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Last updated 05/07/2025
THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME
MARVEL
STAR WARS
STRANGER THINGS
MISC./OTHER MEDIA
Ezra (Prospect):
Wallflower (Ezra x F!Reader)*
Marcus Pike (The Mentalist)
Enchanted (Marcus x Reader)
Edward Nashton (The Batman) College AU*
Part 1
Part 2
Igor (Anora)
Little Glimpses (2)(Igor x F!Reader)
Evan “Buck” Buckley (9-1-1)
Your Guide Buck (Buck x PlusSize!F!Reader)
Too Sweet (Buck x Probie!F!Reader)
Simon “Ghost” Riley (COD)
Going Down on Ghost (x PlusSize!F!Reader)*
Can I Cut In? (Simon Riley x Reader)
Not Just a Neighbor Series (x PlusSize!F!Reader)*
COLLABORATIONS
Fix it for You* Igor (Anora) x F!Reader - collab w/ @munsonsmixtapes
Let it Simmer* Igor (Anora) x F!Reader -collab w/ @munsonsmixtapes
That’s What Friends Are For* Igor (Anora) x F!Reader -collab w/ @munsonsmixtapes
Live Your Fantasy* (1)(2) Buddie (9-1-1) x F!Reader -collab w/ @munsonsmixtapes
Take a Ride* Simon “Ghost” Riley x F!Reader -collab w/ @munsonsmixtapes
Cherry* Bouncer!Simon Riley x Stripper!F!Reader - collab w/ @munsonsmixtapes
Underneath the Moonlight* Simon “Ghost” Riley x F!Reader - collab w/ @munsonsmixtapes
summary: You and Eddie get each other for secret Santa, neither of you having any idea that you’re in love with each other nor the fact that everyone is trying so hard to set you up.
word count: 1.3k
Special thanks to @the-witty-pen-name for giving me this idea!
You’re nervously standing in the kitchen as Robin and Nancy are getting everything prepared for your guests that should be arriving any minute. You’re supposed to be putting the charcuterie board together, but you’re a little distracted. You’re too excited to give your gift for secret santa which is the entire reason why you’re all meeting tonight.
And you know that the whole reason why Eddie was the person you received is because you have a giant crush on him. Everyone else’s was random but yours definitely wasn’t. You wouldn’t have thought anything about it but with the way Robin and Nancy were acting when you pulled his name, you put two and two together.
You think that the reason why you’re so nervous is because the gift is something he only mentioned once in passing and you’re scared that you’re going to come off as a freak for remembering that. It doesn’t matter how many times the girls tell you that you nailed it because your brain is trying to convince you that Eddie’s going to be weirded out.
You turn and face the counter where everything going on the board is laid out and you get to work, trying really hard to focus on the task at hand, hurrying to get it done before everyone arrives. And the girls are nothing but complimentary as you bring the finished board over to the coffee table.
They’ve been nothing but good to you since you joined the friend group and even went as far as inviting you to move in with them when your lease was up at your old place. And you have to admit that you’re having a great time here. Every night is like a sleepover and they’re filling the female energy that was missing from your life.
And the rest of the group have been great too. Other male friends you’ve had only tolerated because they were friends with whatever boyfriend you had at the time, but Steve, Eddie, Jonathan, and Argyle have been nothing but welcoming. They don’t treat you any different because you’re newer to the group and you appreciate that a lot.
You get along with all of them pretty well, but there’s definitely a special bond between you and Eddie and everyone can see it. It seems like everyone except for you and Eddie knows just how into each other you are. You feel the attraction but your past failed relationships always stop you from making a move.
A knock on the door pulls you out of your thoughts and now your heart is pounding even harder in your chest. Robin is the one to open it and Jonathan and Argyle are on the other side with their gifts as well as some weed that they’ve brought to share with everyone.
You put on a smile and greet them with hugs and show them where they can put their presents. And you’re on edge every time there’s a knock on the door, giving yourself tasks to keep your mind busy as you wait for your most highly anticipated guest. And like usual, he’s the last one to show up and everyone’s placing their bets on what time he’s going to actually show up.
You’re grabbing Argyle a beer when there’s another knock at the door and you want to be the one to grab it, wanting to be the one to greet Eddie, your nervousness suddenly replaced with excitement. You’re not even looking as you pass the bottle off to Argyle before hurrying to the door and pulling it open quickly.
Your face lights up when you see him on the other side. His smile matches yours as he holds up a six pack of the drinks he knows you like and your heart melts at the gesture just like always. It’s kind of pathetic, actually, how you feel for him so quickly.
Eddie has no idea how you haven’t caught onto the fact that he likes you. He thought he was being painfully obvious but clearly not. Or maybe you do know and are ignoring it because you don’t want to hurt him but he doesn’t think you’d be that cruel. In fact, he knows you aren’t.
The real reason why he refuses to tell you the truth is because he’s scared. That’s it. He’s been rejected more times than he can count-always the butt of everyone’s joke, but he’ll never admit just how much it’s affected him because he doesn’t like being vulnerable in that way.
He’s always felt like he can talk to you about anything, but not that. He’s had to stay strong his entire life and he’s so used to it that he can’t possibly let his walls down. That’s mostly why he hasn’t made any effort to pursue you. He thinks he’s mostly ready but there’s that tiny hurdle he can’t seem to get over.
He steps inside when you let him in, trying his best to hide how excited he is about your gift. He doesn’t want to brag but he nailed it. It might even be the best gift he’s ever given and he’s not even trying to hide how excited he is for you to open it.
Eddie stays by your side the entire night which is expected but he’s gotten more bold since the last time you all hung out together. He’s holding onto your waist, whispering jokes in your ear. He’s getting more comfortable and your heart warms at the fact because you know how hard it’s been for him to make friends considering his past.
Even when everyone sits down to exchange gifts, he’s right next to you, heart pounding as Nancy hands you his gift. His confidence is rapidly deflating as you pull the ribbon off, smiling widely at him when he tells you that he was your secret santa. Now he’s convinced himself that you won’t like it-thinking that it’s weird that he spent so much time making something for you instead of going out and buying it.
All of the vanishes when you gasp as you open the box. It’s a white, wool sweater-something you talked about wanting so many times. You immediately put it on, thanking Eddie over and over, gasping once again when you see his little label sewn into the bottom left of the sweater.
He made it for you.
No one has done anything like that for you and you’re so overwhelmed by your feelings for him that you do the unthinkable. Before you can stop yourself, you lean over and press a kiss to his cheek. It’s a brief little thing but Eddie already knows that he’s going to think about this every day for the rest of his life.
His cheeks are bright red as he grins at you, feeling so proud of the sweater and wondering why he ever doubted himself. Knowing you, you’re going to brag about it to anyone who will listen and he’s totally okay with that.
Eddie is the last one to receive his gift and now you’re the nervous one. He’s always been so appreciative of your gifts no matter what they are so he’s sure that this is going to be a great one. And when he pulls off the wrapping paper and sees the leather journal he has been eyeing at that thrift store you went to months ago, he feels like he could cry.
Without another thought, he leans towards you, pulling you into a kiss. You’re both smiling into it, so caught up in your little moment that you don’t see your friends exchanging cash and “I told you so’s” to each other because they all knew this would happen.
Before it can get too heated, you both pull away and he pulls you to his chest as he opens the journal to find that you’ve written a letter to him. You’ve poured your heart out and it’s in this moment that he realizes that you’ve loved each other all along.
You stay like that the rest of the party and you invite him to stay where he helps you, Nancy, and Robin clean up before you lead him to your bedroom where you feel like it’s very necessary to make up for lost time.
SUMMARY: Your library is your sanctuary, your place of quiet and calm that even Hawkins’ most chaotic kids respect. So, as sweet as you are, you’ll be damned if you let some jocks ruin all of that. Thankfully, Eddie finds this vow extremely attractive.
NOTES: Slightly suggestive (making out), soft!reader crashes out at some rude jocks, mild profanity, mild confrontation, major mutual pining.
NAVIGATION | S.T MASTERLIST | KO-FI
You always said that libraries have their own heartbeat. A quiet pulse that rests beneath the spines, a gentle rhythm stitched through every book. Yours has lived inside you for years, warm as tea from an old kettle, steady as the soft scrape of turning pages. Most people respect that peace. Most people sink into it.
Eddie Munson is not like most people.
He arrives with the kids in a clatter of boots and voices, though none of them ever break the rules. They adore the library, treating it as though it is another world. Dustin insists the place smells like knowledge, which he claims is a real aroma. Lucas pretends he disagrees, which means he secretly agrees. Mike often looks too worried to speak at all. Max perches on armrests and flips through your new arrivals before anyone else can. Eddie watches them with a fondness he tries to hide under his leather jacket. Something tightens in your chest when he catches you looking.
Today should have been a quiet shift. Rain rattles against the windows, soft and steady. The kids cluster around a table like a very small, chaotic research team. Eddie wanders between the aisles, pretending he is not checking up on them every few minutes. He trails a finger along shelves, mouth shaped in a smile he hopes you do not notice. You do notice. You always notice him.
He comes to lean on your desk after a while. His rings tap the wood in a rhythm you recognise as nerves. “Your kingdom thrives,” he murmurs, glancing over at the kids. “No fires. No disasters. No black holes. A miracle, sweetheart.”
The nickname warms your skin. You try to look occupied by stamping the returns.
“They behave better for you than anyone else,” you say.
He pretends to inspect the ceiling to hide a grin. “They have taste.”
This is the ordinary pattern between you. Soft teasing, stolen looks, that impossible tension humming like a trapped moth. You have been trying not to name it. So has he.
The trouble begins with the arrival of three older teens. You know them in passing. They drift in sometimes, always loud, always careless with the books. You tell yourself to stay calm as they swagger through the entrance. One drops his umbrella without a care, water splashing in a careless arc over the floor you had just mopped.
Your shoulders stiffen. Eddie notices instantly.
He lowers his voice. “Want me to deal with them?”
“You’re banned from dealing with people,” you reply. “Last time you lectured someone about elbowing the comics shelf, you nearly got into a fist fight.”
“That was not a fist fight,” he says. “That was a spirited debate.”
“Eddie.”
“Fine. I will remain a gentle soul.” He tries to look saintly. It lasts three seconds.
The trio slouch towards the table where the kids are working. Dustin spots them, sits straighter, pushes his notebooks into a tidy stack. Lucas shoots a warning look at Mike. Max mutters something under her breath.
One of the older boys snorts. “Look at this little study group. How sweet.”
Dustin grips his pencil with painfully white knuckles. “We’re just revising.”
“Didn’t know babies had homework.”
You stand before you even realise you are moving.
The pulse of your library shifts. Something inside you bristles. You keep your hands steady as you approach, but the sweetness you are known for slips off you like a shed skin. Eddie watches from the corner, eyes widening with interest.
“Is there a problem?” You keep your voice low to protect the quiet, but steel edges every word.
The tallest boy shrugs. “Just talking.”
“It sounded like you were trying to intimidate my regulars.”
“Your kids can handle it.”
“They shouldn’t have to.”
One scoffs. “Relax.”
No one relaxes. Your patience shreds. The library heartbeat stays soft, but yours is electric. You step closer, close enough that the boy’s grin falters.
“You will not come into my library and belittle children who are doing absolutely nothing wrong,” you say. “You will not raise your voice. You will not mock them. You will not hover around them like you are spoiling for trouble. You will either sit down quietly or you will leave.”
The boy opens his mouth to argue.
“Now,” you add.
There is no shout, no flailing hands, no chaos. Only your tone. Sharp enough to cut the air. Sharp enough to send the boys stumbling back a step. They exchange looks, mutter something bitter, and retreat to a distant sofa where they promptly pretend they never intended to say anything at all.
Silence sweeps back through the library.
The kids stare at you as if you have single handedly slayed a dragon. Dustin mouths something that might be thank you. Max smirks like she always knew you had it in you. Mike relaxes so hard he nearly drops his book. Lucas sports a grin that borders on pride.
Eddie looks like he has stopped breathing.
You turn back to him, your heartbeat wild. His gaze drags over your face, your posture, the last sparks of fury still clinging to you like static. His mouth curves in a slow, hungry shape you have never seen directed at you with such clarity.
He leans close enough that you feel the warmth of him. “Sweetheart,” he whispers, “send the kids on an errand.”
“What?”
“Just trust me. Ask them to fetch something. Anything. I need a moment with you.”
The words melt into your spine. You blink, then tilt your head at the kids. “Could one of you check if the storeroom door is sticking again? It sounded odd this morning.”
The kids leap at the chance to help. Dustin takes charge, Max rolls her eyes but follows. They shuffle down the corridor in a flurry of whispered speculation.
Eddie grabs your hand the second they vanish.
“Come with me.”
Your pulse stutters as he tugs you between the shelves. He chooses the far back corner, pressed between history books and a dusty atlas no one has touched in years. The space feels small. His presence feels immense.
Eddie crowds you gently against the shelf, nowhere near rough, just close enough that his breath grazes your cheek.
“You,” he whispers, voice thick, “are unbelievable.”
Heat surges through you. “Eddie.”
He lifts your chin with careful fingers. “Do you have any idea what you look like when you’re protecting them? You went from sunshine to wildfire in five seconds.”
“That sounds dramatic.”
“You did something to me,” he says. “Still doing it.”
Your throat tightens. “We shouldn’t be hiding back here.”
“Tell me to stop and I will.” His eyes search yours. “Do you want me to?”
Every sensible thought dissolves. You shake your head.
Eddie kisses you before the breath fully leaves your lips. It is immediate, fierce, full of pent up longing that neither of you dared admit. His hand curls at your waist, yours clutch at his jacket. The kiss deepens with a hunger you did not know you kept inside you.
Your library heartbeat pounds in your ears. His mouth tastes warm and reckless. Your back thuds lightly against a shelf as he presses closer, though he is careful not to trap you. The kiss becomes slow after the first rush, almost reverent, as though he is savouring every fraction of you.
Eddie rests his forehead against yours when you part, breathless. “Sweetheart,” he murmurs, “I’m done pretending nothing is happening between us.”
Your stomach flips. “We need to talk.”
“We will. Just not right now.” He brushes his thumb across your cheek. “Right now I need to kiss you again before the kids come back.”
Eddie’s lips capture yours once more, gentler this time, though the intensity still coils beneath the surface.
Eddie finally pulls back, reluctantly, chest rising and falling against yours. “This conversation isn’t over,” he promises. You are not sure you want it to be.
The corridor echoes with approaching footsteps.
The kids return to the main room, laughing about some imagined struggle with the storeroom door. They talk over each other, hands waving, notebooks clattering. You straighten your cardigan, trying to appear entirely composed, though Eddie’s presence lingers like a flame in your chest. He walks beside you, casual, like nothing happened, but the heat from his hand brushing yours refuses to leave.
Dustin holds a stack of books triumphantly. “Fixed! Well, not really fixed. But—” He stops, noticing your calm expression and Eddie’s too, and shrinks slightly. Max raises an eyebrow, clearly amused by something in your expression. Mike shifts in his seat, glancing nervously at you, then Eddie. Lucas smirks, nudging Dustin.
“Excellent work, everyone,” you say softly, trying not to let the tight coil in your stomach spill over. “I’ll take a look at these.” You take the books, trying to mask the tremor in your hands.
Eddie leans close just long enough to murmur in your ear. “You are lethal when you’re sweet and furious at the same time.”
You can feel the smirk, the way his voice lowers deliberately. Something warms and pulses through your chest, something that has nothing to do with the storm outside. You bite back a soft laugh, because you know exactly the effect you have on him. The tiny surge of control, of watching him so completely captivated when he is supposed to be untouchable, and yet here he is, hooked entirely on you.
He pulls back and slides between the stacks with that smoothness of his, letting you follow. The kids are still absorbed in their chatter, flipping pages, debating plot twists. You resist the urge to check if they notice how ridiculously high your pulse is.
“Do you always make me like this?” Eddie asks suddenly. His tone is teasing but edged with something raw, unrestrained.
“Make you like what?” You force yourself to keep your voice even, even as your heartbeat betrays you.
“Like I’m fifteen again, sneaking out to steal a kiss when I shouldn’t. Like my chest is going to explode just because I’m near you.”
Your stomach twists. He knows you feel it too, and there’s no denying it now. You try to brush it off. “You’re dramatic. Even for you.”
“You love it.”
You pause, caught in the moment. It’s true. You do love it. You love the way he makes you feel seen, how he draws your fire and softness into one impossible tangle. You’re about to reply when the door rattles, letting in a sharp draft and a new tension. Another group of kids, younger this time, wander in, the chatter filling the room. Eddie’s attention shifts immediately, protective, just like yours.
You watch him with a fond ache. He doesn’t even notice you staring. He rounds the table, bending to help Max with a stubborn stack of graphic novels, or maybe distracting Lucas while he hunts down a missing pen. You follow, your gaze soft, heart squeezing.
“Eddie,” you murmur, barely above the hum of activity. He freezes for a split second before turning, eyebrow raised.
“Hmm?”
“I don’t… We shouldn’t… you know…” Your words tumble awkwardly.
“Shhh,” he says, sliding a finger along your lips, and somehow it makes your knees go weak. “I know. It’s library hours. We’re surrounded. But you’ve seen me get fired up before, right? You love it.”
You can’t argue with him. You’re too aware of the heat crawling along your spine, the way his proximity pulls at every corner of your composure. He grins, that wicked smile that always teeters between danger and charm, and it’s almost unfair how he does it so effortlessly.
“You’re incorrigible,” you say, shaking your head, though your lips twitch into the barest hint of a smile.
“Not even close,” he replies. “I’m only incorrigible with you.”
There’s something electric in the silence that follows. The kids are lost in their own worlds, and yet the air around you is charged, every exhalation between you both sparking small shivers. You almost forget the library exists outside this bubble of heat and tension. Almost.
Dustin nudges a chair, shoving it slightly too loudly, snapping the moment. Eddie steps back, and you blink, suddenly aware of the quiet murmurs of other visitors, the rain tapping against the windows. The tension doesn’t vanish, it coils tighter in the pit of your stomach.
“You’re ridiculous,” you mutter, picking up a notebook, trying to reclaim some semblance of normality.
“Not nearly as ridiculous as you, sweetheart,” he whispers, and it’s low enough that only you hear it.
Eddie leans close again, closer than necessary, just a ghost of a touch against your shoulder. Your chest flutters, heat creeping into your cheeks. You’re aware of the ache, the rapid beat of your pulse, the way your hands clutch the notebook as if it could anchor you.
“Do you ever think about what it would be like,” he murmurs, “if we weren’t surrounded by books and kids and rain, and we could just… be?”
The question makes your stomach do a flip. You know the answer. You’ve imagined it countless times, the way he might press against you, the softness of his lips against yours when nobody was watching. The library has always been your sanctuary, but now it feels like it could become your hiding place, your confessional, your everything.
“I think about it,” you admit, whispering. The words hang in the air like smoke, thick and impossible to ignore.
“Good,” he says, voice low, and the heat in his tone sends a shiver down your spine. “Because I have.”
He steps back slightly, enough to give you breathing room, but his presence lingers. The library feels smaller now, every inch charged with possibility, every shadow a secret waiting to be touched. You return to your desk, trying to act normal, yet the echoes of what just passed linger in your veins, warm and insistent.
You glance at Eddie across the aisle. He’s watching you with that look again, one you’ve memorised without ever trying to. It’s dangerous and tender all at once, like he knows exactly the effect he has on you. You bite the inside of your cheek, resisting the urge to run across the room, press against him, and lose yourself entirely.
“Hey,” he calls softly, catching your attention. “Pay attention. Don’t act like you’re not thinking about it.”
You flush, heart thundering, and for a moment, the library disappears entirely. Just the two of you remain, suspended in a heat neither can deny.
The storm outside pounds harder against the windows, but inside, it feels quieter, closer, more intimate. Every glance, every brush of fingers, every half-word between you carries the weight of something unspoken yet undeniable.
Even if nothing is spoken aloud, the tension hums between you, a current ready to pull you both under at the first opportunity. You know the books are watching, the rain is watching, and yet none of it matters. Not really.
Eddie leans closer again, voice brushing against your ear. “We’ll figure it out,” he whispers, “but right now… you’re all mine, even if it’s just for a second.”
You close your eyes briefly, exhaling shakily, because it feels like the truth you’ve been holding in, the spark you’ve kept at bay, has finally been named. The library is no longer just a sanctuary for readers, it has become a sanctuary for you both, even if you’re pretending otherwise.
The library seems to hold its breath after the storm outside eases. Rain trickles down the windows in slow streams, and the soft light shifts across the rows of books like water pooling over pages. Eddie stays close, but the kids are occupied at the table, their laughter a faint echo in the back of your mind. Somehow, even with them around, it feels as though the world has narrowed to the space between you.
You catch him watching you again. That way he looks at you makes your chest tighten, the kind of look that is equal parts awe, mischief, and something deeper you’ve never named out loud. His eyes follow the tilt of your head as you thumb through a stack of returned books, resting lightly on the pages, pretending to be absorbed while knowing he’s watching every small movement.
“You’re unbearable,” you murmur softly, though your lips twitch in spite of yourself.
He leans closer, voice low, almost a growl that rumbles along your skin. “Not nearly as unbearable as you, sweetheart. You go from gentle to furious to untouchable in half a heartbeat, and I can’t—”
You glance up at him, caught somewhere between frustration and fascination. His expression softens just slightly, but the heat in his eyes doesn’t waver. “You can’t what?” you ask, voice steadier than you feel.
“Not think about you,” Eddie admits, dropping his hands casually to his sides, though the tension in his posture says otherwise. “Every look, every word, every time you scare some idiot for daring to mock my kids, you have me right here,” he taps his chest, “and I’m useless.”
Your pulse stutters. He steps closer, almost closing the small gap between you, and you feel the air thicken. The library hums softly around you, the quiet so complete that even the faint creak of the floorboards seems loud. You can feel the heat radiating from him, smell the faint scent of his jacket and leather that has somehow become as familiar to you as your own favourite books.
“I—Eddie,” you start, but the words falter. He doesn’t need you to finish. He tilts his head, brushing a strand of hair from your face. Fingers linger longer than necessary against your cheek, soft enough to make you shiver.
“You’re mine right now,” he whispers, voice just above the level of the soft library murmur. “Even if it’s only a second.”
You try to resist, telling yourself the kids might notice, that the library is a place of rules, of calm, of order. But his presence makes your resolve melt. He leans closer, and the next moment his lips are on yours. Not soft, not tentative, but firm, consuming, claiming. The world outside the shelves disappears in the press of him, in the warmth of his body pressed against yours.
You respond instinctively, hands finding the sides of his face, the leather of his jacket rough beneath your fingers. The kiss deepens with an urgency that makes your knees weak. Every brush of his mouth against yours is electric, pulling at the tension you’ve held in for months, maybe years.
A sudden noise makes you break apart for a fraction of a second. A book falls from the shelf, the thud startling but somehow intimate, like the library itself is conspiring to keep this moment alive. Eddie doesn’t step back, just presses his forehead against yours, breathing hard.
“You’re impossible,” you murmur, voice caught somewhere between laughter and exasperation.
“Only for you,” he says, cheek brushing yours, eyes dark and intense. “You think you’re calm and controlled, but I know better. I’ve seen you ignite. I’ve felt it.”
Your chest rises and falls quickly, matching his. Heat pools low in your stomach, warmth spreading into your limbs, a tether to something you’ve both denied for far too long. His hand slides to your waist, just a ghost of pressure, enough to anchor the moment without breaking the fragile tension.
The kids are a faint murmur in the background, Max flipping a page with exaggerated patience, Dustin nervously glancing up and down the aisles, Lucas smirking knowingly, Mike hovering near the edge of their group. None of them interrupt, none of them see, but that doesn’t matter. You only see Eddie, only feel him, only exist in this small charged space between the shelves.
He kisses you again, softer this time, almost reverent. His lips trace yours slowly, deliberately, like he’s memorising every inch of you, storing it away. His hand presses closer against your back, guiding, but not demanding, and the brush of his thumb across your skin sends a shiver down your spine.
You break away just enough to look into his eyes, breath mingling. The air between you vibrates with the unspoken, the things you cannot name out loud. Desire. Curiosity. Tenderness. The words hover, dangerous and soft, and you know that even without speaking, he understands every heartbeat, every fluttering nerve, every tremor in your chest.
“I can’t stop thinking about this,” he confesses, voice low, almost desperate. “Being near you, feeling you, the way you… I can’t. You’re all I think about.”
You bite your lip, heart hammering. “I feel it too,” you admit, barely a whisper. “Every time you’re here. Every time you…”
He silences you with a gentle kiss, pressing you against the shelf again, and this time there is no hesitation. Every nerve in your body responds instantly, heat crawling up your spine, warmth pooling in your stomach, fingers clutching his jacket, pulling him closer. The world condenses into the soft scrape of leather, the press of lips, the hum of the library around you.
Finally, he pulls back just enough to rest his forehead against yours. Your breaths mingle, heavy and uneven, hearts hammering in unison. There’s no shame in the intensity, no apology for the desire that has been simmering for months.
“You have no idea,” he murmurs, voice rough and intimate, “how dangerous you are.”
“You’re not exactly safe either,” you tease, though your smile is shaky, lips still tingling from his.
He leans in for one last, slow kiss, a promise and a confession all in one. The heat lingers long after he steps back, a coil of tension that refuses to release, leaving you flushed, breathless, and entirely certain that neither of you are going to forget this day anytime soon.
The kids chatter softly, Max sighs dramatically over a particularly long sentence, Dustin rearranges pencils, and the storm outside finally quiets. But inside, the library is alive with a different kind of electricity, the kind that only exists when hearts refuse to stay quiet, when desire and affection and unspoken understanding collide.
Eddie slips an arm around your waist as you gather the returned books, fingers brushing gently, claiming without words. The moment is quiet, private, and charged. You press back just slightly, letting him know the feelings are mutual, undeniable, consuming, and perfectly timed for the sanctuary you’ve always created. Your library, your rules, and now, your secret.
