open ✪ i'm on the pursuit of happiness and i know

[causational]

who: eddie thawne & OPEN
what: rainbow fireflies, catch-all; open prompts under the cut
when: april 20th forward
where: around the quarantine
warnings: tba in subject lines



✪ i. riverwoof pet café

[Eddie has owned more cats than dogs, but that's mostly down to cats being a bit easier to maintain - it isn't that he likes them more. And sure, he'd asked about cats on the network post he'd replied to about this place, and he's interested in adopting one...but he definitely loves dogs. They're so cheerful and friendly, they love so unconditionally in a way that makes Eddie feel at ease.

So here he is, carrying a strong americano with a bit of cream and sugar-free-vanilla that tastes way better than the sugar-free-vanilla at home, wandering among the seats and trying to find an empty one while he tries to decide which dog he wants to pet first.]

Oh...excuse me, do you mind if I share this space?

[It's said pleasantly enough to the person occupying the other half of the only table with an empty spot in the place. Well. At least it's doing good business.]

✪ ii. rainbow bite

Eddie is going to be out and about around the city, both on the job as a police officer and off-duty. He frequents bars, coffee shops, outdoor markets, clubs to dance at, and anywhere you can get a good craft beer or weird street food.

While out and about, he might get bitten by fireflies:

✪ YELLOW: Eddie is not one to give in to fear, but he definitely feels it. This firefly will make him a bit jumpy and paranoid, looking over his shoulder a lot.

✪ GREEN: Eddie is not a naturally jealous or envious person, so if he gets bitten by one of these, it'll wear off fast. But not fast enough to stop him from asking for a bite of whatever you're eating, because it looks delicious...

✪ BLUE: Eddie is carrying a lot of grief and loneliness that he's hiding very comfortably under happiness. While he's still good at hiding it if he's bitten, if you run into him at a bar or when he's had a beer, he'll look off-kilter and upset and be more open to talking about sad stuff. CW: The blue firefly will probably come with talk of his death by suicide.

✪ PURPLE: Eddie's already an affectionate person by nature, and he has zero interest in hiding it, so if you so much as chat with him he'll probably end up giving you shoulder squeezes, hugs, and more depending on how real the conversation gets.

I know these prompts are either vague or very limited, and I don't wanna make you do all the work, so feel free to just set your character up in an open space (optionally drop your preferred firefly colour in the subject line) and I'll approach with Eddie.

I am also open to honest orange firefly bites, or lustful red firefly bites, but would like to plan those out a bit first, so hit me up in PM or at caffemisto to figure it out.

Comments

🍊

[franciscoramon]

[ He's been trying to get himself to leave the building for the last half hour. Each time he's almost out the door, Cisco finds another excuse, something he has to turn back and check, something he might have forgotten. He goes back for a coat, gets to the door, opens it, decides it is too warm for a coat, and goes right back. And it's when he's hanging that coat back up that he mutters to himself, quietly under his breath: ]

This isn't working.

[ The fact is, Cisco doesn't want to go wandering around on his own out there. Not when it's dusk and likely to be completely dark by the time he gets back. Not when he might have to wander to parts of the city he's never been to before. And not when it's taking him longer than he'd anticipated to adjust to being here. There's no Flash to call, if things go sideways. Which they probably won't. It's just that recently, the margins around 'probably', where potential dangers of all kinds lurk, feel bigger and bigger these days than they did before.

Cisco paces the area in front of his closet, fidgeting with his phone. He has an idea, he's just grappling with his pride. Finally, he caves, texts to Eddie: ]

Want to go firefly catching with me? For science?

[ Cisco is very interested to study what is making these fireflies so many different colors. Could they be robotic, as Larvan's bees were? Is it an environmental factor? But in order to study them, he needs some samples. And in order to get samples, he needs company. ]

♥

[causational]

[It's only been a couple of hours since Eddie got off his work shift, but he's feeling restless, pacing around his apartment. The feeling is immediately recognizable, he just wants out and to do something to distract himself - if there's nothing else he's learned since his death, it's that he needs to be doing things, now, that he needs to be distracted or he'll end up in a blue funk he doesn't want to be in.

So he's showered, and he's done dishes, cleaned Petya's litterbox and played with a laser pointer on the wall with her until they she got bored of it. He's just about to get dressed and head out to find a new craft beer to try when he gets a text from Cisco. Suddenly grinning, he breathes a sigh of relief and texts back right away.]

Yeah, absolutely. These fireflies are something else! :)

Meet you downstairs in the lobby in 10?

[That gives him enough time to put on something decent, run some product through his limp post-shower hair, and take the stairs down.]

