kitkatt0430-recommends

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

.... now that i've been reminded of how much i love the force awakens. yall. i can't stop thinking about it.

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

In case you're wondering where to find me should tumblr experience a cessation of existence, that Where To Find Me page linked above is what you're looking for

Given the concerns about Tumblr's life expectancy, if you want to find me elsewhere on the internet I've got my Where To Find Me page updated with everything but my blue sky (to be added soon) and my word press blog (because it's a hidden work in progress).

If Tumblr keels over and dies, I will likely use both PillowFort and Dreamwidth for different things. I can always be found at Ao3 and SquidgeWorld as Kitkatt0430. It may take me a while to put together something specifically geared towards receiving fanfic prompt requests, but I do intend to reopen for those eventually regardless of the state of tumblr once I'm ready.

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

Batman fanfic recs the second

More batman fanfic recommendations! Again these should all be platonic batfam fics, assuming i remember them correctly. The descriptions are pretty much all mine but I might be paraphrasing the actual fic summaries too.

Life Down On The Farm by kittymaine - At eighteen and badly burned out, Tim leaves Gotham to retire to a farm. While Tim does some much needed healing, Bruce rather promptly implodes.

The first fic of the series focuses solely on Tim. The second fic covers the same time frame from Jason's point of view where he, warily, watches Bruce essentially shove everyone away from the sidelines. This is very much not a Bruce friendly series - but there's something hopeful about the series overall, with Tim finally reaching a healthier place mentally and physically after getting away and Jason's relationship with the non-Bruce Bats finally mending. The series is unfinished, but the third fic was started fairly recently so it's most definitely not an abandoned series.

memorial by envysparkler - Another Titan's Tower AU where Jason realizes that just because he doesn't have an official memorial at the Tower doesn't mean he's forgotten either.

Robin is Magic by flames_dance - Jason is the Red Hood who has befriended Tim who is definitely just some kid with a camera and no self preservation skills, not Robin. Because someone wasn't paying attention to the new Robin's identity beyond 'person to project my insecurities/grief/self hatred' onto. This couldn't possibly go wrong. (of course it does)

Homecoming by envysparkler - Tim's lack of self preservation instincts means that when Jason shows up alive, trying to kill him, Tim absolutely latches on to the wrong thing in all of this which is that Jason needs to come home.

Safe by DaisyBirb - Tim's dad sells him to the Red Hood. Knowing very well that Tim is Robin and Red Hood wants Robin dead. Red Hood... might not actually want Robin dead anymore. (Jack Drake, however...)

Taking What's Mine by pinkjester - Jason starts stealing back his stuff from the manor. Somehow his stuff winds up including Tim and Dick.

allopreen by envysparkler - The Titans Tower attack just happens to coincide with Tim trying to tough out being hit with cuddle pollen. And Jason gets to bitch out Bruce for making Tim feel unable to go to him for help with cuddle pollen after affects.

little breaks in your soul by hollow_city - The Titans Tower attack derails when Jason realizes that Tim's being abused by his parents.

war of attrition by envysparkler - So Titan's Tower happens. And Tim decides to get even as best he can while stuck in a bed and armed with a laptop. He is very effective. :D

But I'm still coming up by cranefly - Jason's Titan's Tower attack ends in a kidnapping and a roadtrip. And somehow ends with them getting along.

So many Titan's Tower AUs but they're all so good... :D

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

Batman Fanfic Recs - Part the First

I've been in quite the Batman fanfic mood lately and have quite a number of recommendations now. These should be all platonic ships for the batfam itself, if I'm remembering them correctly (though there's definitely no actual incest in here since that's very much not my interest).

As usual, the summary is gonna reflect how I remember the fic though it may include paraphrasing the actual summary.

Obedience by Sohotthateveryonedied - After a run in with the Hatter, Tim can't disobey anyone's orders and no one seems to realize anything's wrong with him. Except Jason.

It's angsty and hurts. Tim's stuck basically a prisoner in his own head for a long while. And even when Jason does realize something's wrong, even he doesn't figure out what's actually going on. I do have to deduct points for the tags referencing the movie Ella Enchanted instead of the far, far, far superior book. (Look, Jason Todd would absolutely agree with me if he were real and I know it.)

Bird's Night Out by Calamityjim - A series starting with a more silly than serious take on Jason's vendetta against Robin and how it eventually devolves into Jason, Tim, and Dick choosing to be brothers and also mess with Bruce for their own amusement. Eventually Damian shows up too and cannot be trusted with other people's tea stashes.

It's silly and fun and a great read after something particularly angsty

Into the Brighter Night by shoalsea - One of Tim's adventures with Young Justice come back to haunt Robin... but Damian's Robin now. So of course Tim makes some perhaps... ill advised choices that land him in space with Cassie, Connor, and Bart headed to the rescue. But this isn't really about adventures in space, but about what happens to those stuck waiting back at home.

There's a lot of noodle incidents while Tim is off in space - Bart cannot be trusted to send reassuring messages and he has no idea why, he thinks he's reassuring. But the main focus is on the Batfam recognizing that they've been kinda dropping the ball with Tim and, thanks to Tim's parents being abusive levels of neglectful, Tim doesn't really have a good enough grasp of healthy relationships to realize this himself. It's overall pretty heartwarming - the former members of Young Justice invading Wayne Manor in the latter half of the fic is hilarious.

Once more, from the top, this time with androids by Iriascend - A scifi AU series where Tim is an AI originally created to run the batcave, but slowly grows over the years to become a real person all his own. Tim's growth as a person is lovely to watch and the overall handling of personhood is so well done. Legends of Tomorrow could have used some pointers from this on how Gideon was treated, especially in the show's last season.

Just to note, the main fic is platonic batfam but one of the one-shot sequels has some Jason/Connor/Tim going on. So if you're only wanting platonic fics then stick to just the main fic of the series. (The other one shot fic in the series is a poem which is pretty neat.)

In Service by smilebackwards - A series where instead of becoming Robin, Tim apprentices to Alfred. And while it doesn't fix everything, not having another Robin around when Jason returns does help with some of the miscommunications that happened in canon.

The second fic has Damian showing up and with Tim as Alfred's apprentice, Damian doesn't feel threatened by Tim the way he did with Tim as Robin. Of course, he doesn't understand the family dynamics yet, but the attachment - and protectiveness - he grows for Tim is really sweet.

i cry with anger / i have done no crime by CosmoKid - One of several fics that I will wind up reccing where Jason's revenge plans get sidelined by realizing that Tim's in an abusive home situation. I'm a sucker for 'Jason's desire to protect overrides his Lazarous Pit Rage' type fics.

Take Two by envysparkler - Jason's revenge plans don't hold up when he finds the new Robin in a warehouse rigged to blow. (And it seems the Joker might be aiming for a trifecta?)

Or Jason kidnaps a current and former Robin and winds up with two brothers (one new and one old).

between a rock and a hard place by envysparkler - After a building collapse, Jason is having a hard time holding things together between his own claustrophobia and Tim's concussion bringing back some old fears regarding Red Hood's intentions for him.

Well this seems like a good number of recommendations for now. I'll follow up with a couple of more of these posts later. (I have been reading soooo much batfam lately.)

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

From the Harrisco writing prompt list - 4 & 22

I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for this request! -hugs- * * * Delirium by QuietDarkness * * *

Cisco was beginning to feel a little delirious, sitting there staring at the computer screen in front of him waiting for results from the program he and Harry had made to find large quantities of infrared radiation in populated areas.

They were after a meta he had dubbed Spectrum, who could shift their own visibility on a wavelength influenced by the natural infrared radiation that humans normally gave off. But people could only give off about 12 microns worth, give or take. They were trying to find a needle in a haystack by focusing on any intense shifts in infrared. And the data was taking forever to correlate.

It didn’t help that Cisco hadn’t slept in two days, which was only half the meta’s fault. He blamed the other half entirely on Harry. Though, to be fair, he doubted Harry had planned on Cisco’s newest stretch of insomnia. Now that they were joined at the hip, both metaphorically and physically, Cisco found he would much rather let Harry use up every inch of his mind and body in place of a normal 8 hours of rest. It was only bad timing that Spectrum had started a crime spree the same time Cisco and Harry had finally gotten their jiggy on. A thought that made Cisco smile slow and lazy at the moving numbers on his screen.

