Straight Up Typhoon – 7
BAM. I was so bored I really had nothing to do but post another chapter. Thanks so much, my pretty pretty reviewers. :D
In other news, EEEE! I'M SO EXCITED! I GOT A FLAME! AT LAST! XD! Just when I think the world up and got normal on me! Check it:
"can you stop this horrific thing? huh huh? this is so stupid stop writhing my friend actully cried when she read this johnny and reed situation and i am SERIOUS she left home and i got introuble as a fan of your writng you went to far with johnny and red make them straight and then me and my friends will forgive you. here's an idea, make it that doom put a spell on johnny and reed and then johnny red or ben wake up from a dream then we wveryone wold like your story so much better thank you for you time - 'hulloits me'"
XD! I love it! Y'all crack me up. At least, I hope this person's serious--otherwise it's not that funny. D: Much love 'til next time!
Reed hit the door with a thud, jumping in shock and holding a hand to his head as he grunted. Note to self: do not find yourself so lost in concentration that you surpass your own ability to perform simple tasks. Open door, then enter building—in that order. Rearmed with this affirmation of priorities, Reed muttered some incoherent curse at himself and pulled the front door open, making his way habitually across the floor and towards the elevator as he rubbed his forehead.
He hated shopping. Before, his mild disliking of such a mundane task had been at a very normal and healthy level, but now, in lieu of his recently developed notoriety, it had become the bane of his everyday life. That morning, as Reed had innocently searched the fridge for some milk with which to assemble his bowl of cereal, he had been bombarded by an off-balance carton of eggs from above. Standing in the carnage of yolk and shell fragments that surrounded a now-bruised foot, watching the translucent egg mucus absorb permanently into the tiles beneath, all he could feel was the cold, icy grip on his stomach that whispered in terror the suggestion of, "shopping". After all, one day without eggs and his housemates were liable to erupt in the rage that followed inadequate breakfast.
And, of course, no casual stride nor scrupulous avoidance of eye-contact could spare him recognition in a crowd. Two boys of about twelve or so didn't leave the vicinity of two feet from him the entire time. People whispered, giggled, waved, and occasionally demanded an autograph like a birthright for being his reputedly devoted fans. But fans of what, he wondered. Sure, he had helped defend the city from one lunatic. But did any of them bother to look towards the scientific developments he'd made throughout this ordeal? Of course not. Who wants to solve world hunger or find an everlasting energy source when they could see someone light himself on fire, or touch the top of a streetlamp with both feet on the ground? Or crush a car with his bare hands and turn herself invisible at will? What was environment compared to entertainment, anyway? All he wanted was some damn eggs.
Blinking a few times, Reed realized he had been staring into an open elevator for a good minute at least. Note to self: see initial note to self. All his life he had wanted respect and recognition, he mused as he stepped into the elevator and pressed his floor. Now, it seemed as though he had gotten it in the worst way. But—this was life, and while he may never get used to it, he'd better learn to accept it. If Sue could cope with her underwear being sold on eBay, he could deal with a little crowding at the supermarket.
When Reed made it up to the main flat, he trudged in through the door cautiously in the case that the first face he saw was not a welcoming one. Part of him was thrilled to be receiving unwelcome vibes from Sue—she had even elevated to the level of cold glares. That had to be progression, didn't it?
"Reed?" called a voice from the living room area, and Reed stiffened nervously for a moment before registering the voice as Johnny's.
"Yeah, it's me." he returned coolly, looking towards the beckoning direction to see Johnny turned over the couch and looking at him expectantly. He took care to step around the towering stacks and cases of recently delivered cola that surrounded him. All it took was one nosy paparazzi goon and a handful of unauthorized photos downtown of Johnny drinking a Dr. Pepper for the company to send an express shipment to their doorstep the next day. Even if they never made another dime, they would never go thirsty again.
Johnny tossed what looked like a magazine away from him and sized him up quickly. "Hey. Where the Hell've you been?"
"Shopping." Reed replied, holding up a bag. God, even his voice trembled to speak that dreaded word. "Why…? Everything okay? Where are Ben and Sue?"
