Work Text:
"Do you really not have anywhere else to be?" You asked before turning back to the equipment Reed had left out on the counter in his lab.
As his recently hired lab assistant, you had been instructed to observe his current testing and make the appropriate notes. It wasn’t much right now, just some scans on some materials he had discovered, but that didn’t mean you needed one Johnny Storm breathing down your neck in the process.
"Nope," he replied and plopped down in one of the lab chairs beside you. He started spinning in it and, every now and then, tapping your lab coat. "I am free for the afternoon. My to-do list has been completed. I can now relax and hang around my favorite lab assistant."
"Relax," you muttered to yourself. "I’m sure posing for another Teen Living photoshoot is just so incredibly exhausting."
"I’ll have you know, it can be incredibly taxing. Not everyone has the stamina for such a thing."
Against your better instincts, you couldn’t help but let out a laugh at that. You cursed yourself mentally. He always managed to get just under your guard, just right at your skin. It was aggravating mostly. You didn’t really want to be one of the thousands of other girls who throw themselves at the ever-delightful and dreamy Johnny Storm. But, at the same time, you couldn’t really shake him. He was your employer’s brother-in-law after all. And he had the full ability to come annoy you whenever he saw fit. This led you to see some other sides of him and, gosh, you sometimes couldn’t help yourself.
You cleared your throat and recorded the number that the machine in front of you spat out. You weren’t sure how to respond to Johnny now.
"You’re familiar with the magazine then?" He asked suddenly.
"I see it at the grocery store from time to time." A little bit of a lie. You may or may not have purchased a copy of it, but it was strictly out of curiosity, and Johnny wasn’t even on the cover. Did he have an article in there? Sure. But he was not on the cover.
"Your mouth says one thing, but your eyes say something else."
"My eyes are busy trying to work, Mister Storm."
"Oh, please. We’re past the formalities, aren’t we, sweetheart?"
You almost jumped out of your skin. "I don’t think you can call me that. That has to violate some labor laws."
"Fine, scratch that then," Johnny replied smoothly before sliding his seat closer to you. "How about I call you ‘sweetheart’ when you’re not on the clock? That won’t violate labor laws."
You wrote a few more quick notes in your notepad. "And how many girls will you be calling ‘sweetheart’ this week?"
You expected some hesitation or even laughter from him at your comment, but instead, his words were serious and calm. "Just the one I’m staring at right now."
Finally, you forced yourself to pry your eyes away from the lab equipment and face the seductive man beside you. He was…waiting. Watching you. All so very patiently. You actually had to respond seriously, apparently.
"You’re serious."
"As serious as a heart attack."
"Going on such dates might also violate labor laws—,"
Johnny chuckled. "Well, you don’t work for me."
"I—I guess maybe technically—,"
"Great," he said, cutting you off effectively and abruptly. "There’s a great little place just a block over. We can walk over there after your shift."
"Sure. Fine. I clock out at seven. I think I can spare one drink."
"Drinks and a meal. I don’t skimp on my dates, darling."
"Oh—Okay—,"
"Hitting on my lab assistant again, Johnny?" Reed Richards suddenly said from the doorway. You didn’t know if you were thankful or frustrated by his interruption.
Johnny shot you one of his famous, swoon-worthy smirks (one you very much saw in the magazines) before walking toward Reed. "Reed, I’ll have you know that we have a date planned."
Reed glanced at you, his eyes wide with surprise. "She caved."
"It’s just drinks."
"And a meal," Johnny called out as he was making his way to the lab exit. "See you at seven."
Once he was gone, you turned back to your assignment, fully aware of the curious Reed who was staring you down. You apparently traded one annoying Fantastic Four for another.
"You finally agreed to a date, huh?" Reed asked while you focused on your notes.
"I’m not talking about this with my employer," you muttered.
Reed laughed. "Fair enough."