Cisco Ramon (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
franciscoramon) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
clockbox2016-11-10 11:59 pm
franciscoramon) wrote in clockbox2016-11-10 11:59 pm
C A T C H - A L L ϟ i don’t want no savior baby
WHO: cisco + YOU?
WHAT: catch-all (want a starter? let me know!)
WHEN: remainder of november through december
WHERE: various
WARNINGS: will add if needed
WHAT: catch-all (want a starter? let me know!)
WHEN: remainder of november through december
WHERE: various
WARNINGS: will add if needed
eddie || you should have seen me
And then Cisco finishes... and he waits. It just feels off, for the first day or two. Like the moment's not right yet; and then he starts to doubt himself. To question if it really had been a good idea. The longer he waits, the deeper those roots of self-doubt bury themselves into the soil of his mind. And he realizes very early one morning, before Eddie has even woken up, that if he waits another day, he's not going to do it at all. So he leaves the apartment while Eddie's still in bed - sets a little note on top of Eddie's workout clothes that reads:
SKIP THE GYM: COME TO THE MEADOW INSTEAD
Then he gets dressed, throws on a big rain jacket, and goes to wait for Eddie in the meadow. He is nervous and fidgety while he waits (enjoying the misty morning ambiance in stillness just isn't really Cisco's thing), pulling up long leaves of grass and braiding them, peering into his bag to make sure he brought everything, fidgeting with his shoelaces and his hair and everything else that can be fidgeted with. ]
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It's impossible not to, when Cisco hides things when he comes into the room and never brings it home. It's not so much about what Cisco is doing as why he won't bring it home to work on. Part of Eddie is concerned that there are still lingering repercussions from the fight they'd had, arguing over Cisco working with his projects in the apartment, even if that argument had been unnatural, spurred on by some weird Clock process. But he doesn't want to push, doesn't want to violate Cisco's privacy, so he leaves it be and frets privately and does his best not to let Cisco notice he's noticed. Keeps taking care of Cisco the way he would if Cisco was making something and chattering his ear off about it every evening over dinner.
Eddie notices when Cisco finishes, too. When he's done with his all-nighters and comes to bed like usual instead of wandering in at all hours and then falling asleep on the couch when they take a movie break. But Cisco still doesn't tell him, and Eddie's just about screwed up the courage to make sure Cisco wasn't feeling uncomfortable talking about his work after the fight by the third or fourth day since Cisco regained a human sleep schedule.
Before he has a chance, though, Cisco is gone when he wakes up and he finds a note by his workout clothes. Changing into a pair of jeans and his S.T.A.R. Labs sweater, he puts on a pair of runners and heads to the meadow, brows furrowed, a little worried that something happened. Getting up this early and going out to the meadow isn't normal for Cisco, and his heart is beating too hard by the time he gets there, slips through the door and sees Cisco there. In a raincoat. Looking anxious.]
Hey babe...is everything okay?
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Yeah- yeah, everything's great. This is not a situation, it's just. [ Cisco pauses, twists his hands together, thinking. He is feeling more comfortable with his powers, and he's pretty sure once Eddie actually knows what's going on he'll be thrilled. But it's still a bit of a challenge, talking about it. One step at a time. ]
Y'know how I've been working on a secret project these last few, um... weeks? I... wanted to show it to you. Show them to you, actually, 'cause, it's kind of, um, a few things...
[ He was going to be so cool in how he did this. When Cisco had played it out in his head it had seemed very dramatic and suave, and the reality - that the meadow is a little too damp for his liking, and Eddie is starting off alarmed rather than intrigued, the way he's messing up the speech - failed to live up to it. At last, in frustration, Cisco simply seizes the unzipped front of the jacket and opens it up, heart beating a bit too quickly in a mix of exhilaration and embarrassment. Underneath it is, unquestionably, a super suit. The pants had already been visible, but they aren't much to look at - black, functional - and Eddie no doubt hadn't taken any note of them. But the top half is different: black and deep red leather, with accents of bright yellow. ]
Ta da!
