Walkaway

[mostlyajerk]

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[trickedya]

"Whatcha doin'?"

Axel loitered behind the pretty boy, head tilted to his side, trying to work out what he was doing exactly. Making something fancy and techy but God knows if he knew what it was just from the bare components. Ever since he temporarily joined the rogues as a time killer until his dad came back, which he totally would, he'd not really gotten much of a chance to hang out. Admittedly, none of them wanted to hang out but he was being persistent.

He'd only been here a few days and that was all a heist plan Leonard got him in for and then afterwards, he let him stick around. He didn't really know them that well, despite crashing in their hideout, and it was kind of dull without a job to do. Too much down time. He kind of liked the idea of getting to know people like him, hanging out, talking tech and kill counts. Not that he had one yet but he wanted to hear about everyone elses.

So far? Not going great. Pretty much all of them had threatened him to go away at this point so he was down to pretty boy. He liked him already and he hadn't even spoken to him properly yet but hell, look at him. All handsome and scowling. Nice.

[mostlyajerk]

"Working." It was said very much in a 'what does it look like, you idiot?' kind of way, as almost everything Hartley ever said tended to have a 'you idiot' implied by tone. He didn't look up at Axel, it wasn't as if he was surprised to be bothered by him. He was going through them one by one and now his last shot here. Kind of unflattering in and on itself, but not exactly the kind of thing that he was likely to be all that broken up about, especially as most of his focus was on the device he was currently putting together, something that should be capable of emitting sound-waves that could in theory act like a wall. "Did you want something?"

Maybe dealing with him head-on would make the problem go away. Hartley looked up and right at Axel, arching his eyebrows.

[trickedya]

"On what?" Axel isn't going away, not any time soon, instead he came over properly and crouches besides the desk, arms sprawled on it, watching Hartley work curiously. "Is it dangerous? Is it a weapon?" It looked kind of weapony and he really wanted to play with something new, all his old gear was starting to look a little out-dated compared to the stuff Hartley was making. He rested his chin on the desk and when Hartley addressed him properly, he burst into an annoyingly big and happy grin.

"I'm bored, you seem fun." That was pretty much it. Oh and of course. "Plus you're nice to look at. Easy on the eyes. I like that."

[mostlyajerk]

"I do?" Hartley raised his eyebrows, then shook his head. "You're mistaken. I'm not fun. Never been an aspiration of mine." Luckily he had something to focus on, so it was easier to show Axel that his presence wasn't required while he tried to readjust the writing so it'd fit the slicker casing he was working on. "It's not really weaponised, I already have that. This is for shielding." Which he'd have to test and which was probably unusable for anyone with less of a feeling for frequencies than he had.

[trickedya]

"Anything can be fun if you want it to be fun. That's what my dad always tells me. If something is being boring, make it exciting. Of course, usually that means shove a load of explosives into it but I don't think that's going to make you all that fun." Axel laughed to himself and then slowly, his arms started to sprawl out further and further until he was just on the edge of where Hartley was trying to work. Good luck trying to ignore him. Not touching, can't get mad! "Can we make something more fun? Like a wind up and go toy that fires live ammunition? Oh! Or an acid spurt. That'd be so funny."

[mostlyajerk]

"I'm an engineer, not an insane clown." Hartley made a face, pulling his work a little to the side to avoid Axel's touch and leaning down to take a closer look. He did love fiddly work, but it required focus. Focus that was hard to come by while a terrorist without ideology was staring at him. "I don't approve of you. I don't approve of mindlessly targeting people, without a purpose. I don't approve of people who just follow without any convictions of their own. I'd prefer it if you didn't spend any time with me, because I don't think we have anything in common. Goodbye."

[trickedya]

"I have a purpose. It's fun. Fun is the best purpose." Well, it might have been a rejection but it wasn't a punch to the face so this was already beating out chilling with Mark and Mick. And Cold, though he didn't punch him but that seething look of hate was as good as a punch really. He continued to watch Hartley, despite his words, not really seeming to be that easily gotten rid of. "How can you say we have nothing in common before you even talk to me? I can already see some stuff and I barely know you. Like, hey, we're both good with technology and we're both very handsome." Equally important things to take note of.

