Mirror, Mirror

“Hottie inspector? You don’t say?” Richard will play along for a moment, grinning over at Sam from across the table. It’s nice that they get moments like this. He winks playfully, appreciating that his boyfriend thinks that he’s the most attractive guy in all of the universe. There are a lot of planets and even more people living on all of them. Many communities. Some are more friendly than others but Rich helps them out regardless. Unless you’re someone trying to destroy planets anyway. He doesn’t like warlords like that. “I do think it’s fate. All my failed attempts at dating brought me to you.” He has been in several relationships over the years — Namorita and Gamora the main two that stick out. Then there was Ginger … but that was a childhood romance that didn’t last very long due to Nova taking priority. “I’m sure everyone knew before us. We’ll have to ask them sometime. Until then? We can just enjoy being here together in this moment. You and me going to all our spots.” Richard doesn’t have much left with his family since his brother is somewhere out in the galaxy with his new life, his father dead, and just his mother at home on Earth. Which is why visiting her is important. He can see how much he misses Robbie. “Yeah? I like learning about yours too. We should visit them soon as well at some point this week. How about that?”

“Space Cop.” Foggy repeated. That’s what they were and that’s what they’d get called. “Huh, small city.” Foggy grinned, “Partner’s of best friends.” he chuckled. “You must’ve known him for a long time too then?” Which probably meant a lot of romantic pining before they got together, Foggy was a sucker for a good romance. “Chocolate.” he said immediately, “Every time. And I wouldn’t go that far. I don’t think Peter would ever settle down.” Something he privately worried about but wasn’t going to share. “But I am pretty great. Just don’t ask the police for an opinion; they’re biased against me.”   

“After traveling the near ends of the universe I’ve come to realize just how small the entirety of everything is.” Sam said as he offered the other man a smile. He summed that this man must’ve been quite remarkable if he caught the eye of Peter Quill. He recalled the ways in which Quill had annoyed him in his youth, but that was a lifetime ago and he could only look back at those times as fond memories. “Perfect. You sure? I’m guessing the bias isn’t favorable since you seem to be in favor of heroes.”

“That’s because I’m the target of flattery,” he said with a flash of a grin, “not the flatterer. Please.” Not always true, of course, but Johnny did often make himself the center of attention. It had been a facade at first, but he’d been doing it for so long that it was more natural by then than whatever kind of person he’d been before the accident. Whatever kid had existed before the Human Torch had been out of the picture for a long time. 

Johnny stepped up behind him and slung an arm around Sam’s shoulder. “Now that sounds like jealousy to me. Can’t help it that it’s not your color.” 

“You’re a good man, Sam. You and Rich.” Who he’d yet to see, but should. He was working his way around. There were more familiar faces in Star City than he’d known about. “It has to feel strange to keep staying Earth-side though, doesn’t it?” Human or not, a good part of what he’d done as Nova had been in space. “If I miss it, surely you do.” So much of what he’d been able to do with the Fantastic Four was just…explore. Learn. He’d seen an endless number of marvelous, wild things all over the universe. While he had not been short of things to do and ways to occupy himself after the ban, it wasn’t the same, and he hadn’t realized just how much he was missing it until he finally looked up. 

“No excuses,” he waved it off. “I’ve been in space.” It was the reason he could burst into flame, after all. He wasn’t sure if he’d say space had been good to him, exactly, but it had been something to him. 

As for why he’d stopped beside Sam, of all people, Johnny just shrugged. “Why not? Unless you’re trying to say you’re bad company and I could find better, in which case…you might be right, but we’re already on the way in.” He flashed him a smile, clearly joking, and stepped inside to wait in line. 

His brows shot up as Sam rattled all that off. “Uh-uh. I said one drink. You can have the Frappuccino, and then I’ll watch you get sick after you drink it.” He cut his eyes toward the bakery case and, after looking at it just briefly, shrugged. “And some cake pops. For me.” 

“You’re kind of terrible at this whole flattering people you know,” Sam smirked, rolling his eyes at the hot head. “Wow, so you’re not going to get me anything that’s even remotely good.” He sighed. “It’s fine I can get my own you just worry about yourself there mate,”  he shrugged, moving from the line to one of the available seats as he waited for Johnny to end. Shooting his boyfriend a text he figured till Johnny would go to the audition to get what he wanted for himself and his partner.

