Over the last week, you’d been entirely focused on understanding your new abilities and recording every sliver of data you could.

Plants littered the workshop, some of them as vibrant as ever, and some still in stages of decay. There were even some animals Ben and Johnny had rescued off the street in hopes that you could heal them.

It was successful.

Reed mentally noted that as he passed by the cages, every subject had a remarkable recovery. Flowers that were wilting in the corner had perked up and bloomed again after your touch. A sparrow with a broken wing was now hopping around and chirping quietly. Even a stray dog, stitched and sickly only the day before, wagged its tail, barking enthusiastically at Reed as he walked past.

But when he glanced back at you, he felt worried. Reviving dead leaves or mending fractured bones was impressive, but he knew each act took a visible toll. Only a few days before, your hands were trembling after prolonged healing, and a faint golden scar sometimes streaked your skin when you pushed too far. Abilities like yours always had a limit, one that you hadn’t capped yet. Perhaps time would tell…

You noticed it too, but you didn’t want to stop. Not yet, not until you discovered your limit. 

“I’m sorry,” your sheepish reply interrupted his train of thought as you began to pluck the wires off your body. “I’m feeling a little paranoid…. couldn’t sleep.”

You folded everything back up against the machines, having the results you needed anyways. 

He noticed the scattered recordings littering your desk, some had even invaded his workspace.  You were rarely this disorganized.

“That’s normal,” Reed assured gently, sitting down in a chair across from you and handing you a peace offering, a simple latte probably made by herbie.

But was anything about your life actually normal?

You let the silence stretch, sipping deeply as steam curled around your nostrils. Herbie’s handiwork, no doubt. Still, the warmth revived you, stoking your resolve to work before you could surrender to Johnny’s promise of rest. You couldn’t give him your best until you tamed the relentless questions swirling in your mind.

Even if you technically had the day off. 

“Pain level?” Reed eventually asked from your silence. You were clearly determined, and he knew that you wouldn’t stop.

“One,” you confirmed. “Like yesterday.” 

Your mentor mentally jotted it down. “Good. Are you sleeping at all?”

“Yes, most nights. It just…doesn't feel right to be safe,” you admitted. “After everything, that is.” You began to tap your fingernails against the clay mug, trying to understand what it exactly was that you were feeling. It had been like this for weeks now. 

“What else?” Reed pried, noticing how flustered you suddenly became when you trailed off.

You sighed, not in annoyance, but as if it was a secret. “I only sleep well if Johnny is beside me.”

“A strange development,” Reed pretended to think deeply. “I wonder why that is?”

The two of you shared a laugh.

“I’m just trying to finish this test before…” You trailed off. Johnny wasn’t a distraction—if anything, he was the lifeline you craved. Your routines teetered on the edge of obsession; sometimes, nothing else existed until you found the answer. 

Reed understood. It took an immense effort on his part, but he realized how you felt right now was what he experienced trying to impress his wife when they were just kids. 

He cleared his throat. “So, have you actually gotten anything done in your early morning psychosis?”

You nodded toward the computer, where your vitals and composition had finally finished analyzing. Galactus had left behind copious amounts of radiation, signatures that would have been visible in your DNA if he had anything to do with your abilities.

“I have proof that Galactus didn’t give me this power.”

You turned the monitor that displayed your vitals and blood chart toward him. “After analyzing all of the specimens you brought back from the Galactus visit, there are no similarities in my DNA. Not a single one.”

A long moment of silence passed as Reed took in the information, something that shouldn’t make sense, something that would be deemed impossible if he wasn’t actually staring at the chart.

His eyebrows furrowed. “Your biological makeup is different now. It's more similar to ours.” 

“It’s different, though.” You pointed out the anomaly, flipping to your brain scans. “And what’s in here now… is confusing.”

Mid sip of his coffee, Reed paused, his eyes widening, but they did not leave the chart.

When you glanced at him, you saw the conflict on his face. Your mentor, the smartest man in your world, was stumped. If he couldn’t figure it out, nobody would be able to. What a privilege and a curse it was to know him.

After a brief moment of analyzing the data, Reed stretched his arm across the room and set his coffee down, snatching a notepad and pen.

“Your brain changed, or is still changing.” He started scribbling. “Brains usually contain two types of tissue: white and gray matter, but yours— it's changing… there's something else. Deep within your hypothalamus there is a black matter. Whatever it is, our MRI can’t penetrate it.”

“It's not from an outside force. Something must have happened when I-” you paused, swallowing hard before continuing. “Died, but I can’t remember. So that only leaves the option of whatever this power is, comes from my own doing. Like it was always within me.” 

Reed was following your logic, and added onto it. “But you're human, and there's no record of anyone from this planet having resurrection abilities until Franklin. Not that this is that surprising since we’ve come into contact with two alien species. So that means there’s more, and that means our history isn’t entirely accurate. Or it could be magic. It’s definitely something we have no knowledge of. It's not in any of our databases, and it’s something that happened in between the stages of life and death.” 

The sound of erratic scribbling was the only sound that filled the laboratory, following the clash of chalk and board with his other free hand. You watched in silence, following every move he made.

“This mysterious matter is functioning at a higher rate than both the grey and white matter. A new network of cell bodies. We can see the pathways but not the synapses firing.”

A shiver ran down your spine as the truth hit you. Reed’s words felt like both a warning and a prediction. What happened to you wasn’t an accident; it was deliberate. You had unlocked something inside of you that no human had before on your planet, whether by your own hand or something else. 

Science and emotion tangled inside you, leaving you breathless as the magnitude of your transformation finally settled in.

“It’s unlike anything we’ve ever recorded,” Reed whispered in awe. 

Well, that was something. Still, the answers hovered just beyond your grasp.

“Any idea on how to get more information?” You asked. “Or results?

“Not without taking your head off of your body.”

“Reed!” Sue scolded as she entered the laboratory. “Why would you say it like that?”

Your laugh echoed. “It's okay, he’s right.”

Sue approached the two of you, and you turned the screen to face her as she hovered over you, her hands gripping the edge of the chair.

“This is all the information we gathered.”

Another ten minutes passed as you and Reed explained your findings to Sue. She was glued to the screen, giving your shoulder a squeeze in admiration.

“Are you feeling a bit better about everything?” she asked.

You nodded, tilting your head back to look at her. “I am. I’m ready to take a break. Every test we can do has been done. I’m thinking this is only something time will tell.” 

“A temporary conclusion,” Sue confirmed. “Perhaps after some rest, which you really do need, you can come back to it.” 

“She’s right,” Reed encouraged. “I’ll keep working for now.” 

You were satisfied with that. “Okay, I know. I’ve been pushing myself too hard.” 

“At least you can admit it,” Sue chuckled. “Now go, there’s someone upstairs waiting for you.”

Without question, you knew who it was. 

Johnny was something else. Your mind was always whirling without pause, making it nearly impossible to savor the good within your grasp. That all disappeared when you thought about him. 

Beneath all the logic, a feeling lingered—something science could never explain. It was almost spiritual, a sense that you were destined for something greater.

And that anomaly to you was Johnny.

Your Johnny.  

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ🛸༄˖°.

Waking up to Johnny’s breakfast felt like a luxury you’d never dared to imagine, let alone get used to.

“It smells lovely,” you whistled, the aroma of fried meat wafting through the kitchen and living room.

Glancing behind him, Johnny chuckled, slinging a dish towel over his shoulder. “Finally, I’m graced with your presence.”

“As if you weren’t holding me all night.”

“Is it a crime to miss you?” he feigned hurt.

You slipped around the counter and melted into his arms, peeking up at him as he expertly flipped the last piece of bacon. He divided the feast between two plates.

“Bon apetite,” Johnny replied, moving out of your embrace and bowing slightly. He outstretched the plate to you. It was a shocking array of everything you would order at a restaurant—bacon, eggs, pancakes, and fruit.  

“You made this?”

“Herbie helped!” Johnny rushed sheepishly, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck as he watched you sit before him at the breakfast bar. “But yes, mostly me.”

“A huge improvement.”

“I will try, for you.”

The two of you shared a kiss over the counter.

“Thank you, Johnny,” you giggled. “It looks amazing.”

“Don’t say anything until you take a bite.”

You did, and it was just as amazing as it looked.

"So what did I do for you to make this?”

“Just being you,” he chuckled, taking his own first bite. “But… I do have a request.”

“And that is?”

“I want you to take the weekend off.”

“And why is that?”

“Let me take you out on a date tonight. A real one.”

You raised your eyebrows. “So we’ve been on fake dates?”

“Every moment I get to spend with you feels like a date,” he confessed.

Since there was nobody else around, you knew that for a fact, you stood up and walked around the breakfast bar, almost batting your eyelashes. He'd never been so straightforward before. Neither had you. But almost dying would do that to anyone.

“You’re so corny,” you teased, sliding your arms around his neck, drawing him closer until your lips nearly touched.

“But you love it,” he rebuttaled with a smile. 

“I do,” you confessed. You wanted to say it so bad. Being with him made all your worries disappear. And sometimes that was the problem. There was still so much you had to do. But every once in a while, you need to indulge.

“You deserve a break, after everything,” he continued. “And I want to show you how special you are to me.”

You could feel your face flush, if it already wasn’t obvious to him. It was hard to hold his gaze when he showered you with such meaningful compliments. And damn, was it working.

At last, you had something new to anticipate: time alone, just the two of you.

And if Johnny had anything to say about it, the best night of your life was only just beginning.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ🛸༄˖°.

It felt like love.

That feeling lingered as you leaned against the balcony, wearing a dress for the first time in what felt like ages.

Johnny had picked it out for you. It took every ounce of restraint not to squeal when you discovered it draped across your bed, paired with a note that was both sweet and daring. The dress fit like a dream, hugging you in all the right places. You always knew Johnny paid attention, but you hadn’t realized just how much.

Heels remained your nemesis, though, and you had abandoned them by the door. 

For now, it was just you and the stars. Your hands curled around the telescope, tracing constellations like you did in the old days—when it was you and the universe, hungry to discover, to reach farther, to become something more.

The sliding glass door drifted open, a slight whoosh gaining your attention.

“You clean up well, kid,” Ben complimented, taking a few heavy strides until he joined your side.

“Thanks Ben.”

His rocky hands rested next to yours, his gaze settling on the last sliver of the sunset, a light blue shade that interrupted the earth from the vastness of space.

You could tell he was wondering what you were doing out there. But what you didn’t know was that Johnny had relied on your routine, and you were following the exact plan he had in his head. Ben didn’t even need to make up an excuse to get you out there. Johnny knew you well.​

“I’ve always wanted to go to space,” you sighed, a hint of melancholy in your tone, pulling away from the telescope and clicking the lens back into place.

“I did too. And despite everything, the view was definitely worth it all.”

“Way to rub it in,” you grumbled, before laughing softly.

Ben nudged you. “Things are different now. With your powers, you may be able to.”

Glancing at him, you smiled. “I guess there’s some good to it all then.”

“Are you really holding up alright?

You nodded, gazing back upon the horizon. “I feel like I’m right where I need to be.”

“I’m happy for you kid,” Ben said. “Johnny could use someone as grounded as you.”

Your eyes crinkled, a laugh etching from your lips. You nudged him back.

