Winter felt like it would never end.

While the snow had come and gone, the lingering cold seemed to stick around. Frost covered trees in early mornings, and there was a weight that told Blue there was not as much heat in the air. In fact, it was this lack of warmth that drove Blue to create his little bonfire in the middle of the park. That and the fact Juniper had not come home left him itching to make a scene.

The fire was built from a bench and an assortment of sticks, coal, and twigs he had gathered. It was contained, for now, but he considered spreading to additional trees to reenergize himself. Blue was laying on his back, flames all that kept his completely naked form from being as noticable. Flames were blue near his figure, then red where they burnt his collection of flammable material. He wondered if he should have stolen firewood too. The coal had been a good choice, and made him feel more content.

Blue didn't care his presence had attracted attention, some people trying to make phone calls to police or the fire department to put him out. Blue shut his eyes. What a bother. He had bigger things on his mind.

His roommate. His friend. Every time he thought they made a step forward, something happened. She ran, he pushed away. What did he want in the end? An actual friendship? A relationship? Something more stable than just cohabitation? He needed to figure it out...

Someone was approaching. His brow creased in irritation.

”You know most people pull permits for fires in the city or stick to a fire place...” Sam said as he slowly approached the flaming figure wrapped in an assortment of colors. He approached the figure slowly his hands in his pockets ignoring the chatter in his ear. Until finally he responded, ”Rime, on scene of central park fire. No need.” dismissing back up fire he could handle. Any fire. As long as there wasn’t anyone else involved.

His thermal sense while normally helpful was far from it now the flames that exuded from the figure wrapped in blue was like staring at the sun which meant Sam was down to just his one eye. He turned his head and waved to a few people passing by and taking photos. By chance he happened to be passing by the park on his way to Cora’s gym. She’d understand.

”I’m Sam.” he said introducing himself, the figure looked young. He couldn’t gauge how old but seeing as no one was injured Sam only wanted to try and convince him to snuff the flames peacefully. ”Not a fan of the cold?” he asked waving someone on who wanted to record the whole thing.

If Blue was like staring at the sun then standing next to Sam was like being next to a black hole. Blue tensed, feeling the voice where he wanted heat to be. The flames flicked once in intensity then he pulled his own heat back. He needed to save his energy if this guy tried anything.

"They got rules now on where a mutant can use their powers? Jus' cus mine is a little flashier than yours?" He shut his eyes, treating Sam as if he was not a threat, while mentally trying to decide when he needed to get out of there. He didn't have Juniper around to stitch him up if something went wrong.

"Cold? Cold don't bother me. Fire is just better," he remarked.

Sam smirked, ”Thankfully no. Otherwise I’d be in trouble.... a lot.” the icemancer watched the flames dance around the kid. He seemed unaffected by them. Unfortunately for the kid everyone was more concerned about them catching fire.

”Oh? You think fire is flashier?” he folded his arms and grinned his powers could get flashing. Sam however knew not to show off yet. He was still trying to determine if this was going to be an issue.

”Normally I agree. Take a fire over the cold any day of the week. There was something primal and comforting about fire. Even if he never needed it. ”However,” Sam gestured towards the on lookers some holding phones up. ”It’s all about location kid.”

”You got a name?” he asked trying to diffuse any hostilities. The last thing he wanted was a fight with so many people nearby especially with someone who was so opposite from his powers.

Was this guy trying to be funny, or was that part of the whole hero gig? A smile and a laugh and the attempts to look unconcerned when approaching a threat. Blue wondered if this guy even regarded him as a danger. Maybe to the pedestrians, given he showed up. Blue could see cell phones recording, and sent a little heat toward one side, making the girl take a quick step back.

You got a name...

"No, I only have a number," Blue retorted. He looked at the guy with irritation. "Betcha you have one of them codenames. Elsa or something sparkly? he continued casually.

Sam felt the heat still not being able to see it. The woman backed up and Sam waved everyone on. They didn’t move. Any show of power from Sam would have been seen as a threat and he didn’t want to escalate anything else. It was already a bad situation.