Even with the kids around, the shelves between you, the ordinary routine of returns and checkouts, you know that nothing will ever be quite the same again. The world beyond this corner of the library can wait. For now, you exist in each other’s orbit, close, tangled in desire and warmth, and entirely unafraid.
little psa as we move closer towards the end of the year with a lot of fun writing challenges and prompts:
anyone sharing and writing fics or anything on here (or ao3 or anywhere else for that matter) are doing this for fun.
we, as fic writers, love seeing your notes, your comments, your likes and your reblogs. we adore it, i promise.
but please remember that we too are humans. we have lives, we have stress, we have jobs or kids or families we take care of. if we post about writing something and it doesn’t happen or get posted, please don’t belittle us, please don’t bully us into writing, please don’t beg us for our work. life happens. sometimes we get writers block. sometimes we feel like we can’t get words out. sometimes we scrap a whole work because don’t like how it reads.
just like you readers are human; we writers are human.
we love writing for you, we love sharing our work, we love reading other’s work too! but please, be kind with your words and what you ask for.
kinktober, fluffmas, daily prompts, writing and editing—it’s all a lot for us in addition to our lives and other daily tasks.
please just remember to be kind. i’ve seen too many amazing writers lose their love for the hobby because people don’t appreciate what they put out and in turn ask for something else. we are humans, we have feelings and we have flaws. we are not ai, everything we are writing is coming from our little brains onto these little screens for you so please. just. be. nice.
and to the people that are loving and supporting, we adore you. we cannot thank you enough for what you do and it does not go unnoticed. thank you.
Writers appreciate interaction so much, especially when it feels like it’s becoming less and less the norm to reblog and comment on works. However, there’s this fine line between appreciation and demand.
Life happens- there is so much happening behind the scenes in someone’s life you might not know about that’s preventing them from updating. Or, they might just not feel like it and that’s equally as valid. Sometimes it feels like the stars need to aligned and Mercury needs to be in Gatorade and the time has to be 11:11 for me to even feel the tiniest bit of inspiration and that’s okay!
Please just be mindful in how your words may unintentionally be making writers feel 💕
because aug 31 was international overdose awareness day, and this month is national alcohol and drug addiction recovery month, i kinda wanted to spotlight this fic (and it will be getting an update this month!)
TNATDD is such an important fic to me. it’s close to my heart, which is why i’ve had such a hard time committing to the ending 💀
addiction is no joke, and i hope i can inspire you in some way to have empathy for those struggling. i am immensely grateful for my recovery and that of my friends, we’ve all come such a long way and our lives look completely different than they did years ago. and i will never forget my friends who lost their battle.
i couldn’t have written this fic without my experiences and those of my friends. i am grateful to be on the other side.
You and Conrad share a joint which leads to a lot of firsts.
MDNI (18+) smut (p in v) unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it) creampie, mention of smoking weed
word count: 1.1k
The moon shines down on the ocean as you and Conrad sit on the dock. You’re sharing a joint which isn’t an unusual thing for you to be doing late at night. Everything is closed anyway so you’re really just looking to unwind.
You feel honored that he invited you to come stay for the summer, just the two of you, especially because you know that he finds a lot of comfort in you. You’re always his shoulder to cry on, his place to land when things get hard.
Being around him always feels right-it’s like all of your thoughts turn off because of how comfortable you feel. He’s sweet and kind and treats you right so it was only a matter of time before you fell for him. And you did it head over heels. You’ve been trying to convince yourself that it’s wrong but you just can't do it. Especially not when he looks at you the way he is right.
His eyes are soft and he’s got on that pretty smirk that always makes you a mess. And seeing that joint between his lips makes you want them somewhere else. You know he wants you, that much is obvious and you think this might finally be the night where you make a move. Maybe when the weed kicks in.
He’s close to doing the same, being tortured by the way you keep licking your lips, as if you know how badly he wants to kiss you. He can’t stop thinking about it and is just waiting for the high so he can relax. He knows you want him but he’s convinced that he’ll be taking things too far.
You’ve been friends for years and even though it’s clear that you both want to be more, neither of you wants to be the one to act on it. There’s nothing stopping you but all of the hurt from past relationships. Conrad’s watched you get your heart broken from loser after loser and he doesn’t want to be the next one.
But he feels like he deserves someone who will treat him right. He wants you and he wants you bad. He’s convinced that you’re it for him. He’s finally gotten over Belly and now he wants to start something with someone new. He doesn’t even think about her anymore, you now being the one he dreams about at night.
And here you are laughing at his dumb jokes and he really wants to be able to hear it for the rest of his life. You’re it for him and he doesn’t need anyone else. So here he is, trying to think of how he wants to do this. You’re leaning closer to him so all he has to do is mimic you. You’re making it so easy for him.
But then you take the joint from him and take a hit before standing up. The air has a bit of chill but being this close to Conrad is making you feel so fucking hot that you need to cool off. You begin to strip, staring straight at him as he does so.
He’s stunned to say the least but he’s not gonna stop you. In fact, he finds himself standing too, taking off his shirt. He can guess what’s happening and really hopes that he’s not wrong. But honestly, he’s not really thinking about that. He’s just staring at your now bare chest as your bra falls to the deck. Your shorts follow and he can’t seem to keep up, struggling to take off his own shorts. You’re giggling because of how reckless you’re being and it’s so contagious that he can’t help but join in.
He’s now naked as you dive in and he follows, both of you giggling continuously when you rise to the surface. You’re inching closer and closer until your bodies are pressed together, your giggles fizzling out completely. You don’t know when you began holding each other but here you are, arms and legs wrapped around him as he holds you.
Something’s shifted and now all either of your can think about is how badly you want each other right now. In an instant, his lips are on yours. It’s a soft, gentle kiss that grows hungrier by the second, fingers tangled in hair, tongues tangling.
You’re grinding against him, feeling him getting harder and harder against you. You’re driving him crazy and you know it just by the way he’s taking and taking from you.
“Need you,” he breathes and you know exactly what he means. His eyes are dark now and you feel hypnotized-led to do whatever he asks of you. And you want him so bad, feeling yourself dripping, in desperate need of him.
So Conrad gets inside, immediately pounding into you over and over. You’re bucking your hips against, his, matching his pace as you moan, eyes shutting tight.
He’s big and he knows it, looking down at you with that smug face even though you can’t see him. He didn’t think it would happen like this but it’s clear that it was what you both needed. He knows that pot amps up your sex drive but he never thought he’d be on the receiving end of it. He thinks after this, he’ll take you to bed and fuck you properly.
But now, he just needs a release, needs you to know how badly he wants you. He can feel it coming already, rising inside him. It has been a while since he’s gotten laid but he thinks you’re just that good. You’re saying all the right things and the way you’re riding him, fuck-
“I love you.” As soon as the words leave his mouth, you stare at each other wide eyed, both snapped out of the trance you were just in. Conrad instantly pulls out and you let go of him, still trying to process what he’s just said. He’s about to tell you to forget it, but you speak before he can.
“I love you too,” you reply with a smile and he can’t help but mimic you. Your bodies are pressed together again as you share another kiss, both of you smiling into it. You then break away and decide that you should probably head back to the house considering how late it probably is.
So you both put on your wet clothes, neither of you thinking about how uncomfortable you are because the only thing that’s on your minds is each other. And you head to the house hand and hand, sharing kisses along the way, giggles filling the silence between you as you head up the stairs to take a very much needed shower, but together this time as a couple.
summary: Clark is very good at distracting you from your work.
cw: MDNI (18+) smut (p in v) unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it) exhibitionism
The building is empty except for you and Clark. You’re trying to finish up an article and Clark is waiting for you to finish so he can take you home. You always feel bad that he’s always waiting on you but you know it’s not your fault that you have a shitty car that’s in the shop. And he doesn’t mind driving you. In fact, he prefers it because he likes knowing that you’re safe. As your boyfriend, he feels like it’s his duty to protect you. And maybe he just likes being with you for just a little longer after work.
This is one of his favorite parts of the day-sitting in the quiet of the building as you type away, admiring you as much as he wants because he doesn’t have his work to distract him. He’s pretty sure that could stare at you for hours and never get bored. You haven’t been going out for very long but he really likes you.
He likes getting home from a long day as Superman and laying on the couch with you, watching TV until you both inevitably fall asleep. He likes when you introduce him to new music and those really good brownies that you always make when he comes over. You make him a better version of himself and he thinks that’s what he likes the most.
You’re finishing up your article when he comes over to your desk. You can feel him behind you and you turn in your chair to look up at him. He’s so perfect that it’s unfair and sometimes you can’t believe that he’s with you. He could have any woman in Metropolis but he chose you. And you feel nothing but lucky everyday because of it.
“Can I help you?” You ask and seeing that signature smirk form on his lips is already making you melt. And the funny thing is that he genuinely has no idea the effect he has on you. A lot of men use their looks to their advantage, but not Clark. You’re not even sure he would know how to do that anyway. He’s too nice. He’s too good.
“Yeah, this tie is a little loose.” You know exactly what he’s up to and you’re not falling for it this time. You really need to finish this article. You think this is the one that will finally make people recognize you as a good writer.
“Nice try.” You try to turn back to your desk but he holds the chair in place so you can’t move.
“Just one kiss?” The pout he’s got going on is getting to you and there’s no way you can ever resist him.
“Fine, one. Then I really need to finish this, okay? Just a couple more sentences.” Clark places a hand on each arm of your chair as he leans in with a wide smile on his face because he’s finally getting what he’s wanted all day.
Your lips are soft as always and he’s trying really hard to reign it in because he can never seem to get enough of you. He’s about to pull away so you can get back to work, but you're the one who deepens it. Your tongue slides into his mouth and he can’t help but moan in response.
You didn’t mean for this to happen but that’s just what he does to you. And besides, you can just finish your article in the morning. It’s not like Perry will know the difference anyway.
Clark bends down and picks you up from your chair before setting you on top of your desk, standing between your legs that wrap around him. You’re loosening his tie as your lips move down to his neck. He lets out a whine as you bite down while you unbutton his shirt and you can feel a mess being made of you between your legs.
“This is actually really hot,” you murmur against his neck and he has to agree. “But we have to hurry before we get caught.” You both know that security is going to sweep the area followed by the janitor so you don’t have much time.
“But not very punk rock,” he replies and you scoff.
“Fucking in an office is very punk rock, thank you very much.”
Clark unzips your skirt and pulls it down as your lips find his again as you work on his belt. Your skirt and panties are discarded and you pull down Clarks pants and underwear. He spreads your legs wide and you moan loudly when you feel him.
He’s always so sweet and gentle but you kind of like seeing this side of him. He’s moving so fast that you can barely keep up but you somehow manage.
“You’re so hot like this,” he says as he pounds harder and harder. “Already so wet for me.” He never talks this dirty but you have to admit that it’s really turning you on. Your hands are gripping onto the desk for dear life as it rocks beneath you, both of you making the most foul noises as he fucks you senseless.
He’s getting deeper and deeper to the point where you can practically feel him in your stomach. Tears are pricking your eyes because of the size of him as you feel your orgasm approaching. You’ve never fucked like this and neither of you seem to be able to get enough. You’re pretty sure this is the hottest thing you’ve ever done throughout your entire relationship.
“That’s it,” he breathes. “Just like that. Taking me so well.” You feel so dizzy from all of it and you know that he’s going to have to carry you to the car when it’s all over.
You’re screaming his name as your orgasm approaches and he has to cover your mouth so no one hears you. His pace slows down until he comes to a full stop, pulling out as he holds you to his chest to prevent you from falling. He puts your skirt and panties back on before getting you dressed then saves your article before turning your computer off. He then scoops you up from the desk, grabbing your belongings before heading out of the building.
As he’s putting you into the passenger seat of his car, you think to yourself that this was the perfect distraction. It’s going to be something the two of you look back on for years to come and you can’t seem to stop giggling about it on the way to your apartment.
Warnings: fluff, clark being an idiot in love, kissing
A/N:
English is not my first language, so I apologize if I made any (grammar) mistakes. Feedback, requests, talks, vents, recommendations or just simple questions are always welcome.
Happy reading xxx
I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site.
Clark had decided he was going to break up with you.
It wasn’t an easy decision—actually, scratch that. It was the opposite of easy. It felt like trying to pull his own heart out with his bare hands. He’d been stewing over it for days, telling himself it was the right thing to do.
Rip the bandage off, Kent. Clean break. Move on.
Of course, the fact that you weren’t actually together and the “relationship” existed entirely in his own head… well, that part did make it marginally simpler. But still—emotions don’t check your reality before they hurt you.
Clark remembered the moment he first saw you as vividly as if someone had etched it into his brain.
It was his first day at the Daily Planet. He was still adjusting the knot in his tie, silently rehearsing his “Hi, I’m Clark Kent” line on loop in his head, when he walked into the bullpen and spotted you.
You were hunched over your laptop, typing like the fate of the free world depended on each keystroke. Your brows were knitted, your lip caught between your teeth, a pen tapping absently against your notebook. Your hair was pulled into a high ponytail, a short, fitted skirt framed your curves, high boots and a cozy sweater completing the picture. A delicate butterfly necklace rested just below your collarbone, catching the light in a way that seemed unfair. The matching earrings swayed gently when you moved.
And Clark… well, Clark was staring.
Staring in that “oh no, I’ve forgotten how to blink” kind of way.
Stop it, stop it, she’s going to notice—
“Uhhm, h-hey,” he blurted, voice cracking like a nervous teenager. “I’m Clark. Clark K-Kent. I’m Perry’s new hire.”
You looked up, and the transformation was instant—your serious, concentrated expression melted into a warm, easy smile that hit Clark like sunlight on a winter morning.
“Oh, hey! Welcome to the madhouse.” You stood, smoothing your skirt before offering your hand.
Clark took it.
And didn’t let go.
“Wow,” he murmured before he could stop himself when you said your name. “That’s a really pretty name. Does it… mean something?”
You tilted your head, clearly amused. “It actually means ‘hope,’ where I come from. But your name isn’t bad either.” You gave him a quick wink.
Hope. How ironic, he thought to himself.
So meant to be.
“Nice grip, by the way. Are you planning to let me have my hand back sometime this year?”
His brain stuttered. He released your hand so fast it was almost comedic.
“Oh! Right, sorry, I didn’t—uh—”
You laughed, not unkindly. “Relax, Kent. You’ll get used to the chaos around here.”
Clark wasn’t so sure. Because if perfection existed—and he was starting to believe it did—it was standing right in front of him, with a butterfly necklace and a smile that made him forget the rest of the newsroom even existed.
Someone coughed nearby. The sound jolted him, reminding him that they were, in fact, still in a very public, very busy workplace. The clatter of keyboards and ringing phones rushed back into his ears, along with the unmistakable bark of Perry White demanding three articles “yesterday.”
You dropped back into your chair, fingers already flying across the keyboard again. “So, Clark, where’d you transfer in from? You’ve got that new-guy look. A little lost, a little too polite. You’ll shake that off in a week or two.”
He blinked, trying to will his brain to form coherent sentences. “Uh—Smallville. Well, technically it’s called—uh—never mind, Smallville works.”
You looked up again, curiosity flickering in your eyes. “Smallville? Is that a nickname or the actual name of the place?”
“Actual,” he admitted sheepishly. “Population’s about… well, let’s just say if you sneeze, someone on the other side of town will probably bless you.”
That earned him another laugh—soft, genuine, and warm enough to send a shiver up his spine.
“Sounds… kinda nice, actually,” you said, and for a dangerous moment Clark let himself imagine you there. Not just passing through, but there—standing barefoot in the Kent farmhouse kitchen, hair a little messy, stealing a piece of pie cooling on the counter—
“Earth to Clark,” you teased, and he realized too late he’d been staring again.
“Sorry!” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Got distracted. Happens sometimes. Well, a lot.”
“Uh-huh,” you said with mock suspicion, spinning slightly in your chair. “Just don’t let Lois catch you daydreaming. She’ll make you pay for it. Probably by making you cover something awful, like the annual ferret festival in Hobbs Bay.”
“That… doesn’t sound so bad,” Clark said honestly.
You grinned, shaking your head. “You’ll learn.”
“C’mon,” you said suddenly, pushing back from your desk. “If you’re new here, you need the crash course in who’s who.”
“Oh—uh—okay,” Clark said, falling into step behind you as you wove through the maze of desks and rolling chairs.
You stopped at a workstation stacked high with half-empty coffee cups and crime scene photos. “This is Lois Lane—star reporter, occasional hurricane, and probably the reason Perry has blood pressure medication.”
Lois didn’t even glance up from her screen. “I heard that.” Then, with the faintest smirk, she finally looked at Clark. “So you’re the new guy. You look like you still say ‘gosh’ unironically.”
Clark’s ears went warm. “Uh… sometimes.”
“Mm. Cute,” Lois said, already turning back to her article.
You grinned and tugged him along before he could sputter out a defense. “This is Jimmy Olsen, photographer extraordinaire. If there’s a good side to be found, Jimmy’ll find it.”
Jimmy looked up from adjusting a camera lens. “Hey, man! Welcome to the Planet. You play poker?”
Clark blinked. “Not well.”
“Perfect,” Jimmy said, grinning. “See you Friday night.”
Before Clark could ask what that meant, you were steering him again—this time toward a desk surrounded by perfume bottles, fashion magazines, and an alarming number of animal-print accessories.
“And this,” you said, “is Cat Grant. She’ll charm you, flatter you, and then probably tell the entire office your most embarrassing secret.”
Cat gave him a slow, appraising glance over the top of her magazine. “Small-town farm boy? Honey, you are going to be fun.”
Clark wasn’t entirely sure if that was a threat or a promise, but before he could decide, you were pulling him back toward your own desk.
“There,” you said cheerfully. “Now you’ve met the core cast. Survive them, and you’ll survive anything.”
Clark smiled faintly, still feeling the lingering warmth of your hand on his sleeve. He had no idea then that this introduction would be the start of something far more complicated than just “settling in.”
Since that moment, Clark had been hopeless.
He’d fantasized about you in every way two people could be together—not in some grand, sweeping, cinematic way, but in the small, ordinary moments that actually mattered. You and him at the beach, laughing when the wind caught your hat. You and him sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in a dark movie theater, sharing popcorn. You and him at the grocery store, debating which brand of cereal to buy.
The kind of life he’d always wanted.
And he hated it—hated that he was letting his mind wander there, because he knew he could never do anything about it. You were… you. Effortlessly dazzling, magnetic, the kind of person everyone noticed when you walked into a room.
And he was… himself. A man who still sometimes tripped over his own feet, who could lift a car without breaking a sweat but couldn’t hold your gaze for more than five seconds without turning red.
So he’d set rules for himself. Boundaries. Okay, Clark, he’d tell himself, this is it. Today you end this stupid nonsense and stop thinking about her.
And then you’d walk into the newsroom—smiling that smile, wearing something that would make even the most hardened criminals turn their heads—and it was over. Whatever resolve he’d built that morning would crumble faster than a paper cup in the rain.
Today was one of those days.
You breezed in with a cup of coffee in one hand and a manila folder in the other, hair just slightly wind-tousled from the walk. Your grin hit him square in the chest like a freight train made of sunshine.
Clark sank a little deeper into his chair. You’re pathetic, Kent.
Which brought him here—to the decision he’d made over lunch, staring at the steam rising from his soup: it was time to “break up” with you, but for real this time.
Not that there was a relationship to end. But he had to put a stop to whatever was happening in his head. It was getting dangerous. Distracting. He’d almost called Perry “sir” earlier, which was asking for trouble.
He looked across the bullpen to where you stood talking to Jimmy, your hand gesturing animatedly, your laughter ringing over the low hum of office noise.
Clark swallowed hard. Alright. Rip the bandage off. He wasn't even sure what he was going to say. If anyone heard his thoughts, they would probably send him to an insane asylum.
Just as he was mustering the courage to get up, a voice drawled from behind him. “You’re doing the staring thing again, Smallville.”
He didn’t need to turn around to know it was Lois.
“I’m not staring,” he said automatically.
“You’ve been locked on her like a heat-seeking missile for at least three minutes,” Lois said, dropping a stack of files on his desk with a thud. “You trying to kill her with your eyes or just send her telepathic love letters?”
Clark sighed. “I’m… ending it today.”
Lois blinked. “Ending what? Your subscription to awkwardness?”
“My… thing for her.”
Lois gave a short laugh. “Thing? Clark, you’ve spoken to her, what, twice about anything that wasn’t work? You can’t break up with someone you’ve never actually dated.”
Clark straightened his glasses. “It’s still ending.”
Lois shook her head. “And how exactly do you plan to accomplish that?”
Clark hesitated. “…By keeping things strictly professional. No more… daydreaming.”
Lois smirked. “Uh-huh. Sure. And I’m giving up coffee starting tomorrow.”
Before Clark could reply, you looked up from Jimmy’s desk and caught his eye. You waved.
Clark froze, heart thumping. And just like that, his whole “breakup” plan was already falling apart.
You crossed the bullpen toward him, weaving between desks with that easy, confident stride like you’d been born for newsrooms. Your heels clicked in an unhurried rhythm, the kind that somehow made every head turn—not because you were loud, but because you carried yourself like you belonged everywhere you went.
Clark caught sight of you the second you stepped away from Jimmy’s desk, and his pulse kicked up like a faulty engine.
Okay. Don’t panic. Keep it cool. You are a fortress. You are unshakable. You are…
“Hey, Kent,” you said when you reached his desk, leaning one hip lightly against it. The edge of his notepad pressed into your thigh, and Clark had to remind himself to breathe. “I’ve got a question about that city hall piece you were working on.”
He opened his mouth to respond—only for his brain to promptly drop the baton and wander off for coffee.
You were close enough that he could see the tiny flecks of gold in your irises, the faint smudge of ink on the side of your hand, the subtle sway of your earring catching the light.
“…Uh… what?” he asked before he could stop himself.
You raised an eyebrow, but your lips curved into a laugh. “Wow. Either that article’s way more complicated than I thought, or you’ve gone temporarily deaf.”
Before Clark could sputter a defense, Lois’s voice drifted over from her desk without even looking up from her monitor. “I’m betting on deaf.”
Clark could practically hear the smirk in her voice.
Clearing his throat, he forced his eyes back down to the scrawl of his notes, as if the half-legible sentences there might anchor him. “Right. Uh—city hall. What was your question?”
You tapped your pen against his desk—a steady, almost teasing rhythm—as you repeated it. Your voice was calm, measured, but your tone carried that spark of interest you always had when you were chasing a lead.
Clark tried to listen. He really did. But then the faint scent of your shampoo reached him—something clean and light, with just a hint of citrus—and his focus went up in smoke. The soft, thoughtful crinkle at the corner of your eyes when you smiled wasn’t helping either.
Focus, Kent. Professional. This is work. WORK.
He managed to put together an answer that was, at the very least, not embarrassing enough to ruin his career. You glanced at the notes, nodded once, and gave him that grin again—quick, bright, the kind of smile that could undo every wall he tried to build—before pushing away from his desk and heading back across the bullpen.
The moment you were out of earshot, Clark sagged back in his chair like a man who’d just survived a major battle. He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
Lois rolled her chair halfway into his space, propping her chin in her hand, the picture of judgmental amusement.
“That,” she said slowly, “was painful to watch.”
Clark’s lips twitched. “It’s harder than it looks.”
Lois tilted her head, eyes glinting. “Buddy, it looks impossible.”
Clark straightened his glasses and muttered, “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Lois smirked. “Oh, I have confidence—in her. You? Not so much.” She gave his shoulder a light pat before swiveling back to her own desk.
Clark watched you from across the room, laughing at something Cat had said, and thought, Yeah… she’s probably right.
Clark had a brilliant new plan.
The new plan was foolproof.
Step one: avoid you completely. Step two: keep conversations under thirty seconds. Step three: don’t make eye contact for longer than it takes to blink.
Perfect. Simple. The three pillars of not-being-an-emotional-disaster.
It lasted exactly fourteen minutes.
Because that’s when you appeared beside his desk holding a box of doughnuts.
“Want one?” you asked, holding it out like a peace offering from some benevolent pastry deity.
Clark’s brain helpfully informed him that you looked very cute holding pastries. He ignored it.
“No, thank you,” he said, going for “cool and detached” and landing somewhere closer to “nervous hotel concierge.”
You peered at him, mock-suspicious. “What, you don’t like doughnuts?”
“I do. I just—uh—don’t want one.”
Smooth. Perfect. Pulitzer-worthy dialogue.
Your eyes narrowed in playful challenge. “Are you sure? Because this one has your name written all over it.” You pointed to a perfectly iced chocolate-glazed ring in the corner of the box. “Look, it’s even big enough for Smallville-sized hands.”
Clark smiled tightly, gripping the edge of his desk like it might anchor him. “I’m… good, really.”
You tilted your head. “Okay… but now I’m suspicious. Did Lois put you on some weird health kick?”
Across the bullpen, Lois—without even glancing up from her monitor—called, “Don’t drag me into your little rom-com, babygirl.”
Clark nearly choked. “It’s not—!” He stopped himself, cheeks heating, and mumbled, “Thanks for the offer, though.”
You gave him a little shrug, as if to say your loss, and strolled off toward Jimmy’s desk, the box balanced easily on your hip.
Clark exhaled. Step one, technically, still intact. He hadn’t eaten a doughnut. He hadn’t made prolonged eye contact. Progress.
Then Jimmy laughed at something you said, and Clark found himself watching again—your smile, the easy way you leaned on Jimmy’s desk, the way your necklace caught the light—
Nope. Nope nope nope. Fortress, Kent. You are a fortress.
By lunchtime, the plan was in tatters.
Not just “slightly frayed at the edges,” but utterly, irreparably shredded like an overstuffed paper in the Planet’s ancient shredder that Perry kept meaning to replace.
It began innocently enough.
You had stopped by his desk, leaning your forearm casually on the edge like it was your personal territory. “Hey, Kent—Jimmy and I are heading to that little sandwich shop on 8th. Want to come?”
Clark had smiled—polite, reserved, the kind of smile meant to create distance, not bridges. “No, thanks. I brought my own.”
“Suit yourself,” you’d said with a shrug, though your tone carried a hint of mock tragedy. “You’re missing out. Best turkey club in the city. Life-changing.”
“You laugh,” you said, already backing away, “but when you see Jimmy and me floating three inches off the ground after lunch, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Clark chuckled quietly after you left, telling himself that was fine—friendly conversation, nothing more. The plan still held.
Then came strike two.
About half an hour later, you reappeared, holding a printout. “Hey, could you look over these two paragraphs? Just for clarity. I swear, my brain keeps rearranging words like it’s playing Scrabble against me.”