[ There's a hint of self-mockery in the way he says that; a part of Cisco feels silly about all this. He's not Barry. He's not Jax or Professor Stein or Ronnie, not Oliver or Sara Lance or any of them. He's not a real hero. So making himself a super suit - not for cosplay, not as a dare, but earnestly making it - is presumptuous, isn't it? ]
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Somehow, that really makes Eddie realize how long it's been since he's seen Cisco so self-conscious around him. It's both comforting and a little disappointing at the same time, because it means Eddie's been setting Cisco at ease for that time but it also means that something is making him uncomfortable, now.
For a moment, he's still, and then Cisco is abruptly yanking open the front of his rain jacket, exposing what he's wearing underneath. For one, ridiculous moment, Eddie thinks he's about to be flashed, which makes no sense because he can see that Cisco is wearing pants, but that's the closest analog he can think of.
Then he registers what Cisco is actually wearing under the jacket - black and red and yellow, smooth and functional just like Barry's, he's wearing a super suit. For a moment, Eddie is silent, and then his expression brightens, abruptly, his eyes go wide, and his face breaks into a grin.]
Oh my god.
[Stepping forward, he reaches out, slides his hands to Cisco's waist under the jacket, his chin coming up so he can look down at his boyfriend affectionately. He gets it, gets why Cisco sounded so shy, looked so hesitant, doubting himself like that. Because he knows that Cisco has a hard time seeing himself as a hero, like Barry or anyone else - and he knows the only way to combat that is by treating Cisco like the hero he is.]
Wow. You look so good.
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From that bag he first pulls his vibe goggles, which he perches on top of his head for the time being. Then, drawing in a little breath and smiling (because he's almost certain he knows how Eddie is going to react to this part of the gift, at least) he hands the bag over to Eddie, says: ]
There's, uh. There's more. This one's for you.
[ They'd talked about it - about Cisco designing Eddie a suit. At first it had been hypothetical: something for fun, something to keep him occupied. Nothing serious. But nothing about the suit that's in the large paper bag is frivolous. The suit is tailored for Eddie, skin-tight but durable, a deep blue color with patterns of white and silver, colors that will compliment his complexion. It's not just a costume: it is tough, made to be worn, made to be fought in.
He shifts his weight from foot to foot, watching Eddie's expression for his reaction to the suit, hopeful and excited. ]
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Oh...?
[Eddie's surprised, but he takes the bag and opens it, his eyes going wide as he pulls the costume out of it and lifts it. It's almost exactly the design that Cisco had shown him before, but seeing it in person is amazing, with the sturdy fabric, made functional and obviously not just something silly for them to play around in. Eddie can't even fathom what kind of thing he would need a functional supersuit for besides helping Cisco train in his, but he's incredibly flattered and excited all at once.
Lifting his chin, he grins at Cisco, his face and eyes lit up, his mouth curved into a wide smile.]
Oh my god. You actually made it! I can't...believe it, honestly. Cisco...this is so great.
[He has a ton of questions - about Cisco's new gauntlets, about his costume, about why Cisco's decided to make it now, about whether Cisco is still afraid to bring his work home - but right now it's far more important to Eddie to make it clear that he thinks this is incredibly cool and show his appreciation.]
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Cisco shuffles his feet, awkward and radiant with happiness. ]
Put it on! I wanna make sure I got the measurements right. And don't get too excited 'cause it'll probably need a few adjustments... they always do. I'm on, like, version 40 of Barry's Flash suit by now, so...
[ He trails off, too thrilled by Eddie's reception of the gift to speak entirely in complete sentences. ]
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harry || i'm not a prophet
Okay, so maybe he is lying in wait. But Cisco's made the decision, and he's ready to act on it.
Harry's barely gotten in the door before Cisco is talking, in that rapid-fire way of his when he's gotten an idea and his mouth can hardly keep up with his brain. ]
Hey, Harry. So I was thinking, right, the biggest thing stopping us from getting out of this place is we don't understand it. And we're tried the normal science ways and we've tried the weird science ways, and I've tried vibing a thousand times and it's never gotten anywhere, right? Even though I've been practicing with my powers and getting better at vibing the other people here it's still no dice when it comes to the clock itself, but here's what I was thinking: maybe the solution's not just doing another Rockey-style training montage on my own brain. Maybe... maybe we gotta design something else. The goggles are fine for triggering the vibes but what about for... amplifying them? Making it easier to vibe things in other universes apart from this one?
