Greetings Traveler

My name is Jamy /28

[ninablossom1]

Anything For You - Healer!Reader

If It Wasn't For That Text - Teacher!Reader

Yours Always - Plant Manipulation!Reader

Fragility in Perfection - Johnny Storm x Assistant!Reader

Part 1 Part 2

WIPS:

Johnny Storm x Smoke Manipulation!Reader

[spikyiwaizumi]

the issue with writing for yourself is that you will get sucked into rereading your own fic over and over and pretend it’s “editing,” but really you’re just reading because it’s exactly what you want to read. because you wrote it. for you.

[findingfeather]

and then you will be like why does this asshole never finish anything god

[ohcaptains]

[ninablossom1]

Fragility in Perfection (Part 2)

Pairing: Johnny Storm x Assistant!Reader

Summary: Will Reader and Johnny finally confront their feelings for eachother???

Word Count: 12 K

Rating: Explicit

Tags/Warnings: 18+ MDNI, fem!reader, Assistant!reader, slow burn, smut, angst, fluff, Fantastic Four: First Steps, friends with benefits, no use of y/n, making out, pet names, dirty talking, p in v sex, cream pie, oral (f/m receiving), misogyny, use of OC (for plot purposes)

MASTERLIST Part 1

If you prefer to read on AO3, here is the LINK

Author's Note: Part 2 is here! Again sorry for the wait, I had a bit of writers block with this one. 😅 Enjoy!

You held your hand to your mouth to muffle your moans as Johnny pounded into you from behind. He had you bent over the end of your bed, your hair in his hand, pulled to keep your head up. Your skirt was hiked up on your hips, tights ripped, panties pushed aside, and dick so deep in your pussy you swore you could see stars. 

Today had been especially stressful for both of you. Johnny was dealing with the aftermath of Mole Man and the PanAm building fiasco, meaning he had been helping with infrastructure rebuilding using his powers to weld metal together. 

You had spent the whole day rescheduling meetings and had made multiple public statements on behalf of the team regarding the incident. Making the statements wasn't something you would typically do. Reed was seen as the de facto leader and would usually speak for the team, but with them being so busy, he asked you to prepare something short to say in the meantime, telling you he trusted you to talk for them. He emphasized that anything you said would be perfect; it always was. 

The trust they had in you added an odd pressure to what you had to present to the public, that anything you said needed to be something they would say. You had spent hours figuring out what exactly would be right. You weren't them; you felt as though you shouldn't have the right to speak for them. You were just, well, you. No one special. Not like them. And yet they all told you that the statement you made was great, that they couldn't have said it better. It still felt like you could have done better for them, though. 

What you and Johnny were doing now was purely stress relief, something quick to take the edge off as you'd both been pent up and irritated. It was something messy and lustful, what you'd initially agreed on, just sex. You'd take your time later, probably, hopefully. He had a way of completely taking you apart and putting you back together again that felt like so much more than what friends would do. All you wanted him to do right now, though, was fuck every thought from your head, including the ones about him being more than just your friend.

He leaned over you and whispered into your ear, “You looked so fucking good on TV earlier. Talking for us, answering all those questions. You're a natural, should have you up there more, show you and your pretty face off.”

Your moan was muffled by your hand, but he laughed breathlessly when he felt your pussy clench at his words. He'd been slowly learning what turned you on and what got you to react over the last few months since you both agreed to the arrangement. Praise was something he'd found out quickly. It helped that he liked giving it to you. 

“Fuck you're so tight for me, baby. Feel so good-” Johnny gasped, gripping your hip tighter, ensuring there would be some marks left there. One of the things he secretly enjoyed was leaving marks on you that you'd find later when you undressed again, a little reminder of him. You never told him to stop doing it.

Ben called your name from downstairs, and both of you instantly stopped. You looked over your shoulder, slight panic filling your eyes as he slowly pulled out of you, hesitating for just a moment before moving out of your way. You had been right on the edge and felt like you just got doused in ice water. You swallowed hard and cleared your throat, trying desperately to make your voice sound normal as you opened your bedroom door to peek your head out. 

“Yeah, Ben?” You called back just as loudly so he'd hear you from the kitchen. Your voice only cracked a little at the end, and you quickly cleared it with a cough. 

“Phone call for ya, it's your dad. Said he tried calling your line first but didn't get an answer.” Ben replied.

“Fucking Christ,” you muttered, rubbing the bridge of your nose before responding. “Okay, give me a second.”

You quickly pushed your ruined tights off and threw them towards Johnny, who looked utterly amused, watching your irritated form move around the room as he sat on your bed, still very much flushed and aching. He didn't particularly find the situation funny, just typical that neither of you were going to get any satisfaction. You'd both continue to be pent up and frustrated.

The headband you used when taking your makeup off was pushed onto your head as a way to explain anything wrong with your makeup; it was definitely at least a little smudged. It also hid how messy your hair was from Johnny tugging on it.

Johnny couldn't help but let out a sarcastic laugh as he pulled his pants back on, tucking himself back in his underwear. Neither of you could catch a break today. “Raincheck?” He asked as you pushed your feet into your plush slippers that you'd wear around the house.

You sighed and nodded. “Tonight? He probably needs help with something again.”

“If he does, I'll drive you over,” Johnny offered with a smile, moving towards your bedroom door where you stood, hesitating. He knew that anything having to do with your father stressed you out, and dealing with him was going to be the cherry on top of an already bad day. If he could help you, he would in a heartbeat. Maybe even half of one. 

“I'd actually really appreciate that,” you said, before blowing him a kiss and quickly making your way down the stairs. You'd been way more affectionate with Johnny recently, and you needed to watch yourself; otherwise, you were going to slip up in front of the others. Fucking blowing kisses? Were you in high school? You chided yourself in your head as you stomped down the stairs, irritated at the interruption and the fact that the irritation was your father.

Ben was still on the phone with your dad, having an idle conversation about a football game that was on when you entered the room. 

“Yeah, Sir. They are doing really badly this season,” Ben said, eyes narrowing at you for a moment as you approached the phone. You really hoped he wasn't reading too much into your appearance. “Oh, hang on, here's your daughter.” 

“Thanks, Ben. Sorry,” you said, grabbing the receiver from him.

“Hope I wasn't interrupting anything important,” he stated, moving into the kitchen. If anyone were to put the pieces together, it would definitely be Ben.

“Nope, was just finishing some work stuff and about to take off my makeup,” you said quickly with a smile, before holding the phone to your ear. 

You heard Ben hum in acknowledgment as he went back to making dinner.

“Hey, Dad,” you said, moving so you were facing away from Ben. “What's up?”

“I tried calling your line three times. Why didn't you pick up?” He asked immediately, voice gruff and deep, full of what you knew to be his version of worry.

You sighed, closing your eyes and rubbing at your face. “I've been really busy. Did you call my office? Cause I’m not always there.”

“Called your office, your room line. Then the main phone and got a hold of Ben.” he huffed, you could hear the flip of his Zippo lighter as he lit up a cigarette. 

“I'm sorry. I probably just didn't hear it in my room,” you responded, twirling the cord around your finger, needing a distraction. You definitely heard it and chose not to pick it up, as you were too focused on Johnny and the sinful things he was doing to you. “Did you need something?” 

“Yeah, that new television you got me isn't working. Tried watching the news. The black and white one I had worked fine, but you had to get the new color stuff, and here it is, not working. They don't make this shit like they used to,” he grumbled. You could hear him take a heavy drag on his cigarette.

“Do you need me to come over and look at it?” You asked, fully knowing what the answer was going to be.

“It would be nice if you could,” he responded half-heartedly. “You gonna bring the Storm kid again. Flame guy?”

“I can if you want me to,” you said suspiciously. Your father was never one to be super upfront with you about anything, ever. He had been asking about Johnny more and seemed to like that you had someone “handy and capable” around. Whatever the fuck that meant in dad terms. You weren't even sure if he actually liked Johnny or if he just liked another male presence around the house who was willing to help with projects your father struggled with as he got older.

“He could fix the television, I'm sure. Does all that stuff with the cars all the time, couldn't be that hard for a guy like him to figure out. Smart lad,” he stated absently. Your jaw tensed a bit, and you squeezed the receiver a little tighter. You loved your dad, but he never thought you were capable of things, and it always hit that spot in you where you knew he wished he had a son, not a daughter.

“Okay. I'll see if he's free,” you responded, tone more clipped than you intended. “I'll be there in about an hour. Might be longer with traffic.”

“Okay, kid. I'll be watching the clock,” he responded and hung up the phone. You really wanted to slam the receiver back into the wall mount, but refrained and placed it back nicely before stomping your way back upstairs to change into something your father would approve of. 

You debated on if you wanted to have Johnny come along or not as you slipped into your room, just to have the chance to prove yourself to your father. That you knew how to fix things, especially a stupid TV. But, the other part of you didn't want to be with your father alone, as he always asked about when you were settling down and getting married, pushing the sons of his friends onto you. Having Johnny as a buffer helped you avoid those inquiries, even if it meant putting your pride aside and having Johnny “fix” whatever issues it was. 

Honestly, you were surprised your father even called to talk to you anymore and didn't just cut out the middle man and ask for Johnny directly to fix his shit. 

You changed into a more casual outfit: dark slacks and a striped, long-sleeved shirt. You then took off your makeup, which was luckily only a little smudged, and fixed your hair before trudging over to Johnny’s room to give him the news.

“His name is Robert. He's currently a resident doctor at the hospital down the street,” your father explained, standing in the living room next to you as you watched Johnny mess with the back of the TV. This was incredibly awkward, and you'd never seen Johnny so tense before. His face was set into a deep frown as he seemed to be trying very hard to ignore the conversation, but failing miserably.

“Dad,” you sighed, crossing your arms over your chest, frustration evident in your tone. “This is hardly the time to talk about this.”

“This is the perfect time. Johnathan doesn't mind, right son?” Your father asks Johnny, who froze at having the attention on him. 

The room was dead silent for a beat too long, waiting for Johnny's response.

“Um, yeah. It's fine,” he responded, obviously bothered but not wanting to be disrespectful. 

“See. It's fine,” your father stated, not taking note of Johnny’s tone. “So, Robert, he's Jack's son. You know Jack, one of my squad mates. Anyway, Robert is a really good guy. Asked about you actually today when he saw you on the TV.”

You nodded and frowned, staring at the ground, trying to figure out how to get out of the conversation. “Yeah. You know, I just don't have a lot of time to date. Weird that he was asking about me...”

“Well, I mentioned you last time I talked to him. He comes with Jack to our poker games when he's not working. Said he would be interested in meeting you,” he said casually, too casually as he pulled out a cigarette and lighter. Your eyes flicked over to Johnny. He had stopped working, catching the shift in energy in the room. 

Oh no.

“Dad-” you gritted out. 

“He said he had some time today to come over. He finished his shift an hour ago. Should be here any minute, actually,” he stated, lighting up a cigarette. The flick of his zippo was familiar but nauseating in the moment as you felt anger settle into your chest, burning. 

This felt like a setup, and you would have walked out the front door if the chime of the doorbell ringing didn’t sound, freezing you in place like a statue. You felt your stomach drop as you watched your father happily go to answer the door. You felt like you were in a nightmare, hoping you'd wake up in bed, next to Johnny, his warmth seeping into your skin. But no, you were very much awake as you turned towards Johnny. His face was schooled into a neutral expression, but flames danced in his eyes; he was angry, and you couldn't tell exactly what he was angry about, but you had a good idea. He just continued working silently; he wouldn't even look at you.

The sound of two deep voices chattering down the hall drew you away from Johnny. You thought it was awkward talking about another man in front of Johnny, but having someone your father really wanted to set you up with, who was obviously interested in dating you, in the same room with the man you were fucking… well, this had to be your personal version of hell. You wanted to throw up. Maybe a black hole would open up and swallow you. You looked back over at Johnny once more. His face was unreadable, but his posture said it all. 

Your dad called your name, and you swallowed before plastering on a fake smile, forcing your arms to uncross and settle at your sides as you stood in the middle of the living room. Your father walked a tall man into the room. He looked about your age, had brownish-red hair that was cut into a popular style, a small curl twisted out of the way he fixed it. He had a full suit on, obviously his Sunday best, something that would impress your father. Definitely the opposite of Johnny, who was sporting his red jacket and jeans with the expectation that he was helping your father fix his TV, not performing in a mating ritual to fight for your attention like a bird. 

Robert smiled and said your name, voice deep and kind, as he held his hand out to you. You found your cheeks flushing in embarrassment at this whole situation and shook his hand. He still held yours and pulled the back of it to his lips to kiss your knuckles before releasing you. You inhaled sharply and pulled your hand back slowly, eyeing your father's smug smile. You hated this.

“It’s great to finally meet you. Your father talks about you all the time,” Robert said, a large smile on his face. You nodded and responded with a short “You too.” 

Robert tugged on the collar of his shirt, and you could see sweat beading on his forehead. He made a comment about it being a little warm in the house, and your father shrugged.

“It must be the furnace again. Randomly gets warm in here,” your father stated, lingering on the edge of the room, watching the chaos he was creating. You bit your lip, eyes flicking to Johnny, who was turning the TV on, checking to make sure it was working. It was. You knew why it was hot in the room.

You really thought you could use Johnny as an escape, but he seemed to have a different idea. He walked over to your father, giving Robert and you a wide berth. “Sir, I got the TV working again. But I do have to go, duty calls,” Johnny said carefully, holding his watch up with a shrug. There was no emergency, just an excuse to leave.

“Thank you for your help, Johnathan. I'll make sure my daughter gets home okay. Take care of those bad guys for us.” Your father responded, patting Johnny on his shoulder. You felt yourself shrink a bit, knowing you'd be stuck here.

“Thank you, Sir. And will do,” he turned towards you, brows furrowing just slightly. He said your name with a tight-lipped smile and a shrug before turning towards a slack-jawed Robert and gave him a curt nod before he left, the front door clicking loudly behind him. As soon as he was gone, a chill settled over the room. 

“Was that the Human Torch?” Robert asked in disbelief, blinking as if he was clearing his vision, not believing it. 

“Yeah. He's a friend, pretty handy fixing stuff,” you said politely, still staring at where he was standing before he walked out. It felt like something in your chest hurt. It burned with a weird shame you shouldn't be feeling. Johnny wasn't anything more than your friend… but why didn't it feel like that then? Why did it feel like you somehow hurt him? 

Your father went and got Robert and himself a beer, and you a Coke. Beer was for the men, of course. Robert sat next to you on the couch, your father in his armchair. Robert was nice enough to ask you about your job and things you liked.

It felt performative, though, in front of your father, who sat like a chaperone to your first date, like you weren't in your late twenties. You weren't sure if Robert was actually interested in you or not. Really, you hadn't been paying much attention since Johnny left. Like a part of yourself left with him, which was ridiculous because he was just your friend. You had to remind yourself whenever your thoughts lingered too long.

“So, you're in the emergency department. That must be really stressful,” you commented after Robert told you about his job.

“It's stressful, yeah, but it's a way that I can help people. I don't have superpowers like the Fantastic Four, but I can help make people feel better,” he shrugged, trying to remain bashful. You nodded, looking down at your watch, and cringed. It was already well past ten at night, and you knew you were going to have another early morning. 

“I should probably get going,” you said quickly, standing up a little too fast. The two men followed suit, your father a little slower than Robert. “I’ll catch a cab,

Dad, it’s a little late for you to take me home.”

“I can take you,” Robert offered, a small smile on his lips. 

“Ah, Rob, always the gentleman. That would be great, wouldn't it-” your dad said your name in the tone you knew you couldn't say no to. Commanding. Final.

“Yeah, sure. Thank you,” you muttered quietly, walking with the two men down the hall towards the front door, grabbing your purse as you opened the door. You hugged your Dad quickly before stepping out, head lowered as you waited for Robert to shake your dad's hand, claiming he'd get you home safe. 

Your father continued to watch from his front stoop as Robert opened the passenger door for you, allowing you to get in before shutting the door and jogging around to his side. He gave another goodbye to your father before hopping in and starting the engine.

The first few blocks were silent before he spoke up. “I know your father set all of this up without you knowing. I'm sorry about that. I had insisted that we should meet in a different way, but your father is very… convincing.”

You laughed at his phrasing. “He has always been like that. I get it.”

“I would like to take you out on a proper date. Without the chaperone if that's okay?” Robert asked, looking over at you as he stopped at a red light. You nodded and looked over at him. He was handsome and nice. He was actually interested in you, for whatever reason, even after knowing your father.

“Sure, why not?” you responded with a smile. “It would be easier for me to work around your schedule, so you just need to tell me when and where.”

Johnny didn't seem like he wanted to settle down anytime soon, from what he claimed. Robert was nice, a doctor—something stable, but you also wanted your career and life. You hadn’t fully figured out if you were even ready to settle down. But a date wouldn't hurt, right?

“Yeah, that works. I'm on shift for the next four days, but am off Sunday if that would work?” He asked, driving as soon as the light turned green. 

“Sunday works, pending there isn't a giant emergency,” you laughed, gripping your purse tighter to your body. 

Why did you feel nervous agreeing?

“It's a date then,” he stated, pulling up to the front of the Baxter Building. You guessed that everyone knew where it was. He put the car in park and hurried over to open the door for you, taking your hand to help you out. “Do you mind if I hug you?”

You felt a little more at ease being in front of the building, your home, and you nodded. “Sure.”

He pulled you in, his tall form enveloping you. He wasn't warm, not like Johnny. “It was great meeting you finally. I'll pick you up here at 6 pm Sunday?”

“As you said, it's a date.”

He bid you goodbye, waited for you to walk into the building, and then drove off. Maybe he was a gentleman?

You made your way up to the apartment and were greeted by Sue and Reed watching a show on the couch. 

Sue looked over at you with a smile. “Oh, you're back! I thought Johnny would have brought you home, but he mentioned something about some guy your father wanted you to meet. So? How was it? Is he nice?”

She was always interested in anything going on with you. Would she have preferred you were dating her brother? Of course, she would, then she could actually call you her sister. But whatever made you happy would make her happy. 

“He was nice. He's a doctor. Very gentlemanly. We have a date on Sunday,” you replied with a shrug, as if it was no big deal and you were reading out facts. You felt like you were still reeling a bit from your father's surprise attack. But Robert was kind, and you'd at least see where a date went. 

“A doctor! Wow, look at you,” Sue said, getting up and meeting you to give you a hug. “Tell me, is he cute?”

You laughed and shook your head at her probing. “Handsome, I would say.”

“Hey, you haven't had a good date in a few years. Maybe he'll be the one?” Sue suggested holding your shoulders.

“I wouldn't put too much on that. Plus it was my dad who set this up. He could secretly be a real jerk,” you chuckled, a little pessimistic. Your luck with men had been abysmal so far.

“Hey, bright side only. If it works out great, if not-” she lowered her voice. “You can always date Johnny. He's definitely interested in you based on his little fit when he came home.”

You stiffened and swallowed. She tilted her head, just slightly, taking note of your reaction. “Fit?” You asked quietly, confusion lacing your words. You and Johnny were just friends, he didn't like you more than that. She smirked.

“He was a little upset, I would say. Went right up to his room,” Sue stated, with a shrug. “It might be worth talking to him. You usually cheer him up.”

“I might be the reason he's upset, though,” you said carefully, biting your lip.

Sue hummed with a nod. “Either way, talking about things resolves conflicts. Smooth it over. Whatever happens is meant to happen.”

You gave her another hug, and she chuckled. “Thank you, Sue.”

“Of course. You're like my younger sister, anything for you,” she responded, moving back into the living room to sit with Reed. She gave you a thumbs up as you moved towards the stairs to his bedroom. 

You hesitated at Johnny’s door before knocking carefully, patterned. The way he'd know it was you at the door. When no response came, you moved the handle and found it unlocked. You pushed it open. 

“Johnn-” you started excitedly, but stopped short, finding the room empty. You half expected him to be listening to the golden records, trying to decipher the alien languages Reed kept recording, but nothing. You closed the door carefully with a click, disappointment settling into your gut as you went to your room and flicked the switch on. Not there either. 

You shut your door and sat on your bed. The heavy feeling lingered; you should be happy you were going on a date. It would be nice, maybe fun? But why did you feel so bad? You shook your head. You were probably just tired. You'd barely slept the past few nights. 

But still, you couldn't stop thinking of Johnny as you got ready for bed. The way he looked at your father's house, so tense and angry. You took a sleeping pill, hoping it would send you into a dreamless sleep, not fully of Johnny. You weren't that lucky.

It was already Sunday, and you had yet to talk to Johnny. He'd been avoiding you, very purposefully. He would come to the morning meeting in the kitchen, right at the very last second when everyone was already at the table, and would get up and leave the second you finished the breif. You would try to stop him, but he'd fly off from the balcony, leaving you frowning and a little embarrassed as the team stared on. With you also being busy, you couldn't exactly wait around for him during the day so you’d stay awake in your room with your door open each night, hoping you would hear him sneaking back inside. You could never keep your eyes open long enough, always falling asleep propped up against your headboard, book in hand.

