Memories Of Innovation

Hi, my name is… not really important ((conflicted toxic old man yaoi))

[harleith-harlot]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Poppy Playtime (Video Game) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Leith Pierre/Harley Sawyer Characters: Leith Pierre, Harley Sawyer Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, up to the end of chapter 4 at least, I’m sure chapter 5 will change everything, Canonical Character Death, Angst, Post-Canon, post chapter 4, Description of removed organs, Probably ooc Summary:

Leith Pierre receives a package on August 14, 2005

Keep reading

[innovationhasnomercy]

Leith comes up behind Harley, wrapping his arm around his shaking form. Unlike earlier, this instability seems more serious than a loss of balance.

"You need to sleep, darling." He strokes Harley's hair gently. "I can watch the cameras and wake you if there's an issue, I promise."

@yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind

Harley practically jolts out of his skin when Leith's arm snake around him. His breathing having picked up significantly. His heart hammering in his chest in near disbelief that Leith of all people managed to sneak up on him. He attempts to compose himself even though he's barely holding himself together. He's not even entirely sure Leith is there with the things he's been hearing and seeing.

"I'm fine. I don't need your coddling Leith." He's swaying even now in Leith's hold. Trying to distract Leith from his paranoia spiral is going to be difficult. "There's things I... I need to do. Things that can't wait." If only he could remember what they were. It's getting increasingly hard to keep his eyes open, especially with the way Leith's hand runs through his hair. That reassuring tone of voice.

When was the last time Leith spoke to him like this? He can't recall. However memories seem fuzzy, like digging through molasses. Trying to recall anything is nearly impossible.

If he is hallucinating, he shouldn't be indulging it. Would only make things worse in the long run. But the voice is comforting, and he finds himself wanting to hear it more.

"Besides why should I trust you with my safety?" It comes out haraher than he intends but if this isn't real he won't care to correct it.

[Human Again: 104/115]

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“You won’t be able to make any meaningful progress if you’re half asleep, how many times have I told you this?” He begins leading Harley over to the pile of blankets and pillows in the corner.

It hurts hearing how little Harley trusts him, but he supposes that distrust is not without basis. “If anything life threatening comes around I’ll be in as much danger as you, won’t I? I’ll need to wake the big strong Doctor to protect me.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

As he's forced to start moving, he stumbles regardless of the care Leith may put in to prevent it. "I'd estimate somewhere in the two hundreds at the very least..." He mutters while rolling his eyes. Of course Leith is right but he'd rather collapse on the spot than admit it. "I could go without the lecture right n—" He's cut short by a yawn, covering his mouth. God he's exhausted, barely even standing.

Leith's comment however has him muttering under his breath again, something about if he is even real. Which is... concerning at worst.

"Yes yes whatever. I don't need an escort either."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“If I wasn’t real, why would I be here? I thought you tried to ignore the thought of me as much as possible,” Leith teases.

But this is going to end with Sawyer on the floor with his tired he is, so Leith bends and picks him up, carrying him the rest of the way to the corner.

Leith plops Harley down, gathering some extra blankets to pull over him. “The sooner you’re asleep the sooner you’ll wake up. You’re welcome.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

"Doesn't mean you don't bother m—!" Harley makes the most undignified squeak when he's lifted up and his hands scrabble to wrap around his neck. "Drop me and you're a dead man Leith."

"... You know this isn't going to work right?" Harley says as Leith pulls over some of the blankets onto him. That nawing sense of wrong still tugging at the edges of his mind despite how comfortable the arrangement is. "If it was this easy don't you think I would have done so already?" Another yawn leaves him then as he props himself up on his elbows. "And it's not like you could stop me from going back to work regardless."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“I’ve heard that promise before,” Leith smiles.

He goes to grab the portable security console Harley has. “I can absolutely stop you, Harley.” He returns to the corner, pushing Harley back onto his back and planting himself firmly down on his chest. “Now shut your pretty mouth and sleep. I’ll watch your computers.” I trust you won’t burn this place down in my absence. He’ll do his best. Better than that. He won’t let Harley down.

[innovationhasnomercy]

It's unfortunate timing for Harley, really it is. He was already attempting to prove his point before he's shoved back down. The audacity of this man!

He sighed, drapping his arm over his face. "This isn't going to work. You're just wasting both our time." He shifts a bit under the man in an attempt to get comfortable with being literally sat on. Mutters something about being worse than his cats which sounds an awful lot like not sleeping.

"There's so much I could be doing right now."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Time spent with you isn’t a waste. “You could be sleeping right now” Leith laughs, pulling the tablet away from his face to see Harley’s dramatics. He rolls off of Harley, instead keeping his leg wrapped around him to try to keep him in place. He runs a hand soothingly through his hair, the other hand catching Harley’s where it lies draped over his face. “Do you want me to sing you a lullaby?” Leith whispers into his ear, smile audible.

[innovationhasnomercy]

There's a visible moment where Harley's body relaxes somewhere between when Leith's hand pulls through his hair and when their hands lock together. A deep exhale as his hand lightly squeezes Leith's. The tension he held easing down. A small change, no doubt. But one all the same.

It might be the sleep deprivation, it might be something else. But Harley smiles with Leith's whispered words. "Can you even sing? I don't think I've heard you sing before." His voice is hushed as well, almost not wanting to disturb the atmosphere between them.

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“My shower’s never complained,” he responds, squeezing Harley’s hand. He takes a moment to nuzzle his nose into the hair just above Harley’s ear before beginning to sing quietly.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray.” Here he pauses and presses his mouth to Harley’s hair as well, muffling his words, though they both know the lyrics. “You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.”

His voice isn’t anything special; he clearly has never had any vocal training, nor is he completely tone deaf. But something about the performance seems heartfelt.

[innovationhasnomercy]

Something about it all makes his heart flutter in a way he knows isn't medical. He can feel the heat in his face, burning beneath the skin. The way the latter half is mumbled into his hair seems to reverberate inside his skull.

Three little words.

Three dangerous words.

Never spoken to him. Not by Leith Pierre no.

The near reverence behind them is enough to make him dizzy. Leave his mouth dry. To make him want something he can not have.

"You... are the most foolish man I've ever met, Leith Pierre." He manages out after a long silence, squeezing Leith's hand in kind. "So intelligent yet so... human. I thought I hated that.

You could have picked anything else, yet that one?" There's no heat to his voice, no. No worse than that, it's almost adoration.

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“It was the first song I thought of” Leith chuckles. He hadn’t noticed how dark his world had become until he had realized what his sunshine had been.

Who would have thought that a light would disappear once you lock it away?

Leith gently toys with Harley’s fingers, reveling in the feel of them, being able to touch them. “Human, huh?” Harley had always hated humanity, especially his own, but he was so angry when Leith had taken it from him. “You’ve always known this about me.” He wouldn’t have made his contingency plan if he hadn’t. He sighs, then presses a kiss to Harley’s head. “Go to sleep, sunshine.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

Leith walks into the lab, rummaging through the bag he’s carrying.

“Hey, Doctor. I figured you might be bored down here with nothing new to read so I brought ya some of those scientific journals you like and a spacey fiction boo- oh you’re….“ he trails off when he finally looks up and sees Harley, human again and dressed… differently.

It’s like seeing a vision of something he could have had, if things had been different.

But they are different…

“You look well,” he finishes lamely, brain caught on how nice a color Harley’s sweater is on him.

@yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind

Harley jolts hearing Leith's voice, turning around in his chair to face the man quickly whatever he'd been working on quickly abandoned.

There he's sat in a snug fitting burgundy sweater and dark black jeans. The outfit is flattering to his body really. Hugs just the right places. And it's oddly... domestic. His hair is up in a very sloppy bun, a pen shoved haphazardly through it to keep it up and off his neck. There's a few array strands that had fallen into his face. Clearly it seems like he wasn't expecting any visitors today.

"What... brings you down here?" Surprise is evident in his voice. The fact that Leith even bothered to show up has his brain short circuiting himself. He takes off his glasses, cleaning them before putting them back on. As if trying to assure himself Leith is actually here.

