Cisco Ramon (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
cisco_ramon) wrote2016-07-06 11:16 pm
cisco_ramon) wrote2016-07-06 11:16 pm
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I refuse to allow myself to get kidnapped today. Absolutely refuse. So I'll definitely see you at 6.
Cisco sends his last text and he hopes it makes him sound cooler than he feels because he's already sort of freaking out. Not in a bad way or anything, he's just always anxious about first dates, though he really shouldn't be with Hartley. It is their first date, yes, but it's not like Cisco needs to try to make a good first impression, considering how well they know each other already.
Still, even as amicable as things have been between them for the last year or so, Cisco hasn't forgotten (and likely will never forget) the way he'd felt when he met Hartley for the first time. It was a lifetime ago now, and as much as Cisco knows that Hartley's attitude back then had been strongly influenced by the situation with his parents (and growing up as a rich only child), remembering some of Hartley's words back then still stings.
But Hartley's ire has mellowed significantly since then, and Cisco has, for all intents and purposes, forgiven Hartley for being so unnecessarily jerktastic at the beginning. Over the last few months in particular Cisco's found himself looking forward to the opportunities they have to work together, and eventually he'd started to realize it wasn't just because he enjoyed Hartley's scientific perspective and intellect.
And now, thanks to the inhibition lowering power of tequila, Cisco and Hartley are going to go out on a real, actual facts date. Of course plans being finalized before ten AM means Cisco has eight hours to agonize over everything he could say or do wrong to screw things up. Rather than spend too much time in his own head he makes the not quite so brilliant decision to go for a run (despite the fact that he hasn't participated in any prolonged cardio in a reasonably long time). By the time he gets home he's a sweaty, exhausted disaster, but his hangover is effectively gone too, so he's going to call it a win (even if it means he won't be able to walk tomorrow).
He spends the rest of the afternoon trying (and failing) to distract himself from overthinking the date. He gives himself several pep talks (which really only make him more anxious), and tries to remind himself that Kendra actually did like him, he only got trumped by 4000 years of reincarnation, so he is totally worthy of being someone's boyfriend. Not that he expects to walk away from dinner as part of a couple (though he doesn't think he'd mind if he did); he just really, really wants things to go well.
Finally around five he lets himself shower and shave and get dressed. He decides to wear a well cut, short sleeved button up shirt rather than any of his t-shirts because he's honestly not sure if Hartley hates them and thinks they're juvenile or if that was all part of his past general, unfounded dislike of Cisco. The Thai place isn't fancy at all and there's no reason to get dressed up, but Cisco still finds himself dithering about whether or not to wear a blazer. Finally he opts not to; it's warm enough he doesn't need the layers and, as much as he feels like he needs to do something to make himself more attractive, he knows it's better if he goes into this just being himself.
Cisco doesn't live that far away and the weather is really nice so he walks to the restaurant, forcing himself to take it slow and breathe so he's as calm as possible when he finally gets there. It turns out he takes it a little too slow and he arrives a few minutes late, spotting Hartley waiting near the doors. He hopes Hartley won't be irritated with his tardiness, but he can't say he hates the few seconds he gets to spend admiring Hartley before he knows Cisco's there, noting the way the afternoon sunlight turns Hartley's eyes a striking, crystalline blue, the attraction Cisco's felt for months reaffirming itself as Cisco takes in each of Hartley's handsome features.
"Hey," he says when he's a few steps away to get Hartley's attention. "I'm sorry I'm late. Barry must be rubbing off on me a little," he adds with an apologetic smile.
Cisco sends his last text and he hopes it makes him sound cooler than he feels because he's already sort of freaking out. Not in a bad way or anything, he's just always anxious about first dates, though he really shouldn't be with Hartley. It is their first date, yes, but it's not like Cisco needs to try to make a good first impression, considering how well they know each other already.
