“Hey Kevin, what’s up?” Elise responded after shutting her bedroom door, to gain some privacy.
“What? Can’t a friend call to check up? So I read the paper-“
“You were reading? How shocking.” She teased a smile forming on her pretty face; sarcastic laughter resonated from her phone.
“Ha-ha, well I couldn’t help myself, especially when I saw your cute face on the cover along with your uncle, what the hell happened to him by the way?”
“We were exposed to some radiation, long story short we got super powers now.”
“Lucky you, I kind of wished I had super powers, maybe something to do with fire like that Johnny guy.” She groaned at the mention of that annoying hot-head that she had been living with for the past week.
“Johnny? Puh-lease…” She murmured frowning in aggravation.
“Ooo, I sense hostility.” Kevin taunted and Elise rolled her eyes.
“When am I not hostile Kev?”
“Point taken.”
“Anyway, how is Jeremy?” She tried to prevent the sadness from creeping on to her voice, but it was easier said than done. There was a heavy sigh from the other end, and she prepared herself for the worst.
“The same, I went to see him just yesterday.”
“He hasn’t come around yet has he?” She inquired her voice soft in concern.
“No Elise, you know how stubborn he can be subconsciously or otherwise, I am sorry.” A sudden spark of vengeance returned to her emerald eyes as she stared at her bedroom wall.
“I am not, but they will be.” She murmured with dark promise.
“What are you talking about?” Kevin’s voice brought she out of her thoughts, blinking rapidly she averted her gaze.
“Nothing, I got to go. The doc wants to run some experiments-“
“Eli…You know you can tell me anything right? What happened with Jeremy, it affected all of us.” Elise was silent for a moment, closing her eyes and letting the assurance of Kevin’s words wash over her.
“I know I-I miss you guys, I really wish I could see you.” She stated with a hapless smile.
“Valerie is nothing without her other half.” She chuckled at the thought of her best friend.
“…I’ll talk to you later yeah?”
“Always, see ya Eli.”
“Peace” She added before the connection ended. Heaving a heavy sigh she fell back on to the mattress and stared up at the ceiling. Her green eyes were whirling in worry as she pondered on ways to escape the apartment without causing too much of a scene. She felt like the walls were caving in on her, making her feel more claustrophobic than usual, one thing Elise hated most was being caged and she craved fresh air.
After a moment she willed herself to her feet, she gazed out the window where the sun was beginning to set. The thought of taking a stroll in the park sounded grand but with the grounded issues she settled for the roof top. The air up there was much better anyway.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Elise crossed Reed’s science lab on the way to the balcony. Reed was too busy furiously writing equations on his chalk board to notice her. She didn’t want to disturb him anyway. She silently slide opens the glass door before exiting and then closing the doors behind her with a small thump. The sudden rush of air that blew at the dark strands of her hair made her sigh in delight, dazedly she walked to the edge of the balcony and leaned over the railing. She stared at the sun kissed clouds with a yearning to fly free.
The bustling of the busy streets under her rang in her ears. She looked over and watched people walk on the sidewalks and cars jammed together due to heavy traffic, a smile lingered on her lips, New Yorkers were always in a hurry to get places.
But I am still stuck in one placea voice taunted in the dark corners of her mind. She sighed and turned her gaze to the sky once more, the sun was disappearing behind one of the towers that stood in her line of vision. Her mind began to wander. She began to think about her friends, her life and then to the existence of her new powers.
She pondered the idea of flying; it sounded impossible but then again so where human’s with god like powers. Flying would make things a lot easier for her, like sneaking out of the apartment without getting caught or just having the best time of her life.
Then an idea sparked into her mind, immediately lighting up her emerald eyes, it was a crazy idea and she knew if Ben found out he would send her to a mental institute. But the curiosity was killing her.
Turning away from the railing, she hastily exited the balcony and past the lab and straight to her bedroom. Susan wasn’t in the bedroom and she was glad, she opened her wardrobe and began rummaging through some boxes in search for a special item.
There you are She smiled holding the material in her hands, she hugged the suit to her chest and got to her feet before rushing out of the bedroom and to the balcony once again, without being noticed by Reed or anyone else, or so she thought.
Johnny who just emerged from his bedroom was surprised to find Elise carrying some sort of fabric in her arms, Johnny quickly hid behind his door to avoid being seen since Elise gazed down the corridor suspiciously before she made her way to the lab.
