Hartley's relieved that Cisco seems to understand why he's been so hesitant to spend time at STAR Labs as of late. While the place holds many good memories (mostly starring Harrison), it also holds a lot of bad memories as well (also starring Harrison), and knowing there's someone there that looks and sounds just like the man who ruined his life. He's aware that they're not the same person, but meeting him had still been jarring and stressful, and Harry hadn't exactly made their first meeting pleasant. Eobard Thawne may have been a sociopath and a serial killer, but at least he was capable of pretending to be civil. And granted, Hartley wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine himself most days, but still. He doesn't understand how team Flash can stand to be around the guy.
But he supposes he's going to have to learn to put up with him if he's going to drop by STAR Labs more often. Perhaps he can find a way to avoid him, like he did the last time he'd been there to offer his assistance. Or he could always ignore his existence entirely. Neither were particularly mature options, but maturity has never really been Hartley's strong suit when dealing with people he dislikes. And it's impossible not to dislike the man who looks so much like the man who had once been the closest thing Hartley had to family.
But he pushes those thoughts aside for now. He has no desire to linger in the past when the present (and perhaps even the future) holds so much promise. Right here, in this moment, he's happy. And he wants to hold onto that feeling for as long as possible. He wants to hold onto the quick pounding of his heart, the butterflies fluttering in his stomach and he wants to hold onto the way Cisco has been looking at him since their date began. He wants to hold onto the reason he's able to smile and mean it.
"Well then, Jose Cuervo has my most sincerest gratitude," he says with an amused grin. "So I have to ask: How much does Caitlin know exactly about what you were texting me last night?" Because she really should have confiscated Cisco's phone last night, though Hartley's glad that she didn't. He wonders if she would have done exactly that if she had known Cisco was going to make a sappy (but endearing) confession about Hartley's eyes.
Hartley watches Cisco intently and silently as he speaks, a little overwhelmed (in a good way) by everything he's saying. No one's ever really said anything like this to him before. Sure, men have wanted to get to know him before, but this feels different somehow. Cisco is really putting himself out there right now, and in a way Hartley hadn't been expecting at all. Has Cisco always been this brave? "I think you already know some of those things, but I wouldn't you knowing more. Especially if it also gives me the chance to get to know you," he says, giving him a warm smile as he comes to a decision. He's still awful at letting people in and he might be doomed to failure, but he still wants to try. "I'm all in too."
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But he supposes he's going to have to learn to put up with him if he's going to drop by STAR Labs more often. Perhaps he can find a way to avoid him, like he did the last time he'd been there to offer his assistance. Or he could always ignore his existence entirely. Neither were particularly mature options, but maturity has never really been Hartley's strong suit when dealing with people he dislikes. And it's impossible not to dislike the man who looks so much like the man who had once been the closest thing Hartley had to family.
But he pushes those thoughts aside for now. He has no desire to linger in the past when the present (and perhaps even the future) holds so much promise. Right here, in this moment, he's happy. And he wants to hold onto that feeling for as long as possible. He wants to hold onto the quick pounding of his heart, the butterflies fluttering in his stomach and he wants to hold onto the way Cisco has been looking at him since their date began. He wants to hold onto the reason he's able to smile and mean it.
"Well then, Jose Cuervo has my most sincerest gratitude," he says with an amused grin. "So I have to ask: How much does Caitlin know exactly about what you were texting me last night?" Because she really should have confiscated Cisco's phone last night, though Hartley's glad that she didn't. He wonders if she would have done exactly that if she had known Cisco was going to make a sappy (but endearing) confession about Hartley's eyes.
Hartley watches Cisco intently and silently as he speaks, a little overwhelmed (in a good way) by everything he's saying. No one's ever really said anything like this to him before. Sure, men have wanted to get to know him before, but this feels different somehow. Cisco is really putting himself out there right now, and in a way Hartley hadn't been expecting at all. Has Cisco always been this brave? "I think you already know some of those things, but I wouldn't you knowing more. Especially if it also gives me the chance to get to know you," he says, giving him a warm smile as he comes to a decision. He's still awful at letting people in and he might be doomed to failure, but he still wants to try. "I'm all in too."