[ Cisco had been sure about that 24 hour rule. It had always held true before. And if that weren't shocking enough, he notices something else as he's looking at the program which tracks usernames on the network. That must be wrong. He frowns, checks again. Checks a third time. ]
a) it's permanent. I highly doubt that, especially given the state of our memories when we leave and come back. b) the time frame has increased for this effect. This seems the most likely. It could be in increments of 24 hour periods and up until this point, we've only dealt with periods of the time at one end of the spectrum. c) something I'm doing is prolonging the effect. Doubtful, since I spent most of yesterday in the workshop.
[ He's clearly already put some thought into it. As far as effects go, it could be worse, anyway. ]
i promise i'm not going to make jokes this time - okay not a LOT of jokes - but i need to know, have there been any other side effects? anything out of the ordinary in your environment the last few days?
you think i could come by and see if i can get any readings? caitlin's dealing with the medical side but maybe there's another reason you haven't changed back yet...
[ Cisco types and then erases a dozen different variations on the text before he opts for the simplest version. ]
his username's missing. i just noticed, looking up murphy. no han yolo.
[ It's not the end of the world, of course - Barry's left before, could be back later that day. Or he could not. He could be in Central City right now, his memories of this place erased, living out his life, and Harry and Cisco would rejoin him there soon. Whether by their own steam, or when the Clock returned them. It's not the end of the world, but it is still a surprise, and an unpleasant one. ]
No, that's what I've been thinking. We need to take this opportunity to observe it, see if we can uncover more of the clock's mechanisms
Maybe. I have a few thoughts about that. Someone could have wanted this to happen. Not this specifically. Unless they did.
Come by the loft. Bring a sewing kit
[ He won't elaborate on that.
The news about Barry's username being gone makes him frown. At least he's somewhere, safe. But it's still a slight pressure on his chest for a moment or two. ]
[ Oh, you don't have to elaborate, Harry. Cisco gets it right away. There's only one reason Harry would need him to sew something... ]
on my way.
[ Though he might have to stop and get some heavier fabric-cutting scissors before he gets there. And maybe a laser pointer. For very scientific reasons, of course. He wants to test if Harry's responses have been altered along with his physiology. And it's always good to have a back-up plan in case Harry needs cheering up. ]
couple folks. iris. somebody named sixfour - you know who he was?
[ Cisco had chatted with him a couple times on the network, a few pleasant little conversations, but looking back he's not sure he ever caught his real name. ]
[ He lets out a soft huff when he gets that message. It was disheartening, that any of them could leave at any moment without a word. Allen and West leaving together wasn't so bad at least, but what if it were Jesse? Or Ramon? He didn't want to consider it. ]
sixfour? No. I saw them talk to Palmer frequently. That username doesn't even make any sen
[ Harrison pauses, staring ahead in consideration. Six four? Han yolo had been Allen's ridiculous pop culture riff, but "sixfour" was nothing like that. It was vague at best. A call sign? Maybe. Or a height? Though for someone to be six foot four, they'd have to be a giant. Much like—
It takes a few minutes for him to complete that thought to Cisco, if only because he's occupied with banging his head against the wall for those few minutes. ]
[ Cisco figures the god damnit means that Harry is mad they are gone - an ally, then, that he had recruited to their side. It would make sense. He'd seemed friendly enough.
He thinks he must be nearly to the loft, but he opens the door to something that looks like a pet supply store, and stops to grab a bag of catnip. Scientific curiosity. ]
[ Cisco sees that message just as he gets to the loft. He has a few seconds for it to really sink in as he shoves the device into his pocket and knocks on the door. By the time Harry has come down to open it, Cisco's past the initial sinking feeling of shock and he's just arrived at the threshold of outrage. ]
Are you freaking kidding me?!
[ That's going to have to be good enough as far as hello goes. He barely even spares a glance for Harry's ears as he strides in breathing hard, the pieces falling into place. Of course it was Jay - Hunter, that is. He'd even corrected Cisco about his precise height that one time. He should have realized that was what it was. Should have known.
He'd been talking to Jay all those times. Had been nice to him. Just when he'd thought he was at the very least above being tricked by anyone like Hunter or Eobard again, now this. It takes so little to reopen the wound of that betrayal and leave Cisco fuming, furious at Jay, even more furious at himself. Cisco throws down his backpack onto the ground in a jerky gesture and it's still not enough. He spots a roll of paper towels sitting out on the counter of Harry's kitchen and, after a split second of decision, sends it flying across the room, unrolling all over the floor. It's not hard enough to break anything, not valuable, not something that could cause damage.
