[ Those small taps give Cisco the chance to pause the game he's playing (Wind Waker, for approximately the ten thousandth time) and gently remove his cat from his lap. She gives him a rather baleful glare for his trouble, slinks off to hide in her house in the corner. By the time Eddie's letting himself inside Cisco's already on his feet, doing his best not to look worried. The tone of those texts hadn't been promising, despite that Eddie said it was all squared away. ]
[He gives Cisco a small smile as he comes over and greets him, and Eddie sighs out a ridiculously heavy breath - seeing Cisco looking worried and being here in what feels like his second home has the exhaustion setting in his bones. Turning a little, he locks the door behind himself and then steps toward Cisco, pulling his boyfriend in for a hug.]
[ Cisco's glad Eddie initiates the hug, because he hadn't been sure if he wanted one, even though he looks like he needs one. That sigh was sure some sigh. He can't help be curious just how things had gone with Ray to leave Eddie so weary, but then, part of him doesn't even want to know.
He hugs Eddie to him tightly, and it's not bravado when he answers: ]
[The truth is, he doesn't really want to talk about it either. He's conveyed the most important part to Cisco - that he's not in as much danger as he'd feared, and that he hadn't made anything worse by talking to Ray - and now he'd rather think about almost anything else.]
I'm alright. Being angry for too long always gives me a nasty headache, and I ran into him at the gym, so I'm sorry if I'm gross, just...
[ Well, that answers at least a few questions for Cisco. Eddie hadn't gone looking for Ray, which is a bit of a surprise. And while he had said in his texts that they'd argued a little, but there's a pretty big gap between talking through some minor disagreements and getting angry enough for a headache.
(Cisco can't help but feel responsible for that, like all the rest of this.)
He releases Eddie from the hug but slips a hand into his, tugs him towards the small bathroom with its shower. ]
I'm pretty sure you're genetically incapable of being gross, which is just not fair, honestly.
[ Cisco knows he doesn't have to always put a good face on things with Eddie, doesn't always have make him laugh just to keep him around. But there is something to be said for using humor as a tool, as a buffer for the both of them, even if they both know that's all it is. Because Eddie's tired and has a headache and Cisco just wants to see him smile. ]
Dude I just remembered the greatest thing and I've been dying to tell you all morning. You know when I was telling you about all those crazy Earth-2 doppelgangers I ran into.
[ As he's talking Cisco gets the water running, starts to take off his clothes with a lack of shyness that's still a little bit of an effort (though he doesn't let that show). ]
Guess who I forgot? Singh. Barry said he was like, a criminal with elaborate facial hair? I totally wish I could have seen that. Can you imagine?
[Eddie had been waiting to calm down before seeing Ray, in all honesty, trying to work out how to defend his boyfriend without instigating more trouble that would spiral out of control. And in the end, he'd managed it. The headache is mostly from restraint, from trying not to express how angry he'd been.
Still, when Cisco changes the subject and teases him about being gross, tells him about Singh's doppelganger, it's a relief, and the smile comes easily to his face. When Cisco starts to strip, Eddie does too, sheds his tank top and sweats, winces at the pull in his upper arm, and steps into the shower.]
I am absolutely capable of being gross. Believe me. When I was losing weight I worked out until I threw up a couple times. Fat, sweaty kid puking in a trash can. Not pretty.
[It's casual, one of the things he would hesitate to tell anyone else, but trusts Cisco enough to let him know.]
Wow. The mental images I get from the term 'elaborate facial hair' are pretty amazing, not gonna lie...
[ That story sets off a twinge of sadness in Cisco - not because it taints his image of Eddie in any way, but because the thought of him pushing himself that hard hurts. He knows without Eddie needing to say it all the context around it - his determination, his single-mindedness, his feelings of shame, his isolation from his peers. If Cisco had only known him back then...
But making a big deal of it is exactly what Eddie clearly doesn't want, from his tone, so Cisco just grimaces sympathetically. ]
Senior year there was a day in gym I got hit in the stomach so hard by a dodgeball that I threw up right there in front of everyone. Also not pretty.
[ There's only just enough room for the two of them in the shower, and Cisco makes sure he stands so that Eddie can be under the spray of water, leaning his shoulder against the tile. ]
Apparently there was some kind of unfortunate hat situation going on, too? I wasn't there to see it, tragically. But now I wanna know what he was in for. I can't imagine the Singh from our world even getting a parking ticket.