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco's reply may not say 'yes' anywhere but the bevy of emojis that he sends are a clear if wordless communication of enthusiastic approval. It only takes Cisco a minute or so to get to the lobby - he's been ready to go for a while now - so he waits there for Eddie, hands in his pockets, leaning against the wall. He has a canvas bag with a big jar (holes already poked in the lid) and one butterfly net, though he doesn't think it'll come to that. If they're anything like the fireflies he knows, they'll be able to just grab them out of the air with their hands.

It occurs to him while he waits that he could have asked Caitlin to come with him - but, he tells himself, as much as he loves her, she is not exactly any more badass than he is. They're both kind of harmless nerds; Eddie is a cop. He's the logical choice since Cisco was feeling antsy.

And, well, having an excuse to spend some time with him is good, too. Cisco is still trying to wrap his head around Eddie being alive again. ]

Hey, Eddie. [ He raises a hand in greeting when Eddie comes down. Cisco is feeling a little awkward at asking Eddie along, so he does his usual to cover that up - he smiles, and says: ] Hope I didn't interrupt anything too important?

[causational]

No, no, not at all. I was actually just thinking of trying to find something to do. My place is really quiet when Yuri's out.

[Tucking his hands in his pockets, Eddie grins a bit as he comes over to Cisco, shoulders a bit hunched, looking just a touch sheepish.]

He's my roommate.

[Cisco is smiling in that slightly awkward way that makes Eddie want to smooth the situation out, ease the tension in the air. So he smiles back and moves a little closer, tilting his head curiously.]

Oh wow, you have all the supplies already. So cool. You know, I've never gone catching fireflies before, rainbow or not. It wasn't the kind of thing I did as a kid, you know?

[A pause, and then all in a rush-]

Not that this is kid stuff. You said you're planning to study them?

[franciscoramon]

Wait, you've only got one roommate? Man, how'd you pull that off, I've got, like, seven.

[ It had bothered him a lot the first few days, the living situation. But Cisco is surprised by how quickly he's acclimated to it. In a way it's almost easier than if it were just a little change, or just a little inconvenience. The whole thing is so laughably drastic that he's willing to tolerate it. ]

It's cool, I think most people kinda associate butterfly nets with kids. And yeah, or, y'know, I want to try at least. See if it's something organic making them different colors or some kind of tech. They've got way advanced stuff here, so you never know. And if it is tech, I wanna get in there and see what's up.

[ He holds the door open for Eddie and then follows him outside into the warm still air; the light is just starting to fade, the shadows making everything a little softer. Cisco looks around, vacillates, then decides on a direction to search in, first. He starts walking that way and goes on: ]

If it's organic there's not a whole lot I'm gonna be able to do. I'm not an entomologist or anythin'.

[causational]

Luck of the draw, I guess. I mean, relatively speaking. Yuri is a 15 year old figure skater, and he yells at me pretty much constantly, so...

[Trailing off, Eddie shrugs, but he looks relaxed and a little pleased, at least. He lets Cisco brush off any possible offense from the comment about catching fireflies as a kid, and then goes on about how he's not sure if they're tech or biological.

Slipping outside into the warm evening air, Eddie tilts his head back and looks around, eyes scanning the area. The fireflies are out already, their little glowing lights a rainbow around them. Honestly, it's really beautiful, and Eddie's distracted from what Cisco's saying for a moment as he tilts his head back and looks at the stars and the fireflies and the crescent of the planet they're orbiting on the horizon.]

Mmm, well, maybe Caitlin can help with the organic part? Doesn't she work at the hospital?

[A moment later, and he reaches out, catching at Cisco's sleeve and pointing upward, gesturing at the planet and stars and fireflies.]

Look at that, isn't it beautiful?

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco isn't sure what he was expecting, when Eddie said he has a roommate, but a belligerent teenage skater was definitely not it. His eyebrows climb up his forehead and his expression shifts from surprise, to a mixture of amusement and horror. ]

They really did bring all sorts of folks here, huh? Is there even a rink in town?

[ He nods in response to Eddie's suggestion that Caitlin can help with the fireflies if they are fireflies - she isn't an expert on bugs, either, but she has a lot of training in DNA and biology that Cisco is lacking. Besides, he's gotten used to working with her again, after she'd come back to S.T.A.R. Labs. It's much preferable to working on his own.

Cisco starts a little when Eddie tugs his sleeve, but then he looks in the direction Eddie is pointing, and a soft look of happiness and wonder comes over his face. ]

Yeah. Yeah... it is.

