The Meta tales

[Huge thanks to *Joseph Bibbs* for supporting my Patreon]

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*Whoosh!* Two blurs—one blue and one yellow—raced out of a breach, coming to an abrupt stop. Jesse's eyes widened in surprise as she immediately turned to Wally.

"Wally, you're a speedster? Since when?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.

Wally shifted, still catching his breath. "It's… a long story," he said with a small grin.

"Wait, was it the dark matter wave that hit us?" she continued, piecing it together.

"It's more complicated than that. I got my powers in an alternate timeline Barry accidentally created."

Jesse's eyebrows shot up in shock. "Barry made an alternate reality?"

"Yeah, I'll fill you in on all the crazy details later," Wally said as they approached the elevator leading to the Cortex.

Jesse gave him a once-over, her expression softening into a curious smile. "Okay, that explains the speed, but what's with the new hairstyle?"

Wally ran a hand through his hair as they stepped into the elevator. "Just didn't feel like keeping the old look. You don't like it?" he asked, playful but uncertain.

Jesse laughed softly. "No, it suits you. Just wasn't expecting it—that's all."

Wally smirked deviously as the elevator doors closed. "Well, I guess I wanted to impress someone." His eyes met hers for a brief moment before glancing away.

Jesse raised an eyebrow, her heartbeat quickening. "Impress who?"

Wally hesitated, then flashed a half-smile. "Maybe… you." His voice was quiet but sincere, and it hung in the air between them.

[Hair style]

For a second, the only sound was the hum of the elevator. Jesse's playful smile widened. "Well, maybe it's working," she replied, her voice just as quiet.

Entering the Cortex, Wally glanced at the members of Team Flash present. Only Joe was missing, probably busy with his detective work.

"Just in time," Cisco said, noticing him and Jesse entering.

"Nice to see you, Jesse," Caitlin greeted with a smile before focusing on the matter at hand.

"Savitar was the first man ever granted speed, and over time, he became the God of Motion—the fastest of us all. Before Savitar graces the earth with his presence, he sends a predecessor to prepare for his arrival," Jay paused, glancing over at the team.

"Alchemy," Barry added, with Jay nodding in response.

"What's he preparing for?" Barry asked.

"He's preparing for a battle with you. Apparently, you've grown powerful enough to challenge him."

"And where did you learn all this?" Wally asked, taking the words out of Barry's mouth.

"Speed Force myths, legends, rumors. If Savitar has come for you once, he'll be back."

"Then I'll be ready," Barry said, with determination burning in his eyes.

"We'll be ready," Jay replied, his gaze falling on the team, especially Wally and Jesse.

The team scattered with the announcement finished, each finding their own way. Wally, on the other hand, left STAR Labs with Jesse as they took a stroll.

"I'm really sorry for all this. I didn't mean to drag you into this," he said, since they had both gotten the message Jay passed to them, even though he hadn't said it.

"Wally, come on, it's nothing. Besides, I haven't had much to do back home."

Wally's smile faltered slightly as a new thought crossed his mind. He looked down at their hands before gently letting go. "There's just one thing, though... how do you think your dad's going to react to all this?"

Jesse blinked, her expression softening as she realized what he meant. "Dad? You're worried about how *he'll* take it?"

Wally nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean, I know Harry. He's... *protective.* And now, with everything going on—Savitar, Alchemy—I don't think he'll be too happy that I dragged you into all of this. He might even blame me."

Jesse sighed, stepping closer to him. "Wally, this isn't on you. Dad will be mad, sure. But that's just who he is. You know that as well as I do. He'll come around... eventually." She gave him a reassuring smile. "Besides, I'm not a little girl anymore. I made this decision to help, and he's going to have to accept that."

Wally looked down for a moment, still unsure. "Yeah, I just—"

"Stop worrying so much," Jesse said, placing a hand on his arm. "I'll handle my dad. You just focus on what's coming next."

