012. the morning after

CHAPTER TWELVE, the morning after!

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐃 Lacie's face as it peeked out the blinds, her lashes sitting on her cheeks and freckles scattered beneath. She blinked a couple times as her eyes adjusted to the light and turned from her side to lie on her back.

Lacie ran her hands over her face and glanced around the room she had slept in. It wasn't unfamiliar by any stretch, but the circumstances changed her perspective on it.

The sheets were soft against her skin as she pulled them up to her chin, her head sinking further into the pillows as she tried to wipe what felt like a permanent smile off her face.

Lacie looked beside her to see an empty bed, void of the man she had spent the night with. She reached her hand out to trace the indent his body had left in the mattress and sighed, her chest tightening as his lack of presence.

Lacie chewed on her bottom lip and sat up, flattening out her bed hair and looking towards the sheets plastered on her window, all reading the translations that had intended to work on last night. Obviously, they'd rather work on each other instead.

Standing up, Lacie pulled the covers off her and picked up Johnny's discarded shirt from the floor, shrugging on the creased item as it engulfed her body. Her cheeks blushed as she tiptoed over clothes scattered across the floor and left her room.

Wiping the sleep out her eyes, Lacie stopped in her tracks as she heard a babbling coming from the kitchen and turned the corner. She felt the corners of her mouth twitching up as she saw Johnny's shirtless frame with his back to her and a child sitting in one of his arms, the other fiddling with the box of cereal.

Lacie leaned against the doorframe and smiled as she watched Johnny talk to Franklin, things that the infant definitely didn't care about nor understand.

"Now these," He lifted the box to Franklin, whose hands reached out to fiddle with it, "Are your aunt Lacie's." Johnny nodded and tilted his head to look at his nephew.

"She gets mad at me for eating them but," He leaned closer and his voice dropped into a whisper, "I think that's her way of flirting with me."

"That's so not true!" Lacie laughed from her position across the room and smiled as Johnny turned around with his blonde hair messy from the night before, a grin adorning his face.

Franklin's face lit up at Lacie's appearance and whined in Johnny's arms, begging to be put down. Johnny did as requested and placed him in his baby chair, the one designed and made by Reed as he furiously worked in the lab, before turning back to the counter.

Lacie crept towards Johnny and wrapped her arms around him from behind, her forehead leaning against his bare back as Johnny smiled and blushed at the contact. Lacie's hands traced delicate patterns on Johnny's torso and he sighed at her movements.

Lacie stood on her tiptoes to peer over his shoulder and at the counter where two bowls laid with her cereal inside them, "What are you doing?" She yawned.

Johnny tapped the frame of the bowl, "I was going to make you a nice breakfast in bed. Then I realised I can't actually make anything so I thought this was my best option."

"You made me breakfast with food I bought for myself." Lacie tutted and rested her chin on his shoulder. Johnny sighed and placed his hand on top of Lacie's, "It's the thought that counts."

"And Franklin?" She nodded to the baby who entertained himself. Johnny glanced over at his nephew, "Heard him crying this morning and figured Sue would appreciate the lie in."

Lacie bit back a smile, "What a good brother you are." She nudged him and heard his chuckle, the vibrations of his back against her cheek, "Only the best, ma'am."

Lacie nodded and mocked him as she leaned her body into his, her head resting on his back and his lips grazing the exposed skin, making him shiver slightly as silence followed.

"Do you think we made a mistake last night?" Lacie mumbled into his back and assumed Johnny's figure would stiffen at the question. Instead, he was completely relaxed and shook his head.

"No." He said without hesitation, continuing to work on his and Lacie's breakfast. Lacie's fingers danced on his skin, "No?" She questioned.

"Not at all." Johnny smiled. "Okay. That's good." Lacie muttered and lightly kissed his skin. Johnny hummed as her kisses peppered against his sensitive skin, "Why'd you ask?" He said and turned his body around in her hold.

His hands crept under the shirt she was wearing to caress her skin, watching as she pressed her lips together, "Because I like you. A lot." Lacie whispered and brought her hands up to cup Johnny's face.

In her hands, Johnny's face scrunched up and he bowed his head to chuckle, his laughter ringing out in the early morning in the kitchen. Lacie retraced her hands and she raised her eyebrows, "Why are you laughing?"

Johnny stepped away to laugh more, resting his hands on his knees and he hunched over. Lacie looked at Franklin who sat and watched, amused at the scene and clapping his little hands together in excitement.

"What's so funny?" I'm pouring my heart out here." Lacie groaned and hid her face, pulling a chair out for herself to sit beside the table.

Johnny turned to her and raised his brows, a smug smirk on his face, "You call that pouring your heart out?" He pointed at her with her arms crossed over her chest.

"I don't know! You make me nervous, Johnny!" Lacie suppressed a smile and reached her hand out on the table for Franklin to cradle and play with.

Johnny joined her at the table, pulling his chair out to sit directly in front of her, "How long have you liked me?" He tilted his head as his knees brushed her own.

Lacie squinted her eyes at the man in front of her, "What sort of question is that?"

