The halls of Atlas Academy were colder than I once thought. Even after everything—the battle, the secrets, Damian’s confession about his lineage—the silence in my mind felt heavier than the snow outside. My thoughts barely had time to settle before we reached the training grounds, where twelve unfamiliar faces stood gathered like soldiers awaiting orders.
They weren’t stiff, though. Not all of them. Some stood with easy confidence, others fidgeted, two were even holding hands. My team stared, wide-eyed and whispering amongst themselves.
And then I saw him.
“BART!”
The name left my mouth before I realized how loud I’d shouted.
A blur of lightning cut across the yard, and suddenly he was there, squeezing the air out of me in a hug.
“KORI!” he shouted back in a single breathless stream, words tumbling out faster than I could register: “IhaveasisternowIloveherOhandalsothereisthiscoolmechanicthat’sdad’sapprenticeandshe’ssocrash!PracticingissuchaMOODthough!”
“Breath, Bart,” I laughed, pulling back just enough to look at him properly. “I am glad you are having such a great time.”
The others were staring. Ruby tilted her head, confused. “Wait… Bart? Who’s Bart?”
Nora’s jaw dropped. “Thor Impulse is BART?! BART IS THOR?!”
Jaune blinked. “So… Thor wasn’t his real name?”
Bart sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, cheeks dusting pink. “Uh… surprise?”
Damian sighed and folded his arms, answering before Bart could dig himself deeper. “Thor Impulse was a cover. Necessary for protection.” His voice slipped into my mind as smoothly as ever. “Bart Allen is his real name. Keep the rest between us.”
Ruby giggled, nudging Yang. “I dunno, Thor Impulse sounds like the name of a cereal mascot.”
Yang grinned. “Or a hair gel brand. ‘Get that lightning look with Thor Impulse!’”
Nora was practically vibrating. “BART IS THOR! THOR IS BART! This is my new favorite plot twist!”
I smiled despite myself. Of course they would react this way. Their bonds had been forged in chaos—like ours.
“So,” I asked once the excitement died down, “what is your semblance now, Bart?”
He didn’t hesitate. Extending a hand toward Oscar, Bart activated it. Oscar yelped in surprise as he was suddenly pulled into Bart’s arms in a swoop worthy of a fairy tale illustration.
“Attract…” Bart grinned mischievously. A crackle of lightning split the ground beside him, and a girl with a shock of magenta hair and a wild mohawk appeared in a blur. “…and Repel.”
The girl smirked, unfazed by the lightning bolt she’d just ridden down. “Yeah, yeah. Always quick, huh?”
“Always!” Bart chirped, pressing a kiss to Oscar’s cheek before setting him gently back on his feet.
“BART!” Ruby gasped, eyes sparkling. “Oh my god, why didn’t you tell us you and Oscar were a thing?!”
“YES, why didn’t you?!” Nora echoed dramatically. Jaune just covered his face with both hands, muttering something about “boundaries.”
“They weren’t even hiding it,” Damian deadpanned, though his mental tone to me was amused. “And please… stop yelling.”
Yang smirked, leaning against her gauntlets. “What, like your girlfriend?”
YOU ARE READING
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