”A number?” he asked curious. ”Have one of those too.” he said feeling his back get heavy where the tattooed number was a constant reminder that he was once nothing but a number. ”Got a few names. Going by Rime now.” the tattoo of the name on his arm seemed to get heavier when mentioned as well but for different reasons.

”Elsa was already taken.” Sam took a step forward, ”and I can’t really pull off sparkle.” he said flatly.

Blue had seen techniques like this before. Act friendly, approach slowly, try not to be seen as a threat. But Blue knew better. This stranger wanted to protect people, and Blue wanted to hurt them. This wasn't a world where they would get along. There wasn't any world like that.

"You sound like Juni's damn neighbor. All smiles and heroics. I hate guys like you. Why waste so much energy on people who could care less whether you are there or not?"

Was this the part of the exchange where he should monologue? Talk about how the world had wronged him, and he needed vengeance?

Blue let the heat concentrate to one of his arms, the one closest to S. He gave a cold warning glare. "Take your act somewhere else, hero. I don't need it."

”I don’t know Juni’s damn neighbor.” the icemancer shot back in the same tone he had been getting from the fire guy. Why did that name sound familiar. ”Dude, you don’t even know me. How can you hate me?” he shrugged and added, ”Because who else is going to stop you?” Sam had his reasons as why he was stopping someone from abusing their power but he figured the person in front of him wasn’t ready for that discussion.

The warning glare and show of power was enough for Sam. If someone waved a gun around it was encouraged he got invovled. A guy with the ability to set things on fire? Well if he wanted a fight all he had to do was tell Sam. The icemancer would get chewed out later.

The temperature dropped near Sam quickly, ”You misunderstand hothead. I was only here to give you a warning. They need the heroics... not you. You... sounds like you need an *** kicking and man... I would love to help you out if you’re looking for a fight, final warning.” the area around Sam started to freeze.

Things could have turned into a fight. The crowd certainly seemed to think they would battle, several moving back as the ice appeared and Blue's heat intensified. Then...the unexpected happened.

A dog was walking with its owner nearby, and the teenager grew distracted by the commotion. While the boy stopped to ask what was happening, the large hound mix seemed to have other plans. It saw Blue, the fire, and yanked free of his leash with a giant friendly bark.

Blue was preparing to attack, Sam was ready to counter, when the fire mutant saw the animal running toward him. Instantly, the heat was gone from his personal flames, and he found his legs swinging out to quickly block off the other fire. As a giant dog jumped up and started trying to lick him, Blue forgot the Battle, and the now confused crowd.

"Please don't hurt him!" The only voice that sounded afraid was the dog owner who seemed torn between running up to take his pet, and being wary of the flames surrounding the bench.

The dog was practically crawling into Blue's lap now to escape the heat. Without thinking, he lifted the large dog up, and then gave Sam a glance before stepping forward and walking it toward the owner.

The crowd scooted back. Blue set the dog down, and the boy quickly attached the leash. No thank you. Not that Blue expected it. His eyes were as cold as ever as he turned and walked back toward his bench.

"I guess we can reschedule the ass kicking," he finally told Sam.

His thermal sense caught the movement before his eye tracked it. A dog seemed more intent on getting involved than either of them throwing down. Sam smirked as the kid blocked the dog from the flames behind him. The fire around him died even quicker before the dog made contact.

>>>"Please don't hurt him!"

Sam scratched the back of his head waving the ice severing his connection around Blue the dog and the now approaching dog owner. Behind him though the ice slowly melted giving him some armor if he had to put any more flames out. The grass could grow back.

The fire mutant picked up the dog and walked him back to his owner. Sam smirked even more. When he headed back to his bench. ”I wasn’t really feeling it anyways.” he lied shrugging and the rest of the ice that slowly melted behind him started to crumble. ”How about a conversation then?” he said as walked closer to the bench and pointed next to Blue. He was still on guard but showing off his more casual persona.

