[ Cisco can't deny any of what Eddie is saying. Barry had always acted as if he were wronged by Eddie and Iris being together, as if he'd never had a chance, a fair opportunity. But he had. He'd had days and weeks and months and years, before the accelerator exploded, before his coma. He'd wasted that time, as if Iris were going to remain single and available for as long as he liked, until he were ready. But that's not how the world works.
And Eddie, in the meantime, had been the one making Iris feel wanted. He'd done the work of dating her, caring for her, living with her, loving her. Cisco's seen it, in the months they've been together, how much energy and attention Eddie spends, when he is with someone. ]
He was afraid of her. Of treating her like an adult. You never were.
[ The hypocrisy is clearer for Cisco to see now, with some perspective. All Barry's little visits to Iris, as the Flash, were putting her in danger, in a way that totally went against his willingness to lie to her about his identity. He hadn't wanted her to know the truth because he was afraid - not just of her getting hurt by criminals and villains, but of her knowing him, seeing him, genuinely, without games. So he'd encouraged her with this fairytale superhero persona of the Flash, and he'd lied to her as Barry Allen - trying to cheat the system and be with her without ever needing to make himself vulnerable. ]
You were always right. About how we shouldn't have kept up the lie. You were the only one who was... who was really willing to risk being completely upfront. Barry wasn't. Iris wasn't. Hell, even Joe and the rest of us weren't, about all kinds of stuff.
[ He keeps moving his hands, massaging Eddie's scalp as he speaks. There's a knot of guilt in his chest, slowly tightening. He should have spoken up. Should've done something to make the situation better, back then, when it had mattered. His support now is... little, and late. ]
Barry never treated you right. If he'd really loved Iris, he would've been happy for you guys. Done his best to keep your relationship healthy and strong, instead of... what he did.
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[ Cisco can't deny any of what Eddie is saying. Barry had always acted as if he were wronged by Eddie and Iris being together, as if he'd never had a chance, a fair opportunity. But he had. He'd had days and weeks and months and years, before the accelerator exploded, before his coma. He'd wasted that time, as if Iris were going to remain single and available for as long as he liked, until he were ready. But that's not how the world works.
And Eddie, in the meantime, had been the one making Iris feel wanted. He'd done the work of dating her, caring for her, living with her, loving her. Cisco's seen it, in the months they've been together, how much energy and attention Eddie spends, when he is with someone. ]
He was afraid of her. Of treating her like an adult. You never were.
[ The hypocrisy is clearer for Cisco to see now, with some perspective. All Barry's little visits to Iris, as the Flash, were putting her in danger, in a way that totally went against his willingness to lie to her about his identity. He hadn't wanted her to know the truth because he was afraid - not just of her getting hurt by criminals and villains, but of her knowing him, seeing him, genuinely, without games. So he'd encouraged her with this fairytale superhero persona of the Flash, and he'd lied to her as Barry Allen - trying to cheat the system and be with her without ever needing to make himself vulnerable. ]
You were always right. About how we shouldn't have kept up the lie. You were the only one who was... who was really willing to risk being completely upfront. Barry wasn't. Iris wasn't. Hell, even Joe and the rest of us weren't, about all kinds of stuff.
[ He keeps moving his hands, massaging Eddie's scalp as he speaks. There's a knot of guilt in his chest, slowly tightening. He should have spoken up. Should've done something to make the situation better, back then, when it had mattered. His support now is... little, and late. ]
Barry never treated you right. If he'd really loved Iris, he would've been happy for you guys. Done his best to keep your relationship healthy and strong, instead of... what he did.