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Entry tags:
Arrow/The Flash, "The Other Side of Lonely" Chapter One: Laurel/Cisco, rated M
Fandoms: Arrow, The Flash
Title: The Other Side of Lonely: Chapter 1
Characters/Pairings: Laurel Lance, Cisco Ramon, Cisco/Laurel (BlackVibe), other characters mentioned
Rating: M (eventually)
Genre: Action/Romance
Warnings/Spoilers: Loosely based on the season 1 finale of The Flash, and the season 3 finale of Arrow. Adult situations in future chapters.
Notes: Written for the Summer Mini Challenge for the "obviously" prompt.
Links: AO3 | FFnet
Summary: Fighting alone on the streets of Starling City, the Black Canary could use a little help from a friend. Enter: Cisco Ramon.
Chapter One
Laurel looked down at the last of her milkshake and pouted. It was certainly no fun drinking one of these alone, and she had been lonely since Nyssa left, Oliver and Felicity went missing, and the rest of her friends had went back to their lives.
Of course, the Black Canary still roamed the late nights of Starling City, rounding up thieves, beating up rapists, and rescuing children from predators. Truthfully, she began to enjoy the long sighs from her father as he found her catches tied to whatever fence or parking meter before she took off back into the shadows.
Fighting alone as the Black Canary was her mission, but Laurel Lance was lonely. Keeping in the company of bad guys was only thrilling for so long.
She inhaled a heavy breath as she looked down at her check. She was going to have to get up early in the morning for a long run if she wanted to burn off this milkshake, but at least she felt a little better, thinking of her friendship of Nyssa and how Sara would have loved to join them if she were alive.
Laurel went for her wallet in her purse, and she momentarily glanced up at the TV inside the shop, noticing a breaking news story about Central City.
It was the same story. They were dealing with the aftermath of some freak black hole that had almost consumed the city. Thanks to the Flash, the entire populace barely escaped intact. Now the city was picking up the pieces, and Laurel knew that feeling all too well when Starling City had come under its own disasters.
Thinking of Central City brought Cisco to her mind. She had seen the black hole news last week, and she urgently texted him to check in if he was okay. He’d called her back, and tried to put an ease to her worries.
“We’re okay, barely. We made it, but Laurel… it’s going to take time to get over all of this. We’ve all felt some loss. I don’t know what Caitlin and I are going to do without Dr. Wells. We’ll have to keep Star Labs going at least for Barry’s sake.”
He sounded grim and distant, and her worry increased, but Laurel was at least relieved. She hadn’t heard much from him since. Once in awhile she’d get text messages from him, but they barely delved deeply into a heartfelt conversation.
She was anxious to travel to Central City to help them, but Cisco wanted her to stay in Starling City to help the victims needed her there. Without the Arrow, Starling City really didn’t have much support beyond the police. Her father wouldn’t like to admit it, but the Black Canary was helping and making the streets safer.
Laurel just had to keep training and focusing her energy on helping people in Starling City, and not worrying about Cisco and her new friends at Star Labs.
She admitted it was rather difficult without Oliver and Felicity. She hoped wherever they were, they were happy. She wasn’t happy, but she wasn’t going to blame them.
Her unhappiness was from loneliness, and the only comfort she seemed to find was within a high-calorie milk shake and some of Cisco’s sporadic texts.
Setting money by her check, Laurel picked up her purse to leave. As she headed to the door, she stopped slightly bewildered at who had entered. She couldn’t believe the very person she’d been thinking about was standing before her. Talk about a weird sort of kismet.
Cisco Ramon waved at her awkwardly and forced a cheery smile. Laurel could tell from his eyes that he was feeling worse than he was showing her.
“Hi, your father Captain Lance told me you would be here,” he said immediately.
“What...what are you doing here?” she asked, and before she could take the words back, she realized she’d reacted just a little harshly.
His smile didn’t fade. “I’m here to get away from Central City. I was hoping there was a part-time job opening. I’m partial to nights.”
When he grinned it was contagious. She beamed at him. “Well, I might know of an opening. What are your qualifications?”
“Oh, I have many versatile skills,” he said. She laughed. She was sure he was being suggestive.
She kind of liked it.
“Well, I guess this is the interview then. How about a walk? So we can talk,” she said.
He opened the door of the shoppe and made a motion. “After you.”
She smirked at him as she walked out the door and he stepped beside her. She looked around and the streets were emptying. Not many people were milling about, and nobody was paying attention to them. Good; perhaps they could talk about how he could help her as the Black Canary. She missed having the backup and support.
“So… how’s the Canary Cry?” he asked in almost a whisper.
“It’s amazing,” she said grinning at him.
“Care to let me look at it and make a few enhancements?” he asked as they walked toward her car parked on the side of the street.
