coming out of my cage and I've been doing just fine

[mostlyajerk]

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[mostlyajerk]

The reason Hartley came to visit Axel was that he remembered being places and knowing that no one was going to come and see him. Hell, honestly, he knew as much now. Evidently Team Flash would rather get any idiot off the street and turn him into a superhero than ever contact him again and the most he'd seen of Cisco and Caitlin in months was that broadcast by Axel and Prank. He didn't have much of a social life.

But he was free, he got to go out when he wanted to (not that he tended to want to, ever) and he was also free to visit Axel, so here he was, sitting in the chair and waiting for the man, faintly wondering if he'd even recognise him. He should really have thought about that sooner. He picked up the phone and looked through the window as Axel sat down.

"Hi."

[trickedya]

"Pretty Piper!" Axel grinned, wide and bright, not mistaking him or missing him for a second. "You're not my dad."

A pretty obvious statement too but when he heard he had a visitor, he kind of assumed his dad. Given his mom was in jail and that was it for him, he knew one other person in this world that gave a shit about him and yes, it was his dad. And no, mom was wrong, his dad loved him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" That just seemed really weird. Didn't Hartley stop being a rogue and all? Axel held the phone and spread out his legs, leaning back in his seat with a content little smile. Any company was better than no company.

[mostlyajerk]

"Just wanted to check in on you." Hartley looked at him for a moment, then indicated his own hair in front to point out Axel's. "That look is so gay, by the way."

Axel looked good, weird hair aside. Prison didn't seem to be too awful for him, based solely on this. Maybe he should want him to have a worse time of it, given that he'd just wanted to kill the people who were technically still his closest friends, but it wasn't as if they'd actually been harmed and, well. Axel had issues. He liked him in spite of them, not because of them.

"I caught you on tv."

[mostlyajerk]

"Don't worry, I already told them to bring you your pop rocks and gum," Hartley told Axel as soon as they were both talking into the phone. He wasn't sure if he liked the blond in Axel's hair, but it was weirdly something that he seemed to be getting used to. It was grating, but it fit him. He'd still suggest different colours for him, but clashing was kind of Axel's whole shtick, so who was he to criticise? "Missed me?"

[trickedya]

"Yep!" Axel was leaning in close, all smiles and flirtation, unable to help himself. A pretty boy came back and that was the highlight of his day. Especially since there was this whole big thing at Iron Heights and then his cell mate next door disappeared, probably released. No more murder buddies. No more new blood. Same old boring losers. "I'm dying in here, Hart. I'm so bored. The highlight of my day was bursting into Allen's cell and now he's gone so it's just me. Me and my spare pudding. That no one ever wants! It's like no one ever wants to talk to me."

[mostlyajerk]

"Sorry about that. I should have brought you some comic books, maybe that'd make you less bored." Hartley supposed he could see why people would be hesitant to be friends with Axel. Not dangerous enough to be a good ally in here, but too unhinged to just be someone's bitch too. Probably good for Axel, beat the alternatives, but it was no surprise he was bored. "I mean, this is supposed to be punishment. It's still better than the prison the Flash used to have, the people there would forget that I'm vegetarian every other day."

to Cisco

[mostlyajerk]

I have an important question for you, I'm sure you have some expert insights for me.

[viber]

Oooh, noice.

Shoot.

[mostlyajerk]

Gay comics.

What do you recommend?

[mostlyajerk]

"Did you get the comics?" Hartley asked as soon as Axel sat down. He couldn't come in person last week, he had gotten busy with a project and, frankly, he had felt too bummed after talking to Cisco. But he had sent the comics and even added notes to them, so Axel would know what he thought of it all. He smiled at him now and leaned back. "I'm sorry I wasn't here last week. You know how it is."

[trickedya]

"Yeah, I know." It still sucked but Axel got it, he did, people were busy. The world kept moving while he stayed in here, stuck still, losing his mind. The comics did help. He read them all cover to cover, several times over, stole some blank paper and began to redraw them to stop his boredom. He looked up and smiled a little, just glad that Hartley came back. "Thanks for coming this time. I wasn't sure-- I don't know. Whatever! Doesn't matter now."

Axel put a grin on his face. Just because. "The comics were awesome."