Truthfully, he and Harry had been dancing around each other since the start. Ending up in Harry’s bed two nights ago was a predictable and enjoyable result. So was how easy it had continued to be between them since. Cisco could admit that he was more than all in. Harry was the cantankerous, untouchably genius, hotter than hell, perfectly imperfect man of Cisco’s dreams. And he was way, way too good with his hands and Cisco’s body. Something of which Cisco had a hard time not daydreaming about now that he knew exactly how much of a relief it was to have Harry touch his skin in any way possible.

His mind wandered as the final results of the data poured in. He couldn’t stop himself from recalling images, sensations, ghosted feelings on his flesh. It made him shift in his chair and he sighed heavily, feeling his groin react in record time. He roughly dragged his palms up and down his thighs in an attempt to get his head back in the game... (Continued on Ao3)

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

The Ghost of S.T.A.R. Labs

Cisco had been so excited to start work at S.T.A.R. Labs. The particle accelerator was due to switch on soon, he had a whole workshop and permission to work on whatever he wanted, there were so many possibilities.

He could safely say agreeing to help a ghost no one else seemed to be able to see finish his unfinished business was not on the list of things he had considered his new job would entail. (T, final word count tbc)

The Flash (TV 2014)

[Cisco Ramon, Barry Allen], Caitlin Snow, Iris West, Ronnie Raymond, Hartley Rathaway, Harrison Wells|Eobard Thawne

Major Character Death

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Pre-Canon, Ghost Barry Allen, (this is what the major character death tag refers to, Barry being a ghost and discussing his death and Nora's death), Minor Ronnie Raymond/Caitlin Snow, Minor Eddie Thawne/Iris West, Past Hartley Rathaway/Eobard Thawne | Harrison Wells, Hurt/Comfort, Miscarriage, (a small mention in chapter 3 of long past events, this is not a major plot point the tag is here as a heads up)

S.T.A.R. Labs. Branches in Starling, Gotham, and a handful of other places, but the Central lab was the biggest, most up to date talked about lab this year. A great circular building, shining right next to the river, towering white and glass that housed the particle accelerator, due for switch on in just a few months that everyone was talking about. It was at the Central lab Doctor Harrison Wells- founder of S.T.A.R. Labs and subject of a recent best-selling biography- spent most of his time. Jobs at S.T.A.R. were filled in no time, people so excited at the prospect of working there.

And apparently it was a huge maze inside.

It would have been very helpful if someone had given him a map.

[Continued on AO3]

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

For the kissing prompts…4 for Snowest?

4. An accidental brush of lips followed by a pause and going back for another, on purpose.

Iris wasn't sure how it had happened. One minute they were hugging, the recently defeated Geomancer lying on the floor, and then there was a fleeting moment where Caitlin's lips were on hers. Maybe the adrenaline, the relief they were alive-

"I'm so sorry!" Caitlin burst out. "I'm-"

Iris shook her head. Anyone else maybe it would have felt strange, but this was Caitlin, Caitlin who'd welcomed her to Team Flash with open arms and grumbled about secret keeping, Caitlin who understood, the both of them mourning Eddie and Ronnie together, Caitlin who had saved her best friend's life more times than Iris or Barry could count, Caitlin who-

Oh.

Iris cupped Caitlin's face in her hands and for a moment Caitlin looked startled, then she smiled and leaned in as Iris leaned forward, their lips meeting intentionally this time, a gentle kiss that felt so right.

Time seemed to slow, so counter to the racing the adrenaline had caused, and for a moment it felt as if Iris had been standing there kissing Caitlin for an eternity.

"Are you two all right?" Jay asked, racing in in the moment Iris had been too oblivious to notice, and the two of them split apart with a reluctant start.

"We're fine," Caitlin said. "Iris saved me."

Her hand reached out and Iris took it gladly.

Jay's face made an odd look, and Iris noted he'd spent practically all the time he was here flirting with Caitlin, baralleling right over her lack of reciprocation.

"We should get him to C.C.P.D.," Iris said. "I can call Dad and Captain Singh."

"I'll stick him in the Pipeline for now," Jay said, still looking like he'd sucked on a particularly bitter lemon.

He grabbed Geomancer and stalked out, and Iris turned to Caitlin.

"Do we need to talk?" Iris asked.

"Eventually," Caitlin said. "When Cisco and Barry are back and everything's normal."

"I don't think things are ever normal around here," Iris said and Caitlin laughed and oh, how had she not noticed how wonderful that sound was before?

"How about tomorrow then?" Caitlin asked. "We could get dinner. Or coffee, but if we want less chance of Cisco and Barry interrupting just yet then maybe-"

"I'd love to get dinner with you," Iris said and she smiled and Caitlin smiled and they leaned towards each other again.

[Kissing Prompts]

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

Child in Time

Chapter 1

Warnings: implied child neglect, mentioned child death

By now, Barry Allen was fairly confident that nothing could surprise him anymore. He'd been through so many impossible things, done so many impossible things in just the last few months - he'd run faster than the speed of sound, fought multiple metas and supervillains and won - he couldn't fathom what was left that wouldn't feel like just another Tuesday at this point.

The familiar crackle of Speed Force lightning zipped behind him and Barry turned, startled and prepared for an attack, expecting the Man in Yellow. Instead, there was another crackle behind him as whatever it was left and his attention was immediately drawn to a baby carrier, securely placed away from the glass beakers and chemicals in his lab. He approached slowly, cautiously, his brow furrowing. The blanket overtop shifted and Barry flinched before shaking his head at his stupid reaction. It was a baby carrier, not a bomb...at least he was pretty sure.

The blanket moved again, this time distinctly as though something very small had hit it from the inside, and it drew Barry's attention to a piece of folded paper pinned to the top. 'Barry' was scrawled across the front in his own handwriting. Thinking about how bizarre this already was, Barry carefully removed and unfolded it.

I'm sorry I can't explain more. This is Eo, he's 8 months old. You and Iris need to keep him safe. Thanks, Barry

Barry's hands were trembling as he tugged the blanket off, filled with apprehension.

Inside the carrier, chewing on a teething toy shaped like a storm cloud, was a tiny, pale infant with wide blue eyes and the softest wisps of strawberry blond hair, dressed in a light blue onesie. Barry thought he looked like the most stereotypical baby he'd ever seen, like a Gerber baby with his chubby cheeks and long eyelashes. He reached into the carrier and gingerly picked up the little boy who immediately dropped the toy and reached back in the carrier with a distressed sound. His chubby fingers groped at nothing while his little lip wobbled.

"Oh no, don't cry, please don't- oh," Barry said letting out a relieved breath as he reached into the carrier and picked up a small teddy-bear dressed in a Flash costume. "Is this what you want?" He handed the stuffed toy over and the baby cooed and gurgled happily, nuzzling into its fur.

Barry's mind was racing. Who was this baby? Where had he come from? Where were his parents? Why had he brought him…here? In the past? From the future? God, he really needed to get better at explaining things to himself. He had a feeling Dr. Wells was going to kill future him for this.

On top of all the questions, Barry definitely wasn't ready to be a parent - he and Linda had barely started dating and he was only 24, he hardly felt like an adult himself. But the baby was here, now, and he needed someone to take care of him, to protect him from...something. Apparently that someone was him.

Well, not just him. 'You and Iris' the note had said, also. He definitely couldn't put this on Iris, she and Eddie had only just moved in together. He chewed his lip, looking down at the baby again before making up his mind, cradling the infant more securely to his chest, and speeding out of the lab.

The baby chewed on the bear's ear, wide blue eyes tracking everything he could see as Barry arrived in the cortex. Cisco, who had been making his way across the room, paused and pulled the lollipop from between his lips, using it to point at the infant, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Um, what's that?" He asked. Eo squeaked helpfully in response, tiny feet kicking at the air.

Barry shifted his grip to hold the baby more securely. "Guys, I think we have a problem."

Dr. Wells' keen blue eyes flickered between Barry, Eo, and the bear plush for a moment, seeming to need that moment to process what he was seeing. Barry couldn't really blame him, he hadn't been expecting to have an infant in S.T.A.R. Labs either. After a beat, he wheeled forward and offered his arms to take the baby. Barry handed him off gratefully.

"Indeed. Who is this, Mr. Allen? Where did he come from?" He asked as the baby settled against his shoulder, babbling in his ear and waving his pudgy fist in the air, the bear swinging and nearly knocking off Dr. Wells' glasses. Dr. Wells removed them and set them out of the baby's reach.

