#Don Allen and Meloni Thawne First Meet

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Heels Over Head

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Young Don tries to impress Meloni with some help.

Chapters: 1/?

Characters: Don Allen, Meloni Thawne, Dawn Allen, Jeven Ognats, Barry Allen, Iris Allen, Wally West

Relationships: Don Allen/Meloni Thawne, Dawn Allen/Jeven Ognats, BarryIris

Additional Tags: No Capes AU, No Powers AU, College AU, Don Allen and Meloni Thawne First Meet, POV Don Allen, Romance, Fluff, Silly Antics in Flashfam

Chapter One: Origami

I didn’t usually run late. I stopped to grab a coffee at the campus cafe. But buying a coffee took longer than I expected. I ran across the quad with coffee before running into a beautiful woman with tousled hair and stylish sunglasses. She held me still while she looked me over. “Did I hurt you? I’m such a clumsy ox… Jeez, and I—. I spilled your coffee!” she shouted in Interlac. “Oh, let me buy you another.” I smiled, picking up the cup to toss it in the trash.

“No, it’s alright. I should be apologizing to you—.” 

“Please. My conscience will eat at me if you don’t let me buy you another,” the young woman insisted. I attempted to shrug it off.

“Sorry… I’m already running late for class—.”

“Give me your classroom number and your order,” she interrupted. I opened my mouth to protest, and she took out a notepad from her skirt pocket. I could tell she wasn’t willing to let me go without replacing it. So, I wrote my room number and order, not expecting her to follow through. I just wanted to get to class on time. She took her notepad, and we went our separate ways. 

I snuck into the back of my auditorium class and got my notes and pens together. 

The professor was a few minutes late getting started, so I didn’t lose any time. My professor started every class with music and had us journal our feelings. We journaled for ten minutes before touching on the curriculum, and I almost forgot about my run-in with the woman. The door opened, and I glanced to my left to see the woman from earlier creeping toward me. She sat next to me and slid my coffee to me. “Oh, um—.” She held her pointer finger to her lips to discreetly shush me. Then, I watched as she took her journal out and took notes as if she were in the class. I sipped my coffee and smiled. It was perfect. We sat next to each other, taking notes for the duration of the class while she drank a smoothie. 

She was peculiar in every way imaginable. She never took her sunglasses off, leaned in to sip her drink without using her hands, and silently clapped whenever someone said something interesting. There was an alienness to her that was so prevalent that her beauty didn’t distract from it. It almost felt like a fever dream to interact with her. When the class ended, she collected her things and left without a word. I followed her, trying to keep up as she rushed across the street and stopped at the park. She sifted through a crowd of children at an ice cream truck, reached into her bag, and handed the ice cream man a sizeable amount of cash. The children cheered as the girl stepped aside and let the kids get their ice creams. After they dispersed, she got her ice cream and pointed in my direction. I assumed she wasn’t talking about me, but there was no denying it once she sat beside me on the bench. 

“Do you want the Oreo Klondike or the wonky Spider-Man? Wait… Are you vegan or lactose intolerant?” she asked. I shook my head. 

“Thank you… Could I have the weird Spider-Man?” I asked. She giggled and nodded. 

“I have that class later in the day… I won’t have to go now,” she explained. I opened my ice cream and started eating. “Do you ever wonder what it feels like to be a child?” 

I tilted my head, staring at her, waiting for an explanation. She ate her ice cream, stopping once to clutch her head with brain freeze. The girl pressed her thumb to the roof of her mouth and ate the rest of her ice cream sandwich. I wanted to tell her she was beautiful, but it wouldn’t have meant anything… Not to someone like her. “You say that as if you weren’t a child. Don’t you remember?” I asked. She shook her head. 

“Me? Oh, no. I was never a child… Just—. I was younger and smaller,” she whispered, pausing with fingers dancing on her chin. “No… I don’t believe I was a child. I was something else entirely.” I chewed my lip. “Were you a child?” 

“I was… I think,” I replied. 

She leaned close, lowering her sunglasses until we were almost close enough to kiss. “You probably were… But you don’t remember,” she replied, “Thank you for having an ice cream with me.”

I opened my mouth to tell her something, but she stood up to leave. “Do you have to go?” I asked. She pinched my cheek. 

“We’ll see each other again. I’m sure of it,” the girl replied, “And maybe … Maybe you’ll remember what being a child was like… I hope you’ll tell me.” 

I nodded, speechless, as I watched her walk away. I finished my ice cream and stared up at the clouds. Something about that exchange felt so genuine and intimate. I didn’t want to forget, so I went over it in my head a million times. After several minutes, I decided to take the streetcar home. 

I liked the scenery. The trees and the sunlight through the dirty windows. It was a pretty picture of home. My parents were American, but we grew up in another country, Interla. I’d never known any other place. I watched the city unfold in colors. Blurs of lavender, pink, and greens. I saw murals and beautiful bricks. I saw my world at over one hundred miles an hour… And it was lovely. Meeting that young woman felt like riding in the streetcar. I met her when my mind was going one hundred miles an hour, and before I knew it, our interaction was over. 

How do you forget someone who makes you feel that way? How do you go on walking around after meeting someone so uniquely beautiful? There was no one like her. No one that I could think of. It isn’t every day you meet someone who gives you a task you want to follow through on. Not out of mere duty to someone… No.

I wanted to remember childhood in the purest sense to understand her. If I could return to the things that made me smile and laugh as a child, I could understand what she asked of me. I took it seriously. I had to. I was convinced she was curious and that I could win her affection —or attention— by giving her words honest consideration. It was my semi-scientific approach to a peculiar crush. I knew nothing about her outside of the things I observed. She was considerably wealthy. She was a college student… And she was kind. I didn’t know her name, dreams, or aspirations, but I wanted to know. I wanted to know everything there was to learn about her. I desired to unfold her bit by bit like a story. First, I became interested in the look. Then, I noticed the outward quality… And I would later fall in love with the everything. The truth. The person. The flaws that hid behind the cover. I’d never been more in love in my life.

[crashcitycentral]

OKay but what if Owen was born first? What if when Digger got sent through time, he didn't go so far and he met Meloni BEFORE she and Don fell in love? What if Owen was raised by Meloni? And Don was his step dad? And when Bart was born, and Don was killed, the same lab that had Bart in the VR simulation kept Owen captive. And when Iris broke Bart out, she got both of them? And while she told Bart about his Thawne/Allen lineage, and about his Grandpa Barry, she also told Owen about his father, his real father? What if they were sent back in time together, and Owen protected his little brother? He tells Bart stories about the father he never got the chance to meet, and things about their mother Bart didn't get the chance to know. That when Max took Bart in, he went to find Digger? What if They already knew each other, and Bart was Impulse and Owen was Captain Boomerang Jr? That Bart never fought the Rogues and refused to bring any of them in because of it, and Owen may help rob banks and pull heists, but he wouldn't lay a hand on them Flashers. Those are Family. That every time he and Bart see each other, it's just a nice brother reunion and catching up.

And then Thad comes along and Owen being a big dumb himbo boy, goes ":0 Bart NEW BROTHER :D" and adopts the kid on the spot. Thad, never having a place ever or any kind of positive connection in his thousand years of life just accepting defeat, cause “maybe this orangutang wasn't so bad, unlike my counterpart”. And Owen was like their glue that kept them from killing each other until they established an unbreakable bond. Digger adopted all of them with Max as the co-parent and now they're just a happy family.

[givemewallywestorgivemedeath]

Since the utter disappointment of YJ and the way they treated, Wally, I’m trying to slowly get back into Flash comics, but I’m almost a decade plus behind. So knowing this, what’s the deal with Barry’s kids. Other than Don being Bart’s dad and living in the future, what else is really known of them? When was the last time they were really relevant? Irey and Jai seem to have been around forever (pre New 52 of course) but barely a mention of Barry’s kids. Am I wrong? Like I said before, way..way behind. Thanks.

Alright, first of all: sorry this took so long to answer 😅 I have a lot of asks I want to get to but I want to make sure I give them all my full energy to do deep dives and fully engage, ect so it's... taking a bit lmao

Without further ado, let's get into the Tornado Twin lore:

So interestingly enough the Tornado Twins first appeared in Adventure Comics #373 as the descendants of Barry Allen. They were listed as non-metas (aka, they didn't have powers) in the government database and were said to have just gained temporary superspeed from an experiment. They seemed to have a shaky history keeping any powers they got and eventually seemed to lose them entirely.

All of this (being descendants, not having powers, ect) is later explained/retconned in the Flash when Wally time travels and meets them. He finds out that the Thawnes are hunting them down and that Iris had forbade the twins from using their powers publicly (hence why they had to say they only had temporary powers) and from revealing that they were Barry's children.

Wally has a few adventures with the Twins in the future. They... don't get along well. Don and Dawn are jealous of Wally's father/son relationship with Barry (Barry died before they were born and they'd never even met him) and Wally was jealous that they were actually Barry's flesh and blood children. All three of them kinda get over it and can be friendly but it's still always there in the background.

Now the twins had been raised solely by Iris in an apocalyptic future and as soon as they were able to, they went out and started fighting in space wars and fighting with the Legion and helping their time traveling cousin fight crime. Dawn got married and had her daughter Jenni. Don got married to the daughter of the man trying to kill his family, Meloni Thawne, and together they became pregnant with one Bart Allen.

Before Bart was born Meloni's father put a hit out on the Allen family. The Dominators took the contract and killed Don and Dawn. They attempted to kill Jenni and her father as well but failed and Jenni and her father went into hiding. Jenni was eventually forgotten about/dismissed as they thought she didn't have powers. Bart was kidnapped by Dominators and then by President Thawne, his own grandfather, and they stuck him in a VR world hoping that he'd die of old age within a few years. (How sad is it that Barry died saving the world and never got to meet his children and then Don goes and does the same thing? If Bart ever has a kid he needs to be put on house arrest)

Now Thawne fucked with this timeline because of course he did and he intercepted the twins when they were still in that angry preteen phase. He kidnapped them, brainwashed them and then set them loose on Barry in the past. This was technically Barry's first time meeting his children. Bart reset this timeline with the power of love and now this never happened.

That's the long and short of it all. The twins only have 30 appearances in DC comics and honestly not a lot has been done with them. My current theory is that Iris is pregnant with the twins right now because she said that she had "two surprises for Barry" and now she's just waiting for him to get back from saving the multiverse to tell him but who knows with DC?

[nightwings-robin]

As for the Tornado Twins. I think Meloni Thawne will travel back in time as she was originally assigned to eliminate the Allens. Since there was no end to this feud. Meloni goes undercover as a student at Keystone High where she meets the Allen Twins.

Don would immediately take a liking to her at first, though Meloni tried to resist his humor and being showered by Don's affection. But then overtime, she would also develop a crush on him. But became confused on whether or not she would eliminate him. And feel torn up with her emotions. And boy, were these two in a Romeo and Juliet situation.

