Beach Bodies and Ice Sculptures (Ryan)

Las Angeles, California. Sin City itself.With the summer sun beating down on all of its citizens, slowly cooking them alive in their skins, it certainly felt like hell. But even then, with temperatures exceeding anything that could be safe for a human, the streets were clogged with cars, the sidewalk with people, and the gutters with homeless. That was the hidden secret of Santa Monica; beautiful, for sure, but filled with homeless. His eyes fell on the nearest man, asleep in the shade of an abandoned building, clothes stained so dark with dirt and filth he blended in the wall. Back in his hometown, he would have given the man a job, a home, a purpose in life … or put him down, get him away from the hell he was forced in. But here? He got weird looks just for dropping the roll of bills into the man's hat.

It was beach day for anyone with the time to spare, and so the beaches were clogged with plenty of eye candy. Men and women of all ages, dressed in the kind of clothing considered inappropriate even in the bedroom laid on beach towels, walking across the sand, or otherwise just enjoying a day in the water. On his towel, dressed only in white trunks and a grin, Kubi watched them. The sun rested on his bare skin like it was tattooed there, throwing his muscles into sharp relief, and he noticed an appreciative look from more than one woman, and quite a few men as well. But he wasn't looking for a date, not today.

His eyes crossed over a little boy talking to a turtle, to a skinny teenager who he had just seen as a middle aged man not ten seconds ago, and landed on a man; well, boy, really. He couldn't be any more than eighteen. His shirt was on, which struck Kubi as slightly weird. Modesty tended to fade in the wake of hundred degree weather. But what really drew the eye wasn't the beautiful eyes nor the toned body he could see hints of, but rather the way the sea spray seemed to entirely miss him, despite the wind kicking up some major waves.

”Now what is that about? Hmm … I'm gonna find out, at the very least should be an interesting conversation.” And with that he stood, crossing the beach in just a few strides, his shadow falling over the young man. ”Yo, man. You ‘fraid o’ th’ sun or are ya hidin’ a third nipple?” His voice, heavily affected, was nonetheless affectionate and joking despite the teasing words.

Los Angeles during the summer was not exactly something that he really enjoyed, considering the heat. Having a body that constantly let off a chill was something that made extreme heat uncomfortable, and yet here he was at the beach with so many other people. Enjoying themselves, as well as each other it would seem. Splashing through the water, building sandcastles while Ryan just went about doing his own thing. Life had begun to hammer hard, so he just tried to escape as best he could when he was not enjoying the company of his best friend within this whole world. So here he was, kneeling in the sand with the grainy texture scraping against his knees as he molded small sculptures within his hands.

Frosty looking creations, in the shape of various animals, sometimes people even as his mind just continued conjuring up images that he wanted to make real. Being so close to the ocean meant that there was plenty of moisture that he could draw upon, making creation much easier than normal. Some people gave him brief attention, either from the show of powers or maybe what lay beneath his slightly soaked white shirt. Honestly, Ryan had begun to question why he hadn’t chosen to wear something a little darker, granted his swimming trunks were not exactly dark either. Regardless, no one actually approached him, so he continued to mold his constructs until someone did approach.

The voice was deep, cause Ryan to jump slightly and let the construct crumble into nothingness. He swiped a few strands of hair from his forehead, turning towards whoever that was actually talking to him. Hazel eyes focused upon the massive man looking down upon him, asking about something likely regarding his shirt. His brain required a few seconds to actually think over what they said, before he was courteous enough to blush. He was not expecting someone to approach him, yet here they were doing just that. Honestly, he wasn’t sure what to say to such an imposing person, aside from just noticing things about them. They were toned, muscled in just about the right areas that only made him feel even more awkward now that he thought about things.

”Third nipple? No, I only have two.” He said, chuckling awkwardly showing that...he didn’t fully know how to respond. ”I just...really like wearing shirts I guess.” He said, deflecting as well as he could really.