Clark’s first instinct was to say no—to keep that boundary—but the words that came out were, “Sure, happy to.”
You slid the paper across his desk, and for the next few minutes he was hyper-aware of you leaning just slightly over his shoulder, scanning the screen as he worked. He focused on the sentences, marking small tweaks with his pen, all while pretending the faint warmth of your presence wasn’t utterly dismantling his focus.
“Perfect,” you said once he handed it back, giving him a little smile that made something in his chest loosen. “Thanks, Kent. You’re a lifesaver.”
“You’re welcome,” he murmured, watching you walk away and realizing with mild despair that the plan was already cracking.
The final blow came just before clocking out.
Somehow—he couldn’t quite remember how—it ended with the two of you walking back from the copier together. He was holding a thin stack of printouts; you had a manila folder tucked under your arm. And you were telling him a story.
“So there I am,” you said, gesturing with one hand for emphasis, “sitting on this bench at the boardwalk, right? Sun’s perfect, breeze is perfect, I’ve got this giant sandwich that I’d been looking forward to all morning.”
Clark smiled faintly, glancing sideways at you. “Sounds nice so far.”
“Oh, it was. And then—” You broke off, eyes widening in mock horror. “This seagull—no warning, no respect for personal boundaries—swoops in, grabs my sandwich right out of my hands, and takes off.”
Clark laughed, picturing it instantly. “Did you chase it?”
“Obviously,” you said, as if that was the only logical response. “But those little criminals can fly, Kent. They don’t care about your hopes and dreams.”
He chuckled again, shaking his head. “Sounds like you lost pretty badly.”
You sighed dramatically. “Crushed. And do you know the worst part?”
“What?”
“There was a second one watching the whole time. Like it brought a friend just to humiliate me.”
That made him laugh harder, the sound warm and genuine. He told himself it was just politeness—laughing at a good story. Not flirting. Definitely not enjoying the way your voice had a lilting rise when you reached the funny parts.
You grinned up at him as you reached your desks. “I love talking to you, Kent.”
And there it was—the coup de grâce. Five little words that went straight through his “breakup” armor like it was made of tissue paper.
He sat down heavily, watching you return to your own chair, and thought grimly: I’m doomed.
Clark was back at square one.
Maybe even square negative-one.
His desk was a battlefield of half-finished notes, coffee rings, and two articles that really should have been wrapped hours ago.
Lois appeared at his elbow like she’d been summoned by the smell of his failure. She propped herself against the corner of his desk, arms crossed, eyes sharp with the kind of amusement only a seasoned observer of other people’s disasters could muster.
“So,” she said, drawing the word out. “How’d Operation Emotional Distance go?”
Clark stared at the half-empty coffee cup sitting just to the right of his notepad—the one you’d left there when you’d rushed off to a meeting earlier, promising you’d “grab it in a minute.” The coffee was cold now. He hadn’t moved it.
“…I think I made it worse,” he admitted, voice quiet like he was confessing to a crime.
Lois’s mouth curved into a knowing smirk. “Shocker.”
Clark leaned back in his chair with a sigh, tilting his head toward the ceiling for a moment before letting his gaze drop to the desk. “It’s like… every time I try to pull away, she just… smiles.”
“And then it’s over?” Lois guessed, her smirk widening.
He nodded. “Completely over. All the boundaries, all the mental pep talks… gone. Just—poof.” He mimed something vanishing in the air, looking faintly exasperated with himself.
Lois reached over and patted his shoulder in exaggerated sympathy. “You’re doomed, Smallville.”
Clark gave a small huff of laughter, but he didn’t argue. Instead, his eyes flicked back toward your desk. You were shrugging into your coat, chatting with Jimmy, your laughter floating lightly over the noise of the room.
As you headed for the door, you spotted him and gave a little wave—bright, warm, utterly effortless.
Clark’s lips curved before he could stop them.
Lois shook her head, muttering something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like “hopeless,” before wandering back to her own desk.
Clark sat there for a beat longer, watching you disappear into the hallway, and thought maybe Lois was right.
And maybe, just maybe… he didn’t really want to be saved.
The brilliant plan—what little remained of it anyway—wasn’t even 24 hours old when Clark walked straight into its demise.
It was supposed to be a quick errand. Grab milk, maybe some bread, be back in ten minutes. He didn’t even bother changing out of his work clothes, just loosened his tie and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he stepped into the softly humming fluorescent glow of the Metropolis FreshMart.
And then he saw you.
Halfway down the cereal aisle, leaning on your cart, sweatshirt hanging off one shoulder, black biker shorts showing just enough leg to short-circuit his brain. Your hair was up in a messy bun, not the artfully styled kind you wore at the office, but the real kind—stray wisps escaping, just barely tamed with a scrunchie. No makeup, but somehow you looked brighter, softer, even more magnetic than you had all day.
Clark stopped dead. Unfair. The word bloomed in his head with the clarity of a headline.
Unfortunately, it also slipped out of his mouth.
“…so unfair.”
You looked up, instantly catching him. “What’s unfair?”
Clark froze mid-step, caught like a deer in headlights, clutching the handle of his basket like it was a lifeline. “Uh—prices. You know. On cereal. Inflation. Wild stuff.”
One eyebrow arched in pure disbelief. “Mm-hm. That sounded totally cereal-related.”
He opened his mouth, closed it, then tried again. “I just meant—uh—you look…” His brain scrambled for safe words—different, casual, off-duty—but none of them seemed right. “…different,” he finally said, weakly.
You took a slow step toward him, cart wheels squeaking on the tile. “Different good or different bad?”
“Good,” he said instantly. Too instantly. “Definitely good. Very good. Like… ridiculously—” He stopped, realizing he was walking straight into the quicksand.
Your smile turned sly. “You know what’s unfair?”
Clark swallowed. “…What?”
“These slutty little glasses you’re wearing.”
His jaw actually dropped. “My—what?”
You gestured toward his face, perfectly straight-faced but with a dangerous glint in your eye. “Thin frames, slightly askew tie, sleeves rolled up like you’re about to either write the world’s most heartfelt op-ed or fix someone’s leaky faucet for free. It’s… a lot, Kent.”
“They’re just glasses,” he said weakly.
“Mhm.” You plucked a box of granola bars off the shelf and tossed it in your cart. “Sure they are. Anyway, keep wearing them. It’s working for you.”
You pushed past him with a grin, your cart squeaking away toward the produce section, leaving Clark standing there with his milk, his bread, and the distinct feeling that he’d just been politely demolished in the cereal aisle.
He’d taken the scenic route to avoid crossing paths with you again, weaving through cleaning supplies and pet food like a man dodging laser tripwires. But fate—or maybe just the cruel geometry of grocery store aisles—wasn’t on his side.
Halfway through unloading his basket onto the conveyor belt, he heard your voice behind him.
“Well, well. Smallville in the wild.”
He turned, and there you were—cart half-full, a bag of spinach perched precariously on top, looking like you’d just stepped out of an athleisure catalog without trying.
Clark managed a polite smile. “Hey.”
You started unloading your own items, glancing at his modest pile—milk, bread, coffee, eggs. “This is very… wholesome. Not a single frozen pizza or questionable snack food. I’m impressed.”
“I, uh… cook a lot,” he said, fumbling his wallet out of his pocket.
“Makes sense,” you said with a little nod. “Farm boy hands, farm boy meals.”
Clark swiped his card, trying to focus on the screen instead of how close you were standing. Unfortunately, you didn’t seem inclined to let him off the hook.
“You know,” you added casually, “the glasses are even more dangerous under these fluorescent lights.”
He blinked. “Dangerous?”
You tilted your head. “Yeah. The light catches them just enough to make you look… I don’t know. Like you’re about to change someone’s life with a single headline.”
Clark coughed into his hand. “They just help me see.”
“Mm-hm,” you said again, in the exact tone of someone humoring a very bad liar.
The cashier handed Clark his bag, and he muttered a “thanks” before turning toward the exit, hoping to make a clean getaway.
Except you fell into step beside him, pushing your cart toward the parking lot. “See you tomorrow, Kent,” you said with a little wink, peeling off toward your car.
Clark stood frozen for what felt like an eternity but was probably no more than three seconds, the grocery bag in his hand suddenly heavy and awkward. His heart hammered like a frantic drumbeat, but then his brain fired up with sudden clarity—You know what? Screw the plan.
He jogged a few steps, sneakers squeaking faintly on the asphalt as he caught up to you. “Hey—uh—wait!” His voice came out rougher than he’d hoped, cracking just a little.
You paused beside your car, keys jingling in your hand, and tilted your head with a curious smile—equal parts amused and expectant. “What’s up?”
Clark swallowed hard, suddenly hyperaware of his clammy palms gripping the crinkling paper grocery bag. His words stumbled out, “I, uh… I was wondering if maybe you’d—if you’re free sometime—like, I could maybe take you to dinner. Or lunch. Or, uh… anywhere, really.”
Your smile deepened into something that was both teasing and genuinely warm, the kind that made the world narrow down to just the two of you. “You’re not sticking with your plan, huh?”
He blinked, caught off guard. “...My plan?”
“Yeah,” you said smoothly, leaning a hip against the gleaming side of your car, one boot tapping lightly on the asphalt. “Operation Emotional Distance? Avoid me at all costs? Keep it strictly professional?”
Clark’s stomach twisted into a knot. “How—how do you know about that?”
You grinned, the sparkle in your eyes wicked and knowing. “Lois told me. She’s my best friend, y’know.”
His ears burned hot, cheeks flushing bright red. “Oh. Right. Of course she did.”
You tilted your head again, eyes soft but teasing as if weighing a delicious secret. “So… you’ve been trying not to like me?”
Clark ran a hand nervously through his hair, every inch of him radiating shy, awkward farm-boy charm. “Trying. Failing spectacularly.”
That earned a soft, almost musical laugh from you. You stepped closer, the scent of your shampoo—fresh and lightly citrusy—filling the space between you like an intoxicating invitation. “You’re ridiculous, Kent.”
“Is that… bad?” His voice was tentative, hopeful all at once.
“No,” you said, shaking your head with a smile that made his pulse spike. “It’s cute. You’re cute.”
Before his brain could sprint away to safety, you closed the distance between you slowly—intentionally. Your hand found his wrist, warm and steady, and your eyes held his with quiet certainty.
Then your lips met his.
The kiss was soft at first, gentle like the brush of a feather, but then it deepened—warm and hungry, slow and sure. Your fingers tightened slightly on his wrist, pulling him closer until the space between you was nothing but heat and breath.
Clark’s hands lifted tentatively, one brushing a stray lock of hair behind your ear, the other settling on the small of your back. The grocery bag crinkled forgotten, falling to the pavement as the world narrowed to the feel of your lips, the scent of your hair, and the spark of something electric passing between you.
When you finally pulled back, your eyes shone with amusement and something softer, more tender. “Dinner sounds great,” you breathed, your smile lingering like a secret.
Clark felt like he’d just won the front page and a slice of Ma Kent’s homemade pie all at once. “Okay. Dinner,” he said, his voice steady despite the rapid beating of his heart.
You slid into your car, the engine purring to life, and as you pulled away slowly, you called back through the open window, “See you tomorrow, pretty boy.” Clark stood there, groceries forgotten at his feet, feeling lighter and more certain than he had in weeks. Maybe—for once—ditching the plan really was the best plan of all.
johnny storm x fem!reader
content warnings: none! all fluff!
summary: on a mission, Johnny gets sprayed with something that makes him way too honest. you try to keep him quiet, but he blurts out all the things he’s been holding back, especially how long he’s been in love with you.
wc: 2k
masterlist.
It was supposed to be a standard sweep.
Alien bunker. Low threat. Weird tech, strange symbols, and enough glowing crystals to make Reed’s voice crack with excitement. Johnny had been bored from the start—hovering in the back of the group, tossing a ball of flame between his fingers while Ben kicked open doors and Sue cleared the path.
“I could be on a beach right now,” Johnny muttered, singeing the edge of a scorched blueprint with his pinky. “I deserve to be on a beach.”
“You got terrible sunburn last time,” Sue reminded him without looking back.
“It was a controlled burn.”
The air in the corridor felt stale, like something hadn’t breathed in there for centuries. They moved cautiously through the underground chamber, scanning for trip wires or pressure plates. Nothing. Just strange writing etched into the walls, humming with quiet energy.
That was the first sign something was off.
The second?
The pod.
It sat in the corner of the room. Dull silver, cracked slightly open, leaking a strange violet mist that curled and floated like it had a mind of its own.
Johnny, naturally, poked it.
“Johnny.” Ben snapped, too late.
The mist shot upward in a perfect puff—like a firework in reverse—right into Johnny’s face.
He blinked. Coughed once. Waved the smoke away.
“What the hell was that?” Sue asked, backing up with her arm half-raised for a shield.
“I’m fine,” Johnny said, squinting. “That was barely a breath. Not even spicy. Smelled kind of like lavender.”
Reed was already scanning him with some handheld monitor, muttering calculations under his breath.
Johnny grinned. “Relax, I’m fine. I feel great, actually.”
Then he looked at Sue and said, completely deadpan:
“By the way, your meatloaf sucks.”
A beat of silence.
“Excuse me?” she said, affronted.
“I’ve been pretending for years. I’m sorry. It’s bad. It’s like sadness in a pan.”
And that was when Reed declared the mission over.
The Baxter Building lobby smelled like smoke.
Not the scary kind. No alarms, no shouting, no flaming holes in the ceiling. Just a lingering warmth in the air, like someone had lit a match and forgot to put it out. You looked up from your notebook as the elevator doors slid open and the Fantastic Four filed in, one by one.
Reed had a sample tube in his hand. Sue was wiping green goo off her shoulder with a sigh. Ben was muttering something about “next time, I swear I’m bringing a flamethrower.”
And Johnny…
Johnny was beaming.
“Hey, guys!” he said way too brightly, his eyes going wide when he spotted you. “Look who it is! It’s the prettiest person in the tri-state area. No, the planet. Actually, the universe. Easy.”
You blinked. “Johnny?”
He marched right up to you with zero hesitation and zero regard for personal space.
“Hi,” he said, grin full blast, cheeks flushed. “You look amazing. I love that shirt on you. And your hair? Perfect. Is that a new lipstick? It’s making me go crazy. In a good way.”
“…Are you okay?”
“Me? Never better,” he said, rocking on the balls of his feet. “Got sprayed with a weird puff of alien gas in a tunnel, but I feel fantastic. And also, I’ve been thinking about how your laugh sounds like windchimes, and how it makes my chest all floaty and-”
“Johnny,” Reed interrupted from across the room, brows furrowed behind his glasses. “I need you to sit down.”
“I am sitting down,” Johnny replied.
“You’re standing.”
“Well, emotionally I’m sitting. Emotionally I am in a beanbag chair. Staring at-” he turned back to you, “a literal work of art.”
Sue groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Reed, tell me he didn’t breathe that stuff in.”
“He did,” Reed said grimly. “And based on his current behavior, I’m hypothesizing a psychochemical compound similar to a truth serum. But stronger. Less filtered. More impulsive.”
“Sweet,” Ben said. “So he’s just gonna be running his mouth until it wears off?”
“Correct.”
“Oh, this is gonna be good.”
You turned back to Johnny, whose attention hadn’t wavered once. He looked like a golden retriever that had just discovered affection. His smile was stupid. His eyes were shining. His hair was a little windblown and he had a small scratch on his cheek, but he looked annoyingly good.
“I am so sorry,” you whispered, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “You probably don’t feel like yourself right now.”
“I feel great,” he replied. “Your hand is soft. Did you know that? Have I told you that before?”
“Johnny-”
“And I love that perfume. It’s not too much. It’s, like, subtle but deadly. I would let it kill me.”
“Okay-”
“I’m in love with you, by the way.”
Silence.
Your mouth dropped open.
Sue choked on her coffee.
Ben muttered, “Aw, hell.”
Johnny blinked. “Oh. Should I not have said that?”
The words just…hung there.
Like a balloon popped in the middle of a silent room. Time slowed. You felt your ears go hot, your heart skip. Johnny stood there, blinking at you like he didn’t just say that, like he hadn’t just detonated the emotional equivalent of a nuclear bomb in the middle of the Baxter Building.
“Okay,” you said, voice tight. “Okay. So you’re, uh. You’re drugged. That’s cool. That’s fine. Everything’s cool-”
“I’m not drugged,” Johnny said proudly. “I’m just finally free.”
Sue set down her coffee with a loud clunk. “Johnny, shut up.”
“I won’t!” he declared, like he was giving a toast. “I have been in love with her for, like, six months- maybe more, who’s counting, not me, except that I definitely wrote it in my notebook at one poin=t”
“Oh my God,” you whispered.
“And I didn’t say anything because I thought, hey, you’re normal, right? And I’m me. Human torch. Fire boy. Disaster man. I figured if I told you, you’d run for the hills or laugh or worse. But I think about you all the time.”
“Johnny-”
“Like, all the time. Like, embarrassing amounts. Like I have quotes you’ve said stuck in my head like song lyrics.”
"Johnny can you-"
“I memorized the way you say my name,” Johnny added, eyes wide, honest to God sincere. “You say it different than everyone else. It’s like…softer. Like you’re letting me be someone else when you say it.”
You wanted to disappear.
No. You wanted to melt into the floor.
Or maybe fly into the sun.
But instead you stood there, frozen, while Johnny kept going, still not done.
“One time I flew over your apartment window to make sure you got home okay after that dinner with that guy you didn’t like. And I pretended it was a patrol run, but really I just wanted to make sure your lights turned on. And I saw them. And I smiled for, like, an hour.”
“Oh my God,” Sue muttered into her hands.
“Also!” he added brightly. “I have a collection of vinyls in a box labelled ‘If She Ever Lets Me Kiss Her’ and I will be playing it in full if that moment ever comes."
Ben was red in the face now, shaking with laughter. Reed just looked concerned.
You finally grabbed Johnny’s arm and pulled him into the hallway with a rushed, “I just need to talk to him, excuse us.."
Once the door clicked shut behind you, Johnny looked up at you with a dreamy smile.
“You’re holding my arm,” he said, like it was the best part of his whole day.
You stared at him. “Johnny.”
“Yes?”
“You are not in your right mind.”
“I’m in love.”
“No, you’re chemically compromised.”
He grinned wider. “Wow. That’s my favorite way someone’s ever said that.”
You ran a hand down your face, trying not to laugh. Trying not to feel the way your heart was pounding.
“You can’t just…say all that to me,” you whispered. “You can’t say things like that and not mean them.”
Johnny paused.
The smile softened. For the first time all afternoon, he looked a little serious. A little still.
“I do mean them,” he said quietly. “Every single word.”
You stared.
He wasn’t grinning now. He wasn’t performing. He was just looking at you like you were the only real thing in the room. No sparks. No flash.
Honest.
Open.
Yours, if you wanted.
“But,” he added, blinking slow. “If you don’t feel the same, that’s okay. I can…walk that back. Just, like, tell me, and I’ll make myself forget. Or I’ll pretend this never happened. I’ll do whatever you want. Just…don’t stop being in my life. I need you. Even if I don’t get to have you.”
You didn’t realize you’d moved until your hand was on his face, fingers cradling his jaw, thumb brushing the side of his cheek.
He leaned into it instantly, heat curling off his skin like instinct.
“You didn’t even ask if I feel the same,” you said softly.
“Do you?”
You nodded. Barely.
He didn’t say anything.
He just kissed you.
It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t fiery.
It was warm. Solid. Real.
He tasted like cinnamon gum and something a little electric. He sighed into it like it was the one thing he’d been holding his breath for all this time.
When you pulled back, he looked dazed.
“You taste like strawberry chapstick,” he whispered. “I knew it.”
You laughed, breathless, forehead pressed to his.
“What happens when the serum wears off?”
“I panic. Sue makes fun of me. Reed writes a report. I pretend I don’t remember any of this.”
“And then?”
He looked at you again.
“Then I kiss you again,” he said. “But on purpose this time.”
By the time Johnny woke up the next morning, the serum had long worn off, and the crippling realization of everything he’d said had kicked in.
He lay on his back in his bed, arm over his face, replaying it all in horror:
“I think about kissing you, like, constantly.”
“I flew past your window to make sure you were safe.”
He groaned. Out loud. Into the void. Into his pillow.
“Oh my god.”
There was a knock at the door.
He flinched. “Go away.”
The door opened anyway.
“Morning, lover boy,” Ben said, way too cheerfully.
“I said go away.”
“Too bad. I brought company.”
Sue followed behind, sipping her coffee. “How’s our little truth bomb?”
Johnny rolled over and buried his face in the pillow. “Dead. Gone. I’m quitting the team.”
“Aw, come on,” Ben said. “You were adorable. Real rom-com material.”
“Kill me.”
“I didn’t know your middle name was ‘romance’” Sue added.
“I swear to God-”
“And Reed says he’s almost done charting your ‘emotional spike timeline,’” Ben said. “Apparently you got more honest every time she smiled at you.”
“I will burn this entire building down.”
A soft knock interrupted his growing spiral of despair.
You stepped into the doorway, holding two mugs of coffee. One of them had little flame doodles on the side. Johnny peeked over his pillow, eyes wide like a scared cat.
You gave him a slow smile. “You, uh…remember yesterday?”
He groaned. Again. “Please say it was all a dream.”
“Nope.”
You walked over and handed him the flame mug.
“But it was a very good dream for me.”
His ears turned red. Bright red. Like the serum had activated all over again.
You sat gently beside him on the edge of the bed.
“I liked hearing the things you said,” you added. “Even if they were…sudden. And chaotic. And a little concerning.”
“So…you’re not never speaking to me again?”
“Nope.”
“You don’t hate me?”
“Definitely not.”
You leaned in, brushed your hand across his cheek, and kissed the corner of his mouth, warm and quick and real.
“I kind of want to hear more of the truth,” you murmured. “This time without the alien chemicals.”
His eyes widened. “You do?”
“Only if you promise to show me that collection of records.”
Johnny grinned, wide and stunned, like he couldn’t believe his luck.
“I’ll even throw in choreography,” he said. “But I’m warning you—it’s a lot of finger guns and dramatic pointing.”
“Perfect.”
And for the first time in twenty-four hours, Johnny Storm thought:
You have some news for Johnny, but the last thing you expect is for Sue to beat you to it. However, it turns out becoming parents isn’t even the biggest thing the family has to worry about - there are much bigger forces at work. Follows the timeline of about the first half of the movie
Warnings:
Smut (18+), unprotected p in v, oral (m receiving), creampie, movie spoilers, pregnancy, birth, fluff, angst, dangerous situations
Word Count: 19.2k
A/N:
I’m so beyond happy to have this completed and posted for y’all! This fic follows the timeline of the first half of the movie and contains spoilers, and is left open for more. I’m sorry if there’s anything in here that doesn’t make sense or isn’t canon compliant, I know nothing besides this one movie 😅 Much more can be written in the world of this fic - let me know if you want to see it! Big giant thanks to @punkrockmlchael for my banner, @writhingg for always being the best beta reader, @glassbxttless and @getaapologist for being the most helpful ever for this girl who knows nothing about marvel, and to @feral4youu and @sudsys for reading literally every scene the second i finish it (you’re both real ones ilysm)
“Oh, sweetheart…”
Johnny was a panting mess above you, leaning up on his elbows on the bed and watching your every move as you took his cock deeper and deeper down your throat. You looked up at him through your long eyelashes, taking in the fucked-out look on his face.
He was looking down at you with his face screwed up in pleasure. His toned chest heaved with his breaths, a whining moan at the end of each one.
His cock was hot and heavy in your mouth, throbbing between your swollen lips. Precum leaked from his tip, the heady taste on your tongue every time you swiped over his slit, which drove him crazy. His head would loll back on his shoulders as a low groan tore its way out of his chest.
You splayed your hands across his thick thighs, bobbing your head a little faster, making sure to give every part of him plenty of attention. He loved when you were sloppy on it like this. Johnny raked his hand through your hair, pushing you down all the way and holding you there until you couldn’t breathe.
“God-“ he choked, his eyes falling closed. “Oh, jesus baby, that’s- h-oh- oh, god-“
He let go and you pulled off of him, gasping for air. You took only a moment to compose yourself before you were sinking back onto him, sending Johnny flopping back onto the pillows with a groan.
You cradled his balls in your right hand, gently massaging them as you took him down slowly, focusing your tongue along the underside of his cock. His thighs trembled, muscles clenching.
“Fuck,” he whined. “Sweetheart, I- I’m so close, I’m so close. Wanna be inside you. Please.”
You lifted off of him with a pop, his cock twitching weakly as it was left wanting. Your lips were shining, wet with saliva. “Well, since you asked so nicely…”
Johnny laughed breathlessly and reached for you, pulling you on top of him and drawing a giggle from your lips. Your naked body landed on top of his, your chests pressed together as he tangled his hand in the back of your hair and dragged you down into a playful kiss.
Your lips moved together like they had always known one another. You straddled Johnny’s waist, legs on either side of his hips as you kissed him. His free hand rubbed down the smooth skin of your back and gripped your ass, making you gasp into the kiss. He chuckled.
“You’re perfect, y’know that?” he said quietly against your lips. He licked into your mouth, tasting a hint of the wine you’d had together, now forgotten across the room. A moan rumbled from his chest and against yours as your tongues rolled together, his cock pressed right up against what he wanted more than anything.
“You’re too sweet, Johnny,” you said as you broke the kiss and sat up. You rolled your hips experimentally, his cock dragging through your soaked folds. Johnny gasped, his hands flying to grip your hips tightly.
“Shit,” he hissed. “I can’t take it anymore. I need to fuck you right now.”
You moaned, you could feel his impressive length pressing insistently against you. He needed it bad tonight - you loved it when he got like this. Sometimes he was so needy and desperate, sometimes he was dominant and in control. Tonight was the former, and you weren’t complaining. “D’you want me to ride you, baby?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Fuck yeah.”
You lifted yourself up on your knees and Johnny reached beneath you to line his cock up with your hole. His thick tip was pressed tight against you, his blue eyes looking up into yours with so much fiery lust behind them it took your breath away.
You mentally prepared yourself, then lowered, sinking down onto Johnny’s thick cock slowly. His head dropped back and he let out a loud groan - you wouldn’t be surprised if the whole Baxter Building could hear him. Johnny was never shy about letting you know how good you felt.
He rocked his hips up into you right away, feet planted on the bed and his thigh muscles working as he pumped up into you. He was so deep already, your head tossed back as you cried out.
