Fantastic Fences Make For Fantastic Neighbors

Posted on Tue Jul 9th, 2024 @ 8:31am by Scott Summers & Jean Grey

3,622 words; about a 18 minute read

Mission: Episode 4: The Savage ConneXion
Location: Baxter Building | Manhattan
Timeline: September 25, 1990

“I promise we don’t have to stay very long.” Jean made eye contact with Scott through her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she placed an earring in her ear. "If it’s uncomfortable, we’ll leave. But I think we should at least say hello. I don’t really know how these things work, but it feels like the right thing to do.” She ran her fingers through her long red hair as she looked at herself in the mirror one last time, checking the fit of her dress and the application of her lipstick.

There was something mesmerizing about watching a woman get dressed. Starting from nothing, the thrill of seeing her state of undress come to an end layer by layer was equal and opposite to the reverse. It was almost hard to listen to what she was saying.

Jean turned and faced Scott, placing a quick kiss on his lips—at this point she was just bribing him with affection.
“Sounds good?”

Scott tugged at the collar of his turtleneck sweater. It wasn't his first choice in but it was more comfortable than a suit or blazer. “Yeah, I think I can handle that.” He ran his tongue over his lips and smirked at her wiles. At this stage, it was difficult to resist them even knowing them full well for what they were. “These folks are supposed to be heroes. How bad can it be?” He thought it over and thought of his years at the X-Mansion. A superpowered family in a technological hidey-hole could get pretty intense. Still, it would be better to be on familiar terms than not. “Come on,” he said. “Let's go meet the neighbors.”

“Do you know anything about them?” Jean asked as she stopped in the kitchen for the bottle of wine that had been purchased as a welcome gift. “Outside of everything that was covered in the news when their accident occurred, I feel like they just kind of disappeared after that.”

Scott shrugged. “They aren't great with keeping their identities secret, so there's that. You know the yellow journalism around town for people like us. I think there was some gang of homeless vagrants they fought once. The Moloids? We might just have to come out and ask if they've done anything else we might've heard about.”

Jean smirked at that suggestion. Scott could be a little forward at times, to the point that he became a bit presumptuous in his quest for getting answers. Not that she minded his directness, it definitely had its place. “I’ll let you ask that question. You’re much better at being frank.”

They made their way to the elevator and pressed the button for the floor directly above theirs. It felt silly to need an elevator to travel such a short distance but they seemed to place a lot of emphasis on privacy and security. Those practices helped confirm why they should make the effort to get to know The Fantastic Four.

The 30th floor of The Baxter Building was completely different from every other level. A lobby with a reception area and waiting room greeted anyone who exited, it felt more like a business space than a living space.

~* ‘Fancy’ *~ Jean mentally commented before tapping the intercom buzzer on the reception desk.

There was a long pause after Jean had pressed the buzzer, to the point where she dared to telepathically check and see if anyone was home. She then internally chastised herself for being the presumptuous one.

“Err...ahh... No t’ank you, we aren’t interested,” a man’s voice with a Brooklyn accent finally replied.

Jean gave Scott a sideways glance, his thoughts already commenting on how awkward this was and they hadn’t even made it through the front door yet.

“No…” Jean pressed the intercom. “We aren’t selling anything. We just moved to the floor below and wanted to say hello.”

“We still don’t want any,” replied another, younger male voice with a lilt of laughter.

“Johnny!” A woman’s voice with a touch of irritation finally chimed in. “I’m so sorry, please come in.”

Another pause and the lock on the front door released, allowing them to enter. Past the reception area was what looked like a living space with an oversized dining room and family room on display. But the space seemed uncomfortably tidy, like no one actually used the area and it was all just there for show.

“Hello, once again I’m so sorry for the confusion.” A petite blonde woman entered from the back doorway.
“I’m Susan Storm, but you can call me Sue.”

Scott’s brow had jumped halfway up his forehead. They had jokes. Pranksters with an overly clean living space and jokes. ~I changed my mind~ he thought, knowing full well Jean could hear him in her mind. ~You definitely owe me later~

“Hello, Sue.” Scott dipped his head at the blonde. “I'm Scott and this is Jean. We're the new neighbors.” Although Jean had already said as much, Scott found himself at a loss of what else to say.

Taking a step forward over the threshold at Sue's invitation with Jean in toe, Scott flinched as a flicker of light passed over them.

“Whoa!” Scott exclaimed with his arms reflexively up in a defensive pose to protect his face. “What was that?!”

“That would be Reed’s brand new, handy dandy state-of-the-art security scanner,” offered the young man that Sue had identified as Johnny. He added with a snicker, “You're officially clear of explosives, parasites both alien and terrestrial, and any other malignant matter.”

