3114/Rollercoasters and Ice Cream

From Heroes Assemble MUSH
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Rollercoasters and Ice Cream
Date of Scene: 27 August 2020
Location: Coney Island
Synopsis: Julio and Bobby head to Coney Island. There is funnel cake. It's kind of like churros made by a third grader with a really unsteady hand.
Cast of Characters: Bobby Drake, Julio Richter




Bobby Drake has posed:
Sometimes you just need to get out for a bit of sun and a trip to the iconic Coney Island as the summer is slowly dwindling and classes have started up again. It's time to enjoy those last few weeks of summer with a little bit of random fun. And so it is that after classes are done for the day, Bobby finds Julio and convinces him to go to Coney Island with him for the evening.

Bobby seems to have perked right up on stepping foot onto the boardwalk, grinning broadly at the sights and sounds that surround them. The rollercoaster is running. The carnie games are open. There are lights up along the boardwalk, and the sounds of conversation are are all around them.

Julio Richter has posed:
An amusement park isn't exactly a hard sell; Julio can be a little bit of a thrill seeker, and if the fair food and roller coasters didn't appeal, just going for a ride on the back of Bobby's motorbike would have. It's like cuddling, but with an adrenaline rush!

He's new to Coney Island, and will dart in a little bit ahead of Bobby to eagerly take in the sights. He stops and reaches back to take Bobby by the hand as he asks, "What do you want to do first? Roller coasters? Haunted house?" He spots one sign in particular, looks back, and grins mischievously. "'The tunnel of love'?"

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby loves a good amusement park, carnival, theme park -- anything with rides and games and a bit of excitement will get his attention. And the bike is a lot more fun in the nice weather than when it gets cold. Of course, when it gets cold, he can just slide around everywhere a whole lot more unobtrusively than he can in the middle of the summer.

He doesn't seem to mind Julio darting ahead of him as he leisurely strolls along, taking everything in and enjoying the atmosphere and the smell of funnel cakes on the air. He grins as Julio takes his hand, and gives it a squeeze in return. His eyes light up and he laughs as he says, "Roller coaster first.. before we eat anything. Then food. Then Haunted house. Then tunnel of love." Bobby's an all-of-the-above kind of guy whenever possible. Why only choose one thing when you can do it all?

Julio Richter has posed:
"Siiiiii," Julio answers, his eyes lighting up as he looks around for the entrance to the park's biggest roller coaster. "¡Ajá!" He gives Bobby's hand a little tug as he starts jogging over toward the start of the line.

Before they start off, there's a bit of an eye-of-the-tiger moment between Julio and the tween daughter in a family of four that seems to have the same idea at the same time. However, he only has to mobilize Bobby, and she's got distracted parents to berate into motion; the mutant couple win the race by a healthy margin. The tween is left to sulk a bit behind them.

"So, have you been here much before?" Julio asks, giving Bobby's hand a squeeze as coaster cars come and go, and they shuffle toward the front of the line. "Should I be scared about the roller coaster? I can hold on to you like it's a horror movie, if you want."

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby laughs when Julio finds the entrance to the Cyclone, the great big wooden roller coaster at the end of the pier and he follows along, grinning from ear to ear. But then there's a /race/ and the race is afoot. Bobby jogs his way to the finish line, throwing his arms in the air as they make their way through the gate and into the line for the rollercoaster, laughing a bit. "Think we should have let her win?" he asks with a little bit of a chuckle. He doesn't seem to feel too bad about it though.

"Yeah, I've been here a bunch of times. I usually come every so often, maybe once a year, sometimes a couple of times depending on if there's a group from the school going or not," Bobby says as they make their way through the line. "I mean, it's a wooden coaster so it feels way more rickety than a metal one. So it can be more scary for some people." He laughs. "If I tell you yes, will you hold onto me and keep me safe?" His brows waggle just a little bit.

Julio Richter has posed:
"Better that she learns early on that the world is harsh!" Julio says, affecting a gravelly, world-weary voice, as though they've really introduced the girl to some bitter facts of the mean streets rather than... gotten one spot ahead of her in line for a roller coaster. He gives up the act quickly, though: he's in much too good a mood to play at being a film noir character for long.

Instead, he throws one arm around Bobby's shoulders and gives him a hug, followed by a quick rub on the chest with the opposite hand. "You know I will hold on to you and keep you safe either way, heladito," he says, giving his boyfriend a quick peck on the cheek. "I'm not scared of rickety. I /am/ rickety." His nose scrunches up. That doesn't sound nearly as cool as he meant it to. "I am ... made of rickety. I have power over rickets."

By then, they're at the front of the line, and Julio heads straight for the frontmost car. "Up here is good?" he asks.

Bobby Drake has posed:
"Wow, that's harsh, man," Bobby laughs to Julio. But it's not like the kid isn't behind them in the line a little ways and isn't going to get on the rollercoaster at all. He then bumps Julio's shoulder and laughs at that world-weary affectation.

He lets his arm slip around Julio's waist in return and leans in against him a little bit, grinning. "Oh good, because I am deathly afraid of heights." He's not. But he affects big wide eyes as though that were the truth. Then he bursts into laughter, "Oh god stop.. that's only getting worse," as the hole gets deeper and deeper. Coughing, he tries to get his laughter under control as he nods, mutely. Up front is good. He slides into the seat next to Julio and waits for the safety bar to be lowered into place.

Julio Richter has posed:
In fact, the girl ends up right behind them, alongside her younger sister, with the parents another row back. It's a hard knock life on the mean streets of the Coney Island boardwalk.

