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Johnny Storm despised being bored. Sue, his sister, called him reckless when he didn’t have something to occupy his mind. Ben, his friend and nemesis, just called Johnny a dumbass when he got restless. Reed, his brother-in-law, didn’t say anything.
Here he was, in a new dimension, trying to figure out why dimensions were colliding with each other. Well, Reed was trying to figure it out. Johnny was here as part of the team. No, they weren’t a team, they were a family and that is really why Johnny was here, he wouldn’t let his family face this alone.
Throwing the book that he was reading to the side, Johnny walked to the balcony of the Tower he was staying at, jumped off, igniting, and started flying. He knew he liked thrills and racing cars was a thrill that Johnny missed. But flying? That was the biggest thrill he’d experienced. Other than spaceflight, he had to admit that was pretty amazing as well. Johnny lost himself in the thrill of flying among the steel canyons of Manhattan. It was a great feeling.
“You’re in restricted airspace.”
Johnny turned and saw a guy in a flight suit with wings. He also picked up on something like a star coming at them fast. The glow was really cool.
“Johnny Storm,” he offered as the shooting star approached and the flight suit guy hovered.
“You set off all kinds of alarms there,” said that shooting star. “Johnny, is it? Carol Danvers. You wouldn’t mind keeping the flying to over the Hudson or out in the bay? People get nervous when a guy made of fire starts flying around buildings.”
“Right,” Johnny said as he nodded. “I forget, people here treat you differently than we were treated.” He drifted down to the park along the East River. He didn’t want to assume it was called the same thing. This whole universe was similar but different, and those differences were just enough to give Johnny a serious headache, like glasses that were slightly out of focus.
“How were you treated?” asked Carol as they set down. “You’re Torres, right?”
“Joaquin Torres, Captain, and Mr. Storm. I’m the new Falcon,” he said with a broad grin.
“There was an old Falcon,” asked Johnny automatically.
Carol raised her hand to stop Joaquin. She looked at Johnny and quickly said, “Yes, but don’t ask that just yet. Now, how were you treated?”
Johnny leaned against the railing to gather his thoughts. “As heroes. As Earth’s protectors. Reed really helped move society into a new age. There was a new level of geopolitical stability. I mean there were issues of course, but humanity was moving in a good direction.”
“Wow,” Torres said as he looked around. “Crime? Pollution?”
“Not to feed my brother-in-law’s ego, but Reed really made a difference in the pollution issue and crime isn’t bad.” Johnny grinned. “I mean, where are your flying cars? You’re supposed to be much further along in the timeline than I came from.” He couldn’t help but give them his best grin. Sue hated when he used it on her. She forbade him from teaching it to Franklin. Johnny was going to teach his nephew everything he needed to survive, including how to be Prince Charming if needed.
That got an eyeroll from both Carol and Joaquin. She glanced at her watch and nodded to them. “I’m going to be late if I don’t get moving. Johnny, just watch where you are flying, but I get it, its fun. I’ll see you around, Torres.”
He had to be nosy, so Johnny asked, “Where are you going in such a hurry?” She seemed like a person he could hang out with and not worry about anything. Probably drink and beer and just chat.
“Even though I’m married to a prince, I have a date with the King of New Asgard. And she hates when I’m late. Bye.” She took off in a hurry.
“Huh,” Johnny said as he watched the flying star moved quickly away. “I don’t know how same-sex couples were treated in my timeline.” His face settled into a puzzled frown.
“You aren’t homophobic, are you?” asked Joaquin. He looked at Johnny wearily.
That question took Johnny by surprise. “What? No, it wasn’t something that was discussed or frowned upon much either. More like a blind spot if that makes sense.”
That grabbed Joaquin’s attention. “How is that possible? It’s still a massive fight here.”
Johnny walked away from the railing and moved to an empty bench. “It’s not like we were repressed because sex was happening, casually even, but I’m trying to think about events where…there was an event at the White House where there was more than one same-sex couple. There was no scandal.”
“So, they were open, but it also wasn’t a thing in society?” Joaquin was struggling with how that society worked.
Taking his time, Johnny tried to put his thoughts into words. “If I showed up with a male date to an event, then it might have turned a few heads. But that would probably be because I have a reputation for dating a lot of women.”
A chuckle escaped Joaquin’s mouth before he could stop it. He motioned up and down at Johnny. “It is easy to see why you got so much attention from the ladies.”
