In his ever ending quest to not be his older self Sam decided to try something he knew his older self didn’t bother doing because this was like a blind date out of character for the ice mancer. Sam decided he’d check out the gym not the weight kind but the actual gymnasium.

It was too cold to play any sports outside and while the danger room was his main source of training he figured he’d get his heart rate going another way that didn’t include going down the girls hallway.

It was a Saturday so it wasn’t crowded but there were more people in the gym than Sam was hoping. He was hoping he’d have some time to shoot a basketball or throw a football without an audience. After his session with Serena it was clear to Sam most of the people were further along than he was. That might have been because all of the students learned from Sam but he wasn’t okay with not being the best. That was who he always had to be.

Luckily there was an open court with no one shooting on the net. Sam decided to grab a basketball and give it a shot.

Xavier had played his fair share of sports in his life. To him, they were all honestly the same. No, not the rules or the physicality, but more the spirit of it all. One played sports to compete in most instances, and he liked a little competition. What he'd always liked more, though, was making friends.

If anything, he'd never really decided to fully commit to any one sport growing up simply because people took it too seriously at a certain point. They didn't want to be friends, they wanted to win. That tended to offset the fun of playing the game itself for him. That was why he liked things like free gym time! People didn't care when they were just messing around in the gym! He could meet new people, play with them a bit, and then form a bond! It was great!

So there he was, gym shorts and all, looking around for people to play with! He'd just gotten here, so a lot of people were mid game already. That didn't matter, though, all he needed to do was find one- Ah hah!

There was another young man grabbing a baseball and heading toward the one open half court. Did he look familiar? Nah, it was just his imagination. Xavier smiled widely and wandered on over.

"Just getting in? Me too! Wanna shoot some hoops?" The 6'5 blonde gave his best winning smile, placing his hands on his hips and presenting himself. He was more yolked than an egg basket; he looked sorta like... that villain in a ski flick? Like, the guy that challenges you a race at the end? Except he looked like a nice version of that guy. Yeah. That's what he looked like. 

The icemancer started dribbling the ball slowly at first trying to get back into the swing of things then started to pick things up. He was focused then heard a voice. From a tall dude, taller than him dude something else that was off putting to Sam. ”Yep.” was all Sam offered at first still dribbling but slowing down as he looked at the guy.

Sam looked around; there was enough room for him to go somewhere else so why was he asking Sam to join. He stopped then bounced passed to the dude, just to get him to stop posing. Sam doubted he could take him on one on one just because he was so tall but then again maybe he’d get lucky and have the speed?

”Guess, you can join.” that’s right Sam was doing something his older self probably wouldn’t do he was interacting with someone he had no intention of getting anything out of. ”Just want to shoot or you looking more for a one on one? I haven’t played in years so I’m rusty.” Sam offered.

There was a long, slightly uncomfortable pause in between the other young man confirming that he'd just gotten in, and passing the ball to him. In that pause he found himself shifting a bit uncomfortably before the ball was passed, and his smile widened.

"Oh, I don't mind either way! I'm a little rusty, too, I guess. Haven't played since last season." He'd been on his highschool's basketball team. And the Football team. And the Soccer team, too. "I know! We can play a game of HORSE to get warmed up, and go from there!"

He dribbled the ball casually a few times before passing it back gently, trying to get a gauge on this guy's skill level. "You can pick the first trick if you want!" He started stretching as he waited for the other guy to take his turn. 

"Oh! I'm Xavier, by the way! I'm sorta new here! You know, though, you look sorta familiar. Do I know you?" He stopped stretching for a moment to reach out a hand for a shake.

Sam caught the ball then dribbled a few times. Last season… so he had a few years on Sam. The icemancer was already regretting the challenge he suddenly wished they went hand to hand instead of playing basketball at least then he’d feel better about being better. ”Horse it is.” Sam agreed and started dribbling.

He stopped to take the offered hand and gave a firm handshake, nothing that a guy that size would find intimidating but Sam wanted to let him know he was no pushover. ”Sam.” he bounced the ball over to just out side the free throw line and made his shot. He heard the swish before the ball hit the ground.

”No powers right?” Sam asked knowing it would be harder to mimic shots if those got involved. ”Probably not. You look to young to know the older me. Unless you got younger as well.” he paused, ”Older me had an eye patch.” Sam said covering his eye.

Sam. That sounded slightly familiar in perspective as well. The hand shake had a strangely competitive feel to it. The slightly shorter, but still tall man took his shot, nothing but net. Xavier smirked a bit at that, retrieving the ball, and dribbling it back into place behind the free throw line. 

"No powers! Don't think mine would help me a whole lot, here, honestly! I mean, with dunks, sure, but I can't aim it well enough to score hoops. Not yet at least." He shrugged and with practiced ease jumped and tossed the ball toward the hoop.

Swish!