Meanwhile, Dawn would become suspicious of Meloni and tried to tell Don about this. But he doesn't believe his sister, as his feelings for Meloni were too strong. Even Don and Meloni's future son, Bart tried to stop his aunt's younger self from trying to break them up.

Damian would also be suspicious of Meloni the minute Dawn told him, and the two agreed that Meloni might be possibly the mole.

And yeah, we know the mole thing was a bit much.

yeah this could be interesting for sure

[thebartallenblog]

Thinking lately in this moment, it really was amazing and totally indispensable to have it.

Considering that Bart had returned to the universe 2 years before it really was quite fitting that he had a great important reunion moment with Iris, possibly even more than with Max or any of his friends.

So why?

Putting the context exaggeratedly long:

Bart was kidnapped by aliens when he was not even 1 year old to study his powers, but he was rescued by the government of his time, however the EarthGov also wanted him to study him and analyze how they could use him. So they lied to her mother, Meloni Thawne, that they had not arrived on time and Bart had been killed sending her away.

Iris being a journalist and investigator soon discovered that Bart was actually alive and dying because he can not control his powers so he would soon die of accelerated aging if he could not control them. For the next almost 2 years that Bart would spend in V.R. Iris would be the first and only real human contact Bart would have.

Yes, Meloni and Don (his father before he died) obviously were the first to love Bart, but he was just a baby, he would never really meet them until years later. During that time Iris would be the only relative and person that he would meet, over time Iris would be the first person that Bart would come to love in his life and the first thing that he would really care about, in this way it was Iris who teached him to have love and compassion for others.

She would teach him to speak English (maybe the Interlac as well), as well as probably many other basic things like interacting with people, or the name of some objects, after all the VR simulations were only to teach him the basics and mainly about his powers so that his mind grow up with his body.

After getting nothing in all that time Iris did the best she could do, rob Bart of authority becoming a criminal in the process along with his parents whose stayed behind so Iris and Bart could escape to the 20th century, saving his life by taking him to his nephew Wally who would manage to fix Bart's problem.

Once in the present Iris could no longer stay close to his family now that she knew the events of the future, this being a great disappointment for Bart when he considered during that time that Iris was the only person who really loved him.

Despite no longer being present all the time in his life, whenever they saw each other Bart had no problem acting like a little kid and running up to her for a big hug and she obviously never stop worrying about him.

How you all know the years passed until the Flashpoint happened and that thing called New 52 and the DCU was rebooted. But the original version of Bart Allen would finally return from the Speed ​​Force after being trapped for years.

Bart would immediately try to see his grandparents and other family but he could not find them, finally realizing that although he had returned to his world it had changed a lot.

So instead of just quickly searching for Iris and his family more until he found her, Bart actually did nothing.

 Why?

 He was too scared that the first person in his life that he loved simply wouldn't had idea never more of who he was.

 Until he finally meet her again.

So yeah, that was a fantastic moment when Bart and Iris were finally able to reunite after all this time, and why it was important that it was a great moment to Bart when he could finally see his grandmother once more and realize that she has always loving him since she began to remember his old life.

All this to result in this beautiful big moment:

[shinobirain24]

Sprinter

Real name: Meloni Thawne

Alias: Meloni Samson (false identity), Sprinter (alter-ego), Meli or Mel (Nickname by Don Allen and others), Traitorous Speedster (by Dawn Allen)

Species: Metahuman (speedster)

Family: Thaddeus Thawne (father), Eobard Thawne (ancestor), Don Allen (future husband), Bart Allen (future son)

Occupation: First daughter of the US (in 2061), Student at Keystone High School, Villainess (reluctantly), Member of the Future Rogues, Heroine

Affiliation: The Rogues, The Light, Thawne family (formerly), The Titans (currently)

Biography:

Not much is known for Meloni's past, but she is the daughter of President Thaddeus Thawne, and the descendant of Reverse Flash (Eobard Thawne), who is the sworn enemy of the Flash.

Knowing that a descendant of the Allen Family will be a threat in the future for the Thawnes, Thaddeus sent his daughter after she received the power of superspeed and time travel in the Speed force.

Although she is reluctant to be part of this feud, Meloni loved her father, and did not want to disappoint him. As planned, President Thawne ordered her to eliminate the Tornado Twins.

She travelled back to the year 2035, where she created the false identity of Meloni Samson to avoid suspicion. As such, she searched for the Allen Twins to proceed with the mission.

While roaming around Star City as a start, Meloni was almost crushed by a car thrown by Vengeance. Until Tornado Boy (Don Allen) saved her the last minute. Tornado Boy flirts with her and left to deal with Vengeance. Meloni identified the young Speedster as Don Allen.

After the mission in Vlatava, Meloni enrolled into Keystone High and became part of the debate team. Don immediately became attracted to her for her spunk and competitive attitude. And flirts with her once more. Much to Meloni's annoyance that her only focus was to finish the mission.

And to make things complicated, Meloni became very competitive towards Dawn Allen as both are geniuses and members of the debate team despite being in the same school. And the rivalry goes on. The two also competed to become the student body president, but Dawn won.

4 months since after enrollment, Don was failing in math for Junior year of High School. Meloni, out of pity, helps tutor Don in Math. Don tried to get ose to Meloni by getting her to talk about herself. But the more he was out of focus, the more Meloni became very angry and shouted at Don for being very ignorant and annoying.

Don, realizing how much he got on Meloni's nerves, apologized to him. And offered to treat her for ice cream. While Meloni is silent, Don talks about the grief his father, Barry had to go through for the loss of his nephew, Wally. Including for the fact that how jealous he was of his sister for being better than him.

This reminded Meloni of the times her father neglected her, and never looked at her the way Barry looked at his son. And the loss of her mother through an illness while her father simply moved on made her realized that she was living the life she never choose to have.

Meloni opened up to Don about her mother's death and her estrangement from her father, but not the real intention. Since then, the two had gotten closer, but when Dawn sees this, she was not pleased.

And Dawn would grew suspicious of Meloni being the mole of targeting her family for death. Robin (Damian Wayne) would also grew suspicious of the female speedster after going through some test of her fingerprints from a pencil Dawn had picked up from the floor.

Meloni, however, still proceed with the mission, not just to eliminate the Allens, but also every superhero that existed. She meets with Lena Luthor, and offers to help frame Lex Luthor for repeated crimes to place her as CEO of LexCorp, in exchange that Meloni gets help in eliminating the Flash and his allies. Lena agreed to the deal.

After Lena and Meloni successfully placed blame on Lex for another Metahuman Trafficking scheme, Lena was now promoted as the official CEO of LexCorp. Thanking Meloni for this, Lena offers her a job as an assistant in her industry.

In gratitude, Lena created a spandex for Meloni with the amplification of the the chronos radiation that will make her immune to the changes in the timelines. Since then, Meloni became a member of the Light and became the villainess known as Sprinter.

And would became the enemy of the Tornado Twins to thwart the missions of the Titans.

During the Battle against the HIVE, Tornado Boy battles Sprinter once more. Going on a one on one speed match. Only for Meloni's mask to be torn off. And Tornado Boy was shocked to see it was Meloni. Humiliated, Sprinter runs away before Tornado Boy gets his questions answered.

After the battle was won by the Titans. Don secretly meets Meloni after the revelation. When Don asked why she was doing this, Meloni confesses about her mission to wipe the Allen's out of existence. But she cannot bring herself to do it. And revealed her ancestor to be Reversed Flash.

Don, shocked, sympathizes with her as he hugged her. And forgave her for everything. Letting her know that he's there if she needed him. But this is the beginning of secrets that will broke the Titans apart.

Personality:

Because of her family history, Meloni was dutiful and intelligent with the interest of physics and time. Her studies are a way to cope with her father's neglect.

She displayed hatred towards the Allen's due to being influenced being a Thawne. It was only out of her genuine care for her father (despite the fact of how much he neglected her) since her mother passed away, to be loyal to her own family.

After traveling back in time for an assignment to rid the Allen family to prevent future threats. Meloni developed a fierce rivalry with Dawn Allen, and compete through every tests and debate trials. And can be a tease at times toward her.

As for Don Allen, everywhere she goes, he was there to shower her with affections, but got very annoyed of him. But used this as a chance to gain the trust of the Allens.

But the more she had gotten to know Don, the more Meloni questions of what family is supposed to be about. And became very reluctant to kill Don and develop feelings for him.

[dc-next-generation-shit]

Meloni Thawne and Don Allen

Their Relationship

Meloni hated her dad from the start, but she couldn’t exactly leave without anywhere to go.

Her dad would send her on missions different places and on one of them she discovered the Tornado Twins. They are both are 12 ish years old.

The twins don’t realize who she working for at first.

Dawn and her become friends first, and then Dawn gets Don and her to hang out.

They barely ever see each other but Meloni sneaks out every other month to get Ice cream with them.

Over time they hang out more and more, then when their 15 years old her father finds out and throws a hissy fit, revealing to the twins and their family who she was.

Nobody trust her, nor will talk to her because they though she  betrayed them. Except for Don, who a couple days later, goes to talk to her which ends up in them making out.

Since their families still don’t like each other, they always meet in secret.

By the time they are 16 years old, the Allens trust Meloni again, she and Don are now officially dating.

Meloni and the Allens work together to take down the Thawnes with her inside knowledge. 

Dawn and Melonis friendship was a lot different afterwords.

I might go back and change some things, but this is what I have for now. ( Bart never mentions that Meloni is his mom) 

[dawnofspeed]

Hi everyone, Dawn Mun here! 

It’s late, and I’m really sick, so I won’t be on for long and I’ll try and make this brief. I had to get on the computer to write this up because I wanted to get it right and stalking from my phone this really bugged me so... here I am.

I want to start off by first saying I LOVE BART ALLEN. Don’t get me wrong. I adore him, in all his variations. I adore him, and I love Wally West, and I think Barry Allen is awesome. I love the comics and I love Young Justice cartoon and while I have my issues with the Flash show, I do watch it and used to be totally into it. This post is NOT to bash any of those characters, and if anything what I’m trying to say would ENRICH those character’s stories and the Flash Family in general.

OKAY, now that’s out of the way, moving on.

Ignoring the fact that the Flash Family, particularly in the fandom, and probably because of the way the comics emphasise said above characters, gets smooshed down to Barry, Wally, Bart and if you’re lucky Jay, and Jesse and maybe Irey and Jai, and if you’re even luckier, Max and Jenni... maybe Thad, maybe the OTHER Liberty Belle... it just, in general, seems to neglect a LOT of speedsters. More than anything, it ignores the female speedsters. Jesse, Irey and Jenni are the lucky ones because they sometimes get featured. There’s characters like Dawn Allen and Sela Allen who are directly related to the Flash, Danica Williams who IS a future Flash, Eliza Harmon and Valerie Kameya who are also speedsters like Liberty Belle... and then there’s characters like Meloni Thawne who plays a similar mother-wife-badass role such as Iris and Linda but rarely gets a peep in anywhere. 