“I always hoped so," you whispered, so quietly that Ben almost didn’t catch it.

“I totally saw it coming,” he teased, about to say more until he was interrupted by the doors whooshing open again.

“And you’re finally going on a date!” Sue gushed, like she heard the entire conversation. “Johnny became a lovesick idiot the moment you arrived." 

“Don’t put too much pressure on the poor girl,” Ben chuckled. “She’s already nervous.”

Rolling your eyes, you turned to face Sue and Reed. Reed was bouncing Franklin on his hip, who seemed mesmerized by the bouquet of flowers in his mother’s grasp.

Excitedly, she outstretched them to you. “From Johnny.” She smiled. “And us.”

Graciously, you took them, almost fawning over their ornate beauty. It was the largest bouquet you’d ever received. An array of your favorite flowers, something Johnny seemed to have remembered.

“What?” you gasped. “You guys didn’t have to!”

“It’s the least we could do,” Reed chuckled. Johnny didn’t even have to force them. They wanted to, and would forever be grateful to you.

Their love anchored you in reality. Their support wrapped around you, making you feel truly part of their family. In truth, you already belonged.

In that moment, every hardship felt worth it. Being with them was a blessing, a reminder that your purpose reached beyond your own ambitions—it was woven together with theirs.

About to thank them, you were cut off by a distant rumble that was gaining distance at an incredible speed. You instantly recognized the roaring, as the sheer force of Johnny’s flames changed the color of the sky behind you.

He arrived in full comedic splendor, making you laugh with his effortless showmanship. What a showboat.

“Y/N!” he yelled out your name as he approached the railing.

“Oh my God,” you gasped, covering your mouth. Once, embarrassment might have swallowed you whole. Now, you just grinned.​

“Do you like the flowers?”

You nodded, letting your hand fall to your side. The wind carried the flowers’ fragrance back to you. Everything felt impossibly perfect—the view, the moment, and him, just as beautiful as the nickname he longed to give you.

“My favorite.”

“Good.”

You’d known Johnny for years, memorized every quirk and secret, yet your heart still skipped whenever his eyes found yours.

After all this time, he was still steadfast—waiting for you, protecting you, standing by your side through everything. Whatever the tabloids claimed, you’d always known his heart.

A man who wanted to promise you forever.

Eventually, you outstretched your hand, somewhat timidly. 

As Johnny swept you into his arms, you thrust the bouquet at Ben. A few petals broke free, swirling into the wind—some dissolving into dust from Johnny’s lingering warmth.

“Make sure you put them into a vase!” you pleaded, feeling Johnny’s arm curl around your waist.

“Don’t have too much fun,” Reed teased.

One last time, you looked back at the three of them. Your smile said everything, no words needed; they already knew.

“Ready?” Johnny asked, gazing down at you with an unmistakable fondness. One that he'd sheltered for so long, one that had always been obvious to you despite the circumstances. And now the two of you could finally be together like you were meant to.

“Yes—” The word barely left your lips before he launched you both into the sky.

Your scream soared above the rush of wind, drawing laughter from the others. They all remembered their first wild flight with Johnny.

But yours was special.

​.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ🛸༄˖°.

When you and Johnny finally touched down, legs still trembling from the wild ride, you nearly toppled straight back into his arms.

“Easy,” he chuckled, an arm gently resting against your lower back. “It takes some getting used to.”

“No kidding!” you huffed, running your fingers through your hair, silently hoping the flight hadn’t undone the hour you’d spent styling it. You had other plans for that later.

“You look beautiful,” he said, reaching out to tuck a strand you missed behind your ear. You still couldn’t believe that you were immune to his flames and how well he could control them.

“Thank you,” you managed, watching his flames flicker into embers and vanish on the night breeze. He stood before you in a suit that matched your dress perfectly. “You’re looking  irresistible yourself.”

“I try,” he replied, trying to cover up his blush with a confident smirk. “I really want to impress you.”

He hovered just inches away, the air between you charged with anticipation.

“Oh Johnny,” you murmured, a smile tugging at your lips. “You already have.”

He closed the gap, a hand coming to cup your neck as he pressed his lips against yours. It was long, and hot, just like him, just like the tension that had been boiling between the two of you for God knows how long.

“Come,” he eventually said when he pulled away, moving his hand to grasp yours.

“What do you have planned?”

“Nothing crazy.” He shrugged, refusing to spoil the surprise.

The restaurant looked completely different at night, with candles illuminating the tables and soft music playing in the background. Johnny had reserved the entire place just for the two of you. When the waiter brought out the champagne, Johnny cleared his throat and looked at you seriously.

Your eyes swept over the venue, and words failed you. It was extravagant, dreamlike, and utterly private, just the way you liked it.

Johnny pulled out the chair for you, and you gathered your dress to the side before sitting.

Once he sat beside you and the glasses were poured, you glanced at him sheepishly.

“This is lovely.”

"I wanted it to be perfect," he admitted, taking your hand across the table. His thumb traced small circles on the back of your hand. "You deserve perfection."

Nobody had ever said that to you before, and you weren’t sure how to reply. Johnny always left you speechless, always jumbling your brain with emotions and feelings you couldn’t quite pinpoint and hadn’t experienced before.

“Am I being too forward?” he asked, a flicker of worry in his deep blue eyes.

“Not at all,” you replied quickly, stammering over your words. “I just can't believe it?” Your explanation came out more as a question than a statement.

“Is it something you want to get used to?”

You nodded, squeezing his hand back, using your free hand to grasp your champagne glass. The alcohol would definitely help calm your nerves.

Johnny followed suit, chuckling at your bashfulness. He loved making you squirm, but was also squirming himself. Finally, he had you all to himself. There was a moment of peace, and he wanted to make the most of it, while your mind was clear, while your responsibilities were minimal.

The way he gazed at you made your heart racing. This wasn’t just a date; it felt monumental, as if he was preparing to give you the world as he knew it.

"There's something I've been wanting to ask you."

Meeting his eyes again, you set your glass down. The setting was so romantic, so intimate, something you’d been hoping and waiting for.

“Ask away.”

“I promised everyone, even myself, that I wouldn’t disrupt your flow. That I wouldn’t make a move or bother you. Well, Angel, you solved our world’s biggest problem and so much more. And I know there will be more in the future, but I want to be there with you, by your side.”

You knew exactly where Johnny was headed. Your heart thundered, ears burning with anticipation. Finally.

“And?” you managed to squeak, unable to break eye contact.

“I was kind of hoping that you would be my girlfriend,” he cleared his throat nervously. “Please be my girlfriend… I’ll do my best to never disappoint you.”

You bit back a giggle, feeling the nerves radiating from him—his hand clammy in yours. Your smile bloomed, wide and genuine.

“It doesn’t have to be official to the whole world!” he rushed after. “Just to us…. For my family.”

“It can be the whole world,” you said. “As long as I have you.”

His breath caught, and for a moment, the always confident Human Torch looked utterly speechless.

"Really?” he asked quietly. He definitely thought it would take more convincing.

“Yes,” you responded. “At this point I can’t imagine you not by my side through the craziness of everything. You’ve always been there.”

Steady. Yours.

For a moment, he closed his eyes, savoring your words. When he opened them again, they were filled with a depth of emotion that was usually hidden behind his playful smirk to others, but one that was all so familiar to you.

“I feel the same,” he said, releasing your hand and shifting in his chair. He had been tense and anxious before, but now he could relax. “God, I’ve been waiting so long to do that.”

Your response was interrupted by two waiters approaching, gently placing your plate in front of you. A steak that was still sizzling, accompanied by two of your favorite sides.

“But I suppose my answer depends on how juicy this steak is,” you teased. “I need a little more convincing.”

His eyes sparkled with amusement, the tension breaking as he laughed. "Let's find out, shall we?" he said, cutting into the meat and holding a forkful up to your lips.

It was, without question, the best steak you’d ever tasted. Your eyes nearly rolled back as you savored each bite.

“I think being your girlfriend would be pretty cool,” you laughed.

He pumped his fist, a triumphant laugh echoing through the empty restaurant. He looked absurdly pleased, as if he’d just won the greatest battle of his life. As if there was anything that mattered more than saving the world.

"I'm taking that as a definitive yes," he grinned, popping a piece of steak into his own mouth. "Best decision you'll ever make, by the way."

“I can’t believe you rented out the entire place for me,” you said. You always appreciated how easily conversation flowed between the two of you, how you were able to let down your guard and professionalism. He was your escape from it all.  

Nervously, he scratched the back of his neck. “And the penthouse upstairs.”

Your eyes widened slightly, and you tried to stifle your laugh. 

“Only if you want to!” he stammered. “There’s a hot tub.”

“Sounds amazing.”

He relaxed visibly, a mischievous grin returning as he leaned back in his chair. "I thought you might like that. The view is incredible up there. You can see the whole city. And… It's my favorite spot."

“Your spot for…?”

“Thinking!” He coughed, not wanting you to get the wrong idea. “Every handsome young bachelor-hero-has their thinking spot.” he retorted matter-of-factly. “Yours happens to be the lab.”

“Speaking of the lab,” you started, still buzzing, ears hot and flushed.

Intrigued, Johnny raised an eyebrow, raising his glass to you.

The clink made you chuckle. “With the development of my powers, it seems I would be able to handle space travel the next time it arises.

Of course, there would be more space travel. After all, you were an associate of the Fantastic Four. And now it was clear that you wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

“Well then,” Johnny started, knowing what you were getting at from your last conversation. “I have no objections next time. I even think I would feel safer with you by my side.”

Since there was nobody else in the restaurant, you cheered, still somewhat quietly, and jumped out of your seat. You rounded the table and threw yourself into his arms.

“Thank you!”

He chuckled, arms coming to embrace you wholly. He held you there, and you let him, only leaning back to kiss him in earnest.

“You didn’t need my permission,” he said, his smile fading away into an all-knowing simper. “You would find your way there all by yourself, somehow, someway.”

“Well of course,” you teased. “But I wouldn’t want to do it without your support.”

“We’d be a pretty kickass team, huh?”

​.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ🛸༄˖°.

After dinner, you and Johnny spent hours talking and reminiscing under the dim lighting and calming music. Even the desert was fantastic. You were full and tipsy, giggling all the way into the bathroom as you slipped into your swimsuit.

Glancing at yourself in the mirror, you attempted to fix your makeup. Your smile did not fade, and even you could see the difference. You felt complete, understanding that you were making the right decision. You’d never expected a reward for all of your hard work, but damn, did being with Johnny like this feel like one.

Someone who was truly yours, a person you could finally put first.

And, damn, every moment had been worth the wait.

He was already soaking in the hot tub when you stepped onto the patio. Your eyes widened, tracing the way steam curled around his muscles and water slid down his sculpted arms and chest.

You set your drink along the edge next to his beer can, which was gathering condensation. Over the sound of the jets and the chlorinated bubbles, you could hear a jazz song playing softly from the surrounding speakers.

“Finally ready to join me, Angel?”

You couldn’t help but smile at the nickname, the ambiance solidifying how romantic it had been from the start.

“It’s perfect out here,” you replied, apprehensively dipping your toes in.

He took a sip of his beer. “It is now,” he smirked, watching you closely.  

