Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
18
Thankfully Nox was nowhere to be seen when Harley and Dustin walked into her little home. Dustin looked around the one room building, examining her furniture and decorations. It was his first time being there, and her first having a guest that wasn't Nox.
She shut the door behind them and locked it, preventing any unwanted interruptions. When she turned to look at Dustin, he was standing by her fireplace, seemingly staring down at the cold coal and embers. It seemed that Nox hadn't been there in quite some time. She expected him to have taken up residence in her home while she was gone, awaiting her return. Where else he could have gone, she didn't know. She never knew where he was when he wasn't with her or off manipulating people.
"Comely," Dustin said as he slowly looked up at Harley. She blinked at him, unimpressed. She knew her little hut was a dump, but she did the best she could with what little she had. She had cleaned up the place, got rid of all the mice and bugs, as well as the stench that clung in the air when she was given the place. She washed the flooring and the walls, and made sure everything was spotless before she introduced any furniture. It was small, with her bedroom and bathing room and kitchen all in one area. But it was all that she had.
"We can wait out here until nightfall," Harley said. She removed her cloak and hung it by the door. Dustin followed suit. He strolled back to the hearth and sat down in one of the two lounging chairs that faced the fireplace. "I'm surprised that the Major isn't here," he said nonchalantly. Harley gave him a long look. "And why would he be?" She already knew the answer, but she was wanting to see if he would actually dare to bring up the same conversation as before, for the third time. And sure enough, he replied, "Because you two are inseparable. It's rare when I see one without the other."
"Right, as if you weren't going to say it's because we're sleeping together," Harley said bitterly. She was getting really tired of that conversation. Dustin feigned a look of innocence and lifted his hands in defense, "I was only making an observation." Harley moved to stand in front of him, crossing her arms as she clicked her tongue. "I already told you to drop it. Why the hell do you keep bringing it up?" Amazing. Only a few minutes after returning home they finally have another fight.
Dustin sprung to his feet, standing only a breath away from her as their eyes locked. Emerald clashing with ash. "Because it bothers me," he admitted. "Is that what you want to hear?"
"What I want to hear is the truth, Dustin. Don't give me any bullshit."
He furrowed his brow with anger as he snarled, "Then yes, it does bother me. I can't stand seeing you sell yourself to a man like him just so you can reach your ambitions. I have nothing against you wanting to go high in rank and prove to everyone you can make it as a woman in a man's world. But using yourself in that way is not the way to do it." Harley shook her head, her brow tightening with confusion. "Why the hell does that even matter to you? You hate my guts. Why do you care about what I do and how I do it?"
