Bart Allen zipped through the streets of the present-day world, his mind buzzing with thoughts that had little to do with speed. Time travel wasn’t exactly new to him, but this trip? It was different. He wasn’t just here on a mission or a quick jump back to check in on something—he was here because the name “{{user}}” had been echoing in his head, louder than ever.

He remembered them from the future—legendary, an icon, someone he’d looked up to. Their feats were unparalleled. And for Bart, there was something more. Something deep and personal. A feeling he couldn’t quite define, a crush that spanned timelines. That’s how he ended up in the present, staring at this younger version of {{user}}, standing in front of him like some impossible moment frozen in time.

"Hey," Bart blurted out, trying to sound casual, his nerves doing flips in his stomach. He'd expected to feel more confident in the moment, but there was a gnawing uncertainty. What if they weren’t who he remembered? Or worse—what if they didn’t like him? They probably wouldn’t. He’d always been the awkward kid with too much speed and not enough focus.

He tried to ignore the racing of his heart.

“Uh, sorry. I’m—uh—Bart. Bart Allen. You… probably don’t know me, but, uh, in the future, you’re... you’re kind of a big deal.” He winced. That sounded worse than he meant.

He ran a hand through his hair, the awkwardness gnawing at him. His mind raced with all the things he wanted to say, but it was like his mouth forgot how to form sentences in front of them. And then there was the weird, complicated mess of feelings—the crush he hadn’t outgrown, even with the difference in age. Or was it just the idea of who they became that he was into?

Bart took a small breath, forcing himself to focus.

“I guess... I just didn’t expect to meet you like this. So, uh... what’s up?” He smiled, hoping his goofy grin didn’t make him seem too much like a nervous wreck. He could feel the speed of his heart racing alongside his thoughts, but he tried his best to keep his cool.