BluePulse Week, Day Two: AU. And anyone who knows me will tell you how weak I am for soulmate AU's. Like... it's embarrassing how much I love them. There's BirdFlash in here too because I love them. Title is taken from the song Artichoke by Gabriel Mann
Bart remembered, back when cousin Wally was alive, the older speedster used to hum. It wasn't often, and it was always quiet, but Bart remembered it clear as day.
He asked Wally about it one time, and he looked so sad, that Bart had immediately felt guilty. But Wally waved off his apologies with a smile.
"It's an old song. My... my soul mate and I used to sing it together," he had said, and if Bart hadn't felt bad already, that was enough to make him want to jump in a river.
Bart had never met Wally's soul mate. The famous Nightwing had long since been dead by the time Bart had entered the world, but from the stories, he knew Dick Grayson really had to be something else.
Bart never heard music. Sure, he'd listen to others around hum softly to themselves, but he never heard his soul mate sing, or hum, or even listen to other people singing or humming.
No one ever said it, but they all knew it. Bart didn't have a soul mate - not one that was alive, anyway.
Which is why he didn't look back when he made the choice to go back in time. It didn't matter that he would never hear the music. Wally had lost his music, too, and if anyone deserved to keep their soul mate, it was him.
So Bart hopped in the time machine, saved his grandfather, and set his sights on saving the world.
Bart spent most of his time with Wally.
He loved getting to know Grandpa Barry, but Wally was familiar. Safe. And although the older speedster didn't know him, and wasn't sure how to act around him most of the time, Bart loved spending time with him. He wasn't as serious as he was in the future, and his advice wasn't as sound, but he still had that goofy side, and he didn't mind sharing stories (even if Bart had heard most of them before).
He still hummed. The same song, but with a smile on his face, and an extra hop in his step.
"Hey, Wally?" Bart asked, taking a bite out of his ice cream.
The redhead hummed in response, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his own cone. "What's up?"
Bart's eyes shifted to the ground. "You know that song you're always humming?" he asked. "You sang it a lot in the future, too, but you would never tell me what it was. Said it was some ancient ballad, or a classic or something."
Wally stopped mid stride, and gave him the most confused look Bart had ever seen. "I said it was what?" he snorted. "Dude, the song is literally called Artichoke. It compares the guys lover to eggs, by saying they're 'slimy on the outside, and yolk-y in the middle.' The song is a joke, and future me was pulling your leg."
Bart furrowed his brow. "...What?"
"Yeah, dude, look, I'll play it for you," Wally laughed, pulling out his phone. "Oh man, I think Dick is finally trying to get some rest now, too. I'm gonna be sleeping on the couch tonight, but I don't even care." He started typing, and Bart curiously stepped closer.
"But if it's a joke, then why-?" Bart was suddenly cut off by Wally's phone, and the younger speedster startled back as the music echoed through his head.
His cousin laughed as his phone chimed with an incoming message, and the music was stopped as he started to reply. "Dick says when he introduces you to the team, you have to do extra training," he announced.
"But it was your fault," Bart whined.
"Yeah, but I'm his soul mate," Wally reasoned. "He wouldn't punish me for playing our song. Besides-"
His head felt like it was pounding. He gasped, and Bart clutched at his head, feeling what sounded like drums echoed through his head, drowned out his thoughts, made his vision swim.
"Bart? Hey, Bart, what's wrong?" Wally was kneeling next to him (when did he fall to his knees?), and gripping his shoulders. "Hey, buddy, talk to me."
"Noise," he finally forced out. "There's... there's something, it sounds like drums? What does a guitar sound like?"
The grip on his shoulders tightened, and Wally helped him stand. "Bart... did you ever hear the music back home, in the future?"
Bart dropped his hands, and looked away. "I always thought that... I mean, I-," he stopped, before settling on a simple "no."
Wally nodded, looking hesitant. "It can be... weird, hearing it for the first time. I was really young the first time Dick heard a lullaby, but I remember feeling like someone was kicking around in my head. Can you still hear it?"
Bart nodded. It had faded a bit, still intruding, not as overpowering, but it was still there.
"You get used to it after a while," Wally promised. "Pretty soon, it'll be more comforting than anything, and it'll be more weird without it."
Slowly, Bart lowered his hand. "Wally? Do you think we could keep this between us for now?" he asked. "I just... I'm not sure what Grandpa Barry would say, and I would like to get used to it before... you know."
Wally gave him a worried look, but eventually sighed and nodded. "Sure, Bart. Our secret."
