Only Because I Need You

Room Mate

Caitlin smoothly closed her apartment door behind her. She was greeted by a fruity smell that swirled around her apartment. A small, barely meter long, corridor led from the entrance of the apartment into her living room. Heat gently blanched her skin, making a small smile cross her lips. She pulled off her heavy coat and hung it with her purse, neatly on one of the many hooks that was nailed to the wall just beside her. She sauntered into her living room. One couch and two brown leather armchairs were angled towards the opposite wall where her television was situated. The entire theme of the room was brown and beige, all colours in the room were a variant of them. The room was dimly lit, only one lamp was lit on a small end table by her couch. She stretched her arms above her head. She froze, she could hear breathing. She lowered her arms rigidly, turning slowly towards the couch. She held in a deep breath and crept a little closer.

She peaked over the edge of the couch and blew out a whoosh of air from her mouth. It was only Ethan. He lay on his back on her couch, his eyes were closed over and half his body was hanging off the edge. Caitlin rolled her eyes, he knew she had a spare room, so she could only wonder why he didn't use it. Once an awkward Barry, always an awkward Barry. Caitlin made her way to her spare room, without bothering to turn on the lamp. A beam of light was her only guidance in the pitch black of the room. It illuminated her pathway to the bed and without a second thought, she followed it. She plucked the blanket from the bed and quietly tip-toed back to the living room. She gently pulled the blanket over him, he didn't even stir. A small smile gently tugged at her features, she could only hope that it was a beginning of a new life for Ethan, because he needed it.

Cisco dragged his hands down his face, letting out a steady groan. He was in his lab, and Harry stood tall by his side. They were staring at a large police board with a scarce amount of pictures and information pinned onto it. Harry was grinding his teeth, something he often did when he was angry and couldn't take out his rage on any innocent inanimate objects. They had been staring at the board for far too long, "This is getting us nowhere," Harry commented sharply.

"Well what else do you suggest Harry?" Cisco snapped, "cause we sure as hell have no other way to catch Tate," the very last of his nerves were frayed.

"Anything but this would be more productive," Harry turned to glare at his small friend. Cisco returned the heated stare. They were always arguing, it was a wonder they ever got anything done.

"Well, I am fresh out of ideas," Cisco replied, squeezing his hands into fists.

Harry blinked slowly, jutting his jaw out to one side and returning his gaze to the police board. He let out a long huff, but remained silent. Cisco knew Harry was frustrated, but so was he. That's what happens when geniuses cannot solve a problem, they become angry and frustrated. They were supposed to be smart, so why could they not solve the simplest of problems, "How is Dante," Cisco jumped, Harry's voice violently dragged him from his thoughts.

He turned to his friend with his eyes wide, but Harry just kept his gaze in the board, "Dante is... Dante is good," Cisco cleared his throat and got back to staring at blurry photos of Johnning with no real purpose or benefit. Cisco clenched his jaw on his lip, he had pushed Dante to the furthest corners of his mind, he didn't want to think about his long dead brother's other worldly twin.

Harry glanced at his friend, "you haven't been to see him since you asked him about Tate, have you?" His voice was soft, but with a harsh edge. Disapproval lingered on every word. Cisco felt guilt churn within him. He had been making excuses for too long. Dante surely wouldn't want to see him. Dante probably felt the same way as Cisco. Dante probably wanted to be left alone. He was putting words in his brother's mouth that didn't belong there. In all truth, it was simply that Cisco was scared. He didn't want to have to feel the hollow pain that was left in his heart by his brother, and he certainly didn't want to relive his brother's death either. He couldn't loose a Dante again, so he just simply wouldn't get close to him.

"No, I haven't," Cisco's voice crackled.

"Why not?" Harry asked, his tone was flat and indifferent. Cisco could tell he was pretending not to care so that he could try and coax Cisco into answering truthfully. He had been doing it since he joined team Flash. It always made Cisco glad that he had a friend like him.

"I really don't see the point, he is a criminal from another earth," Cisco stated nonchalantly, "and any way, he isn't even my real brother, just a carbon copy," the physicist knew there was truth in his words, but he also knew that he was once again making excuses.

"Do you really believe that?" Harry mumbled, rocking on his feet, "because he seems a lot like the Dante you described to me,"

Cisco squeezed his eyes shut, "you're right," he sighed, telling Harry he was correct was not something Vibe enjoyed doing, but he would give credit where it was due, "I have been avoiding him because I am scared that if I get close to him, he is going to follow in the footsteps of my Dante and end up dead and I.... I can't loose another brother," his voice quivered, his world span slightly in front of his eyes.

He felt Harry's hand grip his shoulder loosely, "Cisco, it's okay to be afraid of loosing someone, but you should never let that get in your way of getting closer to them," his voice was just as assertive as his hand. The pair traded looks. Harry had never looked so gentle in his life, "don't let fear win," Cisco nodded his head, emotion bubbled into his eyes as his curls swung around his ears. He should have known to turn to one of his friends for advice, because they would always tell him exactly what he needed to hear, and not what he wanted to hear.

A/N: Hey guys. I have lost all motivation to write this book, and I don't want to continue it at the moment. I am very sorry, but writing this feels a lot more like a chore than it should. I want to be honest with you guys and not just leave you hanging. I am not saying this will be forever, I might return to the book at a later date, or even publish my pre-written chapters another day, but if I am not enjoying writing then you won't be enjoying reading. I'm sorry guys, but thanks for enjoying my book so far ❤️