[ It takes him a moment to respond. The urge to just avoid it all is strong. How many times had he told them that they weren't any of their Earth-2 counterparts? Taking any of that out on him now would be walking that back. At the same time, the sensation of pressure on his wrist still lingers along with the grain of truth in those words. He has to take a moment, has to remind himself that there was no choice here. ]
Go clean it up, Ramon
[ What "it" is, he doesn't know. He hasn't been back there since he fled from it a few days ago, in case Reverb was waiting for him. ]
Go clean it up, Ramon
[ What "it" is, he doesn't know. He hasn't been back there since he fled from it a few days ago, in case Reverb was waiting for him. ]
[ It takes some time for him to respond. When he gets the message, Harrison has to pause and think about it, then remind himself that Ramon isn't Reverb. That this is Cisco, who went to Earth-2 with him to save Jesse. Who ran to his loft immediately when he found out about Turtle.
A few months ago, he'd consider what Allen would do, but that's an asinine prospect given the metric ton of shit Barry Allen has gotten himself into lately. Instead, he pinches at the bridge of his nose and considers Joe West, and what their conversation over a beer would be. — besides about how asinine Allen's life choices have been or how Joe's first instinct is shoot first, ask questions later. ]
I'm not mad at you
[ Unnerved by? Yes. Angry at him specifically? No. ]
A few months ago, he'd consider what Allen would do, but that's an asinine prospect given the metric ton of shit Barry Allen has gotten himself into lately. Instead, he pinches at the bridge of his nose and considers Joe West, and what their conversation over a beer would be. — besides about how asinine Allen's life choices have been or how Joe's first instinct is shoot first, ask questions later. ]
I'm not mad at you
[ Unnerved by? Yes. Angry at him specifically? No. ]
[ He's not going to lie to him. He'd stopped doing that to them months ago, after they'd taken him back onto their team despite the whole fiasco with Zoom and Allen's speed. ]
Yes
[ But it's more complicated than that. It isn't so much Ramon as it is the shadow of Reverb that he sees out of the corner of his eyes, the words that were said in his voice. That was what he was afraid of; not necessarily Cisco himself. The mistakes he made, the monsters he'd created.
And then, there was the cold, hard slap to the face that he'd tried hard to ignore. But when something had happened in the clock, Ramon was at the top of the list of people he'd contact. When he'd found the Big Belly Burger? He messaged Ramon within minutes. Schadenfreude on lockbox? Ramon, again. This time was different, and the realization had left an empty feeling in his chest that he wasn't entirely comfortable with. ]
Yes
[ But it's more complicated than that. It isn't so much Ramon as it is the shadow of Reverb that he sees out of the corner of his eyes, the words that were said in his voice. That was what he was afraid of; not necessarily Cisco himself. The mistakes he made, the monsters he'd created.
And then, there was the cold, hard slap to the face that he'd tried hard to ignore. But when something had happened in the clock, Ramon was at the top of the list of people he'd contact. When he'd found the Big Belly Burger? He messaged Ramon within minutes. Schadenfreude on lockbox? Ramon, again. This time was different, and the realization had left an empty feeling in his chest that he wasn't entirely comfortable with. ]
That wasn't
[ He doesn't even finish that message, firing it off in frustration as he stands, pulling his shoes on quickly. He's out the door and tapping out another message without a second thought. ]
Don't be an idiot, Ramon
[ Harrison reaches into his pocket and pulls a compass out as he walks briskly, heading through one door and then another. If any messages are coming through to his device, he's firmly ignoring them as he looks for the workshop door. It takes him a few minutes to find it, mostly since he'd tried hard to avoid it for as long as he had, and then jams his key in the lock, turning it quickly and pushing the door open. ]
[ He doesn't even finish that message, firing it off in frustration as he stands, pulling his shoes on quickly. He's out the door and tapping out another message without a second thought. ]
Don't be an idiot, Ramon
[ Harrison reaches into his pocket and pulls a compass out as he walks briskly, heading through one door and then another. If any messages are coming through to his device, he's firmly ignoring them as he looks for the workshop door. It takes him a few minutes to find it, mostly since he'd tried hard to avoid it for as long as he had, and then jams his key in the lock, turning it quickly and pushing the door open. ]
[ Harrison pushes the door shut behind him and immediately crosses his arms. His stance is neutral at best, not betraying any of the uneasiness or the worry that's simmering beneath the surface. He takes a few steps in, eyes flicking around the room to take in the damage. A dent in the locker, a crack in the board — he could live with that. They'd be minor annoyances, but manageable. They weren't nearly as noticeable as the lack of weight he felt on his left wrist, at least.
After a moment, he turns his attention towards Cisco, arms still crossed. ]
I thought you'd be done by now.