”You like wearin’ shirts? What, d’ya sleep in ‘em too? Cuz I gotta tell ya, that's a li'l weird dude.” His grin spread. As nice as it was to have someone to talk to, it was even nicer to have someone to mess with. And he was cute; too young for him, but definitely attractive. His eyes were drawn, then, to a site on the ground: ice sculptures, and Kubi grinned. It really looked like it was his lucky day today, sitting here talking with a young, attractive metahuman (who blushed at the sight of him. How interesting.)

”But tha’ don’ matter, Squirt, jus’ tell me this; how big c’n ya make it?” His gaze slipped down to the ice sculpture, taking the opportunity to slide his arm around the boys shoulder. ”I mean, I see ya good at controllin’it, but c'n ya make huge?” His grin turned impish. He knew how it sounded, and he hoped the boy did too. The only better than seeing someone blush is seeing them sputter in outrage. He was genuinely interested, though; ice powers were kinda rare in his experience, and he wanted to know the limits of that kind of power.

What may seem like a lucky day for some, may have not seemed like a lucky day for others. He would’ve responded with the truthful answer, being that he did not sleep in a shirt but then again just thinking about it managed to escalate the awkwardness a considerable amount. Granted, Ryan wasn’t exactly known for his social graces, so that played a factor within things but it was obvious they were just enjoying teasing him. Well, they weren’t trying to hide the fact they were doing that anyway, so even Ryan could surmise it. That was when they asked their question, and made things all the more...well awkward.

He blinked, looking to the male and sputtering for a few seconds rather than actually saying anything. That was of course preceded by them slipping an arm around him, leaving him confused as his brain tried to futily grasp for straws, except the straws were made of sand. ”W...what do you mean by that?” He managed to get out, considering trying to just scoot away but feeling that this person was far too...strong to just wriggle away from. Afterall, they looked rather beefy compared to him.

Oh this boy was absolutely hilarious, and he reacted exactly as Kubi had hoped - with sputtering and indignation, his mind leaping exactly to the place Kubi guided it to. And Kubi was so very amused by it. He noticed the slight hesitation, the flicker of his eyes, and his delight grew. ”He actually sleeps in his shirt? Shit, I'm good. Right on the nose.” On the outside, though, the conniving thoughts didn't show, only the broad grin and even broader arm pulling him closer. The young man's slim shoulders barely had room for Kubi to grab, but he did, pulling his face closer to the cryokinetic. He let the pause stretch on, his grin turning somewhat suggestive, then:

”I'm talkin’ bout the sculptures, Frosty. What else?” And Kubi laughed, a booming laugh at the joke. The young man's reactions were timeless, and he was easy on the eyes too, which was always a plus. Kubi sat then, the echo of his laugh still on his face and reached out to grab the sculpture, turning it over in his hands. It really was exquisitely done. He was up close and personal with a lion once, and this was damn near perfect, even down to the individual hairs. ”Damn, kid. This is good. How long ya been able t’ do shit like this, eh?”

Kubi's smile faded to be just a slight smirk. ” 'nd fer that matter, who th’ hell are ya? Where I'm from, we don't jus’ go usin’ our powers on th’ like that. Different here?” It was an interesting revelation. In his small corner of Japan, metahumans were looked at with fear and disgust, abominations of nature. Of course, the Japanese view the same about fat people, so maybe that isn't the best comparison. Still … if a stigma like that doesn't exist in the states, it would make finding his wife that much easier. Being able to pop out the big guns without worrying about anti-meta officers would really help a lot - not that Kubi ever minded, he was always up for a good fight.

”I mean, of tha’s th’ case … I'll show you mine if ya show me yours.” Alright, he wasn't entirely done.