Barry shrugged helplessly. "I'm not sure. I guess I - future me, I mean? - brought him back to me - past me. I-I guess he's not safe wherever - whenever - he's from and I thought that I could take him here?"

"Did you just say future you? As in you time traveled?" Cisco asked, looking torn between surprise and excitement at the prospect. "Bro, that's sick!"

Eo babbled loudly as though agreeing. Barry gave another helpless shrug and Caitlin finally set down her work to cross the room and examine the infant.

"He certainly doesn't look related to you, Barry, he shares none of your characteristics - of course, he could be adopted," she added as the baby reached for her.

"Yeah, I dunno. I left myself a note but all it said was he's in danger, he's 8 months old, and his initials." And that he and Iris should take care of him, but he wasn't about to bring that up.

Caitlin hummed. "He looks as though he's hit the growth milestones you'd expect for 8 months. I'd need to give him a proper exam to know for sure."

"He's kinda creepy," Cisco commented. "Like that creepy Twilight robo baby, Chuckesmee. Uncanny Valley, demon baby creepy."

"Cisco." Caitlin chided, giving him an exasperated look.

"What? You can't tell me he's not creepy, look at him!" Cisco insisted, gesturing towards him.

"What are his initials?" Dr. Wells asked curiously.

"E-O," Barry answered, watching as Caitlin took the baby and bounced him lightly. Eo cooed, pulling at a button on her blouse.

"Well, I suppose we should keep an eye on 'Eo' for the time being and hope your future self returns for him sooner rather than later." Dr. Wells said finally, replacing his glasses.

"I'm going to give him an exam, make sure he's healthy. Barry, why don't you go get some baby supplies; bottles, formula, baby food, bibs, diapers, onesies, teething rings, pacifiers," Caitlin listed off, adjusting Eo to her other arm and carrying him to the med bay.

Barry was back with the requested supplies before Caitlin had even set Eo down. The tiny boy immediately pulled her stethoscope into his mouth as soon as it she brought it close, wide blue eyes watching her inquisitively.

"Cisco, can you come distract him while I examine him?" Caitlin asked as she tried to pull the stethoscope away gently so she could press it to his chest and he grabbed a tiny fistful of her hair instead.

Cisco made his way into the room and Barry made to follow but Dr. Wells stopped him. "Barry, a word?"

Barry turned, surprised by the seriousness in Dr. Wells' tone. "Yeah, sure," he replied, following the older man to a the hall.

Dr. Wells folded his hands together, his expression grave. "Barry, I understand your impulse to take responsibility for this child, but this isn't just a matter of caring for a baby. We have no idea what his presence here could change, what potentially has already changed."

Barry nodded, running his fingers over his mouth anxiously. "I know. But I can't exactly take him back, I mean, I don't even know when he's from even if I could. I didn't even know time traveling was a possibility until like 20 minutes ago. And if future me thought it was important enough to bring him here, then I have to believe there's a good reason for it."

"I understand your concern and I'm sure that your future self had good intentions but our main priority should be returning him to his time." Dr. Wells sighed heavily and removed his glasses. "I must not be present in that future because otherwise I most certainly would have told you that this was a terrible, stupid, dangerous idea. The ramifications of the action of bringing him here alone are entirely unpredictable, much less keeping him here for an extended period of time. We need to focus our energies on getting him back home and minimizing the damage, you especially need to focus on that. Until we can return him, I think it best if he stays with me so you don't risk becoming attached."

"Dr. Wells-" Barry started but Dr. Wells lifted a hand to silence him.

"He'll be in good hands, Barry, you don't need to worry. I have experience in the area - I had a daughter, Jesse, and while her mother certainly did more than her fair share of the work, I'm more than capable of caring for an infant." Dr. Wells assured him.

The past tense 'had' made Barry's heart clench and before he could stop himself he asked, "what happened to her?"

Dr. Wells' expression softened. "Jesse passed away when she was still a young child. The car accident that took my wife took her as well, much too soon. She was three."

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Wells. I had no idea."

Dr. Wells waved off Barry's condolences. "I'm not telling you this to garner sympathy, Barry, just to reassure you that he'll be well cared for."

Barry shifted foot to foot, feeling conflicted. On the one hand, he knew Dr. Wells was right. This was probably the safest option for the baby. But on the other, he couldn't shake the feeling of responsibility, that this child had been left with him for a reason.

"I...Dr. Wells, I know you'd probably - definitely - be the better option but I feel like there's a reason I brought him to myself. I promise I'll come to you with any questions I have but I think I should be the one to take care of him, at least for now. I mean who knows what he's even in danger from, whatever it is could hurt you and him both," Barry said finally.

Dr. Wells regarded Barry for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he let out a resigned sigh and nodded. "Very well, Barry, if you insist."

Barry nodded and returned to the cortex after a moment, feeling strangely guilty. Cisco and Caitlin had Eo on the floor between them, lying on his stomach on a S.T.A.R. Labs sweatshirt to prevent him from making contact with the cold, hard metal flooring. Caitlin pursed her lips as the infant shuffled his feet and waved his tiny arms, seemingly unable to get them underneath himself.

"How is he?" Barry asked, coming to sit between them, next to Eo. Eo rolled onto his side and watched Barry, tugging the sleeve of the sweatshirt up and into his mouth.

"Healthy, for the most part, but he seems...pretty delayed developmentally," Caitlin said with a heavy sigh. "It's hard to tell for certain; infants can't exactly say what they're capable of, but usually if you put them on their stomachs and they're able to crawl then they will do so or at least start to. At this point he should be trying to stand but he won't even army crawl."

Barry's heart sank at Caitlin's words. He looked down at Eo, who was happily chewing on the sleeve of the sweatshirt, oblivious to the conversation happening around him. The weight of responsibility settled heavier on Barry's shoulders.

"Do you think there's something wrong with him?" He asked, fearing the answer.

Caitlin shrugged. "I'm not a pediatrician. I know what milestones he's supposed to have hit at this stage and he seems to be missing a few but I couldn't tell you if they're significant enough to warrant concern."

Barry's mind raced as he processed Caitlin's words. He felt a surge of protectiveness towards Eo, mixed with a deep sense of worry. What if something was seriously wrong with him? What if Barry wasn't equipped to handle it?

"I could run some blood work on him," Caitlin offered after a moment. "I think he's otherwise fairly healthy. He's a good length and weight, his vision is fine, he tracks pretty much everything, and responds to auditory stimulus."

Barry nodded, feeling a mix of relief and dread at the prospect of finding out more about Eo's condition. "Yeah, let's do it. I want to make sure he's okay."

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

Aftermath

Warnings: suicidal ideation

Dépite. ひふんこうがい. Martirio.

It was honestly incredible how many words there were for how Hartley was feeling as he left S.T.A.R. Labs for the last time, escorted out by four burly security guards. (That was far too many in Hartley's opinion, probably more for spectacle than any fear on Harrison's part of what Hartley would do.) He didn't want to know what Ramon or Snow or Raymond thought, what lies Harrison would tell them about his abrupt firing. More than likely, he'd make up something about Hartley trying to sabotage their progress. Which was absurd, Hartley had been fiercely dedicated to the project, anyone could see that, but Ramon at least was probably foolish enough to buy it and Snow and Raymond loyal enough to go along with it.

"Get your fucking hands off of me." Hartley snarled as one of the security guards gripped his shoulder when they approached the door.

So much for keeping his cool. But what did it matter anyway, he wasn't coming back here, he didn't need to be professional. The guard merely tightened his grip, giving Hartley a warning glare. Hartley's heart raced with anger and frustration as he shrugged off the hand and stormed out the door.

It was uncharacteristically warm for Missouri in October but he still shivered as a cold sense of betrayal gnawed at his insides. He didn't have anywhere to go, not really. He could go back to the rundown apartment he rented, but what was the point? He felt like little more than a pawn in some twisted game, destined to be sacrificed in the first few moves.

Hartley walked aimlessly through the streets of Central City for what must have been hours. He felt like screaming, like pounding his fists against the pavement until they bled. But he knew it wouldn't change anything.

His mind kept replaying the confrontation over and over again without his permission, the look of smug satisfaction on Harrison's face as he delivered the final blow. So cold, so cruel, so unlike the warm, easy smiles he'd given Hartley on quiet evenings alone. God, he felt sick.