“Johnny! Oh my god-“
He was fucking you so hard from beneath you, you forgot you were supposed to be doing the work, too lost in your own pleasure. Eventually Johnny tugged on your hips, encouraging you to move. “Ride me, sweetheart. Please.”
You rocked your hips slowly at first, grinding down against him. You rested your hands on Johnny’s chest, rolling against him, the hair at the base of his cock rubbing against your clit just right. It felt incredible for you, but he needed more. He grabbed your ass in each of his large hands and started guiding you up and down, lifting you before letting you fall back down onto him.
The first drop back down onto him made Johnny’s back arch, a loud moan filling the air. The muscles in his neck and shoulders were straining, his pink, kiss swollen lips parted in a pretty O. Oh, he was needy.
You set a steady pace bouncing on his cock, Johnny watching your every move with intense focus. Your tits bounced with your movements - he couldn’t decide whether he’d rather look at that or the way his cock was disappearing inside you.
“Jesus,” Johnny groaned. “God, yes, keep riding me like that. You’re so tight around me, so fucking hot and wet- oh-“
“Feels so good, Johnny,” you cried, your voice higher than usual. He guided you a little faster, needing more, needing to fuck you deeper and harder. His cock felt so good with you wrapped around him - he’d never felt anything so good. He thought he could stay there indefinitely.
He sat up, burying his face in your bouncing tits and groaning as he groped them with his large, warm hands. His thumb swiped over the nipple of one while his hot mouth wrapped around the other, making you gasp. He moaned unabashedly, deep and low and drawn out, loud enough for the whole city to hear.
He fell back against the pillows and grabbed onto your hips again, guiding you faster. He was getting close, you could tell by the way his muscles were clenching, the way he needed more more more, the way he started whining and babbling and praising you like you were some deity bestowing upon him pleasures like he’d never before experienced.
“That’s it, that’s it sweetheart, keep riding me like that, keep- keep- fuuuuck- oh god-“ He was gasping, whimpering, losing control as his orgasm crept up his spine like electricity. “Need you to cum, baby, because I’m not far off.”
“‘m close, Johnny,” you whined, falling down onto his cock over and over, your head tilted back, his tip pressing so deep inside you - it was sending you reeling. When he moved a hand from your hip to rub quick, small circles on your clit with his thumb, it nearly made you scream. The coil in your belly tightened and tightened and tightened-
Your pussy clenched around Johnny again and again as you came, which was almost his undoing. You were screaming and moaning his name and Johnny was trying to hold it together just a little bit longer, just a little more, he didn’t want it to be over yet but-
Flames crackled on his skin as he let out a roar of a moan, planting his feet and thrusting his hips up into you as hard as he could. You gasped, surprised by the actual fire flickering along his arched body - but you were too fucked out with his cockhead currently buried as deep in you as possible while he held you there, his cum dripping out of you and down the sides of his shaft.
You were both shaking hard as you came down. The flames disappeared and you were left with your normal not-flaming boyfriend, still holding onto your hips while he tried to catch his breath, his chest shining with sweat.
“Jesus,” you finally said, laughing lightly. Johnny joined you, breathless but chuckling at the situation. He helped you carefully pull off of him, more of the cum he’d given you dripping from your hole. His eyes zeroed in on it, and you thought you heard him whimper.
“That was incredible,” Johnny said. He reached for his bedside table and grabbed a water bottle sitting there, opening it and taking a long drink.
“Do you usually catch on fire when you have sex?” you teased.
“Only when it’s fucking incredible,” he said, giving you that charming Johnny Storm smirk. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to your lips. “You’re incredible. I love you.”
“I love you too, Johnny.” You kissed him again. You cuddled up to his side on the bed. “Is it okay that you…y’know…” Johnny had never cum inside of you like that before. Usually you used condoms, or he pulled out.
“I can get you a morning after pill if you’re nervous,” he said quietly. “But with my powers, my DNA mutation - I’m not even sure if I can have kids. Reed and Sue have wanted them for ages and it never happened.” He shrugged sadly, still a hint of a smile on his face. “Kinda sucks, because I really wanted kids one day.”
The idea of never being able to have children with Johnny made you sad. It made your heart ache. You knew any child would be the luckiest in the world to have Johnny as their father.
“You don’t have to,” you said. “I know it's unlikely.”
Johnny kissed your temple. He knew how badly you wanted children, and he felt terrible he couldn’t give them to you. “I love you, sweetheart,” he said simply again. “I’m always gonna take care of you.”
“I love you too, Johnny.” You nuzzled into his neck, slumber catching up to your aching body. “I’m gonna take care of you, too.”
He chuckled, his chest vibrating beneath your head. He stroked your hair as you laid together and held you close.
“You are everything to me.”
“I can’t believe she’s having a baby,” Johnny laughed as you closed the door to your bedroom, still wrapping his mind around the news of his sister being pregnant. He was thrilled, that much was clear. Sue was happy, he was happy - he knew Reed would take good care of both of them. That wasn’t even a concern. They’d wanted a baby for so long. He shook his head with a smile, running a hand through his blonde hair.
“Yeah,” you said, trying to muster up as much enthusiasm in your voice as you could. “It’s really exciting!”
The truth was, your stomach was buzzing with nerves. You were beyond happy for her, but Sue announcing a pregnancy was the last thing you expected tonight -
You had been planning an announcement for Johnny yourself.
Now, you weren’t sure what to do. You didn’t want to take over Sue and Reed’s baby news, especially with how long they’d been waiting for this. And sure, Johnny was over the moon about becoming an uncle - but how would he feel about becoming a dad? Right now?
Johnny gave you a strange look as he sat on the end of the bed, removing his shoes. “You okay? You seem…weird.”
“I’m fine!” you exclaimed, maybe with a little too much energy. “Seriously, I’m fine. It was just…a big evening.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “But…something’s off. Are you not happy?”
“No!” you blurted too quickly. “I mean, yes, I am. It’s not that, I swear.”
You had begun to pace, fingers tangled together. Johnny was properly concerned now, leaning on his knees as he watched you. When he couldn’t take it anymore he reached out, grabbing your hand and stopping you. “Sweetheart. What’s bothering you? You know you can tell me anything.”
Unable to keep pacing with your hand in his, you felt like the news was going to burst out without your permission. “It’s nothing, Johnny, I promise.”
He pulled you down onto his lap, his arms wrapping around your waist. “What, do you want a baby now that it’s on the table?” he asked, his tone teasing. Your stomach clenched in a knot, your skin like ice.
“What?” you asked, your laugh too high, too awkward to be casual. “What are you talking about?”
“Did my sister’s announcement give you baby fever?” he teased you even more, oblivious to your internal panic. “We’ll have one one day, baby. I wanna get married first, wait until things feel…right.”
That made you feel even worse. Would he not want the baby now? The way he’s talking now makes it sound like he doesn’t want one. But you were pregnant. It was happening whether it was the right time or not.
You felt tears brimming in your eyes. Your gaze was locked on the floor, avoiding Johnny entirely. When you didn’t laugh or joke back, he moved to look at your face better, seeing your wet eyes and trembling lower lip.
“Jesus, baby, what’s going on?” he asked, placing his hands on either side of your face. “I was just messing around. What’s bothering you so much?”
Your hormones were really getting to you. You weren’t much of a crier, not usually, which was what had Johnny extra freaked out as you sobbed in his lap. He rubbed your arms up and down soothingly, his warmth transferring to you. “Baby, please. Just tell me what’s wrong so I can help. I hate seeing you like this and feeling helpless.”
You shook your head. “I can’t. I…I can’t.”
“You can’t what?” The longer you went without just telling Johnny what was wrong, the worse his panic got. “Sweetheart, please. Just tell me, you- you can tell me anything, you know that.”
“I just…” you sniffled, wiping at your eyes. Johnny wiped a stray tear away with his thumb. “This isn’t how I wanted this to go.”
“How you wanted what to go?” He was so lost. “Baby, please, just tell me. I’m so confused. You know I’m not good at…figuring feelings out. If I did something wrong, please just tell me.”
You shook your head. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Johnny.” You met his blue eyes, your own red and puffy. It broke his heart. “I just…I’m sorry. I’ve had a lot going on.”
“Like what?” he asked. “Let me help. Please. You don’t have to do anything alone.” He squeezed your hip. “I’m your family. We’re your family now.”
A deep breath. You had to tell him. And he knew enough now to be scared - it had to be now. “Johnny…”
“Tell me, sweetheart,” he said. He was looking right into your eyes, you were surprised he couldn’t read your thoughts straight out of your head. Those eyes were so intense, they could have fooled you. “Let me in.”
“I…” He squeezed your hands in his. You took comfort in his touch. “Johnny, I’m pregnant.”
It was like time stopped. Neither of you moved an inch - or even breathed. Johnny just kept staring at you as if you hadn’t said anything. Then, finally - “Are you serious?”
You nodded. You were terrified as you watched him, waiting for his reaction. He looked like he was processing the words, like they hadn’t fully set in yet. Then-
“Really? A little Storm baby? Right now?” he grinned - but his mouth dropped when something else occurred to him. “And they’ll have a built-in best friend!”
“You’re happy?” you asked. Relief flooded your veins, but you were still shaking from the anxiety. “You want this?”
“What do you- of course I want this,” he said, laughing like he couldn’t believe what you’d said. He rubbed your upper arms, warming your entire body. “Who cares if we’re not married yet? This is the best news. We’ve gotta tell everyone right now.”
“Hold on,” you said, laughing lightly. Johnny had surprised you - he looked ecstatic. You had been worried for nothing. “Sue just announced, I don’t want to take away from her moment. They tried for a long time.”
Johnny considered your words. “She’s going to be happy for us,” he said.
“I know she will be.” His blue eyes were shining, the excitement physically visible in them. “But this is her moment. I don’t want to take that away from her and Reed.”
Despite your words, he still couldn’t wipe the huge grin off his face - he was happy enough at the idea of becoming an uncle, but a father too? This was one of the best days of his life. “Okay. We’ll wait. But this is the best. Who could have predicted me and my sister having babies at the exact same time?”
“It is pretty crazy,” you said, your voice nervous. You were still wrapping your mind around the situation yourself. You’d only known for two days, and had spent those worrying yourself sick over Johnny’s reaction. You had finally worked up the courage, but the news of Sue’s pregnancy coming out at Sunday dinner was the last thing you expected.
You knew that, eventually, this would be amazing. Two cousins so close to the same age were bound to be close. But you worried about how Sue and Reed would feel. Would they be hurt? Would they resent you and Johnny for getting pregnant so easily? By accident?
The anxiety made you sick. Even when you changed into your pajamas and climbed into bed with Johnny, your boyfriend spooning against your back with his hand already resting protectively on your stomach - you worried. Johnny snored softly in your ear and you thought about how you might have just ruined everything in your new family.
It was two weeks after telling Johnny about the pregnancy, and Sunday dinner had once again rolled around. You were content to keep the secret for a while longer still, but Johnny was driving you crazy about it. Every day he asked when you could announce, every day he begged you to say yes.
You’d finally agreed. Now Johnny was practically bouncing off the walls, excited for dinner. He was dressed handsomely, a button down shirt with dark blue pants. You had been suffering from the worst morning sickness the past week, and only had the energy to dress in an oversized t-shirt and leggings.
He couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as you ate, and the others definitely noticed, looking at him strangely. Finally, as dinner was wrapping up, Sue spoke up.
“What’s got you smiling like that?” she asked her younger brother as she helped gather dirty plates, Johnny trailing behind her with more dishes. “You look like you have some good news.”
Johnny beamed at you - you mustered up a half hearted smile in return, but in reality your heart was beating out of your chest, your throat felt like it was closing. You’d hardly said a word all evening and didn’t have much of an appetite, most of your plate untouched. With the moment now here, you thought the little you had eaten might make a reappearance.
“I do, actually,” Johnny said, grabbing the box of Lucky Charms off the counter despite having just eaten. He grabbed some and popped them in his mouth.
Sue, Reed, and Ben looked at him with more concern than anything, exchanging a look with their eyebrows drawn together. That made you even more sick.
“What is it?” Reed asked. Johnny had everyone’s full attention now.
“Well,” he said, trying somewhat to contain his face-splitting smile. He sat the box down and walked back to where you sat, standing behind you. He placed his hands on the back of your chair. “We have something exciting to tell you guys.” He glanced down at you, then back at his family. “We’re having a baby.”
It was so silent, only the soft whirrs of Herbie as he bustled around filled the air. Reed and Ben looked at Sue - it was tense. Johnny’s smile began to falter.
“Wow,” she finally said, and it was obvious that was the last thing they expected Johnny to say. Her face was stone, and you felt your heart actually crack when you noticed her eyes becoming glassy. “That’s…wow.”
Reed reached over and took his wife’s hand, looking at her like he wanted to read her mind. She was unreadable, however.
You looked up at Johnny. He looked back down at you, the sudden understanding of your concerns now all over his face. He looked back at his sister, eyes darting to Ben and Reed before meeting hers again. “Are you…upset?”
“No!” she said quickly. “No. I’m not upset. It’s just…you know, it’s a lot.” She smiled, although it seemed a little forced. She let go of Reed’s hand and stood, approaching her brother and wrapping him in a tight hug.
Johnny glanced at you, but hugged her back. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked her quietly.
“Of course I’m okay,” she said. “I just…Johnny, I can’t believe it.” They parted and she looked at each person in the room. “What are the odds, huh?”
“A little reckless maybe, don’t you think?”
You all looked at Reed. He wasn’t smiling. The look on his face was completely unamused, serious. “Was it an accident?”
No one said anything. The question hung in the air, although each person there already knew the answer.
“Why does that matter?” Johnny finally asked.
“Have you even thought of the repercussions? The potential consequences? Dangers?” Reed asked. He gestured to you, towards your belly, and you covered it with your arms. “The child’s father has cosmically compromised DNA. You have powers, and she doesn’t. Have you thought of what might happen to her carrying your child?”
Silence. Neither you nor Johnny had even considered that. Johnny looked down at you with something a little like panic in his eyes.
“That- what do you mean?” he stuttered. “Could something happen to her?”
“We don’t know what could happen,” Reed said. “That’s why you were reckless.”
“We just don’t know if we’re going to have a fire baby to worry about,” Ben said lightly. The idea made you cringe.
“You don’t know what’s going to happen with two parents with powers, either,” Johnny said. “This is new territory for all of us.”
“I know,” Reed said. “I’ve been developing a device to scan the baby and check for abnormalities.” He nodded to Sue, then you. “I can check them both.”
Johnny looked at you. The sweat on your brow and the trembling in your hands were immediately noticeable - you were scared shitless. He crouched down next to your chair, speaking quietly for you only. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”
“Could something really happen?” you asked him. “To the baby? To me?”
His mouth opened to tell you no, of course not. You’re safe. I would never let anything happen to either of you. But the truth was that he had no idea - no one did. And if something bad did happen, he thought, it would be his fault. He did this to you.
“I don’t know, baby,” he said. “But I can promise you I will do everything in my power to keep you both safe. And Reed is gonna make sure there’s nothing going on while that little Storm’s brewing.” A goofy grin took over his face as he placed a hand on your belly.
“Oh, come on,” Ben groaned, unamused by the pun.
Johnny stood. “Whatever you have to do to make sure she’s going to be okay,” he said to Reed, “that they’re both going to be okay- do it. I can’t lose-“ He stopped, taking a deep breath. “I can’t let anything happen to her.”
“Getting this machine built is my top priority,” Reed said. “I promise you, I’m going to do everything I can for both of them.”
You were relieved when everyone started returning to their rooms. You were exhausted, still felt sick, and were now stressed beyond belief. Johnny gave Herbie a scratch on the head - “Night, Herbert.” - to which he beeped contentedly.
As you were about to leave with Johnny, Sue stopped you. She hurried over, but once she reached you, she wasn’t sure what to say. Eventually, she smiled at you apologetically, grabbing your upper arms and running her hands down until they rested on your elbows.
She said your name, then looked at Johnny, giving him a look that said Some privacy, please? Johnny held his hands up, backing away.
Sue’s attention now fully on you, you felt nervous once again. You’d always liked Sue - you and Johnny had been dating a year now, and she had been nothing but kind to you since you’d known her. But this was a different circumstance entirely.
“I wanted to tell you congratulations,” she said. “And apologize for the way I reacted when you told us the news. It just- it shocked me. It was a shock. Reed and I- well, you know.” She smiled softly. “But I really am happy for you and Johnny. He’s going to be a great dad. I should have told him so.”
Warmth spread through your veins, comfort - like a hug from Johnny himself. Relief. “You don’t have to apologize,” you assured her. “I understand how you felt. I’m sorry we kind of…made you share the most important event of your life.” You grimaced - you felt horrible about it, even though you hadn’t in any way meant to get pregnant.
“I don’t mind sharing with you and my baby brother,” she said. “Don’t worry, I’ve shared a lot with him over the years.”
You laughed lightly. “Thank you, Sue. And I am really, really happy for you. I know you’ve wanted a baby for a long time.”
“Thank you.” She pulled you into a tight hug. “You’re going to be an incredible mother.”
With the news out amongst the family and your bumps becoming increasingly difficult to hide, it was time to come out and tell the press. You announced with a spread on a magazine cover, the Four with two empty baby seats.
The public debated whether you and Sue would have boys or girls. Most seemed to think you were both having boys, but whatever the stance, everyone was passionate about theirs. There were articles, polls, bets being exchanged.
“The countdown continues as the Fantastic Four prepare to welcome two new members to the family,” the reporters were saying. “Preparations inside the Baxter Building are well underway!”
And they were. Herbie was busy baby proofing the entire building, flitting around and making sure everything was safe for the new arrivals. He was just as excited as the rest of you. He put plug covers in all the sockets, moved sharp objects out of the way, installed locks on the cabinets, placed baby gates - much to Ben’s annoyance.
“The question on everyone’s mind is - will the babies be born with superpowers?”
It was true - everyone wondered. Even you. Even Johnny.
You thought back to Ben’s joke. What if you really did have a little fire baby to worry about? The idea of your child bursting into flames terrified you - it was still weird enough when Johnny did it.
The public wasn’t quite as nice to you as they were to Sue and Reed. Between a married couple who had been hoping for a baby for years, and a couple who had been dating for a year and got pregnant by accident - yeah, it wasn’t hard to imagine who they favored. As if it were a competition and not your family.
Gossip magazines had a lot to say about you in particular. Johnny was beloved, but you? You were just some girl who came out of nowhere, took the world’s most eligible bachelor off the market, then overshadowed the pregnancy of everyone’s favorite family.
There was a lot said about your intentions, like that you were only with Johnny for money and fame. They speculated that Sue secretly hated you. They implied you had trapped him with this pregnancy. How could the public be so happy for Johnny while being so cruel to you?
Johnny always told you to ignore it, that it wasn’t worth even keeping up with what those people were saying. But that was impossible for you - it’s like you had to know. Every time you passed a gossip mag at the store, you had to read the cover. You couldn’t help it.
“Those people don’t know anything,” Johnny would say. “Seriously. They have nothing better to do but make up fake drama. It’s sad. Please don’t pay attention to them, sweetheart.” A lopsided grin. “You’re my future wife. The love of my life. The mother of my child. No one is going to change that.”
You got to where you didn’t even want to leave the building anymore because you’d be followed by reporters. You were already struggling enough with the way your body was beginning to change, the last thing you needed was an unflattering photo of yourself ending up on the cover of another magazine, speculating if you’re having twins based on the size of your bump.
Johnny hated to see you isolate yourself. He was constantly trying to convince you to leave the building, to at least go on a walk with him. You’d agree some of the time, but not as often as he’d like.
“You and the baby need fresh air,” he’d plead. “It’s not good to stay cooped up in here all day.”
You would be cuddled in bed like a burrito at 2pm. “I just don’t feel up to it, Johnny.”
Johnny frowned. “It hurts to see you like this,” he said softly. “You’re depressed, sweetheart. I hate that these people are getting to you. It makes me so…” He looked away from you, flames combusting on his skin. You jumped - it was still so strange.
“Sorry,” he said, the flames disappearing. He smiled sheepishly at you. “It’s just…I wish I could do something. I wish I could do more. I’m not used to feeling helpless.” He rubbed his hand over your back, and you let out a deep sigh. “Just want my girl to be happy and safe.”
The gossip slowed down eventually as your pregnancy progressed, much to your relief. Despite the way they’d treated you, the public was absolutely beside themselves at the thought of Johnny and Sue both having babies. You were even asked to do a photo shoot with her for a magazine - that was completely out of your depth, but you’d done it.
You felt so small standing next to Sue Storm. Like, who cares about me?
Your family did, and they showed you that every day. Before long, you were feeling more like yourself again, walking around in public with your bump proudly visible, hand on it protectively. The public warmed up to you. You were really becoming a part of the family - in everyone’s eyes.
“Can I carry that for you, sweetheart?”
You turned, seeing Johnny jogging up to you. He reached for the laundry basket in your hands.
“Oh, sure,” you said, handing it off to him. He grinned - he always did have the most charming smile. It made your stomach fill with butterflies, just like the first time you’d seen him in person.
He followed you back to the bedroom with the basket, placing it down on the bed. He lifted a shirt from the top of the pile and began folding it.
“Babe, you don’t have to do that,” you said, placing your hand on his arm. He turned to look at you, those blue eyes so close to your own, it nearly took your breath away.
“I don’t mind,” he said. “I don’t want you to have to do it. You should rest. You’ve still been so sick.”
“That’s sweet, Johnny, but no, seriously. Herbie usually does it.”
Johnny stopped, his cheeks tinged pink. “Oh. Yeah. That’s right, isn’t it?”
You giggled. “What’s gotten into you?”
Johnny sat on the bed, reaching for your hand and pulling you down to sit on his lap. His hand settled on your four months pregnant belly. “Nothing,” he said. “I just wanna take good care of my girl. You know there’s two things I love-“
“Yeah, yeah, Johnny loves space, Johnny loves women,” you teased. Johnny chuckled.
“Johnny loves you,” he said. “He loves his girl,” he rubbed his hand across your small bump, “and he loves whoever this one is going to grow to be.”
“Will this tell us if everything’s okay?” you asked, standing nervously in Reed’s lab. Sue stood to the side, there for moral support - they were all concerned about you especially.
“It should,” Reed said. “I’ve developed and tested it extensively, and ran some tests on Sue just this morning.” He looked at his wife. “It did not detect any anomalies.”
That was a relief - but it didn’t mean you would have the same result.
You wished Johnny was there. But he was busy, and he had been bugging Reed about the new space suits so relentlessly, you know he certainly didn’t miss him.
“Everything is going to be fine,” Sue said softly, sitting her hand on your shoulder. “It’s quick and painless.”
You nodded. You were scared, but you would also do absolutely anything this baby needed. You laid down on the cool table. There was nothing visibly interesting about it - it was a flat white table with a piece that arced over your stomach.
Sue stood by as Reed worked the machine. It emitted a bright light, scanning over your stomach. The machine began printing all kinds of…graphs and measurements. You had no idea what you were looking at. You often felt a little inadequate in a family full of geniuses. You were just…you. No powers, no fancy degree. Never been to space. Just a girl who’s boyfriend/baby daddy flies and occasionally combusts.
Reed and Sue both examined the results that were printing rapidly. Reed wrote some things down, while Sue pointed over his shoulder, saying some things too quietly for you to hear. It made you nervous.
They still hadn’t told you anything when Reed shut the machine off. You looked at both of them. “So? Is the baby…is everything okay?”
They exchanged a look. “There’s…some kind of anomaly,” Reed said carefully. Your body went cold. “I don’t know what it is. I’m going to have to do more tests, but for now, I need you to relax. I don’t see anything that has me immediately concerned.”
“But you just said-“
“I know.” He looked at you seriously, Sue hovering behind him. “Just because there’s some kind of anomaly doesn’t mean it’s necessarily…bad. The baby’s father is an anomaly himself.” He smiled in a way that felt like he was trying to comfort you. “I don’t want you to worry. I’m going to keep running tests.”
Your mind was spinning for the rest of the day. When you saw Johnny that evening, his brow immediately creased, knowing something was on your mind right away. “What’s going on? You look…bothered,” he asked as he ate Lucky Charms straight from the box. You hadn’t even had dinner yet.
“It’s just…” you sighed. “Reed said he found some kind of anomaly on the test.”
His concern visibly deepened. “What kind of anomaly?”
“I don’t know,” you said. “That’s all he said. That there was an anomaly but not to worry about it because he’s going to run more tests.”
Johnny looked lost deep in his own head. His brow was furrowed as his mind filled with a million thoughts you’d never understand. Suddenly, he stood. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?” you asked him - he was already at the door.
“To the lab,” he said simply.
And he was gone.
“What do you mean there are anomalies?” Johnny asked his brother in law as he stormed into the lab. Reed turned from the chalkboard, only mildly surprised. “What does that mean? What kind of anomalies?”
Reed sat his chalk down. “Hi, Johnny. Good to see you.”
Johnny looked at the machine as he passed it, his hand rubbing over the top of it. He picked up a long strip of paper with your results on it, but he wasn’t sure what exactly he was looking at. He looked back at Reed. “What kind of anomalies?” he asked again. “Reed, be straight with me.”
Reed sighed. “I don’t think it’s anything too serious. I want to start with that,” he said. “But there’s something…off. I need to do more tests, that’s the truth. I don’t have any concrete answers for you. I’m sorry.”
Johnny shook his head. “What about Sue?”
“I haven’t detected anything from Sue.”
“So it’s just my child,” he said bitterly. “Two parents with two different powers are fine, but my powers alone are enough to mess things up?”
“We don’t know that anything’s messed up,” Reed explained patiently. “I need you to calm down, Johnny. There’s no reason to panic right now.”
“Right now?” he said. “So I panic later?”
“That’s usually how it goes,” Reed joked - but Johnny was unamused. “Look. If I find something that seriously concerns me, you two will be the first to hear it. I promise. For now, I need you to trust me.”
Johnny hated feeling helpless. Even now, he wasn’t angry - he was scared. Terrified. But what could he do besides trust his brother?
“Okay,” he conceded. “I’ll try.”
Reed clapped him on the shoulder. “Fatherhood is terrifying,” he said. “Super powers or not. You’re right where you’re supposed to be. Worrying about your family is normal. I know you love them both.”