Still, even as amicable as things have been between them for the last year or so, Cisco hasn't forgotten (and likely will never forget) the way he'd felt when he met Hartley for the first time. It was a lifetime ago now, and as much as Cisco knows that Hartley's attitude back then had been strongly influenced by the situation with his parents (and growing up as a rich only child), remembering some of Hartley's words back then still stings.
But Hartley's ire has mellowed significantly since then, and Cisco has, for all intents and purposes, forgiven Hartley for being so unnecessarily jerktastic at the beginning. Over the last few months in particular Cisco's found himself looking forward to the opportunities they have to work together, and eventually he'd started to realize it wasn't just because he enjoyed Hartley's scientific perspective and intellect.
And now, thanks to the inhibition lowering power of tequila, Cisco and Hartley are going to go out on a real, actual facts date. Of course plans being finalized before ten AM means Cisco has eight hours to agonize over everything he could say or do wrong to screw things up. Rather than spend too much time in his own head he makes the not quite so brilliant decision to go for a run (despite the fact that he hasn't participated in any prolonged cardio in a reasonably long time). By the time he gets home he's a sweaty, exhausted disaster, but his hangover is effectively gone too, so he's going to call it a win (even if it means he won't be able to walk tomorrow).
He spends the rest of the afternoon trying (and failing) to distract himself from overthinking the date. He gives himself several pep talks (which really only make him more anxious), and tries to remind himself that Kendra actually did like him, he only got trumped by 4000 years of reincarnation, so he is totally worthy of being someone's boyfriend. Not that he expects to walk away from dinner as part of a couple (though he doesn't think he'd mind if he did); he just really, really wants things to go well.
Finally around five he lets himself shower and shave and get dressed. He decides to wear a well cut, short sleeved button up shirt rather than any of his t-shirts because he's honestly not sure if Hartley hates them and thinks they're juvenile or if that was all part of his past general, unfounded dislike of Cisco. The Thai place isn't fancy at all and there's no reason to get dressed up, but Cisco still finds himself dithering about whether or not to wear a blazer. Finally he opts not to; it's warm enough he doesn't need the layers and, as much as he feels like he needs to do something to make himself more attractive, he knows it's better if he goes into this just being himself.
Cisco doesn't live that far away and the weather is really nice so he walks to the restaurant, forcing himself to take it slow and breathe so he's as calm as possible when he finally gets there. It turns out he takes it a little too slow and he arrives a few minutes late, spotting Hartley waiting near the doors. He hopes Hartley won't be irritated with his tardiness, but he can't say he hates the few seconds he gets to spend admiring Hartley before he knows Cisco's there, noting the way the afternoon sunlight turns Hartley's eyes a striking, crystalline blue, the attraction Cisco's felt for months reaffirming itself as Cisco takes in each of Hartley's handsome features.
"Hey," he says when he's a few steps away to get Hartley's attention. "I'm sorry I'm late. Barry must be rubbing off on me a little," he adds with an apologetic smile.
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It doesn't occur to Hartley until Cisco presses their bodies closer together that there are probably much more comfortable places they could be making out than the floor. His couch (he's trying not to get too far ahead of himself, so he's purposely avoiding thinking about the very comfortable bed in his room) is literally right there in front of them. But that means breaking the kiss and moving, which doesn't seem all that appealing at the moment. Especially since Cisco doesn't seem any more inclined to put an end to this than Hartley is. So that thought falls away to the back of his mind for the time being and he focuses on how good it feels to have Cisco so close. It's been such a long time since he's allowed himself to be intimate with another person like this. Even the simple touch of Cisco's hand against the back of his head makes him feel like his heart is going to pound out of his chest.
But they both need to breathe, so the kissing does end eventually, though the pleasant tingling and the rush of warmth spreading through him are still there. Hartley's heart is still racing in his chest as he tears his gaze away from Cisco's lips to meet his eyes. "Thank you," he murmurs, a warm smile playing at the corner of his lips. "You're a really good kisser too. That was..." Indescribable, really. He isn't sure how to put what he's feeling right now to words.
