riverviewlogs | [open] i can't forget it

[ Cisco shivers, and at first he thinks it is merely nerves and excitement, because Eddie is doing it, really doing it. Cisco hadn't expected he would do this well on his first try. He'd been so ready to go through attempt and attempt, to be patient and coaxing and get Eddie to feel good about just a faint glow. But there's already so much energy, nebulous but deep blue and concentrated and there.

The second time he shivers, he realizes that there is gooseflesh all up his arms. He worries, for a fraction of a second, that his powers will somehow get involved, that he'll mess this up. Then he realizes, no. It's... cold? The air is colder, enough to feel on his skin. But there's no time to concentrate on that, because Eddie is talking, struggling, and Cisco speaks up: ]

Okay, how about... don't think about making a thing, or forming it into a permanent shape. Just see if you can move it. You know... stretch it out, compress it. Just kinda play around, like it's silly putty you control with your mind. You're doing so fucking awesome, just see if you can stretch it a bit, for me. Not into anything in particular, just bigger.

[Eddie's brows furrow as he concentrates, listening to Cisco's voice, the way he's talking, trying to banish the thoughts of making it a thing and instead focusing on just making the energy go where he wants, do what he wants. Making it bigger. Cisco is encouraging, his voice soft and steady and constant.

It's hard, like the first few times he'd been boxing, when his body felt uncooperative and awkward and clumsy, when it wouldn't do what he asked of it. Biting his lower lip, he tries to exert more control, to stretch the energy out, and it starts to work as Cisco cheers him on. The energy flattens and grows, a little. But it's not enough and Eddie gets a bit frustrated, making a soft noise in his throat, and pushes harder, his fingers tensing hard.

And then the energy is growing again, but too fast and a little out of control. Expanding and then puffing invisible with a loud 'boom' sound - the air is abruptly full of sound and heat, dissipating quickly, and Eddie's frustration peaks. Instinctively, Eddie turns, his eyes still that vibrant glowing blue, and lifts his hands, trying to get the energy back.

Abruptly, the air around him is dark and cold and he's exhaling gasps of mist. Frightened, unable to see anything around him, he panics and releases the energy again, and then everything is normal except Eddie himself, his chest rising and falling heavily, heart pounding, eyes wide as he looks at Cisco.]

What the hell was that?

[ Cisco watches, voice caught in his throat, as Eddie starts to get frustrated. He can see it starting to happen right away - the way he gnaws his lip, the little exhale he pushes out through his nose, the strain in the tendons on the back of his hand. Cisco's mouth is open, an interruption or encouragement poised and ready to go, but his voice dies before he can get them out.

He watches in fascination and concern at the way Eddie loses control of the energy, startling when the energy makes that sound just before it dissipates into the air. Again, he's just a moment from speaking when Eddie starts trying to draw on energy again.

This time, the shift is dramatic enough and rapid enough that there's no mistaking it. Cisco gives a tiny gasp, and he can see his own breath in the air in front of him. Eddie's eyes are glowing, again, but even despite that Cisco can tell he looks distraught. Before he can say anything, talk Eddie down, the energy vanishes, Eddie's eyes return to normal, and the light and heat seep back into the air.

Eddie's question is a damn good one, but for now, Cisco merely says, a little breathlessly: ]

Something new.

[ There will be time to investigate all that, though. For now, Cisco takes a couple steps closer, hand coming up to touch just above Eddie's elbow, gently, trying to get his attention, ground him a little. The whites are showing around his eyes and he looks panicky and shaken. Cisco is feeling strangely calm, all things considered. He keeps his gaze on Eddie, voice low as he asks: ]

Hey, take it easy. It's okay. Everything's just fine. Are you alright?

[Eddie can't tell from how Cisco is looking at him what's going on in his mind. It's obvious that he's breathless, a little startled, that he doesn't know any better than Eddie what's going on with his powers. For the first time, Eddie is starting to understand what it is about being a meta that scares Cisco so much, that it's not just Eobard's bad influence, that it really is kind of scary.