At this point, you were a little desperate to talk to him. You'd camped out in his room the whole day, hoping he would come back before you had to get ready for your date, but no luck. You couldn’t even imagine where to start looking for him. He had multiple places he would hang out, that alone would have taken you all day to check out, without any idea if you’d see him. You could pull his schedule and force him to talk to you, but that would probably only push him away further. 

Disappointment and hurt lingered in your chest as you applied your makeup. Honestly, it wasn’t even disappointment; you were just plain sad. If you had known your father was going to pull that, you would have never had Johnny tag along with you. But it didn’t give Johnny the excuse to straight up avoid you like the plague. 

You missed him. Not even the sex, just spending time doing random things together like movie nights or talking about a new space discovery. You had purposefully subscribed to a monthly space magazine just to talk to him about articles inside. You sighed as you stared at your downturned face in the mirror of your vanity, trying your best to cheer yourself up.  

With you having no idea what the night had in store, you opted to dress up a bit, pulling out one of your nicest dresses. It was a burgundy piece that squared off on the collar and dipped low enough to give a hint of cleavage, nothing too provocative but still a little sexy. A matching belt cinched your waist and accentuated your curves, leaving just enough to the imagination for someone to crave more. You wanted to look good. 

A sick little twisted part of you hoped it made Johnny jealous, if he even saw you. He was the one avoiding you, refused to talk to you, not the other way around.

You slipped on a comfortable pair of heels, keeping in mind that you may be walking around, hopefully not much, since the autumn air was growing colder. You grabbed your purse and made your way down the stairs, but stopped right before turning the corner that led to the kitchen. There was a very heated conversation between Sue and Johnny that you definitely should not be listening to, yet you lingered when you heard your name. 

“Avoiding her isn’t the answer, Johnny,” Sue snapped. You could imagine her with her hands on her hips, frustrated with a frown creasing her brows, a common pose during their sibling arguments. 

“I’m not avoiding-”

Sue cut him off. “You are though. Every morning, she’s up early, and she waits for you, tries to catch you after, but you book it out of here like there’s an emergency. Hell, she waited all day today in your room for you, and now she’s going out with that guy. And you know what, I’m kind of hoping it goes well, because you’re acting incredibly childish.”

“She’s going on a date with him?” He asked, shock lacing his words. 

“She is. And she should be down any minute. Don’t act surprised, I’m sure she has wanted to tell you all week.”

“I just…” a long pause. “You know how I feel, Sue. I didn’t want to stand in her way, ruin our friendship.” 

Sue let out a long sigh. “You don’t know that it would ruin anything.”

“But I do we have a-”

You didn’t want to eavesdrop anymore, so you made yourself known by loudly moving down the rest of the stairs. Their conversation ended as they watched you enter the kitchen and move towards the elevator. Sue gave you a tight-lipped smile, and Johnny just stared at you with a frown. 

“A little tense in here,” You laughed awkwardly, swallowing hard as you clicked the elevator button. 

“Oh, it’s nothing for you to worry about,” Sue stated quickly, relaxing her arms to look more casual as she looked over at her brother. “You look great, by the way, right Johnny?”

He didn't respond right away, just continued to stare at you, face unreadable. You bit the inside of your cheek, trying not to show he was affecting you, upsetting you. 

“Yeah. I agree,” He stated flatly, moving his eyes away from you and crossing his arms over his chest. “Have fun.”

“Thanks,” You said quietly, as the doors opened behind you. “I’m not sure when I’ll be home, but I have my watch on in case you need anything.”

“We won’t be calling you for anything. Enjoy your night,” Sue responded sweetly, watching as the doors of the elevators closed. 

You’d never know what she said after, but you had a feeling it wasn’t going to be very nice, based on their prior conversation. You shook your head, clearing your thoughts, trying your best to push a smile onto your face. The date would be fun; you were going to have a good time, otherwise it would be a fun story to tell Sue later. 

Robert was waiting out front, twenty minutes early. He was leaning against his car, smoking a cigarette, when he saw you, his eyes went wide. He just stared as you approached, as if dumbstruck. He blinked away his shock and quickly stomped out the cigarette. “Sorry, I don’t usually make a habit of smoking. I was really nervous. But, um, wow. You look-” He swallowed, finding the words. “Amazing. More than amazing. Words seem to have left me.” 

You laughed, a small blush flushing your cheeks. At least someone admired how you looked tonight. “Thank you, Robert. Glad I could leave you speechless. You look great too, the tie is cute.” His tie was navy and had tiny white printed dinosaurs on it.

He looked down and grimaced. “I promise, I meant to grab a plain blue one. I wear these at work, the kids who come in get a kick out of the animals.”

“I’m not judging, I promise. That’s really cute, actually,” You replied, motioning to the car. “Should we get going?”

“Shit-Shoot, yeah. Sorry. Let me grab the door for you,” He said quickly. You smiled at his very obvious nervousness; it was endearing. 

You slid into his passenger seat, and he carefully shut the door behind you before getting in the car himself. “So, Robert, where are we off to?” 

“Well, I asked around for some recommendations at work, and there was a very large consensus on this Italian restaurant- ” 

He explained everything his coworkers told him about the place as he drove. You couldn’t help the small smile that lingered on your lips. But you couldn't shake that lingering feeling that it felt wrong, that it wasn’t supposed to be Robert making you laugh and taking you out to nice restaurants. 

Robert kissed you when he dropped you off. It was short, sweet. More of an innocent peck. Did it make your heart flutter? Sure. But… you couldn't place your finger on the feeling in your chest as you stood in the elevator, staring at the wall. You hadn't pressed the button to move yet, just stared absently.

Everything felt wrong. And you wondered if the lingering feeling was not being able to resolve your issues with Johnny. Instead of going straight back to the apartment, you hit the button for the roof. It felt like you weren't in your body as you watched the numbers tick up, finally stopping at the R for roof. The elevator was shielded from the outside by a small room with a push door leading outside. It was dark, except for the one auxiliary light in the ceiling, giving an eerie glow. 

You pushed the heavy door open with minimal effort. A cold breeze slid its way over your skin as you stepped outside, causing goosebumps to crawl up your arms. You couldn't bring yourself to care. You walked over to the railing on the edge and leaned against it. It was sturdy, made of brick, and would require at least a little effort to climb over if you really wanted to. You didn't. You really just wanted to lean against it and watch the cars go past on the road below, hoping it would help to sort your thoughts. 

Feelings fucking sucked, especially when you had no clue what it was that they were. You'd never felt it before. Surrendering yourself to the potential of hurt. It was a peaceful calmness, warmth, home. Nothing you'd ever felt for someone before, it was confusing. 

You let out a long groan, leaning your upper body fully against the railing, hands pressed against your eyes. The date with Robert went well. Honestly, better than the majority of dates you'd been on in the past. He was sweet and kind, and he definitely deserved better than you and your baggage and bullshit and- “Hey.” 

You jumped and spun around so fast you almost lost your balance. Your heart was hammering in your chest, and you had to suck in a gasp to steady your breathing. 

“Johnny, what the fuck! You scared me,” you snapped, holding your hand to your chest, face a little flushed from embarrassment.

“Sorry. I didn't mean to,” he shrugged, moving closer to you, a little hesitantly. You didn't move away from him, just made space next to where you stood. He radiated a warmth you didn't realize you were craving, and subconsciously, you moved closer. “It was kind of funny, though. Didn't think you'd be up here too.”

You scoffed and shook your head. “This is where you go when you're avoiding me?”

“Amongst other places,” he responded, turning to face you. His eyes flicked over your face, then down your body. 

“What? Something wrong with how I look?” You asked, crossing your arms over your chest, trying to keep your exposed arms a little warmer, definitely not because you felt raw and exposed in front of him. Johnny stepped closer, hand coming up to rest on your cheek. It was heartbreakingly gentle, a soft caress. He ran his thumb along your cheek slowly. 

“The opposite. You're breathtaking,” he whispered, letting the subtle night wind carry his words away. 

Your brows furrowed, watching him carefully. You wanted to believe his words. You really, truly did, but he'd been ignoring every attempt you'd taken to talk to him, work out whatever was happening between you. He couldn't just say some sweet-talking shit to you and expect you to roll over and forgive him.

“You–no. You don't mean that. You've given me the cold shoulder practically all week. You'd barely look at me just a few hours ago,” you argued, staring him right in the eye. He pursed his lips and pulled back slightly from your face, opting to grab your chilled hands instead, warming them with just his touch. 

Stay strong. Don't give in.

“I know…” 

You waited a beat, hoping he'd elaborate, but he just stared at your joined hands, frowning. You scoffed, ripping your hands from his, more harshly than you intended. 

Why did your chest hurt so bad? 

“Wow, Johnny. I really thought you'd have more to say,” you bit out sarcastically, stepping back from him. “I-I thought we were friends, that us fucking wasn't going to-” 

“Would you just give me a second? I can't fucking think straight around you!” he exclaimed, running his hands through his hair, inhaling sharply. 

“You've had four fucking days to think while not around me. You should have plenty to say,” you retorted, stepping back further, pushing your back into the bricks, hard. It bit into your skin, grounded you. “But please, have some more time. I've only got all night.” 

“I can't explain it! I know I've been a fucking asshole. And you have every right to be mad. Just–fuck–it felt like I didn’t exist! I just had to sit there and watch you be flirty and shit with another guy. Like you actually wanted him, not me.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“At your dad's. You were flirting with another fucking guy right in front of me,” he snapped, swiping his hand towards your direction. “The blushing and his hand kissing shit. Hell, even tonight, his gentlemanly manners.” He put air quotes around gentlemanly.

“You thought I was flirting with him?” You asked, shaking your head in astonishment. “I was so worried about you and how awkward everything was that I just went with it to get it over with. I was embarrassed that my father did that to you, but you didn’t really give me much of a choice to do or say anything else when you just left, faking an emergency. I only gave Robert a shot because he was nice and- well, I thought it would get my father to drop the whole dating thing for a while.” 

“I would have taken you out. You don't need another guy to do that for you,” Johnny stated, as if you should have just inferred that from everything he'd said thus far, especially the whole “not dating people because his fans were crazy” thing.  

You held the bridge of your nose, rubbing your eyes, not caring that you'd be smudging your makeup. “You're so fucking contradictory. You said it was fine to date other people. You said you didn’t want to date people, that us doing whatever the fuck it is together is easier… then you get all heated over another guy being interested in me?” You started, holding your hand up when he tried to talk, you weren't done. 

“You would take me on dates just to, what? Do exactly what it is you were avoiding? I just don't fucking get that logic, Johnny.”

“You're different. You're not just any random girl,” he responded, a frown creasing his brows, suddenly serious. He seemed to roll words around in his mouth, like he wanted to say something more before stopping himself. 

You opened your mouth and closed it again, trying to find the words yourself. He was giving you nothing, and you were so frustrated with him that it hurt. You felt like you were being punched in the chest, like your heart was being squeezed as tears prickled your eyes. 

“No more.”

“What do you mean, no more?”

“I just can't- the arrangement, fucking whatever, it's done,” you choked, biting your lip hard to keep from fully crying. You moved quickly, taking advantage of his stunned form to make your exit. It felt like your heart was being ripped from your chest; it ached like nothing you'd ever felt before. 

It was all just a bullshit game for him, and you fucking fell for him. 

He came after you and grabbed your arm to stop you. “Wait, hold on, let me explain myself, please.”

“No. Just- I knew this was a bad idea. I shouldn't have ever agreed to this-” you muttered, yanking your arm away from him and forcefully opening the door to the elevator room. 

He followed you in, the room deathly quiet as you hit the down arrow on the wall over and over, willing the doors to open. The light in the room flickered, as if sensing the mood. 

Johnny said your name quietly, as if afraid of your reaction. “Can't we talk about this?”

“I've tried, Johnny. I'm done talking.” 

You had to put your foot down. You had to protect yourself from the utter devastation that was ripping its way through your chest. To preserve what little bit of walls you had left. It felt like you were surrounded by glass, and it was cracking around you, waiting to shatter. 

You couldn’t let him see you cry. See that you were so affected by him.

“Then listen,” he pleaded. When you didn’t respond, he continued. “I messed up. I-I should have— god, even Sue said this —I was acting like a child. I made assumptions, and none of this would have happened if I just-”

The doors to the elevator finally opened, and you walked inside, steeling your facade before turning. No emotion on your face.

“Goodnight, Johnny.” You got out, voice barely above a whisper as the doors slid shut in front of you. You swallowed hard and stumbled back as the elevator made its way down to the apartment level. You grasped your chest, a tight feeling seizing your throat, bordering on overwhelming as you held back your tears. 

You thanked whatever god was out there that the elevator ride was quick and no one was in the living room, presumably all in bed. You practically ran up the stairs to get to your room, trying to be as quiet as you could, before locking yourself inside. 

You needed to get away. Had to. Even if it was for a few days. They would be fine without you, right? They had the watch reminders for appointments, and it's not like they would miss the morning briefing. 

A stuttering breath left your lips, and you flopped onto your bed, your face buried in your plush pillows. You were trying to justify running away, and it was admittedly sounding really nice in your head. However, you knew better than to run away from your problems. You were typically always one to figure things out and stick with them until they were done. But this… this was something way out of your scope of knowledge. You didn’t do… feelings very well. Growing up with an emotionally stunted father would do that. 

The familiar heat of your tears began to flow; you couldn’t hold them back anymore.

Sleeping on it would help you make a decision? Right?

“Sue, I'm glad you're up early this morning. I have a small request,” you said, voice hesitant as you stepped into the kitchen. Sue was stirring some sugar into her coffee and turned her head in your direction. 

“What's going on?” Sue asked softly, her gaze lingering on your eyes, rimmed red, accompanied by dark circles. You didn't end up sleeping very much that night, having spent a lot of it crying and second-guessing everything with Johnny.

You hadn't bothered with your normal routine, hoping you'd be able to jump in the car as soon as you talked to Sue. A soft, oversized sweater and sweatpants hung loosely on your body, your comfort wear.

“I was hoping to take a few days off. I know it's kinda last minute, but I've been feeling a little run down and well… I could use a break,” you explained, running a hand through your hair, a nervous tick. 

Sue hummed in response to your request; her eyes still lingered on you, analyzing. “I'm assuming you prepared everything that we would need for the days you'll be gone?” She asked casually, moving around to the front of the island to get a better look at you. She leaned against it and tilted her head slightly.

“Yeah, of course. Plus some, I'm sure. Everyone's schedules are uploaded to the watches, and I left the written schedules with H.E.R.B.I.E. He will put them out each morning,” you responded, trying to avoid her inquisitive looks. She had a way of knowing exactly when something was bothering you, but she would wait until you came to her. Your feelings were still a little too raw to talk about. 

“Okay,” she sipped on her coffee and stared at you for a moment longer. “Where will you be?”

“My dad has a cabin up in the mountains, between Albany and Syracuse. It's nice, we used to do a yearly trip when I was a kid. He's letting me borrow it,” you stated, fidgeting with your sleeves. 

“Well, I won't keep you waiting, I'm sure it's a long drive,” Sue said, a smile on her face as she pushed away from the counter.

“It's only a few hours,” you shrugged, trying not to make it seem like you wanted to leave as quickly as you could. “I'll see you when I get back. Should be in a few days.”

“Have a good trip,” she said with a wave, watching you take off up the stairs quickly. A frown crossed her face as soon as you left. She was worried about you. It was extremely unlike you to ask for any time off. In fact, the entire time you'd worked for them, you had asked for a singular day off to take your father out for his 60th birthday. You looked beaten down and sad, nothing like your normal self — usually confident and a little too chipper for early mornings. 

Sue just knew that it had something to do with her brother, and she was going to get to the bottom of what happened. 

Luckily for her, everything fell right into her lap. About an hour after you had left for your trip, Johnny came down the stairs. Sue was sitting in her chair at the table, enjoying her breakfast and another cup of coffee. 

Johnny asked where you were, noting your absence for the morning briefing. Always on time, no matter what. 

“She took some personal leave,” Sue responded absently, taking a bite of her toast, trying to seem uninterested. Johnny stared at her for a moment, thinking he hadn't heard her right.

“What? Did she say why?” Johnny questioned, quickly going around the table to sit in Reed's normal seat. Sue gently put her toast down and turned towards her brother. 

“She said she was feeling run down and wanted a break. Unusual, I would say. Did something happen between you two?” Sue asked, watching her brother carefully for his response. 

He let out a long breath and rubbed at his face with both hands. “I fucked up. Honestly, really badly, by not talking to her about everything sooner.”

Sue scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “I told you multiple times, Johnny. What are you going to do to fix it?”

“I-I don't know. After last night- I don't think she wants anything to do with me.”

“You want to show her that you care? Here's what you do-”

Sue explained her plan to Johnny, where you were, and what he needed to do. He was more than a little enthusiastic to try it, anything to win you back. 

“You think it'll work?”

“Of course, I do. It's my plan,” Sue said, turning back to her plate with a smile. “Now get out of here, you're wasting time.”

“Thank you, Sue. Best sister ever!”

Johnny immediately gathered a bag, one of his flame-resistant ones, and filled it with a few changes of clothes, some candles, one of his records he knew was your favorite, and slung it on his back. 

He flew out of the apartment from the balcony and beelined it for your father's house. Johnny made sure to change into something that screamed, “I'm really interested in your daughter, please let me date her,” which for Johnny was a button-down shirt and slacks. But hey, he did tuck the shirt in.

Your father opened the door a moment after Johnny knocked. He squinted at him before putting his glasses on. “Jonathan, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I'm, um, well, I was hoping to surprise your daughter. She hasn't been herself lately, and I want to do something for her. But I wanted your permission to go out to the cabin.”

Your father hummed and scratched his stubble on his cheek. “I knew bringing Robert into the equation would give you the push you needed.”

Johnny stared at the man, stunned for a moment. “Excuse me?”

“My daughter is a stubborn one. Like her mother that way, rest her soul. It's very obvious she has a thing for you; the way she looks at you says everything. However, no guy goes to their female friend's parents’ house to fix shit unless… well, I'm sure you can put the dots together, son. I'm old, but I'm not senile. I was your age once. I get it,” your father explained, moving back inside the house for a moment before handing Johnny a key and a paper with instructions on getting to the cabin. “I approve of you, Johnathan. You care for my daughter, and I know you'll continue to do so.”

“I don't know what to say,” Johnny whispered, staring at the items now in his hands. 

“Don't need to say anything, son. Get out of here, she's got about a thirty-minute head start on you. You're gonna need it.” He then shut the door, leaving a still stunned Johnny on the stoop.

He was a high-ranking military officer for a reason… it was definitely something to do with his observational skills. 

Johnny scanned over the instructions and had a decent idea about where he needed to go. 

He was determined to prove himself to you. Nothing else mattered. 

You frowned as you pulled your car up to the front of the cabin. It was already growing dark outside. You had stopped and done a bit of shopping to stock up on food items in town before heading up, but it might have been in vain, as smoke was steadily streaming out of the chimney. 

“Dad said no one should be here…” you muttered, shutting the car off and grabbing the spare key he gave you. You knew some self-defense, but you didn't think you would be able to do anything about an intruder or someone staying inside.

You got out, leaving the door to your car open just in case you needed to hop back in quickly. You tried to peek into the windows, but they were all covered up by the curtains. Well, it was getting dark, and you really didn't want to drive all the way back. You were exhausted and just wanted to curl up by the fire, with a bottle of wine and one of the books you had brought with you. 

A shaky breath left your lips as you put the key into the lock of the front door and opened it. You almost dropped the keys as you stared on in shock and bewilderment. You were expecting to have to wipe everything down from the layers of dust and remove the blankets, keeping the furniture clean, but no, it was already done. A fire crackled in the brick fireplace, warming the room, giving everything an orangish glow. Your favorite album was playing softly on the record player. There was a small part of you that instantly knew who was in the cabin, but you had to confirm. 

You heard some banging from the kitchen in the other room and quietly made your way inside, being careful not to make any noise. You peeked around the corner and let out a small gasp. You didn't know whether you were angry or relieved or, well, happy to see him standing in the kitchen, carefully reading over a recipe and stirring something in a pot. It smelled heavenly and was definitely one of your favorite soups. 

He hadn't seen you, so instead of interrupting, you grabbed your things from the car and brought them inside, leaving them in the living room. You locked your car and carefully latched the front door before sneaking back over to the kitchen and leaning against the door frame. 

“Ya know, for a super hero, you're not very observant,” you stated loudly, crossing your arms over your chest. Johnny visibly jumped at your voice and dropped the spoon into the pot with a clang. He whipped around to face you.

“Jesus-” he muttered, wiping his hands off on a towel he had slung over his shoulder. “You scared the shit out of me.”

“I think it was deserved,” you said with a shrug, pushing yourself off from the wall. “Why are you here?” 

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Well, I came to make up for…everything.” He turned the stove down to low before taking a step towards you. “I'm sorry. I've been a jerk. A massive one. And…” he threw the towel on the counter before grabbing your hands. He was so warm, and he shifted as if he had something to say. His mouth moved the same way it did last night on the roof, like he was holding back his words.

“I appreciate you apologizing and doing all of this- but… why?” You asked, peering into his eyes, hoping to find an answer there. They softened as he looked back at you; something you couldn’t quite place lingered there, but it made your heart skip a beat.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard and inhaled sharply. He squeezed your hands and brought one to his chest, right over his heart, trapping it with his. You could feel it beating rapidly under your palm, and you blinked. “I like you a lot. And, I can’t lose you.”

