[open] try to tell the difference

[franciscoramon]

who: cisco + anyone!
what: catch-all post
when: the rest of november through december
where: various places
warnings: will add as needed

[use a prompt from the tdm or come plot with me @ platoapproved. ]

Comments

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco might not understand all the particulars, especially since Ed has been relatively vague about them. But one thing he can read easily enough? Ed's body language. There's something different about the way he's averting his gaze, now. It's not embarrassment, but something sadder. When they'd talked about this Purg place before, Ed had said enough to make it clear that it was pretty awful, that he'd grown close to people in part because of that, and felt bad leaving them behind. ]

That's messed up. But she's here now, right? And you probably thought you weren't gonna see her again, so... that's awesome.

[ He thinks about the way he'd seen Ed smiling and laughing with her, how he'd looked happier than Cisco had pretty much ever seen him. Better to focus on that than the rather horrifying thought of a world with only two people left in it. ]

You said you were helping her get settled - how's that going? It must be a pretty big change.

[alchemyfreak]

[There's a slight grimace at Cisco's words as he stifles the wince. It's true, he never expected to see anyone from Purg again and having that outright said to him in plain black and white hurt, but Cisco was trying to look on the bright side so Ed smiles weakly.]

It is pretty awesome.

[He doesn't sound like it's awesome, but Cisco seems capable of reading between the lines enough to figure out the emotion in his voice might have some other meaning to it. It's not that he didn't want Val there, it was more that there were so many other people he also missed. Ed wasn't foolish enough to think that portal was going to start pulling more people in from Purgatorium just because one happened to show up. Even if that one happened to be Val, of all of the possibilities.]

Some people have suggested there's a reason people get pulled here, more than just the reason they give us about being displaced. Like the portal detects the displaced who already have a connection here.

[But Cisco's asking a question, so he waves a hand almost nervously in response.]

Oh, you know- it's a big shock, but she's adjusting. Running water and electricity can be a little interesting to take for granted again, but... She's still skeptical. Like we're going to wake up one day and this place isn't going to be any different, I guess it kind of gets hard wired into us after a few years. You learn to be ready for anything.

[He hadn't forgotten their conversation about possible suspicious activity in the Guard or government here. Nothing Ed had detected, just that he was incapable of really turning off the need to stay alert for it, just in case. Val was worse, and it was sort of insightful for him, to see how he must come off to others around here. And Cisco's right about one thing, even though Ed definitely looks a touch paler than he used to, and like he's not been sleeping well, he definitely seems happier than he had in September.]

[franciscoramon]

[ No, there's no real mistaking that for anything but a grimace, and Cisco feels a brief pang of guilt for being so blunt. He might not know the particular causes for it, but he'd clearly put his foot in his mouth, and Ed's trying to be polite about it. That happens, sometimes. Cisco has a hard time occasionally knowing how much honesty is too much.

The idea that the portal brings in people who are feeling out of place, but also who have connections with others here, is an interesting one. Anecdotally, it seems true; what's the likelihood otherwise of Cisco and Eddie both ending up in this place? ]

Yeah.

[ Cisco's particular circumstances may be very different (no running water? yikes) but he gets the paranoia thing. There had been a while there, when his powers first appeared, when he'd really thought he was losing his mind, trying to tell what was real and what was a vision and what was a nightmare. And he understands how trust can be impossible, sometimes. But that doesn't stop him from wanting to help. ]

Do you think- I mean... is there anything I can do, or like... build? To help it feel real for her?

[alchemyfreak]

[His expression brightens at the offer, but if he's being honest he's not entirely sure what Cisco might be able to do to help.]

You know, I could ask her. If there's anything that might help, that's a really good idea, actually.

[And a generous offer, as far as Ed's concerned.]

Thanks... I mean it, that's- probably bigger than you realize, just having the offer.

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco doesn't really know, either. But he knows that if he can help, he wants to. And he's an optimistic enough person that he believes there ought to be some way. Not to fix things entirely. Maybe not even close. But a little bit was more than nothing. He frowns for a moment or two, lapsing into silence as he considers what is possible. ]

There's, um. I have these goggles. I could make another pair. They help you to do lucid dreaming, which is, um, supposed to be good for nightmares, and PTSD, and stuff.

[ He's not sure if that will be terminology that Ed is familiar with, or if, perhaps, that might be the sort of difficulty that Val is having. There's also a bit of a confession, there, in the fact that he admits he would need to be building a second pair. ]

And, uh, I don't know if it's the kinda help you mean, but, I know the name of a couple good therapists in town.