Steps

Side Step: Vibes

Cisco came to in the dark. He was outside a house. Inside, music boomed. How in the world was this ok with the neighbors? Even his pinball machine woke up his neighbors sometimes at his apartment. He'd received more than his fair share of nasty notes.

He knocked on the door and when no one answered, he simply let himself in. Who's house was this? What he walked into was truly a sight to behold. There were Leah and Jae Yone dancing to the loudest music he had ever heard. And he had grown up in an area with a disproportionate number of window-rattling cars. A bright smile broke across his face and he heard himself call out to the pair.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?"

"OH, HEY CISCO!" Jae Yone shouted above the music.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?!?!" He felt himself laugh as the words came out. They couldn't hear him. No way, not over this noise.

His eyes landed on Leah, a blush rushing across his face. He'd never seen her like this before. She had the brightest smile on her face. She never smiled like that on Earth-1. Something struck him that it was incredibly sad that she never let herself be free like this. She moved her hips this way and that, jumping around wildly and throwing her arms up. She didn't even seem to notice him.

His feet carried him into the house as the door shut behind him and he came to rest leaning against the wall by the front door. His arms crossed, he watched the madness unfold in front of him.

The music slowed and got quieter before coming right back in, just as loud as ever. He didn't recognize the song, but he knew it was in the right genre that Leah liked. Her music taste never matched her personality in any world. She was slow and methodical, whereas her music taste was pounding and fast. It always struck him as odd that she liked such energetic stuff.

As the music faded, for real this time and the next song started up, Jae Yone walked over to the small coffee table and grabbed a remote, lowering the volume.

"HEY CISCO!" Jae Yone shouted. Ears still ringing, Cisco smiled at the pair.

"What did I just walk into?" Other him didn't seem puzzled at all, but he surely was.

When he vibed, he could feel the version of himself that was living through their life. The emotions, everything. But he never could act. He was just a passenger in the vessel. Sometimes his vibes were crystal clear, but most of the time they were clouded. And always tinted blue. He wondered if the other him knew that he was vibing. Had anyone vibed him before? They had to have, he had gotten the picture from his E-whatever counterpart. That was slightly disconcerting.

"Emergency dance party!" Leah turned to face him, warm smile spreading across his lips. She walked over and gave him a hug. "I couldn't get my code right, so I needed a distraction." She let go as Jae Yone came to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Should have gotten here earlier, you could have joined." Jae Yone's smile matched Leah's in terms of familiarity and warmth. They may not have been related, but it was clear these two were close. Other him yearned for that closeness, almost grabbing her back as Leah pulled away earlier. So, he was down bad too, huh?

Cisco laughed, "I, uh, don't dance."

"Oh come on, it's fun!" Leah grabbed his hands and led him out to the middle of the living room. "Just...move with the music!"

And that was where he woke up.

The light was shining in from the high window across from the bed. He was in his own bed, in his own apartment. He was alone, but there was noise coming from the kitchen. Soft singing. The tune sounded familiar. Wait...

Cisco jumped out of bed and rolled the sliding door open, revealing a sunlight-drenched kitchen and Leah standing by the stove. "What is that song?"

"Hmn?" She turned to look at him, still whisking the mixing bowl in her hand.