"Was that okay?" he finally asks instead. "It wasn't too much, was it?"
[ooc: I'm enjoying this thread too! And I love having the chance to explore the relationship between these two. <3 Btw, are you having problems with notifs too? My notifs have been coming really late and some haven't come at all yet.]
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Cisco laughs breathlessly in response, because his heart is beating so fast he can barely make words and because Hartley's so sweet, making sure Cisco's okay, that what they're doing is okay. He's loved the conversations they've been having all night, the connections they're making, the bond they're building, and he wants to know so much more, wants to talk to Hartley about his work and his life and what he wants for the future. But right now he doesn't want to stop being close to Hartley, he doesn't want to stop kissing him, and he doesn't want Hartley thinking he's taking anything too far.
"It was so much better than okay," he finally says, cupping Hartley's cheek with one hand, sliding his palm back along the line of Hartley's jaw and then down onto the side of his neck. His voice sounds kind of wrecked and he's more than a little proud it doesn't end up breaking or hitting his upper register, because he's really, really into Hartley, more than he even thought he was before. He shifts his hand to catch the curls at the back of Hartley's neck again, tugging softly, his gaze moving over Hartley's face, looking in his eyes then at his lips, his chin, his nose.
"And it wasn't too much," he adds as he shifts his eyes back up to Hartley's again. He licks his lips, and he feels shivery, nervous and excited all at once. He's not forward when it comes to these things, he never asks for what he wants because he's always afraid he'll ask for too much and the person he's with will change their mind. But he already feels more wanted by Hartley than he has by anyone else in his life, he already feels comfortable enough to be himself completely. He swallows and licks his lips again, his fingers threading further up into Hartley's hair.
"I'm not, uh. I'm not ready to stop yet," he admits softly. "You know, just, just so you know," he fumbles, afraid of being pushy, wanting to be respectful of Hartley's boundaries and his desire to take things slowly. And Cisco's not in a hurry, he's not, but they're really hitting it off, and Hartley's his boyfriend. They have lots of time and there's no rush, but Cisco isn't afraid to do more, he wants to do more, as much as Hartley does at least. And he might as well be honest about it.
[ooc: Yes, me too! It's even better than I hoped it would be, and you're wonderful. Thank you for giving me a chance! Ugh, the notifications, what a mess all weekend. I think they're finally working correctly again now, though. I hope. I'm sorry it's taken so long to reply to this, my brain has been a mess lately. But I'm still loving it so much! Thank you for being patient with me! <3]
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He leans in, giving Cisco another soft (but this time brief) kiss on the lips. "I haven't kissed anyone in... a depressingly long time, but I enjoy kissing you," Hartley says, letting his hand fall from Cisco's hair to take link their fingers together as he slowly gets up and pulls him over to the couch with him. If there's going to be more kissing, and he hopes there will be, it should happen somewhere more comfortable than the floor where they're surrounded by... Well, no, the rats appear to have lost interest in them at some point and are now doing their own thing in various areas of the apartment (Hamelin's napping peacefully in his cage while Galileo grooms him and the other two are playing with their toys). Oh well, the couch is still much more comfortable than the floor.
"I'm not ready to stop either," he confesses, sliding his fingers into Cisco's hair again. "I just wanted to make sure none of this is too... weird for you." What with Hartley being a man and his former enemy and all. But to Hartley's relief, none of that appears to be an issue at all. Though he supposes if it were going to be an issue, that issue would have arisen before Cisco expressed a desire to be in a relationship with him. "And I don't want you to feel rushed into anything you might not be ready for." Which isn't to say Hartley doesn't want to do more, because he absolutely does and it's probably obvious. But he's perfectly content to move at Cisco's pace and he wants Cisco to know that.
[ooc: Thank you for tagging me that first time. I don't get the chance to play with Ciscos often and yours is amazing! And no worries about slow tags! It was a bit overwhelming when tags started flooding in, plus my kids start school soon so I've been a little slow myself anyway. But I'm almost all caught up on tags and things should be calmer after tomorrow's orientation. I should be back to tagging normally soon.]