The boiling water only came to your mid-waist, but it made you hiss in displeasure as your skin adjusted from the freezing cold to the unbearable heat. You held your breath as you submerged the rest of your body, letting the water reach your chin and wet your hair.

Settling in next to him, you hummed in pleasure, pressing an appreciative kiss to his cheek.

“Thank you Johnny,” you said. “This has been the best night of my life.”

“You deserve it. I’m serious.”

“You deserve it, too,” you offered, smiling fondly. “I mean, you put in a lot of work. I still can’t believe you deciphered an alien language.”

He chuckled. “Me either.”

“You think you could speak it fluently?”

“Probably. I don’t have anyone to speak to.”

That alien woman sacrificed herself for him. You tried not to think about it, but that choice would never be forgotten or under-appreciated.

“Maybe we’ll see her again, or someone that does. And you can thank her.”

Johnny reflected for a moment, like he still hadn’t unpacked the gravity of it all. A part of him felt guilty, but also grateful. He just knew that he wouldn’t take another day for granted. “In a perfect world,” he finally said.

“It makes me so curious about what else is out there, how many languages we’ll never be able to hear.”

“I think we’ll have a few more to learn, at least.” He took a sip of his beer, tugging you closer.

He handed you your glass, and you eagerly took it.

“Do you think you would procreate with an alien if given the chance?”

“Before you were in my life, probably.”

You smacked him. “How crude!”

“C’mon Angel, you wouldn't?" Johnny nudged your neck, wrapping his arms and squeezing you against him. “Let’s say, hypothetically, not like this would ever happen, but what if an alien that was somehow hotter than me showed up all strong and commanding, you wouldn’t even think about it?”

You pretended to think hard. “Maybe,” you teased. “But you’re already like an alien.”

“Hey!” he groaned like you’d just shot him in the heart.

“The hottest alien ever, crowned in starfire, a living supernova,” you swooned, pushing off the bench and wading into the center of the tub, nose scrunched in playful challenge.

“Wow,” he whistled slowly. “You’re gonna make me burn up from that compliment.”

“Fitting,” you whispered before submerging your lips, wiggling your eyebrows. You wanted to internally slap yourself with how corny you were being. But, you weren’t sure how to act… how to initiate. You were his girlfriend now, for crying out loud. Yet, it still didn’t feel real. It felt like a dream you were expecting to be torn away from.

Johnny laughed. “Maybe you should write my articles from now on?”

You stood up, giggling to yourself. “I won’t ever deal with the press again unless there’s another life threatening event!”

Reaching for your champagne glass, you took a few sips before sitting back down next to him. “My heart is racing just thinking about it.”

A lie. Your heart raced for one reason only—him.

Johnny kissed your hair, leaning against you. He gazed upon the star-filled sky, wanting to thank them for this moment.

“Regardless, you did a great job. Everyone loves you.”

“I hope so.”

Did everyone include him?

His tone turned into something more serious.

“And in case I haven't told you enough, I want you to know that I’m proud of you, and that I’m here for you always.  I think about you all the time, you’re my first thought when I wake up in the morning and the last person I think about when I fall asleep-”

With glistening eyes, you turned to face him fully. The jets had finished their cycle, and the bubbles sizzled away.

“You’re the smartest person to me, and the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on. I’ve been wanting to tell you everything for so long now, hell, I knew from the moment we met. I would do anything for you…And I don’t care if it's too soon, and it’s okay if you’re not ready, but I know. I fell in love with you the day I met you.”

He cupped your cheek, finally realizing how much you’d gravitated toward him. “I love you, and I need you to know it. I want you to know that you’re the most beautiful girl in the world-” he corrected himself. “Across all worlds.”

Your lip quivered. “I love you too.”

He was everything you’d ever wanted in a man—and so much more. Words tangled on your tongue, never enough to capture how deeply you cared, wanted, needed him. You would always choose him first; he lived in every corner of your mind. Johnny was the love of your life, a truth you’d known from the very start. After everything, that certainty was woven into your soul.

“I’m so in love with you that it hurts.”

That was how you conveyed it all, staring at him, on the verge of tears. You couldn't even remember what else you said, if anything.

When you finally met Johnny’s dilated eyes, you saw them glisten.

He felt the same.

Like it was fate, like you were destined to be in every timeline. Every move he made always led back to you.

There was no reason to hold back now. He had always needed you, and being with you felt like surfacing for air after years beneath the waves.

“I love you,” he said again, drawing you closer. “So much…”

As soon as those words left his mouth, your lips touched, Johnny felt his emotions ignite in a peaceful yet passionate blaze that he had never felt before. How did he manage to last this long without trying?

You knew that if you were standing, your knees might have buckled. Being there with him, like that, was everything you could have ever wanted and more.

You kissed him back, deepening the kiss and asking for more. You were in love with him, and  now, he finally knew it.

“Johnny—” you gasped against his lips, literally melting into the steaming embrace. His hand guided you onto his lap. You obeyed, your heart beating erratically, pounding so loud that everything else became mere background noise.

The second kiss was wet, far less reserved than the first. Months of pent-up emotion poured into every movement, your skin aflame and your senses alive. Both of you could feel the sudden desperation, so much so that Johnny shuddered.

You were anything but resistant, eager to feel him, to cherish him. He had waited so long to have you alone like this, and he never thought he would be able to.

The kiss intensified, and your lips parted, inviting him for more. Practically begging for it.

Your lips began to move in sync, the kisses turning sloppy, filled with hunger and curiosity. Your tongues soon began to dance, sucking on each other as if you had never kissed before, as if your lives depended on it.

The last time you were alone like this, you were interrupted. There was a world to save. But those responsibilities were now non-existent. There was nothing stopping you now.

Johnny’s hands roamed, exploring every inch of your skin that he’d previously only dreamed of. You welcomed his touch, savoring his praise, growing intoxicated by the heat of his lips. You wanted more, needed more.

Your hips began to sway against his, your hands explored him as well, weakly tugging against the waistband of his trunks.

“Y/N...” His voice was strained with awe.

You felt like you were on fire, hardly able to focus on anything but the pounding in your chest, in your veins.

“We can’t do this here,” he sighed, chuckling nervously. Not for the first time.

“Then take me to the bed.”

Not only was your response confident, but it was a command. And what he saw in your eyes, filled with treasures he could previously only dream of, confirmed that he was totally and shamelessly in love with you.

Quickly, Johnny scooped you into his arms and carried you out of the hot tub. The water splashed everywhere, leaving a trail of puddles in the bedroom.

With both of you still dripping wet, Johnny dried you off with a towel, though sloppily.

You giggled, grabbing a towel yourself to dry his hair.

His eyes searched yours, and when the towel dropped to the floor, his fingers tugged at your bikini top.

“May I?” he asked.

“Yes,” you confirmed.

The cold air swelled your breasts, and he practically groaned, leaning down to kiss them.

Your fingers tangled in his damp blonde hair, letting out a breathy moan from his burning lips that seared across your soft skin.

Your bottoms came next, and he plucked the bow ties loose, letting them flop to the floor beside you.

“You’re a goddess,” he breathed, hands coming to cup the plush of your ass.

All you could manage was a light, breathy laugh as he scooped you into his arms and brought you to the bed.

Once he had laid you down, Johnny took a moment to just look at you. So beautiful, so perfect. And then, he finally leaned in and took your mouth with his.

Desperately, you curled around him, letting his hands finally wander where they were so eager to go.

“I love you,” he mumbled against your lips.

When he pulled away, you whispered in return. “I love you, too.”

His eyes glistened with desire as he lowered himself between your legs. Each of his arms curled around your thighs, bringing your entrance to his mouth. He needed to please you.​

One stroke of his tongue between your folds etched a whimper of pleasure from you.

Your hand reached out and grabbed a fistful of his hair, holding him right where you wanted him. Johnny groaned primarily against your clit, letting his tongue lap harder.

You twitched, your moaning of his name filling the quietness of the suite.

He looked up at you through heavy-lidded, lustful eyes, a groan of satisfaction vibrating against your core. How desperate he was, how sloppy, but it worked. It worked too well, and you were already coming undone from how gentle he was with your clit, the smooth circles of his tongue edging you closer and closer, opening you up and preparing you for the utmost pleasure.

“Fuckkkk…” Johnny drawled, feeling your clit quiver against his movements. You were so pretty, so perfect, that he felt himself coming undone from just watching you unravel against him.

Greedily, he pushed a finger inside you.

“Hahhh-” you moaned, letting your legs fall further apart in an attempt to see his face and that damned smirk he couldn't get rid of.

“More?” he teased in a whisper.

You nodded, your core tightening in anticipation. “Please,” you breathed as his tongue flicked against your clit. Agonizingly slow, Johnny inserted another finger, still massaging your clit with his tongue.

He began to pump his fingers, the stimulation of both causing your back to arch. It was too much. You whimpered for him, because of him, and he felt his cock twitch just from the sight of you, from finally being able to taste you.

You were perfect for him, so expressive and responsive that it turned him on further.

“Cmon Angel,” he grunted. “You’re almost there.”

His words sent you over the edge. “Johnny!” you cried, heaving a broken breath as you released yourself all over him.

You were already seeing stars. Just as Johnny wanted, he couldn't help but smirk before leaning over you to capture your lips with his, relishing in his success.

As you came down from your high, you clung to him, desperate for more, reaching your hand down to his cock and guiding it to your entrance.

“Need you now,” you pleaded before kissing him again.

God, he loved you so much. Johnny felt like the luckiest guy in the universe to be able to make love to you.

And finally, he did, letting out a stifled grunt as he slowly sank into your wonder. Your hot breath mixed with his, unable to get enough, wondering how anything could top this moment—a union you’d been pinning for since you had met him.

Your eyes rolled back at the sensation, back arching within the same movement, unprepared for how thick and commanding he would be. You closed your eyes momentarily, only feeling, touching, and relishing in him. Your mind was filled with his rapture, his passion, his love.

“Feels so good,” you moaned, arms constricting around his neck, eyes squeezing shut from the intense pressure that filled and stretched you completely.

“I love you, Johnny,” you whimpered.

Euphoria was what you sought and what was promised in loving Johnny Storm. That was what you saw when you looked into his eyes, not just in this moment but with every promise for the future.

“Y/N…” he strained your name out, trying his best to wait even if it was excruciating. “I love you more.”

You were dripping, making it easy for him to thrust as slowly as he could, waiting for you to adjust, waiting for your command to take it even further. He kissed you over and over again, his breathing muffled with desperation. 

“K-Keep going,” you begged, not needing to repeat your demand before Johnny started to ravish you, pulling himself all the way out before slamming back inside you.

“Ah!” you cried out, legs curling around his hips, guiding him to the perfect angle. Exhilarated by your moans, he gradually began to thrust harder, obsessed with how your body trembled, pleading for more, praying for all of him.

The bed began to shake as his pumps grew more violent.

“Taking me so well, Angel,” Johnny complimented in a strained voice. He was vocally dirty, a far contrast from his usual demeanor, and you loved it, yet you couldn't find the time to reply between your cries of ecstasy, becoming increasingly crazed. You could almost sob at how vivifying it felt. All you managed to sound between erratic moans was breathless praise, only wanting to feel him.