Almost as if pleased with how their joke was taken, they would reach for one of his sculptures, pulling him closer as they would examine them. Each pieces despite how quickly they tended to be done were all well designed, meant to have the maximum amount of detail within them. Various animals rendered in an almost loving amount of detail, as if each one was supposed to be some manner of work of art. ”Oh..” He said with a sheepish smile, internally berating himself for letting his mind even reach that conclusion. ”Yeah, I can make bigger ones than that.” He then said, snapping as a few sculptures seemed to spring to life, one of a bird taking light and landing before him.”I’ve been able to do this for a few years.” He answered honestly, wondering if it would have been the right thing to actually demonstrate his capabilities.

That was when he mentioned something about using his powers in the open like this, suddenly remembering that there were actually people around him.”I’m just some guy, guess I sorta forgot some people don’t like seeing people use their powers around.” It was obvious that small fact manged to slip his mind, maybe just the fact that a lot of things slipped his mind these days. Cale had disappeared, Silus was looking more worn down and Matt was….well he still remembered how they almost died, three friends all in dangerous situations within their own rights.

There was something said about showing theirs and them him showing his, something that he managed to take wrong once again. Well, that did draw out another awkward blush as his mind then aligned itself with the right line of thinking. ”Oh yeah, I can show I guess.” He said, making a motion as water rose from the moist sand, rapidly forming into a shape, details forming where they needed to be and  eventually took the form of the rather tall male that had their arm hooked around him.

Kubi was almost dishonored by the reaction - or more specifically lack of reaction - to his somewhat perverse question; only a blush, and an aversion of his eyes, which was such a shame, in Kubi's opinion. They're such pretty eyes. And matter of fact, everything about him was attractive, though admittedly a far cry from the normal men he goes for. He lacked the height, for one. But three was something about him that Kubi find … alluring. It was not quite innocence, nor purity; he was just good, and apparently that appealed to him. His experience with those of that particular alignment were lacking; they were always on the opposite side of the law. The last time he met a good person he could stand, he married her.

Not that he would ever marry him, oh no. The age difference alone was enough to make him hesitate in even talking to him - what would they possibly talk about? - let alone pursue anything even close to a relationship. It was pure luck he had powers, they had something to do to pass the time. But … well, there's nothing wrong with a few dates, was there? Who knows, he might get somewhere. He imagined - briefly, but vividly - the boy was a gentle lover.

”Tha’ s’posed t’ be me?”

He had stood, face to face with the statue now, steam rising from the ice tickling Kubi's throat. He had to admit, it did have a likeness, regardless of whether or not it actually was - which honestly made this next part even better. Faster than any human could, his fist flashed out, knocking the head of the sculpture off the shoulders. For just a brief second, it was visible as a spinning twinkle on the horizon before it disappeared completely. And then his body switched, effortlessly switching stakes to strike with right; the hand furthest away from the kid, and thus less likely to cause collateral damage. He struck the chest of the sculpture open-palmed, to disperse the force more efficiently, and the results were spectacular.

The force of this simple blow powdered the ice, annihilating the vast majority of the sculpture and scattering snow over the immediate area. All that was left were footprints in the sand. With a grin, Kubi brushed snow out of his hair and turned to Ryan. His eyes sparkled with mischief as the beach goers unfortunate to be too close gaped in shock at the ice now melting in them and their belongings, and even those that weren't that close stared at them curiously. Honestly, Kubi enjoyed the attention, though he did it mostly to show off. Everybody likes a strong man.

”Mine can beat yours.”

”Yeah.” Ryan said, hoping they weren’t off put by the recreation of their visage within ice. Ins his mind, it was pretty good considering that he had only come to know them for around a minutes or two before trying to create something. This person would unwrap their arm from around him, standing to their feet and slamming a fist into the face of the statue, sending the icy head spiraling out into the distance. Anything else within the statue was reduced to shards, revealing what looked to be an impressive amount of strength that could reduce such a construct to nothing. People around them looked in shock, awe and some maybe even in a bit of fear at what had happened.

”That was...pretty cool.” he said, getting over the initial shock of them belting his creation into nothingness, something that hadn’t actually happened to him before. Honestly, he hadn’t ever seen much as far as super strong people went, so it was an overall new power to experience as far as he was concerned. Granted, he was not overly enthused that his work of art had to be abused, but things were as they were.