"Yeah, yeah, you try making all your cool puns in Spanish and see how good you are at it," Julio answers Bobby, with a teasing grin. The safety bar lowers over them, and Julio drapes his arm around Bobby again a moment later.

The cars start moving forward as a chain engages with their little train, and the long climb up the first hill begins. Scattered cries of 'woo' or 'oh god' can be heard behind them, but Julio is, for the moment, just taking in the view. There is definitely a bit of a jostle to the ride, but Julio's powers really do make for a pretty effective dampening system for unpleasant vibrations.

As they get about halfway up the climb, Julio leans his head in close to Bobby's, raises one eyebrow, and says, "If you're really scared of heights, I could distract you?"

Bobby Drake has posed:
The mean, mean, slightly sticky and popcorn strewn streets.

"I'm not even going to try," Bobby laughs, because his Spanish is just good enough to know what Julio is saying most of the time when he flip-flops languages, but isn't even good enough to really attempt to hold a conversation. And he knows it. "You definitely win that contest," Bobby laughs, giving Julio's leg a squeeze as they settle in for the ride.

Bobby seems relaxed, despite the woos and noises from those behind. He just grins. But then, he's ridden this particular coaster more times than he can count. He knows every jerk, every pause and for how long before the sudden inevitable drop to come. He blinks a little as he notices that the jostling is a little less than he's used to and then he looks over at Julio. "Is that you?" he laughs.

But that raised eyebrow has him lifting both of his own. "Now I half wish I was afraid of heights," he says in return.

Julio Richter has posed:
"It is me, a little bit, si," Julio answers. Negating unpleasant vibration isn't generally something he does consciously, and most of the time, it only extends to him. But with the two of them in such close contact, a little bit of the effect is transferred over by simple physical conduction. "I can teach you some Spanish ice puns, if you want," he offers, holding Bobby tightly. "But I think I know a better way to distract you from your terrible fears."

And he finally makes good on his innuendo, drawing Bobby in for a close kiss as they ascend the hill. It isn't until they've crested the peak, and the cars are about to pick up speed, that he lets his boyfriend go, throwing his hands up and hollering joyfully into the wind that rushes past them.

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby chuckles a little bit when Julio admits that it is him that is causing the tremors to be less tremor-y than they usually are and doesn't seem to mind at all, particularly now that he knows /why/ it feels different. "You can teach me all the Spanish that you want," Bobby says with a little grin. "I like when you speak Spanish to me."

Of course, he likes when he /kisses/ him, too. And so he more than happily leans in to that kiss, barely paying attention to where they are on the coaster until he feels that last moment or two of the crest, and the kiss breaks. Laughing, he lets out a whoop as they drop.

The coaster rushes down and then abruptly banks left and goes around and around before coming up another hill, and then another for another drop. "You can also distract me all that you want," Bobby says, pulling him in for another kiss, "This rollercoaster is a lot more fun this time around than I remember it being."

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio isn't quite as accustomed to the ride as Bobby is, so the twists and turns, the sudden plunges: they take him by surprise every time. He gives a thrilled holler whenever the head rush gets great enough, and he does get slammed from side to side on the turns. Just because he's making the ride smoother doesn't mean physics are fully suspended.

But during one particular wide curve, as the centrifugal force pushes them together, he does get a chance to return to kissing Bobby for a decently long stretch. Speaking of a head rush...

Finally, after a series of low, fast-paced hills, the cars brake and they ease back onto the platform. Julio grins at Bobby, tweaks his chin with one thumb, and teases, "Spanish lessons, kissing -- it's all about 'tongues' with you, isn't it?" He gives a wink as the safety bar rises again, then hops out of the car first and pauses to give Bobby some gentlemanly (if unnecessary) assistance debarking, as well.

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby seems as entertained by how much Julio is enjoying the ride as he is by the rollercoaster, himself. He does, however, love the ride and he has a grin plastered on his face for the entire duration. When the ride does come to an end though, he laughs and waggles his eyebrows up at Julio, "Maybe you shouldn't be so good with it if you didn't want me to get hooked on it." He ignores entirely the glance he gets from the kids' parents who are disembarking next to them, laughing a little bit when the kids giggle.

Then he accepts the gentlemanly assistance debarking the vehicle, and using that hand to pull him in closer for another quick, stolen kiss before leading him back out through the exit onto the boardwalk. "Hot dogs?" he asks. "Funnel cake? I need a funnel cake.. but I suppose I should eat something dinner-like before stuffing myself full of sugar." He glances over to Julio. "Ever had Nathan's hot dogs? They're pretty good. A little over-hyped maybe, but pretty good."

Julio Richter has posed:
"Who said I didn't want you to get hooked?" Julio answers with a quick lift of his eyebrows. "That's the whole plan. It is a simple plan, but I think that is a good thing." He doesn't pay much mind to the family trailing them when he willingly gives up that stolen kiss: either the girls' amusement or the parents' nonverbal encouragement to get a room.

As they exit the boarding platform, he answers, "I don't know Nathan. Does he work at the school?" He doesn't seem to be making a joke, there. "Hot dogs and funnel cakes both sound great, though. I have a little bit of cash for--"

He stops in his tracks, stares at the sign over the food stall, and sighs. "Nathan's hot dogs," he says. "No, I haven't tried them. But now I will."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"I like this plan," Bobby admits as he leans in against Julio lightly, then takes his hand as they step down from the platform and make their way toward the food stalls. He blinks for a moment, as though not sure if Julio is making a joke or not. Then Julio stops and he stops too, looking around, and then laughing a little bit at the sigh.

