The human torch's flame

Chapter 15

You hoped into a taxi. Johnny was about to give the direction to Reed's flat when you stopped him and spoke:

"I'm going to hop to my flat to grab some stuff." Johnny nodded and you gave the driver the direction to The place you had called home for the past year or so. Let's just say your parents didn't exactly approve of bombs in the basement. *winks.*

The cab came to a stop a few minutes later and you hoped out of the cab. Johnny paid the taxi driver and followed you in.  You walked up a dozen steps before coming to a halt in front of a wooden door. You brought out a silver key that had no trace of being previously owned and inserted it in the lock. You turned the key in and stepped inside the flat.

The flat in itself was poorly furnished and nothing came to decorate the empty walls. The living room wasn't in a mess but it still couldn't be considered clean. You headed for the bedroom to pack some stuff as you yelled back to Johnny: "There should be soda in the fridge. You can serve yourself just don't make a mess."

"I'll try not to." He called back. "By the way, what do you do for a living? Apart from flying shuttles into space, that is."

"Pilot is not something I usually do. I work with...." Bombs? He might think you're FREAKING terrorist. "...machines."

You pulled out a suitcase from under your bed and filled it up with various utilities. You grabbed a copy of (f/ book). You stuffed other things that could potentially entertain you. Johnny peeked into your room.

"Interesting. What kinds of machines?" He wiggled his eyebrow.

"Cool ones." You said with a smirk on your face.

"Give me something to work with here. It's kind of hard to flirt when you don't give me any info."

You closed your suitcase and brought it into the living room. Johnny was grinning while giving you a sideways look, a coca-cola bottle in his hand, he extended another one for you in his other. (You took it/ You didn't take it) as you sat down beside him.

"Like your place." He said bluntly.

You smiled: "Thanks."

You waited till Johnny (./and you) drained his soda. Then headed out of the flat. You caught a quick glimpse of the clock on your oven and realised it was already 6:30. Walking down the stairs you asked Johnny:

"How much further is Reed's place?"

"I'm not really sure. Maybe we should crash at your place tonight?"

You hesitated for a moment. You didn't exactly want anyone in your apartment for weapon related things. You bit your lip but finally answered: "Fine. Fast food?"

"Sure." Johnny said nonchalantly.

You locked the door to the building and started walking in the not-so-deserted street. There weren't as many people as you remembered in your brief time spent at the flat but there were still enough people so that no one could call the street silent.

You stuffed your hands in your jacket, deciding the warmth provided by your fur pockets would have a better effect on your cold hands than your warm breath.

The neons on  'Subway' were blasting full colors though it didn't contrast every well with the vanishing light of day.

"I envy you, you know." You said to Johnny who was striding to your left.
"Why is that?" He twirled around so that he was walking backwards, facing you. "My looks? My breathtaking charisma? My incredible sense of humor, perhaps?" You sniffles a laugh as Johnny almost ran into a post. Johnny then decided that walking while facing where you were going was safer, and turned around.

"None of that. It's just that it's chilly and you can warm yourself. You know, human torch and all that." You stated.

"You don't have to wait in the cold. You cold zap to the fast food and wait for me there." You bit your lip. As much as you hated to admit it, you realized that Johnny had thought this through more thoroughly than you.

You quickly covered up your ' thinking-less' by stating : " Wouldn't it be rude to let your guest walk in the cold while you wait in the warm?"

He grinned "then you could teleport us both."

"Not in front of the crowd."

"Why not?"

"That would draw lots of attention."

"And what's wrong with attention?" Johnny raised an eyebrow.

"It's just....not for me." You finished.

You arrived at the subway as you realized that no one was actually in line. You quickly ordered your favorite meal and let Johnny order his. You split the bill because let's just say you didn't want to feel like his 'date'.

Johnny sat down at a table overlooking the street. You sat across from him. As soon as you had started eating, a bold man in a white suit and green tie came in. You immediately pulled of your jacket and tried your best to hide from the eyes of the man in white. As your face turned as pale as the man's suit, your eyes frantically searched for any means of escape.

Johnny raised an eyebrow, then looked to the man in white. He was rather well built and had a tan to him.

"Ex?"

"Ex-boss. The one that hired me to do something I didn't want to?"

"Such as what?"

"I almost sold him a highly dangerous chemicals substance that is illegal in almost all the countries in the world."

"So why you hiding? You said no. So what?"

"When he asked me for the weapon, I was glad to do business. Only when he started forgetting the meaning of 'personal space', did I through a bit of acid on his left arm. Totally by accident." You ducked further beneath your coat as you gave Johnny a lopsided grin.

Johnny made an O sign with his mouth as he finished the last of his burger.

The man in white walked out just at that moment, earning you a sigh of relief. Maybe he'd just ordered a take-out and left or maybe he came in looking for you. In any case he didn't find you.

"Do you do that a lot?" Johnny asked

"What?"

"In your line of business witch, for all I know could be selling underwear, do you have to sell highly dangerous chemicals? Or was it a one time thing?"

You placed your jacket behind you as you started eating your meal.

"I, sometimes... Wait there. I see what your doing." Johnny raised his hands in the air as if in surrender. "You're trying to guess what I do." You rolled your eyes and said "that's not gonna happen. However... What was your job before your sister hooked you up with a job as pilot?"

"Lots of things. Bits here and there."

"And I thought I was vague." You laughed and Johnny joined you.
"My job's not that interesting. My love life though is very agitated."

You rolled your eyes "let me guess; girls everywhere. You're disgusting."
Johnny winked and you responded by rolling your eyes, yet again. You finished your dinner in silence and, after clearing the table, headed back for your apartment.