WHO: Ray and Cisco WHERE: Cisco's Lab, SI WHEN: Backdated; Post-Maze, so mid October WARNINGS: Some feels? SPOILERS? None
Cisco was back to work finally after a week of being sick and two weeks of maze. He was glad to be back, but there was one thing he wasn’t glad to be doing and that was dealing with Vibe’s jacket on his chair. It’d been left there since the maze and was torn and bloodied still. He made everyone suits, but couldn’t seem to find the heart to even fix his own. He hesitated for a minute before picking it up and shaking his head. Maybe it was time to not be in the field anymore. He’d tried to help, but only ended up nearly dying himself. He felt a little foolish.
Days like this he missed Dick being around, he always had a way of making Cisco feel important when he didn’t otherwise. He managed to squash the guilt he felt over things like this without even trying, instead they weighed heavy on him, and he folded that jacket up to put it away for a while. He was better off behind the computer. He didn’t heal like the others, he wasn’t much of a fighter, and that suit now held some bad memories for him of Harrison Wells. The blood on it was caused by someone he cared for. It was hard to shake.
“Knock, knock.” Ray spoke up from the doorway after watching Cisco carefully tuck his jacket away. He hadn’t meant to spy, but he got the feeling that his friend had needed a moment when he saw him pick up the remnants of his suit. They hadn’t seen each other since the Maze, and Ray only knew vaguely what had happened to Cisco while he had been inside the corn. Seemed like maybe his friend needed to talk about things, and Ray would be right there if he decided to open up.
“I brought coffee and brownies.” Stepping into the room properly, he lifted the items slightly in his hands as an offering. “Not quite a birthday cake, but they are delicious, I promise.”
At that knock he raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t expecting anyone, but Ray wasn’t an unwelcome sight. “Oh, hey.” He offered a small smile but was still feeling pretty off. Things had been hard lately. He’d been trying to get back to normal, but apparently this world didn’t want to let him. He was frustrated at it and overwhelmed.
“Chocolate doesn’t sound like a bad idea right now actually.” Caffeine and sugar? Yes please. “Sorry, we were supposed to go out. I can’t even keep up with this place.” He made a frustrated whining sound much like an annoyed cat. One that pretended to be both aloof and interested in the coffee and treats all at the same time.
"Hey," the greeting was paired with a warm smile, and Ray took a vacant seat across from Cisco. He could see clearly that his friend wasn't his usual self, but he held himself back from asking too much too soon. "Feeling well enough to be back at work, I see. That's good."
Setting the box of brownies down between them, he handed Cisco his coffee, before taking a sip of his own. "Having your appetite for chocolate back is even better." Ray couldn't help the amused chuckle that followed Cisco's whine, and he waved off the apology. "It's fine. Honestly. Things come up."
“Thanks.” He accepted the coffee. Much needed caffeine was much needed, and leaned against his desk, eyeing the box of brownies. “Uh huh. Go figure, got healed and got sick.” Cisco made a face as he sipped at the coffee. “I can taste again, I’ll take it as better.” He could taste the coffee flavor, whereas before he hadn’t been able to taste anything.
“Promising for the brownies.” He gave a little grin. “I always want chocolate. Even when I’m sick and Lydia says no.” It was true though. He’d wanted things that had strong flavors, chocolate was one of those things but Lydia insisted on no sugar diets for sick people which was probably wise, even though he didn’t want to admit it.
"After the stress of the maze and the injury your immune system was probably a little low," Ray commented, "the perfect opportunity for a sickness bug to attack." Ray hummed slightly in agreement with Cisco's next words as he sipped his coffee again, "getting your taste back is definitely a good thing."
"Lydia withholds chocolate when you're not well? Seems a little harsh, well, unless you're actually throwing up, then it would be wise." Ray wrinkled his nose at the thought, before opening the box and snagging a brownie. "They're gluten free, but honestly you can't tell the difference."
“Sugar really, I get the idea but it doesn’t mean I like it.” Sugar wasn’t good when sickness happened. “Not really withholding, more like...you know that look women get when you shouldn’t do something but you want to do something anyway?” That look. That You in trouble look. He sipped at his coffee and peered into the box of brownies before carefully eyeing it as Ray stated the bit about gluten free. “Eh they’ve come a ways with pastries and gluten free or flour free etc.” Cautiously though he took a bite. Still wary. “..Not bad.” More bites, he was hungry too so it was filling a nice void before he got an actual meal in him. “I haven’t seen you since the maze happened. I’d offer to fix your suit or something but you’ve probably got that covered.” Ray was just as good with the suits as he was, disappointing just then since he couldn’t use it as a distraction.