"Come on.. hot dogs. Then we'll find a funnel cake. And then haunted houses and tunnels of love." He has a plan, too. It's a simple plan, but he likes it. And so off to Nathan's he tugs Julio, getting them both hot dogs. He gets two for himself with mustard and ketchup. And a large container of fries to share. Then he finds a bench where they can sit and eat and people-watch.

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio is only too happy to have his hand taken and his body leaned against. There aren't any rogue vibrations down here to smooth out, but he does get a little thrill from those moments of casual public contact. They're still new to him, but with Bobby close, he doesn't feel any of the fear that dogged him before he got to this point.

When they reach the food stall, he orders three hot dogs and puts on lots of relish, along with some of the fancier, less brightly colored mustard. He has already taken a bite by the time they get to the bench, and as they sit, he comments, "OK, that is good!" After a few more bites, but before he finishes his first frank, he does pause and ask, "So... before I do another stupid Nathan thing... What is a funnel cake? I don't think I have had one."

Bobby Drake has posed:
For Bobby, it's completely natural -- something he doesn't even think about, and if he'd thought about it he probably might have stopped to ask Julio just how much PDA he was comfortable with in public. But he's been just enjoying their casual contact, their closeness, and how comfortably he feels with him that he hasn't really stopped to analyze it. It's fortunate for him that Julio doesn't seem to mind.

"They are pretty good," he agrees as he takes a bite of his own. He has the garish bright yellow mustard on his. But he seems content with what he's chosen, devouring one pretty quickly, then taking the second one a little bit more slowly. Guess he was hungry! He then grins and bumps shoulders with Julio and says, "I mean, it was a legit question if you'd never heard of Nathan's before. And a funnel cake is like.. a fried dough. They pour it out the bottom of a funnel into the fryer in loops and swirls and stuff so you end up with this kind of roundish lumpy fried dough thing you cover in powered sugar, or cinnamon sugar, or .. various other types of sugar-related toppings."

Julio Richter has posed:
The casual contact and PDA is new to Julio, for sure; he dated a little bit before his mutation upended his life, but never other boys, and so the heat just wasn't there for him. In the intervening years, he hasn't had time to pursue romance beyond a few forbidden crushes. Dating is new for him, as is openness, but as mentioned earlier, he's a little bit of a daredevil at times. There's a thrill to letting other people see that he's on a date with another guy, and pride at what a handsome and fun one he managed to attract.

The description of funnel cakes has Julio's lips scooting to the side in a quizzical expression. "It kind of sounds like churros, but in a lump," he says, speculatively. "Is that close?" As he waits for Bobby's answer, he downs another of his own hot dogs, but doesn't look far from catching up.

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby grins at the quizzical expression and then nods, "Yes, sort of like if someone tried to make a churro but like wiggled it all over into a lump and then fried it. It tastes a little different, I think, but pretty close. And if you put cinnamon sugar all over it, then it's even closer." He grins, taking another bite of his hot dog, and slowly working through the second one before offering some of the fries to share. "They're so bad for you but they're so good. I can't leave without getting one." He grins.

For all that he's been out since he was in his teens and he's had plenty of dates since then, the past year had been heavily focused on his Senior year of college, and doomed with the coffee curse. But that seems to have been broken, and he seems happy -- genuinely and truly happy whenever he and Julio together. It's comfortable and easy between them, and it brings out the lighthearted side of him as well, when they're not being serious, at any rate.

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio is still working his way through his last hot dog, but Bobby's description of the funnel-cake-making process forces him to pause for a second for a little fit of laughter. "Okay, it sounds ridiculous, but also delicious," he says, smiling. "I won't leave without getting one, either. We are agreed."

The rest of his hot dog only takes a moment to finish off, then he stands, figuring they can munch on the shared basket of fries while they find this mythical cake of funnels.

There is definitely a relaxed ease between the two of them; there's a lot he can learn from Bobby about American culture, not to mention his own sexuality, but as Bobby's his trusted peer, someone with a great sense of humor, and someone he finds very attractive besides, Julio never feels like he's being talked down to. They can communicate through jokes and flirtation while addressing important topics.

Or, you know. Funnel cake.

Bobby Drake has posed:
"It is ridiculous and delicious," Bobby confirms. And then the hunt begins. The hot dog wrappers are tossed and the fry container is held between them to keep them sustained on the lengthy and arduous journey through the carnival games and past the haunted house. Eventually, though, their destination comes into view. "Thar she blows!" Bobby calls out, as though he were suddenly a pirate, or on a whaling ship.

And off he goes, making a bee line toward the little kiosk with the funnel cake machine. "Two please!" he proclaims, because you're damn right he's going to inhale one of those all on his own. And if Julio doesn't like it for some reason, he'll finish his too if he has to take one for the team.

It takes only a couple of moments for them each to be handed a funnel cake on wax paper. Bobby immediately douses his in cinnamon sugar before taking a bite. Hot! But so good. He sighs contentedly and says, "Yeeeesss. So good." He then flashes a grin at Julio and asks, "Good?" He fully expects the answer to be yes from his expression, but he's still curious.

Not that Bobby would ever talk down to Julio. To the contrary, he does everything he can think of to be helpful without being overbearing, and to answer questions as honestly and straightforwardly as he can, letting Julio take what he wants from the information. He likes being able to help. He's a teacher for a reason after all. But mostly he just likes being able to be there for Julio.

