Think that all you want. It still makes me scavenge for supplies for the workshop.
[ Though it was kind enough to provide a bed for Jesse in the loft — just one that he had to assemble. Still, something was better than nothing.
He approaches a frosted glass door with the Big Belly Burger logo on it and pushes it open, revealing a familiar layout. Even in an interdimensional nexus, the fast food joint remained exactly the same. ]
[ As soon as they're inside, any traces of bad mood over not being able to find it himself and over Harry startling him vanish. He never would have thought that he would be so happy to see a fast food restaurant. But it's not just that - it's a little slice of home. Something he hadn't even thought to miss, until it was gone.
He supposes that must be what it was like for Harry, on Earth-1. Something familiar in the midst of the bizarre, unfamiliar city.
It's a little strange, that it's totally empty, but Cisco's gotten weirdly used to that. Just like he's gotten used to the way that food just shows up on the counter, whatever it is he most wants. ]
Sure looks right, but does it taste the same, that's the real question...
[ What he doesn't want to say is that he'd been waiting for someone else to try it out with him. Both Jesse and Snow were still (mostly) staying in; he'd bring his daughter back some once he was sure it was authentic (and safe, he adds idly). Which left Allen and Ramon, and when it came to experiments and various— things that most definitely weren't shenanigans of any sort, Cisco was his go-to these days.
Or he could just be denying to himself that he wanted to share the experience with a friend. Whatever.
Harrison approaches the counter and a tray appears a moment later with his meal. He gives Cisco a brief smirk before heading over to a booth. ]
[ Cisco follows after him, grinning like someone who knows when he is participating in a shenanigan and is not afraid to admit it to himself. He doesn't sit in the booth so much as fling himself onto the seat and then sprawl. He's learned that the best way to survive this place is not to pass up any opportunity for fun: to take the moments of peace and happiness that they are allowed and seize them with both hands. ]
Alright, moment of truth.
[ He snags a french fry from the tray, shoves it in his mouth, and makes a sound of profound contentment. ]
Tastes just the same to me. What d'you think?
[ He gestures for Harry to try it, too, beaming. ]
[ Harrison picks up a burger from the tray and eyes it suspiciously for a moment. It smells the same, but that could mean anything, not that it was guaranteed to taste the same. He frowns and then takes a bite, chewing slowly. It takes a moment or two before he swallows and nods with satisfaction. ]
It's the same.
[ Which seems to open the floodgates for him. He makes quick work of the burger — the surest sign that he's more than happy with it — and then starts working on the fries. ]
[ Cisco watches with some amusement as Harry silently devours the food. For a little while he is content to eat in silence, too, enjoying Harry's company and the familiar fare. But silence never lasts too long, when Cisco is around, so soon enough he is saying: ]
Too bad this wasn't around when you went all speedster for a day.
[ Somehow the image of Harry going through 40 burgers the way Barry does sometimes is a very amusing one. Cisco dips a french fry into his milkshake thoughtfully before he continues: ]
Too bad it doesn't have a lock. Eobard finds out about this place you know he's gonna be in here like, all the time, right?
[ Maybe he should have let Harry finish his meal before he starts imagining the worst and trying to plan for eventualities, but it only just then occurred to Cisco that Harry probably doesn't know his fondness for the restaurant is one he shares with his doppelganger. Not really any gentle way of breaking that news. ]
[ Harrison pulls a face at that, tossing a fry in Cisco's direction. The last thing he'd wanted to think about today was Eobard Thawne; he'd managed to mentally push him aside more recently, so any reminder is like nails on a chalkboard. ]
So. No one tell him. We'll see how long it takes him to find it. [ A beat. ] Same with Zolomon.
[ He glances around, eying their surroundings. After a moment, he heaves a sigh and scratches at the back of his neck. ]
. . . we can just take it to go in the future.
[ Just like he did back in their Central City. Come to think of it, it's been awhile since he's been able to really sit down in a public restaurant and enjoy a meal. Harrison used to do it all the time back home but after crossing the breach, that was out of the question for obvious reasons. At least here, he can sort of do it, but it's not the same, not when everything around them appears to be empty. ]
[ Cisco dodges the fry and doesn't even look irritated doing it. For once, he can't really blame Harry for it. He would be just as irked if someone pointed out a similarity between himself and Reverb, and he isn't even half as bad as Eobard is. But still, annoyance or not, Harry had to know. At least, that's what Cisco's paranoia tells him. Better forewarned and forearmed. ]
Hopefully it'll be a long time before they do.
