2013.03.31 - Feathers and Frost

"Alright, I've got it all gathered. It's just the setting up and I can handle that tonight..." Bobby Drake, also known as the Iceman, is currently in the lounge at the Xavier Institute. Perched on a couch, he's scribbling a few things in a notebook. Namely notes around a little map of the mansion. Notes on where he'll be setting up pranks specifically. What might seem odd to some that know him is that he's got a hoodie on and the hood up. Not his usual style in the least bit. "The Danger Room's going to be the big one. I wonder how many I get with it," he continues to mumble as he plots his pranks for April 1st.

Angel has been faithfully offering his 'workshops' a couple of times a month and the upcoming week means that he needs to get ready for them at the school. Of course, seeing someone alone, in a Hoodie, in the lounge piques his interest and he peers into the doorway. "So, should I not be coming by tomorrow if I don't want to get pranked? Or have you already rigged a plastic spider in my bathroom at home or something?"

"Plastic? Please? I got a more convincing one than that and a snake for your bed," Bobby replies automatically, turning a grin up at Warren. He recognizes his friend's voice after all. "It's safe to enter now. I'm saving my prank energy for tomorrow," he teases when he sees that Warren in the doorway. "How's it going, War?"

"Interesting. I'm not really afraid of either spiders or snakes though," Warren points out, looking about the room before taking a step in. "So that answer is yes. Do not come to the school tomorrow if I don't want to be pranked. Got it." There's another glance about before he tilts his head at Bobby, "So...why?" A shrug answers Bobby's question, "It's all right, I guess. You?" "It's not about being afraid of them. You're still going to react of you open your medicine cabinet and something leaps at your face or you wake up to see something on your pillow that wasn't there the night before," Bobby points out. He's joking about having done anything to Warren's apartment of course. "And really, as long as you avoid the Danger Room tomorrow, you'll be avoiding anything big," he adds. "Why what? The pranks? Well it's April Fool's Day, man. I can't pass up the day of pranks," and he really needs the distraction. When asked about himself, Bobby shrugs and closes the notebook. "Been better."

Angel's eyes narrow at Bobby, "Good thing you actually can't get into my place without getting Security on you." He's mostly serious, but his mood doesn't need to be shared. "I wonder why it became a day of Pranks? I thought maybe it had to do with Mardi Gras, but I think that's over by now." Noting Bobby's answer though, he offers, "Yeah. So what's 'been better' in your world?"

"Oh he of little faith in my abilities," Bobby teases more. He shrugs a bit. "No clue. I never really dug into the history of the day. And Mardi Gras," a quick glance around to make sure there are no students around to hear, "is the day of getting drunk and flashing for beads," he jokes. Taking a deep breath, the icy mutant's smile fades a bit. "Kurt hasn't told you about how things are here?" he asks. There's another pause before he goes on. "And...well...can you keep a secret?"

"Kurt and I haven't really talked much since we started dating the same girl," Warren points out as he sinks into one of the couches. "I'm only here a couple of days a month or so, so I don't really know. I don't feel much about being part of the team at the moment, but...it's probably for the best, especially if you guys want to stay secretive. I'm pretty obvious." He glances at Bobby, "Of course I can keep a secret."

"You mean Fern? I thought you were both still being friendly despite competing for her," Bobby frowns a little. "Warren, don't start that again. We're not advertising we're here with blimbs and spotlights but we're not some secret CIA bunker. Just don't go holding press conferences on the front lawn and don't hand out business cards that say 'Warren Worthington III, proud alumni of the Xavier Institute: A School for mutants and top secret home of the X-men'. We don't make students or Kurt and Hank wear image inducers when they go out or anything like that. You're more than welcome here," he says. When Warren confirms he can keep a secret, Bobby nods. Setting the notebook aside carefully, he suddenly seems a little on the nervous side. Slowly, he pulls off that hoodie. Sharp eyes will notice that one of Bobby's ears is completely ice. Not armored like usual...translucent ice. Next he pulls up his t-shirt enough to expose the fact that a big chunk of his chest and abs have also become ice. All the way through and it's hard to tell where ice begins and flesh ends, the two blending seamlessly together. "Pretty sure my powers are fucked up," he says quietly.

"Friendly doesn't necessarily mean that we're still hanging out right now. It just means we're not at each others' throats," Warren points out. There's a brief frown, "You can't tell me how not to feel, Bobby. I realize I'm not here all the time and that changes a lot of things, but I'n not going around telling people that I went here or even what it is. But information -can- be found. I never tried to hide where I went to school. I just never said what sort of school it was."

