#johnny storm angst

[imyourbratzdoll]

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥

She was content and in love, she thought she married the one she would spend the rest of her life with. Fate seemed to have another plan for her. One that involved her to finally learn the truth, causing two relationships to be tragically ruined and hidden memories to suddenly come to light. She finally gets on the path she was meant to be on in the beginning.

18+ only please, do not copy, repost or translate our works. You are responsible for your own media consumption. headers are made by me.

೫˚🌧️❀ *ૢ💔೫˚💍

𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

೫˚🌧️❀ *ૢ💔೫˚💍

!warning! This series will include heartbreak, divorce, detailed cheating, bad thoughts towards self, betrayal, back-stabbing, horrible relationships, slight gaslighting and manipulation, smut (from cheating and maybe when she finds happiness).

೫˚🌧️❀ *ૢ💔೫˚💍

𝐅𝐢𝐜𝐬:

part 1 - 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

೫˚🌧️❀ *ૢ💔೫˚💍

part 2 - 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥

೫˚🌧️❀ *ૢ💔೫˚💍

part 3 - 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠

೫˚🌧️❀ *ૢ💔೫˚💍

part 4 - 𝐢 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞...

೫˚🌧️❀ *ૢ💔೫˚💍

part 5 - 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬

೫˚🌧️❀ *ૢ💔೫˚💍

part 6 - 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬

೫˚🌧️❀ *ૢ💔೫˚💍

part 7 - 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞

೫˚🌧️❀ *ૢ💔೫˚💍

[thezombieprostitute]

🧚🏻‍♀️✨Bippity boppity bow chicka wow oww! You’ve been visited by the Shameless Hoe Fairy, and now you must share a hoe drabble about:

Johnny Storm + realizing his feelings for you are real and strong because you’re the first person he’s ever missed while you’re apart 🥺

A/N: This is my first time writing for Johnny Storm so please let me know if I did okay!

"Johnny, what the hell?!" Sue's voice rang from the shared kitchen.

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it" Johnny yelled from his room.

"You were the last person in the kitchen!"

"It still wasn't me!"

Sue storms to Johnny's room to find him in his bed, hugging a sweater you'd left behind a few visits ago. "You're really gonna lay there and try to convince me that you, the last person in the kitchen, after I cleaned it this morning, are not responsible for the half-assed attempt at baking I just walked in on?"

"Well excuse me for trying to do something nice for everyone," Johnny whines.

"What's gotten into you, Johnny? I swear I've never seen you like this."

From further down the hall they hear Ben, "lover boy just misses his girl is all."

"No, I don't," Johnny shouts back at him.

Ben snickers, "I can't see you but I know you're cuddling up with her shirt, ain't you?"

Johnny throws your sweater to the side before pouting, "NO!" Sue smiles fondly as Ben breaks out into a laugh.

At that moment the front door opens, "I'm home!" Richard calls out. Sue turns to greet him but is distracted by Johnny shoving her to the side to run to the door.

"Wait, where's Y/N," Johnny asks. "She was supposed to come back with you."

"Yeah," Reed confirmed. "She wanted to go home and get some rest."

"But..." Johnny can't think straight.

Reed continues, "I asked her if she wanted to come over but she told me, the last time you two went out, you said you wanted some space." Reed shrugs, "I guess she's just giving you what you want."

Johnny starts pouting and angrily grabs the keys to his motorcycle before storming out of the apartment.

Your apartment feels cold and quiet as you enter. You miss Johnny but you don't want to bother him, especially after he said he was feeling a little "smothered". You flinch at the memory.

"Ugh, one thing at a time," you tell yourself as you start putting your things away. It was a long trip and you feel exhausted. Maybe a shower and some sleep will cure your ills.

A shower certainly does help but you still find yourself feeling lonely. Maybe Johnny was on to something. Maybe you do spend too much time with him and not enough alone. You put on some pajamas, order delivery from your favorite pizza place, and settle in on the couch for some alone time.

Too soon to be the pizza, you hear an insistent knock at the door. Confused you head over and look through the peephole. It's Johnny! As soon as the door is open he's pulling you into a deep kiss, complete with a warm hug.

"I'm so sorry," he says when he pulls away. "I'm so sorry I said I need space. I don't need space, I need my head examined. I missed you so much. So much more than I've ever missed anyone. I'm sorry I tried to push you away."

You gently rub his cheek while giving him some reassuring coos. Neither of you realized the door was still open until the pizza arrived. The two of you settled on the couch to eat. You thought to sit on the opposite side but Johnny pulled you close, until you were practically sitting on his lap.

"I need you to know," he whispers after finishing a slice, "why I said what I said." You turn to face him, making sure he knows he has your attention. "I've...I've never been one for things like long-term relationships. No one who knows me thinks I'm even capable of anything more than just...casual hookups or convenience relationships, like you and I have."

You nod your understanding and he continues, "I was trying to keep that reputation when I told you we were spending too much time together. But this last week, without you being around at all? Fuck, I, I have to admit, I'm in love with you."

His confession leaves you wide-eyed, "you really mean that?"

"Yes," he replies with a look you've dubbed his "serious face".

"I accept your apology, and your confession," you hum. "But you owe me."

"Name your price, Fire Lily," he breathes.

"You have to give me back the sweater your keep in your room."

Updating to make sure tags are included:

@alicedopey

[ro-is-struggling]

First Impressions || Johnny Storm x Reader

Summary: the story of how you and Johnny met the morning after he slept with your roommate

THIS IS PART 1 OF MY MINI-SERIES FIREPROOF! Masterlist + info HERE

Warnings: Johnny is a bit of an ass (but that’s kinda like his thing in this lol)

English is not my first language

Word count: 1200

Notes: this is a lot shorter than the rest of the parts will be bucause originally it was only going to be a flashback, but I hope you guys like it!!

Johnny was being careful this time, tiptoeing down the hallway as he got dressed. He had learned the hard way that shoes were best left for last, they made a lot of noise when he stepped on the wooden boards that creaked under his feet and alerted the girl sleeping on the bed to his intentions. That wasn't a mistake he would make again —not after the scene Kate made when she discovered him trying to flee the morning after he met her—, so now he always made sure to put his shoes on once he was out of his latest conquest's apartment.

He thought he was in the clear. The front door was in his vision and he could still hear the subtle sound of Allie's? —he wanted to say that was her name, but wasn't sure— snoring coming from the room. However, the sound of someone clearing their throat made him stop in his tracks. Turning around, Johnny found you sitting at the kitchen island eating breakfast.

“Sneaking out, huh?” your eyes didn't lift from your phone as you spoke to him. But you didn't need to do so to know he had an uncomfortable expression on his face at having been caught in the act.

“No.” Johnny lied. “I just...”

“I have commitment issues that won't let me stay to say goodbye to the girl who sucked my dick the night before?” You answered for him, finally looking up to look at him. “I figured.”

“I was going to say I have an early class... but I guess that works too.”

“Oh, an early class, sure.” Your unimpressed tone let Johnny know you didn't believe him one bit.

