A Surprise Visit
The morning after the attack, Barry Cartwright was still adjusting to everything that had happened. The bullet holes in his ruined suit were a stark reminder that his days of hiding were over. No amount of makeup, paint, or wigs could change that fact.
He was a super, and the world knew it now.
Sitting at the kitchen table, Barry sipped his coffee while Daphne Langley flipped through her phone, skimming through the latest social media reactions to the attack. Tyler Bishop, meanwhile, was raiding Barry’s fridge with his usual enthusiasm, pulling out an entire carton of eggs.
“You don’t mind if I make an omelet, do you?” Tyler asked, already cracking eggs into a bowl.
Barry shook his head. “Go ahead. Not like I eat much, anyway.”
Before Tyler could respond, there was a knock at the door.
Barry frowned. He wasn’t expecting company.
Daphne, not even looking up, chuckled. “That’s your sister.”
Barry’s eyebrow twitched. “Did you just—”
“Read her mind?” Daphne smirked. “No. I just recognized the distinct ’I’m your older sister and I’m here to meddle’ energy from a mile away.”
Barry sighed and got up, opening the door to reveal Mary Cartwright, his older sister, standing there with a knowing smirk.
“Morning, baby brother,” she said, stepping inside before Barry could even greet her. She immediately took in the sight of Daphne lounging on the couch, wearing one of Barry’s old t-shirts, and Tyler making himself at home in the kitchen.
Her smirk widened. “Well, well, well. You’ve been busy.”
Barry groaned. “Mary, don’t start.”
Sisterly Teasing
Mary set down her purse and folded her arms, her eyes dancing with amusement as she nudged Barry with her elbow.
“So, you gonna introduce me to your girlfriend, or should I assume this is one of those ’it’s complicated’ situations?”
Daphne, without missing a beat, leaned back against the couch, stretching in an almost catlike fashion. “Oh, Barry and I? We’re very complicated.”
Barry shot her a look. “Not helping.”
Tyler, shoving a forkful of eggs into his mouth, muffled out, “Dude, just go with it.”
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Mary’s laughter filled the room. “Oh, this is just too good. My little brother, the big scary metal man, actually has a social life.”
Barry rubbed his temples. “Why are you even here?”
Mary grinned. “I wanted to check on you after last night. Y’know, the whole nearly-getting-assassinated thing?”
Barry exhaled, sitting back down. “Yeah. It’s been a wild couple of days.”
Mary’s gaze softened. “I saw the news, Barry. And I’ve been thinking…”
Dropping the Act
Barry looked at her, waiting.
Mary took a deep breath. “I don’t think you should bother hiding anymore.”
Barry’s metal fingers tapped against the table. “I don’t—”
Mary cut him off. “No, Barry. I mean it. The wrong people already know what you are. Trying to keep up this whole ‘normal guy’ act is just a waste of time.”
Daphne chimed in. “She’s right. The Anti-Super groups? The people who actually want to hurt you? They already know. The only ones left in the dark are regular people who don’t care either way.”
Barry sighed. He had spent so much time trying to blend in, to look human, but the truth was, he wasn’t. Not anymore.
He flexed his fingers, looking at the sheen of metal that made up his body. Even now, he was wearing cloth gloves, pretending it made a difference.
Mary reached across the table and patted his metal hand. “Barry, no matter what you look like, you’re still my little brother. And I love you. But I think it’s time you start loving yourself, too.”
Daphne smirked. “Besides, if you ever feel like blending in, I’m pretty sure I can convince some high-end makeup artists to help.”
Barry rolled his eyes. “Oh, great. Professional superhero makeup tutorials. Just what I needed.”
A Golden Experiment
Mary’s hand rested on the table, and Barry’s gaze caught the glint of her wedding ring.
Something clicked in his mind.
A thought. An idea. A test.
Curious, Barry reached out and touched the ring—the solid gold band that sat comfortably on Mary’s finger.
And then, he felt it.
The shift in his body.
It was subtle at first—a warmth spreading through his limbs, a tingling sensation as his metallic skin shimmered—but then, within seconds, his entire form transformed.
His body turned from its usual dull silver to pure gold.
Tyler dropped his fork.
Daphne let out a low whistle.
And Mary?
She burst out laughing.
“Oh my god, Barry,” she gasped between laughs. “You’re a literal golden boy now.”
Barry looked down at his hands, flexing his gleaming golden fingers. His entire body was radiant, his reflection bouncing off the polished surface.
“Well,” he muttered. “That’s new.”
Daphne, still smirking, ran a finger along his arm. “Shiny. You might actually be worth something now.”
Barry raised an eyebrow. “I could sue you for harassment.”
Daphne leaned in, smirking. “And I could sue you for checking me out earlier.”
Barry’s mouth opened, then closed. “Damn telepaths.”
Mary wiped away a tear. “I’m never letting you live this down.”
Barry groaned. “Yeah, yeah. Get it out of your system.”
Mary elbowed him again. “Oh, come on. You know Daphne would love having a golden boy toy.”
Barry shot Daphne a look. “Don’t. Say. A word.”
Daphne, to his horror, just grinned.
Embracing the Truth
After the laughter died down, Barry looked at himself in the reflection of the kitchen window.
He was done hiding.
Mary was right—the wrong people already knew what he was.
Why waste energy pretending?
Barry flexed his fingers and willed his golden skin to shift back to steel, the warm glow fading as his usual silver-gray color returned.
Then, for the first time in six months, he took off his gloves.
His bare metallic hands rested on the table, fully exposed.
Daphne smiled. “See? Not so bad, right?”
Barry exhaled. “Yeah. Not so bad.”
Mary squeezed his shoulder. “Good. Because, like it or not, Barry… the world already knows who you are. It’s time you know it too.”
And Barry?
For the first time in a long time… he agreed.