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Of course it isn't a challenge or a chore at all, kissing Hartley, it's a complete and utter pleasure, both literally and figuratively. Hartley raises his hand and slips his fingers into Cisco's hair, and Cisco sighs a soft moan at the feeling of it, already loving how Hartley touches him. Hartley's gentle concern only fans the flames, and Cisco has to bite down on his lower lip to keep from blurting out everything on his mind all at once. He's never had sex with another guy and he's probably not ready to do that tonight, not in the full sense of the word, but he can't think of anything else he's not more than ready to do with Hartley.
"It's not weird at all," he assures his boyfriend, lifting his own hand to cup the side of Hartley's neck again. "And I've... I've thought about some things. With you," he goes on, feel his face go hot when the images rise in his mind. "I've thought about being naked with you, about being on top of you, having you on me," he tells Hartley, his thumb stroking Hartley's skin. "I've thought about touching you, putting my hands on you, your skin..."
He takes a breath, letting it out slowly before he goes on. "Last night I thought about wrapping my fingers around you, making you come," he admits, his voice a ragged whisper, and he swallows hard. "We don't, it doesn't have to go that far," he says in a rush. "But I'm not... I don't feel rushed. I feel comfortable with you, I trust you," he says, his hand moving to Hartley's shoulder, squeezing. "I want you, Hartley. It doesn't have to be tonight, but I definitely want you."
[ooc: I think I've only seen one other Hartley around bakerstreet, but I haven't tagged them. I like your Hartley so much I don't want to tag with any other ones. Oh yeah, back to school time sounds crazy! I don't have any kids myself (just two cats, hehe), but I have coworkers whose kids are going back soon and they seem to have a million errands to run. Good luck! I'm glad you're getting your tagging time in, at least. It's good for stress relief! :)]
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Hartley combs his fingers through Cisco's hair, enjoying the soft moan that follows. As relieved as he is to find out that they're on the same page and that Cisco won't be running off after being faced with the reality of kissing another man, Hartley's a little surprised by how direct and open Cisco is being about all of this. He probably shouldn't be surprised. Cisco's always been a fairly direct person and he's never had a problem saying what he feels or what's on his mind. And Hartley's grateful for that, because it means he doesn't have to wonder or guess how Cisco feels about what they're doing or what he wants. Luckily, Hartley tends to be pretty upfront as well.
A pleased sigh escapes Hartley's lips as Cisco cups the side of his neck. "That's fortunate. I've been thinking about those same things myself." Though admittedly not quite as long as Cisco has, since this is all still so new to him that he's still having a hard time believe it's actually happening. Especially the way it's happening. Who would have guessed just hearing Cisco talk would turn out to be so... arousing? "I've been thinking about what it would be like to touch you," he says after a moment, deciding that if Cisco can be so honest about what he wants, then maybe he should be too. He doesn't want Cisco to think any of this is one-sided. "What it would be like to undress you and feel your bare skin beneath my hands. I think about what it would feel like to have your body pressed against mine, to run my fingers through your hair and hear you moaning my name as I make you come."
Perhaps this is a bit fast, considering their relationship is barely an hour long and Hartley doesn't often slide into the sexual side of things so quickly, but he wants Cisco in a way he hasn't wanted anything in a very long time. And as long as Cisco wants him back and everything happens at a pace they're both comfortable with, maybe that's all that matters. "I want you too," he murmurs, holding Cisco's gaze. "You're right, it doesn't have to be tonight, but I... trust you." Given how hard it's been for him to trust in the past, he's surprised by how easily he can admit that. "And I do want you too. So how about we just see where the evening takes us?"