Okay, okay, get to the point--

Besides the fact I am a huge feminist and am regularly upset and put off by the lack of representation and content of/for women when compared to the men’s in comics and tv and movies, I also work with kids. Kids have this way of looking at the stuff that they love, like Superheroes, and going ‘this is what I want in my life’. And if all of them only see MEN constantly in POWERFUL COOL ROLES that’s what they’ll think is good and okay. Barry, Wally, Bart. Maybe. Maybe in some instance with ONE girl, like Jesse, or Jenni. That’s it. And if the only one represented IS Jesse then that’s no POC represented at all (unless we’re talking new Wally, thank god DC for keeping new Wally). 

If huge sections of the fandom are discounting the limited femme Flashes we do have then... we’re shifting backwards more than ever. With DC gutting our choice of characters, we the fandom CANNOT neglect our female speedsters. We can’t afford to. WE HAVE to include them, love them, celebrate them. I know, I KNOW you love Wally and Bart and Barry. I do too. But imagine... imagine Bart bonding with his MOM and his AUNT for once, and getting his cousin back! Imagine Barry meeting his kids, and bonding with his daughter. Wally having his female cousin and racing her across the city. Introducing the original Tornado Twins to his OWN KID TORNADO TWINS. Women exist! Women are important! Women are powerful, and strong, and smart, and loving and... all of the things. Let them exist in your spaces, in your stories, in your hopes, in your art. Instead of scrolling through the 1000th story about entirely boy flash fam I wanna see this vibrant, colourful mixture that includes the actual fam. 

Maybe then I wouldn’t see posts so focused on Bart that they completely skip the Dawn and Don and Meloni and are just like “Bart needs to be in the next season of the Flash. Imagine if at the end of this season he shows up from the future like ‘I’m your grandson’.” Like first of all we’ve been there with YJ where he shows up, and yeah it’s awesome but Jenni NEVER does, first POC Female Flash Fam member ok, and Bart’s cousin, with the same sort of background but yeah, cool. Andddddd Bart shows up BEFORE the twins are born. BUT HEY YJ MENTIONS THEM WHICH IS A LOT MORE THAN MOST DC STUFF. But yeah, let’s just skip the Tornado Twins altogether. No big deal. We’ll just add ANOTHER male speedster to the show, and neglect all backstory, and also just explain the Thawne thing with yes, not the actual female Thawne who sacrifices everything but her son will explain it for her.

Like I said, I don’t have anything wrong WITH BART. But. For heaven’s sake, his story HAS been told (numerous comics, YJ, AND he was on Smallville). And it would be SO MUCH richer with the twins, and his mom, actually coming along first. 

Okay, I think I’ve gotten this all out now.

PS: bring back Jenni Ognats, Danica Williams, Dawn Allen and all iterations of Liberty Belle. K. Thnx, DC. 

PPS: If Barry Allen can be on DC Superhero Girls show so can Dawn, Jenni & Danica.

PPPS: How come all other big trinity kids get to have their own comics and mantles? let Dawn play with Jon & Damian k? Thnx.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

A Yellow Ribbon

Fandom: DC Comics, Young Justice, Flashfam, Superfam

Summary: Conner's been best friends with Bart ever since they met at the carnival when they were children. The problem is that Bart can't remember meeting Conner that night. But Thad does...

Chapters: 13/?

Characters: Clark Kent, Conner Kent, Lois Lane, Bart Allen, Thaddeus Thawne, Don Allen, Meloni Allen, Jonathan "Pa" Kent, Martha Kent, Max Crandall

Relationships: KonBart, KonThad, Clois, MelonixDon, Ma/Pa Kent

Additional Tags: No Powers AU, Mistaken Identity, Possibly Unrequited Love, Unrequited Crush, Twins, Lies, Stolen Moments, Unconventional Love Triangles, Misunderstandings, Childhood Friends, Complicated Relationships, Family Dynamics, Family Bonding, Best Friends, Secret Crush, Autistic Bart Allen, Autistic Thad Thawne, Thaddeus Thawne Gets a Hug, Conner Kent-centric, Bisexual Conner Kent, Conner Kent Needs a Hug, Third Person POV, Hurt Clark Kent, Boys in Love, Friendship/Love, Farm/Ranch AU, Farmboy Conner Kent, Grandparents and Grandchildren, Unconventional Families, Unconventional Relationship, Romance, Light Angst, Strangers to Lovers, Cyrano, Jewish Superfam

Chapter Thirteen: Sweet Dreams

Clark woke the boys up early, smiling at how peacefully they slept in Thad’s bed. “Hey, fellas. We’ve got a big day planned,” Clark whispered. Thad sat up and wiped his eyes with his palms. He glanced down at Conner and smiled. Conner rolled out of bed and hugged Clark before heading to the bathroom. Thad was relieved that Conner didn’t explain why he wasn’t in his bed. “Are you okay?” 

“I’m alright now… I couldn’t sleep,” Thad confessed. Clark crouched beside the bed. 

“Bart, I know it can be tough being this far from home. I’m not even from this country. Did you know that?” Clark asked. Thad shook his head. “I was born far away, but I was raised here by my Ma and Pa, and they taught me one very important thing. A house is a place but home is just a bit of you scattered in meaningful places. I hope you can make this place one of your homes this summer, Bart.”

Thad didn’t completely understand, but it stuck with him. “Mr. Kent?” Thad whispered. “Thank you for letting me stay here.” 

“Thank you for coming. Conner’s so happy to have you here,” Clark smiled, “Now, you should go and get ready.” Thad nodded.

**

Thad and Conner sat on top of the spider climber in the park, and Thad lost his balance and grabbed Conner’s arm. Conner held his hand, interlacing their fingers. “I’ve got you,” Conner whispered. 

Thad puffed out his chest, holding his breath as he tried to figure out something tough to say, but he couldn’t find anything. So, he said something genuine instead. “I don’t know what I’m gonna be when I grow up… I don’t know why it scares me so much,” Thad confessed, “I wanted to live… But I don’t want to grow up. I’m scared of what will happen when I do.”

Conner frowned. “I think we’ll be friends when we’re grown up,” Conner whispered. And it took the weight off of Thad. 

“How are we gonna get down?” Thad asked. 

Conner giggled and let go of Thad’s hand. “Okay. I’m gonna go first, and you follow me,” Conner replied. He turned around and started climbing down. Thad waited until Conner was on the ground before he started climbing down after him. His foot slipped, and he yelped as he fell backward. Conner caught him and fell on his back. Clark and Lois rushed over, and Conner started laughing. 

Thad rolled onto his hands and knees and started apologizing profusely. “Conner, I’m so sorry. Are you hurt?” Thad asked. He helped Conner up and dusted the wood chips off. 

“I’m okay. You’re not that heavy,” Conner reassured him. 

Thad saw Conner’s scraped elbow and held back tears as he reached into his bag for his first aid kit. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he turned Conner’s arm over to get a better look. He sprayed Conner’s elbow with antiseptic and wrapped his arm. “Does it hurt?” Thad asked. Conner shook his head before hugging Thad. 

“I’m okay, Bart. I’m okay,” Conner whispered. 

**

Thad took a picture of Conner cutting apples at the table. “Feel better?” Conner asked. Thad nodded. “You sure?” 

“I’m okay. Hey, I was thinking about what you said earlier. Do you really think you’d want to be friends with me when we grew up?” Thad asked. Conner drizzled lemon juice over the apples he cut and started on another apple. 

“Sure. I wanna be friends with you forever. I think we’ll be friends forever,” Conner replied without looking up, “You’re my best friend in the whole world.” 

Thad smiled, growing quiet as he snapped a picture of Clark while he used a cookie cutter to cut the dough into perfect circles. “You’re my best friend, too,” Thad whispered as he reached for the mood ring around his neck. 

Thad set his camera to the side and washed his hands before helping design the boxes. “What’s the bake sale for?” Thad asked. 

“Oh, it’s not a bake sale. We’ve got a booth at the fair,” Conner answered. He was so heavily focused on his task that he never looked up from his apples except to look at the boxes. “Where’d you learn to draw like that?” 

“My dad’s an artist. I help him paint sometimes,” Thad replied. 

“Do you think you’d want to do art when you grow up?” Conner asked. 

“It’s not a fiscally responsible plan of action,” Thad recited, quoting his other grandfather of the same name. 

Conner knit his brows together, grinning as he looked at Thad. “Bart, I don’t know what that means, but I think you should do what you like,” Conner replied. Thad shrugged. “Too many people live lives they don’t want thinking they’ll get to be happy later. Why not be happy the whole time?” 

“He’s got a point, Bart. Journalism is a hard business to get into, but Clark and I struggled to be the best investigative journalists we could be. If we didn’t take chances on dreams that seemed impossible, nothing in the world would have…”

“Color,” Clark finished Lois’ sentence without looking up from his dough. 

“Besides, you’re good at it already,” Conner added. 

**

At the end of the day, Thad grew quiet while they cleaned up to get ready for bed. “Bart, can I tell you a secret? I’m so nervous about going to middle school. You’re not in middle school yet, huh? You’re only going to sixth grade. Aren’t you?” Conner asked. 

“Oh… Um, my homeschool is K-through-twelve. So, I don’t have middle school or anything like that,” Thad answered. 

Conner took off his glasses and squinted at Thad. “Do you ever get lonely?” Conner questioned. 

“Not really… If I’m not with you, I like being by myself. It’s not so bad,” Thad whispered as he climbed into bed. He held his breath for a moment, wondering if he’d have to tell Conner he was still frightened to sleep on his own. That was the last thing he wanted to do. 

Conner dropped his socks in the hamper and yawned. “When I was eight and you were seven, you got really sick… I asked if you remembered meeting me at the fair. You said no… Do you still not remember?” Conner asked. 

That was the one white lie Thad told Bart. He didn’t want Bart to know he was pretending to be him that night at the fair, so he convinced Bart he was there and didn’t remember. “Uh-huh. You bought me a corndog and gave me this,” Thad whispered as he showed Conner the original mood ring from that night. Conner climbed into Thad’s bed. Thad sank into the pillows, finally able to relax. He squeezed the blanket in his fists. 

“Do you mind if I sleep here?” Conner asked. Thad shook his head. “Do you eat scrambled eggs?” 

“Uh-huh. I love scrambled eggs,” Thad whispered. 

Conner closed his eyes and rolled close to Thad. “I’m gonna make you some eggs tomorrow… Do you miss your family saying they love you before bed?” Conner questioned. 

“A little bit,” Thad whispered. 

