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Johnny Storm has finally had a chance to sleep.
The electro-magnetic pulse had seemingly done its job, and since that meant that Reed had returned to his usual self, Johnny finally felt confident that things would be handled in some kind of non-catastrophic manner if he let his guard down. And so, he wound up unconscious on the sofa in a highly dignified, face-down sprawl, still in his uniform. Which is where he has been all day, snoring quietly and utterly dead to the world around him.
*
A quiet DING of the elevator announces the entrance of another. Sue Storm, dressed immaculately in a periwinkle dress and a very tailored black blazer. Her hair has been swept into an easy twist, and her paces are punctuated by the clip of high heels against the tiled floor of the entrance. She stops in her tracks, however, when she spies her brother sleeping on the couch.
Her chin drops and she inspects her shoes. With a small shake of her head, fully intending to silence her steps, she kicks off one shoe. The other, however, doesn't come off as easily. With a quirk of her lips into a frown, she lifts her foot, but the restriction on the body of her dress makes it challenging to remove the heel. Consequently, she falls over with a thud on the floor.
*
The thud results in a bit of a snort and a "Whuzzuh?!" from the couch, and Johnny pushes himself up on his forearms to cast a bleary-eyed yet suddenly-alert look around the room. He blinks twice when he sees Sue on the floor near the door, immediately shifting to get to his feet and hurry in her direction.
Whatever awkwardness he probably should be feeling right now is taking a backseat to concern. <Nunim, are you okay?> Joon asks, frowning and offering her both of his hands. Part of it is a very mundane worry about the fall.
And part of it is the far less mundane fear that maybe he hadn't solved their spore-ish woes as effectively as they thought.
*
Getting up proves challenging thanks to the fashion flaw of her dress, prompting Sue to take the hands when they're offered. Very slowly, she ambles to her feet, even with the help. <I was trying not to wake you,> she notes with a tight doesn't-meet-her-eyes smile. "Sorry." She easily moves into English. Her lips twitch and she finds her balance on bare feet. She tugs on the bottom of her jacket to smooth it. "No harm," she states easily before giving his arm a quick squeeze. "Far worse things have happened," even within the last twenty-four hours.
She silently pads towards the kitchen and opens the fridge only to shut it seconds later. If she'd intended to get food, she seems to have come up empty. She pivots on her heel and manages another tight-lipped smile towards Johnny. <You should — > she stops, manages a flicker of a smile, and shakes her head. "Sorry."
*
Gently pulling her up to her feet, Johnny tries not to look too relieved when she seems steady on her feet and generally non-feverish. Oh, good. Not wanting to wake him does remind him that he's been asleep, though, and he turns his face away while he quickly wipes at his mouth and chin with one hand. He doesn't know if he drools in his sleep, but he does know he was really tired, so… best to be sure.
"It's okay, Seo. What time is it?" Johnny asks, casting a slightly sleepy look around as he falls into step behind her, more out of habit than anything else. When she goes to the fridge, he goes to the island nearby, watching her with an increasingly concerned furrow to his brow.
Oh. Right.
Johnny offers her a very small smile. "We should probably talk, huh?"
*
"After three," Seo replies simply before padding over to the cupboard and retrieves a glass. She turns on the tap and fills the glass with water. She sips at the water, and her eyes narrow slightly at the thought. "Possibly."
She rubs her eyes and stifles a quiet yawn. "I'm not entirely sure what else there is to say. It almost feels like we already said it." Her eyebrows lift and she manages another tight smile. <Look. I don't want to interfere in your life. Sincerely. And that's not just,> she taps her temple with her free hand. <You're an adult. You can make your choices.>
*
After three? Yeah, Johnny's slept enough. He runs both hands over his hair in a futile attempt to straighten it. This conversation — which yes, Sue, they do need to have — is worth trying to appear a little more presentable.
Rather than begin by saying anything in response to her observations, however, Johnny just silently moves forward and tries to pull his sister into a hug.
*
Sue is a bit stiff at first. She doesn't reject the hug, but she doesn't readily embrace (pun intended) it either. Her breath hitches in her throat and she sniffles once to resist the emotion that wells up in her. After a long pause, she lifts her arms and slowly returns the hug.
*
That's okay. Johnny is stubborn and patient… although the wait does have his shoulders tensing in fearful anticipation. They practically sag in relief when she returns the hug, and he presses a light kiss to the side of her head.
<I love you, Seo. I'm so sorry for what I said to you. I was trying to hurt you and it was cruel, and I wish I could take it all back,> Joon says quietly, not letting go.
*
A few long, deep breaths, see Sue relaxing in the grasp. But the apology and memory see her tensing again. But there's a piece that's easy enough to say. <I love you too, Joon.> She exhales slowly. Her eyes lid. There's a very pregnant pause that follows the rest of her thoughts. She struggles to find words, and chooses to just continue in the embrace.
