Tension
I just needed to do this. I will stop soon. I swear.
Okay, maybe not, just let me know if I post too much. But I can't get these stupid thoughts out of my head.
It just won't end.
I can't.
These gay boys.
Help me.
Help. Me.
------
Sometimes, it pays to be a rogue.
Admittedly, lately, it had brought nothing but grief to Hartley Rathaway, but sometimes, he liked the reputation.
The rogues had a reputation for being second-rate, blue-collar criminals. And, honestly, no one could blame them for that.
Their leader ran around in a parka and drank beer like water, for god's sake. None of them had any super-powers, unless you counted intelligence, but most people couldn't see past the weird outfits and gimmicks.
And Hartley rather enjoyed that reputation sometimes.
James was an inventor, and the world's greatest conman, while Hartley could hypnotize with his music, so it had been easy to pull the switch. While Deadshot and his team followed them, James had left a few makeshift T-Bombs in the train car they had believed the rogues were in, due to Hartley's makeshift flute. Both had watched as all of the T-Bombs ignited, switched by Hartley's tune, and the car exploded, giving the two rogues a few hours of rest before they had to be on the move again.
In that time, while they both decided that the best idea would be to not move at all and just enjoy the peace, Hartley started to notice a few, strange things that he had honestly been too preoccupied to notice before.
Whenever James looked at him, Hartley noticed that his pupils always dilated, and that his heartbeat would always speed up, and a shiver would run down the Italian's body. In fact, now that the Pied Piper thought about it, James had been so tense lately. Really tense. His eternal smile seemed a bit too tight around the edges, and his voice seemed strained all the time.
Of course. Not even James is immune to stress, as much as he'd like to think he is. Hard to believe that asshole is human sometimes.
"You know, Hart, I think you're making me a hobosexual." James said, laying back against the wood of the car. Hartley snorted, rolling his eyes. Again with the gay jokes? Honestly, he had no idea when this had all started. Sometimes, the more offensive ones began to grate on him, but he usually didn't care. He had been a rogue once, and if he could deal with Digger's teasing, he could take James making a few cracks.
Okay, maybe not just a few...but still.
James's fingers tapped restlessly against the floor, and Hartley recognized it as Mozart's Last Requiem, one of Hartley's favorites. Huh. He didn't know James liked classical music.
"James, that was-" Hartley started, turning to the Italian, trying not to laugh at just how bad that was, and he was face-to-face with the other, just inches away.
Fuck. He didn't think he could take that look of fear in the other's eyes whenever he got close.
James's grin froze, and Hartley bit his lip. Shit. He hated that. He hated that. Why did James always have that look whenever he was close? Why couldn't he just-
That was when Hartley realized that the Trickster wasn't moving away. And that was when he realized just how fast James's heart was going. And when he looked in James's eyes, his pupils were so wide that Hartley swore he could have drowned in them.
James was just so close. Hartley couldn't deny being attracted to the Italian, but he-
"I know, Hartley. I know."
"James, I-" Hartley started, realizing that James was moving closer, and he was staring into James's eyes, and he wasn't sure what he was feeling because James used to be his best friend, but that changed, hadn't it? James didn't feel attraction to men, and even if he did, he didn't like Hartley, and-
James had grabbed Hartley's cloak so tightly that he was afraid it would rip by the force of the blond, but the kiss was surprisingly sweet and gentle, like the blond was scared of Hartley. He had terrible breath and their teeth touched and James didn't know how to kiss men, so their noses bumped more than once, but suddenly Hartley could feel the fear and confusion in the Italian, and not just because he didn't know why he was attracted to another man. He didn't know how to let people in, he didn't know how to trust, he didn't know-
Hartley put his hand against the blond's chest, the other gripping him by his cloak to pull him closer.
Most people don't know how to speak through touch alone. Most people don't know how to listen to the feelings. Hartley-he knew how to listen.