Harley clears his throat then. "Are they newer journals? I've been itching to see what's changed since I've been down here."

[Human Again: 6/10]

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Leith bites his lip as his gaze drifts upwards. Something about the casual messiness of Harley’s hair is melting all the thoughts in his brain. He wants to pull the pencil out and watch his hair spill down around him. He wants to throw him on a bed and do… anything, everything with him.

“Because it’s… Why wouldn’t I… when have I needed a reason to visit you?” The responses Sawyer could give to this question are probably numerous, but Leith’s brain can’t currently fathom a better answer.

When Harley removes his glasses, it gives Leith a moment to collect himself, shifting awkwardly.

“Yeah, I got uh, the latest few months of issues from the biggest publishers.” At least that was what he’d asked the woman at the store for. As he begins pulling them out, he finds something unexpected. At the bottom of the bag is a box of fancy chocolate bonbons that Leith had purchased with Harley in mind, but he could have sworn he’d left that on the counter at home, thinking the Doctor wouldn’t have appreciated being reminded that he could no longer eat them…

[innovationhasnomercy]

"What else would bring you h—" Harley perks up when the journals are pulled out, eager to pour through their content. Any protest he had died on his tongue. "All lastest issues too? Every single one?" He sound genuinely excited and it's an odd thing to see. Joy and Harley Sawyer didn't seem like it would be a mix that could happen yet here it is.

He manages to get to his feet, albeit shakily, and makes his way over to Leith. He plucks one of the books from him, carefully observing the cover. His fingers trail over it, taking in the feeling under his touch. It's something so simple he'd taken for granted.

He indulges just a moment longer before the curiosity gets the better of him and he opens it to read. His focus is endearing. The knit of his brow, the way his eyes scan across the paper behind the rectangle frames of his glasses. There's a slight part to his lips as reads, "This is..." He mumbles softly, more so to himself than to Leith.

He looks back to him eventually, "And these are mine?"

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Leith reaches his arm out instinctively to help steady Harley as he comes over, gently holding him around the waist.

“I might’ve missed one if they didn’t have it, but there should be most of them yeah. And of course they’re yours. You don’t think I wanted to read all these did ya? I don’t understand half the technical jargon in there.”

Leith’s heart aches seeing how enthusiastic Harley is. Who knew the fearsome, temperamental Doctor could be this adorable? It fills Leith with hunger, wanting to see more, elicit more cute reactions.

“I can bring you a subscription to your favorite one if you want. So you can stay up to date.” He wants to say more, but his eyes have been wandering down from his face to his outfit, and wow those jeans look good. It takes all Leith’s willpower not to slide his hand down and feel how tight they are in the back. Because while that reaction would also be cute, it would no doubt make Sawyer less open to further overtures.

He thrusts the bag at him instead. “This should be good for a while though, yeah? And there’s, uh, something else in there for ya as well.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

"They'd go to waste in your care. Probably would keep them on a shelf to look nice." He says with a soft laugh more so to himself. If he notices the hand on his waist he doesn't mention it but he leans a bit onto the man for support.

"Yes." He says too quickly, "I'd like that, very much so. I can't imagine how much has changed since I've been down here. This will be enough for now, there's so much for me to catch up on..."

Once the bag is forced towards him, he cautiously takes it and peers in at its contents. All kinds of different journals and things to read and— chocolates? Some of his favorites no doubt. Likely... coincidence. It's extremely unlikely that Leith would have taken notice to a detail that small. His coffee order is far easier than his taste in sweets to remember. He pulls them out with care, glancing towards Leith for a quick fleating look before returning his attention towards the box. He spares a look inside before the faintest of smiles ghosts his lips.

"You know I'm not keen on sweets Leith. What am I going to do with all of these?" There's a softness to his voice that's foreign.

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“Well, I do love keeping my sciencey things all pretty on display.” Leith punctuates the sentence by giving Harley’s waist a squeeze. “I’m glad you like them.”

He could look at Harley’s smile all day, faint though it may be. He’s glad he bought the chocolates. When he saw them in the store he hadn’t been able to resist, knowing how much Sawyer loved them in the past, try as he did to deny his sweet tooth. He’s grateful for the opportunity to give them to him in human form.

Leith reaches out and plucks one of the chocolates from the box. “I’m sure you can indulge just this once. Here, try one,” he pushes it against Harley’s lips, a smile spreading across his own. “Say aah.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

Harley scoffs quietly with Leith's comment, rolling his eyes. The reminder not what he wanted right now. The saueeze of his hip brings his mind to the realization Leith's hand is in fact on his waist yet he can't find it in him to remove it. It can stay, for now. "Yes yes I'm sure your specimens loved that." His tone is a bit bitter but it doesn't linger long once the chocolate is presented to his lips.

His hand comes to grab Leith's wrist, a glint of black, silver, and an awfully familiar shade of blue catch the light. "My hands work just fine Leith. You don't have to treat me as though I'm delicate." He rolls his eyes but leans forward regardless, lips parting and taking the chocolate between Leith's fingers. His tongue lapping the digits before he pulls back.

A pleased hum leaves him as the now melting chocolate blooms on his tongue. His eyes shut in a moment of bliss as he indulges just as Leith suggested. It's sweet on his tongue and melting so pleasingly to a vanilla filling interior. He looks like sin incarnate while he enjoys something so simple. His tongue pokes out to lick the remaining chocolate on his lips before he speaks, "Where did you get these?"

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Leith wants to respond with something snarky, something about how Harley is a liar, and he’s welcome for such a nice treat. But how can he possibly voice any of those thoughts when his angel is tempting him so strongly to sin?

Leith swallows thickly. “Good?” His voice is slightly hoarse with desire. He clears his throat. “I got them at that shop you like downtown.” Harley’s gaze had always lingered on the storefront whenever they passed it, much like how Leith’s is lingering on the spot Harley’s tongue just was.

He pulls his captured wrist forward to bring Harley’s hand to his face. “I’m glad your hands still work. You’ve always been able to do incredible things with them.” Leith presses a kiss to Harley’s ring finger, though a puzzled look takes over his face after a moment.

Lips still pressed to skin, Leith maneuvers his own hand under his shirt to pull out the cord he keeps there. A ring hangs from it, the pair of the one Harley wears, design bolder with a green stone blinking in the light. But next to it, pressed closely together as if it can’t bear being apart, is another ring, identical to the one on the Doctor’s finger.

[innovationhasnomercy]

Harley opens his mouth to say something about the way Leith pauses but finds his voice dying in his throat. He swears his heart stops seeing those rings. Something he hasn't seen in years. Why would he...?

His thoughts stall. There's not a thing he can comprehend but those two rings. Snug against each other as if they were magnetic. He knows they aren't. Of course they aren't.

What is the point of this? Why is he showing these now? What is Leith's game with this?

He realizes he hadn't been breathing when the shaky exhale leaves him. His gaze averting then. He goes to tug his hand back but he can't dedicate to it. No. No it's like they're magnetic...

"I... I noticed. I'm.. surprised you remembered that...." His voice is barley more than a mumble, mind going down a rabbit hole of 'what's and 'why's.

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

He pulls Harley’s hand close, to compare the two blue rings. Harley was wearing it when they took him away for operation. When Leith let them, told them to take him away. He only retrieved the ring afterwards before it could accidentally be disposed of. For financial and practical purposes, of course.

Whatever miracle that brought this body of Harley’s back to Leith again somehow perfectly recreated the ring as well.

Leith removes his hand from Harley’s waist, letting his fingers linger for as long as possible, before he reaches up and removes the necklace, draping it over Harley’s head instead.

He then cups Harley’s left hand gently between his own and raises it to his forehead. “Of course I remember,” he murmurs. “I think about you every day.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

Leith comes up behind Harley, wrapping his arm around his shaking form. Unlike earlier, this instability seems more serious than a loss of balance.

"You need to sleep, darling." He strokes Harley's hair gently. "I can watch the cameras and wake you if there's an issue, I promise."

@yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind

Harley practically jolts out of his skin when Leith's arm snake around him. His breathing having picked up significantly. His heart hammering in his chest in near disbelief that Leith of all people managed to sneak up on him. He attempts to compose himself even though he's barely holding himself together. He's not even entirely sure Leith is there with the things he's been hearing and seeing.

"I'm fine. I don't need your coddling Leith." He's swaying even now in Leith's hold. Trying to distract Leith from his paranoia spiral is going to be difficult. "There's things I... I need to do. Things that can't wait." If only he could remember what they were. It's getting increasingly hard to keep his eyes open, especially with the way Leith's hand runs through his hair. That reassuring tone of voice.

When was the last time Leith spoke to him like this? He can't recall. However memories seem fuzzy, like digging through molasses. Trying to recall anything is nearly impossible.

If he is hallucinating, he shouldn't be indulging it. Would only make things worse in the long run. But the voice is comforting, and he finds himself wanting to hear it more.

"Besides why should I trust you with my safety?" It comes out haraher than he intends but if this isn't real he won't care to correct it.

[Human Again: 104/115]

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“You won’t be able to make any meaningful progress if you’re half asleep, how many times have I told you this?” He begins leading Harley over to the pile of blankets and pillows in the corner.

It hurts hearing how little Harley trusts him, but he supposes that distrust is not without basis. “If anything life threatening comes around I’ll be in as much danger as you, won’t I? I’ll need to wake the big strong Doctor to protect me.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

As he's forced to start moving, he stumbles regardless of the care Leith may put in to prevent it. "I'd estimate somewhere in the two hundreds at the very least..." He mutters while rolling his eyes. Of course Leith is right but he'd rather collapse on the spot than admit it. "I could go without the lecture right n—" He's cut short by a yawn, covering his mouth. God he's exhausted, barely even standing.

Leith's comment however has him muttering under his breath again, something about if he is even real. Which is... concerning at worst.

"Yes yes whatever. I don't need an escort either."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“If I wasn’t real, why would I be here? I thought you tried to ignore the thought of me as much as possible,” Leith teases.

But this is going to end with Sawyer on the floor with his tired he is, so Leith bends and picks him up, carrying him the rest of the way to the corner.

Leith plops Harley down, gathering some extra blankets to pull over him. “The sooner you’re asleep the sooner you’ll wake up. You’re welcome.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

"Doesn't mean you don't bother m—!" Harley makes the most undignified squeak when he's lifted up and his hands scrabble to wrap around his neck. "Drop me and you're a dead man Leith."

"... You know this isn't going to work right?" Harley says as Leith pulls over some of the blankets onto him. That nawing sense of wrong still tugging at the edges of his mind despite how comfortable the arrangement is. "If it was this easy don't you think I would have done so already?" Another yawn leaves him then as he props himself up on his elbows. "And it's not like you could stop me from going back to work regardless."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“I’ve heard that promise before,” Leith smiles.

He goes to grab the portable security console Harley has. “I can absolutely stop you, Harley.” He returns to the corner, pushing Harley back onto his back and planting himself firmly down on his chest. “Now shut your pretty mouth and sleep. I’ll watch your computers.” I trust you won’t burn this place down in my absence. He’ll do his best. Better than that. He won’t let Harley down.

[innovationhasnomercy]

It's unfortunate timing for Harley, really it is. He was already attempting to prove his point before he's shoved back down. The audacity of this man!

He sighed, drapping his arm over his face. "This isn't going to work. You're just wasting both our time." He shifts a bit under the man in an attempt to get comfortable with being literally sat on. Mutters something about being worse than his cats which sounds an awful lot like not sleeping.

"There's so much I could be doing right now."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Time spent with you isn’t a waste. “You could be sleeping right now” Leith laughs, pulling the tablet away from his face to see Harley’s dramatics. He rolls off of Harley, instead keeping his leg wrapped around him to try to keep him in place. He runs a hand soothingly through his hair, the other hand catching Harley’s where it lies draped over his face. “Do you want me to sing you a lullaby?” Leith whispers into his ear, smile audible.

[innovationhasnomercy]

There's a visible moment where Harley's body relaxes somewhere between when Leith's hand pulls through his hair and when their hands lock together. A deep exhale as his hand lightly squeezes Leith's. The tension he held easing down. A small change, no doubt. But one all the same.

It might be the sleep deprivation, it might be something else. But Harley smiles with Leith's whispered words. "Can you even sing? I don't think I've heard you sing before." His voice is hushed as well, almost not wanting to disturb the atmosphere between them.

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“My shower’s never complained,” he responds, squeezing Harley’s hand. He takes a moment to nuzzle his nose into the hair just above Harley’s ear before beginning to sing quietly.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray.” Here he pauses and presses his mouth to Harley’s hair as well, muffling his words, though they both know the lyrics. “You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.”

His voice isn’t anything special; he clearly has never had any vocal training, nor is he completely tone deaf. But something about the performance seems heartfelt.

[innovationhasnomercy]

Leith comes up behind Harley, wrapping his arm around his shaking form. Unlike earlier, this instability seems more serious than a loss of balance.

"You need to sleep, darling." He strokes Harley's hair gently. "I can watch the cameras and wake you if there's an issue, I promise."

@yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind

Harley practically jolts out of his skin when Leith's arm snake around him. His breathing having picked up significantly. His heart hammering in his chest in near disbelief that Leith of all people managed to sneak up on him. He attempts to compose himself even though he's barely holding himself together. He's not even entirely sure Leith is there with the things he's been hearing and seeing.

"I'm fine. I don't need your coddling Leith." He's swaying even now in Leith's hold. Trying to distract Leith from his paranoia spiral is going to be difficult. "There's things I... I need to do. Things that can't wait." If only he could remember what they were. It's getting increasingly hard to keep his eyes open, especially with the way Leith's hand runs through his hair. That reassuring tone of voice.

When was the last time Leith spoke to him like this? He can't recall. However memories seem fuzzy, like digging through molasses. Trying to recall anything is nearly impossible.

If he is hallucinating, he shouldn't be indulging it. Would only make things worse in the long run. But the voice is comforting, and he finds himself wanting to hear it more.

"Besides why should I trust you with my safety?" It comes out haraher than he intends but if this isn't real he won't care to correct it.

[Human Again: 104/115]

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“You won’t be able to make any meaningful progress if you’re half asleep, how many times have I told you this?” He begins leading Harley over to the pile of blankets and pillows in the corner.

It hurts hearing how little Harley trusts him, but he supposes that distrust is not without basis. “If anything life threatening comes around I’ll be in as much danger as you, won’t I? I’ll need to wake the big strong Doctor to protect me.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

As he's forced to start moving, he stumbles regardless of the care Leith may put in to prevent it. "I'd estimate somewhere in the two hundreds at the very least..." He mutters while rolling his eyes. Of course Leith is right but he'd rather collapse on the spot than admit it. "I could go without the lecture right n—" He's cut short by a yawn, covering his mouth. God he's exhausted, barely even standing.

Leith's comment however has him muttering under his breath again, something about if he is even real. Which is... concerning at worst.

"Yes yes whatever. I don't need an escort either."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“If I wasn’t real, why would I be here? I thought you tried to ignore the thought of me as much as possible,” Leith teases.

But this is going to end with Sawyer on the floor with his tired he is, so Leith bends and picks him up, carrying him the rest of the way to the corner.

Leith plops Harley down, gathering some extra blankets to pull over him. “The sooner you’re asleep the sooner you’ll wake up. You’re welcome.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

"Doesn't mean you don't bother m—!" Harley makes the most undignified squeak when he's lifted up and his hands scrabble to wrap around his neck. "Drop me and you're a dead man Leith."

"... You know this isn't going to work right?" Harley says as Leith pulls over some of the blankets onto him. That nawing sense of wrong still tugging at the edges of his mind despite how comfortable the arrangement is. "If it was this easy don't you think I would have done so already?" Another yawn leaves him then as he props himself up on his elbows. "And it's not like you could stop me from going back to work regardless."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“I’ve heard that promise before,” Leith smiles.