Johnny waved his hands around and shook his head, "Just give me a ballpark." Lacie scoffed, "A ballpark?"

The Human Torch leaned forwards and rested his hands on her thighs, his fingers pressing into the soft skin he had touched the night before. Lacie's face felt hot and she sighed, pouting her lips as she searched for the answer, "A couple months, maybe? Six at minimum."

Johnny laughed out loud and leaned back into his chair, his legs spreading as he got comfy for the conversation, "Oh, easy. I win." He smirked.

Lacie blinked, "You win?" She stuttered out, baffled at his statement.

Johnny nodded and rested his hands behind his head, "Not even a competition, love."

Lacie scoffed and felt her finger be engulfed with Franklin's whole hand, his babbles undertoning the debate. "It's not really a competition if I don't know what I'm participating in." She scoffed.

"Oh, right!" Johnny nodded and stared at Lacie, "I've liked you for at least two years."

"Two fucking years!" Lacie shouted and her jaw fell slack. Johnny shuffled closer to her and pried her hand out of Franklin's, "No swearing in front of the child." He scolded.

Lacie snapped out of her state of shock and apologised profusely to Franklin who seemed oblivious to the situation, "I'm sorry." She muttered and quickly turned back to Johnny, "Two years?"

He winked at her, "That's right, Lace." Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to find the words and blinked rapidly, "Are you kidding me, Johnny?"

Johnny tapped rapidly on Lacie's thighs in excitement and laughed, "Knocked you right out the park with that one!" He smiled and gestured whacking a bat before Lacie's hands grasped around his wrists and tugged his hands into her lap.

"You." She pointed at his chest, "Johnny Storm. The Human Fucking Torch."

"Franklin--" "I'm so sorry, Honey. Please don't tell Sue-- your mother about this." Lacie ruffled the hair on Franklin's head as she interrupted Johnny's mock scolding at her for swearing.

Lacie sighed in disbelief, "You've liked me for two years?" She raised the question again, not quite comprehending it so far.

Johnny smiled at her and rubbed his hands up and down Lacie's thighs, "Pretty much, yeah."

A breathy laugh fell from Lacie's lips as her eyes softened as Johnny's honesty and vulnerability, "Holy shi--" She whispered and cut herself off as Johnny raised his eyebrows and eyed Franklin.

Johnny licked his lips and looked at her for a moment, his gaze soft and meaningful as he enraptured and memorised Lacie's beauty. Frostbite squinted her eyes at Johnny's endless staring, "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Johnny frowned, "Like what?" Lacie scoffed and rolled her eyes at Johnny's mocking innocence, "Like you want to kiss me."

"Cause that would be the worst thing in the world, wouldn't it?" Johnny's voice dropped and he shuffled closer to her, his nose bumping against her own.

Johnny's hand reached up to cradle her face, pulling her in for a kiss. Her lips accepted his and she smiled as Johnny's neck craned to deepen the kiss, his mouth parting to mesh with her own.

Lacie felt Johnny's tongue prod against her lips as her hand massaged the back of his neck, tilted her head to let him have control. She could sense Johnny's rationality slipping away and felt the familiar events of last night repeating itself.

Lacie laughed and pulled back from Johnny, running her hands through his hair, "We can't do that in front of Franklin."

Johnny sighed and dropped his head into Lacie's neck, "When he's older, he'll understand." He mumbled into her skin and peppered kisses as Lacie laughed, her head falling back.

She tapped on his shoulders and shoved his body back lightly, "You're something else, Johnny Storm."

"And you're beautiful, Lacie March." Johnny smiled and pulled her body onto his, allowing her to rest in his lap and embrace each other in a tight hug; their fire and ice merging together in sweet harmony.

"Isn't this cute?" The pair broke apart but Lacie remained in Johnny's lap as Ben's voice rang out in the kitchen, "You two a thing now?"

Ben was smirking as he made his way to the stove and opened the drawer for utensils. Johnny tightened his grip on Lacie and didn't let her out of his grasp, "None of your business, Rockslide."

Lacie suppressed a laugh and hid her face in the crook of Johnny's neck. Ben scoffed, "I think it's my business when Lacie's wearing your shirt and you're half naked."

Johnny and Lacie's cheeks blushed and heat spread on Johnny's chest. He stood and offered a hand to Lacie, walking the pair back to Lacie's room and pressing a soft kiss against Franklin's forehead as they departed.

"For the sake of the rest of us, please keep the noise down!" Ben shouted behind him as he smirked into his food. Johnny turned as threw a small flame colliding into Ben's rocky back, making the man flinch, "Johnny!"

Ben's complaints fell deaf on the ears of Johnny and Lacie who skipped back to bed for an extra rest before dealing with saving the world, Lacie's life and Franklin's custody... It was far from over.

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authors note!

short one today but felt necessary to johnny and lacie development :)))

you guys are so funny with ur comments never die pls

which is joseph quinn sexiest role... i wanna hear ur thoughts on this bc im conflicted

ANYWAY we're nearing the end of the plot of F4 so would anyone be interested in bonus chaps as we wait for avengers: doomsday to come out bc this book will be continued into that YAY

love you all and see you soon xxx