“More than anything,” Johnny said quietly. “I love them so much it…” He rubbed his chest. “God, it hurts.”
A knowing smile crossed Reed’s face - because he knew the exact feeling.
“Shit,” Johnny hissed, sucking his pinched finger into his mouth. “Baby, can you hand me the screwdriver?”
You leaned over, hand on your swollen belly as you grabbed the screwdriver from the floor with great effort. You were huffing by the time you handed the tool to your boyfriend, and he turned around, giving you a winning smile.
“We could have let Herbie do this, you know,” you said. “That’s what Reed did.”
Johnny waved you off. “I’m going to put my own child’s crib together myself.” He nodded towards the rocking chair in the corner. “You should sit down.”
He didn’t have to tell you twice. Your feet were killing you. You waddled over to the glider, sitting down carefully. Your feet up on the foot stool, you watched Johnny building the baby furniture.
“Only a couple months left,” Johnny mused. “Getting close.”
“Yep,” you agreed. You looked down at your round bump as you rubbed your hand over it affectionately. “Are you coming with me to the lab after this for Reed’s test?”
“Of course,” he said instantly. “I feel bad I haven’t made the others.”
The thought filled you with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. It was still such an abstract thought, the baby in your belly. You knew they were real, and they were growing and healthy - you could feel them most of the time, sticking an arm against your spine or kicking you so hard in the bladder you had to run - it was a comfort, although uncomfortable.
“Are you nervous?” you asked him. He screwed in the leg of the crib and turned back to face you.
“To have the baby?” he questioned. “Honestly? Yeah. I’m scared out of my mind. But I’m excited.” His blue eyes glittered with it. He was practically buzzing out of his skin - you were surprised his hair wasn’t on fire.
“I hope they look like you,” you said lightly, your fingers dancing over the bump ever so gently, lost in the cloud of your thoughts.
“Me?” He gave the railing of the crib a shake, making sure the finished thing was sturdy before he looked at you again. “Why?”
You looked at him like he was dumb. “Have you seen yourself?”
Johnny’s cheeks tinted pink. “Okay, Ms. Flaming Hearts Club,” he teased. “Were you the one who kept sending me those filthy love poems with the lipstick prints?”
“You caught me,” you grinned.
Johnny shook his head, laughing. Unfortunately, you remembered those poems from his mystery admirer vividly. They were far from family friendly.
He stood, moving to a box next to the completed crib. He opened it and started pulling out space themed decorations - a mobile of the planets, glow in the dark stars, a blanket printed with constellations. You stood with some effort and joined Johnny by the side of the crib.
He lifted the mobile, installing it above the crib. You watched him work quietly - he was careful and precise. When it was hung perfectly, he smiled down at you.
“It’s coming together,” you said. Almost all the baby prep tasks had been completed - the Baxter Building was completely prepared for the two newest members.
Johnny looked a little pale. “Yeah,” he agreed. “Almost time.” He was quiet. He rested both hands on your bump, now large and very much in the way. His thumbs rubbed over it while he looked down with all the affection in the world on his face.
“I hope they don’t have powers.”
The statement caught you off guard. Johnny had never said anything like that before, and you had just assumed he’d want the baby to be like him. But now his words told a different story, one coming from a place of love - and anxiety.
“Why?” you asked softly. You got the vibe it was a sensitive subject for him.
“I just…” he sighed. “I want them to have a normal life. Having powers…it comes with an expectation, a responsibility. I didn’t ask to have powers. It just happened to me.” You were quiet. You hadn’t known Johnny before the accident, and he had never talked about it. You let him continue.
“I don’t want their life decided for them like that,” he went on. “I want them to be able to do and be whatever they want to be. Not born in a Fantastic Four suit.” He smiled crookedly. “Metaphorically speaking, of course.”
“I can understand that,” you said. The baby moved beneath Johnny’s hand, giving him a strong kick. He smiled. “I just want them to be healthy and happy. And if you think having powers would prevent that, then I agree with you.”
“I do think that,” he said, quiet. You wondered if he had thoughts about his own powers he’d never spoken aloud. “I want them to have a good life. An easy life.”
He gazed into your eyes, like he was reading you from the inside. His hand came to rest on your cheek. “You’re going to be the best mom, you know,” he said, so quietly. “I know we didn’t mean for this to happen right now…” He traced his thumb over your bottom lip, and you let out a short gasp. “But there is no one I’d rather be having a baby with. This baby is going to be so lucky to have you.”
Herbie hurried in at that moment with a basket of freshly washed and folded baby clothes, saying a little “Hello,” as he sat the basket down and began putting the clothes away. Johnny scratched the robot on the top of the head.
“Thanks, Herbert, you’re a lifesaver,” he said. Herbie happily beeped in response.
“Ready?” Johnny asked you as Herbie continued his work, hand on your lower back. “Let’s go check on this baby.”
Laying on the table in Reed’s lab once again, the machine doing its job, you watched Johnny’s anxiety manifest by being as annoying to Reed as possible.
“So is this test gonna give us answers this time or what?” he asked, pacing next to where you laid. He was giving you anxiety with the way he wouldn’t stay still. Reed was trying to ignore him, Sue standing and reading the results over her husband’s shoulder.
“It should tell us more, yes,” Reed said, distracted, but he’d already been over this. He was being remarkably patient with him. But the longer he focused on the endless graphs and lines, the more nervous you and Johnny became.
Reed gripped the paper in his hands, staring at it intently. He was reading quickly, clearly thinking a thousand miles a minute. The look on his face made you nauseous - he was concentrating, and if something was going on to make Reed act like this, it was something.
“…What is it?” Johnny asked, his heart beating uncomfortably hard. “Just tell me. Is something wrong?”
“It…” Reed stopped himself, looking back over the paper. Johnny stopped next to you, and you reached for each others’ hand. “It appears as if their DNA has also been…altered,” Reed mumbled.
Quiet. “What do you mean?” Johnny asked, his voice dead serious. Not a hint of his usual goofy personality.
Reed looked up at Johnny - then at Sue, back to his paper, to you, and finally Johnny again, who was waiting. “They’ve inherited the father’s mutated DNA. They have the X-gene.”
Johnny’s eyes went wide. You looked at everyone, but no one was explaining anything. “What does that mean?” you asked, anxiety rising in your voice. Reed was about to answer, but Johnny wasn’t even looking at you.
“So - a mutant,” Johnny said.
Another exchange of looks between Reed and Sue. “By definition…yes.”
“A mutant?” you asked, sitting up on your elbows. “What does that mean? Will they be-“ You didn’t even know what you were asking. You didn’t know what any of this meant, if it was bad news or not.
“It means they will develop powers at some point in their life,” Sue explained. “They have the X-gene exclusive to mutants.”
The information sent your head spinning. Your child would have powers after all. You hadn’t thought news like that would have upset you, but after your conversation with Johnny, you saw things a different way.
Speaking of Johnny, you looked up at your boyfriend, who was still staring at Reed, his face hard as stone. “They have powers.”
“They will,” Reed confirmed. “I don’t know when they’ll appear, or what they’ll be, but…”
Johnny abruptly pulled a chair out, sinking into it. You didn’t notice how he was shaking until he was sitting next to you, his hands intertwined in front of his mouth. He was thinking.
“It’s nothing to panic about,” Reed said. “We’ve been living with these powers for years now, and I will be performing further testing-“
“I just didn’t want this,” Johnny said simply. His words echoed through the room in the silence.
Reed closed his mouth, going back to the results, giving Johnny time. You didn’t know what to say either - was there anything you could say to make anything better? You didn’t think so. Not right now.
It was Sue who stepped forward, her left hand resting on her baby brother’s back and her right on her stomach. Johnny looked at her, and it was like they were communicating something to each other by nothing but their eyes.
“Would it make you feel better if you could see the baby?” she asked him gently.
Your lips parted in surprise - she could make that happen? - but Johnny looked up at his sister like she’d just uttered the secret to the universe. “You’ll do that for us?”
“Of course I will,” she said. She was looking at Johnny with so much love, it made your chest feel warm. They both turned to look at you. “Would you want that?”
It took you a minute to catch up to the conversation. “What? To…see the baby?”
Sue and Johnny nodded.
“Will it…hurt?”
Johnny chuckled. “No, sweetheart. I promise it won’t.”
You laid back down on the table, your head slightly inclined. Reed and Sue moved in close on your left side, while Johnny was on your right. You didn’t know what to expect.
Carefully, Sue laid her hand against the bottom of your belly, yours resting on top. It was just a minute of anticipatory silence, and then - your body, your stomach, became invisible, revealing the baby curled snugly inside.
“Oh my god-“
The choked words, like holding back a sob, were the first thing you heard. Johnny had covered his mouth with his hand, his blue eyes wet and shining in the light of the lab. His forehead was creased, and his eyes were locked on your stomach - at the baby inside. He looked like he was about 2 seconds away from losing it.
You were right there with him. There really was a baby in there - the thoughts you’d had the past months about not being able to wrap your mind around it were out the window with the vision in front of you. That was your child. The baby’s head was pressed right against where your hand rested. They were curled up in a little ball, eyes closed. Their nose reminded you of Johnny’s. Your heart was beating out of control, and you hadn’t even noticed the tears that had spilled down your face.
Reed and Sue let the two of you take your time. Sue cradled your belly like it was the most precious thing as she used her powers on you for the first time. She was the baby’s aunt, and she had so much love for them already, it was clear in her expression.
You looked at Johnny again. He was looking at your stomach with absolute awe - you wished you could hear what he was thinking. Slowly, like he was scared, he reached out and gently laid his palm on your stomach.
“See?” Sue said “There’s nothing wrong. Nothing to worry about.” She rubbed your stomach affectionately. “She’s perfect.”
“She,” Johnny repeated, his voice a mere whisper. You hadn’t even caught that yourself, hadn’t been able to think any deeper than seeing your child finally in front of your eyes. “She.”
It hadn’t even occurred to you that with seeing your baby, you’d be finding out what you were having. That wasn’t just the baby - that was your daughter. You were lost in your own thoughts when you heard a voice next to you that surprised you.
“Hey,” Johnny said quietly. He and his daughter might as well have been the only ones in the room. “Hey, baby girl. It’s your daddy.”
Reed and a teary-eyed Sue exchanged a look.
“I can’t wait to meet you,” Johnny continued. “You have the coolest family ever. You’re going to be the coolest person ever. And…” he was quiet for a moment. “And I’m going to teach you everything I know. One day, you’ll see space, too.”
Before you could completely burst into tears, Johnny turned to look you in the eyes. There was so much unspoken between you, it felt like something tangible taking up space and air. He surged forwards and kissed you, then pressed your foreheads together.
“I love you,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ve never loved anyone like I love the both of you.”
At eight months pregnant now, you were starting to really be over the whole thing. You were aching, swollen, tired, and irritable, and it felt like Sue was handling pregnancy with a lot more grace than you were.
Not only did she come across as significantly less miserable - usually dressed nicely with her hair and makeup done while you could barely handle getting out of bed and throwing some sweatpants on - she was also just lucky. She didn’t have the crippling morning (all day) sickness like you did, and her bump was small and cute, nothing like how huge you were. You knew every pregnancy was different, but it seemed a little unfair.
Johnny had been doing everything in his power to cheer you up. He took care of you, rubbed your back and feet, put lotion on your belly, and kept you company when you were too miserable to leave the building. However your pregnancy hormones were raging, and he often got snapped at - followed by a tearful apology.
He never minded.
You were looking for him now, waddling throughout the house with a hand on your stomach for support. Something you hadn’t been prepared for was your sense of gravity being thrown off - that was strange.
He wasn’t in the kitchen, and you had just left Reed’s lab after another scan - nothing new to report. Baby girl was totally healthy and not throwing you any more shocks. She was getting so big - she’d be there before you knew it.
You huffed as you dragged yourself up the stairs, getting plenty of use out of the handrail. By the time you reached the top you were breathing heavily, having to take a minute to lean against the wall at the top and catch your breath. Finally, you made your way to the bedroom.
There he was.
Johnny stood across the room at the window. His back was to you, so you didn’t even know if he knew you were there. He was staring out, the longing nearly radiating off his body. He was looking at the spaceship.
You walked up behind him, your feet sliding against the plush carpet. He didn’t turn, which was odd - you weren’t trying to be quiet. He only got like this when he had a lot on his mind.
And he did have a lot on his mind. Now that the due date was getting closer and closer, he knew he was running out of time to be ready to be a father. This baby girl was coming whether he liked it or not. The Baxter Building would be a much different place when the babies arrived.
He thought to his own parents. After the death of his mother, his dad had tried his best with Sue and Johnny, but he saw how hard it was for him. Being a parent isn’t easy at all, and now he was about to become one. Very soon.
The thought of the baby being here filled him with an overwhelming anxiety. What if he didn’t know the first thing about being a dad? What if he was an awful one? What if he screwed his kid up? What if he got killed on a mission and left you both on your own? What if-
“Do you miss it?” you asked.
Johnny startled, snapped out of his spiraling thoughts, but he smiled when his eyes landed on you. “Space?” he asked, looking back out the window. “God, yes.”
He gestured you over, putting an arm around you. You looked out the window with him - the ship was a sight. It was massive, and it was in your backyard. Johnny looked at it often. It was his favorite part of this room.
“I always loved space,” he said. “It’s like nothing else. The most beautiful thing you’ll ever see in your life.” He looked back down at you, giving you a wink. “Well, one of them.”
You scoffed a laugh, and Johnny squeezed your shoulder. “Do you think you’ll go back one day?”
“Absolutely,” Johnny answered right away. “If I thought I would never see space again…I don’t know what I’d do.”
Space had been his first love. You had to respect it.
“Are you okay?” you asked him. “You just seem like you have a lot on your mind.”
Johnny didn’t say anything at first. You weren’t sure if he was going to answer you, but finally he sighed deeply and his lips parted, as if he was about to speak but lost the words.
“I’m okay,” he said. “We’re just, y’know, about to take a big step together. We’re about to be thrown into something we know absolutely nothing about. And it’s scary.” He chuckled lightly. “It scares me.”
“It scares me too,” you admitted. “But I know you’re going to be the greatest dad. Do you know how cool she’s going to be at school? Her dad is the Human Torch.”
Johnny laughed at that. The thing is, you weren’t wrong. These babies were being born into a family of celebrities - being born into celebrities themselves. His smile faded a little as he thought of that.
“I just…” He sighed as he thought. “I wanted her to be her own person.”
You leaned your head on his shoulder. “She will be,” you promised him. “Her life isn’t over just because she’s going to have powers. And who’s to say if she didn’t have them, she wouldn’t wish she did?”
Johnny hasn’t considered that. “I guess that’s true.”
“The point is,” you said, “everything about parenthood is…uncertain. We don’t know who she’ll be or what she’ll be like or who she’ll grow into. But I know she’s going to love her daddy with her whole heart.” Johnny’s cheeks flushed at the title - he still wasn’t used to it yet. “She’s going to be strong and, more than anything, loved.”
He nodded, and you thought you saw him sneakily wiping his eyes. “You’re right,” he said. “I’m doing what I said I didn’t want to happen. I’m deciding what she wants for her.” He scoffed lightly. “Is it always going to be this hard?”
“Harder, I think,” you said jokingly - but it was the truth. Parenthood would only get more and more challenging. “Who knows. Maybe one day she’ll be on that ship with you.”
Another thought that Johnny hadn’t even allowed himself to consider. But with the idea in his head, he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his lips. “That would be…”
“Your dream?” you teased. “She’ll probably end up a genius like the rest of her family and leave me the only normal boring human.”
Johnny turned to you swiftly, placing his hands on either side of your face. “Don’t talk about yourself like you’re nothing special,” he said firmly. “Because that’s not true. You are smart. You don’t have to be a damn scientist or astronaut for me to think you’re one of the smartest people I’ve met.”
You looked at him skeptically, your eyebrows raised. “You know how many scientists, engineers, and physicists you know?”
He smiled. “That doesn’t mean anything. Doesn’t mean they’re smart.”
“Kinda does.”
“You’re missing the point.” He kissed your forehead. “I don’t want to hear you talking like you’re nobody. That couldn’t be less true. You’re everything.”
You looked down. “It’s just hard not to feel useless in a house full of superheroes and a very productive and cute robot.”
“Well, I can say for certain that you’re cuter,” he said. You giggled as he leaned in abruptly and kissed your cheek, his fingers tickling your sides. You laughed, fighting him off, pushing him away as he only pulled you closer. He covered your face in kisses when he finally caught you.
“I love you,” he said. “God, I love you. You’re the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. I can’t believe you’re mine.”
Later that day, you were in the kitchen with the family. Herbie carved a pumpkin, Ben was working on a meringue, and you were helping Sue set the table.
You looked up as Johnny stormed in, grabbing a box of Lucky Charms. He was clearly in a bad mood.
“Hey,” Ben greeted him, before noticing his demeanor. “Why the long face? Your 2:15 with Reed didn’t go well?” Johnny said nothing, which was answer enough. “I’m sorry, pal.”
“Hey, I’m fine, you know, I don’t mind. It’s just that-“
“We’ll go to space again,” Ben said.
“Yeah, we will.” Johnny said it with confidence. He pulled the toy out of the box of cereal. “Oh! Nice!”
He pointed the little figure at Ben, pressing the button - “Flame on! Flame on!” Ben took the toy and crushed it in his hand, blowing the dust back in Johnny’s face. You shook your head, but stifled a laugh.
After messing with Ben a little longer, Johnny made his way over to where you stood. He placed his hand on your belly and leaned in for a kiss.
“You sure you’re okay, honey?” you asked him quietly. You knew he’d been looking forward to this meeting with Reed for a while - he had really been hoping.
“I’m okay,” he said, smiling at you like he wanted you to believe it. “Ben’s right. We’ll go back. I just…need to wait.”
The last person to arrive to Sunday dinner, Reed walked in and straight to his wife. As he spoke to her and Johnny stood with you, hand caressing the bump, sirens went by outside - that was unusual.
Reed motioned you all out to the balcony. Johnny led you out, hand on your lower back as you all walked out the glass doors.
“For the last few months,” Reed said, “I’ve been tracking a small number of criminal organizations.”
You peeked over the balcony - there was a police presence all over the city. Your eyes widened in shock.
“A small number, huh?” Ben said.
“47,” Reed said. He pointed out some specific organizations, pointing at different spots in the city. Often left in the dark about these things, you didn’t even realize there were that many in the city.
“You baby proofed the world,” Ben said.
“It’s a sweet gesture,” Sue grabbed Reed’s hand. You agreed - you wouldn’t complain about the city being safer for the babies.
“It’s a thorough gesture,” Ben continued. “But, uh, I like punching.”
“You mean clobbering?” Johnny goaded him.
“No, I mean punching.”
“Hey, what time is it?” he asked as Ben turned to go back inside the house.
“It’s dinner time.”
“You sure it’s not clobbering time?”
“Stop it.”
At that moment, as the five of you were turning to leave, the Four’s alarms began going off. You all turned to see some kind of explosion in the sky - fire and flashing lights. Johnny placed a hand on your shoulder, a silent You better be in this exact spot when I get back, and then he was gone - a creature of flame, taking off into the sky and directly into the heart of the danger.
You grabbed Sue’s hand as he went. “What’s going on?” you asked her weakly, hand protectively over your stomach. She placed a comforting hand on your back, but didn’t turn away from the sky.
“I don’t know,” she said. She turned to you. “But we’ve got to go. I need you to stay here.”
Once again reminded of your uselessness - you could do nothing but nod. What else could you do? Get in the way? Put yourself and your child in danger when there was nothing you could do to help?
You watched on with worry as Reed, Sue, and Ben left the building as quickly as possible, leaving you with Herbie. When they were gone, you watched the commotion through the window - until you ran to the TV and turned it on, wondering if anyone was reporting. You didn’t have to look far.
“Breaking news from Times Square.”
You watched on as a woman - an alien? - stood before the city. You clutched your chest with one hand and protectively held your bump with the other. You could see the Four standing, watching. Seeing Johnny safe sent relief flooding your veins.
“Are you the protectors of this world?”
“Yes, we are,” Sue said, standing with confidence.
“Your planet has been marked for death.”
You barely even processed anything she was saying after that. Marked for death? Fear struck into your very soul.
“I herald your end.”
When Johnny and the others returned, you ran into his arms. He held you tightly - this was his first time facing galactic danger while having a child and you to worry about. He found it made him feel sick, an unfamiliar kind of worry and uncertainty he wasn’t used to.
They all went straight to the lab upon return to the Baxter building - there was no time to waste. The fate of everyone was quite literally in their hands. You joined them, despite feeling like you had nothing to contribute.
Reed was tracking where the herald had been. He found at least five planets, destroyed - and she was at every one. Galactus could and would do exactly what she said.
The herald had spoken to everyone, but she had spoken only to Johnny directly. He was hung up on it - what had she said to him? It was in her native language, but, he thought, there had to be some way to decode it.
After the herald, Johnny became obsessed with solving the message. He was making progress, too - he discovered transmission recordings that were the same language. Whenever Johnny got like this, it was cute. You loved seeing him in his element, even if it meant he had less time for you. The baby prep was done, there was nothing more to do but wait for her to arrive.
You were relaxing in the bathtub, the hot water soothing your aching muscles, while Johnny was in the bedroom, listening to the recordings. You gave him his space.
Sue walked in as he was working. “Okay. So she spoke to you, yeah? And?”
Johnny played her the recordings. “I don’t know who they are or what they’re saying, but this? This is the same. This is her language.”
Sue looked at her younger brother, impressed. “Okay. Maybe that is something.”
He held up his hand for a high five. “Reed wants to see you in the lab,” she said before slapping his hand.
She didn’t have to tell Johnny twice. He hurried straight there. “You summoned me?”
“I finally knocked it off the list,” Reed said.
Johnny furrowed his brow. “What?”
“The new space suits.”
He turned to see four brand new space suits, all set up and ready to be worn. Johnny was barely even listening to Reed as he examined the suits, then he pulled his brother into a hug. “I take back every single bad thing I’ve been saying about you. To myself. In private.”
Reed didn’t acknowledge the comment. “Are you ready to go back?” he asked.
“Of course,” Johnny said immediately. “I’ve missed it every day.”
“Even if it means leaving your family behind?”
Johnny hesitated. That was true. He thought of you, and your baby girl who would be here so soon - what if he missed the birth entirely? What if you needed him and he wasn’t even on the planet? What if something happened and he wasn’t here to protect you?
“I can see you thinking,” Reed said. “It’s a lot to take in, I know. You’ve been excited to go back, but things are…different now.”
Johnny nodded. Reed was exactly right. It was an unfamiliar feeling for him, to have something here that made Earth a place that was more like a true home. “Can I ask you a question?”
Reed was slightly taken aback. “Of course.”
Johnny sat the suit down and sunk into one of the chairs sitting around the lab. Reed sat across from him - he could tell Johnny had a lot on his mind.
“How are you so calm?” he finally asked his brother in law.
Reed shook his head with a light laugh. “I’m glad you think so, but I certainly don’t feel calm.”
That surprised Johnny. “You don’t?”
“No, of course not,” he said, shaking his head. “Are you kidding? I’ve been panicking for eight months.”
“Seriously?” Johnny asked with a laugh. “You could have fooled me. I’ve been wondering what the hell I’m doing wrong compared to you.”
“You’re not doing anything wrong,” Reed assured him. “You’re going great. I can already see it in you - you’re a dad now.”
That hit Johnny like a shot to the chest. He jerked back in surprise. “What? You think so?”
“I can see it in you clearly,” Reed continued. “You’ve been making the transition since you found out. You take care of both your girls like there’s nothing more precious in the world. You put the crib together yourself - I can’t say I did the same,” he chuckled.
“Yeah, but you were in here building that,” Johnny motioned towards the table you’d laid on countless times by now. “You made that to make sure the babies are safe.”
“I did,” Reed agrees. “Sue would have liked me to build the crib.”
Johnny laughed. He was feeling looser, the longer he sat and talked to Reed. Two soon-to-be fathers. The only other man who knew what Johnny was going through right now.
The atmosphere turned quiet. There was something in the air just waiting to be spoken.
“I’m terrified to leave her,” Johnny finally says. “Both of them. I’m scared out of my mind. What if she goes into labor without me?” The thought made his chest hurt. “You know, I’ve waited so long to go back to space, and now I’m going - have to go back - and here I am, wondering if I really want to.”
“You’ve never had something you cared about like this here.”
That was true, Johnny realized. “Yeah,” he said. “You’re right.” He rubbed his hand over his face. “I don’t…I don’t know how to handle it.”
“There’s no easy way,” Reed said - that wasn’t exactly what Johnny had been hoping to hear. “Being in love is irrational and all consuming.”
Being in love.
It hit him like a ton of bricks. He was in love with you. Yeah, he knew that - but did he know it? You hadn’t been together that long, hadn’t even known each other that long before you got pregnant, all things considered. Now, for the first time, he was struck with the uncontrollable urge to run out and buy a ring, to make you his wife, Mrs. Storm.
He had never had those thoughts about anyone before.
“Johnny?” Reed asked, sensing the emotional turmoil in the other man’s head. “You alright?”
Johnny nodded, distracted. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m alright.”
“What’s going on in there?”
Johnny thought for a moment. Then - “Do you want to go on an errand with me?”
You weren’t completely surprised when you got out of the bath and Johnny was gone. There was a mess around the bedroom, all the transmissions Johnny was going through scattered around the turntable. You didn’t touch them - there was usually a method to his madness.
You went through your post-shower routine, doing your hair and putting lotion on your skin - and Johnny still wasn’t back. That was a little strange. It was late.
You were in your pajamas (an oversized shirt and panties), about to go to bed without Johnny at all, when he came abruptly through the bedroom door. The nervous energy was coming off of him in waves - it was clear there was something going on.
“Baby,” he said, moving straight to sit next to you on the bed. He was dressed in his F4 t-shirt and pants from earlier.
“Johnny?” you said, confused and bleary eyed. You waited for him for so long, you were about ready to pass out for the night. “Where were you?”
He held your hands, his thumb rubbing the back of one of them. “Reed wanted to see me,” he said. “He finished the new suits. We’re going to space, to try to negotiate with Galactus.”
The news both did and didn’t come as a shock. You’d known this was inevitable from the night the herald came, but it hadn’t been set until now. “When?”
“Soon,” he said. “I don’t know. Very soon.”