As he awkwardly put on his shoes he took a moment to get a better look at you. He remembered that Allie —let's go with that— had told him she had a roommate and now that he got a better look at you, your face looked familiar. He had definitely seen you around campus and probably had taken some classes together, but he couldn't think of your name if his life depended on it. He wasn't very good at it, apparently.

“Are those pancakes?” Johnny asked curiously, his stomach growling at the smell of food. It made sense given that the night before he'd barely eaten before going straight to business.

“Yes... You want some?” You looked at him with an arched eyebrow and he nodded enthusiastically.

“Please!” He didn't wait for your response before approaching the kitchen and taking a seat next to you. He helped himself to a plate as if he were in his own home, groaning with pleasure as he put a bite of food in his mouth.

“What about your early class?”

“Oh, my buddy can cover for me.” Johnny spoke with a mouthful of food and you let out a giggle.

It was honestly surreal to have Johnny Storm, the womanizer everyone on campus swooned over, having breakfast in your apartment. Your friend had been trying to get his attention for a long time —and somehow you always ended up in the middle of it—, but when she asked you to disappear for a night from the apartment you didn't think it was because of him. You were happy for her, but at the same time you hoped she hadn't gotten her hopes up for him. Johnny wasn't a complete asshole, but from the way he tried to sneak away without being discovered you couldn't imagine that anything good would come of it. And from the way your friend talked about him, you doubted she'd settle for a one-night stand. So it was your job to protect her from her own heart and the antics of the biggest player on campus.

“You want some coffee?” You asked him after a moment of silence. Your voice seemed to snap him out of a trance, forcing him to stop thinking about how delicious those pancakes were and bring his attention back to reality.

“Sure!” He nodded with a smile and you got up to get a clean cup.

You poured him a cup of hot coffee fresh from the pot. The scent flooded the room and you could see in Johnny's tired eyes how much he wanted to savor the steaming liquid. When you placed the cup on the counter he reached out for it. However, you pulled it away before his fingers could close around the handle.

“What are your intentions with my friend?”

Johnny's confused expression turned to an amused one as he realized he had fallen into your trap. “Oh, it was a trick coffee. I see.”

“Yes, coffee is for talkers. Now talk.”

He laughed at your accusatory tone, but when he noticed your stern expression he realized you were serious. “I don't know, we're just getting to know each other.” Johnny said, scratching the back of his head. Actually he did know the answer to your question. He wasn't a fan of serious relationships, but he never ruled out the possibility of a casual second meeting with anyone.

“Well, you better figure it out! And you better tell Ellie about it!”

Oh, so that was her name!

“I mean it, she is a sweet girl and she's been trying to get your attention for a long time. She doesn't deserve to have you messing with her.”

“I wasn't going to!” Johnny threw his hands up in the air in a defensive manner. “If anything I was trying to let her know my stance on the relationship by sneaking out but you kinda ruined it. So if anything, it's your fault.”

“Please tell me you're joking.” You huffed, unable to believe what you were hearing. Although from the reputation he had on campus, you shouldn't be surprised. “Sneaking out is not communication! It only creates more confusion. You have to use your words, like the rest of us grown ups.”

“But talking about it makes everything more... messy and complicated.”

“Well, you better make it less complicated real fast or I will.” You threatened him, finally passing him the cup of coffee you had held hostage to make sure Johnny heard you. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, ma'am!” he assured you with an amused smile before raising the cup to his lips.

Johnny couldn't describe exactly what it was, but there was something about you that he really liked. The way you snapped at him, using that tone of voice that was at times serious and at times sarcastic, was refreshing. He was used to women reacting in the opposite way to his presence —always watching what they said and acting flirtatious to get his attention. Most of the time it took him ages to understand what they wanted or expected from him because they refused to be direct. He was not a mind reader and had no time to waste, so he appreciated your honesty, even if it was a bit brutal. He knew at that moment that he wanted to get to know you better. There was something that told him that your story wasn't over, even if his relationship with Ellie was.

And he wasn't wrong.

[the-iceni-bitch]

“You never loved me, did you?” with Johnny storm or whoever you like best <3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY (HUGS)

6. “You never loved me, did you?”

Thank you for the birthday wishes and I’m sorry for the angst I’m about to unload on you.

You tried not to sniffle as you kept packing up your stuff, doing your best to ignore Johnny sitting on the couch. He was also trying not to look at you, but you didn’t care. Fuck, he probably didn’t care either, otherwise he wouldn’t have sprung this on you out of nowhere.

“Are you sure you don’t want my help?” He sighed when you didn’t answer him. “Baby, it doesn’t have to be like this.”

“I’m sure, and don’t you dare call me ‘baby’.” You spared a glower for him as you put the last of your things in your sad little box. “Does your new girl know you were still with me when you started up with her? Or is she just as stupid as I was?”

“Babe…” Johnny flinched at the glare you gave him. “I told you I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Well you should have thought of that a hell of a lot sooner.” You pushed him away when he tried to reach out to you. “You never loved me, did you? I was just the sad little puppy you knew could keep you occupied until you found what you really wanted.”

“Shit.” He tried to run after you but you slammed the door in his face, and once he got it back open you were halfway down the hall.

Johnny did feel a little bad, but it wasn’t like he could help his feelings. He hadn’t been trying to hurt you, he just met this chick on accident and they clicked right away. He thought maybe she could be the one he had a real future with. He even did the right thing and ended things with you before committing to her, with maybe just a little bit of overlap. So why did he feel like such a massive dick right now? Did he make a mistake? He tried to think about it, but then he got a text from hopefully the future love of his life, and he forgot all about how wounded and vulnerable you had looked as you walked out of his apartment.

⁂❆❅ 𝒥𝑜𝒾𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝐵𝓁𝓊𝑒 𝐵𝒾𝓇𝓉𝒽𝒹𝒶𝓎 ❅❆⁂

[flamewar05]

SpideyTorch

[mimimarvelingmarvel]

no good johnny storm fics?

new fic coming soon and updates to come for time bound!

[hannibals-favourite-meal]

Promot 18 and 9 for johnny storm please

.⋆｡On Fire｡⋆.

Johnny Storm x plus size reader

Johnny is ok at being a hero, he’s good at extreme sports and he’s a god at sex, but feelings- he can’t do those

Warnings: smut, unprotected sex, FWB to lovers, angst, shower sex, Johnny’s a bit of an asshole, I accidentally wrote Johnny as an American Jamie Tartt and I can’t find myself getting mad at it, fluff

WC: 1.2k

Minors DNI

Library- @hannibals-favourite-meal-library

3000 Follower Celebration

“Holy fuck this pussy is goddamn magical.” Johnny groaned into your shoulder, his teeth sinking into your delicate skin. Cold water rolled down your body, the hot water having long been used up. His thick cock buried to the hilt inside you, his hands firmly planted on your wide hips as he drove into you.

“Johnny I love you.” You moaned. Your back arched as yet another orgasm began to build in your stomach. You reached back for him but only succeeded in skimming his abs with the tips of your fingers. He retaliated by punching into your cunt even harder, forcing your naked chest into the chilled shower tiles and away from him.

