DC : Crisis of infinite hunger : Chapter 10

Chapter 10 : Justice and Indulgence

Barry Allen stood in front of a reflective surface in the speed lab, admiring his newly conjured suit made from speedforce energy. The shimmering energy stretched perfectly over his bulkier frame, hugging his expanded stomach and thighs without any discomfort. It wasn’t his classic suit, but it would do.

“Thanks for this, Wally,” Barry said, turning to his protégé, who was lounging on the couch with a half-eaten burger in hand. Barry flexed his arms slightly testing the suit’s stretch. “This is way better than waddling around half-dressed. I’d probably still be running around shirtless if it wasn’t for you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Wally replied, casually brushing crumbs off his lap. His own suit gleamed faintly, though it did little to hide his growing figure. “Try not rip another one, okay? Not sure I can handle the mental image of you bursting out of that thing.”

Barry chuckled, patting his gut. “I’ll try to keep it together. Though, knowing my luck lately, that might not last long.”

Wally polished off the rest of his burger, “so where are you off to now? Wanna grab something to eat? Im starving.”

“Sorry Wal, I’ve got a Justice League meeting,” Barry replied. “And, uh, I'm stopping off at Big Belly Burger. I’m meeting Hal there beforehand.”

Wally raised an eyebrow. “Preloading on food before a League meeting? Bold move.”

Barry shrugged, smirking. “Gotta keep the metabolism running, right?”

Barry arrived at Big Belly Burger to find Hal Jordan already wedged in at a corner booth, a tray stacked high with burgers, fries, and milkshakes in front of him. The Green Lantern was halfway through a double cheeseburger, his ring faintly glowing as it floated a large soda to his lips.

“About time you showed up,” Hal said, gesturing for Barry to sit. “ Thought there was gonna be none left for you.”

Barry squeezed into the booth, his stomach growling at the sight of the feast. “Good thing I came—otherwise you’d be in trouble.”

Hal grinned. “Dig in, Scarlet Speedster. We’ve got a meeting to crush soon and stomachs to fill.”

The two heroes wasted no time, their conversation punctuated by the sound of wrappers crinkling and straws slurping. By the time they finished their first round, Barry leaned back, rubbing his gut with a satisfied groan.

“We should probably slow down and save some of the food,” Barry said, glancing at the clock. “Theres no way I'm sitting through a whole Justice League meeting with nothing to eat.”

Hal chuckled, summoning a fresh tray with his ring. “Good call Allen, I'm with you there. I can't think of anything worse than having to listen to Bruce ramble about stats on an empty stomach. ”

The Watchtower was quiet when Barry and Hal arrived, their arms laden with bags of food. They set the boxes on the table, the aroma of burgers and donuts filling the room.

Barry plopped into a chair, his suit stretching effortlessly around his bulk. “Think they'll care if we snack during the meeting?”

Hal smirked, unwrapping a burger. “If they do, that’s their problem.”

“This might actually go smoothly,” Hal said, taking a sip. “We’re early for once.”

Barry chuckled, reaching for a burger. “Don’t jinx it.”

Moments later, the heavy double doors slid open, and the conversation died immediately. Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman entered the room, their expressions shifting from neutral to outright disbelief as they took in the scene. Barry and Hal, mid-bite, froze like kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

“Allen. Jordan,” Batman said, his tone cold and sharp. “Care to explain?”

Barry froze mid-bite, his cheeks puffed with food. He swallowed quickly, trying to play it off. “Uh… explain what?”

“This,” Batman snapped, gesturing at the food, at their bodies. “Do you think this is acceptable?”

Hal raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. “What, eating before a meeting? Since when is that a crime?”

Barry winced, tugging at his suit. “Look, I know we’ve… changed. But it’s not like we’re not still doing our jobs.”

“Really?” Batman’s voice was razor-sharp. “Because last week, when I called you both for a mission, Hal told me you were ‘too busy.’” He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. “So this is what you were busy with? Stuffing yourselves at Big Belly Burger?”

Hal shrugged, unfazed. “We needed a break. Even heroes have to eat, Bruce.”

“Eating isn’t the issue,” Wonder Woman interjected, her tone firm but less accusatory. “It’s how you’ve let this spiral out of control. You’re not just jeopardizing yourselves—you’re jeopardizing the League.”

Barry looked down at the table, guilt etched on his face. “We didn’t mean for it to get this bad.”

“Intent doesn’t matter,” Batman said harshly. “Perception does. The world is watching us. If they see this, they’ll lose faith in everything we stand for.”

Hal smirked, crossing his arms. “Oh, come on. You think the public cares if I’ve packed on a few pounds?”

“They will,” Batman shot back. “When they start questioning whether you can even fit into your cockpit, let alone fight in a battle.”

Barry flinched, his face reddening. Hal’s smirk faltered, replaced by a scowl. “You’ve got a real talent for motivational speeches, you know that?”

“Enough,” Wonder Woman said, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. She turned to Barry and Hal, her expression softening slightly. “We’re not trying to humiliate you. We’re trying to help. But you need to take this seriously. The League is more than just a group of heroes—it’s a symbol. And right now, you’re tarnishing that symbol.”

Superman leaned forward, his tone gentler. “Barry, Hal, we’re here for you. But you need to meet us halfway. Whatever’s happening to you, it’s not just physical. It’s affecting your judgment, your discipline. If you don’t address it, it’s going to cost us big time.

Barry nodded slowly, his shoulders slumping. “We’ll… we’ll do better. I promise.”

Hal hesitated, then muttered under his breath, “Yeah, fine. Whatever.”

Batman’s glare didn’t soften as he turned toward the door. “You’d better. Because if this continues, you'll be off the team.”

The three founders left the room, leaving Barry and Hal in tense silence. Hal grabbed another donut from the box, popping it into his mouth.

“Well,” he said, smirking again, “that went about as well as I expected.”

Barry sighed, burying his face in his hands. “We’re so screwed.”