What are you up to? He questioned himself before steadily opening the door and stealthily followed her. He walked in to the lab only to find Reed working on the chalk board.
Johnny frowned seeing no Elise but then a sudden movement from his right caught his eye, outside in the balcony. With his eyebrow arched in curiosity he silently moved to the balcony. He slide open the door to find Elise standing in front of the railing and wearing what seemed to be a wing suit.
Johnny bit his lip to prevent the urge to laugh, Elise looked ridiculous in the parafoil suit with the flaps under her arms and between her legs, and she looked like mutated penguin of some sort.
A very cute mutated penguin.
“What are you doing?” His voice startled her; she spun around quickly with wide terrified eyes.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that.” She hissed snarling at Johnny who continued to smile.
“Now, you see the way you reacted, I can tell you are up to no good.” Johnny mused, taking casual strides towards her as she continued to glower at him.
“So? What are you going to do about it?” She challenged with an upturn of her chin, he towered over her smirking down at her scowling expression.
“Show support,” He answered swiftly, she was taken back.
“What?” Johnny smiled at the bewildered expression on her face; he shrugged carelessly and began to stroll around her.
“Look you are the only one other than me who sees this as a gift and not a curse, so why not?” She watched him with calculating jade eyes that he loved, her eyes were such a deep green, and it was the first he had seen.
“So, what were you trying to do?” Johnny asked after clearing his throat; Elise was silent for a moment before averting her gaze to her wing suit.
“I wanted to see if I could fly, I mean I can manipulate air around me, maybe I can conjure enough to lift myself up.”
“Oh, I like the sound of that.” He added with an approving nod, she smirked.
“I figured you would.” She turned her gaze to the skies, pondering way she could attempt to fly without threatening herself, but that seemed pretty impossible. Johnny watched the girl, wondering what ideas were swarming in that pretty head of hers. She suddenly looked to him, her emerald gaze was a blaze with determination.
“I have an idea” Without waiting for a response, Elise spun around and marched to the corner of the balcony. Johnny’s eyes followed her curiously. She made her way to the condenser unit of an AC and climbed on top of the metal box. With her back to him, she stretched her arms up to the edge of one of the windows and began to climb.
Panic and realization forced him to run towards her.
“So you are going to jump?”
“Yes” She confirmed, balancing herself on the edge of the window and looking down at him. She was a good seven feet above him. Their eyes met, his blue gaze was wide in disbelief.
“Are you nuts? What if you break something?” He demanded, she grinned and brought her arms up, her parafoil suit acted like wings.
“This is why you are here.” She retorted. He was not amused by her smart mouthed comment “What? You were the one who said you would catch me.”
“I meant figuratively or metaphorically or whatever”
Elise rolled her eyes at his stuttering words.
“Come on! You said you would help”
“Smiles—”
“I am going to do it”
“No wait don’t!” Elise jumped and Johnny immediately reacted by stretching his arms out at an attempt to catch her, panic began to set in and she immediately felt the instincts trigger her ability, stretching her hands out Elise couldn’t help but shriek as a sudden blast of air erupted from her arms and expanded the wings under her.
“Holy shit!” Elise exclaimed and she struggled to remain balanced in the air, her hair fluttered about as Johnny stared up at her dumbstruck.
“Wow” Johnny breathed a smile full of amazement stretching across his face, she was nervously while trying to find some stability but the more she continued to panic, the higher up she went.
“Uh Johnny, I am having trouble coming down” He heard the distress in her voice, he reached up at her.
“Smiles you need to calm down” He tried to assure her but the wind around and under her grew harsher as her body began to sway from side to side. The cool air licked at Johnny’s skin and he knew fear was taking a toll on her.
“Hey Elise, Elise look at me”
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, how am I going to get down?!” She muttered through a mild case of hyperventilation, she hated the fact that there was no land beneath her feet, she was starting to feel gaseous from how knotted her stomach was.
Elise suddenly started to fear that maybe her impulsive act wasn’t such a good idea. She began to remember the first time she had learned to swim. Well nearly drowned and learned at the same time when her mother had thrown her in, head first into the pool.
“Smiles, look at me.” Johnny exclaimed suddenly grabbing her startled eyes, he stared into her large eyes with an assuring smile.
“Just breathe, remember you are controlling the air, the air does not control you.” Elise frowned not at all comforted by his words.
“You’ve been reading too many self-help books” She snapped by then her body suddenly rattled. She yelped and attempted to balance herself once more, Johnny scowled.
“I am trying to help you here” He retorted with a slight dejected pout to his full lips, Elise watched him for a moment before sighing and bowing her head.
“Alright, alright” She exhaled and inhaled deeply with her eyes close and slowly but surely the wind around her began to serene too.
“There, just breathe” He whispered as her body began to lower slowly, when she was close enough Johnny reached out and gently grasped her around the torso which caused her to immediately snap open her eyes and then in turn the wind reacted fiercely too. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as Elise quickly gripped at the straps of Johnny’s grey vest, holding on for dear life as his deft hands kept her steady while her legs still remained waving in the air.
“Don’t worry Smiles, I got you, I won’t let go.” Johnny spoke out.
“You better not, or I will beat you to a pulp” She snapped though the tremors in her voice betrayed her scowl. He smiled, extremely amused by her attempt at a brave face.
“I don’t think threatening me is really going to help.” He chided and Elise snarled at him.
“Shut up.” She hissed before closing her eyes once more to calm her senses.
He watched her expression soften though there was a noticeable knot between her eyebrows. Johnny had the sudden urge to kiss it away. He was surprised by his patient solicitude, normally he wasn’t the type to be so understanding with a girl but Elise needed it, he could feel her shivering in his arms—either that or the wind was getting colder.
In fact Johnny felt his skin prickle with goose bumps, but that could be the close proximity he had to her full pink lips. He couldn’t turn his eyes away from them, and when she parted her lips to take in a deep breath, it was nearly his undoing. He wanted her to part those lips for him and only him.
The wind died down and Johnny watched as her legs began to gently lower to the ground, but Elise continued to keep her eyes closed but her grip on his straps loosened and her hands splayed across the expanse his shoulders as she slowly began to descend. One leg suddenly outweighed the other making her tilting abruptly and she gasped in fright but he quickly steadied her.
“It’s alright, you are nearly there.” Johnny assured bringing her body closer to his chest. Elise refused to open her eyes yet but she trusted his words, she nodded and exhaled.
“Don’t let go yet ok?”
“I won’t” Johnny promised with a husky murmur just as her feet touched the ground. She opened her wide bright green eyes and for a moment, he was spell bound by her glittering stare.
Elise felt her heart pounding within her chest; she couldn’t decide whether it was the presence of him and his handsome face or the extensive use of her power. Averting her gaze she took another deep breath to calm her nerves.
Johnny was shocked by the sudden hammering of his heart by just staring into the eyes of a girl. It had never happened to him before, he was slightly perturbed.
“Uh thanks” She muttered after retracting her hands from his chest. He smiled and nodded, reluctantly dropping his hands from around her hips.
“No problem, Smiles” She turned her gaze up to the place she jumped from, she sighed.
“That was such a fail attempt” Johnny added following her gaze and Elise glanced at him, agreeing regretfully.
“I know, hopefully it would be better tomorrow” She figured with a lazy shrug of her shoulders, his eyes widened in alarm.
“Tomorrow, you are going to try it again?” He exclaimed flabbergasted, Elise looked to him and nodded.
“Yeah, why not?” the youngest Storm was rendered speechless; she watched the disbelief on his face uncertainly.
“Listen, if you don’t want to hel-“
“By the way things went today; I think you are going to need my help, Smiles.” Johnny cut in and Elise stared at him for a moment before her head bobbed up and down in understanding.
“Let’s not mention this to Ben, or anyone of them.” She whispered giving a mild glance at the window.
“Agreed.”
“All that sure worked up an appetite.” She mused while unzipping her wing suit. The parafoil pooled onto the floor, she them climbed out of it. He watched her roll up the suit off the floor and into her arms, holding it in a bundle.
“You know what else works up an appetite? Sex.” He added abruptly with a perverse smile and she cocked a dark brow at him.
“If I make you a turkey sandwich, will you keep the sexual comments to yourself?” She was practically pleading; Johnny grinned from ear to ear and brought his arms up in surrender.
“Sure” He was hungry anyway and when a woman was willingly offering him food (or sex) he would never deny it. She shook her head at his antics before turning away to walk to the French window.
“Till I am done eating right?” Johnny asked concernedly while following her out the balcony.