[ And right then he's glad he brought Eddie - not just because he isn't worrying about being out alone at night, but also because he doesn't have a whole lot of people in his life who point things like that out. He kind of likes it.

Cisco and Eddie head in the direction of the fireflies; Cisco hands over the butterfly net to Eddie and then sets down his bag on a tree stump, walking into some tall grass with his hands outstretched, reaching out for fireflies and trapping them between his cupped hands. He captures them one by one, transferring them into the jar. He and Eddie stay within the same area, and after a few minutes Cisco calls over: ]

Got any?

[causational]

[Eddie can see the amusement on Cisco's face, and he can't help but smile, himself, shrugging his shoulders.]

There is, yeah. And besides the yelling, it's actually pretty great. We have really similar schedules because of his training and stuff, so we get up and have breakfast together then go to the gym or wherever at the same time.

[Eddie shrugs, giving Cisco a little grin that softens as their attention shifts to the sky and the fireflies. There's something soft about Cisco's voice when they're looking at the sky and stars and fireflies that Eddie likes, and he takes a deep breath, lets it out slowly before they're moving on to catch flies. Taking the net from Cisco, he heads out into the grass himself, and catches them, one by one, careful not to hurt their wings or bruise their glowing abdomens. When Cisco calls to him, he's halfway through carefully trying to siphon an orange one into his jar, and he startles a little.

The firefly darts away, bites him hard on the back of the hand, and he jumps a bit, hissing through his teeth and lifting the bite to his mouth, sucking at it for a moment, brows furrowed. Shaking his head, he glances up.]

Sorry, yeah. I have a few blue, red, and green. The orange one just got away, but it bit me. I didn't know fireflies bite.

[franciscoramon]

[ To Cisco it seems surprising that Eddie has anything at all in common with a fifteen year old ice skater, but then, he supposes that depends on the skater in question. When Eddie mentions his schedule it his Cisco (in the belated way these things do) that he'd never exactly thought of Eddie as a guy with a schedule. As someone who probably sets an alarm, wakes up at a certain time. Who has a life full of all the little routine things in it.

Eddie and Cisco hadn't had a whole lot of interactions, and those they had had were pretty far removed from the mundane details of day-to-day life. Eddie had been one of the police officers there that night Dr. Wells tricked them into setting up the bogus trap with the tachyon device. He'd been a victim of Barry's Rainbow Raider-induced rage. He'd been around when Barry proposed using Cisco as the bait in their next failed trap, and then he'd been kidnapped and then rescued from S.T.A.R. Labs. And, well, there was the death thing, too. But none of that really made him seem like, well, just an ordinary guy. It's weird, trying to reframe his thinking and see Eddie in that way.

These are the thoughts going through Cisco's mind as he hunts for fireflies, listening to the soft sounds of Eddie doing the same. Eddie's response to his inquiry makes Cisco stop going after the fireflies to look over, expression baffled. ]

Bit you? Naw, man. Fireflies definitely don't do that. Or sting. Or anything. At least... the ones on our Earth don't.

[ Cisco walks over to Eddie, a little concern creeping into his bemused expression. He makes a little 'show me' gesture and then looks at the place on Eddie's hand where there is a very tiny welt that looks not all that different from a fresh mosquito bite. ]

Verrrrrry fishy. Maybe I shoulda brought gloves. Does it itch or anything?

taako ✪ a magical date

[causational]

[It's a little short notice for a date, but Eddie's never let that stop him, and it was his idea anyway. He spends an hour or so getting ready - showering, picking something nice to wear, a blue henley that brings out his eyes and clings in the right places, fits his body flatteringly, a pair of jeans that hug his butt, a dark brown leather jacket and a belt holster with his service weapon there. Usually, at home, he doesn't carry it, but everyone seems to carry some kind of weapon here, so it's just instinct to take it with him. And of course, he splashes on some cologne, fixes his hair, makes sure he smells and looks good.

And then he heads out to the spot he arranged to meet up with Taako. Grinning brightly, he lifts a hand and waves, trotting across the street to meet him, eyes bright.]

Hey handsome.

all dates involving taako are magical

[spellslots]

[Taako decided to take the whole "casual" thing to heart, judging by his outfit for the night and the fact he didn't do much more to his hair than tying it up into a loose bun. The cloak of the manta ray was left at home, since he doubted he was going to get into a fight or need to breathe underwater, though the umbra staff has it's usual place on his arm even if he's not expecting to use it. He'd fussed over his disguise self spell for a moment, back in front of a mirror, before deciding to keep it in place, not quite ready for that conversation.

He did say it'd take a third date to unlock his tragic backstory.]

