{You're that awful sort of dangerous that keeps me hanging on

[myheadisaprison]

PSL with exacerbate

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{It's time to start all over, make a new beginning

[thisismadfreaky]

There's only so much loss and pain any given person can take. Everyone has their thresholds and their limits and when those are reached, it's anybody's guess what reaction a person might have as a result. Cisco Ramon? Well, he cut and ran and he ran as far as he could from it all. Was it the best decision he'd ever made? Probably not. Especially with his landing place: Gotham City.

Everybody heard the rumors about the murder city that the sun forgot, but in the few weeks he's been here, he's realized that it was less rumor and more pure, literal truth. There was something dark and grimy about everything here, something twisted in the general population of the city that just never felt quite right. There were murders and gang wars galore.

But.
There were no metas (except Cisco).
There was no time traveling or speedsters to deal with.
And maybe that made everything else worth it.

He still had....plenty of cash stacked up from the sums Barry had been periodically dropping into his account after The Wells That Wasn't was gone and he'd inherited everything. So, he didn't really need a job. But he did, because he needed something to do to keep himself occupied. Getting the job as a liaison with the GCPD had been easy, between his resume, his attachment to STAR Labs (even if it had its issues, it has its prestige, too), and his previous work with the CCPD he was practically a shoe-in.

Jim Gordon was one of the first people he'd met since starting the job, and sometimes he liked to pitch ideas around with the older cop. "Okay, but hear me out. A gun that's basically a taser, right? But no need for electrodes, because it runs on the same basic principles of a Tesla coil." he leans back in his chair, looking rather impressed of himself. "I'm tellin' you, one day, I'm gonna get this thing right and you're gonna thank me."

[exacerbate]

Does that really make it worth it? Of course, never dealing with metas or time traveling, Jim wouldn't really know the answer to that question for sure, but still, is it really worth it? He often thinks about that when it comes to new people coming into the city. But then, tourists aren't exactly commonplace in Gotham. It's worth it to him, of course, because this is his home and he will stay here until the bitter end.

But a nice kid like Cisco? What makes Gotham worth the trouble for him?

Jim looks up from the paperwork on his desk when Cisco starts talking to him. It's actually a little refreshing to see someone who's so enthusiastic about his job. Well, actually there are plenty of enthusiastic people here just... not in the same way as Cisco. Cisco seems excited about creating something, and something non-lethal at that (though to be fair, Gotham isn't really a city that does well with non-lethal. Hell, even lethal has questionable results). Others? Well, their excitement often comes from alone time in the interrogation room with some criminal who's gotten under their skin, or from getting their payout for casually looking the other way. While not things quite as common in the GCPD nowadays, they're still there. They've been parts of the police force for a long time, so it's not something that's just going to stop overnight.

"Thank you?" He's skeptical. "Just get it right and then we'll talk. Until then, I think I'll stick to a gun that's basically a gun."

[thisismadfreaky]

He knows that, mostly, these little chats of theirs are Jim humoring him. He knows he's new and that he doesn't have anybody in the city, so he gives Cisco a little bit of his time so he doesn't have to be so isolated. Even if it's a little patronizing in a way any platitude ever feels that way...Cisco actually really appreciates it.

"Reasonable choice," he says, amused rather than offended at the clear-cut skepticism in Jim's voice.

[exacerbate]

While Jim may not be as familiar with the concept of being new to the city, he does know what it's like to be the new guy in the GCPD. It's hardly a friendly and welcoming environment. So it's the least Jim can do to make Cisco's time at the GCPD a little more pleasant than his own has been.

Of course it does help that Cisco isn't as antagonistic as Jim was.

So sure, some of it is just Jim trying to humor Cisco, but some of it is also genuine. Cisco is just a nice person and that is so hard to come by in the GCPD -- hell, in the entire damn city -- that it makes these chats of theirs, well let's say very painless.

"Considering I'm the one who would be using it, and I'm the one who would suffer the consequences if anything went wrong, I thought it was pretty reasonable too."

[thisismadfreaky]

There's a wild difference between the GCPD and the CCPD environments, and it's weird, but Cisco's adjusted well enough. He's finding his footing here at the station, bit by bit.