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Only to be bombarded with questions.
Harrison blinks slowly, giving him a long look as he takes another bite of his toast. As he chews and swallows, he pushes the door shut behind him with a foot and trudges in, shrugging off his hoodie and tossing it onto a chair. It's a moment or two before he turns his attention back towards Cisco, brain really processing what he'd just said and what he was actually trying to suggest. When he speaks, it's in slow, measured words, like he's considering just what to say exactly. ]
Do you think you're ready for that?
[ Funny, how as time had passed, Cisco had grown bolder and more willing to push his boundaries while Harrison had become more reserved in that respect. The truth was that he had every confidence in their ability to manufacture something that could work out in that regard; the real question was whether Cisco genuinely did in turn. He shoves the remainder of his toast into his mouth and turns to face him, crossing his arms. ]
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So he doesn't answer right away; he gives himself a few seconds to actually consider it. But when he does answer, there is no hesitation in his voice, no fear. He looks Harry right in the eyes and says, unequivocally: ]
I'm ready.
[ A small smile finds its way to the corner of his mouth; a part of him knows that it's the confidence of a beginning, that there will be hard work and setbacks and there is no guarantee. But right then, he can't help thinking: ]
These time-obsessed mofos ain't gonna know what hit 'em.
[ It'll probably make Harry roll his eyes, but Cisco doesn't care. He's feeling badass, and badasses get cool one liners. It's tradition. ]
Now. Where do we start?
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He nods over at the clear board, reaching for a marker. ]
That's the real question. [ And he lets out a soft hum, tossing his marker from one hand to the other. ] We have a few options. We could work on the calibration for your current set of goggles. But the risk there is that we could render them entirely ineffective. [ From his tone, it's clear that he doesn't consider that ideal. ] Or we could start from scratch. Work up a list, hunt down the parts, piece something new together.
[ He turns, starting to draw quickly on the board, making a few notes in his usual chicken scratch. ]
It would be more difficult and time consuming, but would give us more control over the output in the long term rather than confining us.
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[ Cisco waves a hand at Harry's warnings about how hard it will be, how long it will take them. They've always managed before, and if there's one thing they have in this place, it's time. Lots and lots of it.
He comes over to stand by the clearboard, coming around to the other side and watching Harry starting to draw up some very basic ideas, questions, fragments of thoughts and equations that Cisco can piece together because the two of them think alike, and have worked together for a long time. After a few minutes of this, Cisco says: ]
The goggles were good for triggering the vibes quickly - but I've been practicing and I can pretty much do that on my own, now. Takes a bit longer, but I can. What we need is something to... to amplify them.
[ Rubbing the back of his neck, Cisco sighs. He knows what the logical next step is, and he's willing to take it - the sigh is one of mild annoyance. A few months ago, his reaction to the idea would have been nothing short of shame and terror. ]
Honestly, I think our best bet is to try to find an MRI and... put me in there to vibe for a while and see what's going on in my brain while I do it.
[ Harry had helped him with the goggles, and they'd discussed the physiological components of his powers a little bit, abstractly, in order to hone their tech. But Cisco had never actually agreed to let Harry or Caitlin run tests - to monitor him, to treat him as a lab rat the way they sometimes treated Barry. To their credit, they hadn't pushed for it. He's glad; now, he's going to do it on his own terms. ]
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[ This time, it's Harrison who's taken aback. Funny, how he'd gone from utter disdain towards Cisco to actually caring about him. A year ago, he'd been up in arms when it came to working out his powers. Now he actually wants to monitor them?
Harrison lowers the marker, crossing his arms again. Theoretically, it was safe enough for him. At most, Cisco would end up with a headache; maybe be jarred by the constant vibing. But he had enough experience by now that it shouldn't be too bad. So why was he hesitating? He shakes his head, as if shaking off a fog, and then speaks again. ]
You're not wrong. But. [ There's always a "but," isn't there. ] Finding a working MRI is another thing entirely.
[ And even though it feels like an excuse, it's also the truth. The clock was a crapshoot with the doors even on a good day. The odds of them finding a room with one functional were slim at best. Which meant . . . well. He knew what that meant. And this plan required him to be a scientist, not a friend. Not— whatever he was to them. So even though the hesitation weighs heavily in his voice, he continues. ]
We could assemble one. Patch one together, get it in the Cortex.
