[A part of him had kind of expected a no, which would have really not helped him where he is right now, so he's probably more relieved than he should be to get that response.]
Yeah, sounds good. I'll be wrapping up here soon, so whenever you're headed this way just lmk.
[He pockets his phone and doesn't bother putting any of his tools away. He's a messy person, it's a thing. Whatever. It's his work space, everyone else can suck it.
He's arriving at the bus station a short bit later, quickly spotting Hartley. He stops next to the bench and smiles, small and awkward because they'd just sort of had this ridiculous text fight and he feels like they're on uneven footing. His voice is quiet and small in itself.] Hey.
Hey. [Hartley slips his own phone into his pocket and reaches for Cisco's hand without looking at him yet, instead looking down at their hands as he threads their fingers together and lets out a slow breath.]
I'm sorry. I should have told you that I kind of have a stalker sometimes.
Yeah, I can...see why. [How do you just casually bring that up? "You wanna go see a movie Thursday? By the way, don't be alarmed if you get crazy texts, it's just my stalker. Oh, and I think we're out of milk." ...Doesn't really work.]
Oh. [That sure is a look of something like confusion and shock thrown together in a blender on your boyfriend's face, Hartley.]
Y-you don't have to...explain it, I-- it's not your fault he can't take no for an answer. [But having both the who and a label--stalker, seriously, he'd actually called him that--kind of made this all the more unsettling for Cisco. He's dealt with a lot of things, crazy things and heartbreaking things and impossible things, but this was a little outside his usual scope.
He moves to sit down next to Hartley, never losing grip on his boyfriend's hand in his own.] How long as has this been going on?
[But he didn't have to explain two seconds ago, Cisco....]
[He leans forward to check on whether the bus is coming yet, then sits back with a little sigh.] We met after I'd first gone after Wells, attacked my parents' building, all that. He recognised me, he was excited there was finally someone around his age.
[How to explain the strange camaraderie of the Rogues to Cisco? Less about being together and more about not being alone.]
We hung out sometimes. Talked a lot. I was so angry then. [Not as if he doesn't still carry a lot of rage within him, but he likes to believe he's balanced out a little.] We were both lonely.
[With all that's happened, that felt like a whole lifetime ago, but he remembers it.
He nods a little as his listens. It isn't so hard to piece it together, really.] You needed a friend...somebody who understood where you were coming from.
[Cisco thinks he's already got the broad picture of how this happened. They talked and hung out and they were friends, but this guy...just latched onto Hartley way harder, and when he didn't reciprocate...]
Suppose so. [Hartley nods and gets up, because the bus is coming. He crosses his arms and keeps talking, turning to still face Cisco a little.] As I said, I helped him with his medication. He had a hard life, he'd never had anyone care about him, so it's not that surprising he read into it.
[Cisco glances up when Hartley gets to his feet, following suit a moment later, shoving his hands in his pockets. He can understand how it all fell together, but...]
And he isn't really a fan of taking no for an answer. [He rocks back on the heels of his shoes, balancing for a couple seconds before standing flat again.] So, what how do you handle it when he swings back into your life on a whim?
[If it's happened before, he must have some kind of plan, right...?]
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Date: 2017-02-11 11:43 pm (UTC)...by the bus station, I don't need STAR labs today.
We can talk.
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Date: 2017-02-11 11:50 pm (UTC)Yeah, sounds good.
I'll be wrapping up here soon, so whenever you're headed this way just lmk.
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Date: 2017-02-11 11:52 pm (UTC)[Where Hartley sits on the bench shortly after, sipping coffee from a paper cup from Jitters and looking at his phone in concentration.]
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Date: 2017-02-11 11:57 pm (UTC)He's arriving at the bus station a short bit later, quickly spotting Hartley. He stops next to the bench and smiles, small and awkward because they'd just sort of had this ridiculous text fight and he feels like they're on uneven footing. His voice is quiet and small in itself.] Hey.
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Date: 2017-02-11 11:59 pm (UTC)I'm sorry. I should have told you that I kind of have a stalker sometimes.
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Date: 2017-02-12 12:04 am (UTC)S'okay...I was just-- caught off guard. That's all. [His thumb traces gently over the edge of Hartley's hand. They'd be fine.
Right?]no subject
Date: 2017-02-12 12:09 am (UTC)[Which he very much does want to do with Cisco.]
It's the young Trickster. Remember him?
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Date: 2017-02-12 12:13 am (UTC)Oh. [That sure is a look of something like confusion and shock thrown together in a blender on your boyfriend's face, Hartley.]
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Date: 2017-02-12 12:15 am (UTC)[Between the anger at the world and being manipulated by evil older men, there was quite a bit, even before bringing their sexuality into equation.]
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Date: 2017-02-12 12:26 am (UTC)He moves to sit down next to Hartley, never losing grip on his boyfriend's hand in his own.] How long as has this been going on?
[But he didn't have to explain two seconds ago, Cisco....]
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Date: 2017-02-12 12:53 am (UTC)[How to explain the strange camaraderie of the Rogues to Cisco? Less about being together and more about not being alone.]
We hung out sometimes. Talked a lot. I was so angry then. [Not as if he doesn't still carry a lot of rage within him, but he likes to believe he's balanced out a little.] We were both lonely.
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Date: 2017-02-12 01:12 am (UTC)He nods a little as his listens. It isn't so hard to piece it together, really.] You needed a friend...somebody who understood where you were coming from.
[Cisco thinks he's already got the broad picture of how this happened. They talked and hung out and they were friends, but this guy...just latched onto Hartley way harder, and when he didn't reciprocate...]
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Date: 2017-02-13 12:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-02-13 06:21 pm (UTC)And he isn't really a fan of taking no for an answer. [He rocks back on the heels of his shoes, balancing for a couple seconds before standing flat again.] So, what how do you handle it when he swings back into your life on a whim?
[If it's happened before, he must have some kind of plan, right...?]