“Hottest guy in all of the universe? Well that’s quite the title you’re giving me.” Richard doesn’t know if that’s true considering how many people live in the universe but he’ll accept the compliment for now. “Do you think luck has anything to do with it? What if it’s more about fate?” He might argue about that … thinking that there’s some cosmic plan in the works that brought them together. “I’m glad you confessed your feelings or else we’d still be awkwardly dancing around the truth still. We probably looked like such fools all this time, huh?” Richard doesn’t need to know what they’ve been saying … not always fond of gossip. He’s a complex man but after seeing all these different planets … that leaves you realizing how small you really are in the grand scheme of it all. “I’m also old and have been doing this for far too long. Distress calls come from all corners of the galaxy so you end up finding some of the best local spots while working. I like sharing my secrets with you.” He smiles back over at Sam, liking to have a boyfriend that he can show all of his favorite parts about space with. “You got me there but I don’t want us getting kicked out of here for being risqué.” He teases with a wink before ordering their food. He has spoken Kree so often that he speaks it perfectly. He looked back to Sam after the waiter left though and he can go back to telling his story about that damn robot his brother built once. “Just obnoxious most of the time and lived in his closet. I think mom still has it in her basement somewhere. Next time see see her I’ll show you. He’s so annoying.”

“Then reclaim it. I wasn’t thrilled with the acronym either. We fought alongside the actual Nova Corps.” Three of them had, anyway. It had been in some of the earliest days of the Four, and Johnny hadn’t been there. They’d still been aiming for something closer to a split between civilian and superhero back then. “But I believe that was before you had the helmet.” They’d managed to get themselves involved in far more galactic and intergalactic affairs than Reed could have ever imagined, often by pure chance.

His hand returned to a more normal place by his side as he turned to face Sam. “Well, I’m never one to turn down a solid look at good tech.” Though he preferred, as always, to create his own. Ideas could come from anywhere. Reed absorbed whatever he could and then made it better. “I plan to get things up and running here as soon as I can.” Hopefully not alone, but he was still working on that. 

“It might just be difficult for them to stop seeing you as a kid if that’s when they met you.” Nathan points out, looking over at the man with a raised eyebrow. He can relate on some level although his situation is the reverse problem. People expect him to be more like his older counterpart but that’s never what they get.  He’s on a different path and likes being his own person at the end of the day. “Nova Knight is a cool name.” Nathan says finally with a smile to his face. “Can we go get ice cream anyway? I could go for a few scoops of mint chocolate chip.”

“That’s annoying cause that’s when I first started my hero career, if you can even call it that,” Sam sighed, a chuckle soon came after before looking over the other. “Thanks, I got it when I became one with the magics of this cool other world. Lost that magic, but got it back again after a while. Not something I advertise cause apparently otherworldly magic is a no-no. Mint chocolate chip? I see you’re a man of culture.”

Foggy hadn’t really been listening to the guy, he’d just been taking a moment to enjoy a breather on the park bench; the disbanding of the hero act (while great) was drowning him in paperwork. But a word did catch his attention, “Wait, Nova… Are you talking about Richard Rider?” he asked, “Cause I know him, he’s best friends with my partner. Tall fella, space cop?” he gestured a little, “Does that make you a space cop too?” how many of them did they need? Actually… probably a lot. “Uhh, dinner’s probably out but I’ll take an ice cream.” he added with a smirk.

“Space Cop...” He couldn’t mean...Quill. A headache almost brewed instantly, but he tried to suppress it. “Quill,” he sighed. “Course I know the man, not many other people from Earth doing all that space stuff. Sorta makes me a space cop too, Richard’s my boyfriend.” he smiled. “I’ve known most of Richard’s friends since I was a kid actually. “Sure thing, just pick your poison and it’s yours. So you’re the famous man who made Quill, settle down. You must be amazing, since he’s a great guy himself.”