That boom, the cold space around him - what if any of that had been dangerous? Had hurt Cisco? Eddie doesn't know if he could've handled that.

When Cisco's hand gently touches his shoulder and speaks, voice low and a bit tentative, Eddie looks over at him again, still breathing too fast and too heavy, his heart pounding.]

I don't know. I just...what just happened, I didn't hurt you, did I? You didn't...

[Turning a little, he reaches out and brushes fingers over Cisco's shoulder and down an upper arm.]

It made a really loud sound, it wasn't like an explosion or anything? Can you still hear okay?

Hey. Hey, look at me, Eddie. You didn't hurt me.

[ Cisco holds onto Eddie's arm a bit firmer, can feel that he is shaking a little. Between that, and the way Eddie is breathing in thin and frantic sips, Cisco thinks he might not be far from a panic attack, and he wants to prevent that, if he can. So, gently but firmly, he directs Eddie over a few paces to the wall and says ]

Here, c'mon... let's get you sitting down, okay?

[ And Cisco guides Eddie down, so he can sit on the floor with his back up against the wall. A moment later he sits, too, facing Eddie, their knees pressed together. Cisco reaches out and takes Eddie's hands in his. Somewhere, in a corner of his mind, he is uncertain of himself - he doesn't know what this is, doesn't know what it could mean. But it's easy to ignore that, in the face of Eddie's distress.

Cisco has a lot more experience with this metahuman thing than Eddie does. Even before he'd known about his own powers, he had encouraged and supported Barry, and Ronnie, and even people like Bette. ]

Take a deep breath with me, okay? It's all good. That noise was super loud, but not like, damage your hearing loud. Not even close. I don't really know what happened, but it didn't do any harm. You knocked over some yoga flyers over there, that's it.

[ Cisco gestures to a nearby corner, where indeed a few extra flyers had been stacked and went scattering to the floor when that energy had dispersed so quickly. He keeps looking at Eddie's face, expression a little wry, and fond, but not frightened. ]

Isn't being a meta fun?

[ There's warmth and sarcasm, there. A little attempt to make Eddie smile. ]

[When Cisco asks him to look at him, Eddie does. Lifting his chin, he meets Cisco's eyes and looks at him, studies his face for a few moments, reassures himself that Cisco looks fine, he's saying he's fine, and nothing that he's doing or about the way he looks contradicts that. He goes along as Cisco leads him over to the wall, helps him get sat down, and for a moment he just catches his breath, focuses on getting his breath and heartrate under control while Cisco reassures him that nothing bad happens, breathes with him, points out the full extent of the damage he did.

And it works. After a few moments, Eddie calms down, catches his breath, and offers Cisco a soft little smile. Manages a laugh when Cisco asks rhetorically about being a meta being fun.]

It's a thrill a minute. I get it now, why this scares you. I was...I was really scared that I hurt you, or screwed something up.

[The panic is dissipating now, but he takes another deep breath, eyes averting for a moment, then exhales heavily.]

I think I'm okay now. I can give it another try.

[For a moment he's quiet, then he licks his lips, looking up at Cisco.]

Do you have any idea about what might've happened there? I know I lost control of the energy and that's why it sort of...dissipated and boomed, but I don't know why there was suddenly just...all this darkness and cold around me, and I couldn't hear anything. Do you have any idea what that might mean?

[ Cisco waits patiently, not hurrying Eddie, being careful to breathe deeply himself and model calm. And, gradually, Eddie's breathing slows, and the fear slips away from his eyes, and eventually, he smiles a little. Cisco feels a rush of relief, when Eddie laughs at his joke, even if it is a weak one. That's the moment when he knows Eddie is going to be okay. ]

I know. I know you were, but you didn't hurt me.