Julio Richter has posed:
It is surely an Homeric saga worthy of the ages, Julio and Bobby's quest for the golden funnel cake, and it gives Julio a pretty good feel for the layout of the park, so the journey is nearly as important as the destination. Not quite, though: the destination is dessert, after all.

Bobby's crowing of 'thar she blows' leaves Julio baffled. 'Thar' is not a word he's ever heard; 'she blows' he can parse easily enough, but that can't possibly be what Bobby is shouting about in the middle of a nice family park like this. He laughs and jogs after his boyfriend as he runs toward the kiosk, though: he might be confused, but Bobby's enthusiasm is both adorable and infectious.

Even before they have the cakes, the smell has Julio convinced that he's in for something good; he follows suit with the cinnamon sugar and takes a great big bite, his eyes immediately going wide in appreciation. "Dios, yes! So good!" he says around a mouthful. With his free hand, he bats gently at Bobby's upper arm, as if to get his attention or emphasize his point. "¡Ahora entiendo! This is why you wanted one so bad."

He keeps munching away, his pleased expression never wavering. "So... haunted house and then love tunnel, right?"

Bobby Drake has posed:
People around him don't seem to be giving Bobby any weirder looks than usual, so clearly whatever he said couldn't have been that bad, right? He watches Julio intently as he takes that first bite and then laughs out loud as his arm is batted at to punctuate the point. Excellent! Just the reaction that he was hoping for. His grin threatens to split his face. But he doesn't stop chewing to actually comment other than to nod his head emphatically.

When Julio mentions the rest of the plan, he nods. Hunger for sweets sated, Bobby takes another bite and then gestures in the direction of the haunted house. It's a slow walk, since they have to finish the funnel cakes before they can go inside, so he lingers just outside the area for the line, making his way through his. "Amusement park food is pure sinful indulgence in all the things that are bad for you, but damn if it isn't good." He licks cinnamon sugar from his fingertips as he pulls off pieces of the funnel cake, slowly making his way from the outside in to the center.

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio grins back at Bobby as they share the moment with the funnel cakes. He doesn't say much more, either; they're both busy stuffing their faces. He'll just have to look up 'thar she blows' later. Thank god for Urban Dictionary.

When they both settle in by the haunted house to finish, he tries to eat the funnel cake somewhat neatly, but with mixed results. These were definitely not intended for refined surroundings, and they both end up amusing each other with awkward nom-faces from time to time.

He finishes a little bit after Bobby, who got started first, but when he does, he answers, "Bien, I know that souls are real, now, and devils and stuff, but I don't think dessert is part of their evil plan," he teases. "If I'm wrong, bien -- maybe they are not so bad after all. I bet I could learn to make these, and then I'll be a demon, too." He raises one eyebrow at Bobby, a little flirtatiously. As if Julio needs more ways to corrupt the pure-hearted, innocent teacher.

But it's time for some demons of another sort. As he regretfully finishes up the funnel cake and tosses the wax paper into a garbage can, Julio starts to wander toward the haunted house entrance. "Man, I hope my powers don't make this not scary," he says, brow furrowed. The dark doesn't mess up his perception like it used to, after all.

Bobby Drake has posed:
Of course, Bobby would tell him what it meant if he asked, but he has no idea that Julio doesn't know what it means. And so it remains a mystery -- for now. Funnel cakes were not meant for elegant or non-messy eating and so there's a wad of napkins in Bobby's back pocket as well as a couple of wet naps for the inevitable sticky sugar fingers. He offers one over to Julio and manages to clean himself up for the most part, a little stray sugar still on his shirt even after he manages to get his hands and face clean.

Bobby can't help but grin sidelong as Julio proclaims that he could learn to make funnel cakes and become a demon, too. "You can tempt me with your cooking skills any time you like. I'm pretty sure that's a siren song that I can't resist."

He wanders in after Julio and grins. "Well, I can be scared for both of us, since mine aren't much help in the dark unless there's water around." He grins and clings to Julio's arm in mock-fear. "You can protect me like you did on the roller-coaster," he offers with a broad grin. And then it is into the dark, with creepy sounds and flickering lights all around them, some gruesome displays lit up with glow in the dark paint that ends up making them look a bit more cheesy than scary in the black light, but it's still pretty entertaining.

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio laughs pretty hard when Bobby offers him a wet nap, shaking his head and accepting with a roll of his eyes. "Guau, you came prepared for anything, didn't you?" he asks, teasing him gently. Not that it doesn't come in handy, of course; they both did, in fact, get sugar all over their hands. He spots the fleck of sugar on his boyfriend's shirt, too, and with one of the dry napkins, picks it off as cleanly he can.

"There," he says approvingly. "Muy guapo." As they head into the haunted house, he adds with a wink, "I am noticing a theme today, and it is that Bobby has an opening for a personal chef." As Bobby clutches at his arm, he adds with a fond chuckle, "And maybe a bodyguard."

Truth be told, though, it gives him a warm feeling in his chest to get to feel protective and tough on Bobby's behalf. It's not an opportunity he is afforded often, but it's a role he likes. Unfortunately, as soon as they move past the earlier, cheesy displays, the first motorized jump scare device pops out at him, and he nearly jumps out of his skin. "Gah!" he barks out. Looking a little embarrassed, even in the dim lighting, he explains, "I can feel footsteps and stuff. Spring-loaded things just sitting there in the walls, not so much."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"I mean, I picked them up at the kiosk while we were ordering," Bobby laughs. There had been a little bin of them sitting right there next to the register, after all, along with the napkins. "Look, I have eaten /many/ funnel cakes, and am also too lazy to go find the restrooms after. So.. you know.." He laughs, blushing just a little bit, since he must seem like quite the boyscout, always being prepared.