Jim just hasn't actually seen the valid usefulness in the things he creates yet. Once he does, Cisco knows he'll be able to take that ridiculous smug smirk off his face. Until then, he'll just snicker and be amused by the whole thing. "Such logic, much sense. No wonder you're so good at your job."

[exacerbate]

From the few things Jim has heard about the CCPD, the differences sound like night and day. Of course it's not impossible to imagine that not all police stations are quite like Gotham's (just like it's not impossible to imagine that there are also police stations that happen to be exactly like Gotham's. Unfortunate to imagine, but not impossible). So the fact that Cisco has adjusted at all to the difference is rather impressive, if Jim is being entirely honest here.

See, Jim actually does see the valid usefulness in the things that Cisco makes. At least in theory. These things sound like great ideas, but impractical ones. Actually disabling people instead of killing them sounds great and all (and a lot more helpful when it comes to questioning someone), but it's hard to get out of that shoot to kill mindset when it's been so ingrained in his head. As well as into all of Gotham, really. "Not everyone would agree with that. But. I personally like to think that I'm good at my job because I don't take unperfected weapons out into the field and get myself killed."

[thisismadfreaky]

"A good life philosophy." He muses, that amused little smirk still so very in place on his face. By all accounts of anyone in the office, that's a thing that probably never fails with Cisco. He's always bright and always happy, cracking jokes and making ridiculous pop culture references about everything. None of them are one ounce the wiser to how much of it is just him, and how much may only be a play act, because no one here really knows him. And Cisco like it that way. That, aside from simple, physical distance, was part of the draw of Gotham for Cisco. There would be little to no chance of ever running into people he knew here. He could really, and truly, start over in a big way here. "So," he half-spins his chair side to side, feet bracing against one of the legs at the base of the chair to stop and push himself to the opposite direction every few seconds. "when you're not busy being a hero-cop in the city of death, what do you do?"

[exacerbate]

If Jim were to venture a guess, he'd say that's exactly why not many people in the precinct have approached Cisco on their own or tried to befriend the one person in the building who one could probably actually befriend without ulterior motives. Cisco is friendly and sunshiny and a lot of people don't know what to make of him, or simply don't take him seriously.

Jim is one of those people who don't really know what to make of Cisco but at least he's putting in more of an effort than anyone else. Again, though, that goes back to Jim knowing exactly what it's like to be the new guy in the GCPD. They're not the most receptive bunch. Quite the opposite, really.

This is definitely a good place for someone like Cisco to come and not be found by his old life, though. No one would ever suspect someone like Cisco of coming to a place like this.

Jim looks down at the paperwork piling up on his desk as Cisco swivels his chair back and forth. It doesn't take long, however, for him to get distracted by the movement. The rest of the precinct, he's gotten pretty good at ignoring when he needs to. The yelling, the violent way prisoners are handled. But Cisco is the anomaly here. His movement just seems so... innocent by comparison. It makes Jim look back over at him.

"I wouldn't say hero-cop." At least not anymore. Those types don't go to prison. Or escape from prison. "When I'm not working? I sleep." Usually. Or drink.

[thisismadfreaky]

There's a part of Cisco that's expecting some kind of illusion of grandeur style story, here, so when he gets that answer it's almost a bit of a let-down. "What an exciting life you lead, Jim-bo."

[exacerbate]

Jim gives Cisco a sarcastic smile. Sorry Cisco. No illusions of grandeur here. There's just a lot of disappointing realism. His life is... less than glamorous. He works, and then he leaves and continues to work, then he goes home to his dark, dingy apartment and sleeps or does more work. Has a drink or two. The glamorous life of a Gotham City detective who's actually trying to do what's best for the city while staying (mostly) on the right side of the law.

"Isn't it? And what do you do after work that's so exciting?"

[thisismadfreaky]

"Wh- me?" He gestures to himself and then throws his head back, and one hand forward in a wave of a dismissive sort. "No, we weren't talking about me. We were talking about," he points a finger back toward Jim. "you." Which is just his very exuberant way of saying his life is no more glamorous, really.

spelling glamorous right is overrated!