"They left." Johnny pointed out. "Over an hour ago, that's how long I've been waiting. Jeez, you take forever just to do a little damn shopping."
"You know how it is…" Reed replied numbly, mind still stuck on the 'they left' part. Left? Where did they go? Hell—that didn't matter. Waiting? Johnny was waiting for him? Or was he just waiting for someone to cure his boredom? Setting the bag on a conveniently located desk, Reed ambled into the living room to the back of the couch. "You were waiting for me?"
"Uh, yeah?" Johnny raised his eyebrows with an obvious 'duh' tone. "I mean, you know. I was bored." He shrugged, eying up at Reed with a perfected boyish innocence.
"Sorry, I didn't know they'd be gone." Reed admitted sincerely. "We haven't really been alone in…" he hid the uncomfortable shift in his voice with a small cough.
"I know." Johnny paused, looking around. "So um…you doing anything now?"
"Of course not." He answered a bit suddenly. Offering a sheepish smile, he looked down at the couch, then ambled around and sat. "How long will they be gone?"
Johnny reddened up quite a bit at that question, rubbing the back of his neck and shrugging again almost imperceptibly. "I don't know. It's not like I asked."
"Right, I guess not." Reed nodded, resting his hands idly in his lap. "No plans for you tonight, I take it?"
"Nope." Johnny looked away from him, studying the walls of their home with a half-hearted interest. "I um…heard Sue and Ben were leaving, so, you know, thought maybe I'd…get some peace and quiet."
Reed almost laughed. Johnny and peace and quiet, yes, those two concepts were almost synonymous.
"What?" Johnny was suddenly fixing him with an indignant expression.
Whoops, maybe he had laughed. "Nothing." He covered quickly. "How are things with you and Sally?"
Johnny tittered with a grunt. "She runs good. Why? You jealous?"
"Of you or the motorcycle?"
"Well…either?" a playful grin grew on his face, resting one arm over the back of the couch as he faced Reed.
Jealous of the object Johnny straddled and rode? Reed battled a furious blush and chuckled nervously. "I uh…I don't know." He said lamely.
Johnny seemed to be amused by that. He tilted his head a little and casually scratched his chest, settling into a more relaxed pose. "Jeez, it wasn't a serious question or anything. Do you ever get a headache from thinkin' so much about stuff?"
Reed's eyes were fixed on Johnny's chest, which was practically being fondled by this point. Damn it. Reed despised himself at the moment. He had always been able to roll his eyes and mock Johnny's stupid dalliances when it came to women. He could flirt the pants off a lesbian feminazi—and now it was actually working on Reed too? So much for being able to dismiss all of those gushing girls as brainless bimbos smitten by the charisma and good looks of some dumb kid…Now, he might as well be one of them. Well there was an idea that scared him almost as much as shopping. Had he been reduced to the level of a Johnny Storm fan girl? "…Uh…"
"Uh?" Johnny repeated. "Man, I know you hate shopping, but where'd you leave your brain?"
"Somewhere in isle four…when I was leaning over to grab a carton of eggs and that woman groped my behind while her friend took the picture." Reed replied dismally.
Johnny blinked in surprise and burst into a fit of laughter, clutching at his stomach for a moment. "Ha ha! You're not serious! Oh God, that's awesome!"
"You wouldn't think it was so awesome if it was y…" Reed mentally slapped himself. Not awesome?—Johnny would've asked for her number.
"Aw, you can't tell me you don't enjoy the attention." Johnny snorted, eying Reed with a smirk.
Reed shrugged incredulously. "Yes I can. …But I'm glad at least someone gets a laugh out of it."
"Yeah, well…come on, I'm kidding. Just, you know…" Johnny tried to contain himself before he erupted into laughter again, "watch your ass from now on!"
Reed scowled lightly and folded his arms. "Well okay, maybe you're right. Next time I'll take it as a compliment. Maybe even get a date out of it."
Johnny stopped laughing. "…Ah…Oh. Heh. Yeah."