At the mountain, Bart missed Wally's comforting presence. Dick - or Nightwing, as he's required to call him when in costume - was always there to offer a smile, but he's different whenever Bart goes to hang out with him and his cousin at their apartment. They're coworkers at the mountain, and friends at home.
Garfield - Beastboy, who actually said it was okay to call him by his name - was the one to show him the ropes. They took a tour of the whole place, Garfield taking extra care to show him where the kitchen was, and informing him that there was always enough food for at least two speedsters.
Bart smirked and loaded his arms full of snacks before encouraging Garfield to continue.
He met Superboy (Conner), Wondergirl (Cassie) and Robin (Tim, but was ordered to call Robin) in the lounge, and settled in to watch some reality show that Bumblebee insisted was the only show he needed to worry about.
"Kon here won't admit it, but he loves the show too," the super heroine winked. "Don't you, Kon?"
"I prefer static."
Robin snorted. "I agree."
The blonde rolled her eyes and turned back to Bart. "Listen, I'll get you caught up on the show, you'll love it, and then we can team up against these losers so we can watch it anytime we want. Deal?"
"Do I get snacks?" Bart asked, wiggling his eyebrows, and Cassie laughed.
"I can supply one Lunchable a week," she offered, and Bart agreed, despite not know what that was.
"Hey, what time is Blue supposed to get here?" Garfield asked. "He promised to spar with me."
"Blue Beetle?" Bart asked, schooling his features to what he hoped looked nonchalant.
"Oh, yeah, you'll love him," the green kid said, smiling wide. "He's kind of weird, you know, but he's really cool."
Bart forced a smile. "He sounds crash."
Actually, Jaime was crash, and that's what freaks Bart out the most. Because Jaime was what Wally would call "cool," and Bart had never imagined that his mission would get so complicated so fast.
Because Jaime was really funny, and when Bart was caught stealing his chicken whizees, the older hero had only given him a sigh and a dry look before making him share. The Blue Beetle of the future would have incinerated him.
One night, while he's locked up in his room at the Garricks', trying to rework his plan, Bart did his best to focus on the quiet music playing in his head. He steadied his breathing to the rhythm of the music and felt his heart rate slow.
It's amazing how calming the music was, and Bart didn't understand how he survived all those years without it.
He ended up completely tossing out the "kill Jaime Reyes" plan and began focusing on coming up with a "protect Jaime Reyes at all cost" plan.
The mountain was usually a pretty relaxing place. Bart liked to just hang out with the others, and take comfort in the fact of seeing Jaime and knowing that it was just Jaime, not some Reach soldier parading around. Sure, the armor still freaked him out a bit, but he didn't panic like he did a month ago.
Unfortunately, on days they have missions, the mountain is hectic. Everyone rushed to get into uniform, get to the debriefing room, and bickered over who deserved to run the squads.
Nightwing stood before the group, pointing to the holographic map of a small European country and assigning tasks.
"Beta squad, you'll be charge of-"
A song started playing. Robin smirked as Nightwing pulled out a cellphone and glared at it. Bart would have laughed as well (because he knew that song, and he knew who was calling, and honestly, Wally probably only called to mess with Nightwing), but was startled as the song echoed through his mind.
Bart's eyes roamed over the room, searching for a clue as why the song was echoing through his mind. Cassie was giggling with Batgirl, Garfield only his eyes, Conner and M'gann were too busy with a whispered conversation (besides; Bart knew the two of them heard the music, too - it was just with each other). Finally, Bart looked at Jaime, who stared back at him. His brow was furrowed, and he looked deep in thought.
Bart took a step closer to him. "So, uh-"
"Do you hear it, too?" Jaime asked.
He swallowed. A year ago (or, maybe, 40 years from now), Bart would have never guessed that he even had a soul mate, let alone, would find his. And now his soul mate was Blue Beetle?
Stiffly, he nodded.
"Wow," Jaime said, looking stunned. "I mean, not- I just meant- wow."
Bart blushed. "Uh, so-"
"Come on, guys, focus," Nightwing called, ignoring the call.
"Bart," Jaime whispered, and he turned to show he was listening. "We have to talk about this."
"Impulse, Blue," Nightwing called, and the two snapped to attention.
Once 'Wings attention was elsewhere, Bart turned back to Jaime. "Dude, we really have to talk about this."
"After the mission," Jaime said, keeping an eye on Nightwing so they wouldn't get caught. "We can talk about it then."
Bart nodded, and turned back to the briefing. In his head, he swore he could hear that stupid song, and cursed Wally for getting it stuck in his head.
He would not let that song torment him any longer. Even if it did point him to Jaime.