They arrived at the Baxter building. Johnny, Elise and Charcoal passed by Jimmy at the reception when they made their way into Fantastic elevator. Elise always felt the need to greet Jimmy out of sympathy; his back was still has a disability from the Von Doom fiasco a year ago.
Johnny pressed on the button to call the elevator. The golden doors opened at command and he insisted she enter before him, Charcoal strutted majestically after her. Elise pushed the button that led to their headquarters, the doors closed again, leaving them alone in the enclosed space.
“Wanna test out the new Fantastic Five game?” Johnny asked, while leaning comfortably against the wall behind him.
“They made a game?” She uttered in fascination.
“Releasing summer two-thousand and eight.” He announced with a smug nod of his head.
“Ugh, why did you have to tell me this now? I promised Sue I will help her with wedding stuff.” Elise grumbled with a miserable head of her head.
“Wow, how interesting.” He murmured amused by her response, she shot him a flat look.
“You can’t tell but I am oozing with excitement.” Johnny laughed at her sarcastic tone.
“But your sister needs all the help she can get, besides who better to scare away reporters than the girl who was given court order anger management classes right?” She added with a confident lift of her dark brows and a sly smirk at her lips.
His eyes gleamed at her words “You have a point, makes me wonder if you ever bring that fire to bed.”
“You will never know”
The blue eyes darkened with want, his legs moved on their own at an attempt to corner her in the elevator.
“Is that a challenge?” He asked with a hoarse whisper to his voice. As always Elise stared back defiantly, he always found that trait about her such a turn on.
Then elevator abruptly chimed which coaxed a merry bark from the dog that sat idly between them. The doors opened and they still continued to stare at each other, challengingly.
“Liz you are on time, thank goodness.” Susan’s voiced forced Eli to break the eye contact first. Realizing her mistake she scowled and Johnny grinned victoriously.
“Anything to get away from Matchstick-man.” She grumbled, striding out of the elevator with Charcoal at her heels.
“Hey!” Johnny exclaimed bruised by her statement. They stood at the Fantastic Five lobby. Berta—Reed’s AI/secretary—was hovering behind her desk, flickering now and then.
Elise took in the sight of Susan; she was wearing a dark brown turtle neck dress hugged her body and was just cut above her knees. She had a clip-board pressed to her chest and Elise could only imagine the list of tasks Susan had ready for them.
Yay She thought drolly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
Charcoal busy being fascinated by Berta behind the desk. The Great Dane had his paws up on the reception table and staring at the AI with a confused tilt of his head. Elise didn’t understand the animal’s fascination with the AI.
“Eli!” A familiar gruff voice exclaimed followed by loud stomping footsteps. Elise looked to the foyer to find Ben Grimm walking in their direction, she grinned on reflex.
“Uncle Ben hey”
“And Charcoal, here boy.” The Great Dane pushed off the desk with renewed enthusiasm before running in her uncle’s direction and then pouncing on him.
“Oh right Liz, I was wondering if Kevin could fill in for Phillip as your escort?” Susan suddenly asked with a pen posed on her clip-board, waiting eagerly for Elise’s answer.
“It’s great that you suggested that, because Kevin was thinking about sneaking in.” She added jokingly, Susan forced a smile.
“Sneaking in to my wedding? That’s cute.” She in a sassy way that made Elise laugh. Susan turned and headed towards the seating area within the lobby where her bag sat.
Elise sighed despondently and looked to find Johnny watching her from beside her. She sent him a questioning look and he shook his head innocently.
“What?” She demanded, not satisfied by his silent response.
“I am just thinking about all the fun you are going to have.” He said with mocking grin at his lips, she frowned.
“When I get back, we shall look up the definition of fun. Because I don’t think that is what this is going to be.”
“You should see my definition of fun. It involves a lot less clothes and a little more...” He leaned down close to the point where their noses were practically touching, and then he smiled and whispered “Intimacy.”
“Wow, I am suddenly glad I am not going to be here for a few hours.” Elise exclaimed gleefully before turning away and heading back into the open elevator. Susan followed though she sent an amused smile at her brother. Johnny was pouting dejectedly and stared after Elise until the doors of the elevator closed.