[ He addresses that half to Harry, half to the Big Belly Burger itself. If only his wishing it could be enough to make this place inaccessible to anyone they didn't want there. Unfortunately, he knows by now that it doesn't really work like that. No harm in trying, though.
Cisco fishes around in the bag his food came in and discovers, with a tiny laugh of delight, a toy in a wrapper. He takes it out and tears the plastic, finds a tiny bright red kazoo, which he blows into without a second's hesitation.]
[ Any concerns are immediately shoved to the side when Cisco starts tooting on that damn kazoo. Harrison bristles — almost comically, and all too familiar to anyone who's spent enough time around him — and lets out a huff. ]
Really, Ramon? You're not five.
[ He glances over at the play area at that, then looks back at Cisco and raises an eyebrow, almost daring him to. Frankly, it was more surprising to Harrison at this point that Cisco hadn't dived in face first into the ball pit already. ]
[ If there is any method more immediately effective than a kazoo to snap Harry out of a potential spiral of worry and unhappiness over the evil speedsters that so unfortunately plague their lives, Cisco has not found it. As soon as Harry complains and calls him five years old, Cisco blows into the thing again. It's perhaps a fine line to walk - annoying Harry pretty much always brings him joy, but he doesn't want to go far enough that he will actually attempt to wrestle the toy away from him.
When he points out the ball pit, Cisco is sorely tempted. His food is almost finished, and contrary to what Harry might think, it's actually been a really long time since he went in one. ]
I bet you've never been in a ball pit in your life.
[ Is that a dare? It definitely sounds a bit like one. Cisco is a little surprised they even have them on Earth-2, that Harry isn't asking him what the purpose of it is. Somehow, he can't imagine Harrison Wells, genius, as a child, playing in a ball pit. He can't really imagine him as a child at all with any ease, but if he did, he would probably be off solving equations and generally acting like a 60 year old in a 6 year old's body. Probably. ]
[ He absolutely seems annoyed, but he also doesn't seem ready to lunge across the table to snatch up the kazoo. Instead, he sits back and crosses his arms, eying him flatly in mild irritation. His eyes flick over to the play area again at Cisco's retort — he can sense a dare from him almost immediately and rolls his eyes. ]
What's your point, Ramon.
[ It's more a rhetorical question than anything. Harrison already knows what Cisco's point is — that he doesn't know how to have fun. ]
My point is... like a week ago Caitlin made a really impassioned defense of your ability to have fun. She was totally insistent. Now, I figure you've got two options.
[ Cisco pulls his device from his pocket, clicks through to Caitlin's inbox before raising his eyes to Harry again, smiling. He's probably pushing his luck here. But also: he does not care. What would life be without a little harmless trolling? ]
Either I text Caitlin and tell her she was wrong... or you meet me in the pit.
[ Harrison raises his eyebrows, giving Cisco a look over his glasses at that. It's funny, but he can distinctly recall Thawne doing something similar a few months ago — pulling out his device, moving to send a message to someone else in order to get him to do something — but at the same time, it's so radically different. With Thawne, it was vicious, an almost unthinkable threat. This in comparison is . . . well. He can't help but let out a snort at the thought.
He'd made the right choice months ago when he'd rejected Thawne's offer of assistance.
He stands abruptly, gesturing to the tray sharply. ]
Take care of the trash, Ramon.
[ Though he sounds gruff, none of it seems that serious. At least, anyone who knows him well enough would be able to tell almost immediately that Harrison wasn't angry, that it was mostly for show — for himself and everyone else. He makes his way over to the play area and crosses his arms, waiting impatiently for Cisco to finish tossing out their garbage so he can make his way over. ]
[ If there had been a period in Cisco's life where he worried about coming across as immature, it has long since passed. The fact is that he's been through enough, in the last few years, to recognize the importance of humor and seizing every last opportunity for joy that presents itself. So he rolls his eyes playfully at how Harry scoffs and scowls and goes over to stand near the play area as if he's so mad about the whole thing. But Cisco's seen him mad - actually mad - and this ain't that.
He shoves the last few fries in his mouth, puts away his device and quickly deals with the trash from their meal. And maybe it is silly, that he passes right by Harry, kicks off his shoes, and climbs right into the ball pit. Which is surprisingly deep, actually. Cisco sticks to the edge, clinging to the mesh walls as he picks his way noisily deeper and says: ]
[ Harrison follows suit shortly, kneeling down to pull his shoes off before stepping over and sliding in. He raises an eyebrow over at Cisco, staying close to the edges as well. ]
Satisfied?