Why did this always happen? Every good thing in his life Hartley had to ruin by opening his damn mouth. He was the common denominator in all of it. It had been his decision to come out to his parents, his decision to go looking for trouble in the accelerator - if he'd just kept his head down, stayed in his place...well, it was too late for that.

It was only the knowledge that he needed to go home and take care of his rats that led him back to his apartment and not off the edge of the nearest bridge. Hamelin and Erdős greeted him as happily as ever when he opened their cage, oblivious to the self-loathing spiral in his head, scurrying up his arms and onto his shoulders to poke their noses into his cheek, begging for treats. Hartley made his way to the kitchen and pulled out the last of the baby carrots from the bag in the fridge, cutting it into small, round pieces.

As Hartley mechanically went through the motions of caring for his pets, his mind kept returning to the injustice of it all. His fury and frustration faded into a bone-deep weariness. He sank into a kitchen chair, his head in his hands, feeling the weight of everything bearing down on him. Hamelin and Erdős paid him no mind, happily munching on carrot slices.

The ache consuming his soul was horribly familiar, his head spinning with a discordant cacophony of memories turned sour. There had to have been warning signs, red flags he'd missed. Harrison wasn't a monster, hadn't seemed so full of hubris that he'd risk the lives of his team and everyone in Central City. He'd been kind, charming...was it all a façade? He'd said he'd loved Hartley, had that just been another lie? Or had Hartley just fucked everything up as he was wont to do?

As Hartley sat there, lost in his thoughts, the despair suffocating, he felt another surge of anger rise within him. Anger at himself for being so blind, anger at Harrison for betraying him, anger at the world for being so cruel - but it left as quickly as it had come, leaving a hollow feeling in his chest. He choked on a sob, the tears hot and bitter, streaming down his cheeks unchecked. He didn't bother wiping them away as he buried his face in his hands, his body trembling as he finally allowed himself to completely break down. He couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that consumed him. He was alone now, truly alone once again, with no one to turn to and nowhere to go. He felt like the terrified, devastated 17-year-old again, not the capable adult he'd become.

Hartley let out a bitter laugh, the sound hollow and muffled against his palms. What was the point of being fluent in six languages if he couldn't even make himself heard? Harrison had silenced him as effectively as if he'd cut out his tongue and cut off his hands.

Hamelin and Erdős squeaked from the table, finally making Hartley look up again and wipe the tears off of his face. For a moment, Hartley envied them their simplicity. Their world consisted of food, shelter, and the occasional game of hide-and-seek in the maze he'd built for them. They didn't have to worry about betrayal or lies or the crushing weight of loneliness.

Hartley reached out and stroked Hamelin's fur gently, the repetitive motion soothing to his frazzled nerves and spiraling mind. Erdős squeaked again and squirmed his way under Hartley's hand, demanding attention as well.

Hartley's tears slowed, his breaths shaky but steadier now. He needed to pull himself together, for Hamelin and Erdős if nothing else. The thought of packing up and leaving Central City crossed his mind, of starting fresh somewhere far away from all the pain and betrayal, but he quickly dismissed it. Running away wouldn't solve anything, wouldn't make the hurt go away. Besides, Central City had been his home all his life. He couldn't - wouldn't - let Harrison fucking Wells drive him out of his own city.

With a deep breath, Hartley pushed himself up from the table and wiped his eyes once more, determined to regain some semblance of composure. His mind raced this time with possibilities; with plans for revenge, for redemption, for finding a new path forward. He wouldn't let Harrison win.

