Work Text:
Hartley sat at the side of the lake, he had been wanting this for months. To get away from Central City – his parents, Barry Allen and everything that had happened as of late. He took a shaky breath and skipped rocks in the moonlight. He rested against his knees, causing his glasses to be knocked slightly, but he didn’t mind.
It had been a joint effort from Caitlin and Cisco to try and fix his hearing and they fixed it alright. He was now completely deaf. They had tried to fix the problem but had ended up hindering it. At least he didn’t have the ringing in his ear all the time, but he missed the sound of the rocks skimming across the water, the sound of the wind bustling through the trees: everything. All he wanted was to be able to hear the little things again; the sound of the wind whistling through the trees, the water rippling as it ran down stream, the music that he loved so dearly, the piano that he had learnt to play as a child – the violin. If he imagined hard enough, he thought he could still hear them, but that was all too painful for when he opened his eyes, there was just silence. All around him.
A hand on his shoulder made Hartley jump. No one knew he was here: he didn’t want anyone to be able to find him. He looked up and nearly tripped back into the lake when he saw Harrison Wells stood in front of him. It wasn’t the Harrison of Barry and Cisco’s time, though. It was his own Harrison, standing above him – actually standing, smiling at him with a sad expression in his eyes. Hartley had become too stubborn to learn to read lips so looked away when he started talking, but the hand tapped him on the shoulder again and he was forced to look up.
“Look at me, Hartley,” Harrison signed to him, he made sure Hartley watched before continuing, “I know that you have tried to escape what happened to you, but I have been working on something for you. Come inside, we’ll test them together.” Hartley frowned, working on what? How was he even stood here? This must be a dream. The thoughts ran through his head quickly, but he followed Harrison into the house and down to the study, Harrison sat on the corner of the desk and Hartley’s heart melted: that was one of his favourite poses to see him in. He missed him so much.
“Come closer.” He picked something off the table and held it out to him. He frowned as he walked towards him and was handed a small white box. Hartley’s curiosity peaked, and he took it; it reminded him of the old Apple headphone cases and he opened them. Two hearing aids. He looked up, confused and handed them back to him.
“I don’t have any eardrums… They won’t help me,” he turned his head away and could feel his eyes brim with tears, but Harrison pulled him back by his wrist and held him between his legs, placing them in his ears gently, pressing a switch on the side. Hartley didn’t hold his breath and was right not to. There was no sound, he knew there wouldn’t be.
Harrison fiddled with them for a few moments and turned Hartley around to face him and held his arms, keeping the younger man close.
“Is that better?” Hartley gasped, letting out a sob as the sound flowed through him and he looked up at him, confused and in tears. “You look like you have a lot of questions,” he sat Hartley down on the chair and faced him, he sat in front of him and continued the conversation through signing, instead.
“I had spoken to Barry Allen – your Barry Allen. I’m from Earth-17 and whilst they were looking for a replacement for their Harrison Wells. I had sent a broadcast out looking for My Hartley. He died in the accelerator explosion on my earth and I needed to see him one more time. I found you through Cisco – he told me what had happened to you and we had the technology from my earth. It will take you a while to get used to sound again. I don’t want you to overwhelm yourself. Take it easy at first.” He smiled, stroking his cheek. Hartley could see the yearning behind his eyes and he wiped his own, nodding.
“Stay with me,” he signed, watching him. “Hold me. Don’t make me lose another Harrison. Love me like he didn’t. Please.”
Harrison didn’t answer, he wrapped his arms around his shoulders and pulled him to his chest, kissing his hair. That was the only answer he had needed.