She stopped in front of the hood of her car and turned to him. “Of course I’d love it, but let me ask you one question, Cisco. What are you really doing here?”
His mirth seemed to fade, and she could see pain reflect in his dark eyes. “I told you, I needed to get away. For awhile. I don’t know how long, but I know that whatever I was doing in Central City was making me crazy, so Caitlin and Barry suggested I take a break. I was going to visit my brother but… I don’t know, since the news of the Arrow, I wondered if I might be more useful in Starling City.”
“Well, it’s been a lot quieter since The League left, but there’s still crime here. The police should be enough, but frankly I’m not satisfied with that,” she said.
She saw him arch an eyebrow. He said, “I wouldn’t have guessed.”
“So, what’s next?” Laurel asked him.
“Ah… maybe a drink?” he replied. She shook her head.
“Can’t. I’m recovering,” she said with a sheepish smile. He only looked slightly surprised.
“What about food?” He asked.
“I just devoured a huge vanilla shake, so there’s no way I’m eating anything else,” she said.
“What if I’m hungry?” he asked, and she gave him a displeased look. “Okay, I can wait. Well, then what do you suggest?”
She smirked at him again and then looked around the streets. She met his eyes again. “I don’t know… maybe we could try some crime fighting?”
He grinned widely. “I’m down with that. Don’t you, uh… need to change for that?”
Laurel rolled her eyes. “No, I’m going to go charging at the criminals in a suit and pumps. Yes, obviously I have to change. Meet me at my place?”
The excitement on Cisco’s face was indescribable, but Laurel was certain he had other thoughts crossing his mind from that statement.
“Oh yeah,” he simply said. She wondered if he was celebrating inside because it certainly looked like it in his smile.
“Great, get your car and you can follow,” she said, and she tossed her hair over her shoulder and unlocked her car. He walked backwards watching her as she slid inside. Their eyes met for a moment and she smiled sweetly at him. The gesture had him turning his heels into a run.
Laurel turned on her car and watched him as he found his own vehicle and started on his way over to her. For the first time in weeks, she felt strangely excited and relieved. Having Cisco show up to help her was already curbing her loneliness. It would be nice to have someone around who knew her secret and supported her.
And Cisco wasn’t just anyone. He’d given her the Canary Cry, and at one point - told her he loved her out of glee, although it was more for her alias than it was for her. Still, it felt good to be appreciated, and Laurel knew that he admired her.
Maybe having someone like Cisco around was just what she needed.
Chapter Two
Title: The Other Side of Lonely: Chapter 1
Characters/Pairings: Laurel Lance, Cisco Ramon, Cisco/Laurel (BlackVibe), other characters mentioned
Rating: M (eventually)
Genre: Action/Romance
Warnings/Spoilers: Loosely based on the season 1 finale of The Flash, and the season 3 finale of Arrow. Adult situations in future chapters.
Notes: Written for the Summer Mini Challenge for the "obviously" prompt.
Links: AO3 | FFnet
Summary: Fighting alone on the streets of Starling City, the Black Canary could use a little help from a friend. Enter: Cisco Ramon.
Chapter One
Laurel looked down at the last of her milkshake and pouted. It was certainly no fun drinking one of these alone, and she had been lonely since Nyssa left, Oliver and Felicity went missing, and the rest of her friends had went back to their lives.
Of course, the Black Canary still roamed the late nights of Starling City, rounding up thieves, beating up rapists, and rescuing children from predators. Truthfully, she began to enjoy the long sighs from her father as he found her catches tied to whatever fence or parking meter before she took off back into the shadows.
Fighting alone as the Black Canary was her mission, but Laurel Lance was lonely. Keeping in the company of bad guys was only thrilling for so long.
She inhaled a heavy breath as she looked down at her check. She was going to have to get up early in the morning for a long run if she wanted to burn off this milkshake, but at least she felt a little better, thinking of her friendship of Nyssa and how Sara would have loved to join them if she were alive.
Laurel went for her wallet in her purse, and she momentarily glanced up at the TV inside the shop, noticing a breaking news story about Central City.
It was the same story. They were dealing with the aftermath of some freak black hole that had almost consumed the city. Thanks to the Flash, the entire populace barely escaped intact. Now the city was picking up the pieces, and Laurel knew that feeling all too well when Starling City had come under its own disasters.
Thinking of Central City brought Cisco to her mind. She had seen the black hole news last week, and she urgently texted him to check in if he was okay. He’d called her back, and tried to put an ease to her worries.
“We’re okay, barely. We made it, but Laurel… it’s going to take time to get over all of this. We’ve all felt some loss. I don’t know what Caitlin and I are going to do without Dr. Wells. We’ll have to keep Star Labs going at least for Barry’s sake.”
