Jonathan Storm "Johnny"

Brooks is the only person who calls Steve "Blue ." It all started as a tease because of the uniform. Instead of calling him "Captain" like everyone else, she simply blurted out: "Hey, Blue!" Steve turned around immediately. Since then, the nickname stuck. She uses it naturally, without realizing that every time she hears "Blue," Steve takes a second to respond. His ears turn slightly red, he clears his throat and tries to act as if he hasn't been affected. It never works. Tony is always amused when he witnesses the scene. "Congratulations, Rogers. Now you respond to color." Sam laughs even harder. "Worse, he answers every time." Steve just sighs, trying to maintain his composure. "...She knows she's talking to me." Natasha hides a smile, watching the Captain blush discreetly while Brooks continues the conversation as if nothing had happened. For her, it's just a nickname. For Steve... it's a reminder that Brooks sees him beyond the Captain America symbol. She doesn't see the hero. She only sees Steve. The one who really suffers from this is Johnny. At first, he finds it funny. Brooks is always inventing nicknames for everyone. He's Hotshot . Clint is still Dad . Natasha is Nat . But after a while, Johnny realizes that nobody but Brooks calls Steve Blue . And worse, Steve always looks up immediately when she calls him that. That bothers him more than it should. "Since when did she give him a unique nickname?"
Johnny never comments, but he feels a pang of jealousy every time he hears that simple:
— "Blue."
Because, for him, unique nicknames are reserved for special people.

And, for the first time, he begins to wonder if Steve has also won a place in Brooks' heart... even before any of the three have the courage to admit it.

— "Hey, Azul!"

Steve turns around automatically.

Tony looks at Bruce.

"She just trained the Captain like a golden retriever."

Steve blushes.

Brooks is the only person who calls Steve "Cap ." The nickname came about naturally, almost as a joke to shorten "Captain." She uses it with such spontaneity that she doesn't even realize the effect it has. — "Cap, are you coming or are you going to stand there overthinking?" Steve always answers, but takes a second longer than he should. His ears turn discreetly red, he clears his throat and tries to act as if it's something normal. It never is. Sam notices right away and loves to tease him. — "She called you Cap again." Steve just sighs. — "...I heard." Natasha usually hides a smile, while Tony finds the situation too funny to let pass. — "Congratulations, Rogers." "You've earned a unique nickname." Steve never admits it, but he likes hearing her call him that. Not because it's a special nickname in itself, but because Brooks is the only one who does it so naturally, without ceremony or reverence. To her, he remains just Steve... or, better yet, Cap . The one who really suffers from this is Johnny. At first, he thinks he's imagining things. After all, Brooks is always giving nicknames to everyone. He's Flame, Solar, Hotshot, or Astro. Clint remains Dad . Natasha is Nat . But, after a while, he realizes that nobody but Brooks calls Steve Cap . And Steve always looks immediately when she calls him that. That's enough to plant an uncomfortable doubt. "Since when does she have a nickname that's all her own?"
Johnny never comments on the subject, but he can't help but feel a slight pang of jealousy every time he hears a simple:
— "Cap."
Because, for him, unique nicknames always meant intimacy.
And, for the first time, he begins to wonder if perhaps he isn't the only one who occupies a special place in Brooks' life.

Johnny always believed that Brooks would be a constant presence.
She was the person who went along with any silly plan, laughed at his bad jokes, put him in his place when he went too far, and never treated him like "the Human Torch," just like Johnny.
That's why she never stopped to think about how she would feel if someone saw her the way he did.
It was during a training session that everything changed.
While fighting Brooks, she noticed the way Steve Rogers was watching her. It wasn't just a leader's attention. There was admiration, pride, and a quiet care that Johnny recognized immediately... because, without realizing it, he had begun to feel exactly the same way.
The idea of ​​losing her no longer seemed impossible.
Steve was a man of integrity, someone Johnny deeply respected. If Brooks ever chose to be with him, Johnny knew she would be with someone who would treat her as she deserved.
And that was precisely what made everything more difficult.
He couldn't hate Steve.
Don't blame him.
And even less so to demand anything from Brooks.
She had never promised him anything.
They were just friends.
Even so, Johnny began to notice things he had previously ignored: Steve always looked for Brooks at the end of missions, asked if she was okay, and watched her with an attention impossible to hide.
Without realizing it, Johnny started doing the same thing.
He would call Brooks to train, invent outings, invite her to eat a hamburger or watch a movie. Not to distance her from Steve, but because he wanted to continue being the person who made her smile.
Even so, I would never cross a line.
If Brooks chose Steve, Johnny would hide his disappointment behind a joke and continue to side with both of them.
Because losing the chance to love her would already be painful.
But losing your best friend...
It would be devastating.
It was then that Johnny finally understood a truth he had been running from for a long time:
He was never afraid of Steve Rogers.
He had always been afraid of discovering that Brooks might never see him the way he had come to see her.