“Jesus, loosen up, you’re squeezing me so tight.” He groaned through gritted teeth. Heat began to grow behind you and Johnny’s cock somehow got even hotter inside of you. His right hand released your hip and captured your clit between his fingers, strumming you desperately to your end. “Fuck!”

Heat exploded deep within you and drove you over the edge. “God baby.” You moaned and slumped forward, letting your body relax underneath the cool spray of water.

“Damn baby, that was a good one.” Johnny slapped your plump ass in a friendly manor and pulled out of you. 

You winced at the feel of his release escaping you as you stood up straight, letting the water wash your previous activities away. “Yeah it was.” You dismissed. Johnny raised a brow at you as you walked past him, grabbing one of his very expensive white towels on the way out. 

“Where are you off to? Got some hot date?” He teased, trailing behind you. You didn’t even glance at him while you grabbed your clothes.

“No but you do. Diamond has been dying to finally get under you.” You sneered her name as you pulled on your panties. He scoffed.

“So what, it’s not like I’m actually dating you.” You froze, your stomach dropping.

“Yeah, I know.” You slipped on your sweater and grabbed the rest of your things. “Goodbye Johnny.” And this time, your goodbye actually sounded real.

——————

Johnny stared at his phone like it had offended him. “What’s up your ass today?” Ben planted himself in his reinforced chair across from the younger man, coffee cup in hand. Johnny just glared at him.

“Y/N’s been ignoring him for a week now.” Sue sat next to her little brother, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

“What did you do?” A murderous gaze levelled at him.

“I didn’t do anything!” Johnny retorted with a whine. A notification lit up his phone and he immediately abandoned the conversation in favour of grabbing his phone. He let out a sigh of disappointment, it was just a message from yet another one night stand.

Even without eyebrows, Ben’s brow raised. Johnny crumpled. “I didn’t do anything.” He muttered almost shamefully. “She just left my place the other day and hasn’t called me back even though I’ve texted her like 20 times! That’s 19 more times than I usually do!”

Richard suddenly appeared behind his wife. “And we ask again, what did you ‘not’ do?” 

Johnny sighed heavily and slumped over the table. He propped his chin up on the counter, staring off into nothing. “I thought she didn’t mean it, I mean I was in the middle of blowing her back out!” The others winced but he continued. “She said she loved me.”

“And did you say it back?” Sue asked. The silence was all the answers they needed.

“And you’re still seeing other people?” Again there was silence but he nodded.

“And is she?” He shook his head.

“You’re a fucking idiot and you most definitely do not deserve a good woman like that.” Ben slammed his palm on the table, shaking the ground with the force. “Absolute piece of shit, can’t believe how stupid he is.” Ben muttered as he walked away.

Sue and Richard watched him go before turning back to the youngest member of the group. “Johnny, you know what she’s ignoring you. You broke her heart and I think it’s now breaking yours.” She squeezed her brother’s shoulder. “And I agree with Ben, you kind of deserve it.”

“But, maybe you can fix this.” Richard spoke up. “It’s never too late if you really do love her.”

Johnny glanced at his brother-in-law sceptically. “But I don’t love her. I mean I guess I like having her around. She’s incredible in bed and she makes these pancakes that are out of this world. And when she sleeps next to me, I sleep better than I ever have. And when she smiles at me, I get this weird feeling in my stomach. And sometimes when I’m out shopping I look at rings. But that means nothing!” He paused and looked at Sue. “Right?”

She just looked at him, her eyes softening. “Right?”

Sue laid a kiss to the side of his head. “I think you know the answer to that already.”

——————

The bottle of red was halfway gone when the knock on your door came. You groaned and forced yourself up from your extremely comfortable couch, stumbling only once as you made your way to the door.

“What are you doing here?” The one and only Johnny Storm stood on your doorstep looking like a lost puppy.

He looked at you with those huge blue eyes that had made you fall into his bed more times than you could count. “I was an asshole.”

“Yes you were.”

“And I shouldn’t have ignored your feelings like that.”

“Correct.”

“And I shouldn’t have let you walk out that door because you are by far the best thing that has ever happened to me. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry and that I- shit c’mon. I looo- I can’t say it but you know what I mean.” You raised an eyebrow at him causing Johnny to sigh.

“Ok well I can’t say that but I do feel it. You’re absolutely amazing and a complete bombshell. And when I’m around you, I can be myself, not Johnny Storm, not the Human Torch, just me. You have been by my side through so much, even before we started sleeping together, which was a great decision by the way cause we are fucking awesome at sex.” You couldn’t help but smile and agree with the sentiment. “You’re my person, you are my home, you always have been. So yeah, there’s that.”

He shrugged almost sadly, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “This doesn’t fix everything, you know that right?” His shoulder’s fell along with his expression.

“But what you said does mean a lot to me, so you can come in if you want to but you stay at least five feet away from me at all times. You have a lot of grovelling to do before you’re allowed back in.” You emphasised. Johnny perked up and bounced up the steps, giving you a peck on the cheek as he passed. You allowed the affection and slipped in behind him, a little smile on your face.

Johnny was buried between your thighs barely 15 minutes later.

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[questions-about-blorbos]

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[bebx]

Relationship: Reed Richards/Victor von Doom 

Summary:

"Are you two gonna fight or fuck?" Wade asked. "Because it's getting a little too hard to tell here."

Reed went on a rescue mission. Victor wanted to go home. Logan fought against an urge to stick his claws into someone's gut, and Wade was being Wade.

DoomReed fic featuring Deadpool and Wolverine (and Johnny Storm)!!

[yourlocalaulibrary]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Spider-Man - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Fantastic Four Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Peter Parker/Johnny Storm Characters: Peter Parker, Johnny Storm, Susan Storm, Reed Richards, Ben Grimm Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Puppy Love, Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Johnny is a giant Spider-Man fanboy, overprotective Fantastic Four, Misunderstandings, teenage spideytorch Summary:

Spider-Man is a relatively new, controversial vigilante, and Johnny has a crush the size of the Empire Building. The Four - operating under the assumption that Spidey is an adult - do not approve.

 “I just happen to think Spider-Man's cool,” Johnny says, matter-of-factly. “A hero can think another hero is cool without making it weird. I admire his aloofness. And his badass-ness.”

“His aloofness,” Ben repeats, chuckling into his mug of beer. It’s roughly the size of Johnny’s head. “Yeah, sure, I bet that’s all your admire, right?”

[popeheywardssecretgf]

if u guys wants to read a Chris Evans fanfic u can see my story “Mutuals” on wattpad by “messils83” <3

[imyourbratzdoll]

𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔

part 6 of 🌧️welcome to hell🌧️

summary - demons lingered in the back of your mind, causing you to think you aren't good enough and it doesn't help that steve is ignoring you.

warning - bad thoughts, self-hate, mentions of cheating, angst, barely eating, emotionally drained, feeling like you aren't good enough.

the gif I use isn't mine, headers by me.

part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4 - part 5 - part 7

Warnings and Reminders - Please do not plagiarise, copy, repost/republish, adapt, or translate any of my work on any social media platforms, apps, or third-party sites. The only platforms I post my work on are: Tumblr and Wattpad. I do not own any character of any franchise (Marvel etc.) All my works are fiction and may be dark or triggering content: READ ALL WARNINGS BEFORE PROCEEDING.

