"Ladies call me Torch", Johnny recited cockily.
This was the fiftieth time in two hours, alone.
He wasn't even introducing himself, the obsessive women he was being crowded by just kept asking him to say it.
"God, when will it stop?", Kori complained through the teeth of a fake smile.
"Johnny loves his fans", Reed sighed, tapping his fingers against the side of the Fantasticar impatiently.
They'd just fought a disgusting slime monster and all he wanted to do was go home and take a shower. But, of course, his brother in law couldn't resist those interviews.
Those stupid, stupid interviews.
"I could always drag him over here", Ben volunteered.
"And risk another team fight circulating around the internet?", Sue snorted, "I don't think so. We can wait him out."
"Could we?", Ben asked, "Yes. Should we? Hell no. Everyone is tired and sticky and not in a good way."
Kori snickered at that.
"We're lucky the crowd is as small as it is", Reed pointed out, "Otherwise, Kori would be getting dragged in, too."
"Yeah, and we're pushing that luck more and more the longer we're here", Kori sighed, "Someone else could show up and then who knows how long we'll be here. I'll go get him."
"Good idea", Ben muttered, watching in triumph as Kori walked over to Johnny and his horde of fans.
Noticing her increasingly close proximity, the crowd began to split in two, carving a path for her.
When she finally reached the center of the crowd, where Johnny was, she wasted no time. "Excuse me, Torch", she drawled.
Johnny turned to face her with a smile on his face. "Oh, you can call me Johnny, sweetheart", he replied smugly.
Kori wanted, so desperately, to wipe that smug look off of his face. But, she'd save that for sparring practice. "Well, Johnny, everyone is ready to go", she told him sweetly, "It's been a long day and we need to rest up for the gala, tonight."
"You guys can leave me, if you want", Johnny shrugged, turning and grinning, "I'll catch up. But my lovely fans have missed me."
There was a symphony of exaggerated swoons and Kori had to fight the urge to throw up. "Believe me, the thought crossed my mind", she replied, "But, if we leave you here, you'll be here for another five hours. You're covered in all sorts of gunk and you've been smacked around quite a bit. If you get home and don't have the time to take care of that before we have to go to the gala, you're gonna be grumpy. And no one has time to deal with that."
Johnny couldn't even protest, shoulders shaking as laughter wracked his body. "This is a lot of slime", he agreed, still chuckling. He paused for a moment, trying to get himself together. But he couldn't seem to stop laughing. "I guess we should go home."
The crowd groaned in disappointment.
"Look what you did", Johnny scolded teasingly, "My poor fans."
Kori shook her head in thinly veiled irritation. She was tired and sore. "They'll get over it", she smiled tightly, "Sorry ladies, I'll make sure to get you some exclusives of him at the gala."
The statement had an air of finality to it, lingering as Kori took Johnny's hand and pulled him away.
"Blaze!", one of the reporters yelled.
This gave Kori pause. "Blaze?", she echoed confusedly.
"Yes", the reporter confirmed, "After the fight against and Silver Surfer, with the way your powers worked with Torch's, your fans have taken to calling you that."
Kori was silent for a moment, considering. "Better than 'Female Torch', I guess", she shrugged, "You had a question?" At the reporter's nod, Kori spoke once more. "I'm only answering one", she warned, "So, deliberate amongst yourselves and choose wisely. I have to take Johnny, here, over to the rest of the team, before he gets sidetracked again. We'll be just over there when you're ready."
She didn't wait for a response, taking Johnny's hand and dragging him the rest of the way over to their companions.
Sue was giving him the sternest glare.
"What?", Johnny groaned.
"I thought we agreed to take it easy on the publicity stuff for a while", Sue reminded.
"They approached me", Johnny defended, "Turning them down could've been bad publicity."
Reed only shook his head tiredly. "I just want to go to bed", he sighed, "Is that too much to ask?"
Sue took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
"Gross, cavities", Johnny gagged.
Kori shook her head in amusement. "Sorry, Reed", she apologized, "I told them just one more question to appease them."
