with drips of scotch trying to resist her charm, but it was no use. He decided at the least he was going to tease her before she got her way. “hmmmm okay okay okaaaaay.” he growled at her “You really want to know?” he lifted her chin up with his fingers so her lips were close to his. Harley leaned in for a kiss before he let her go and walked over to the couch and took a seat.
Harley followed him over and saw down next to him running a hand over his knee and up his leg which made him even weaker at keeping the secret. “Yes! I really want to know” she said.
Joker sighed before he began, “Well... you know our baby loves to dance” he let out in a stern voice. The switch in his tone took Harley by surprise.
“Yeah...” she treaded cautiously.
“I suspected something too” he gave her an understanding glance. “So I went peeking in her room a few days ago” he reached into his jacket and pulled out a piece of paper to hand to Harley.
She grabbed it out of his hand without hesitation and squinted to make sure she studied every inch of it. It was a flyer for a dance show. Harley looked back up at Joker in confusion. The look on her face made him chuckle softly.
“Yeah Harls, that’s exactly what I thought at first too” he finished his drink again ‘But that’s what our baby wants to do.”
“She wants to dance? I thought that was just a..”
“Past time?” Joker raised his non existent eye brows waiting for her to continue.
Harley knew she was having her own words thrown back at her. She took her hand off Jokers leg and turned going into a day dream for a moment. Joker continued talking in hopes to sway the mindset he already knew she would have on it.
“it doesn’t mean she isn’t our baby still, in fact this rebellion... if we want to call it that and the deviation is basically what we taught her right?” Joker laughed to himself.
Harley sat there thinking about losing her daughter. It was her worst fear that their baby wouldn’t understand them. That when she got older she wouldn’t want to be like her parents. She fell in love with Joker because he wasn’t afraid to be who he was and who he wanted, he was everything Harley wanted to run to and escape the world. She wanted their daughter to feel the same. Joker saw Harley’s eyes slipping more and more into a dream world and stroked her arm to snap her out of it.
“What if she leaves us?” she blurted out at Joker, switching looks in an instant, eyes now hungry for a response.
Joker stared for a moment, thinking of something to say to convince her just as much as he was still trying to convince himself that this was right.
“Stealing cash and killing some people doesn’t make us who we are” he said feeling the tension leave his chest and Harley’s arm “If we don’t want her to leave us then we do what we have been doing.” Joker let go of her arm and grabbed the pamphlet from her.
“How have you been able to accept this so fast?” Harley asked fighting back some tears brewing.
Joker let out a soft growl “i just want to see her smile” he said genuinely before leaning in and kissing his queen.
You stood in front of your mirror looking at your costume for the show one last time. A voice in your head was telling you to walk out just like that, to tell them the truth, but you ignored it and threw your trench coat over yourself and walked out of your bedroom. You smiled when you saw your parents making out on the couch like a couple of teenagers. You fake coughed to get their attention.
Joker crumbled the pamphlet in his hand so you wouldn’t see him holding it and him and Harley bounced away from each other.
“I’m going over to a friends place, be back by curfew” you said.
Harley went to say something but Joker placed his hand on hers fast, “okay princess, we’ll see you later” the ease in his voice made you raise a brow.
Usually your father wanted to know where who and why before he let you out of his sight. You brushed it off because you had to stay focused on the dance. You grabbed the keys and walked out the door.
Harley turned to Joker with a smirk on her face, “So what time is the show?”
Joker smoothed out the paper in his hands until he could see a time “9 o’clock”
“We better get going then.” Harley’s smirk changed into a full smile.
As you walked out onto the stage it felt like everything was in slow motion. The lights were shining down on you making you sweat and the crowd was cheering so loud you thought your ear drums would give out. You tried to steady your breathing but instead of excitement you couldn’t help but be filled with regret. You knew your nerves would be better if your parents were here. It was fine practicing in a studio without them but now being on stage you felt an emptiness. One of your team mates put a hand on your shoulder to make sure you were all right. You lied through your teeth at them and began to run the dance moves in your head again. The music started and you and the rest of them nailed each step perfectly. It wasn’t giving you the satisfaction that you expected however. It was like you were numb performing. You scanned the crowd seeing everyones smiling faces and wishing you could match them.
One two three... one two three... you got each move and could tell the show was going well. As the break came and you posed you looked out to the crowd again and instantly got a rush of blood to the head. You saw pale faces staring right back at you. You looked around to see if anyone else was noticing but they were too busy basking in the crowds cheers. You shook your head o make sure you weren’t hallucinating and the faces only became clearer. Only a few hours ago the thought of your parents here made you nervous, then you longed for them, now there they sat. The curtain began to close for intermission and you raced off stage through the back to try and get to them. You followed the gasps of people and knew they’d be near all the commotion.
When you turned the corner there they stood. Your father was in his best tuxedo and your mother in a long embroidered pink gown. In both their hands was a giant bouquet of purple roses that took the both of them to carry.
“I hope we didn’t over dress.” your father teased you with a giant smile. He opened up his arms and you felt tears of joy starting to fall as you ran into them, the roses dropping at his feet.
“Wh... what are you guys doing here?” you said
“Oh c’mon princess. You think you can keep a secret from me?” Joker whispered in your ear sending relaxing chills down your back.
Harley stood back watching Joker accepting their daughters new found love. She was still hesitant, worried that this meant they were growing apart. She wanted to pick her daughter up like when she was little and put her in the purple lamborghini and drive off in the night laughing. She wanted to grab her bazooka and go blow something up while her daughter laughed and clapped for her. She couldn’t help but smile as she saw Joker spin their girl around. She was as happy as she could be and eye lit up like the stars. The same look she saw in Jokers eyes when she first met him in Arkham. It seemed crazy to her, but then again that’s what gave her family the charm, but that’s when harley got the confidence and knew her baby hadn’t changed.
Harley picked up a rose from the litter on the ground and walked it over to you. You saw the rare softness in her eyes and accepted it. Her emotions and every fiber of her being was doing a dance in her just like she had seen her daughter moments ago. It was exhilarating to see, Harley now understood the intoxication her daughter must have been drawn to.
“Mommy... are you sure this is okay?” you asked her and she placed both her hands on either side of your face to wipe away the wetness from the tears. She shot Joker a glance and he looked drunk from love. Your mother let out a giggle and you couldn’t help but do the same.
“I just want to see you smile.”
