chpt. 8

A few weeks later.

I hum silently as I place a used book back on the shelf. I dust my hands off on my skirt, and head back to the register, where a customer is waiting.

"How can I help you today?" I ask the elderly woman. She asks for a book and I kindly walk her to the shelves with the books she's looking for.

"Do you want help with anything else, Ma'am?" I ask her.

"Oh, no, thank you, deary." She says and I walk back to the cash register.

Since my divorce, I've started working in a bookstore. It's lively, bright and on the street, so tons of sunshine piles through the glass and I can see all the people walking down the street.

I got the job all on my own, and now live in a beautiful small and cozy home—on the ground—with a cat, Ginger. I haven't seen Johnny or his family since the court hearing, which was a few weeks ago.

But my life has been much more peaceful since then, thanks to them. I owe them my life, quite literally. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here, especially Johnny.

I sigh, placing a few stacks of paper in the printer and groan silently as I drop a few. I bend down to pick them up.

Sophia, my coworker appears next to me, picking up some of the papers with a chuckle.

"You alright?" She asks, her brown eyes looking at me with concern.

"Yes, I'm okay, why?" I question.

"You seem distracted today." Is all she says.

"A handsome man maybe?" My manager's thick Russian accent fills my ears. Larry. He's leaning over the counter. He's a tall, buff man with hair starting to grey in some spots. A real gentle giant. No-one would think he'd own a bookstore.

I chuckle, despite my ears heating up a bit, "No man, Larry."

"Woman, maybe, eh?" He wriggles his brows.

I grin at him as Sophia places the papers in the printer, "No-one, Larry."

He groans, "But you're a beautiful woman, Y/n! You must get some di—"

"Larry!" I hiss. "Please." I laugh, despite myself.

He holds up his hands, "Just saying, dear."

The shops doorbell rings, the door opens and a figure dashes into the shop, getting onto a crouch position behind the register, near my legs. They peek around the register as a group of teenage girls round the corner, laughing excitedly.

I look down, "Are you alright—" A pair of baby blue eyes look up at me.

I'm taken aback as I take him in—he is engraved in my memory, but seeing him in real life is still... shocking to say the least. Especially on the floor behind the cash register of the bookshop I work in.

I see Sophia staring with wide eyes, Larry leans over the counter and chuckles. 

Our guest then presses a finger to his lips, shushing me, and points to the door, which opens and high-pitched laughter fills the shop. He drops his head, dipping his cap low, making his body as small as possible against the register. I'm glad I'm not famous.

"Hello, what can we do for you?" Larry asks first.

"Looking for a book?" Sophia questions.

The girls giggle and murmur silently to each other and I'm starting to get annoyed, "Can we help you?" I say sternly, but with a smile.

One of them speaks up, in a fit of giggles, "You didn't see Johnny Storm come in here, did you?" She asks. If her hands shook more she'd combust.

"Eh, no. The bookstore is the last place I think a famous superhero would go into." I say, dragging out the words a little bit.

The murmur amongst themselves, "I did see him go through there." Sophia points to a few buildings and little ways from the shop.

They burst out in laughter and giggles, "Do you know what he was wearing?" One asks excitedly. My eyes flicker to Johnny for a split second. He's biting his bottom lip, eyes shut. The poor man, I think as sympathy shoots though my chest.

"Blue. His shirt is blue, I think." I say finally.

The all burst out of the shop, walking in the direction that Sophia told them too. We all breathe a sigh of relief as they disappear behind the buildings.

The elderly woman approaches the register, placing a hefty book on the desk, "Trouble with the fans, son?" She asks.

I smile, grabbing the book and putting it in a bag, giving the woman the price. She pays in cash with shaky hands.

Johnny peeks over the desk of the register, blue eyes wide, "You can say that Ma'am."

She chuckles, "Enjoy Ma'am." I say as I watch as Johnny heads to the door, opening it for her. Despite almost being attacked my a bunch of fanatic girls.

She pats his cheek, "You're a good kid." She says as she exits the door, and I melt internally.

He smiles, "Thank you, Ma'am." He dips his cap and I see his ears have gone red.

He turns back to us, leaning against the counter, and sighs heavily, "Thank you all for that."

Larry laughs loudly, "You are welcome."

"Does that happen a lot?" Sophia asks, amused.

Johnny purses his lips, "More than you can think. And unfortunately, I have a majority of teenage girls in my fan base." He shakes his head.

"I wonder why." I murmur, placing a pen down and reorganizing behind the register. For some unknown reason, I can't look at him. My face flushes.

"Raw sex appeal." Johnny answers with a teasing wink. I roll my eyes to hide my grin.

Sophia checks her watch, "Oh crap! I gotta go!" She says, grabbing her stuff.

"Date?" Larry asks.

Sophia flushes, "Yes..." she murmurs.