He goes to grab the portable security console Harley has. “I can absolutely stop you, Harley.” He returns to the corner, pushing Harley back onto his back and planting himself firmly down on his chest. “Now shut your pretty mouth and sleep. I’ll watch your computers.” I trust you won’t burn this place down in my absence. He’ll do his best. Better than that. He won’t let Harley down.

[innovationhasnomercy]

It's unfortunate timing for Harley, really it is. He was already attempting to prove his point before he's shoved back down. The audacity of this man!

He sighed, drapping his arm over his face. "This isn't going to work. You're just wasting both our time." He shifts a bit under the man in an attempt to get comfortable with being literally sat on. Mutters something about being worse than his cats which sounds an awful lot like not sleeping.

"There's so much I could be doing right now."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Time spent with you isn’t a waste. “You could be sleeping right now” Leith laughs, pulling the tablet away from his face to see Harley’s dramatics. He rolls off of Harley, instead keeping his leg wrapped around him to try to keep him in place. He runs a hand soothingly through his hair, the other hand catching Harley’s where it lies draped over his face. “Do you want me to sing you a lullaby?” Leith whispers into his ear, smile audible.

[innovationhasnomercy]

Leith comes up behind Harley, wrapping his arm around his shaking form. Unlike earlier, this instability seems more serious than a loss of balance.

"You need to sleep, darling." He strokes Harley's hair gently. "I can watch the cameras and wake you if there's an issue, I promise."

@yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind

Harley practically jolts out of his skin when Leith's arm snake around him. His breathing having picked up significantly. His heart hammering in his chest in near disbelief that Leith of all people managed to sneak up on him. He attempts to compose himself even though he's barely holding himself together. He's not even entirely sure Leith is there with the things he's been hearing and seeing.

"I'm fine. I don't need your coddling Leith." He's swaying even now in Leith's hold. Trying to distract Leith from his paranoia spiral is going to be difficult. "There's things I... I need to do. Things that can't wait." If only he could remember what they were. It's getting increasingly hard to keep his eyes open, especially with the way Leith's hand runs through his hair. That reassuring tone of voice.

When was the last time Leith spoke to him like this? He can't recall. However memories seem fuzzy, like digging through molasses. Trying to recall anything is nearly impossible.

If he is hallucinating, he shouldn't be indulging it. Would only make things worse in the long run. But the voice is comforting, and he finds himself wanting to hear it more.

"Besides why should I trust you with my safety?" It comes out haraher than he intends but if this isn't real he won't care to correct it.

[Human Again: 104/115]

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“You won’t be able to make any meaningful progress if you’re half asleep, how many times have I told you this?” He begins leading Harley over to the pile of blankets and pillows in the corner.

It hurts hearing how little Harley trusts him, but he supposes that distrust is not without basis. “If anything life threatening comes around I’ll be in as much danger as you, won’t I? I’ll need to wake the big strong Doctor to protect me.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

As he's forced to start moving, he stumbles regardless of the care Leith may put in to prevent it. "I'd estimate somewhere in the two hundreds at the very least..." He mutters while rolling his eyes. Of course Leith is right but he'd rather collapse on the spot than admit it. "I could go without the lecture right n—" He's cut short by a yawn, covering his mouth. God he's exhausted, barely even standing.

Leith's comment however has him muttering under his breath again, something about if he is even real. Which is... concerning at worst.

"Yes yes whatever. I don't need an escort either."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“If I wasn’t real, why would I be here? I thought you tried to ignore the thought of me as much as possible,” Leith teases.

But this is going to end with Sawyer on the floor with his tired he is, so Leith bends and picks him up, carrying him the rest of the way to the corner.

Leith plops Harley down, gathering some extra blankets to pull over him. “The sooner you’re asleep the sooner you’ll wake up. You’re welcome.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

"Doesn't mean you don't bother m—!" Harley makes the most undignified squeak when he's lifted up and his hands scrabble to wrap around his neck. "Drop me and you're a dead man Leith."

"... You know this isn't going to work right?" Harley says as Leith pulls over some of the blankets onto him. That nawing sense of wrong still tugging at the edges of his mind despite how comfortable the arrangement is. "If it was this easy don't you think I would have done so already?" Another yawn leaves him then as he props himself up on his elbows. "And it's not like you could stop me from going back to work regardless."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“I’ve heard that promise before,” Leith smiles.

He goes to grab the portable security console Harley has. “I can absolutely stop you, Harley.” He returns to the corner, pushing Harley back onto his back and planting himself firmly down on his chest. “Now shut your pretty mouth and sleep. I’ll watch your computers.” I trust you won’t burn this place down in my absence. He’ll do his best. Better than that. He won’t let Harley down.

[innovationhasnomercy]

Leith comes up behind Harley, wrapping his arm around his shaking form. Unlike earlier, this instability seems more serious than a loss of balance.

"You need to sleep, darling." He strokes Harley's hair gently. "I can watch the cameras and wake you if there's an issue, I promise."

@yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind

Harley practically jolts out of his skin when Leith's arm snake around him. His breathing having picked up significantly. His heart hammering in his chest in near disbelief that Leith of all people managed to sneak up on him. He attempts to compose himself even though he's barely holding himself together. He's not even entirely sure Leith is there with the things he's been hearing and seeing.

"I'm fine. I don't need your coddling Leith." He's swaying even now in Leith's hold. Trying to distract Leith from his paranoia spiral is going to be difficult. "There's things I... I need to do. Things that can't wait." If only he could remember what they were. It's getting increasingly hard to keep his eyes open, especially with the way Leith's hand runs through his hair. That reassuring tone of voice.

When was the last time Leith spoke to him like this? He can't recall. However memories seem fuzzy, like digging through molasses. Trying to recall anything is nearly impossible.

If he is hallucinating, he shouldn't be indulging it. Would only make things worse in the long run. But the voice is comforting, and he finds himself wanting to hear it more.

"Besides why should I trust you with my safety?" It comes out haraher than he intends but if this isn't real he won't care to correct it.

[Human Again: 104/115]

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“You won’t be able to make any meaningful progress if you’re half asleep, how many times have I told you this?” He begins leading Harley over to the pile of blankets and pillows in the corner.

It hurts hearing how little Harley trusts him, but he supposes that distrust is not without basis. “If anything life threatening comes around I’ll be in as much danger as you, won’t I? I’ll need to wake the big strong Doctor to protect me.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

As he's forced to start moving, he stumbles regardless of the care Leith may put in to prevent it. "I'd estimate somewhere in the two hundreds at the very least..." He mutters while rolling his eyes. Of course Leith is right but he'd rather collapse on the spot than admit it. "I could go without the lecture right n—" He's cut short by a yawn, covering his mouth. God he's exhausted, barely even standing.

Leith's comment however has him muttering under his breath again, something about if he is even real. Which is... concerning at worst.

"Yes yes whatever. I don't need an escort either."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“If I wasn’t real, why would I be here? I thought you tried to ignore the thought of me as much as possible,” Leith teases.

But this is going to end with Sawyer on the floor with his tired he is, so Leith bends and picks him up, carrying him the rest of the way to the corner.

Leith plops Harley down, gathering some extra blankets to pull over him. “The sooner you’re asleep the sooner you’ll wake up. You’re welcome.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

Leith comes up behind Harley, wrapping his arm around his shaking form. Unlike earlier, this instability seems more serious than a loss of balance.

"You need to sleep, darling." He strokes Harley's hair gently. "I can watch the cameras and wake you if there's an issue, I promise."

@yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind

Harley practically jolts out of his skin when Leith's arm snake around him. His breathing having picked up significantly. His heart hammering in his chest in near disbelief that Leith of all people managed to sneak up on him. He attempts to compose himself even though he's barely holding himself together. He's not even entirely sure Leith is there with the things he's been hearing and seeing.

"I'm fine. I don't need your coddling Leith." He's swaying even now in Leith's hold. Trying to distract Leith from his paranoia spiral is going to be difficult. "There's things I... I need to do. Things that can't wait." If only he could remember what they were. It's getting increasingly hard to keep his eyes open, especially with the way Leith's hand runs through his hair. That reassuring tone of voice.

