Chapter 9 — "Normal Days"
It was supposed to be a normal day in Central City. Or as normal as things ever got in a place haunted by metas, lightning storms, and mysterious red-eyed janitors. But today, the sun was high, the breeze was gentle, and there were no robberies, no emergencies, no deadly threats or cries for help.
Instead, there was a field hockey match.
An unofficial tradition among the CCPD, the monthly match had grown into a casual spectacle. A few officers would play against a team of college students from Central City University. It was all in good fun, a way to unwind and pretend, for just a few hours, that the world wasn't teetering on the edge.
Barry Allen stood on the field in shorts and a jersey, a hockey stick in his hand, looking like he was regretting every life choice that had led him here.
"You good, Barry?" Eddie called from the sidelines.
"Yeah," Barry muttered. "Just... trying not to humiliate myself."
The thing was, Barry couldn't use his speed. That would be cheating. So, in the spirit of fairness, he was playing like any other guy. And it showed.
He slipped twice during the warm-up. Hit his own foot with the stick once. And now, as the game progressed, he was doing his best just to keep up.
Cisco and Caitlin sat in the bleachers with a group of CCPD employees, watching and occasionally heckling in good nature. Caitlin had brought iced drinks. Cisco had brought popcorn.
"Come on, Barry!" Caitlin called out.
"Use the force, Barry!" Cisco added, tossing a kernel of popcorn in the air and missing his mouth.
Barry rolled his eyes as the college team advanced. One particularly fast kid, maybe nineteen, darted past him, slipped around two cops, and scored.
The goalpost rattled, and the ball hit the net.
"YEAHHHHHH! THAT'S MY BOY!"
"That's my cousin you people"
The shout came from the edge of the bleachers. Loud. Proud. Happy.
Barry turned instinctively, confused.
Cisco almost choked on his popcorn.
Caitlin sat up straighter, eyes widening.
Standing by the chain-link fence was a man with red hair, red eyes, and a cigarette tucked behind one ear. He wore a leather jacket over a black shirt, ripped jeans, and boots that had clearly seen better days. His hands were in his pockets, but his grin was wide.
Dante Hart.
He was clapping.
"No way," Cisco whispered. "He has a cousin?"
"He looks... happy," Caitlin said, as if she didn't quite believe it.
Barry jogged to the side of the field, eyes fixed on him.
Dante pointed to the boy who had just scored. The kid waved awkwardly, cheeks red from the run. Dante clapped again, proud.
"What?" Dante said, noticing their looks. "I can't cheer for my cousin? You people think I was born out of a storm cloud or something?"
Barry stopped in front of the fence. "You never said you had family."
Dante shrugged. "Didn't say I didn't."
Barry looked past him at the kid, who had returned to his team, laughing and slapping hands with his friends.
"He looks up to you?" Barry asked quietly.
Dante didn't answer at first. His eyes stayed on the field, soft.
"He doesn't know about... what I am. Just thinks I'm the cool older cousin who knows how to fix bikes and beat up bullies."
"You ever think of telling him?"
Dante lit the cigarette, inhaled, then exhaled toward the sky. "Would you?"
Barry didn't answer. He couldn't.
The game continued. The CCPD made a comeback goal. The crowd cheered. Music played from someone's speaker. For a while, it all felt like a slice of something untouched. Normal. Whole.
Dante leaned on the fence. Caitlin and Cisco eventually approached, standing on either side of Barry.
"You're different today," Caitlin said gently.
Dante looked back at her he knows her .
She is one of barry helper
"No lightning. No violence. Just... you."
"Weird, right?" Dante said, half-smiling. "I can still be a person. Just don't get many chances."
Cisco asked, "Why come here at all? Why now?"
Dante's eyes followed the kid—his cousin. "Because for once, I wanted to see someone I care about win. Not die. Not disappear. Just win."
A silence settled between them.
Then Dante smirked. "Also, I knew Barry would trip at least once. Didn't want to miss that."
Barry sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Glad I can be entertainment."
Dante started to walk away. Then paused.
"You know what scares me, Flash? It's not that I'm a killer. It's that the more I watch this world, the more I wonder if maybe... I have to be."
Barry watched him go, heart heavy.
But in that moment—as Dante gave his cousin a high five and ruffled his hair—he didn't see a monster.
He saw a man trying, if only for one day, to remember who he used to be.
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