Steve never imagined that Clint Barton's daughter could occupy so much space in his thoughts.

Initially, Brooks was just another member of the team: competent, impulsive, and annoyingly stubborn. Arguments between the two were frequent. She questioned his strategies, joked about his pre-mission speeches, and never missed an opportunity to call him "Captain" with a sarcastic tone that made Tony and Johnny laugh.

He responded with his usual patience.

Or at least, it tried to.

As the months passed, Steve began to notice details that no one seemed to comment on. The way Brooks stayed by a wounded comrade's side until he was sure he would be alright. The way he hid his own worries behind sarcasm. The ease with which he made everyone laugh after a difficult mission.

Without realizing it, he began to automatically look for her whenever he entered a room.

He would confirm via the intercom whether she was safe.

He felt strangely relieved whenever he saw her return from a mission without a scratch.

When she smiled, the weight of the world seemed to lessen for a few seconds.

Steve tried to convince himself that this was simply a leader's responsibility.

Natasha never believed it.

Sam realized it even before he did.

Clint... preferred to pretend otherwise.

The real problem arose when Steve started noticing something else.

Brooks seemed to glow in a different way when he was around Johnny Storm.

And, for the first time in a long time, the supersoldier experienced a feeling he never imagined he would feel toward a teammate.

Jealousy.

It wasn't anger.

It wasn't possessiveness.

It was simply the painful feeling of arriving too late for someone who may never have realized he had been there all along.

Even so, Steve would never interfere.

If Brooks chose Johnny, he would respect his decision.

Because, above all feelings, Steve Rogers believes that loving someone also means...

Hotshot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (perfect) *

Has a double meaning.

He's always full of himself.

And he literally controls fire.

"Calm down, Hotshot."

###* Torch *

Classic.

"Can you go five minutes without setting something on fire, Torch?"

###* Little Fire *

To annoy him.

"Good morning, Little Fire."

###* Astro Because he acts like a movie star. "Of course... Astro has arrived." ---### Flame Short and provocative. "Come here, Flame." ---### Drama Queen When he exaggerates. "You're impossible, Drama Queen." ---### Solar Because he never stops. "Do you run on solar power?" ---### Spark When he's especially excited. ---## Heartthrob Because he knows he's always flirting. "Decided to play the heartthrob today?" ---## Storm

Used when she wants to be serious.

"Johnny" = affectionate term.

"Storm" = danger.

Johnny respects Clint.

She also has an extremely healthy fear of him.

Not because Clint is rude.

But because he knows that any father would be protective of a daughter like Brooks.

The two are constantly exchanging taunts.

Johnny arrives at the Avengers Compound and finds Clint cleaning a bow.

"Good morning, Mr. Barton."

"Did you come to get my daughter or to start a fire?"

"...Maybe both."

Clint just sighs.

Despite the jokes, Johnny makes a point of treating Brooks with respect in his presence.

The problem...

The thing is, Clint noticed a long time ago the way Johnny looks at his daughter.

And he also noticed how she looked back.

He simply prefers to pretend he doesn't.

Whenever someone mentions the two of them, Clint always replies the same thing:

"They're just friends."

Tony laughs.

Sue laughs.

Ben ri.

Even Natasha laughs.

Clint keeps repeating this as if, by insisting enough, he could stop Brooks from growing up.

Deep down, he really likes Johnny.

Trust him.

He knows that Brooks would protect him with his own life.

He's just not emotionally prepared to accept that one day his daughter's "best friend" might show up and say:

"Mr. Barton... I wanted to talk about Brooks."

That thought alone makes Clint consider a mission to another planet.

Whenever Johnny arrives at the Compound looking for Brooks, Clint asks the exact same question:

Clint: "Does she owe you money? "Johnny: "No. "Clint: "Then why do you look for my daughter more than you look for your own sister? "Johnny: "...Because..."

And it simply freezes.

There's never a convincing answer.

Clint raises an eyebrow.

Johnny changes the subject.

The two go on with their lives pretending that conversation never happened.

Although Johnny generally acts naturally around Clint, mentally, Clint is automatically his "future father-in-law," which is how he describes Brooks' father to Ben, Sue, and Reed.