[ It's a dry remark in his usual rasp — his attempt at cutting through any tension in the air. ]
After a moment, he turns his attention towards Cisco, arms still crossed. ]
I thought you'd be done by now.
[ It's a dry remark in his usual rasp — his attempt at cutting through any tension in the air. ]
[ That effectively kills whatever momentum Harrison had going. Whatever he was going to say next seems to die off in his throat and he glances to the side, shoving the compass back into his pocket and then scratching at the back of his neck. There's a pressure in his chest, one that's hard to ignore at this point, and he shifts his gaze back over towards Cisco.
He has to say something. ]
You don't—
[ His voice trails off as words fail him yet again. He grunts in frustration, trying to start again. ]
This isn't—
[ And again, nothing. He runs a hand through his hair quickly, eyes shifting back to the ground, narrowed in frustration. This was never his forte. He could give speeches that moved hundreds of people but when it came to interpersonal relationships, well. That was something else entirely.
. . . though.
He pauses, then reaches into his pocket and pulls out his device, tapping at it a few times before stepping over to where Cisco is and shoving it in front of him roughly. ]
Just— look at this, alright?
[ If he glances at it for even a moment, he'll see that it's the contents of Harrison's sent messages. There's a few different people there — a couple to Allen and, later, Snow, an old one or two to Oswald who's now long gone, as well as a few other people here and there. But the vast majority of them are all to Cisco — long chains of messages, as opposed to the shorter ones littering the folder.
It's hard for Harrison to put into words, but he missed him, damnit. ]
He has to say something. ]
You don't—
[ His voice trails off as words fail him yet again. He grunts in frustration, trying to start again. ]
This isn't—
[ And again, nothing. He runs a hand through his hair quickly, eyes shifting back to the ground, narrowed in frustration. This was never his forte. He could give speeches that moved hundreds of people but when it came to interpersonal relationships, well. That was something else entirely.
. . . though.
He pauses, then reaches into his pocket and pulls out his device, tapping at it a few times before stepping over to where Cisco is and shoving it in front of him roughly. ]
Just— look at this, alright?
[ If he glances at it for even a moment, he'll see that it's the contents of Harrison's sent messages. There's a few different people there — a couple to Allen and, later, Snow, an old one or two to Oswald who's now long gone, as well as a few other people here and there. But the vast majority of them are all to Cisco — long chains of messages, as opposed to the shorter ones littering the folder.
It's hard for Harrison to put into words, but he missed him, damnit. ]
[ Frustrating as always. That was just like him, wasn't it. Harrison lets out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head. ]
I didn't even read them— that's not what I'm —
[ He throws a hand in the air. ]
You were gone, Ramon. You were gone, leaving that . . . person there in your place. And. [ A beat. He swallows, not entirely sure how to phrase it. No matter what he says, it'll sound stilted from him. ] It felt like I'd lost someone else then.
I didn't even read them— that's not what I'm —
[ He throws a hand in the air. ]
You were gone, Ramon. You were gone, leaving that . . . person there in your place. And. [ A beat. He swallows, not entirely sure how to phrase it. No matter what he says, it'll sound stilted from him. ] It felt like I'd lost someone else then.
[ Harrison flinches at the touch, tensing up immediately though he practically wills himself to not pull away. That was Reverb. This is Cisco. He can still feel the phantom pressure against his wrist and attempts to steel himself, expression neutral as his eyes flick over, from his hand to his face.
Sentimental was never a good look for him, but neither was fear. So while he can't force a smile in turn, he can stay steady, giving him a slow nod of understanding. ]
Figures.
[ It's a rough, quiet statement, lacking the usual sarcasm that peppers his words. He doesn't have the energy for it, not now. ]
Sentimental was never a good look for him, but neither was fear. So while he can't force a smile in turn, he can stay steady, giving him a slow nod of understanding. ]
Figures.
[ It's a rough, quiet statement, lacking the usual sarcasm that peppers his words. He doesn't have the energy for it, not now. ]
[ He hates this. Even if he didn't care for many people, he'd long since moved Cisco out of that category, from dislike to mild disdain to tolerance to quiet acceptance to a barely acknowledged fond affection. They'd been working as a team for so many months now that he'd forgotten what it was like to have that bond strained like this, with the awkwardness hanging in the air between the two of them. How he'd spent months actively giving him a wide berth. Harrison shifts, like he's going to move towards him, and then he stops himself. He can't push it; it would be too forced for the both of them.
So instead, he cranes his neck, glancing around the workshop instead and nodding slowly. ]
Sure. [ A beat. ] Take your time.
[ It's just a watch. He'd much rather have that be shattered than his wrist. Besides, he'd spent months without it before. It was a minor inconvenience but nothing he was really broken up over, at least.
There's a long pause before he speaks again, softly. ]
. . . good to have you back, Ramon.
