Cisco's not surprised that there was a measure of self-preservation
involved in Hartley's helping them, because Hartley, being a prisoner,
was entirely reliant on Team Flash for his survival. What had shocked
Cisco the most at the time was that Hartley hadn't put much effort
into trying to escape. Barry had correctly guessed that Hartley had
weaponized his first set of hearing aids, and forcing him to remove
them had taken breaking out off the table. But there had been any
number of opportunities for Hartley to manipulate them (and Cisco in
particular) to letting him out of his cell. The more times Cisco had
gone to Hartley asking for his assistance, the more lax Cisco had
become about opening the door and allowing Hartley to work on things
himself (in exchange for favors from Cisco in the form of bringing
Hartley special meals, books, changes of clothes, etc.). Cisco had
even campaigned repeatedly to have Hartley released, only to be shot
down every time by Wells.
It had been an awful time for Hartley, Cisco's sure, even with the
comforts that Cisco had started providing. It was unsurprising that
Hartley had made himself scarce once they'd discovered that Wells
wasn't really who he said he was and finally let Hartley go. But he
hadn't disconnected from them, and over the following months his
consultation was something they'd come to rely on.
And now they're here, holding hands, and they way Hartley's looking at
him makes Cisco think that Hartley might be thinking about kissing
him. He licks his lips reflexively, and he has to press his teeth into
his lower lip to not lean across the table and initiate a kiss himself
when Hartley very sincerely tells Cisco he doesn't want to hurt him.
Cisco had been talking about being hurt physically before, but the way
Hartley says it makes Cisco think he means emotionally as well, and
that means more to Cisco than he can articulate.
"Deal," Cisco replies, giving Hartley a firm nod. "We'll follow the
scientific method to the letter. If things don't go well with the
non-human test subjects, we won't do any trials with me." It's smart,
and it makes Cisco feel good that Hartley's worried about his well
being in this in addition to any moral objections. Cisco knows they're
walking on thin ice with this, that using hypnosis as a weapon is in
the same category as that cold gun he built, too dangerous for a group
of people who only want to help others. Which is why Cisco won't be
telling Barry or Caitlin or Harry about Hartley's flute, even if they
test it and find it does what it's supposed to. Someday there might be
an application that makes sense, but there's no way they'll get there
if they're not allowed to see it through.
The break in their conversation is good timing, because it's just then
when their food arrives. Cisco is reluctant to let go of Hartley's
hand, and he waits until the waitress sees their fingers tangled
together before he lets go, in the highly unlikely case she had been
checking him out earlier.
"I like this," he says when they're once again alone. "Talking about
this project with you, getting to know things other people don't.
Getting to know you."
no subject
Cisco's not surprised that there was a measure of self-preservation involved in Hartley's helping them, because Hartley, being a prisoner, was entirely reliant on Team Flash for his survival. What had shocked Cisco the most at the time was that Hartley hadn't put much effort into trying to escape. Barry had correctly guessed that Hartley had weaponized his first set of hearing aids, and forcing him to remove them had taken breaking out off the table. But there had been any number of opportunities for Hartley to manipulate them (and Cisco in particular) to letting him out of his cell. The more times Cisco had gone to Hartley asking for his assistance, the more lax Cisco had become about opening the door and allowing Hartley to work on things himself (in exchange for favors from Cisco in the form of bringing Hartley special meals, books, changes of clothes, etc.). Cisco had even campaigned repeatedly to have Hartley released, only to be shot down every time by Wells.
It had been an awful time for Hartley, Cisco's sure, even with the comforts that Cisco had started providing. It was unsurprising that Hartley had made himself scarce once they'd discovered that Wells wasn't really who he said he was and finally let Hartley go. But he hadn't disconnected from them, and over the following months his consultation was something they'd come to rely on.
And now they're here, holding hands, and they way Hartley's looking at him makes Cisco think that Hartley might be thinking about kissing him. He licks his lips reflexively, and he has to press his teeth into his lower lip to not lean across the table and initiate a kiss himself when Hartley very sincerely tells Cisco he doesn't want to hurt him. Cisco had been talking about being hurt physically before, but the way Hartley says it makes Cisco think he means emotionally as well, and that means more to Cisco than he can articulate.
"Deal," Cisco replies, giving Hartley a firm nod. "We'll follow the scientific method to the letter. If things don't go well with the non-human test subjects, we won't do any trials with me." It's smart, and it makes Cisco feel good that Hartley's worried about his well being in this in addition to any moral objections. Cisco knows they're walking on thin ice with this, that using hypnosis as a weapon is in the same category as that cold gun he built, too dangerous for a group of people who only want to help others. Which is why Cisco won't be telling Barry or Caitlin or Harry about Hartley's flute, even if they test it and find it does what it's supposed to. Someday there might be an application that makes sense, but there's no way they'll get there if they're not allowed to see it through.
The break in their conversation is good timing, because it's just then when their food arrives. Cisco is reluctant to let go of Hartley's hand, and he waits until the waitress sees their fingers tangled together before he lets go, in the highly unlikely case she had been checking him out earlier.
"I like this," he says when they're once again alone. "Talking about this project with you, getting to know things other people don't. Getting to know you."