get-your-flame-on:

iamthefirechild:

Summer’s mouth dropped open as Johnny (Johnny fucking Storm! her mind insisted on screeching) immediately pulled her close. Her head just about came up to his chin. It took a second for her to realise what he was doing, but before she could really do anything about it, the moment was over, and he’d released her again.

A string of swearwords were rising to her lips when she brushed him with her empathy again, and they died in her mouth at the return. Instead, she tilted her head to the side and said, dryly, “It’s nice to see I’m of some use around here. Mr. Storm.”

Johnny smiled cheekily at her before replying with an equally dry, “No worries doll, I’m happy to give people purpose.” He took the time to look her up and down, as though it was the first time he had ever laid eyes on her.

“You know, I can think of a lot of other uses you could be put to. If you’re interested that is.” Johnny smirked deviously. He figured there was an equal chance of him getting lucky as there was of him getting slapped across the face. Either way the party would be livened. Though a voice in the back of his head was doing its best to remind him that his sister would be very displeased if he ruined Reed’s party. He was completely capable of ignoring that voice. In fact, he was beyond capable.

Summer made her eyes go big and innocent. “Do tell, Mr. Storm,” she replied, her tone sugar-sweet and completely false. “I am all ears.” Clasping her hands under her chin completed the picture.

Unfortunately she couldn’t hold the innocence for very long, and ended up grinning at Johnny. “At least I’m not the only one who’s bored here.”

get-your-flame-on:

iamthefirechild:

And there was her target, moving right toward her. Before Summer could slip sideways into the crowd again, he was right there in front of her, and her heart sank just the tiniest bit before she recognised who it was.

Johnny fucking Storm.

Introducing himself to her as though it was a normal kind of thing.

Telling the little voice in the back of her mind to ‘shut the hell up right now’, she clasped his hand, giving him a small smile. “Hi. My name is Summer.” She let herself scan him up and down, openly admiring the tuxedo.

Johnny raised a brow. “Summer, that’s a lovely name. Can I borrow you for a minute?”

Not waiting for her reply, Johnny wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her towards him. He turned their bodies so that he could see man who had been trying to single him out. The doctor had stopped a few feet away, and once the two had made eye contact, he gave Johnny a little wave.

Johnny mouthed ‘Sorry, we’ll talk later.’ And made a shrugging motion with his free hand displaying the message ‘lady troubles, you know how it is’. The man smiled a bit and nodded waving Johnny off in a ‘oh you kids’ gesture.

He waited until the doctor had found other party goers to bother before releasing her.

Summer’s mouth dropped open as Johnny (Johnny fucking Storm! her mind insisted on screeching) immediately pulled her close. Her head just about came up to his chin. It took a second for her to realise what he was doing, but before she could really do anything about it, the moment was over, and he’d released her again.

A string of swearwords were rising to her lips when she brushed him with her empathy again, and they died in her mouth at the return. Instead, she tilted her head to the side and said, dryly, “It’s nice to see I’m of some use around here. Mr. Storm.”

get-your-flame-on:

iamthefirechild:

Summer wasn’t entirely sure what she was doing at this party, except that about half of New York’s superheros had landed an invitation, and she’d been in that half. It was really high time she got out of the apartment and found a social life anyway, she rationalised, knowing perfectly well that she was really going to go stand in a corner and feel ill-at-ease and ogle all the pretty people.

Well, it was an excuse to dress up, and those didn’t come as often since she’d stopped going to sci-fi conventions. Out came the burgundy velvet corset and matching lace dress, the knee-high black boots, and the garnet jewellery. She made her sister lace her up and make her up, and so now she was, as envisioned, standing out of the way at the party.

Just for random amusement, she brushed random partygoers with her gift, dipping in and out of various emotions. Most of them were pretty drunk, cheerful socialite masks firmly on. Dr. Richards and his wife actually were genuinely enjoying — oh. He was talking to another scientist, that was why.

And there was a heart that was neither drunk nor pretending to have fun. Outright boredom … Summer was curious, and slipped through the crowd to find it.

According to his phone, the Giants were down by ten points.

Just not my night.

Johnny pocketed the handheld device once again. Several people had approached him to ask about Reed, but honestly the fire hero didn’t have much to say. He didn’t know anything about Reed’s life other than he was married to Sue and had no actual concept of fun. He knew even less about the genetic manipulation of the mutant genome… so most interlopers moved on quickly.

He recognized a few friendly faces, but he honestly did not have the energy to listen to science talk. So when he saw one of Reed’s old school buddies start to make his way towards him, Johnny panicked.

He quickly scanned before settling on an attractive lone female, a perfect escape route. He made a beeline for her, turning his back on the approaching doctor.

“Hey, I’m Johnny.” He smiled charmingly, holding out a hand.

And there was her target, moving right toward her. Before Summer could slip sideways into the crowd again, he was right there in front of her, and her heart sank just the tiniest bit before she recognised who it was.

Johnny fucking Storm.

Introducing himself to her as though it was a normal kind of thing.

Telling the little voice in the back of her mind to ‘shut the hell up right now’, she clasped his hand, giving him a small smile. “Hi. My name is Summer.” She let herself scan him up and down, openly admiring the tuxedo.

get-your-flame-on:

The ballroom was filled with socialites of all shapes and sizes, an abattoir of pressed suits, shiny tuxedo shoes and hair spray stiff up-dos. In the middle of it all was Johnny Storm, clean and pressed and dressed sharp enough to kill. After all, if you’re going to get dragged to your brother-in-law’s Nobel Prize after party, you might as well look good.

Reed stuck mostly to the edges of the room, meeting and greeting people in waves who were desperate to shake his hand and congratulate him. Sue was attached to his arm, a life-size accessory in a tight black dress. The only member of the family who hadn’t been forced to attend was Ben, no sense making him wrestle into a giant tux if he was just going to spend the entire night complaining.

For his part, Johnny didn’t complain. He just scowled down at his phone every five minutes, willing time to move faster. Hoping with all of his might that something would happen to kill the dull mood of the party.

Summer wasn’t entirely sure what she was doing at this party, except that about half of New York’s superheros had landed an invitation, and she’d been in that half. It was really high time she got out of the apartment and found a social life anyway, she rationalised, knowing perfectly well that she was really going to go stand in a corner and feel ill-at-ease and ogle all the pretty people.

Well, it was an excuse to dress up, and those didn’t come as often since she’d stopped going to sci-fi conventions. Out came the burgundy velvet corset and matching lace dress, the knee-high black boots, and the garnet jewellery. She made her sister lace her up and make her up, and so now she was, as envisioned, standing out of the way at the party.

Just for random amusement, she brushed random partygoers with her gift, dipping in and out of various emotions. Most of them were pretty drunk, cheerful socialite masks firmly on. Dr. Richards and his wife actually were genuinely enjoying — oh. He was talking to another scientist, that was why.

And there was a heart that was neither drunk nor pretending to have fun. Outright boredom … Summer was curious, and slipped through the crowd to find it.