[ After another moment just listening to the sound of the shower going, Cisco asks: ]
That still hurting you?
[ He gestures to Eddie's arm - he'd caught that wince, thanks very much, and it's not the first time he's noticed Eddie hiding a bit of pain. ]
[Cisco is making himself smaller so Eddie can have the spray, he sees it, and he shifts, turning a little to the side so Cisco can get under the spray too, and smiling a little at him. As much as Cisco has the tendency to hide behind humour, in this case, the first smile made the second one easier, and it isn't long before he feels comfortable smiling again. Taking a deep breath and holding it, he turns his face into the spray and lets his hair get wet.
The story Cisco tells is a little sad, and definitely embarrassing, but he can tell he told it so Eddie wasn't the only one sharing an embarrassing story, and he feels a sudden hot rush of fondness for Cisco. Reaching out, he leans forward and rests his wet forehead against his boyfriend's, smiling at him.]
I bet you were the cutest kid and teenager though.
[Pulling back, he shifts and lets Cisco get under the water while he soaps up his hair - it makes him glad he chose to come here, because it smells like Cisco, and that's comforting.]
An unfortunate hat and elaborate facial hair. The only thing I can think of is some kind of gang thing? That sounds like a gang thing. But wow, yeah, picturing Singh in a gang is nuts.
[A pause, and he frowns, glancing down at his arm.]
Yeah. I overexerted. While we were apart. I overexerted and I wasn't being careful. I don't think it's injured just...sore.
[ Cisco smiles back, crinkling his nose at the suggestion he was "the cutest", as if to indicate strong disagreement without actually saying anything. If Eddie wants to think that, he can go ahead. One good thing about being here is there's very little chance of pictures of Cisco from when he was growing up ever coming to light. ]
I don't know about a gang. Sounded more like the Trickster from the way Barry described him. Y'know, way camp, probably assigned himself his own code name, trying to cause chaos and make a name for himself, doing it for the attention?
[ He guesses he shouldn't be surprised about the origin of Eddie's arm pain (though he's glad it didn't come from something silly like, say, picking Cisco up or anything). In some ways, he's still the same as that kid - pushing himself too hard physically when things got tough and then suffering the consequences. ]
Well if it doesn't stop hurting in a few days I'm gonna nag you until you find a doctor.
[ He will, too, and Eddie knows it. Cisco can be quite an accomplished botherer when he puts his mind to it. ]
[Eddie has a very distinct image in his head of how Cisco probably looked - it's an adorable mental image, round-cheeked and a little skinny, with big dark eyes. But he can tell Cisco doesn't think so, so he lets it go, just keeps that mental image in his head, and wishes he could actually see a picture sometime.
Instead, he just lets Cisco step into the spray for a bit while he scrubs his fingers through his hair, thoroughly cleaning it, then gets the soap and starts on the rest of himself in a quick, practical kind of way.]
Singh as the Trickster is actually...wow. [He shakes his head, laughs softly, and it comes easier than it would have earlier. Being around Cisco makes it easier. Enough that he pulls a bit of a face when Cisco says he'll nag him if it keeps hurting.]
Really, don't worry about it. I've pulled muscles before, so I know this one is pretty minor. It's not quite a strain, just...I had a lot of steam to blow off. I'm looking forward to everything calming down, spending some time just...doing nothing. Relaxing.
[He steps in a little, lifts a hand covered in shampoo suds, and dabs a bit of it onto Cisco's nose, smiling warmly.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Hey, Eddie.
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[He gives Cisco a small smile as he comes over and greets him, and Eddie sighs out a ridiculously heavy breath - seeing Cisco looking worried and being here in what feels like his second home has the exhaustion setting in his bones. Turning a little, he locks the door behind himself and then steps toward Cisco, pulling his boyfriend in for a hug.]
You okay?
no subject
He hugs Eddie to him tightly, and it's not bravado when he answers: ]
Yeah, I'm okay. Are you?
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I'm alright. Being angry for too long always gives me a nasty headache, and I ran into him at the gym, so I'm sorry if I'm gross, just...
[A sigh.]
I wanted to be here with you.
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(Cisco can't help but feel responsible for that, like all the rest of this.)
He releases Eddie from the hug but slips a hand into his, tugs him towards the small bathroom with its shower. ]
I'm pretty sure you're genetically incapable of being gross, which is just not fair, honestly.