"Yes," Bobby agrees with a grin. "I am definitely in the market for a personal chef, but only if his name is Julio and he makes excellent tamales, and distracts me on rollercoasters and protects me in haunted houses."

Truth be told, there aren't a lot of times when Bobby feels scared for himself. There are definitely dangerous situations he could be in, but for most of them, he is pretty tough to harm, not permanently anyway. But that doesn't mean that a good jump scare won't startle him. So when the thing pops out of the wall at him, and Julio jumps, he does too, letting out a little strangled sound that is almost a squeak. That only makes him blush again, because that was definitely /not/ a dignified X-man sort of sound. Ehem. He laughs then and says, "I guess maybe we're in for a scare or two after all then."

Julio Richter has posed:
Bobby's preparedness excuses do not quite get him off the hook for being a planning-oriented boy scout. Julio runs his hand up Bobby's back and gives the hair on the back of his head a gentle ruffle. "I am not always thinking ahead," he points out, reassuring his boyfriend. "It's not a bad thing that I have you to help with that." They do balance each other out nicely on that front.

Then, of course, he's back to joking around. "You're never going to find someone if the qualifications are so strict," he teases with a regretful shake of his head. "Such a perfect man simply does not exist."

Or, if he does, he's trapped in a haunted house that he thought would be a literal and figurative walk in the park, only to discover that his cheating little advantages won't avail him. Looks like both of these dorks are totally susceptible to jump scares. Julio wouldn't make fun of Bobby's little squeak of fright, even if he were in any position to; instead, he just wordlessly holds him closer as they continue through the blacklit maze.

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby likes it when Julio ruffles his hair. He might not say so out loud, but it always brings a smile to his lips. "And sometimes I overthink things," Bobby admits, in part because he's stronger defensively than offensively. Planning helps with setting things up while the heavy hitters do the damage. "It's not bad to have a little spontaneity." He laughs then and says, "Then I suppose it's lucky for me that I've already found my perfect man."

Once the jump is over, there's a little bit of tension in Bobby, but it's mostly that tightly wound anticipation of the next scare, which of course will make it worse than if he'd been relaxed, but that's how these things work. He does in fact, snuggle in a little closer to Julio as they make their way through the haunted house. Shrieks ahead of them and behind followed by laughter give them some warning as to what might be coming. But there are plenty of things to drop from the ceiling and pop around corners. And more than once, Bobby bumps in closer to Julio to dodge something popping out next to him, and clings to his arm a little tighter.

Julio Richter has posed:
"We are a good" -- skeleton from the ceiling! -- "a good pair," Julio agrees, his arm around Bobby tensing before he relaxes and laughs at himself. "I'm happy I haven't had anything to drink tonight," he mutters. "I might do a tremor by accident if I had."

But maybe his powers can give him a little bit of a boost; when they hear screams from up ahead, Julio tries to map out where they happen, so at least he'll know to expect /something/. It's not much help, but it gives him a little bit of a boost to being Bobby's guardian from the jump scares.

Bobby and Julio are both moving in closer to each other over the course of the haunted house, and Julio, for his part, is in no rush to separate. After one particularly silly-looking werewolf prop manages to spook them simply by being deployed in a clever way, he makes an annoyed noise and decides to take matters into his own hands. Well, I say 'matters,' but really what he does is scale back the tension a bit by firmly goosing Bobby. Before even seeing his boyfriend's reaction, Julio is already laughing, at the incongruity of it, if nothing else.

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby laughs as the skeleton dive-bombs them, putting one hand up in front of his face protectively, reflexively. He grins over at Julio and says, "Probably a good thing, then. Last thing we need is to make some rickety carnival house collapse on us." Not that the place would likely collapse on them, but never let the facts get in the way of a good teasing.

He appreciates Julio's attempt to protect him from the sudden gruesome knife wielding murderer, the silly looking werewolf, and the.. "Augh!" Bobby jumps when Julio gooses him. He'd definitely not been expecting /that/ and it makes him jump as much as the jump scares did. He slugs Julio in the shoulder for his efforts and then laughs. "Jerk," he says with affection before they finally reach the end of the haunted house and stumble out into the relative light of the evening boardwalk.

Julio Richter has posed:
Still laughing, Julio rocks to the side and staggers a little with the blow, putting the opposite hand over his shoulder as though shielding himself against further assault. "It was a ghost!" he protests, feigning shock. "I was trying to defend your butt, but it got past me. It's not my fault you can raise the dead."

His dramatics give Bobby time to get a bit ahead of him, so he jogs the last few meters out of the haunted house to catch up. When he does, he gives his date a plaintive, puppy-eyed pout and leans into his side. "If you forgive me, I promise I'll be a perfect gentleman in the love tunnel, and make you a churro funnel cake tomorrow."

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby laughs too and shakes his head. "I can't believe you allowed a ghost to just feel me up like that. My poor honor." He sniffs indignantly, but he can't quite manage it with a straight face. "I am shamed. Shaaaaamed." His own dramatics give Julio a chance to catch up to him. He grins then at the puppy-eyed pout. "What if I don't want you to be a perfect gentleman in the love tunnel?" He pauses though and says, "Though, you had me at funnel cake."