Reed stiffened for a second, catching Johnny's subtle change in attitude. Oh that was a smart thing to say at a time like this. Mouth, you remember your good friend foot. "Er, it was a joke, I didn't mean it."
"Yeah, yeah, I know, whatever." Johnny quickly shook his head and tried to avoid it, giving a forced grin to hide the momentarily offended notion in his features. "So…you…wanna watch movie or something…? Or…I don't know, eat dinner?"
Reed paused for a long moment. It was probably best. Sue and Ben could be home at any point in time, it really wouldn't be a good ide—screw that. Reed tripped over an impulse and landed on Johnny lips first.
"Mmf!" Johnny replied in high-pitched shock, gripping at Reed's shirt in confusion and shifting his position.
"Sorry." Reed said, pulling off. "I can't even remember the last time we were alone, or were even together, I guess I'm jus—"
"Yeah, uh-huh, great story." Johnny cut him off, forcing his lips back against where they were and pulling Reed on top of him gruffly.
Reed obligingly pushed him back onto the couch and deepened the kiss, finally free to do so without fearing that someone could see them. Johnny was rough. He battled Reed for dominance of the kiss, but made no move to relinquish his position of being pinned down. It was about damn time for this, Reed thought, or at least as much as he was currently able to think with all the blood rushing to the wrong head. They had spent so much time feeling guilty about their relationship that they seemed to have forgotten that they had one.
A heated shudder wracked Johnny's body as Reed's hands traveled up his sides, encouraging him to let out a little murmur and beckon further contact with a small nibble of a lower lip. Reed couldn't remember the last time he had been such a victim of lust. He had always controlled his desires, like any self-respecting academically inclined…geek. So was it good or bad that his inhibitions had suddenly been bound, gagged, and deep-fried by the more fierce aspects of his self control? As Johnny's knee crept up in between his legs, his body decided on a definite 'good'.
"Man…" Johnny panted when his lips were free at last, looking down as Reed's fingers began pushing up his shirt. "w-we shouldn't…be doing this now…"
"Dywanna stop?" Reed asked in a clumsy slur as he fondled his fingertips over Johnny's exposed abdomen.
Johnny leaned his head back over the arm of the couch and closed his eyes. "Hell no."
Reed could clearly see how eager Johnny was. He had to hold back a stubborn blush just at the very idea that Johnny had stopped sleeping around with women the past few weeks in order to participate in this strained, awkward relationship. It was probably the longest Johnny had gone without since he was fifteen. Thusly, any hang ups he might have had about this being his first time with another man were most likely destroyed in the bodily demand for sex, and, victim to a similar plight, Reed gladly tended to him.
Johnny stifled a moan as Reed's lips went to his neck and a hand snuck further up his shirt. All it took was one light grazing of a thumb over a nipple to get Johnny arching his back, and an animalistic part of Reed was fascinated to think how easy this was going to be. And yet, even as he thought this, he was melting under the other pair of hands working up his own lower back.
They both froze in their ministrations as the distinct click of the front door echoed in an otherwise quiet home, both of them grimacing almost simultaneously. "Right on cue…" Reed muttered as he pulled Johnny's shirt back down.
"Sonofabitch…" Johnny hissed under his breath, clearing his throat to diminish the lusting purr that had been gathering there.
Reed quickly but carefully extricated himself from Johnny's body as the door opened and voices could be heard, trying his damndest to get rid of an erection with a few disturbing thoughts. Dead kittens, naked Grandma…Carrot Top—AH! Okay.
"We're back." Ben's voice stated needlessly, further announced by the resounding footsteps of their two-ton friend.
Johnny sank down further into the couch and plopped his magazine over his face, both to cover an embarrassed blush and an annoyed sneer.
"Hey guys." Reed greeted lightly, not looking in their direction so as to spare himself a death glance from Sue. As much as he had learned to appreciate acknowledgement, those eyes were still enough to turn his blood cold.
"Hey Ree—" Ben started, followed by a clunking sound and a splatter. "…d."
Reed looked up in horror.
"What'n the…who left these eggs here?"