The streets of Central City were bustling with the usual late-afternoon traffic, the hum of cars and the shuffle of pedestrians blending into the familiar soundtrack of daily life. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows on the sidewalk as Ethan walked down the street. He didn't look at the faces around him, his eyes focused somewhere far away, lost in thought. Every step felt heavier than the last, his mind occupied with the latest experiment in the warehouse. He had barely processed how much his abilities were changing. How fast he was learning.
But there was one person who noticed.
Ethan didn't hear Barry's footsteps until he was right behind him, the familiar beat of his brother's jog unmistakable. Ethan turned, his posture stiffening slightly as he caught sight of Barry's face, a mix of concern and suspicion etched across it.
"Ethan!" Barry called out, slowing as he approached. "Hey, man. I've been looking for you."
Ethan tried to keep his face neutral, though he could feel the tension in the air between them. It was hard to ignore the undercurrent of something wrong that Barry was picking up on.
"What's up?" Ethan said, his voice sounding casual, maybe too casual. He forced a small smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
Barry frowned, crossing his arms as he stopped in front of Ethan. "You tell me. You've been acting strange lately."
Ethan's smile faltered for a moment. "Strange? What do you mean?"
Barry's eyes narrowed, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. "You've been distant. I've tried to talk to you, but you keep brushing me off. And, I don't know, there's something weird about the way you're moving. Like... like you're holding back, but at the same time, you're way too fast for it to be normal."
Ethan's heart skipped a beat. He had been careful. Too careful, maybe. He hadn't wanted to arouse suspicion, but the truth was, everything had been shifting inside him so quickly that it was hard to keep up. He hadn't expected Barry to catch on so soon.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Ethan said, shaking his head, forcing the calmness back into his voice. He needed to stay in control. "I've just been... adjusting. You know, everything that's happened recently. It's been a lot to take in."
Barry didn't look convinced. "You've been acting different ever since the explosion. You're not the same, Ethan. And I've been watching you. I know you're hiding something. What's going on?"
Ethan swallowed hard. He could feel his pulse quicken in his ears, the old familiar sensation of being caught. His body itched to move, to run, to leave this conversation far behind him. But he forced himself to stay still. Barry had always been able to see through him, and it was becoming harder to keep the truth hidden.
"I'm fine," Ethan said, his voice tight. "Just a little... overwhelmed, I guess. It's a lot to process, with everything changing. I mean, you're the one with the superpowers, Barry. You know how hard it is to adjust, right?"
Barry's expression softened a little, but there was still a glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes. "Yeah, I get that," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "But that's the thing, Ethan. I didn't feel different at first. It was all so new, but there was something—some kind of connection I could feel with the Speed Force. I had control over it, even when I didn't understand it. You don't have that. You're holding something back. I can see it."
Ethan's stomach churned. The truth was, he didn't have control yet. Not the way Barry did. The Speed Force was chaotic inside him, unpredictable. The power surged through him in waves—sometimes gentle, sometimes overwhelming. And the more he tried to ignore it, the more it seemed to take over. It was a constant battle in his head, one that Barry didn't seem to understand. Ethan wasn't ready to tell him about it—not yet.
"I'm just... trying to figure things out," Ethan said, his voice softer now, as if he were pleading with Barry to just let it go. "I need some space to process everything. That's all."
Barry studied him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. He didn't look angry, but the suspicion was still there, simmering beneath the surface. He was about to speak again when a sudden realization crossed his mind, his eyes widening just a fraction.
"You've been experimenting with your powers, haven't you?" Barry asked, his voice dropping an octave, serious now. "You're hiding something, and I'm not going to just stand by and pretend it's nothing."
Ethan's breath hitched in his chest. Barry was too sharp. He could feel the weight of the accusation in his brother's voice, the subtle shift in Barry's tone that made it clear this wasn't just a casual observation. He knew something was wrong. Ethan's mind raced, but the words wouldn't come. How could he explain it to Barry? How could he tell him that he was scared? That everything was happening too fast and he wasn't ready to shoulder the responsibility of the Speed Force?
"I haven't done anything wrong," Ethan said, trying to keep his voice steady, but there was an edge of defensiveness in his tone. "I'm just trying to understand it all, Barry. It's not like you have all the answers either."
Barry's eyes softened, but his suspicion didn't waver. "I'm trying to help you, Ethan. I want to help you. But I can't do that if you won't talk to me. You're my brother. We've been through everything together, but right now, you're pushing me away."
Ethan took a deep breath, his chest tightening. It felt like a weight was pressing down on him, crushing him under the pressure of his own secrets. He didn't want to lose Barry, didn't want to push him further away. But what choice did he have? The Speed Force wasn't something Barry could understand—not without the same kind of connection.
"I'm sorry," Ethan muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm just... I don't know how to deal with this. I don't know what's happening to me."
Barry's expression softened even more, and he stepped closer to Ethan. "You don't have to deal with it alone, you know. You don't have to keep everything inside. We're a team. We always have been."
Ethan looked up at his brother, feeling the weight of his words settle in his chest. He didn't know how to explain the chaos inside him, the storm that raged every time he tapped into the Speed Force. But Barry was right. He wasn't alone. And maybe, just maybe, it was time to stop pretending he could handle this on his own.
"I'll tell you everything," Ethan said quietly, the words coming out slowly, like they were being dragged from him. "But... I'm not ready yet. I need time to figure this out."
Barry nodded, his face softening. "Take all the time you need, Ethan. Just know I'm here. Whenever you're ready."
As Ethan watched Barry walk away, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. He had lied to his brother. But more than that, he had been keeping him at arm's length, and that was the last thing he wanted. The truth was, he wasn't sure if he was ready to face it himself. But maybe, just maybe, Barry could help him find the answers he so desperately needed.