Larry throws his hands up and hugs Sophia over the counter, "Who is this lucky man?" He asks.

Sophia grins lightly, "Not a man." She murmurs.

I gasp, "You have to tell me everything after!"

She grins, cheeks red, "I will." She says, hugging me and Larry as she heads out.

"I'm so happy for her." Larry says.

"Me too." I grin.

"So," Larry smacks Johnny on the shoulder, "What will it take, for you to take, dear, Y/n here on a date—"

"Larry!" I hiss.

Larry laughs, "You've been single far too long!"

"I've gone through a divorce!" I retort.

He clicks his tongue, "In the past. Time for you to get out there!"

"When was the last time you had a date, Larry?" Johnny asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

Larry opens his mouth, then closes it again, "Hmm..." Is all he says.

"Aha." Johnny says, triumphantly.

Larry squints, glaring playfully at Johnny, before heading to help a customer calling him, "I'll keep an eye on you, Storm." He threatens.

Johnny holds his hands up with a sweet grin. He then turns to me, arms crossed as he watches me type in something on the computer.

"Watcha doing?" He asks.

"Working." I reply. "Shouldn't you be, I dunno, saving lives?" I ask, peeking a glance at him.

He sighs, checking his watch, "Not yet no."

I shake my head, "How long do you plan on pestering me?" I ask, stapling papers together.

"Pestering? Me pester?" His eyes go wide in fake mockery.

"Yes." I smirk, "Pester."

His mouth falls open as he grins. "Okay.." He murmurs.

He then gets behind me, arms behind his back, looking over my shoulder. I feel his breath on the back of my neck, the heat—I still don't know if it's because of his powers or not, but I feel heat all over my back and neck.

"Now this is pestering." He says, his voice husky.

"Some might say something different, but okay." I say, continuing with my work. It doesn't stop him from following close behind me as I put books back on the shelves. Or even typing on the computer. I shushed him away.

Thank goodness it's late afternoon. I think as I type away. At some point the pack of girls returned and complained they couldn't find him—Johnny ducking behind the register again. I redirected them elsewhere.

"What are you still doing here?" I asked him when Larry left, leaving only me and him in the shop.

He turns to me, opening his mouth and I check the time. I hold a finger up to him, placing the "Closed" sign on the door, hitting all the lights, before guiding him to the back of the shop, into a storage room. I flip the light and he takes off his cap with a relieved sigh.

I take him in. I don't know if it's because I haven't seen him in a long while, but I think he's gotten more buff since the last time I saw him. Not overly, just more toned, defined muscle.

He crosses his arms over his chest, placing the cap on one of the shelves and runs a hand through his blonde hair, making it messy. He is wearing a white shirt, with a blue jacket, black pants, belt and black boots.

"Are you going to undress me with your eyes all day?" He smirks.

I roll my eyes, yet feel a blush creeping up my cheeks, "What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Didn't you see those girls running after me like a pack of wolves?" He asks.

"Let me rephrase, what are you still doing here?" I ask.

He sighs, "I have nothing to do, so.."

"You're bored in other words." I say.

He groans, "Would it be so bad if I said it wanted to see how you're doing?"

I sigh, "I guess not. Just, don't let this become a regular thing." I warn.

His eyes narrow teasingly, "You like seeing me." He smirks.

I scoff, "I don't!"

"Oh, you so do!"

I groan, "You are impossible." He only smiles at me.

I'm quiet for a while, "Thank you." I say.

He frowns, "For what?"

"Everything. Help with my ex-husband, all the terrible legal things. I don't think I properly thanked you last time." I reply.

"It's no need, Y/n." He smiles.

"But it is! If you didn't talk to me, or, or convince me, I'd still be with him. I owe you everything."

His eyebrows lift, "Everything?" He smirks and I smack his chest to which he chuckles.

"Seriously, Johnny. Thank you." I mean it.

His expression softens as he takes my hands, bringing them to his lips, kissing my knuckles gently, "You are welcome." He says. My whole body goes warm.

He let's go of my hands, "So... how's life?" I ask, I ask awkwardly, folding my arms over my chest.

He snorts, "Did you forget the pack of wolves?" He retorts.

I laugh, "I... feel sorry for you. The whole fame thing."

His eyes go soft, "Most people don't."

"I'm not most people." I say softly.

He smiles, staring at me through his lashes, "No, you aren't."

The air grows thick around us, and all goes quiet. We just stare at each other. The tension growing. His eyes pan over my face, going lower—

His watch beeps loudly, making us both jump. I place my hand over my chest, "Sorry." He chuckles.

"It's okay."

"I, uh, emergency." He mumbles, and I open the door.

"Go." I say.

He smiles, before hesitantly reaching forward and placing a soft hot kiss on my cheek. He jogs out of the shop, leaving me staring at him go, my cheek tingling.

I look at the shelve—his blue cap. I pick it up and grin.