That was when they said that theirs was better than his, likely suggesting powers which ignited a small competitive side within him. Sure, normally he would have not cared but something within him felt as if proving his strength was important. That was when his mind snapped back to when his power did prove itself, nearly reducing the entire city to nothing more than a frozen waste, making Ryan feel awful for just thinking about that. ”I dunno about that. I’m pretty strong myself.” Ryan said, sounding an iota confident, or at least more than he had been within the last few minutes of their interaction. ”I mean i’m...um...probably not as strong as you are but I am pretty powerful I guess.”

There was it, the spark of competition that existed within anyone who held talent, and Kubi felt his grin return. It may be just a little spark, but judging by the confidence in his voice and the newfound assertiveness of his stance, it could be grown into an inferno. And inferno’s are fun. Though really, what was the young man hiding that the mention of someone's powers being greater instilled such confidence? It was quite a remarkable change; if it happens too much, he might have to change his opinion about the young snowman.

”Yer that confident, are ya snowcone?” Though the raised eyebrow, crossed arms, and general tone would hint at a serious nature, there was a twinkle in his eyes that suggested otherwise - and a huge grin on his face, that'll give it away. He was enjoying this immensely, this kid was powerful, and more importantly just … just loads of fun. He had a plan, one that could potentially help him learn more about metahumans in general, and Frosty specifically.

”Alright, Drumstick, this is way we'll do; firs’, we're gonna intrude ourselves-” He broke mid sentence to wave and offer his hand. ”-Kubi, hiya. Then, we're gonna put this conversation t’ rest. I'm gonna whip up th’ biggest i can manage, and yer gonna freeze it. If y’ can't, I win. Nice li’l warm up, wudya say?” And before he could answer, he was gone, washing waist deep in the water, muscles stretching and fingers cracking. He didn't need to, of course, but he was giving a little show for his frosty little boy crush.

”Get ready, handsome. This shit gonna be big. An’ don’ worry ‘bout me, jus’ do yer thing.” And big it was. As he moved through the water, hands clapping together, a veritable explosion of water cascaded from him. More than forty feet high, it spread out from him, showering the vast majority of the beach in droplets of water. And Kubi, at the center of this massive sphere, readied his armor.

The male would state their challenge, starting with a little introduction as that sounded about right when he thought about it. They didn’t not even know each others names, which had to be corrected pretty quickly. They offered their hand and he shook it. ”The names Ryan.” he said, offering a smile as they would state the rules, before walking outwards as his eyes would follow them with mild interest.  The challenge sounded fine, considering that his ability to freeze things was not exactly something that he questioned very often. Hopefully the people around would not lose their minds and do anything hasty like he was expecting.

They slammed their fists into the water with impressive force once wading out deep enough, releasing great splashes outwards and upwards with incredible heights. When the water began to fall, his power went into motion without a second required to think, droplets rapidly converted into delicate white snow, the very splash that was sent upwards as well as a section of the very ocean becoming solid cold ice, though people were all free of the freezing water. Still, it was a show that his power was both precise as well as just overall powerful. Ryan smiled softly as he let the ocean water itself rapidly defrost, while the snow would continue to fall in an almost dainty fashion.

People looked up in slight amazement at the falling snow, some of them actually enjoying it on a hot summer day. Maybe this display was something that might not blow up in his face. He waded into the water, letting his power propel himself forward some as he was then around a good two feet from the male, appearing as if they were having fun. ”What did you think about that? Guess that means I win, right?” He asked, sounding pleased with himself.

Cocky bastard.