[ooc: Aww, thank you! <3 I've actually played with one of the Hartleys. It was a comics!Hartley meeting show!Hartley kind of thing, which was fun and about as weird as you'd expect. They were really good though. Anyway, I've finally finished the last of my school shopping last night and the kids start school this Monday, so things will get less hectic soon and I'll be able to get back on track. Thank you so much for being so patient <3]
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As Hartley continues to speak, Cisco can barely believe what Hartley's saying, that he's been thinking about Cisco that way too, wanting him, fantasizing about him. He licks his lips and watches Hartley's eyes, his mouth, and the sound of Hartley's voice makes Cisco's temperature tick up another notch, his body overheated and trembling with arousal. He's so turned on by what Hartley's saying, so keyed up, that he can't stop the little moan that rolls out of him when Hartley says make you come, and Cisco realizes that if they don't do that tonight, together, they're probably both going to be doing it on their own as soon as they can. Cisco's so hard he feels like he's going to explode or implode or spontaneously combust until there's nothing left but ash, and his hand falls to Hartley's shoulder, holding on, grounding himself, keeping himself together.
"Okay," he says, his voice low but sure, his eyes fixed on Hartley's. "Let's see where it takes us," he clarifies, just in case Hartley needs him to, loosening his grip on Hartley's shoulder. There are a dozen things going through his mind, thinking about pulling Hartley into his lap or pushing Hartley down against the couch cushions and getting on top of him, putting his hands up the back of Hartley's shirt, or reaching into the vee of Hartley's thighs to see if he's as turned on as Cisco is, dragging Hartley's palm against him so Hartley can feel his desire. He doesn't do any of those things, only leans in and brushes his lower lip against Hartley's, doing it again before he presses into a gentle kiss, both of his lips trapping Hartley's upper one softly before he eases back, meeting Hartley's eyes. It's just a start, a new one, the first step toward whatever end awaits them.
[ooc: That sounds really interesting and fun! I haven't tagged any of the other Ciscos, but I've tagged many Barrys, and they're all very different, hee. Good work getting the school shopping done! I don't envy you that at all. I'm glad things are going to start settling down for you, too. And it's no problem at all! I love your tags, so I don't mind waiting a few days for them. Thank you for being patient with me too! <3]
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He also wonders what it would be like to feel Cisco's body firm, bare and hard pressed against his own, to feel his warm hands brushing along his skin... And he wonders if it's obvious how turned on he is right now. It feels obvious. He can't remember the last time he was this hard or the last time he wanted anyone as much as he wants Cisco right now. Hartley can't take his eyes off him and Cisco's grip on his shoulder feels warm and perfect, and as much as he might want more, this simple touch is enough for him right now. Hartley smiles when Cisco agrees, relieved that they're both willing to see how things go, that he's not taking this step forward alone. Cisco's right there with him, wanting the same thing, and willing to see where this shockingly amazing night takes them.
Hartley shifts a little closer as Cisco leans in to give him a gentle kiss. He smiles warmly, feeling a burst of affection as they both ease back from the kiss, and god, their relationship has come such a long way from what it had been when they first met. It still amazes him that they can have this after years distrust and dislike. For better or worse, their relationship has always been a work in progress and now it feels like they've finally slid into something that works for them. Something new and refreshing that leaves him feeling hopeful for the future. "Can you imagine what the us from two years ago would have thought if they could see us now?"
[ooc: Haha yes, there are a lot of Barrys. I have a Barry too, but I struggle with his voice more than I do with Hartley's so I don't play him as much. But thanks for being so awesome! <3 I finally got my sleep schedule back on track (the kids have to get up SUPER early for school), and I finally caught up on my tags this morning, so I'll be around more often now.]