“Just so I’m completely clear here, I had sex with more than one guy in my lifetime and that’s why I’m trying to piece together how things went back home.” Johnny paused and looked around. “It wasn’t a big deal, I don’t think. Certainly, no guilt attached to it on my part. But I also don’t think I dated in the traditional sense either with my college roommate. I mean we both went to class, studied together, ate, you know, all that stuff. The sex was part of our life too.”
It took a few moments for Joaquin to respond and he grinned as he said this, “You had a relationship with a guy in college. That’s what it sounds like.”
Turning inward, Johnny reviewed what he’d said and Joaquin’s response. “When you are in the middle of it, it doesn’t feel like that, but looking back it does seem clear.” Johnny shrugged. “We went our separate ways. I sent him a wedding gift and a gift for the baby shower when he told me they were expecting.”
Moving closer, Joaquin looked over at Johnny. “That was that? No feelings or emotional attachment?”
Many thoughts flew through Johnny’s mind. “Never thought about it. He had a life he wanted and I was preparing for my life that I expected too. We spent time together and then that time was over.” He looked over at Joaquin and shrugged. “I guess that’s where it was different, I never really gave it much thought at all. We did our thing in college.”
Torres sat down next to Johnny and leaned back. “Here there is so much ‘stuff’ that I’m glad she’s able to be herself without worrying about it. In this time line, its complicated.”
“Apparently.” Johnny stood up and grinned again. “Why don’t we race around the Statue of Liberty and head back to that Tower I’m staying in. Loser has to buy the winner dinner or something.”
Cocking his head to the side, Joaquin smirked, “Or something is kind of vague there and doing a lot of work.”
Shrugging, Johnny smiled broadly, “Restricted airspace means I have to pick my obstacle course carefully. A race though is a race.”
He knew he was being taunted so Joaquin stood up and stretched. “You’re on. And when you lose, that vague statement is going to be fully utilized.”
The two of them walked over to the rail and launched on the count of three. Soon they were off. Torres took the lead at first, but around the turn at Lady Liberty, Johnny was able to use a tighter turn to come inside and take the lead. He never looked back.
Landing on the Avenger’s Tower platform, Johnny grinned as Torres landed right behind him. “I win,” he grinned. “Now, I hear there is this musical called, Rogers: The Musical.”
Retracting his helmet, Joaquin stared at Johnny for a moment. “Seriously? Tickets for that are still hard to get. Like months out still.”
“That Walker guy said he could get tickets though Bob was doubtful about it. Whenever that Alexei guy talks, I feel like I’m missing half the conversation, but he mentioned how good it was. Also talked about how great a rival Captain America was for him,” Johnny shrugged as he walked back into the Tower.
“You aren’t alone in feeling that way about Alexei,” Joaquin admitted. He liked Alexei, but the man had all kinds of ideas and a few too many of them were a little out there. “I’m really not supposed to be here much.”
“Why?” Johnny asked. The government asked the Fantastic Four to base out of the Tower while they worked on solutions to the incursion issue as Reed labelled it. It wasn’t the Baxter Building, but it was workable.
“The new Captain America, my boss, is arguing with the group over the name.” Joaquin shrugged again and patted Johnny on the back. “I’ll pull some strings and get tickets. Probably for next week. Do you want to do the whole actual date thing?”
“I think going on an actual date with my eyes open and everything clear is a good idea,” Johnny noted. “Plus, I still don’t know all the great little spots to eat around here.”
“Then you are in for a treat. I know several spots that are perfect eateries and then we can see the musical that the Avengers are avoiding from what I hear.” Not that there wre many hanging around at the moment.
Johnny laughed, “You forget, I need a history lesson and so this is a good way to understand the history of this place.”
“Dude there are better ways,” joked Joaquin. “The Internet is full of half-baked theories and such if you wanted to learn what happened. Or might have happened, depending on who you ask.”
A slow, wicked grin graced Johnny’s face. “Or, you could take the time to explain to me all the ways that musical was wrong. It might take more than one date.”
Shaking his head, Joaquin looked at Johnny. “That’s how it is?”
“I’m new here. I need someone other than Walker to offer to show me around.” Johnny shrugged. “He’s okay, but a bit intense.”
“That’s John,” offered Joaquin. “Okay, date next week and a rematch as well. Can’t have the new guy from another reality smoking the local aerial master in a race.”
Johnny rolled his eyes and headed towards some stairs. “Later, Falcon, see you next week.”