Family dinner

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The sun slowly faded into the background. Central City was still as lively as ever. The holiday spirit had begun to fade. The second week of January was on the horizon.

After Wally had given Cisco everything he would need to build a pulse matrix for Star labs. He quitely left Star labs giving Cisco the chance to spread his achievements, making sure it wouldn't be a bombshell when he decided to announce his company.

After leaving Star labs, he went home immediately. He arrived just in time to watch Joe finish dinner, setting the table as he arrived.

"Evening, Dad," he said, a bit awkwardly, wondering if Joe would bring up his vague excuse about staying with a friend.

"Evening, son." They shared a brief hug before sitting down. Wally was relieved Joe hadn't mentioned it—until Joe finally spoke up, his tone measured.

"Wally, I don't mean to pry, but...where were you last night?" Joe's gaze was steady, following Wally as he reached for the mac and cheese.

"Dad, I already told you. I was staying with a friend," Wally replied, though he could feel his cover slipping.

Joe nodded slightly, his expression unreadable. "Funny thing. I stopped by that friend's place, and he said he hadn't seen you in months."

Wally's tongue caught in his throat, struggling for words. Just then, a knock on the door broke the tension, and in walked Iris and Barry, joining them for dinner as they often did.

"Hey, Dad. What's up, Wally?" Iris greeted, flashing a warm smile as she rubbed Joe's shoulder and took a seat. Barry offered a quiet "Hey" and sat down, though his distracted look hinted that his thoughts were elsewhere.

Once they were all settled, Wally took a deep breath, realizing it was time to share his news. "Um, Joe...I actually have an announcement to make. And since everyone's here, I think this is the perfect time."

"Oh, what's up?" Iris asked, her eyes lighting up with interest. Even Barry seemed to snap back into focus, giving Wally his full attention. Joe put his spoon down, his eyes steady on Wally, waiting.

Wally took a breath. "I…recently got my own place, and I'm going to be moving out this week."

There was a pause as the news settled over the table, each of them absorbing Wally's words in their own way.

"Already?" Iris exclaimed. "How many months has it been, and you're already moving out?" Her voice was teasing, but there was an edge of surprise.

Barry leaned forward, looking at Wally intently. "Why?" he asked, his tone curious yet concerned.

Wally reached for his backpack, pulling out a sleek device with a soft, otherworldly glow. He tossed it to Barry, who scrambled slightly to catch it.

"What's this?" Barry asked, examining the device. Its warmth pulsed rhythmically, as if it had a heartbeat of its own.

"I call it the Pulse Reactor," Wally explained, watching as they all leaned in, drawn to the device. "It's a project I've been working on for a while. I got some major sponsorship, which helped me buy a place just outside Central City."

Joe raised his eyebrows in surprise, clearly processing the news, while Barry's eyes widened as he realized the scope of what Wally was saying.

Wally continued, "The Pulse Reactor is just the beginning. I'm using it as one of the core technologies to launch my own company—West Technologies." He watched Barry's reaction, a grin spreading across his face as Barry chuckled, still marveling at the device in his hands.

Iris leaned forward, eyebrows raised. "Okay, but that still doesn't explain why you're moving out," she pressed, leaving Wally with no choice but to play his last card.

"Alright, there's actually one more reason…" he trailed off, a hint of pink creeping into his cheeks. "I got my own place because of… Jesse. She's planning to move to Earth-1 eventually, so I'm just, you know... getting ready." He couldn't help but smile, feeling a little embarrassed.

Iris grinned, clearly enjoying his discomfort, while Joe finally spoke up. "It's no big deal, Wally. You're a grown man. I didn't expect you to move out so soon, but I'm happy for you," he said with a warm smile.

"Thanks, Dad," Wally replied, looking a bit relieved. "Honestly, I didn't think you'd take it so well."

Joe chuckled, shaking his head. "I didn't say I'm taking it well. I said I'm happy for you." His mock-serious tone earned a round of laughs from the table.

Barry, who had been watching the exchange with an amused smile, finally chimed in. "Now that Iris, Wally, and I are all moving out, don't you think it's time for you to get yourself... someone special?" he teased, a mischievous grin on his face.