I'm afraid of dying, of falling into hell and never getting back up. I'm afraid of losing myself again, who I really am, again. I'm afraid of opening myself up to people, of being glass again. I'm afraid of breaking. I'm afraid of not knowing who I am. I'm afraid of letting people hurt me. I'm afraid of caring about people. I'm afraid of you for making me feel this way.
Hartley broke the kiss and stared down at James, realizing that he had somehow ended up straddling the Trickster, both still pulled so tightly against each other by some primal need to be close.
"I'm sorry." James finally said, trying to get up, to pull away, but Piper wasn't going to have that. It was time for the Italian to finally listen.
"No, stop that." Hartley said firmly. "Stop. It's fine." James stopped moving, and laid his head back against the wooden floor, eyes shut, face firmly closed.
"I know what it's like." Hartley said softer. "I know what you're going through, and I'm not talking about the kissing guys thing."
"I know. I don't know why I did that, I just...there was so much fucking tension and I-"
"It's okay. It doesn't have to mean anything." Hartley said, trying to keep the hint of disappointment out of his voice. When did I go and fall for him...?
James was quiet for so long that Hartley almost thought the man had gone and fallen asleep on him, before he finally spoke again.
"You're going to have to put up with a lot, I hope you realize that."
"What do you...?" James opened his eyes and looked up at him.
"I'm not good with relationships. At all. I'm the most least trustworthy person on the planet. It's really hard for me to open up to people. Ever."
Hartley blinked. "What...?"
"And you're going to have to catch me."
"What does that...? Why...?"
"Because I think I'm falling for you." James said with a completely serious face.
That caught Piper so off-guard that he just let his forehead fall onto James's chest and he laughed. And James laughed too, sitting up and putting one arm around Hartley's shoulder, and then they were suddenly kissing again, James cupping his face in his hands.
"You're so stupid, James."
"I've heard."
"So, does this mean...?"
"Bit of a...queer way to start a relationship, eh?"
"I hate you." Piper snorted.
"I know, Hartley, I know."
Okay, maybe not, just let me know if I post too much. But I can't get these stupid thoughts out of my head.
It just won't end.
I can't.
These gay boys.
Help me.
Help. Me.
------
Sometimes, it pays to be a rogue.
Admittedly, lately, it had brought nothing but grief to Hartley Rathaway, but sometimes, he liked the reputation.
The rogues had a reputation for being second-rate, blue-collar criminals. And, honestly, no one could blame them for that.
Their leader ran around in a parka and drank beer like water, for god's sake. None of them had any super-powers, unless you counted intelligence, but most people couldn't see past the weird outfits and gimmicks.
And Hartley rather enjoyed that reputation sometimes.
James was an inventor, and the world's greatest conman, while Hartley could hypnotize with his music, so it had been easy to pull the switch. While Deadshot and his team followed them, James had left a few makeshift T-Bombs in the train car they had believed the rogues were in, due to Hartley's makeshift flute. Both had watched as all of the T-Bombs ignited, switched by Hartley's tune, and the car exploded, giving the two rogues a few hours of rest before they had to be on the move again.
In that time, while they both decided that the best idea would be to not move at all and just enjoy the peace, Hartley started to notice a few, strange things that he had honestly been too preoccupied to notice before.
Whenever James looked at him, Hartley noticed that his pupils always dilated, and that his heartbeat would always speed up, and a shiver would run down the Italian's body. In fact, now that the Pied Piper thought about it, James had been so tense lately. Really tense. His eternal smile seemed a bit too tight around the edges, and his voice seemed strained all the time.
Of course. Not even James is immune to stress, as much as he'd like to think he is. Hard to believe that asshole is human sometimes.
"You know, Hart, I think you're making me a hobosexual." James said, laying back against the wood of the car. Hartley snorted, rolling his eyes. Again with the gay jokes? Honestly, he had no idea when this had all started. Sometimes, the more offensive ones began to grate on him, but he usually didn't care. He had been a rogue once, and if he could deal with Digger's teasing, he could take James making a few cracks.