“I’ll say it until you go home, then… I love you, Bart,” Conner whispered. 

Thad clutched his chest, wondering why he felt sad. “I love you too, Conner,” Thad whispered. He turned to look at Conner, but he looked like he was already fast asleep. “We love you too, Conner.”

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Sweet Honey Bee

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Bart tries to uncover the seemingly sinister deeds going on at the campus while visiting Thad's art school.

Chapters: 3/?

Characters: Thad Thawne, Bart Allen, Meloni Thawne, Don Allen, President Thawne

Additional Tags: Bart and Thad Smoke Weed in This, Ballet AU, No Powers AU, Dark Academia, Boarding School AU, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Swap, Protective Siblings, Family Bonding

Chapter Three: Twin Fears

Bart lay on his side, watching as Thad dressed for rehearsals. "Don't stare—."

"We're identical twins, TJ," Bart sighed. The sunlight peeked through the blinds as Bart watched Thad rummage through the wardrobe for a sweatshirt. "Still don't get why you wear a thong—."

"Dance belt, Mew. You took ballet, too," Thad whispered. Bart smiled.

"Yeah, but they make dance belts with better—. You know what? Forget it. Can I have one of your girl blunts for later?" Bart asked. Thad passed him the plastic baggie.

"If Mom and Dad—."

"They won't. Mom and Dad never notice that kind—. Can I borrow some clothes? I forgot to bring my bag with me," Bart requested. Thad nodded and set out a short-sleeved button-up, a t-shirt, and slacks. Bart dressed without getting out of bed. Neither boy made any noise while they prepared to leave. Bart climbed out of bed and grabbed his brother's wrist.

"What?" Thad questioned, breaking the silence. Bart kept his eyes trained on Thad until they embraced out of fear. Fear both boys felt. Still, neither boy could tell who was afraid first. "Tell Mom and Dad I'll meet you at the fountain at eleven… And Mew? I'm glad you spent the night."

Bart nodded as he joined Thad in the bathroom to brush his teeth. "I know you'll do great at the showcase tonight… I'm—. I'm excited to see you dance again," Bart smiled. Thad's shoulders jerked. It was a painful automatic reaction that Thad tried to pass off as a shrug. "Are you okay?"

"Mhm… Nervous tic I picked up," Thad replied before rushing out of the dormitory. Bart waited a while before following Thad to his building.

He trailed Thad in the dark hallways until a noise frightened him into hiding. While crouching in the corner, he heard a boy's voice. "I can't—. I can't go back to the group. I can't breathe," the boy stammered.

A slam and clattering noise made Bart peek around the corner. A tall, wiry man stood over a frail, bruised boy who looked no older than twelve. The boy shrank away, his back against the lockers in the hall as the man shushed him. "How badly do you want this role?" the man asked. "Why do you always crack under pressure while your betters thrive under the same conditions?"

"Please, I don't know what's real anymore. I can't—. Hic. I wake up sick every—. I wanna go—. Hic. I wanna go home," the small boy cried.

Bart took another peek, watching as a struggle ensued between the small boy, the man, and another faculty member. They quickly overpowered the small boy and carried him down the hall. Bart snapped a picture with his phone, and the camera clicked loudly. Bart covered his mouth and froze, waiting for the footsteps to continue. Bart was sure they saw him, but the footsteps dissipated, and he soughed relief. The hallway was mostly silent, except for the sound of music. A hand covered his mouth, and an arm wrapped around his stomach, pulling him into an empty classroom. "Mew, what the hell are you doing here?" Thad questioned.

Bart struggled to catch his breath as Thad let go of his mouth. "What's going to happen—? Did you see that kid—?"

"Mew, I need you to go to Mom and Dad. That kid is okay. There's a lot of pressure to perform this time of year at the showcase. He snapped... I knew he would," Thad whispered. Bart swallowed hard and nodded. "Do you believe me?"

"No," Bart answered with a matter-of-fact tone of voice. Thad smiled with his mouth only, and his eyes carried a sorrowful weight as he nodded.

"Yeah, just—. Go to Mom and Dad, okay?" Thad whispered gently.

Bart nodded and followed Thad out of the building. "I'll show my favorite spot tonight... Don't worry about anything, okay?" Thad asked. Bart hugged him, holding on as long as Thad allowed it. "Go."

Bart sprinted across campus to the guest house before Meloni swept him off his feet. "Sunshine! Are you alright? Where have you been? Are you hungry? Do you know—?"

Bart held on tight, trembling in her arms. "Mom," Bart whispered. She kissed the top of his head.

"Hey," Meloni whispered as she pulled away. "What's the matter?"

"I want Thad to come home with us," Bart whispered.

"Well... Bart, that's up to Thad," Meloni replied, "Where have you been?"

"Exploring. I got lost," Bart lied. Meloni nodded. "Can we go get breakfast?"

The bell rang, and Don exited the guest house and took Bart far ahead. "I'm sorry, but if I spend one more minute alone with your grandfather, I'll—." Don sighed. "Hi, Squeaker."

"Hi, Dad," Bart whispered.

"Still sleeping in Sparky's bed, huh?" Don asked. Bart frowned. "It's okay... I get it. How's he doing?"

"Thad's fine. He slept through the night," Bart replied.

Don smiled. "That implies that you didn't sleep through the night," Don pointed out. Bart shrugged. "You know, there's nothing wrong with you taking your sleeping pills. I know it can get—."

"Dad, I don't need them. I sleep fine, but—. I missed TJ more than I thought. You won't tell Mom that I snuck out, will you?" Bart asked. Don pinched his son's cheek, smiling from ear to ear.

"Are you gonna tell her I vent to you about how much I hate Teddy?" Don replied. Bart chuckled. "And I'm sure you and Mom have your little secrets..."

Don messed up Bart's hair and opened the Mess Hall door. They made their plates and sat at the table together. Bart sat next to Mr. Thawne and across from Don. "Bartholomew? How are you this morning?" Mr. Thawne questioned.

"I'm okay, Grandpa Teddy," Bart replied as he ate his pancakes. The table remained relatively quiet as they ate. So quiet that Bart nearly forgot what Thad asked him. "Oh... We're supposed to meet Thad by the fountain at eleven."

"Do you know what for?" Don asked. Bart shook his head as he drank his milk.

"Are you gonna give him his surprise then, or are you waiting until tonight?" Meloni asked.

Bart set his milk down. "I want him to have it tonight after the showcase. Please don't let him know I got him something," Bart replied. Gifts between the twins always meant a great deal. Meloni nodded seriously.

"I heard he'll finish out the night with pink hair for Le Spectre de la Rose," Don stated. Bart picked around his fruit.

"Eat your fruit, Sunshine," Meloni whispered in their mother tongue. She preferred to make orders in Interlac because it didn't sound as demanding. Bart liked hearing her speak it. It reminded him of home. They didn't talk about it, but he missed home sometimes.

"After the showcase, can I walk with TJ alone? I want to catch up," Bart requested.

"If you eat your fruit. Please, Sunshine," Meloni insisted. Bart grinned, locked into playful eye contact with his mother as he ate his strawberries. Meloni pointed her fork at him. "What do you think, Duckie? Has he eaten enough of his fruit?"

Don chuckled. "I think that he could stand to eat some of his blueberries," Don half-joked. Bart scrunched his nose and ate his blueberries. It was sweet. Possibly the last sweet moment they'd have during their trip.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

A Yellow Ribbon

Fandom: DC Comics, Young Justice, Flashfam, Superfam

Summary: Conner's been best friends with Bart ever since they met at the carnival when they were children. The problem is that Bart can't remember meeting Conner that night. But Thad does...

Chapters: 11/?

Characters: Clark Kent, Conner Kent, Lois Lane, Bart Allen, Thaddeus Thawne, Don Allen, Meloni Allen, Jonathan "Pa" Kent, Martha Kent, Max Crandall

Relationships: KonBart, KonThad, Clois, MelonixDon, Ma/Pa Kent

Additional Tags: No Powers AU, Mistaken Identity, Possibly Unrequited Love, Unrequited Crush, Twins, Lies, Stolen Moments, Unconventional Love Triangles, Misunderstandings, Childhood Friends, Complicated Relationships, Family Dynamics, Family Bonding, Best Friends, Secret Crush, Autistic Bart Allen, Autistic Thad Thawne, Thaddeus Thawne Gets a Hug, Conner Kent-centric, Bisexual Conner Kent, Conner Kent Needs a Hug, Third Person POV, Hurt Clark Kent, Boys in Love, Friendship/Love, Farm/Ranch AU, Farmboy Conner Kent, Grandparents and Grandchildren, Unconventional Families, Unconventional Relationship, Romance, Light Angst, Strangers to Lovers, Cyrano, Jewish Superfam

Chapter Eleven: Dungarees and Switcharoos

Conner came in from the rain and changed out of his dungarees in the doorway. “Ma? I had to borrow your sewing kit to mend Toffee’s blanket. How much time do I have?” Conner asked. Ma wrapped him in a towel.

“You have thirty minutes, sweetheart. I ran you a bath, and when you get out, I’ll make you a cup of tea with your dinner,” Ma whispered as she dried his hair. Conner kissed her cheek.

“If Dad calls, can you tell him I promised to check in with Bart today? He got out of the hospital yesterday,” Conner requested.

Ma nodded. “Go on, you don’t want to be late,” Ma whispered.

*

Meanwhile, in Missouri, Bart lay in Thad’s bed. It was his first weekend home after ten weeks in isolation in the hospital. “Please?” Bart begged.

“He’s gonna know,” Thad whispered.

“No, he won’t. I’ll give you five dollars to do it,” Bart replied. Thad huffed and puffed as he held back tears. “Don’t cry. All I need you to do is pretend to be me and play with Conner for thirty minutes.”

Thad fidgeted with the bottom of his pajama shirt as his heart pounded. “What if he finds out? Won’t he be angry?” Thad asked. Bart opened his arms and pulled Thad into a hug. “I don’t know how to talk to anybody but you.”

Bart frowned. Thad isolated himself for years, hoping they could go home together someday. He didn’t make friends or go out while Bart was sick. Outside of their family, Thad was alone. “If he finds out, you can tell him the truth. He won’t be angry. I promise,” Bart reassured him, “And everyone likes you. They just don’t know you yet.”

Thad let go and nodded. “I’ll do it. And I don’t want five dollars,” Thad replied. Bart pulled Thad close, messed up his hair, and fixed the buttons on Thad’s pajama shirt. They stared at each other, and Thad smiled. “We haven’t been this close in years…”

“I hope we’ll always be this close,” Thad whispered. Bart grinned and nodded.

“Always,” Bart smiled, “We’ve got the rest of our lives.”

