Chapter Text
“Our top story tonight: The Human Torch returns home to Webber Falls just a day after entering the league’s concussion protocol during the last and most anticipated game of the season.”
Of course it was top news. Johnny folded his arms as he stood in front of the mounted flatscreen, eyes narrowing as he waited to hear what the reporter had to say, knowing it probably wasn’t any different than any of the other news outlets.
“Team physicians confirmed the star forward sustained a concussion after striking his head against the boards and underwent mandatory concussion protocol before being cleared to return home for further rest. At this time, there is no timetable for his return.”
Yep. Nothing new to hear. He didn’t know if he was expecting to hear anything new or if he was just hoping this would become old news faster (Some extremely hopeful thinking). The reporter continued her story, joined by a sports correspondent to further explain what was next for the New York Baxters as they ended their season down a captain.
“This is nearly unprecedented territory for Johnny Storm who famously hasn’t missed time off of the ice due to injury in five seasons.” the correspondent offered. “Being the face of the Baxter Franchise, he’s served as one of the league’s most recognizable players and has shown himself to be hard to take down, durable in ways that left his fans calling him inhuman.”
Durable. He hung on to the word like it would make it suddenly true in the moment but he knew the truth was that he couldn’t just shake this one off and he felt it deep. He felt it in the way that his thoughts broke and in the way his vision would blur. The way that he’d have to close his eyes for just a moment at times just to get his bearings. Johnny /was/ durable but right now, he felt more fragile than he’d ever felt in his life and it shook up his resolve.
Before he could get too lost in his own thoughts, his attention was caught by the buzzing of his wrist. Sue’s picture filled the screen of his watch and he huffed because somehow she always had good timing. He grabbed his phone from the coffee table and answered her call, being met with his nephew’s smiling face instead.
“Oh there’s the magic man!”
Franklin cooed at the screen, eyes wide and bright with curiosity as his uncle talked at him.
“Mom’s got you on uncle Johnny duty huh? She’s clever but jokes on her, you’re gonna be the one giving her heart attacks, soon enough.”
The baby stared at him and he chuckled, making faces until Sue turned the screen on herself with a sigh.
“You’ve given me plenty of heart attacks over the years and yet I’m sure I’ve seen nothing yet.”
“Couldn’t be related to me if he didn’t give you a few greys.” Johnny shrugged.
“Speaking of greys-”
“I went to my appointment today. Let them run all their tests and use all their gizmos and gadgets to make sure I was clear to lay down all day.” He was being dramatic but she knew he would be. “My doctor says it might be two weeks before they are comfortable with even considering clearing me for return-to-play protocols. I think he’s playing it safe.”
“There’s nothing wrong with it, if he is.”
Johnny looked into the middle distance, already wanting to talk about anything else.
“Have you spoken to Bobby?”
“Last night.” Johnny replied before sighing and deciding against being unnecessarily curt. “He sent me a get well soon package and I think he literally googled get well soon packages for people with concussions.”
Sue chuckled at that as she sat the phone down so she could pick up Franklin who was now fussing.
“He tried. I mean, I remember you getting him an “I do all my own stunts” shirt with your package when he was injured.”
“He loves that shirt.” Johnny smiled.
“Mhm so how’ve you been liking the house? You didn’t give me time to finish much outside of the furnishing so it’s got the basics but it’s yours to John-ify while you’re there… Actually, no John-ifying. I don’t want you to turn it into some kind of bachelor pad, party house.”
Johnny tutted. “Party pooper.”
“Johnny.”
“I’m messin with you. Club Torch will not be resurrected ‘round these parts. I’m layin low like the doc ordered.” He tilted his invisible hat and Sue rolled her eyes. “You’ve got my word.”
“Your word. Right. Well I’ve gotta get this one fed and then down for a nap but I’ll be calling later to make sure you’re keeping that word.”
Johnny saluted her and waved to Franklin before ending the call and making his way to the kitchen. His body ached in different places but nothing worse than his head and the open windows let in every bit of sun possible. Luckily for him, his sister’s new home was also a smart-house and in just moments he was standing in the center of a much more tolerably lit kitchen but the next problem to solve involved stocking said kitchen.
She couldn’t kill him for stretching his legs at the grocery store instead of ordering them to the house.
