Hartley didn't react, which might be a good indicator, but he pulled back finally, although he couldn't resist taking Cisco's hand in his. "I can't hear." That should cover any potential confusion. "Sorry."

Not really his fault, but it still felt awkward. He remembered his parents talking about what his deafness made him. A burden, a problem, imperfect. That's why they had spent money to fix his ears. Which reminded him. "I had ear implants." He pointed at the night-stand. "The explosion, they... That's everything they got out. They had to remove them."