What if you and Steve were meant to part ways, only so that you could find each other again. What if you were destined for each other? But instead of being together now, you both needed to grow separately, and soon the two of you would meet again in the coming years when you were both ready.

You didn’t know who you were anymore. You were no longer the person you were before you met Johnny, and you weren’t exactly who you were when you were with him. You felt stuck and horrible. You hadn’t gotten better after the divorce, not even when Steve entered your life. 

Somehow, you lit up his darkness and he silenced your mind. Around him, you felt as though you could finally breathe. But why couldn’t you relax?

Your eyes fluttered open as you woke from your slumber and you just laid there, staring up at the ceiling. It had been a few weeks since you bumped into Steve and you wondered if you had done something wrong.

Steve helped you with your bags, placing them on your kitchen counter before he turned and looked around your place with a smile, his hands stuffed in his jean pockets. “You have a nice place, it suits you.” God, why could you two stare at each other and feel so connected, but then so awkward when trying to find something to talk about. 

“Thank you. You really didn’t have to help me.” You gesture towards the bags before you begin to unpack them, hoping that the cold products haven't warmed too much. 

Steve waves you off. “I didn’t mind. Like I said, I wanted to help.” It felt so natural as he began to unpack the other bag, like this was your routine. The two of you moved so gracefully, like a puzzle piece fitting perfectly into its spot as you moved around the kitchen, putting things away.

Once you finished, your eyes locked onto Steve’s as he leant against the counter. “W–Would you like something to drink? Or eat?” You watched his eyes flicker down to your lips before meeting your eyes again. 

“Water, please.” Did his voice get deeper? You felt like you could drop at any second with how he looked at you. You moved quickly, hands shaking slightly as you filled up a glass before handing it over to him. Steve grabs it gently from you, his fingers brushing against yours and sparks erupt at the touch, causing a soft gasp to escape you. “Thank you.” 

You watched him drink, how could such a normal thing look so hot and sinful when he did it? His eyes never left yours, but yours left his when he moved the glass away from his mouth. You watched his tongue flick out as he collected the water that glistened against his lips. This felt so wrong, but so right at the same time. 

You blink and clear your throat, quickly moving away from him before you do something you may regret. Steve moves over to the sink, washing the glass for you before putting it away. Your mouth hangs open slightly, not even Johnny did that. You would always have to clean up after him. 

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Stop comparing the two! 

But they look so alike… You can’t help but think. It was strange.

You shake your head from your thoughts as Steve touches your shoulder gently. “Are you okay?” 

You hum. “Oh, yeah. Sorry.” You felt like you were suffocating, like this was all a dream. If this was a dream, you didn’t want to wake from it. You let out a shuddering breath as you stare into Steve’s eyes, you could see concern swirling around. “I’m okay. I just got lost in my thoughts.”

Steve nods as if he understands, and the weirdest thing was that every thought seemed to disappear as his hand brushed against your hip. Neither of you could deny the pull, and it scared the hell out of you.

You barely knew Steve, and yet you felt so safe with him. You nearly cried as he pulled away, stepping back, his hand now falling to his side. His phone didn’t go off, but he pulled it out. “I have to go, my friend messaged me.” He gestured to his phone, and you felt your heart sink. Maybe it was inevitable, maybe deep down all men really were the same. Be it in friend, brother, father, or lover form. It was a curse that no woman could seem to break. “It was lovely to see you again, and if you ever need me. I’m right across from you.” He gave a smile so fake that you wanted to believe it to be real. And then he left, leaving you to stand there as your thoughts crashed into you. 

You blink tiredly from the memory. 

Maybe he got scared as well. Maybe he had his own demons, one in the form of an ex. Your chest tightened at the thought of him with someone else, and then you sighed.

He’s not yours, idiot. He never will be, so stop being so pathetic. 

You groan, your thoughts have become meaner lately. You slide out of bed and head over to your closet, scratching your head as you stare at your clothes. Your lip turns as you don’t like anything you see, maybe this would be a good time to have a day to yourself. Well, technically everyday now is to yourself because you left your husband after catching him fucking your best friend.

Your nose scrunches as the image of them fucking pops up into your head. They were your own demons that would possibly forever haunt you. 

You grab some jeans, a plain black shirt and underwear before heading into your bathroom. As you place your things down onto the bathroom counter, your eyes catch your reflection, and it was like death was staring back at you. It seemed the physical toll had slipped from your attention, you had thought you were doing okay aside from the nasty thoughts. Sure, you didn’t eat as often, but it wasn’t because you were starving yourself. You just hadn’t been as hungry, anytime you would go to eat, those two would pop up into your head and your appetite would disappear.

You stripped before slipping under the water. Now you understood why Steve would avoid you like the plague whenever you bumped into him in the hallway. 

You hated this stupid pull that you kept feeling, it was like a constant tugging. It kept trying to pull you in the direction of Steve, like somehow it knew he was close and craved him to be near you. You wished you could grab some scissors and cut the cord that was attaching you to him. Maybe then he could be free of you, free of the burden you seemed to carry. 

You shoved your head underwater, wanting these thoughts to disappear. Maybe taking you along with them. You stand under the shower for a bit longer before slowly getting out and drying yourself off. You don’t dare look in the mirror in fear of what you would see. You hurriedly dress yourself and walk out of the room, grabbing your shoes and bag.

As you exit your apartment, you are met with Steve leaving his. Your eyes widen for a split second before you quickly look down and walk away, not caring that you didn’t lock your door. You didn’t want to burden him with your presence. When you’ve made quite a distance between the two of you, you let out a deep sigh. 

Was this how it was going to be for you? Forever cursed from love and happiness?

You were going to be okay. You had to be.

Steve watched with a saddened look as you walked away. He knew he was being an arse, he didn’t mean to, really. It was just that anytime he was around you, or thinking about you, he would feel this intense feeling wash over him. Steve had felt those feelings the first time he bumped into you and then the second two years later. He was scared, scared that he may end up hurting you. Of course, he didn’t know he was already doing that. 

You walked through the doors of a local second-hand shop, a place you generally enjoyed shopping at. You head straight towards the clothing section, beginning to flick through. 

“Wanda! Did I tell you the news about Steve?” Without meaning to, your ears perk up at the name. You knew it could be a possibility that it was another Steve, but subconsciously you listened in. 

You had heard that voice before, though. You just didn’t know where from…

“No, what about him?” You pick out a few pieces of clothing as you listen in. 

“He finally found someone! He met her once before, but they ran into each other again!” A tug at your heart, even though the person might not be your Steve. “He constantly spoke about her even when he didn’t even know her, now that has doubled. You remember right?” 

The other woman hums. “Oh yeah, isn’t that why everyone teases him?” 

You round the corner, eyes widening a bit when you spot the woman talking. She was the same one from when you had bumped into Steve the first time. Your heart tugs like crazy because you knew this couldn’t be you, they were talking about. Steve had been ignoring you, so why would he talk about you to his friends? 

