Disclaimer: I wish I owned. Unfortunately, I do not own.
A/N- The sequal to 'With Hands Held High In Surrender'.
I figured Johnny and Ben needed their wedding. Or at least part of it. SLASH
"I look like a monkey." Hands swat at his as he futilely attempts to fix the mess that has become his bow tie. Slender fingers replace his own and before his eyes the bow tie reshapes from the jumbled mess it had been a moment ago; something he would never be able to accomplish in a million years. In all fairness, Sue had had plenty of practice with Reed.
"No you don't." Sue grins and fusses with the bow tie a little longer before moving on to his jacket, pulling at the hem and smoothing out wrinkles that only she can see.
Johnny stands there, somewhat patiently, and lets her mother hen him for the moment. It seems like the perfect opportunity for it and he could really use it.
His stomach has twisted itself into knots, part of it out of fear that he'll momentarily lose control of his flame again and set another table cloth on fire (like that morning- but Sue doesn't need to know). He owes Reed big time for making his suit fire proof.
Johnny stares determinedly at a point over his sister's shoulder and concentrates on breathing- in and out, in and- this must be what it feels like to go insane. This numb feeling that spreads out from your toes and up to your head, the ringing in your ears and at the same time, the feeling of falling. It feels like the first time he actually flew.
"Breathe." Sue taps his nose lightly and Johnny realizes that he has temporarily stopped breathing. The air rushes into his lungs but does nothing to calm the nerves that are rushing through him; making him feel sick.
"What if something happens?" He asks suddenly, because Sue and Reed had been interrupted by the Silver Surfer and the end of the world. What if the end of the world comes? What if they can't stop it this time? Or what if Dr Doom takes over the city while they're doing this? How can they risk the chance that something may happen? "What if the Mole Man attacks? Or Galactus comes back?"
"Johnny," Sue grabs his hands and stills them from where they had been waving erratically around his head. "The world is not going to end and the Mole Man can wait one day to invade New York."
She smiles, something soft and fond and proud- it's a smile that he rarely ever sees, especially directed at him.
He gently pulls one of his hands from her grip and runs it, shakily, through his hair as everything seems to hit him at once.
He's doing this- oh god, he's doing this. The last possible thing he ever thought he would do (well, not quite but fairly high up on the list of things Johnny Storm would never do).
He's pretty sure that all the blood just rushed to his head, which is why he's suddenly so dizzy and his legs feel like mush. Sue doesn't comment, just quickly leads him over to a chair and sits him in it.
"Maybe we should just call it off." He mutters, burying his face in his hands. If he can't see the world, then they can't see him. He can face Dr Doom and his Doom bots any day of the week, he'll stand beside Ben and fight when the Hulk attacks, he'll travel through the Negative Zone to save his friends- he's not a coward, at least he hadn't been before now.
Ben would understand if they called it off, he'd be disappointed, but try and cover it up, but he'd eventually understand. Oh god, he's a horrible person, isn't he?
"Believe it or not, these jitters are normal." Johnny shoots Sue an incredulous look. Sue had handled this so much better than he is right now. "I was nervous too."
"Thanks for trying to make me feel better sis, but I saw you- you weren't nearly as nervous as I am." He closes his eyes and tries to remember how to breathe; he hears the shuffle of cloth as Sue kneels before him, tapping his knee to get his attention again.
"I nearly ran off to Vegas." She says it so seriously that Johnny just has to believe her. Who'd have thought- his straight laced sister running off to Vegas? He certainly wouldn't have. "Alicia had to talk me out of it."
So maybe she does have an idea of what he's going through.
"You looked fine though."
"I just reminded myself that this was the man I loved and that there was no where else I would rather be." When she says it, it sounds so easy. He can feel himself beginning to believe her.
"I think I may be losing my mind." He admits, eyes bouncing around the room nervously.
"Johnny, you lost your mind a long time ago." Sue says, all serious but there is a smile twitching at the corner of her mouth.
He lets out a distracted laugh that may sound a little hysterical to his own ears. Sue reaches out and covers his hands in her own, catching his eye and holding it.
"Maybe," she begins, squeezing his hands. "This isn't you losing your mind, but finding it."
Johnny just quirks an eyebrow at her but secretly knows what she means.
Their moment is interrupted at the quiet knock on the door and then Tony Stark sticks his head in, giving them a quick, but sincere smile.
"I believe it's time."
Johnny feels like he's about to throw up.
"Johnny." Sue stands and catches his face in her hands. "Remember- breathe." He does, breathing in and letting it out slowly. He's just glad that the 'white dress' comments have stopped. For awhile he honestly thought Ms. Marvel and Spiderman were going to force him into wearing one.
Stark disappears through the door as Johnny unsteadily climbs to his feet.
He breathes, takes one last look in the mirror and smoothes out any wrinkles in his suit and holds out his arm. Sue beams at him and takes it and the two of them walk slowly from the room.
It's not too late, he tells himself. He could still flame on and get the hell out of there- blame it on the bad guys attacking or something later on.
But he doesn't want to.
The music has started up and he can hear it through the solid, oak doors. Past the doors their friends sit, all stuffed on the roof of the Baxter Building. Maybe this time it'll be smooth sailing- no alien trying to eat their planet, no crashing helicopter and he has no electronics on to be distracted by.
Then the doors open and all the breath leaves his body.
His legs are moving of their own accord, his sister leading him down the aisle and he can hear the murmurs of their friends and family around them but he doesn't spare them a second thought.
His eyes are glued to the man at the other end of the aisle.
There's nothing to be afraid of, he knows this but hadn't known it until now. There's no doubt in his mind that the racing of his heart and the warm, happy feeling are in a direct result to the man he loves.
That used to scare the hell out of him.
He's doing this, he's really doing this. Wow.
Ben's eyes meet his and the knots in his stomach loosen and he can breathe again.
Then he's standing across from Ben, both of them in ridiculous tuxedos and waiting for the inevitable disaster to strike.
It doesn't come.
"Hey hotshot." Ben murmurs quietly and Johnny relaxes because this is Ben and he honestly cannot think of anyone else he would rather spend his years with, anyone he would rather annoy the hell out of, anyone he would rather fight beside.
The minister begins to speak and Johnny quirks a small smile at Ben, feeling the other man lace their fingers together.
He's strangely alright with the fact that he's going insane, especially if this is what it feels like. The warmth that radiates from where Ben's fingers are laced with his own, the knowledge that he won't be alone, that this is for forever.
And when the 'I do's' arrive he's not going anywhere.