“No, if I hadn’t been a damned idiot and been a shitty friend you wouldn’t have gone off on your own. I could’ve been there for you, tried to help. But no. I was an idiot. I’m so sorry Cisco. And I’m not saying I want to let you out, I’m just…wanting to put you in a better cell.”
“Barry, it’s fine. I understand why you did it. You wanted to protect me.” Cisco said, bringing his knees to his chest. “I’d rather stay here. Less stimulation, more monitoring. It’s better for everyone. Just bring me a sleeping bag so I can get some shut eye.” Cisco said sharply, looking back down to his feet. “Please.”
Carter stood up after having been knocked back. He went to check, and while his body may have been a bit bruised but he wasn’t bleeding. However he wouldn’t be able to say the same for the other man for much longer.
“Bad move, Ramon. I tolerated you before for Kendra’s sake but now? Oh you’re going to regret starting something” he grabbed his mace and grinned with a gleam in his eye. He’d been looking for an excuse to start a fight.
“Oh I’m sorry. I took her a way from you? YOU!? You barely even knew her. The woman she truly is, the woman I have loved for four thousand years. The woman I have seen die and have died before ages and ages? You think you needed her? Oh you little child. You have no idea what you have started” he lunged at him leaping into the air, wings in full width and mace raised high ready to strike.
“Bad move? HA! That was a great move, whether you agree with me or not. I’m still not believing this whole ‘we’re souldmates’ crap. Good try, though.”
Cisco grinned when the man leaped, darting under him and leaning against a nearby garbage can. “s’that the best you can do, Hawk-boy?” He said with a menacing laugh. “You wanna try again? Let’s go.”
“Your sister will kill me if I don’t at least make this comfortable Cisco.” He smiled weakly, running a hand through his hair and looking at the other. “You don’t deserve it Cisco. I…I’m sorry. I never should have kicked you out. Whatever you need, I’ll get or do for you Cisco. But seriously…I’m so so sorry.”
“Bring me a sleeping bag then. You know as well as I that I don’t need comfort to get sleep. Plus, it’s my decision.” Cisoc said to his friend. “That’s the thing, I do. For all I know, I could have killed people while on this strange rampage. I should not be let out of this cell. I can’t be trusted. Don’t be sorry, Bar. There’s no reason for you to be. This is on me, not you.”
Caitlin could swear she’d ready herself for his deception. The chipper tone in his voice that flooded the space seemed trick her senses. Glimmers of the man she’d once knew flashing brought before her. “I think Mr. Queen enjoys exacting justice. Does his justice really make all that much sense? Not particularly, no.” She gathered the gauze pads and a syringe. If the pain was as he said, she would do her best to alleviate it.
“I’ll never understand. Oh well.” Cisco said, turning his head so Caitlin could better tend to his wound, as well as taking his eyes away from the syringe she held. “Here’s another thing. I don’t really remember much from the last few weeks. What happened around Central City while I was gone? Do you know if my sister was found?”
“Um…two? Three weeks? Since I..well.” Barry dragged a hand through his hair, sitting against the wall opposite Cisco. He was being the Flash alone and was turning out to be an even bigger failure than when he had a team. “Since I was an idiot and thought letting you go would keep you safe. Obviously that didn’t work out so well.” He sighed, the breath ragged from the tears Barry was doing his best to keep in. “I’m sorry Cisco. But yeah, you’ll stay in one of the ones we revamped, okay? I put a bed in one the other day. I’m trying to work out ways to make it a bit more humane, you know? But yeah, I’ll contact Caitlin and have her come…but I’m not leaving you right away Cisco. I’ve been the Flash all afternoon. The city can stand a little longer without me on the streets.”
“I’m fine with staying in here.” Cisco said, looking around at the cell. “It’s probably safest. After all, I can’t remember the last 3 weeks and apparently I’ve been running rampant. It’s really fine. I deserve it after what you said I did.” He said, staring down at his feet.
Hartley didn’t look convinced. “Before any of this happened… With Wells… And The Flash. I would have jumped at this. Jumped at you. When you first came to work that day… I thought I would probably be hopelessly and unrequitedly obsessed with yet another straight man. But it was easier to just cater to Wells.” Hartley sighed.
“It’s fine, Hart. It’s fine.” Cisco said, pulling the man into a hug. “I hardly knew this part of me existed at that point. It was just an inkling.”
“No you didn’t Cisco.” Barry’s expresssion was twisted with worry, the exhausted speedster again out of his depth with what to do.
In a blur Barry was gone and then back again, the door to Cisco’s cell opening and he stepping inside. “Here’s the bracelets, and I’ve got some stuff for that shoulder…Are you hungry? Do you need something else? As much as I hate it I think it’s best if we keep you here for a bit.”
“How long was I gone?” Cisco said, taking the bracelets and snapping them around his wrists. “Can you put in a code?” He said, his voice melancholy. He immediately felt the effects of the bracelets. “No, I’m fine. I just want to get patched up and let you get back to your duties as the Flash. I know there’s probably a lot you have on your plate. I don’t mind staying here. That way you guys can monitor me. I don’t even know what’s going on. Maybe Cait can run some tests. Do you think she does Psych stuff?”
Cisco backup 