Thad nodded enthusiastically, squeezing his fists to contain his excitement at Bart’s newfound hope for the future. He worried that Bart had given up thinking about the future entirely. He crept toward the computer in Don’s studio and shut the door. Logging into Bart’s account didn’t take long because they had the same passwords for everything. He initiated the call and sat patiently waiting for Conner to answer. It rang three times before Conner answered in his pajamas. Conner took a deep breath and raked a hand through his hair. “Bart! Hi, how are you feeling?” Conner smiled.

Thad stared directly at Conner, speechless at first. “I’m okay… I’m sleepy, but it’s nice to see you,” Thad replied. He was sure Conner would see right through him.

Conner wrung his hands. “Hey, can I—? It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, so I wanted to tell you over this call because—. Because the letter might not get to you on time. Can I read you the card I picked out? The back-up card?” Conner stammered.

Thad nodded. Conner recited a Valentine that read as romantic with an innocence that seemed too young for even his eleven years. Thad’s cheeks went rosy as he listened to Conner stumble clumsily through a short Valentine’s Day poem. Thad held up the mood ring around his neck and nodded. “I’ll be your Valentine forever and ever if you want,” Thad whispered. “You’re so special.” Conner smiled.

“Gosh… I’m so glad—. How does it feel to be home?” Conner questioned.

Bart. He had to remember to be Bart. “It’s the best. I get to be with Mom and Dad, and tonight, I’ll sleep in my bed. And my bed’s blankets won’t be warm like the hospital’s. They’ll be cold, and I’ll be—. Conner, I’m so happy… And so tired,” Thad answered. He spoke as fast and warmly as his twin. It was almost frightening how perfectly he imitated Bart. “How are you?”

Conner knit his brows together before smiling. “I’m doing great… Yeah, um… My dad’s coming… We’re going fishing at the lake. I’m kinda excited. Last weekend, Mom took me to the movies, and then we had spaghetti at a restaurant… Are you doing anything special with your mom and dad this weekend?”

“My dad and I are gonna work on the mural in Mom’s office tomorrow… And mom’s gonna show me how to fix the water heater,” Thad answered, “Fishing sounds cool. Have you done it before?”

“Fishing? Yeah, I go with Pa a lot… But I haven’t had the chance to go fishing with my dad yet,” Conner answered.

Thad nodded and let Conner continue speaking. He could’ve listened to Conner talk about anything. The only problem was Thad was exhausted. He yawned without meaning to, and Conner rubbed his eyes. “Okay… Well, we should probably go to bed. Goodnight, Bart. Tonight was fun,” Conner whispered.

“Yeah. It was… Wasn’t it?” Thad grinned. Conner nodded. “Goodnight.”

They waved at each other before logging out, and Thad crept down the hall to his bedroom. Bart lay half-asleep as if he were waiting for Thad. “He couldn’t tell. Could he?” Bart asked. Thad shook his head and climbed in on the other side. “Thank you.”

“It was fun,” Thad whispered as he fixed his hair.

As tired as Bart was, he didn’t want to sleep. It was his first night back home. “It doesn’t feel real. Are you real?” Bart asked as he playfully squeezed Thad’s nose.

Thad giggled and shook his head. “Bart, I’m glad you’re home,” Thad whispered. They whispered and giggled until Don poked his head in the door.

“Hey, fellas, I know it’s been an exciting day, but it’s past your bedtime guys,” Don whispered.

Meloni knocked on the door frame. “Hey, are you kids too old to give me a kiss goodnight?” Meloni questioned. The boys laughed and opened their arms to hug and kiss their parents goodnight. They hadn’t been together since Bart and Thad were six. Meloni squeezed them tight. “Is everyone warm and cozy?”

“Mhm,” Bart whispered.

“Thanks, Mom,” Thad smiled. Don lingered after Meloni left.

Don wanted to say something but didn’t want to get choked up. Bart shut his eyes, reached for Thad, and went to sleep. Thad looked toward Don with a smile and tears in his eyes. “I’m too happy to sleep,” Thad whispered. Don grinned.

“Want me to sit with you for a while?” Don asked. Thad nodded. “You’re all he talked about in the hospital.” Don described the seemingly endless list of things Bart wanted to do with Thad now that they were together again. Thad’s eyelids drooped, and he nodded off, resting his chin on Bart’s forehead. “I guess nothing’s changed… Not even the way you two kids sleep… Goodnight, sweet boys.” Don flicked the light switch off and smiled. Meloni startled Don as soon as he stepped into the hall, and she chuckled.

“I got you, Donnie,” Meloni smiled as she pressed her face into the fabric of his sweatshirt. “Are they asleep?”

“Sound asleep,” Don replied.

Meloni took in a deep breath, raising her shoulders as she spread her arms. Don hugged her, walking backward toward the kitchen while taking in her radiant look of admiration. “You want me to make you a late-night snack, huh?” Don half-joked.

“You already did… Can I have half your sandwich?” Meloni asked.

“That’s our sandwich, Mel,” Don sweetly replied, “We can finally breathe… Can’t we?”

[bluejaysandblackbats]

A Yellow Ribbon

Fandom: DC Comics, Young Justice, Flashfam, Superfam

Summary: Conner's been best friends with Bart ever since they met at the carnival when they were children. The problem is that Bart can't remember meeting Conner that night. But Thad does...

Chapters: 10/?

Characters: Clark Kent, Conner Kent, Lois Lane, Bart Allen, Thaddeus Thawne, Don Allen, Meloni Allen, Jonathan "Pa" Kent, Martha Kent, Max Crandall

Relationships: KonBart, KonThad, Clois, MelonixDon, Ma/Pa Kent

Additional Tags: No Powers AU, Mistaken Identity, Possibly Unrequited Love, Unrequited Crush, Twins, Lies, Stolen Moments, Unconventional Love Triangles, Misunderstandings, Childhood Friends, Complicated Relationships, Family Dynamics, Family Bonding, Best Friends, Secret Crush, Autistic Bart Allen, Autistic Thad Thawne, Thaddeus Thawne Gets a Hug, Conner Kent-centric, Bisexual Conner Kent, Conner Kent Needs a Hug, Third Person POV, Hurt Clark Kent, Boys in Love, Friendship/Love, Farm/Ranch AU, Farmboy Conner Kent, Grandparents and Grandchildren, Unconventional Families, Unconventional Relationship, Romance, Light Angst, Strangers to Lovers, Cyrano, Jewish Superfam

Chapter Ten: Leukapheresis

“Stinky,” Bart rasped. Thad shushed him as he tapped on the glass. By this time, they were ten, and Bart’s health was worse than ever. “What are you doing-?”

“Be quiet. Your doctor said it was okay to tell you. I wanted to explain it because you would’ve said no to her. You aren’t gonna say no to me,” Thad whispered. Bart climbed out of bed and staggered to the chair by the door. Thad stared at the ground. He hadn’t seen Bart in months and had to explain things before he was too emotional to talk. “I’m gonna do the stem cell donation-.”

“I told you I wouldn’t-.”

“Shut up… I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for myself because I need my brother back. Don’t you wanna come home?” Thad questioned.

Bart trembled as he thought about Thad’s words. He wanted to say no, but his pain muddled his thoughts. “What did Mom and Dad say?” Bart asked as he shut his eyes. He knew he wouldn’t make it through another trip to the emergency room.

“They said it was up to me. It’s not dangerous… I read about it. I asked questions. I know this procedure inside and out,” Thad explained, “All you need to do is say okay. Let me keep my promise to you.”

Bart ran a hand over his face as tears fell from his eyes. “I don’t have a choice, do I?” Bart whimpered. Thad pressed his hand to the glass, shaking his head as he cried with his twin. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not,” Thad whispered. And he smiled. “Your doctor’s coming… She’s gonna ask you if you’ll take my stem cells. And you better say yes. That’s how you can pay me back.”

Bart wiped his eyes and nodded. “I don’t know if I can pay you back this time,” Bart whimpered.

“You’ll find a way,” Thad replied with a gentle smile.

“I’m so tired, Stink,” Bart cried.

“I know, Smelly… Hang in there. I’m counting on you,” Thad whispered as he waved goodbye.

*

After five days' worth of injections, Thad came in for his first round of leukapheresis. Meloni sat with him in his bed. “Does it hurt?” Meloni asked. Thad shook his head. “Do you have to go potty?”

“Mom,” Thad whispered as his cheeks went rosy. “No, I’m fine. Is Smelly awake?” Meloni shook her head as she turned the TV down.

“Bart’s so sleepy lately, sweetheart. I can check with Dad. Let’s see,” Meloni whispered as she grabbed the walkie-talkie off the bed. “Is anybody awake in Starbase six? Over.”

“Mom, none of us say—.”

“Starbase six to Admiral Mom. I’m taking the afternoon watch for Commander Dad. Is Captain Thad awake? Over,” Bart whispered. Meloni giggled.

“Bart? Are you watching TV? Over,” Thad asked.

Meloni relaxed her shoulders for the first time since the donation process started. “No, my eyes are tired. Thad, are you okay? Does it hurt? Over,” Bart questioned.

“Nope. It’s not bad at all. It’s weird. That’s all,” Thad whispered, “Don’t worry about me. In a few weeks, you’ll be all better. Are you tired? Over.”

“A little. Are you? Over,” Bart replied.

Thad hadn’t slept in two days, but no one else knew. “I’ll be okay. Over,” Thad whispered.

“I could read to you,” Bart offered, “And before you tell me I don’t have to, I want to read to you. Dad gave me your bag by accident. You’re reading The Secret Garden. Do you want me to start from the beginning? Over.”

“Okay. Over,” Thad smiled. Bart started reading gently with a darkness in his tone that amused Thad. Thad shut his eyes, listening to Bart’s voice. He listened until he started feeling strange. His eyes shot open, and he whimpered.

“What’s wrong, Starshine?” Meloni questioned.

Thad shook his head, chewing his lip and stomaching the discomfort. The tingling in his legs turned to cramping, and he tried to hum the pain away. “Thaddeus, what is it?” Meloni asked as she stepped outside to grab a nurse. “Please—.”

“My legs hurt,” Thad mumbled.

The nurse nodded as she gently patted Thad on his ankle. “We can help—.”

“We can’t stop the—.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll get some calcium in while we do the treatment… Okay?” the nurse reassured him. Meloni grabbed his left leg at the calf and smoothed it. “It’s alright… Just—. Focus on Bart’s voice,” Meloni stammered. She wanted to cry, but there was nowhere for her to retreat. She had to be there with Thad.

“Are you still awake, Stink? Over,” Bart asked.

Meloni took the walkie-talkie and held it up for Thad to speak. “Uh-huh,” Thad answered. He took a breath and broke down. “Over.”

“Thad, you don’t have to do this for me. I’ve been around this long… I’ll make it until we figure something else out. This is too much. Over,” Bart whispered.

