mostlyajerk | come out, come out, wherever you are

"Sorry I took so long? I got held up, we had a lot to deal with and it's just been a really awful night." Hence why Cisco was exhausted, on the verge of tears and all he really wanted to do was climb onto the bed and hold Hartley but that seemed like a lot to do when they weren't dating so he just stood there, letting the other be close, reaching his hand out to try and get rid of some of the dried blood from his neck.

"I brought some stuff, I'm going to try and make you like an ear piece? Sort of like a hearing aid but to counteract noise. We can see if we can get something working together and--" Wait, he had to check because he wasn't sure. "Dude, can you even hear me or am I talking to myself?"

Hartley didn't react, which might be a good indicator, but he pulled back finally, although he couldn't resist taking Cisco's hand in his. "I can't hear." That should cover any potential confusion. "Sorry."

Not really his fault, but it still felt awkward. He remembered his parents talking about what his deafness made him. A burden, a problem, imperfect. That's why they had spent money to fix his ears. Which reminded him. "I had ear implants." He pointed at the night-stand. "The explosion, they... That's everything they got out. They had to remove them."

So he had hearing issues before that? That explained a lot. Cisco smiled as reassuringly as he could and crouched down a little so he could look Hartley in the eyes. "Erm, I don't know how to assure you but it's going to be okay. I'm going to make this better. Oh! Hang on!"

Cisco jumped back and went to his bag, raiding it until he found his pen and then tried to find paper. Which was harder than it should have been. In the end he gave up and started writing on his own arm, his jacket now discarded as he presented himself as a human doodle pad to Hartley.

I'm going to fix you, I have tools and tech, I'll make implants :) I'm sorry you can't hear me. I won't leave you until you're better.

"You're a dork," Hartley told him, because what was he even doing? But then he reached out to grab the arm he'd doodled on and pulled him close again, this time pulling him into a kiss. Not as if they still worked together. Not as if there was anything keeping him from this. He didn't deepen the kiss, he just kept it going, because he didn't want to pull away. This was the first glimpse of hope in a very long time. "You took the pain away. I can live without hearing. Not with that pain. Thank you."

Cisco smiled faintly and rested his forehead against Hartley's, pulling away to grab his bag and tools. He set them on the bed and then gently gestured for Hartley to move up. He grabbed his jacket and put it over the thin blanket Hartley had in case he got chilly, not wanting him to get sicker. Sitting on the small bed next to him, Cisco half hung off it but if he could be close to him right now, he kind of thought he should be. He studied Hartley's implants before he started to dismantle them. If he could learn how they worked, he could build a new set for Hartley.

He grabbed his pen and wrote on his hand. I got this, I can fix it :D <3

Hartley rested his head against Cisco's shoulder. He wrapped the jacket around himself, finding it very difficult to actually stay upright. Hell, he found it difficult to stay awake. He hadn't actually had a moment of piece since the explosion.

It was no wonder that when one of the nurses looked into the room, wondering why there hadn't been any screaming, Hartley had passed out, still leaning against Cisco.

"I'm sorry, only family is supposed to visit in the ICU."

"You've got to be kidding me? For real? He hasn't got any and half the town is going to hell, there was bigger issues and do I really look like I'm causing problems? I'm trying to fix him." Cisco didn't look like he was going to move, he just kept working on the piece he was tweaking, Hartley asleep against his side, his chest moving up and down nicely. Just a sign he was alive. "Look, please, let me stay? I am kind of like his family. You can pretend?"

Cisco knew people could be dicks but Hartley had finally stopped screaming, he was getting some rest and all Cisco was trying to do was make him something to fix his ears.

"I mean if you kick me out, I'm just going to break back in. Again and again and again. And I don't have that level of fitness, don't make me do that. I just want to help him."

"...it's not up to me, it's hospital regulations. I'm sorry." The nurse looked very troubled, so at least there was that. "I... Half an hour. But I need to check his vitals. How long since he quieted down? Is it because of the headphones? It's insane, his parents should be arrested for getting him those implants before he could even walk. Now the explosion made them do thin and his parents just tell anyone calling that they don't have a son."

"Like I said, I'm his family, no one else will visit or care. Just pretend I was sent on their behalf? They're the kind of dicks who'd do that. Right now the headphones are working but I need to rebuild, fix and tweak these things to keep him going. Let me save my friend. Please?" Cisco held up what he was making just to show it to her, just to prove that all he was doing was helping. "At the very least, two hours. Tops? Don't make me stab myself with this screwdriver so I can be in the ICU too because my folks won't visit either and it'll be very tragic." He and his family still weren't on speaking terms after all.

"I... fine. But call for a nurse the moment something changes with him. I have a patient who's been struck by lightning in the other room, I don't have time for your screwdriver accident." She grumbled but walked off and closed the door behind herself.

Then there was nothing until Hartley woke with a start, looking around in confusion and finally at Cisco with wide eyes. Not a dream. He really wasn't alone.

When Hartley shot up, Cisco jumped too, looking at him in panic. "What? What?! Are your headphones okay?" He reached out and put his hand either side of them, adjusting them and giving him a concerned look. "It's okay, I'm here. I'm making so much progress, dude annnnd you can't hear me but trust me, it's going well." He smiled as reassuringly as he could and then gently pushed him back onto the bed.

He dropped back himself and continued to finish the wiring as gently as he could.

Hartley lifted his hand to put it on top of Cisco's smiling as they were essentially working together. Only that he was entirely useless, not even wearing his glasses and eyes even blurrier from having just woken up. Whatever.

"I've been fired, you know. And right now I can't hear if you reject me." Seemed like a good time to ask. At least he'd not be able to hear Cisco babble and reject him. Or babble and say yes, for that matter. "Do you want to be with me?"

Cisco turned to look at him and swallowed, smiling faintly because he really didn't think Hartley getting fired and this mess happening would ever lead anywhere good and yet here they were, in this situation and Cisco found himself feel happy. And guilty for feeling this happy after everything he'd done.

"Yes, dude. If you want me. I mean technically I just committed mass murder with my work buddies and this mess is my fault in so many ways and Ronnie is gone and oh man, this is just terrible but I want to be someone you could --" Wait. He couldn't hear. Oh yeah. He paused and picked up his pen and shielded his hand away from Hartley so he could write. And doodle.

What he presented was a YES with little hearts doodled around it and two very male stick-men holding hands. Then he flipped his hand over and all that was written was do you still want a dork like me?

"Even more." Hartley wouldn't have thought that this day would end any better than the previous one. In pain, terrified, ultimately alone. But here he was now, Cisco was almost done and he was his boyfriend. Somehow he had gone through hell and managed to drag someone along with him. "I remember what you said that night you were so drunk. We could be better together."

Cisco wanted to write something but he realised he had no hand space left so in the end, he reached out and took Hartley's hand so he could write on it, making sure to be gentle as he scribbled on his hand.

We'll be okay. We'll be together. And then he flipped over his hand to add. Sleep if you want, I won't leave you.

"I trust you." Just three words, but Hartley smiled and lifted Cisco's hand to his lips. He kissed it and then laid down behind Cisco, but made sure to stay close enough to lean against him just a little, his hand against Cisco's hip and his eyes closing. Calmer than he had been in a very long time as he passed out again.

come out, come out, wherever you are

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