And if anyone's likely to sympathize with the desire to just knock some shit over to vent a tiny bit of his seething anger, it's Harry. ]
[ Harrison doesn't even bat an eye when Cisco storms in and knocks the paper towels across the room. He'd sent a book or two flying across the upstairs himself in complete and utter annoyance, only just now managing to see the silver lining. Zoom was gone; Jesse and Snow were safe from him. They all were, but especially those two. They could recover, maybe even move on in peace. His pride hurt, but he could swallow it in this instance. ]
Hey.
[ He steps over to Cisco and reaches over, placing a hand on his shoulder firmly, rubbing at it lightly with his thumb. ]
We all fell for it. If there was anything to fall for — none of us did anything for him beyond what we would have done for anyone. Alright?
[ As far as he knows, anyway. Maybe Palmer had gone out of his way to talk to Zolomon privately but the rest of them had treated him about the same as they'd treated Thawne in public. In truth, he feels more annoyed by the fact that he'd only just now connected the dots between "sixfour" and Zolomon than he does duped.
But if there's one thing he's learned about Cisco over the past few months, it's that a lot of wounds are still raw and it takes so little for him to start bleeding out again. Except this time, Allen isn't around for him to lean against. If he had to hazard a guess . . . ]
[ It's true; it's not as if "sixfour" and Cisco had become best friends. He hadn't confided anything in him, hadn't dedicated that much thought to him. Up until just now, he had been a pleasant stranger - nothing more. Cisco stills when Harry sets that reassuring hand on his shoulder, trying to simmer down, limit his emotional response to what is appropriate for the situation. It's... hard, but it's easier with Harry here than it would be alone.
He runs his hands through his hair, brushing it back in frustration. He covers his face with his hands, takes several slow breaths. Fortunately, he didn't have a chance to get too worked up; Harry was here to talk sense right away, to nip this little meltdown in the bud. So after a moment or two, when he speaks again, his voice is closer to normal. Calmer. ]
Okay. Yeah. You're right.
[ Yes, he just admitted Harry was right. It's been known to happen a couple of times. Cisco scrubs at his face and then drops his hands, though they remain fidgety. ]
Anyway, good riddance. He won't get the chance to pull off whatever he was biding his time for. Joke's on him.
[ He wouldn't consider himself to be a warm person by any stretch of the imagination, but Harrison wasn't completely cold either. It's the cat traits having an effect on his behavior clearly — at least, that's what he tells himself as he lets his hand slide off of Ramon's shoulder and draws it around him, guiding him over to the couch. The moment doesn't last long; Harrison pulls away to get them a couple glasses of water, bringing them back over and setting one down in front of him while taking a sip from the other. He nods over to it. ]
Right. Joke's on him.
[ He stands nearby uncomfortably, glancing over at a couple folded pairs of pants that he has sitting out on a stool not too far away. Fortunately, things were easy enough to find in the clock, though finding pants already modified was apparently not as easy as he'd thought it would be. Still. It almost felt cruel to push it on him after that revealation. ]
[ Cisco lets himself be guided to the couch, accepts the glass of water with slightly numbed gratitude. He sips at it for a little while, taking the time he needs to put everything back where it should be in his mind. He doesn't rush it, and to his credit, Harry doesn't rush him, either. Even if he can be impatient on a day-to-day basis, he knows when to hold back.
When Cisco looks up at him, sees the awkwardness in the way he's standing, looks over and sees the clothing sitting on the stool, it takes him a second to remember. Of course, that was why he'd been coming here in the first place. Not Barry being gone, not anything Hunter-related. He'd come because he's the one at STAR Labs who can sew, and Harry needs someone to make alterations for his tail. ]
Right.
[ Cisco rubs his hands along his thighs a moment before he gets up, walks over to the pants and picks them up, examining them. He doesn't know Harry's measurements by heart the same way he does Barry's, so he turns to Harry and says: ]
If you want them to be right you're gonna have to let me measure... hold on.
[ He goes to his bag -which he'd thrown so childishly to the floor - and fishes around for a length of string that he'd thrown in for measuring purposes. Cisco returns with it, asks: ]
Can you lift up your shirt a little bit in the back for me, so I can...?
[ Harrison shifts uncomfortably for a moment with a grumble as he follows Ramon's instructions, turning and lifting his shirt up with one hand. He'd been in a number of ridiculous situations over the years, but this one tops them all by far. It's not so much awkward given how many times they've had to patch him up and stitch him back together, but . . . bizarre in general.
And eye roll inducing.
Which is exactly what he does as he draws his shirt up, glancing back over his shoulder. When he speaks, though his voice is rough and caustic in a way, there's almost a lighter, teasing edge to it underneath. ]
You know. This is your fault, Ramon.
[ He raises an eyebrow at that before continuing, fully intending on explaining — once an adequate dramatic pause has settled in, anyway. ]
Last time? You brought up King Shark. Remember that? [ A beat, and he snorts. ] I do.