When was the last time Leith spoke to him like this? He can't recall. However memories seem fuzzy, like digging through molasses. Trying to recall anything is nearly impossible.

If he is hallucinating, he shouldn't be indulging it. Would only make things worse in the long run. But the voice is comforting, and he finds himself wanting to hear it more.

"Besides why should I trust you with my safety?" It comes out haraher than he intends but if this isn't real he won't care to correct it.

[Human Again: 104/115]

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“You won’t be able to make any meaningful progress if you’re half asleep, how many times have I told you this?” He begins leading Harley over to the pile of blankets and pillows in the corner.

It hurts hearing how little Harley trusts him, but he supposes that distrust is not without basis. “If anything life threatening comes around I’ll be in as much danger as you, won’t I? I’ll need to wake the big strong Doctor to protect me.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

Leith walks into the lab, rummaging through the bag he’s carrying.

“Hey, Doctor. I figured you might be bored down here with nothing new to read so I brought ya some of those scientific journals you like and a spacey fiction boo- oh you’re….“ he trails off when he finally looks up and sees Harley, human again and dressed… differently.

It’s like seeing a vision of something he could have had, if things had been different.

But they are different…

“You look well,” he finishes lamely, brain caught on how nice a color Harley’s sweater is on him.

@yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind

Harley jolts hearing Leith's voice, turning around in his chair to face the man quickly whatever he'd been working on quickly abandoned.

There he's sat in a snug fitting burgundy sweater and dark black jeans. The outfit is flattering to his body really. Hugs just the right places. And it's oddly... domestic. His hair is up in a very sloppy bun, a pen shoved haphazardly through it to keep it up and off his neck. There's a few array strands that had fallen into his face. Clearly it seems like he wasn't expecting any visitors today.

"What... brings you down here?" Surprise is evident in his voice. The fact that Leith even bothered to show up has his brain short circuiting himself. He takes off his glasses, cleaning them before putting them back on. As if trying to assure himself Leith is actually here.

Harley clears his throat then. "Are they newer journals? I've been itching to see what's changed since I've been down here."

[Human Again: 6/10]

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Leith bites his lip as his gaze drifts upwards. Something about the casual messiness of Harley’s hair is melting all the thoughts in his brain. He wants to pull the pencil out and watch his hair spill down around him. He wants to throw him on a bed and do… anything, everything with him.

“Because it’s… Why wouldn’t I… when have I needed a reason to visit you?” The responses Sawyer could give to this question are probably numerous, but Leith’s brain can’t currently fathom a better answer.

When Harley removes his glasses, it gives Leith a moment to collect himself, shifting awkwardly.

“Yeah, I got uh, the latest few months of issues from the biggest publishers.” At least that was what he’d asked the woman at the store for. As he begins pulling them out, he finds something unexpected. At the bottom of the bag is a box of fancy chocolate bonbons that Leith had purchased with Harley in mind, but he could have sworn he’d left that on the counter at home, thinking the Doctor wouldn’t have appreciated being reminded that he could no longer eat them…

[innovationhasnomercy]

"What else would bring you h—" Harley perks up when the journals are pulled out, eager to pour through their content. Any protest he had died on his tongue. "All lastest issues too? Every single one?" He sound genuinely excited and it's an odd thing to see. Joy and Harley Sawyer didn't seem like it would be a mix that could happen yet here it is.

He manages to get to his feet, albeit shakily, and makes his way over to Leith. He plucks one of the books from him, carefully observing the cover. His fingers trail over it, taking in the feeling under his touch. It's something so simple he'd taken for granted.

He indulges just a moment longer before the curiosity gets the better of him and he opens it to read. His focus is endearing. The knit of his brow, the way his eyes scan across the paper behind the rectangle frames of his glasses. There's a slight part to his lips as reads, "This is..." He mumbles softly, more so to himself than to Leith.

He looks back to him eventually, "And these are mine?"

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Leith reaches his arm out instinctively to help steady Harley as he comes over, gently holding him around the waist.

“I might’ve missed one if they didn’t have it, but there should be most of them yeah. And of course they’re yours. You don’t think I wanted to read all these did ya? I don’t understand half the technical jargon in there.”

Leith’s heart aches seeing how enthusiastic Harley is. Who knew the fearsome, temperamental Doctor could be this adorable? It fills Leith with hunger, wanting to see more, elicit more cute reactions.

“I can bring you a subscription to your favorite one if you want. So you can stay up to date.” He wants to say more, but his eyes have been wandering down from his face to his outfit, and wow those jeans look good. It takes all Leith’s willpower not to slide his hand down and feel how tight they are in the back. Because while that reaction would also be cute, it would no doubt make Sawyer less open to further overtures.

He thrusts the bag at him instead. “This should be good for a while though, yeah? And there’s, uh, something else in there for ya as well.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

"They'd go to waste in your care. Probably would keep them on a shelf to look nice." He says with a soft laugh more so to himself. If he notices the hand on his waist he doesn't mention it but he leans a bit onto the man for support.

"Yes." He says too quickly, "I'd like that, very much so. I can't imagine how much has changed since I've been down here. This will be enough for now, there's so much for me to catch up on..."

Once the bag is forced towards him, he cautiously takes it and peers in at its contents. All kinds of different journals and things to read and— chocolates? Some of his favorites no doubt. Likely... coincidence. It's extremely unlikely that Leith would have taken notice to a detail that small. His coffee order is far easier than his taste in sweets to remember. He pulls them out with care, glancing towards Leith for a quick fleating look before returning his attention towards the box. He spares a look inside before the faintest of smiles ghosts his lips.

"You know I'm not keen on sweets Leith. What am I going to do with all of these?" There's a softness to his voice that's foreign.

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“Well, I do love keeping my sciencey things all pretty on display.” Leith punctuates the sentence by giving Harley’s waist a squeeze. “I’m glad you like them.”

He could look at Harley’s smile all day, faint though it may be. He’s glad he bought the chocolates. When he saw them in the store he hadn’t been able to resist, knowing how much Sawyer loved them in the past, try as he did to deny his sweet tooth. He’s grateful for the opportunity to give them to him in human form.

Leith reaches out and plucks one of the chocolates from the box. “I’m sure you can indulge just this once. Here, try one,” he pushes it against Harley’s lips, a smile spreading across his own. “Say aah.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

Harley scoffs quietly with Leith's comment, rolling his eyes. The reminder not what he wanted right now. The saueeze of his hip brings his mind to the realization Leith's hand is in fact on his waist yet he can't find it in him to remove it. It can stay, for now. "Yes yes I'm sure your specimens loved that." His tone is a bit bitter but it doesn't linger long once the chocolate is presented to his lips.

His hand comes to grab Leith's wrist, a glint of black, silver, and an awfully familiar shade of blue catch the light. "My hands work just fine Leith. You don't have to treat me as though I'm delicate." He rolls his eyes but leans forward regardless, lips parting and taking the chocolate between Leith's fingers. His tongue lapping the digits before he pulls back.

A pleased hum leaves him as the now melting chocolate blooms on his tongue. His eyes shut in a moment of bliss as he indulges just as Leith suggested. It's sweet on his tongue and melting so pleasingly to a vanilla filling interior. He looks like sin incarnate while he enjoys something so simple. His tongue pokes out to lick the remaining chocolate on his lips before he speaks, "Where did you get these?"

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Leith wants to respond with something snarky, something about how Harley is a liar, and he’s welcome for such a nice treat. But how can he possibly voice any of those thoughts when his angel is tempting him so strongly to sin?

Leith swallows thickly. “Good?” His voice is slightly hoarse with desire. He clears his throat. “I got them at that shop you like downtown.” Harley’s gaze had always lingered on the storefront whenever they passed it, much like how Leith’s is lingering on the spot Harley’s tongue just was.

He pulls his captured wrist forward to bring Harley’s hand to his face. “I’m glad your hands still work. You’ve always been able to do incredible things with them.” Leith presses a kiss to Harley’s ring finger, though a puzzled look takes over his face after a moment.