Isn't that my line, bubbale?

[He's a tiny bit unsure of this whole thing; not of Eddie himself, just of... how dating works, what the expectations are, but he hides it with a warm smile.]

[causational]

I thought since you were stealing people's lines I could do the same.

[Eddie says it with a little wink, then pauses to look Taako up and down. He looks cute, with his hair tied up in a loose bun and the outfit he's wearing. It's funny, because he wouldn't call Taako feminine, not really, not in his mannerisms or how he speaks or acts, but there are moments Eddie can't help but notice he thinks about him in a similar way. Like being uncertain how he can manage to throw together a messy bun, torn up jeans, and a shirt like that, and look so effortlessly sexy.

Licking his lips, he tries to put that thought aside, because thinking of Taako as sexy brings back a lot of memories of the night after the rave, and that kind of distraction is the last thing he needs right now.]

You ready for this? I can't wait.

[spellslots]

Pretty sure they were stealing my lines, I'm never unoriginal.

[That's bullshit, but whatever.

Taako hesitates for the briefest of moments, calculating his next move, before he steps forward to wrap his arms around one of Eddie's, tucking himself against Eddie's side. It seems like an appropriate date thing to do.]

I'm ready.

[causational]

Oh, right, of course not.

[It's accompanied by a cheeky little grin and another wink, and when Taako comes up beside him and wraps his arms around Eddie's bicep, tucks in beside him, he exhales a sigh of relief. The truth is, Eddie might have (marginally) more experience with dating, but he's never really done it in this order. Never tried dating someone he'd only had sex with previously.

Knowing that Taako is fine with this kind of touch puts him in a better mindset almost immediately, and he squares his shoulders, smiling down at Taako in a fond, pleased kind of way.]

Then let's go.

[It only takes a few minutes to get to the place, and it really is a hole-in-the-wall. Decorated in rich royal blues and golds, there's a fishtank on the wall with bright pretty alien fish, and everything is very nice, if well-aged. It's obviously a family-run business, with the waitress sporting the same red speckled ridge down her forehead and vibrantly orange hair as the cook that can be seen through the window into the kitchen.

The waitress waves them to one of the booths and Eddie heads over with Taako, sighing in a put-upon way as he has to let go of him.]

Seriously, this place has steamed buns that melt in your mouth, and the best one is shrimp.

[spellslots]

[Taako is immediately in love with the place, from the rich decor to the cool fish and the fact it's owned and run by a family, people who are likely passionate about what they're doing. He's been to a few chain restaurants, and while they're fine, this is the kinda thing he prefers.

He gives Eddie a consolatory pat on the arm when they have to part, then slides into one side of the booth, an elbow on the table and his chin resting in his hand.]

I hope you're ready for me to charm the recipes out of the cook, if this place really is as good as you say it is.

[He has faith.]

[causational]

[It's exactly the kind of place Eddie likes to go too - holes in the wall where you get the best food because it's a family recipe, a passion, a tradition. Eddie's always enjoyed that sort of thing. Sliding into a booth across from Taako, he scoops up the menu, and opens it up, glancing over it.

It's a gesture, more than anything. Eddie knows already that he plans to do what he usually does when he comes here, and just ask for the waitress to give him an assortment of stuff she likes.]

Ooh, you think you can? I mean, if you could make this stuff, that would mean I could charm it out of you whenever I wanted.

[Overconfident? Maybe.]

[spellslots]

[Taako isn't even going to bother with opening the menu, since they've already agreed that Eddie is in charge of ordering, and this way everything will be an exciting mystery.]

What do you think I am, some sorta chef machine that'll just churn out whatever you want on demand?

[He's teasing.]

[causational]

[Smiling a little crookedly, Eddie glances up over the top of the menu, a brow raised.]

Hey, I did say I'd be charming it out of you. I can be pretty charming when I try.

[Still grinning, Eddie makes eye contact with the waitress and beckons her over, rattling off an order for a variety of things, and a request for another surprise dish. It's a pretty decent assortment, mostly seafood and vegetarian items, so Taako can eat everything on the table once the food arrives.]

What would it take to charm dim sum out of you?

RainbowBite: Purple - let me know if I need to change anything

[dirtyredneck]

[Daryl was not a very physically affectionate person. It took time for him to get comfortable with anyone getting into his personal space in a purposeful and meaningful way. If it was someone he knew at least a little bit, he would freeze up some but let it happen. If it was someone he didn't know at all... well...

