seven + one

FLASH

Barry was a lot of things- someone who showed up for career day was not one of them- but his cousin couldn't make it and neither could her wife, and someone had to show up, it was 25% of his niece's (not really his niece, she was his cousin, but she called him uncle, so) grade. And so that's how Barry ended up running half the country to reach his cousin's hometown of Amity Park, Illinois.

He rang the doorbell.

"Uncle Barry!" Star cried out in relief, hugging him tight as the door flew open so fast Barry nearly did a double take and had to convince himself that she wasn't a speedster. "Thank God!" She pulled away, but grabbed his hand and started dragging him down the steps. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! This is no joke! The presentation is in first period and I'm so going to miss homeroom- which Mr. Lancer will murder me for!- meaning I only have twenty minutes to get to school and it takes fifteen with no traffic- which means that this time of day it'll take at least thirty!" Star babbled as she fretted, letting go of Barry to look for something in her bag. ...Barry may or may not have discreetly used his powers to speed them to the school. "Um... Star..? Isn't that your school right there?" He asked the girl, who was still rifling through her bag.

Star jerked up, looking at him like he was crazy, and went to look so she could tell her uncle what it really was only for her jaw to drop as she realized he was right! Her flip phone clattered to the ground as she cheered. "I'm not gonna die!" There was a hesitation. "Completely!"

🔹

He didn't know if he should be annoyed or glad Batman called with a code yellow (all hands on deck (which was annoying to say the least considering that he'd retired some time ago and that Wally took over)). "I'll be right back," He tells Star, who looks at him like he's nuts. "Why?! They'll be here in, like, five minutes!"

"And I need to pee," Barry shoots back. "Don't worry- I'll be back in a Flash." Barry jogged off before speeding into his suit and going to help out- unfortunately, it took much longer than five minutes, it took half an hour, and by the time he got back, the class was over. Star... wasn't super upset though.

"Oh! It's over?! I'm so sorry, Star! Work called, they wanted to know where a report was and then-"

"Uncle Barry, it's fine, I know, you had to go in," she told him, sounding a little stunned. "Ph... Phantom showed up for it."

"Uhm... who?"

She shook her head. "Uhm... l...local hero... he... gosh... I... wow..."

Flash honestly looked amused.

"He... he completely lied, said I was interviewing him and a ghost attacked, vaporizing my worksheet and then handed me one completely written out by him and apologized for it being a bit sloppy- h...he saved my grade and... apologized for it." She told her uncle as she continued to stare at the ground, stunned. "...He gave an entire presentation, impromptu, because one of my classmates- who... who doesn't even like me- saw him patrolling outside the school and told him he heard you talking about 'coming in' on his way to the bathroom."

Barry blinked. "Which student? I want to thank them." Star pointed him out. "Him. His name's Danny- and like I haven't already thanked him enough," She jokes weakly, truly believing she hadn't.

Barry guided his stunned niece over and stuck out his hand to the teen, grinning gratefully. "Hey, I'm Barry, Star's cousin- I hear your the kid I should thank for saving her grade."

He shook it, but denied his help, "Oh, no, th-that's all Phantom." He told Barry nervously, but still beaming.

Barry laughed. "Don't be so modest, kid. If it weren't for you, her grade would be ruined for the rest of the semester!" He smiled brightly. "Thank you. Really. And so do all those families in Central City who now have their brother's killer being arrested as we speak."

The boy looked stunned, but beamed even more now. "Still Phantom, but he'll be over the moon to hear it, sir."

🔹

"You said his name was Danny?" Superman asked as the two drank coffee (well, Flash's was decaf) in the Watchtower cafeteria. "Last name wouldn't be Fenton, would it?"

"Dunno. Black hair, little short for his age, bright, and I mean bright blue eyes." He describes before taking a sip. "Kid saved her grade- and here's the kicker-" he adds, interrupting his mug's journey back to his mouth for another sip. "-'ccroding to Star? Kid doesn't even like her. Hates her, even. She dated his best friend for a while before dumping him for another guy. Said it didn't even last a month."

Superman's eyebrows went up even more. "Dang. Now that's the stuff most of the new guys are missing: s'not about who you like, s'bout what's right, ain't it?" He took another sip.

Batman stopped his stride in front of the two, eyes narrowed on Superman, cup of coffee in hand, "...Did you just say 'ain't'?"

"I'm from Kansas!"

"You're a reporter!"