Chapter Text
Barry was so happy. Like, really, really, really happy.
For a long time, he didn't know how that felt. To be part of something bigger than him and actually feel like he could prove his dad was innocent. But now, he couldn't be happier.
He was a superhero and he even had friends! Real friends! Well, at least that was what he called them. But, he knew he was part of a team.
With Superman, his idol!
Barry never expected to be able to say that one day, but now he could. It was the best thing that happened to him since the lightning. And he didn't think that could be possible.
"Barry," Victor's voice drove him out of his excited thoughts.
He turned to look at the true beta, unlike him, and smiled widely.
"What? Sorry, Vic. I got distracted by my thoughts." Barry chuckled, "It's just that there are so many of them and they pass like a flash. You know, because of how…" He started to explain but stopped when Victor frowned, "I'm mumbling again, right? Sorry. You asked a question, didn't you?"
Why did he had to be like that? He knew he shouldn't mumble, he tried not to, but he just couldn’t help sometimes.
"Yeah, bro. What do you think of the main hall?" Victor questioned with a small smile, reminding Barry of where they were and why they were there.
"Oh, the mansion!" He exclaimed as he looked around the main hall, which was bigger than his place.
In fact, any place that he lived at all.
This was the first time they had all gone there since the reform started. Actually, he hadn’t even known about it until a few hours ago; when Bruce invited them to see it after a fight.
They were even still wearing their uniforms.
Everything was gorgeous and seemed quite expensive, but he especially loved the round table and its six chairs. One of them was his, because he belonged there.
"Cool, cool," Barry said and excitedly ran to sit on his chair, crossing his legs and grinning. "Do you think Bruce will let us come here in our free time, Vic? We can have movie or pizza nights."
That was something he always imagined doing with friends, and maybe, he had dreamed of having pajama parties with his superheros teammates. Call him childish for that, but anyone would do the same!
"I don't know, man. But you didn't even see the rest of the house, so chill." Victor snorted and sat in the chair beside him.
Oh, right, he hadn’t. He bubbled over with excitement. Well, that was his cue.
"Didn't I?" Barry grinned widely when Victor looked at him and realized that he had given him an idea, "Be right back!
"Oh no, c'mon, Barry…" Victor said, exasperated, reaching out to hold his shoulder, but it was too late when Barry activated his speed and saw everything in slow motion.
He passed by Victor and ran through the mansion, checking out the many big rooms, loving everything about them.
There were different labs. A training room. A gym.
A kitchen full of snacks. Some of which he could have stolen.
A lot of bedrooms. A natural pool—how the hell did Bruce put that inside a mansion?
A computer room. And many more! Barry couldn't believe he had access to all of that!
As he ran by a hallway he heard the echoes of Diana and Bruce's voices. Stopping, he started to walk in towards them, excited to talk to both Alphas.
If someone had told him that someday he would be friends with four super Alphas, and a super beta, he would have thought they were nuts. But, here he was; even if it was only because they thought he was a beta like Vic.
And that was fine, they would never have to know he was an omega. Or that he was lying to them all that time. They couldn't.
When Barry approached their location, their voices grew louder until he could hear what they were saying.
"What is that room for, Bruce?" He heard Diana ask, a big smile on his face as he got ready to use his speed again to appear before them.
He loved to surprise them at every chance. But, then he froze from Bruce's answer.
"It's for omegas. I've got one in my house and in the cave. The next hero we recruit might be one so I thought that we should have a room for them." Bruce said in his cold voice, and Barry could hear the way his jaw was clenched.
Oh no. His stomach sank. He didn't see the room, but he could already imagine it. Cold. Steril. Probably like a jail, since Bruce would definitely make it capable of containing super humans.
And he even had two, one in the cave and in his house. How could Barry have missed that? How many omegas could have Bruce kept in them? What more didn’t he know about it?
"I see. It's a good idea. We have some like that in Themyscira too." Diana said and they started walking towards him, causing him to finally snap out of his stupor and activate his powers, running back to where he came from.
Barry finally stopped in one of the hallways, breathing quickly and leaning on the wall. His heart pounded in his chest, panic kicking in.
Nononononono
He thought this time was different. That they were different. He really believed it. How could they- no, wait, what was Barry doing?
This was his fault. It wasn't theirs. He wanted something from them that wasn't possible. He hoped too much, acting like a fool who didn’t understand how things worked.
He knew that it was like that since the day he presented and his adoptive family changed so much with him. Not that they were bad. They were a good family, treating and taking care of him like he was their kid.
Barry had felt so lucky. He felt… loved.
But then one day he woke up feeling so hot, and it hurt. He was wet and confused, and when they saw him, there was so much disgust and anger in their faces. He could never forget that.
How they kept him inside that room for the whole week, leaning on the ground, completely alone. The way they heard him beg them to just touch him and stay by his side, but always pushed him away and kicked him when he tried to get close to them.
Looking back, he should be thankful that they at least didn't let him die of hunger and dehydration, giving food and water once a day. They had mercy on him, even teaching him how omegas were treated by society and in packs, showing him that it was his future.
And he just couldn't live like that. So when he was transferred to the next adoptive house, he gained money and bought suppressors, using them since then.
He never had a heat again. For everyone after that, he was a beta, he didn't have to deal with what that family put him through again.
And although the progress of the movement for omega's rights was going well, Barry knew that if he stopped, his life would get harder than it already was. And he couldn't bear that.