Reed likes Brooks because she never treats him like an unattainable genius.

While many people are intimidated by his intelligence, Brooks converses with him naturally, interrupts lengthy explanations when necessary, and asks questions that genuinely pique his curiosity.

Reed admires his courage, ability to improvise, and quick thinking during missions.

Although not very expressive, he shows affection through small gestures: he makes time to help her with projects, adapts equipment to make her work easier, and always asks for her opinion before completing important experiments.

Over time, Reed also notices a curious pattern.

Johnny changes completely when Brooks is around.

Smile more.

Tell me more.

And, for the first time in his life, he seems to think before flirting with someone.

As a scientist, Reed almost views this as a behavioral observation.

As a friend, he simply finds it interesting to watch Johnny mature without realizing it.

Reed really likes Brooks.

She is one of the few people who actually pays attention when he starts explaining some scientific theory.

In return, Reed always answers her questions patiently.

He perceived the tension between her and Johnny in an almost... statistical way.

After observing dozens of interactions, he concluded that the probability of them both being in love was extremely high.

When he mentioned it during dinner, Johnny almost choked on his soda.

Brooks left the table feigning indignation.

Reed still insists that the data was correct.

Sue always had an almost maternal affection for Brooks.

He never tried to interfere in their friendship, but he realized very early on that there was something different between them.

She's the first to notice small details: the way Johnny seeks out Brooks in any setting, how she relaxes when he's around, or how they both become strangely uncomfortable when someone flirts with the other.

Sue never pressures anyone.

She just watches.

Sometimes he asks questions that are too innocent to be truly innocent.

"So... are you going to keep saying this is just friendship?"

Neither of them answers.

She just smiles.

Sue always had a special affection for Brooks. From an early age, she became a kind of older sister to him, someone Brooks could trust and confide in about everything, after the loss of his mother in a car accident when he was very young.

She notices emotions that others ignore and rarely needs Brooks to say what he's feeling in order to understand.

It was Sue who first noticed that Johnny was treating Brooks differently.

At first, he thought it was just the habit of growing up together.

Then he noticed small details: the way he automatically sought out Brooks in any environment, how he smiled differently when she laughed, and how his attention remained on her even in crowded rooms.

Sue never pressured either of them.

She prefers to observe in silence, offering advice only when she senses it's truly needed. She knows that feelings cannot be rushed.

For Brooks, Sue represents stability. She's the first person she turns to when she needs to vent and the only one capable of making her see situations she prefers to ignore.

Deep down, Sue just hopes they both discover what she's known for years.

Ben has considered Brooks part of the family long before she started frequenting the Baxter Building so often. He never treated her as "Johnny's friend," but as someone who would always have a reserved seat at the table and a guaranteed spot at team gatherings.

The two share a similar sense of humor. Brooks shows no fear of Ben's appearance and makes a point of teasing him as she would any other friend. In response, Ben constantly invents nicknames for her, teases her about her quirks, and pretends to support Johnny in arguments, only to switch sides seconds later.

He's also the one who first notices when something is wrong between the two.

Whenever Johnny starts acting strangely around Brooks, Ben just crosses his arms, smiles slightly, and comments:

"You two are going to give me a lot of headaches."

Despite the playful banter, Ben is extremely protective. If anyone hurts Brooks, she quickly learns that angering the Thing has never been a good idea. To Ben, she's already part of the family, even if no one has ever needed to say it out loud.

His favorite trouble

Brooks always says that he's the one who causes trouble, but he insists that it's her fault.

"Come here, Trouble."

Beautiful

He speaks so naturally that sometimes he doesn't even realize he's flirting.

"You look beautiful when you're pouting, Bonita."

My Favorite *

It doesn't explain favorite of what.

Simply... favorite.

"You're still my favorite."

At first, "My Favorite" is just a joke.

Everyone thinks it's normal.

Until the day someone asks:

"Favorite of what?"

And Johnny answers, without thinking:

"Of everything."

...

Only then does he notice the silence that fell over the room.

Including hers.

Ray of Sunshine

Because, even when she's serious, he says the day gets better when she appears.

"Good morning, Sunshine."

Spark

She always "lights up" something in him, even unintentionally.

"Hey, Spark."

Boss/Captain

Because she's always trying to knock some sense into him.

"Okay, Captain."

Stubborn

When she makes that unfriendly face.

"Don't make that face, Stubborn."

Small

Even though she's the same height.

He only uses it to tease her.

"Hurry up, Little one."