“I can’t go to space with you?” you asked, only half-joking and looking at him with big sad eyes. “Both of us?” You took his hand and laid it over the bump.
Johnny chuckled, looking affectionately down at where his hand rested. He rubbed circles against your belly. “I wish you could,” he said.
You sat in a comfortable silence for a minute.
“Do you think it’s going to work?” you asked him nervously. “Do you think there’s hope of getting through to this…Galactus? Of saving Earth?”
“I’m not going to let anything happen to anyone,” Johnny said firmly. He looked you directly in the face when he said it, flames flickering in his blue eyes.
You trusted him with your whole heart. You knew if Johnny said he was going to make something happen - or keep it from happening - he was going to keep his word.
“I don’t want you to get hurt,” you said.
“That’s not gonna happen.”
“You don’t know what’s gonna happen,” you reminded him gently. His hand stayed protectively where it sat, while your hand rested on the side of his face. He tilted his head, leaning into your touch, letting you cradle his handsome face.
“I just want to know if the surfboard is part of her body,” he said like he was dead serious, and you burst into laughter.
“Johnny Storm, do you ever take anything seriously?” you teased.
He smiled, turning his head to place a kiss on your palm. “Just you.”
Your chest felt warm. You could feel your love for Johnny spreading through your body like the very flames that lived within him.
“There was…” Johnny began, but stopped himself. You didn’t interrupt, wanting to know where he was going. “There was something I wanted to say. Or…ask you?”
Your brows furrowed. “What?”
He gave your belly one last caress before he let go. He stood, pulling your weary body to sit on the edge of the bed in front of him. You were confused, but watched him with an anxious excitement anyway.
Johnny looked nervous. You waited as he stood there, gathering his thoughts - you could practically see the steam coming off his head.
Finally, he said your name. “I just…had something to say.”
“Say it,” you encouraged, laughing lightly - nervous.
He smiled softly at you. “Do you know how much I love you?”
The question caught you off guard. “I think so?” you said - because what kind of question was that really?
“I’m in love with you,” Johnny said, looking at you so intensely it nearly took your breath away. “Completely, wholeheartedly, in love with you. I’ve known for a long time, but it didn’t hit me until today, not- not like this. It’s been there, I just never saw it for what it was.”
“Johnny…” you whispered. “What-“
“I needed to say it,” he said. “I know we haven’t been together that long, all things considered - and I knew I love you, I know we’ve been saying it for a while - but it hit me today, hard, like Ben punched me in the chest or something. Like I’d never known anything, nothing has ever made more sense, than how much I love you. Both of you.”
You were in shock, tears welling up in your eyes. The things he was saying were overwhelming, and completely out of nowhere.
“I just had to do this before we leave.”
“Do what-“
You cut yourself off with a gasp as Johnny dropped to his knee in front of you. He reached his right hand into his pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box.
“Johnny-“ you gasped, your hands flying up to cover your mouth, your eyes wide.
“Marry me,” he said, flipping the box open to reveal a beautiful (way too expensive looking) diamond ring. His deep eyes bore into yours, and it’s like he was communicating every ounce of love in his body to you. It left you shaking. “Be my wife. Spend the rest of forever with me- as a family. My family.”
You were so stunned, the words didn’t come right away. Johnny reached forward with his free hand and wiped the tears you hadn’t noticed off your cheeks with his thumb. “Will you marry me?” he asked, softer this time, his eyes almost pleading.
You nodded. Slowly at first, then faster as more tears spilled down your face. You were pretty sure you would be sobbing even without the extra hormones. “Yes. Oh my god. Are you serious? Yes.”
Johnny’s face broke into a huge grin. He took your shaking left hand in his and slid the ring on your finger - a perfect fit. How did he know?
“You have made me,” he began, “the happiest man in the universe.”
You laughed through the tears, wrapping your arms around Johnny and pulling him into you. He hugged you back with just as much love, lifting you with little effort and spinning you in a circle. You couldn’t stop giggling, the joy overflowing from within you.
He wrapped his arm around your lower back and dipped you backwards as he kissed you passionately, something like from one of those romantic movies you used to watch. You cradled his face with both hands while he held you, communicating just how happy you’d made him by the way he kissed you breathless.
When he stood you back up, his arms still wrapped around you, you laid your foreheads together, just looking into each other’s eyes. You could have gotten lost in that sea of blue.
Mrs. Storm had a ring to it.
You couldn’t wipe the smile off your face after the proposal. The ring glittered on your hand like a star plucked directly from the sky, just for you. You knew that’s exactly what Johnny would have done if it were possible.
You waddled out into the kitchen, the pancake craving striking once again. It was a good day - you felt light as air, metaphorically at least. It was a low pain day, the baby didn’t have a foot shoved into your spine, and you had an appetite.
Too busy mixing the batter together, you didn’t hear Sue come in. She startled you a little when she came up next to you, and you both laughed.
“Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s not your fault,” you said. “I was too preoccupied by the pancakes.”
“Craving?”
“Oh yeah.”
Sue smiled. “It’s been pretzel sticks for me, can you believe that? I probably eat a bag myself every couple of days.”
You laughed - it was relatable. “Sounds like Johnny with his Lucky Charms.”
“That’s what I said!” she smiled. She moved around you, grabbing a couple of plates. “Make me some too, would you?”
“Yeah, of course.” You made a little extra batter, mixing it up well before dumping the first pancakes into the pan.
A few minutes later, you and Sue were both leaning against the counter holding a plate of steaming pancakes doused in syrup. You took the first bite and closed your eyes, an unintentional moan escaping your lips. “God. So good.”
“They are,” Sue said after swallowing her first bite. “You make a mean pancake.”
You chatted lightly with Sue until you’d both finished your plates. She helped you wash them up, then leaned back against the counter. She smoothed her hand over her belly as she looked at some papers she had brought with her before putting them away.
“Where’s Reed?” you asked, just wanting to break the silence again.
“Lab,” she said. “Working on things for the mission. I was just about to head down to join him.”
You nodded. “Johnny wanted to work on his cars today. I told him go - it’s not like he’ll have much time for them for a little while.”
Sue smiled at you. “You’re really good to him, you know that?”
You were surprised, both by the randomness of the comment and the sentimentality of it. She had never said anything like that to you before.
“You- you think so?” you asked, unsure of what else to say. You certainly weren’t close with Sue - she was older than Johnny, and was usually too busy to sit and chat with you outside of group settings.
“I can see it,” she said. She sighed. “You know, Johnny…after our mother died, I helped raise him. He’s my closest family - he’s important to me. I always wanted to see him find a girl to settle down with, to be happy with…I’m glad he found you. I’m glad it’s you.”
Utterly speechless, you gaped at her, your eyes teary. Hadn’t you done enough crying? When you finally picked your jaw up off the floor and shook yourself out of it, you spoke. “I- thank you. Johnny means everything to me, I- I want to make him happy.”
Sue reached forward and took your hand in hers. She held it under the light, the ring shining, and smiled. “He loves you,” she said. “I know you know this, but…I don’t know if you understand how much without knowing him the way I do.”
Your heart thudded. You thought of Johnny - and how you loved him, too. How he had told you just how much he loved you last night - and showed you after. “I love him too,” you said. “More than anything. Him and the baby.”
“He’s going to be the best dad, you know,” she smiled, dropping your hand. She looked down at your stomach now - you were standing practically bump to bump.
You felt a strong kick at that moment. You gasped, placing your hand over the spot where you’d felt it - and noticed Sue had done the same thing to her own belly.
“You felt that too?” she asked, her eyebrows raised.
You still felt it. It’s like she was trying to get comfortable in one specific position. You took Sue’s hand in yours and placed it where the movement was for her to feel.
She looked up at you, her expression unreadable. Leaving her hand on your belly, she took your hand with her free one, and pressed it against the same exact spot on her own body. There was nothing from either of you, and then-
A kick. Two kicks. One from each side at the exact same time. Your wide eyes met Sue’s own.
“How interesting…” she finally said as you parted, as if in total awe.
“The cousins are excited to meet each other, it looks like,” you said lightly with an awkward laugh, but even you knew that was bizarre.
“Yeah, must be,” she said - but it was clear her mind was working. A moment later, she seemingly shook it off. “Anyway…that’s what I wanted to say, because I haven’t said it enough. You’re my sister. You’re good for my brother. You make him happy- he loves you, and I love you.”
She pulled you into a hug. “Welcome to the family, officially.”
The day of the launch came upon you faster than you expected. You woke up that morning sick to your stomach, and it had nothing to do with the baby. But you knew this had to be done - they were saving the world.
You had spent the night before wrapped in Johnny’s arms. He’d wanted to make love to you, as he put it, wanted to be as close to you as possible before he left. He didn’t get as much sleep as you would have liked him to before the launch.
Johnny held you on the bottom floor of the Baxter Building, dressed in his spacesuit already with the helmet sitting by his feet. He kissed you with every bit of passion in his body - which was a lot. You were going to miss your fiancè so badly, you didn’t care what anyone thought about the two of you practically making out in front of everyone.
Reed walked by, tapping Johnny on the shoulder to let him know it was time to go. He pulled back, his lips kiss swollen and pink. He grinned at you, but there was sadness behind his eyes. You couldn’t muster up as enthusiastic of a smile.
“Everything is going to be okay,” Johnny said. “You’re going to be fine. Herbie is going to take care of you, you have a whole team-“
“I’m not worried about me,” you cut him off. “I’m worried about you.”
“You don’t have to worry about me,” he said. “We can take care of ourselves, I promise you. We’re going to go fix this mess.” He pulled you back into another lingering kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Johnny,” you said. You rested your hands on his cheeks, the diamond on your finger flashing. Reporters ran over to start taking photos - you knew that would be in the magazines tomorrow. You didn’t pay them any mind. You and Johnny might as well have been the only people in the room.
He placed both hands on your 8 months pregnant stomach, looking down at it. “Please take care of yourself. If anything is weird, tell Herbie and he’ll call your doctors.”
“I got it, Johnny,” you said. You’d been over this countless times in the days leading up to this. “I’ll be careful. I’ll be alright.”
Johnny nodded. Then he knelt down on the ground, surprising you. The camera flashes kept going off as he kissed your bump, still holding it with so much affection it nearly took your breath away - and completely distracted you from how much attention was on the two of you.
“I love you, baby girl,” he said to your belly. “You better stay cookin’ in there for me. Don’t come out until Daddy gets back from space, okay?” She kicked his hand and he smiled.
You giggled. “I think she hears you.”
Johnny stood and wrapped his arms around you again. He pulled you into one final kiss, full of emotion and want. “I’ve gotta go,” he said, once he’d reluctantly parted from you. “Please be safe. I love you. Both of you. I’ll be back as soon as we can manage.”
You nodded, tears brimming in your eyes. “I love you too, Johnny.”
He kissed you on the forehead and then he was picking up his helmet, walking backwards for a little while to look at you as long as he could. He smiled, waved, then turned and joined the others, leaving you alone.
Well, ‘alone’. You were surrounded by people. You joined the crowd, carefully making your way to somewhere you could have a good view.
Johnny, Sue, Reed, and Ben walked the walkway to the spaceship. This was your first time seeing Johnny go to space since you’d been together, and as much as you missed him and didn’t want him to go, it filled you with pride. Your Johnny really was incredible, super powers or not. You held your bump protectively as you watched.
They were being filmed as they made their way onto the elevator. At the top, they walked onto the ship. Johnny paused right before boarding - he looked around until he found a camera. He stared directly into the camera and mouthed your name, with a blown kiss and an emphatic I love you.
The crowd awwed, and you could hardly see Johnny disappearing onto the ship through the tears in your eyes. You rubbed your belly - You see that, little one? Your daddy loves us more than anything.
The countdown began, and your stomach tightened in knots. You knew how dangerous launches and landings could be.
“3…2…1.”
The ship took off, rising into the air. Your heart ached as you watched them go, knowing it would be a long time before you saw Johnny again. You would see him again - you weren’t entertaining any other possibilities.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve had a successful launch.”
You couldn’t believe he was gone, they were really gone. Before you could dwell too much on their absence and how much you would miss every one of them, you turned and let Herbie lead you out of the crowd and back upstairs.
It wasn’t hard to find Galactus, not really. They were able to track the herald straight to him.
Upon arrival, she greeted them on their ship.
“Galactus will see you. All of you…you should not have come.”
Now, standing before Galactus - a giant, possessing more power than they had even pictured - they attempted to negotiate. But some prices are too high to pay.
“I will spare your world,” Galactus said with finality, “in exchange for both the boy and the girl.”
“What?” Sue said, incredulous. “No.”
“Absolutely not,” Johnny said, looking around at the others for validation that they agreed. “No. No way.”
“They are connected. They both possess the power of cosmic, and they together will inherit this cursed throne.”
What?
“They’re just- they’re normal,” Reed lied nervously. “We would know. I tested them myself.”
Galactus leaned in, eyes glowing purple. Sue grabbed her stomach at that moment, groaning in pain. She looked around at the others in a panic - and for once, Johnny’s blood went cold with fear.
“What are you doing to her??” he yelled.
“You won’t have our planet,” Reed said, “and you will never have our children!”
But it was happening. Whatever Galactus had done - Sue was in labor.
The pain came when you were home alone. You’d been in the kitchen, mixing up the batter to make your biggest craving - a chocolate cake. You felt fine, good even - but then a horrible pain stretched across your stomach.
You wrapped your hand around it, holding onto the counter for support as you cried out. Herbie sped into the room, making what you could best describe as concerned beeps.
“Herbie,” you said, your voice strained. “I think- I think something’s wrong. I think we need to call somebody.”
Herbie beeped again, then took off - contacting your medical team, you hoped. The pain was getting worse, coming in fast. You figured you had to be having contractions at least once every two minutes - this was the real deal. And Johnny was gone.
You couldn’t help it - you panicked. You lowered yourself to the floor amidst the pain of another contraction, and you sobbed. You were terrified. Of all the scenarios you’d come up with, doing this alone hadn’t been one of them.
It was only minutes later when a team of medical professionals came bursting into the room - Johnny and Reed had left you with a team ready at a moment’s notice in case of emergencies. It was a coveted position - every medical professional in the city wanted to be involved in the birth of the two newest Fantastic Four members. You didn’t like your child being seen as a spectacle.
You were screaming through another contraction, a white knuckled grip on the side of the counter as it passed through you. The doctors and nurses got to work fast. It was humiliating having a stranger up your skirt, but you had to have a cervical check.
It hurt, but the pain was already everywhere. It was the look on the nurse’s face after she checked you that scared you, though.
“The baby is coming right now,” she said. “We have to do it here.”
Back on the ship, things were progressing. Sue was in the back, laboring in zero gravity. Ben was steering the ship while Johnny and Reed helped.
“Do you think-“ Johnny asked Reed quietly, but he didn’t even have to finish his question.
“She might be,” Reed said seriously. Johnny felt like he might throw up.
“We need to strap her down,” Reed said, back into action, moving through the ship towards his wife.
“Strapping her down,” Johnny moved to help.
“Do not strap me down!” she yelled, pushing Johnny away - who quickly backed off.
“You need gravity to push,” Reed told her, helping her lay back on the table.
“This is not how it’s supposed to be,” she said, breathing through the pain. Sue was remarkably brave, but right now, she had to admit she was scared.
“I know, but we’re gonna make it work.” Reed helped to hold her down, multitasking while he helped Ben and Johnny, concerned they didn’t have enough fuel to make it home. Their only option was a slingshot maneuver - which they put into action.
“He’s coming,” Sue announced. “He’s coming.”
Her pants kicked off, it was time to start pushing. She pushed and pushed as the ship made its journey.
Sue became invisible. Reed held her - it was silent. She reappeared, and-
A cry sounded through the air. A tiny little hand raising high - and a beautiful baby boy curled in Ben’s hand. He held him out to Reed, who took the precious little guy in his arms - bringing him to his mother. Sue held her baby boy in her arms, Reed cradled around them both.
Johnny came floating back from the front of the ship. His blue eyes were wide as he saw his nephew for the first time - a perfect baby.
He thought of you. He thought of his daughter. And he prayed you were both okay, that he hadn’t missed the birth. That Galactus didn’t want his daughter or his nephew. That he’d get home and you’d run into his arms, healthy and still pregnant.
But for now, he caressed the chubby cheek of the baby with his index finger, and looked into the exhausted eyes of his sister - one of the strongest women he’d ever known.
Franklin Richards was here.
The only coherent thought you could muster was I wish Johnny was here. It repeated through your head, like a prayer, like the ship might descend that very second and he’d come running to your side if you wished for it hard enough.
But you were on your own, about to give birth on the living room floor without your boyfriend. In a room full of strangers looking at your most intimate parts, Herbie was your only friend. He stood nearby, attempting to be a comfort. It worked somewhat.
“It’s time to push,” the doctor said between your legs. “I need you to push hard on every contraction.”
You nodded. You could do this. You may not have been a superhero, or a genius, but you were strong and you could get through this, with or without Johnny. You felt angry in that moment, angry at Johnny for not being here, angry at him for leaving you, angry at him for getting you pregnant in the first place. It wasn’t rational, but it was there.
At the start of the next contraction, you gritted your teeth and pushed. You pushed with everything you had, the pain shooting through your body like electricity. When you couldn’t take it anymore you let go, falling back against the pillows they had put behind you and breathing heavily.
You’d heard pushing could last for an hour or more sometimes - but that wasn’t the case here. This baby was coming now. Another contraction flared and you pushed down again, screaming though the pain and the pressure.
Three pushes later, and the doctor spoke up excitedly from below. “She’s crowning,” she said. “Just one more good push for me, you’ve got this.”
The next contraction crashed into you and you mustered up every bit of energy in your exhausted, sore body to push as hard as you could. You screamed through it, a deep, primal scream.
The pain was gone. An immense relief left behind, you fell back against the makeshift bed and breathed. You opened your teary eyes, a nurse using a cloth to wipe the sweat off your brow.
Then you heard it. A cry. Your heart stopped in your chest as the doctor handed the bundle to you.
You took it, pushing the blanket down below her little chin to see her full face. She was gorgeous. Johnny’s little twin for sure. She opened her blue eyes and looked up at you - you swore you had never felt love in your life like you did in that moment.
Celeste Storm was here.
Early days with Celeste were difficult, yet blissful. You only wished for Johnny, that he could be there to experience it with you (and help a bit). Herbie was a great help, essentially waiting on you hand and foot while you recovered.
It has been a month since the births when the ship descended back home.
Johnny had been in a perpetual state of anxiety since Galactus. He was worried sick about you, to the point that Reed, Sue, and Ben were worried about him.
His stomach was in knots as they descended, and not just from the motion of the spacecraft. As they landed, he could see the crowd running to greet them, and he wondered where you were amongst it. You had to be here, right?
People were running from all over the city to see their return. There was no way you weren’t part of it. His eyes scanned the crowd who still looked like ants, as if he could see you from this distance.
“She’s okay,” Sue assured Johnny, placing her hand on his arm while the other cradled baby Franklin. “She’s a strong girl. She’s okay.”
Johnny just nodded. He wanted to believe his sister, because he wanted that to be true more than anything.
They rode the elevator down together. He had never been so quiet before - his mind was running too quickly to speak. Reed patted him on the back from behind him.
When the elevator landed, they could hear the deafening cheers. Ben walked off first, then Johnny, who scanned the crowd immediately. He didn’t see you - but maybe you were waiting inside where they would stop to speak? Yeah, that made sense.
Reed and Sue were behind him with Franklin, and the crowd went crazy the second they saw them. They smiled politely at the crowd, Sue holding the baby close to her chest while Reed had his arm around her.
They were led into the Baxter Building where the press were waiting. They mobbed them, and Johnny was so overwhelmed by the flashing lights, yelling voices, and no sight of you even in here, that he started to feel panicked.
“Give them space!”
“They’re ready for you,” Reed was told, with a gesture towards the podium. None of them wanted to speak. There was no good news to share. All Johnny wanted to do was see his fiancée.
Reed took the podium, glancing back over his shoulder at the rest of the team. Johnny continued scanning the crowd, not seeing a single sight of you. He was feeling more sick by the second. Where were you? It wasn’t like you to miss this. What if something had happened to you while he was gone and no one told him?
Something was wrong.
“I’m sorry we don’t have a prepared statement,” Reed said, sparking unrest in the crowd. Everyone raised their hand for a question.
“Welcome back,” one of the reporters said. “Can you walk us through how you defeated Galactus?”
It was silent.
“Um…” Reed said, looking back to Johnny and Ben for some kind of help.
“We didn’t,” Ben said simply.
“Not…yet!” Johnny said, with little enthusiasm. “Not yet, we didn’t.”
The crowd murmured. This wasn’t going well.
“What do you mean you didn’t?”
“We attempted to negotiate,” Reed said. “But Galactus…he asked too high a price.”
“Well, what does he want?” “What did he ask?”
Reed felt sick. Johnny really thought he might be. They exchanged a look - fear, in both of their eyes. Would this put a target on their backs? On their children’s backs? Reed looked back out into the crowd.
“He asked for our children,” he said, gesturing to Sue and Johnny. Sue stood behind, holding Franklin protectively as more worry spread through the crowd. “He said give us both children, and I will spare the Earth.” A murmur rose in the crowd. “We said no, obviously. We said no.”
Everyone started speaking at once.
“You said no?”
“Would giving Galactus the children save us?”
Done with this and with fire burning beneath Johnny’s skin, the four turned to leave.
“Wait, just answer this, answer this!” someone called. They stopped and turned. “Are we safe?”
“Are we safe?” Reed repeated. “I don’t know.”
The crowd began speaking at once again, upset. Ben waved Reed off and they left the room, the reporters yelling after them.
“She wasn’t there,” Johnny said to the others once they were safely on the elevator. “She wasn’t…there.”
“She’s probably in the house,” Sue said gently. “Maybe she isn’t feeling well, or couldn’t come down in time. Herbie has her.”
Johnny nodded, but he didn’t feel much better.
With the spacesuit stripped off, he was left in his F4 t-shirt and sweatpants. When the elevator doors opened to the house, Johnny rushed in, looking for any sign of you.
It didn’t take him long.
You sat on the couch, a blanket wrapped around your lap. The TV was on to the news broadcast of the landing. You looked up at him and the others as they entered, a teary smile on your face.
“Johnny,” you said, your voice thick with emotion.
But it was the bundle in your arms that stopped him short. Slowly, cautiously, almost like he was scared, he approached you.
And he fell to his knees.
The baby girl in your arms opened her blue eyes and peered over at him. She was beautiful - more beautiful than he ever could have pictured. Perfection. He reached out a shaking hand and laid it on her, like he couldn’t believe she was real.
“…Oh my god,” he said.
Totally forgotten by him, Reed, Sue, and Ben stood behind, watching the moment. Johnny leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the baby’s head, before looking up at you with wonder in his eyes.
“She’s here,” he said, like he was trying to wrap his mind around it. Saying it didn’t make it feel any more real - he felt like he was dreaming.
“She was born about a month ago,” you said gently, softly running your fingers over the baby’s fine hair. “Shortly after you left.”
“A month?” Johnny asked. He turned to look at the others - who seemed to be thinking the same thing he was. Galactus.
Turning back to you, Johnny rested a hand on the side of your face and pulled you into a gentle kiss. Then he was focused on the child again, his child, his baby girl. He was in awe.
“She’s beautiful,” he said, his fingertips just barely trailing over her smooth skin. She shifted, reached a little hand up, and wrapped her fingers around one of Johnny’s. His heart stuttered, and he choked out the quietest sob.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, looking up at you. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know, I- if I had known this would happen I wouldn’t have left you, I swear.”
“It’s okay, Johnny,” you said softly. You ran your fingers through his blonde hair. “You couldn’t have known.”
He laid his head against you, gazing down at his daughter. She really was incredible - he’d gotten to see her the one time, but it was nothing like this. It was nothing like seeing his child, here, earthside.
“Do you want to hold her?” you asked him. It seemed like he was too stunned to ask himself.
He looked at you with his blue eyes wide. “Really?”
You laughed. “Johnny, she’s your daughter.”
He nodded. Yeah, she was. And he could do this. You lifted her towards him and he slowly reached out, taking the bundle from your arms. The transfer was so slow and careful, and once he had her he cradled her close to his chest. Johnny held her, his strong arms now so delicate with his baby girl. A single tear trailed down his cheek.
They gazed at each other, both mesmerized by the other. Celeste cooed softly, making her little baby noises, and Johnny’s heart cracked. Oh, she had him wrapped around her little finger from day one.
“Hi, baby girl,” he said quietly, only for her. “I’m…I’m your daddy. I can’t believe you’re here. I’ve been so excited to meet you.”
Celeste cooed again, her little arms moving jerkily, still not used to moving her own body. She looked all around, but kept returning to Johnny’s face. She reached up and touched his nose, and he chuckled.
He was a natural with her. He looked back over his shoulder at the others finally, who all looked like they might also cry. He waved them over. They approached the three of you, peering down at the baby.
“Oh, she’s perfect,” Sue said.
“Nice job,” Reed said, patting Johnny on the shoulder with a brotherly smile.
“Hi there,” Ben said, looking down at her. She gave him the biggest smile that he couldn’t help but return.
But baby Franklin was watching her closely. Johnny turned her so she could see her cousin, and the babies reached for one another. Sue and Johnny held them closer as they reached for each other, fingers brushing together. Like they had a connection of some kind, drawn together.
“Interesting,” Reed mumbled. He would need to run some tests - there was a link here, and he needed to find out what it was.
After the tearful reunion, everyone returned to their own quarters. They were all exhausted and relieved to be back home. Johnny sat on the bed, holding baby Celeste while she slept. You moved throughout the room, gathering pajamas and a clean diaper.
“The surfboard is not part of her body, by the way,” Johnny said randomly.
You laughed - “What?”
“I just needed to know! I was curious.”
You smiled as you moved back over to the bed. “Well, I’m glad you found out,” you said. Johnny chuckled.
He told you all about their trip while he helped you change Celeste and put her to bed. He told you everything - the flight, seeing Galactus, chasing the herald and running away. Galactus wanting the babies - which you’d heard on the broadcast. It worried you sick, but he promised there was nothing to worry about.
He wouldn’t let anyone touch a single hair on Celeste or Franklin’s heads, that was for sure.