Scott saw Johnny on a couch farther back watching a movie with the data from the security scan scrolling across the bottom like a news ticker. “Can’t be too careful,” he said in a cordial tone that mostly managed to cover his incredulity.

“Nice hands, by ta way,” said the same gravelly voice that had first tried to turn them away. “Betchu' know yer way around a boxin’ ring!”

When Scott looked and saw it belonged to a rock monster, it took every moment of Professor Xavier’s tutelage not to jump at the sight. Reminding himself this was an actual person, Scott smiled at the compliment. “Uh, sure, yeah. I can go the full rounds.”

“Heh heh heh heh,” the Thing laughed. “Can I call it or what?”

~Help~ Scott pleaded in desperation. ~Help me please. Preferably before this guy challenges me to a sparring match...~

“We brought a bottle of wine, as a way to say hello and thank you…” Jean interjected before the conversation went any further.

Johnny leaned forward a bit more on the couch so he could get a better look at Jean. He looked her up and down as a smirk developed on his face. “I take it back, legs. If you’re selling, I’m definitely buying.”

Scott's eyes narrowed behind his ruby-quartz glasses.

~* ‘Don’t!’ *~ Jean responded to the flare of Scott’s anger before had a chance to vocalize it. ~* ‘Just let it go.’ *~

~But what if he challenges me to spar?~ Scott teased her as a way to vent the pressure valve. ~It would be rude to say no.~

Jean offered the bottle to Sue, who graciously took it but seemed confused by the need to show gratitude. “For allowing us access to the roof and the landing pad. We appreciate your hospitality”

“That’s you guys?!” Johnny hooted from his position on the couch. “Man, Ben was pissed about that.”

The Thing punched his fist into his palm as he bristled from the comment. While the matter had been settled legally, he appeared to still hold some resentment over it. “Two faced, double talkin’ sharks t’ink t’ey can t’row money at any situation and get whatever t'ey want.”

Jean inhaled deeply, continuing to ignore the negative comments. She focused on the positive and continued her conversation with Sue. “We have associates that are located outside of the city, they travel by jet and being able to land here… well, it helps us out immensely.”

“I see...” Sue continued to examine the bottle of wine as she thought about what Jean was telling her and what was implied from everything Jean wasn’t saying. “You should definitely meet Reed.”

“Reed!” Sue turned and headed back towards the rest of their home, the parts that people actually lived in. “Reed, can you come out here, please?”

Banging and clanging echoed out through an open door before a tall, gangly man appeared. He was a silver fox with his temples dusted fully gray beneath his messy side part. “Am I late again? Sorry about that. I was this close to resolving the hyperdimensional flux in the quantum entanglement manifold and—”

Looking at Scott, Reed cut himself off. “Hey, do I know you? I feel like we've met.”

Scott felt the same way now that he'd lain eyes on him. He was trying to place him from any memories of ever crossing paths. “Maybe?”

Reed's hand was suddenly right in front of Scott even though the other man was twenty feet away. “Well, nice to meet you.”

Scott decided he had definitely seen the man in news reports but never in person. He would have remembered extending limbs. “And you, Mister Fantastic.” He gave a knowing smirk.

“Seriously, though,” Reed pressed. “Where have we met?”

Scott pulled down his glasses and fired off a short optic blast into the palm of his hand. The blast soaked harmlessly against his skin. “I believe we only know one another by reputation.”

Everything clicked together for Reed as Scott dared to divulge their identities. Not that it mattered, it was only a matter of time before all parties figured out who and what they were. This was the actual introduction that needed to occur.

“And you…” Reed’s neck stretched as he looked over at Jean. His head nearing her for closer examination. “Are a telepath.” Reed began to consider an enormous amount of possibilities now that he knew who Jean was and what she could do with her mind. He looked at her in a way that wasn’t exactly unsettling but it was analytical. “Fascinating,” he muttered before his stretched neck returned to its normal length.

“Jean and Scott moved in downstairs,” Sue chimed in, attempting to compensate for Reed’s lack of decorum. “They are the ones who requested access to the landing pad on the roof as part of their tenant contract.”

“Now it makes sense,” Reed quickly responded. “Had I known who you were from the start, I probably wouldn’t have given your attorneys so much guff.”

“We just thought you were a couple of rich assholes.” Johnny chuckled from his now reclined position on the couch.

“Who says t’ey ain’t?” the still cranky Thing growled.

“Both of you!” Sue reprimanded the pair, the fatigue of how challenging it was to manage all these strong personalities dared to show on her face.