Still, Kubi had to admit that he deserved that one, as he broke out into a large grin. The kid had spunk; and what's more, some serious talent and power. It took some serious skill to do what he did, and Kubi didn't feel a thing. Oh, he's definitely revising his opinion now. Ryan - gods, such a goody-two shoes name - was totally dateable. Still, Kubi wasn't ready to give up the title just yet, the competition wasn't done yet. He didn't get to where he was now by giving up to any young buck who thinks he's cool - even if this one is, quite literally. So Kubi grinned and bent down, scooping a rock from the sand. It was completely nondescript and about the size of a watermelon. Kubi tossed it in the air lie weighed no more than an apple.

”Calm down, handsome, y’ ain’ outta th’ woods yet. Though it's cute hire ya think it'll be tha’ easy.” He winked at Ryan then, a wink specially designed to make the knees weak of anyone who was attracted to him. ”You see that bouy over there?” He pointed, and Ryan's eyes were immediately drawn to the gently bobbing cylinder, riding up and down the waves. It was at least 200 yards away, barely visible at this range. Kubi, with a grin that could rival the Cheshire Cat's, wound up and tossed the rock. There was a slight delay between the throw and impact, an opportunity Kubi used to wink at Ryan. The rock hit then, with a resounding ringing that was audible even at that distance. The stone embedded in the metal, jerking the bouy back as far it's tether would allow it and bending the top half forward, folding the metal over itself.

”Ouch. Sorry ‘bout that. Make it harder fer you ‘n all. Ah, well. Consider it a handicap fer winning the last round.” Kubi smirked at Ryan then, the kind of smirk only Kubi could accomplish: equal parts infuriating and sexy. ”Y’ gotta hit it now, from here. Ify’ do, I'll bow down t’ ya, and let ya decide where we go fer dinner.” His smirk indicated he knew exactly what he had said.

Ryan was still feeling the effects of that brief adrenaline, something that rushed  through  him on the moment that he won that little game. That was when they produced a stone, something pretty large actually. They said something about him being handsome, something that drew out another rather slightly embarrassed reaction from it the whole going all fluttery from the wink. That statement was followed by them hurling the rock rather hard. Ryan blinked as the thing collided with the metal thing, releasing a rather loud ding as the thing was pushed back a considerable amount. All he could do was gape slightly, wondering how he could match something like they. They were both strong, and pretty precise, so there was something to that.

Apparently he was supposed to hit that thing, thought the statement about dinner really left him confused. He looked to the male, a single brow raised as if trying to figure out what they were talking about. He ended up trying to say something, only stuttering, turning a darker red before his brain just switched to trying to hit the buoy that was now even further away than it was before. He chewed on his lower lip, forming a rather large sphere of solid ice. Ryan took a deep breath, arcing his arm back and letting his control over the thing take center stage. They didn’t say that he couldn’t use his powers to help himself, so he would make use of that.

He focused upon the thing vaguely in the distance, letting his mind wander over the motions of the water, things rippling through it and then upon that one thing. With a grand flourish he let the thing rip forward, flying at impressive speeds as it covered the distance , barely dinging off the metal thing before popping in the water. ”That...ummm...that counts right?” He asked, turning to the male inquisitively.

Oh, man, this kid was perfect! He blushed at his advanced, was honest and straightforward, and - at least judging from what he's seen - powerful enough to hold his own in a fair fight. (Of course, Kubi never fights fair.) And he looked so cute with his cheeks stained red from embarrassment and eyebrow arched like he had a say in the matter! See, Kubi did this thing where he was utterly charming and the other person falls for it. And Ryan knew it too, judging by his blushing cheeks. Of course, the utter accuracy and sheer power he could feel from Ryan put paid to the idea that he was only ‘cute’. He's actually kind of a badass. Which is good, because Kubi likes badasses.

”Well. Shit.” It was a dumbfounding shot, especially for someone lacking the skill and years of experience Kubi has. His swiveled back and forth, taking turns to squint at the bouy and then to appraise Ryan. ”Well, fuck. You win. Spectacularly fuckin’ shot, frosty. Y’ got it all. Power. Precision. Killer good looks. Y’know, i could use someone like you. But, uh … dinner. I'm payin’.” Kubi was going to take him out to dinner regardless, of course. But honestly, Kubi was desperate, and someone like Ryan would be a huge help. So he grinned at him and proceeded out of the water, droplets marking a trail through the sand.