In the days after their return, everyone was hard at work trying to figure out what was to be done about Galactus. Johnny didn’t want you and Celeste out of his sight, so you spent a lot of time sitting in Reed’s lab with the baby girl on your lap, or doing tummy time on the floor with Franklin.
The truth was, they didn’t know what to do. Giving the children to Galactus was completely off the table, obviously, but so was putting Earth in danger. They suggested blowing the ship up, and running, but neither would work. There had to be something to be figured out. You just wished you could be more help.
“Reed, you wanna take us through what you have?” Sue asked.
“What I have?” he turned. “What I have is nothing.”
“Nothing? Did you say nothing?” Johnny asked. He glanced at you where you sat feeding Celeste.
“I have the samples from Galactus’ ship,” Reed said, handing out some papers for you all to see. “All evidence suggests he predates our universe, our reality. You could take 10 years to understand his composition, let alone his existence.”
“So you’re talking about a god?” Sue asked.
“I’m talking about something beyond our experience. An unknowable life, who imagines Franklin and Celeste as his successors in possessing some kind of cosmic power.”
“That can’t be true, right?” Ben asked, looking at the others. “You ran all those tests.”
“I have, but I don’t know what can or can not be. I’m not sure of anything.” He was getting frustrated. “Celeste has the X-gene, Franklin does not - at least, not that I saw.” He turned, walking back to the chalkboard. “I have nothing. I have nothing!”
You had never known Reed to have nothing. The idea scared you more than you wanted to admit. No one had anything, no one knew how to keep the babies and Earth safe.
Since the trip, Johnny had spent every moment he wasn’t with Celeste hard at work trying to decode the herald’s language. He knew that could give them answers, and that’s what they needed more than anything.
You spent your days caring for Celeste while the Four were hard at work. Johnny spent as much time as he could with the two of you, and it killed him to be away from her, but you both knew the fate of the world hung in the balance.
Reed ran seemingly endless tests on both Franklin and Celeste. No new answers were coming forth.
“It’s getting bad out there,” Ben said one night as the family was in the living room together. Johnny held Celeste, who was wearing a little Flame on! onesie. Ben turned the TV on.
“It seems to me they have no plan for Galactus,” some idiot on a talk show was saying. “We as a society have to reckon with the idea that the Fantastic Four could save us today, but they choose not to. The idea is simple - Reed Richards and Sue Storm, and Johnny Storm and that girl of his, hand over their babies and we all live.”
Sue blew the TV up. No one had a problem with that. Out on the balcony, there was a mob visible right outside the front doors.
“Give us the babies!”
“They’re scared,” Reed said.
“Who isn’t scared?” Johnny asked. He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder as he patted a sleeping Celeste on his chest. “That…is scary.”
Everyone was stressed. The discussion was constantly going in circles, no one coming up with anything new.
“Right now we don’t have a workable plan, and the clock is ticking. So their plan looks good. It’s…available,” Reed said.
“What are you saying?” Sue asked.
“I’m not…saying anything.”
The baby monitor lit up as Franklin started crying. Sue left to go attend to him, Reed following behind her. You were left at the table sitting silently with Johnny and Ben.
“Let me take her,” you said gently, taking Celeste from Johnny’s arms. He let you take her, although he was reluctant to let her go. He never felt like she was properly safe unless she was in his arms.
You were in the kitchen, making yourself busy, when Sue approached you with Franklin in her arms.
“Come with me,” she said.
The mob outside was angry. They held anti-F4 signs, yelled horrible things, demanding the babies.
And you followed Sue through the crowd, Celeste clutched tightly to your chest and Franklin to hers. You knew Sue wouldn’t let anything happen to any of you. Everyone stared as you walked through, making it to the middle where you stood together.
The crowd looked at the two of you expectantly. You weren’t sure where Sue was going with this, but you trusted her.
“I wanted to introduce you to someone,” she began. “This is our son, Franklin. And this is his cousin, Celeste. There’s been a lot of talk about both of them.” She stopped to compose herself. “Most of you know me. You know my story. When Johnny and I were kids, our parents were in a car crash. Our dad was driving, and he lived, but our mom didn’t. I know what it’s like to be a part of a family that was torn apart. Our dad wasn’t always a great father, but he wanted to be. He did his best. He wanted us to be together because that’s what a family is. It’s about fighting for something bigger than yourself. It’s about connecting to something bigger than yourself.”
Celeste wiggled in your arms. You and Sue both turned, seeing Johnny, Reed, and Ben coming out behind you. You smiled tearfully at Johnny - and he looked at you like he was proud.
“It’s about having something bigger than yourself,” Sue continued. “And the four of us already do because we have you. You know, our mom always used to say, Susie, for you, I would move heaven and earth. And we would do that for you. We will not sacrifice our children for this world. But we will not sacrifice this world for our children. We will face this together. We will fight this together. And we will defeat this together. As a family.”
The crowd clapped, and you wiped a tear away. Sue’s speech had been beautiful, and it seemed to have gotten through to everyone. You were filled with relief for Celeste - you’d barely slept an hour since the public turned on you all, terrified someone would manage to break in.
As soon as he could, Johnny had his arms back on you, leading you back inside.
“That was amazing,” he said, “and so, so reckless.”
“But it worked?” you offered. He smiled at you, leaning down and kissing you.
“Yeah. Looks like it did.”
You were walking back to the elevator as a family when Reed spoke up.
“Archimedes,” he said. You all turned. “The law of levers. Give me a lever and a place to stand and I will move the earth. We are going to move heaven and earth.”
That was something. You took a step closer to him.
“Well, just earth,” he continued. “Sue…you solved it. We are going to move earth to a place that Galactus will never find us.”
With an idea, plans were underway. It would take the cooperation of the entire globe to pull off - but they thought it could work.
You spent as much time with Johnny and Celeste as you could. He was an incredible dad, truly. He spent most of his time preparing to put the plan into action, but his favorite time of the day was when he could relax in bed with you.
He laid back, Celeste sleeping on his shirtless chest. He was drowsy himself, his eyes half lidded as he slowly rubbed her back. Fresh out of your shower, you joined him on the bed.
“Ready for me to put her in bed?” you asked him gently.
He cracked an eye open to look at you. “Not just yet. I wanna hold her a little longer.”
You smiled. “Okay.” You laid down on the bed next to him. You looked at the clock just in time to see it strike 8pm, and all the power went out. The global power curfew was in effect to conserve what the bridges would require.
In the dark, you laid your tired head on Johnny’s shoulder. He felt content for the first time in a long time - his family together, a plan in motion. Hope for the future.
He may not know how things were going to turn out, or who Celeste would grow up to be. But he knew as long as he was with his family - they would be okay.
Warnings: cursing, kissing. no fantastic four spoilers, don't worry!
Summary: On Earth-828, once you turn 16, soulmates are allowed to send each other a single gift every year on New Years Day. You're in your late 20s now and still have yet to find your match, and there's no way it's Johnny Storm.
A/N: hello yes hi it is me, coming back after a dry spell of 3 years lmao. pls be kind I am rusty!!!! feedback gives me life :)
“For the millionth time, Johnny Storm is not my soulmate.”
You rolled your eyes, tossing another handful of popcorn into your mouth as you watched the Fantastic Four member himself on your television screen. Tonight was New Years Eve, and the superhero group was invited to help host the annual New York City Ball Drop. There were 6 minutes left until midnight, and you were getting antsy.
Because New Years Eve didn’t just mean a brand new year. It meant another gift. From your soulmate.
Every year since you turned 16 years old, you received a gift handpicked from your soulmate at midnight on New Years Day, like everyone else. Unfortunately, no gift was allowed to include something helpful like your name or address (you’d tried multiple times, but the gifts always ended up vanishing into thin air as soon as you attempted to drop it off at the post office), so gifts were supposed to be strategically picked. Something to give insight into who you are, and how you valued your future relationship.
When the two of you were still teenagers, the gifts lacked…sentimentality. You simply weren’t sure what to send a stranger that you were supposed to spend the rest of your life with. They’d consisted of vacation souvenirs, a photograph of your pet, random knick-knacks. And you had received similar items.
But as you both got older, the gifts became a bit more special. Two years ago he sent you a vinyl of Frank Sinatra’s “The Best Is Yet To Come,” and you played it on repeat for months. The following year, you sent him a vinyl of Etta James’ “At Last,” a thank-you for the vinyl he’d sent you. It was the song you always imagined would be playing the day of your wedding day. This year, you sent him a leather bracelet you made yourself, and you couldn’t wait to see what he got you this year.
Because last year’s gift from your soulmate was a bit…odd.
It was a collectible action figure of Johnny Storm.
And your best friend Violet had not shut up about it for the entirety of the last year.
“Totally, Y/N, that’s why your soulmate gave you a collectibles version of his action figure,” she retorted.
You sighed. How many times have you had this conversation? “Maybe he just works for the Fantastic Four. Or he’s a fan.”
“Whatever you say,” she singsonged. “It really wouldn’t be that weird, Y/N. Your firm works closely with them anyways.”
She had a point, but it was still outlandish. You were a communications assistant at a PR firm that worked directly with the superhero group, but you were pretty low on the food chain, and you’d never had any direct contact with any of them.
“Yes, I work at a PR firm with hundreds of employees, most of which would be chosen over me to speak with the world’s most famous superheroes.”
“You never know, all employees could show up sick one day and you’ll be the only one left. Then you’ll have to talk with them!”
You shook your head in annoyance. She was being ridiculous. “It’s easy for you to joke about because you don’t have to deal with any of this. You already have your person.”
Violet was one of the lucky ones who found her soulmate when she was really young. 18 to be exact. Once she met him, she got to exchange her gifts in person. Given that you were halfway through your 20s and not any closer to finding yours, you were just a tad jealous. You couldn’t be too upset, though, because her soulmate Mike always let her spend New Years Eve with you. It had become your yearly tradition, and he never came between that.
Violet gave you a sympathetic look. “I’m just trying to be optimistic!”
“By trying to convince me that my soulmate is an unattainable, insanely attractive superhero that dates a different girl every week?”
Violet opened her mouth to respond, but the newscaster’s voice on the television interrupted your conversation.
“So, Johnny, any hopes for the new year? Maybe to finally find that special soulmate?”
Your heart raced as you watched him on the television screen. He and his superhuman team were all bundled up in snowy downtown New York City, the big Apple that was set to drop in 3 minutes gleaming high above them in the background.
Johnny gave the man an easy grin. “That would certainly be nice, Chris. I’ve been dreaming of her since I was a teenager!”
Violet nudged your shoulder with a knowing grin, which you returned with another eye roll.
“But, then again, you’d have thousands of hearts to break!” The news camera panned over to the crowd of screaming women, several of whom were holding up “I <3 Johnny” posters.
You shook your head. There’s no way he could be yours. As if you could compete with that.
The camera cut back to Johnny, who gave the girls a wink and chuckled as they went wild. “Well, Chris, that’s just the way it’ll have to be. Once I meet my soulmate, she’ll be it for me.”
“And she will certainly have her hands full,” Sue cut in, leaning towards the microphone. Johnny playfully shoved her away, a smirk still on his face as Reed watched and shook his head. You smiled watching the interaction; they seemed like such a fun group.
“Do you have any hints as to who this lucky lady might be?” The newscaster began. “Tell us what you got her for her gift this year.”
Johnny looked surprisingly unsure at the question, his hand coming up to scratch the back of his neck. “Ah, I’d rather keep the gifts between her and me. Y’know, privacy and all that. Plus, I think that might be considered cheating at finding my soulmate, right?”
Before Chris could say anything, Ben interrupted. “Well look at that, Johnny following the rules for once!”
Bickering broke out between the Fantastic Four, and the newscaster went back to the camera. “Well, there you have it, folks! Johnny Storm is a softy for his sweetheart, whoever she may be. Let’s hope the new year brings them both together. And now, it is time for the one minute countdown! Let’s bring on the new year!”
Your heart started pounding the way it always did at the one-minute mark. Violet grabbed your hand as you both watched the Apple slowly make its way down.
10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…
“Happy new year!”
You and Violet exchanged a hug before tossing popcorn in the air, laughter bubbling in your gut as she danced wildly around your living room.
“Now go look! I can’t stand the suspense any longer!”
You grinned, suddenly ignoring the superheroes celebrating on your television screen, and ran to your front door.
And there it was, sitting perfectly on your doorstep.
A perfectly wrapped, light blue box with a white bow on it.
You wasted no time in swiping it up and running back inside to your living room, haphazardly slamming the door behind you.
“What is it what is it what is it,” Violet chanted, her eyes glued on the gift.
You quickly untied the bow and opened up the box, an audible gasp leaving your lips at what was inside.
A little black box.
“Oh my god, is it a ring?”
You swallowed, your heart pounding. “Don’t be silly, how would he even know my ring size?”
She shrugged. “I dunno, he probably guessed. You can always get it resized once you meet if it doesn’t fit. Now open it before I do!”
You opened the box and immediately let out the breath you were holding.
It was a small, silver band with the most stunning stone you’d ever seen. In fact, you’d never seen anything like it.
Sitting in the middle of the shiny silver band was a round, black, shining stone with flecks of red inside it that seemed to glow when you held it up in the light. It almost looked a little like tiny specks of lava.
“Holy crap,” you muttered, unable to keep your eyes off of it.
“Holy crap is right,” Violet agreed. “That thing is gorgeous. What kind of stone even is that?”
“I have no idea.” You wasted no time in trying it on, and positively beamed when you found it fit on both ring fingers before you settled on putting it on your right ring finger. You weren’t sure if it was supposed to be an engagement ring or more of a promise ring, and it felt odd to act as if you were engaged to someone you didn’t actually know, even if it’s your soulmate. One day I’ll be able to put it on my left hand, you thought.
Violet gathered up her things, preparing to head out for the night. “It’s beautiful, Y/N,” she remarked, smiling at you. “And it’ll be even more beautiful when Johnny Storm puts it on your left hand.”
You threw a pillow at her as she headed out the door.
“Yeah, yeah. Happy New Year!”
***4 months later***
“I look ridiculous. Do I look ridiculous?” You paced around your living room, wringing your hands nervously.
Tonight, you were going to a gala. But not just any gala. A gala at the Baxter Building.
The Fantastic Four was hosting a massive charity event/gala, and invited everyone who worked closely with them or for them. Which included your PR firm.
Technically, not everyone in your firm was allowed to go, as your company had too many employees. But you practically begged your boss to go, and she finally relented and bought you a ticket (only because it was coming out of your paycheck).
You knew it was stupid. Outlandish. Laughable. Impossible. But you had to admit that the possibility of your soulmate being involved with the Fantastic Four was something you hadn’t stopped thinking about since New Years Eve. You knew there was no way it could be Johnny Storm, but it wouldn’t be too insane of an idea to think your soulmate could work closely with the group in some other way. And you didn’t want to waste this opportunity.
“You look incredible, Y/N, don’t be silly.” Violet grabbed your black heels that matched your sleek, black, form-fitting dress and handed them to you. “But there’s one little thing missing.” You furrowed your brow, looking down at yourself as you put your heels on. Violet gave you a knowing look before walking over with the little black box you’d been given 4 months ago. “Your soulmate won’t be able to pick you out without this, yeah?”
You took a deep breath, steeling yourself as you slipped the ring onto your right ring finger. “I can’t believe I almost forgot.”
“Yeah, if I didn’t know any better I would’ve thought you were nervous or something.”
You laughed, rolling your eyes. “Alright, I better get going before ‘fashionably late’ turns into ‘embarrassingly late.’”
Violet squealed, heading out the door with you. “It’s going to be amazing, Y/N. No matter what happens! Even if you don’t meet him tonight, at least you’ll get to see the Four up close.”
You nodded, giving your best friend a salute before getting in your car.
You can do this, you told yourself.
***
“Oh, I so cannot do this,” you whispered to yourself.
The lobby of the Baxter Building was completely full of people, none of whom had a familiar face. Everyone was dressed to the nines and looked incredible, and everyone seemed to know each other…except for you. Unfortunately, you didn’t even know where to go.
Suddenly, a beeping sound appeared next to you. You looked down, and a little robot was staring up at you. You looked around to see if anyone else was seeing this, but no one paid you or the robot any mind.
“Um, hello?”
The little robot made another beeping sound before rushing away, and you had a feeling he wanted you to follow him.
You followed him over to the elevator, where he pressed the button for you before rushing away once more. “Fascinating,” you whispered, shaking your head in disbelief.
Before you knew it, the elevator doors opened and revealed the main event. You walked forward a few steps to the balcony overlooking the gala being held right below. It was an incredibly large, lavish place, with even more people roaming about than in the lobby. Jazzy piano music combined with the sound of hundreds of people conversing played all around you. It was dizzying. Everyone looked at ease with a drink in their hand…everyone except for you. You began gnawing at your bottom lip as you made your way to the stairs, a habit you only picked up when you were really, truly anxious. Bracing yourself, you picked up your gown in your hands to avoid tripping in your heels, and slowly made your way down the stairs in an effort to find a single person you were familiar with.
**
“You’re lying, Ben.”
“I’m not lying, you’re just mad you can’t hold your liquor like I can.”
Johnny Storm was in the corner of the gala with a drink in his hand, bickering with Ben over how many alcoholic drinks he could down before actually getting wasted.
“No human being on planet Earth can down that many shots and not feel anything.” He stared at Ben incredulously.
Ben deadpanned. “We’re not exactly regular human beings, Johnny.”
“Yeah, well no, but even I can’t down ten shots and not feel like I’m about to—“
Johnny looked up as he was talking, and suddenly forgot how to speak.
Because walking down the stairs, wearing his ring, was you.
“Face it, Johnny. You’re a lightweight,” Ben chuckled as he took a sip of his drink, not even noticing that Johnny had stopped speaking.
“Ben.” Johnny stared at you, mesmerized as you seemed to almost float down the stairs.
“Do you really want to play this game? Because I can get the bartender right now and she’ll settle this.”
“Ben.” He still couldn’t take his eyes off of you.
“Alright, fine, I’ll get the bartender—“
“BEN!”
Ben startled, finally looking at his friend and furrowing his brows. “Jesus, what?”
“My soulmate is over there.” Johnny looked more serious and panicked than Ben had ever seen him, but Ben couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking his head.
“Yeah, sure, Johnny. Go talk to your ‘soulmate’ so you get out of losing a drinking contest.”
Johnny rubbed a hand down his face in frustration before leaning in closer. “Ben, I’m serious. She’s wearing the ring.”
Ben blinked. Oh. “Really?”
Johnny nodded furiously, eyes looking all over the room, looking panicked. “Yeah. Yeah. Oh my god, it’s her. Holy shit. Holy—“
“Johnny.”
Ben placed his giant hands on Johnny’s shoulders, steadying him. “Look at me. You’ve wooed how many women over the years? And this woman in particular was literally made for you. You’ve waited your whole life for her. Go to her.”
Johnny swallowed harshly, nodding and sniffling briefly. “Yeah. Yeah, I got this. I’m Johnny Storm. I can go talk to my soulmate. Totally. Absolutely.”
Ben bit back a laugh, taking Johnny’s drink from him. “Yep. You are Johnny Storm. Now go get her.”
***
You gave up on finding anyone from your PR firm. It was too loud, the lights too dim, the place too crowded to even think straight. So, you did the only thing left to do: headed for the bar.
Bottom lip still trapped between your teeth, you made your way over to the bar when a voice called out from directly behind you.
“Uh, hi.”
You turned around at the oddly familiar voice, and there was Johnny Storm, staring at you with wide, nervous eyes and a small, apprehensive smile.
Holy shit. Holy shit. Say something, you idiot! “Hi,” you breathed out, your brain suddenly turning back on long enough for you to return his small smile. Why was he talking to you? What was happening, why was he—
“Uh, I think…I have something of yours,” he said. Before you could ask him what he meant, he rolled up the sleeve of his black button down shirt and revealed the leather bracelet you had made, wrapped around his wrist.
Suddenly the room seemed all too quiet. You swore you stopped breathing. “Oh my god.”
Johnny laughed breathlessly, his smile growing wider. “I know.”
You couldn’t even think straight. This was real, this was happening, and Violet is never going to let you live this down. “That’s…that’s the bracelet I made for my…”
“Soulmate,” he finished for you, his smile turning into something a little smaller, more boyish and shy. “Yeah. And that,” he pointed to the gem on your finger, “Is the ring I had made for my soulmate.”
You looked down at the shining gemstone before looking back at him. Your heart was pounding in your throat. “You had it made? Where did you find this gemstone? I’ve never seen anything like it, it’s so beautiful.”
Johnny beamed. “I found it on a different planet, uh, some planet called Sakaar I think. I’d never seen anything like it either, so I had it melted down into a gemstone…for you.”
You were now smiling so wide your cheeks were starting to hurt. Your head shook in disbelief, because of course it wasn’t even from this world. “It’s incredible. And…god, I can’t believe it’s really you.”
Johnny’s grin grew until he couldn’t take it anymore, and suddenly you were in his arms. His cologne and strong arms filled your senses, and you felt like you were about to explode as your arms wrapped around his neck.
“Jesus, I’ve waited so long for you,” he murmured in your ear, one hand cradling the back of your head and the other wrapped around your waist. He pulled back suddenly, eyes flitting between yours. “Will you come with me?”
You would follow him anywhere, you decided then. You smiled, nodding. “Yeah.”
Johnny grinned and grabbed your hand. “C’mon.”
You were dizzy with adrenaline as you and Johnny weaved through the crowd until you reached a door, and suddenly you were being pulled into his bedroom. He shut the door behind the two of you, and you gasped as you took it all in.
Because, decorating his shelves, was all of the presents you had sent him over the years.
“Oh my god, the Turks and Caicos turtle!” You laughed loudly as you wandered up to the turtle bobble head you had sent him from vacation when you were 17. “I cannot believe you kept this.”
Johnny simply couldn’t stop smiling as he took all of you in, watching as you stared in wonder at all of the mementos. He could not believe you were really here, in front of him, in his bedroom. “Of course I kept it. I kept everything.”
You turned and looked at him then. “So did I.”
He quirked a brow, smirking. “Even the Johnny Storm action figure?”
You busted out laughing. “Well it is a collectible, of course.”
“Sue made fun of me relentlessly for that one. Ben did, too,” he shook his head, chuckling. “I wasn’t sure if I should send it or not. Didn’t know if it was too on the nose or self-centered, y’know? But I wanted to give you as much of a hint as I was allowed.”
“My best friend was absolutely ecstatic. She knew it was you from the second she saw it, but I kept trying to convince myself that you were just a fan or something.”
Johnny swallowed nervously then, looking a little unsure. “Is it—is it okay that I’m…y’know, me?”
“Of course. It’s more than okay, why wouldn’t it be?”
Johnny sat down on his sofa, his hand nervously rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, the whole superhero thing could be a deal breaker for some…And I know I have a…reputation.”
You followed him, sitting down next to him. “Hmm, well I distinctly remember Johnny Storm saying that once he met his soulmate, she’d be it for him.”
Johnny turned to you then, eyebrows lifted in surprise as a smile spread across his lips. “You watched my New Years Eve broadcast?”
You mirrored his smile, nodding.
He dramatically flopped backwards onto his sofa, making you laugh. “God, you really are my soulmate.”
Before you knew it, two hours had gone by. Two hours of sharing life stories, childhood memories. The two of you were currently laying on the floor, side by side, laughing about some of the gifts you’d exchanged over the years.
“What’s your favorite gift though? In all seriousness,” you asked, turning your head to the side to look at him. He was beautiful, and you couldn’t believe he was really yours.
“Hm.” Johnny looked up at the ceiling, eyes squinting in thought. “I love the bracelet you made me this year. I never take it off. Buuuut I think my favorite is the vinyl you gave me a couple years ago.”
You smiled, sitting up on your elbow to prop your head up. “Yeah?”
Johnny sat up to mirror your position. “Yeah. I played it nonstop the first few months after I got it. Ben threatened to break my record player.” You both laughed when suddenly Johnny looked serious and stood up. You sat up, furrowing your brow.
“What is it?”
Johnny bowed dramatically, holding his hand out for you to take. “My lady, may I have this dance?”
You giggled, taking his hand and allowing him to help you up. “Why yes, I think you may.”
Johnny grinned, muttering a “one sec,” before putting the Etta James record on. The sweet, slow melody filled your ears, and Johnny placed his hand in yours, his other wrapping around your waist. He pulled you close, and the two of you began to slowly sway.
At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
Your chest swelled with emotion as he pulled you impossibly closer, his lips brushing your temple as you swayed in time, neither of you speaking, just taking in what you both had waited your entire lives for.
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
Johnny pulled away then, his eyes never leaving yours as he took your right hand in his. Slowly, he pulled the ring off your right ring finger before gently placing it on your left. Your heart was pounding wildly in your chest, your eyes unable to look away from him. He swallowed thickly then, a question swimming in his blue eyes, a “Can I?”
You leaned in, nudged his nose with yours in a silent, “Please.”
His lips gently met yours, and the entire outside world melted away. Your heart sang as his thumb brushed your cheek and he kissed you harder, a quiet, needy whimper escaping his throat. Your hands slid down to wrap around his lower back, bringing him even closer. It was everything you’d ever dreamed of, and it really was with Johnny Storm.
A/N: I was not planning on posting this but I've been seeing a lot of hate in multiple fandoms, which prompted me to create this. Hopefully this educates people/newer users and prevents anymore hate from circling. Also please feel free to reblog or add on if you'd like to.
NO hateful messages. That's gotta be number 1. I don't care what you didn't like about the fic. Unfollow the writer or scroll past it. Do not spend your day/night leaving a hateful message because you didn't like X, Y, or Z. Just move on. It's not worth it and at the end of day, solves nothing.
Do not pressure writers to update a series or to write more. We all have a life outside of tumblr and you really don't know who's struggling with their mental health and who's not. -- Instead, opt for encouraging words like. "Hi. Just wanted to say I love your writing and can't wait to read more from you!" This let's them know you love their work without pressure.
If the writer specifically did not ask for it, DO NOT give them constructive criticism on a story or their writing in general. This is very, very rude. And even though your intentions might be pure, it's insulting.
If a writer has posted a standalone fic, please do not pressure them for a sequel. Especially if you didn't even reblog or give them any kind of feedback. Another option would be: "Hi. I really liked [name of fic]. Do you have any plans to turn [name of fic] into a sequel?
