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It's lunch time at Wing Sing, and Sue anticipates a sibling date following classes this morning. Her eyes quickly scan the menu, making hasty work of what she wants to order (noodles, clearly), before plunking it back in its spot in the corner of the table. Dressed in her unstable particles Fantastic Four uniform, she's not even attempting to blend in today. With things changing in Central Park, she's been busy helping civilians where she can; especially with other worries having been put to rest.
She pours a cup of tea for herself from the pot in the centre of the table, and allows her fingers to curl around it as she takes in a long languid sniff. The way it soothes her senses gives her pause. It's been a long morning, and was an even longer night. For better or worse, Sue Storm has been out fighting, and consequently has just a stitch of a sore throat. Just enough to know that it's 'off'. No matter.
*
When the partner for said anticipated sibling date arrives, Sue is not the only Storm clad in the iconic white and blue of the Fantastic Four uniform — but even more surprising than that, perhaps, is that even though Johnny is so attired, he walks up to the door. No flames, no flying.
With a quick smile and a pair of cheerful finger-guns aimed at the hostess on his way past, Johnny drops down into the seat across from Sue. "Hope I'm not late," he says brightly, lacing his fingers together and stretching his arms out in front of himself. "Were you waiting long?"
*
A fond smile pulls at Sue's features when Johnny enters the restaurant. "Sometimes I wish I had your easiness," she observes before sipping her tea. Her head shakes at his question, "Not really. Just got some tea. You're welcome to have some — " she'd asked for a second cup " — but if you're not interested, I'll definitely be finishing this cup."
Her smile subdues as she stares at his uniform a few beats. "Besides, you were coming from class. I thought it would take awhile." But the pause at the end of her sentence seems to suggest more, "Did you wear that to class?" she arches a wry eyebrow.
*
Tea? Don't mind if he do~. Johnny immediately leans forward to pour himself that second cup's worth of tea, and although the smile remains on his face, there's just something about the set of his shoulders that probably sets off Sue's mental alarm bells.
"I mmmmmmmight have worn it to campus longenoughtowithdrawfromthesemester," Johnny replies, the words coming faster and more quietly as he goes. By the time he hits he end of the sentence, he's practically mumbling them into his teacup, his eyes focused on the window off to the side. What a nice view of Chinatown!
*
It takes a moment for Sue to process the thrown together word. Her eyes widen, her lips gape, and her face pales. For a few beats it seems as if Johnny has pressured his sister into silence, but after a moment, her tea cup is slammed down onto the table: "WHAT." The single word is enough to garner attention from people spread across the restaurant, and very quickly, she follows up the single word with a series of very precise, very adamant others. <You cannot withdraw?! Why the hell would you withdraw! You need an education! You know you need an education! What were you thinking!? You need to go back there! Apologize!>
*
The silence is almost worse than the actual eruption. It's the anticipation, really. Johnny does flinch when Sue finds her voice again, but he does at least manage not to choke on his tea or sputter into the cup. He forces himself to set it back down on the table as gently as he can —
— which contrasts a bit with how animated he is when he replies. <Because the classes aren't teaching me anything!> Johnny replies with an exasperated roll of his eyes. <If I'm not learning anything, how does it count as an education?! Besides, look out there!> he adds, pointing towards the door and raising his eyebrows sharply. <Isn't that more important?!>
*
Sue stares at her brother throughout his reply, well, until the end, when she starts to Korean-rant over him, <THAT> she motions to the window <isn't going ANYWHERE! Your education is! You need to go and be there and get that credential! And you know it too! You are more than aware that this is ridiculously important! You need to get it! This isn't acceptable! We've talked about this — >
*
When Sue starts to rant over him, Johnny just increases his own volume and vehemence to compensate, because That's Just How This Works. <Why?! Why do I need it?! Do I need a diploma so I can go get a job at Stark Industries after I graduate?!> Some part of Johnny is aware of the fact that they're making a scene and alarming the patrons of the noodle shop, but that doesn't seem to be enough to stop him from continuing on, hands clenching into fists in frustration. <Why doesn't what I want matter?! I'm already happy doing what we do! You're not the only one who's allowed to be right!>
*
Frustrated, Sue whacks the teapot across the table with the back of her hand, and causes it to spill tea across the table and fall tot he floor with a CLANG. <Because you need to make something of yourself apart from all of this! Because abeonim and eomeonim would've wanted that for you! Because you have potential and need to seek the resources to use it!! Don't you see that?! Can't you understand that?!> Unlike Johnny, her mind pays no attention to the stares the pair are getting for their very Korean fight in the middle of Chinatown.