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[ Cisco says it with a mixture of cockiness and sarcasm that shouldn't really work, but does. Compared to some of the other things he and Harry had built over the years, an MRI should be a piece of cake. After all, they would only be assembling it, not actually designing it. And, sure, perhaps they'll have to make a few changes, improvise a little here and there based on what materials they actually come across. But all in all, it's nothing compared to a time machine.
Except that Harry, if he is not much mistaken, seems oddly reluctant. It's not so much what he's saying as the way he's saying it. Normally, by this point, he would expect Harry to be going at exactly the same pace he is, making suggestions, scoffing at Cisco's plans and offering alternatives, their normal semi-combative working vibe. This... is not that. Cisco squints at Harry, suddenly suspicious. ]
You're being weird about this. Why are you being weird about this?
[ No point in mincing words. Not when it's with Harry. ]
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cisco and caitlin; break everything down into chemicals
Science had always been part of a classroom, or part of a villain's arsenal. Its believers tried to distill the impossible into the possible - and sometimes, that didn't work out. How could science explain a vampire? A witch? No, what about a werewolf??
He might be chasing a dead end, or he might be blending two worlds together to uncover a deep truth. He doesn't know, and he has Caroline's full support on this. He knows he can do this.
He just wishes it didn't feel so terrifying. That fear even spreads into his voice as he calls:] Cisco? You here?
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Hey, Tyler.
[ He'd not entirely sure if this is just a social call, or something a little more serious. Tyler seems kind of nervous, so maybe it's the latter, but then again Cisco doesn't know Tyler all that well. Most of their conversations had been had over text, and it's possible he's just a nervous-looking dude by nature. Or maybe he just finds this place intimidating - he wouldn't be the first. To Cisco there's no place in the world more comforting than a room full of half-finished advanced out-of-this-world tech, but it might look a bit like a mad scientist's lab to someone who isn't used to it. ]
What up?
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He's projecting, and he knows it as he approaches Cisco. Central City wouldn't be as unkind to their metahumans, and in turn, someone with a dormant gene.]
Not much. [His expression softens.] Remember how you offered to help me with my werewolf stuff, back during Diwali? I was wondering if your offer still stands.
[He's even dressed for whatever crazy tests are headed his way (read: in workout clothes), rather than his usual jeans and dark-colored jacket. He didn't know what else he was supposed to bring, so he's got an exercise duffel with water bottles and other, miscellaneous stuff he could throw in.]
It might be really short notice, so it doesn't have to happen today, but... you know? Whenever you've got a moment?
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[ Cisco is a little surprised that Tyler is taking him up on the offer so soon, but he moves past it quickly, smiling a broad, welcoming smile. Now that he knows why Tyler's here, he can see that he's dressed for it, brought some stuff with him. There's some nervousness in his body language, too. But if Cisco is good at one thing, it is seeming nonthreatening, putting people at their ease. He pulls a rolling chair out from the bank of computers, gestures for Tyler to have a seat. ]
You think this is short notice? Honest to god, one time I had to try to invent a device to block mind control - from a giant hyper-intelligent psychic gorilla, mind - in like, half an hour. So, like. Little perspective here, dude. You not RSVP-ing is not about to stress me out.
[ He pulls his phone from his pocket, tapping away at it as he speaks, sending a text to Caitlin that reads: ] PAGING DR SNOW HEY REMEMBER THAT WEREWOLF GUY I TOLD YOU ABOUT HE'S HERE IN THE CORTEX AND WANTS US TO DO SCIENCE ON HIM GET UR BUTT OVER HERE
[ Once he's sent that off, he turns his attention back to Tyler, and setting him at his ease, while they wait for Caitlin to show up. ]
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But not now. Not anymore. Now she lives in a world of King Shark and Grodd and their other best friend who can run so fast he breaks the space-time continuum. Now a "werewolf guy" is just another day, and just another fascinating thing to explore. She taps back a quick message as she closes the book she'd been thumbing through: ] I'm sure he'd rather be called Tyler instead of "werewolf guy." On my way.