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Hey! Can I get a rustic sourdough, salami, pepper jack, and ketchup? And can you make it a combo with cole slaw? Thank you! :)
It’s a Real Nice Summer to Make a Baby
eddie munson x fem!reader
word count: 2.3k+
summary: Sandwich Shop Request from Anonymous | Your journey in creating your family with Eddie, doesn’t stop just because there’s a change in scenery.
warnings: 18+ MINORS DNI, Smut, PinV, Breeding Kink, Dirty Talk, Unprotected Sex, Eddie and Reader are actively trying to get pregnant, Established relationship
notes: It’s not stated explicitly in here, but Eddie and Reader are in their Mid and Late 20’s. These babies have been dating *six* years. There’s a whole timeline in my head lol. I didn’t have anyone read this over but myself, so please excuse any mistakes that might’ve been made (feel free to point them out so I can fix them! but otherwise, enjoy!)
The first day of camp always starts the same way every single year— like thunder rolling in before the rain. Vans pulling up the gravel drive, kids tumbling out like socks from an overstuffed drawer, the counselors shouting names over clipboards, and you in the middle of it all with a whistle around your neck and a ridiculous amount of sunscreen slathered on your face.
It’s your favorite part of the year.
You’ve barely gotten the last of the kids off the bus before someone’s already crying about losing their water bottle and someone else is shouting about how they found a frog in their duffel bag. And there you are— grinning. This is your happy place, and you slip right back into it like a second skin.
Eddie is… less delighted.
You spot him across the field, slouching under the too-hot June sun in a black band tee that he refuses to retire despite the armpit holes. He’s balancing two crates of produce in his arms and glaring at a counselor who’s dropped a popsicle stick on the path. His hair’s tied up in a low bun, sunglasses on his face, and his expression says he’s already counting the days till August as one of the other counselors mention that he’s not wearing his officially issued camp shirt.
When he catches you watching him, he moves the crates to his hip and flips you off— lovingly. You roll your eyes and blow him a kiss in return.
“Head Counselor!” one of the junior staffers yells your way, jogging up to you. “There’s a problem in Cabin 6. Jamal says there’s a wasp nest under his bed.”
You groan and turn toward the cabins, but not before glancing back at Eddie one last time. He mouths, See you tonight, and winks. It’s the kind of look that doesn’t mean much to anyone else, but you know exactly what it says. You’ve loved him long enough to know exactly what he means.
And by the time you wrangle your girls into their bunk beds, go over flashlight rules, soothe a homesick eight-year-old, and confiscate a pair of scissors someone smuggled in for friendship bracelet warfare, your throat hurts and your back is so sore. But your feet somehow know the way to the staff showers without needing your brain to even catch up.
The trees are loud with cicadas as you walk. The shower house is lit up like a low-budget horror movie. But there’s one door at the end— second stall from the left— that’s always been unofficially yours. And as promised, Eddie’s already waiting there. He’s sitting on that little wooden bench in that stupid old Hawkins High hoodie you loved and he hated more than anything, the sleeves were rolled and shoved up to his elbows. When you push the door open, he glances up from where he’d been sketching something in his notebook.
“You’re late,” he says softly, but it’s not annoyed. It’s soft. He says it with a smile. Like he’s been waiting all day to say anything just to you.
“You’re clean,” you tease him softly, stepping over the threshold, letting the door knock shut, and then you lock it behind you.
“Figured if we were trying to make a baby, I should probably not smell like the beef chili we had for dinner.”
You laugh as you make your way over to stand between his knees, leaning down to kiss him. His lips slow and familiar against yours. His hand reaches out and finds your thigh automatically, tugging you closer as he stands. Your bodies are pulled together now, flush. “God, I really fucking missed you today.”
Your eyes exchange silent words with one another, hoping he can sense how much you really missed him too. You missed him enough that it felt like you’d left the other half of your heart each time you step foot into your quarters. His hands slide up from your waist and gently pull the hoodie from your body, a shy smile tugging at his lips. It makes you weak in the knees.
You both strip each other in loving silence, every single one of your movements slow, not because it’s seductive but because you’re exhausted. First it’s your shirt, fingers slowly sliding across your skin as he drops it in the pile with your hoodie. Then it’s his jeans. You drop his belt and shove the denim to his ankles, helping him step out with a soft sigh. And once you’re fully bare, Eddie turns the knob on that rusty shower handle, hot water starting to pour out against the tile and steam rolls over the both of you as you step into the small stall together. The heat is a godsend on your sore muscles after a day in the sun.
Inside, it’s quiet— there’s no kids, no whistles, no pots clanging about in the kitchen. It’s just you and Eddie.
You stand beneath the water and let his hands roam your body— they start by washing and rinsing the shampoo from your scalp, then move onto rubbing the knots from your shoulders, then he’s brushing his fingertips down the curve of your spine, like he’s trying to memorize your body all over again before you disappear for the night.
It’s not always sex at first, sometimes it’s just touch. Him showing you the love you deserved to feel. Sometimes it was just you being held, him being as close as he can get. But tonight, you both linger a little longer in your touches. You press your cheek to his chest and feel the rise and fall of him beneath your ear as you let out a soft sigh. As nice as it was, the calendar doesn’t wait for anyone.
“We should try,” you say quietly, your voice muffled by his skin and the sound of the water hitting his back.
Eddie kisses your forehead, his hand running up and down your back so gently you feel like you’re falling in love all over again. “Yeah. Let’s try.”
Your cheek rests against Eddie’s chest, your breath slow and even now that the day’s over, but your body’s still buzzing— like your nerves don’t know how to stop working after fifteen hours of keeping the kids from lighting each other on fire. He’s warm against you, both of your skin sticky with humidity and steam. He brings his hands around, kissing up your neck, letting one lazily stroke up and down your side while the other cups your breast. His thumb grazes over your nipple with just enough pressure to make you arch a little and then he squeezes.
You shift around slightly, both of you moving with the practiced coordination of people who’ve done this so many times before— This was your second year trying for this. This was the second year of navigating cramped showers and whisper-thin moments between chaos when that ovulation date creeps up on your calendar. Your back brushes against his chest, and his arm slides around your waist to pull you close to him again. You can feel him hardening against the curve of your ass, growing thicker by the second, like it’s a reflex. Like wanting you isn’t even something he thinks about anymore— it just is.
“I’m all slippery,” you mumble softly, tilting your head just a bit as his lips brush under your jaw. You reach behind your body to rest your palm on his hip.
“Perfect,” He moves his kisses up, stopping right under your ear, whispering oh-so-gently. “Gonna slide in real easy like this then.”
His voice drops on that last part, heavy with something you’ve longed for over and over again— it was want, sure, but it was also more than that. His voice was full of a deeper need that’s lived between you both for the past two years. The kind that grows heavier every single month, every test, every almost. It never stops being tender, never stops hurting. But sometimes it burns.
He palms your hip, guiding you to bend at the waist slightly, and you brace your hands against the tile wall as you listen. The position makes you feel raw, exposed, open, and something about that— about doing it like this, here, where you both have to be quick and quiet— makes your heartbeat thrum all the way up to your ears.
Eddie’s hand slides down between your thighs and he groans softly when your hips jolt forward against his touch. “Fuck, baby,” he mumbles against your skin, rubbing slow circles over your clit. “This is what you wanted, huh? Just needed me inside you.”
You nod, your eyes fluttering shut. “Want you to cum inside me.”
“Oh my god,” he says quietly, his forehead thudding gently against the back of your shoulder as he lets out a heavy breath. “Say it again.”
You smile, a little dazed and a little breathless, but his fingers don’t stop moving. “Wanna feel you fill me up, Ed. Want you to get me pregnant.”
He shudders against your body, his grip tightening around you. “Jesus. You’re gonna kill me.” And then he’s pressing forward just a bit more, his opposite hand thumbing the base of his cock until he’s sliding through your folds. He nudges your entrance, prodding with each little bump forward of his hips before he’s pushing into you with a low, drawn-out moan. He goes slow— so fucking slow— like he’s savoring every inch, like he’s trying to feel every part of you take him in.
You brace your hands on the tile wall in front of you, letting your head drop as he bottoms out. He stays there inside of you, buried to the hilt, and you can feel the way his hips tremble against your ass. His hands slide up your body, settling on your breasts, cupping them with his hands. He kneads gently, squeezing, brushing his thumb along the swell of your tits. “This pussy’s gonna be the death of me, puppet.” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to your shoulder. “Always so warm, so fucking tight. She knows me, baby. Knows I belong right here.”
You whimper at his words, at the weight of him behind you, the burn that comes with the stretch, the desperate want. He pulls out, just a little, then he rocks back in, and you gasp— it’s quiet, but sharp, like it makes you a bit dizzy.
“That’s it,” he breathes out softly. “You let me in like that every time and you know I’m gonna fill you up, don’t you? Gonna fuck my cum so deep it has to take this time.” One of his hands slides down to your belly, his palm wide and possessive over you. “Right here. Right fuckin’ here’s where it’s gonna grow. M’gonna watch you swell up with our baby, and everyone at camp’s gonna know I did it. I put it there.”
The moan you let out is almost too loud for the location, and you slap a shaky hand over your own mouth, shivering as his hips start to snap even harder into you. “Shh, I know, puppet. I know,” he whispers, his mouth hot against your neck. “You’ve gotta be quiet for me. Gotta be good. But you feel so fuckin’ good, baby. You take me so perfect every time.” His thrusts stay deep and slow, dragging you open and stoking the fire in your belly higher and higher. You’re already close— maybe from the buildup, maybe from the words— but it’s more than that. It’s him. It’s the grip of his arms around you, the sound of his breathing in your ear, the love you feel for him and how desperate you are to give this to him.
“I want it, Ed,” you pant out softly. “I want you to cum inside me. I want to keep it this time.”
Those words shatter whatever was left of his self-restraint. He growls— almost actually fucking growls— and fucks into you harder, his rhythm snapping with urgency. “You’re gonna, baby. I swear it. I’m gonna make you a mom right here in this fucking shower, and you’re gonna carry me with you every fuckin’ day.”
It’s not long until your orgasm rushes over you like a wave, your knees nearly buckling as you clamp down around him. Your fingers on your free hand scrambling against the tile for anything to grab onto. You cry out into your hand, trying not to sob his name as you fall apart.
And Eddie’s right behind you, his hips jerking out of rhythm as he slams into you deep and stays. His cock pulsing as he empties his spend inside you. He’s moaning against your back, hot and wild, pouring everything into you like the only job he has is to get you pregnant— like it’s his fucking right.
You’re both panting, swaying slightly. You’re still connected at the hips, and his forehead rests between your shoulder blades. “…Did we just conceive our child next to a pile of someone’s abandoned flip-flops?” you ask, still breathless and flush.
Eddie kisses up your spine, dragging his nose against your skin as he smiles. “God, I really hope so.”
You let out a weak laugh, shaking your head slightly. “You’re insane.”
“I’m in love,” he says dramatically. “There’s a difference, thank you.”
He slips out of you slowly, catching your hips when you nearly stumble forward. You both wince at the mess dripping down your thighs. He watches it for a second, before dropping a hand to scoop up what he can, slipping his fingers back into you. “Don’t want you to wash it away yet.”
You raise an eyebrow, your lip catching between your teeth. “What? You want me to waddle back to my cabin like this?”
He grins, reaching with his other hand to push your wet hair off your neck. “Yes. Full of my cum like a good girl. How else am I supposed to knock you up?”
You blink at him, half-dazed again— partly from good girl and partly from the thick digits he’s using as a plug. “Jesus Christ.”
“I’ll clean you up,” he promises softly, dropping to his knees with a groan, his fingers unmoved. “But then we’re trying again tomorrow.”
Conrad Fisher x Isabel "Belly" Conklin x fem!reader
summary: You've been going to Cousins your since you can remember and one summer, your life changes forever when Belly and Conrad pull unknowingly pull you into a love triangle.
word count: 3,513
This is something that @the-witty-pen-name and I are working on! And this is our first actual fic for Conrad so please be gentle with us! This is only part one and part two will be coming soon!
10 Years Old
Cousins Beach
The beach is crowded when you get there. You’re holding your towel and your nose is in the book you’re currently reading, eyes darting over the pages because you have to know what happens next. You’re so into it that nothing around you matters, the words on the page creating a movie in your head.
You’d been visiting Cousins every summer with your family for as long as you could remember. Your grandparents had a vacation house that was only a short walk away from the water. You didn’t appreciate it nearly as much as you should’ve. You’d look back on those family vacations and think about how great they were- but now, everything feels embarrassing.
For example, your brother whining while your mom smothers him in sunscreen and lectures you about doing the same when the life guard walks by is enough to make you want to bury your head in the sand. Despite feeling so awkward, you snuck glances at him from behind the pages of your book- thinking you’d catch him looking back.
He wasn’t.
Unbeknownst to you, someone was.
Conrad Fisher- Ten years old and stringing along his friend and younger brother towards the waves noticed you from the corner of his eye. Belly followed closely behind, running to keep up with their long strides. He’d sneak glances at you the entire afternoon. You might have missed those stolen looks but Belly noticed each one.
You were so preoccupied with your book, you didn’t even acknowledge him. And he didn’t know why he was so annoyed that you seemed to be oblivious to his presence. That never happened because girls always noticed him. They even flirted-well, in that awkward way that kids usually do.
Belly’s the one who actually got your attention, walking over to you without a care in the world. She asked you about your book and you excitedly told her, seeing that she actually seemed to care. That didn’t happen often.
“It’s about fairies,” you told her. At that age, that was your whole personality. You had an entire collection of books and movies about them and maybe you were a little old to believe that they were real but you didn’t care. You had just as much of a big imagination as you did when you were little.
“I love that one!” She says as she points to the cover of your book, a bright smile on your face. She plops down onto the sand next to you without hesitation, immediately as engrossed as you are in your conversation about fairies.
It was so effortless. Everything felt that way back then. You were too young to really appreciate that too. Summer stretched out before you and friends were so easily made. It had a way of sweeping you up in the whirlwind of it all.
You both spent what felt like hours sitting on the sand as you read the book together. You discussed your favorite fairies in the series and even went as far as pretending to be them as you ran around the beach.
And when day turned to night and everyone was packing up to go home, you both exchanged numbers which led to the two of you becoming the best of friends as the summers went on.
You didn’t know what to expect as you pulled up to the Fisher’s home, but what you did know was that you were nervous. You didn’t usually do well around new people and with how much Belly had hyped Susannah up, you were terrified that she wasn’t going to like you.
You always used to get so in your head about what people thought of you even though you knew it didn’t matter. You knew that deep down it was because you were a people pleaser to your core so you were terrified of saying or doing the wrong thing that would make people not like you.
But you got out of the car anyway with your backpack filled with various toys and some fairy books you wanted to show Belly. You had hoped that the boys wouldn’t make fun of you for your interests. Maybe if they were nice, they could be your friends too.
Jeremiah and Steven seemed to think that you were just like all of Belly’s other friends, but Conrad? Conrad already didn’t like you. He was tired of hearing about you and if he had it his way, the two of you would never meet.
He was fully planning on avoiding you when Belly came over. He was going to go to the beach where he wouldn’t have to hear your annoying giggles or the two of you talking loudly.
He was on his way out the door when it swung open, you and Belly arm in arm. The three of you were startled, having no idea that the other was on the other side and Conrad had to try really hard to not let out an annoyed sigh.
His head was down and he was just trying really hard to pretend that he wasn’t there. Maybe then, the two of you would just let him go and not feel the need to speak to him. But of course, since Belly was Belly, that wasn’t going to happen.
“Y/n, this is Conrad,” she introduced and now the whole thing was even more awkward, Belly so unaware of the way the two of you wanted the ground to swallow you up.
“Hi,” is all he said, raising his head just a touch because he knows it’s rude to not look people in the eye.
“Hi,” you replied and he tried to not be charmed by your shy smile. Truth be told, he thought you were a bit of a snob by the way you barely even spared him a second glance.
“Well, I’m gonna go to the beach,” he said, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible. He threw his towel over his shoulder and hurried past the two of you, not even making eye contact.
You turned and watched him head down the driveway, wondering what his deal was. You were already intrigued, totally clueless to how Belly felt about him because you were not close enough for her to tell you that secret yet. It hadn’t even come up considering the only things the two of you had been talking about were fairies and mermaids.
You then turned back to Belly with your shy smile as she pulled you into the house. You made a beeline to the pool and were quick to take off your cover up before diving in, grateful that you had put on sunscreen beforehand.
The pool was nice and cool as the two of you swam around, playing mermaids, of course. You turned to Belly and thought to yourself that she was the best friend you’ve ever had. She liked you for who you were and didn’t seem to care that you’re more well off than she is. That’s been something that people have used you for-a free vacation at your beach house and then they’d dump you as soon as you got back home.
Belly felt the exact same about you. She felt lucky to have you-to have someone else to hang out with this summer when the boys inevitably left her behind. She enjoyed your company and that you liked all the same things she did. Not many girls your age did.
She’d only known you for a few weeks, but she thought she might ask for your phone number so you could keep in touch throughout the rest of the year. She even wondered if you could potentially meet up since you didn’t seem to live that far from each other.
The back door opened and a woman walked out onto the porch, she was blonde so she had to be Susannah. She was even more beautiful than Belly described and seeing the tray she was carrying with an array of snacks and a pitcher of lemonade, she seemed just as nice too.
She set the tray on the table between yours and Belly’s chairs then turned to the two of you with a bright smile. You instantly wondered how someone as rude as Conrad could come from someone as sweet as her.
“I brought you some snacks,” she said as she approached the pool as you and Belly climbed out.
“Thanks, Susannah,” Belly replies as she takes a cookie from the tray and bites into it.
“Yes, thank you,” you nodded, nervous to take a cookie for some reason.
“You must be y/n,” she said as she reached for your hands. “Belly has told me so much about you. I just want you to know that you’re always welcome here.” Her words were wrapped up with so much love and care. They made you feel important, like you mattered.
You almost wanted to cry at her words. You’d never felt welcome anywhere in your life so this felt new to you. You hadn’t had many friends who would let you meet the adults in your life and if they did, they always talked about how weird you were.
So this was a breath of fresh air and you already knew that you and Susannah were going to be close. You felt a connection to her, like she was a kindred spirit. Her smile widened as she handed you a cookie that you’d been eyeing and you hesitantly took a bite.
“Good?” She asked and you nodded. This might be the best chocolate chip cookie you’d ever had and you wondered how many she’d let you have. “Good,” she nodded in response. “Well, this should hold you over until lunch and sandwiches will be inside. You two have fun, okay?” With that, she headed back into the house as you and Belly sat on your lounge chairs, enjoying your cookies.
“Susannah’s really nice,” you commented and Belly smiled to herself, agreeing.
“Yeah, she’s the best. I can tell she likes you.” Those words made you feel even warmer than the sun beating down on you. They made your heart flutter. Considering how important Susannah was to Belly, you took her opinion of you very seriously.
“Really?”
“Yeah. And why wouldn’t she? You’re great.” Just as the words left her mouth, the gate slammed closed, Conrad and the boy you assumed is Jeremiah are arguing about something, but you couldn’t exactly make out what was being said. You were only able to hear them as they stepped up onto the deck, lingering by the door.
“You left me!” Jeremiah said with a pout.
“We didn’t leave you,” Conrad argued with a shake of his head. “You said you didn’t want to come then decided that you did at the last minute.”
“We’re sorry,” Steven replied, trying to ease the tension between the brothers. “You can come with us next time.” Jeremiah seemed happy with that because he was smiling again. The three of the boys then turned, seeing you and Belly sitting on your lounge chairs, drinking the lemonade that Susannah brought out for you.
They’d all heard so much about you and they were looking forward to meeting the girl who they’ve heard so much about. Well, Jeremiah and Steven are. Conrad, not so much. Just from the one interaction, he’s not impressed. From the way you barely looked at him nor really spoke to him, he’s convinced that you’re a snob.
He hated people like that so he decided that was only going to talk to you when it was necessary. It’s not like you were going to become friends, anyway. You liked very different things. You liked fairies and mermaids and reading. Conrad liked action movies and video games and couldn’t remember the last time he picked up a book that wasn’t required reading for school.
“Hey, I’m Steven,” the boy who you recognized as Belly’s brother introduced himself with his hand outstretched. You shyly took it and you both shook.
“Y/n,” you replied, trying your best to maintain eye contact. You didn’t know why people looking at you when they spoke to you made you feel so intimidated, but it did. Maybe it was because for the most part, you didn’t like being perceived. So when someone did notice you, it threw you off because you were so used to fading into the background.
“I’m Jeremiah,” the other boy you hadn’t met went for a hug which caught you off guard. You lightly patted his back and pulled away, the whole thing feeling odd because boys were never this nice to you. They usually just ignored you the way that Conrad has been.
“Hey, what’s this?” Steven asked as he picked up the book that was next to you. It was your most prized possession, the one book you’d read cover to cover more times than you could count. You didn’t know why you felt the need to bring it everywhere. Maybe it was because it brought you comfort. It was something you could escape to when you got uncomfortable with the real world.
“Tinkerbell?” He snorted. “Isn’t that for kids?” You were confused because you were a kid and so was he.
“Leave her alone, Steven,” Belly commanded and her brother just scoffed, snatching the book from your chair.
“I’m just saying,” he threw his hands up in surrender, but then started flipping through the book. You didn’t know why you found the action so mortifying. It was more than him just flipping through the book, it was like it was exposing you. You glance around everywhere except Steven. You miss Conrad smacking Steven in the back of the head until you hear it, followed by Steven’s yelp.
“What the hell, Con?” Steven says dramatically, rubbing the back of his head. He tosses the book back where he found it, much to your relief. You snatch it back quickly, holding it to your chest. Jeremiah offers a half, sympathetic smile before the three boys run out again. Belly looks at you, her face etched with concern.
“Ignore them,” she says, trying to cheer you up, “Steven is dumb.” You can’t help but smile a little, already feeling better. “Can I see it?” He asks. Even though he doesn’t like you, he can’t help but feel protective of you.
You hug it even closer, turning away, but when you see his features soften, you can tell that you can trust him. So you hand it over only for Jeremiah to grab it, both him and Steven throwing it back and forth like a football. You can’t help but tear up, watching page after page fall out onto the wood of the deck because of how old the book is.
Conrad can’t stand this. His heart is aching for you and seeing his brother and friend throw your precious book around like it’s nothing is making his blood boil. He stomps over to them, trying to get between them so he can grab the book. Jeremiah tosses it and just as Conrad reaches up to grab it, it only brushes his fingers and flies into the water.
You’re sobbing now and Belly is doing her best to comfort you, her arm wrapped around you as he leads you into the house, shouting something at the boys, but you can’t hear it. It’s drowned out by your crying and now all the boys are arguing as your book sinks to the bottom of the pool with all the memories you had with it. And you decide right there that you hate Steven and Jeremiah, thinking to yourself that they ruined your summer. But Conrad? Maybe he’s not as bad as you thought. Maybe you might actually end up being friends.
The next morning, you hesitantly head down the stairs for breakfast, Belly leading the way. You didn’t want to disappoint her by not spending the night like you intended so you did. But the two of you spent the rest of the night in her room, Belly, Susannah, and Laurel all taking turns comforting you.
None of them seemed to think it was silly that you were so upset about losing your book. They all knew how important it was to you and Susannah and Laurel even insisted that Jeremiah and Steven buy you a new one. But you didn’t want it-not that they’d be able to find the book anyway. Those books weren’t sold in bookstores anymore. You were lucky enough to stumble across that one at the thrift store near your house all those years again.
You were having a hard time accepting their apology and why would you? They ruined something that was so important to you and the thing was, they didn’t even seem to care. They just went on with their lives and you had to act like you weren’t bothered by it even though there was clear tension between you and them.
You sat at the breakfast table with all of them and you didn’t utter a single word, not even to Belly as you ate the cereal that you poured for yourself. It just so happened to be Jeremiah’s and that made it taste even better.
It was quiet besides the chewing, none of you uttering a word. It wasn’t until Conrad, who was to your left, nudged your shoulder. You turned to him and his eyebrows were furrowed. He hated that he was worried about you. That he wasn’t able to get the images of you crying out of his head.
“Are you okay?” He asked, leaning closer to you. You didn’t want to talk about it. You just wanted to move on. But he was being nice so you felt the need to answer him.
“I’m just upset,” you tell him. “That book meant everything to me.” You felt silly for saying it, but it was the truth. It got you through many nights when you were scared to fall asleep. It was there for you when no one else was.
“I know. I’m sorry,” was all he said before turning back to his own cereal. He didn’t know why he felt the need to make it right. Even though it wasn’t his fault-even though he did nothing wrong. So he would. He was going to fix it.
Conrad spent days trying to hunt the book down but had no luck. He went to every single store he could think of that could possibly have it but came up with nothing. That was, until he came across it in the window of the thrift store his mother loved. There was one copy and he hurried inside, hoping that it wasn’t more than the ten dollars he had left over from his birthday money.
He brought the book to the counter, not able to keep the smile off of his face because of the good thing he was doing. And he didn’t care that the cashier was looking at him weird. He just asked for some tissue paper for the bag and then he was on his way.
“You’re such a sweet boy,” Susannah told him when he got back in the car. He set the bag on his lap, feeling his cheeks get progressively more warm as he got closer to the house. You were over again to swim with Belly and he was going to put the gift on the table where you always sat when you and Belly came in for lunch.
He smiled to himself as he fixed the tissue paper in the bag as the sliding glass door opened and there you were, looking happier than you usually were and Conrad was happy to see you smiling.
Susannah had your sandwiches ready and Conrad could feel his heart racing as you headed to your spot, caught off guard by the gift bag sitting on the table. You looked around in confusion and just knew that Conrad had something to do with it when you saw how wide he was smiling.
“It’s for you,” he said. “Open it.” You did as he said, pulling the tissue paper out of the bag and gasped when you saw what was inside. You pulled out the book and hugged it to your chest, a bright smile on your face.
“You did this?” You asked, eyes tearing up and he just nodded. Before he could say anything, you hurried over to him, pulling him into a hug. You didn’t usually like hugs, but right then, it felt nice. It felt right.
“I just felt bad. I looked all over the place and found it in a thrift store in town.” No one had ever done anything like that for you before so that was going to be something your cherished forever. You’d think about him and how sweet he really was every time you opened the book. And you were beginning to think that maybe Conrad Fisher wasn’t so bad.