Natasha looks up as she’s about to reply and you immediately look down, pretending you are looking through the clothes in your arms. You don’t see her nudge the woman next to her, gesturing to you or the fact that they are now approaching until it’s too late.

“Hi. I know you.” You look up surprised. Natasha smiles teasingly. “You’re Steve’s girl!” 

You shake your head, clearing your throat awkwardly. “Uh no… I’m not his girl…” You stumble slightly. “I—I know him! But uh, we aren’t…” You gulp, this was painful.

The women smile. “Okay, you aren’t his girl now. But you will be!” Wanda replied, a giant grin on her face. “Oh, sorry! Hi, I’m Wanda!” 

“Y/n, and I don’t think so. Steve and I aren’t even friends.” You begin to chew on your bottom lip, needing someone to talk to about this, but you didn’t have any friends… You also didn’t know if you could trust having a friend again. You swallow, your throat suddenly feeling dry. 

Natasha’s brows furrow, “Wait, don’t you guys live across from each other?” You nod, “And you don’t talk?” You shake your head.

“Dumbarse” She mutters under her breath, shaking her head. “I’m sorry about Steve. He’s made it sound like you guys were close.” Natasha facepalms. “I am so going to kick his arse when I see him.” 

“You don’t have to, it’s okay.” You try to fake a smile, but it feels like they can see through it. 

Wanda grins. “Why don’t you join us? We can forget about men and just shop!” 

You made it back to your apartment after spending the day with Wanda and Natasha, you hadn’t felt this happy in a while. As you hit the last step, your head lifts and your eyes connect with those beautiful blue ones. You feel your throat dry and your stomach twist. 

“Y/n…” You slowly move forward, berating yourself for allowing your heart to feel something for him. You were already so broken, why did you think anyone could love you. Your gaze flickers to the bouquet of flowers in his hands, noticing how they shake slightly. Maybe he had a date and wasn’t expecting you to show as he was leaving. 

You continue to walk, hoping to slide past him and into the safety of your home. Even though it felt so lonely inside. Steve reaches out, grasping your arm gently, causing you to stop and look at him. Neither of you can ignore the spark that lights from your touch. Unable to ignore the pull anymore, it felt as though time had stilled as you once again locked eyes. 

“I’m sorry… I’ve been an arse.” Steve frowns, all of the negative feelings he’s been feeling have finally come crashing down on him. 

You shake your head, giving another one of your fake smiles. “You don’t have to apologise, Steve. It’s not like we were friends or anything, you don’t need to be nice to me.”

His hold on you tightens slightly, Steve wonders who the hell hurt you to make you think that. He stares deeply into your eyes, hoping that you can see he’s telling the truth. “I do. Because I am sorry. You didn’t deserve me ignoring you, especially if you think it has anything to do with you. I was in the wrong, and I’d like to make it up to you if you allow me.”

Another choice for you to make. One where it could go incredibly well or one you would regret forever. 

You stare at him for a few seconds, trying to find a sliver of a lie. Your gaze moves down, and you look at the flowers. “I got these for you… I didn’t want to apologise empty–handed.” 

And like that, your demons quietened. “I’ve never received flowers before…” His love roared louder than your demons, silencing them. 

You looked back up at him and made your choice. 

The gravitational pull between you had become stronger, finally feeling like it was ready. It seemed the universe and all the galaxies had a talk and said,

“Yeah, It’s time.” 

thank you for reading!

feedback and reblogs are greatly appreciated.

[justsomerandomfanfic]

Just A Kiss - Johnny Storm X GN Reader

Title: Just A Kiss

Johnny Storm X GN Reader

Additional Characters: Susan (Mentioned), Reed (Mentioned), Ben (Mentioned), Victor (Mentioned), Steven (Mentioned), and Reader's friends (Mentioned)

Part 2 - Burning Flame

WC: 2,284

Warnings: Embarrassment, society pressure mentioned, insomnia, bullying mentioned, slightly suggestive (pretty spicy), nervousness, anxiety, fidgety Reader, friends to lovers, crying, sassy Reader, slight angst, cuteness, and fluff

You lay awake on your bed, staring up at the ceiling. You had a rough day. Your alarm didn't wake you up, you were late for your first class, you definitely failed your test, and your friends were all talking and talking about their first kisses. It was just so... Uncomfortable for you. They didn't know that you hadn't had your first kiss. Yeah, you're twenty-two... From what society had told you, you should've had one by now. No one knew that you never got yours. And, even when your friends asked you about yours, you just told them you had yours in high school, just like they did. Saying yours wasn't anything special. Thankfully, they bought your terrible lie and went on with their conversation. 

Unable to sleep, you grabbed your phone off your bedside table, unplugging it from its charger. Squinting at the sudden brightness of your screen, you turned down the brightness and went to your contacts. Scrolling down a bit, your finger hesitated over Johnny's picture. You had been friends with Johnny and his sister since you were kids. Johnny had always been your best friend, ever since he stopped some kids from bullying you. He was your hero, and you wished you didn't tell him that. Even at fifteen years old, his ego grew. At around the end of junior year, Johnny sort of changed, he became more interested in girls. Flirting and fooling around. It was rather annoying, and it made you rather sad when he'd cancel hanging out with you to go out with some cheerleader from school.

After high school and a little after his time in college, he chillaxed a bit, but he still was an egotistical playboy. It was hard when he, Susan, Reed, Ben, and Victor went to space for their weird job. Johnny had been gone for a long time, and there was no way to really contact him. For months you missed your gaming Sundays and studying Wednesdays. You missed when he'd take you to the movies or diners for lunch. It was even worse when he did come back. With those powers of his. 

It was like he was a teenager again, showing off to the ladies his amazing powers, going to bike show events, and spending nights with different women. Yes, it was nice to have him and the others back and to be able to have the chance to work with them in their lab after your graduate classes. But, being around Johnny when his ego had blasted through the rooftops was very irritating. Susan liked to keep you around when Johnny was being immature since you were really the only person to bring him back to earth from his celebrity fantasies.

And, here you were, hesitant to even ask Johnny to come over. Who knew what he was doing... You didn't want to bother him, but he had always said that no matter what time or day, you could ask him to come by. That was one amazing thing about Johnny, he was so attentive. Always wanting, and willing, to help you. He had once said he didn't care if it was night or day, if it was early or late or if it was in the middle of a snowstorm; he'd drop everything to go and help you.

Making your decision, you calmed your nerves, tapped his profile, and then tapped the text option. Shifting in your position, you began to text, before pressing send.

'Hey, can ya come over?'

Not even a minute later you got a text back.

'Sure sweetheart, window open?'

You rolled your eyes, typing back.

'Don't burn down my house...'

‘🙂’

You then turned off your phone and got out of bed, walking over to turn on your light. You sat back down on your bed as you waited, only to then hear a soft knock at your window. Looking over, you smiled softly as Johnny opened your window, stepping in. Closing the window, Johnny turned to you, and that's when you noticed he was in his 'superhero' suit. Walking over, Johnny sat next to you, looking at you with a slightly worried expression.