[ The Cortex is one of the rooms she can reach the easiest, given that she's all but lived in the real thing back home for years. It's not even five minutes before she's letting herself in, friendly but professional smile in place. ] It's rare we get visitors asking us to "do science" on them. [ The look she flashes Cisco is all amusement, before she turns her attention to the other man in the room. ]
Hi, I'm Caitlin. And you're Tyler, right?
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[Tyler shrugs, with about as much force as a limp noodle, as he sits down. Maybe his nerves are shot, and maybe he's afraid that he'll unleash his inner wolf in front of them. He doesn't know how it works in science land, but back home, that inner wolf doesn't reveal itself without a ton of violence.
When Caitlin arrives, he jumps up to his feet and holds out his hand.]
Right. It's nice to meet you in person, Caitlin, and uh, thanks for helping me out with the whole werewolf thing.
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Nov 12 | Around~
[Claudia pockets her communicator and heads out of her room to go meet Cisco at the coffee shop. If they're gonna swap weird world stories, then she needs some caffeine. And to not be restrained by texts because it would get old trying to explain that stuff that way.
She meets with him and they grab their drinks and then they're on their way down the hall. She'll let him take the lead on where they go because she still finds all of this really weird.] So...theories about why we're here, whatcha got?
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Behavioral experiment.
[ There's no hesitation before he says it; Cisco has had a lot of time to think about it, and he's fairly certain, now. ]
The weirdest stuff that happens here, it all seems to be about... getting a reaction out of us. Seeing how we cope with different situations. Which is beyond creepy, but, I guess it could be worse?
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[She sips at her coffee as she listens and considers what he's saying.] So, we're rats in someone's maze. Not sure how to feel about that. [She tips her head slightly.] What kinda stuff happens here, what tests to they throw out? ...is there an actual they? It seemed like that Midnight guy was the first person-representation in the Clock so far?
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I'm sure how I feel about it: not friggin' great.
[ He listens to her questions, chewing his lip as he decides which to tackle first. ]
Zero ideas on the 'they'. That Midnight guy was a surprise, nothing like that's ever happened here before. No direct communication, no indirect communication, no indication of even an attempt at communication.
[ There is a slight hesitation as he considers whether he should tell Claudia the whole truth. He doesn't want to scare her, after all. But hiding the worst of it won't really help her, either. She'll just be unprepared. So he draws in a breath, takes a long drink of his coffee, and then dives in. ]
Some of it's pretty harmless. Time loops, a la groundhog day. Candy that makes you glow. A round of embarrassing texts full of innuendo on valentine's day that nobody actually wrote. Once, there was this whole scavenger hunt thing, with music boxes and riddles. That wasn't so bad. Except they led to prizes that were things that belonged to other people, like you were supposed to exchange them, but it wasn't like, you found Joe's favorite sweater! It was stuff like, here's a picture of so-and-so's dead family or here's an scarf covered in dried blood, that kind of thing.
[ Cisco is glad for the coffee cup in his hands - it keeps him from chewing on his nails or fidgeting with his hands too much, so his uneasiness is mostly contained to his voice. ]
Some of it's less harmless. Like getting trapped in a snowy room for a set number of hours. Or the graveyard full of zombies. Or... getting lured into movie theaters with the person you hate most in the whole world and forced to watch what used to be one of your favorite movies with them.
[ It's his standard; take the thing that hurts and make a joke out of it. That way, it can't cut too deep. Cisco's hands have suddenly gotten restless on the coffee cup and his smile is decidedly phony. ]
Terminator 2 is totally ruined, now. T2! Can you imagine? So, what I'm trying to say is, there's real stakes.
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Well, that's annoying. [She huffs about the lack of communication for their captors. Assuming there were actual, physical captors.
She listens as he lists off various random, weird, and creepy things that he's experienced here with a certain rapt interest, though. She hasn't seen enough yet, and this at least gives her a better idea of the style of things to expect.]
Zombies? Because of course there are zombies. Why wouldn't there be? So, it really is just a massive grab-bag of stuff, then, huh? No way to know what's coming next. [Claudia is all too familiar with covering pain with jokes, sir. She dramatically places a hand over her heart and gasps.] Not T2! That's horrible.