[ When Eddie says he's ready for another try, Cisco holds up a hand, gesturing for him to slow down. He doesn't think Eddie is ready, just yet. Not fully. And in any case, he isn't ready for Eddie to try again. First, they have to talk about what had happened.

Fortunately, Eddie doesn't insist, and he starts asking questions. Which means Cisco can finally think it through; now that the immediate crisis of Eddie's panic has passed, he can go over it again in his head, humming a little with contemplation. ]

The boom was definitely the energy you'd collected scattering. As for after... I don't think it was something new. Just, more extreme. Before, when you were building up the energy slowly, I noticed it was- colder. I think. Just a little bit. I think that when you're using your power, you might be having an effect on the air molecules around you. You haven't got cold powers, but I think it might be a side effect of what you have got.... like how a fire glows but also produces heat. Your hands and eyes glow, and you produce cold. And... somehow you also are interfering with light and the transmission of sound, too.

[ Cisco reaches out, laying a hand on Eddie's knee. ]

I can tell you more, if you let me do some measurements one of these days. Of the air around you while you use your powers. But that doesn't have to happen right away. For now, what matters is... Eddie that was a really, really good first try, and I'm proud of you, man.

[The final reassurance that he didn't hurt Cisco makes the last of his fear unwind in his chest, and it's easier to let go of the panic, to take a few more deep breaths and release the fear. But Cisco won't let him get back in the saddle and try again just yet, apparently, and Eddie knows that Cisco knows well enough to know if he should or shouldn't give it a try.

So he leans back against the wall and listens to Cisco's responses, the explanation of what all of it had looked like from the outside. When Cisco mentions that he's having an effect on the air molecules around him, that he produces cold and interferes with light and transmission of sound, Eddie shivers a bit.]

Well, that sounds like kind of a...malevolent set of powers.

[Sighing, he tilts his head back against the wall and tries to take Cisco's reassurances at face value, tries to process what Cisco had said paired up with what he'd felt, and reminds himself that Cisco is the expert here, he's the one who knows what's up. He's helped other metas, after all, he's seen all of this stuff before. After a moment, Eddie takes another breath and glances up at Cisco again.]

Yeah, definitely. You can take whatever measurements you need. I just want to get this figured out.

No. [ Cisco doesn't raise his voice, but he speaks firmly - much more firmly than is usual for him. ] No, it doesn't.

[ Cisco looks at Eddie, dead-on. He is not, under any circumstances, going to let Eddie start thinking that his powers are evil, just because of something as small as this. ]

There's nothing evil about cold. Or sound dampening. Or even darkness. There's some cultural baggage, but scientifically speaking, the dark's not bad. Cold's not bad. They're not good, either, they just are. Just molecules moving at different speeds and doing different things. Alright? And besides, those are just side effects. Your powers are a shield, and healing. That's about as not-malevolent as it gets.

[ Cisco lets go of Eddie's hands, getting to his feet and then holding out a hand to help Eddie up. ]

We'll get it figured out. Don't you sweat it. When it comes to metahumans... I'm about as close to an expert as there is.

[There's something about the way Cisco looks at him and speaks, making eye contact, his voice firm and certain, like what he's saying is a definitive and true answer, that unwinds something small and tense and full of dread in Eddie's gut. Holding still, he looks Cisco in the eyes, holding his breath for just a moment as he takes in that expression, everything that Cisco says, his explanation.

Cold and dark are just properties of molecules and matter, there's no inherent value or evil in them. Eddie reminds himself of it, tries to remember it, how Cisco says 'your powers are a shield and healing, that's about as not-malevolent as it gets' and to believe that Cisco is telling the truth. Closing his eyes for a moment, Eddie sighs and then nods, and when Cisco holds his hand out to offer him help up, Eddie offers a slight smile and takes it, stands up.]

I know. I really appreciate you helping me out.

[Taking another breath, he brushes his hands together and exhales quickly.]

Should we give this another try?

Yeah, we should. But you gotta promise me you'll take it slow, okay? If you lose hold of the energy, don't panic, just take a deep breath and build it up again gradually. The important thing is not to panic.