[ Cisco puts up with Harry's twisting and fidgeting for a few seconds before he just reaches out and turns him so he is facing forward for the 20 seconds it'll take Cisco to take accurate measurements. He is focusing on that and it takes him a moment to get just what Harry is implying. ]
Okay, you are not seriously suggesting I gave this place ideas, are you?
[ It only takes a moment or two to get the measurements he'll need - where he'll have to position the hole, what it's circumference will need to be, etcetera. Then, just because of the King Shark comment, instead of just getting to work right away, Cisco looks at the string in his hand. Useful for taking measurements. Also useful for dangling in Harry's face, seeing if he will bat at it.
[ Was he? Not really. If Harrison had to hazard a guess, it was probably an amalgamation of many, many things — how the clock interpreted him, the off-the-cuff suggestion, among other things. It had gotten him out of his room again, after all, shifting his focus back to the clock's mechanics rather than holing up away from Zoom or Reverb or the like. It had successfully distracted Jesse, too, not to mention the fact that just days ago, he would have a hard time imagining himself allowing Ramon back into the loft without a moment's hesitation. Even Thawne had been drawn out (unfortunately).
But Cisco was here and far more likely to react to it than anyone else, and Harrison did always find it hard to not poke at him with a stick more often than not. ]
Sure I am. Think about it. [ He allows himself to be shifted again, rolling his eyes. ] What's the name of your cat, Ramon.
[ Harrison turns at that as Cisco straightens up, giving him a bit of a smirk. That fades almost immediately when the string is dangled in his face; he eyes it flatly, crossing briefly before he swats it away with one hand. There's a pause and he lifts his hand again, ready to idly give it another swipe before the realization settles in. He'd noticed some small changes beyond the physiological ones. When Ramon had asked about side effects, he'd skirted it, though it was hard to hide it now as he slides his hand back into his pocket quickly with a huff. ]
[ When Harry brings up the fact of Harry-the-cat's name, it's a pretty hard argument to refute. Cisco doesn't even try. The thing with King Shark had been a stretch, but it's true that naming his pet after his friend was maybe a bit weird and that could have contributed to this ongoing situation. ]
Okay... point. But you know I only did that 'cause you both knock shit on the floor so much.
[ And yes, he can see the paper towel roll and knows he's a hypocrite.
Cisco grins from ear to ear when Harry bats the string the first time. It isn't until he goes after it the second time that Cisco laughs, silently at first, shaking with it. It's not just the fact that Harry swipes his hand at the string - it's the look of intense, laser-focused attention he gets on his face the split second before he does. He looks precisely like a cat would during play time and it is honestly too bizarre and weirdly cute for Cisco to handle right now.
He scoops up the jeans that Harry laid out and brings them, along with the string and his bag, back to the couch. It should be a quick job, if he's careful - there's no tech to work in, no tests that need to be run. Just some jeans in need of alteration. As he's fishing through his bag for the fabric scissors he finds a ziploc bag, is momentarily confused - that's not sewing supplies - before he remembers and has to struggle not to laugh.
It's probably Cisco Ramon's finest piece of acting, the way he pretends to still be absorbed by the search for his scissors as he holds the baggie out to Harry and says, offhand. ]
Hey hold this for me.
[ It'd be too suspicious if he told him to open it or smell it or anything like that, but knowing Harry and his nosiness, well.... he doesn't have to. ]
[ Harrison follows him over, shaking his head when Cisco holds out the small bag and snatches it from his hand roughly. Leave it to Ramon to bring . . . what was it exactly, anyway? He furrows his brows down at the bag, turning it over in his hand. It looked like some kind of herb, maybe? But what would he . . .
That thought dies in his mind as he glances up, eyes narrowing just a bit over at him. ]
Do I even want to know what this is, Ramon?
[ Though the smell was— well, it wasn't cannabis, he could tell that with his enhanced senses. It had to be something, though; he could feel his hand shake just a bit as he questions Cisco, distracted. At least, distracted enough that he doesn't notice a nail (a claw, though he'll never admit it) catch on the side of the bag, tearing it slightly and letting some of the contents spill, the odor almost immediately wafting up to him.
And in a matter of seconds, the bag is on the ground along with Harrison Wells and though he seems thoroughly intent on rubbing his face against the bag, a calm seems to have come over him. There may even be a soft yowl or two.
It isn't long before he swipes a hand out at the paper towel roll on the floor, batting it to one side, before following it along with his hand and lazily batting it back. ]
[ Cisco had expected him to have a reaction. He'd hoped Harry would have some reaction. But he had never thought it would be this intense or this immediate. One second he is tearing the bag and the next he is laying on the floor and rolling around in it like an absolute lunatic, getting it on his face and in his hair and legitimately, 100% unironically making cat noises.