Sam mentioned he was older once, and that made Xavier tilt his head. What? Oh, like that Megan girl in math class! De-aged. Weird stuff. He paused, however, as his mind did its own math, and he reached out a thumb, closing an eye and using the outstretched digit to place an imaginary eyepatch on him. Wait... no, other eye... 

HOLY CRAP "You're Cold Steel!" He was floored. "Wow! Woah, Wow! It's cool to meet you! Did you really stop a volcano from erupting?!" He paused as he realized he was nerding out too hard. Juni had told him to try and reign that in just a tad. He cleared his throat. "Ahem, Anyway, yeah, Uhh.. under one leg one handed dunk."

He ran up toward the backboard and jumped up, turning his body sideways and  passing the ball under his leg, dunking the ball through the hoop, and grabbing the rim to hang there for a second. He looked back, and then dropped to his feet with a bit of a crouch.

It had been a while since he'd done trick shots, but it was like riding a bike.

Xavier had no problem making the shot. It was a good warm up shot for Sam in fact he was pretty sure he was going to miss the shot, he was glad when he didn’t. What he wasn’t ready for was the guys reaction to who he was. Normally he got that reaction from the women of the mansion when his name was thrown out for good reason he was indeed cool. ”Ummmm…. Supposedly. I had help though.” Sam responded having read that information from his older self. There was a water guy with him. Apparently that was enough to at least delay the volcano.

”**** off.” Sam said as he called out his next shot and performed it. This was supposed to be a friendly game. Could he dunk? Maybe. He never tried, could he reach a wall that height while being chased by dogs. Yes. Make the shot between the legs. Nope.

”Didn’t know I was playing with a pro.” Sam said wishing he just stuck to the danger room, no that wasn’t safe either not with Serena there. Maybe he would have just been better in the man cave. Then again that older guy had been showing up a lot telling him to get more beer.

When Sam got the ball he started to dribble went in for the dunk managed to get under his legs then only managed skim the rim of the hoop as the ball went flying in the opposite direction. At least he hit rim. His five year old self would have thought that was cool his current self didn’t. Sam landed and bent his knees slightly to soften the blow.

”Guess that’s an H for me.” Sam said raising an eyebrow hoping this wasn’t going to be a washout. He already lost bragging rights to Serena. He didn’t want to lose them to the new guy who went fan boy on his older self.

Help or not, stopping a volcano from erupting was... insane! Like, the amount of pressure and force involved in a volcano was huge! Stopping that, you had to be powerful. 

Even if you couldn't dunk. Xavier turned a little red when the other young man cursed, and compared him to a pro. He scratched the back of his head. "I mean, I guess I coulda gone that way... Wasn't as fun after a while." He smiled "I'm sure you can do it!"

He couldn't do it. Okay, maybe tone it down a little, then. Just a tad. He didn't want to embarrass this guy... He just carried himself with such confidence that Xavier had assumed he was excellent at everything. He sort of envied that a little, honestly.

"Uhm, Bad luck!" He said as he reached out to catch the ball that had been shot off out of the air. "H it is! I'll, uhm... Here!" He grabbed the ball and walked to the side of the court, stopping mid long baseline shot, and tossing it in from there "Backboard!" It bounced from the backboard and went in. 

"There! Your turn!"

Sam didn’t know what was worse his patronizing ‘you can do it attitude’ or the fact that he was going easy on the icemancer. He kept his mouth shut till after the guy made the second shot. One that Sam could easily especially off the backboard, it was just hitting a target. Something he could do with pretty much anything.

Jumping and shooting Sam made the shot then looked back to Xavier and then debated returning the ball and just challenging him for a one on one. His ego could take another loss if it meant he didn’t win the game properly. He didn’t do handouts and that was exactly what seemed to be going on.

Keeping his mouth shut and looking more irritated than anything Sam bounced the ball back and forth till he found the location he wanted to toss the ball to. ”Bounce the ball catch midair and shoot.” Sam was at the top of the key bounced the ball high enough in the air and forward so he could run for it. Catching the ball midair and making the shot he swished it.

Satisfied with his shot he grabbed the ball and bounced it to Xavier. He just hoped when Xavier did make the shot he wasn’t going to just hand the ball back over to Sam. Not how he liked to play.

Huh... Xavier was confused. Cold Steel seemed to be getting more frustrated with him for taking a step back. He scratched his head a bit and watched him easily sink the shot. Okay, yeah... Maybe he was going too easy. He nodded in affirmation as the other young man selected his next shot.

A bounce shot? Interesting... He didn't have a lot of practice with that sort of stuff, but it should be fine. Sam still had to make it first. Spoiler:He did. Xavier smiled as the ball was passed to him, and he walked to the location Sam had started, and did some quick mental calculations.