Problem

Because she became the biggest problem in his life... and he still hasn't realized why.

"You're a problem, you know?"

Princess

Used in a completely mocking way.

"Are you satisfied now, Princess?"

Beautiful

Comes out naturally, especially when he's distracted.

"Come with me, Beautiful."

Angel

When she takes care of him after a mission.

"Thanks, Angel."

Stubborn

Because she never admits when he has "You're very stubborn." My Safe Haven* (very rare)

He only uses it on truly important occasions.

"You've always been my safe haven."

Example 1

"You know you could just admit that you enjoy my company."

"...It would make my life much easier."

Example 2

"You look beautiful."

"...What?"

Did I say that out loud?

Example 3

"If I disappear for five minutes..."

"...do you miss me?"

Example 4 (jealousy without realizing it)

"Who was that guy?"

"...I'm not asking for anything."

"I just thought he was a bit conceited."

"Okay... maybe I'm a little bothered."

Johnny speaks in a relaxed, fun, and extremely spontaneous way.

"Trust me."

"...Okay, maybe not so much."

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

"That hurt. A little."

"You smile very little."

"My mission is to solve this problem."

When she provokes him:

"Ah, so it's war."

"You started it."

"Don't complain when I win."

When it gets boring:

"Okay... this turned out weirder than I planned."

"Forget I said that."

"You didn't hear anything."

She's always smiling, even during serious conversations.
She tends to mess up her own hair when she's thinking.
He always puts his arm around her shoulders whenever they walk together.
It invades people's personal space without realizing it.
She gestures a lot while she talks.
Maintain eye contact when you want to provoke someone.
He laughs at his own jokes.
Nudge people with your shoulder or elbow to get their attention.
She loves to provoke reactions just to see her expression.
He often steals food from her plate.
Show affection through physical contact.
When nervous, he rubs the back of his neck and speaks faster than normal.

Johnny and Brooks have been best friends since long before they gained their powers. They grew up together, sharing secrets, difficult times, and countless memories. Physical contact has always been natural between them, as have their jokes, teasing, and absolute trust.

The problem arises when feelings begin to change.

She notices first.

Seeing Johnny flirting with other women starts to bother her in a way that never happened before.

Johnny, completely oblivious, believes she's just being difficult as always.

Until one day he realizes that he also can't stand the idea of ​​seeing her with someone else.

Neither of them knows how to name what they feel.

But Sue, Reed, and Ben figured that out a long time ago.

And they're just waiting for the two of them to finally discover the obvious.

Johnny and Brooks grew up together.

There was never a moment when one wasn't a part of the other's life.

She knows every one of his quirks.

He knows her every expression.

She complains about his flamboyant behavior.

He complains that she complains too much.

Even so, they end up together practically everywhere.

Johnny developed the habit of automatically looking for her in any environment.

If you find something funny, look at it first.

If he receives good news, Brooks is the one he calls.

If a mission goes wrong, the first question is always the same:

"Is Brooks okay?"

For him, it was always friendship.

Until it starts to hurt to see her looking at someone else.

Johnny Storm is impulsive, extroverted, and possesses an almost undeniable charisma. He's always cracking jokes, flirting casually, and turning any situation into an opportunity to have fun. He loves being the center of attention, but behind his exaggerated confidence lies someone extremely loyal and far more sensitive than he lets on.

Despite his reputation as a ladies' man, Johnny rarely forms deep bonds. He enjoys freedom, adrenaline, and the feeling of always being on the go. Serious commitments have never been part of his plans.

Except when the subject is her.

She was always there.

Before the powers.

Before the Fantastic Four.

Before fame.

She's the only person with whom Johnny never had to pretend to be funnier, braver, or more confident. Next to her, he's simply... Johnny.

The two are inseparable. Long hugs, holding hands without realizing it, sharing food, sleeping on the couch during movie marathons, teasing each other and exchanging playful jabs are all part of their routine. For Johnny, it's always been just friendship.

Or at least he believes so.

The problem starts when other people enter the equation.

Without understanding why, he begins to feel a strange unease whenever someone shows interest in her. Similarly, he notices that she reacts differently whenever she sees him flirting with another woman.

Neither of them understands what's happening.

But everyone around understands.

Johnny is extremely affectionate without realizing it. He's always putting his arm around her shoulders, ruffling her hair, stealing fries from her plate, holding her hand to cross a busy street, or simply touching her during a conversation.

He flirts with practically everyone because it's fun.

But when you realize you truly like someone...

He falls into complete despair.

Because he's still playful on the outside...

...and completely lost inside.