[ At least... he thinks. Last time it seemed like frustration and a sense of urgency were what had made Eddie mess up, lose control entirely, and then cause that darkness and cold. If they can avoid that, this second time, Cisco would prefer it.

He steps back just a little, giving Eddie some space to breathe. He stays quiet, so Eddie can focus, but he is paying careful attention, to Eddie and the area around him, and also to his senses. If there's a shift in temperature, or brightness, or the sound of the air conditioner running in the background, Cisco wants to notice it. ]

Okay. I promise.

[Eddie smiles slightly at Cisco, and gets up, licking his lips as he heads over to the middle of the room again. His heart is beating a bit harder, but he feels ready to try again, ready to give it another shot. Holding his breath for a moment, he focuses on the same things Cisco had drawn to his attention before - the feeling of the energy, of wanting to protect Cisco, and keeping in mind that he can let go of the energy if he starts to lose it, that there's nothing wrong with that.

Releasing the breath slowly, he starts feeling that energy, flowing into him from outside of himself, turning into that almost reassuring blue glow again. He's not aware of it, but the room is getting colder again, and as he feels more confident, drawing the energy in, things get dim around him again, like a halo of slight darkness, like a shadow falling over him for no reason. But he's mostly focused on the glow around his hands, on making the energy do what he wants.

As he concentrates, the darkness and cold in the room increases, and the energy glows stronger. Once Eddie feels like he has it firmly in his grasp, he focuses more on the feeling of wanting to protect, of how he felt when that monster was stampeding toward Cisco and Eddie had stepped between them. Focuses on wanting something between a person he cares for, a friend, an ally, and something dangerous.

Suddenly, bright and abrupt, with a sort of buzzing sound, the shield pops into existence, a solid oval shape in the air comprised of pure energy. Eddie gasps, eyes wide, and hangs onto it, memorizes everything happening in his body in this moment so he can hold onto the feeling, then glances over at Cisco.]

Cisco, Cisco look...

[His voice is soft and rough and a little reverent.]

[ Cisco watches, careful, keeping a neutral expression on his face as Eddie builds up more and more energy. This time, there's no mistaking it: he notes the change in temperature, the shift in light as Eddie's hand and eyes begin to glow and the space around him becomes darker - almost as if he is leeching the light from around him, even though that's not possible, shouldn't be possible.

The suddenness of the buzzing sound makes Cisco start, just a little, but then a smile starts to spread across his face. The shield is bigger than he had pictured it, and differently shaped, but there it is. The edges are defined and it doesn't waver or flicker. Cisco is already thinking of ways he can measure what frequency it is vibrating at, to make that faint noise. He wants to reach out and touch it, but he holds back. That would be stupid, before he knows how it will impact things that contact it. ]

That blue...

[ Cisco tears his gaze away for just long enough to pick up one of the foam balls from his duffel bag of supplies. He meets Eddie's eyes again - or, rather, he thinks he does. It's hard to tell where Eddie is looking, exactly, when his eyes are that flat, glowing color. ]

Ready?

[ Carefully, very delicately, Cisco tosses the foam ball at the shield - just to see what happens to it, if it will deflect like it's hit a solid object, or be electrocuted or superheated or vaporized or who knows what. ]

[Thankfully, Eddie doesn't notice that Cisco startles a bit when the shield appears with that little buzz, because he's too fascinated with looking at it. But he does smile a bit when Cisco comments on the blue and when Cisco asks if he's ready, he nods.]

Yeah. Let's give it a try.

[Cisco tosses the ball toward him, and Eddie shifts, lifting his hands so the shield meets the ball straight on. There's a faint buzz of energy and the ball bounces off the shield as if it were solid, lands on the ground and bounces, then rolls away, undamaged. Eddie grins a bit.]

Try again. I want to see how much I can move around without losing it...