Okay, maybe not just a few...but still.
James's fingers tapped restlessly against the floor, and Hartley recognized it as Mozart's Last Requiem, one of Hartley's favorites. Huh. He didn't know James liked classical music.
"James, that was-" Hartley started, turning to the Italian, trying not to laugh at just how bad that was, and he was face-to-face with the other, just inches away.
Fuck. He didn't think he could take that look of fear in the other's eyes whenever he got close.
James's grin froze, and Hartley bit his lip. Shit. He hated that. He hated that. Why did James always have that look whenever he was close? Why couldn't he just-
That was when Hartley realized that the Trickster wasn't moving away. And that was when he realized just how fast James's heart was going. And when he looked in James's eyes, his pupils were so wide that Hartley swore he could have drowned in them.
James was just so close. Hartley couldn't deny being attracted to the Italian, but he-
"I know, Hartley. I know."
"James, I-" Hartley started, realizing that James was moving closer, and he was staring into James's eyes, and he wasn't sure what he was feeling because James used to be his best friend, but that changed, hadn't it? James didn't feel attraction to men, and even if he did, he didn't like Hartley, and-
James had grabbed Hartley's cloak so tightly that he was afraid it would rip by the force of the blond, but the kiss was surprisingly sweet and gentle, like the blond was scared of Hartley. He had terrible breath and their teeth touched and James didn't know how to kiss men, so their noses bumped more than once, but suddenly Hartley could feel the fear and confusion in the Italian, and not just because he didn't know why he was attracted to another man. He didn't know how to let people in, he didn't know how to trust, he didn't know-
Hartley put his hand against the blond's chest, the other gripping him by his cloak to pull him closer.
Most people don't know how to speak through touch alone. Most people don't know how to listen to the feelings. Hartley-he knew how to listen.
I'm afraid of dying, of falling into hell and never getting back up. I'm afraid of losing myself again, who I really am, again. I'm afraid of opening myself up to people, of being glass again. I'm afraid of breaking. I'm afraid of not knowing who I am. I'm afraid of letting people hurt me. I'm afraid of caring about people. I'm afraid of you for making me feel this way.
Hartley broke the kiss and stared down at James, realizing that he had somehow ended up straddling the Trickster, both still pulled so tightly against each other by some primal need to be close.
"I'm sorry." James finally said, trying to get up, to pull away, but Piper wasn't going to have that. It was time for the Italian to finally listen.
"No, stop that." Hartley said firmly. "Stop. It's fine." James stopped moving, and laid his head back against the wooden floor, eyes shut, face firmly closed.
"I know what it's like." Hartley said softer. "I know what you're going through, and I'm not talking about the kissing guys thing."
"I know. I don't know why I did that, I just...there was so much fucking tension and I-"
"It's okay. It doesn't have to mean anything." Hartley said, trying to keep the hint of disappointment out of his voice. When did I go and fall for him...?
James was quiet for so long that Hartley almost thought the man had gone and fallen asleep on him, before he finally spoke again.
"You're going to have to put up with a lot, I hope you realize that."
"What do you...?" James opened his eyes and looked up at him.
"I'm not good with relationships. At all. I'm the most least trustworthy person on the planet. It's really hard for me to open up to people. Ever."
Hartley blinked. "What...?"
"And you're going to have to catch me."
"What does that...? Why...?"
"Because I think I'm falling for you." James said with a completely serious face.
That caught Piper so off-guard that he just let his forehead fall onto James's chest and he laughed. And James laughed too, sitting up and putting one arm around Hartley's shoulder, and then they were suddenly kissing again, James cupping his face in his hands.
"You're so stupid, James."
"I've heard."
"So, does this mean...?"
"Bit of a...queer way to start a relationship, eh?"
"I hate you." Piper snorted.
"I know, Hartley, I know."