Lips still pressed to skin, Leith maneuvers his own hand under his shirt to pull out the cord he keeps there. A ring hangs from it, the pair of the one Harley wears, design bolder with a green stone blinking in the light. But next to it, pressed closely together as if it can’t bear being apart, is another ring, identical to the one on the Doctor’s finger.

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“Maybe if you’d given Harley the recognition he wanted and deserved, he wouldn’t have needed to always strive for more until nothing was good enough for him!” Not even me. “I didn’t force ‘your son’ to do anything he didn’t want to do!”

@ludwigplaytime

[ludwigplaytime]

“I did. But I also knew when enough was enough— unlike you.”

And… I know. Oh, I know. You did something far worse— and twisted his mind. Saw his ability, his ambition, his anger and hurt, and used that to your advantage! You engineered the perfect environment… to turn him into the worst possible version of himself!“

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“I gave him everything he could have possibly wanted to pursue what he loved doing while keeping afloat your company! I wasn’t the one who turned him out to an unhappy home at a time where all he wanted was to prove himself good enough. Where he would become so jaded that not even giving him my-… so nothing I did was enough to prevent him from trying to burn down everything we were working for.”

[ludwigplaytime]

“Do not even start with your manipulative prattling.”

I am not going to waste my time explaining my actions, my state of mind, to the likes of you. You provided for him, like a child does a pet. And once you had your entertainment, you quite literally discarded the boy. …You do realise the irony of speaking so harshly of my unwitting betrayals, when your own hands are so filthy, do you not?”

Or are you even more idiotic than I already credit you as?”

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“Discarded? I did everything in my power to keep him! I never would have stopped trying to get him back. Even after all the headaches he caused me, I couldn’t stand to lose him. And you. It was your prototype that took him away from me! Took everything away from me. All those deaths are on his hands and yours, not mine! If you’d clung half as hard to Harley as you did to your dead daughter, none of this would have happened!”

[ludwigplaytime]

“HAH! Oh yes, of course, how could I forget! You bound him to you. Trapping him in a hell eternal. Fool am I, for thinking I could possibly have his best interests at heart more than you!”

Listen to yourself! You’re pathetic, Leith.”

You’ll grasp at any straw to cast blame away from yourself. …There’s nothing more I can do for you. By rights, I should kill you where you stand.”

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“I’m sure you would be so much happier if I had killed him instead, is that it? If anyone was thinking of his ‘best interests’ it definitely wasn’t you. You threw him away, Elliot! And you call me the pathetic one. At least I’m not trying to force our relationship into something he doesn’t want it to be! You pretend he’s your son after all the time you spent neglecting him.

“And you’re a hypocrite. You think you can just kill me and that makes you the good guy?”

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“Maybe if you’d given Harley the recognition he wanted and deserved, he wouldn’t have needed to always strive for more until nothing was good enough for him!” Not even me. “I didn’t force ‘your son’ to do anything he didn’t want to do!”

@ludwigplaytime

[ludwigplaytime]

“I did. But I also knew when enough was enough— unlike you.”

And… I know. Oh, I know. You did something far worse— and twisted his mind. Saw his ability, his ambition, his anger and hurt, and used that to your advantage! You engineered the perfect environment… to turn him into the worst possible version of himself!“

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“I gave him everything he could have possibly wanted to pursue what he loved doing while keeping afloat your company! I wasn’t the one who turned him out to an unhappy home at a time where all he wanted was to prove himself good enough. Where he would become so jaded that not even giving him my-… so nothing I did was enough to prevent him from trying to burn down everything we were working for.”

[ludwigplaytime]

“Do not even start with your manipulative prattling.”

I am not going to waste my time explaining my actions, my state of mind, to the likes of you. You provided for him, like a child does a pet. And once you had your entertainment, you quite literally discarded the boy. …You do realise the irony of speaking so harshly of my unwitting betrayals, when your own hands are so filthy, do you not?”

Or are you even more idiotic than I already credit you as?”

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“Discarded? I did everything in my power to keep him! I never would have stopped trying to get him back. Even after all the headaches he caused me, I couldn’t stand to lose him. And you. It was your prototype that took him away from me! Took everything away from me. All those deaths are on his hands and yours, not mine! If you’d clung half as hard to Harley as you did to your dead daughter, none of this would have happened!”

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“Maybe if you’d given Harley the recognition he wanted and deserved, he wouldn’t have needed to always strive for more until nothing was good enough for him!” Not even me. “I didn’t force ‘your son’ to do anything he didn’t want to do!”

@ludwigplaytime

[ludwigplaytime]

“I did. But I also knew when enough was enough— unlike you.”

And… I know. Oh, I know. You did something far worse— and twisted his mind. Saw his ability, his ambition, his anger and hurt, and used that to your advantage! You engineered the perfect environment… to turn him into the worst possible version of himself!“

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“I gave him everything he could have possibly wanted to pursue what he loved doing while keeping afloat your company! I wasn’t the one who turned him out to an unhappy home at a time where all he wanted was to prove himself good enough. Where he would become so jaded that not even giving him my-… so nothing I did was enough to prevent him from trying to burn down everything we were working for.”

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“Maybe if you’d given Harley the recognition he wanted and deserved, he wouldn’t have needed to always strive for more until nothing was good enough for him!” Not even me. “I didn’t force ‘your son’ to do anything he didn’t want to do!”

@ludwigplaytime

[innovationhasnomercy]

Leith walks into the lab, rummaging through the bag he’s carrying.

“Hey, Doctor. I figured you might be bored down here with nothing new to read so I brought ya some of those scientific journals you like and a spacey fiction boo- oh you’re….“ he trails off when he finally looks up and sees Harley, human again and dressed… differently.

It’s like seeing a vision of something he could have had, if things had been different.

But they are different…

“You look well,” he finishes lamely, brain caught on how nice a color Harley’s sweater is on him.

@yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind

Harley jolts hearing Leith's voice, turning around in his chair to face the man quickly whatever he'd been working on quickly abandoned.

There he's sat in a snug fitting burgundy sweater and dark black jeans. The outfit is flattering to his body really. Hugs just the right places. And it's oddly... domestic. His hair is up in a very sloppy bun, a pen shoved haphazardly through it to keep it up and off his neck. There's a few array strands that had fallen into his face. Clearly it seems like he wasn't expecting any visitors today.

"What... brings you down here?" Surprise is evident in his voice. The fact that Leith even bothered to show up has his brain short circuiting himself. He takes off his glasses, cleaning them before putting them back on. As if trying to assure himself Leith is actually here.

Harley clears his throat then. "Are they newer journals? I've been itching to see what's changed since I've been down here."

[Human Again: 6/10]

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Leith bites his lip as his gaze drifts upwards. Something about the casual messiness of Harley’s hair is melting all the thoughts in his brain. He wants to pull the pencil out and watch his hair spill down around him. He wants to throw him on a bed and do… anything, everything with him.

“Because it’s… Why wouldn’t I… when have I needed a reason to visit you?” The responses Sawyer could give to this question are probably numerous, but Leith’s brain can’t currently fathom a better answer.

When Harley removes his glasses, it gives Leith a moment to collect himself, shifting awkwardly.

“Yeah, I got uh, the latest few months of issues from the biggest publishers.” At least that was what he’d asked the woman at the store for. As he begins pulling them out, he finds something unexpected. At the bottom of the bag is a box of fancy chocolate bonbons that Leith had purchased with Harley in mind, but he could have sworn he’d left that on the counter at home, thinking the Doctor wouldn’t have appreciated being reminded that he could no longer eat them…

[innovationhasnomercy]

"What else would bring you h—" Harley perks up when the journals are pulled out, eager to pour through their content. Any protest he had died on his tongue. "All lastest issues too? Every single one?" He sound genuinely excited and it's an odd thing to see. Joy and Harley Sawyer didn't seem like it would be a mix that could happen yet here it is.

He manages to get to his feet, albeit shakily, and makes his way over to Leith. He plucks one of the books from him, carefully observing the cover. His fingers trail over it, taking in the feeling under his touch. It's something so simple he'd taken for granted.