[exacerbate]

He shakes his head and leans forward in his chair, bringing himself closer to Cisco. Jim's expression suddenly turns very serious (though this is hardly a serious matter!). Like, interrogating a suspect sort of serious.

"Looks like we're talking about you now." His head tilts to one side, brows furrowing. "What do you do outside of work?"

[thisismadfreaky]

Jeeze, this guy's got a serious 'tell me all your darkest secrets' stare. He must be awesome in interrogations. "I'm totally lame." He caves, pulling a face. "I order in food more nights than I'd like to admit, even though I can cook up a storm when I really want to and marathon every single nerd thing under the sun you could name." He has a very boring life outside of work, too. It's just... slightly less cryptic.

[exacerbate]

He has a pretty decent success rate when it comes to interrogations. Especially ever since giving in to the GCPD's use of physical violence on difficult suspects! So yeah, he's pretty good.

When Cisco starts talking, Jim sits back in his chair, his expression turning smug like the cat that ate the canary. "So you've got absolutely no room for judgment then."

[thisismadfreaky]

He opens his mouth, one finger in the air as if he might rebuke that comment, then snaps his mouth shut and drops his hand back into his lap. "No, not really." he admits, almost sheepish in his admission.

[exacerbate]

Jim finishes off his drink and sets the glass down before signaling the bartender for a refill. He motions for the same for Cisco (even though he hasn't exactly taken note if that's even necessary at the moment), not wanting to be alone in this comfortably warm, light feeling, now that the alcohol's firmly taken hold. Honestly, it's also just a nice reminder that he isn't drinking alone.

It's one of the quieter dive bars in Gotham, not far from Jim's apartment. That, unfortunately, means that it's not exactly in the best part of the city, but the nicer areas tend to come with criminal owned establishments. And this place? It's pretty above board and an okay place for someone like Jim to have a drink and not have to keep looking over his shoulder.

"Don't tell me you're even considering questioning someone using weather balloons to kill people when Central City has a man who apparently makes weather?"

[thisismadfreaky]

Luckily for Jim, his timing was perfect and it was absolutely time for a refill and his company is all too pleased at having another. It takes significantly less than the seasoned drinkers of Gotham City for Cisco to feel the buzz, and he's hoping to carry this feeling for a long time coming into the night. "I'm not saying it's the weirdest thing I've ever heard of, but it's still weird, okay?" He laughs a little and grabs the now refilled drink in front of him and takes a sip. "Does the name Axel Walker mean anything to you?" Probably not, he was a pretty localized criminal, but with social media, it was anyone's guess who may have heard about what these days.

[exacerbate]

Carrying this feeling well into the night is an idea that Jim can really get behind. Not that it isn't a feeling that he carries with him through many nights, but it's more the sentiment behind it this time. Drinking with a friend to relax after a long day instead of drinking alone to forget about the long day. Week. Month. Year. He's not drinking alone because of regrets, not because of should haves and would haves. Just with a friend. Not that he generally has many of those to do things with even if he wanted to.

Jim takes a drink from his freshly refilled glass, this time going a little slower than with his last few. Remember Jim, you're drinking for the actual social aspect this time. "I'll admit that I thought it was a little out of the ordinary at the time too. Weather balloons as murder weapons. Now? It's just Gotham." Once upon a time, that would have been a sad, disappointing realization. Now, it's clear that it's simply the truth. It barely even places on Gotham's list of weird nowadays.

"Axel Walker? Can't say the name means anything to me, no. Why?" It's definitely much easier to keep up with what's going on elsewhere, with social media and the like, but Jim has been mostly keeping his own knowledge pretty localized. Of course he's not completely ignorant to what's going on outside city limits, but he doesn't necessarily try too hard to keep up with it. His has his hands full with what's going on in his own city, after all.

[thisismadfreaky]

He waves a hand at the question. "Nothing, no reason. He's just this really nutso guy back in Central... he'd probably fit in around here." He tips his head a little to one side, eyes squinted up. "Actually, it's kind of a relief to know he hasn't been in Gotham before. It might be kind of terrifying if he had connections in a place like this." More than Axel was already kind of terrifying in his own, unpredictable, right.