“Shit…” Johnny groaned. “Wanted to fuck you so bad, been needing this. I love this, fuck.”

“Feels so good, Johnny–” you managed to choke out, your body jolting against him as you gazed into his eyes, pressing your lips against his before another moan escaped you.

“You’re perfect,” he grunted, biting down on his lip to stop another lovesick moan from escaping him.

You were magnificent, and Johnny couldn’t get enough. Having you like this was almost too much, and he was trying to control himself. Your sweet words and your moans of approval only riled him up more. And you were just so damn beautiful.

Months had been spent craving you like this, wholly his. Dreaming about you taking all of him so eagerly, moaning beneath him, thinking about nothing and nobody else. The desperation in your moans only fueled him, and he couldn't help but grin as you cupped his face, drawing him to the intensity of your gaze. Another sloppy kiss was shared before he followed your gaze down, which was focused on how he entered you, over and over again.  

Thrust after thrust, both of you began to reach a high you’d never felt before. Johnny needed you in every position, on every surface, till the sun peaked above the horizon. Your pussy was like a drug, and there was no possible way he could ever get enough.

Securely wrapping his arms around you, Johnny moved you onto his lap, desperate to have you bounce on his cock. He needed it like he needed air, the notion of you coming undone in his embrace, in his arms.

As you straddled him, Johnny took one of your breasts in his mouth, and his tongue swirled around your nipple.

“Please–” he couldn’t finish his question before your hips started to rock against him, cock still buried deep inside you. Your warmth engulfed him, and all he could do was run his hands down your ass before giving it an appreciative squeeze, etching a faint squeal from your mouth.

He helped guide your movements, but you did most of the work, bouncing on top of him as you held his shoulders, letting him suck on your breasts every time he stifled a moan. That was until he couldn’t anymore.

Johnny’s breathless moans warmed the crook of your neck as he continued to pound up into you, utterly pussy drunk. “So good, so beautiful…” He managed to utter his words, falling into a choppy, disarray of love-felt praise.

You whimpered in response, nails scratching down his back as your abdomen tightened, not only by his words but by his calculated thrusts.

“Mine,” he groaned, nails digging into the plush of your ass. “I love you.” His whines sounded above the slapping of your skin against his. “This is just a bonus.”

You tried to respond, almost unable to string a coherent sentence together from how perfectly he filled you up. “J-Johnny!” you cried, back arching against nothing but his forearms, feeling yourself falling apart at how eagerly your pussy took his massive length. “G-gonna cum!”

“Go ahead, baby,” he moaned, thrusting faster, deeper, harder. His hand reached to grip the headboard as it banged against the wall. “All over me,” he begged, panting, his control wavering as he locked eyes with you to glimpse euphoria.

“I w-” you tried your best to respond before your loudest cry yet echoed into the night, and you released yourself upon him, experiencing the most violent, leg-shaking orgasm of your entire life.

Your orgasm finished Johnny in a way he’d never experienced before.

“Yesss,” he hissed, both of you feeling how his cock jerked inside you. “Good girl-” he started, but hunched over, hardly moaning your name before he pulled himself out, clinging to you as his life depended on it.

Johnny could hardly hold himself up, chest rising and falling as he painted your stomach white, jumbled words of affirmation filling the silence.

It settled slowly, your breathing mingling with his. Both of you started to laugh, completely euphoric. 

Truly in love.  

The aftercare was luxurious. When you slid beneath the covers beside him, fresh from your shower, you let him feel every inch of your body again, massaging out the knots in your muscles. 

Your favorite movie flickered quietly on the TV, its familiar soundtrack weaving through the room as you curled up next to Johnny. Moments like these were precious, and you never knew how many you had left.

“Thank you for everything,” you reiterated. “It’s been amazing and I loved it. I love you.”

You spoke the words as if tasting them for the first time, still amazed that your heart could finally be heard.

He could have died happy, knowing you loved him in return.

Johnny kissed the top of your head, curling his arms tighter around you, desperate to have you as close as possible.

“I knew from the moment I saw you.”

You giggled. “There's no way you possibly could have known.”

“I knew that even if I went through that portal I would find my way back to you. I couldn’t leave you soulmatless after all.”

You laughed. “Oh? Are we soulmates now?”

“Of course,” he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. That crooked grin of his only made your heart flutter more.

“Cmon, you really don’t feel like that?”

Somewhere deep inside, you had always known. The moment that golden dust broke your chains, the truth had taken root, even if you kept it hidden.

You melted into his arms, your cheek pressed to the warmth of his bare chest, lulled by the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

A heart that beat for you alone.

“I do,” you whispered.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ🛸༄˖°.

A gentle, domestic rhythm had woven itself into your days with Johnny.

It was a relief to let the world fade away, to forget every worry except the ones Johnny refused to let linger.

Yet the months slipped past in a blur, vanishing far too quickly for your liking.

Hoping that time might finally favor you was nothing but a beautiful illusion.

It was naïve to think your powers were random, or that you could steer your own destiny, or that happiness was built to last. Even now, beneath the calm, you sensed a ripple of unease, like the hush before a storm. Something waited just out of sight, ready to break the peace when you least expected it.

After everything, you realized this life had never truly belonged to you.

Higuruma’s slender fingers swiftly undid the bow, carefully lifting the loop over your head before setting the apron on the counter. His arms circled your waist from behind.

He pressed soft kisses to your neck, burying his face there. His breath danced across your skin, his nose nuzzling close. After time apart, he always returned more tender, his craving layered with the echo of evenings spent just like this. The hush of your breath mingling with his, the room thick with the comfort of home and future promises.

“Smells amazing,” he said, referring to both you and the food you were preparing.

You leaned into him, tittering from the longing in his tone. “What do you want first?”

“My wife,” he breathed, lips brushing your ear. Before you could answer, Higuruma’s hands found your thighs, massaging them gently before creeping up further. “Is that okay?” he murmured, reading your every movement, his fingers spreading warmly across your stomach underneath the nightgown.

“Yes,” you whispered, melting into him, your bodies fitting together as if no time had passed. His hand then found your panties, and the spatula slipped from your grasp, clattering back into the skillet.

He pulled the dress up, cupping your ass and inhaling your scent, taking in your warmth like it would be the last time. Then, he hooked a finger around your panties and pulled them down to rest at your ankles. A moan left your lips as he inserted a finger into your already slick hole. ​

“My love…” he exhaled, using his free hand to turn your head to the side and meet his lips in a passionate kiss. Desperate and starved for your affection, Higuruma needed to make up for lost time.

“Will you let me have you here?” He asked as you turned around in his arms.

“Yes,” you replied, feeling his hands dig into the flesh of your hips. 

Instinctively, your legs latched around his waist as he hoisted you onto the island counter. You giggled in response before you settled into the new position, your lips meeting his again in a fervent kiss, your hands finding purchase in his gelled hair, ruining its precision.

“I missed you,” you whimpered between it all.

A low moan slipped between Hiromi’s lips as your fingers tangled in his hair. He pulled your hips even closer, grinding up against you, uncaring if your slick contrasted against his black suit.

​He was clearly pent up, desperate for your touch, to have you like this after days apart. “I missed you more,” your husband groaned. “You’re the best part of my day.”

Higuruma’s hands on you were greedy. His touches were possessive, a clear sign that he desperately needed you. He was starved for you, for your attention, and your affection.

He nipped your bottom lip, teeth tugging it before kissing you again, rougher this time. One of his hands slid up to grip the back of your neck, fingers tangled in your hair.

He ground against you yet again, his body yearning for your touch. The clothes that separated your bodies were creating too much distance. 

​“H-Hiromi–“ you whimpered, both of your hands falling backward to grip the countertop and steady yourself.

​It was all so desperate, so arousing, that a mewl of satisfaction escaped you in response.

“Missed me?” he teased, pressing his face against your neck. His hands roamed your body, as if he’d never touched you like this before. He was so pent up, so needy. He craved you.

“Yes, so much,” you exhaled, back arching.

Higuruma groaned against your skin, pressing another rough kiss to your neck. You always smelled so good, felt so good—were always perfect for him.. He had been away for too long without your presence and love, barely sleeping, never eating.

Now he could feast.

He slid another finger into you easily, hooking against the spot that made you squirm. He was greedy and rough.

He leaned in, hot breath fanning down your neck with each syllable. “I dreamed of doing this every single night I was away.”

“Hah–” you sputtered out, melting into him. One of your hands reached for his belt and weakly tugged at it, hinting you wanted all of him right away.

No foreplay, no more words. What you wanted was instant gratification.

Groaning, Higuruma’s teeth came to nip at your earlobe, his fingers curled inside you harsher, igniting your sweet spot once more.

“So impatient today, aren’t you?” he scolded mockingly.

“Yeah,” you whimpered as his fingers pumped in and out of you excruciatingly slowly, your legs falling farther apart, waiting for all of him. “You’ve left me here alone all week, the least you could do is make love to me.”

Higuruma groaned again, your words nearly pushing him over the edge as he breathed in the scent of your shampoo and perfume. He needed you as much as he needed air. “God, you’re such a needy little thing, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” you admitted desperately. “I missed your cock so much, please baby, I need you.”

Higuruma groaned against your skin, finally getting what he wanted. He was tired of teasing, of playing with you. He growled against your neck. “That’s a good girl.”

And then, finally, his belt clanged against the floor as he tore it away, positioning himself at your entrance. You sucked a breath in with anticipation, head falling back. “Thank you–ngh."

Slowly, he pushed himself inside, giving you time to adjust. It had been days after all, as if your cunt could forget his size and shape that always stretched you so good. You could hardly contain yourself, head tossing back as you cried out. “Fuck, oh, yes baby, missed you!”

“Good, that’s better,” he managed to groan before his lips found yours again, sloppy and heated.

The kiss was hungry, rough, paired with a romantic rhythm of your body following his lead.

“So good for me,” he panted against your skin. “Always so good for me, aren’t you?”

“Y-yes,” you moaned as he picked up the pace, his skin slapping against yours, his tie hanging over your exposed shoulder. He went deeper with each thrust, and you were already coming undone.

Hiromi couldn’t hold back anymore. It had been days of wanting you. Days when his mind had only been filled with thoughts of you, of this.

Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was you. Of your little moans, of the way you felt around him, of how good you smelled, how beautiful you were... just you. 

“God...you’re so... perfect.”

Just one compliment from him, and you’re sent over the edge. 

He could tell, and so he kept that same, yet firm pace, watching your pussy greedily consume his slick cock.

“Ahh~!” you cried out, your legs shaking and twitching, your entire body filling with the high and heat only he could give you. “I’m cumming, baby, I’m cumming—ngh!”

Higuruma’s nails dug into your skin the moment you spoke, his grip tightening and stroking. He needed you to come for him. He needed to see you fall apart, to know that he was the only one who could make you feel that way. After all, he was a greedy, possessive man. 

“That’s it, I’ve got you, my love,” he whispered, his voice rough.

He kept plunging into your now squirting cunt; it sucked him in so perfectly that a few seconds later he was unloading inside you, groaning in ecstasy. His warm liquid filled you, causing you to shudder in response.