"What's up?" He asked as he watched you look forward, pursing your lips. "Nothing I did, right? If I did do something, you can punch me... I can handle it." He tried to joke, but you knew Johnny, you could see how worried he was by his posture and the look in his eyes.

"I just had a rough day." You began softly, fidgeting with your hands in your lap, "I was late for my first class, totally failed my test, and my friends were hard to deal with."

Johnny frowned as he narrowed his eyebrows slightly, "What did they do?" He asked, his voice deep as he stared at the side of your head. 

You just shook yours and turned to look up at him, "Nothing, they were just talking and I felt left out."

Johnny hummed, "What were they talking about?" He asked and you froze up momentarily.

That was what you didn't want to tell him. The thought alone terrified you. You didn't want him to know you've never kissed anyone. You were worried that if he knew, he'd make fun of you in some way. Tell everyone in the world that his best friend never got their first kiss. But, the rational side of your brain said he would never do such a thing. He was your best friend. You bit your lip as the two of you sat in silence. Johnny sat patently beside you as he gave you time to think and maybe open up. Another amazing thing about him. Sometimes Johnny's presence brought you comfort. It made you feel better, it allowed you to breathe freely and calm down.

"They asked about my first kiss." You finally blurted out without thinking and winced as soon as the words had left your mouth.

There was another moment of silence before Johnny spoke up. "Well, how did that go?" He asked and you sighed, unable to look at him.

"Terribly. Since I never had one."

Johnny looked at you confused, "I thought you said you had yours with Steven, from history class?" He asked and you shook your head.

"I lied."

Johnny looked at you, confused, yet his voice sounded sad, "Why?"

You scoff, unconsciously pinching the skin of your palm. Johnny noticed, pulling your hand away and holding it captive in his.

"I felt left out, Johnny. Everyone has had their first kisses, and I never got one. So, for years, I've lied and said I did."

Johnny shook his head, taking your other hand in his, tuning you around to face him. "Not having your first kiss is nothing to be ashamed of, Y/N." He told you gently, brushing away a few tears that had fallen onto your cheeks.

Sniffling, you nodded and tried to stop crying. "I just... I never got that and I feel like... Like I am missing out on something that should've happened in my life. It makes me feel like I-" You paused.

"... Like you're missing something important?" Johnny finished for you and you nodded, biting your lip again.

"Yea, something like that."

"Oh," Johnny mumbled softly, stroking your hair gently with his free hand, "Listen, sweetheart. Not everybody will experience the same thing at the same time.” His tone softened as he looked at you, "I'm sorry you haven't experienced your first kiss. But... I have an idea if you are up for it." Johnny spoke as you tilted your head to the side, confused, and curious.

"What's your idea? If you say that you'll set me up with one of your dumb friends-"

"I won't set you up with any of my dumb friends. Just hear me out." Johnny began, gaining your attention.

You stared up at him as he smiled softly down at you before speaking, "How about... You have your first kiss... With me?"

Your eyes widened as your eyebrows shot up, "Huh?"

Johnny quickly squeezed your hands, "Hear me out! You haven't had your first kiss-"

"Keep rubbing it in." You mumbled, earning a small glare from Johnny as he continued.

"You could kiss me so you won't have to wait. Plus, you already know me, and I am your best friend. Who else would be the perfect match for your first kiss? I’m a genius." He explained, making you narrow your eyes at him.

You were shocked that Johnny would even volunteer to be your first kiss.

"Really?" You asked incredulously, staring up into his blue eyes.

He nodded softly, smiling down at you as he rubbed your cheek and your drying tears, "Of course Y/N, I'd be honored." He smiled gently as you swallowed thickly, looking down at your lap, closing your eyes.

You wanted this. Even if it wasn't anything serious, it still counted. It would just be a kiss. Opening your eyes, you looked back up at Johnny and nodded.

Johnny gave you a nod back and straightened his shoulder slightly. "Alright, so I’ll lead you into this." He spoke softly as he scooted closer to you, and you quickly shut your eyes tight, making Johnny laugh lightly. "Relax, that's rule number one." He spoke, booping your nose; smiling as you scrunched it up.

"There are rules?" You asked and Johnny nodded, though you couldn't see it.

"Yeah, shush. Now, relax... tilt your head slightly- Yeah, like that. Okay, now wet your lips." He spoke, placing his hands on your blushing warm cheeks, watching as your tongue darted out to wet your lips. Johnny did the same, before speaking again, "Okay, now just go with the flow."

"That's easy for you to say, you've done this before." You mumbled as Johnny sighed.

"Shush, I'm gonna kiss you now."

Now, that shut you up.

Johnny watched as you slowly relaxed, your scrunched-up eyes relaxing as well. Tilting your head slightly in his hands, Johnny took a moment to look at you. Gazing as your eyelashes lightly fluttered on the tops of your flushed cheeks, Johnny smiled to himself. Leaning down, he brushed the pad of his thumb against your bottom lip as he pulled your face towards his. Licking his lips, he gently pressed his lips against yours. His lips were soft and tasted of coffee. Your hands moved upwards to hold his neck, pulling him in a little closer to you as you both deepened the kiss as Johnny ran his fingers through your hair. Slowly pulling away, your eyes fluttered open, staring up into Johnny's blue ones as you both caught your breath.

"You're a natural," Johnny whispered before you spoke.

"What are we doing?" You asked, feeling as if some unknown and unseen force was pulling you closer to Johnny.

"I don't know," He answered, his nose brushing against yours "But... I really like it."

"Me too." You let out breathily, mind foggy; clouded.

His gaze lowered to your lips, yours doing the same. Your hand tightens, finger weaving into his short hair and you pull him down, locking lips with him. You both moaned in satisfaction, kissing each other as you tried to get closer to the other, deepening the kiss once more. This kiss was different than the first one, this one was passionate and intense. Your heart started beating faster than you could control, making you feel lightheaded. Johnny pulled you closer, his warm hands finding their way into your shirt and onto your skin. His touch sent a jolt through your entire body. Slowly, Johnny pulled away, his half-lidded eyes staring into yours. 

Before either of you could say or do anything, you heard a phone ringing. Johnny quickly grabbed his phone and answered it. You bit your swollen lips as he spoke. 

"What? It's midnight? Susie, chill. I'm with Y/N. Yeah, we're studying, well, I'm helping them." He spoke, nudging you gently with a small laugh and a wink. "Yeah, I know it's not Wednesday. You're not our mom, Sue. Yeah, I'll come back. Love you." Quickly, Johnny hung up, tossing his phone on his bed.

"So, Susan wants you home?" You asked and Johnny shrugged.

"Yeah, it's whatever though." It was quiet for a while before Johnny spoke, "Are you okay? Are we okay?" He asked softly and you nodded.

"Yeah, Johnny. I'm good. We are good. Thank you."

Johnny nodded as he scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah, no problem. Happy to help." You sat in silence again until he spoke up again, "I guess I have to go now. Don't want to make Sue wait."

You laughed nervously, "Yeah, don't want to make her wait." You spoke and he nodded, smiling widely at you. He leaned over and kissed your forehead, causing you to blush profusely.

"I'll uh, I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked as you walked over with him to your window.

You nodded, "Yeah, I'll be at the lab."