It is so funny that it momentarily bypasses funny and is a little frightening. Harry can't OD on this stuff, right? Catnip is harmless? Cisco reaches down and plucks up Harry's glasses before he scratches them trying to jam his face into the bits of catnip stuck to the floor. He sets them on the coffee table, a pair of jeans still clutched in one hand.
Only when Harry starts batting the paper towel back and forth does it really sink in enough for Cisco to laugh. But once he starts laughing, he's not sure he'll ever stop. He collapses onto the couch, clutching at his side and choking on it, hardly able to breathe through his mirth. ]
[ When Cisco reaches in to take his glasses away, his only response is to briefly brush against his legs with a muffled hum. The intensity starts to leave him almost as quickly as it seems to have come as the calm settles over him. He even manages to ignore Cisco's laughter, too dazed and focused on that damnable paper towel roll and its inability to stay in one place.
It's about ten or fifteen minutes before some of Harrison's faculties seem to clear up. There's still a sort of fuzziness in his head as well as a few cravings (he'd been to college, he knows how it goes), but his eyes start to focus more. He lifts a hand up to his hair, picking out a few pieces of the herb before swiping a hand over his face once or twice. He'd have to shower to get out some of the smaller pieces, but for now, this was fine.
What he really wants to do is yell at Cisco for a stunt like that — go to town on him. But he doesn't have the energy for that and, more importantly, he doesn't have the heart. It wasn't that long ago that the thought of even the most casual of contact with Ramon made him flinch; now, Reverb was a distant memory, replaced by burgers and catnip betrayal.
Harrison pushes himself up, briefly avoiding eye contact as he shakes his head, brushing more of the herb out of it. The avoidance doesn't last more than a few seconds though as he sits down right nearby on the couch, arms crossed, looking thoroughly unimpressed. He clears his throat but doesn't speak just yet, out of concern that the cat may, quite literally, still have his tongue. ]
[ Cisco does nothing but watch Harry for the first five or so minutes, giggling on and off. The only thing that keeps him from snapping a photo and immediately posting it to the network is sheer altruism. But he definitely does snap a few quick pics, to keep in case he ever has need of them.
Then, when Harry just keeps laying there and lazily rolling the paper towels, he turns his attention back to the jeans. He keeps Harry in his peripheral view as he measures out the right spot and starts to cut the first of the tail holes, carefully. Cisco doesn't actually remove any fabric, but cuts it into segments that he folds back into the inside of he jeans and then sews down, before quickly stitching around the gap, strengthening it.
He sees Harry begin to pluck the catnip from his hair and figures that some self-awareness must be returning. It's a lot quicker than he expected, but that probably makes sense. Who knows how fast Harry's body is metabolizing things, right now. How much of his brain chemistry has actually been changed by the transformation.
Once Harry sits up and crosses his arms like a grumpy school principal, Cisco figures he's over his high. Even though he knows he'll probably get an earful for it, he doesn't regret anything. The smile still stretches from one ear to another as he says: ]
Lemme tell you, that stuff worked a lot better than I thought it would.
[ That damnable smile is probably the only thing keeping Cisco from getting an earful right about now. Part of Harrison is seething internally, while another part is almost placated by that. He can still remember how hesitant he was, how he'd looked after Harrison had flinched away from his touch. It was like night and day now.
So instead of immediately laying into him, Harrison reaches over from his end of the couch with his foot and nudges Cisco's leg with it — enough to be annoying, but not so much that he'd jostle him while he was working on the pants. ]
For science, huh.
[ It's said about as dry as it gets with him, and Harrison eyes Cisco flatly at that. ]
Not a word to anyone else about this.
[ Though— he hates to admit it, but it was useful to know. He'd figured his physiology was also altered to some degree, though he hadn't exactly tested for that yet. If it were anyone else, he'd have run them through the gamut of tests by now. As the subject in question, it's difficult for him to be a neutral observer. It wasn't Cisco's intention — at least, it probably wasn't, knowing him — but it had been somewhat useful in the end.
Not to his pride, but still.
Harrison shifts his positioning, moving closer so he can keep an eye on Cisco as he works. ]
Yep. For science. Only for science. 100%. Nooooo other motivations whatsoever. Just testing your brain chemistry.
[ He knows he's not fooling anyone; Cisco keeps on grinning and sewing, though he looks up and pauses to pluck another bit of catnip out of Harry's hair for him. Because that's what friends are for. Probably did him some good to relax, even if it was only for a quarter of an hour or so. Harry has a stressful life - they all do, here in this place. It's a wonder none of them have gone stir crazy, but at least Cisco and most of the rest of them know how to have fun and blow off steam and distract themselves. Harry, though, it's all work work work with him. ]
Not even Caitlin? Could be medically relevant...
[ Cisco's tone of voice makes it clear that he is joking, though there is a kernel of truth to it. He turns his attention back down to the jeans, stitching away. The denim is tough but he has a thimble and plenty of experience with plying a needle. Probably he could manage these with a machine, but he didn't look for one. It'll be better hand-sewn, anyway, and who knows how long Harry will be like this.