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"I guarantee my past self would think I'd lost my mind," Cisco replies with a lopsided smile. "And he'd be partially right," he goes on, licking over his lower lip, stroking his hand down the length of Hartley's arm, catching his hand and squeezing it. "Because I'm crazy about you," he finishes with a grin, fully aware how terrible the line is even as he says it. But the thing is, as cheesy and cliché as it is, Cisco means every word.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist," he apologizes, dropping his hand to Hartley's knee, tracing little patterns with his fingertips over Hartley's trousers. He watches his fingers move for a moment before he raises his eyes to Hartley's again, and it's almost like the angry, bitter version of Hartley that Cisco met at STAR Labs years ago was a hallucination, because he can't see that person at all, here in front of him now. All he sees is a guy he really, really likes, someone he wants to spend a lot of time getting to know, wants to build a future with. He sees his boyfriend, his first, and it feels so right he could burst.
"Forgive me?" he asks, his tone soft and sheepish as he trails his fingers a little higher, touching the center of Hartley's thigh.
[ooc: Do you? I had no idea! I honestly can never tell who plays who in these things, hehe. I have a journal for barry, but I've never actually played him. I'm glad you're getting your sleeping schedule back in order! I, on the other hand, made a mess of mine the end of last week, and then I had friends in town this weekend (I took them to a bunch of local breweries) and I didn't have as much downtime as I'd hoped (so I was only tagging short things here and there, mostly from my phone). But I should be around more now that the week is started up again. Sorry for the big delay! I hope you had a nice weekend!]
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"My past self would probably throw a fit," Hartley says before laughing quietly at Cisco's pick up line. His past self also probably would have mocked Cisco within an inch of his life for the corny flirting. But luckily for both of them his past self isn't there, and instead of being annoyed, his current self is fondly amused by Cisco's flirting. It's corny, but endearing nonetheless. It's exactly the kind of thing Cisco would say.
But Hartley's amusement soon fades, quickly turning into arousal when Cisco's hand drops to his knee. He's unable to look away from Cisco's hand for a moment, mesmerized by his fingers and way they're trailing higher up his thigh. He can feel the heat of Cisco's hand even through the fabric of his jeans and it's so tempting to move his hand higher. To let Cisco feel what this is doing to him right now. Instead Hartley shifts a little closer, letting his own hand drift beneath Cisco's shirt to brush against his side. "Consider yourself forgiven," Hartley murmurs, meeting his eyes again as he leans in to brush his lips against Cisco's. He can't quite remember what he's forgiving Cisco for, but it probably doesn't matter. What does matter is Cisco's hand on his thigh, the warm, bare skin beneath Hartley's hand, and the way he feels gazing into his boyfriend's eyes right now.
He wonders if it's too soon to ask Cisco if he'd like to spend the night. He's enjoying their evening together, and he'd rather it not end if it doesn't have to. They wouldn't even have to do anything (though he certainly wouldn't mind if they did), he'd be perfectly happy just being close to him.
[ooc: Haha, yup! I've been playing Barry a little bit longer than I've been playing Hartley, though not as often these days. Barry can be a pretty fun character to play though. And no worries about the delay! This thread is always worth the wait and you've been super patient with me. I hope you had an awesome time with your friends and are having an amazing week!]
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All Cisco can think, right now, is how badly he wants to crawl into Hartley's lap, how desperate he is to feel Hartley's hands on more his naked skin, how he wants to do the same thing to Hartley, touch him everywhere. Hartley looks so good in his clothes, but Cisco's absolutely certain he looks even better out of them, and he's more than a little anxious to prove himself right. They've just started this adventure together, and he knows they need to be aware of the steps they're taking, careful and cognizant of the path they're forging, but Cisco doesn't want to leave anytime soon, doesn't want to stop where they seem to be heading together. The hand on Hartley's thigh slides a little higher, and Cisco curls his fingers gently around the muscle, feeling it to tight beneath his touch.
"Hartley," he starts, and, god, he has no idea what to say, worried that anything that comes out of his mouth now is going to sound stupid. He takes a shaking breath, his eyes moving over Hartley's face, so close that he can feel all of Hartley's exhalations against his skin. He's terrified of messing this up, but he can't not say something, won't be able to keep the way he feels from boiling over eventually. It's better if he says something now, while his brain is still sort of functioning.
