I did mention I have a thing for crossovers, right? So, for one, I couldn't help myself. But also, it may not look like it, but I'm playing a long-term game here. Not sure I will stick until the end, but I would like to. If you're on board too, I'll be delighted.

Follows the storyline of the Damned 'verse. Set some time after 'Things Unseen, Things Unheard'.

-.-.-

1. Make yourself at home

Cisco was trying his best to ignore it, but he couldn't – Caitlin was examining the room with her nose crinkled, placing her suitcase by one of the beds cautiously as if she was worried it might get infected. Still, it was probably better than her looking over her shoulder as she had been doing before they had entered the hotel.

Conclusion – she really didn't like it here and she didn't bother hiding it.

Cisco was just opening his mouth to comment on that; she beat him to speaking.

"Why is our hotel in the part of city which possibly has the highest crime rate again?" she asked bluntly, tossing her hair aside as she spun to squint at him.

"Because, my dear Dr. Snow," Cisco pronounced ceremonially, spreading the curtains at the window, "there is a lovely view."

"Is that the Stark Tower?" Barry asked incredulously, walking to the window and Cisco couldn't help a smug smile.

"The Avengers Tower, my friend."

"So we're in a scary hotel, in a scary neighbourhood, just because there is a good view on some skyscraper?" Cisco covered his chest with his palm, wounded and offended at Caitlin's note – 'some skyscraper'?! "You're joking, Cisco. Not to mention there are probably tens of other hotels that would have the view too."

"Yeah, but those we can't effort. Plus, you know. We might get lucky and run into the Devil of Hell's Kitchen – well, Daredevil, actually."

"I cannot believe you."

Barry's awe turned bitter. "Well, at least someone's still protecting their city."

Sad friend alert! Sad friend alert!

Of course, Cisco should have expected that his note would gain such reaction. With Barry losing his speed due to the fight with Zoom – which was something that might have been caused by the little fact his spine had been fucking broken by the evil speedster – the famous Flash of Central City was wrecked.

They all knew that when Barry had woken up and couldn't even feel his legs, things were really, really bad. They also knew that him walking again now was a freaking miracle and they should thank heavens for that (or the particle accelerator explosion really, because that was how Barry's body had gained the ability to heal impossibly fast, but that would mean thanking Harrison Wells who in fact had been Eobard Thawne in Harrison Wells' body and— yeah).

The point was that while Barry could walk again, the speed just… hadn't come back. He was making real progress – what had started as six heavy slow steps had turned into twenty and then Barry was back on his feet. But the Flash wasn't and Cisco could only imagine how hard that must have been for the hero of Central City.

Hence this whole trip to New York. Changing the scenery, hanging out with friends without their lives being on line and all that.

"Hey, hey, buddy. You're getting better. You're totally getting back in the saddle soon and you're gonna be the coolest again," Cisco reassured him, patting his arm. "I mean, seriously? DD's a vigilante. He's Oliver; dark and brooding, you know the drill. You're a hero."

Cisco could tell Barry didn't quite believe it, but he obviously appreciated the effort and smiled tightly.

"Thank you, Cisco. I hope you're right."

"You bet your Star Wars collection I am. Speaking of Oliver, Felicity recommended a café we should definitely check out. In Hell's Kitchen, actually. How does that sound?"

"Sure, why not. But it will be ridiculously crowded right now. Maybe some small breakfast and walk through the Central Park before?" Catlin offered and really, who would say no to her hopeful eyes?

"Big breakfast," Cisco corrected her and Barry grinned for the first time since they had arrived.

"Big breakfast and Central Park sounds great."

-.-.-

With their stomachs full with slightly overpriced food from a local diner, they seated themselves on one of the benches in the most famous park on the island of Manhattan.

Cisco leaned onto the backrest indulgingly, enjoying the early May sunrays. Life was good. No supervillains (except for Zoom who went awol even in Central), no metahumans (apart from himself and Barry, who was more like a regular guy for now), the sun warm on his skin and his two best friends by his side, relatively content. Caitlin seemed mollified now when they at least visited one of the landmarks of New York City and Barry… well.

Cisco looked at him with the corner of his eye. He seemed strangely melancholic, but somewhat content too.

Yeah, life was good.

Fifth runner in the past ten minutes passed their bench and Cisco rolled his eyes – that guy was sweaty as hell, his lungs several feet in front of him as he was vainly trying to catch his breath, but he kept checking on his watch, probably to know how many calories he had burned. The woman who had passed them earlier had seemed to be light as feather and truly enjoying herself at least, but Cisco still couldn't see the appeal of it.

"I don't understand why people obsess with running, I mean, come on!" he vented his thoughts, subtly gesturing towards the guy whose lungs decided to wait for him now when he stopped. Barry and Caitlin eyed Cisco with raised eyebrows, apparently amused. He realized what he said to the once fastest man alive who had made his hero carrier by running. "Right. Sorry. Lack of caffeine."

