archimedes |b. allen|

metalhead

metalhead

"Copper, go!"

"Copper, Cu, atomic mass 63.546, melting point 1,085-ish° Celsius, density 8.96 grams per cubic centimeter," I spout off, focusing on my clenching fists and attempting to replicate the exact density of copper.

Cisco then puts down his flashcards, picking up the meter he'd been working on to detect the density of my skin and sticking the probe to my deltoid.

"8.96, baby!" he exclaims after the meter beeps, giving him the reading.

He throws his hand up for a high five, that I make a show of gently slapping as my density is increased.

"You're getting really fast," Caitlin comments, still typing on her computer, eyes glued to the screen.

The new metahuman of the week had made its debut: robbing banks and stealing gold. And apparently it was attacking with mental power instead of physical. (Okay, so maybe it was more of a soft launch since we haven't actually seen said metahuman, but still.)

So Cisco and Caitlin had been using all my free time to work with me on getting stronger.

It was Cisco's idea that this would be a fun exercise for me: starting with something I'm familiar with like the periodic table and trying to alter my density like the elements. Barry and I handed over the files from Hera Biosciences yesterday, giving them a story that we snuck in to steal them together. I made sure to announce that I knew my cure was going on the back burner until The Man in Yellow was caught and Eddie was safe.

Nonetheless, it was a relief to finally have the masterminds with the files to cure me in hand.

(If there even was a cure.)

I also didn't have any more time to take off work. So I was resuming my normal schedule of going to work and returning to S.T.A.R. Labs in the morning to train until I was too tired to even stand.

Caitlin insisted I take a week off, just to let my body recover. But I truly didn't have the patience to explain to Maude, Bennie, or my boss why I needed more days off. I was already starting to look suspicious to my friends, I didn't need my supervisor on my back too.

"Tungsten?" Cisco's voice raises an octave higher as he challenges me, both of us knowing this metal is much more dense compared to the others he'd been testing me on.

I grimace, swallowing hard before answering uneasily, "Tungsten, atomic symbol W—for some fucking reason—"

"Oh! It's because the alternate name for tungsten is wolfram," Cisco cuts me off, a boyish smirk on his face as I squint in thought.

"I'm sure that's a Buffy reference I'll figure out later... Anyway, atomic symbol W, melting point 3,422° Celsius, density 19.25 grams per cubic centimeter, which is going to be incredibly challenging for me, so thank you, Cisco," I smile while my eyes are on fire, already trying to get my entire body as dense as the metal in question.

I clench and unclench my fists as I feel the weight of myself increase, my feet feel like they're sinking into the floor, my fingertips feel like they're stretching to the ground with the extra weight, and I close my eyes because even they feel heavy.

Just as I hear Cisco's meter firing up, I try to get the perfect balance of 19.25 just as the comforting whoosh of wind and ruffling papers hits the Cortex.

My eyes flash open, my skin lightening all on its own as I lock eyes with Barry, who only gives me a lifted corner of his lips for a smile.

I return it, interrupted by Cisco who's meter reads less than one.