Conquering an Untamed Flame (Johnny Storm fanfic)

Chapter 7: Blow stuff up?

"You had your TV time just an hour ago!"

"No, that was five hours ago flame brain."

"Oh put a rock in it Pebbles, I know how to tell the time."

"Really? I didn't know. I coulda sworn ya failed eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh grade Math."

"Ben, that's enough!"

"Oh no Sue, let Paul Bunyan here talk. You know Benny boy, I actually think I'm reasonably good at math."

"Yeah? In what world?"

"This one. I mean, you plus Alicia in bed... that equals a landslide right?"

"Hey Tinkerbelle?"

"Yeah?"

"Come here; let me give ya a big hug."

"You know I'm feeling fine-"

"Oh no, I insist."

"Ben, Johnny enough! We have a guest!"

"Listen to her guys!"

"He started it Reed!"

"Oh how mature Pebbles."

And I honestly thought my team had arguing issues. At least no one has thrown anything yet-

WHOOOSHHH - BANG

Nope, never mind.

For the first hour, Reed and I got a satisfactory and reasonable amount of work completed. We've called up suppliers, laid our schematics out, conversed on the best elements and materials for the particle accelerator and fixed up one or two trifle algorithms which Dr Wells evidently overlooked. After all that? You could hear the boys arguing from four rooms away, and a barely audible retaliation on Susan's behalf.

So I've been situated in the door frame for the past twenty minutes, teetering back and forth on the balls of my feet like a pendulum. It's pretty hard to do when in heels, so I've been more than preoccupied, as well as the entertainment in front of me. It was entertaining for the first ten minutes, and then it just started getting marginally infuriating.

"You ain't seen the last of me by a long-shot, Hot Stuff. Without yours truly, who'd provide the glamour for the group?" Ben bickers, but Susan Richards is one persistent - and patient - woman.

"Ben, please." Her eyes are the very definition of pleading, a vibrant bright blue reduced to a duller shade of blue, still bright but not at their full potential. Ben decides to play the part of the mature adult, throwing Johnny one last look before thumping away. Reed's hair is greying by the second.

"I deeply apologize about that, we've been trying to lessen the quarreling around here but-" Reed apologizes, yet I don't allow him to finish. I raise my hand, halting him mid-sentence and accept "Say no more, I completely understand," I sigh tiredly "it's like that every day in the office."

His eyebrow arches. "Really?"

I nod, offering a kind smile. "Yep. Especially recently." His brows come together at my answer, his head tilting a pinch to the right as he inquires "Any particular reason why?"

I almost snort. "Apparently I can't date anyone without going to them for permission first."

He clicks his fingers. "Oh! That's right! I read about that somewhere... Chase is it? I would've thought Mr. Parks would have approved of you and his bodyg-"

I giggle at the simple idea, wanting to gag but deciding that giggling is more appealing and polite than gagging and spewing on the spot. "No no no, I slipped on ice and he caught me. Jordan still needs to tweet that we're not together. No, I met a guy at Starbucks and we... kind of hit it off. You don't want to hear about this though." I shake my head, an amused smile gracing my lips at the thought of having a D&M with Reed during business hours.