When he finishes up that first pair, Cisco holds them up, measuring, looking for stray threads, before he shoves the jeans at Harry. ]
[ If he seems more mellow than normal (which, to be fair, is any amount of mellow whatsoever), it's because he is. Though it's more like his behavior has become muted in some ways, movements having just a touch of lethargy to them. If Ramon wanted to know whether or not he could get stoned off of catnip? He definitely had a solid answer by now.
Harrison nudges him once or twice more with his foot at Cisco's remarks. It's not a rough nudge — just enough to be annoying at best. ]
Not even Snow. This? [ At that, he gestures between the two of them idly. ] Is between us.
[ He snatches the pants as he stands, heading around a corner to change into them. Modesty at this point is down the drain with him, particularly after the one-two punch of Grodd and Spivot, though he'd never had much to begin with. It's more for Ramon's benefit than anything, and he rolls his eyes at that thought, tugging the pants on. Carefully, he feeds the tail (and it still makes him raise an eyebrow a day later, that damn tail) through the hole Cisco had made before zipping the jeans up, turning to glance over his shoulder at it.
Harrison steps back out a moment later with a shrug, walking back over to the couch. ]
It'll do.
[ Which is basically high praise coming from him. ]
[ Cisco is finding it weirdly hard to argue with this relaxed, lethargic version of Harry. There's no fun in it when his reactions have become so muted. And, well. Cisco's not a snitch. There have been a couple exception, of course, but generally speaking, he is careful with other people's secrets. So he just heaves an exaggerated sigh, rolls his eyes and says: ]
Fiiiine.
[ While Harry is off changing he flips through the pictures he'd snapped of Harry while he was rolling around on the ground. He smiles at them as he deletes them, one by one. There's a temptation to keep them as potential blackmail fodder, but if Harry is embarrassed enough that he doesn't even want Caitlin to know, it's probably for the best. That little incident with Harry's inbox had taught Cisco to be even more wary that the contents of a device did not always stay private, despite best intentions.
When Harry comes back and utters his grudging praise, Cisco beams as if he'd said it was the best sewing job he'd ever seen, pulling that second pair of jeans into his lap so he can start work on it. He starts making the measurements again and asks Harry, offhand: ]
So would you say it's more like being drunk or being stoned?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ Cisco had been sure about that 24 hour rule. It had always held true before. And if that weren't shocking enough, he notices something else as he's looking at the program which tracks usernames on the network. That must be wrong. He frowns, checks again. Checks a third time. ]
also when was the last time you saw barry?
no subject
a) it's permanent. I highly doubt that, especially given the state of our memories when we leave and come back.
b) the time frame has increased for this effect. This seems the most likely. It could be in increments of 24 hour periods and up until this point, we've only dealt with periods of the time at one end of the spectrum.
c) something I'm doing is prolonging the effect. Doubtful, since I spent most of yesterday in the workshop.
[ He's clearly already put some thought into it. As far as effects go, it could be worse, anyway. ]
A few days ago, maybe? Why?
no subject
you think i could come by and see if i can get any readings? caitlin's dealing with the medical side but maybe there's another reason you haven't changed back yet...
[ Cisco types and then erases a dozen different variations on the text before he opts for the simplest version. ]
his username's missing. i just noticed, looking up murphy. no han yolo.
[ It's not the end of the world, of course - Barry's left before, could be back later that day. Or he could not. He could be in Central City right now, his memories of this place erased, living out his life, and Harry and Cisco would rejoin him there soon. Whether by their own steam, or when the Clock returned them. It's not the end of the world, but it is still a surprise, and an unpleasant one. ]
there's a few more names missing, too.
no subject
Maybe. I have a few thoughts about that. Someone could have wanted this to happen. Not this specifically. Unless they did.
Come by the loft. Bring a sewing kit
[ He won't elaborate on that.
The news about Barry's username being gone makes him frown. At least he's somewhere, safe. But it's still a slight pressure on his chest for a moment or two. ]
Well. We'll never let him hear the end of it.
Who else? Anyone we know?
no subject
on my way.
[ Though he might have to stop and get some heavier fabric-cutting scissors before he gets there. And maybe a laser pointer. For very scientific reasons, of course. He wants to test if Harry's responses have been altered along with his physiology. And it's always good to have a back-up plan in case Harry needs cheering up. ]
couple folks. iris. somebody named sixfour - you know who he was?
