made to order, one Garden of Eden

[harley_is_love]

Things were working well so far, with importing a garden into the Dark City. Daniel had found a place and did all the hard work, which was the mountain of paperwork. In the dark of the night, the soil was imported in from Harley's friend in Gotham. It was the finest soil around, which would provide plenty of stability for a future for the garden.

Comments

[call_me_rat]

Rat is all too glad for the work, since what the Doc's given him, apart from helping with the paperwork to put this through, is very light. He's feeling adrift for the lack of work, so he's glad to get his hands into the dirt, literally and figuratively. He and Dr. Schreber have also drummed up plenty of advertising and business sponsorship. There will be plenty of people showing up to plant on the appointed day, and probably people like hot dog vendors and musicians like Rat showing up to take advantage of the spirit of community celebration, too.

[harley_is_love]

Harley's little crush on Rat is almost completely gone by now, but there is still a soft part in her heart for him. One that will always be there, as she considers him a friend.

So when she finds an opportunity, she will wade through the crowd with April and give him a thankful hug. "Everything is working out beautifully."

[call_me_rat]

Rat's clothes aren't the freshest today, but he's not the only one, since everyone's working in the dirt. He's got a badge on that says he's a 'community garden director', but it's the only thing keeping him from looking like the homeless bum that he is.
He grins and gives her a filthy hug (no not that kind of filthy!). "We've got a lot of vegetables, and a couple trees put where they won't block too much light when they get bigger. Plenty of flowers. Sunflowers even! Those are the really tall ones..." Rat's a city guy, so this is all a little new to him.

[harley_is_love]

"Plus plenty of special gifts from Ivy," Harley smiled. There were going to be some very unique vegetables and fruits grown from this gardn.

"People look happy."

[call_me_rat]

"We'll see what comes up. They do. I remember last year's planting, with the saplings and flowers given out. Wish I'd taken part in that." He musses April's hair and keeps a friendly arm arounf Harley's shoulders. Someone will probably come up and ask him questions in a minute, because the badge has kept him busy today.

[harley_is_love]

April squirms away, to go bother Daniel. But Harley leans into the friendly arm around her shoulders. "Their families will enjoy it for futures to come."

[call_me_rat]

There's just a moment where a wistful look flickers across Rat's face. He has no home to plant a garden around, and no conventional family. No children of his own whose futures he has to worry about. As soon as it's appeared it's gone and he's smiling again. He watches April but she's not going far. "It'll be good for the food supply, too. It's going to be a lot of maintenance, making sure the harvest gets divided fairly."

[harley_is_love]

Markus is not the only one who is wistful right now, every now and then a family will pass by and Harley will ache at losing her husband. And being a single mother. She hides it very well.

"I thought it would not only help feed the City, but they could feel a sense of accomplishment at working for their own produce. When harvest comes, I am sure they will taste all fruits of their labour at their dinner table and feel better about themselves."

[call_me_rat]

"Making good memories?" He looks down at her and smiles weakly, aware most people overhearing won't get the implications there. "It'll be good for all of us. It's a community healing thing, we need that after... the stuff that happened."

[harley_is_love]

"It will be real for them." Harley shivers suddenly.

[call_me_rat]

Concerned, he gives her a gentle squeeze and rubs her arm. You okay?"

[harley_is_love]

"Wearing my happy face." Harley replied softly. "It is easier that way."

[call_me_rat]

"Yeah... yeah, I get that. Try planting something, it keeps you busy." He smiles gently and gives a nod to direct her attention to April's antics with the doctor and Thorn.

[harley_is_love]

"She is getting so big." Harley whispers. "So independant."

[call_me_rat]

"It's a little unfair to you that she ages so fast..." He frowns faintly and sighs. Her crush might be fading, but in some ways they're not a bad match right now, both wishing for a complete family.

[harley_is_love]

"And when she stops aging, she will be too old for a mother anymore." Harley glanced up at him. Her blue eyes are unreadable for a moment. Then softly, she whispers, "I wish I could help you, Markus."