He grins, then and tugs Julio in the direction of the Tunnel of Love. It's a short wander through the winding line to the little swan shaped boat that heads into the heart shaped tunnel. "You know," he says as they settle in, "I've never actually been in one of these. I have no idea what's inside."

Julio Richter has posed:
"Then I was lying about all of it," Julio answers breezily. He snakes an arm around Bobby's lower back and leans his head against his shoulder. "You are not shamed. You should be proud! The ghost was in heaven, looked down at your butt, and thought: 'I can take a break from heaven.' I don't blame him except that he didn't ask first." He affects a warbling, ghostly voice as he dramatizes the exchange: "'DoooOOOOOooOOOooo! yooOOOOoooOOouuu! mind if I touch your booOOOooOOOoooty?'"

He gets a little unsteadily into the swan-boat, settles in next to Bobby, and answers, "De verdad, I don't know, either. I've only seen them in cartoons, and they always cut away before showing you what's inside."

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby smiles when Julio leans against him, turning his head to press a kiss to his head and grinning. But it's the mimicry of the ghost that has him laughing out loud. "Oh god," he manages, "I mind! There's only one man, living or dead, who's allowed to put his hands on my booty." There are tears at the corners of his eyes though as his shoulders shake as he tries to stop laughing enough to actually get in the boat and take his seat.

"I guess we will find out!" And with that, the boat begins its journey into the tunnel of love. It's dark. In fact, it's dark for long enough that Bobby asks, "Maybe it's just.. all dark and you just make out in it?" Because that seems like it makes sense.

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio takes the head-kiss as a firm enough sign of forgiveness and gives Bobby a little squeeze as thanks. "So who's this one man who's allowed?" he teases. "I will fight him, if I have to. Hands off! Show my boyfriend more respect."

As they're swept off into the darkness on the lazy current, he, too, peers into the darkness, a little perplexed. At one point, he lifts a hand over the side of the boat, flicks one finger against the concrete wall of the tunnel, and then brushes his fingertips over it to feel the echoes. "I think something's coming up," he announces, settling back into his seat and putting his arm around Bobby just as the strains of relaxing music become audible. "We can ignore it and make out instead, if you want."

The tunnel curves, and they're brought into a blue-lit room of artificial stalactites and stalagmites, with a sheet of twinkling lights overhead, imitating stars or some kind of shiny crystal. There are fake cave paintings on the wall, too, depicting couples on horseback, hunting some kind of herd animal with bow and arrow. The boat meanders through the chamber, and Julio's eyes quirk upward. "Siii..." he says, drawling out the vowel, "I think we're just supposed to make out."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"If you don't know," Bobby tells him with a laugh, "Then you really haven't been paying attention." His grin is teasing as he settles in. He settles into Julio's arm, enjoying resting in against his side and the rocking of the boat through the cool tunnel. He laughs as they make their way through the blue lit tunnel and says, "It would appear that way."

He reaches over and tugs the front of Julio's shirt to pull him in a little close rand says, "I'm not gonna lie. I'm kind of okay with that." Because truth be told, the ride goes on mostly like that, periods of long darkness broken up by a few rooms with cheesy barely lit semi-romantic or fantastical scenes that don't make a whole lot of coherent sense one way or another. And so Bobby seems more than content to steal a few lingering kisses in the tunnel of love, as seems to be intended.

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio mostly doesn't notice how the rest of the ride's attractions are set up. A few have music, which he can't really miss, but throughout, he is otherwise occupied. Their kisses have the lingering taste of cinnamon and sugar; hints of the gas-and-dust scent of the bike trip out here cling to their clothing. The chill of the concrete waterway doesn't bother them; they have each other's warmth, and Julio is learning to enjoy the cold, anyway.

They don't fully break apart until they're back out in the swirl of the amusement park's nighttime light show. Julio settles back onto his seat with a contented expression, catching his breath and still holding Bobby's hand in his own. When the boat settles back into the loading and unloading rack, he climbs out wanders back into the park with his boyfriend. "Ride, one star. Company, eleven stars," he says quietly. "I think we're all through the plan, now. What should we do next? Head home? Go into the city?" He glances out over the waterfront, then mischievously suggests, "Steal a boat?"

Bobby Drake has posed:
It's not like Bobby is always cold, either. He's not /quite/ as warm as other people, but unless he's actually made of ice, it's not uncomfortable at all. And he certainly seems to warm to those kisses, just lazily enjoying the feeling of Julio's lips against his. There's no urgency in it, just a kind of leisurely savoring of those "stolen" moments in the concealing dark of the cheesy amusement park ride.

When they step out, he takes a moment to take in the lights and the sights and sounds of the boardwalk. He breathes in the evening air then lets it out in a rush and laughs. "Steal a boat?" He raises both brows and then glances out toward the waterfront. "Is this part of your checkered past? Boat thievery?" he asks, grinning a little bit sidelong as they walk idly along the boardwalk, heading toward the railing near the beach rather than walking through the games and amusements that they'd already passed on their way in.

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio laughs, too, and lifts Bobby's hand to his lips to kiss the back of it. "It's not part of my past, no," he answers, as they take in the sights along the boardwalk. "But who says I can't have a checkered future, too? Boat thief is as good a job as any." He leans back against the beach rail, elbows tucked back to prop against it, and grins at Bobby. "You'd still be into me if I were a pirate, wouldn't you?"