-
Johnny was used to his high profile lifestyle and there was a major difference in being recognized anywhere else and being recognized in Webber. Someone coming up to him because they hadn’t seen him since he was a teenager was a welcome change from someone coming up to him because they wanted something signed. The signings didn’t stop but he felt less like he had to rehearse before interactions. If you asked his team, agency, or even his sister, he never took PR seriously anyway but here he felt true freedom. He didn’t have to be the cocky rebel because no one was forcing an image on him here. Now he could be charismatic because he liked to and not because it boosted views.
He’d been in town for almost a week and found himself doing the opposite of resting because he was beyond restless, taking to town daily to simply become reacclimated. Between therapies, he would head down to Main Street and hang out which was a stark difference from New York City where he had endless shopping, clubbing, and other indulgences. He’d been ignoring that little voice in his head that wondered if it was the right decision to return in the first place. That voice reminded him of the unmatched convenience, unlimited entertainment, and thrilling night life of a big city every time he was home by sundown but he was determined to do what needed to be done in order to return as soon as possible at one-hundred percent. The only time that voice faded into nothing was when he would spot a certain elusive spider.
Sometimes he’d see Peter in passing and they’d have a short interaction that would start with Johnny minding the other’s business and end with Peter politely taking his leave like he was the busiest person on the planet. Peter was always on the go whenever Johnny arrived and Johnny would have taken it personally if Peter wasn’t always toting his work in his arms. One day he revealed to Johnny that alongside instructing, he was a summer tutor. He gave group and one-on-one sessions throughout the week and would stop into a bakery or cafe to grab the students breakfast or lunch.
“I forgot you were also some kind of genius.”
“Some kind of genius.” Peter repeated before waving to Johnny on his way out that day.
Most interactions ended that way and Johnny would watch Peter leave with a growing curiosity. If Johnny were to be honest, he was starting to look forward to those few minutes of banter and he wondered if he really was just going mad with boredom.
Another day, Peter had been leaving in a rush and hurriedly informed Johnny that he couldn’t talk because he had to pick up his aunt (leaving out where from). His curly hair was wild like he’d just gotten out of bed or had been pulling at it but the puffiness of his eyes told Johnny the answer. They only exchanged greetings that day but Johnny could feel the tension radiating off of the other man and left it at that, knowing they’d probably have another chance on a different day.
That day didn’t come during their next encounter because Peter still exuded tension and that was kind of his demeanor whenever Johnny would run into him from then on. It got to the point where Peter would only give him that polite smile and a “seeya’round”. The disappointment Johnny felt was an odd feeling. He needed to find a hobby before banter became his only past-time.
A week and a half into his therapy, his doctor suggested pretty much the same thing. He needed something to keep him from going crazy that wasn’t going to interfere with his recovery.
“Y’know I won’t say there’s nothing to do around here but I’m feeling real limited, doc.”
“That’s completely normal. When you’re used to a faster paced lifestyle, it can be difficult to figure out how to slow down.”
“I’ve been in town almost two weeks and I think that outside of therapy, the only muscle I’ve used is the one in my wrist to sign something. Sign a jersey, sign for a package, sign paperwork. My signature is perfect.” Johnny pouted.
“Well you’re making great progress.” His doctor offered before taking a seat behind his desk. “They always need extra volunteers for the festival, if that’s something that interests you.”
“If you’re clearing me to lift heavy boxes and touch ice, even if it’s just blocks at a time, I will take it.”
Later on that day, he drove over to town hall and signed up to be a volunteer, leaving his information with a little doodle of a flame on the side.
-
Volunteering turned out to be informative, to say the least. Johnny was beginning to see why the usual excitement that came with the festival’s preparation period seemed so cheerless over the past couple weeks. He pieced together the issue through gossip from other volunteers and word on the street was that money was extremely tight after the loss of a sponsor. According to everyone else, the committee would have to cut certain major events from the festival altogether and that was enough to cause mass disheartenment.
Johnny knew personally how much the festival meant to the people of Webber. It used to mean everything to the kid who just wanted to spend his time on the ice, no matter the season. The same kid who had a lot of his firsts at the Summer Ice Festival, from losing his first tooth on a slip-and-slide during the festival relay games to becoming a teenager and having his first kiss at the festival ball. He could think of a memorable moment from every event that they considered letting go of.
So it was a no-brainer when he stopped the head of the committee outside of townhall, just before their next meeting to have a quick chat.