"You're not the issue", Reed muttered, "You can keep it short and sweet. Johnny can't."
"Dear brother in law, I'll make it up to you", Johnny promised idly.
Before Reed could retort, the reporters were making their way over, bringing the crowd with them.
"I assume you've decided on your question", Kori said.
"We have", one of the reporters confirmed, "And we've decided we want to know who you're going to the gala with."
"The gala?", Kori echoed, slight amusement in her tone.
She'd expected better. Something that really made her squirm. That was their job, after all. Though she suspected it wouldn't be for much longer once their bosses saw this interview. She almost felt bad. But it wasn't her fault that they blew their question. And she wouldn't award them another one.
"Yes, the gala", the reporter responded, " has . Mr. and are a given because they're married. And, Torch, here-"
"Usually takes two or three supermodels to these events", Kori finished knowingly.
"I don't like how you said that", Johnny complained lightly, a grin on his face.
"Is it a lie?", Kori deadpanned.
Johnny only waved her off.
"Precisely", Kori replied dismissively before turning her attention back to the reporters, "So?"
"So, who will be accompanying you?", the reporter inquired.
Kori fought back a chuckle. This was too easy, though she wasn't complaining. "I'll be accompanied by the team, of course", she answered with a grin.
Although they'd been trained to hide such things, Kori could see the exact moment each and every reporter realized they'd been duped.
"The team?", one of the reporters echoed.
"Yes", Kori confirmed, "Aka Reed, Johnny, Sue, and Ben… and even Alicia, now that I think about it."
"But-", a reporter began.
"The gala, while a social event, is not thrown for social purposes", Kori explained, "So, dates, while the 'formal' thing to acquire, are not required. Which is why, even though everyone else is bringing a date, I am content to go alone."
Noticing that a reporter was preparing a rebuttal, Sue spoke up. "She's right", she said, "Reed and I, as well as Ben and Alicia, going together is a given. It just makes sense because we're partners socially. It makes even more sense for Reed and I because we're also partners business wise. It's the same for the other attendees of this gala. Those who acquire a date do so just for the sake of having someone to go with. It's about appearances more than anything, not a formal expectation."
"This includes your brother?", one of the reporters inquired slyly.
Sue plastered a grin on her face, sighing. She should've known they'd take her words and run with them.
But Johnny was on top of it. "As a matter of fact, it does", he answered with a calm smirk, "I can speak for all, if not most, men and women who find a companion for the night when these events come up. We do it to blend. No one likes to be the odd one out, standing alone when the couples are flirting and dancing. The fact that Kori is brave enough to do so is something that should be applauded, not condemned or ridiculed. And, as our avid supporters, I'm sure you can understand and respect her decision."
The reporters were dumbstruck, as were Reed and Ben, though the two superheroes were more impressed than anything.
But Sue had a proud smile on her face.
Though no one else had seen this knowledgeable side of Johnny, Sue had witnessed it on a few occasions and was always proud when it came out. Johnny's playboy persona was no fake, but there was also more to him.
Kori suspected as much, which was the reason for her lack of surprise, but she had always been content to let Johnny act the way he saw fit. His usual behavior didn't bother her but she was certainly pleased to see the Jekyll to his everyday Hyde.
Johnny was aware of the impact of his statement and could only chuckle. "I'm taking your silence as a yes", he grinned, "Thanks for your time but we really do need to get home. I look forward to more interviews with you lovely ladies later."
At the implied compliment, the reporters let hesitant smiles break out across their faces, though they were still in shock.
If they were going to say anything, Ben, Johnny, Reed, and Sue got into the Fantasticar before they could.
"You coming?", Johnny asked, noticing that Kori hadn't moved toward the car.
"I got tossed in the air by a slime monster quite a few times", Kori reminded, backing away as her bike drove toward her, "I need some time to appreciate the ground."
Reed laughed at that. "Be safe", he called out as she threw her leg over the bike.
"What's the fun in that?", Kori smirked.
And, with that, she sped off.
Johnny grinned and shook his head, settling into his seat. She would probably get there before they did.