“Beautiful,” he whispered. Still inside you, Higuruma hunched over your smaller frame, pressing a kiss to your temple.

You chuckled in response, leaning into him. “I love you.”

Higuruma let out a deep sigh, burying his face in the crook of your neck. He was exhausted, his body heavy, but there was no place he’d rather be.

“I love you… so much” he chuckled, voice slightly muffled against your skin. His hold around you was tight, as if he were scared you’d slip away if he let go.

Neither of you moved until the chill settled in. When he pulled out of you, you bit down on your lip, your eyes following his, watching the way his seed seeped out of your quivering hole. 

“Bath or dinner first?” You asked, sliding off the counter on wobbly legs.

As Higuruma reluctantly pulled away from you, you could tell the past couple of days had taken a toll on him. He looked exhausted, with his hair messy and even more prominent dark circles under his eyes.

He let out a deep sigh, his back popping as he stretched. He was obviously sore from overworking himself, as always. But even then, he still made it a priority to take care of you first.

“You don’t mind helping me with the bath, do you?” he asked, looking over at you.

You turned the stove back on. “As long as you don’t mind your dinner being reheated.”

Never had you felt that way. That was why you were there. For Johnny, before anyone else, before anything else.  The realization had frightened you before. But now, as you stood amidst the chaos, with death an imminent specter, you felt an intense heat rise within you, echoing your fear and resolve. It pulsed in your chest, a fiery reminder of what was at stake, urging honesty in a moment when every emotion was laid bare.

“This is insane!” you yelled. “You're insane!”

He laughed. “I know, and you’re doing amazing!”

As Johnny handed the cradle to you, you stared deep into his glowing eyes, corneas that reminded you of molten lava, accepting the responsibility with urgency. “Don’t do anything stupid, Johnny,” you said. “For us.”

Us. Johnny hesitated. His eyes softened at your insistence. What a dream.

With your free hand, you instinctively started to reach for Johnny. You felt the heat emanating off of him, savoring the feeling in case it was the last time.

But in return, he pulled back. Not because he wanted to, but because he didn’t want to hurt you. 

Johnny recovered quickly, though. “Only because the most beautiful girl in the world said so,” he teased in response, mock saluting you before shooting back up into the sky.

As your ears heard the rumble of his flames long after he was out of sight, your smile faded. This wasn't fair. It was all going according to plan. Even if Franklin was in your arms, and Galactus was approaching the hidden wormhole, your gut still twisted in resistance.

The soul was a very powerful thing, and yours was screaming no.

Snapping you from your thoughts, Franklin cooed softly. Taking a deep breath, you gazed down at him as he pawed at your hair that swayed in the breeze, entirely oblivious to what was unfolding around him, what each of you were doing to protect him.

“Don’t worry,” you replied, lightly poking at his wrist until he released your hair.

Franklin giggled, so innocent that it warmed your heart. 

“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe,” you promised, smiling sweetly at him despite the fear rising in your chest.  You couldn’t shake the dread, convincing yourself that you were just paranoid and not going mad.

But you knew this wasn’t going to work.

Stillness filled the city, broken only by the occasional rumble of Galactus’s gargantuan foot falls. The building shuddered in concert. 

To combat the rising terror, Herbie began to hum a song as you paced with Franklin, bouncing him on your hip to calm both of you.  

You heard an explosion. Then felt the aftershock of another. 

A moment passed… nothing happened. Not that you would know, for all you could make out were their directions.

Then, in your earpiece, you heard Ben curse.

“He’s going for Franklin!” Sue yelled.

“Y/N, retreat!” Johnny screamed, his voice cracking over the comms, his voice nearly drowned out by a sudden, closer explosion that shook the building.

Each tremor was closer than the last, and your stomach dropped, knowing that it was Galactus trampling through buildings to get to Franklin—to you. 

With adrenaline pumping in your ears, all the light from outside vanished as the doomsday fortifications slid into place.

Franklin started to cry, likely sensing your panic and helplessness. As Herbie zipped toward the elevator, you fought to steady your hands, placing Franklin into his cradle and sealing the visor shut.

You were only human, hardly protected by anything but an old suit that Sue could no longer fit into, and a blaster holstered to your thigh. But what could a gun do against a cosmic deity?

You hurried after Herbie toward the elevator as Franklin’s cries grew louder, rising with each rushed step.

Suddenly, the windows shattered before the elevator doors could open. Galactus's massive hand reached in and plucked you and Franklin, still in his cradle, straight out of the building.

You screamed as Galactus lifted you four hundred stories above the ground, your body weightless and arms locked desperately around Franklin’s cradle—the only thing between you and oblivion.

That was until you were hit with a cosmic blast, a ray of energy that you couldn't see, only feel. It stung and bubbled across your skin like acid rain, seeping into your cells with a fizzling burn. The air was sharp with the taste of ozone, and the metallic tang clung to your tongue. It paralyzed you, etching another blare of pain from your throat as Franklin was pried from your grasp.

The baby cried for you, for help, so loudly that you began to sob in return.

“My salvation.” Galactus’s voice rumbled through every atom, pressing down on you.

“Stop!” you screamed, helpless as you watched Galactus open the cradle, gently bringing Franklin out of it and into his palm.

All you could think about was how desperately you’d failed Franklin and his family. Your chest heaved for air, your eyes wide as tears escaped your ducts. The atoms were pressing around you, and it felt like you were suffocating.

Death. You saw death. A bright light, a few seconds into the future.

In your last moments, as your eyelids grew heavy, you hazily watched Galactus turn his attention toward you. Glowing purple eyes, like a void, seemed to gaze into the inner machinations of your soul.

“How strange,” Galactus stated with a tinge of amusement, his voice rattling the damaged beams and broken glass behind you. “Perhaps I can make use of you—”

Snap! 

You felt something break within yourself. It was violent. But it was quick…painless. Then, you were immaterial, out of your body, somewhere you’d never been before. Bodyless, formless, standing before a golden orb that filled the void. Its particles flowing all around you. 

Worthless. That was your final thought. Disposed of like vermin, an inconvenience, like the billions of lives on this planet that would soon join you. You were merely a pheasant shot down during a fox hunt. Your death was purely a surplus. Collateral. 

The gentle presence calmed you. A light to lead you back where you were needed.

Suddenly, you felt solid ground beneath your feet, although you couldn’t see.

You steadied yourself, reaching up to touch your face, still damp with tears, keeping your gaze on the billowing golden light.

“Am I dead?” you managed to sound.​

“You are in flux.”

A deep, female voice replied from the golden mass, the particles stirring in response, moving closer to you.

“What are you?” you asked, taking a step back. 

“I am from beyond.” 

You glanced around, instinctively looking for an escape, before an invisible force pulled your head back forward. 

“Do not be afraid,” it soothed, each word resonating with a celestial harmony. “I am here to help.”

“Whats going on?” you whispered, holding your hands out in front of you and turning them over. Your skin glittered with a particle you couldn’t classify. “I don’t understand—”

"You can serve a greater purpose to wield a power few will ever achieve. The potential for more is within you, and you have been chosen,” The entity spoke with an ethereal cadence, as if each syllable was imbued with ancient wisdom.

“What is it?”

“An ancient magic.” 

“I need more of an explanation than that.”

“You will understand in time.”

“Why me?”

“Your heart is untainted.” The golden mass swayed slightly. “A rarity”

You almost scoffed.

“Believe me or not, young one, it’s far beyond your comprehension. You are the key that will help bring balance to the multiverse, no matter the path you take. We do not have much time. The force awakening within you is rare, but not unheard of.”

“Force?”

“We would prefer to cross paths when you are more mature.” It almost sighed. “But we are in the process of mending an incursion.” 

You were unsure whether to take that as an insult or not. At your hesitation, the golden light particles began to surround you.

“What do you choose, Y/N?” It echoed in question, waiting but impatient. “Do you desire eminence over life, or dominion over death?”

Death’s embrace felt so alluring. But what purpose would you find in death?

“Life.”

The being hummed in approval, and for a moment, you felt complete and utter bliss as the light flowed into you, soaking into your veins and mingling with your blood. It felt like a kiss from God himself, the hug of a thousand angels welcoming you home. Even if it was death, you could die satisfied.

The light was no longer surrounding you, but inside of you.

“You will have no recollection of this deal.” Its words reverberated through your mind. In the back of your consciousness, you felt a strange tingling, but it went unnoticed as your hands fell to your sides, your skin still buzzing with the warmth.

“Why?” You asked in panic. “Will I ever know?”

“When the time is right.”

In your last exhale, you uttered, “Thank you.”

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ🛸༄˖°.

As you fell, Johnny immediately caught you.

He could hardly breathe, in a panic-riddle daze as he retreated with your limp body in his arms. Hastily, he brought you inside a leveled building for shelter, laying you down as if you were made of glass. 

You felt changed. From one touch he could sense it. 

Gently, and still on fire, Johnny reached for your hair and brushed it away from your closed eyes, untangling the messy strands from your eyelashes. His fire did not burn you, even though it melted the destruction around you.

You were different, and he didn’t know if you would ever forgive him for being too late. 

“I’m sorry.. I’m  sorry…” he whispered, rambling on as his eyes scoured you for any injuries. Nothing, nothing but your peaceful expression, your perfect skin, and the faint, yet steady, beat of your heart. 

You were alive, and that was what mattered. And when you would eventually wake up, he just hoped you would understand that it was all for you. 

His flames fizzled out, and the roar followed, leaving him hunched over you in an eerie silence. 

“I have to break our promise, Y/N,” he said for nobody but himself, to ease that burden, to stop the fear rising in his chest, to remind himself that this was for you and his family. You had already done so much for them, and it was his time to repay that favor.

With tears welling in his eyes, with every atom in his body screaming to stay, Johnny gently pressed his lips to your forehead. 

For you, he would gladly sacrifice his own life. Not that he wanted to, no, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you if given the chance. But that didn’t seem likely.

One last time, Johnny reached for you and curled your body into his. He inhaled your scent, and relished in the warmness of your being. A sob raked through him, as he cried into your shoulder, wishing you could talk to him, wishing you could comfort him or give him advice like you always did. 

It wasn’t fair. He just wanted to be with you, and he may never be able to live that wish. 

“I love you.”

He kissed your cheek, resting his forehead against the side of your face. His tears fell against the fabric of your suit, but you didn’t stir. 

“I’m sorry for not telling you sooner, I’m sorry for being such an idiot.” He kissed you on the lips, wishing you would kiss him back one last time. 

“Please forgive me.” 

Johnny had to save his family. His nephew. His love, you.

He would fight until your last breath.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ🛸༄˖°.

When you finally snapped awake minutes later, you were lying on the ground floor, in the midst of chunks of rubble, but cradling you was a pile of soft, fine sand.

Your heart knew that it was Johnny's doing.

As you steadied yourself, you pawed at the sand, sliding it through your fingers. You couldn’t remember what happened, numbly taking in your surroundings, apprehensively moving your neck in soothing circles.

Finally standing  up, you stumbled slightly. But there was no pain; your muscles felt more alive and sturdy than ever.

Then, your earpiece crackled.

“Tell Franklin that uncle Johnny loves him.”

The silence was deafening, the trepidation sinking deep within your gut.

“…And tell Y/N that I'm sorry.”