He sounded grim and distant, and her worry increased, but Laurel was at least relieved. She hadn’t heard much from him since. Once in awhile she’d get text messages from him, but they barely delved deeply into a heartfelt conversation.
She was anxious to travel to Central City to help them, but Cisco wanted her to stay in Starling City to help the victims needed her there. Without the Arrow, Starling City really didn’t have much support beyond the police. Her father wouldn’t like to admit it, but the Black Canary was helping and making the streets safer.
Laurel just had to keep training and focusing her energy on helping people in Starling City, and not worrying about Cisco and her new friends at Star Labs.
She admitted it was rather difficult without Oliver and Felicity. She hoped wherever they were, they were happy. She wasn’t happy, but she wasn’t going to blame them.
Her unhappiness was from loneliness, and the only comfort she seemed to find was within a high-calorie milk shake and some of Cisco’s sporadic texts.
Setting money by her check, Laurel picked up her purse to leave. As she headed to the door, she stopped slightly bewildered at who had entered. She couldn’t believe the very person she’d been thinking about was standing before her. Talk about a weird sort of kismet.
Cisco Ramon waved at her awkwardly and forced a cheery smile. Laurel could tell from his eyes that he was feeling worse than he was showing her.
“Hi, your father Captain Lance told me you would be here,” he said immediately.
“What...what are you doing here?” she asked, and before she could take the words back, she realized she’d reacted just a little harshly.
His smile didn’t fade. “I’m here to get away from Central City. I was hoping there was a part-time job opening. I’m partial to nights.”
When he grinned it was contagious. She beamed at him. “Well, I might know of an opening. What are your qualifications?”
“Oh, I have many versatile skills,” he said. She laughed. She was sure he was being suggestive.
She kind of liked it.
“Well, I guess this is the interview then. How about a walk? So we can talk,” she said.
He opened the door of the shoppe and made a motion. “After you.”
She smirked at him as she walked out the door and he stepped beside her. She looked around and the streets were emptying. Not many people were milling about, and nobody was paying attention to them. Good; perhaps they could talk about how he could help her as the Black Canary. She missed having the backup and support.
“So… how’s the Canary Cry?” he asked in almost a whisper.
“It’s amazing,” she said grinning at him.
“Care to let me look at it and make a few enhancements?” he asked as they walked toward her car parked on the side of the street.
She stopped in front of the hood of her car and turned to him. “Of course I’d love it, but let me ask you one question, Cisco. What are you really doing here?”
His mirth seemed to fade, and she could see pain reflect in his dark eyes. “I told you, I needed to get away. For awhile. I don’t know how long, but I know that whatever I was doing in Central City was making me crazy, so Caitlin and Barry suggested I take a break. I was going to visit my brother but… I don’t know, since the news of the Arrow, I wondered if I might be more useful in Starling City.”
“Well, it’s been a lot quieter since The League left, but there’s still crime here. The police should be enough, but frankly I’m not satisfied with that,” she said.
She saw him arch an eyebrow. He said, “I wouldn’t have guessed.”
“So, what’s next?” Laurel asked him.
“Ah… maybe a drink?” he replied. She shook her head.
“Can’t. I’m recovering,” she said with a sheepish smile. He only looked slightly surprised.
“What about food?” He asked.
“I just devoured a huge vanilla shake, so there’s no way I’m eating anything else,” she said.
“What if I’m hungry?” he asked, and she gave him a displeased look. “Okay, I can wait. Well, then what do you suggest?”
She smirked at him again and then looked around the streets. She met his eyes again. “I don’t know… maybe we could try some crime fighting?”
He grinned widely. “I’m down with that. Don’t you, uh… need to change for that?”
Laurel rolled her eyes. “No, I’m going to go charging at the criminals in a suit and pumps. Yes, obviously I have to change. Meet me at my place?”
The excitement on Cisco’s face was indescribable, but Laurel was certain he had other thoughts crossing his mind from that statement.
“Oh yeah,” he simply said. She wondered if he was celebrating inside because it certainly looked like it in his smile.
“Great, get your car and you can follow,” she said, and she tossed her hair over her shoulder and unlocked her car. He walked backwards watching her as she slid inside. Their eyes met for a moment and she smiled sweetly at him. The gesture had him turning his heels into a run.
Laurel turned on her car and watched him as he found his own vehicle and started on his way over to her. For the first time in weeks, she felt strangely excited and relieved. Having Cisco show up to help her was already curbing her loneliness. It would be nice to have someone around who knew her secret and supported her.
And Cisco wasn’t just anyone. He’d given her the Canary Cry, and at one point - told her he loved her out of glee, although it was more for her alias than it was for her. Still, it felt good to be appreciated, and Laurel knew that he admired her.
Maybe having someone like Cisco around was just what she needed.
Chapter Two