The glow of the arc reactor pulsed softly on the workbench, casting faint reflections across the flasks and microscopes scattered throughout the lab. Joey was still speechless, standing in the middle of my room-turned-laboratory, like he'd just stepped into a sci-fi movie.
"You're telling me…" Joey said, slowly turning in a circle, "…this is your bedroom?"
"Technically, it's a personalized high-output research lab with integrated living space," I said with a small grin. "But yeah. Bedroom works."
Joey's eyes landed on the arc reactor. "Okay, but that? That's real?"
I nodded. "Prototype. Clean energy. No emissions. Could power the entire school for a year… or my suit."
He looked at me sideways. "You've got a suit?"
I walked over to a sealed cabinet, typed in the code, and let the soft hiss of pressurized air reveal what I'd been working on in secret. Draped in a silver cover was something I'd designed just for him.
I peeled it back.
Joey's jaw dropped.
"Dude… no way."
The suit gleamed under the lab lights—sleek and angular, built for agility with protective armor plating and tech enhancements wired into the sleeves. It wasn't bulky like a tank. It was aerodynamic—made for someone quick, clever, and underestimated.
The color scheme matched him—midnight blue with silver trim and bold streaks of bright orange wrapping around the gauntlets and shoulders. Across the chest: a sharp, falcon-shaped emblem with angular wings, tilted downward like it was diving through the sky.
"I call it… The Falcon."
Joey blinked. "That… is the most awesome thing I've ever seen."
I smiled. "You're not just comic relief anymore, Joey. You're part of the team. You're my best friend, and if I'm out there flying into danger—I want you ready to fly too."
He slowly picked up the gloves, turning them over in his hands like they were made of gold.
"But… why me?"
I walked over to him, quiet now. "Because I trust you. And because you already know part of the story."
Joey looked up. "About you being sick when you were a kid?"
"Yeah. But there's more."
He listened closely.
"My parents… they didn't just treat me with normal medicine. They gave me a prototype serum. It rewrote my DNA. Gave me abilities that shouldn't exist."
I stepped back and looked him in the eye.
"I have powers, Joey. I have all of Superman's powers. Flight. Strength. Speed. Vision. Hearing. The whole thing."
He stared at me, wide-eyed. "You're serious."
"I'm dead serious."
I raised my hand and flicked on a small flame from my fingertip—just enough to let the red glow pulse in my eyes for a second before shutting it off.
Joey's eyes went wider. "Okay. That is… freakin' insane."
"I've kept it hidden for years. My parents don't even want me using it in public, but lately… things have changed."
Before he could respond, the door slid open.
I turned—and froze.
My mom and dad stood in the doorway, both in lab coats, looking like they'd walked into a crime scene.
"Aiden," my mom said slowly. "Why is there someone else in the suit?"
My dad crossed his arms. "And why does he know?"
Joey froze, goggles in hand. "Uh. Hello… Mr. and Mrs. Steele."
I stepped forward. "I told him. I had to."
Mom walked into the room, inspecting the Falcon suit with sharp eyes. "You've been building tech behind our backs?"
"I didn't think I was hiding it. I've used everything you taught me. And I trust Joey."
Dad stared hard at Joey. "You do realize if this gets out—Aiden is in danger. Real danger. You, too."
Joey nodded seriously. "I know. And I swear I won't say a word. Not to Liv. Not to Maddie. Not even to Parker."
There was a pause.
Then my mom sighed. "He's your friend, Aiden. If you trust him, we'll trust him… but this stays between us."
Joey stood up straighter. "You have my word. Cross my heart, no loose lips."
Dad narrowed his eyes. "And keep your boots off the furniture."
With that, they walked out, leaving us alone again in the glowing silence.
Joey exhaled. "That was… intense."
I laughed, handing him the rest of the suit. "Welcome to the real world, Falcon."