Burning Bridges

At Your Side

"I'm never gonna get used to that," Kara said breathlessly as they stepped out of the portal.

Barry grinned at her, gripping her shoulders as she wobbled.

"Yeah, well we can't keep doing that." She raised an eyebrow at him. He shrugged. "It gets tiring. And I'm hungry."

"Let's grab a bite then," Kara giggled and gestured to their outfits. "After we change out of these, anyway."

"Sounds great," he smiled back then frowned as he patted his pockets. "But...I don't have any cash on me right now."

She nudged him playfully with her shoulder. "You're a cheap date."

Barry pouted at her.

"Don't worry," Kara laughed at the speedster. "I'll pay. Just this once. My universe, my treat."

"Where's the nearest apparel shop?" Barry asked, stretching his neck.

Kara swiveled to give instructions to the speedster, but was instead greeted with billowing dust.

"Race you there," he'd whispered.

"Oh no, you don't!" Kara flew to his direction, listening for the madly quick beating of his heart.

Around forty monster sized burgers later, the speedster and the alien were sitting in a branch of Big Belly Burger right across the Daily Planet. The building was tall, almost piercing the relentless, changeless blue skies with the golden planet that lay atop the edifice.

The superheroes paid no notice of the towering structure, engrossed in their conversations.

"So," Barry said, sipping from his drink. "What can you tell me about your cousin? Superman, right?"

"Superman." She nodded. "He's a gentle giant."

"Can he do the things that you do?"

"Yeah, he can. But better." Kara sank her pearls into a warm bacon cheeseburger. "Not because he's a man, but because he's been at it for quite a long time. I've only arrived here, on Earth, when I was a teenager and he's been here since his toddler days. And I've only been active for a year."

"So I guess he also has that superhero outfit."

"Well," Kara nodded her head thoughtfully. "He also has the House of El symbol and the entire thing, except the skirt of course."

Barry laughed. "Of course, wouldn't want to see a giant muscle-y dude flying about in a skirt. I don't want to see Superman's super...thingy. That would be super awkward." 

That earned a hard slap from Kara.

"Barry!" Kara glared at him. "I don't want to even think about—ugh. Gross, Barry." Her hands flew up to cover her eyes. "I won't be able to get that out of my head for a while."

Barry waggled his eyebrows at her. She rolled her eyes. "You done with that?" She nodded. "Me too. Shall we go meet your super cousin?"

"Alright," Kara beamed at the speedster, grabbing his hand and dragging him to the Daily Planet.

"Clark," Kara plastered on her usual sunny grin, tugging on Barry's dark blue hoodie as she introduced him to a taller man. "This is Barry Allen. Barry, meet Clark Kent."

Barry could see that Clark was mild-mannered and refined. He was frighteningly tall, almost six and a half feet high and the ripples of his muscles were vaguely visible underneath the well-pressed Oxford, but his cerulean eyes, hidden behind a pair of glasses, gave away a vulnerability that attested the man's gentle nature.