“What do you mean?” You asked, voice barely above a whisper as you blinked up at him. You didn’t think his heart could beat faster, but it did. 

His cheeks grew red as you stared at him, waiting for his response. But his tone was resolute when he responded.  “I like you more than just a friend. I-I love you.” 

It was your turn to flush red. You opened and shut your mouth a few times, trying to formulate a response, but you felt like everything in your head went blank. He smiled and moved his hand up to the side of your cheek, a smile growing on his lips now.

“What?” You squeaked out, not fully believing your ears. It felt like he threw a rock at your perfectly built glass walls, shattering that distance you put up to keep others out, him out. To protect yourself. 

“I love you. I have for way too long,” Johnny admitted, more self-assured. He pulled you into him, wrapping his arms around your body. He was so incredibly warm. It felt so right. “You don't have to say it-”

“I love you too,” you rushed out, interrupting him, voice muffled as you hid your face in his chest. You could feel him freeze before pushing you back just enough to look at your face. Making sure you weren't just saying those words because it's what he wanted to hear, but that you meant it. You'd be lying to yourself if you didn't know you had fallen for him. 

That kiss months ago, the first night you spent together, everything before and after and in-between. 

You'd been in love with him for a while; you had just been in complete denial because you were certain he didn't feel the same way. That it was just a fling for him. You should have put the pieces together sooner. Should have known when he stopped bringing women home, going on dates, and only spending time around you, with you. 

“You do?” He asked, voice quiet and unsure, so unlike him. Always confident, never needing reassurance. You nodded and looked up at him, his eyes searching for any sign of deceit. “That's such a relief,” He sighed, resting his hands on your cheeks. 

“Usually this is the part where the hero kisses the damsel after their impassioned confession,” you comment, trying to break the tension, as you moved your hands to rest on his chest.

He laughed, moving his face closer to yours. “Well, if you insist, my beautiful damsel, might a hero kiss thy lips?”

A large smile spread onto your face. “A hero may bestow a kiss upon me. Art thou a hero?” you asked, playing into the bit.

“You tell me.”

You hummed, pretending to think about it for a moment. “You’re my hero, Johnny Storm. Now kiss me.”

“As you wish,” he whispered, moving your face to gently press a kiss to your lips. Soft and gentle. No rushing, no denying the feelings there. Just the comforting warmth of it. 

He moved your bodies back, careful not to bump your head as he pushed you up against the frame of the doorway. He shifted one of his hands to your hip, gripping it tightly as he deepened the kiss, groaning when you eagerly moved your hands to grip his shirt, pulling him closer to you, craving the heat of him. 

His tongue pushed past your lips, picking up a familiar dance with yours, practiced. Nothing was holding either of you back now. You moaned into the kiss, moving one of your hands up to the back of his head, running your fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. A full body chill ran up his spine, and he halted for a moment, a small breath escaping his lips. 

“Should we stop?” You whispered, lashes fluttering. It took a moment for Johnny to respond.

“No. I really don't want to. I-I need you,” he responded, voice shaky and rough as his eyes, full of desire, flicked over your face.

“I'm yours,” you breathed, pushing yourself closer to him. He made a low moan that resonated deep in his chest, almost a growl, as he picked you up like it was nothing. You wrapped your legs around his waist and kissed every part of his face while he maneuvered you both to the couch in the living room. He sat down first, letting you unwrap your legs while he sat back, allowing you to straddle him. 

You eagerly pressed your lips against his again, resting your hands on his shoulders, gripping his shirt tightly. He moaned into your mouth and settled his hands on your hips, guiding you to be fully seated in his lap, letting you slowly roll your hips into his. The grind was deliciously pleasurable, especially as Johnny got harder in his pants. The small gasps that left your lips in between kisses were driving him a little crazy. He moved his hands to your waist, pushed them under your sweater, and groaned low when he didn’t feel a bra hooked along your back. His hands swiftly moved your sweater up over your body, letting you break the kiss for just a moment to remove the clothing from your torso. 

He leaned up and captured your lips with another heated kiss before moving his mouth along your cheek, then down your neck. A sharp gasp left your lips when he sucked a dark mark along your pulse point, causing your hips to stutter to a stop. He hummed into your neck, kissing again. “Don’t stop making yourself feel good cause of me.”

“Fuck-” You whimpered, breathing heavy as you picked up your pace again. He chuckled, moving from your neck to your chest, leaving his marks all the way down to your sternum. His mouth was searing as he moved to your perked nipples, sucking the left into his mouth and playing with the right using his thumb. 

You felt like you were burning up from the inside; every inch of your skin felt like it was on fire. You could feel the blood rushing in your veins, could feel the wetness pooling in your panties the longer you humped against him, a little desperate to chase your high. 

Johnny released your nipple with a wet pop, leaning back against the couch to watch you use him. Your eyes were closed, brows pinched in concentration, mouth parted, moans and pants tumbling from your lips. “You’re so pretty like this, baby. Look so good using me,” Johnny stated, softly pinching your nipples. A high-pitched whine left your lips at the way he was making you feel. You felt as though you were balancing on the edge of your release, ready to tumble off the edge of oblivion. He stopped playing with your breasts to grip your hips, stopping your movements and holding you against him. Your eyes flew open and stared at him in shock. 

“Couldn’t let you get off just from humping me. You know I like getting a taste,” He chuckled, lifting you off his lap and helping you to sit on the couch. He slid to the ground in front of you, resting his fingers on the waist of your sweats. He looked up at you, waiting. You knew what he wanted to hear. 

“I need you so bad, please, Johnny. Feel like I'm gonna burn up if you don’t touch me,” You panted, moving your hips up to help him get your pants off. 

“So desperate for me, baby. I know it’s been a minute-” He started, pausing at the sight before him when he got your sweats off. Your panties were soaked through, a large dark patch visible from the low light of the fireplace. You tried to press your legs together, a little embarrassed at his intense gaze. He only pushed them back open farther, fully opening you to him as your feet rested on the cushion below you. 

Johnny didn’t bother taking your panties off yet, using his tongue to lick along the wet patch, then up to your pulsing clit to get a reaction out of you. Your hips immediately bucked up, desperate for any bit of friction. 

“D-Don’t tease,” You whimpered, voice pitched high as he did just that, tease. He hummed and relented, releasing your legs and pulling his face back, before carefully pulling your panties down your legs, eyes seeming to grow darker as he could fully see just how wet you were. 

“Fuck, all this for me?” He asked, voice rough and raw as he pushed your thighs wide again, dick twitching in his pants at the sight of you bare and dripping, for him. 

“Yes,” You breathed, gripping the cushion beneath you like it would help keep you afloat while watching Johnny. Your eyelashes fluttered as he slowly kissed along your thighs, making his way to your dripping cunt. He kissed it like he kissed your lips, slow and heated, tongue dragging through your seam, lapping up everything that seeped from you as if you were the sweetest nectar and he was lucky to drink from you. He groaned, closing his eyes when he pushed his tongue inside your opening, lapping up everything you gave him. 

A breathy gasp tumbled from you as he licked into you. Your head rolled back and rested on the back of the couch as he continued to eat you like he was starved for you. When he moved his tongue up to your aching clit, you couldn't help the buck of your hips and the sharp moan. He built up your release like an expert, like he had schematics of your body and knew exactly what to do with them. 

He slid two thick fingers inside you while alternating between sucking and licking at your clit in the perfect rhythm. 

“‘M close, babe,” You mewled, voice so blissed out you didn’t recognize it. Johnny growled into your pussy, the vibration sending a shock up your spine. You were wound up so tight you felt like you could snap any moment. 

“Squeezing me so good, baby. Know you're close, cum for me, sweetheart,” He muttered, trying to keep up his pace. That was all you needed. A loud moan left your lips as you gushed around his fingers, covering his mouth with your slick. A wrecked groan left his lips as he licked at you, continuing to fuck his fingers into you until your pussy stopped pulsing. He pulled his fingers out and took a moment to admire his handiwork before pushing his fingers into your panting lips, watching you eagerly suck them clean with half-lidded eyes. 

“Johnny, I need more. Need you to fuck me,” You stated, moving to kneel on the couch in front of him. Johnny stood slowly, leaving a trail of kisses up your body as he went. 

“You need me to fuck you, baby?” He questioned, unbuttoning his shirt and tugging it out of his pants. He threw it to the side, watching as your fingers undid the clasp of his pants. “Need my dick that bad?” 

You nodded, looking up at him, pupils blown and lashes fluttering. You may regret feeding his ego, but fuck it. “Fingers weren’t enough. Need the stretch of your dick.”

Johnny was certain you would kill him. He was not expecting those words to leave your lips. He could only watch as you freed him from the constraints of his pants and briefs; he stepped out of them as you pulled them down his legs. His dick was so achingly hard, his tip ruddy and leaking, desperate to feel your walls squeeze him. You turned around on the couch, so your back was facing him, knees slightly spread, back dipped, and hips angled into the air. 

He could see the trail of wetness glistening on your thighs with the firelight. He wished he could take a picture of you like this, have it on hand to use whenever he wanted. Maybe he could convince you? He took his cock in his hand and ran it between your folds, gathering your wetness. He lined himself up, watching your pussy swallow him as he edged himself inside you. A low moan left his lips the further he pushed inside. You were so wet. So hot and tight. A loud shuddering gasp left your lips as he fully pushed himself inside of you, gripping your hips to pull you as close to him as possible, to be as deep as possible. 

You both sat like that for a moment, relishing in how the other felt. Johnny started out slow, working you open, groaning at how you squeezed him with every movement. His grip on your hips tightened as you pushed back to meet his thrusts, the lewd sound of skin on skin as his hips met your ass only spurred him on. 

His pace increased the more sounds that fell from your lips. “You feel so fucking good, baby. You’re so tight for me,” Johnny gasped, leaning over you to kiss your neck and down your shoulder. 

He pulled you against him as he sat back up, fucking up into you. You gasped at the way the new angle felt. He was hitting a spot up inside you that was making you see stars. “You like this, baby? You got so tight on me, making me crazy.” Johnny muttered into your hair, moving his fingers to hover over your clit, before heating them to slowly circle it. 

“F-Fuck, Johnny. Feels so-” You whimpered out, legs shaking at the intensity of the pleasure that was building up in you. 

“Tell me,” he demanded, raw and wrecked. He circled your clit faster, fucked into you harder. He rested his free hand on your chest to keep you firmly against him. You rested your head against his shoulder and let out a pitched whine. 

“R-Really close-” You muttered, panting as you arched against his body. 

“Tell me, or I stop,” He breathed in your ear, stopping for a split second, a small grin on his face as your hips chased his fingers.

“Feels good! ‘S good. Please-Please don’t stop. S-So close!” You cried out, so desperate for his touch, for the release he offered, that tears pricked your eyes.

“Good girl. So good for me,” he growled, doubling down on his pace when you clenched at his words. Fucking up into you harder and faster, circling your clit in the way he knew was going to bring you closer to release. “You gonna keep being good and cum on my dick, baby?”

“Yes!” You moaned, feeling the familiar band tightening in your core. Johnny could feel your body shake as you got closer; it only encouraged him to keep going. He felt his balls tighten as you squeezed him again. 

“Gonna-” You cried out, the band abruptly snapping, wave after wave of euphoria washed over you as you moaned Johnny’s name with every pulse of pleasure. Your slick covered Johnny’s cock, your pussy tightened in the most delicious way that pulled him impossibly deeper inside. 

“Fuck-” He groaned loudly, rutting up into you, finally snapping and filling you to the brim with his seed as your pussy milked him of everything he had. 

Both of you lingered in your blissful pleasure. Johnny held you close to him, still inside you, feeling every wave of your orgasm pulsing through you. He finally decided to pull away when your breathing evened out, making sure you were stable enough to step back off the couch and stand on your own, albeit shaky, legs. You turned to him and pulled him into you. 

“Amazing as always,” You muttered into his chest, kissing him there. He smiled and ran a hand over your hair, then down your back. 

“Oh, I’m Mr. Storm now? I tell you I love you, and now it’s all formalities.” 

“Can’t resist giving you the best,” He responded, kissing your forehead. “As much as I’d love to stay like this forever with you, we should clean up and eat. I spent too long on that soup not to enjoy it with you.”

You laughed lightly. “Sounds like a plan, Mr. Storm.” You stepped away and moved towards the bathroom, a smile lingering on your lips. 

“Maybe I just like poking your buttons, and now I know I can get away with it.” 

“Well, I could always make you a Storm one day.”

“Oh yeah? Maybe I’d like that.” 

“Noted… Now get in the tub so I can shower you in affection.”

You could only laugh and shake your head at his words. You were glad you could finally call him yours. 

Author's Note: Let me know what you all thought of this!

Tags: @fanatic-four @jimjjamjamie @ynnlvrs @illyrian-book-lover @lunadi1una @emxxblog

[beacon-lamp]

hello beloveds ☺️

[iceslushii]

made an alternate version for the mutuals ive never spoken to

[thetreeofliberty]

You are appreciated

[beneathcandycoatedclouds]

Dispatch really said

- you will always be stronger as a team than you will alone

- people grow and become better when they are given external support and community, and tend to struggle when they don't have those things

- there is no such thing as a good or bad person, a hero or a villain

- your actions are what make you who you are, not anything else

- connection and understanding always start with meeting people where they are at and empathizing with them

- doing the right thing always comes at a cost. That's why it's so hard to do

- reckless and selfish actions impact those around you, not just yourself

- being a "hero" isn't about one big gesture, one big fight against evil, one flashy showdown. It's helping others even when they are rude. Even when they are thoughtless. Even if they don't care about you. Especially - ESPECIALLY, if it is inconvenient

- doing the right thing doesn't have to be fucking boring

[ninablossom1]

Ong ‘fragility in perfection’ was so good and definitely needs a part 2. I can already feel Johnny becoming irrationally jealous of her with other men, only wants her to work with him on the daily and falling in love

Thank you, Anon! I'm cooking up a bunch of ideas for Part 2, and we will definitely be getting a bit of jealous Johnny 😅.

[ninablossom1]

Can you do a smoke manipulation reader X Johnny Storm

I love this idea! I'll add it to my WIP list and tag you when it's completed😊

[ninablossom1]

Fragility in Perfection

Pairing: Johnny Storm x Assistant!Reader

Summary: Your job is everything to you. It takes up every part of your life, leaving no room for anyone but the Fantastic Four. They were your friends, treated you like family. Your relationship with Johnny, however, is definitely more than "just friends".

Word Count: 12 K

Rating: Explicit

Tags/Warnings: 18+ MDNI, fem!reader, Assistant!reader, slow burn, smut, angst, fluff, Fantastic Four: First Steps, friends with benefits, no use of y/n, making out, pet names, dirty talking, p in v sex, cream pie, oral (f/m receiving), misogyny, use of OC (for plot purposes)

MASTERLIST Part 2

If you prefer to read on AO3, here is the LINK

Author's Note: Sorry this took so long to get out, I've had a bunch of college/work stuff going on that made it hard to sit down and write.

A cold cup of coffee sat on the desk in front of you. It had, arguably, way too much cream and sugar, but you needed the caffeine to get through your days managing the insane schedules of the Fantastic Four. You'd been filling out planners and creating document packets for each member of the team since four that morning, prepping them for their, unfortunately, very busy day.

Some of them were busier than others; for example, Sue was busier than all three boys combined, but you made sure she had the help of Lynne with anything related to her Future Foundation appointments.

You always made an effort not to overwhelm their days as you booked events and interviews, but there were days when things had to be booked back-to-back. 

Today was one of those days, and you knew you'd be pulling overtime. Not that you minded. You loved your job, and you loved who you worked for. 

You had been with them for years, even before they got their powers, starting as Reed's lab assistant and helping to keep their mission (and Reed) on track. You kept everything in order, up to the very last detail, no second unaccounted for. You planned everything, from the documentary filming, getting on the ship, and when exactly they returned. Everything was scheduled out and in its assigned time slot. Perfect.

You had silently cried listening to their radio traffic from Mission Control, unable to do anything. It was heartbreaking to hear their panicked yells about the cosmic radiation. You should have reminded Reed about it and added it to the list of things to account for. Ben had mentioned it offhandedly when he agreed to pilot the ship. It was a slip. Something you vowed would never happen again. But who could have known they would encounter that? You. You could have prevented it.

To make up for failing them, for not being able to account for everything that happened, you ensured perfection in everything you did for them. Really, you had always been that way, a perfectionist. Your father was military, served in World War II; your whole life seemed to run in seconds. Every minute had sixty seconds. And every one of them counted. Meaning, if you were one second off, you were not perfect. You had to be perfect. 

Your jaw clenched when your ink smeared on the page you were writing, too lost in your thoughts. You set your pen down, got out your correction fluid from your meticulously organized desk drawer, and fixed the smear. You waited a moment for it to dry, taking a sip of your coffee with a sigh before looking at your wrist watch. It was just about time for the morning briefing. 

Luckily, the page you smeared was your last one. It was also for Johnny, and you knew he never really read through your packets; it shouldn't have mattered, but you fixed your mistake anyway.

You stood, smoothing out your pastel pink knee-length skirt and matching blazer to ensure they didn't look wrinkled. It accentuated all the right parts of you in the most professional way, of course. You then neatly stacked all of the packets together, placing them in your leather portfolio, before making your way to the living room of the Baxter Building. 

Reed and Sue were generous enough to let you live in the building with them. It made all of your lives easier. Especially when they needed something last-minute or you had to work obnoxiously long hours for an event. The only thing that irritated you about the arrangement was having your room directly next to Johnny’s. You had begged Ben to swap with you when you were all moving into the newly renovated building, but Ben had shut you down faster than you could get the words out, claiming he liked his peace and quiet on the opposite end of the hall. 

It’s not that you didn’t mind Johnny, as a person. But he did keep odd hours, and there were many times over the last few years you had to knock on his door and ask him, kindly (it wasn’t), to be quiet. Usually, in those cases, he was shirtless when he answered the door and had a woman in his room covering herself with his sheets. But those cases were now few and far between.

You would call Johnny a friend, despite the way he managed to get under your skin. So were Sue, Reed, and Ben. Honestly, they treated you more like family; they relied on you. You didn’t really have other friends; your schedule didn't allow for relationships outside of your job. An occasional one-night stand, no strings attached, was about it. And even then, you only partook when you were really stressed. 

It had just been you and your father growing up, so you were used to not having a lot of other people around. Your mom had died in childbirth, and your father was a veteran, fresh out of war, way out of his depth. He did the best he could. You knew that as an adult, losing the love of your life and being reminded of her with the child you created together would have been hard. But the inner kid in you would always be a little resentful of how you were raised. 

You tapped your black heeled toe in front of the elevator, watching the numbers tick down to your floor before the doors opened with a cheerful ping. You stepped inside, heels clicking on the tiled floors as you hit the button for the living room. Your watch beeped just as the elevator doors opened, and you felt your eye twitch and your jaw tense. A flashing “ALERT!” popped up on the tiny screen, and you had to take a deep inhale and exhale to calm yourself. The one variable you couldn’t control about their lives was that they were heroes. Bad guys were never convenient. 

They all rushed past you, out of their rooms, fully dressed in their suits. “We will be back soon, promise!” Sue called out with a wave before hopping into the elevator you just stepped out of with Reed and Ben. You nodded, knowing the familiar routine. HERBIE was in the kitchen, beeping a little tune to himself. 

“Herbs, whatcha cooking?” You asked, placing the folders for everyone in their spots at the table. Neat and perfectly aligned with their placemats. 

HERBIE gave a happy beep in response, and you nodded. “Bacon and eggs are a good choice.” Another beep. “Sure, I’ll take some.” You had about an hour of leeway for them to get back for an incredibly fast brief, meaning if they weren’t done fighting the bad guy in the next thirty minutes, you would have some phone calls to make. You ate the food HERBIE sat in front of you quickly, efficiently, in silence. He took the plate when you were done, and you took the time to flip through your notes, mentally adjusting timeframes in your head. 

Your manicured nail tapped the wood of the table, keeping time with the red hand on the analog clock on the wall you were now staring at. This was the worst part of your job, the calm before the storm, the eye of the hurricane. Waiting. You haunted yourself in the silence of your mind in these moments. Replaying every mistake you had ever made, every small thing you said wrong. Your imperfect moments. Failing them. 

The clock hit exactly thirty minutes after they left, and you got up quickly, eager for a distraction from your thoughts. You flipped your portfolio open to the page where you had listed all your phone numbers. You went down the line, calling everyone on the schedule for the day to either adjust their times or reschedule completely. The same professional spiel fell out of your mouth. 

“Hello, this is -” You would start with your full name; they all knew who you were. “I’m calling about the appointment for-” you’d fill in one of the four’s names, followed by the time of the appointment. You’d ask to either reschedule or move it to a later time, then make the same practiced joke with a lilting laugh, “You know the bad guys don’t stay on schedule.” 

You made notes and adjustments on your calendar page for complete reschedules, while adjusting your planner for the same-day time changes. The last call you had to make was for a special event hosted by Johnny’s fan club. You rubbed the bridge of your nose at the inevitable headache you were going to have from it. 

