mostlyajerk | come out, come out, wherever you are

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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