“I’m glad you did come up here to say hello.” Sue’s attention returned to them. “Would you…”

“Is Dr. McCoy with you?” Reed interrupted, his thoughts moving on to the next topic worthy of consideration. “I have some questions and theories that I’d love to discuss with him.”

“No, not presently,” Jean admitted.

It was hard to sell Hank on leaving the mansion, his lab and his research were there. Plus, he had the freedom to walk around without having to hide his appearance, a luxury the city didn’t provide. But the opportunity to meet Reed and see his lab might be a promising incentive to at least get him to visit New York.

“But we’ll let him know that you’re interested in meeting him.” Jean offered a small, forced smile.

“As I was saying…” Sue tried to return the conversation back towards more appropriate topics. “Would you care to join us for dinner tonight?”

Well, this was slowly getting a little better. “That would be…swell.” The words were a little robotic as Scott forced them out. “What are we having?”

“Let's go out!” Johnny suggested.

“Let's order in!” Ben countered.

“Is it dinner time already?” Reed looked shocked as he checked his watch. “Huh.” He shot Sue an apologetic look with a crooked smile. “What have you whipped up tonight, dear?”

“Beef bourguignon.” Sue said with a satisfied smile, proud of her choice in meals for an unplanned dinner party. “We can finally sit at the dining room table.” She gestured at the large formal table as both Johnny and Ben groaned in protest.

~* ‘I thought you wanted to leave?’ *~ Jean raised an eyebrow in response to his agreement to stay. ~* ‘Does this mean that I no longer owe you something?’ *~

~You are so cruel sometimes~ Scott thought back to her with an internal mock sulk First telling him to be polite, then giving him a catch-22 between sneaking out early or making nice with the neighbors. He sighed at the way he was so often just putty in her hand. And he wouldn't have it any other way. ~Get me out of here and we're even. If you don't owe me for having to stay with these clowns, I'll make it worth the trouble of staying~

Mischief. His intention was pure mischief. For all outward appearances, Scott assessed the dining table and then gave Jean a wry smirk. “What do you say, dear?” he asked, adopting Reed's over the top affectation.

~* ‘You already owe me’ *~ A touch of sinful delight shivered between them, making them both hate this social setting, but Jean’s smile remained composed and sweet.

“Let me help you in the kitchen, Sue.” She was an awful, evil woman, knowing all too well that this game would make everything so much better later tonight. Jean followed Sue into the kitchen, leaving Scott with Reed.

Reed had been watching their body language, the small smiles and the hitch in his breath, the unheard conversation so incredibly obvious to someone who notices everything.

“So you two talk to each other telepathically.” Reed’s curiosity demanded answers. “What’s that like?”

“It's like fucking,” Scott said flatly, “only with your mind.”

Johnny spewed out his drink.

“Heh heh heh,” Ben chuckled. “I like him.”

Reed pondered his answer as he recalled all the information he knew about mutants and the X-Men. Scott’s blunt response may have been an attempt to deflect from the real explanation but nonetheless it was an interesting insight.

“With all telepaths or just her?” Reed continued to pry.

“And does she have a sister?” Johnny added now that the conversation had taken a more interesting turn.

“No, Johnny. Do you?” Scott asked pointedly.

“Hey, slow your roll,” Johnny said. “I didn't mean nothin’ by it.”

“I know you ain't talkin’ ‘bout Suzie like t’at,” Ben growled.

Ignoring the two of them, Scott turned back to Reed. “Why, yes. All telepathic communication is like mental copulation.” His stoic face kept back his sarcastic smirk. “You should try it sometime.”

Reed nodded his head in agreement but thankfully did not ask about Jean, at least not with the responses Johnny had received.

“Do you know the wavelength your optic beams move at?” He had moved on to another topic, his initial thoughts on telepathy at least momentarily satisfied.

“Oh, no, you don’t.” Sue replied before Scott could answer. “It’s dinner time, which you know what that means—no more questions, no more work talk. Polite conversation.”

Susan began to set the table as Jean returned and placed a bowl of salad greens on the table. She noticed the change in behavior of Reed, Johnny, and Ben as she entered the room. ~* ‘Like fucking? Really, Scott? You couldn’t think of anything a tad bit more elegant?’ *~

~Am I wrong?~ Scott snickered quietly. ~The blonde kid had it coming. Didn't you hear the ten dollar words I used with Reed? Mental copulation. That's as elegant as elegance gets~

~* ‘If you think I’m ‘mentally copulating’ when I talk to everyone… The Professor, Scott, I should slap you.’ *~ There was enough light-heartedness in her tone to tell him she wasn’t furious with him, but she was definitely annoyed.