Caitlin laughed. "Okay, I hear you, let's check out the local café and find out if they have better coffee than the famous Jitters."

"Ohhh, that sounds like a challenge. Felicity wouldn't say, but she sounded very thirsty for the caramel latté she was talking about."

"How far?" Barry asked absently and Cisco pulled out his phone, examining the GPS.

"Meh, twenty minutes tops."

"I can smell the melting whipped cream already…" Caitlin said dreamily and at that note, they all rose to their feet, following their heart.

-.-.-

They made it in fifteen. The café was half empty due to the hour, but Cisco fell in love with it immediately. The space was warm, radiating an aura of familiarity rather than the cold uniformity of Starbucks. The furniture was tuned in green and orange, but otherwise everything did remind him of their favourite café back home.

They joined the short line and Cisco's eyes fell of the girls behind the counter – only and only girls. He definitely appreciated his coffee served by nice girls and somehow, the female workers put him at ease. He didn't know why. Maybe he just liked to feast his eyes before getting some caffeine into his bloodstream.

"I have no idea what to order," Caitlin muttered, her gaze focused on the boards listing the drinks. Cisco quickly followed her example – for a rather small café, they really did have an impressively wide choice of coffees and related drinks. Not to mention the cakes. Oh god, the cakes… if he hadn't had breakfast only over an hour ago, he wouldn't resist.

"Welcome to MDDC, what can I get you?" female voice snapped him from his inner dilemma.

Huh, he hadn't noticed it was their turn to order already. He glanced down from the drinks list, facing the barista and whoa, that was a very cute smile.

"Hey," he let out intelligently, smiling widely too. Her eyebrow jumped inconspicuously, but the corners of her lips moved higher too.

"Uhm… hi. I'll get a caramel latté? Tall. Extra sugar," Barry ordered for himself, slightly kicking Cisco's shin. The engineer shot him a wounded look.

"Sure. Here, or to go?"

"Oh, here."

"Alright." Her gazed flickered between Cisco and Caitlin, apparently unsure who she should address next.

"Anything you would recommend?" Cisco blurted out, his mind racing. The barista – Vera, how he could see when eyeing her nametag – turned to him hesitantly, apparently caught off guard. Not possibly interested then? Dammit, Ramon.

"Oh, well, we have a lot of drinks and it really depends on your taste-"

Cisco was very sure of his tastes. Pretty smile was definitely it. Slim but not gaunt, nice shiny eyes, black straight hair barely below shoulders… yep, the rest of her didn't seem bad either. And she had some kind of a cute accent?

"Something sweet?" he offered smoothly and he was fairly certain he heard Caitlin roll her eyes.

Vera's cheeks lightly reddened, her gaze lowering when he met it. Oh, cute and shy. Count your blessings and try your best, Ramon.

Barry next to him coughed. It sounded a little as if he tried to say something, but Cisco couldn't make it out and frankly didn't really care. Barry did it again.

"Ring," he sort of thundered and Cisco's gaze quickly checked their barista's left hand.

Barry was right. Cisco snapped his head back to her face, blush creeping up his neck too. Dammit shit. The barista lowered her eyes even more, apparently understanding Barry's not so subtle hint.

"Shit. Sorry. All pretty ones are gay or taken," he mumbled under his breath. "I'll have what he does. But without the extra sugar. Uhm, sorry."

The girl laughed. "It's okay, really. It's the apron. The fact someone serves coffee automatically makes them more attractive."

Cisco checked the other two baristas, both girls too. One of them – with bright orange hair – looked a little frozen, quite likeable in a completely platonic way and the other… well, blond, forgettable.

"I don't think that's it."

Barry face-palmed while Vera entered the order to the cash box, unable to look at their faces. "And for you, miss?"

Caitlin barely opened her mouth when the said orange-haired barista appeared by Vera's side.

"Sorry, I'll take the rest of your order," she hurried, her face rather pale, her eyes somewhat haunted.

"What, why?" the other girl protested, bewildered.

Terri – the new barista – bit her lip. "Matt called. You need to call him back. Now."

"What?!" Vera startled and shoved her hand to her pocket, pulling out a phone. "He didn't call me. Why did he call you?"

"I don't know. But it sounded urgent. Go call him back."

Cisco watched the exchange, not following. But obviously it was something private. Matt – fiancé? Brother? Someone close to her with a habit of getting into trouble? Cisco knew those types.

"That doesn't make any-"

"Dammit, Vera! Just go to the back and call him!" Terri hissed, sounding honestly desperate.

"O-okay. Sorry." The black-haired girl shot them an apologetic smile, walking away.

"I'll have the vanilla latté, please. Tall, h-"

Caitlin's voice was cut off by something that sounded dangerously like a gunshot, making them all jump, stopping Cisco's heart.

As he automatically crouched and covered his head, he would swear he heard their new barista curse.

-.-.-.-.-.-
Notes:
Warning: slow updates. For me. I might manage once a week?