-
“Good morning everyone. I wanna extend a sincere apology to all of you for calling such an early meeting. Originally, we were to discuss the financial situation at hand and come to a decision about our next steps but it seems that it will not be necessary.”
The head of the committee wasted no time in informing everyone of Johnny’s offer to cover the $150k needed to fully fund the festival this year. The news was received with the sort of shock that was to be expected and when Johnny was called up to speak, he was met with the kind of crowd of faces that he was normally used to seeing after winning a match. He attempted to not let that go to his head throughout the meeting but they sang his praises from beginning to end and by the time they wrapped up, everyone had shook his hand and some had even offered him hugs on the way out.
When he finally made it out into the hall, he was ready to take up one of the many offers he received of drinks and/or dinner. He fished his keys out of his pocket with one hand while the other opened his messages to text an old buddy of his to meet him at the bar later. Before he could hit send, his phone was knocked out of his hand and he blinked because he hadn’t seen anyone coming and they’d nearly crashed right into each other.
They both went to pick up the phone and it was an awkward, short-lived fumble before Johnny picked it up with a chuckle.
“Shoot sorry- oh- Johnny? Woah I am so sorry, man- I shouldn’t have been reading while walking, that’s my bad. It’s not damaged, is it?”
Peter stood up with a guilty expression but Johnny turned his phone over in his hands a few times to look it over before he held it up for the other to see with a shrug.
“All good, Webs. Don’t sweat it.”
“Ah good. Yeah I don’t mean to be walking around with my head off but I was uhh apparently just missing a meeting. I thought I would at least be able to catch the ending but it looks like it’s just not my day.”
Johnny didn’t want to pry into what that could mean but Peter looked like he needed a 72 hour nap and a glass of something strong.
“The committee meeting, right?” Johnny tilted his head toward the room behind him.
Peter looked almost taken aback but he nodded and pushed his hair back, inhaling deep before shrugging like he was making peace with it. “If anything important went down, I’ll get a text soon.”
Just then, his phone pinged and he held up a finger with that same polite little smile before reading the text and then letting his expression drop into confusion. Confusion turned into realization and then as he looked up at Johnny, disbelief.
“You?”
“Me?”
“Huh.”
“Huh?”
“No nothing, it’s just really… generous.” Peter finished lamely and Johnny couldn’t help his chuckle.
“I think I follow and wow I don’t even know how to take that. Do I not seem the type?”
“You seem like a lot of things, I just never know what that next thing will be. I’m glad it happened to be generous.”
“I’m kinda curious what else I seem like.”
“Oh I don’t have that kind of time on my hands, sorry.” Peter joked.
“Oho? Well I’ll remember to ask on your next swing through.”
Peter shook his head, trying to hold a smile and folded his arms. He looked like a burden had been lifted from his shoulders but there was still something there that Johnny couldn’t name. He gestured down the hall to the exit.
“I’ve gotta go pick up May. You know, I’m sure that if she wasn’t your biggest fan before, she will be after I tell her the news.”
“Always on the go, this one.”
“You startin to miss me or somethin’?” Peter walked backward as he spoke.
“Or somethin’” Johnny repeated.
Peter didn’t say anything else, waving to Johnny before making his way out. By the time Johnny made it outside himself, Peter was driving off in his red ford focus and there was no one to watch how his lips curled up in amusement.
-
Johnny had a hard time not jumping out of his seat and kissing his doctor’s forehead when the man informed him that he’d be clearing him to skate again.
Though he wasn’t being cleared to return to hockey just yet, his doctor knew he was itching to get back on the ice and didn’t see anything wrong with no-contact skating at the local rink. He still had to continue his daily therapy but with his steady improvement, it was an easy decision to let him do a few laps around the rink when he felt that urge.
His first instinct didn’t go ignored. The moment he was free to leave, he drove straight to the rink, eager to simply be where he felt the most at home. He didn’t know how much he’d miss it until he wasn’t able to step foot on it for weeks. If he wasn’t sure before, he knew without a doubt now that there was no other feeling like gliding across the ice.
Fifteen minutes later, he was grabbing his skates out of the trunk and making his way inside with the biggest smile he’d adorned in weeks. Inside the arena, he wasn’t surprised to find class in session. Peter’s group was working on basic skills under his instruction and the sight made Johnny nostalgic. He joined the few parents that onlooked from the seats and was greeted warmly, invited to join their conversation immediately. They laughed loudly at anything he said and asked him more questions than the interviewers at his games but he was too excited to deny them. As they continued conversing around him, Johnny switched out his sneakers for his skates, watching as Peter ruffled the hair of one of the smaller children as they shared a joke.