[ If the balls were softer, he'd toss one over in his direction. Contrary to popular belief, he never actually wanted the things he threw at people to hit them — save that one time with Allen, but, well. It was an eraser. He was a metahuman. It was fine. And though the balls are a thin, hollow plastic, he's not confident that they wouldn't actually hurt, the way he was with an eraser. So instead, Harrison sweeps a hand out, sending a few flying in the opposite direction, some skipping across the pit. ]
[ Cisco grins as Harry climbs gingerly into the ball pit. He looks profoundly out of place, though a little less so after he starts sending balls flying through the air. See, Cisco had been right to coax him in here. It's like a natural habitat for him. ]
Not usually, no.
[ Cisco has a crazy thought and suddenly starts to ask very quickly: ]
You don't think this place would like, put a quicksand trap underneath the balls or anything, right? I mean it's got a sick sense of humor but it's usually not anything dangerous so it's probably fine...
[ He keeps his fingers hooked into the mesh even as he feels around for the bottom of the pit, moving his feet nearer to the center. It's deep, alright, but he doesn't feel himself sinking or anything like that, so he tentatively lets go. And then, less tentatively, with a laugh, lets himself fall backwards into the pit. ]
[ He mostly says it to get the rise out of Cisco as he lets go of the mesh, which he follows up with a raised eyebrow. Of course he'd dive right in to the pit. There were times when Harrison forgot Cisco was in his 20s — mostly, in times when he felt deeply protective of him and times like these. ]
[ Cisco sees that look, that raised eyebrow, but he can tell that Harry is amused all the same. So he just heaves a happy sigh and tucks his hands behind his head, relaxing as well as he can against the shifting surface of the plastic balls. ]
You should tryyy ittt.
[ He draws out the words, coaxing and amused. Cisco even picks up one of the balls and lobs it softly at Harry's leg. It bounces off, just above his knee, and Cisco picks up another, clearly aiming to do the same thing over again, and perhaps again and again until he annoys Harry into doing more than just standing there. ]
You're not doing it right if you just stand there, dude!
[ But Cisco isn't going to waste his time cajoling too much. He tosses another couple of the balls before rolling his eyes and getting back to his feet, only to take another dive into the pit, this one considerably less graceful than the last. He ends up nearly running into Harry's legs and laughing his head off. ]
Oops.
[ And then the temptation is just too much. It's not like Cisco knocks Harry over, exactly. Nothing as violent as that. He just... intentionally destabilizes the area around Harry's feet, very abruptly, in an attempt to make him fall. Like any good friend would. ]
[ He should have been expecting it and yet, he wasn't. Harrison slips further into the pit with an undignified cry. ]
Ramon—!
[ There's irritation and then there's genuine anger. This, fortunately, is the former and not the latter, which is extremely evident by the annoyed look on Harrison's face when he surfaces, glaring daggers over in Cisco's direction.
[ The 'oops' is singularly unconvincing; it's obvious Cisco meant to make him fall and doesn't regret it. His only regret is that he couldn't do it AND snap a picture at the same time. But he gets a feeling that sending Caitlin and Barry and Jesse an action shot of Harry toppling into a ball-pit might be the straw the breaks the camel's back. He doesn't want Harry actually mad at him. So he'll just have to preserve this moment in his memory, instead. ]
These things happen.
[ Cisco sits up, grinning from ear to ear. He at least has the courtesy to wait until Harry's got his arms free before he is dragging his own arm across the surface of the balls, sending a shower of them flying in Harry's direction. The whole point is that he should be able to retaliate, too. ]
[ Harrison pulls his arm up to block most of the balls sent flying his way, shooting a dirty look in Cisco's direction. But there's no heat there, nothing that would indicate that he's genuinely angry. Because he's not, despite what he may say or do. He can tell by now when Cisco's trying to help in his own way; this is one of those times.
So instead, he lets out a huff and swipes a few back at him — nothing too abrupt that he wouldn't be able to block. Maybe he was behaving like he was fifty-two going on five, but that seemed to be the point and that was okay. It was . . . nice, in a way, to let go and cut loose with a friend. ]
Yeah. I bet.
[ And maybe he'd be able to dunk him under a sea of balls if he was lucky, who knows. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ Though it was kind enough to provide a bed for Jesse in the loft — just one that he had to assemble. Still, something was better than nothing.