[mostlyajerk]

"You use your technology to kill children. I don't care what you look like." Even if no one had actually died at that park, Hartley knew that was due to the Flash, not to Axel's morals and that was not something he could get behind. They were supposed to have a code here, that's why he joined up with them. He had a hard time believing someone like Axel capable of following any kind of code. "We are not going to become buddies, so you might as well see if you find someone somewhere else. Terrorists mostly find each other over the internet, try that."

[trickedya]

"I didn't and I can't as long as I'm here so why get all touchy over it? I know the rules." Cold had made that very, very clear in his 'induction' that he was absolutely not allowed to kill anyone, especially not women and children, or they'd personally deal with him themselves. Axel didn't mind it so much, he was never overly comfortable trying to do that stuff anyway, it's just his dad thought it was a good idea and he never wanted to say no. "I have loads of peeps on the net, dude, my twitter is well over a mill easy. That's not the same as this."

He gestured between them with a playful grin. "This is real. This is like a proper bond type thing, you know? Me and you, man. We could be amazing together." He sighed almost contently. "We would be so beautiful together too."

[mostlyajerk]

"That's how you do it, if you want to make sure it can't be traced." Hartley finished his explanations and gestured to the screen, indicating the numbers that were climbing and falling as accounts were drained and filled. He kept an eye on them, so he would be able to stop in time. They had set a target and there was no reason to go beyond that. Snart usually had a reason for whatever instructions he gave, he was certain there was one for this too. For now it was just fun to see, definitely a challenge and it would have been impossible without the team. It felt good to work on something together. "What are you doing with your share?"

[trickedya]

"I use a different way of coding but yours seems valid too." Usually Axel had his own programs for this sort of thing but Hartley's seemed less complicated and that made it much easier to do. Maybe he should simplify his own methods a little. Axel slumped back on his spinny chair and watched the screen as the money in their dummy account slowly filled. "Dunno. I guess the usual, fireworks and booze. Why? You?" Axel didn't ever really know what to do with money so he just got what he'd always gotten when he had money, ever since he was fifteen. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[mostlyajerk]

"I have a few side-projects." Hartley realised his mistake. He shouldn't have asked Axel, because 'charity' wasn't really a way to earn a reputation around his colleagues here, but somehow it had been on his mind as he saw the numbers climb and waited for the right moment to cut the connection. "Time to invest in them. Although fireworks and booze would be a nice alternative."

He smiled at Axel and leaned back in his seat. "It's nice to have some spending money again. I haven't really focused on that in a while."

[trickedya]

"I can't believe it took so long for everyone to focus on money again." The rogues worked differently to how he worked, he was often baffled by them. They took their time, they had side projects and codes and rules. It was all about the score, the game with the Flash, not about the crime and the chaos. It was nothing like Axel was used to. "With my dad, it was always about the money. And the body count. I liked the money part, that was fun." The body count? Axel was often torn on that one.

And talking about it with Hartley was just bound to get him thrown out. "If you chip in with me, we can buy some pretty destructive fire works. Make up for the fact we missed the fourth of July."

[mostlyajerk]

"I'm not much of a patriot." Or at all, really. Which was something most of the rogues agreed on and clearly Axel was just in it for the fireworks. "I don't fancy destructive fireworks. Actually, I kind of like the colours and all that, but fireworks these days kill me. I missed fourth of July because I was hiding out under my blanket and pillow, wearing headphones and still feeling pretty miserable. I finally understand why dogs make such a big deal over fireworks, it's pure agony on sensitive ears."

[trickedya]

"Oh." Fireworks hurt his ears? Aww shit. There went his plans for next weekend. "I guess I can piss it away on solely drink instead. Get properly hammered on expensive drinks." It wasn't like he could do something to purposefully hurt Hartley, even if he really did love fireworks and watching them explode. Did they do silent fireworks? He was going to have to look into that. "Maybe get some new stuff for my bombs, I'm working on a new recipe, I guess I should really invest more into it."

[mostlyajerk]

"Hey, don't worry about it. If I know you're doing fireworks, I can go elsewhere. Or find some way to successfully combat it, it's just really difficult for various reasons, all methods I've found would still be painful. I'm working on it." Hartley offered a smile and shrugged. "It's part of life, you don't have to actually stop having fun just because I'm having difficulties."

Not what he intended to cause with the mention. "What do you want to change for your bombs?"