He didn’t have to wait long for Peter’s instruction period to end, the rest of the parents arriving after about half an hour. He pulled on his jacket as they dismissed, waving to everyone who called out to him on their way out. By the time everyone was gone, Peter had noticed him and waited at the boards with a curious expression.
Johnny had never gotten to the ice faster.
They slid up to each other casually, Peter quirking a brow as he came to a stop right in front of Johnny. “You got clearance to be on those things, Storm or you just fienin for the thrill of a little danger?”
“Life would be so boring without a little danger, Webs.”
Peter folded his arms.
“Sheesh I’m only joking. Got the stamp of approval about…” he checked his watch. “An hour ago.”
“You’re nuts.”
“You allergic to nuts?”
“No.”
“Then I don’t see the problem.”
Peter clicked his tongue before skating around Johnny, toward the entrance. “Seeya later, Storm.”
“I just gave you the biggest news of the week and you’re already headed out? You don’t wanna do a celebration lap with me?” Johnny turned to face him with a dramatic pout.
“Bold of you to assume that this would be the biggest news of /my/ week.”
“Is it not?”
“Asshole.”
Johnny grinned and slid backward to get further onto the ice.
“What if something happens? I could fall over or something.”
“There’s no way you just stooped so low as to use your injury against me.” Peter couldn't help the astounded laughter that escaped his lips.
“Is it working?”
Peter clicked his tongue before joining Johnny in the center of the ice.
They did a few lazy laps around the ice, talking mostly about Peter’s class and trying to avoid entering into any hard topics. That proved to be difficult because what topic wasn’t hard? In the end, they kept it surface level but it was so apparent, they couldn’t keep it together long, falling into silence and then laughter.
“Who knew small talk would be superstar Johnny Storm’s weakness.” Peter joked.
“I rarely do this kind of chatting when I’m on the ice.”
“Right, you hockey boys can’t survive unless there’s some kind of flaunting or chirping involved.”
“It makes us play better.” Johnny laughed. “The win is that much sweeter when you can make the other team eat their words.”
“Yeah alright but surely with your lifestyle, you have to do a lot of schmoozing and whatnot. Small talk can’t be something you’re not used to. You worried I’m gonna ask you something that you haven’t gotten to rehearse with your agent yet?”
“Oh haha” the hockey player rolled his eyes. “Anything you could ask has already been covered on every news outlet you can think of.”
“Ah then you’re not struggling, you’re just tired of repeating yourself.”
“Do you normally analyze people during small-talk or is this reserved for me?”
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
“Too late.”
Peter was the one rolling his eyes this time before stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets and pursing his lips like he was having a hard time getting out what he wanted to say.
“I’m sure you’re already aware of this but you’re the talk of the town, Storm.”
“What is this- a setup?” Johnny chuckled. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to try and sound humble or agree and sound like a total jackass.”
“I just meant that after what you did the other day, even more than before, you’ve become a Webber Fall’s hero and to tell you the truth, I initially wrote it off as another easy way to garner publicity but then I realized that you of all people didn’t need it and it could have really just been an act of kindness.”
Johnny appreciated the honesty even if he wasn’t expecting it. He had to admit that it made sense that his offer could come off as a ploy to score some easy points in the media but he was determined to prove that wasn’t the case. It didn’t matter to him that he couldn’t put into words why.
“Regardless of what I thought, your contribution saved the festival and that’s all that matters.” Peter continued and his expression turned sheepish. “I guess I’m just trying to say thank you.”
Johnny nodded with a warm smile and as the moment settled over them, he realized he didn’t know what to say next, which was new. He huffed a laugh at the audacity of his brain to give up now and slid to a stop before offering up the first thing that came to mind.
“Pizza.”
“Hm?” Peter skated backward when he realized Johnny was no longer next to him.
“Pizza sounds really good right now and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate.”
“Oh.” Peter looked genuinely surprised but then he shrugged like it made enough sense to him and tilted his head toward the exit. “Eddie’s is my go-to when I’m in a celebrating mood.”
“You in a celebratin’ mood right now?”
Peter did a circle around Johnny as he contemplated before skating toward the exit, making Johnny’s brows furrow before he called back.
“Last one there pays.”