Barely awake, you panicked at Johnny’s words, stepping over chunks of rubble and climbing over a broken wall and out onto the street. No, no—anything but that. What did he mean? 

It was empty, but you searched and searched for them, racing down city block after city block. There was no distant rumbling of Johnny’s flames, there were no voices, movements, or even a cry from Franklin.  Your heart was pounding, your body was shaking, and your worst fears were threatening to become a reality.

Tears were streaming down your face at that point but you continued to sprint past the fatigue, running faster than you ever had before, screaming Johnny’s name without realizing it.  

Until finally, a few blocks down, you spotted them huddled up together.

Alive.

Your shoulders slumped forward in relief, your knees threatening to buckle. 

“Johnny!” you cried, starting to run again, but you just couldn’t. 

At the sound of your voice, he turned, squeezing his sister’s shoulder before darting over to you.

He met you before you stumbled, letting you lean against him to muster up the rest of your strength.  As you caught your breath, his eyes grazed over your body for any injuries. There was blood on your suit, but otherwise, you looked okay, not a scratch on your face, as beautiful as he had left you.

“How are you feeling?” he asked softly. 

Finally, you lifted your head, meeting his perfect blue eyes that were wide with an indescribable emotion of surprise and relief, as if he had finally seen you, an oasis in his desert. But his eyelids were red and raw, a type that could only come from crying. 

There was still so much uncertainty racing through your mind, but you were certain that Johnny had cried for you. Whatever the hell just happened had changed you. Maybe he thought you were dead, maybe you had been. But that didn’t excuse the sacrifice he had intended to make. 

Johnny was a lot of things, but he was also selfless, he always put those he loved first. And you had almost lost him because of it. 

“Please say something,” he urged, reaching for you. But before he could, you raised your hand and slapped him across the face.

It wasn’t harsh, but harsh enough to silence the entire family. That slap was more than just a scolding; it carried the weight of your fear and relief. You were angry, but also happy, and you didn’t know how to handle it.

Maybe Johnny should have realized that sooner, but he was just relieved to see you unharmed and awake. Nothing else mattered. 

“Don’t you ever try to do something like that again!!” you yelled, but when he reached for you anyway, the frustration turned into sadness, and you began to sob violently. 

Tears began to freely stream down your face, and Johnny gently wiped them away with his gloves.

“Stop crying for me,” he said. “I’m right here.” 

You threw your arms around his neck in apology, stifling a sob into his chest. You practically melted into him as his arms encircled you tightly, as if it would be possible for anything to take you away from him. 

“You promised me, Johnny,” you reminded, tone softer, sadder.

“I know,” he whispered. “I know.”

“Are you alright?” Johnny questioned, hand caressing the back of your head as he held you against him. You were trembling for him and his safety. 

“I think so,” you said, voice muffled against his chest. “You’re still here.”

Your words caused Johnny’s yearning for you to pang even deeper.

Once you pulled away, you gazed up at him sheepishly. “I’m sorry for slapping you, I-”

“It's okay,” Johnny interrupted. “I shouldn't have broken our promise, after all.”

“Never again,” you said, firmly. 

“I swear.”

With one last look, your attention quickly turned to Sue and Reed, cradling a newly content Franklin, who was cooing softly, gripping onto his mother’s shoulder. You broke away from his hold and joined them.

“What was that about?” Ben asked, leaning down to mumble into Johnny’s ear.

“I don’t know, but it was hot,” he chuckled, gaining a nudge of approval from Ben before they joined the rest of the group.

As you bent down next to Sue, she smiled at you. Somehow, you could sense that Sue had died. But she was revived. You felt similarly, for some unexplainable reason. The two of you gazed at each other before she finally spoke.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” she asked. “There’s not a scratch on you.”

Diagnostically, Reed was also watching your every move. Something had happened to you while he was distracted. He couldn’t quite explain it, but it was something unique. Why the planet conqueror hadn't killed you, he couldn't quite figure out. 

As Reed absently adjusted his suit, his eyes caught a fleeting reading on his handheld device—an energy spike at 9.8 terajoules—it was something strange, something different. Quietly, he pocketed the data, deciding to analyze it further when calmer heads prevailed.

“What happened up there, Y/N?” Reed asked, his tone softer.  His gut told him that those strange readings had to do with you.

Hesitantly, you glanced at all of them, your eyes eventually settling on Franklin.

You were protecting him. You were…

The last thing you remembered was pain, the dark, and the endless purple glow of Galactus’s eyes.

There was nothing, only a void that threatened to consume you. But it didn’t.

“I… I don’t know-” You words stopped short. 

For the first time in a long time, you were speechless. 

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ🛸༄˖°.

Within days, the city had been rebuilt. The people moved on fast, yet a part of you couldn’t. No matter how badly you wanted to pretend, things were different for you. Even if you went through the motions, busying yourself with miscellaneous tasks to take your mind off of it all, that ever-present voice haunted you, echoing in the quiet spaces between your thoughts.

Death was no longer a stranger in your life. 

But even then, it wasn’t fully there. It was fuzzy, on the tip of your tongue, as if someone had reached into your brain and severed any possible fragment. 

And behind your eyelids, a golden light danced. It didn’t taunt, it was warm, beckoning, but impossible to name. Your mind was a blank canvas, interrupted only by fleeting, tangled flashes that left you reaching for meaning.

Galactus and his voice—Franklin’s screams. How you had felt insubstantial and powerless.

Your weakness.

Your death.

Your rebirth.

At night, you would wake drenched in sweat, your muscles and bones aching for familiarity. Every breath you took felt precious. The phantom pains were the worst part, as you couldn’t recall what caused the injuries your flesh remembered, but not your mind.

But as the weeks passed, you started to feel better, the nightmares were few and far between, and you were grateful for each moment you could spend with Johnny and his family.

Tonight, you and Johnny had opted for a lazy night in. You had drifted off to sleep as a movie Johnny had already seen a hundred times played in the background.

“The best part is coming up, Y/N,” he whispered, nudging you gently with his arm but keeping his attention focused on the tv. It didn’t wake you. 

Over the movie’s chatter, he hardly caught your whimper, a sound sharp with fear, not the playful kind he loved to coax from you.

Johnny gently pulled the blanket higher, thinking you were cold. But as he shifted, your hand latched tighter to his shirt, anchoring him to you.

“No!” you suddenly groaned in frustration.

Johnny stilled, finally peeling his eyes away from the tv to peer down at you. “No what, babe?” he asked, wondering if you were just groggy and talking in your sleep.

“He’s…” You twitched; your eyes were moving incredibly fast. “He’s just…a baby…” You forced out, starting to pant heavily, your grip loosening then tightening into a fist so hard you almost scratched his skin.​ 

“Y/N,” Johnny called your name in a soft tone, and the hand that wasn’t curled underneath you reached out to brush the hair away from your face.

But his touch only made you grimace, and more twitches jolted through your body. Your chest expanded in deep gasps before a broken cry escaped from you. 

“Hey,” Johnny said, untangling himself from your clutches and hovering over you, shaking you a bit more firmly.  “Wake up!”

“S-Stop!” you cried, jolting awake, thrashing as if fighting off invisible hands. 

“I’m dead, I died!” you screamed in fear, clinging to Johnny’s arms, desperate to feel grounded, and he held firm, soothing you with quiet words, guiding you gently back to the cushion.

You stared at him, eyes wide and haunted, breath coming in ragged bursts as if you’d glimpsed something from beyond. For a moment, Johnny thought your eyes glimmered with an unfamiliar light—but maybe it was just the TV’s glow caught in your tears.

“Y/N, look at me,” he brushed the hair away from your suddenly slick forehead. “It’s okay, you’re here, you’re alive, this is real.​"

He cupped your jaw, drawing your face to his, waiting patiently as your breath slowed and your body finally softened into his embrace.

Your hands burned, heat pulsing through your skin until your whole body felt ablaze. Was it fever, or something stranger stirring inside you?

“Johnny…” You finally whispered, still in a daze. Meeting his eyes, your lip quivered. “Did I wake you?”

“Are you alright?” he asked, pulling away to let you sit up in his lap. He watched you carefully, waiting for you to respond.

“Just a nightmare…” You murmured, voice thin as you swallowed the truth. You could barely face it yourself, let alone burden him with it.

But the way he looked at you made it impossible to hide anything from him. There was so much worry in his expression. 

He was there, steadfast, ready to catch you if you fell. And you were. 

“Tell me later,” Johnny said, his eyes leaving your face for a moment to look down the hallway, sensing that the two of you were no longer alone.

Around the corner, the rest of the family had been aroused by your screams, lingering around the corner in a mix of panic and curiosity. 

​“Just a nightmare guys!” Johnny shouted. “Everything’s okay, I got it handled.”

You shook your head, murmured an apology, and melted back into Johnny’s arms.

Relief washed over you, thick and sweet, as sleep tugged at your eyelids.

“Thank you,” you mumbled into his chest.

“I won't leave your side, Y/N.” Johnny promised. “Have only sweet dreams this time.”

He was real. You were alive. You breathed in his scent and let your heartbeat match his, drifting back to sleep to the steady drum of his chest.

A few minutes later, Reed walked into the living room.

“Is she okay?” He asked Johnny quietly, in a conscious effort not to wake you.

Though Johnny nodded, he couldn’t help but feel that you weren’t telling him the whole truth. Your slumber-addled smile told him you were content, but that didn’t speak of the past. You never exaggerated, but your true thoughts were shrouded. It took immense effort on his part to make you feel safe, especially after all that happened. He didn't think you remembered everything, but you had a habit of bottling things in.

The archived trauma was now rearing its head in your dreams—the dreams that made you scream, the change in your demeanor, and your apprehension. 

All he wanted was to help you.

“She had a nightmare, but I think it was a memory,” he paused, remembering the words you had mumbled, the fear in your voice. “From Galactus.”

Your breathing remained steady.

With concern etched in his expression, Johnny met Reed’s eyes. It hurt him that you were struggling, and it hurt that you couldn’t tell him. If Johnny couldn’t help you,  he desperately needed someone else to.

“She said that she died.”

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ🛸༄˖°.

A few days later, Sue was the one to get the truth out of you.

The boys were out helping the civilians rebuild. Sue had wandered around the building, still finding spots that needed renovation. As a creature of habit, she had expected to find you in the lab, but you weren’t there.

Instead, you were cuddled up on the couch again, reading a textbook with a vinyl playing quietly in the background. You were so engrossed that you only lifted your head when you heard Franklin sniffle.

When he saw you, he reached his little hands out and pawed at the air, face squishing as if he was about to cry again.

“He wants to see you,” Sue said calmly, seeming to know exactly what her son wanted. “Is that okay?”

“Of course,” you replied, shifting into a more comfortable position and outstretching your arms. “Any reason why?”

You couldn’t admit you’d spent the last few hours crying while they were gone. The uncertainty gnawed at you, wearing you down until your thoughts felt frayed and thin.

But the second Franklin was nestled in your arms, your anxiety disappeared.

“That, I assume,” She replied. “He likes you.”

We have been through a lot together. You wanted to say. But somehow, you knew that Franklin understood that as he melted into your arms, suckling on his thumb.