You had gone through the same initial script but got caught up in questions from the young girl on the other end of the line.  The (mostly one-sided) conversation was going on for way longer than you wanted. “He can still make it today; it would just have to be a later time.” You tried explaining. 

“But we had everything planned out for him being here at a specific time!” She cried. You were certain she was actually crying; the sniffling and wobbly voice gave it away. You looked up at the ceiling and closed your eyes, trying not to audibly sigh over the phone. This was ridiculous. You rolled your neck before looking down at your portfolio again.

“I understand that, and I’m really sorry, but due to this morning’s incident, I’ve had to move his schedule around. It would just be about an hour delay. I know the event was set to start at six tonight, but Johnny will definitely be there by seven, seven-thirty at the absolute latest.”

Your eyes flicked over to the balcony just as Johnny landed on it, flames bright and eye-catching. Speak of the devil. You settled an ice-cold glare on him, and he stopped dead in the doorway when he caught your gaze. The girl was still chattering in your ear about plans and all the members that would be there. You absently asked her name, making it seem like you were writing down all the information she was giving you. 

“I'm sorry, could you give me one moment?” You asked politely before holding the receiver tightly against your chest, blocking your voice from being heard. 

You pointed at Johnny and then to the spot right in front of you before mouthing, “Get over here now.” 

He gave you a grimace before trudging over, extinguishing his flames on the way. “What? I’d like to change. I'm covered in… monkey germs,” he stated exasperated, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“I’m rescheduling everyone’s events for the day, and your ‘fan club’ is the only one giving me issues,” You whispered, an irritated frown on your face. 

“What do you want me to do about it?” He asked, tilting his head at you and narrowing his eyes. He knew you well enough to know exactly what you wanted out of him; he wanted you to ask, though. 

“I just need you to tell them you’ll be there at seven tonight instead of six. Throw in that flirty shit you do to get them all to love you,” Your tone clipped, serious. 

“Little frigid today, aren’t we?” He quipped, holding his hand out to take the receiver. “Name?”

You scrunched up your nose in disgust at his comment before sighing, trying to recall her name. “Ruth?” You handed the receiver over and listened to Johnny’s side of the conversation as he shook his head at you.

“Hey, this is Johnny,” He stated, tone light and casual, the opposite of what he just gave you. “Yeah, really him. And your name? Cause your voice is like music to my ears, and I have to know the owner.” You made eye contact with him and stuck your finger in your mouth, pretending to gag from his words. He pursed his lips and had to clear his throat to keep from laughing. 

“Wow, Clara is an amazing name. One of my top five favorites,” He casually stated before mouthing at you “Fucking Ruth, really??” with a raised brow.

You just shrugged before saying quietly with a hint of sass. “It wasn’t important information for me.” 

“Yeah, so Clara, due to this morning’s attack, my assistant had to move some stuff around, and I unfortunately can't be at the Flaming Hearts event until seven. I hope you can understand.” 

A pause before he gave you a thumbs-up. You wrote the new time into your planner and shut your portfolio.

“That’s really sweet of you to say. I’ll see you all then.” He quickly hung up the phone with a sigh. “You owe me.”

“I owe you nothing. I just spent the last twenty minutes explaining to her what you accomplished in two minutes because you’re the guy she’s ‘in love with,’” you used exaggerated air quotes for the last bit of your statement. 

“You’re lucky I love you and all you do; otherwise, this would be a very different conversation.” He scoffed before turning away from you towards the stairs. 

“Yeah, okay, keep telling yourself that, Johnny!” you yelled to his retreating form. 

“I will!”

You bit your lip, lingering on his words. He didn’t mean it in that way. I love you. He used the words so flippantly you were sure he didn’t actually hold any meaning for them anymore. Sugar talk was all it was.

You shook your head, dismissing the thoughts, and quickly revised the team's schedules on the table before they slowly trickled in, changed and ready for the day. 

Once everyone was seated, you immediately went into your usual business mode. “Alright, team, we have a very busy day lined up today.”

Ben groaned your name. "Can't a man take a moment to eat his breakfast?” He then thanked HERBIE when the robot placed four plates full of bacon and eggs in front of the team, and a box of Johnny’s favorite cereal next to him.

“No.” You replied coldly, flipping your portfolio open and running your fingernail down the page of your planner. Everyone had a designated color to help keep events more organized. “Ben, since you seem so eager for this to be over, you have an eleven-thirty meet and greet at the community center on Yancy to raise money for youth basketball. Then at three, you'll need to be at the tailors for a suit fitting for the gala this weekend.”

“Copy that, Boss,” he said before digging into his food.

You watched Sue flip through her packet as she sipped her coffee, her perfect brows creased in concentration. “Sue, I tried my best to reschedule your meetings, but you've got quite a few back-to-backs. Lynne should be here soon to assist you. ” 

“That's alright, a lot of these were important for the Future Foundation, so I appreciate you making them work,” Sue said with a smile. 

“Anything for you, Sue,” you said sweetly, a smile on your face.

“Why are you nice to Sue and not the rest of us?” Johnny asked, throwing a piece of cereal into the air before catching it in his mouth. Your smile turned to a frown.

“I'm nice to Reed and Ben all the time. Plus, Sue is nice to me back, unlike you,” you sneered.

“Notice how you didn't say my name,” he retorted, placing the box of cereal on the table before working on his plate of food.

You ignored him, turning to Reed with a smile back on your face.

“All you have is the filming for Fantastic Science today. It starts at ten, so one hour from now.”

“The script and premise are in here?” Reed asked, skimming through the top page. 

“Yes. This week focuses on planetary gases and atmospheres.” You responded before slowly turning to Johnny. 

“Jonathan.” You said, voice sickly sweet, smile still plastered on your shiny pink lips. He frowned. 

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes,” you flipped his packet open, and he groaned. “Talk show, suit fitting, fan event. And you get the pleasure of having me with you all day.”

“Great. Just what I wanted,” he said sardonically, rolling his eyes. 

“I know you just love spending time with me. We leave in twenty minutes.”

Johnny kept splitting his attention between driving and watching you write neat notes in different colored pens in a notebook.

“I thought you got carsick,” Johnny stated, eyes flicking back to pay attention to the road. He would have taken the Fantasticar, but nothing beat good old-fashioned mechanics. Plus, he spent a lot of time and effort fixing his car up; might as well show it off. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the music playing lowly on the radio, waiting for you to respond. 

“I do, but I have to finish some last-minute preparations for the gala when we get to the studio. Getting my notes out now will make it easier,” you absently responded, a small frown on your face as you tapped the paper in front of you with your pen. 

He hummed in acknowledgment. “I thought you were all done with the prepping.”

“One of the vendors fell through for the champagne. Obviously, an important thing people expect at those events,” you said, looking over at him. You hated to admit it to yourself, but Johnny was objectively attractive. Especially in a tight-fitting t-shirt, driving a car with one arm resting against the frame of the open window and the other lightly holding the steering wheel. Something you’d see in a movie. You blinked, and he looked over at you, his face puzzled. Caught.

“What? Do I have something on my face?” He asked, moving the hand not holding the steering wheel to his face. 

“No,” you said quickly, turning back to your notebook. “I was thinking about seating for the team's table. You have a plus one, right?”

“I'll probably have one,” he responded, eyes flicking to you again, lingering for a moment too long before going back to the road. You nodded and scribbled a note next to his name on the seating chart. 

It was silent again, and Johnny had a hard time sitting in silence, especially with you. 

“Why did you need to come with me? It would have been faster if I just flew,” he said, and you stopped your writing with a sigh.

“Do you not remember the last time I scheduled you for more than one thing in a day?”

“You mean last month? Everything worked out.” He shrugged, smirk quirking his lips, knowing that what he said was going to get under your skin. 

“It worked out because I made it work out. I'm here to keep you on track today,” you retorted, putting your notebook away in your bag as Johnny pulled the car into the entrance of the TV studio. The security guard stationed there checked your IDs before opening the gate and waving the car through. 

Johnny parked the car as close to the front door as he could. He had taken note of your uncomfortable-looking heels that morning, and he didn’t want your feet to start hurting too early. 

You got out of the car quickly, waiting for Johnny at the hood. He took his sweet time getting out, in your opinion.

He handed you the car keys, so he didn't have anything in his pockets. You put them in your bag. You walked in silence to the door, your heels clicking loudly on the concrete.

“Don't those hurt?” Johnny asked, casually putting his hands in his pockets.

“What?” You questioned, turning your head towards him with a raised brow. 

“Your shoes. They seem like they are uncomfortable,” he said, eyes flicking down to them.

“Oh, well, I mean, they are, but I'm so used to it now that I can ignore the pain,” you explained, grabbing the door to the building. Johnny stopped you and moved you out of the way to open it himself, allowing you to walk through first. You did so with a shake of your head.

“Why don't you just wear more comfortable shoes then? It's not like you have a dress code working for us,” he stated, falling into step beside you.

“Well, I have to present myself professionally to the public. My image is a direct reflection of the Fantastic Four, so if I don't look professional, it makes you guys look bad,” you responded, walking towards the green room. 

“So, if I'm understanding right, you looking extra good in your fancy suits and heels makes us look better?” he asked, a small grin creeping on his face as you stopped and looked at him with a frown. “I mean, it would really be hard to beat how you're looking right now. You look amazing- irresistible really, especially when you're frowning like that-”

You punched him in the arm, and he held it as if you'd given him a mortal wound. “Ow, okay, no compliments today.” He muttered, watching you walk away, eyes traveling down your body, lingering on every curve, before he caught up.

“You don't have to lie,” you stated, opening the door that had his name on the front with a taped-up piece of paper. He followed you in and shut the door. A look crossed his face like he was offended by your accusation. 

“I've never lied about how you look. You’re incredibly attractive. Don't you see all the guys who practically drool over you when you’re out?” He questioned, moving his hand in your direction. 

You scoffed and shook your head. “I-that isn't something I really pay attention to, Johnny. My focus is on my job and the team. No one else. Now, please sit down, I’m going to get the make-up artist and stylist,” you stated quickly, mouth oddly dry. You handed him a sheet with a list of questions. “This is what they are going to ask you. Make sure you’re prepared.”

You turned away from him towards the door, and he caught your arm. “I meant what I said.”

“I know.”

“Just pay attention on set today. You'll see.”

You nodded, gently pulling your arm free from his grasp before leaving the room and closing the door with a quiet click. You leaned against the wall for a moment, collecting yourself. You couldn't let Johnny get under your skin with his words and the way he looked at you, like he actually wanted you. You knew there was a mutual attraction, but that was it. Superficial. No feelings. At least that's what you told yourself. 

Two women walked down the hall, chatting to each other. You straightened, recognizing them as the two people you were going to seek out. “Good afternoon, ladies. You saved me a trip,” you said sweetly, a smile on your lips. Both of them gave you a smile back.

“It's good to see you!” The stylist said, smiling back. “I'm assuming you’re here with Mr. Storm?”

“That's correct, he's just right inside. Please let me know if you encounter any issues. I have a few things to take care of, but I'll be nearby,” you responded, moving past them with a small wave. 

The room you needed was just down the hall. It was an employee break room that you knew had a phone. You pulled out your notebook and called a few different vendors you had listed out. Because it was last-minute, and for a big event, you didn't have a lot of flexibility to be as picky with prices. So, you went with the vendor who would be able to provide the services you needed. 

You checked off the box with a relieved sigh on your checklist for the gala. Other than picking up everyone's outfits from the tailors, everything was going according to plan and was ready to go. 

As you stepped out of the room, you checked your watch; it was just about time for the show to start, so, walked towards the backstage area to wait for Johnny. Several people were milling about, preparing the stage lights and other electrical equipment. You made sure to stand in the waiting area where Johnny would walk out from behind the curtain.

“Hello, pretty lady, you must be one of my guests tonight.” A voice beside you said, suave and deep. You looked over to see a middle-aged man in a navy blue suit and brown slick-backed hair. He was very handsome, and you recognized him as the host of the talk show. 

You let out a small laugh. “I'm afraid not, Mr. Williams. I'm just the assistant of one of your guests tonight.”

“Please, call me Dean.” He took your hand and kissed the back of it. “It's a real shame I'm not interviewing you today. I'd love to get to know you better. What time are you done being just an assistant tonight?” You let him do his flirting while Johnny’s words from earlier lingered in the back of your head.

“Well, unfortunately, Dean, I'm very busy today,” you said, tone a little disappointed. Going out with someone like him would have been fun at the very least. “But I can always-”

“Dean, my man!” Johnny said excitedly, sauntering up beside you and extending his hand to Dean, who hid his annoyance at the interruption with a fake smile. Dean shook Johnny’s hand firmly, maybe a little too firmly, based on your observation. “I see you met my wonderful assistant-” Johnny said your name after. He looked to you, eyes searching yours for a moment, silently asking if you were okay. You gave him a small nod. Weird.

“Ah, her being busy makes sense now if she's following the Human Torch around. You don't happen to know when her schedule would clear up, would you, Johnny?” Dean asked, his eyes flicking up and down your body, unashamed.

“She keeps her own schedule,” Johnny responded, brow furrowing slightly at the look Dean was giving you. 

“I'll be at the Fantastic Four's gala this weekend. I'm sure we can share a drink and get to know each other better then, Dean,” you said quickly, smile on your face as your eyes moved to Johnny, who had a flicker of a frown on his face before he returned it to a neutral smile.

“That sounds great, dollface,” Dean lifted your chin with his finger and gave you a dazzling, practiced TV smile. “I'll see you then.”

He walked off towards the wing of the stage to get ready for the show. You weren't sure how to feel as you watched Dean walk away. You didn't feel gross, per se, but it definitely didn't feel right. 

You looked over to Johnny, who was frowning again, but it was now directed at you. “What?” You asked, crossing your arms over your chest. 

“When I said all that stuff earlier, I didn't mean test it out with Dean Williams,” he responded, a little harshly. 

“I wasn't testing anything out, Jonathan. I was standing here waiting for you, and he approached me first,” you huffed out quietly. “I'm sorry, was I not allowed to accept an offer for a date?”

“Not with him,” Johnny snapped, jaw tense. 

You frowned at him, trying to keep your voice quiet with your growing frustration. “And why is that?”

“Because he fucks anything in a skirt and a pretty face,” Johnny retorted quickly, eyes flicking to the stage when Dean started doing his opening for the show. 

You scoffed, offended by his words even if you knew they were true. “I see,” you bit out. 

Johnny went to rub the bridge of his nose, but stopped due to the makeup there. He didn’t want to mess up the hard work those ladies put into it. “I didn’t mean- you're not just that to me, you know that. But he doesn't, and I don't want to see you hurt.”

You didn't want this conversation to continue. “You're on in two.” You stated flatly, moving your hand towards the stage. He gave you a look, one that was hard for you to interpret. He didn't say anything else, knowing when you were ending a conversation. He plastered on a practiced smile that never quite reached his eyes before stepping into the wings to wait for his cue on the stage. 

“Johnny, we're so glad you could make it on time! I'm sure everyone here is also very happy about that, too,” the girl, Claire, said excitedly from the makeshift stage. The microphone was a little too close to her face, and it made an awful screeching sound that had you cringing. 

You stood awkwardly just to the side of the stairs leading to the stage, portfolio held tightly in your hands and pushed against your chest. Since the talk show, you and Johnny had barely spoken a word to each other. During the suit fitting, you avoided him by waiting in the front room of the shop, where you looked at the very expensive outfits they had, none of which you would ever be able to afford. 

You weren't looking forward to the Flaming Heart event. Standing there for two hours while Johnny answered questions and autographed various photos of his face, amongst other things, was not on your “favorite things to do” list. But it was the job, and this is what you had to do.

Johnny was right in his element, answering his fans’ questions with a bright smile. He even went so far as “flaming on” for the fan club, causing a cacophony of squeals and clapping to erupt. You didn't know how he did it. His ability to charm people and interact with those around him with compassion and care was something you admired about Johnny. Would you ever tell him that? Absolutely not. 

After the Q&A session, they set Johnny up at a booth near the exit of the event. This allowed everyone to get their items autographed, as well as a headshot of Johnny, wearing the ridiculous white sweater the club used for their pamphlets, before they left for the night. 

You stood next to Johnny, handing him a copy of the photo for every person who approached the booth. A small smile was on your face as you handed them over. You kept it on even as you heard the girls whispering from down the line, probably purposefully loud enough for you to hear.

“Who is that lady with him?”

“The frumpy-looking one in that ugly pink outfit? She looks tired and a little old.”

“I think she's his assistant. I'd kill for that job.”

“Well, she definitely needs to look better if she's representing him. Her lipstick was so last year.”

Johnny's words drew you away from your eavesdropping. “You good?” 

“Yeah, sorry.” You responded, handing him another photo, a smile still stuck on your face like a permanent fixture. It didn't reach your eyes.

He gave you another quick look, worry crossing his face for just a moment before shifting back into his casual smile. 

This went on for another hour, but the words of the girls lingered in your head. You were a grown adult, you shouldn't be letting teenage girls get to you, but shit, were they ruthless. The last set of girls that came up were the ones who ran the club. Johnny spent a little extra time getting a photo with them for their newsletter. Before you knew it, you were on your way back home, sitting in Johnny’s car.

Your feet were aching by that point, having been standing for a good portion of the day. The soft sound of some popular song played over the radio as Johnny drove in silence, his fingers idly tapping the steering wheel, restless.

“Are we going to talk about earlier?” He asked, eyes forward and focused on the street in front of him. 

You sighed, slipping your heels off your feet. “Which earlier?” You responded, looking over at him. 

“At the studio. You know I didn't mean to imply you were, well, a piece of ass to Dean.”

“I know. I was just flattered he gave me the time of day.”

“Really? Why?”

“I mean. It's not something I'm used to. Men approaching me like that. Usually, I'm too busy dealing with everyone else to get to blatantly hit on.”

Johnny nodded and was silent for a moment. “I'm sorry, though, regardless of how I felt about Dean. I shouldn't have said that.”

“It's okay. I know you didn't mean it.” 

“And you shouldn't listen to what any of those girls said.” He met your eyes for a moment, letting you know he was serious.

“What?” You asked, genuinely surprised by his words.

“I'm not deaf. I'm also very aware that they get…territorial, if I'm near any other women. You look great, and you dress well for a woman your age.”

“I guess I'll take that as a compliment. Also, what do you mean, my age, we're the same age,” you laughed, shaking your head at the small smirk that quirked his lips.

“I just mean that your outfits are age-appropriate, like they fit you well, you look hot as hell in them- I mean, most guys would say that, Dean definitely thought it.” He said, trying to keep his tone as even as possible, hoping he covered his fumble well. 

You narrowed your eyes at his comment before humming in response. “I'll take your word for it.” 

The conversation died off for a moment. A comfortable silence took its place.

“The gala, you going with anyone?” Johnny asked, looking to you for a moment before pulling onto the street the Baxter Building was on.

“No. I have to work for part of it, so I figured it wouldn't be very fair to invite anyone to come with me if I wasn't able to interact with them all night. I did think about asking my dad, but he isn't huge on crowds.” You said with a shrug, eyes lingering on him. He looked like he had something to say; he was tensed up and swallowing hard. 

“You should be my plus one then,” he responded casually, pulling the car into the garage and parking. You opened your mouth slightly, not expecting him to say that. When you didn't respond right away, he added. “As friends, I mean, I don't have anyone to take and I'll be busy with the auction.”

“Yeah, sure,” you responded. “It makes sense. Just friends. It's not like the public doesn't already know me as your assistant. It will just be taken like that.”

“Yeah, right. Of course,” he said, nodding as he turned the car off. You slipped your shoes back on with a groan and grabbed your bag. “Want me to carry that?”

“If you want,” you responded, offering the bag to him. He took it with a smile and got out of the car, before quickly going around to your side and opening the door for you. “You're being suspiciously gentlemanly. Are you sick?”

“What? No. You've just done a lot today, just assisting you like you assist the rest of us,” he shrugged, helping you step out of the car. 

You narrowed your eyes at him. “You need something.”

He scoffed and shook his head. “Do not. Can't I just be nice to be nice?”

“You can, but you usually aren't.”

“Okay, fine. I need you to set up a meeting with Reed for me.”

“Couldn't you just walk in there whenever?”

“I could, but he won't listen to me unless I follow procedure. I have some space suit design ideas I want to float to him. It may finally convince him to go back to space.” He pleaded, grabbing your hand and looking into your eyes. Those baby blues were hard to say no to. He really wanted this, and he rarely asked for favors.

“Okay,” you stated simply. “I just need a date and time, and I'll pencil it in.”

He hugged you, lifting you off the ground slightly before he kissed your forehead. “You’re the best. I'll stop by your office in the morning to figure out the best day.”

Your face heated slightly at Johnny’s affection as he stopped hugging you. You're just friends. That's it. 

“Come on, let's get upstairs,” you said quickly, ushering him towards the elevator. 

“Going once. Going twice. Sold to number 75 in the back! Congratulations on being the owner of a one-of-a-kind, signed, Fantastic Four first edition comic!” The auctioneer said excitedly. You clapped with the rest of the crowd as you sat next to Johnny, who was trying very hard not to yawn. Sue had insisted you take the rest of the night off when the gala had started and all the preparations were done. She then made sure you relaxed by keeping your glass of champagne filled. 

