[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 is not loving the adjustment to his new paranoid view of the world, but at least he hasn't always been like this. He can't imagine the kind of life Tony is talking about, that would lead him to be acutely distrusting right from the get-go. Sure, Tony is famous now, and that puts some distance between him and other people, but that doesn't explain why he has apparently always been on his guard. Cisco wants to know more, but senses maybe he shouldn't ask. Not when Tony is already dealing with getting his memory of the last ten years back.

He keeps on staring at his drink glass, listening to the advice Tony is dispensing. It's helpful, more than he can say, just to hear from someone that they understand. That he's not a total nutcase for worrying about it happening again. He'd had to hide it from Barry and Caitlin, the way that fear clung to him, insinuated itself into his everyday life. He'd covered it up for so long, that just saying it, and hearing Tony tell him it's understandable, and it'll get better... it means a lot.

Cisco finally looks up, then. There's a tiny smile tugging at the corner of his mouth - weak, and hesitant, but there. ]

Yeah.

[ Instead of being paralyzed with fear over what he'd do if he found himself in that same position again, he should work on being ready. Not by assuming everyone is a secret supervillain, but by learning how to protect himself. With precautions, yes, but also maybe... with his powers, too. As a last resort. ]

Thanks. For... [ For the speech? For listening? For showing him he isn't alone? He can't imagine saying any of those things out loud, so he just finishes: ] ... just, thanks.

[buildsomething]

Sure. [Tony flickers a faint smile back at him.

He's not good at this. Tony has no illusions about that. But he also knows that sometimes all you really need is someone who understands, even if that person isn't actually particularly helpful. Someone you can commiserate with in a way that doesn't feel patronizing. There are reasons Tony's never really considered therapy.

So he shrugs a little, leans back, and attempts to play it as cool as he can. Cisco seems like he's doing the same thing, so hey.]

And I mean. You know where I am if you ever want to talk.

[He can listen, at least. Hard to mess that up.]