The revelation of the ice parts has him shooting his eyebrows up in surprise, "I would say that's a fair assessment. Have you talked to Hank? I mean, he's supposed to be the expert, right?"

Bobby just sighs at that, idly wondering if he should have agreed with Fern on the whole 'choose neither' idea she had. "Too bad she doesn't have a twin sister," he tries to lighten the mood a little. "And?" he arches a brow. "So what if they come to find out what school you went to? The fact that we have some mutant students isn't much of a secret. Kind of hard to hide a kid like Vic or Broo. And we've got ways of defending the secret. You don't have to stay away."

The questions get Bobby frowning again. He lets his shirt fall back down and shakes his head. "No. I keep trying to get in contact with him but he's never around," this clearly bothers Bobby a lot. "According to the exam I got after the whole trainwreck with the robots I'm in perfect shape but then this started happening..." he trails off. "Today's not as bad as the other day at least."

Angel reaches out to poke at an ice-ear, "Does it hurt?" There's a pause before he asks, "What about Jean then? Or the Professor? I mean, if you can't control that then something's wonky, yes. But if it doesn't hurt..." Warren shrugs. He falls quiet again before merely offering, "That isn't why I stay away, Bobby and you know it. But we don't need to talk about that."

The ear is solid and cold but oddly enough moves like an ear normally would when pokes. Bobby gives Warren a little look from the poke before shaking his head. "No, you're the only one that knows about this," a beat "Except maybe Ruth and her future seeing. I can never tell with her," he shakes his head again. "No, it doesn't hurt but...I dunno. Sometimes I can control it and sometimes I can. I know I can turn all of me ice like this and back again. And if I concentrate enough, I can turn these back but things keeps changing without me wanting them to..."

There's another shrug, "Maybe you're going through a second puberty?" Warren's almot serious about that, "I don't know, man. I mean...I might not be the best one to ask." He sits back then on the sofa, his wings splaying out. "Welcome to the world of not being able to control what you look like."

"It better come with a second growth spurt," Bobby tries to joke. He grabs his hoodie again to pull it back on. "Maybe I just wanted to talk to a friend about something that is freaking me the hell out," he mumbles as he pulls the hood back up. "Man, if it were just looks I'd be a lot less worried."

Warren looks down, suitably chastized. "Sorry, Bobby. It would freak me out too if I...started growing feathers somewhere other than my wings or something." He then looks back over, "Is there anything I can do?"

"It's okay," Bobby murmurs even if he's not sure he is. Taking a breath, he drags a hand down his face. "I don't know. Distract me?" he shrugs. "I've been trying to keep my mind off this and things happening here," he gestures vaguely at the whole school. "since getting stressed out only makes it worse and I could use something to keep me from thinking too much."

"I don't know that I'm the best at distractions, but I can try. Do you melt? I mean, we could go out..." but he's not too sure what sort of distraction that would be. "It's really nice out...don't know if that would affect your surfing."

"No, I haven't melted yet a least. I'm pretty sure it's some kinda weird super ice," Bobby's relieved about that at least. He manages a little smile when Warren brings up surfing. "Hey, if I can beat the speed record in the danger room on my ice slides all armored up, no waves are gonna be able to topple me."

"Well, I meant 'ice surfing'...too cold for real surfing and we -are- in New York. I mean, if we wanted to surf this time of year...maybe...Australia? Southern Hemisphere at least. Maybe the Gulf Coast..."

And that gets a laugh out of Bobby. "I was jokin' about the waves, man," he says. "But no, it doesn't mess with my ice slides. Hell, I think I'm a little faster on them if I go all icy."

Warren blinks, "Yes, well. That makes sense, being made of ice. There's a reason why we have skates...and why there's the classic sequence of Bambi slipping on the ice. I mean, it's...-ice-. There's no friction."

"Yeah," Bobby pauses and smirks. "That reminds me. I promised my new friend Fern that I'd take you, her, and few of our merry mutant friends out skating before it gets too warm to do it."

There's a shake of his head, "Thanks, Bobby, but...until things get figured out within this weird triangle Kurt and I have going on with her, I don't think that's a good idea. At least, not for me. And if she chooses Kurt, I...I don't want to be a spare wheel."

Bobby Drake gives a little sigh. "Dude, when I was talking with her it was you she was asking me about more than Kurt," he points out. "Now I didn't push one or the other but she definitely wants to see more of you and wants to see what you can do on the ice. Or the dance floor. So go for it man."