You had to admit you were a bit tipsy by that point being four glasses in. Your third glass had been downed when you realized why Johnny had asked you to be his plus one. He was auctioning an exclusive date with himself and, even though the money was going to a good cause, any woman who wasn't you would have been instantly jealous of whoever purchased the date. Were you jealous? No, definitely not. But that small part of you still felt a little bitter as you had clapped along when Johnny stood on the stage with the highest bidder, a young girl whose father definitely put the money forward. 

There was a small break in the auction for the attendees to grab more refreshments, and you took that moment to get up from your seat, a little wobbly in your stilettos. Your dress was a tight, form-fitting black number you had for events like this. It sat just above your ankle and squared off at your collarbone, leaving your arms bare. It wasn’t often you got to wear it, but it had Johnny doing a double-take when he saw you come down the stairs to the living room before the gala.

“You need some help?” Johnny asked, a small smirk on his face as he watched you wobble. 

“No, I don't think so,” you said, finishing off your glass of champagne before placing it back on the table. “I was just going to find the bathroom.”

“Let me come with you. I can at least keep you stable,” Johnny offered, standing and holding his arm out to you. You sighed and looked over to Sue, who had a hand in front of her face to hold back a laugh. 

“Sue said earlier she had to go; we can go together,” you said quickly, watching her shake her head.

“No, I'm good. Johnny can escort you, I'm sure.” Her look was conspiratorial, very much encouraging whatever this was. You frowned and narrowed your eyes at her. 

“Fine,” you yielded, carefully taking Johnny's outstretched arm. You could definitely make it on your own, but you were certain Johnny wanted as much of an excuse to get up and move around as possible. He had been bouncing his leg under the table for the past hour and fidgeting with his watch.

Johnny guided the two of you out of the room, filled with tables and people, and into the hallway where the bathrooms were located. There was a massive line for the women's and you sighed. “I'm just gonna go up to the apartment and go there. You can go back if you want.”

“I'll still come with you. It's a little stuffy and, quite frankly, boring in there. You're far more interesting,” he flirted, watching for your reaction. Your eyes narrowed at him as you dragged him along towards the elevator. 

“I'm not that interesting, Johnny. Out of the two of us, you have the more interesting life. I just get to watch you live it,” you responded, clicking the up arrow on the panel.

“But you're far hotter than me. Especially in that dress,” he shrugged, eyes dragging down your body.

You laughed, not fully believing you had heard him right, your gaze carefully trained on him, skeptical. “Yeah, right. Tell that to the woman who had her father spend ten grand on a date with you. You’re the hot one, literally most times.”

The elevator pinged and opened. You stepped in, followed by Johnny. He waited until the door was closed before he turned to you. “Are you jealous? Because you shouldn't be.”

“Oh? And why is that?” You asked, leaning against the railing on the wall, gripping it tightly as he stalked closer, staring at your lips. 

“Because,” he responded, caging you in with his arms on either side of your body. 

“That's not an answer.”

“Let me kiss you and I'll show you.” He said, voice husky as he leaned closer to you.

“You're drunk,” you whisper, swallowing hard. He moved one of his hands to your cheek. “Y-You would probably regret it.”

“If I'm drunk, it's only on you.” Fucking flirt. Your heartbeat quickened. 

“I thought we were just friends.”

“Oh come on-” he said your name, and you swallowed at his tone, deep and breathy. “We've been dancing around this for a while.” 

The door to the elevator pinged and opened to the living room. Johnny sighed and grabbed your hand, pulling you carefully out of the elevator before trapping you against the wall right outside of it. 

“I-I don't know what you're talking about.” You stuttered, your cheeks flushing. 

“I've seen the way you look at me, and I'm sure you've noticed how I look at you the same way. We're both busy adults. I'm sure you're tired of the one-night stands with semi-strangers, I know I am.”

“Are you saying we should have sex, Johnny?” You questioned, mouth parting in disbelief.

“I was going to say it in a less crass way, but yeah. A mutually beneficial transaction. We both get off, no strings, just two friends helping each other out,” he shrugged, stepping back for a moment to look at you. Having you like that was better than not having you at all. 

“Like, friends with benefits?” you questioned, using the wall to keep you upright. This had to be a dream, or a joke, or something. Your brain was struggling to keep up.

“Exactly like that,” he stated, watching as you tilted your head slightly, staring him down. 

“Why, though? We would have to do a lot of sneaking around to keep this from the others.”

“Having any kind of romantic relationship isn't really viable for me, as you found out the other day at the fan event. You're all about image, you understand. I need to be a heart-throb without breaking hearts,” he was moving back towards the living room with his hand outstretched. “Let's see what happens. Take a leap with me.”

You felt yourself moving as if drawn into a gravitational pull you couldn't get out of. You grabbed his hand, and he pulled you close, cradling your face with his other hand. “The best pacts are sealed with a kiss,” he whispered with a smile.

“Then you better kiss me, Johnny.”

He didn’t have to be told twice. He gently pressed his lips to yours. It was soft and sweet. Loaded. Full of emotions, neither of you was ready to face or unpack. Strings were definitely attached. He pulled away slightly, not wanting to mess up your makeup and how pretty you looked in it, how full and plush your lips looked. He wanted to devour you, wanted to give in to the burning feeling in his chest, make you his, leave his mark for everyone to see. 

“We should get back,” you whispered, eyes flicking to the elevators. “After I use the bathroom.”

“Right,” he breathed, watching your form move towards the hall. Your pace increased the farther you got from him, needing the space to process what had just happened. 

You shut the bathroom door maybe a little too hard behind you and slid your dress up your legs, letting it sit above your hips. You did your business, washed your hands, and stared at yourself in the mirror. “What the fuck am I doing?” You muttered quietly, hands gripping the edge of the sink. 

He wasn't wrong; it would benefit both of you. You just didn't know if you trusted yourself not to start feeling things you shouldn't for him. You shook your head and took a deep breath, steeling yourself. Just friends don't kiss each other like that. You groaned, slightly defeated, and exited the bathroom. You'd rather have part of him than none of him. 

Johnny was leaning against the wall when you came back into the room, staring at his watch. “The scheduling system you linked with the watches is nice. But I do enjoy the extra time you take to individualize our packets.” He said casually, meeting you where you stood, placing a hand on your waist.

“I thought you didn't even look at them,” you responded, pulling him along towards the elevator.  

“I do, most of the time,” he grinned, clicking the button to go back downstairs. “When you're not looking.”

“Wow, I'm shocked you admitted that,” you stated with a laugh, watching as he moved closer to you. He placed a kiss on your cheek, then jaw, before he lingered by your ear, his hot breath sending a shiver down your spine.

“I'll admit to whatever you want as long as I can kiss you again.” 

A small, breathy gasp left your lips as he pulled away. He chuckled and tilted your head up by your chin to look you in the eyes. “You're cute when you're flustered.”

“Whatever,” you muttered, turning your head from him, cheeks burning. The doors to the elevator opened, and you backed your way into it. He followed you in, leaning next to you against the wall of the elevator as it descended. There was a beat of silence before Johnny spoke up.

“Tonight after the gala. My room or yours?”

“Yours. The view is better.” 

He laughed and gave you a quizzical look. “I didn't think you were into voyeurism.”

“What?!” You blurted, turning to him, face flushing redder than it already was. “I-I'm not. I just meant that you have a nice view of the bay, not that I want you to fuck me in front of the window.”

“Hey, to each their own. But man, would that be a sight to see,” Johnny said with a grin, holding his hands up in surrender.

“You would like that. Maybe you're projecting.”

“Maybe,” he laughed, giving your lips a quick peck right before the doors opened. He held his arm out to you again, and you begrudgingly took it.

“You're lucky I like you,” you muttered under your breath as you made your way back into the gala.

Your name being called over the chatter of the room stopped you in your tracks. Johnny halted right after, curiosity on his features. The voice was deep and familiar. “Ah, right.” You muttered, looking over your shoulder. 

Dean was approaching quickly from the other side of the room. You looked at Johnny, who frowned deeply and moved his arm away from yours. He hovered behind you as you turned to Dean with a forced smile. 

“Wow, and I thought you looked amazing on set,” Dean said with a small whistle, raking his eyes down your body. 

“Thank you, Dean,” you said politely, wetting your lips with your tongue nervously. Johnny's kiss still lingered. You felt Johnny's hand press reassuringly into your lower back as he stepped beside you. 

“Ah, are you here as Storm's assistant again?” Dean asked, tone mildly disappointed but still upbeat. He gave you the perfect out, and yet you hesitated. You and Johnny hadn't exactly worked out the conditions for your… arrangement. Johnny noticed your hesitation and spoke for you.

“She's my plus one tonight, as friends, of course. Nothing more,” he shrugged casually, removing his hand from your back and sticking it in the pocket of his slacks. Your body missed his warmth instantly.

“Well. Do you mind if I steal her away for a drink?” Dean asked, already sidling up next to you. 

“All yours,” Johnny said firmly with a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes. He stepped out of the way and let Dean place his hand on your back instead. It wasn't nearly as warm as Johnny’s. You smiled, though, as you walked along with Dean to the bar, all the while subtly watching Johnny as he crossed the room and sat back at the team's table. You could see Sue and Ben exchange some words with him before Johnny pointed behind him and shrugged. You quickly looked away when you saw Sue scanning the crowd. 

Dean ordered the two of you drinks. He slid you a Martini, and he sipped on an Old Fashioned. You thanked him and took a sip, trying not to cringe at the subtle olive taste. 

“Did you know my show was ranked in the top three most-watched shows in America?” Dean asked, moving the two of you to a secluded standing table near the wall. His hand rested low on your back; any lower and he'd be feeling you up.

“Really? I thought I read that somewhere. That's really impressive,” you said, taking another sip of your drink. 

You let him talk at you about his show and himself. Not once did he ask you any questions about yourself. You nodded along and added commentary where it was needed, pretending to be interested. You let him move you closer to the wall, more hidden. You didn't know why you let him; maybe it was the alcohol inhibiting your decision-making, but when he grabbed your ass fully and pulled you into a sudden kiss, you stiffened. 

All you could do was compare what was happening to what you shared with Johnny less than an hour ago. It felt wrong. Gross. Unnatural. Your brain was too muddled to work out the complex feelings that washed through you as Dean pulled away, looking as happy as a clam. 

“You're a great kisser, baby. And your ass is fantastic,” he whispered next to your ear. “I'd love to take you home tonight.”

“I'm not really that kind of girl, Dean,” you said quietly, swallowing hard and stepping back away from him, you had a polite, nervous smile on your lips.

“Could have fooled me. I figured Storm would have taken you by now. Must mean you're a prude and a tease,” he said with a frown, lighting up a cigarette he took from his suit jacket pocket. You stood there a little shocked, jaw tensed in anger at his words. “There are a lot of pretty girls here tonight. I'm sure someone else will put out.”

He downed the rest of his drink before roughly pinching your chin and smearing a bit of your lipstick with his thumb. “Shame. I could have put these pretty lips to use.” He let go of your face and walked away with a wave of his hand. 

You were used to men being assholes. Most of them were assholes or had little respect for women, especially if they were rich and famous like Dean. You were lucky to meet Reed, Ben, and Johnny. They seemed to be the best of the best. Sure, they had flaws. But they respected you and Sue. You quietly finished your drink, hoping the alcohol would dampen the tightness in your throat and how disgusted you felt with yourself. You should have known what he was doing, what he wanted. Johnny warned you, and you didn't listen. And there you were, perfect makeup smeared and full of shame and regret. 

The room was starting to feel too claustrophobic, even while lingering on the edge of the room. Luckily, the auction was almost over, meaning the gala would be finished after some final speeches and announcements about how much money had been raised for the charity. 

You exited the room quickly, making your way back to the elevator. The ride up felt slower as you wrapped your arms around yourself; the night had chilled the air in the building, causing goose bumps to rise on your skin. The doors opened, and you stepped out and yanked your stilettos off your feet. You padded over to the mini bar near the windows of the living room and poured yourself another drink, your favorite, before making your way up the stairs to Johnny's room, heels and glass in hand. 

It overwhelmingly smelled like him when you opened the door. Warm and fresh like a summer day. You tossed your heels to the side next to the ungodly portrait of Johnny before shutting the door. You flicked on the lamp he had next to his chair, igniting the room in a warm, low light. 

It took a moment for your eyes to adjust as you looked around his room. He didn't have much, but he did have a very impressive record collection. You placed your glass down on his nightstand before grabbing a Frank Sinatra album and putting it on his record player. You set it to play quietly, then grabbed your glass and sat yourself comfortably in his plush blue chair, losing yourself in the view of the bay while you waited for him to return from the gala.

Johnny creaked his door open slowly an hour after the gala had ended. He had stayed and chatted with some of the high bidders for the auction, as well as the father of the girl he had a date with. It was a scheduled event, and he was sure you were already on top of the minor details for the date; you always were. 

He was pleasantly surprised to see you standing by the window of his room, nursing a clear liquid in your glass. You were absolutely radiant in the low light, your dress shimmered slightly as you turned to look at him with a small smile. Your lipstick had been a little smudged at the side of your lip, marring your otherwise perfect face. He had to admit he was a little irritated earlier when Dean had come up to the two of you. Johnny wanted you all to himself, but he knew you could make your own choices. It seemed, in the end, you chose to spend the night with Johnny after all. 

“Hey,” you said quietly, fully turning to face him now. He shut his door with a gentle click, locking it as he stared at you, still taking in every part of you, standing in his room, ready to do very explicit things with him, not anyone else. Definitely not Dean.

He swallowed hard, sticking his hands in his pockets, hoping to hide his growing erection at just the thought of you in his bed. “Hey,” he finally replied, moving closer to you. “What do you have there?”

“Hmm? Oh, just water now. Figured I should sober up a little bit,” you said with a shrug, meeting him on the step by his chair. You looked up into his eyes, lashes fluttering as you played with the lapel of his suit jacket. “So, are we going to talk about our arrangement?”

“Yeah,” Johnny breathed, trying to gather himself a bit, not being the most sober person at that moment. Your touch was getting to him more than usual. “I would say we stay exclusive, as far as sex goes.  Makes it easier. I'm clean, so no worries there. Uh. We can date whoever we want to…” Johnny took a moment to think of anything else.

“If either party wants it to end, it ends there. No strings?” You added, no longer looking into his eyes but at his chest. Something in your heart told you it wouldn't be that easy. 

Johnny nodded. He didn't like that part of this, and he'd like it to be more, if you'd ever go for that. He had to hope that maybe you'd come around to a date with him. “Right, yeah. Just two friends helping each other out,” he said, tone a little strained as you moved your hands to his chest. 

“Okay. Is that everything?” You asked, looking up at him as you slowly lowered yourself to your knees in front of him. 

“I-I, uh, no-what're you doing?” He stuttered out, grabbing onto your hands as they lingered on his belt. 

“Someone said I had pretty lips tonight, all I could think about after was using them on you,” you whispered, blinking up at him, waiting for him to give you permission to move. 

“Really?” He asked, swallowing down a groan when he let go of your hands, and you immediately went to work undoing his belt and unbuttoning his pants. 

“Mostly, it was a secondary thought, but I wanted to do it regardless,” you responded, pulling the zipper down slowly, feeling how he was already hard. A small part of you was smug about that. 

He laughed breathlessly. “You know that's really hot.”

“I knew you'd enjoy hearing it.” You said as your fingers danced along his waistband. He didn't know what to do with his hands, so he helped you slowly pull his pants and briefs down until his dick sprang free and bobbed in front of your face. You couldn't help the little bit of saliva that pooled in your mouth, seeing him. “Can I?” You asked quietly, fingers hovering, ready to grab him. 

“God, please, I'll die if you don't,” he responded, placing a hand on the side of your head, his fingers brushing through your hair. 

“A bit dramatic,” you said before giving his length a few experimental strokes, twisting your wrist slightly to move up and down more easily. Johnny groaned lowly, fingers moving to the hand you had rested on his hip for support. 

“You’re too good at that,” he gasped, watching you intently as you parted your lips and flicked your tongue against his ruddy tip. “Fuck-”

You smirked to yourself as you swirled your tongue around his tip before slowly taking it into your mouth. He was hot, so much hotter than any others you've had, and he sat heavy on your tongue. You hummed at the subtle salty taste of precum, mouth watering more as you slowly bobbed your head, spreading your spit along his length, the deeper you got. He was a bit larger than what you were expecting to so you used your hand to supplement movement where your mouth couldn't reach without gagging. 

Johnny was a moaning mess as he watched you use those perfect lips to blow him. He was using all his restraint not to thrust into your mouth with how good it felt. Your mouth was hot and wet and felt so fucking amazing. He gripped your hair tightly when you took him deeper into your mouth, and he felt the vibration of a hum around his dick as you gripped his hip tighter. He moaned at the thought of tugging your hair in other positions and unintentionally bucked into your mouth from the intensity of the pleasure your hum caused. You stopped when you gagged slightly at the abruptness of his thrust.

“Fuck, you okay?” He asked quickly, not wanting to hurt you. You looked up at him, dick still in your mouth, eyes a little watery, and nodded at him before you started up a quicker pace. You were going to ruin blow jobs for him; no one else was going to be able to compete with this. 

Drool was dribbling down your chin, and completely covered his cock when you finally pulled away. Your lipstick was even more smeared, your lips were puffy, mascara was a little smudged from the few times your eyes watered when taking him a little too deeply. Johnny thought you still looked absolutely breathtaking. Especially because he was the one who caused you to look so wrecked. 

You leisurely stroked him as you looked up at him. “Do you want me to continue?” You asked playfully as you kissed the head of his dick. 

“No-i mean, yes, I would really love it if you did, because it felt great- but I'd really like to get the full experience,” Johnny responded, moving his hand that was in your hair to the side of your face. 

“Hmm, we should move to the bed then,” you said, standing quickly and leaving him half-naked standing there. He stared at your retreating form as you pulled the zipper down on your dress, exposing your bare back to him. You turned back to look at him, a smile creeping onto your face. “You gonna help me out of this, Jonathan?”

“Fuck, yeah, be right there,” he said quickly, kicking his pants and briefs off the rest of the way into a haphazard pile. He stripped off his jacket and shirt just as quickly, adding them to the pile as he stood behind you. 

He purposefully heated his fingers up before touching along your spine, causing a shiver to run up it. “Not fair,” you whispered, watching him from over your shoulder as he moved his fingers up to your shoulder blades that just barely held onto your dress, keeping it from tumbling to the floor in a pool of shimmery black. 

“This dress has been doing things to me all night,” He admitted, pushing the dress off your shoulders and watching it slip down your body, leaving you in just a pair of black lace panties. 

“Is that so?” You asked, melting into his touch as he snaked his arms around your body to pull you to him. He kissed along your shoulder until he got to your neck. 

“Oh yeah. Could have pushed you up against a table and fucked you in front of everyone,” He muttered next to your ear. You let out a small whimper at his words. They were definitely having an effect on you. 

“Who’s the voyeur now?” You commented lowly, leaning your head back against his chest as he moved one of his hands up to softly fondle your breast, paying extra attention to your peaked nipple. His other hand traveled down to rest just above the waistband of your underwear.

“I’d be willing to do it anywhere you wanted, baby,” He said between kisses to your jaw and neck. “Can I touch you? Wanna feel how wet you’ve gotten for me already.”

“Cocky,” You breathed, moving his hand with yours to push your underwear down your legs. “I’m yours tonight, touch me all you want.”

Johnny growled into your neck at the words that left your lips. All his. He was going to take advantage of that. He warmed his hands as he slid his fingers along the seam of your pussy. You were absolutely soaking wet. Dripping for him. He dragged his fingers through you, gathering your slick on his fingers before bringing his hand up to show you and let himself see. “All this cause of me?” 

“Yeah,” you gasped, watching with lidded eyes as he brought his fingers to his lips. He moaned at the taste of you, and your legs almost gave out at the sight of him sucking his fingers clean. 

“Gonna need some more of that,” He said, turning you towards him and backing you up towards his bed. The back of your legs hit the edge, and you immediately sat and spread your legs for him. He knelt before you, hooking your legs over his shoulders, face inches from your weeping cunt. He smirked up at you before sticking his tongue out and licking you from your opening to your clit. 

“Holy fuck-” you gasped, gripping the edge of the bed, hoping your soul didn’t leave your body from the pleasure of him licking through your folds. You were already feeling the creeping buzz of an approaching orgasm as his tongue flicked against your clit. 

Sucking his dick and him touching you made you way too horny, and him offering to eat you out was the cherry on top. You bucked up into his mouth when he sucked hard on your clit. A choked moan left your lips when he gripped your hips hard, trying to keep you still. 

“That payback for earlier?” He asked between licks, his eyes watching your face as you panted. 

“Sure,” You breathed, biting your lip as he slipped two of of fingers into your pussy. They slid in a little too easily, and you moaned, rolling your head back at the feeling of being filled by something. 

“So, tight, so, pretty,” He muttered, fucking into you with his fingers a little harder as he felt your pussy clench around them the closer you got to the edge. You were panting and moaning his name so lewdly, he was sure he could cum from just your sounds and the way you tasted. 