Johnny nodded, "Okay, cool. I'll go. Yeah..." He spoke, turning to the window, but pausing. 

You watched him confused as Johnny quickly turned back around to you, placing his hands on your cheeks, he leaned down and connected his lips with yours. Kissing you as if he'd never see you again. Pulling away after a few seconds, he cupped your face with his left hand, smiling softly at you before pressing a gentle peck against your lips.

"Bye, sweetheart." He whispered, before opening the window, catching ablaze, and flying off.

You stared after him, eyes wide as you pressed your fingers to your lips. You were more confused than ever now.

[ro-is-struggling]

Fireproof Series Masterlist || Johnny Storm x Reader

disclaimer: the pictures above are purely for aesthetic purposes and do not represent the physical appearance of the reader

Series summary: you and Johnny weren't supposed to get along. You were the exact opposite of each other. While he was loud and outgoing, you were quiet and introverted. He loved to be the center of attention and you actively made efforts not to be. He had made a name for himself as one of the biggest players on campus while you stood out for your academic achievements. You hated guys like Johnny, and he had no reason to associate with people like you since you rarely shared spaces. And yet, against all odds, you were able to forge a solid friendship. In fact it was the contrast that made the two of you work so well. You called out his bullshit and he pointed out yours. You were a good influence on each other, no one could deny that. It was a perfect relationship, you knew all the bad things about each other and still chose one another....

But what happens when romantic feelings start to flourish?

This series is a collection of one shots that will give you a glimpse inside Johnny and y/n's complicated relationship.

Warnings: slow burn, friends to lovers, mutual pining, a bit of angst, fluff, lots of cliches (like seriously, I was kinda playing the game of how many cliches can I put in the same story? lol) 2000s teen flick/ rom com coded (so I guess it’s a bit cheesy? read at your own risk!), FEMALE READER

This fic starts a bit before the events of the first Fantastic Four movie, when reader and Johnny are in college (but it gets to the movies don’t worry!)

English is not my first language

Author’s Note: I recently rewatched the old Fantastic Four movies and I had so much fun I just had to write something for Johnny. Yes it's terrible plot wise but I love the early 2000s vibes of it. So I tried to keep a bit if that vibe with very overused tropes/scenes and stereotypical characters (yk like the annoying popular girl, the playful fuck boy love interest with a heart of gold and the ‘I'm not like other girls’ main character). I have a soft spot for those kinds of stories and I thought Johnny was perfect for it! I tried to keep a balance as to not make it too over the top, I hope I did a good job

The idea for this fic is to make a sort of collection of separate one-shots that show different moments in Johnny and reader’s relationship, if that makes sense. I have most of the story planned and written, but it is not completely closed. What do I mean by that? That I have a beginning, conflict and ending thought out, but that doesn't mean that once I post those parts the story is over. 

I'm structuring this fic more as plot points than anything else (i.e. how they meet, when they have their first kiss, what the big love confession is like, stuff like that). Beause of that, there are parts of the timeline of the relationship that aren't shown. And that leaves me time to imagine a lot of things, if that makes sense? So if I have a random idea about a silly thing that happens between them in the middle of "the plot" (or if you guys think of something!), I can add it and expand the context without changing the whole story.

ALL PUBLISHED PARTS:

Part 1: First Impressions

Part 2: {COMING SOON}

[allltttt]

Peter calling Johnny “J”

and it evolving to nicknames like “Jay-bird” and “Blue-jay” (etc.)

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

[mtreebeardiles]

Chasing Storms, pt 5

Interlude II: Before (Johnny) -- Also on AO3!

"Still can't believe that gonk went off and tried to have a family."

The comment wasn't met with more than a slight pursing of the lips, and despite being literally stuck in the kid's head Johnny had a hard time gauging what he felt. Picture of Kerry's ex in his hand and V had been observing it with an almost idle curiosity, one more knick-knack in this too big house filled with too many scattered memories like the world's worst-kept museum paying homage to a man he'd known, once. 

A man he was fairly certain he still knew, despite his newfound ability to throw Johnny off balance. 

Fifty years was a long time, crawling past while he'd hung unaware in that digital soul prison. Some changes were inevitable, even if they weren't all ones he'd been hoping to see.

"Fifty years is a long time," V said, and Johnny was never sure if it was an intentional echo or if they were just on the same page. Harder and harder to tell, really, the longer this went on, the longer his engram ate away at the kid's mind. 

Or maybe V was just intuitive like that.

"Really think it's that far-fetched?" the merc went on, setting the picture frame back in its spot on the litter-strewn coffee table. "That maybe the things he wanted might've changed?"

"Not impossible, just doubtful. Kerry ain't exactly father and husband of the year material."

"Few are." V straightened, attention drawn elsewhere and he wandered over to the bar. "Still fathers, still husbands."

"The great endemic of our time," Johnny drawled. "Birthing generation upon generation of compounded daddy issues." 

A twitch of the lips, V's smile naturally crooked in a way that didn't make Johnny want to smack it off his face, and he wondered how much of it was V's easy-going nature or the fact that they were stuck with each other 24/7 that made him tolerant of it. 

Tolerant, too, of the fact that V could see right through him more often than not. Saw past the platitudes and smug declarations falling like the half-baked truths they were from his mouth and called him on it or smiled that little smile that couldn't be interpreted as anything other than indulgent. 

Because V would indulge him. 

The fact that it didn't make Johnny want to seek out weak spots to exploit and attack wasn't one he wanted to dwell on too much, or else he'd have to acknowledge some change in himself, too. 

Easier to judge Kerry instead. 

"I like to think I'm pretty well-adjusted," V ventured. 

"Still not convinced you don't take something for that."

A wider smile and V just shook his head, hopping behind the bar and fiddling around with the coffee machine of all fucking things. 

"The fuck's he even got that there for? Belongs in the damn kitchen," Johnny went on as V perused Kerry's coffee options. 

"You wanna fill out a feedback card?"

"What I gotta say would take more than a tiny square of paper, kid."

V snorted, poking around various drawers and cabinets and peeking in the mini fridge before letting out a sigh. 

"No milk, no cream, no sugar," he lamented. "Killin' me here, Kerry."

"Never drinks his coffee with all that shit in it, kid." Johnny perched on the bar top to better observe. "That wouldn't have changed."

V just made a face, turning away from the coffee machine and snagging a Spunky Monkey instead. For all he'd been living rent free in the kid's mind for almost a month now, Johnny still wasn't sure if V just straight up didn't drink or smoke period, or if he was abstaining for some other mysterious reason. 

Unimportant. Though Johnny wouldn't have minded if V suddenly developed a smoking habit, if only to get that secondhand relief for himself. 

"The fuck's taking that machine so damn long," he grumbled as he followed V away from the bar. "Couple shirts, some pants, pair of socks, and it's still chugging away."

"They're delicates, Johnny."

"That why we had to schlep all the way over here for you to wash them?" 

"My machine doesn't have a lot of wiggle room with settings." V wandered off towards the area where Kerry had his guitars on display. "It says 'delicate' but really means 'only sort of ruin.'" 

"What's so special about these threads?"