[trickedya]

"It's a dick move to hurt someone on your own team. Besides, Cold always says we're a team and we don't screw team mates over." Something he had to pretty much beat Axel around the head with at the start but he got it now so no fireworks if they'd hurt Hartley. He kind of liked Hartley. He was a dick most of the time but hell, Axel was into it. It wasn't like he was a saint himself.

"It's a secret, I'll tell you if it works." Axel grinned playfully. "I don't like giving spoilers."

[mostlyajerk]

"What are you doing?" Hartley had walked into Axel's room and was now leaning over his shoulder, looking at him apparently posting something. He might have paid more attention, but Axel's scent distracted him, his neck was right there and so he turned his head to nuzzle it, arms sliding around him from behind, both hands pressing against his chest. This was such a uniquely comforting feeling. Having someone that he could just hold sometimes. "Hey."

[trickedya]

"Just telling people how perfect you are with a lot of dumb emotes. You wouldn't dig it." Since kind of dating Hartley, Axel's twitter was mostly all about how much he was into the Pied Piper and how cute they were and it wasn't as different as it was before only this time it was less a needy fancy and more a potential reality. He grinned and leaned back into the touch, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling of someone else touching him. Someone who wanted him. He turned off his phone and tilted his head back. "Hey."

[mostlyajerk]

"Why not? I like you and you talking about me being great, what could be bad about that?" Hartley grinned and kissed Axel, now that he had tilted his head back. "I don't do social media or I'd tell people about you too."

He let one hand run down Axel's front, until he could slide it under his shirt. "I really wish I was better with words, because I'm no poet and you're making me feel as if I ought to be to appreciate you right."

Telling him that he was hot wasn't really cutting it, although he'd discovered that saying it in different languages helped.

[trickedya]

"I know you don't dig the whole twitter scene and besides, it's dumb. You don't need to see it." Please God never see it. There's a reason he made his twitter private. He had a lot of crazy he had to vent and he had enough awareness to know Hartley shouldn't see it but not enough to know he should stop. "I'm sure you would though, you totally scored."

Axel laughed to himself and practically melted into Hartley's touch. This was so going on his blog later. Hartley's arms were so strong, his hand so soft, the way he overwhelmed him with touch and warmth, it made him want more of everything.

Especially his love. "You appreciate me plenty. Like no one else does. I'm so lucky."

[mostlyajerk]

"If I had friends, I'd tell them all about you." Hartley laughed against Axel's neck and tightened his hold on him a little, because somehow he needed him even closer than he was already. Axel's skin felt smooth, his stomach was as perfect as the rest of him. Maybe he did really train mostly for looks, but it was definitely paying off, he looked great. "You're distracting."

Distracting him from what? Hartley couldn't even bring himself to care enough to remember that right now. "I guess we're both lucky. Pretty slim odds of meeting each other like this."

Both rogues, both gay, both lonely.

[trickedya]

"From what? We're having a day off, remember? Snart is brooding in the bar, Mick is probably burning something and if mommy and daddy are busy, we don't do jack shit." Yes, he was calling them that and no, he wasn't doing it seriously but whenever he playfully used that, both glared at him so much, it was funny. Mostly. Less funny when they threaten him. "Think of me less as a distraction and more your main purpose."

He wanted all of Hartley's focus, his love, his everything. He wanted to be all he cared about. "I guess we are. I never met a villain my age, let alone a guy and a gay guy. I hit the jackpot. This is like a dream for me! A rogue boyfriend."

[mostlyajerk]

"I could make you my main purpose," Hartley agreed while nuzzling Axel's neck and taking a step back. Closer toward the bed. What? This had to lead to making out and he preferred to be comfortable for that. "But who knows whether you can truly handle that?"

Just a tease of course, because he didn't think anyone or anything else could even have a little bit of his focus right now. "Just like me because I'm gay and a villain, huh?"

[trickedya]

The bed was where they were going and Axel knew that, he wasted no time getting there. He rushed to it and then jumped on it, bouncing a few times before he dropped on it, sitting down with a big stupid grin on his face, the bed creaking heavily from the excessive movement. He held out both his hands to Hartley. "I can always handle you, darling Hart. I often wonder if you can handle me."

Given his sheer level of hidden crazy and clingy-ness, it seemed like a fair assumption that he'd be a harder one to handle but no point in arguing that too much. "No because you're -- well, you. Everything about you. You're perfect."