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby leans against the railing, elbows resting on it as he leans forward, looking out onto the dark water and the lights reflecting off of it. He grins over at Julio and considers him for a moment and says, "I don't know. The pirate thing could be kind of hot." He gives Julio's shoulder a little nudge with his own. "Going out on a boat right now sounds nice, until I think about all the creepy shit crawling around under the water right now that we still haven't entirely stopped."

Julio Richter has posed:
"I could make it work," Julio agrees thoughtfully. "Big hat, eye patch, talking parrot. I don't know what I'm doing with a sword, but I would be the best at finding buried treasure. You could be my first mate! I made a pun."

He grins over at the shoulder nudge, but then winces at the reminder of the Lurkers. "Ay, Dios, you're right," he murmurs, staring down at the waves crashing on the beach below. "You don't think they're down there right now, do you?" He shivers, chilled in a way that no jump scare prop could manage. "I mean, we can take them if they are... but I hope they aren't. No need to spoil a good date."

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby laughs then and says, "So long as I don't have to wear a peg leg or have a hook for a hand." Then he pauses and says, "I suppose I could have an ice peg leg or an ice hook, and then have a regular leg and hand." Possible costume ideas for the future? Maybe.

"I'm pretty sure they're down there right now," Bobby says as he studies the water. "Maybe not /right/ there off this very pier, but they're out there, somewhere. I don't think they're going to come crawling out right now but.. if they did, we'd send out the call and tackle them just like last time." He gives a reassuring smile to Julio.

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio turns to look at Bobby quizzically. "Can you do that?" he asks. "Turn just part of your body to ice, but not the rest? Or do you mean go fully icy, but just shape those parts?" He hasn't previously considered how odd it is to sees Bobby switch instantly from one state to the other, but the idea of him partly turning to ice and then stopping, with a line where his skin fades from one to the other, brings home how odd that transformation really is.

"What does it feel like, to be ice?" he asks, out of nowhere, to cap off his train of thought.

Then he nods solemnly. "We can fight Lurkers," he agrees. "Even without help, we would do OK. My powers are better here than in Maine; your powers are awesome everywhere. He settles in a little closer and again traces his fingers up into Bobby's hair, messing with it gently. "You don't have to worry. We make a good team." Who was worried, again?

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby holds up one hand demonstratively and it goes translucent, a bit of mist coming off of it where the ice comes in contact with the humidity in the warm evening air. He wiggles his fingers a bit and then he forms it into an icy hook, turning it back and forth. Sure, it gets him a few looks from those who are passing by. Some people don't seem to care. A couple give him a sidelong glance. But mostly with him facing the water with his back to the boardwalk and Julio next to him, not many can see. But Bobby's been out as a mutant for a long time, too, and he ignores the looks. Then he turns it back into a hand, his hand, but translucent. There's a sort of fading at his wrist where the ice turns to frost, and then his skin continues along beneath and down his arm.

"It feels.." He pauses, considering exactly how to describe it. "I don't /feel/ quite the same way that I do when I'm not ice. There's a lot less pain, no blood rushing, no heart pumping. I can feel. But it's.. different. I don't feel the cold. In fact, everything around me feels much warmer since I'm not."

"My powers are really good defensively. I can pretty much get vaporized and can reform. But I can hurl ice at things, and trap things in ice, and I can get creative with what I do, but on a large scale it's hard for me to do a lot of damage." He grins at Julio and gives him a little nudge. "I do best when I'm part of a team. And we do make a good team."

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio reaches out with his hand, then pauses, giving Bobby a questioning look. Once he's sure it's alright, he'll continue to extend his hand, tracing the tips of his fingers down the insides of Bobby's icy ones. It's cold, obviously, but nonetheless he tries to thread those fingers together so that their hands can clasp.

"It's so strange, the way it moves," he says quietly, truly observing the phenomenon closely for the first time. "Strange, but beautiful. It's not cracking or grinding, the way my rock armor does; your ice body flows like water, even though it isn't."

He tries giving the hand of ice an experimental squeeze. "What do I feel like, right now?" he asks, still curious about the way his boyfriend experiences the world in his frozen form.

"I think your powers are muy chido. Doing a lot of damage -- eh. Who needs it?" He turns and favors his boyfriend with a fond smile. "I'm glad we're on a team together. Both kinds of team."

Bobby Drake has posed:
It is a very strange sort of sensation. When he holds still it feels just like holding onto an ice sculpture. The ice is cold and smooth, and slick where his warm hand touches Bobby's icy one. But when he moves his fingers, they move as easily as they do when they are flesh, and he lightly clasps Julio's hand in his own. It's decidedly chilly, and probably not any more comfortable than holding onto an ice sculpture for a long period of time, but it doesn't hurt, at any rate.

The squeeze feels like squeezing an ice sculpture, too. There's no yielding softness of flesh. Instead it's hard and cold and unyielding. Which is probably why Bobby is so much stronger and can take so much more damage in that form. "I can make it do that. I can cover myself in sharp spikes like an armor and I can make it grind and crack, but usually it's just like this.. like a flowing solid." He smiles and says, "You feel very warm, and very soft. But it also feels like you're.. almost like if you put your hand to sleep, and it's still a bit numb. You can touch things and know they're there.. but it doesn't feel quite the same as when all your nerve endings are alive."

"I like them," Bobby admits with a grin. "Plus wait til winter. I can literally cover the campus in ice sculptures." He grins and leans in to press a light kiss to Julio's lips. "So am I."