On slow nights like tonight Airen likes to take time to sit and really admire his achievements, which is what he’s doing when he notices the other male who seemed to appear out of nowhere but that could possibly be because he was paying all of his attention to the diamond necklace he just stole. He recognizes the other as a hero and he knows that he has a reputation as one of the more friendly criminals in Star City so it’s not too surprising the other just started talking to him.

“It’s all about the brand, my guy,” He tells him, unwrapping the necklace from his arm and slipping it back into his pouch. “You gotta assert your dominance. Let them all know you’re the greatest Nova to have ever Nova’d. Anytime that other guy does something you gotta go out and do it better - and make sure there are more cameras.”

He shrugs at the other’s question, not quite sure how to answer. “I’m never one to turn down food so whatever answer gets me that. You do know who I am, right? Not every day a hero like yourself just offers to chit chat.” He was a bit suspicious, mainly because he had no intention of giving back the goodies he just stole.

“The problem here is that the Nova I’m supposed to out do, is the one I’m currently doing.” Sam smirked before crossing his arms at the other man. “I want to make my name be good and not be affiliated with that weird company, but that doesn’t mean I want to take away prestige from my boyfriend.” This was complicated since he did share the name with his boyfriend, but he also didn’t want to be associated with the Nova that caused every super an insurmountable amount of trouble and worry.

“Food? Alright sure thing then we can grab something to eat. I...Not really, sorry.” His time in space left him forgetting about most of Earth’s folk, he only remembered the people he somewhat kept in touch with. “I haven’t really been doing a lot of heroics recently, just enjoying my off time, and I’m not on the clock so right now I’m just a regular guy.”

“So what food were you craving?”

The Fantastic Four, while technically and officially based in New York, had never exactly been short on off-planet adventures. Johnny had met a lot of people out in the big vacuum of space doing all manner of bizarre, sometimes heroic things. His contact list was long and it was weird. Fortunately, he was often what could be described as a motor mouth. Once he’d accepted that his abilities and the fame that came along with them meant near constant interaction with people, he just rolled with it. After years of that, he could and would talk to anyone about anything. 

He half-recognized Sam. If anyone had asked him how or from where, he couldn’t have come up with the answer. Somehow. Somewhere. That was good enough. Besides, he had nothing else to do, and his audition wasn’t for another two hours. 

“Long time no see, pal,” he greeted him, clapping a hand against his shoulder. “I was just about to walk in that shop,” he jerked his head toward the coffee place across the street, “and get one of those drinks with a too-long name. Want one? My treat.” Who turned down free stuff?

Johnny Storm was definitely one of the most note worthy members of the fantastic four, now whether or not that was good thing was subjective. Sam felt a bit like he and Johnny were similar, but maybe the hot-head was a bit more brash, but he did always pull through for his comrades, and that was something anyone could admire from the walking candle stick.  “I...sure if you could call it that. Guess being in space make it hard to keep in touch?” 

“As if you’d let me say no,” Sam smirked before heading off in the direction of the shop. These drinks were not typically his thing, but being held ransom by Johnny Storm wasn’t so bad. Least it was free. “So why’d you decide to stop me and get something to drink? You could’ve easily had anybody else around your arm? So why did your firey self decide that this was the time to hit up your old space chum?”

Reed was still acquainting himself with the city, trying to decide where the Star City chapter of the Baxter Building might be best suited. The one back home had conveniently already existed - all they’d had to do was buy it, make the inside suitable for what was needed, and move in. Now it was all starting from scratch. It would take planning, and he was searching for the right spot to begin. 

“You could always try branding,” he suggested, staring at a large, empty square lot that had been labeled for sale. Reed brought one hand up to his chest, where the “4″ logo had often been, to show what he meant. “Don’t leave any doubt. But for what it’s worth,” he turned his head to look at Sam, “some people always seem young.” Certainly, Johnny was a grown man and Reed struggled at times not to see him as Sue’s teenage brother, even when he knew better.

The other question only got a hum in response as he reached forward, extending one arm several feet beyond what any would have been capable of naturally, and patted the landscaping with his palm. “I think my day is looking up.” 