“No, it’s not. No—. You don’t have that—. You’re suffering,” Thad cried, “I can do this for you. It’s the only thing I can do. I can’t do anything else… Over.”

“You don’t have to do anything. Just—. If I don’t make it, can you forgive yourself? Please. Over,” Bart whispered into the walkie-talkie.

“Smelly, don’t say that. Please don’t say that. You promised you’d let me try,” Thad sobbed, “I can do it. Please, don’t take this from me. I can’t sit here and do nothing—.”

Meloni let out a sob. “Oh god. I’m sorry… I need to get out of here. I need to—.” Meloni gave the nurse the walkie-talkie and fled the room. She stood in the hallway, facing the wall, and held her fists to her chest. Barry could see her from the end of the hall.

“Meloni?” Barry called as he approached her. Meloni ignored him, sobbing as she tried to talk herself down. “Mel, it’s me, Barry. It’s Dad.”

“I’m completely useless here. I can’t make either of my sons feel better. I can’t even—. I couldn’t make a medical decision for either of them—. I can’t—. Dad, I can’t breathe,” Meloni gasped for air between sentences. Barry opened his arms, and she walked into his warm embrace.

“How’s Spike?” Barry questioned.

“His legs hurt, and he’s—. Thad feels responsible for shouldering all of this. Dad, I can’t—. There’s nothing in my power. There’s nothing I can do,” Meloni answered, “I’m their mom.”

“Yeah… And you’re a great mom. Fantastic. The worst of it is almost over. Thad is a match for Bart, and all we have to do now is wait,” Barry replied, “We’re gonna wait. Okay, Jellybean?” Barry kissed the top of her head. Meloni nodded. Meloni caught her breath, relaxing as Barry spoke. Meloni hadn’t spoken to her father since she married Don, but Barry filled that space for her. He was a father to her in every sense of the word. Barry didn’t mind it. It gave him a distraction from his worries about Thad and Bart.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

A Yellow Ribbon

Fandom: DC Comics, Young Justice, Flashfam, Superfam

Summary: Conner's been best friends with Bart ever since they met at the carnival when they were children. The problem is that Bart can't remember meeting Conner that night. But Thad does...

Chapters: 9/?

Characters: Clark Kent, Conner Kent, Lois Lane, Bart Allen, Thaddeus Thawne, Don Allen, Meloni Allen, Jonathan "Pa" Kent, Martha Kent, Max Crandall

Relationships: KonBart, KonThad, Clois, MelonixDon, Ma/Pa Kent

Additional Tags: No Powers AU, Mistaken Identity, Possibly Unrequited Love, Unrequited Crush, Twins, Lies, Stolen Moments, Unconventional Love Triangles, Misunderstandings, Childhood Friends, Complicated Relationships, Family Dynamics, Family Bonding, Best Friends, Secret Crush, Autistic Bart Allen, Autistic Thad Thawne, Thaddeus Thawne Gets a Hug, Conner Kent-centric, Bisexual Conner Kent, Conner Kent Needs a Hug, Third Person POV, Hurt Clark Kent, Boys in Love, Friendship/Love, Farm/Ranch AU, Farmboy Conner Kent, Grandparents and Grandchildren, Unconventional Families, Unconventional Relationship, Romance, Light Angst, Strangers to Lovers, Cyrano, Jewish Superfam

Chapter Nine: Return of Cowboy Conner

The arrival at the Kent farm meant goodbye for Lois and Clark. They took him to the front door with heavy hearts, and Lois took Conner’s hand. “Thank you for giving us a chance,” Lois whispered.

“Wait, Mommy… You aren’t gonna stay a little while?” Conner asked. Clark and Lois went wide-eyed. “Mommy… Daddy, can you stay another day?”

“Of course, Conner. Um—. I’m going to talk to Ma and Pa,” Clark whispered before kissing his son’s forehead. “Ma! Pa!” Clark ran inside with a childlike excitement Conner hadn’t ever seen before. He giggled.

“Mommy, do you think it’d be okay for me to see Banna?” Conner asked.

“Oh, Conner. Before you see Banna, come in and have a slice of pie. Pa and I want to tell you something,” Ma replied from the other room. Lois and Conner entered the house and joined Ma and Clark in the kitchen.

Conner hugged Ma and frowned. “Is something wrong with Banna?” Conner whimpered.

“Nope. Banna’s going to be a mommy. Today, actually. That’s where Pa is right now. He’s with the vet. Banna went into labor thirty minutes ago,” Ma replied.

Conner ran off toward the barn, and Lois moved to stop him, only for Clark to shake his head. “Let him go. He should be there,” Clark smiled.

Conner sprinted across the field to the barn and took his place by Pa’s side. “Hey there, Kiddo. Clark didn’t sit in on his first calf birthin’ until he was twelve. Are you sure you want to be here?” Pa asked.

“Uh-huh,” Conner replied. Pa smiled.

“Can you go out and fetch more warm water in the pail? It’ll help Doc Paula out,” Pa requested.

Conner nodded, taking the bucket toward the house. “Ma! Ma!” Conner shouted. Ma took the pail from Conner and filled it with warm water. “Is the water warm?”

“It sure is, Conner. Hey, I made you, Doc Hale, and Pa some lunch. Can you carry it with the pail? Or do you need some help?” Ma asked. Conner grabbed the pail, weighing it as he considered her question.

“I hafta carry it with both hands,” Conner whispered, “I can come back after I get the bucket to Pa and Doc Paula.”

“No, uh—. I’ll come with you. I’ll carry the bucket, so you can carry lunch to Pa,” Clark volunteered, “I won’t go in with you, though.”

Conner squinted at Clark. “Are you scared?” Conner asked. Clark nodded.

“Calving makes me a bit squeamish,” Clark replied. Conner nodded as Clark took the pail and handed Conner the picnic basket. “Pa seem calm?”

“Mhm. Is it gonna take long?” Conner asked.

“If everything goes well, it should be four hours or less,” Clark replied, “You gonna be okay?”

“Mhm. As long as Banna’s okay,” Conner replied, “Are you mad that I don’t want to go to school in Metropolis anymore?”

“No. I understand. Conner, did you like anything about Metropolis?” Clark questioned. Conner smiled up at Clark, completely unafraid of Clark for the first time.

“You and Mommy… And I liked going to the synagogue with you. And the mole trains,” Conner answered. Clark took Conner’s free hand and chuckled.

“The subway was fun,” Clark whispered as if he were speaking to himself and not Conner. “We’re going to visit all the time. Way more than we did before. Okay?”

“Promise?” Conner asked.

They stopped at the barn, and Clark swallowed hard. “I promise. It won’t be like before. We can video chat every single day after school,” Clark offered. Conner nodded and embraced Clark.

“Gonna hold you to that, Daddy,” Conner grinned as he took the basket to Pa and returned to Clark to retrieve the bucket.

*

Pa woke Conner toward the end of Banna’s labor. “Hey, Kiddo. Wake up, I think it’s time,” Pa whispered. Conner looked up, watching as the doctor pulled the calf from Banna.

“Wanna cut the navel cord, Conner?” Doc Paula asked.

Conner nodded, and Doc Paula told him to wash his hands. She gave him the scissors and guided his hand. “Is it gonna hurt them?” Conner asked.

“It’s a normal part of calving,” Doc Paula replied, “Okay… Cut here, sweetheart.”

Conner obeyed and rejoined Pa. “I did it,” Conner whispered. Pa caught a picture with his camera, proudly smiling at his grandson’s accomplishment.

“You’ll hafta name her,” Pa replied. Conner’s jaw dropped. “Yeah, go on. You earned it.”

“Toffee,” Conner replied.

“That was quick. Toffee it is,” Pa chuckled, “Good job, Conner. Hey, Kiddo? How was Metropolis? Did you like city livin’?”

“Thanks, Pa… Everyone lives so close to each other in Metropolis, and the buildings are so tall. We lived on the seventh floor. Everybody looks small from the seventh floor. Then, my friend lived next door, but he was sick and couldn’t come over to play… Then—. Pa, why are some kids born sick? Daddy says it’s science, but why can’t we fix science?” Conner replied.

“Scientists can only do so much. We’re still figuring out how all of this works. Humans are smart, but nature is so complex, Kiddo. The world is full of things we don’t understand. Why is the sky blue? Why do people hate each other sometimes? Why do we cry sometimes? There’s so much we don’t understand,” Pa explained.

“I wish we understood how to make people feel better,” Conner replied. Pa nodded.

“I know, Conner. Let’s wash up. It’s almost dinnertime—.”

“Can I stay with Banna and Toffee?” Conner interrupted. Pa nodded.

“I’ll have Clark and Lois bring your supper,” Pa whispered, “And hey… I’m glad you’re home. I was short a cowboy this year.”

Pa placed his hat on Conner’s head and left him with the vet and the cows. Clark paced outside the house with his arms crossed and his hands tucked awkwardly in his armpits. “Pa! How’d—?”

“Everything went fine. Conner cut the cord for the doctor, but now he wants to sit with Banna and Toffee for a while. You should check on him, though. He looks like he’s carrying a lot,” Pa replied. Clark frowned and nodded. “How sick is that friend of his?”

“The medication messes with his memory. He’s forgetting names and faces… He couldn’t remember Conner’s name off the top of his head most of the time. Then, he sleeps most of the day until their playdate,” Clark answered, “But the big issue is his immunity problems. That’s why he doesn’t go out.”

“Do you think—? Do you know if Conner would be up for a party? We invited some of his friends to welcome him back next weekend. A few kids from the temple, a couple more kids from his school, and a few of the neighboring farmers’ kids,” Pa whispered. Clark smiled.

“He’ll love that,” Clark replied, “Hey, Pa? I think I need—. We might stick around for a while.”

Pa messed up Clark’s hair. “He’s especially hard to let go of. Isn’t he?” Pa chuckled. Clark nodded and laughed.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

A Yellow Ribbon

Fandom: DC Comics, Young Justice, Flashfam, Superfam

Summary: Conner's been best friends with Bart ever since they met at the carnival when they were children. The problem is that Bart can't remember meeting Conner that night. But Thad does...

Chapters: 4/?

Characters: Clark Kent, Conner Kent, Lois Lane, Bart Allen, Thaddeus Thawne, Don Allen, Meloni Allen, Jonathan "Pa" Kent, Martha Kent, Max Crandall

Relationships: KonBart, KonThad, Clois, MelonixDon, Ma/Pa Kent

Additional Tags: No Powers AU, Mistaken Identity, Possibly Unrequited Love, Unrequited Crush, Twins, Lies, Stolen Moments, Unconventional Love Triangles, Misunderstandings, Childhood Friends, Complicated Relationships, Family Dynamics, Family Bonding, Best Friends, Secret Crush, Autistic Bart Allen, Autistic Thad Thawne, Thaddeus Thawne Gets a Hug, Conner Kent-centric, Bisexual Conner Kent, Conner Kent Needs a Hug, Third Person POV, Hurt Clark Kent, Boys in Love, Friendship/Love, Farm/Ranch AU, Farmboy Conner Kent, Grandparents and Grandchildren, Unconventional Families, Unconventional Relationship, Romance, Light Angst, Strangers to Lovers, Cyrano

Chapter Four: Status Report

Conner silently unpacked his belongings once they arrived in Metropolis. His room was much larger there. Clark and Lois spoke quietly in the next room. “He looks so sad… Maybe we were being selfish-.”