They had reached a stalemate: that was the best expression regarding what occurred. Blue was not attacking, Sam was not defending. Suddenly they were both just sitting on a bench, literal fire and ice in the middle of a park.

Well, Blue was still naked. That did still draw a bit of attention from people even when they seemed to realize a fight wouldn't occur.

"What sorta conversation do you generally have with miscreants. The weather?" He mused. He held up a hand and pretended to feel the breeze. "Whatever it is, I'll have to take your word for it, mate. Cold, is the general consensus people seem to have?" Blue wondered for a moment what it would be like to actually feel the cold. He poked a little bit of grass that had once been on fire, feeling texture but nothing from the still hot blades and soil.

”Who said you were a miscreant?” he said raising an eyebrow looking over to the fire elemental. Sam noticed he was naked and then turned to wave some people along as they stopped to look at them. Sam was thankfully still clothed. He didn’t want to deal with the headache of everyone yelling at him again for flashing people. Wasn’t his fault clothes were flammable.

”Said you needed an @$$kicking didn’t say you were a miscreant.” he folded his arms and leaned back on the bench glad his eyepatch was blocking Blue’s nakedness from view. ”I’d say mild.” he smirked.

”So was that a show for attention then?” he asked at the blackened grass on the ground between the guys feet. ”Or was that a lose of control?” he asked curiously. With the initial threat over Sam did what the other would have encouraged him to do. Have a dialogue.

Blue did not bother arguing with the guy. He did not generally brag about his crimes, rather, he didn't talk much at all. Even had a housemate only seemed to get glimpses of his life thru their adventures together, and that only happened by accident.

The question was more direct, and Blue figured that deserved an answer. "I don't do things for attention. My power is enough unwanted interest as it is," he concluded. He considered the other alternative, and considered unstated questions.

"Loss of control seems to assume that there was control to start with."

Blue thought about the dog, about Berry, about Juniper. He considered the few things he tried to protect in his life, and how fragile that little world had been. His mind caught a train of thought and carried on without him, "Do you know what happens when people are born who can't feel pain? You seem smart. Let's take the intellectual look at my circumstances, perhaps that will give you the answers you're wanting."

>>> "I don't do things for attention. My power is enough unwanted interest as it is,"

”Looked a little different to me. Looked like you had a handle on things.” he said shrugging and leaning back on the bench. A bird flew by and he watched it land picking at the grass that wasn’t burnt. ”At least you could control it enough not to burn the dog. We were going to have a problem if you caught him on fire.” Sam said reaching over and patting the guy on the back before going back to keeping his hands to himself.

>>>"Do you know what happens when people are born who can't feel pain? You seem smart. Let's take the intellectual look at my circumstances, perhaps that will give you the answers you're wanting."

”Growing up I was told pain was weakness leaving the body. Granted I wouldn’t wish my childhood anyone even bd guys cause you think I'm so heroic. Can’t feel pain that’s fine focus on what you can feel.” he folded his hands. ”Can’t feel the flames? I can’t feel the cold. I know what it is but I have to focus on it to notice it. Barely even then.” he paused, ”So should I call you flames?”

Blue responded more to the unwanted contact than anything the stranger said. While he managed not to burn the man's hand, there was probably still a rush of heat to the spot that bordered somewhere around putting your hand in an oven to yank something out. Discomfort but not pain. He had just diffused from the desire to fight and didn't want to revisit that possibility.

He focused on what was being said in order to stay calm and keep the flames "off". Can't feel flames? "Temperature in general is...missing. I can't feel cold, heat. Have you ever tried to cook for someone or do things when you can't feel things that hurt them? To answer the earlier question, people that can't feel pain cause pain."

The more he thought about it he was probably a horrible roommate. He rubbed his forehead and frowned. "My roommate can phase so she doesn't get burnt often, but...never mind. You can call me Pilot for now I guess." the code name felt safer than his real name.

The crowd had gone, a few people stopped to look but anyone who recognized Blue knew he was not worth approaching.