A/N: For bobbyberk as part of the DCCWrarepairswap exchange on tumblr, using the prompt: hartley/cisco; fanfic; fluffy movie night/date night.
Many thanks to unwittingcatalyst and anyrei for help betareading.
The second the door to his apartment is open, Cisco is eagerly bundling a Blu-ray case into Hartley's hands, as he struggles to juggle several bags of food. Cisco had offered to make Thai red curry for dinner and he'd promised some rather sumptuous chocolate brownies in return for dessert if Cisco brought the ingredients for him.
"What am I looking at, Cisco?" he asks, already knowing what it looks like but still not being sure what it is, because honestly it doesn't make any sense and he's not sure if this is a prank.
"You can read, yes?" Cisco scoffs back good naturedly and moves to deposit the bags in the kitchen. "Why do you need me to tell you what it is?"
Hartley pins him with a look across the open plan apartment, one eyebrow raised at Cisco, who raises both of his in return as he pauses in his unpacking of the grocery bags.
"It looks like a Blu-ray release of 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'. Which is funny because they recorded the performances for posterity, but they've never released it or given any indication they plan to."
"On this Earth..." Cisco pipes up before looking away quickly, trying to appear nonchalant about it.
"You went to another earth to track down more Harry Potter for our movie night?"
"Ah, ah!" Cisco says, waggling a finger. "This is not just any movie night, it's date night movie night. There's a difference. And besides, it's our 52nd date night-" Cisco squeezes that fact into the conversation in a hurry, as if he's nervous about mentioning it and wants to rush past it just in case it's unwelcome. "Also, a few of the actors got cast differently over there but who cares, right, close enough," he says with a dismissive handwave as he focuses intently on the last of the groceries.
Hartley looks down at the Blu-ray and then up at Cisco who is suddenly watching him with bated breath to see how he responds.
"I think I love you," Hartley says in a rush of his own. Only does it occur to him a few seconds after that that he's never actually said those words to Cisco before and maybe this wasn't the greatest time to say it because he might think it's being trivialized. He's usually so careful about what he says – every small admission of affection considered and weighed up, lest it be rejected. He hasn't known Cisco to spurn any of his advances, but he's taken it slow, cautious, wanting to be certain he means everything he says.
But finally saying I love you, completely spur of the moment, makes him feel...lighter. He breaks into a wide easygoing smile and sees it mirrored in the relieved, dopey one Cisco cracks out in response as he bounds across the space between them. In no time at all Cisco is kissing him earnestly, hands cupping either side of his face and rather thoroughly distracting him. He tosses the Blu-ray behind them onto the couch, which breaks Cisco's concentration.
"Hey, you're already throwing it about! Be careful with that. It is literally the only version known to this Earth."
"Bit like you," Hartley replies, attempting to be smooth and leaning in to resume what Cisco had started. Except Cisco is not to be dissuaded from conversation it seems, leaning back to avoid his lips. Hartley resists the urge to pout, merely huffing a touch in frustration, and lets Cisco get whatever it is out of his system.
"Are you trying to be charming? Because I think you might have missed what you were aiming for, made a diversion into land of understatement and then headed right on to sentimental sap street. Really, I feel like I should ask who are you and what have you done with the real Hartley Rathaway."
Even though the words of his are chiding, Cisco speaks with a certain fondness evident and Hartley finds himself a little amused, not that he intends to give Cisco satisfaction of acknowledging it.
"I haven't exactly had a lot of practice. I assure you I do a lot better in Latin."
"Well, you would say that," Cisco says, rolling his eyes, "That's conveniently the language I can't verify for myself."
He leans in again, just enough to tempt Cisco with the promise of a kiss but stops, stares into his eyes for a moment before he diverts his lips to graze Cisco's ear instead. He can feel Cisco tense with anticipation, waiting to see what he might do next. Pausing there, he whispers to him, "Amor meus amplior quam verba est."
"Am I ever going to find out what you just said?" Cisco asks, sounding a bit annoyed but more curious. Hartley places a brief kiss on his neck below the ear and then withdraws to tease him further, announcing "Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur."
"You're insufferable," Cisco says, as he extracts himself from the embrace they'd shared.
"And yet you suffer me willingly," he says, eyeing Cisco as he sits down on the couch. He retrieves the Blu-ray, looking at it thoughtfully whilst Cisco rummages through his satchel he'd slung off his shoulder and left by the door when he'd first arrived.
"You know, I might just take that I love you back if it turns out we can't watch this due to interdimensional compatibility issues. How likely is it our Blu-ray standard is the same as theirs?"
"What do you take me for, an amateur?" Cisco protests and walks back over with what looks like a portable drive of some sort. He proceeds to fiddle about around the back of the TV in aid of plugging it in. "I'll have you know I had to retrofit a HDMI adapter and cable for this drive to ensure it'll work on this Earth. There's no half-assed measures from me," Cisco grumps. Finally he gets the drive situated.
Hartley takes a measured look at his boyfriend and revels in how adorable he is, even when he's antagonized like he currently is. "Putting that great intellect to good use every day and night, well done. Now, can you stop talking and get over here."
"I thought that was my line, jerk," Cisco retorts, flopping down on the couch next to him and grabbing a handful of the popcorn Hartley had set out, predicting they'd be in need of a pre-dinner snack.
"It helps to shake things up every now and then, wouldn't want to become predictable now that I've given up villainy for the love of a hero."
Cisco slings an arm over him and replies affectionately, "You were never a true villain - just a complete and utter dick most of the time."
"I must've made it up to you enough if you've changed your tune to shacking up with me."
"I blame it on the brownies."
"My winning good looks and genius level IQ didn't do it for you then? Guess it's good I can cook too."
"Keep the sweet stuff coming and you'll never have to find out."
"Are you still referring to the brownies or is that a metaphor for my inadvertently saccharine words earlier?"
"I'm a modern man, can't I have it all?"
They made it past a year, Hartley thinks, suddenly remembering Cisco's talk about how many times they've been in this position. Contentment blooms in his heart; he almost feels overwhelmed by it.
"Only for you, mi rey," he replies tenderly, following it with a peck on the cheek and snuggling closer to Cisco. Cisco smiles back at him and relaxes into his arms, pressing play on the remote.
End note: Translations
Amor meus amplior quam verba est – Latin – My love is more than words.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur – Latin- Anything said in Latin sounds profound.
Mi rey – Spanish - My king
For those who know Spanish - I hope the latter phrase still translates fine as affectionate in the dialect Cisco would speak. Not being familiar with Spanish at all, I don't know what dialect of Spanish Hartley speaks on the show to Cisco, nor what Cisco uses on the show occasionally himself.