“You and Reed need some alone time?” you asked, assuming they would ask you to watch him for a while.

“No actually,” Sue laughed. “I’ve learned that you're one of the only things that makes him stop crying.”

“I wonder why.” you spoke aloud, gazing down at Franklin, who was now sleeping peacefully in your arms.

“Because you’re family,” Sue said.

Hearing her say that caused you to stiffen. Your eyes met hers, wary, as if bracing for a joke that never came.

“I-” you started, but couldn't speak.

“Johnny is out of the equation right now.” She smiled. “You’re one of my best friends and I can’t imagine my life without you in it. So please, you can tell me anything, okay?”

“Even if I say I’m in love with your brother?”

She snickered, trying not to wake Franklin. “I already know that.”

“Thank you, Sue,” you said, and you meant it.

“Will you tell me what’s bothering you?” she asked softly, but then her tone shifted. “If it has to do with my brother I swear-”

“No, not at all,” you interrupted with a smile. But it took you a moment to decide what to say next and to understand what was actually bothering you. The dreams, supposed memories. Your smile faded.

“I just feel different,” you admitted. “And I’m not sure why.”

“You did experience a lot.”

“I think I died, Sue.”

The air felt thicker, the silence grew louder. It felt better to speak your theory out loud, to get it off your chest. And when you met her eyes, you felt your lip threaten to quiver.

“Like you did.”

All she did was look at you. One and the same. It would have been impossible for you to know that otherwise. Franklin stirred in your arms but did not wake. Your voice hushed further for his sake.

“I know something is different, but I don't know what. And it's eating me alive.”

“We will figure it out,” Sue assured, in a similar way that Johnny would, with pure determination.

For you. In the same way you would for them.

“You believe me?”

“Why wouldn't I?”

You shrugged.

“Crazier things have happened.”

Later that night, when Johnny, Reed, and Ben sauntered back home, they found you and Sue sprawled out and sleeping on the couch, with Franklin in between the two of you. There were empty wine glasses and popcorn still on the table, and your textbook was open on the floor beside you.

“Have a fun night with my sister?” Johnny asked, hoisting you into his arms with a dramatic grunt.

“Yes,” you giggled quietly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Waiting for you to get home.”

With a grin, he brought you into his freshly renovated room, kicking the door shut behind him. It smelled of fresh paint, definitely not of Johnny. But it would do. It looked almost identical.

As he set you down on the bed, you sighed, sinking into the mattress like it was heaven after a week on the couch. The overhead lights blinked off, leaving only his bedside lamp glowing a deep orange.

Shortly after, Johnny snuggled in beside you, pulling the covers over your body. He didn't have to ask, and neither did you. Both of you had craved a moment like this for so long.

“Wanna tell me about your dream?” Johnny asked, snaking one arm around your waist and pulling you against his chest.”

A chuckle escaped you before it was replaced with a pout. Even just thinking about it frustrated you. As Johnny gazed at you, his expression morphed into complete seriousness. All he wanted to do was understand, to help. You weren’t alone.

“You said that you died.”

Your nose brushed his as your hand found his cheek. Confusion still tangled inside you, fear of the truth and the part of you that felt changed. You wanted to trust your instincts—and Johnny. You needed to.

“I think I did…” You said, taking a moment to formulate anything of substance. But there really wasn’t anything, no proof, no evidence, no memory. Your thumb brushed across his stubble, your eyes meeting his. “But somehow I’m here.”

Knowing you had actually died, made Johnny feel sick. He couldn't help but feel like it was his fault. He should have never let you help… he should have listened to his gut. But it was you that insisted, it was your free will that he had no right to take away.

Seeing you like this was hard. You hadn’t been yourself the last few weeks, and he knew it was because you were frustrated and scared. It felt weird piecing everything back together— literally, physically, and emotionally.

“I don't remember anything. But I have a deep discomfort, a scrambled memory. There’s nothing. What I whispered in my sleep, I can't remember.”

As Johnny soaked in your words, his hand enveloped yours, bringing your wrist to his lips, where he kissed it softly. “Just tell me what you’re thinking.”

Swallowing hard, you nodded gently. This was hard for you, not being able to understand your own mind. “I can't help but feel that I'm supposed to forget.”

“Forget what?”

“What happened to me,” you clarified.

Instead of shying away, Johnny stayed close. In unspoken words, you knew what he wanted to ask. He was there. He was real.

“I’m different now, and I don't know why or how.” Your breath escaped you. “Science can't explain it away.”

“Ill always be here and nothing will change that,” he whispered, tugging you closer to him. 

“Promise?”

“Of course.”

But his touch, his breathing, his heartbeat, made your eyelids droop. Just as you figured, Johnny Storm was your cure, your safe haven.

“I’ll…” you yawned. “Tell you when… I figure it out.. Okay?”

As you drifted off, you thought you heard him mumble his affirmation, but his presence was always enough. Just having him in your life was enough.

“Sheesh, you’re hot,” Johnny mumbled.

“Says you,” you managed to groan back.

“I’m not kidding,” he sighed, wrapping his arms around you again. “But I'm not complaining.”

“Johnny,” you whimpered sleepily into the pillow. “Please let me sleep.”

“Alright,” he replied, chuckling slowly as he pressed a kiss into your hair.  

Leaning into it, you felt a smile pulling across your features. You could barely open your eyes. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“God,” he mumbled into his pillow, right beside your ear. “I love it when you hold me to things.”

That same promise, that same memory, finally lulled you to a peaceful sleep. And for the first time in weeks, there wasn’t a nightmare.

Instead, you dreamed of another world, one where the sun pulsed with living golden light, and as you danced beneath it, that same light poured into your veins.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ🛸༄˖°.

A week later, as you were walking down the street with Ben, flashes of that dream blazed through your mind. They came in waves, forcing you to pause at the corner even as the crosswalk turned green.

Grocery duty had fallen to you both, but you embraced it, eager for the excuse to wander the city and breathe in the crisp, open air.

Ben glanced down, catching a fleeting, peaceful smile on your lips. After endless hours cooped up in the lab, even a simple grocery run felt like a grand adventure.

But then he noticed it—the subtle twitch of your eyebrow, your eyelids fluttering shut, as if recoiling from something unseen.

You stopped short in the middle of the crosswalk, frozen for just a heartbeat.

Inside, you were paralyzed, mind overtaken by an unseen force. Wisps of gold danced before your eyes, a gentle voice whispering comfort, even as ruin hovered at the edge of your world.

You are the key that will help bring balance to the multiverse.

“You alright, Y/N?” Ben asked, grasping onto your arm and pulling you to the other side of the street. He set both of his hands on your shoulders to steady you.

At the motion, you gasped yourself back into reality. As your vision cleared, you blinked, finally focusing on Ben. “W-what?”

“You spaced out there, kid.” His hands dropped away. “Has that happened before?”

“I don’t think so…” A moment passed as you reflected on what you saw. Deep in your heart, you knew it was a clue; a repressed memory that was clawing it ways to the forefront of your mind. But it wasn’t complete, and you could only assume it was from the day you died. 

“You should really let Reed run some tests on you,” Ben sighed, knowing what memory you were referring to without having to speak it again into existence. “Just to be safe."

As the two of you entered the grocery store, you nodded, grabbing a grocery basket. “I will when we get back. But…”

“But what?” Ben asked.

“You have to make dinner then.”

He rolled his eyes. “As if that wasn’t already the plan.”

Leaving the store with arms overflowing with snacks, you watched Ben grumble good-naturedly, balancing nearly thirty bags across his broad back as if they weighed nothing.

You skipped ahead, prompting Ben to shake his head with a chuckle. “You’re lucky I like you,” he teased.

“I deserve it!”

“You just had to choose the most expensive steak, and lobsters? Surf and Turf Saturdays are not going to be a regular thing!”

“It’s not like you’re strapped for cash!” you shot back, quickening your pace to match his stride.

“Fair enough, but spending this type of money on you is Johnny's job, not mine.”

You stuck your tongue out at him. “But you’re the better cook.”

“Johnny can pay for it,” he grumbled. “But, I could help him cook it.”

“Deal,” you giggled.

You and Ben turned onto a new block, taking a different route than before.

“It’s more scenic,” he joked, nodding toward the construction ahead. “They’re building something new, wanna check it out?”

“Sure!”

That something new happened to be a towering sculpture that honored the Fantastic Four and their victory over Galactus. Instead of replacing the old bank building that used to be on this block, they were going to make expectations for much needed greenspace. The area was already buzzing in anticipation for the grand opening. 

And of course, you immediately wanted to tease Ben about it. He always got so bashful over compliments. 

But before you could, the construction crew spotted Ben’s towering frame and erupted into cheers. You couldn’t help but snort, rolling your eyes at their antics.

“What's good big fella?” One of them asked, simultaneously extending his arm over the barrier for a handshake.

After addressing Ben, he turned to you. Both of you smiled at the same time.

“No way that’s you, Kurt!” you laughed loudly.

“Ohhh look who decided to grace us with her pretty little face today! What’s it been, about five months?”

“Not too harsh now,” you chuckled, brandishing the brown paper bag under your peacoat. “I brought drugs.”

“Aye, it’s those cookies that Richie’s kid loves.”

“He only likes them when Y/N buys them, I told you that!” He smacked him upside the head.

You laughed, passing the cookies over. “Stay warm out here, alright?”

“Say, that Storm kid got his grubby lil hands on ya yet doll face?”

“Yeah he did, dumbass,” you shot back, rolling your eyes to mask the flustered expression that threatened to cross your face. “And I’m having a hell of a time!” 

“Richie, tell your nephew he’s gotta compete with Johnny now!” They burst out into laughter.

“Crush their dreams while they’re young,” Ben muttered, shaking his head.

“Look at her, too!” Richie teased. “Never thought I’d see her blushing like that.” 

Once the laughter died down, Kurt shook his head as he opened the cookie bag and began passing them around. “Say, Y/N, since you’re canoodling with Johnny now, you think you could get us something else besides cookies?”

You deadpanned. “You get paid more than me, Kurt.”

“Ah, worth a shot,” he chuckled. “Well listen sweetheart, me and boys would love to see you on the screen again. Mr. Richards better know how big of a star he has on his hands.”

“I was saying she was a smart cookie!” Richie cackled.

You rolled your eyes at every compliment, but laughter left your stomach aching. “You’re too much!” you called, leaning on the barricade to linger in their company a little longer.

Ben realized this and stood off to the side, only listening to your conversation, even chuckling to himself from the natural banter.

They were old neighbors, old friends, from a life you lived before you took the job for the Fantastic Four. You hardly spoke of your past, but it was clear you were loved before you waltzed into their lives. 

Ben had just finished the cigarette that he bummed off one of your friends before you joined his side again.

You instinctively waved a hand in front of your nose, scrunching your face at the lingering smoke.

Ben only smirked, shaking his head with a knowing glint in his eye, as if privy to a secret you’d never guess.

“What?” you asked, rolling your eyes.

“Still got it in ya, huh?”

“Oh?” you scoffed. “That’s just Kurt."

“Glad to see you’re feeling better,” Ben added sincerely, with a soft expression despite the harshness of his features.

“They took care of me back then,” you admitted with a slight smile. “They’re some good men… But don’t ever tell them I like their wives better. Always fed me on cold nights.”