With renewed determination, Hartley set about cleaning up the kitchen, tidying his apartment, and making sure Hamelin and Erdős had everything they needed. As the evening wore on and the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the living room, Hartley found himself drifting towards his makeshift workbench in the corner. His fingers itched to tinker, to build, to create something new. To build something he could use. He put Hamelin and Erdős back in their cage and sat at the desk to begin sketching, fueled by his newfound loathing of the man he'd given everything to.

~~~~~

Dépite: French for an itching irritation or fury left by a bitter disappointment (such as being rejected by a lover)

ひふんこうがい (hifunkougai): Japanese for a righteous, miserable anger, frustration, or despair over a situation that cannot be changed

Martirio: Spanish for a situation so bad that you feel you must be sanctified after going through it

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

55 for flashvibe? <3

This fill is so late that I first wrote down the idea for it while I was still at my last internship, please forgive me 

55. “I fell in love with my best friend.“  Flashvibe (read on ao3)

Dante may have had to get him drunk to agree to it, but Cisco still didn’t understand why all of his friends were so surprised when he admitted he was going on a blind date that weekend.

“It’ll go great, I’m sure,” he said, ignoring Barry’s unnecessarily shell-shocked gaze. “I just need to remember not to talk about my job, or my hobbies, or what I’ve been doing with my life for the past three years.” He pushed a curl behind his ear, and frowned; even without a mirror, he could tell it was frizzing from the earlier rain. “Not to mention my hair chose today to do this.” He sighed, and it was some work to keep it lighter than he felt. “At least I have a great personality,” he said.

“Cis,” Barry said, an unhappy, reprimanding expression on his face.

“Relax, Barry,” Cisco said. “It was a joke. I’m a catch.”

Barry looked at him, a trace of a frown still on his features. “You are,” he said, surprising Cisco. “You're…” Barry gestured at him with a vague, awkward hand flap.

Cisco raised an eyebrow, in part to hide the slight embarrassment he felt creeping up his neck. “I know,” he said.

Barry gave him one more sideways before going back to the maps he was studying. Cisco watched him for a second longer, then pulled up his meta database to check that his algorithms were still running.

“You’re good-looking, I mean.” Barry said, a full minute later.

Cisco glanced up again, but Barry was studiously avoiding his gaze. He furrowed his brow, confused, and said, “Yeah. Right back at you, buddy.”

It could’ve been the light, but Barry’s cheeks looked slightly pink. “Okay,” Barry said, as if something were settled. “Good.”

Keep reading

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

Post Script

Hartley had helped with Grodd, and then again with Zoom, and now he was finally getting released properly.

(A small addendum for Gone in a Flash) (G, 1.5k words)

The Flash (TV 2014)

Iris West, [Hartley Rathaway, Roderick Smith], Cisco Ramon, Barry Allen

Additional Tags: Ensemble Cast, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, minor Henry Allen/Tina McGee

Hartley had seemed pleased, to see Iris waiting outside Iron Heights for him, if a little confused. And probably conflicted. He’d been expecting Barry to pick him up, they all had, but Barry had called Iris at the last minute and asked her to go in his place without an actual explanation.

Hopefully he’d show up soon. How he could be so fast and yet so good at being late, Iris had no idea.

[Continued on AO3]

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

It started the night of the electrical storm. No one knows exactly where the storm came from or why it ended as abruptly as it started; all Kamilla knows is that one minute, everything was normal, and the next, there were streaks of lightning in all colors lighting up the sky and wreaking havoc all over the city.

And okay, maybe it was stupid to go outside in the middle of it—maybe it was really, really stupid because this is Central City, and the aftereffects of natural and unnatural disasters here are a million times weirder than anywhere else in the world. But as dangerous as this freak lightning storm looked to be, it was also really cool, and even kind of beautiful, in its own way. And Kamilla didn’t want to be a bartender forever, and no one’s ever impressed the editor of National Geographic with their portfolio of senior portraits on railroad tracks, so of course she had to go out to try to get a picture of it and grow her collection of unique and incredible shots. She’s an artist, after all; this is what she does. Photography is practically fused in her DNA.

Of course, it’s not the only thing fused in her DNA—not after that night, anyway. Not after a blue bolt hit the sidewalk just yards away from her, and a dark wave of whatever-it-was rushed over her, knocking her off balance and making her camera smoke and spark, before everything around her went silent.

For a moment, she thought she’d gone deaf. She could see the lightning still flashing, and the people on the streets running for cover, but she couldn’t hear the thunder, the crackling, the footsteps, or the screams anymore. There was no sound anywhere.

The sound of her own breath catching stopped the panic before it could really take hold, but the relief that she felt afterward was quickly replaced with confusion. Her hearing was normal within a very short radius, but everywhere else, it was like she was watching a 3D movie on mute. What’s more, she could sense an odd sort of tingling all around her, like she was surrounded by energy that was in constant motion—rushing, swirling, vibrating—and there was a space where that energy came to a standstill.

A little time spent focusing on that space, and she was able to tell—without really knowing how she could tell—that that space was the same as the space where her hearing range stopped. From there, it didn’t take her long to find that the longer she focused on the edge of her range, the wider that range grew.

“Oh, fuck.”

Coming outside was definitely a stupid idea.

-

It took some time to figure out how this new ability worked, but now she pretty much has the hang of it. Whatever this omnipresent energy is, it seems kind of like how she imagined the Force, as Obi Wan first explained it to Luke. She can’t control it fully; she can only stop it, either from reaching a certain point, or from moving altogether. She knows that some of the vibrations she feels are sound waves, and she can stop the waves before they reach her ears. This comes in handy at work, whenever a sleazy customer tries to hit on her, a coworker tries to dump their responsibilities on her, or the owner of the place decides to showcase another terrible band. Her coworkers start to joke that she has selective hearing. They have no idea how right they actually are.

Other types of vibrations are trickier to understand. She knows there’s something moving through the atmosphere at all times, and she knows that she can stop it in its tracks, but she doesn’t know where it came from or what its purpose is. She knows she can hold it back so it just vibrates in one place, and when she does that at the farmers market, the fruit flies bothering everyone else can’t pass through the vibration field to buzz her.

She understands now why people say that some people give off bad vibes. This should make reading people’s emotions and intentions easier, but instead it makes some things more confusing. She doesn’t know why she feels a sense of foreboding when she walks into a cute little pawn shop, but it’s strong enough to make her leave without buying anything and never go there again. She doesn’t know why she feels perfectly safe walking past the scary looking guy standing outside her apartment late one night, or why the fact that he lingers and watches her go inside doesn’t give her the creeps. She doesn’t know why the man in the black cap she sees on the subway gives her such a weird feeling—not bad, just different—or why her cell reception suddenly returns the exact moment that feeling leaves. And the day she first sees Cisco Ramon, she feels something unlike anything she’s ever felt before.

Technically it happens before she sees him; she can feel it the moment he walks into the bar, something like a rip current among the usual waves, but it takes her a little while to figure out that it’s him that it’s coming from. It’s only part of the reason why she feels drawn to him; the lustrous, wavy hair, the warmth in his dark eyes, and the fact that he acknowledges her more than anyone else at the bar does (and not in a creepy or contemptuous way), all play a pretty significant part as well.

But then he picks up a piece of the glass that Truck smashed against the bar, and…Kamilla doesn’t know what hits her. Something changes—not for long, but for a few seconds, the vibrations in the bar start moving in all different directions, changing frequencies, and…and she really wishes she understood the science of how this energy works, because she’s no expert, but she’s pretty sure it shouldn’t be possible for it to move that way. She can’t see what it’s doing, but she can sense it, and it is chaotic.

In an instant, everything goes back to normal, and almost immediately after, Cisco throws the glass shard away from him. For one wild second, Kamilla wonders if he felt the energy shift, too—if maybe him holding that piece of glass caused a weird reaction in the universe. But that’s silly—even for Central City, something as simple as a man picking up a piece of glass shouldn’t butterfly-effect a potential cataclysm.

She lets it go, writing it off as a coincidence. But she keeps her eye on him, anyway. He doesn’t appear to be having a good time, and if the hellhole that is Liquid Kitty is just not his kind of scene, he might not ever come back—which would be a shame, because he is such a hottie.

She shoots her shot when the opportunity presents itself, and she finds that he’s sweet and smart and adorably goofy, and he ends up leaving the bar in a better mood. He also leaves with her number.

They begin texting, and Kamilla becomes so taken with Cisco that she almost forgets all about the weird thing that happened with the vibes at the bar. And even though he’s an hour late for their first date and positively radiating with the irregular energy she only feels around him, it doesn’t take long before she starts to feel like she’s falling in love.

One night, she runs into him at Jitters. He’s ordering a lot of espressos for how late it is, and she asks him what’s up.

His answer is vague, just a quick explanation that his team is pulling an all-nighter and he’s providing the fuel, but something is off. It seems a little odd that he’d need to pull an all-nighter now, when the big project he keeps alluding to is already finished. He’s also visibly anxious about something, and not in a rushing-to-meet-a-deadline kind of way.

After a little gentle nudging, he finally comes out with it: someone broke into the lab where he works. The place has been thoroughly trashed, a lot of his equipment destroyed.

It’s clear he doesn’t really want to talk about it with her; he reassures her that everyone is okay and the break-in is being investigated, but he says very little other than that. He just wants to take his coffees and get back to work fixing things up.