“Harmless boy talk, Sue, I can assure you,” Scott said with the same stoic face. “Reed, if you'd like to measure one of my blasts, I wouldn't mind an upgrade to my visor.”

Reed's eyes bulged in a nerdgasm. “You really mean it? I'll have to construct a proper reflective medium for a suitable backstop. What are your lenses made of? Some type of ruby-quartz, I presume?”

“That's right.” Though Scott still faced Reed, his eyes were for Jean along with his thoughts and a tight waggle of his eyebrows. ~Just being neighborly~

~* ‘Oh sure, would you like me to share what neighborly thoughts Johnny is having right now?’ *~ Jean placed wine glasses on the table before helping Sue bring out the rest of the meal.

“How long have you been in The Baxter Building?” Jean continued the polite conversation with Sue as she continued to internally chastise Scott.

~* ‘It has to do with my bikini area, I should skin you alive.’ *~ Jean telepathically snapped at him.

“Ruby quartz is silicon dioxide based, but I don’t know its atomic absorption rate.” Reed considered. “Mass spectrometry should tell me… How long did it take you to figure out ruby quartz worked?”

“It wasn't me personally who figured it out,” Scott said. “I had a benefactor gift me my glasses not quite ten years ago. He saved my life and the lives of everyone around me.”

~Give him a picture of my ‘bikini zone’~ Scott suggested to Jean. ~Don’t pretend you weren't thinking about it before~

~* ‘I hate you.’ *~ Jean muttered, both of them knowingly that was far from the truth.

“We've been here for a few years now,” Sue said in answer to Jean’s question. Her smiled faltered a little as she tossed a playfully annoyed squint Reed's way. “Though some days it feels much longer.”

“She means Johnny,” offered Reed who had ignored the loving jab. “He's a messy housemate.”

Ben chortled again like a rock crushing truck which made Johnny wrinkle his nose at him.

“What made you all set up shop here?” Outwardly Scott looked completely oblivious of all the undertones flying across the table. On the inside, he was laughing his ass off.

“The Baxter Building has a long standing history, it was used by the All-Winners Squad in the 40s.” Sue brought out the rest of the meal and began serving.

“I purchased these top five floors and had them renovated to meet our needs,” Reed continued, a touch of pride in the statement. “Sometimes you have to make things happen for yourself.”

“T’at’s because no one would rent ta you. All your research was too much of a liability.” Ben pointed an accusatory fork in Reed’s direction.

“Yes, well, regardless of the reason why.” Reed cleared his throat. “It was an excellent opportunity, so I took advantage of it.”

“And Johnny lives here ‘cause he can’t afford a place of his own.” Ben’s rock crushing sense of humor was in full force tonight.

“And you can’t live anywhere else because you scare all the children and the little, old ladies!” Johnny immediately snapped back.

The whole table suddenly went silent as an uncomfortable moment suddenly filled the room.

“That’s it!” The Thing slammed his fist into the table, the wood cracked and snapped upon impact and their meal went sliding onto the floor. “It’s clobberin’ time!” Ben stood up and made his way towards Johnny.

“Oh, no, please, don't…” Scott mumbled with moderate sarcasm. He slid his chair back and folded his arms, intent on enjoying the show.

“Flame on!” Johnny shouted. His voice distorted like he was talking through a fan. Suddenly he was floating in the air and seemingly made entirely of fire. “Fire beats rock!”

Ben jumped to his feat with a lurch that did away with what was left of his half of the table. He tore his bib away from his neck. “Paper beats rock, ya stupid!”

~Dinner and a show~ Scott mused between himself and Jean. ~We’re definitely doing this again.~

~* ‘Stop. You’re terrible.’ *~ Jean swatted him and folded her arms across her chest. She found a little less humor in the situation.

Sue stood up and two shimmering bubbles encased Johnny and Ben, preventing both of them from touching each other and the rest of the house.

“Stop it! Both of you!” Sue shouted. “We have company. Reed?”

But Reed was gone. Since dinner was apparently over, he had wandered off, most likely returning to his lab to finish working on his quantum entanglement manifold.

Sue looked over at Jean and Scott and Jean could feel how embarrassed and mad she was by all of this.

“We should go.” Jean quickly stood up and yanked the entertained Scott to his feet. “Thank you for having us over, we’ll get coffee together sometime next week, okay?”

Stepping over the destroyed table and the mess of a dinner that was smattered across the floor, Scott and Jean left through the door that had entered through. The couple couldn't get away fast enough from the absolute mess of an introduction. Living a floor below the Fantastic Four was going to be anything but boring.

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