He indulges just a moment longer before the curiosity gets the better of him and he opens it to read. His focus is endearing. The knit of his brow, the way his eyes scan across the paper behind the rectangle frames of his glasses. There's a slight part to his lips as reads, "This is..." He mumbles softly, more so to himself than to Leith.

He looks back to him eventually, "And these are mine?"

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Leith reaches his arm out instinctively to help steady Harley as he comes over, gently holding him around the waist.

“I might’ve missed one if they didn’t have it, but there should be most of them yeah. And of course they’re yours. You don’t think I wanted to read all these did ya? I don’t understand half the technical jargon in there.”

Leith’s heart aches seeing how enthusiastic Harley is. Who knew the fearsome, temperamental Doctor could be this adorable? It fills Leith with hunger, wanting to see more, elicit more cute reactions.

“I can bring you a subscription to your favorite one if you want. So you can stay up to date.” He wants to say more, but his eyes have been wandering down from his face to his outfit, and wow those jeans look good. It takes all Leith’s willpower not to slide his hand down and feel how tight they are in the back. Because while that reaction would also be cute, it would no doubt make Sawyer less open to further overtures.

He thrusts the bag at him instead. “This should be good for a while though, yeah? And there’s, uh, something else in there for ya as well.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

"They'd go to waste in your care. Probably would keep them on a shelf to look nice." He says with a soft laugh more so to himself. If he notices the hand on his waist he doesn't mention it but he leans a bit onto the man for support.

"Yes." He says too quickly, "I'd like that, very much so. I can't imagine how much has changed since I've been down here. This will be enough for now, there's so much for me to catch up on..."

Once the bag is forced towards him, he cautiously takes it and peers in at its contents. All kinds of different journals and things to read and— chocolates? Some of his favorites no doubt. Likely... coincidence. It's extremely unlikely that Leith would have taken notice to a detail that small. His coffee order is far easier than his taste in sweets to remember. He pulls them out with care, glancing towards Leith for a quick fleating look before returning his attention towards the box. He spares a look inside before the faintest of smiles ghosts his lips.

"You know I'm not keen on sweets Leith. What am I going to do with all of these?" There's a softness to his voice that's foreign.

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“Well, I do love keeping my sciencey things all pretty on display.” Leith punctuates the sentence by giving Harley’s waist a squeeze. “I’m glad you like them.”

He could look at Harley’s smile all day, faint though it may be. He’s glad he bought the chocolates. When he saw them in the store he hadn’t been able to resist, knowing how much Sawyer loved them in the past, try as he did to deny his sweet tooth. He’s grateful for the opportunity to give them to him in human form.

Leith reaches out and plucks one of the chocolates from the box. “I’m sure you can indulge just this once. Here, try one,” he pushes it against Harley’s lips, a smile spreading across his own. “Say aah.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

Leith walks into the lab, rummaging through the bag he’s carrying.

“Hey, Doctor. I figured you might be bored down here with nothing new to read so I brought ya some of those scientific journals you like and a spacey fiction boo- oh you’re….“ he trails off when he finally looks up and sees Harley, human again and dressed… differently.

It’s like seeing a vision of something he could have had, if things had been different.

But they are different…

“You look well,” he finishes lamely, brain caught on how nice a color Harley’s sweater is on him.

@yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind

Harley jolts hearing Leith's voice, turning around in his chair to face the man quickly whatever he'd been working on quickly abandoned.

There he's sat in a snug fitting burgundy sweater and dark black jeans. The outfit is flattering to his body really. Hugs just the right places. And it's oddly... domestic. His hair is up in a very sloppy bun, a pen shoved haphazardly through it to keep it up and off his neck. There's a few array strands that had fallen into his face. Clearly it seems like he wasn't expecting any visitors today.

"What... brings you down here?" Surprise is evident in his voice. The fact that Leith even bothered to show up has his brain short circuiting himself. He takes off his glasses, cleaning them before putting them back on. As if trying to assure himself Leith is actually here.

Harley clears his throat then. "Are they newer journals? I've been itching to see what's changed since I've been down here."

[Human Again: 6/10]

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Leith bites his lip as his gaze drifts upwards. Something about the casual messiness of Harley’s hair is melting all the thoughts in his brain. He wants to pull the pencil out and watch his hair spill down around him. He wants to throw him on a bed and do… anything, everything with him.

“Because it’s… Why wouldn’t I… when have I needed a reason to visit you?” The responses Sawyer could give to this question are probably numerous, but Leith’s brain can’t currently fathom a better answer.

When Harley removes his glasses, it gives Leith a moment to collect himself, shifting awkwardly.

“Yeah, I got uh, the latest few months of issues from the biggest publishers.” At least that was what he’d asked the woman at the store for. As he begins pulling them out, he finds something unexpected. At the bottom of the bag is a box of fancy chocolate bonbons that Leith had purchased with Harley in mind, but he could have sworn he’d left that on the counter at home, thinking the Doctor wouldn’t have appreciated being reminded that he could no longer eat them…

[innovationhasnomercy]

"What else would bring you h—" Harley perks up when the journals are pulled out, eager to pour through their content. Any protest he had died on his tongue. "All lastest issues too? Every single one?" He sound genuinely excited and it's an odd thing to see. Joy and Harley Sawyer didn't seem like it would be a mix that could happen yet here it is.

He manages to get to his feet, albeit shakily, and makes his way over to Leith. He plucks one of the books from him, carefully observing the cover. His fingers trail over it, taking in the feeling under his touch. It's something so simple he'd taken for granted.

He indulges just a moment longer before the curiosity gets the better of him and he opens it to read. His focus is endearing. The knit of his brow, the way his eyes scan across the paper behind the rectangle frames of his glasses. There's a slight part to his lips as reads, "This is..." He mumbles softly, more so to himself than to Leith.

He looks back to him eventually, "And these are mine?"

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Leith reaches his arm out instinctively to help steady Harley as he comes over, gently holding him around the waist.

“I might’ve missed one if they didn’t have it, but there should be most of them yeah. And of course they’re yours. You don’t think I wanted to read all these did ya? I don’t understand half the technical jargon in there.”

Leith’s heart aches seeing how enthusiastic Harley is. Who knew the fearsome, temperamental Doctor could be this adorable? It fills Leith with hunger, wanting to see more, elicit more cute reactions.

“I can bring you a subscription to your favorite one if you want. So you can stay up to date.” He wants to say more, but his eyes have been wandering down from his face to his outfit, and wow those jeans look good. It takes all Leith’s willpower not to slide his hand down and feel how tight they are in the back. Because while that reaction would also be cute, it would no doubt make Sawyer less open to further overtures.

He thrusts the bag at him instead. “This should be good for a while though, yeah? And there’s, uh, something else in there for ya as well.”

[innovationhasnomercy]

Leith walks into the lab, rummaging through the bag he’s carrying.

“Hey, Doctor. I figured you might be bored down here with nothing new to read so I brought ya some of those scientific journals you like and a spacey fiction boo- oh you’re….“ he trails off when he finally looks up and sees Harley, human again and dressed… differently.

It’s like seeing a vision of something he could have had, if things had been different.

But they are different…

“You look well,” he finishes lamely, brain caught on how nice a color Harley’s sweater is on him.

@yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind

Harley jolts hearing Leith's voice, turning around in his chair to face the man quickly whatever he'd been working on quickly abandoned.

There he's sat in a snug fitting burgundy sweater and dark black jeans. The outfit is flattering to his body really. Hugs just the right places. And it's oddly... domestic. His hair is up in a very sloppy bun, a pen shoved haphazardly through it to keep it up and off his neck. There's a few array strands that had fallen into his face. Clearly it seems like he wasn't expecting any visitors today.

"What... brings you down here?" Surprise is evident in his voice. The fact that Leith even bothered to show up has his brain short circuiting himself. He takes off his glasses, cleaning them before putting them back on. As if trying to assure himself Leith is actually here.

Harley clears his throat then. "Are they newer journals? I've been itching to see what's changed since I've been down here."