[ Cisco watches the progress of that first ball, holding up one finger to Eddie indicating he should wait and then chasing after it to pick it up. It's not singed, or static-y, and it is neither warmer nor colder than it had been just before he tossed it. So, at least visibly, no effects at all. Interesting. Cisco is definitely going to bring it back to his workshop and run some tests on it later, but for now, he rolls it off into a corner and goes to grab a fresh one from the duffel. ]

Okay, but you better be ready, I'm a pretty terrible shot.

[ He lobs another one of the foam balls in Eddie's direction, a little to the side, and a little quicker, this time. When Eddie swipes it out of the air successfully, that faint buzz sounding again at the moment of impact, Cisco laughs softly to himself, thrilled. He picks up another two balls and throws them in quicker succession, one to Eddie's left and the other slightly to his right, making him move between the two much faster, seeing if he can maintain the cohesiveness of the shield and his own concentration. ]

[Eddie waits, holding his breath, while Cisco goes after the ball that bounced off the shield, keeps holding it while Cisco picks it up and holds it in his hand, for a moment absolutely paranoid that it's going to burn Cisco or irradiate his hand or something else awful like that, but he seems fine. Eddie lets the breath out slowly, a little dizzy, as Cisco tosses the ball into the corner and retrieves another, smiling at him as he warns him he's a terrible shot.]

Good. More chances to move with the shield, right?

[This is where Eddie's slightly competitive streak starts to come out - it's obvious on his face that he's competing, his eyes a little narrowed, his smile a little challenging, as Cisco tosses the balls at him, one after another, and he moves quick. Darting one way and another, he keeps bouncing them off the shield, doesn't notice that when he starts ducking and going to one knee to get one that's tossed lower, the shield gets smaller, varying in size automatically so it doesn't collide with the ground.

Finally, when he's starting to feel a little fatigued from the running and maintaining the shield, it starts to falter a bit, and the last ball that Cisco tosses simply drops to the ground at Eddie's feet, the little buzz against the shield dissipating it at the moment of impact. Eddie is breathing heavily, cheeks flushed, the glow fading from his eyes as he looks at Cisco.]

That was fun.

[ Cisco had brought that collection of foam balls because he thought it was the safest way to test and practice Eddie's abilities. He hadn't anticipated it being this much fun. He picks up on Eddie's competitive energy, and it makes him feel playful, and boisterous. Cisco doesn't just stand in one spot, either. He has to go darting around picking up the scattered foam balls now and then to lob them in Eddie's direction once more, since he only has about a dozen of them. By the time the shield gives out, Cisco is a touch winded, himself. Eddie looks just... radiant. ]

I'm gonna have to make you one of those things that baseball dudes use to practice their swings. I got a feeling that next time I'm not gonna be able to keep up.

[ It would be a good intermediate step, before they move on to something a little more challenging - an obstacle course, maybe? - and eventually on to sparring with an actual other person. But no need to get ahead of himself. Cisco beams at Eddie, grin going from ear to ear. ]

Eddie, that was fantastic. You kept that going for, like, fifteen minutes. On your first day!

[ He collapses into one of the little plastic chairs in the corner, a little dramatic in his movements both out of happy fatigue and also just to be funny. Except that he misjudges the angle and ends up wincing, the hard back of the chair jostling against Cisco's bruised side more painfully than he'd anticipated. He's lucky, that he had escaped that bear enclosure with nothing more than a few bruises. But it had only been a few days before, and those bruises do sting.

Cisco buries the wince in another smile, keeps saying what he'd been saying: ]

So it definitely seems like when you're channeling your shield, you've got a bit of a zone around you where the air is a bit cooler and darker. I've got no clue how, or why, but it doesn't seem to do any harm. Just one of those crazy meta things.

[As Cisco looks at him like that, beaming and proud, Eddie can't help the way he puffs his chest out, his shoulders going square, his mouth curving into a bright, radiant smile. It's obvious that he's proud of himself, confidence blossoming at the compliments Cisco is giving him.]