“Branding’s never really been my strong suit. Especially since Nova has already been damaged so much due to the action of a few sanctimonious bigots.” Sam sighed. “All this shit was a lot easier when I was just a kid with a powerful helmet,” at that he smiled remembering the days when everything was a lot more simple. The hectic days that stretched out before him seemed endless, but at least he had the love of his life at his side to weather them out together. 

@samlxanders

LIKED for a starter! 🧤

“Hey, Sam, ya lookin’ for someone?” Anna grinned, pausing in the doorway to the institute. Most of the X-Men were teachers there or held other positions of leadership within District X. She’d heard that Sam was there, but this was the first time she’d actually seen him with her own eyes.

Smirking faintly, she lifted her shoulder. “Ya missed all the excitement.” NOVA was finally gone. The agency itself wouldn’t be a threat to them anymore. It didn’t mean another wouldn’t rise up to replace it, Erik never ceased to remind her of that, but at the very least it afforded them a much needed break.

“You actually, I was going to ask how it feels that NOVA’s finally gone. Sorry I missed all the excitement, space stuff y’know.” Sam smiled at her, before crossing his arms. “Means I won’t get mixed up with them anymore, really tired of having to explain to common folk that I’m not part of that evil sick organization. They really couldn’t find any other name besides Nova, name stealers.” he grumbled. 

“So how’s life though, I didn’t come for business at all actually, just wanted to see how you guys were doing. Kind of sucks that mutants still get the short end of the stick every single time. I’m just waiting for the second coming of something like Nova, maybe they’ll be AVON instead this time.”

“Well, I’ll have to say it more now if that’s the case. Although, that’s not the reason I say such sweet things to you.” Richard does like getting lucky but also likes showing his boyfriend that he cares without the promise of getting anything in return. He likes to call Sam special just because he’s a secret romantic deep down. He has been in several relationships over the years but none have made him feel quite as happy as Sam makes him. They have something special, that much is true. “Smartest? You sure about that?” He could think of some of the New Warriors that were smarter than him by a mile when it comes to his friends on Terra. “I’m SPACE SMART though at least, I’ll admit that to be true. Nobody knows their way around the galaxy to find the best meal in every star system like me.” Rich playfully points toward himself.  He chuckles while leaning back in his seat. “Hey, we’re in public. We — ” He’s interrupted by the waitress comes over their table and Rich looks up to order what he wanted. His Kree is spoken perfectly as he became fluent in it over the years after spending so much time on this planet. No need for his helmet to translate. Once the waitress leaves with their orders Richard smiles back at Sam again. “I do like when we share stories about our families with each other. Here’s a new one … my brother built a Sherlock Holmes robot once when we were kids. Creepiest thing ever if you ask me.”

“Even so, you saying such sweet things to me just make everything better. Plus I can’t really control myself around you, I mean I got the hottest guy in every universe all to myself. How lucky can one get? Confessing my feelings really paid off.” Sam chuckled, fully believing that admitting all that he felt for Richard had been the best decision he’s ever made. It might’ve been in the spur of the moment, blurting out that he loved him, but it was real and it happened, and now look where they were. Seeing all the different sides of Richard that he would only catch glimpses of here and there before. “I’m positive, and space smart counts for me. Considering our line of work that brain of yours can think of ways to get us out of a really bad bind. You also happen to know the best spots across many galaxies, so there’s that too.” A mischievous grin masked his features as he kept playing footsie with Richard, idly prodding his target gently as the man ordered their food. “Don’t you hey we’re in public to me, I’ve seen you shove your tongue down someone’s throat and squeeze their butt in public. But fine, I won’t make it extremely hard for you,” he giggled. Watching Richard practice perfect Kree without a translator was kind of an amazing sight, the many languages that were completely bizarre and foreign to most humans were just so easy to this man. “What? A sherlock holmes Robot? Did it ever solve any murders or was it just obnoxiously witty?”

“Gotta say it feels pretty amazing that NOVA is finally gone and mutants and others powered individuals won’t be used as lab rats by them. Kinda sad that it took this long and this much for people to realize this.” Sam sighed, somewhat happy that his and Richard’s names wouldn’t be mixed up with them any longer. “Feels like this part of the nightmare is finally over and I can enjoy my time with my boyfriend. You got anybody special that reminds you of how important life is?”