[ Cisco had chatted with him a couple times on the network, a few pleasant little conversations, but looking back he's not sure he ever caught his real name. ]
no subject
sixfour? No. I saw them talk to Palmer frequently. That username doesn't even make any sen
[ Harrison pauses, staring ahead in consideration. Six four? Han yolo had been Allen's ridiculous pop culture riff, but "sixfour" was nothing like that. It was vague at best. A call sign? Maybe. Or a height? Though for someone to be six foot four, they'd have to be a giant. Much like—
It takes a few minutes for him to complete that thought to Cisco, if only because he's occupied with banging his head against the wall for those few minutes. ]
never mind i figured it out
god damnit
no subject
[ Cisco figures the god damnit means that Harry is mad they are gone - an ally, then, that he had recruited to their side. It would make sense. He'd seemed friendly enough.
He thinks he must be nearly to the loft, but he opens the door to something that looks like a pet supply store, and stops to grab a bag of catnip. Scientific curiosity. ]
no subject
no subject
Are you freaking kidding me?!
[ That's going to have to be good enough as far as hello goes. He barely even spares a glance for Harry's ears as he strides in breathing hard, the pieces falling into place. Of course it was Jay - Hunter, that is. He'd even corrected Cisco about his precise height that one time. He should have realized that was what it was. Should have known.
He'd been talking to Jay all those times. Had been nice to him. Just when he'd thought he was at the very least above being tricked by anyone like Hunter or Eobard again, now this. It takes so little to reopen the wound of that betrayal and leave Cisco fuming, furious at Jay, even more furious at himself. Cisco throws down his backpack onto the ground in a jerky gesture and it's still not enough. He spots a roll of paper towels sitting out on the counter of Harry's kitchen and, after a split second of decision, sends it flying across the room, unrolling all over the floor. It's not hard enough to break anything, not valuable, not something that could cause damage.
And if anyone's likely to sympathize with the desire to just knock some shit over to vent a tiny bit of his seething anger, it's Harry. ]
Again. I fell for it again.
no subject
Hey.
[ He steps over to Cisco and reaches over, placing a hand on his shoulder firmly, rubbing at it lightly with his thumb. ]
We all fell for it. If there was anything to fall for — none of us did anything for him beyond what we would have done for anyone. Alright?
[ As far as he knows, anyway. Maybe Palmer had gone out of his way to talk to Zolomon privately but the rest of them had treated him about the same as they'd treated Thawne in public. In truth, he feels more annoyed by the fact that he'd only just now connected the dots between "sixfour" and Zolomon than he does duped.
But if there's one thing he's learned about Cisco over the past few months, it's that a lot of wounds are still raw and it takes so little for him to start bleeding out again. Except this time, Allen isn't around for him to lean against. If he had to hazard a guess . . . ]
Don't beat yourself up over this. Okay, Cisco?
no subject
[ It's true; it's not as if "sixfour" and Cisco had become best friends. He hadn't confided anything in him, hadn't dedicated that much thought to him. Up until just now, he had been a pleasant stranger - nothing more. Cisco stills when Harry sets that reassuring hand on his shoulder, trying to simmer down, limit his emotional response to what is appropriate for the situation. It's... hard, but it's easier with Harry here than it would be alone.
He runs his hands through his hair, brushing it back in frustration. He covers his face with his hands, takes several slow breaths. Fortunately, he didn't have a chance to get too worked up; Harry was here to talk sense right away, to nip this little meltdown in the bud. So after a moment or two, when he speaks again, his voice is closer to normal. Calmer. ]
Okay. Yeah. You're right.
[ Yes, he just admitted Harry was right. It's been known to happen a couple of times. Cisco scrubs at his face and then drops his hands, though they remain fidgety. ]
Anyway, good riddance. He won't get the chance to pull off whatever he was biding his time for. Joke's on him.
no subject
Right. Joke's on him.
[ He stands nearby uncomfortably, glancing over at a couple folded pairs of pants that he has sitting out on a stool not too far away. Fortunately, things were easy enough to find in the clock, though finding pants already modified was apparently not as easy as he'd thought it would be. Still. It almost felt cruel to push it on him after that revealation. ]
He's not our problem any more.
no subject
When Cisco looks up at him, sees the awkwardness in the way he's standing, looks over and sees the clothing sitting on the stool, it takes him a second to remember. Of course, that was why he'd been coming here in the first place. Not Barry being gone, not anything Hunter-related. He'd come because he's the one at STAR Labs who can sew, and Harry needs someone to make alterations for his tail. ]
Right.
[ Cisco rubs his hands along his thighs a moment before he gets up, walks over to the pants and picks them up, examining them. He doesn't know Harry's measurements by heart the same way he does Barry's, so he turns to Harry and says: ]
If you want them to be right you're gonna have to let me measure... hold on.
[ He goes to his bag -which he'd thrown so childishly to the floor - and fishes around for a length of string that he'd thrown in for measuring purposes. Cisco returns with it, asks: ]
Can you lift up your shirt a little bit in the back for me, so I can...?
