[open] cancel your reservations

[franciscoramon]

who: cisco + anyone!
what: catch-all, amnesia event
when: august
where: anywhere; if you want a starter, please hit me up!
warnings: discussion of murder, use of alcohol to cope, will add more as needed

i. pre-amnesia (august 5-10)

[ Cisco knows that he is probably opening himself up to a world of headaches and unnecessary trouble, but there have been plenty of new arrivals, and more and more he is noticing that people who show up from non-technologically advanced worlds simply have no support system to really teach them all the cool things they can do even with their phones, not to mention other machines and devices. So, one day when there's a lull between projects for the RPD and other emergency services, he goes to a print shop and has flyers made:

TECHNOLOGICAL CULTURE SHOCK??? NEED LESSONS ON HOW TO USE YOUR PHONE, LAPTOP, OR OTHER ELECTRONIC GADGET??? STOP BY THE ADDRESS BELOW FOR A FREE INFORMAL LESSON!!!

Normally it's the kind of announcement he would make over the network, but what if someone is really struggling and can't even get on there? No, flyers seem like the way to go for this crowd. Cisco adds some fine print at the bottom, below the address for his workshop, but all it says is:

*NO HIDDEN AGENDA JUST A HELPFUL DUDE WANTING TO SHARE THE WONDERS OF TECHNOLOGY, LESSONS ARE FREE BUT TRIBUTE PAID IN CANDY IS ALWAYS ACCEPTED]

ii. amnesia (august 12-19)

[ The changes in Cisco are not, at first, as obvious as they may be in other people. He remembers Riverview, and everyone he has met here, and all the details of his life in this place. He remembers his name, all the movies and video games that he loves, all the technical skills and scientific know-how necessary for his job. He even remembers most stuff about his own past - that he worked at S.T.A.R. Labs, that he's a member of Team Flash and friend to Barry Allen. That he is a metahuman, with various abilities tied to manipulating multidimensional energy.

The only thing that has been carved away from his memory is, in fact, Eobard Thawne. Cisco doesn't remember his mentor's betrayal, or being murdered, or the circumstances that surrounded him discovering his powers. All of the shame and dread he's been carrying about his powers, because of Eobard and the things he'd said and done, has just vanished. In addition, Cisco's trauma over that whole experience is, for the moment, covered over. To anyone who knows him even a little he will seem inexplicably younger. Quicker to smile and laugh, volumes more trusting, and also a lot more inclined to talk about some guy named Dr. Wells in a positive, even devoted manner.

Cisco will spend this week doing what he usually does - working at his workshop (still offering those lessons), trying out new restaurants, shopping for graphic tees and games and movies, exploring the safe parts of the city a little - but with an extra spring in his step. If you've wanted your character to find out about him being a metahuman, now would be a good time for it! ]

iii. post-amnesia (august 20-31)

[ The not-remembering? Had been good. But when that's done, and all of Cisco's memories are restored to him, the transition is... rough. Putting it mildly. Back when all of it had happened, there had been so much going on - one life-or-death situation after the other - that he hadn't had time to linger too much on how he was changing, being shaped into an older, sadder, more broken version of himself.

Now, though, there is no big crisis, no distraction to divert his attention. One minute he is the old, sunny Cisco - the one he still thinks of as the person he was supposed to be - and the next, it all comes rushing back. The contrast is stark, and it's kind of fucking him up a little. Or, rather, a lot.

He goes back to having nightmares almost as often as he did in those first weeks after his death, which means he isn't getting a whole lot of sleep, and it shows in the dark circles under his eyes. Cisco withdraws somewhat - not enough to worry that he's abandoning anyone, but he takes longer to answer texts, doesn't reach out to people first, doesn't go out and about in the evenings. He is quieter, with considerably more strain behind his smiles. He throws himself into his work, staying in his workshop long hours, sometimes falling asleep there, for a few fitful hours. When he can't work any more, he spends a little more time than he should in some nearby bars, drinking a little more than he ought to, trying not to think about the person he is now compared to the person he was the week before. ]

iv. misc

[ Come plot something! ]

Comments

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco chuckles in delight when Eddie jokes about Diggle's name being a little silly, because yeah, it is. He's thought that too, before, but never actually said it to anyone. ]

I like you way more than Oliver Queen.

[ He doesn't know what's going on with Eddie, but he's being pretty uncharacteristically vague about that scar. Usually, Eddie is more than willing to come forward and just explain things, even when it's a little bit unpleasant. So the fact that he doesn't is kind of a hint. It makes Cisco really fucking curious, but he decides to drop it, giving a little shrug and then starting in with the razor.

