[ Cisco's not an expert at reading people, but it's not hard to put two and two together when he asks that question and Taako gets real tense real fast. He thinks about interrupting even before Taako answers, saying nevermind or changing the subject, but even that would be admitting that he could tell the question bothered Taako, and would probably make things even more awkward.
The one-word answer explains a lot. Cisco knows that Lucretia and Taako are friendly enough to be living together, but they've also known each other for 100 years. That makes them more like family than just friends, and Cisco knows just how messy and ambivalent stuff can get when it comes to family. And if it turns out that, in addition to erasing so much of Taako's memories, she was also pulling the strings while he didn't remember... well, how could that not be complicated. ]
Gotcha.
[ Which is his deliberately casual way to say that he understands, that Taako doesn't have to say any more if he doesn't want to. Cisco keeps on braiding, reaches the point where there is no more hair to incorporate and he just braids out the rest quickly, secures the end with a small elastic. Then he is switching to the other side, the other half of Taako's hair, and starting a new Dutch braid, this one going downwards from his forehead.
He should probably change the subject entirely. But Cisco instead says: ]
I haven't got any clue how much stuff in my life for the last few years happened by accident and how much was Dr. Wells pulling the strings. I'm pretty sure he made it so I got the apartment I did, because it would be easier to bug so he could spy on me. And I think he might've... I think maybe he arranged things so nobody else would offer me a very good job, because he wanted me working for him, and feeling like I was lucky for the opportunity.
[ The transition, from one topic to another, leaves no question that Cisco didn't just randomly dive into talking about the power that Eobard exerted over his life; he is making an explicit comparison, to Lucretia, setting up Taako and Merle and Magnus to meet again. Comparing her to Eobard. ]
no subject
The one-word answer explains a lot. Cisco knows that Lucretia and Taako are friendly enough to be living together, but they've also known each other for 100 years. That makes them more like family than just friends, and Cisco knows just how messy and ambivalent stuff can get when it comes to family. And if it turns out that, in addition to erasing so much of Taako's memories, she was also pulling the strings while he didn't remember... well, how could that not be complicated. ]
Gotcha.
[ Which is his deliberately casual way to say that he understands, that Taako doesn't have to say any more if he doesn't want to. Cisco keeps on braiding, reaches the point where there is no more hair to incorporate and he just braids out the rest quickly, secures the end with a small elastic. Then he is switching to the other side, the other half of Taako's hair, and starting a new Dutch braid, this one going downwards from his forehead.
He should probably change the subject entirely. But Cisco instead says: ]
I haven't got any clue how much stuff in my life for the last few years happened by accident and how much was Dr. Wells pulling the strings. I'm pretty sure he made it so I got the apartment I did, because it would be easier to bug so he could spy on me. And I think he might've... I think maybe he arranged things so nobody else would offer me a very good job, because he wanted me working for him, and feeling like I was lucky for the opportunity.
[ The transition, from one topic to another, leaves no question that Cisco didn't just randomly dive into talking about the power that Eobard exerted over his life; he is making an explicit comparison, to Lucretia, setting up Taako and Merle and Magnus to meet again. Comparing her to Eobard. ]