{We march like fools in this parade of chaos

[myheadisaprison]

PSL with mostlyajerk & trickedya

Comments

[trickedya]

Hey I just met you
and this is crazy
I just got your number
I'll text you daily ;)

[thisismadfreaky]

The fuck?
Who is this?

[thisismadfreaky]

[He has no idea who he just spent the last couple hours texting. And quite honestly at this point, he's not sure why he didn't just stop talking to them. He wishes he had, that he wasn't so impulsive that he just couldn't leave it all alone. Now, he's actually a little genuinely freaked out by the whole thing. And they were trying to bring Hartley into their dumb little games now too? He was decidedly Not Okay.]

Hey.
Um... so I'm kinda freaking out right now.

It's kinda stupid, but...I got these texts from some blocked number. I thought it was just somebody dicking around, texting random numbers for kicks or whatever but...
It kinda devolved from dumb trolling to something way more targeted and I think they might know you.

[mostlyajerk]

[Come on, Axel, not again? Hartley huffed and responded to Cisco immediately, while trying to decide how to best stop Axel from persisting with this.]

I'll deal with it.

Just stop replying.

to Axel

[mostlyajerk]

I'll only say this nicely once: Stop it and leave him alone, you don't want to fight me.

[trickedya]

new phone who dis?

[trickedya]

[It's about two am when Cisco will feel a hand gently shaking his shoulder while he lay in bed, first gentle then a little more stubborn when there wasn't an immediate reaction. A strange thing to happen to someone who was alone when they fell asleep.]

Hey. Hey!

[At least Axel is whispering to keep the noise down. That's... something?]

Is this seriously all the peanut butter you have? [Yes, there he is, in all his Trickster get up, standing in Cisco's bedroom in the middle of the night, holding out an empty jar of peanut butter with a faint pout. He wants to make a sandwich but that's never going to happen with so little peanut butter left.] No more stashed anywhere else?

[thisismadfreaky]

[The sudden hand on his shoulder was enough to stir him, but the voice really broke through the haze of sleep and put him on alert. He jolts awake with a loud--] What the FUCK?!

[His eyes aren't quite adjusted to the darkness of the room but, oh, he's taking in the presence in his room and it's familiar. And not at all okay.] What the fuck are you doing in my apartment?!

texts » Hartley

[thisismadfreaky]

[Sometime the next morning after Axel's first B&E into Cisco's apartment.]

Babe.
Idk what kind of talk you had with him or whatever but it didn't work.
He broke into my apartment last night.

[mostlyajerk]

What happened? Is he still there? You're not hurt, are you? Tied up?

[mostlyajerk]

[The only reason there are no more texts is that because Hartley is busy testing his ninja skills instead and making his way into Cisco's apartment as unheard and unseen as he can. Once he's inside, wearing his gloves, hood on, full on Pied Piper mode, he doesn't feel like being subtle any more.

Instead he shouts, loudly:]

Axel! What the hell do you think you're doing?

[trickedya]

[Axel looks up from where he's sprawled on Cisco's bed, just next to Cisco, idly typing away on his phone. He's annoying someone else for a change. Mark Mardon. He's hoping he can make it rain or thunder! It's a fun game to play.]

Hey pretty Piper. Loving the look. [Axel positively beams as he bounces upright and leans forward.] Wanna join us in bed? Cisco's kinds frigid but he's a cutie.

From a brand new phone

[trickedya]

Wanna come grab some sushi?

[thisismadfreaky]

[Seriously?! This again?]

No, Axel, I don't want to grab lunch with you.

text; while Cisco is having sushi with Axel

[mostlyajerk]

Where are you?

[thisismadfreaky]

[Oh, shit. He'd hoped he could have gotten through this lunch thing without having to admit to it until after the fact.

....Which is probably the single worst thought he's had in awhile during the course of his relationship with Hartley.

Fuck.]

Lunch.
You okay?

text after he notices cisco looking at his phone a lot

[trickedya]

I'm having lunch with your boooooooyfriend.
Neh Neh :P

He likes meeee.

[mostlyajerk]

What?

brb crying forever :<

[thisismadfreaky]

Today has been a bit of a clusterfuck and Cisco is hoping to explain some of it to Hartley when he comes over tonight. He fully expects a fight, he's prepared for that much, but he thinks once he explains everything, fills Hartley into his perspective on it, he'd understand. Maybe still be mad about it, but he'd understand.

Or at least, Cisco hopes so.

The knock on the door isn't a surprise when it comes and he meanders over to the door to open it. "Hey, you." he says before the door is even completely open.

[mostlyajerk]

"Hey." Right now, Hartley really just wants to get this over with. Get home, turn on some music and try to distract himself or, in lieu of that, probably curl up and cry. He's never been anywhere near as strong as he pretends to be. He has a bag with him, nothing unusual, and he puts it down by the door before walking inside. Should he bring it up or wait for Cisco to admit to his white lie? "How was sushi?"

[trickedya]

"Dude, it's been two days. Why are you ignoring me?"