“Maybe it’s time we tell him about his surprise,” Lois interrupted. Clark nodded. “Conner, can you come out for a minute?”

Conner opened his room door and forced a smile. He didn’t want them to think he didn’t like them. “What’s the matter?” Conner asked.

“Nothing… We have a surprise for you, remember?” Lois asked. Conner nodded. “Do you remember your friend, Bart, from the fair? Well, his grandpa is friends with Clark, and they’re moving in next door soon so Bart can go to the doctor here. You might not be able to see him in person, but we talked to his grandpa about video conferences and letters. All sorts of fun stuff for you kids to do together while he’s sick.”

“What’s a video conference?” Conner asked.

Clark walked toward the kitchen. “Video conferences are like phone calls on the computer, except you can see each other,” Clark explained. Conner cocked his head. “You’ll see next week.”

“I understand what you mean, but how can he see me on the computer? And how come you don’t do this with Ma and Pa? They have a computer,” Conner wondered.

“Well-. Ma and Pa don’t have a webcam, but we could get them one, then we can have a video conference with them sometimes,” Lois suggested. Conner smiled and nodded. “Okay. We can do that, Scout.”She pushed his bangs back and glanced at Clark. Conner returned the gesture.

*

Lois set up the computer for Conner and Bart’s video playdate the afternoon before Conner’s first day of school. “Okay, Gup’. You’re all set,” Clark whispered as the chime rang on the call.

Conner grabbed Clark’s wrist. “I’m nervous,” Conner whispered, “Can you stay?”

“I can stay,” Clark reassured him as Bart answered the call. Barry waved to Clark, and Bart waved to Conner. Bart was in good spirits despite the dark circles around his eyes and the worried look on his grandfather’s face.

“Can you hear me?” Bart rasped. Barry looked down toward him. He looked concerned. Conner nodded. “Now you say something so I can hear you.”

Barry shook up an inhaler and connected it to a spacer and mask. He gave Bart a puff. “Breathe in. Good,” Barry whispered.

“Grandpa, I’m okay,” Bart whispered before turning to the camera. “Say something.”

“Can you hear me too?” Conner asked. Bart grinned.

“Uh-huh… Hey! Do you wanna see my favorite toy?”Bart asked. He was so excited that Conner couldn’t say no if he wanted to.

“Okay,” Conner smiled.

“Go get yours,” Bart replied before hopping off Barry’s lap and traveling out of sight of the camera.

Clark looked at Conner and nodded. “Go ahead… It’s okay,” Clark reassured. Conner walked quickly to the toy box in his room and returned with a single Transformer toy. Barry picked Bart up and resumed holding onto the fidgety six-year-old.

Bart held his Power Ranger up to the camera. “I like him because he can run fast,” Bart explained.

“I like him because he turns into a semi-truck,” Conner replied as he held his Transformer toy to the camera. “I like your Dino Red Ranger.”

“Yesterday, Grandpa played Power Rangers with me in the car. He couldn’t hold the Blue Ranger because he was driving, and we didn’t have any of the villain toys from the show, but I had some toy dinosaurs. So, we took them to the dinosaur zoo… But I think Grandpa was trying to get me to put some of my toys away,” Bart rambled. Conner hung on every word, even giggling at Bart’s observation.

“Hey, Bart? Do you like space aliens?” Conner asked.

“Yeah,” Bart smiled.

“Do you wanna play space rangers with me sometime?” Conner suggested. “We could be on different planets and give status updates like in the movies.”Bart looked at Barry for permission.

Barry nodded. “Can we play space rangers every day?” Bart asked. Conner grinned.

“Sure! What’s your status report?” Conner asked.

“I landed on Planet Metropolis this morning, and there are so many strange creatures here. I live in base-. Grandpa, what’s our apartment number?” Bart asked, momentarily breaking character.

“We’re in apartment G-7,” Barry answered.

“G-8,” Clark whispered to Conner.

“I live in base G-7, with all the tiny people who live in shells. They have teeny tiny voices, and they click when they bump into each other,” Bart described.

“I live in base G-8 with the seahorses. They don’t make any noise… And they send messages to other planets like mailmen do. They don’t know how to talk, but they all understand each other,” Conner replied. Clark slowly exited the room while Bart and Conner played pretend on the video call.

After half an hour, Bart fell into a coughing fit, and Barry had to end the call early. Clark returned with a glass of warm milk. “Here you go, Scout… How was your playdate?” Clark asked.

“Is Bart gonna die?” Conner asked, his big round eyes filled to the brim with concern. Clark shook his head.

“No, but he might have to go to the hospital for a while,” Clark answered honestly.

“He’s gonna miss school tomorrow,” Conner whispered.

“Bart doesn’t go to school. He’s homeschooled,” Clark explained. Conner drank his milk, and Clark picked him up. “Are you nervous about school?”Clark rinsed out the dish with Conner on his hip.

“I’m not gonna know anybody,” Conner whispered as Clark carried him to his bedroom and tucked him in. “Are you gonna wake me up if my alarm doesn’t go off?”

“I sure could… How’d your first day in Metropolis feel?” Clark questioned. Conner scrunched up his nose.

“It was okay. I liked the part where we got ice cream… Is Lois coming to say goodnight?” Conner asked. Clark nodded. “Are you still scared, Clark?”

“I’m a little less scared right now, but we’ll see how things go,” Clark whispered.

Lois poked her head in the door. “Can I come in to say goodnight?” Lois asked. Conner nodded. Lois joined them. “How’s it going, Scout?”

“I’m okay,” Conner whispered.

“Do you like your room?” Lois asked.

“Uh-huh,” Conner whispered. Lois and Clark kissed him goodnight. “Can you leave the nightlight on? Just for tonight?”

[bluejaysandblackbats]

A Yellow Ribbon

Fandom: DC Comics, Young Justice, Flashfam, Superfam

Summary: Conner's been best friends with Bart ever since they met at the carnival when they were children. The problem is that Bart can't remember meeting Conner that night. But Thad does...

Chapters: 3/?

Characters: Clark Kent, Conner Kent, Lois Lane, Bart Allen, Thaddeus Thawne, Don Allen, Meloni Allen, Jonathan "Pa" Kent, Martha Kent, Max Crandall

Relationships: KonBart, KonThad, Clois, MelonixDon, Ma/Pa Kent

Additional Tags: No Powers AU, Mistaken Identity, Possibly Unrequited Love, Unrequited Crush, Twins, Lies, Stolen Moments, Unconventional Love Triangles, Misunderstandings, Childhood Friends, Complicated Relationships, Family Dynamics, Family Bonding, Best Friends, Secret Crush, Autistic Bart Allen, Autistic Thad Thawne, Thaddeus Thawne Gets a Hug, Conner Kent-centric, Bisexual Conner Kent, Conner Kent Needs a Hug, Third Person POV, Hurt Clark Kent, Boys in Love, Friendship/Love, Farm/Ranch AU, Farmboy Conner Kent, Grandparents and Grandchildren, Unconventional Families, Unconventional Relationship, Romance, Light Angst, Strangers to Lovers, Cyrano

Chapter Three: Lavender Boy

Conner sat at the table, wide-eyed and pale. “Conner, sweetheart, did you hear what Lois said?” Martha asked. Conner stared ahead at the picture of Clark, Martha, Pa, Lois, and him. Clark just got out of the hospital after coming home. It was Conner’s first memory. Clark’s eyes were dark, clouded, and puffy from the pain medication. Or at least that’s what Clark told him. “Conner?”

“I don’t-. I don’t think I did, Ma,” Conner whispered.

“Conner, you’re gonna spend the school year in Metropolis with us,” Lois whispered. Conner took a sip of his milk.

“It'd be a trial basis… It’s up to you if you want to live with us or not,” Clark whispered. Conner nodded. He didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but Conner had never lived with Clark and Lois. “How do you feel, Conner?”

Conner nodded. “When are we leaving?” Conner asked.

“Tomorrow,” Lois answered.

Conner swallowed hard. “May I be excused? I have to get ready for tomorrow,” Conner whispered.

“Sure, kiddo… Let me come with you,” Pa whispered. He took Conner’s hand, and they went to Conner’s room. Once they were out of earshot of the kitchen, Pa sat on Conner’s bed and bounced Conner on his knee. “It’s their turn… And they’re so excited-.”

“You and Ma don’t want me anymore, do you?” Conner asked.

“That’s not it, Kiddo, we’re your grandparents. Clark and Lois are your parents. We’re moving out of the way to see how they do. It doesn’t mean we won’t miss you while you’re gone,” Pa whispered. He pinched Conner’s cheek.

Conner laid his head on Pa’s chest and clutched Pa’s shirt. “If I want to come back, can I call you?” Conner asked. Pa smiled.

“Sure,” Pa whispered, “But try and give your parents a fair shake… I heard they’ve got a surprise for you once you get there.” Conner craned his neck to meet eyes with Pa.

Conner hopped off Pa’s knee and pulled his suitcase from underneath his bed. Pa sighed and pulled Conner’s pajamas from the dresser. “I raised him, you know… I wouldn’t send you to live anywhere unless I knew you’d be okay,” Pa reassured him. Conner placed the neatly folded clothes into his shark suitcase.

It only took him a few minutes to pack his first bag, but he’d be gone a whole school year. “Conner, I think this is all you’ll need, kiddo. Clark and Lois might wanna get you some new clothes while you’re in the city… A new environment means new clothes,” Pa whispered. Conner frowned and kicked at the air.

“Will you make sure Banna knows I didn’t leave her?” Conner asked. Banna was a blonde cow Conner practically grew up with. He named her when she was born. Banna because he couldn’t say banana.

“I’ll tell her,” Pa replied, “Don’t worry… I’ll let her know.” Pa stepped toward the door, and Conner grabbed his hand.

“Pa, one more thing… Can I sleep with you and Ma tonight?” Conner asked. Pa nodded.

“Go brush your teeth and tell Clark and Lois goodnight first,” Pa commanded. He messed up Conner’s hair. “It’ll be okay…”

Conner washed up and said goodnight to his parents. Then he waited patiently for Ma and Pa to come to bed. He didn’t sleep, even after Ma attempted to soothe him. Conner eventually gave up and climbed out of bed. He crept to the kitchen and met eyes with Lois. She had a slice of pie and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. “Hi, Scout… Want some?” Lois asked. Conner nodded. “Grab a spoon.” Conner obeyed, sitting beside her as she pushed the plate between them.