"I really, really want you," is what he manages, and it's so obvious, but getting it out in the open can't be a bad thing. Or at least Cisco hopes not. "Like, I know you know that," he goes on, trembling with nerves and also with his very real (and apparent) arousal. "But I... Right now, I'd really like..." He swallows, trying to fight through the rest of his thought.
"Can I take your shirt off?" he asks then, sort of abruptly changing tactics, and he laughs breathlessly at his own outburst, adding hastily, "please?"
[ooc: First things first: I am so so SO sorry for taking so long to reply to this. I went out of town on vacation the first week of September, and the week leading up to it was a completely insane, stressful mess, trying to get things done at work before I left. I had high hopes to catch up on my RP tags while I was out of town, and while I got a few things replied to, I mostly failed epically. I got home on Tuesday night, then managed to come down with a cold on Thursday, which has put me down for the count for the last two days.
I'm really tired and still a little muddle-headed, but I feel so bad for leaving you hanging for so long. You are a wonderful writing partner and I am (and have been) enjoying this thread SO much. I hope you'll accept my sincere apologies for being such a terrible writing partner lately. Please forgive me!
Anyway, I hope you're doing well, and having a great weekend! I've missed writing with you lost, and I watched "Flashback" last night, so I'm having an enormous flood of Hartley love that I want to shower all over you and your lovely muse.]
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It feels like this is the start of something. Something big, intimate and meaningful. It should probably be terrifying, it's still only their first date and a lot has already happened (and he's hopeful more will happen before the night's over), but right now all he's feeling is desire and excitement and the happiness that comes with being in a new relationship. It's such an amazing feeling and what's even more amazing about it is who is making him feel this way. As weird and complicated as his history with Cisco is, this still somehow feels right. This connection between them feels right.
"I want you too," Hartley murmurs. It's taking all of his self-control not to kiss Cisco again or push him against the couch and crawl on top of him, but Cisco is trying to say something and Hartley wants to hear whatever it is while he's still capable of thought. If Cisco wants to slow things down a bit, he'll understand, but he somehow doubts that's what Cisco is trying to tell him. Still, it's a very pleasant surprise when Cisco asks if he can take his shirt off.
Hartley smiles, letting out a relieved laugh. "Go for it. I'm all yours," he says, leaning in to give Cisco a quick kiss before reluctantly sliding his hand away from his side. "Is it okay if I take your shirt off afterwards too?" Because he'd really like to run his fingers along more of Cisco's bare skin. As much of it as Cisco will allow.
[ooc: No worries, you are totally forgiven! Real life comes first. And you definitely didn't screw anything up! I hope you're feeling better now, but if not, make sure you get plenty of rest and take all the time you need to get better! Hartley and I will always be here when you return.
And I'm so sorry it took me so long to reply myself. I was at my brother's house babysitting for a few days when you tagged and between making sure his house stayed in one piece and having to get up earlier to make sure my kids got ready for school, I haven't had time to get to my longer tags. But I'm home now, so it'll be easier to get back into the swing of things.
I love tagging with you and threading with your Cisco is so much fun, so I'm really glad you still want to keep going with it <3 I hope you're having an amazing week!]
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And now they're both here, both of them putting all that old animosity to rest permanently, finding trust and affection and attraction for each other. They both understand what it's like to be overlooked, to be betrayed, to have their hearts broken in a way that makes it hard to want to put themselves at risk of that happening again. Cisco knows, no matter what happens, he is going to be kind and careful with Hartley's heart. And, though the realization is almost terrifying, he's already certain he wants to offer his to Hartley.
Anyway, if Cisco wasn't ready before, he definitely is when Hartley laughs (god, even his laugh is beautiful) and gives Cisco permission to start taking his clothes off. The quick kiss is so perfect and unexpected that it sends a shiver through Cisco's body, and he has to nod in reply to Hartley's question, his brain taking a long moment to catch up.