He is cautious, taking his time, making sure to go against the grain, to get as close as he can but not press too hard or cut. Cisco is most tentative right when he begins, but then he gradually settles into it, using his other hand to tilt Eddie's head this way and that as needed. He knows that Eddie can't really speak while he's doing this, for fear of messing him up, so Cisco takes it on himself to fill the silence. ]

So my dad was gone a lot of the time 'cause of work stuff, which is... a whole other conversation but it means that I learned to shave from my big brother, who for once in his life decided not to be a total dick and was actually pretty patient all things considered.... I was one of those kids that started getting facial hair pretty young and I was like, soooo dramatic and worried about cutting myself, like one little nick and I was gonna start gushing blood like a firehose and die on the spot... but he made sure I knew how to hold the razor right and which spots would be tricky and how to go slow but not TOO slow...

[ Talking while he works has the added bonus of calming the last of his nerves, helping him to focus on the actual manual task of shaving Eddie. Stroke by stroke he makes his way across Eddie's neck, then jaw, eyes never moving away from the task. After almost no time at all, all the having cream is gone, and Cisco reaches forward, absently tracing along Eddie's skin for any patches he might have missed. ]

[causational]

[Eddie wants to protest that Cisco is biased, but he has to keep his mouth shut because Cisco is shaving him now, drawing the razor against his skin with careful, delicate precision. There is something about this that makes Eddie feel more cared for than he has in years, pampered. The room smells faintly of lavender and shave cream and conditioner, and the unique blend of scents makes him think of Cisco, because these are his products, the things he uses to groom himself. When Eddie leaves here, he's going to smell just a little like Cisco, and that feels nice, in a way that Eddie is a little ashamed of.

There's something else, also shamefully nice, about the careful and gentle way Cisco shaves him, being incredibly careful not to nick him or cut him, scraping off the hair and the shaving cream as he drags blades against his skin, that he knows is going to linger in his mind. The fact he trusts Cisco to do that, something so intimate and that runs the risk of injuring his face or throat, and that he trusts him without question feels good and safe and wonderful.

When Cisco tells him that story about Dante, Eddie's eyes track to his face, and his mouth curves into a slight smile. It's a cute story, though it has sad undertones, like most of Cisco's stories about his family, and Eddie listens to every word, because Cisco doesn't often talk about his family, especially not good stories about how his brother hadn't been an asshole for a while. And while Cisco is looking for places he might have missed, and Eddie can talk again, he smiles a bit wider.]

You're biased, by the way. About me versus Oliver. Anyway, it seems like Dante was a good teacher when he wanted to be, because my face feels amazing. And you know, I'm gonna smell like you now, for a while.

[He regrets it the moment he says it, and his cheeks flush, but he doesn't take it back, just glances off to the side.]

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco opens his mouth to ask why on Earth he would be biased, but he thinks better of it before he even starts. Did Eddie mean because the two of them have messed around? Or maybe... because he knows that even after their agreement that friendship was all that there could be between them right then, that Cisco was still pining after him, wishing for things he knew he could probably never have?

(And of course, the amnesia prevents him from even considering the fact that Eddie had saved his life from Eobard, saved all of them.) ]

Yeah. Dante had his moments, every now and then. We used to get along better, when I was a really little kid.

[ Then Eddie is saying something about going off smelling like him, and Cisco's stomach gets all fluttery, which is absurd. But the fact that Eddie even knows what he smells like, in a distinctive way, is... something. God, he really is desperate, isn't he?
He swallows, and then asks, voice just a little too cheerful and amused to be quite genuine: ]

Hope that's not a bad thing. I can leave out the lavender next time, if we have to do this again.

[ Cisco knows it isn't exactly the most masculine scent, but he's always been fond enough of it not to care. He grabs a fresh washcloth and sets about rubbing Eddie's face clean, doing one last check that he didn't leave any patches of stubble. Then, he turns on the shower head once more, says: ]

Just, uh, one more rinse and you'll be free, okay?

[ He presses Eddie's shoulder gently, encouraging him to lean back a bit as he starts rinsing the conditioner from Eddie's hair. As he does, he says quietly: ]

Thanks for letting me help.

[causational]

[In Eddie's mind, Cisco is biased for a host of reasons - because they've messed around, because he knows Cisco still has feelings for him, because he knows he has feelings for Cisco too, because Cisco is kind to his friends and they're friends. Funnily, the concept of Eddie having saved Cisco's life and that being what's biased him doesn't even cross Eddie's mind.

He tilts his head back as Cisco wipes at his face, gently dragging that warm cloth against his skin, which feels smooth and soft from Cisco's gentle ministrations. It feels nice, almost too nice.]

