[ It's a relief, that John doesn't say anything, doesn't stop him to ask a bunch of questions about that 'us'. Cisco thinks for a moment that maybe he's lucky, maybe John didn't notice... or perhaps he's just being polite for the time being. Either way, Cisco's grateful to speak about metahumans in general, and skip over himself for now. ]
There was an accident. I mean- [ He interrupts himself before he even really gets started, glad that he's pouring the coffee and has an excuse not to look at John for a few moments as he corrects: ] -it wasn't really an accident, but we didn't find that out until later. Anyway, there was an explosion, in the particle accelerator, at the lab where I was working. Ripped open an interdimensional rift right in the middle of the city, and a bunch of dark matter and exotic energies started pouring out. Everybody in Central City got hit. Some people... just died, but for about 1% of the population, it changed their DNA, and gave them abilities.
[ Looking back, Cisco can't believe he'd spent all that time thinking he must have been unaffected - when he'd been just feet away, just on the other side of a door, when the explosion happened. Right at the heart of it. Of course, he'd been changed. He'd never had a chance.
He listens, as John relates how long powers had been a part of his own world; he hands over the cup of coffee, quiet for a moment as he thinks about how different this guy's relationship with his powers must be. ]
So, um, mutants are born with their powers? Are they passed down genetically? Can mutants use them right away, or do they emerge during puberty, or get triggered in times of stress, or... how's it work?
[ There's a tentativeness, to the way Cisco asks, but... John had offered some information already, and he is careful to frame it so he's asking in general, not about John in particular. He is more curious about John, of course, but he doesn't want to dive right in with invasive questions from the get go. ]
no subject
There was an accident. I mean- [ He interrupts himself before he even really gets started, glad that he's pouring the coffee and has an excuse not to look at John for a few moments as he corrects: ] -it wasn't really an accident, but we didn't find that out until later. Anyway, there was an explosion, in the particle accelerator, at the lab where I was working. Ripped open an interdimensional rift right in the middle of the city, and a bunch of dark matter and exotic energies started pouring out. Everybody in Central City got hit. Some people... just died, but for about 1% of the population, it changed their DNA, and gave them abilities.
[ Looking back, Cisco can't believe he'd spent all that time thinking he must have been unaffected - when he'd been just feet away, just on the other side of a door, when the explosion happened. Right at the heart of it. Of course, he'd been changed. He'd never had a chance.
He listens, as John relates how long powers had been a part of his own world; he hands over the cup of coffee, quiet for a moment as he thinks about how different this guy's relationship with his powers must be. ]
So, um, mutants are born with their powers? Are they passed down genetically? Can mutants use them right away, or do they emerge during puberty, or get triggered in times of stress, or... how's it work?
[ There's a tentativeness, to the way Cisco asks, but... John had offered some information already, and he is careful to frame it so he's asking in general, not about John in particular. He is more curious about John, of course, but he doesn't want to dive right in with invasive questions from the get go. ]