[ He can hear it, of course. The tightness to Eddie's voice as he holds back tears. It's worse, somehow, than if he just let them flow. There's pain, but not just pain - shame, and this pathetic sham of acting like he's just fine. ]

Well, I'm a stubborn motherfucker when I wanna be, and I feel like maybe right now the one we oughta be talking about is you.

[ Cisco uses the hand that's been smoothing over Eddie's hair, gently tugging on a lock of it just above his ear, making an overblown 'hmmm' noise as he does so, as if considering a particularly tricky problem. ]

Hair's not fake... haven't seen any denture cream so I know your teeth aren't fake...

[ He makes a show of looking around the room. ]

I don't see any speakers to pipe in a laugh track, so you being funny definitely isn't fake. You've made me laugh in this room like at least ten times. I think Yuri might've laughed one of those times, too, and that's double the points.

[ Cisco keeps going, doesn't allow even a moment of pause for Eddie to interrupt him; his voice gets a little lower, a little less jokey as he continues: ]

And you've never backstabbed me, or used me for your own gain, or looked down on me, or made fun of me, so you being a nice person isn't fake.

[ His voice is getting a little hoarse now for talking so long without giving himself a break, but he doesn't stop: ]

And you didn't have a secret twin or clone or replicant who caught all those bad guys in Central City, and here too, or who did courageous stuff all the time, or who literally saved my life, so you being brave isn't fake.

[ Cisco has finally run out of steam, but he finishes, quietly: ]

I dunno, man. Seems like there's plenty there to me.