He met her eyes and nodded, though the concern still lingered in the back of his mind. "Okay… but if he tries to kill me, I'm blaming you."

Jesse laughed softly, the sound easing some of his tension. "Deal."

"So, are you hungry?" Wally asked with a smirk.

Jesse chuckled. "Wally, you know us speedsters are *always* hungry."

"Alright then," he said as lightning crackled around him. "Let's see who makes it to Big Belly Burger first."

In an instant, sparks of electricity danced around Jesse, her eyes gleaming. "You're on."

The two ran towards the famous burger spot of Big Belly Burger, leaving a trail of blue and yellow. "Damn, she's faster," he thought, glancing at the increasing gap. However, he naturally couldn't allow her to win.

"Me lose to a girl? Nah." Drawing on more Speed Force energy, he managed to match her speed, making sure it was equal with neither of them losing or winning.

The two arrived at Big Belly Burger, laughing and out of breath. Wally glanced over at Jesse, who had a playful smirk on her face.

"Alright, fine. I'll let you say it," Wally said, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Say what?" Jesse asked, pretending to be innocent.

Wally chuckled. "That we're evenly matched."

Jesse shook her head, grinning. "Oh no, no. I think we both know who was pulling their punches."

The warm, familiar smell of grilled meat and fries greeted them as they approached the counter. Despite their abilities to run faster than the speed of sound, the cravings for a greasy burger and a side of fries never seemed to diminish.

After grabbing their food, they sat at a booth near the window, the city lights twinkling behind them.

"Hard to believe we're doing this while preparing for some world-ending speedster battle," Jesse said as she took a huge bite out of her burger.

Wally smirked, taking a bite of his own. "Yeah, well, even heroes need a break."

Jesse wiped her mouth with a napkin, nodding in agreement. "True, but we should probably head back to Joe's after this. Everyone's waiting."

"Right," Wally said, leaning back in his seat. "Christmas dinner." He suddenly looked thoughtful. "You know, it's been a while since I had a normal holiday with everyone together."

"Me too," Jesse admitted, her tone softening. "With everything that's been happening lately—my dad, training—I almost forgot what it feels like to just... relax."

They finished their meal quickly—thanks to their enhanced metabolisms—and after a brief moment of shared silence, they dashed off again, this time heading straight for Joe's house.

The scent of freshly cooked turkey and gingerbread filled the air as they arrived at the West household. The house was aglow with festive lights, casting a warm glow against the cold night. Wally hesitated for a moment, taking in the scene. It was home, and for once, everything felt peaceful.

Joe opened the door before they could knock. "Well, look who finally showed up," he said with a smile. "Come on in, everyone's waiting."

Inside, the room was bustling with laughter and conversation. Barry, Iris, Caitlin, Cisco, and even Julian were already there, chatting by the tree as they waited for Wally and Jesse to arrive. Joe and Cecile were on the side, both eager to check out which grandma of theirs was best at making eggnog.

"You two took your time," Barry teased, walking over to them. "Big Belly Burger run?"

Jesse and Wally exchanged guilty looks, and Wally grinned.

Joe shook his head with mock disapproval. "Speedsters. Can't even wait for Christmas dinner."

As they gathered around the table, Joe took his place at the head, smiling at his family—blood and found alike. "You know," he said, his voice filled with warmth, "with everything we've been through this year, I'm just grateful we can all be together like this." He looked at each of them in turn, pausing at Wally. "Especially with some new faces at the table."

Wally smiled back, feeling the warmth of belonging. Despite all the chaos that awaited them, tonight was about family.

"Alright, enough with the sappy speeches. Let's eat!" Cisco declared, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

The room filled with the sounds of laughter, clinking glasses, and the joy of a family united, if only for a moment. Outside, the city was quiet, the world seeming to pause in the stillness of the night. For now, there were no villains, no speedster battles to fight. Just the peace of Christmas with the people they loved most.

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