He approaches a frosted glass door with the Big Belly Burger logo on it and pushes it open, revealing a familiar layout. Even in an interdimensional nexus, the fast food joint remained exactly the same. ]
Well?
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He supposes that must be what it was like for Harry, on Earth-1. Something familiar in the midst of the bizarre, unfamiliar city.
It's a little strange, that it's totally empty, but Cisco's gotten weirdly used to that. Just like he's gotten used to the way that food just shows up on the counter, whatever it is he most wants. ]
Sure looks right, but does it taste the same, that's the real question...
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[ What he doesn't want to say is that he'd been waiting for someone else to try it out with him. Both Jesse and Snow were still (mostly) staying in; he'd bring his daughter back some once he was sure it was authentic (and safe, he adds idly). Which left Allen and Ramon, and when it came to experiments and various— things that most definitely weren't shenanigans of any sort, Cisco was his go-to these days.
Or he could just be denying to himself that he wanted to share the experience with a friend. Whatever.
Harrison approaches the counter and a tray appears a moment later with his meal. He gives Cisco a brief smirk before heading over to a booth. ]
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Alright, moment of truth.
[ He snags a french fry from the tray, shoves it in his mouth, and makes a sound of profound contentment. ]
Tastes just the same to me. What d'you think?
[ He gestures for Harry to try it, too, beaming. ]
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It's the same.
[ Which seems to open the floodgates for him. He makes quick work of the burger — the surest sign that he's more than happy with it — and then starts working on the fries. ]
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Too bad this wasn't around when you went all speedster for a day.
[ Somehow the image of Harry going through 40 burgers the way Barry does sometimes is a very amusing one. Cisco dips a french fry into his milkshake thoughtfully before he continues: ]
Too bad it doesn't have a lock. Eobard finds out about this place you know he's gonna be in here like, all the time, right?
[ Maybe he should have let Harry finish his meal before he starts imagining the worst and trying to plan for eventualities, but it only just then occurred to Cisco that Harry probably doesn't know his fondness for the restaurant is one he shares with his doppelganger. Not really any gentle way of breaking that news. ]
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So. No one tell him. We'll see how long it takes him to find it. [ A beat. ] Same with Zolomon.
[ He glances around, eying their surroundings. After a moment, he heaves a sigh and scratches at the back of his neck. ]
. . . we can just take it to go in the future.
[ Just like he did back in their Central City. Come to think of it, it's been awhile since he's been able to really sit down in a public restaurant and enjoy a meal. Harrison used to do it all the time back home but after crossing the breach, that was out of the question for obvious reasons. At least here, he can sort of do it, but it's not the same, not when everything around them appears to be empty. ]
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Hopefully it'll be a long time before they do.
[ He addresses that half to Harry, half to the Big Belly Burger itself. If only his wishing it could be enough to make this place inaccessible to anyone they didn't want there. Unfortunately, he knows by now that it doesn't really work like that. No harm in trying, though.
Cisco fishes around in the bag his food came in and discovers, with a tiny laugh of delight, a toy in a wrapper. He takes it out and tears the plastic, finds a tiny bright red kazoo, which he blows into without a second's hesitation.]
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Really, Ramon? You're not five.
[ He glances over at the play area at that, then looks back at Cisco and raises an eyebrow, almost daring him to. Frankly, it was more surprising to Harrison at this point that Cisco hadn't dived in face first into the ball pit already. ]
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When he points out the ball pit, Cisco is sorely tempted. His food is almost finished, and contrary to what Harry might think, it's actually been a really long time since he went in one. ]
I bet you've never been in a ball pit in your life.
[ Is that a dare? It definitely sounds a bit like one. Cisco is a little surprised they even have them on Earth-2, that Harry isn't asking him what the purpose of it is. Somehow, he can't imagine Harrison Wells, genius, as a child, playing in a ball pit. He can't really imagine him as a child at all with any ease, but if he did, he would probably be off solving equations and generally acting like a 60 year old in a 6 year old's body. Probably. ]
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What's your point, Ramon.
[ It's more a rhetorical question than anything. Harrison already knows what Cisco's point is — that he doesn't know how to have fun. ]
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[ Cisco pulls his device from his pocket, clicks through to Caitlin's inbox before raising his eyes to Harry again, smiling. He's probably pushing his luck here. But also: he does not care. What would life be without a little harmless trolling? ]
Either I text Caitlin and tell her she was wrong... or you meet me in the pit.
[ He raises his eyebrows in challenge. ]
What's it gonna be?