[ God, his life is surreal sometimes. ]
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And eye roll inducing.
Which is exactly what he does as he draws his shirt up, glancing back over his shoulder. When he speaks, though his voice is rough and caustic in a way, there's almost a lighter, teasing edge to it underneath. ]
You know. This is your fault, Ramon.
[ He raises an eyebrow at that before continuing, fully intending on explaining — once an adequate dramatic pause has settled in, anyway. ]
Last time? You brought up King Shark. Remember that? [ A beat, and he snorts. ] I do.
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Okay, you are not seriously suggesting I gave this place ideas, are you?
[ It only takes a moment or two to get the measurements he'll need - where he'll have to position the hole, what it's circumference will need to be, etcetera. Then, just because of the King Shark comment, instead of just getting to work right away, Cisco looks at the string in his hand. Useful for taking measurements. Also useful for dangling in Harry's face, seeing if he will bat at it.
If it's his fault, he might as well enjoy it. ]
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But Cisco was here and far more likely to react to it than anyone else, and Harrison did always find it hard to not poke at him with a stick more often than not. ]
Sure I am. Think about it. [ He allows himself to be shifted again, rolling his eyes. ] What's the name of your cat, Ramon.
[ Harrison turns at that as Cisco straightens up, giving him a bit of a smirk. That fades almost immediately when the string is dangled in his face; he eyes it flatly, crossing briefly before he swats it away with one hand. There's a pause and he lifts his hand again, ready to idly give it another swipe before the realization settles in. He'd noticed some small changes beyond the physiological ones. When Ramon had asked about side effects, he'd skirted it, though it was hard to hide it now as he slides his hand back into his pocket quickly with a huff. ]
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Okay... point. But you know I only did that 'cause you both knock shit on the floor so much.
[ And yes, he can see the paper towel roll and knows he's a hypocrite.
Cisco grins from ear to ear when Harry bats the string the first time. It isn't until he goes after it the second time that Cisco laughs, silently at first, shaking with it. It's not just the fact that Harry swipes his hand at the string - it's the look of intense, laser-focused attention he gets on his face the split second before he does. He looks precisely like a cat would during play time and it is honestly too bizarre and weirdly cute for Cisco to handle right now.
He scoops up the jeans that Harry laid out and brings them, along with the string and his bag, back to the couch. It should be a quick job, if he's careful - there's no tech to work in, no tests that need to be run. Just some jeans in need of alteration. As he's fishing through his bag for the fabric scissors he finds a ziploc bag, is momentarily confused - that's not sewing supplies - before he remembers and has to struggle not to laugh.
It's probably Cisco Ramon's finest piece of acting, the way he pretends to still be absorbed by the search for his scissors as he holds the baggie out to Harry and says, offhand. ]
Hey hold this for me.
[ It'd be too suspicious if he told him to open it or smell it or anything like that, but knowing Harry and his nosiness, well.... he doesn't have to. ]
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That thought dies in his mind as he glances up, eyes narrowing just a bit over at him. ]
Do I even want to know what this is, Ramon?
[ Though the smell was— well, it wasn't cannabis, he could tell that with his enhanced senses. It had to be something, though; he could feel his hand shake just a bit as he questions Cisco, distracted. At least, distracted enough that he doesn't notice a nail (a claw, though he'll never admit it) catch on the side of the bag, tearing it slightly and letting some of the contents spill, the odor almost immediately wafting up to him.
And in a matter of seconds, the bag is on the ground along with Harrison Wells and though he seems thoroughly intent on rubbing his face against the bag, a calm seems to have come over him. There may even be a soft yowl or two.
It isn't long before he swipes a hand out at the paper towel roll on the floor, batting it to one side, before following it along with his hand and lazily batting it back. ]
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It is so funny that it momentarily bypasses funny and is a little frightening. Harry can't OD on this stuff, right? Catnip is harmless? Cisco reaches down and plucks up Harry's glasses before he scratches them trying to jam his face into the bits of catnip stuck to the floor. He sets them on the coffee table, a pair of jeans still clutched in one hand.
Only when Harry starts batting the paper towel back and forth does it really sink in enough for Cisco to laugh. But once he starts laughing, he's not sure he'll ever stop. He collapses onto the couch, clutching at his side and choking on it, hardly able to breathe through his mirth. ]
Oh. My. God.
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It's about ten or fifteen minutes before some of Harrison's faculties seem to clear up. There's still a sort of fuzziness in his head as well as a few cravings (he'd been to college, he knows how it goes), but his eyes start to focus more. He lifts a hand up to his hair, picking out a few pieces of the herb before swiping a hand over his face once or twice. He'd have to shower to get out some of the smaller pieces, but for now, this was fine.