“Close!” You said sharply, moving your hand to grip his hair and push his face further into your pussy. He didn’t quite mind that as a groan escaped his lips, feeling encouraged to suck your clit harder and fuck into you faster with his fingers. 

Your thighs pushed against the side of his head when you came with a high-pitched moan of his name, shaking from the waves that crashed over you. He could feel your juices slide down his fingers as he continued to lick at your clit, ensuring you got the full pleasure of your orgasm. You felt high as you fell back onto the bed, whining at the slight overstimulation from his continued attention to your clit. He stopped shortly after you caressed his face, and he slowly slid his soaked fingers out. 

He stood between your spread legs, and you looked up at him with lidded eyes, looking blissed out post orgasm. He smirked, grabbing his throbbing cock with the hand covered in your slick and stroking himself with it. Your lips parted slightly, cheeks reddening, watching him. “You did so well with my fingers, think you can take my cock?” 

You nodded slowly, licking your lips as you moved up the bed slightly. You needed more of him; you wanted to feel him fill every part of you. 

“Words.” He stated, crawling onto the bed and settling himself between your legs. He slid the head of his dick through your soaked folds, waiting for you. 

“Please, Johnny,” You whispered, grinding your hips to get him to push his dick inside. 

“So desperate for me, hmm?” he commented, lining himself up. 

“Yes!” You gasped, letting out a long moan when he slowly pushed into you. He took his time, sliding in inch by inch. He leaned over your body, kissing along your jaw as he fully seated himself inside you. You were so fucking tight, and he couldn’t help the groan that escaped his lips as he made small thrusts to spread your juices along his dick. You were perfect in every way, and he felt like the luckiest man on the planet to be doing this with you.

He started out with slow, measured thrusts as he moved from kissing your neck to your cheek to finally getting to your mouth. You eagerly accepted his lips and wrapped your arms around his neck to pull him closer with a moan. He pushed his tongue past your lips as he picked up his pace fucking into you faster, harder. He wanted to taste every part of you. Leave his mark on you so you wouldn’t forget how he felt. How he tasted. 

You couldn’t get enough of him, as you moaned into his mouth at a particularly hard thrust. He moved one of his arms under your arched back to pull you closer to him, causing you to gasp at the new angle. “You like this, huh, baby? Getting so fucking tight for me again. Gonna end up milking me dry,” Johnny absently spouted, lost in every part of you and how you were making him feel. 

You moaned at his words as he moved to rest his head in the crook of your neck, unable to focus on anything but you. The way you smelled, felt, tasted. You overwhelmed every one of his senses. He moved his free hand between your bodies and quickly learned what pace to circle your clit at. He was, after all, an eager student, and he wanted to learn every part of you. 

“J-Johnny, ‘m close,” You mewled, bucking to meet his thrusts. 

“Me too. Where should I-” 

“Inside. On. Pill,” You mumbled, brows creased and mouth parted in focus. 

“Fuck-” Johnny growled into your neck, biting lightly at the skin on your shoulder as he felt every part of you tense up and your pussy tighten and pulse as you moaned his name. You crashed harder than you ever had in your life, wave upon wave of pure pleasure rolled over you as Johnny continued to fuck you through your orgasm. He gripped you tightly against him as you felt him grow hotter with every thrust. 

“Gonna-” He gasped, his thrusts growing sloppy as he pushed in one last time within you, so deeply you felt like you saw stars. A moan left your lips when you felt how deliciously hot his seed was as it coated your walls. He thrusted a few more times, spending everything he had for you, before he slowly pulled himself out and lay beside you, finding your hand and gripping it tightly. 

Panting filled the air as both of you caught your breath. You turned your head towards him, watching the rise and fall of his solid chest. It took a moment for his breathing to even out and for him to turn his head towards you. You stared at each other for a moment before you both tried talking at the same time. 

“That was-”

“You were-”

You both let out a laugh before you moved your hand to let him go first. He smiled so warmly it hurt your chest a bit. 

“You were amazing,” He said, and he moved his body so he was lying on his side. “Best sex I’ve probably ever had.”

You rolled your eyes and turned over to face him as well. “I’m sure there had been better.”

He moved his hand to run along your cheek and tuck some stray hairs behind your ear. “I thought about it, and no, this had been the best.” 

“You thought about it for two seconds,” You stated, moving closer to his warmth as the air cooled your body. 

“It was all I needed,” He responded, giving you a quick kiss on your lips. 

“Well, I’m not going to make your ego any bigger than it already is. My responses during should be enough to tell you how it felt for me,” You said, running your fingers along the arm he slung over your hip. 

He grinned widely. “Oh, I’m the best for you, too, huh? I mean, you absolutely soaked my fingers and dick-”

You pushed your finger against his lips to get him to stop talking. “Hush, or this becomes a one-time only thing.”  You threatened non-commitally with a laugh. 

He kissed your finger before you pulled it away. “Dick was too good for just a one-time experience.” You shook your head with a smile and bit your lip. 

“You’re pushing it.”

“Only out of pure affection for you.” 

Your heart tightened at his words and the gentle smile he gave in response. Like he meant it. Fuck, it was going to be harder not to fall for him than you thought.  

End of Part 1?

Author's Note: Please let me know what you all think and if I should do a part 2 for this!

[svdcvnt]

Everything I’ve Ever Let Go Of Has Claw Marks On It

[gloriesunsung]

To save someone else going through eleventy billion reverse image searches - the sculptor is David Altmejd.

Thought 2, 2019

[hayatheauthor]

100 Dialogue Tags You Can Use Instead of “Said”

For the writers struggling to rid themselves of the classic ‘said’. Some are repeated in different categories since they fit multiple ones (but those are counted once so it adds up to 100 new words). 

1. Neutral Tags 

Straightforward and unobtrusive dialogue tags: 

Added, Replied, Stated, Remarked, Responded, Observed, Acknowledged, Commented, Noted, Voiced, Expressed, Shared, Answered, Mentioned, Declared.

2. Questioning Tags 

Curious, interrogative dialogue tags:

Asked, Queried, Wondered, Probed, Inquired, Requested, Pondered, Demanded, Challenged, Interjected, Investigated, Countered, Snapped, Pleaded, Insisted.

3. Emotive Tags 

Emotional dialogue tags:

Exclaimed, Shouted, Sobbed, Whispered, Cried, Hissed, Gasped, Laughed, Screamed, Stammered, Wailed, Murmured, Snarled, Choked, Barked.

4. Descriptive Tags 

Insightful, tonal dialogue tags: 

Muttered, Mumbled, Yelled, Uttered, Roared, Bellowed, Drawled, Spoke, Shrieked, Boomed, Snapped, Groaned, Rasped, Purred, Croaked.

5. Action-Oriented Tags 

Movement-based dialogue tags: 

Announced, Admitted, Interrupted, Joked, Suggested, Offered, Explained, Repeated, Advised, Warned, Agreed, Confirmed, Ordered, Reassured, Stated.

6. Conflict Tags 

Argumentative, defiant dialogue tags:

Argued, Snapped, Retorted, Rebuked, Disputed, Objected, Contested, Barked, Protested, Countered, Growled, Scoffed, Sneered, Challenged, Huffed.

7. Agreement Tags 

Understanding, compliant dialogue tags: 

Agreed, Assented, Nodded, Confirmed, Replied, Conceded, Acknowledged, Accepted, Affirmed, Yielded, Supported, Echoed, Consented, Promised, Concurred.

8. Disagreement Tags 

Resistant, defiant dialogue tags: 

Denied, Disagreed, Refused, Argued, Contradicted, Insisted, Protested, Objected, Rejected, Declined, Countered, Challenged, Snubbed, Dismissed, Rebuked.

9. Confused Tags 

Hesitant, uncertain dialogue tags:

Stammered, Hesitated, Fumbled, Babbled, Mumbled, Faltered, Stumbled, Wondered, Pondered, Stuttered, Blurted, Doubted, Confessed, Vacillated.

10. Surprise Tags

Shock-inducing dialogue tags:

Gasped, Stunned, Exclaimed, Blurted, Wondered, Staggered, Marvelled, Breathed, Recoiled, Jumped, Yelped, Shrieked, Stammered.

Note: everyone is entitled to their own opinion. No I am NOT telling people to abandon said and use these. Yes I understand that said is often good enough, but sometimes you WANT to draw attention to how the character is speaking. If you think adding an action/movement to your dialogue is 'good enough' hate to break it to you but that ruins immersion much more than a casual 'mumbled'. And for the last time: this is just a resource list, CALM DOWN. Hope that covers all the annoyingly redundant replies :)

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!

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[theprofessional-amateur]

Well played Merriam-Webster.

“There is artificial intelligence, and there is actual intelligence” 🎤🫳

[theprofessional-amateur]

[javarisx-fightingthosedemons]

[solarsthoughts]

fanfic writer starter pack

unhinged google searches that cause your fbi agent to have a meltdown

a folder on your laptop with too many wips to count that you swear you will work on soon

75% of the writing sessions consist of daydreaming about your blorbos while not writing a single word down

only finding typos after posting the chapter… but there never are any mistakes when you proofread it

suddenly forgetting how normal human beings speak… why does the dialogue always sound like a rat and an octopus trying to communicate?

(totally healthy) obsession with THE character

2 mortal enemies: the ao3 summary box and tags

sleep deprivation is maxed out

daily nighttime meditation that involves staring at the ceiling while thinking of new ways to forever haunt THE character

saying something like “i’m just going to write a silly little one shot” and then proceeding to drop the most soul-wrecking, heart-wrenching, so-beautiful-and-painful-it-should-get-published fanfic of all time

[kassy-djomunson]

how can you say no to that face? whatever you want, beautiful

[catchymemes]

[ninablossom1]

Yours Always

Pairing: Johnny Storm x Chlorokinesis!Reader

Summary: You had deluded yourself into thinking that you could push down everything you felt for Johnny into a dark pit and never think of it again. The feelings you buried just grew and sprouted in new ways, though, returning like weeds. No matter how many you pulled and ripped out of the ground, they came back.

Word Count: 11.9 K

Rating: Explicit

Tags/Warnings: 18+ MDNI, Mentions of Anxiety/Mental Health, fem!reader, Chlorokinesis!reader, Grimm!reader, slow burn, smut, angst, fluff, Fantastic Four: First Steps, violence, friends to lovers, no use of y/n, making out, pet names, dirty talking, p in v sex, cream pie, reader can manipulate plants

MASTERLIST

If you prefer to read on AO3, here is the LINK

There is a method of growing rhubarb called forcing. It's grown in total darkness, only given the briefest intervals of candlelight to grow with. The rhubarb is so desperate for the light that it thrives off the bare minimum it receives, yearning for a sun it does not get. It extends so fast that its growing pains are audible- cracking, popping, creaking.

The study you did for your master's thesis on rhubarb forcing showed that causing the plant to go through such turmoil can produce something sweeter, more desirable. However, repeating the process over and over on the same plant weakened it. Made it susceptible to illness.

You felt for the rhubarb. Understood its need to seek that little comfort of light to the point that it hurt. Your life wasn't easy. Getting to where you were now wasn't easy. You felt like the rhubarb you studied. Forcing yourself to be better, sweeter, more desirable, and easier to swallow. Cracking yourself to grow to the expectations you set for yourself, to prove you were better than your upbringing. That you weren't just your brother's younger sister. That you had a place in the scientific community. 

That's how you found yourself banging your fist against Reed Richard's apartment door. You’d knocked three times already. Your feet seemed to move on their own as you paced in front of the door, a pit in your stomach. You wanted to puke. 

You knew Reed wasn’t asleep, especially considering his tight deadline to get the Excelsior into space before the funding ran out. The door creaked open, and you stopped your pacing to see a blurry-eyed Susan Storm. She said your name, voice still heavy with sleep. “It’s three in the morning. What are you doing here?” She asked, leaning against the door frame and pulling her robe tighter across her body. 

“Reed. Is he here?” You asked, not bothering with pleasantries. She sighed and shook her head. 

“He just left,” She responded, tilting her head slightly to get a good look at you. “Are you okay?” Your eyes were bloodshot and had dark purple bags underneath them.

You sighed, running a hand through your hair, making it messier than it already was. “I’m fine. I just really needed to talk to him about the mission.” 

“Have you slept?” Sue asked, her tone etched with concern. You hesitated before responding to her, crossing your arms over your chest, distancing yourself, defensive. A wall to block yourself off from her.  

“I-No, not in the last few days,” You stated quietly, biting your lip. You’d been too focused on making your experiment work, to get Reed to notice your efforts and make him see that you needed to be on this mission. You had to prove it to him, and you finally had it. All it took was the sacrifice of no sleep and barely eating. 

She said your name softly, seeing the stress on your face, how much you needed to prove your worth to others, even if it was unnecessary. They already saw you and knew what you were capable of. It was something she saw often in Johnny. “You need to get some sleep. Come inside and lie down on the couch for a few hours.” She urged, moving the door open more.

“I can’t, Sue. I really have to talk to Reed. I promise I’ll sleep when I show him what I created,” You said, looking at your wrist watch and frowning. Shit, you needed to go. “Sorry for waking you up. I’ll see you later.”

Sue didn’t even get a chance to respond to your retreating form as you took off down the hallway. Her mouth had been open to encourage you to take care of yourself; she closed it slowly with a frown. She was more than a little worried about you. She went back inside and called Ben. 

You took the stairs two at a time to get up to Reed’s lab on the fourth floor. The copious amounts of caffeine, mixed with your anxiety over this experiment, were catching up to you. Your stomach turned, and your head spun at the metaphorical mountain you were going to need to climb to convince Reed of your importance. You burst into his lab, and a few of the techs working gave you dirty looks at your sudden intrusion. A wince crossed your features, and you gave a small wave as an apology before quietly walking over to Reed, who hadn’t even looked up from typing at his monitor.

“Reed,” You stated, placing your research, organized in a manila folder, next to him. Your hands were a little shaky as you pulled them back. “I finalized my project, and I think it would be very beneficial to the mission. I organized the documentation the way you like it.”

He hummed in acknowledgement and picked the folder up before flipping through it. You continued explaining, “I was able to solve the anti-gravity water bubbling issue to get plants to grow in space. If you look at Figure 5, I created a greenhouse that allows for proper filtration of water through the soil without it bubbling like water does in anti-gravity. The system will allow the plants to grow in a stabilized environment. It’s also dimensionally small enough to fit in the allotted space you allocated for an additional experiment. I really think it’s important to understand how the radiation in space will affect plant life, and this will allow us a controlled variable to take accurate measurements.” 

Reed flipped through all of your findings and nodded along at your brief explanation. “This is really good work.” He tapped a Polaroid photo you had attached to the very last page of your finished project report before looking up at you. You had taken the photo that morning, and it showed budding plant life in the container you had created. “You’re really determined to do this, aren’t you?”

You swallowed hard and nodded. “I want to be part of this, Reed. It’s a chance to do research that normal botanists aren’t able to do here on Earth.” 

He took a deep inhale and flipped through your document again before nodding. “Alright. I agree with your rationale for this. Radiation is an unknown up there, and being able to start on long-term food sources for longer missions would be optimal.” He pulled a sheet out from a stack and made some notes on it before signing and dating the bottom of the page. “I’ll approve this and you going on the mission, pending you do some additional gravity testing on the container before the end of the week.”

“Really?” You blurted in disbelief at his words. “I-I mean, yes, of course. I’ll get an additional report completed for you based on your notes. Thank you, Reed. You won’t regret it.”

He handed you the sheet with his notes and approval. “Make sure to attach this to the final report so that when the techs do the final checks for the onboard equipment, this is on their list. I will also need you to come in tomorrow at 0900 for a suit fitting.”

“I will be there, don’t you worry,” You stated, a giddy excitement overtaking your prior anxiety. You felt like you were going to vibrate out of your skin.

“See you then, Grimm,” He said, and you took that as your cue to leave. You slowly walked out of the lab and into the hallway, letting the door fully close before throwing your fists excitedly in the air. 

“I did it!” You whisper-yelled to yourself, stopping your movements when you heard footsteps echo from down the hall. You composed yourself and took a deep breath, the weight of the last three days fully sinking into your bones. You leaned against the wall, steadying yourself as a wave of dizziness washed over you.

Sleep was a must at that point; more caffeine was not going to help you, and you’d probably end up too shaky to work. You decided that going back to your apartment to take a power nap would be the most beneficial course of action before you got to work on the adjustments Reed asked you to make. 

“Hey, kid,” you heard from the direction of the footsteps. You looked up to see Ben, impeccably dressed in slacks and a crisp white button-up, a tie that matched the black of his pants sat perfectly straight against his throat. His jacket hung on his arm as if he'd just taken it off.

“Benjy. What are you doing here?” You asked, approaching where he stood at the end of the hall. 

“I came to speak with Reed.” He stated, eyes flicking over your face with a frown. “How's your project coming along? I know you were excited about it.”

“It's great actually,” you handed Ben the paper in your hand, voice tilting up in excitement. “Reed approved it. I just have to make a few adjustments, but I get to go on the mission!”

“I- that's amazing-” he said your name pulling you in for a hug. You returned it in full, grateful for the human contact, especially the comfort of your brother. God, you were really tired. He pulled back a bit, but still held the sides of your arms. “Well, we have to celebrate. How about I take you out for breakfast, then take you home to get some rest?”

“Didn't you need to talk to Reed?” You asked, tilting your head at him. He hesitated a moment.

“Nah. You're more important,” he responded, a small smile on his face. He maneuvered your body to stand beside him before nudging you to start moving.”You still like Marie's downtown, right?”

The very familiar taste of iron filled your mouth as you chewed on the skin inside your mouth. You were standing perfectly still behind a curtain in just your underwear and bra as the woman in front of you made notes in a booklet as she wrapped a measuring tape around your body. Usually, you wouldn't be so nervous; you'd been measured for outfits before, but on the other side of the curtain was Johnny Storm. The absolute bane of your existence, as he somehow managed to haunt the edges of your thoughts whenever it got too quiet in your head. 

You liked Johnny. At this point, you had to admit to yourself that it may be more than just liking him. From the start, you'd fallen into his irresistible orbit. You were friends, but it felt more like it was due to the close proximity of your families. You knew whatever feelings you had for him were all one-sided. Unrequited. Johnny had no interest in you. Just last week, he told you he found his “soulmate” while at a party. She had lasted all of a few days, apparently. When you asked him about it before walking behind the curtain, he said she “wasn't meant to be,” claiming she was only interested in his looks, not him.

“Okay, Ms. Grimm, that's all I need from you,” the older woman stated, holding out your clothes for you to change back into. 

“Oh, okay. Thank you,” you said quickly, taking the clothing and quickly pulling your long-sleeve shirt and pants on. You tucked the shirt into your pants and made sure your belt was secured before you slipped into your kitten-heeled shoes. They made a soft clicking noise as you moved around.

When you walked out from behind the curtain, you saw Johnny talking animatedly with a younger seamstress who seemed not to really be following what he was saying, but was just nodding along as he chattered about the upcoming mission; her eyes were practically fucking him where he stood. You wondered if he noticed her gaze. 

When he caught your exit from behind the curtain, he quickly looked towards you, a smile on his face. He politely excused himself from his conversation before making his way over to you. “New love interest?” You asked quietly, eyes flicking to the woman. 

“I might have gotten a date set up for tomorrow night. Why? You jealous?” He asked with a smirk. He tilted his head at the door before making his way towards it. You followed.

“As if.” You scoffed, folding your arms over your chest. Something mean almost tumbled from your mouth. A comment about his never-ending string of women, no one he kept for long. It was something that came from a bitterness in you. Deep and painful. “I would date, Johnny. But I'm too busy.”

“Speaking of you being busy. Heard Reed finally got off his stupid high-horse and saw how beneficial your plant thing is,” he said, walking towards the direction of your lab.

You nodded, finding a little humor in Johnny’s brotherly dislike for Reed. “I, um, actually need your help testing some of the functions for zero gravity. Only if you're interested.”

“I'd love to,”  he responded a little too quickly, voice tinged with excitement. “I'll always jump at the opportunity to mess around in the zero-g machine.”

“I'm glad you're so eager to help me.” You eyed him as you got to the entrance of the stairs. You typed in your code on the keypad, and the door unlocked with a metallic click. Johnny opened it for both of you, letting you enter first. 

“Maybe I just really like helping you stick it to the man. That man being Reed,” he shrugged, letting the door close and following your path up the stairs. He lingered just slightly behind you, subtly watching your movements. 

“And here I thought you were just being nice,” you teased, eyebrows narrowing in confusion when you looked over your shoulder to see Johnny’s eyes lingering on your ass. No way he was checking you out. You shook your head and continued up to where your lab was located. You unlocked the door once you reached the top floor and held it open for Johnny to enter. 

“Shit, I always forget how cool it looks in here,” he commented, looking around at what was essentially an indoor greenhouse. Plants were absolutely everywhere. Hung from the ceiling. In pots on the ground. One of the walls had floor-to-ceiling shelves full of specimens in jars, pots, and trays. You name it, it was there.