So instead, he cranes his neck, glancing around the workshop instead and nodding slowly. ]
Sure. [ A beat. ] Take your time.
[ It's just a watch. He'd much rather have that be shattered than his wrist. Besides, he'd spent months without it before. It was a minor inconvenience but nothing he was really broken up over, at least.
There's a long pause before he speaks again, softly. ]
. . . good to have you back, Ramon.
[ Something about that makes him pause. There's something extremely depressing about it all — Ramon, usually so expressive and vibrant, behaving awkwardly, closed off, drawing away from him. And even though he'd spent the past few days hiding away from him (from his counterpart, really, but from him), Harrison can't help but feel an ache in his chest.
He makes up his mind then and there, slipping his hands into his pockets and stepping over, elbowing him firmly as he passes Cisco before stopping at his other side to glance at the papers over his shoulder. ]
It wasn't hard.
[ It's a simple statement, but it's true. Harrison isn't saying it to make him feel any better (though if it has that effect, well, he won't comment one way or another); they were two distinctly different people and Reverb wasn't exactly the best actor in the world, either.
And at this point, he'd like to think that he knows Ramon— knows Cisco by now. ]
He makes up his mind then and there, slipping his hands into his pockets and stepping over, elbowing him firmly as he passes Cisco before stopping at his other side to glance at the papers over his shoulder. ]
It wasn't hard.
[ It's a simple statement, but it's true. Harrison isn't saying it to make him feel any better (though if it has that effect, well, he won't comment one way or another); they were two distinctly different people and Reverb wasn't exactly the best actor in the world, either.
And at this point, he'd like to think that he knows Ramon— knows Cisco by now. ]
[ Despite how close they are, he can't help but feel the distance grow as he crosses his arms, taking a step back so he can lean against a nearby cabinet. He considers the question for a moment quietly before he shrugs his shoulders. ]
Word choice.
[ Truth be told, he probably should have noticed it sooner. Harrison would like to think that, anyway — Reverb carried himself differently, exuded a confidence that was different from Cisco's. His brushed up against arrogance repeatedly, whereas Cisco's was more— bold. Brash. Never dangled over someone else, though. He glances back over at him as that thought crosses his mind. It's like night and day, looking at him now compared to the man who'd attacked him days ago.
The distance doesn't feel as great now. ]
How he speaks. It's different. He's not formal, but . . . [ Harrison trails off, shaking his head as he pushes away from the cabinet and moves back over to the table, this time standing next to him as he gestures idly. ] Personality shows through. — you don't say yes, you'd say— "yeah" or some infuriating bit of slang you picked up from a TV show.
[ At that, he tilts his head to one side, giving him a small, almost smug smile. ]
Word choice.
[ Truth be told, he probably should have noticed it sooner. Harrison would like to think that, anyway — Reverb carried himself differently, exuded a confidence that was different from Cisco's. His brushed up against arrogance repeatedly, whereas Cisco's was more— bold. Brash. Never dangled over someone else, though. He glances back over at him as that thought crosses his mind. It's like night and day, looking at him now compared to the man who'd attacked him days ago.
The distance doesn't feel as great now. ]
How he speaks. It's different. He's not formal, but . . . [ Harrison trails off, shaking his head as he pushes away from the cabinet and moves back over to the table, this time standing next to him as he gestures idly. ] Personality shows through. — you don't say yes, you'd say— "yeah" or some infuriating bit of slang you picked up from a TV show.
[ At that, he tilts his head to one side, giving him a small, almost smug smile. ]
Edited (i am never satisfied with my icon apparently) 2016-07-21 23:19 (UTC)
[ That small smile makes Harrison's smirk soften in turn. The tight feeling in his chest starts to lessen as he lets out a huffy chuckle, shaking his head. ]
Somehow, I doubt it.
[ Things would be awkward for a bit — he had no doubts about that. It was the same before, when Cisco had found out about Turtle and had come by anyway, hanging close awkwardly. Talking to him when he could. Coming over to help wrangle Pythagoras. He wasn't ready to go back to everything being completely normal just yet, the flinching still fresh in his mind. But it was a start. They'd get back there.
He reaches over to scoop up the schematics, taking them off to the side to slide them under some books, to flatten them out a bit more. ]
Find a shop vaccuum for the rest of it, Ramon.
Somehow, I doubt it.
[ Things would be awkward for a bit — he had no doubts about that. It was the same before, when Cisco had found out about Turtle and had come by anyway, hanging close awkwardly. Talking to him when he could. Coming over to help wrangle Pythagoras. He wasn't ready to go back to everything being completely normal just yet, the flinching still fresh in his mind. But it was a start. They'd get back there.
He reaches over to scoop up the schematics, taking them off to the side to slide them under some books, to flatten them out a bit more. ]
Find a shop vaccuum for the rest of it, Ramon.
Page 42 of 58