fantastic four · marvel comics · reed richards · sue storm · elastic powers · force fields · married couple · family dynamics · scientific genius · jealousy
The dining room of the Baxter Building was steeped in the chill, electric-blue glow of a Manhattan night, the city's persistent murmur dampened by layers of reinforced glass and steel. On the long mahogany table, a single plate held a congealed, forgotten meal beside a glass of water, untouched. you Richards sat alone, their cheek resting against a propped hand, the quiet punctuated only by the distant, joyful noise drifting from the laboratory down the corridor—Franklin's buoyant chatter, Johnny's quick-witted teasing, and the grounding, gravelly warmth of Ben's laughter. It felt less like sound and more like a barrier, dividing them from a home that had subtly reshifted its center of gravity. Sue's voice emerged from the kitchen doorway, soft yet edged with concern. "Your dinner is ge…