Kamilla understands that she needs to just let him have his space. She understands that he needs to deal with this in the way that is best for him, which is apparently to dive right into work with just his team, and to do more than say. She understands that maybe he is capable of talking about it right now, just not with her, because maybe they’re not close enough for that kind of conversation yet. She understands that catching the burglar is a job for the police, and that there really isn’t any meaningful help she can offer him right now. Still, she wants to do something. Telling her as much as he has seems to have made him process the situation a bit more, and now he’s shaking, looking antsier as he waits for the barista to return with his order. She can’t leave him to walk back to his lab alone when he’s like this.

She decides to try something new. Maybe she can’t fix the problem for him and maybe she can’t make his anxiety go away, but if she can get his body to calm down, maybe it’ll be easier for his mind to follow suit. She takes hold of his forearm, causing him to look her in the eyes. She smiles, then she stands on her toes and gently kisses his cheek—distracting him, just in case he can feel it when she steadies the turbulence inside him, causing his muscles to relax.

When she pulls away, he looks at her differently than he ever has before, and when she tells him that she’s there for him if he needs her, he actually smiles.

He leaves with his coffees shortly after, looking much calmer than he was before, and Kamilla smiles to herself. Mission accomplished.

She doesn’t know how Cisco would feel if he learned he was dating a metahuman—because that’s what she is, she’s finally determined; she is a metahuman. Her powers may not be anything spectacular, but she is a metahuman nonetheless. Cisco’s pretty cool about a lot of things, so he probably wouldn’t be bothered by this—if she decides to eventually tell him about it, anyway.

She’s honestly not sure how she feels about it. It doesn’t affect her life in any major way, and if she pleases, she could go her entire life without anyone else ever knowing it. Still, it makes some already uncomfortable comments about metahumans even less fun to hear. At the same time, the majority of the known metahumans don’t do themselves any favors by choosing a life of crime, and she’s not sure she wants to align herself with that kind of crowd. The Flash and the rest of the local heroes are widely regarded as the exceptions, not the rule. But maybe there are more metas quietly living their lives like her—maybe even the true majority of metas are. Would being out and proud about it make it easier for others to do the same, or would it just put her in danger? Would it even make a difference? Does it even matter?

Part of her wants to tell him because he’s a scientist, and maybe he can help her understand how her powers work. And yet another part of her feels like there’s no need to bother. She’s happy, she’s healthy, and while she is unnerved about there being a metahuman serial killer on the loose, she doubts he’ll know to target her. Besides, the Flash and his team can probably handle him, right? They always trump the bad guys and save the day in the end.

Cisco is with Kamilla at the farmers market when she casually brings up the new metahuman cure. She’s pleased that his thoughts on it boil down to being glad that metahumans who don’t want their powers now have the choice to get rid of them. Choice is the keyword here. He doesn’t think metahumans shouldn’t exist, and he doesn’t think they should be forced to take the cure against their will. And at the same time, he doesn’t think they should have to keep their powers if they’d rather live their lives without them. It’s comforting to know that he would support her whether she chose to keep her powers or not (hypothetically, anyway—she still doesn’t know if she wants to tell him about them or if she just wants to keep that information to herself).

He spots a vendor selling tomatillos, and he leaves Kamilla to pay for her mushrooms while he buys the final and most essential ingredient he needs to make his famous Ramon Sauce, which Kamilla is excited about getting to try for the first time tonight.

As the mushroom vendor is handing Kamilla her bag, she hears a creaking sound from above. She turns around, following the sound with her gaze to see one of the big fans on the pavilion ceiling fall—right over the tomatillo stand.

With a gasp, she reaches out and puts all she has into stopping the vibrations over Cisco’s head, her hold on them loose enough not to still them completely, but tight enough to hold them in place.

The fan bounces off the vibration field, crashing into a flower pot display across the aisle and making a huge mess.

Cisco turns suddenly at the noise, startled and confused, but unscathed. The rest of the market quickly becomes abuzz with everyone wanting to know what happened. Some people scurry toward the fallen fan, others away from it, and questions are asked and answers are given. No one looks Kamilla’s way or says anything about her, and even the mushroom vendor, still staring at the ceiling, seems to have been too distracted by the fan itself to notice the way she’s holding out her arm (which she quickly draws back in before anyone can notice).

Kamilla rushes to Cisco’s side, arriving just as the tomatillo vendor is recovering his bearings, though Cisco is still stunned.

“I don’t know how that thing didn’t hit you,” the vendor is saying. “Can’t imagine what would make it land all the way over there, but lucky thing it did!”

Cisco’s breathing deepens. The initial shock appears to be wearing off as he now looks more disconcerted at the knowledge that he was almost taken out by the big hefty thing. He looks around anxiously—for what, Kamilla doesn’t know. It’s almost as if he expects to find the phantom of the farmers market lurking in the shadows and singing about his plan to make some other young engineer the most renowned in the city (okay, so technically Cisco doesn’t hold that title, either—but he does to Kamilla).

“Babe, are you okay?” Kamilla asks, setting a hand on his shoulder.

“I don’t know,” Cisco says bemusedly. “Did you see what happened?”

Kamilla shakes her head. “I missed the whole thing.”

Cisco looks up at the ceiling again, and Kamilla can see the math happening in his head right now. She was never an ace at physics, but even she can tell that the fan’s falling path wouldn’t be possible without interference.

A lady in an apron starting to clean up the mess pulls Cisco’s attention as she rants that she’s been telling the owner of this place that they need to replace those piece-of-junk fans, and maybe now he’ll listen to her. He looks a little reassured by her words (not the work of the phantom of the farmers market after all?), and he finishes buying his tomatillos, though he’s still befuddled about the whole thing.

“I just don’t understand how it ended up hitting the flower pots,” he says as they’re walking out, arm in arm.

“I don’t, either,” Kamilla replies. “But why question a good thing?”

Cisco shrugs. “Yeah, I guess. But it’s so weird—I mean, right before the crash, for a second there it felt like—”

Kamilla’s stomach drops. It shouldn’t be possible for him to have felt the change in the energy. No one else has ever noticed it when she held it still before. For the first time in months, she thinks about the weird phenomenon in the bar the night they met. “It felt like what?”

She must be projecting, because for a split second, Cisco is the one who looks nervous. But his expression looks normal again quickly enough. “Nothing.” He turns to her and smiles. “You’re right. Why question a good thing? I must just have someone up there looking out for me.”

Kamilla smiles back. Or someone down here, she doesn’t say.

She’s starting to think she’s just gonna keep these powers after all. Not that she was too seriously contemplating getting rid of them before, but now, more than a set of pros and cons, she has incentive. She may not be quite superhero material, but if she can keep one person safe with them, that’s worthwhile cause enough—especially if that person is Cisco.

Besides, the Flash and his team can only take care of so much at once. If she doesn’t stop heavy falling objects from flattening her boyfriend, then who will? It’s not like she can speed-dial Vibe.

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

❛ you can come over any time. it’s not a problem. ❜ for Barry and Cisco?

Cisco and Kamilla had bought a house.

Actually bought it. They had gone to a bank and got a mortgage and given the estate agent their deposit or maybe given the bank the deposit and the bank had given the estate agent money and the estate agent had given them keys and paperwork and now they owned a house.

(Barry was probably going to have to find out how mortgages work at some point. He loved the loft, but they already knew Nora and Bart would be born eventually, they would need more space with two little speedsters learning to run.)

But Cisco and Kamilla owned a house now. The two of them. It wasn't a very big house, it was a modest three bedroom, one of which would be used as an office for now, it had a back yard a little smaller than Joe's but a good enough size Cisco was plotting out where he was going to put raised beds already, and a nice kitchen, and it was a nice house. Cisco liked his job and Kamilla was doing well and everything was going well for them and they had bought a house and Barry was trying so hard to be happy for them.

He was happy for them. He was. Cisco was his best friend, of course he was happy Cisco was happy. That was why he'd offered to come over and help them move after all, so Cisco could show off his new house and Barry could see how happy he was and tell Cisco how happy he was Cisco was happy and things were going so well.

But Cisco had bought a whole house with Kamilla and it wasn't in Central City.

And maybe Barry had held onto this secret little feeling he would never admit to Cisco that all while they were renting an apartment the move was still temporary and they would come back, but buying felt so much more final. Like it was official now, that Cisco's life was here now, not back home with Barry.

And Barry really was happy for him. Cisco was the smartest person Barry knew, he deserved to be able to take every opportunity, he deserved every chance, Cisco could do so much good and staying at S.T.A.R. Labs talking Barry through things he'd done a hundred times before and could do with his eyes shut was a waste of Cisco's talent and it was too selfish of him to ask Cisco to do that, Cisco could do so much more, Barry wanted Cisco to do so much more. Barry wanted Cisco to have the best life he could, to have every chance he wanted, he wanted Cisco to be happy, he did.

But once, this had been just him and Cisco, the eyes and ears and the feet. Cisco was the first person who had believed in Barry, Cisco was the one who made him the Flash suit, Barry wouldn't be the Flash without Cisco Ramon.

And he did love his friends. Chester, Allegra, Frost, everyone, he loved them.

But every time he put those ear pieces in he still expected the voice coming through to be Cisco's.

"I miss you too, you know."

Barry jumped as Cisco appeared in the doorway.

"I was just..." Barry waved the frame he was holding wildly. "I was just unpacking this box for you."