He didn't really know what to do, actually. Not with the way the man was throwing an arm over his shoulder and doing that 'friendly squeeze' thing that only his brother had ever really done. He shrugged, attempting to pull away without being too obvious about it as he shuffled to the side in front of the car's open hood and pointed to the problem.]

Next time it does this, just check that wire. It shouldn't get loose any time soon, but the way this city is, and the streets and all... could happen.

This is fine, and sorry for the delay, my tag brain deserted for a while there.

[causational]

[Eddie is, by nature, a touchy person. It's just part of who he is, that instinct to reach out and place a hand on a person's shoulder, to pat a person's back reassuringly. The contact is nice, and especially after dealing with his death and all, it's something he's been finding he needs more than usual.

The whole firefly biting thing is getting to be pretty familiar, and he'd noticed the bite, somewhere on the nape of his neck, just below his hairline but above the prominent knob of spine at the base of it, but he didn't see what colour the bug was. He figures out the effect pretty quickly though.

It's obvious that the man working on his squad car isn't exactly comfortable with the touches - Eddie's a cop and good at reading body language, and it's impossible to miss. And Eddie tries his best to stop, really he does, but the moment he stops paying attention to what his body is doing and starts listening to what Daryl is saying, he gets an overwhelming surge of affection. Then he reaches out and squeezes his shoulder, touches his bicep, flushes and tries to keep his hands to himself again.

So when Daryl explains the wire, Eddie leans in and peers at it, but the expression on his face makes it pretty clear he didn't hear half of what Daryl said.]

Oh my god. I'm so sorry. I missed part of that. I'm...not feeling well.

i

[burntbridges]

[She won't lie, she was a little spooked by someone speaking to her. Letha's spent so much time in her head lately she barely ever manages to be approached without a startle.

She's sitting in the very back corner, right up against the wall with a black cat on her lap who occasionally makes an attempt to drink out of her cooling cup of tea. She hasn't actually approached any of the dogs yet, though she keeps telling herself she's going to, but maybe Eddie can convince her to stop procrastinating.]

Mr. Thawne. I'm sorry, I've been meaning to find some way to thank you properly for the- the festival, but it must have slipped my mind- [She hesitates, backtracking and trying to be less awkward.] You can sit with me.

[causational]

[Eddie hesitates a bit when Letha startles just a little, her body language going a bit stiff, and he raises both hands.]

No, no, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.

[It's nice, to see her again, and when she says he can join her, he settles in across the table from her, eyes going to the black cat she's stroking and protecting her tea from. This, he thinks, is exactly why he came here. It seems so soothing and restful, surrounded by pets willing to cuddle and show unconditional affection.]

Thanks. And no, it's fine. You don't have to do anything to thank me. How have you been doing? Better, I hope?

[burntbridges]

You didn't startle me. [She lies blatantly, before hesitating.] ...Just a bit. It's fine.

[She takes a bit to think of what might be interesting to share... in all honesty, most of what she's been doing isn't the best to brag about. Mostly reckless and inadvisable, and she doesn't want to worry him.]

I haven't had any proper panics, at least. I've been doing some proper necromantic magic lately, and I've learned quite a bit about how the afterlife presents itself in this world... not that I like much of what I've learned. Oh! And, I learned there's another man here who can speak to the dead, but he's much stronger than I am... or anyone in my clan, honestly. It's a bit... belittling. But I suppose no one is particularly happy with me practicing necromancy here anyway...

[Has she mentioned her necromancy before? She doesn't actually remember. Well, it's out there now - if only because she feels compelled to try and talk about something other than cute boys.]

[causational]

[Eddie can't help the way he smiles to himself when she admits that he did startle her. It's something, anyway, if she feels safe enough to admit that. Settling in comfortably at the table, he sips at his coffee while she composes herself and tells him how she's doing.

Honestly, after the way she'd startled at his presence, it's a little more detail than he was expecting, which is more gratifying than anything else. Smiling still, he nods, eyes on her face, brows raising when she mentions speaking to the dead, and necromancy. Making a noise of surprise in his throat, he tilts his head, expression a little incredulous.]

Wait, did you just say you speak to the dead? Necromancy? Is that skeletons and stuff? Is that what that means?

[burntbridges]

Oh. Right - yes, I can speak to the dead. And I can visit the afterlife, too.

[That's a pretty even reaction, she thinks, so she feels comfortable enough continuing.]

I have a theory that when people die, their souls go back through the portal... at least, I haven't met any dead who were not born in this world. And I've explored rather extensively - after the war that all the natives talk about, there are a lot of dead people to sort through. [She pauses.] I'm sorry, this might be an odd topic to bring up in a pet cafe... I can change the subject if you like.