So he couldn't blame his team for being like that. All he could do was make sure they never found out about his secret; and warn the next omegan hero that entered the team.
"Barry. Are you okay, son?" Barry lifted his head and looked at the alphas walking towards him.
Arthur and Clark, the latter being who asked the question.
"Oh, yeah. Of course, Supes" He controlled his breath and moved away from the wall, giving a fake smile.
Did they know about the room? Did they think like Bruce and Diana? Stupid Barry, of course they did. They might not know about the room yet, but they probably thought like that too.
Most Alphas and Betas did. That was just how things were.
"Are you sure? You looked more pale than you already are." Arthur raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, his tone concerned but his posture making him look even more intimidating.
It wasn't really helpful to his omega side, which had been freaking out a few moments ago. Control yourself, Barry!
"I'm fine, Arthur." Barry rolled his eyes and saw his expression contort in exasperation.
That was better, he could deal with that.
"We believe in you, Barry." Clark said with a frown still on his face but a reassuring grin, causing a part of Barry to just want to cuddle with him.
Inappropriate, dirty omega. His adoptive family's voices echoed in his head. How could he think something like that? Clark was an Alpha and had Lois, a Beta, and Bruce, another Alpha.
"But what are you doing here? I thought you were with Victor in the main hall." Clark questioned, bringing him back to reality.
"Well, I was exploring the house. I was going to be right back, but I stopped in the kitchen to get some snacks." Barry rubbed the back of his head, feeling a knot in his stomach because of the fact he admitted to taking their food.
He knew he was protected by his Beta status, but even after so many years, he couldn't forget what happened to omegas that took things without permission.
He could never have become a thief, which was good for the whole superhero stuff.
"Oh, and did you see everything already?" Arthur questioned suspiciously.
Barry tensed.
"Yeah! I mean… not entirely?" He cleared his throat and gave a clumsy smile, "I don't know, it's really big and I want to do it again with Vic." Involuntarily starting to mumble, "I only came right now because I asked him if we could have movie or pizza nights, and he said that-"
"Okay, okay. We got it," Arthur frowned and gestured for him to stop.
The warmth in Barry's chest deflated a bit. He got the message.
"Sorry, it happens a lot." Barry giggled awkwardly, seeing Clark stare at him as if he knew he was hiding something.
But he couldn't. He couldn't. Right?
"Soooo, what about you?" Barry questioned, trying to hide his nervousness.
"Actually, we aren't even done with this floor. You're right, the place is truly big." Clark snorted, with that sweet smile of his, "I told Bruce it was too much but he insisted that it should be here. At least it will have a lot of space for the other members that will come."
A shiver ran up his spine. Oh, that. Not that Barry wasn't excited for new members, he was! More friends were always good.
But after knowing about the room, he was afraid that the next possible member could be an omega. Like him. But that didn’t hide what they were! And yes, normally, he loved to have other omegas close. It made him feel safe, which wasn't usual.
But if he had to see that hero be treated like he was, and by his friends, not doing anything about it and always feeling like that could be him one day… Barry couldn't take it. He wouldn’t be able to.
"Oh yeah, but do you have any new members in mind?" He asked, successfully coming off as casual about it.
Or he believed he did.
"I don't. But it would be good to have an omegan hero. I know there aren't many out there, but I think it would be nice." Clark's smile changed to his Superman one, which should make everything that came out of his mouth sound like the best idea.
It didn't work this time, instead, making Bruce swallow the knot in his throat. The only reason people wanted omegas was for what they could do to them.
To them, that was all they were good for.
"I like the idea." Arthur grunted, causing Barry to inhale anxiously, "There are too many Alphas here. It was more diverse even on the other end of the world where Bruce found me."
Diverse. It should be a good thing, but what did that even mean to to Arthur? Did they keep groups of omegas there? Bonding them to Alphas and Betas, and whoring them around?
Or could Barry hope that Arthur was more progressive than he thought? Maybe he could- no, that was dangerous. Hoping was always too dangerous.
"What do you think, son?" Clark questioned, putting a hand on his shoulder.
Barry barely stopped himself from startling, realizing he was lost in his mind again.
"I… think it's a good idea. Why wouldn't it be?" Barry shrugged, looking nervously between the Alphas.
They stared at him, a bit weirded out. Oh shit, oh shit, he had to go. Barry wasn't the bravest person, running was literally his thing, but he wasn't proud of that now.
"But you know what? I have to go, guys. Vic is waiting for me." He explained quickly, grinning and waved at them before using his speed to get out of there before he could see their reactions.
It was close. So close.
He ran to the main hall and saw Vic standing, seeming truly annoying. That was familiar, he loved it. He could handle it.
"Hey, Vic, sorry for taking so long, but…." Barry greeted his best friend and sat in his chair, taking the snacks out of his pocket and swinging them in the air, "I got snacks!"
"You-" Victor started and pointed his index finger to him, interrupting himself and sighing before taking the snacks from his right hand. "You're lucky that I like you. Next time wait for me, okay?" His best friend asked tiredly, but with a slight curve of his lips.
"Fiiiine." Barry rolled his eyes and opened his chocolate bar, watching Vic snort do the same with his.
That was right, they could never know about his real secondary gender. Barry just loved them all too much already, and he couldn't lose them.
He couldn't see that disgusted look in any of their eyes.
Not again.