mostlyajerk | Got Ham

Hart had never skipped school before. Ha had never broken any rules, period. Once he had had dessert when he wasn't supposed to, but that was really more on Mick than anyone else. But here he was now, closing his coat over his school uniform to blend in more and trying to find Cisco. He approached a group of kids gathering around a barrel, clearing his throat. "Excuse me. Do any of you know Cisco?"

It wasn't that surprising that they ignored him. Hart considered offering money, but he knew better than that, at least. "It's really important."

"Don't know any Cisco. Get lost."

At least he had their attention now, but he wasn't sure that was preferable. "He has longer black hair. About my height. Don't you know anyone like that?"

"What's in it for us if we know?"

So they did know him. Hart smiled with relief. How much money was appropriate to give? "Fifty?" He ventured, noting their surprise. Oh. Too much? "I mean, ten?"

"Nah, fifty, let's see it."

"I don't have it on me right now." But they were already surrounding him and Hart found himself backing away a step.

"Paco's got rich friends."

"Paco?" Oh, that was good to know. Hart smiled, though it died quickly, seeing them all around him and knowing he was just a step away from the wall.

"If he's Paco's friend, that's really dumb of you."

Barry was still standing by the barrel, warming his hands and not looking up from the fire because he didn't really need to. He knew they heard him.

"Shut it, Allen."

"It is though. I mean what if you upset Paco? Think about it. Then you upset Dante. Do you really want to upset him?"

The kids all hesitated suddenly and there was a general unease. No one went for Hart, they clearly wanted to but no one made that move. They were too afraid to just in case. Clearly Paco had some kind of power. Finally, Barry looked up and gave the others a smile. "Go ahead and take the risk if you wanna but I never would."

Who was Dante? Who was the boy helping him? Hart was very unsure, but did his best not to show it. Why were they all so scared of this Dante?

"I just need to find Paco. Please." He finally dared to step past the children, closer to the one by the barrel. "Do you know where I can find him? It's important."

"No, I don't know where to find him."

It was a lie but Barry wasn't stupid, he would never lead someone to Paco if Paco didn't want them to find him. That'd just be dumb. He rubbed his hands together and looked up at the other boy with only slight interest. "Who are you?"

"He knows something that's very important to me. We were interrupted last time." Hart moved closer still. Leonard had told him not to tell anyone who he was and that rule made a lot more sense while people were glaring at him like this. "I'm Hart. Who are you?"

"Not telling. Give me the money and I can show you where you're more likely to find him." He looked back at the fire but he held his hand out to Hart, demanding payment for his actions. He guessed it could be fun. The other kids were giving him a look but he knew they wouldn't do anything. Not any more. He had Dante's protection by proxy.

No. He had to be smart about that. "I will give you the money. You have my word." Hart said that as if it had to mean something. "But I need a gesture of good faith first. You understand." He might not even understand what 'gesture of good faith' meant, but Hart was trying here. "I need to find him. Please."

"I don't do anything without being paid. Words are cheap." Barry rolled his eyes and pulled his hoodie in closer, zipping it up. "I already gave you a gesture of good faith. Those guys woulda robbed you. Without me, you'd be walking home in your underpants right now." One of the boys behind Hart chuckled, clearly this wasn't a lie Barry was telling. He gave Hartley a look before shrugging. "I need money. Half now, half later. That's my final offer."

"My word isn't cheap." But clearly he wasn't getting anything any other way. Hart sighed and took out his wallet, careful not to let anything show as he got out the twenty-five dollars. He held it out for the boy and tried a bit of a smile. "Please."

"Fine. We'll go the short way." Barry took the twenty five bucks from Hartley and shoved it into his jean pocket. He moved into the alleyway nearby and started to lead Hartley along, hands in his pockets. "I can take you most of the way to find Paco but I'm not taking you to him. I don't want to piss him off."

"Thank you." Hart nodded and followed behind him, once more determined to see this through. He knew that Leonard would never allow him to do anything like this, so he had to use this one chance. Who knew if he would ever get to again? "Do you know him well? He was very kind to me."

"I know him pretty well. He likes me." That was all Barry was going to say because he knew not to trust people by now. He trusted a lot of wrong people at this point and he was feeling kind of burned. He did pause though, turning back to give him a look of disbelief. "He was kind to you? What? That sounds made up."