[mostlyajerk]

"I'll be back next week too." Hartley shied away from the word promised. He had been lied to too many times. He had gotten his hopes up too often. Every time he thought it wouldn't happen again, he had to be cynical enough by now, it happened again. But he wasn't going to to that to anyone else, at least. "I've brought some more comics with me this time, so you'll get them when we are done. I go to the comic shop near my place, they know me now. They call me gay guy."

[trickedya]

"Holy shit, holy shit! This is ridic." Axel hurried along through the corridors, watching these two metas take down anyone in there way as he stumbled after the rogues, trying to keep up and not get his own ass caught. That was the top priority. He had all his contraband stuffed into his coat in various places, from his fav rat pictures to his gummy worms and, tentatively, a box of unopened medication.

He was ready for the real world, he just wished he knew where he was going or what was happening. Was the band getting back together? Was Snart back?

Shawna grabbed him and next thing he knew, he was outside and rushing towards some unmarked van. "God damn!"

[midastouches]

"What's with the running commentary, Axel?" Shawna was amused, letting go of him to jump ahead and sure enough, by the time Axel and Mark reached the van, she was already sitting next to Lisa, who had started the motor and didn't even look back.

"Mark, get the fog machine going."

Mark nodded and the fog rose as the car started heading down the road, away from prison. Lisa looked into the rear-view mirror finally, winking at Axel. "You look like shit, Ax. Blond is not your colour, what were you thinking?"

[trickedya]

"I'm sorry for being shocked but last I heard, this wasn't a thing. What the hell? Why didn't you guys tell me this was a thing?" He didn't prepare. Hartley was going to visit him in two days and he didn't warn him. And he never got to finish his extra pudding. Damn, he should have bought it with him!

His annoyance didn't last and he was soon laughing. Lisa? Lisa fucking Snart. Of course! His hero.

"I was thinking 'I want to clash so, so much' and I did and everyone hates it and I'm so happy." Axel beamed excitedly. "I missed you!"

[trickedya]

I'm safe and alive.
And I've killed no one

<3

[mostlyajerk]

I figured and I'm glad.

Feeling good?

Also, I'd send a heart back, but I've only ever used them to be passive aggressive to the guy who made out with me, said he'd call me and then ghosted me, before texting me months later and telling me he has a girlfriend now, so they've lost their sweet touch.

[trickedya]

"Hey!" Axel was not at the door like a normal person, he was up the fire-escape, banging on the window and peering in to try and find Hartley. He grinned, excited and curious, wanting to see what this place was like and where his pretty Piper was. He could touch him! Touch him and hear him and not have reinforced glass between them.

He banged to window loudly again. "Haaaaaartley!"

[mostlyajerk]

"The door is over there," Hartley pointed out - obviously able to hear him - but he let him in anyway, while wondering why he suddenly wished he had had a heads up. What would he have done and what for? The place was as tidy as it would ever be, it wasn't as if he owned much, and he was wearing a black hoodie and dark trousers, also much as he always would. He looked at Axel as he stepped back to let him come in. "You could have called ahead."

[trickedya]

How do I get morals and principles and shit????

[midastouches]

Not by drinking. That's how you get rid of them.

[mostlyajerk]

"Straight guys are so weird," Hartley muttered, primarily to Axel, but Shawna and Lisa nodded knowingly.

"Amen."

"What did I do?" Mark just set down his beer and glared, but Shawna leaned back against him and so he decided he didn't care that much. It was mostly a general observation looking through the room anyway, not anything aimed at Mark specifically.

"So, Hartley, Axel says you don't want to join up with us again. How come?"

"I'm doing my own thing. I just hope you will stick to the rules, it's easier seeing Axel outside prison."

"Aw, you'd visit him again?" Lisa looked at Axel and grinned. "You lucky duck."

[trickedya]

"He did, he visited and gave me rat pictures."

He went to get them out but they all rolled their eyes because they'd seen them so many times. Axel got them out like a proud parent all the time because it wasn't often he got to feel like part of something and thus? It did kind of give him that feeling.

"Whatever, fine, we don't look at them." He shifted closer to Hartley and bumped his shoulder against Hartley's. "Straight boys are weird but luckily, we don't have much need for them. It's hella worse for girls."

[midastouches]

How's your nerd doing?

[trickedya]

Sad.
I'm so not getting laid.

You?