[ Cisco sees Eddie's Adam's apple bobbing as he swallows, searching for his voice. It's a nerve-racking moment, in a way. Waiting to see if he's gotten through to Eddie. If he wasn't, it won't be the end of the world, of course. There's no rush, and he'll still care about Eddie either way. But Cisco's heart is telling him that this is something Eddie is going to have to deal with, sooner or later. He believes it will be better for Eddie if it is sooner.

So the tension in his shoulders eases when Eddie admits 'I guess so'. He listens as Eddie speaks, nodding gently. It all sounds terribly familiar. ]

I know it seems counter-intuitive, but... the best way past it is through it. Cheesy soundbite, I know. You can thank my therapist for that one. But... that's how it's been, for me, with my stuff. Ignoring it worked, for a while. It felt good, too, just burying it all, telling myself I was too smart and too funny to let anything damage me. 'Til it didn't work anymore. Then I realized it'd been like a year and I was still at step one 'cause I'd never started.

[ Cisco scoots his chair closer, as much as he can, so he can lean forward and hug Eddie again. ]

This stuff doesn't come with an expiration date. There's no statute of limitations, or whatever.

[ And then, his own voice going thick again, Cisco says: ]

And... 'cause I haven't said it yet, I'm sorry they treated you like that. It was wrong. It wasn't your fault, and you didn't deserve it.