Thanks. I mean, it was all because of your advice. Once I got hold of the energy, I shifted my focus to the protecting urge, and concentrated on that, after that it was a lot easier. After a bit, I didn't even have to think about it.

[Putting his hands on his knees, he leans over a little to catch his breath, watching Cisco go across the room and drop into one of the hard plastic chairs. And he notices when Cisco winces a little, watches as he shifts around and turns the wince into a smile, keeps talking about Eddie's ability. For a moment, Eddie's distracted by the explanation - that there's a zone of air that's cooler and darker around him, he nods and furrows his brows trying to think about why that might be. But the truth is, that if Cisco isn't sure about why, Eddie's not going to think of it either.

Which draws his mind back to those winces. Looking down at his hands, Eddie licks his lips and then glances up at Cisco again, remembering the story about the bear enclosure.]

You okay? I saw you wince when you sat down. Bruises still hurting you?

[ Cisco laughs softly, embarrassed. Of course, Eddie had noticed, even while he's halfway across the room and catching his own breath. Too damn observant for his own good. So Cisco gives a big shrug, stops trying to hide it and just brings a hand up to rest over his stinging side. ]

Yeah, little bit. It's cool, though. Be better in a few days.

[ He waves a hand in the air, as if with that gesture he can dismiss the slight pain and its importance, and return to the topic at hand, which is of course Eddie's powers. Cisco keeps on talking, a little winded but too excited to wait to catch his breath to start planning. ]

Next time... we should focus on shield size. I definitely saw it adapting a couple times, getting bigger and smaller so you wouldn't run into stuff. I wanna see if you can sustain it at a size big enough to block... yourself and someone else. I'll get to work on that pitching machine and then maybe next time I'll run around and you can sort of... follow after me, see if you can stop me from getting hit. Like... a weird team game of metahuman dodgeball, only shieldball.

[ It's an imperfect solution, but Cisco thinks that having a real living body there that he needs to extend the shield to protect (even if it's just protecting it from being gently pelted by soft foam balls) will be helpful for Eddie, in the beginning. Once he is used to the sensation, he should be able to manipulate the size of his shield all on his own. ]

[When Cisco says that his side is still hurting a bit, Eddie purses his mouth and shakes his head, walking over to where Cisco is sitting, an idea formulating in the back of his mind. In fact, he almost misses what Cisco's saying about the shield because the idea is percolating in his head, he's preoccupied with it.

He remembers, his hands hovering over Dodger's side, the way the wounds hadn't exactly healed, but the bleeding had stopped, Dodger's breathing had gotten easier, he'd survived long enough to get to a real healer.

Crouching down in front of Cisco's chair, he furrows his brows, looking up into his face, eyes searching it.]

Can I see? The bruises, I mean. I...kind of want to try something, if you're okay with it.

[He can feel the anxiety building up, but he remembers how he'd felt when he'd been holding his hands over those wounds and they'd started to close up a bit, he doesn't think it would do much damage, but it might help, if he's careful.]

[ At first, Cisco is confused. It's easy enough, to guess what Eddie wants to try. But when he and Eddie had discussed training with his abilities, Eddie had set only one rule, and that was that he didn't want to test his healing abilities on Cisco. He had agreed at once, of course, without questioning why it was Eddie didn't want that.

Perhaps he had just been nervous and now he's feeling more confident. Or perhaps he'd been worried Cisco would intentionally harm himself, for the purposes of giving Eddie a wound to heal. Either way, when Eddie looks at him like that, concerned but with a hint of determination, Cisco doesn't argue. ]

I trust you.