With a heavy sigh Johnny spun around to find Charcoal staring up at him, expectantly.
“I guess it’s just you and me now, boy.” Charcoal’s floppy ears suddenly shot up in alert before he trounced off, in an unknown direction through the corridors, leaving Johnny by his lonesome.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Elise eyed the plants around her warily; the bright colours and the overpowering stench of spring, made her feel out-of-place.
She had to remind herself that she considered Susan a friend and that she needed her desperately.
Susan seemed just as overwhelmed as the store owner gave her a tour of all the different flower arrangements. Elise could only trail after the doctor in her own leisurely pace. She wished she was back at the Baxter building though, playing video games with Johnny.
Johnny, she knew that it was concerning that he would randomly come in to her thoughts. She had been thinking about him moreoften than she would have liked. About his baby blue eyes that always had a mischievous twinkle in them, his bright handsome smile. Sometimes it would be innocent thoughts. She would hear a song that reminded her of him or repeat something funny he had uttered to Kevin or Valerie.
Elise began to reply the conversation she had with Valerie last week, at her apartment when she came for a visit.
Valerie had made her famous Raspberry Margaritas and they were lounging on Elise’s sofa. The TV was playing in the background. Eli had to ask Johnny to watch over Charcoal for the night because Valerie was terrified of dogs. At the mention of him, her best friend grinned wickedly.
“Maybe you should give in and sleep with him?”
Elise was scandalized by her suggestion.
“Come on Eli, the guy is hot, literally or otherwise.” She added with a sly smile at her lips “You two smother everyone else with the sexual tension.”
Elise resisted the urge to blush and averted her gaze to cocktail glass in her hands.
“There is no sexual tension between Johnny and me.” She stated firmly “We are friends, he is just kidding around with the flirting.”
“Sometimes and besides.” Valerie paused to take a sip of her Raspberry margarita and then her pretty face turned grave and her auburn eyes held a deep sadness in them “Don’t you think it’s time you moved on?”
Move on, it was a loaded word. Elise didn’t want to think about it, she didn’t feel right. Maybe it was guilt she felt, because part of her—the realistic side of her—knew that Jeremy wasn’t going to wake up anytime soon. It was almost a year and the doctor’s weren’t looking hopeful, even his parents had given up hope. At least that’s what she could assume, considering they never even made an effort to glare her way when she visited.
But she had trouble letting go, she hadn’t said her goodbyes and Elise wondered if she would ever be ready to.
Then she would have thoughts about Johnny, less innocent and a lot more...primal. She would think about his broad shoulders and the fit body under his clothes. She would imagine his large hands on hers; she would often be reminiscing back to that kiss on the beach. She remembered the way those slender fingers of his combed through her hair, demanding and skillful.
It was just want. She knew in the end she would never give in, she valued her friendship with him. They were at a good place, she didn’t find him as annoying as she used to. She had seen through the self-righteous, immature mask. There was more to Johnny Storm, other than the playful flirtatious comments, he was a good friend and they had fun in their own way.
Without either of them being naked—even though she was dying to explore that side of a friendship too.
Elise snapped out of her thoughts when her mobile rang abruptly piercing the silence in the air, she quickly checked to find it was a message from Valerie. Elise excused herself from Susan and opened the message as Susan busied herself with looking at the different arrangements the florist offered.
Got an invite to a bachelor party tonight, you in?
With her eyebrows furrowed in question, she typed a hasty reply
How did you get an invite to a bachelor party? Aren’t they meant to be private?
Yeah but the bachelor is some kinda loner or something, they just need girls to fill in the venue, you in?
Elise considered her friend’s text for a moment, a night out with Valerie sounded like fun. She had been dying for a reason to get out of the house—without any Fantastic missions.
Yeah, time?
I’ll pick up at around 10, dress sexy ;)
Don’t I always?
Touché x
Elise smiled and looked up from her phone to Susan.
“Hey Sue, do you think we could stop by mall on the way back?” She was in the mood to find a tight dress with enough heat to find someone to help her forget her problems, just for a night.