[exacerbate]

Jim lets out a quick, derisive laugh and shakes his head. "Of course you would think that crazy means they've probably come through Gotham at some point." His tone is a little sarcastic, but honestly, Cisco has a bit of a point. Coming from someone still relatively new to the city, it's probably safe to assume that this place attracted his own crazy criminal from home. Depending on how far news about Gotham spreads, naturally.

"Maybe he has been here and just didn't make as big of an impact as he did in Central." No, if he had been here, Jim likes to think he would have remembered the name, either from running into him personally, from someone else in the GCPD, or from one of Jim's other... contacts around the city.

Jim takes a long drink from his glass, mostly emptying it of its contents yet again. "You know, with your credentials, you probably could've gotten yourself a good job somewhere within Wayne Enterprises. So let me ask, why come to the GCPD?" He puts his hand on Cisco's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "It has been nice having you around though."

[thisismadfreaky]

Cisco levels him with a look. "I don't think you can look at me and tell me with a straight face that 'crazy' isn't practically a requirement of being a resident of Gotham." Because honestly, look at the place. "Wayne Enterpri-- ha-- I'm flattered, really, but I doubt it," Cisco makes his way through that statement with half-laughed words slamming hard into flat-toned self-doubt.

[exacerbate]

Jim raises both of his eyebrows, and gives Cisco a small, somewhat amused smirk. "You do know that I live here and am from here, right?" Not to mention the fact that Cisco now lives here too. He's not entirely wrong though. It seems like most of the people of Gotham have at least a little crazy in them, whether they be criminal or every day, law-abiding citizen. Relatively law-abiding.

Raising his glass and gesturing toward Cisco with it, Jim shakes his head. "I disagree with your doubt. Listen, Talk to Lucius Fox. He'll tell you I'm right." Cisco shouldn't misunderstand, of course. Jim isn't at all saying that he'd like for Cisco to move on from the GCPD and pursue better things. Of course he wouldn't stop him if that's what he chose to do.

"You never answered why you chose to work at the department."

[thisismadfreaky]

"You sleep with a gun under your pillow and a knife in beside table drawer, you qualify." He says, lifting his glass with that. Does he know those things are true? Not really, but it sounds likely anyway. "I'll keep it in mind." He's not sure if he wants to leave the job he's at now, but it's never a bad idea to keep an open mind about these things. Wayne Enterprises was, ultimately, far more in line with his usual line of work. He shrugs a little. "I dunno... it's familiar, I guess. And I get to help people." A beat and he shrugs. "Or at least try to."

[exacerbate]

Jim looks off into the middle distance, mulling a little over what Cisco just said. It's not exactly true but it's also not entirely wrong. He doesn't sleep with a gun under his pillow (always. There may have been a time or two), but it is always close by. Always close enough for him to be able to grab as soon as he wakes up, eyes open yet or not. He nods in agreement. "Okay, that's fair. You're currently a citizen of Gotham too, though."

Just knowing that there are other options out there can be nice, even if that person has no intention of moving on to other things. Which, again, wouldn't be entirely preferable. Having Cisco around is like a breath of fresh air.

"There are a lot of other jobs you could do where you could help people. Jobs where people would probably be more receptive to your help." Jim finishes off what's in his glass and shakes his head.

"In case it sounds like I'm trying to talk you out of working at the GCPD, I'm not. But I also am."

[thisismadfreaky]

Cisco didn't really mean much by it. It's not like he didn't have his own paranoid habits that predated anything about him moving to Gotham. Though, being in this city definitely brought that part of him a bit more to the surface, that's for sure. "I never claimed to not be at least a little crazy." No one truly, totally sane would willingly move to Gotham for no reason, after all. "I don't think there's much for receptive anything in this city." And it's not really as disparaging as it might have sounded from anyone else, somehow. "Plus, I like it at GCPD." He says easily with a one-shouldered shrug. He chuckles a little, "Trying that hard to get rid of me, huh?" he teases, shoving Jim's shoulder playfully with one hand.