"Barry," Cisco said. "You're my BFF. I know you. And I miss you too."

"Yeah."

Barry put the frame down, the photo of Cisco with Barry outside Earth-2 S.T.A.R. Labs. Barry wasn't sure how it had survived the Crisis, but he was glad they still had some things to remember their lost friends by.

"I really am happy for you," Barry said, ignoring the tears he could feel pricking at his eyes. "I love you, Cisco. You're my best friend."

"Come here, you big idiot," Cisco said, swooping Barry up into one of his big hugs Barry had missed so much.

Barry buried his face in Cisco's shoulder.

"I'm not going to find another best friend just because I moved," Cisco said. "And you better not be looking for one either. As if anyone could ever replace me. I might not be part of Team Flash any more, but I will always be there for you."

"You'll always be part of Team Flash," Barry said. "That big heart of yours is the reason there is one."

"Well, now you're going to make me cry too," Cisco said, sniffing a little. "I love you too, you big goofus. You ever call, I'll be there in a heartbeat, you know that, right?"

"Me too," Barry said. "Anything you need, ever, I'll race over before you've even had time to hang up."

"What if I need someone to reach something off a high shelf for me?"

Barry took hold of Cisco's shoulders.

"Anything," he said. "Anything at all."

"What if I need someone to hold my hand on a rollercoaster?" Cisco asked.

"Anything except that," Barry said. "I'm glad you're happy, Cisco."

"I'm glad you're happy," Cisco said. "Even if it's still weird not getting to see you every day. I got you a key though. Kamilla and I talked. You can come over any time, it's not a problem. I mean, a little heads up would be appreciated, but just run over whenever you want. It'll only take you, what, a minute?"

"Please, it wouldn't even take a full second," Barry said. "You know that goes for you too, right? Any time you want to visit home, you can stay with Iris and me. I promise I'll be better company than that time I crashed on your couch."

"I'm going to take you up on that so many times," Cisco said. "You changed my life, Barry Allen. I will always be grateful for that."

"You changed mine," Barry said. "And I will always be so glad to have you as my friend. The universe wants us to be bros, right?"

"Maybe," Cisco said. "It doesn't matter. I want us to be bros. No matter the timeline changes, I'll find you every time. You're not getting rid of me that easily."

"Good."

[Platonic Prompts]

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

Bluff Check

Doctor Wells said Ralph Dibny died the night the particle accelerator blew up.

He seemed pretty alive when Barry saw him sitting in Jitters though (G, 2.3k words)

The Flash (TV 2014)

Barry Allen, Iris West, Ralph Dibny

@writersmonth day 17: waves

For @starstruckpurpledragon

Jitters was crowded, as usual. Barry had promised Eddie he’d bring back coffee, he still felt bad he hadn’t been there to help with Tockman, even though they’d been having a situation at the lab and Barry hadn’t had powers at the point Eddie had got shot so wouldn’t have been able to do anything anyway. Iris, meanwhile, maintained her reputation as the coolest and most incredible person in the entire world and Barry’s favourite person ever, a title she’d earned punching Tony Woodward in the face when they were seven because he’d been picking on Barry again, knocking out his front tooth.

[Continued on AO3]

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

barrisco or thallen (because I have massive thallen brainrot right now lol) and "While I appreciate that you did that for me, I don't appreciate the fact that you nearly died because of it." or "You jumped in front of a bullet!" - "And I'd do it again." for the otp prompt ask thingy please?

Thallen brainrot? Happy to help! I used both dialogue bits for this 🥰 (and it got long, so…under the cut):

It had all happened so fast...Barry, grappling with Thawne, a gunshot, Iris's anguished scream...

"Eddie!" His grip loosened on Thawne as he turned, horrified because that was...

That was blood.

"Barry? Barry!"

No, no, not like this! There was so much he hadn't yet said, so much he wanted to say—

"Barry, open your eyes!"

He'd never gotten to tell Eddie how much...

How much he...

"It's okay, Barry."

No, it's not okay, how can anything ever be—?

"Barry." And then he finally placed the voice. "Barry, it's okay. I'm right here. I'm fine."

And then...then Barry realized his eyes were closed, and he opened them.

And there was Eddie, sitting next to him with a sad smile. "Hey, Flash. You scared us all for a minute there."

Eddie was...he was...but how...? "Eddie, how are you—?"

"Something weird happened," Eddie admitted. "The bullet ripped through me, but then..." he pulled his shirt aside—his clean shirt—to reveal...a healing bullet wound?

"Eddie," Barry breathed, "that's...that's incredible."

Eddie nodded, smile dimming a bit at that. "It's...I guess that makes me a meta too, huh?"

"I guess so," Barry agreed. "That's...is that bad?"

"No!" Eddie said quickly. "No, I just mean...I feel even worse now. About...everything. How I talked about the Flash, most of all.”

"Don't." Feeling brave, Barry reached out and squeezed Eddie's hand. "Water under the bridge. I promise."

Eddie smiled wryly. "You're very forgiving, Barry Allen."

"This coming from you? Nah, you have me beat. You forgave me for...well, that time I went off the rails." It scared him to remember how, how close he'd come to...

To killing him. All for what? Iris was never going to love him any more if he’d killed Eddie.

"Well, so did I," Eddie reminded him, "and you helped me out. Not to mention...I spent months before that hating you. We're even now."

"Eddie—"

"We're even," Eddie said firmly.

"Except we're not," Barry argued, "because Eddie...you jumped in front of a bullet!"

“Technically I shot the bullet.”

"That's not funny."

"No," Eddie agreed, sobering, "sorry. I just mean...I'm fine. You can see I'm fine. And I'd do it again. To save your life? Come on, Bar. That's a no-brainer."

Barry blushed at that. "Even after everything?"

"Especially because of everything," Eddie retorted, smiling. "Now come on. Wells—or Thawne, I guess—is locked up, and everyone's waiting in the Cortex. I figured you'd want a minute alone to..."

"Yeah," Barry agreed, smiling as Eddie helped him up. "Thanks. And...Eddie?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for…everything really, but...if you ever do that again—"

Eddie laughed. "I won't, scout's honor."

“Eddie, seriously. While I appreciate that you did it for me...I don't appreciate the fact that you nearly died because of it."

Eddie's smile faded as he looked Barry in the eye, and he nodded seriously. "Okay. I guess we'll just have to figure these powers out, then, huh?"

"I guess we will," Barry said, smiling. "You, me, Iris...and the whole rest of the Team too."

"Sounds like a solid plan to me."

Yeah. Barry smiled. It does.

prompt list!

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

Another round of older fic recommendations - somehow I'm still not done going through all my old FFnet favs. I'm including Ao3 links where I can and describing the fics in my own words.

The Master Manipulator by Guildsister - Robert Hogan has been fighting the Nazis in whatever capacity he can since before his country even joined the war and he's not about to stop now just because he's become a PoW.

This one isn't just a favorite Hogan's Heroes fic, it is The Favorite. The best I've read and what comes to mind first when I feel like reading Hogan's Heroes fanfics. Guildsister did a lot of research for this fic, the characterization of Klink here is my absolute favorite, and Hogan's back story just makes so much sense that I forget sometimes it's not canon. It captures the spirit of the show while grounding it more firmly in reality. It's rated T and found on FFnet.

An Unacceptable Sitch by Allaine - Kim's in college and out of the world saving business, or at least she was until Shego shows up one evening asking for Kim's help. The family that's taken over what was Team Possible's niche isn't the clan of goody two-shoes that everyone thinks they are and both Kim and Shego are going to need to put aside their differences if they're going to get themselves back in fighting shape to stop them.

This is the first in a series - six completed fics and one unfinished - that eventually winds up Kim/Shego for the ship. It ignores the events of S4 - I think it may have been started before Kim and Ron hooked up on the show? - so Kim and Ron never dated here. It's one of my favorite Kim Possible fic series, as it captures a lot of what I really enjoyed about the show. Kim's struggles with accepting herself and her feelings for Shego over the course of the series is also interesting - and considering her difficulties with her social life on the show, feels very true to the character. It's rated T and found on FFnet.

Home for the Holidays by Acid Rain - In which the orphanage gang gets together for the holidays and naturally winds up fighting a natural disaster. But the natural disaster is probably still a lot less stressful than the holiday shopping that preceeded it.

It's part of a series, but stands alone quite well. A Seifer/Squall post canon fic with lots of humor. It's actually a multi-author collaboration and I know at least one of them can be found on Ao3 these days. This fic, however, is rated M and found on FFnet.

Insomnia by tikitikirevenge - Link may have time travel on his side, but that doesn't mean he's got all the time in the world. He can only reset reality so many times before the consequences start to set in…

This one is an unfinished retelling of Majora's Mask. And while it doesn't seem likely this one will be finished, it's well worth the read. It really captured the unsettling feeling of Majora's Mask and the urgency of the time limit comes through with how here everything is happening concurrently - so while Link is helping in the swamp in the fic, future versions of him are already completing tasks in other areas. And he only has so many loops before things go wrong anyway. It's rated T and found on FFnet.

A Brief Account of Life With Zombies by Silverpard - The zombie apocalypse happens. Of course the Holmes brothers find it a nuisance more than anything.

A short but humorous zombie fic set in the Sherlock tv series. Not usually a zombie fan, but silly parodies like this are definitely my cup of tea. I was pleased to find this over on Ao3 (and there's a pod fic of it too) where it's rated G. It's epistolary style, with emails and texts mainly, so there's a bit of distance to the apocalypse too.

To the Sticking Place by zephyras13 - Ianto Jones is sent to Torchwood 3 before the destruction of Torchwood 1 as a field agent meant to keep an eye on the place for Yvonne Hartmon. And Jack hates him for it. But it is hard to hate a person forever. And there's more to Ianto Jones than he lets on.

It's a canon re-write with a dash of fix-fic, though poor Owen and Tosh still don't make it. It's really good with Jack/Ianto as the main ship - the disasters. It's rated M and I was glad to find it over on Ao3.

Truthfully by Salazarfalcon - Loki is absolutely all about causing chaos and starting trouble… but Earth also has this little thing called therapy and it's might actually be helping.