"Um yeah," he finally says with a warm, breathless laugh. "You can feel free to do pretty much anything you want with me," he adds, still smiling as his face heats with a blush, reaching out to open the top button of Hartley's shirt. He's good with his hands, used to working with little screwdrivers and precision soldering on circuit boards, and he's pretty sure that's the only reason he manages to get his shaking fingers to cooperate at all, moving on to the second button, and then the third.
"God, Hartley," he murmurs, unbuttoning the rest of Hartley's shirt and tugging the ends out of Hartley's pants. "It's been, like, a ridiculously long time since I've been with anyone like this," he admits softly, his eyes on where Hartley's bare chest is showing through the split of his shirt. He lifts his eyes to Hartley's face as his hands slip over Hartley's shoulders, pushing the shirt off them, down Hartley's arms. "And I am really, really into you. Like, so into you," he babbles, not telling Hartley anything he doesn't already know but unable to stop himself from saying it again and again.
[ooc: I had high hopes of replying to this right away last week, but then work got totally insane (again) and I sort of checked out over the weekend. The short version is I changed software teams at work about two months ago (I'm a software engineer) and I'm in the middle of the learning curve on the new application, so I'm suffering from that knowledge overload sort of exhaustion coupled with stress of trying to get stuff accomplished without missing deadlines. This week has, so far, been much better than the last three or so, though, and I am determined to keep up with my tags now, dang it!
And, of course, no worries if it takes you a few days to get back as well! These long tags are awesome, but they do take a lot more time and brain power, so I completely understand doing the easy ones when you have a few minutes here and there. You're a great writer and I love this thread so much, all of your replies are completely worth the wait. Seriously, I'm so glad we found each other. I love these two together so much, and I'm glad you're still enjoying it so much as well!
I hope you're having a great week! I'll talk to you soon! <3]
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His boyfriend... He wonders if he'll ever get used to thinking of Cisco that way. Their relationship is so new, but it feels surprisingly good to know that that's what it is; a relationship.
"Good to know," Hartley murmurs with a pleased grin as Cisco begins to unbutton his shirt. "Because there's a lot I'd like to do with you." Starting with getting him undressed. He's always distantly wondered what Cisco would look like beneath those t-shirts he always wears and now, when the thought isn't so distant, he wants nothing more than to finally find out. He wants to see Cisco's bare skin and feel it beneath his fingertips, beneath his lips... There's so much Hartley wants to see and feel and he wonders if Cisco feels the same way right now. If he wants to touch and see Hartley. If his body is tingling with warmth and desire the way Hartley's is right now. If the way Cisco is looking at him is anything to go by, he suspects that what he's feeling is very much mutual.
"It's been a while for me too," Hartley confesses as his shirt slides down his arms and he sits there, half naked and his heart pounding as Cisco looks at him. He's not the kind of person to get self-conscious or nervous about his looks, even when he's half-naked and turned on in front of his boyfriend and former enemy, but he still can't help but hope Cisco likes what he sees so far anyway. He wants whatever happens between them, whatever steps forward they take together, to memorable in the best ways possible.
Hartley gives him a soft smile before finally reaching up to start undoing Cisco's shirt. "I'm pretty into you too. Before seeing you tonight I hadn't expected to feel so... strongly for you, but I suppose you've always been pretty good at taking me by surprise," he says, meeting Cisco's eyes as he undoes the buttons of Cisco's shirt, one by one until all that's left to do is slide the shirt off his shoulders.
[ooc: Thank you for being so patient with me! <3 I'm so glad you're still interested in continuing this thread. I'm finally feel satisfied with how my tag came out. I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of tagging now that I'm mostly caught up with everything and stopped trying to remember what I had written before.
And feel free to take as much time as you need! Longer tags definitely take more time and require a bit more brain power, which is one of the reasons they're so much fun. I'd gladly tag this thread and any other forever. I'm glad we found each other too and I'm having a lot of fun writing with you :)]