Warren shakes his head, "I'm not going to dance...or skate...for Fern's affections. If she wants to see that competition between us, I won't participate. If that blows it for us, so be it, but that's a ridiculous thing to demand and it doesn't sound at all like her."

"Dude," Bobby rolls his eyes. "Didn't say competition or anything about whether or not she wants to see Kurt doing the same stuff. She wants to see you movin'...as in she digs that hot bod and wants to see it in action?" he gestures up and down at Warren. "So if dancing and skating won't work...I dunno. Take her flying."

There's a roll of his eyes, "Yeah, I don't think that sounds like her either," Warren points out. "I did take her flying, but she's not the type to just go for outward appearance. All I can do is wait for her to decide and keep trying to spend time with her as much as I can."

Bobby Drake drags a hand down his face again. "Okay, she didn't outright say it but that's the impression I got. And on top of that, just because someone isn't the type to go for outward appearances alone doesn't mean they don't want to enjoy the view someones too."

Warren shakes his head again, "I don't think that matters to her, Bobby. Really." He's trying not to say unkind things about his friend even if they -are- rivals. "Like I said, she needs to make the decision. I'll understand if she chooses Kurt...Hell, I probably would if I were her. He's a lot more fun and he has an accent. Girls dig accents."

"Warren, bro. I'm trying to help here. I'm just sayin' that showing off a little skin or some moves can't hurt," Bobby replies. He smiles a bit, unable to resist the joke Warren handed him. "Well there's the solution. You and Kurt hook up and you won't have to compete over Fern," he's joking.

Angel snorts, but actually grins, "He's not really my type." Like he really has a 'type' at this point. "If only it were that easy though...because I feel like it's not fair to any of us." The grin fades, "I'd let her go, Bobby, but she's the first girl who's even sort of liked me back. I mean, she isn't dating me just for my money or for a few photos posted in gossip columns."

"But you make such a cute couple," Bobby laughs a little and shakes his head. "Then don't give up just yet, man," he says after listening to his friend. "Try to win her. I doubt Kurt's the kinda guy who'd hold it against you so don't just back off."

At least it seems to be distracting Bobby from his issues. "I can't compete against Kurt's charm and I know that. I don't think he'd hold it against me either, but...I guess I'm just preparing myself for the let down." Warren tilts his head back and closes his eyes briefly, "I don't know if it's about giving up. It's about being a realist."

It is indeed helping Bobby. Focusing on just talking and joking with his friend is a lot more helpful than just plotting a prank run. "You've got charms too, don't underestimate them," he's trying to be encouraging. "I mean, c'mon. I hit on you before I did Kurt," a little joke. "But seriously, man. You're a good guy so I don't think you should be so down on yourself."

"Sorry I couldn't reciprocate when you did," Warren offers, a smile sort of beginning to return. "Almost wish I could have. Guys don't play games like the women do." There's a long look at Bobby, "Thanks, but...it's not up to me. I can parade around her all I want, but I don't think that's going to change her mind if it's made up."

Bobby waves a hand. "Don't worry about it," he flashes a quick smirk, unable to pass up the comment that comes to mind. "If she does pick Kurt, I'm still single," he jokes a bit. "See, what I was saying before, War. She hasn't made up her mind. She's still undecided. And that she did tell me."

"Thanks, Bobby. I'll definitely keep that in mind." At least his own grin is back as Warren reaches to scratch at an itchy feather. "It is what it is. I'm trying to just be thankful that there are people out there who see past someone's outward appearance.

"You're in a school full of 'em," Bobby remarks. "And there are plenty more out there. Pretty sure its a requirement to run around in the outfits we put on."

"And most of these students here are under-age. I think that's...not a good idea and ew." While Warren may not mind dating younger than him, that's a little -too- young.

"Not even remotely what I was talking about," Bobby points out before laughing. "There's always the falculty though."

Angel shakes his head again and sits up some, "No. I'll just see what happens and then go from there. I don't want to force anything on me or anyone else." It takes another moment before he stands and gives a stretch, "I'll leave you to your plotting and planning. But...let me know if you want help with the ice thing. I don't know if I know anyone different than you to ask about it, but...if you need any support or anything. Thanks, Bobby."

Bobby Drake stands up as well. He reaches over to give Warren a quick one-armed hug. "Thanks, Warren. I'll let you know."

Angel returns that hug, "Please do, Bobby. Feel free to come out to the city, too. We can find something there to be a good distraction, I'm sure." With that though, he grins and starts back towards the doorway. "Let me know how your pranks turn out tomorrow."