What he really wants to do is yell at Cisco for a stunt like that — go to town on him. But he doesn't have the energy for that and, more importantly, he doesn't have the heart. It wasn't that long ago that the thought of even the most casual of contact with Ramon made him flinch; now, Reverb was a distant memory, replaced by burgers and catnip betrayal.
Harrison pushes himself up, briefly avoiding eye contact as he shakes his head, brushing more of the herb out of it. The avoidance doesn't last more than a few seconds though as he sits down right nearby on the couch, arms crossed, looking thoroughly unimpressed. He clears his throat but doesn't speak just yet, out of concern that the cat may, quite literally, still have his tongue. ]
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Then, when Harry just keeps laying there and lazily rolling the paper towels, he turns his attention back to the jeans. He keeps Harry in his peripheral view as he measures out the right spot and starts to cut the first of the tail holes, carefully. Cisco doesn't actually remove any fabric, but cuts it into segments that he folds back into the inside of he jeans and then sews down, before quickly stitching around the gap, strengthening it.
He sees Harry begin to pluck the catnip from his hair and figures that some self-awareness must be returning. It's a lot quicker than he expected, but that probably makes sense. Who knows how fast Harry's body is metabolizing things, right now. How much of his brain chemistry has actually been changed by the transformation.
Once Harry sits up and crosses his arms like a grumpy school principal, Cisco figures he's over his high. Even though he knows he'll probably get an earful for it, he doesn't regret anything. The smile still stretches from one ear to another as he says: ]
Lemme tell you, that stuff worked a lot better than I thought it would.
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So instead of immediately laying into him, Harrison reaches over from his end of the couch with his foot and nudges Cisco's leg with it — enough to be annoying, but not so much that he'd jostle him while he was working on the pants. ]
For science, huh.
[ It's said about as dry as it gets with him, and Harrison eyes Cisco flatly at that. ]
Not a word to anyone else about this.
[ Though— he hates to admit it, but it was useful to know. He'd figured his physiology was also altered to some degree, though he hadn't exactly tested for that yet. If it were anyone else, he'd have run them through the gamut of tests by now. As the subject in question, it's difficult for him to be a neutral observer. It wasn't Cisco's intention — at least, it probably wasn't, knowing him — but it had been somewhat useful in the end.
Not to his pride, but still.
Harrison shifts his positioning, moving closer so he can keep an eye on Cisco as he works. ]
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[ He knows he's not fooling anyone; Cisco keeps on grinning and sewing, though he looks up and pauses to pluck another bit of catnip out of Harry's hair for him. Because that's what friends are for. Probably did him some good to relax, even if it was only for a quarter of an hour or so. Harry has a stressful life - they all do, here in this place. It's a wonder none of them have gone stir crazy, but at least Cisco and most of the rest of them know how to have fun and blow off steam and distract themselves. Harry, though, it's all work work work with him. ]
Not even Caitlin? Could be medically relevant...
[ Cisco's tone of voice makes it clear that he is joking, though there is a kernel of truth to it. He turns his attention back down to the jeans, stitching away. The denim is tough but he has a thimble and plenty of experience with plying a needle. Probably he could manage these with a machine, but he didn't look for one. It'll be better hand-sewn, anyway, and who knows how long Harry will be like this.
When he finishes up that first pair, Cisco holds them up, measuring, looking for stray threads, before he shoves the jeans at Harry. ]
Try them on?
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Harrison nudges him once or twice more with his foot at Cisco's remarks. It's not a rough nudge — just enough to be annoying at best. ]
Not even Snow. This? [ At that, he gestures between the two of them idly. ] Is between us.
[ He snatches the pants as he stands, heading around a corner to change into them. Modesty at this point is down the drain with him, particularly after the one-two punch of Grodd and Spivot, though he'd never had much to begin with. It's more for Ramon's benefit than anything, and he rolls his eyes at that thought, tugging the pants on. Carefully, he feeds the tail (and it still makes him raise an eyebrow a day later, that damn tail) through the hole Cisco had made before zipping the jeans up, turning to glance over his shoulder at it.
Harrison steps back out a moment later with a shrug, walking back over to the couch. ]
It'll do.
[ Which is basically high praise coming from him. ]
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Fiiiine.
[ While Harry is off changing he flips through the pictures he'd snapped of Harry while he was rolling around on the ground. He smiles at them as he deletes them, one by one. There's a temptation to keep them as potential blackmail fodder, but if Harry is embarrassed enough that he doesn't even want Caitlin to know, it's probably for the best. That little incident with Harry's inbox had taught Cisco to be even more wary that the contents of a device did not always stay private, despite best intentions.
When Harry comes back and utters his grudging praise, Cisco beams as if he'd said it was the best sewing job he'd ever seen, pulling that second pair of jeans into his lap so he can start work on it. He starts making the measurements again and asks Harry, offhand: ]
So would you say it's more like being drunk or being stoned?
[ He wants to know for science, obviously. ]
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