“Lois, why do you want me now?” Conner asked gently.

“We want to give it a try. We wanna be your mommy and daddy,” Lois answered, “And we want you to know how much we love you.”

Conner ate some of Lois’s vanilla ice cream. “You were a beautiful baby,” Lois smiled, “Gorgeous little fat face and this sweet little head of beautiful black curls. I stayed with-. I stayed here with you at first.”

He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, so he stayed silent. After a while of sitting with her, he nodded off at the counter. Lois carried him to bed. She ran her finger down his cheek as he slept. “We slept in this bed because you were so quiet. You’re still so quiet… Conner, I love you so much,” Lois whispered.

She lingered there, holding onto the image of her sweet-faced son. Clark stood in the doorway, afraid to approach. "Did he seem upset to you?" Clark asked.

“He seemed apprehensive,” Lois answered.

“That’s fair,” Clark whispered, “Apprehension is normal… Did he show any indication that he didn’t want to go?”

“Not as far as I could tell, but I’m not above saying that I’m so excited that I might be blinded by my bias… I hope he likes us,” Lois whispered, “Sometimes I feel like he doesn’t like us. He’s so quiet.”

“He barely knows us,” Clark whispered, “I don’t think his silence-. I don’t know. I want him to like us too.” Lois laid her head on Clark’s chest. “I feel awful for springing this on him… But I see his little face and-.”

“His chubby little cheeks… And he makes you want to hold on for dear life,” Lois interrupted. Someone knocked on the door, and Clark got up to answer. Conner stood in the doorway with tears in his eyes.

Clark picked Conner up and held him without so much as a word. “I’m scared,” Conner whispered.

“We are too, Gup’. We are too,” Clark confessed, “But that’s okay because we love you so much… Conner, I know this is nerve-wracking, but-. Conner, can we give this a try?”

“Why are you scared?” Conner asked as Clark wiped his tears away.

“We want you to love us… We want you to have memories with us,” Clark whispered, “We wanna be your parents.”

Conner held on tight to Clark. “Can I sleep in your bed then?” Conner asked. Clark glanced at Lois, and she nodded.

“Okay,” Clark whispered. He carried Conner to their bed and let the small, chubby-faced boy curl into a ball between them. Lois turned on her side and draped an arm over him. It was a small victory for Lois and Clark. He slept through the night, and they cherished his sweet sighs.

Conner tossed and turned, but his sleep was far from restless. Part of Conner enjoyed having Clark and Lois close by. “He smells good,” Lois whispered.

Clark chuckled. “I know, right,” Clark replied, smiling ear-to-ear.

Conner smelled like lavender. It didn’t hurt that he picked lavender from the herb garden as part of his afternoon chores. Clark and Lois giggled as they reveled in their tiny victory. “Should we tell him about the surprise tomorrow morning, or should we tell him when we get there?” Lois questioned.

“We’ll let him know when we get there,” Clark replied, “I wanna see the look on his face.”

Conner rolled onto his stomach, raising one arm over his head. “Can he sleep like that?” Lois asked.

“If he doesn’t turn in a few minutes, I’ll flip him over,” Clark reassured her. Lois narrowed her eyes, and Clark rolled Conner over.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

A Yellow Ribbon

Fandom: DC Comics, Young Justice, Flashfam, Superfam

Summary: Conner's been best friends with Bart ever since they met at the carnival when they were children. The problem is that Bart can't remember meeting Conner that night. But Thad does...

Chapters: 2/?

Characters: Clark Kent, Conner Kent, Lois Lane, Bart Allen, Thaddeus Thawne, Don Allen, Meloni Allen, Jonathan "Pa" Kent, Martha Kent, Max Crandall

Relationships: KonBart, KonThad, Clois, MelonixDon, Ma/Pa Kent

Additional Tags: No Powers AU, Mistaken Identity, Possibly Unrequited Love, Unrequited Crush, Twins, Lies, Stolen Moments, Unconventional Love Triangles, Misunderstandings, Childhood Friends, Complicated Relationships, Family Dynamics, Family Bonding, Best Friends, Secret Crush, Autistic Bart Allen, Autistic Thad Thawne, Thaddeus Thawne Gets a Hug, Conner Kent-centric, Bisexual Conner Kent, Conner Kent Needs a Hug, Third Person POV, Hurt Clark Kent, Boys in Love, Friendship/Love, Farm/Ranch AU, Farmboy Conner Kent, Grandparents and Grandchildren, Unconventional Families, Unconventional Relationship, Romance, Light Angst, Strangers to Lovers, Cyrano

Chapter Two: Chicken Fried

Clark allowed Conner to lead him to the train ride. It was the first ride Conner had ever been on, and he would ride it every year since he was two years old. It was his favorite. "Clark? Are you sure it's okay that I didn't do my chores before we left?" Conner questioned.

Clark nodded. "Don't worry. I took care of everything when I got in," Clark reassured him. A redheaded man got on the train across from them, holding his son's hand.

"Hi, Bart," Conner waved.

Bart's eyes widened, and he waved. "How do you know my name?" Bart asked.

Conner knit his brows together. "You told me your name last night. I'm Conner, remember?" Conner questioned. Bart shook his head and turned his face upward toward the sky. He seemed different, but Conner assumed he was more comfortable in the daylight.

"I like your shoes, Conner," Bart complimented as he knocked his heels together until his shoes lit up.

Clark leaned forward and introduced himself to the redheaded man. "Hi, I'm Clark Kent... Looks like our sons know each other," Clark grinned.

"Don Allen... Actually... I think you know my father," Don smiled, "Barry Allen."

"Oh yeah! I do know your father. How is he?" Clark asked.

"He's doing alright. We're staying with him for a few weeks this summer," Don replied. Conner and Bart swung their feet until they touched their shoes together. "Hey, why're you wearing a mask?" Conner asked. Bart looked at him briefly and then at Don.

"I got out of the hospital the other day. If I wear the mask, I won't get sick again," Bart answered.

"Oh, okay. I'm glad you're not sick anymore," Conner replied.

"What do we say, Bartholomew?" Don whispered.

"Oh! Thank you, Conner," Bart replied, "Daddy? How come I have to say thank you when people say things they're supposed to say?"

"Because it's polite. Being polite to people is important because it makes them feel good," Don replied.

"Wouldya feel bad if I didn't tell you thanks?" Bart asked Conner. Conner knit his brows together as he pondered Bart's question.

"Don't reckon I would've noticed... But it did make me feel good to hear you say thanks," Conner smiled. Clark chuckled, and Don did too.

Don and Clark continued their conversation while Conner and Bart talked to one another. When the ride stopped, Clark and Don exchanged numbers. "Where to next?" Clark asked.

"The little Ferris wheel?" Conner replied. Bart grabbed Conner's other hand.

"We'll all go," Don replied, looking at Clark for clarification. Clark nodded. From that moment on, the boys were inseparable. They spent four hours at the fair together before Don's watch went off. "Time to go, Bart."

"I don't wanna go," Bart whined. Don picked him up.

"We've gotta go eat with Grandpa, remember?" Don whispered. Bart nodded. "Thank you for not crying. We can always call Conner's dad and play with him later."

"Okay," Bart mumbled. He waved at Conner and Clark, and then they were gone. Soon after, Clark got a ping on his cellphone.

"Is that Lois?" Conner questioned. Clark nodded as he answered the phone.

"We're by the concessions... You want some funnel cake while we're over here?" Clark questioned.

Conner tugged Clark's sleeve. "Sorry... Could I get something for lunch?" Conner asked. Clark nodded.

"Where do you wanna eat, Conner?" Clark questioned.

"Across the street... I want a strawberry muffin and boneless wings," Conner whispered.

"Lois, let's go across the street and get lunch. Conner wants wings," Clark replied, "Yeah, I think that'll be easier. Love you too... Bye-bye."

Clark took Conner through the crowd and picked Conner up before crossing the street. Conner rested his chin on Clark's shoulder and whispered, "I can see Lois from up here."

"Yeah? Where is she?" Clark asked. He rubbed Conner's back. It comforted Clark to have his son close, and Conner leaned into the display of affection.

"She can see us too," Conner replied.

"What's going on, Scout?" Lois questioned.

"Did you get enough sleep?" Conner asked. Lois smiled and messed up his hair.

"I sure did," Lois replied. They entered the restaurant, and a waitress brought a complimentary basket of muffins and three glasses of water. Conner took a bite of a muffin and a sip of his water.

Meals were quiet when Martha and Jonathan weren't around to buffer. "Conner made a friend at the fair," Clark announced.

"His name's Bart," Conner replied, "He's six years old... And he has to wear a mask because he got out of the hospital."

"Oh," Lois whispered, "Is he from Smallville?"

"I don't think so... Clark knew his Grandpa," Conner explained, "How do you know his grandpa, Clark?"

"We're in the same club. Barry's a good friend of mine," Clark answered. The waitress brought them some sweet tea and their meal. Lois whispered something to Clark, and he shook his head. "Not right now."

"What's not right now?" Conner questioned in between bites. Clark chewed his lip.

"We have a surprise for you later on," Lois replied.

Conner sucked the sauce off his fingers. "Okay... Do Ma and Pa get a surprise too?" Conner asked. Clark nodded.

"Ma and Pa always get a surprise when we visit," Clark replied. Conner ate his french fries, and Clark put a straw in his chocolate milk and gave Conner a sip.

Conner was too old to need help with his drink, but he didn't mind Clark's effort. Clark ate with a fork and knife while Lois ate her wings with her hands, not caring if she got sauce on her face. Clark laughed, and Conner wiped her face with a napkin. "Oh, thank you, honey pie... You're so sweet," Lois smiled. Conner blushed.

"Thank you, Lois," Conner whispered. Once Clark paid for the food, Lois and Clark took Conner to an antique shop as promised. Conner went straight toward the jewelry to look for a ring to wear around his neck. Clark gave him the first one when he returned home. It was a small mood ring Clark found at the airport. Clark was still traumatized and fragile after his discharge from the hospital. He gave it to Conner, tying a string around it as a reminder of his love. He was shocked that Conner gave it away, but Clark knew Conner was too young to understand what things like that meant.

Conner stood on his toes to look into the glass case, and Clark picked him up. "Lookit, we can all get the same one," Conner whispered as he pointed to a little box on top of the glass case. A young man approached the counter. He asked if they were interested in something, and Conner nodded.

"Can we get three of these little mood rings?" Clark asked. They looked exactly like the one he gave Conner. "You want us all to have one?"

"So that you'll know I love you no matter where you are, too," Conner replied. Clark kissed Conner's cheek.

"You are the sweetest boy in the whole world," Lois whispered.