[ It's all he says, and all he thinks he needs to say. He reaches down and pulls up his t-shirt; Cisco hadn't really glanced at the bruising today, and it looks worse than he'd expected. There are splotches of faint blue and purple spreading across the expanse of his ribs, nothing too dark but covering a rather wide area. He had fallen pretty hard... ]

[As Cisco reaches down to pull up his t-shirt, Eddie takes a breath, holds it for a moment as he surveys the damage. The bruises are big and deep and nasty, big splotches of blue and purple going yellow around the edges, all up and down the side of Cisco's body. Forcing another breath, he holds it again, glancing up at Cisco's face for a moment when the younger man says he trusts him.]

I know I said I didn't want to try, but that was mostly because I didn't want you getting hurt so I could try healing you. But you're already hurt, and...and I think this might be easier than the shield, so...

[Licking his lips, he closes his eyes for a moment, trying to find that energy again, waiting for a moment as it flows into him, opens them when he feels the warmth and buzzing sound suffusing him, eyes glowing, hands glowing slightly. Looking at Cisco's body, he notes each bruise, he thinks about how he wants Cisco to feel, how he wants Cisco's pain to stop, and then he reaches out, his hands hovering over Cisco's side, over his ribs, the warm blue energy reflecting off his skin.]

[ Cisco waits, voice caught in his throat, holding up his shirt, as Eddie starts gathering that energy. He watches this time as Eddie's kind, familiar eyes get hazed over by that eerie, blue light. But he is getting more and more used to how it looks, the more times he sees it. It had freaked him out, the first few times he say speedforce lightning or whatever it was in Barry's eyes, just before he started to run. But by now, it's just normal. And maybe this will be normal, soon, too.

He looks at Eddie's hands, when he starts to hear that faint buzz. It doesn't happen quickly, but that's probably a good thing. However, Cisco does start to feel something. A creeping warmth, moving across his ribs, faint and tingling. It almost tickles, but he draws his lower lip between his teeth and does not giggle or say anything. And then, after a few moments, Eddie's hands move away, and Cisco can actually see the skin underneath them, and- ]

Holy shit, you did it. Look.

[ There is no trace of the bruises any more - just an unmarked stretch of skin, looking strangely pale in the deep blue light still glowing from Eddie's hands. Cisco's smile is slow, but it is warm and utterly delighted. ]

You totally healed me.

[Eddie is concentrating, brows furrowed, until something settles in him, and then his hands move and he sees the clean, smooth skin underneath, with no hints left of those dark ugly bruises. Abruptly, Eddie's chin jerks up and he grins at Cisco, eyes still glowing, hands still glowing too.]

Does it feel better? Not hurting anymore?

[Even as he asks, he shifts and turns his attention to the next patch of skin, forehead wrinkling as he concentrates on it, on how much he wants Cisco to be better, how much he wants the pain to stop. How he would like to see Cisco sit down without pain, without wincing as he moves. Gently, he keeps moving his hands, though he's certainly starting to feel fatigued, his breath coming a little harder and deeper, his jaw tight, the palms of his hands stinging just a little.]

Just about done, I think...

[It's only then that he feels something warm and wet trickle down his upper lip. A drop of blood, though he ignores it for the moment.]

Yeah, it feels great... that is a seriously cool power, Eddie.

[ Eddie had started further forward on the bruises, and has now shifted further towards Cisco's back. So it's an awkward angle, holding his shirt and trying to watch him. But Cisco manages it with some twisting (which doesn't hurt, now that some of that bruising is gone. He doesn't notice the blood for a moment or two; hard to look at anything about Eddie's face but those blank, glowing eyes.

When he does notice, however, Cisco immediately goes tense, voice soft but urgent as he says: ]

Eddie, stop.

[ He stands up from the chair, dropping his shirt and turning to face Eddie. With a few deft moves, Cisco has gotten Eddie into the chair and is looking at his face, a furrow between his brows, worry written all over his face. Quietly, Cisco says: ]

You're bleeding.

[ Cisco grabs some tissues from the duffel bag and presses them to the spot just beneath Eddie's nose. ]

How do you feel? You shouldn't've- I shouldn't've let you do that without keeping an eye on you.

[open] i can't forget it

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