A large window was on the far side of the room that let in the California sun, warming the room. A counter that ran underneath the windows acted as your desk. It was littered with lab equipment, tools, and scattered documents that were organized in your head. In the center of all the mess on a table was your project. 

It was small, roughly the size of a medium fish tank, the rectangular ones. The left side of it was full of electrical components and wires, blocked off from the right by sealed glass panes. The right had a bottom layer of soil with tubes that pumped up water into it, held down by a mesh. Small budding plants could be seen thriving on the artificial light that mimicked the sun. On the front of the glass were two circles with sealed gloves that would allow access to the inside of the tank. 

“Sorry for the mess. I haven't had a chance to clean up,” you stated, hovering in front of your project and watching Johnny meander around the room.

“It's very… you,” he said absently, using his fingers to delicately touch a pale, fuzzy leaf.

“That's Stachys byzantina. Known as Lamb's Ear due to the shape and texture,” you rattled off, leaning back against the table, watching him.

“It feels like that,” he responded, looking over at you. He stopped what he was doing and blinked a few times before clearing his throat and walking over to you. “So, you need my help?”

“I do.” You said quietly, eyes moving away from him and looking at the container you'd spent so much time on. “I need to take some readings to make sure that it works properly. I'd do it myself, but I have to run the tests without gravity, meaning I can't monitor the results on the screen outside the chamber.”

“Well, good thing I'm here to save the day,” Johnny grinned, leaning closer to you. You swallowed hard at his proximity, and your face heated.

“I appreciate you being my knight in shining armor,” you quipped, placing a hand on the top of the container. “Do you mind grabbing this and following me to the chamber? It's a little heavy, so be careful.”

“That won't be a problem for me,” He said smoothly, lifting the container as if it barely weighed anything.

“Show off,” you whispered, rolling your eyes as you held your lab door open for him. 

“Okay. Is the water reacting?” You asked through the speaker system, eagerly watching Johnny on the other side of the thick glass as he “floated” with your container.

“Amazing,” Johnny whispered, staring at the inside of the glass. “It's remaining in its normal state.”

You let out a relieved sigh. “Perfect.” 

He looked towards where you were standing, writing quick notes in a booklet you always had on you. You typed a few things into a keyboard, lip caught in between your teeth as your eyes flicked over the screen. Johnny swallowed thickly, eyes following every move you made. He wished you would notice him more, look at him the same way you looked at your plants, your projects. He'd said and done everything to get your attention. Gone on pointless dates, said stupid shit to see if you'd react. Your face had barely moved when he made the soulmate comment last week. You treated him like nothing more than a friend. He just wanted you to see him, wanted to be yours. 

He called your name, and you looked up at him, face inquisitive. “How'd you get it to work?”

“Oh, it's centrifugal force. I was able to create a combination pump and storage that prevents the water from bubbling until it evaporates off the plant and soil. It will then float, get sucked up through the filter at the top, and get recycled back into the storage tank via the pump. The storage tank itself utilizes the constant rotation to keep it under gravitational pressure once it gets sucked inside.” You explained, putting your notebook down.

“That sounds like a very complicated way of saying you created a water recycling unit for a terrarium,” Johnny responded with a laugh, moving to strap your container down to a table in the middle of the room before he turned the simulation off with a red button on the side of the tube. He was lowered gently as “gravity” was reintroduced. 

You shook your head. “Sure, if that’s what you want to simplify it to.”

You truly wouldn’t know if your system would fully work until you were in space. But you had done every test you could think of to make sure it worked. You opened the door for Johnny, and he stepped out, stretching his body. You maneuvered around him and went inside the chamber, and retrieved your project. Johnny stepped back in after you and took it from your arms gently, seeing you struggle with the weight. “I had it,” You muttered, narrowing your eyes at him. 

“Sure you did,” He retorted, exiting the chamber again and following you back to your lab. When he placed it back on the table, you busied yourself at a computer on the counter near the window. He hesitated a moment, watching you. He just needed to ask. “Did you want to get lunch?”

You completely stopped moving and turned slowly towards him, a look of bewilderment crossing your face before you looked at your watch. “Probably not lunch. I could make a late dinner work.” You responded carefully. He had never asked to really hang out in any kind of capacity aside from family events. He perked up at your response. 

“Great,” He said as casually as he could. “I can pick you up from your place at seven if that’s okay?”

“Sure,” you nodded, still feeling cautious, not wanting to get your hopes up. 

“Okay. Did you need help with anything else?” He asked, looking around the room for any way he could make himself useful. He wanted to stay nearby you just a little longer. 

“Um,” you hesitated for a moment, feeling suspicious at his offer, but brushing it off. He's just being nice. “There is a watering guide on the wall if you don’t mind watering the ones that need it.” 

“You got it,” He responded quickly, doing exactly what you said. 

You stared at your keyboard for a moment before getting back to writing your report, enjoying the noise of someone else there with you. Especially because it was him.

It was finally the day you’d been waiting weeks for. You were so nervous that you’d already thrown up twice before even leaving your apartment. You’d been standing next to Sue for the last few minutes, anxiously tapping your foot while waiting for the techs to help you into your flight suits. You had a white life support layer on, cables running all along it. “You doing okay?” Sue asked, eyes watching your foot. You abruptly stopped moving. 

“I’m nervous,” You responded, letting out a large sigh. “It’s in the way that you’re excited, but aren’t sure what to expect, so you're anxious about it.”

“I understand,” Sue stated with a nod. “I think we’re all feeling a little bit of that. There is a lot riding on today.”

“I know,” You said, standing straighter when a woman came up to the two of you with your suits. She helped you both into them and checked to make sure they were secure before moving on. 

“Are you ready to face the cameras?” She asked with a smile, grabbing your hand and squeezing. It was comforting, something your brothers would do to reassure you when you were a kid. 

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” you laughed, a small smile gracing your face. Sue had explained to you earlier that they were filming some documentary footage for the preflight, meaning you needed to be in the mental headspace to be filmed. 

You both exited the large closet that had been transformed into the team changing room. The boys were already outfitted. Ben and Reed were in front of a camera crew answering some questions, and Johnny was checking on the life support systems on a table. Sue branched off from you and stood next to Reed. You joined Johnny, hoping to avoid the camera for as long as physically possible. 

“Need any help?” You asked quietly, watching out of your periphery as a man with a camera turned towards the two of you. You internally groaned and tried to keep your face neutral.

“Could you be the second on the checklist?” He asked, handing you the clipboard he had on the desk with a dazzling smile. 

“Of course,” You responded, flushing a little. You went through and double-checked the readings, finding them all normal. A small breath left your lips when the cameraman seemed to get bored with your tedious task. Johnny elbowed you in the side when he noticed your posture relax. 

“You’re a little too rigid for the cameras,” He laughed, leaning against the table as you finished up your portion of the checks. 

“When have I ever not been? Should I channel my inner Johnny Storm and woo the camera?” You asked, a smirk playing on your lips. You’d been a little more casual with Johnny since going to dinner with him a few weeks ago. He’d been lingering in your lab more, claiming he was already in the building and decided to visit your secluded lab before he left. You enjoyed his presence, and you felt less awkward around him.

“I would love to see that,” He retorted, crossing his arms over his chest with a grin. 

“I doubt I would do you any kind of justice,” You shrugged, handing the clipboard over to him. “Mr. Storm, Ms. Grimm,” A reporter called, causing you both to turn towards the camera. 

“Show-time,” Johnny whispered near your ear, his voice laced with humor. 

“What can we do for you?” You asked sweetly, actively trying not to fold your arms in front of your chest. 

“Do you have a moment to answer a few questions?” 

You looked to Johnny with a smile. “I think I have some time. What about you, Johnny?”

“Oh, I definitely have time for questions,” Johnny responded, wrapping his arm around your shoulder to pull you into a side hug. You blushed at the physical contact. “Ask away.”

You did your absolute best to play up your nice, sweet girl side and answered all their questions with at least a little excitement. Johnny expertly avoided answering any relationship-related questions after his sister had offhandedly mentioned earlier that he was very single to “all the ladies” out there. 

“So, Ms. Grimm, anyone special out there?” 

“I-Well, no. Not right now. But there is someone special out there for everyone. I’m sure I’ll find someone who perfectly matches me,” You state with a smile and a wink to the camera. 

“Perfect. I think that’s all the footage we need for that,” The reporter said to the cameraman before turning to the two of you. “Thank you for your time.”

“Thank you,” Both you and Johnny said at the same time. The reporter laughed a little and walked away. 

“I don’t think that could have gone any better,” You said quietly, running a hand through your hair. 

“I agree. You did really well channeling your inner me,” He laughed, lightly touching your arm. 

“It helps when the inspiration is there with me,” You responded, looking over towards your brother, who was ushering you over to him. “Looks like I have to go put on the charm again and save Ben in the process.”

“Good luck,” Johnny said, hesitating for just a moment before dropping his hand away from you. It took a moment to pull yourself away from him and turn towards your brother. He was also in front of a camera, and he pulled you close to him as you approached. 

“Ah, the Grimmlings,” The reporter said excitedly. You blinked and slowly turned to face your brother, who was trying very hard not to cringe. 

“Do you also call Johnny and Sue the Stormlings?” You asked smoothly, a smile on your face. 

“Oh, that’s a good one, write that down,” The reporter said to his assistant. 

Ben and you shared a mischievous look, silently agreeing to mess with the reporter as much as you could. 

The adrenaline high was starting to wear off. You sat shaking like a leaf in the rescue boat, eyes fixated on your hands. Your skin was tinged green, not fully changed, not like Ben… but not exactly fully human anymore. Your eyes flicked to Johnny, who was sitting across from you on the floor of the boat. You felt your features soften as your eyes lingered on him.  

He looked far worse than you. His suit was charred, and he was dripping wet. His panicked scream still rang in your ears when he lit up in his seat. There was nothing anyone could do but watch in horror as Ben crash-landed the ship back to Earth. Into the ocean.

As soon as Ben punched the hull door off, Johnny was out of the ship and in the water, his panic subsiding as he realized he was okay and not actually burning. 

You were all changed; there was no going back.

“Are you doing okay?” You asked, watching as he slowly looked up to meet your eyes, they were intense, filled with so many emotions.

He laughed humorlessly, running a hand through his wet hair, disheveling it further. “No-I… I actually don't know. This is all so crazy. I feel like I'm waiting to wake up from a nightmare.” 

You nodded and turned away from his gaze to look out the back of the boat. You could see the horizon for miles. The ocean was eerily still, other than the small wakes caused by the ships. 

So far, Johnny and you had the most volatile… abilities? Powers? Whatever they were. You had managed to subconsciously manipulate the plants you brought aboard. The lab inside the ship looked like a jungle had taken over. Thick vines had burst through the seal-lock door and had crept through and wrapped around everything they could, including everyone on board. They only let go when you knew your family was safe. By the time you hit the water, the whole ship was practically overrun with flora.

Johnny and you were alone on the small rescue boat being tugged along by a larger one. Reed justified the separation as a precaution until testing could be done to figure out what happened to all of you. Really, it was a nice way of saying Johnny, and you were an unpredictable unknown. Dangerous. 

“You might need to start channeling your inner Kermit the frog over me now,” Johnny commented, trying so very hard to find humor in the shit situation you were in.

You couldn't help it, you laughed until tears prickled your eyes. “Maybe I should pitch myself singing the ‘it's not easy being green’ song.”

“At least it's only a little green. It could be worse. You could have gone full little green woman. I'd have to call you an alien, and unfortunately, take you to Area 51,” he said, a smile flickering on his face.

You snorted, and he chuckled. “I'd rather be an alien than deal with all the ladies who are going to be fawning all over Mr. Literal Hot Stuff. You're gonna be burning some hearts up. I'm sure there will be some good fire-related puns in the media.” 

“Oh, I'm hoping there is. I've got some ideas cooking in the ol’ hot head. Get it, cause, fire, hot,” he laughed, tapping the side of his head. You shook your head with a smile before you felt your body grow distant again, processing, smile slipping. Humor was a good coping mechanism until it stopped working. 

You leaned your head back against the side panel of the boat. “We're so fucked aren't we?”

“Oh yeah, we are. And not in the fun way,” he responded, a dull humor replacing your banter from earlier. He watched you carefully as you stood and sat down next to him. He radiated an intoxicating heat that made your skin want to be closer. 

You held out your hand to him. “I say whatever happens, we have each other's backs.” 

He grasped your hand in his and squeezed tightly. “Deal.”

You had deluded yourself into thinking that you could push down everything you felt for Johnny into a dark pit and never think of it again. The feelings you buried just grew and sprouted in new ways, though, returning like weeds. No matter how many you pulled and ripped out of the ground, they came back. 

A subtle touch. A shared glance. The way he made you laugh, sometimes at his own expense. Remembering your favorite things. Leaving random trinkets in your room, he thought you'd like. So many things made you fall for him over and over. And every time you never had a parachute to save you from him. 

It hurt to feel his warmth, his touch, and not be able to say that it was only reserved for you. It crushed you to see him go out on dates, get photographed with women he took out. But he never looked at them the way he looked at you. That was the most confusing part about him. He treated you better than he treated the women he dated… but why? Why do that? Every time you lingered on the thoughts, you just grew frustrated, not understanding them.

You and Johnny had grown closer over the last few months, helping each other through the fallout of a traumatic event. You had developed your powers alongside each other, encouraging the other to be better, to strive for greatness. You were rarely seen without the other when it came to dealing with the bad guys. Partners in crime-fighting. Having him close constantly explained why your feelings for him refused to abandon you.

He currently had you dangling in his grip, his strong hands secured under your armpits to hold you steady as he flew you quickly to the middle of Manhattan, where Wizard was causing havoc. Wizard (not “The Wizard”, he had gone on a tirade about it once) had a weird obsession with Johnny due to how much attention he was getting. He’d already tried to frame him for a few crimes, but it was quickly proven that Johnny was not the culprit. 

Johnny and you had a classification system for criminals you encountered together. Wizard had been labeled “annoying,” as he wasn’t super threatening, so far, to the public. He really wanted media attention and to show the world just how smart he was. With that in mind, he was quickly rising on your list as he became more dangerous the more he upgraded his equipment. 

“You ready?” Johnny asked, prepping to drop you down so you could use your powers to catch yourself. 

“Ready,” You responded, pulling from deep within yourself to make the trees nearby stretch their limbs up to catch you as soon as Johnny let go. It was a soft landing, and you swung down to land gracefully on the ground, Johnny swooping in next to you. 

“Well, if it isn’t the Human Torch and Emerald Bloom,” Wizard stated, pushing the woman he was holding hostage away since he had the two of you in front of him, his real targets. The woman cried out before running off into a nearby building.

“Wizard, if we could make this quick, I have a date in an hour and I’d really like to not miss it,” Johnny stated dismissively, yawning exaggeratedly. Your stomach dropped and you frowned, he didn't tell you about this date. Focus, push it down, it doesn't matter right now.

Wizard clenched his fists, his face turning red with rage. “How dare you belittle me!” he howled, rushing towards you and Johnny with his hands extended, a bright glow radiating from them. 

You had anticipated a quick reaction to Johnny’s taunting and created a thick wall of flora from the plant-life around you. A blast hit the wall, absorbing the shock wave as you held your hands against it, trying to reduce surrounding damage by constantly reinforcing the broken parts.

Johnny was already in the air in a practiced motion, getting behind the Wizard in his distracted state. Wizard let out a frustrated yell as he punched the plants again, utilizing his fist to punch a hole straight through. You winced, sensing the “pain” of the plant before the wall crumpled to the ground, slowly absorbing back into the earth through cracks in the concrete.

“Now, look here, Wizard. I’m sure we can talk out whatever issues we have,” You said, holding your hands up to him as you took a step back, playing the part you and Johnny had acted out so many times. 

“No. There will be no more talking this out!” Wizard stated, focusing on you as you took a defensive stance, vines rising and wrapping themselves around your arms and waist to give you the ability to maneuver more quickly. You danced skillfully around his punches, using the vines to swing away or push his fists away from making contact, waiting for Johnny to set up the second act. He managed to clip your side, and you staggered a bit with a hiss of pain before quickly using your vines to pull yourself away from him. Your eyes flicked up to Johnny, and you gave a slight nod before retreating further away from Wizard.

“Hey, Wizard, catch!” Johnny yelled, hurling a ball of flaming plasma at the man from the air. The Wizard didn’t even get a moment to react as it knocked him to the ground, allowing you to wrap your vines around him. He was hog-tied, unable to move as you removed his gloves from his hands. 

“I thought you were smarter than this,” You said, crouching down next to him, trying not to show that he had actually hurt you. “Rage sure does blind people.”

“Shut up, bitch” He snarled out, struggling against the ties. 

“Whoa, cool it with bad words, Wizard,” You responded with a smile, before lowering your voice. “That would be Emerald Bitch if you had to say it.”

His face grew redder, and he refused to say anything else, claiming his right to remain silent. You were fine with that. “The authorities should be here in a moment,” Johnny said, looking at his watch before helping you up to your feet. “You good?” He noticed the small wince of pain at the movement, and you brushed it off with a quick nod. 

“Great work with the fireball,” You praised, cocking your hip and observing the damage. It was very minimal; there would just need to be some minor road repairs. Civilians knew to evacuate the areas when any kind of danger became known; a few were peaking out of the windows of their buildings to see if the coast was clear. 

“Your quick thinking with the plant shield was way more helpful,” He responded, a smile playing on his lips as his eyes flickered over your face, as if you were the most interesting thing he could be looking at in that moment. You swallowed hard at the attention, a flush creeping up your cheeks. Both of you redirected your attention towards the red and blue lights flashing into the intersection. “Looks like our cavalry is here. Should we help them put him in one of the vehicles?”

“Probably a good idea, we do have that cosmic strength,” You laughed, attaching the gloves you took off the Wizard to your utility belt using some vines. 

You spoke with the officers, explaining what happened and ensuring that Wizard was secured in the back of one of the vehicles before Johnny lifted you off your feet and flew both of you back to the Baxter Building. He was holding you like a princess this time. It was easier and faster than having the wind resistance of your body dangling in the air; it also hurt less, especially with the blooming bruise you were sure to have on your side. You chided yourself at how nice it felt being in his arms, how warm he felt. 

He landed quickly on the patio of the building, flames dissipating. You watched as his eyes flicked over your face again, mouth parted slightly as if he wanted to say something, before deciding against it and hesitantly putting you down. You cleared your throat awkwardly, brushing some non-existent dirt from your dark green uniform. It looked like Sue’s suit, minus the logo on the chest; you didn’t really want any identifying markings on yours. 

“We should go debrief the family before your date,” You said, eyes moving towards the doors leading into the living room before going back to Johnny’s face. It took him a moment to register your words. 

“Yeah, right, of course,” He responded, cheeks flushing uncharacteristically in embarrassment. 

“The winter is brutal, Reed. I feel like I'm dying.” You said, standing under a range of ultraviolet lights with your arms crossed over your chest, shivering. Your skin had taken on a dull pallor, accentuating the deepening dark circles under your eyes. Your hair was lifeless and brittle. You looked like you were sick, like you were wilting away.

He sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair while reading through scans he had taken of your physiology. With your plant-like abilities, you'd both come to the conclusion months ago that your body reacted in similar ways to that of, well, an average plant. You thrived during the spring and summer. Autumn made you a little tired, but you still functioned. Winter had been the most challenging so far. You really weren't sure what to expect, but it definitely wasn't this. 

“We are going to need to increase the amount of sun you are getting. The roof treatments were working for a while. But the snowstorms the past week have been…detrimental to you.” He started pacing, his brain going through every idea he could think of to help you. 

“Your rhubarb study-” He blurted, stopping abruptly and turning to you.

“Y-You read that?” You asked, confusion lingering in your tone.

“Of course. I’ve read everything you’ve written,” He stated, as if it was obvious. 

Your mouth parted in shock before you just nodded. Maybe he had noticed your abilities earlier than you thought. You understood where he was going, bringing up your paper. You were, however, doubtful of the effectiveness. “I don't know if it would work with regular candles.”

You should have known he had been a few steps ahead of you.

“Johnny. His body has similar plasma components to the sun when he ‘flames on’ that could be worth, at the very least, experimenting with. It would be temporary if it works. We can figure something permanent out once you're feeling a little better.” Reed said, a frown on his face. You could tell this was a last-ditch effort to keep you here. Keep you with those you call your family.

“I'm willing to try anything to not feel like this,” you sighed, rubbing at your arms, hoping to reintroduce some warmth. You were freezing. “If it doesn't work, though, Reed, I may have to leave until spring hits New York.” 

“I know,” he said quietly. He'd already considered every possibility. He didn't want it to be a reality, but your body didn't respond as well as he was hoping to the artificial “sunlight” he had created for you.

“Let's try the Johnny idea first… then go from there,” you said, hesitantly turning off your human-sized grow box. You weren't banking too much on this plan. As much as your body naturally gravitated towards Johnny, he was not a replacement for sunlight, even if he felt like it. You couldn't expect that out of him. You didn't want to- couldn't rely on him to provide something so life-sustaining for you. You knew Johnny would help you in any way that he could; that's just who he was. Even if it hurt him in the process. You wouldn’t let him do that for you. 

“Should I call him down?” Reed asked, concern etched on his face as you lost yourself in your thoughts. You blinked and shook your head slowly.