[Human Again: 6/10]

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Leith bites his lip as his gaze drifts upwards. Something about the casual messiness of Harley’s hair is melting all the thoughts in his brain. He wants to pull the pencil out and watch his hair spill down around him. He wants to throw him on a bed and do… anything, everything with him.

“Because it’s… Why wouldn’t I… when have I needed a reason to visit you?” The responses Sawyer could give to this question are probably numerous, but Leith’s brain can’t currently fathom a better answer.

When Harley removes his glasses, it gives Leith a moment to collect himself, shifting awkwardly.

“Yeah, I got uh, the latest few months of issues from the biggest publishers.” At least that was what he’d asked the woman at the store for. As he begins pulling them out, he finds something unexpected. At the bottom of the bag is a box of fancy chocolate bonbons that Leith had purchased with Harley in mind, but he could have sworn he’d left that on the counter at home, thinking the Doctor wouldn’t have appreciated being reminded that he could no longer eat them…

[innovationhasnomercy]

What'd the pettiest thing you ever did and why?

"I'm not petty."

"However, I did replace a bottle of Leith's whiskey with colored water after a... particularly irritated series of passive aggressive comments on my thoughts of placements around the experiments. But you didn't hear that from me."

[innovationhasnomercy]

[trimmed]

Once he's certain Leith had left the room, he pulls back the drape over the table, observing his work with a careful eye. It's coming together now. Finally starting to take shape. But is it really even worth it at this point?

Things haven't changed much. They won't change much. What if something goes wrong? What if—

He sighs, cutting the spiral short. He's had enough of those to last a while now. And so he resumes working, keeping a dull eye on Leith's whereabouts while focusing more so on his pet project before him, tinkering away.

When Leith makes his presence in the room know once again, he's quick to pull the cover back over the parts.

Ah. So we're doing this again?

The indulgence of things he no longer can. Sees the bob of Leith's throat with each drink. It grates at him. Almost as much as the words leaving his mouth. Of course Leith is going to drag this back up once he's stated he's done with this conversation.

The man talks about him like he was some burden to shoulder. A problem he solved.

"You're lucky I let you come down here, Leith." The hand brushing itself against his screen is odd. Familiar yet not. He wants to enjoy it. It's almost soft.

He pulls away however, moving to stand in front of Leith, leaning down and putting his hand either side of Leith's body. Looming over the man with an unamused look in his eye.

"Clearly you still need me to knock some sense into you. I still can't believe you're trying to make this all my fault and act like some kind of martyr. Holding your head high and trying to pretend this was some righteous task you took. The weight of the world on your shoulders."

"I see right through it. You still need me. That's why you're down here. There's something I have that you don't. And I'm too... sentimental to be rid of you once and for all. I should get rid of you before you become an issue. Before you exploit the fact I can't like you exploited me a long, long time ago."

The eye on his display narrows, staring daggers into the man before him. "I told you I'm done talking. I'm not your little puppet Leith. You can't pull my strings anymore."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“I never said this is all your fault. And I did have a lot of responsibilities. I’m not just making excuses, Harley.”

Leith sighs and takes one more swig of whiskey before putting the bottle down, a quarter of its contents consumed.

He needs to tilt his head back to see the eye on Harley’s screen. Being caged against the table like this… it sends warmth through his lower half that is definitely not from the alcohol. His time in his office clearly was not sufficient to satisfy his craving for Harley Sawyer. He reaches out to tangle his fingers through the wires at Harley’s waist.

“I do need something down here, you’re right. And I think you want me to have it. I. I already do have it, it’s just a matter of taking it back with me.” Alive and beating and with everything else it comes with. As he looks at the eye on the screen, his heart hurts with how much he wants to see Harley outside of this factory again.

“I’m not looking to exploit you or anything else you’re accusing me of. Although it looks like I can pull your strings just fine.” He demonstrates with a wire between his fingers and a smirk. If the Doctor doesn’t want to talk anymore, he can think of plenty of other things they can do.

[innovationhasnomercy]

There's something in Leith's eyes that's almost... fond as he speaks. Some kind of longing in them. Maybe he's just seeing what he wants to. Wouldn't be the first time certainly. It's likely the alcohol he'd been drinking influencing what he says.

The mechanical form shutters with his touch, his back arching as Leith pulls on one of his wires. If he had lungs in his chest his breathing would have hitched. "And why should I believe a word you say? I trusted you once and look what happened there?"

"Always found a way to sugar coat your words. Make it sound like what wanted to be heard." He says as he tilts his head, eying Leith up and down. He seems a little disheveled compared to the state Harley left him in earlier. An... interesting observation. He knows nothing had happened to him. Even if he was idling paying attention he would have caught something like that.

"There's so much better use for that pretty mouth of yours other than running it." He says as he grabs the bottle and pushes it to Leith's lips then. "Go on then. You want to indulge yourself being here you can take more."

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

“As if I wouldn’t have been able to do this to you if you hadn’t trusted me.” If anything, their relationship, such that it had been, had been more beneficial to Sawyer than Leith. It had allowed Leith overlook many of the grievances others had had for Sawyer until they were too important to overlook any longer.

He’d thought they were too important to overlook.

His grip on the wires tightens.

“But I don’t want to lie to you anymore, Angel.”

There are still things he can’t tell him, but he has no one he would rather be honest with anymore than Harley.

He hopes.

For now….

Heart racing, Leith obediently drinks from the bottle pushed to his lips.

Fuck, this is so hot.

Quality whiskey and the smartest, (second) most attractive guy in the world? Leith must be in heaven. If only they could still share the alcohol.

[innovationhasnomercy]

Those words ring out in his head and he isn't quite sure how much he can actually trust coming out of his mouth.

Watching Leith being so obedient twists something in him. His free hand threads through Leith's hair, holding him in place.

"Maybe, perhaps it made it easier. Yet it doesn't change the fact I don't trust you."

"See? Isn't this so much easier? This could have been yours whenever you wanted it yet you ruined that." Harley shakes his head, making a noise similar to clicking one's tongue. Play his ego. He's already been drinking, it wouldn't be hard. "You're being so good for me, aren't you? Isn't it so much nicer to listen to orders instead of giving them?"

The hand in Leith's hair lightly scratches his scalp in a pseudo massaging motion as he hums softly. Watches the way his throat bobs rhythmic. Occasionally he tilts the bottle either direction, giving him a moment of respite or flooding his mouth with whiskey.

"Good. Goood boy." He cooes, finally pulling the bottle away from Leith's mouth. Lifts it up past his lips.

"Now, remind me," Sawyer hums, before pouring the bottles' content onto Leith's head. "Did I not say I was done talking." The second half of his sentence is practically snarled out.

"You have such a beautiful mind, why don't you use it?"

[yourheartbeatsforeverinmymind]

Leith shivers at the hand in his hair.

Though he almost has to laugh. This could have been yours whenever you wanted it yet you ruined that. He had thought the same thing about Harley for the longest time. Annoyingly, maybe he’s right about this… Harley may never trust him again.

But at least he’s here with Leith now. Leith can have it at all, and that’s what matters.

It’s a heady feeling, being fed alcohol like this. Harley always had a way of making Leith wonder if giving up control wouldn’t be all that bad… some of the time, at least. Right now seems to be one of those times.

But speaking of ruining things.

Leith squawks as he’s covered in the whiskey. The fuzzy bubble of heaven pops like the liquid was a needle.

He squirms off the table and away from Harley, unbuttoning his now sopping shirt and throwing it to the side.

“God, Harley, what is wrong with you?” He gripes, grabbing at the large sheet of fabric that had been covering something on the work table next to him. It’s not the most absorbent fabric, but Leith manages to wipe away the unwelcome damp feeling left on his skin by the alcohol that had seeped through his shirt, before moving on to his hair. At least there hadn’t been enough liquid in the bottle to cause any real damage to his pants.

It does not occur to him that this is the first time Harley might be seeing him shirtless since the Hour of Joy. Since he started working out as a means of stress relief and distraction.

He’s too busy trying to towel off his hair with the sheet, muttering about how stiff it’s going to be when it dries. This is what he gets for listening to things other than his “beautiful mind”…