Bounce! Too high. Too late! He ran for the ball, and caught the ball a little late, pushing it forward, and bouncing it off the rim. He landed on his feet and laughed, shaking his head a bit. "Oops!" He wouldn't make that mistake twice. He caught the ball as it bounced back at him. "H and H." He bounced it back to Sam.

They were tied, but he was still feeling confident.

Debating pulling out an ice clone for a trick shot he decided against it. Sam dribbled the ball for a moment, no powers. Right. He walked over to the top of the arc and made a shot and swished it. This one was pretty self-explanatory. It was also an easier shot.

”You mentioned your powers wouldn’t help you in the game.” he put his hands on his hips and raised an eyebrow. ”What are they?” he asked curiously.

”Where you from?” he added shortly after figuring it was polite to make small talk with a stranger while they were playing a very… non-competitive game.

Xavier casually repeated Sam's shot, shrugging as he talked about powers. "Well... It's sorta like this." He caught the basket ball, and it suddenly launched out of his hands, smacking into the ceiling and back down toward him, where he looked up, and held out a hand to repulse it again with less umph. It bounced off of his hand a couple of inches, and he stepped to catch it.

"I make things go away from me! Can't aim it super well, though, so If I tried to use it to shoot, I'd miss for sure." He, of course, knew way more about Cold Steel's powers than he had any business doing. "Do you really have heat vision?" It was argued about on the web if he did or not.

He then pointed to the hoop, stepped back to three point range, and jumped, lugging it out toward the hoop, and sinking it.

He looked over to Sam, and grinned widely. "I'm from Montana. Where are you from?"

The ice mutant grinned when he watched the basketball shoot up hit the ceiling then fall again. When he caught it with his powers again he laughed a little. ”Seems like you got enough control on it at least.” he thought about the applications of his powers like he was trained to do till he added, ”Practice makes perfect.”

Sam shook his head laughing. ”Ice powers dude, why would I have heat vision.” he smirked willing the area around them to get colder. ”More of a thermal vision.” he said looking at Xavier. ”Body heat stands out in the cold. Meaning I can see you without actually seeing you.” he recalled the cold and watched the next shot.

Sam retrieved the ball, ”Born in Colorado. I’m kinda from everywhere though. Moved around a lot.” he said not diving too much into his history then again if he knew to ask about his vision and the volcano then he probably already knew some of his history. He tossed the ball back to Xavier. Clearly now more distracted talking about powers.

”I can slow time too supposedly.” Sam said not wanting to demonstrate it. It would have gotten too cold and he hasn’t tried it yet in his younger body he didn’t think he’d have a problem but he was more worried fro everyone in the gym. ”You do a lot of danger room training?” Sam asked now forgetting that he was trying to avoid that place due to his defeat by Serena.

"Thanks!" He beamed at the results of his hard work. Still no way he was going to be able to shoot a basket with it. Not yet, anyhow. Plus, he was plenty good at that without his powers.

He nodded at the practice makes perfect line.

The large teen sorta frowned a bit when he said he didn't have heat vision, but lit up when he corrected it to thermal vision. Ohhh, so he saw the absence of cold? Woah! Xavier felt the cold spot, and poked his arm in and out of it a few times. So cool. He caught the ball that was bounced to him, pausing for a second before shooting again.

Swish. Wait, wasn't it Sam's turn to try and make his shot?

He went in to full mind-blown mode when Sam said he could slow time. "Whaaaaaat?! Now way!" He was drawn in, now. No one had even speculated on something like this. Better keep it a secret! He didn't want to reveal Cold Steels trump card to the internet!

"I have only been a couple times, honestly. Gotta have someone in there because I'm only 17 and I'm not on the team yet." He nodded. Yet was the key word there. It was only a matter of time.

Retrieving the ball Sam looked at it then followed up with a shot realizing he might have given the ball to Xavier before it was his turn. Oh well, they were talking about powers now and how cool his were. That was enough for Sam and what he could tell he wasn’t like any of the X’s who knew his older self-meaning he could be the coolest version instead of being compared to his older self.

”Haven’t tested it out since I got younger but it is hard for anyone without a healing factor to be around me. Frost bite, I’m guessing.” Sam said shrugging. It made sense to him though if he was slowing everything down to that point he couldn’t imagine someone who couldn’t heal be around him. He had to correct his powers every time he made it cold so people didn’t get injured. The slowing time was just him pushing his powers to the extreme.

When he mentioned his age Sam looked at the younger and clearly taller guy. The ice mancer frowned, ”They make them tall in Montana.” Sam said lining up the shot and ‘swishing’ it as well.

”I can get you in there.” Sam said smirking. He was back on the team now but they were still saying he was ‘only’ reserves. Meaning he wasn’t the first pick unless they needed a more skilled piolit than Mirror. ”Mean the danger room. Could probably get you on the team as well.” he figured knowing that he probably couldn’t pull that off as of now unless he got dragged to fly and he could just drag Xavier along.