”So A quick jaunt back t’ m’place, then we'll hit dinner.Wudya say?”

So, he had won. That was something that he was not exactly expecting but then again a part of him was proud of the whole being able to impress this rather tall, handsome guy. The male said something about him having it all, each compliment drawing out a rather sheepish smile as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly, looking down at the water lapping up at his thighs. The moment they said they were paying, Ryan was instantly on board with the whole dinner thing. ”Dinner sounds nice.” He said still basically glowing from the whole managing to win thing. Honestly, his mind did not register the whole using thing, but then again he tended to ignore certain words.

”Sure, we can stop by your place.” He said with a nod, making his way out of the water as the waves felt as if they were tugging back at him, though he managed to ignore that as he stepped onto the sandy beach, looking to the male, head cocked to the side. ”Lead the way.” He then said, with a small motion as their place was the destination.

It wasn't far to the place Kubi called home; or more accurately one of the many homes dotted across the United States. One of the benefits of having money is never wanting for a place to stay. On the walk, Kubi took this opportunity to marshal his thoughts. As much as he hated to admit it, Ryan had his thoughts all scattered. And Kubi with his thoughts scattered wasn't as impressive as a Kubi with his mind straight. It wasn't quite a crush, not really; just an admiration of his power and looks. ”And his hands. He looks like has some very capable hands.” A second after this thought formed, Kubi groaned.

”Why the fuck am I always attracted to the straight ones? For once can't a gay guy be both attractive and interesting? But no. We get one or the other. I swear, I'm gonna-”

His thoughts were cut short as they came up the walk off his driveway. It was a small one-bedroom like every other on the block, with a small front lawn, light posts illuminating the cobblestone path and a palm tree growing in the front yard. The house was dark and shuttered, visibly so even in the bright summer sun. The only significantly different thing about this house was the symbol drawn of the door; a black circle inside an inverted triangle. It was carved into the wood expertly, dominating most of the door.

”Welcome t’ m'home.”

The inside of his house was nearly bare, the telltale signs of a man who barely spends any time at home. There were no pictures on the walls, no clothes in the closets, and the sight of an open suitcase resting on his bed was visible from the entryway. The only signs of habitation was a worn punching bag blocking access to the dining room and a plant, adding a little bloom of color to the otherwise barren house. Despite its cleanliness, the house had the feel of a morgue, as if a dark shadow lay over this corner of the world, but whether it was the lack of attachment or some darker, more supernatural force would be hard to tell.
”Make yerself at home. Got some beer in th’ fridge, maybe some leftovers. Help yerself. Unless y’ wanna join me?”

He hated this house. He hated the front yard, the palm tree, he even hated the floorboards. Every inch of it reminded him of Masaki. They never stayed here, not really. They never visited Las Angeles, no matter how much she might have wanted to. It was always her dream to go to Hollywood, to see movie stars and swim in an ocean that isn't two degrees below no way. She died before it could happen. Maybe that was why he came here, to live her dream for her, to experience what she couldn't. There certainly wasn't anything else here for him, just a tenuous lead on a metahuman capable of controlling fire. There was nothing that brought him here - except, maybe, the desire to just take a freaking break. It was so hard to live for someone else, even if it was for their revenge.

And that was why, with a wink and a seductive grin, he have the offer to the young man. Maybe he was lonely, or just feeling a little raunchy; honestly, since his wife died he's had a hard time deciphering his own emotions. But the offer was made, Kubi hoped he would accept. He was certain he'd at least think about it. Regardless of whether or not he was followed, he needed a shower; the salt was beginning to itch. So he walked up the stairs, stripping to nothing just in time to enter the bathroom. The door was left slightly ajar, an invitation to a certain cryokinetic to join him.