Ever since he had sushi with Cisco, it was pretty much like both of them had gone all silent treatment on his ass.. He tried to be respectful and give them space, he really did. Two whole days. And nothing. Hartley ignored him, Cisco ignored him and he decided to just break into Cisco's place and ask him what the hell was up?

And grab a quick shower while he wasn't there because, you know, it was there and all. Hey, he tided up, no towel on the floor. Total good boy. "You and Hartley, both blanking me. Dick move. I thought something was wrong!"

[thisismadfreaky]

When he comes home to find Axel in his apartment, Cisco probably shouldn't be that surprised at this point. He should also probably be more concerned or at least angry about it, but he doesn't have it in him, really.

"Something is wrong," he mumbles, dropping down on his couch, tucking himself into the corner of it, knees drawn up to his chest to rest his chin on the tops of his knees. "talking isn't really my jam in the middle of a breakup, okay?" he scoffs a little and shakes his head, "Guess you got what you wanted."

[trickedya]

I'm sorry.

I'm a bad friend.

[mostlyajerk]

You are not a friend.

texts » Hartley

[thisismadfreaky]

Hey
Hey, how's it
Hey, how are
Hi
I know I probably shouldn't even be talking to you but I

[Off and on all day, Cisco has started to text Hartley and backed out of it. Eventually, he just stopped considering it at all and focused on work. Because that was easier than everything else going on in his life right now.

It isn't until later, when he's at home, alone, that he considers it again.]

We can still be friends, right?
Are we still
Can I talk to y

[For all that he used to send dumb, idle texts and passing thoughts to him, texting Hartley now just feels like an insurmountable task. He huffs and flops on the couch, staring at the blank text screen on his phone. Just sitting there. Taunting him. Blinking at him, waiting for him to type something. Anything at all.]

Hey.

[mostlyajerk]

Mistext?

[It seems like a natural enough assumption. He walked out on Cisco. He dumped him. He didn't have a good reason. Cisco should know that. Cisco certainly shouldn't want to talk to him.]

[trickedya]

This was bad. It was definitely bad of him. Bad and creepy, he got that. He knew that. He didn't want to do this but he was so damn weak. He was alone and he was hurting, he just wanted to be with someone and that someone couldn't be Hartley any more. And he should just back the fuck out of both their lives but he couldn't do that, he couldn't seem to be the better person he wanted to be, and that was why he ended up in Cisco's bedroom.

He wanted to wake him up and just talk but Cisco was sleeping so peacefully and he didn't feel like ruining it. Axel debated what to do before he gave in to his stupid, pathetic impulses and took off his shoes and jacket, leaving them by the window before he lay down on the bed. Not under the covers, not with him, just near the edge, lying facing him.

Axel didn't sleep much, too many thoughts, too much energy, he could never seem to wind down but he found his own way of relaxing and resting just by watching the way Cisco breathed in and out. He used to do it with Hartley. He knew it was wrong and he hated himself but he needed this. He needed to rest.

[thisismadfreaky]

Life had a way of shoving everything you always tried to avoid right in your face and today was certainly one of those days. Drilling Thawne's way of speech into Harry's head so he could try and help with the Grodd situation? That hadn't done Cisco any personal favors, even if it was his idea.

He'd done fine enough through the rest of work and by the time he got home, he was so exhausted he just collapsed into bed without a second thought to anything else. Which is probably why he doesn't notice the extra presence in his room, or even the shift on the mattress with the added weight.

For awhile, there's nothing all that eventful for Axel to witness, Cisco is just bone-tired and sleeping deep. But somewhere along the way he gets restless, tossing and turning, muttering incoherently in his sleep.

It's an all too familiar scene in his mind. Not-actually-Wells moving towards him, villain speeching at him about how clever Cisco was and how he was the one that was hardest to lie to because, "In many ways...you've shown me what it's like to have a son."

And when that vibrating hand goes into his chest in the dream, Cisco's jolting awake in a panic, chest tight, breath ragged. His own hand grips his chest in effort to remind himself it wasn't real. "It was a dream, it was a dream, it was a dream..." he mutters under his breath, words almost intelligible with how quickly he's speaking.

to Axel

[mostlyajerk]

I hear so much about you recently.

[trickedya]

#tricksfordicks is really trending, yeah.

[mostlyajerk]

"You brought coffee." Hartley mutters that before he even opens his eyes, reaching out to grab Cisco by the arm - his hearing is good enough that he can estimate where he is. He smiles, eyes blinking open but unfocused,from sleep and since he's not currently wearing his glasses, looking up at the vaguely Cisco-like shape. He can smell the coffee and it smells delicious. "I love you. Will you marry me?"

He has very strong feelings for coffee.

[thisismadfreaky]

Cisco had woken up a short while ago, confused and a little disoriented at first until the previous night's memories slammed back into focus. Axel was gone and Cisco was in a minor internal crisis being curled up with Hartley, alone. So, he'd done the natural thing and ditched to go get coffee.