She finally lowers her arms and tilts her head to meet Johnny's gaze. <It's not… I'm not…> there's tension in her expression, an obvious discomfort with trying to find her words <…I believe that you didn't want it to come out that way. But I don't believe that…> her cheeks flush. <I think you meant it. On some level.> Her eyes blink hard, <I'm sorry for… overstepping. And getting angry. And disappointed.>
*
<There are better ways to broach the subject,> Johnny replies with a very small smile, giving her shoulders a squeeze before allowing his arms to drop back to his sides. <I do sometimes feel like what mom and dad would have wanted for me trumps what I want for me. And sometimes, I feel like you look at me and just see your baby brother, and not… you know. A grown man.>
He rubs at the back of his neck, frowning deeply. <But I have never for a second felt anything but respect and appreciation for the job you and Aunt Margay did raising me. It wasn't fair to you that you had to do so much. You were just a kid, too. But you did an amazing job, if I do say so myself.>
*
There's a twitch of Sue's lips and a drop of her chin, intended as a nod. She concedes that perhaps he's correct. About something. Her lips edge downwards. <You probably don't remember,> her voice quiets to a near-whisper. <But every year on the anniversary of their deaths, abeonim would visit halmeonim and hal-abeonim's graves.> Her eyebrows lift. <And for five years I went with him. I would join him. And we would sit there at the foot of their graves as he thanked them for raising him.> She presses a hand to her forehead, <Forgetting, neglecting what we owe them, that would dishonour their memory.>
There's a long pause and she inhales a sharp breath. <And I'm so keenly aware of what a disappointment I am. Sincerely. I know you don't understand that, but nothing about my life translates to what they wanted for me. What I know they wanted for me.> She turns her head to the window. <But,> she manages a tight smile <the one thing I've done they would've approved of was the way I stepped in for them when it came to you.>
She sets her glass on the counter and slides towards the table — putting some distance between them. <But I was too young for that. And now?> her eyebrows lift. <Well. Old habits die hard.>
*
<I really don't remember a lot. That much was true,> Johnny admits, his hands moving as if to stuff themselves into his pockets… which he does not have. Awkwardly, he folds his arms tightly across his chest instead, remaining where he is to allow Sue her space.
He's quiet for a long time, just listening, watching. Thinking. Then, somewhat hesitantly: <You deserve to live for yourself,> Johnny says gently. <Not for our family, not for the team. For you.>
*
Seo's hands clasp lightly in her lap and she inhales a long slow breath at the thought. <I have.> She manages a small smile. <Not without the rest. I know this won't make sense, but you are all part of me. The family. The team.> It tightens, <We only came here because I had a selfish moment and wanted to take classes at Columbia. That was for me.>
<You know… I am disappointed that you withdrew from school, but not because the paper matters to me.> Her gaze lifts to try to meet Johnny's. <You're bright. You always have been. But. We grow because of who we meet and what we encounter. My courses weren't always challenging for me. But Reed was…> Her lips quirk into a lopsided smile, <…is. In the best way possible. I wouldn't have met him if I'd given up.>
Again her eyebrows lift <And maybe you should challenge the course instead of withdrawing. Take an exam instead of sit through the whole thing.>
*
Johnny allows himself to make a face. <I honestly just don't know what I'd do with the degree. I learn more doing what I did yesterday than I will in any classroom,> he says with a somewhat guilty look on his face, turning to look anywhere but at his sister. <Working with the three of you to do actual, tangible things… it just feels like a better way to spend the time.>
*
<Not everything is about the degree. You'd meet people you never would've known otherwise,> Seo answers in turn, but leaves it at that. <We learn from other people. Even if we don't agree with them.> She pinches the bridge of her nose and her hands slide to press over her face. <Do you know what a privilege it is to have that opportunity? You're not average. You're extraordinary.> She lowers her hands quite purposely and takes a step away from the kitchen, <You already know what I think. Your choices are your own. I don't agree with them, but they're yours.> Her throat clears.
*
This just feels weird. Johnny casts an almost wary look back in Sue's direction when she clears her throat, anxiously drumming his fingers against his arms. <…thank you. I do still meet a lot of people,> he notes, trying to keep his tone light. <And not just people like Roberto or… or Trish.>
*
Seo stiffens. She nods once, curtly, like she's just engaged in a business decision rather than a family conversation. A hand presses tightly to her forehead."I…" her eyes sweep back towards the bedrooms as she slips into English. "…feel a headache coming on." She forces a polite smile. "I… should go lie down. Maybe."
*
Aish, what did he say wrong. Johnny doesn't ask, but the disappointment almost certainly shows on his face. "…right. Yeah, I should wash up," he says awkwardly, already turning to start pacing towards his room. "Reed's probably in the lab. I can take him some food after my shower, if you don't beat me to it."
*
The expression isn't missed. And it's enough to give Sue pause. Silent resignation has her taking several bare foot steps back towards him. After closing the distance, she presses up to her tiptoes to plant a light kiss on his cheek — if he'll let her — before turning on her heel to head to her room. "Yes, if you could get Reed something, please. I… feel exhausted." She twists around to meet his gaze. "Please."
*
He does let her, but he also doesn't meet her eyes for more than a moment. Johnny nods once and cracks a small smile, studying the floor. "Sure. It'll even be real food," he promises, sketching a cross over the 4 on his chest with two fingers. "I promise."
*
"Just make sure it's not the mushrooms in the fridge. They're part of an experiment I'm working on, just an extension — " Seo lifts her fingers. It's not important and it would be easy to follow the bunny trail instead of actually laying down. And so she refocuses: "Just. Not the mushrooms." She treads down the hallway and disappears into her room.
*