You didn’t elaborate, and Ben didn’t ask. You both appreciated the quiet understanding. You didn’t know everything about each other, but it was enough to feel like family. No matter what had happened, Ben thought you had a good head on your shoulders. You were good for Johnny, for Sue, and for Reed.

You were his friend, someone he’d protect with his life. Not just for Johnny, but because he genuinely liked you. Honestly, that knucklehead didn’t deserve an angel like you.

Eventually, the crosswalk blinked green. As you and Ben turned to head home, a sudden shout rang out down the street—a voice you instantly recognized as Richie’s.

Immediately, your entire frame snapped backwards, and if you had been carrying any groceries, you would have dropped them.

Overhead, something enormous shuddered, then snapped. The crack echoed down the block, paralyzing everyone but you. Time seemed to slow, your own movements stretching into eternity.

You didn't even realize you were sprinting toward them until you heard Ben’s voice above the chaos.

“Y/N, NO!” Ben yelled, but you were already under the beam, and so was he. The precious groceries lay strewn across the pavement, and your hands were outstretched to Kurt, with what little protection, however futile, you could provide.

The breath in your lungs escaped in a gasp.

Ben’s massive frame quaked as he caught the beam on his shoulders. The crash made you shudder while dust and debris rained down, knotting in your hair and sticking to your clothes.

“Hurry, dammit!” Ben cursed in tension.

Blinking the dust out of your vision, you saw that Kurt, Richie, and the others were alright. You reached out to Kurt in an attempt to pull him free. But as he grasped your hand, a scream left his lips.

Still, you managed to pull him free with the help of Richie and his crew. Once everyone was out of distance from the rogue scaffolding, you turned to Kurt.

“You okay?” you asked gently, partially because you were still in shock, and because you could hardly stomach the blood.

“Think my leg’s broken,” he coughed, now covered in soot. You were too, but you pulled his jeans up, and saw the bone sticking out.

“Fucking hell!” he cursed, raising his wrist to his mouth and biting down to suppress another yell.

“I-It's going to be alright!” you assured, already scanning your surroundings for anything to splint with. “I’ll stop the bleeding and we’ll get you to a hospital real quick."​

“What the hell even happened?” one of the other guys muttered beside you.

The ground rumbled as Ben set the beam back against the street, out of harm's way. He approached you, and the group huddled around.

“Is anyone else injured?” you asked, nodding in thanks as someone handed you some plywood and a t- shirt. Hurriedly, you tore the shirt into a longer strip and began wrapping it around his thigh as a tourniquet.  

Gently, as you steadied the boards around his broken ankle, you pressed your palm against the underside of his leg, directly against his skin.

You fumbled with the cloth, as you’d never even applied a tourniquet before, and you prayed internally, in a haze from all the blood, from the fragility of humans. The fragility of your own life.

“Shit!” you whimpered, second-guessing yourself. “Did anyone call an ambulance yet?”

Unbeknownst to you, your hands began to glow, too busy trying to save your friend to notice, Your whole body blazed with energy, mind racing and unable to separate the heat from your adrenaline. 

Since nobody answered you about the ambulance, you finally looked up to find that the pain had vanished from Kurt’s face. Now, his eyes were open and wide, just staring at you, as if he didn’t know what to do or what to say. 

Fuck, was he going to pass out? 

“When the hell were ya gonna tell us you can do that?” Kurt finally said, before an awestruck laugh escaped him. 

Confusion twisted your expression. “Do what?"

Then you glanced down—his ankle was healed, as if it had never been broken. Only the blood on your hands and clothes remained as proof.

“I…” you paused, glancing up at Ben. “Didn’t know I could do that.”

“Try and heal this cut,” Richie butted in, holding his arm out to you. Hesitantly, you reached your hand out. The moment your fingers made contact with his skin, the cut seemed to bubble into nothingness. 

“Holy shit girl!” Someone cheered in disbelief.

“Let’s get you home,” Ben said, offering his arm. There was a warning in his voice, and you understood. As you took it, you scanned the street, relieved the press hadn’t arrived.​

“Y-yeah,” you replied, also helping Kurt up in the process. He squeezed your hand before you turned away.

“Thank you, Y/N.” Kurt nodded, the look in his eyes confirming that he wouldn’t speak a word of it until you were ready. Just like when you were a kid.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ🛸༄˖°.

Johnny, Reed, and Sue tried to greet you as you entered the kitchen. But the expression on your face left them speechless.

You brushed past them, immediately retreating to the living room that had a spare chalkboard. You discarded your coat and scarf on the couch beside you.  

Slowly, Ben entered after, sighing as he set the groceries on the counter. He gestured to you, still in disbelief. “We have something to show you guys.”

Johnny was the first to approach you. “What’s going on Y/N?” he questioned apprehensively, as he’d never seen you so perplexed, so lost. 

“I-I don’t know,” you managed to reply, picking up a piece of chalk and jotting down any formula that came to mind. Healing. Regeneration. There had been plenty of research, more theories than you could possibly remember, yet nothing had ever been proven. 

How could science even begin to explain all of this?

You had just made the impossible possible. Before your own eyes, with your own hands. If only you could remember, that was all you needed—

“You will understand in time.”

That voice seared through the layers of your subconscious again, like a warning, and it caused your face to contort in discomfort, confusion, and denial. Even after weeks, your memory of that day remained a patchwork of missing fragments.

All but few. 

Time. 

Something there would never be enough of, something a mere human could not understand.  

A different path, a frayed version of reality. 

Everyone was silent as you worked, just watching, frozen in the places you left them, concerned but refusing to speak until you calmed down.

Eventually, as you frantically scribbled your thoughts onto the chalkboard, with darting eyes and twitching hands, Reed came to stand behind you, next to Johnny.

That burning sensation crept along the palms of your hands as you finally finished, drawing a deep, thick line around your answer—nothing.

This wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be your doing, it had to be a fluke. None of it made sense. Magic wasn’t real.

“Regeneration?” Reed asked quizzically, eyes falling on you for an answer.

After another long moment of silence, Johnny set his hand on your shoulder, guiding you to turn around and face him.

There was a frown upon your face, and your eyes continued to avoid his.

“What happened, Y/N?” he finally asked.

The answer, the words were caught in your throat, unable to escape. You were scared, not wanting to accept this reality, not when it could change everything, not when the life you were comfortable with would no longer be the same.

The Fantastic Four were the only humans on this planet with superhuman abilities. From a cosmic blast in space. How the hell did this happen to you?

“She healed someone’s broken leg.” Ben finally said. He spoke for you, but you didn’t mind. It still didn’t feel real.

Sue raised an eyebrow, rounding the kitchen counter to join the rest of you, bouncing Franklin on her hip. “How?”

“I just touched him,” you choked out. “I was trying to apply a tourniquet.”

Ben continued. “Then her hands started to glow.”

In bewilderment, Reed’s hand came to cover his mouth. A deep sigh escaped him as he tried to make sense of it all. Johnny glanced between the two smartest people he knew, disconcerted that both of you had no explanation.

“But I tested you, nothing has changed… the results came back negative,” Reed responded anxiously, frustrated at himself for not catching it.

Ben sighed. “I just got her to agree to more testing.”

“It’s fine Reed,” you assured, even though you were afraid. “This isn’t something the science we know can explain.”

“Of course it can!” Reed tossed his hands up. “I must have missed something, I’m sorry.”

“There are still some things we can try,” Sue reminded gently. “If Y/N is up to it.”

Franklin giggled in what you presumed to be agreement, his tiny hands reaching out to you, calming you for a moment.

“Did the press get wind of this?” Johnny asked.

“Nah,” Ben replied. “Got out of there before anyone else saw.”

“Just some old friends... they won’t say anything,” you mumbled, leaning into Johnny’s arms for comfort. Tears blurred your vision. You’d created another mess for them, another layer of stress in an already impossible world.

Johnny felt your tears soak into the fabric. “Hey,” he pulled you tighter against him. “Everything will be okay. It doesn’t hurt, does it?”

“No,” you exhaled. “I promise.”

“Well figure it out, Y/N,” Sue assured gently. “It may take some time, though.”

They were always kind, even when the world made no sense. They shielded you, comforted you, stood by you. As you calmed, you breathed in Johnny’s scent, letting his warmth clear your mind.

After another deep inhale, you slightly adjusted yourself in Johnny’s arms to face them. “I feel like my mind’s been tampered with. Like something was erased…something beyond us, something different than Galactus.”

Johnny felt you stiffen beside him. “Galactus…” you swallowed hard. “Said he would make use of me.”

And then he snapped your neck.

The memory of it almost caused you to jolt in repulsion. But instead, you swallowed hard, forcing down the fear that rose within you. The silence made you uncomfortable, not knowing the answer and not being unable to do anything made you uncomfortable. 

“I need to go down to the lab-” you started, but Sue was the one to cut you off. Johnny’s grip on you tightened. 

“No, what you need is rest.” Her tone was firm, as she caught the agitation in your movements. She did not want you to adopt Reed's bad habits.  

“Give us some time to help you first,” Reed said. “Let me prepare something.” 

That convinced you well enough, but maybe it was because you truly really were exhausted. 

“We’ll start tomorrow, Y/N,” Johnny assured, rubbing your arm soothingly. “As early as you want.” 

There was no use in fighting them. They were right and had used your own logic against you.

“Fine.” You sighed in defeat, bidding them all an early night and following Johnny to his room. 

Once the door to Johnny’s room shut, Ben slumped to the couch. The silence was heavy. All of them knew it was going to be a long night. Ben and Sue were still in shock from the revelation, with Ben still trying to rationalize what he’d witnessed, what had almost happened to you and what you were now capable of. 

Reed couldn’t peel his eyes away from the gibberish you’d scribbled on the chalkboard, hand resting under his chin in a deep contemplation. None of the formulas were finished, but you were onto something about an incursion. There was a symbol he failed to recognize, one that seemed ancient. 

Technically, it didn’t make sense. But you had one of the brightest minds he’d ever come across, so it had to mean something. Or else, you would have gone completely mad. 

Sue joined Reed’s side and placed Franklin in his arms. “Maybe this little guy knows.” 

“I’m sure he does,” Reed softened as Franklin nestled against him, utterly content and curious. “He brought his mother back to life, after all.” 

That caused Sue to smile fondly at them both as she took a seat next to Ben on the couch. Eventually her eyes drifted to the board. “What else could possibly have the power to bring Y/N back to life?”

“Someone or something gave her that power,” Ben added. “It’s unlike anything we’ve seen.” 

Gesturing to the unidentifiable symbol, Reed highlighted his confirmation. “An entity not of this world” 

“Great,” Ben groaned. “Another alien?” 

“She did say it was like Galactus, but not him. Maybe someone he knows of…?” Sue trailed off, her question remaining unfinished. 

“This is all so unprecedented,” Reed sighed. “I mean, why her? She was only protecting Franklin, like the rest of us.” 

“It’s about time we considered that we don’t know everything about Y/N,” Ben said. “There must be some obvious explanation, something we’d never thought of.” 

Reed exhaled in annoyance. “I know it’s the latter, but I hate it.” To reset his thoughts, he turned his gaze back to his son.