"Uh-- ye-ahh,' he draws the word out as Hartley grabs his arm unexpectedly. His heart is in his throat at those three words, but he remembers to breathe when it's followed by what is obviously a sleep-dazed and definitely not genuine right? no, definitely not proposal. He lets out a nervous chuckle, "Um, may-maybe you should have the coffee before I answer that." He bites the inside of his cheek as he presents the coffee to Hartley and tries to ignore the sudden and overwhelming 'I miss this' feeling tightening in his chest. He's still pretty helplessly in love with the half-asleep man next to him and right now? Hating that he wants to be the bigger person and not completely take every advantage of this moment he could right now.

[trickedya]

Well. This was an awkward 'second date' for them, no lying there. Not nearly 24 hours since they were last together, Axel Walker was in STAR labs, handcuffed and sitting on a spinny chair, a good chunk of Central was in chaos from his little pranks, one candy store was robbed and there were three more bombs planted somewhere in Central. And they needed to know where.

Axel didn't seem to fussed over sharing, explaining his plans or anything like that. He was mostly trying to get the jaw breaker from his inside pocket. Stupid cuffs. He only seemed to focus when Cisco turned up, offering him a big, beaming grin and rolling his chair a little closer. He was dressed in his Trickster clothes, mask and all, looking entirely unburdened with guilt. "Hello, handsome." At least he wasn't boring? "Your friends are getting kinky with me... I kind of dig it."

[thisismadfreaky]

Cisco scrambles to get to the lab after the call from Barry interrupting him with Hartley that didn't have much more info other than chaos in the city and the jerk starting it had been apprehended.

So, to say he's a little surprised when he walks in to find Axel cuffed in a chair would be an understatement. There's an awkwardly long pause as he stares and reprograms his brain from first-naming him out of what is now weirdly somehow habit. "Trickster."

Great. Awesome. This is totally not awkward or in any way connected to anything else going on his life. Not. Oh, no, Harry's bad jokes are rubbing off on him.

texts » Hartley

[thisismadfreaky]

[Somewhere between his game of 20 Questions with Axel and the Trickster being dragged off to one of the cells downstairs, Cisco texts Hartley.]

» Have you seen the news?

1/2

[mostlyajerk]

fjganv,mnykngfoansyvm

[thisismadfreaky]

After Axel was dragged away and he had the confirmation of both, the bombs all being disarmed and the fact that he was not needed at the lab any more, Cisco sets out to head home. First, though, a stop at the liquor store because f u c k this day, quite honestly. This is what he gets for getting some level of attached to a criminal, obviously.

At the last minute, he makes an executive decision and instead of his own apartment complex, he finds himself parking in front of Hartley's. He shoves his keys in his pocket and brings the tequila with him. If he's drinking, he'd rather not be alone. ...He'd rather not be alone in general, actually. He knocks on the door and waits for Hartley to answer.

[mostlyajerk]

It's not as if he's really surprised to hear a knock, although Hartley hasn't been sure whether Cisco would come. He whistles as soon as he hears him, a signal for the rats currently running free to run into their cage. Hartley gets up, closes the door to the cage and heads for the door, not surprised that Echo peeks out of his hood and moves to his shoulder to nuzzle his chin.

"You do realise that when I want the others to go to the cage, I actually do mean you too? I don't play favourites." Echo puts her paws up on Hartley's glasses and her nose twitches. He may not play favourites, but she certainly does. With a roll of his eyes he opens the door, dressed in a simple hoodie and sweats, because he had spent most of the day asleep and the rest of it composing. No need to dress up. He spots the bottle of tequila and smiles. "Takes three to party? Come in."

text to Axel

[mostlyajerk]

Are you out of prison yet?

Let me know. Off the record.

[trickedya]

Yes

No

Maybe so.

The Morning After: Hungover cuddle pile edition

[thisismadfreaky]

Cisco is rather inherently bad at mornings. He's a late riser if he has any choice in the matter whatsoever, he resists the pull of the evil bright thing in the sky no matter how late he sleeps, and he's a slow to start once he does wake up. Add in all that tequila later and, well, a hungover Cisco is even worse at mornings.

He tries to hide the light from the window by burrowing deeper under the blankets, curling against the body next to him, but after more minutes than he cares to count lying there, willing sleep to sink him back under, he has to eventually admit defeat. And he does. With a pout-sounding whine as he peeks out from under the blankets and blinks blearily at the world. He scrubs a hand down his face and realizes he's definitely not alone in the bed-- or even alone in bed with Hartley.

Axel.

Axel is on the other side of Hartley and Cisco is trying to remember why. He squints in his direction, but doesn't actually say words. He hasn't gotten that far in the waking up process yet.

[mostlyajerk]

Hartley didn't sleep much under normal circumstances. Normally he ran himself ragged until he passed out and then slept for several hours like the dead and while waking up from that wasn't exactly pleasant either and usually very disorienting - especially since he often woke up on the kitchen floor or equally awkward places - this was still different.

He hadn't really drunk that much, had he? Apparently his head seemed to think he had and so Hartley lifted his arm to cover his eyes and decided that, no, he wasn't really awake yet. Maybe later. "No," he muttered, to inform the world of that decision, "Go away."