“No, I'll go talk to him first,” you responded, making your way towards the elevator. 

“Let me know when you'd like to start the experiment,” he called out, watching the doors slide close in front of your face.

You chewed your lip as you clicked the button on the panel to lead up to the residential part of the Baxter Building. It was a smooth ride, and the doors opened with a ping, indicating your arrival. 

The fireplace was on in the living room. Ben was in the kitchen doing some baking with H.E.R.B.I.E. Despite the minimalist decor, the room felt warm and inviting. Sue had insisted on putting up the Christmas tree early, and it twinkled cheerfully in front of the bleak whiteness that blanketed the city behind the windows. 

“Sis, you want a cookie?” Ben asked as you stepped into the room. 

“Sure,” you said, feeling like a ghost floating through the room towards the kitchen to grab the warm treat from a plate on the counter. It was perfect, despite Ben always insisting he wasn’t a good baker. 

“Your skin is looking a little better,” Ben stated, eyes flicking over your face. “Well, compared to this morning.”

“I don't feel better, though,” you said, leaning against the counter, the coolness seeped through your sweater, and you shivered. 

“I know,” he sighed, cutting out shapes with a cookie cutter on spread out dough. “Did Stretch come up with anything?”

“Possibly, but it involves Johnny and well- it seems too much to ask.” 

He stopped working. His large, rough hand placed the cutter down gently, as if he was trying extra hard to control his strength in that moment. “What is it?” He had focused all his attention on you. 

You took another bite of the cookie, prolonging having to answer him. “You remember my master's thesis paper, right?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, something like that. I don’t have high hopes that it will work. I-I think it would just be better if I went somewhere warmer for a little while with more sun. Like, back to California until spring.” You couldn't look at him. Knowing he'd have that stupid, disappointed look on his face that you hated. 

“What if it works?” Ben asked, eyes narrowed in on you. 

“I don't want it to,” you said quietly, staring down at the partially eaten cookie in your hand. A pit had formed in your stomach, and it was no longer as appetizing as it was a moment ago. 

He slammed his hand down on the counter. You jumped and closed your eyes, steadying yourself. You could hear H.E.R.B.I.E. release a startled beep before he scurried away. Ben's voice had a roughness in it that he only used when he was truly upset, which was rare. He said your name slowly. “What do you mean you don't want it to work? You’re practically wasting away in front of us. You at least need to try!”

“No, just let me go!” You exclaimed, dropping the cookie on the counter and throwing your hands up, staring at him now. “We have literally tried everything I can think of. None of it has worked. I can't live my life like this, hoping the next thing will work!”

Tears pricked your eyes, and you stared up at the ceiling, swallowing down the burning in your throat, willing yourself not to cry. Ben gaped at you.

“That's a load of shit, and you know it. You’re always willing to try. What are you so afraid of this time?” he bit out, fist clenched on the counter. 

“I-I’m not afraid of anything. I just can't do it anymore, Ben! I'm fucking useless here right now. My powers barely work, I can't fucking think, I feel like garbage. I’m just wasting space!” You yelled, stepping back away from him and the counter. Hot, frustrated tears were running down your face. His face turned; he was no longer angry. It looked like you punched him in the gut. Fuck. A small spark of regret flickered in your brain at your words, to put them into the air the way you did, but it was how you felt.

It hurt too much to look at him anymore. His hurt at your words, the way he said your name so softly, pained.

So, you did the only thing you could. You retreated as fast as you could up to your room, slamming the door behind you and sliding down it. You felt so fragile. Like you were holding your breath, suspended in a moment right before you watched a glass slip from the counter and shatter into a million pieces. Broken on the floor. 

You pulled your knees up to your chest and wrapped your arms around them before leaning your head back against the door. Sniffles filled the room as tears ran down your cheeks, not willing to let the pitiful sounds out of your mouth that begged to be released. 

Your mind had been made up before Reed had even suggested anything new. Reed tried. He really did, you couldn't fault him. But you needed the sun and warmth on your skin; you weren't going to be able to handle another failed attempt at making you better. The fear of wasting more time, losing yourself more, stirred you. 

You got up and dialed the operator on the landline in your room. Your voice wavered as you spoke.

“Could you connect me to LaGuardia Airport, please?”

Johnny had checked all of your usual haunts around the Baxter Building before he lingered in the living room, seeming unsure what to do with himself. You were usually up by that point, but with your weakening state, you had been sleeping in later and later. Sue was flipping through a magazine on the couch, legs tucked underneath her as she hummed along to a Christmas tune playing from the record player. “Has uh, she come down yet?” Johnny asked hesitantly, eyes flicking to the stairs as if you'd magically appear before him.

Sue hummed and looked up at Johnny. “What?”

Johnny said your name. “Has she come down yet?”

Sue frowned and looked at her wrist watch. It was almost noon. “I actually haven't seen her come down yet. I know she got into it with Ben yesterday and hasn't left her room since. You should go talk to her. She has a soft spot for you, Johnny.”

“She doesn’t have a soft spot for me,” Johnny retorted with a scoff, folding his arms over his chest.

“Yeah, okay,” Sue said, rolling her eyes and going back to her magazine, still subtly watching her brother behind the pages, taking note of his reaction, the slight hesitance on his face. It was unusual for him.

“Sue, can I talk to you about something?”

“Of course,” She responded, putting her magazine to the side and patting the couch next to her. He sat down with a deep exhale. “Something’s bothering you.”

“Yeah,” He stated simply, trying to come up with the right words, phrasing. “How… How did you know you loved Reed?”

The question caught Sue off guard, not fully expecting this from her brother, but knowing who he was talking about. “Well, I think it’s hard to pinpoint something like that,” She started, thinking about his question. “It’s something you just know. Your days are so much better with them than without them. It’s noticeable. You find safety and warmth in them. You think about them all the time, but in a way that feels almost… steady, grounding. It’s different for everyone, but that’s how it felt for me.”

Johnny frowned, ruminating on his sister's words. Did you make him feel that way?

You always made time for him. Went along with his dumb ideas. Laughed at his jokes, even if they arguably weren't that funny. That’s what… friends did, though, right? He hadn't noticed it until then. That you'd become…more soft with him, less abrasive than how you used to be. Asking him for his help with your projects. Insisting on movie nights, taking turns on who chooses each week. Helping him pick the perfect outfit for a date or an interview with a late-night talk show. Listening to him talk for hours at times about a car he was fixing up.

You'd become his best friend. He would take any kind of relationship with you, even if it was just friendship… but was it really just that? No. No, it had to be. He was reading into it, right?

Sue touched her brother’s shoulder, and he looked over at her. “What’s this about?”

“Just, a uh, curiosity, I guess,” He lied, standing quickly and clearing his throat. “I should go check on-” He said your name, pointing towards the stairs. Sue took a deep breath and nodded. 

“I’m sure she will want to see you,” Sue stated, watching her brother start towards the stairs. “Johnny, you should tell her how you feel.” He stopped dead, halfway to the stairs, and looked back at his sister. She had a knowing look on her face, but she gave him a reassuring smile.

All he could do was swallow hard on the lump that formed in his throat and nod at her words. Nerves licked up his spine like his flames, but instead of heat, it was a cold chill that settled in his chest, increasing his heart rate.

He made his way up the stairs and turned down the hallway towards your room. It was right next to his. He raised his hand to knock and hesitated. He didn't want to wake you up, especially because you needed all the rest you could get, but he had to know you were okay; he had to tell you how he felt. He knocked. It was loud and echoed in the hall. He grimaced, knowing if you weren't awake, you definitely would be now.

There was no response. No movement. He grew a little worried. He called your name. Nothing. “If you don’t come to the door, I'm coming in.”

Nothing again. 

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath, and steeled his resolve. He grabbed the handle, slowly twisted it, and pushed the door open. The room was pitch black, the first indicator that something was wrong. You never had your blinds closed to keep the light out. His body tensed immediately, a sense of urgent panic vibrating under his skin. He flicked the lights on and frowned. His eyes scanned the room, trying desperately to find if anything was missing.

Nothing seemed out of place. It looked lived in, like you had just stepped out, but something felt off to Johnny. He stepped inside, looking around the places you usually left things. There was nothing on your nightstand, something you usually had cluttered with various things. Mementos from the past, a few pictures, all gone now. Your desk was neat by the window, missing your research notebooks and folders. His eyes saw it first, but it took his brain a moment to register what he was looking at. A neatly folded paper sat on the end of your bed. It blended in slightly with your floral-patterned duvet. 

He just stared at it, subconsciously knowing what it meant. He didn't want to face the truth quite yet, so he sat on the edge of the bed and lay back. The smell of you lingered in the blankets, a light floral scent he could never get enough of. He just breathed it in, eyes closing to imagine you were there next to him. 

A deep sigh left his lips as he got the courage to grab the paper you'd left. He read it three times before he comprehended the words in your neat scrawling handwriting. So many emotions rippled through him that he couldn't identify just one. He sat up, reading through the words you left just for him again.

Johnny, 

I knew you'd come looking first. Please know that I wanted to stay. I tried to. I did this so no one had to continue to worry over me. I've become a burden to all of you.

I'm safe. I promise. I went back to California. It's not forever, just until I'm feeling better. 

Tell the others I love them. And I'm sorry for disappointing them.

You know where to find me.

Yours always,

You had signed it off with your name.

Johnny was shocked to say the least. Why would you think those things about yourself? You weren't a disappointment or a burden to him or anyone else. Yeah, they worried about you, but it was out of love for you, not obligation… His eyes lingered on your phrasing. 

He did know where to find you. He always knew where to look. 

His always…

The knock on your front door startled you. You were sitting cross-legged on the floor of your patio, taking advantage of the sun while marking up a research paper you had been working on regarding the cosmic radiation plants that had been on the Excelsior. Your body had responded well to the sunlight the last few days you’d been there. You’d enjoyed many walks on the beach, relishing in the warmth of the sun and sand. You had taken to sitting on your patio when you were in the hotel room, just to absorb as much sun as you could. Southern California was consistently warm and sunny, even in November, which greatly improved your complexion. Your skin had mostly returned to what you called normal. Even your hair was healthier looking.

A frown crossed your face as the knocking got more insistent. You groaned as you got up, placing your papers on the floor to the side of the sliding glass door inside the room. 

You unlocked the door and opened it slowly, blinking in surprise at Johnny standing there, hand raised as if he was going to knock again. He whispered your name as if you were an apparition, like he didn’t quite believe it was you. Your mouth opened in surprise as you took a step back, allowing him space to move past. He did so without a word, and you shut the door, leaving the room in silence. 

“Why are you here?” You asked, carefully, leaning back against the door, using it to ground yourself, hoping it would calm your racing heart. You couldn’t back your body further away from his gravitational pull. It was just the wood of the door keeping you there. 

“You didn’t even say anything,” He stated, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans, staring you down. 

“I know-”

“Reed told me. About the experiment, using my powers to see if you would get better that way.”

Anxiety crawled its way into your chest, making your heart race faster. “I couldn’t let you do that for me. It was asking too much.” You whispered, taking a shuddering breath, trying to calm yourself down.

“Asking too much?” He questioned, flabbergasted by your words. He said your name in an exasperated breath, frustration building in his tone. “You didn't give me that choice. To tell you, it was asking too much. You made the decision for me. I would have given all of myself to help you.” 

“That’s the problem, Johnny. I couldn’t stand the idea of you doing that for me. Sacrificing a part of yourself to help me!” You exclaimed, stepping closer to him, heart still racing, but the anxious feeling was quickly turning to frustration, matching Johnny. 

“But what if that is what I wanted to do? What then?”

“I don’t know, Johnny. I just know I can’t lose you. I couldn’t let you burn yourself out for me!”

Both of your voices grew louder with every sentence uttered. 

“It wouldn’t have killed me. I know what my limits are. You were fading away in front of me, and I would have done anything to make you better! Why is that so hard for you to understand?”

“I do understand, I just-” you threw your hands up in frustration, turning away from him.

“Why then? Make me understand.”

You turned back to him quickly, your frustration bubbling to the surface and tumbling out of your mouth.

“I couldn’t let you because I love you!”

Both of you froze and stared at each other. The room had gotten stiflingly hot, and sweat beaded on your temple. Panic vibrated under your skin and crawled up your spine at your confession, making you absolutely rigid. You pulled in a breath, a gasp of air, heart thundering in your ears. You were certain he could hear it with how silent the room was. 

His mouth opened and closed a few times, trying to come up with words to respond with. He doesn’t feel the same. You’d just ruined everything. Fuck. Fuck-fuck-fuck.

“I-I” You tried to think of something else to say, to take back the words that left your lips. You tried to move back, escape, but all you felt was the cold wood against your back again. You closed your eyes, hoping to god he would just say something, anything.

You felt him move closer, warmth radiating off of him in waves, washing over you. His hand slowly, carefully caressed your cheek, tilting your face towards his. “Look at me,” He whispered, face so close to yours. 

A shaky breath left your lips before you slowly opened your eyes, lashes fluttering and face flushing at his proximity. You looked into his eyes, such a deep ocean blue you could drown in if you stared too long. They were full of gentle emotion, an adoration you had never noticed before. His cheeks were a tinged pink, and he took a breath as if he was nervous. “Do you mean it?” 

It took you a moment to respond; your body shook slightly from the charged tension between the two of you, and your heart felt like it was going to beat itself out through your throat. You nodded just slightly before whispering, so quietly Johnny might have missed it if he hadn’t been so eager for your response. “Yes.”

Johnny sighed in relief, pressing his forehead to yours. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear those words leave your lips.” 

“W-What?” You stuttered, eyes searching his to find the lie there. You couldn’t find it, only a silent devotion as his eyes moved to your lips slowly, before flicking back up. 

“I feel the same,” He responded, taking your hand and placing it on his chest over his heart. It, too, was racing like yours was. “I love you.” 

“What about all of those dates? The women?” You asked, still not fully believing his words despite the intensity of his stare, the love in his eyes.

“I-” He paused, gathering his thoughts, knowing he had to pour his heart out to you. “I was trying to recreate the feeling in my chest that I had for you. No one caused the steadiness I feel when being with you. I haven’t felt anything so- right, with anyone else. These last few days only solidified it for me; going a day without you has felt like years. I don’t want to waste any more time, please…”

He moved his face closer to yours. Giving you a moment to stop him, to push him away, and tell him you didn’t want this. You did none of that. Your eyes closed, the hand on his chest moving to the side of his neck to pull him into a gentle kiss. It was warm. Soft. His thumb brushed along the side of your cheek before he tilted your face more into his. He pushed his body into yours, kisses growing more insistent as your fingers danced in the hair on the nape of his neck. He pulled away slightly. 

“Say it again, please. I need to know this is real.” He begged, his free hand had slipped to your hip, gripping it tightly as he rested your foreheads together again.

“I love you, Johnny,” You whispered against his mouth, lips brushing at every word. He groaned, low in his chest, before crashing his lips to yours. Warmth turned to a burning heat, engulfing you in the feeling of him as he pulled you closer, melding your bodies together.

You gasped when his tongue brushed your lips, asking silent permission to push deeper. You eagerly opened your mouth for him, letting your tongues meet in a familiar dance. He lifted your leg up at the knee, letting you jump to wrap your legs around his waist. His hand securely rested on your back and ass as he walked both of you further into the room, moving towards the bed.

He laid you down gently in the middle of it. His lips moved along your jaw and down to the center of your throat. He then moved back up to your mouth, leaving desperate kisses as he undid the clasp on your shorts. You copied his movements and messed with his pants in return, quickly unzipping them. When he tugged at the shorts on your hips, you lifted your butt to allow him to slide them off your body and toss them to the floor. He shimmied out of his jeans quickly after. 

You sat up slightly to follow his lips as he quickly took his t-shirt off before returning to devouring your mouth, his hand running up along your thighs to rest at your hip. He pulled away and maneuvered himself to sit with his back against the headboard, pulling you along with him to sit on his lap. 

“You’re so pretty like this, sweetheart.” He panted out, taking a moment to catch his breath and look at you. He didn’t want this moment to end, didn’t want to stop kissing you, touching you. He wanted to linger here with you, looking so angelic over him, his salvation. He moved his hands to your shirt and wordlessly lifted the edges, giving you the ability to stop him. You helped him by slipping it off in a quick motion, throwing it to where your other clothing was. 

“Fuck,” Johnny groaned, staring at your bare chest, tongue flicking out to wet his lips. “You're perfect, baby. Can I touch you?”

“I wouldn't show you anything you couldn't touch,” you said, rolling your hips into his, needing that little bit of friction to satisfy the burning heat spreading through you.

“You're gonna kill me,” he gasped, moving one of his deliciously warm hands up to your breasts to play with your peaked nipple, the other gripping your hip, encouraging your movements. You whimpered as you leaned forward, resting a hand on his chest to steady yourself before pushing your lips desperately against his again, tongues picking up the dance again. 

You moaned into his mouth when he switched hands to your other breast, and he groaned when your hips ground down just right onto his aching dick. He pulled away from your kiss for just a moment, and you wined.

“I know, baby. I just need to know how far this is gonna go, because you're driving me crazy and I really need you,” he stated, his self-control fraying as you rolled your hips again with a whimper.

“Need you, Johnny. Please…” you breathed against his lips, kissing him again. 

“Fuck,” he growled, quickly flipping you onto your back, being mindful to make sure your head was against the pillows. He pulled your soaked panties down your thighs, a small satisfied groan rumbling in his throat at the sight of you spread and bare. Just for him. Only for him from now on. He quickly pulled his boxers off, not being able to take his eyes off of you and the way you stared at him. Wanting him, looking so utterly wrecked because of him.

Your eyes roamed every part of him, greedily taking in his fit form, every dip and curve, memorizing the way the sun from the window illuminated his skin in a perfect glow. When he stroked himself, you couldn't help the whimper that left your lips at his leaking ruddy tip. You'd definitely want that in your mouth later. He ran his tip against your soaked folds, and your eyes rolled back at the feeling of his tip catching on your clit. Your hips bucked up, and he held them down with the hand that wasn't teasing you with his cock.

“So eager for me, baby, I like that. Love it actually, just like I love you,” he breathed, positioning his tip at your entrance, before meeting your eyes with his, waiting for you to tell him this was okay.

“I-I love you, Johnny- really need you…”

“How can I refuse that?” he chuckled breathlessly, closing his eyes and moaning as he slowly pushed inside your tight pussy. You were a panting mess as you took every inch of him. Your cunt felt so blissfully full of him that you mewled when he finally bottomed out.

“Holy fuck, Johnny-” you gasped as he pulled back out just slightly before pushing back in, working you open and slicking his cock further with your wetness. 

“You're so fucking wet, baby. So tight-” he grunted, setting an even pace with his thrusts. You gripped his back and arm as he leaned forward, pushing your legs further open, hitting a spot inside you that made you see stars, made him growl as your pussy clenched him hard.

“God, you're so beautiful,” he muttered, kissing along your jaw, thrusts growing sharper, deeper with each kiss, each dark mark he left along your neck and collarbone.

You could feel the band inside you grow taught, edging ever closer to oblivion. Johnny could feel the way you tightened around him as his skillful fingers moved in between your bodies to circle your clit. He was a quick learner and found the pace that had you letting out a high-pitched moan. He grinned and increased his pace as he felt himself getting closer to the edge. 

“You gonna cum for me, baby?” He grunted, lips brushing along your ear. You clenched tightly around his cock again, and he groaned. 

“Y-Yes!” You gasped, voice pitched high as your body arched into his, needing to be as close as possible to him. “Together.”

His thrusts stuttered slightly as he moaned into your neck. “Gonna ruin me if I cum inside. Fuck- you feel so good.”

“Please- need it,” you whimpered, bucking up into him, matching his thrusts, causing him to push impossibly deeper. A gasp left your lips as his pace on your clit quickened, teetering on the edge of oblivion. 

“Fuck ‘m gonna-” Johnny panted, pulling back and thrusting once more into you, so deeply that it caused the band inside you to snap at the same moment you felt his incredibly hot seed paint your walls. You said his name over and over like a prayer as he worked both of you through your orgasms. The familiar tingle of your powers flowed over you in waves as your orgasm crashed through you, prolonged by Johnny's slow circles on your clit.

Your eyes fluttered open at the feeling of heat against your chest. Johnny's flames licked down his arms and fully covered his torso and face as he panted, staring down at your flushed, blissed-out form, practically glowing underneath him. He couldn’t help the small thrust he gave you as he stared, causing a small whimper to tumble from your lips.

“Looks like we both lost control a bit.” He said, still a little out of breath as he tilted his head towards the potted plant in the corner of the room that had spread its way across the room to the bed, bright pink blooms sprouting across its vines. As they wrapped around the baseboard. Johnny calmed enough to reduce his flames to just the palm of his hand that he held out in your direction to illuminate your face before extinguishing it completely to caress the softness of your cheek. You pushed your face closer into his warmth before looking up into his eyes.

“I love you, Johnny,” you whisper, moving your face to kiss his palm

“I love you too, Sweetheart,” he said back, a soft smile on his face. “Now let’s go get cleaned up, and I’ll treat you to a nice dinner. I know a great place right on the beach, it’ll be great.”