“Well, too much sugar is bad for you anyway.” Ray commented with a little grin, “brownies are excluded from that presently, of course.” Tilting his head when Cisco mentioned a look, he gave a knowing smile. He knew the look well, Kendra, Zari and Sara had used it to great effect on him numerous times. “They really have, I have so much more choice now than when I was younger.” Admittedly he hadn’t been quite so intolerant of gluten when he’d been smaller, or at least he hadn’t had an accurate diagnosis for his symptoms back then. “Actually, I was lucky enough not to damage it, or myself this time around.”
Cisco gave Ray a look that he described as a look those women gave him and for emphasis shoved some brownie in his mouth. But it was all accompanied by little amusement, he wasn’t actually annoyed. “Yes mom.” He responded sarcastically as he had sudden idea to mash up his brownie with his drink, or well that might be brownie two at this point-he was running out of brownie. “Mine’s trashed. At least one of us escaped.” He frowned a little and took another sip of coffee. It was a good combo.
An eye roll followed being called Mom, but he chuckled good naturedly, sipping his coffee and taking another bite of brownie. The combination was one of his guilty pleasures, though his weren’t the guiltiest they could be. At the mention of the damaged suit, Ray caught his lip under his teeth, feeling more than a little guilty for not being there to help his friend in the maze. He’d been too busy looking at the bigger picture with the rest of the group who had eventually brought down the corn. “Well, we can fix it together, or maybe design you a completely new one for Goodland.”
“Maybe.” He was a little distracted about the idea of making a new suit. “..Or maybe I’m better off in the labs. I don’t heal.” He couldn’t help but feel a little pride hurt by the fact that his friends were able. He’d gone in first and hadn’t been able to do anything except relive his nightmares. Wasn’t that fun? He leaned against his desk as he finished off a brownie and glanced over to see if Ray had anymore. He hadn’t really noticed the gluten free aspect in them. He thought he’d be able to, but Ray was right. They just tasted like normal brownies.
"Neither do I." Ray replied, opening the lid off his coffee then breaking off a chunk of brownie and dipping it in the drink. "But I understand, and we need someone back here coordinating all the hero types too. That's just as important as getting out there." Popping the coffee soaked brownie in his mouth, he nodded toward the box for Cisco to have another. He'd brought plenty and if Cisco didn't have more he'd have to eat them, and then hit the gym extra hard to burn them off.
“I don’t like other people in my systems. Sharing it with Jacen made my skin crawl.” He preferred to be behind the scenes these days when it came to actual fighting. He made it a point to know the people he worked with so he could coordinate things as the home base and he was confident there. Less so lately with actual fighting. Cisco wasn’t worried about calories or gyms. Maybe he should have been, but he didn’t have to wear anything quite as revealing as Barry did so he didn’t worry about it “In that maze…” He started to say something but then got distracted by a brownie in his hand instead. It was still hard to talk about Thawne, the man had posed as his mentor, his father figure and then killed him. Another timeline or not, it’d thrown him off seeing him again. “I didn’t belong there.” He admitted awkwardly.
"Understandable. I don't like others in mine, much." He fell silent, knowing it was best to listen to his friend just then, things were troubling Cisco, and he obviously needed to talk about them, but at his own pace. The maze hadn't affected him as badly as some people, while the dementor type creatures earlier on during his time in this world had really done a number on his mental health. "Maybe it is time to take a step away from the action then, if that's the way you're feeling."
Cisco frowned at the idea of it, but nodded. “..I think maybe so.” He wasn’t comfortable with it much these days, he was happier being the voice of direction and the eyes. “I just don’t want to let anyone down.” He knew Barry wanted him in the field, but Cisco felt extra breakable these days, it wasn’t a fun feeling either. He was afraid, and he didn’t want to put anyone in a tight spot when it could be avoided.
“You won’t be letting anyone down. No matter what you decide to do, be it stay back and run comms or suit up and go into the field. You’re a valuable friend and ally and we’d be much worse off without having you around. So I for one would prefer for you to be safe and sound out of harm’s direct reach.” Ray still recalled the day Cisco had taken that bee for him, and he didn’t want there to be a repeat of it any time soon. Getting up from his seat, he moved around the bench and leaned down to hug Cisco where he was sitting. “Now, eat another brownie and save me from myself.”