Yeah? I'm sorry things changed. I didn't have any siblings growing up, but from what I know, they can be really awesome, except when they're not.

[Eddie's feeling a little silly about smelling like Cisco too, and when Cisco asks if that's a bad thing, he shakes his head right away.]

No. I like it. I mean. You smell good, you always do. And there's something...you know, really nice, about smelling someone you associate with good things. And I associate you with a lot of good things, so...

[He shrugs, glancing away while he leans backward to allow Cisco to rinse the conditioner out of his hair. Eddie's blue eyes flick up to Cisco's face, and he keeps watching him as he cleans the goop out of his hair, gently running water through it with his hands. When Cisco thanks him for letting him help, Eddie laughs, soft and abrupt.]

Thank you for helping me. This is such... [He shakes his head a bit.] It's gross, isn't it? Thank you for being willing to touch my gross hair.

[franciscoramon]

[ When Eddie says he associates Cisco with good things, he feels a fluttering in his stomach, all butterflies and nervous happiness. Eddie could have just said he didn't mind lavender, but instead, he had said he likes it in part because of Cisco. And that's... really flattering.

He can feel Eddie looking up at him as he rinses the conditioner from his hair, but Cisco keeps his eyes on his task, only meeting Eddie's gaze for just a few seconds. But during those seconds, he smiles, and it is bright and joyful. ]

It's not gross.

[ He sifts his fingers a little more deliberately through Eddie's wet hair, enjoying the weight and texture of it, and the warmth of the water, and the whole process. ]

You were all rinsed about a minute ago. Now I'm just doing it for fun.

[ But once he admits that, he knows he should stop. So Cisco reaches for the taps and turns off the spray, then gently squeezes the excess water from Eddie's hair. He grabs down a towel and drapes it over Eddie's bare shoulders before announcing: ]

Okay, all done. You can sit up, now. It'll dry on its own soon enough. I don't really know your usual styling routine, but it's clean at least.

[causational]

[Honestly, the smell of lavender never really came into the equation - it was always about Cisco, and how he smells, and how that smell makes Eddie feel. That feeling is sort of the epitome of how he feels right now, trusting Cisco enough to be vulnerable in front of him. When Cisco smiles at him, bright and happy and genuine, and says it's not gross, Eddie smiles back.

It's a little surprising when Cisco says that he was actually all rinsed about a minute before, and Cisco is just doing it for fun now. Eddie can't help it, he laughs softly, brows raising.]

That's fun, for you? And here I thought I was the only one enjoying this.

[When Cisco turns the tap off, Eddie sits back up and huffs out a breath, picking the towel up. As Cisco talks, he wraps it around his head and dries his hair, scruffing the towel through it, shaking his head.]

Honestly, I have no idea what my usual styling routine is either. But clean is better than nothing.

[Licking his lips, he pauses, the towel back around his neck.]

Thanks Cisco. Seriously. You're a lifesaver. I'll have to get you back for this, somehow.

[franciscoramon]

[ There is something so sweet and honest in Eddie, in the way he thanks Cisco like he really means it. Not a distracted, obligatory thank you. Not because he knows it's what he's supposed to say. But like he is truly grateful. Cisco's heart seems to miss a beat, and he wonders with just a momentary twinge of sadness if he is ever going to get over this stupid crush, hopeless as it might be. ]

What're friends for?

[ He gets to his feet, wiping the tiny bit of excess water from his hands onto his jeans and proclaiming: ]

Now, come on. You had a long day, and that means we're getting take out and watching a movie. No telling how long all this amnesia stuff is gonna keep going for, and you'll probably need all the rest you can get so you can be ready to help out all those confused peeps tomorrow and the day after. We can sub out a Fast and Furious for the Buster Keaton, if you want, or I can just start that one over. Your call.

[ And he offers a hand to Eddie to help him up, smiling. ]

[causational]

[Eddie looks up at Cisco, takes his hand and stands up, stepping over the edge of the tub, and dries off his shoulders, his chest, getting the last of the moisture off his skin and he exhales a long, slow breath. It feels nice, the way he always feels after bathing, comfortable and clean.

As Cisco invites him back down for Fast and the Furious or more Buster Keaton, Eddie smiles at him, his eyes warm. While Cisco restarts the movie, Eddie changes into more comfortable clothes.]

Let's do Buster Keaton. That movie looked pretty funny.

[And it is funny, and enjoyable, even moreso when he's sitting there curled up in his PJs with Cisco, his arms around a pillow and their feet comfortably sharing the middle cushion.]