In which Loki starts working out his issues in therapy, discovers he enjoys self care, and becomes more than a bit attached to the Earth. There's no ship here, just family feels and Loki coming to terms with being lied to all his life. Rated T and found on FFnet.

To Turn to the Dark Side, Press Three by frodogenic - The true path to the dark side… being put repeatedly on hold with the insurance company. The hold music keeps playing operas about the Sith - it's really only a matter of time…

A ridiculously silly story about Anakin having to deal with the insurance company after having his arm chopped off by Dooku. He gets put on hold. A lot. The fic is rated G and is indeed on Ao3.

To Save the Queen by AwayOHumanChild - Sabe is living out her dreams of being handmaiden to the Queen when war comes to Naboo. First in a series spanning the Prequel series.

While it's partly a fix-fic, it's mainly just a 'what was going on with the handmaidens' fic. It's a lot of fun - I absolutely adore all the different handmaidens - and there's some Sabe/Obi-Wan going on (very, very, very slowburn) alongside the canon Anakin/Padme. Rated K+ on FFnet. At one point it did start getting cross posted to Ao3, but alas it appears that effort was abandoned part-way through the first fic some years ago. But the series is complete on FFnet and it's one of my favorite Prequel Series fanfics.

Letter to the Manufacturer by Alexis Seven - Kirk writes a complaint about the parachutes used during the mission to Vulcan and ends up in an email chain regarding product warnings and complementary parachutes.

A somewhat dark comedic take on customer service regarding the parachutes used in the 2009 Star Trek movie. Written in epistolary form, it's basically a series of emails back and forth between Kirk and the company that made the parachutes. Rated K+ and found on FFnet.

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

if you're still looking for harrisco prompts i'd love to read something about a marriage proposal! thank you <3

Of course! I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner. I hope you like it!

- - -

"Ack, no! Harry, don't you dare throw that mug! That is my favorite mug!" Cisco pointed his finger right at Harry's head, his other hand out and reaching for the precariously lofted mug in question, Harry's hand well above Cisco's height and poised to toss the apparently offending piece of ceramic during one of his more robust temper tantrums.

Harry paused entirely, however, raising a single brow as he glanced at the mug. Then he lowered it just enough to make Cisco relax a little.

"It's a S.T.A.R. Labs mug. It's the same as every other mug in the building." Harry declared sternly, seemingly having forgotten, at least momentarily, what he'd been on a tirade about only a moment ago. Cisco took the opportunity to grab it out of his hand, stepping back as he practically hugged it protectively. Harry shook his head at him. "I thought your favorite was the one with all the rainbows on it. How can that," he motioned his hand at the one now in Cisco's grasp, "Be your favorite mug?"

"The rainbow one is my favorite. At home." He turned away, setting the mug on his workstation, turning and crossing his arms. "This one's my favorite here."

"Why?" Harry put his hands on his hips.

"Is... is that really important right now?" He asked, furrowing his brows a little. "Weren't you just upset about our equations not working?"

"I can be angry about that again later." He took a step forward, shaking his head dismissively. Cisco cracked an instant smirk, inwardly amused by the way he'd said that. Harry had always been singularly focused, but he was also incredibly flexible when it came to the problem of the moment. And apparently, for whatever reason, this mug situation was now very important.

"It's my favorite because you gave it to me." Cisco said gently, smiling knowingly. Harry seemed to still, glancing past Cisco at the mug. Which, in his defense, did look like every other S.T.A.R. Labs mug in existence. Except for the slight chip in the curve of the handle. It was how Cisco could tell it apart. "When you asked me out for the first time. We hadn't slept in two days, and you made really gross, strong coffee to keep us awake. You set it down in front of me and said-"

"We should get a real cup with breakfast after this is over." Harry responded, remembering the exact words he'd said. "You wanted to know if I was asking you out on a date. And I said-"

"Only if that's what you want." Cisco finished for him, unable to stop the warm smile on his face. Then he let out an easy breath, uncrossing his arms and moving right into Harry, slipping his hands right onto the taller man's hips and tucking in close. Harry's features softened even more, hands coming up to rest on Cisco's arms.

Consequently, that first breakfast date had turned into one of the best makeout sessions Cisco had ever had, followed by many, many other dates, which turned into the longest, craziest, most important, and honestly kind of perfect relationship Cisco had ever been in.

Truth be told, things had moved pretty quickly after that breakfast. But for Cisco, it was as though they'd been building into the 'something more' phase for months. He'd realized very early on that he was in love with Harry. But he was never going to act on it. He'd been too afraid of the idea of Harry rejecting him. He couldn't lose their friendship, which admittedly was one of the most important things in his life. But when Harry asked him out first, it was like a weight had been plucked right off his heart and he could finally act on all the pent-up yearning he'd been drowning in.

Getting to be with Harry, to love him out loud and without apology, had been the best decision he'd ever made. In fact, they'd been together for just over a year now. And Cisco couldn't picture ever making a different choice. He couldn't picture his life with anyone else. He never wanted to.

"If I'd known it was your favorite, I wouldn't have grabbed it." Harry said gently, all apologetic and rather sullen. "I'd never intentionally break something you care about." Which was true. Harry's temper was a work in progress. But even when he was throwing things, he never hurt anyone. Physically or emotionally. And he'd never, ever hurt Cisco. That was as real a truth to him as literally everything else about Harry.

The guy was surly, but his temper was driven by his heart and by the incredible enormity of how much he cared about his work, about his family, about the team. And especially about Cisco.

Harry was the only one who could really keep Cisco on his toes, challenging him at every turn, pushing him to do more than he thought he could, and daring him to believe in himself the way Harry always believed in him.

He was also physically exactly Cisco's type. Strong and lean, with eyes like the ocean and a smile that could melt icebergs. He was also incredibly good with that body and with his hands. In fact, of all the people Cisco had been with, Harry was by far the best in literally every category. With the focused, thorough way that Harry tackled most of his life, this meant his mastery of what went on in the bedroom was no exception.

Add to all that the way he treated Cisco every single day, like he was Harry's world and the universe around it, and Cisco couldn't help but feel like Harry was a bit of a miracle. Because how could someone already love him so much, and still seem to want to love him even more every day?

Now, here he was, lost in the way Harry was looking at him right, truly sorry for what he'd almost done to the mug, and all the reasons why Cisco loved Harry so damn much in return clicked in his head and had words tumbling out of his mouth before he had the sense to stop them.

"Marry me." Cisco said softly. Then blinked and wondered, if only for a moment, if he'd really said them out loud. But he had. He'd said it. And he, quite surprisingly, didn't want to unsay it. In fact, he really wanted to say them louder.

"What... what did you just say to me?" Harry sounded instantly stunned. Or worried. Or maybe a little of both? For once, it was hard to tell where his tone fell on the spectrum of emotion. He looked a little like a deer in headlights. And Cisco... shit, he should have felt just as petrified, right? But... he didn't. He really, really didn't. Because even though those words had popped up out of the blue, he was ready to dive in head first with what they meant. And it was probably the most comforting, wonderful thing he'd figured out in a long time.

"Marry me, Harry." He said with a barely contained smile, searching the crystal blue eyes he adored. "I'm serious. Say yes." Harry's expression softened, even took on a humorous quality, but he shook his head a little.

"You can't just tell someone to marry you, Ramon. That's not how it works." He responded dryly, pulling him closer, searching Cisco's eyes for any hint that this wasn't real. "You are serious..." he whispered, letting out a quick breath. "Cisco, I'm not... I-

"No, no," Cisco lifted his hands to Harry's face, shaking his head, "Don't overthink it. I'm happy, Harry. Happier than I have any right to be, and it's all because of you. I'm pretty damn sure you feel the same way about me. I mean, you were just nearly heartbroken at the thought of breaking a mug because I like it." He cracked a smile, then slipped his hands around to the back of Harry's head. "And just now... it occurred to me that I don't want to lose that kind of love. I don't want to lose you, ever. I want you to drive me nuts and make me happy every day for the rest of my life. And I want to do the same for you, okay? So, you're right. I'm serious. Very, very serious."

For a long, far too quiet moment, Harry didn't say a thing or move beyond his eyes dancing over Cisco's. Then he leaned down and slotted their lips together, warm and soft. That kiss lingered and deepened in a way that was familiar but always made Cisco's heart knock a little louder against his ribcage. Their tongues caressed in a way he knew well and always wanted to fall into. Harry backed him up slowly into his workstation, Cisco's rear stopping them both and shaking the table's contents. And, phew, that kiss? That was the sort of kiss that would have made a biker blush.

When they both finally had to come up for air, Harry stayed pressed up against him, hands smoothing Cisco's hair away as he examined the flush in his cheeks and the way Cisco couldn't help but try to get his breathing under control, because hot damn.

"You... you do realize that wasn't an answer." Cisco huffed out, smoothing his hands over Harry's chest without breaking eye contact. Harry's sly, knowing smile was a gift in itself.

"Try asking me an actual question." Harry countered. And Cisco giggled like an idiot, feeling a little giddy and honestly rather elated by all of this.

"Harry, will you marry me?" He asked, grinning when Harry's smile turned wide and happy.

"Yes, I will." He replied. And Cisco instantly pulled him down into another pretty damn incredible kiss. In fact, that kiss turned into hands everywhere and getting half-naked on the lab floor until Barry walked in and nearly had a panic attack at seeing them getting their busy on, which was something that Harry found endlessly amusing.

After that, whenever Harry brought him coffee in the labs, it was in the mug with the little chip in the handle and a knowing smile to go with it. And even if the coffee was too strong, Cisco enjoyed every sip. Because nothing could be better than this...