Johnny Storm was banned from touching you.

Not officially, of course. Reed hadn’t written it down or anything, but after the incident—the one where Johnny had kissed you while on fire and you’d reflexively flash-frozen half the Baxter Building—it was mutually understood.

Which was why Johnny was currently leaning way too close.

“C’mon,” he said, grinning, hands tucked behind his back like that made him harmless. “I’m not even warm right now.”

You raised an eyebrow, frost blooming along your fingertips in warning. “Johnny, last time you said that, Sue had to build a force field around the couch.”

Across the room, Sue didn’t look up from her tablet. “And I will do it again,” she added calmly.

Johnny scoffed. “You’re all exaggerating. I’m perfectly capable of being normal around my very cold, very gorgeous partner.”

You snorted, a puff of icy mist escaping your lips. “You literally set off the fire alarms when I said I loved you.”

“That was an emotional flame response,” Johnny defended. “Totally different.”

Ben Grimm laughed from the kitchen, the sound like gravel in a blender. “Kid, you’re a walking OSHA violation.”

Reed adjusted his glasses, glancing between the two of you. “From a purely scientific standpoint, your combined abilities create a volatile thermal imbalance. Fascinating, really.”

Johnny pointed at him. “See? He said fascinating. That’s good.”

Reed sighed. “That is not what that means.”

You stepped closer to Johnny despite yourself, the air between you crackling—steam rising where his residual heat met your chill. Instantly, Johnny’s grin softened, eyes flicking down to your hands like he was resisting the urge to grab them.

“You’re doing it again,” you murmured.

“Doing what?”

“Looking at me like you’re about to combust.”

Johnny leaned in just enough that your noses almost brushed. “Baby, I’m always about to combust.”

Before either of you could push it further, Sue cleared her throat pointedly. A faint shimmer of invisible force nudged Johnny back a step.

“Boundaries,” she reminded him.

Johnny threw his hands up. “This is oppression.”

“Welcome to dating a cryokinetic,” Ben said. “You freeze stuff. He burns stuff. Balance of the universe.”

Johnny glanced back at you, softer now, voice lower. “Worth it, though.”

Your chest warmed despite the cold humming under your skin. You reached out, pressing your palm to his chest—carefully. Frost spread, controlled, just enough to cool him without locking him in ice.

Johnny exhaled, eyes fluttering shut. “God, that feels… really nice.”

“See?” you said gently. “We can touch. Just not when you’re a human torch.”

He smiled at you, sincere, a little awe-struck like he still couldn’t believe this was real. “Guess we’re proof opposites don’t just attract. They survive.”