"Believe it or not, Johnny, I do steal things. And sometimes that means blending in, not standing out."

"I don't think I've ever seen you dress loud enough to 'stand out,' kid."

V only laughed, shaking his head. "Can't wander around in punk goth lite all the time," he said. "Sometimes ya gotta dress like a corpo bitchboy to throw people off the scent."

"So it's not just some outfit you threw together to try and go on a date with Ker?"

V scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Don't need to dress up for him; he likes the klepto-punk aesthetic."

Johnny smiled; couldn't seem to help it. Kerry'd been pissed when he'd found out Johnny had told V what he'd called him that first night, but V had only found it funny. Now it was this strange inside joke for the three of them. 

Quiet fell between them as he watched the younger man eye the guitars, reaching out a hand as if to touch one of them but stopping just short. He always seemed drawn to this spot whenever they were here, always had this muted sense of longing and wonder. Had said more than once that he wasn't particularly creative or artistic and certainly not musical, but Johnny imagined the kid had never really gotten the chance to find out. Bits and pieces from his memories showed him flashes of V's childhood, of campfires and the plucking of acoustic guitars, of soothing hums and untrained voices raw with feeling. Felt the echo of them now, that needy draw, and struggled to understand why V had never tried it before. 

"I could teach you, y'know."

V startled, jerking his hand back like he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't. And considering how many things Johnny had witnessed him doing that he definitely shouldn't've according to most laws and ordinances, he couldn't help but find it a little funny. 

"Nah, I'm just lookin'."

"Yeah, like you do every damn time we're here, kid." Johnny flickered until he was standing in V's periphery, in sight but not blocking the guitars. "Ker won't be mad; might even offer to teach you, too, though I don't know why you'd accept anyone less than the best."

"Ha." V's hand dropped to his side, fingers fidgety. "I don't know, Johnny, these look really fuckin' expensive."

"They are really fuckin' expensive," Johnny pointed out. "Doesn't mean they aren't meant to be played." 

V didn't respond, holding himself in that too tight way that Johnny hated to see. Wasn't sure what it was about, what had the kid so fucking nervous, but it was obvious enough he wanted to try. 

"So go grab mine."

"What?"

"Gave it to him, didn't I? He can't get pissy if I'm giving you permission to use what's mine."

"If you gave it to him then it's his, Johnny."

"Semantic bullshit, go get the guitar."

A flex of the jaw, that now-familiar flash of stubbornness, and while Johnny would take that over the anxiety he didn't have the patience for it right now. 

"C'mon, V. Humor me a little."

V chewed on the inside of his lip before huffing out a sigh, turning on his heel and wandering up the stairs. Johnny's guitar wasn't on display like the others; it was still in its case, placed on a side table that'd been cleared of clutter just to make space. He wasn't sure if Kerry'd played it yet, if he'd taken it out at all since giving it to him, but he knew the gesture had meant something to him. 

Like this gesture was bound to mean something to V. 

Johnny pushed away the confusion of feelings and tangle of thoughts this line of thinking brought, focusing on the here and now and what was tangibly more important: cajoling V to open the damn case already, pull the guitar out and sit his ass down. 

"Grab the pick," he instructed. "And hold it like you mean it, V." 

The younger man's too light hold tightened in response, lower lip still snagged in his teeth, but there was a little knot of giddiness in his gut -- Johnny could feel it. The excitement of something long wanted finally in hand, tempered with trepidation and buoyed by wonder as he gently ran his fingertips along the fretboard. 

"I'll play something simple," Johnny said, shifting his concentration in rather than out. Technically he didn't exist in real space, knew the world he was seeing and feeling was through V's senses only, and he wasn't entirely sure if it was some joint effort on their part that allowed him to project in V's line of vision. Knew it was probably the optics and implants that let him see things even V didn't notice right away, an extra set of perception overlaying what V already had. 

But whatever it was, it let him have some limited motor control, too, without help from the pills. Easier if V made room for him, like he was now, settling neatly nestled against one another in a way Johnny struggled to describe -- like sharing a blanket with someone, but you were, in fact, the same damn person. 

"Just feel it first, alright? Don't need to know how to read sheet music and all that shit, just gotta have a good ear and instincts."

"Not sure I have either of those."

"You have rhythm, kid, already know that for a fact."

He could feel the slight curve of V's smile, feel the relaxation in his shoulders. 

"And instinct?"

"We're about to find out, aren't we?"

He kept it to simple riffs, common notes and chords, making sure V heard each one and tied it to motions of his fingers. Not the most formal of lessons, maybe, but most teachers didn't have what Johnny did -- direct access to someone's neural network, bleeding his own experience through, guiding through memory more than anything. Music a refuge, always, from his own first faltering forays, teaching himself when he'd been young. Teaching himself anew once he'd met Kerry, blending their styles, harmonizing, because playing with someone else was always a different experience. Better, if he was being honest, though it depended on the skill of the other and Kerry had been innately talented from the get-go. 

And the fucker's still got it. Older, maybe not exactly wiser, but different, and Johnny… wasn't. Hadn't been given the chance to age, hadn't been given the chance to see if the things he wanted would change over time. Stasis cared little for the passing of days, weeks, months. Years. Decades. Five, to be exact, and so much had changed and not enough but this, at least, was a good constant: fingers finding the melody, coaxing sound to stir, to drive, to reverberate into eternity so long as someone else was there to pick up the beat. 

And Kerry had. Whatever gonk notions he'd had for the sort of life Johnny was damn sure he'd never really wanted, Kerry hadn't given up. Chased his own sound, found his own path, deviating here and there but he'd find his way back. 

He always did, if the last fifty years were any indication. 

He just needed to learn to let certain things go. 

He needs to let me go.

"Johnny?"

The guitar was silent in their hands, a different sort of tension building in V's chest. Was it his? Was it Johnny's? He couldn't tell. 

"You alright?"

That damn soft tone V got, sometimes, burying under the skin and sticking there like something warm and soothing when Johnny didn't want to feel warm or soothed. But that old anger, that old hate and rage, that single-minded fury flickered and fell apart on contact with V. Sputtered and died back down to mere embers as he struggled to get ahold of himself.

"I'm fine, kid. Just a blip."

V didn't say anything right away, just got to his feet and carefully laid the guitar back into its case. Hesitated before shutting the lid and said, "For what it's worth… I won't forget you, Johnny."

"Don't say that."

"S'true."

Johnny didn't doubt it. Didn't mind as much, that V would carry some part of him after he was gone. 

V was the only one he hadn't managed to hurt, the only one who might remember him with fondness and not a tangle of feelings too complicated to sort. 

He'd thought the kid too soft, at first. Too big a heart, loving too easily, too quickly, in ways that defied every definition of affection Johnny could've ever claimed to know. 

Now he wondered if the capacity for that kind of love wasn't one of the hardest fucking things to learn. 

"Meant the 'for what it's worth' part," Johnny said at last. "Told you -- 'm savin' your fucking life, V, if it’s the last thing I do."

If Johnny had to go again, he could at the very least make sure he left behind something good this time.

Not gonna let you fade, kid. You'll see.