Iris, mid-bite, shot Barry a look and playfully smacked his shoulder.

Joe's eyes widened, caught off guard by the suggestion. Wally jumped in, a grin spreading across his face. "Actually, Barry's not wrong... I mean, word on the street is that Cecile Horton, the D.A., is single."

"Oh yeah," Iris added with a smirk, clearly enjoying her dad's discomfort. "She's great, Dad."

"Alright, enough!" Joe's voice cut in, trying to sound stern, though he was clearly holding back a smile. "We're not having this conversation. Now, eat before the food gets cold."

They all laughed, unable to hide their amusement, while Joe tried his best to brush off the teasing, secretly grateful for the lively energy around the table.

As the teasing finally settled, they started eating, savoring the warm flavors of dinner.

"Grandma Esther's recipes are the best," Iris said, a look of satisfaction on her face.

"Yeah, I'm gonna need that cookbook," Wally added with a grin.

They continued enjoying the meal until Barry, casually tossing the Pulse Reactor back to Wally, decided to bring up his curiosity. "So, how much energy does your Pulse Reactor actually produce?"

"Alfred, it's your time to shine," Wally replied, raising his wrist to reveal a holographic butler image. He'd planned to reveal his AI eventually, and with his family here, it felt like the perfect time.

"Exactly 2.34 terajoules," Alfred answered smoothly, earning a yelp from Iris and a sharp, intrigued look from Barry.

"You built that?" Barry asked, eyes narrowing with interest.

"Yeah, it's one of the first technologies West Technologies will be working with," Wally replied, a hint of pride in his voice.

Barry's gaze intensified as he processed the information. "Wait… did you say 2.34 terajoules?" He exchanged a glance with Alfred's hologram, visibly impressed. Joe and Iris, less invested in the technical details, continued eating.

"Approximately," Alfred replied calmly.

"That's... an insane amount of energy," Barry murmured, almost to himself, realizing the potential power stored in Wally's creation.

As dinner wrapped up, Barry and Iris stayed a little longer to watch TV, while Wally's mind was already racing with his to-do list. His materials had arrived, which meant production could begin immediately. Plus, he needed to finalize the purchase of the building he'd mentioned, especially since Iris was already expecting a housewarming soon.

"Bye, guys!" he called out, heading for the door.

"Don't forget that housewarming!" Iris teased as he closed the door.

Once outside, he called for Alfred. "Alfred, buy me a building on the outskirts of the city."

"Done, though you will need to sign some contracts physically. I've scheduled it for two days from now," Alfred responded smoothly.

"Perfect," Wally replied, heading toward the warehouse where his supplies had been delivered. When he arrived, he phased through the entrance, taking in the sight of the massive stacks of packages filling the space.

"Yeah… I'm definitely not moving that on my own," he muttered.

"How are we transporting all this to the pocket dimension?" he asked.

"One moment, sir… marking the location now," Alfred replied, preparing the system as Wally strategized his next steps.

The entire warehouse was quickly enveloped in a blue glow, space itself warping as Wally watched. In the blink of an eye, everything disappeared, leaving the building completely empty. Wally was transported alongside his materials, arriving in the pocket dimension moments later.

He took a quick survey of his surroundings; all the equipment he'd ordered was there, perfectly arranged. Activating superspeed, he darted around, sorting each item into separate piles—the parts for the Thinking Cap, components for the construction drones, materials for structural reinforcements, and more.

"What should we start with, Alfred?" he asked, though he already felt the pull toward the Thinking Cap. Still, he knew that completing such a complex device would take multiple test phases, especially if he wanted it to function as a permanent intellect enhancer—like DeVoe's but without the crippling side effects. This wasn't something he could rush.

"I recommend starting with the construction drones, sir," Alfred replied. "Only a few need to be built initially, and using those, I can manufacture more as needed."

"Finally! I won't have to do all the heavy lifting in here," Wally said with a relieved sigh, eyeing the stacks of metal and electronics around him.

With a nod of determination, he turned to the materials, focusing his mind. "Alright, let's begin."