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He'd made the right choice months ago when he'd rejected Thawne's offer of assistance.
He stands abruptly, gesturing to the tray sharply. ]
Take care of the trash, Ramon.
[ Though he sounds gruff, none of it seems that serious. At least, anyone who knows him well enough would be able to tell almost immediately that Harrison wasn't angry, that it was mostly for show — for himself and everyone else. He makes his way over to the play area and crosses his arms, waiting impatiently for Cisco to finish tossing out their garbage so he can make his way over. ]
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He shoves the last few fries in his mouth, puts away his device and quickly deals with the trash from their meal. And maybe it is silly, that he passes right by Harry, kicks off his shoes, and climbs right into the ball pit. Which is surprisingly deep, actually. Cisco sticks to the edge, clinging to the mesh walls as he picks his way noisily deeper and says: ]
Come on in, the water's fine.
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Satisfied?
[ If the balls were softer, he'd toss one over in his direction. Contrary to popular belief, he never actually wanted the things he threw at people to hit them — save that one time with Allen, but, well. It was an eraser. He was a metahuman. It was fine. And though the balls are a thin, hollow plastic, he's not confident that they wouldn't actually hurt, the way he was with an eraser. So instead, Harrison sweeps a hand out, sending a few flying in the opposite direction, some skipping across the pit. ]
Something tells me they're not usually this deep.
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Not usually, no.
[ Cisco has a crazy thought and suddenly starts to ask very quickly: ]
You don't think this place would like, put a quicksand trap underneath the balls or anything, right? I mean it's got a sick sense of humor but it's usually not anything dangerous so it's probably fine...
[ He keeps his fingers hooked into the mesh even as he feels around for the bottom of the pit, moving his feet nearer to the center. It's deep, alright, but he doesn't feel himself sinking or anything like that, so he tentatively lets go. And then, less tentatively, with a laugh, lets himself fall backwards into the pit. ]
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[ He mostly says it to get the rise out of Cisco as he lets go of the mesh, which he follows up with a raised eyebrow. Of course he'd dive right in to the pit. There were times when Harrison forgot Cisco was in his 20s — mostly, in times when he felt deeply protective of him and times like these. ]
Really, Ramon?
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You should tryyy ittt.
[ He draws out the words, coaxing and amused. Cisco even picks up one of the balls and lobs it softly at Harry's leg. It bounces off, just above his knee, and Cisco picks up another, clearly aiming to do the same thing over again, and perhaps again and again until he annoys Harry into doing more than just standing there. ]
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Don't push your luck.
[ He'd come into the pit. They didn't have to go crazy or anything. ]
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[ But Cisco isn't going to waste his time cajoling too much. He tosses another couple of the balls before rolling his eyes and getting back to his feet, only to take another dive into the pit, this one considerably less graceful than the last. He ends up nearly running into Harry's legs and laughing his head off. ]
Oops.
[ And then the temptation is just too much. It's not like Cisco knocks Harry over, exactly. Nothing as violent as that. He just... intentionally destabilizes the area around Harry's feet, very abruptly, in an attempt to make him fall. Like any good friend would. ]
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Ramon—!
[ There's irritation and then there's genuine anger. This, fortunately, is the former and not the latter, which is extremely evident by the annoyed look on Harrison's face when he surfaces, glaring daggers over in Cisco's direction.
God help them if they ever get him near a pool. ]
Do you have something against warning people?
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[ The 'oops' is singularly unconvincing; it's obvious Cisco meant to make him fall and doesn't regret it. His only regret is that he couldn't do it AND snap a picture at the same time. But he gets a feeling that sending Caitlin and Barry and Jesse an action shot of Harry toppling into a ball-pit might be the straw the breaks the camel's back. He doesn't want Harry actually mad at him. So he'll just have to preserve this moment in his memory, instead. ]
These things happen.
[ Cisco sits up, grinning from ear to ear. He at least has the courtesy to wait until Harry's got his arms free before he is dragging his own arm across the surface of the balls, sending a shower of them flying in Harry's direction. The whole point is that he should be able to retaliate, too. ]
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So instead, he lets out a huff and swipes a few back at him — nothing too abrupt that he wouldn't be able to block. Maybe he was behaving like he was fifty-two going on five, but that seemed to be the point and that was okay. It was . . . nice, in a way, to let go and cut loose with a friend. ]
Yeah. I bet.
[ And maybe he'd be able to dunk him under a sea of balls if he was lucky, who knows. ]