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio holds on to Bobby's ice hand, comfortable or not. It's strange to him, but also beautiful; something to be marveled at, like a natural wonder. The contrast between Bobby's light, gentle motions and the unyielding strength of his substance when he stills is especially puzzling to Julio. He keeps thinking it ought to be one or the other, but every time he checks, it's clearly not. For whatever reason, Bobby can move himself easily, but the rest of the world simply cannot.

Julio smirks at 'very warm, and very soft.' "Gracias, I think. It makes sense, though," he answers. "I would say that you feel cold and hard, but that sounds bitter, or something. You feel... like a living statue."

He accepts the kiss, reaching up with his free hand to cup the nape of Bobby's neck. "I'm glad you can still feel me," he says with a smile, "even if it is not as strong." He pauses, then laughs, and asks, "Speaking of winter... I'm not going to melt you by touching you, like Frosty, am I?"

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby laughs just a little bit at the smirk and says, "It's a good thing, really. It feels nice in an unusual sort of way." He admits, "I don't think I've ever really just held someone's hand before like this. Usually if I'm icy I'm fighting someone.. or not touching anybody at all. So it's kind of as new to me as it is to you." He shrugs his shoulders and says, "I am cold and hard. Literally, if not figuratively." He grins, not seeming to mind the description.

His hand shifts back to normal as they kiss. "Oh, believe me, I can feel you just as strongly," he says, not at all meaning it in the same way that Julio did. Though he grins as he draws back just a little and says, "No. You won't melt me. I won't suddenly end up a puddle on the boardwalk that you'll have to carry home in a bucket."

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio laughs and shakes his head at the suggestion of Puddle Bobby. "Si, I know /that/ won't happen," he teases. "I was making sure I wasn't going to turn part of you to water and get all wet. These clothes aren't nice or anything, but I still don't want to look like I was in a rainstorm."

He picks up on what Bobby is suggesting about feeling him, and offers a squeeze to his hand in response, now that that's a thing he can do again. "I can feel you, too, you know," he answers, "Ice or not. I know it's more for fighting than for hugging, but it's part of you, and it's not like anyone else, and I like it." He sways his waist to give Bobby a gentle hip bump and says, "Don't hold my hand like that if I'm freezing to death, or anything, but it does feel nice. Especially with it still so warm out: we can hold hands like that sometimes, too."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"I mean, I /could/ turn into a puddle of water and make you carry me home in a bucket," Bobby notes with a grin, "But I wouldn't. Though, don't tempt me to turn into water while hugging you." He flashes a broader grin and is clearly teasing. "We'd have to tell people you fell out of the boat in the tunnel of love or something."

He returns the squeeze of Julio's hand and nods at what he says, grinning at the hip bump and leaning over to rest his head on his shoulder for a moment or two before straightening up again. "So," he says, "Stealing a boat is out due to Lurkers. Any other thoughts on what you want to do with the rest of the night?"

Julio Richter has posed:
At the suggestion of spreading rumors that he fell off the love boat, Julio narrows his eyes at Bobby, looking downright stern. "Si, because I don't do enough stupid, embarrassing things all on my own," he comments dryly. "Besides, no one would believe you. The water you would turn into would be WAY too clean to be mistaken for the stuff in a ride." Ride water... is just legendarily gross, wherever you're from.

He snorts with laughter, then nestles his head against Bobby's when it rests against his shoulder, but when his boyfriend straightens back up, he does likewise. "Well, we can go clubbing or something, but I have class tomorrow and I know it's a work night for you, too. Late-night bike ride?"

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby grins at that narrow-eyed gaze and says, "I still want to see this dancing that I've been hearing about." Oh no, he hasn't forgotten, Julio. "Speaking of things you go all wide-eyed about when someone brings up." He'd seen that stricken look. He grins and pulls away from the railing and takes hold of Julio's hand, pulling him back in the direction in which he'd parked the bike. "Late night scenic route back to Westchester sounds good. We both have class tomorrow."

Julio Richter has posed:
"We were joking around," Julio explains with a laugh, following Bobby to the bike at a jog. "Rogue saw me dancing at karaoke night. I just made it sound like I was stripping to be funny." As they near the motorcycle, he leans in and gives Bobby a kiss to the ear. "If I /were/ going to start stripping, you'd be the first to see, so you could give me pointers." He smirks. "Isn't it, 'anything worth doing is worth doing well?' I'm not getting up on stage and being bad at it."

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby chuckles and says, "Uh huh," but it's clear from his tone that he is only teasing Julio. He leans back against Julio for a moment after the kiss to his ear before both brows go up and he laughs, "Wait a minute. Me? You think I know anything about stripping?" Then he considers: "Diamond Drake, the stripper you can see right through.. " Then he shakes his head "Nope, think I'll stick to teaching." He flashes a grin over his shoulder and hops on the bike.

Julio Richter has posed:
Julio laughs sharply, settling onto the bike with his arms around Bobby. "I didn't mean you're a stripper, I meant you could, like... look, and critique?" he clarifies quickly. "'Oh, that's a good move, Julio, use that one' or 'maybe a little slower when you do that,' ya sabes?" He shakes his head and continues, "Not that I would not turn up to a Diamond Drake show. I just don't know if I an afford to tip you what you're worth."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"Oh! That.. that I can do," Bobby winks over his shoulder. He probably knew what Julio meant all along. "Maybe you should practice for me at home sometime, you know, so that we can see if you have a potential career opportunity there." He gives Julio's knee a squeeze, and then he's pulling away from Coney Island and taking off into the night, across New York City and back toward the Mansion.