[ Cisco knows he doesn't have to always put a good face on things with Eddie, doesn't always have make him laugh just to keep him around. But there is something to be said for using humor as a tool, as a buffer for the both of them, even if they both know that's all it is. Because Eddie's tired and has a headache and Cisco just wants to see him smile. ]
Dude I just remembered the greatest thing and I've been dying to tell you all morning. You know when I was telling you about all those crazy Earth-2 doppelgangers I ran into.
[ As he's talking Cisco gets the water running, starts to take off his clothes with a lack of shyness that's still a little bit of an effort (though he doesn't let that show). ]
Guess who I forgot? Singh. Barry said he was like, a criminal with elaborate facial hair? I totally wish I could have seen that. Can you imagine?
no subject
Still, when Cisco changes the subject and teases him about being gross, tells him about Singh's doppelganger, it's a relief, and the smile comes easily to his face. When Cisco starts to strip, Eddie does too, sheds his tank top and sweats, winces at the pull in his upper arm, and steps into the shower.]
I am absolutely capable of being gross. Believe me. When I was losing weight I worked out until I threw up a couple times. Fat, sweaty kid puking in a trash can. Not pretty.
[It's casual, one of the things he would hesitate to tell anyone else, but trusts Cisco enough to let him know.]
Wow. The mental images I get from the term 'elaborate facial hair' are pretty amazing, not gonna lie...
no subject
But making a big deal of it is exactly what Eddie clearly doesn't want, from his tone, so Cisco just grimaces sympathetically. ]
Senior year there was a day in gym I got hit in the stomach so hard by a dodgeball that I threw up right there in front of everyone. Also not pretty.
[ There's only just enough room for the two of them in the shower, and Cisco makes sure he stands so that Eddie can be under the spray of water, leaning his shoulder against the tile. ]
Apparently there was some kind of unfortunate hat situation going on, too? I wasn't there to see it, tragically. But now I wanna know what he was in for. I can't imagine the Singh from our world even getting a parking ticket.
[ After another moment just listening to the sound of the shower going, Cisco asks: ]
That still hurting you?
[ He gestures to Eddie's arm - he'd caught that wince, thanks very much, and it's not the first time he's noticed Eddie hiding a bit of pain. ]
no subject
The story Cisco tells is a little sad, and definitely embarrassing, but he can tell he told it so Eddie wasn't the only one sharing an embarrassing story, and he feels a sudden hot rush of fondness for Cisco. Reaching out, he leans forward and rests his wet forehead against his boyfriend's, smiling at him.]
I bet you were the cutest kid and teenager though.
[Pulling back, he shifts and lets Cisco get under the water while he soaps up his hair - it makes him glad he chose to come here, because it smells like Cisco, and that's comforting.]
An unfortunate hat and elaborate facial hair. The only thing I can think of is some kind of gang thing? That sounds like a gang thing. But wow, yeah, picturing Singh in a gang is nuts.
[A pause, and he frowns, glancing down at his arm.]
Yeah. I overexerted. While we were apart. I overexerted and I wasn't being careful. I don't think it's injured just...sore.
no subject
I don't know about a gang. Sounded more like the Trickster from the way Barry described him. Y'know, way camp, probably assigned himself his own code name, trying to cause chaos and make a name for himself, doing it for the attention?
[ He guesses he shouldn't be surprised about the origin of Eddie's arm pain (though he's glad it didn't come from something silly like, say, picking Cisco up or anything). In some ways, he's still the same as that kid - pushing himself too hard physically when things got tough and then suffering the consequences. ]
Well if it doesn't stop hurting in a few days I'm gonna nag you until you find a doctor.
[ He will, too, and Eddie knows it. Cisco can be quite an accomplished botherer when he puts his mind to it. ]
no subject
Instead, he just lets Cisco step into the spray for a bit while he scrubs his fingers through his hair, thoroughly cleaning it, then gets the soap and starts on the rest of himself in a quick, practical kind of way.]
Singh as the Trickster is actually...wow. [He shakes his head, laughs softly, and it comes easier than it would have earlier. Being around Cisco makes it easier. Enough that he pulls a bit of a face when Cisco says he'll nag him if it keeps hurting.]
Really, don't worry about it. I've pulled muscles before, so I know this one is pretty minor. It's not quite a strain, just...I had a lot of steam to blow off. I'm looking forward to everything calming down, spending some time just...doing nothing. Relaxing.
[He steps in a little, lifts a hand covered in shampoo suds, and dabs a bit of it onto Cisco's nose, smiling warmly.]
I want us both to be happy again.