*
The teapot being knocked across the table has Johnny jumping to his feet to avoid it — not that hot tea would be an actual problem for him, but it's just the appropriate response, along with letting his eyes go momentarily wide in surprise. <But I like all of this!> he insists, <I'm good at it!> He slaps a palm against the large white 4 on his chest. <Maybe I was meant to do this instead of turning screwdrivers in some factory, did you ever think of that?>
*
With Johnny on his feet, Sue follows suit. She presses away from the table as irrational temper takes over. <We have talked about this! You know that this crimefighting superheroing thing isn't a reall job! You need to be productive! You ned to have a purpose beyond being someone who can light on fire! You need to find more in your life than that! Did you ever think that no one was meant to do what we do — that it was just an accident and this is us making lemonade out of lemons?! You need to have something else!>
*
<Aish! It is not about being able to light myself on fire!> Johnny exclaims, throwing his hands into the air in exasperation. <Do you know how much good I could do with a degree? Not much. Not compared to the good I can do if I'm not wasting my time in a class that isn't teaching me anything!> It isn't just tempers that are flaring, now — the air around Johnny is becoming noticably hotter the longer the siblings argue.
*
ROLL: Sue +rolls 1d10 for a result of: 1
*
A long deep breath causes Sue to regain some semblance of her usual self. She swallows hard and stares at her brother. She tries to focus on her more diplomatic self. She requires some semblance of thought. <We will discuss it at home.> There. Good. Good job Sue. But then, she feels the need to add, matter-of-factly, <After you go re-register for your classes.>
*
Johnny just points at Sue when she makes that final addition, lips pressed into a tight line and his eyes wide. Immediately, he spins on his heel and starts marching for the door, heat visibly radiating from his shoulders, hot enough to distort one's view of the area immediately surrounding him. <You know what? No. We will not discuss it at home, because when you say 'discuss,' you mean 'repeat the same thing over and over until little Joon does what his big sister says'!>
*
ROLL: Sue +rolls 1d10 for a result of: 2
*
<Don't be a child,> Sue replies flatly. <You're acting childish — like you're ten years old again crying for your teddy bear. You want to be treated like an adult, then be an adult. Make an adult decision that would've been supported by our parents. Who, by the way, are rolling over in their graves.> Her jaw tightens and her finger lifts, <I didn't spend years taking care of you, neglecting my childhood, and nurturing your potential to have you throw it away for this.> Hello guilt.
*
Johnny gets two steps outside before he stops dead in his tracks, his fists clenching tightly at his sides. Very slowly, he turns around to level a very unfamiliar expression on his sister — tight, venomous, cold.
<You're the one obsessed with what abeonim and eomeonim would think of everything we do… with securing the approval of people who have been dead most of our lives… and I'm the childish one,> Johnny says slowly. <Unbelievable.>
*
ROLL: Sue +rolls 1d10 for a result of: 3
*
ROLL: Sue +rolls 1d10 for a result of: 8
*
Silence follows the thought. Complete silence. Where Sue had been angry before, something shifts. The twinge of it writes over her face a moment. But she forces it down; forces it back. <Most of your life.> The flatness in her tone steels her. <You have no respect for the dead. No respect for me. No respect for their memory or wishes. It's our duty to uphold their memory. It's my duty, my responsibility, to remind you of them because we owe them everything. You know that, right?> While she may be American, her Korean values have remained at least somewhat intact.
Even in her cold tone, she blinks hard against the burning feel of tears threatening to shed through her cheeks. Her hands ball into fists at her sides. Anger is so much easier than tears. <You are ungrateful! Disrespectful! And forgetful! How could you forget them?! How could you forget their memory?!>
*
<They died when I was eight. I barely remember their faces, nevermind their wishes,> Johnny says tightly as he takes a small step backwards, further from the entrance to the noodle shop. The admission, despite his obviously agitated state, does not sound defensive or accusatory. Emotional, yes — but when you're running as hot as Johnny is, any tears that might be gathering are evaporating into nothing long before they might become noticable.
*
<But I remember!> Sue blinks harder to hold back the unbidden tears. <I remember all of it!> Her breath catches in her throat. <I remember the way eomeonim used to store my hair before bed. The way she watched you when you were sick. The way abeonim checked under your bed for monsters. The way they told me to look out for you. That I had to walk you to school. That you were my responsibility.> She swallows hard, <I remember losing them. I remember not being able to cry about it to be strong for you. I had to keep it together. Strong Seo. That's what Margay called me.> Her hands tighten into fists, <I remember all of it. And it aches. SO, yes! I care what they think!>
*
<But not what I think.> Johnny takes another step back, closer to the curb, now. <All you ever tell me is what they would think, what Aunt Margay would think — usually to make me feel bad about something. So why should I care about them?> he asks, stubbornly lifting his chin. <To hear you tell it, they wouldn't think very highly of me, anyway.>
Under other circumstances, that would be the end of it. But not tonight. Tonight, as Johnny's body bursts into flame, he adds one final, quiet shot in parting: <Maybe if they hadn't expected another child to raise me, I could have made them proud.>
And without waiting for a response, the Human Torch launches himself into the sky like a rocket.
*
Sue's lips quiver. Her shoulders shudder. The knife to her chest is enough. For a moment her hand lingers there, overtop her heart, trying to understand what has just happened. With Johnny just a ball of flames in the sky, her breath hiccoughs, and the yelp-sob that emits from the back of her throat cannot be muffled. Her hands raise to her now tear-stained face.
And with Johnny gone, Sue does what she does best.
She disappears.