"He helped me." Hart looked at Barry as he walked with him, trying to figure out how something like this was best and ideally handled. "I'm not sure why, but I owe him my thanks." He didn't think he had done a good job of showing gratitude back then, especially with Leonard chasing him off. "I don't make things up."

"Everyone makes things up. People lie a lot." Barry gave Hart a look before he continued on ahead, trying not to shiver in the cold air. It was chilly out and he didn't really have the clothes for it but then, clothes were hard to come by when he had no money. He was hoping this cash would help pay for new stuff. "Paco doesn't usually help people, only if they really need it. And he doesn't often tell people to call him Cisco. If he told you that, he clearly didn't want you finding him."

"If he doesn't want to talk to me, he can tell me that himself, can't he?" Hart wasn't easily intimidated, in spite of what his appearance might lead someone to believe. He put his hands into his pockets and walked a bit faster until he could catch up to Barry. "I do need help. I really do. And I try never to lie."

"What do you need help with?" Barry gave Hart a look, unsure if he was worth trusting. "Maybe other people can help." People who weren't Paco because he didn't think he really sounded like he wanted to help. "Not the police. Don't trust them." Barry was very firm on that one because he knew how little they could be trusted. "But a lot of people around here aren't too bad. If you ask the right one and you got enough cash."

"I'm afraid only Paco can help with this. But I appreciate the offer, a lot." Hart nodded and kept walking quickly. This boy walked too fast and his legs were way too long. "Why shouldn't I trust the police?" He sounded like Leonard did, when Leonard was talking to Mick.

"Because they killed my mom and they took my dad." Barry huffed angrily as he paused by a fire escape and yanked the ladder down. "All because of the dumb Rathaway murders. A bunch of rich people die and I have to lose everything." He had a lot of anger in him lately, it was all still so frustrating. He couldn't do anything to help his dad and he lost his mom. All in one horrible night. "And it's not even like they did anything."

Oh. Hartley had no idea what exactly the connection was there and his chest tightened. He should tell the boy who he was, because he might not want to help him. But that was precisely why he couldn't tell him. "I'm sorry. That's terrible. What happened?"

How had his parents' murder led to this? How could these things even be connected? "I'm so sorry."

"They stitched my dad up for their murder. They shot my mom when they came in, she wasn't even coming at them but they went right for her." Barry explained, his eyes tearing up as little as he started climbing up the ladder, leaving Hartley behind to follow him. "They ruined my life. They took my dad and he didn't even do anything. They planted the gun on him and I don't even know why they'd do that. He's a doctor. He's a good man!"

He saved people and this was how they repaid him? It sucked.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you. It's not fair." Was it his fault? What could he have done to stop this? "Maybe there is something I can do." He would have to remember. He had to talk to Leonard. He couldn't put his head in the sand over any of this. he had to act. He made his way further up the ladder behind Barry, glad he wasn't scared of heights. "I will owe you for helping me."

"You can't help me, you're a nobody. All you can do is not tell anyone about me. I don't want to go into care." Given the state of it here, it wasn't anywhere any of these kids wanted to be. Barry reached the top of the fire escape and approached a window, knocking on it three times and waiting. While he waited, he looked down from the balcony and leaned forward, almost hanging off the edge. "If he's in, he'll answer."

"I won't. Promise." Hart wished he hadn't lied to Barry. Well. Not so much lied as withheld information, but he still didn't feel comfortable with it. He just didn't see what choice he had. He crossed his arms as he waited, looking at the window expectantly. "Thank you for showing me the way."

Paco looked out of the window and caught sight of the back of Barry's familiar red hoodie, sighing as he opened up for him. "How many times have I got to tell you, Barry, I can't just--" And then he saw him. The Rathaway kid. Paco was usually known for keeping his cool but in the face of this, he just slammed the window back shut and pulled the curtain over. Barry looked up from the ledge and turned his head, laughing in amusement.

"He doesn't want to talk."

"No! Please, Paco. Cisco!" Hart immediately moved forward so he could knock on the window again, the desperation he'd been trying to hide showing through the cracks. "I need your help, please. Please, I'll do anything!"

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject