Though he tried his best to allow himself to sleep, there were far too many things on Bobby's mind to allow his eyes to stay shut. Glancing past his own legs, he could see Tom working diligently at the beaten-down, wooden desk, his hands moving so quickly and precisely as he created something only known to him.

"What're you working on..." Bobby muttered awkwardly. Small talk was a concept Bobby hardly felt comfortable in, though he needed someone to talk to on this sleepless night.

"A present for a friend." Tom spoke without looking back, his words rousing the curiosity within Bobby who leaned up from his bed. "May I see?" Bobby's curiosity led to him asking this, which Tom didn't mind. In fact, he relished the idea of others viewing his creations. "Sure."

Bobby rose to his feet and approached his temporary roommate before looking over his shoulder at what was on the nearly breaking-down desk.  "A headband?" Bobby muttered. Though what looked like a women's headband was being worked on by the Fixer, it was far more than just that.

"It was at one point. It keeps its function as a headband, but that's not all it does." Tom was screwing some pieces into place as he spoke, his pace denying any signs of ceasing while Bobby looked over at the rest of the desk, spotting a power dampener. "Isn't that a power dampener?"

"Aren't you observant? I snagged one before we left. Lots of useful parts. I was going to use it for something else, but..."

"But?" Bobby repeated.

"Ky was my old roommate. I'd consider him a friend, ya know? His girl, she's in pain all the time. So, I thought I'd make this for him to give to her." Tom wasn't much of a people watcher yet his eyes would not avert upon seeing her struggle to deal with the dozens of voices being forced into her brain. "Using the parts from the power dampeners, this headband cant sort of act as an on-and-off lever for her, maybe even focus on certain voices, ya know?"

Holding the homemade enchanted band in his hand, Tom smiled softly, having thoughts of seeing perhaps a smile on Xiao's face and Ky's. He was a kind boy, one who wanted to use his powers to help people. That minuscule grin on his face soon faded as thoughts of his past flooded his mind.

"I used to make prosthetics for people... it was fulfilling seeing people who lost the ability to walk or use both hands suddenly have their limb restored. Seeing them smile or hug their loved ones out of excitement or hug me due to their gratitude truly made the risk of getting caught worth it.

The best thing about my power is that it just seems like I'm some gifted engineer. That's what everyone thought until the police went door to door, looking for mutants. Despite my ability being completely invisible, I can't beat the scanners. Now here we are."

Just as Tom spoke of his backstory briefly, he held his gift for Xiao up to his face before setting it aside, deciding that it was done for the time being. He then turned his body, facing Tom in preparation to ask a bit about his past. Tom was a nosy boy, though he never probed if things were too personal. "What about you? What's your story?"

Hesitant, Bobby nearly didn't want to answer, however, Tom's kind eyes behind his spectacles were able to easily persuade him. Bobby scooted to the side, then hopped up on the desk, sitting on one of the corners where the outer layer of wood was completely chipped off.

"Well, my dad... He's always wanted me to be a 'real man'. Whenever I'd do anything that he considered to not fit that, he'd just beat me senseless, whether it be because of the toys I played with or the shows I'd watch... Or the clothes I'd want to wear.

I, uh... I went on a date with someone I knew from school. He didn't really approve of them, so he dragged me out of the restaurant and practically threw me in the car. When we got home, he pulled me inside and started beating me, as he liked to do.

By this point in my life, I'd already gotten used to the beatings. Besides, by the time my powers manifested, I'd heal rather quickly.

Despite that, he was taking things too far. He'd usually only use his hands, but then he grabbed a weapon, my old baseball bat from when he tried to get me to play. Using everything he had, he started beating me. Over and over, the metal bat bashed my skin, leaving bruises and marks all over my body. If I were human, he would've killed me.

At that moment, I was so scared and afraid for my life.

As he was beating me, it was as if I lost control over my own body and then the next thing I knew, I was covered in ice. When I looked up at my father, a shard of ice was impaling him through the chest.

He was still alive, but...

The bastard told the police everything. He told them that his son was a mutant and to take me away. And so they did.

I still remember my mom's eyes as the police came into the hospital room. She wanted to say something, I could tell, but as she always did. She just listened to my father and let them take me away without a fight.

Now here we are."

"I'm sorry about that." Tom had nothing more than sympathy written all over his freckled face. Bobby glanced back at him with soft, kind eyes and a small grin. "It's alright. At least I'm not living with my parents anymore. Our current situation is pretty shitty, but at least it's different."

Tom corrected his glasses, looking down at the dusty wooden floors before sharing a little more about himself. "My mother would have probably been the same way. I never went on dates because of it. Too afraid."

"I get that. I was like that too up until recently..." Bobby's voice trailed off, unsure if he should go into more detail about it. He wasn't sure if Tom would look at him any differently, so he kept it at that.

The oncoming silence between the two of them was deafening, the room being so quiet, one could almost hear the spiders spinning their webs in the corners of the room.

"Hey, you wanna... Only if it's okay with you. I was wondering if you wanted to get some fresh air. You know, it's been a while since we've been locked up. We haven't really got the chance to just sit around outdoors." Bobby stumbled and stammered his way through his sentence despite trying his best to keep it cool as he does best, both figuratively and literally.

"Sure, that sounds quite nice actually. I'm sure if we stay just in front of the building, there shouldn't be any problem, right?" Tom worried about the bombs in their skulls, though he remembered that it was said that the bombs would explode if one were to go outside of a certain range from Eagle. Right outside the building would be far under what anyone would consider a reasonable range.

"I have a better idea. Follow me." Bobby hopped from the desk, strolled over to the dusty, crooked window of their room, and unlocked the hatch. Though it took more force than one would presume, Bobby eventually pried the window open before extending his hand to Tom who was still sitting at the desk. "C'mon... mate." Bobby was teasing the young Englishman with a witty, fake accent as he continued gesturing toward himself.

Tom grinned softly and rose to his feet, willing to follow his roommate as he started toward him and grabbed his hand. "Hang on tight." an icy layer began to form over Bobby's skin, as he once again transformed into the Iceman with his blue, transparent, and icy shell. Tom didn't have even a moment to prepare before Iceman froze the air in front of them and the two began to glide up toward the sky on a glassy slope made of ice that allowed them to defy gravity.

In one swift motion, Bobby pulled Tom up to the roof of the hostel and the two of them landed feet first as Bobby returned back to his base form. The two boys' hands were still embracing each other before they both came to the same realization and let go.

"Sorry."

"Sorry."

Both young men apologized as they released each other, creating another awkward silence between them. Silently, they both gazed at the sky, glaring at the stars and the moon that they hadn't studied in over two months. For the first time in both of their lives, they thought the sky was truly beautiful.

The reflection of the night sky was reflecting off of Tom's glasses as Bobby glanced over at him, smiling gently before looking around at the roof of the hostel. A fence, though raggedy, was bordering the entirety of it, reminding Bobby of a place he used to visit frequently when he was younger.

There used to be an abandoned lot, one which no one would dare make the commute. Knowing this, Bobby was sure it was safe for him to use his powers there. And so, he'd create an ice rink for himself fairly often, a place where he'd practice ice skating since his father didn't allow it.

"Have you ever ice skated before?" Bobby saying this brought Tom back down to Earth, compelling him to look over and shake his head in declination. "Nah. Never."

Bobby's hand was then shrouded in ice as he then proceeded to freeze the roof of the hostel, creating a makeshift ice rink of his own. Lifting one leg, he created an ice skate beneath his shoe, then did the same for his other leg. Looking at Tom, he pointed downward at his feet. "May I?"

Reluctant, Tom nodded, grabbed onto the dodgy fence, and lifted his right leg, allowing Bobby to create a skate beneath his sneaker before doing the same to the other. Almost instantly, Tom began to stumbled and slide uncontrollably until he grabbed onto Bobby instinctively. "I'm sorry." Tom muttered, his feet still kicking beneath him as he used Bobby to keep himself balanced.

"It's alright. I'll teach you. It's easy, here." Bobby's left foot kicked off of the ice, pushing him forth as Tom haphazardly was dragged behind him, holding on for dear life. Though Bobby couldn't see Tom's nervous expression, feeling his fearful grasp on his arm and shoulder brought him to chuckle. Bobby then grabbed Tom's left hand with his right and twirled around to face him before grabbing his opposite hand with his left.

"Relax. You aren't going to fall, just trust me." Though Bobby's voice was reassuring, it had minuscule effects on Tom's fear and balance. However, oddly enough, his touch did. Tom soon found his balance and the two boys faced each other, standing upright. hand in hand as they looked at each other's faces.

One would think both boys' faces were red due to the cold, which would be partially true in Tom's case. Bobby, however, was immune to the chilling temperature around them, therefore, that pinkish hue on his face was for other reasons. With that gentle smile still on his face, he spoke once more. "Are you ready? We're going to start moving."

Tom's swelling heart may as well have been pumping through his chest due to a mixture of emotions churning within, though fear was one of the most prominent. Tom nodded, "I'm ready", he whispered before Bobby began to skate backward. "Lift your knees upward gently and move one leg forward at a time. Little steps."

As Bobby instructed, Tom did just that, lifting his knees whilst moving his legs ever so gently forward. It wasn't long before he moved with rhythm, which then compelled him to chuckle with the smallest speck of confidence. "Bend your knees a little." Bobby instructed him and Tom did just that, bending his knees nearly fifteen degrees.

With a gentle smile, Bobby softly released Tom, which made the boy's heart sink for a moment. However, due to Bobby's advice, he was skating all by himself. Both smiled at each other before Tom lifted his arms proudly, "Wagwan!" he shouted in victory, nearly losing his footing. Awkwardly, the young mutant regained his footing, his confident smirk turning into a shier, more clumsy smile.

Both boys laughed, and all the while, Bobby approached Tom to skate side by side with him. "See? I told you it's easy." he teased, skating next to Tom as if skating was just another form of walking for him.

"It is pretty-" Nearly jinxing himself, Tom lost his balance and regained it, nearly putting his hand on Bobby's shoulder again before he pulled his arm back and caught himself. "Well, a bit easy."

Bobby exhaled amusingly looking at the ground before looking right back at Tom. "It took me a while to get it too. I'd actually say you're a quick learner."

"How long have you been skating?" Tom was truly showing the signs of getting the hang of it as he spoke, his balance being nearly as perfect as Bobby's to a degree.

"Maybe two or three years. Once I learned about my powers, this was one of the first things I tried."

"Well, don't hold back because I'm here. Show me something wicked." Curious, Tom wanted to see what years of practice resulted in Bobby. He'd seen figure skaters on television before, but never in person.

Shyly, Bobby accepted his challenge. "Okay... I haven't really shown anyone before." Bobby, of course, hadn't once displayed his ice skating skills due to his personal ice skating rink being in a location where it would rouse suspicion if anyone were to lay eyes on it. He was nervous, due to always doing this sort of thing alone, but he would not run from the task.

Tom skated to the side, haphazardly grabbing onto one of the railings that appeared stable enough as he watched Bobby begin to pick up speed. Tom's mouth gaped as he gawked at Bobby who was then moving with angelic grace, his arms swaying gracefully as he twirled and glided effortlessly on the ice.

Just for a moment, Bobby picked up speed, just before he lept in the air, and performed four spins, landing on one leg before jumping in the air off of that same foot and spinning two times in the air. Just as he did before, he landed on one leg, spreading his arms outward like an airborne dove.

Sailing across the ice ever so delicately, Bobby continued to wave his arms and roll his body beautifully. Tom took a look at Bobby's pale face, spotting the determination in his eyes that was so contagious, Tom was nearly inspired to try a few twirls himself.

Vaulting in the air once more, Bobby once again performed a quadruple spin, landing on a single foot with ease. Each revolution was so fast, Bobby was nothing more than a blur before Tom's bright blue eyes.

Then, with his arms behind his back, Bobby turned his body to the side and balanced on one leg, forming a perfect ninety-degree angle as he spun on the ice exactly seven times. With grace, he hugged his own body before spreading his arms and gliding away from the spot he was then occupying on the ice.

Bobby took off, revolving in the air once more and performing a triple spin, landing with both legs before spreading his arms like wings once again. His form was angelic as he glided forth with his wings, his hair delicately fluttering backward. Time felt as if it slowed down as Tom watched, admiring Bobby from afar.

Bobby didn't even notice Tom's captivated gaze as his own eyes were shut. Getting lost in his own moment, Bobby's mind was still, clear as the night sky as he glided from one end of the ice to the other.

Bobby's eyes shot open with such vigor, Tom could feel the pressure of Bobby's resolve resonating off of his body like a strong wind. That graceful look on his face was replaced by that of pure tenacity as he began to pick up speed.

Bobby lept in the air once more, flipping three times and landing on one leg before springing in the air almost instantly after landing, twirling three more times and landing on his foot. Bobby nearly slipped, extending his arm down to catch himself. Despite the minor mistake, the figure skater continued onward as if nothing had ever happened.

Picking up more speed, Bobby jumped in the air off of his left foot, higher than he ever had before. For Tom, time had slowed once again as he watched Bobby spin once, then twice, then a third time before he finally spun a fourth and final time, landing on his opposite foot, performing what is known as a quad flip in the ice skating world.

With grace, Bobby maintained his posture as he landed on one foot, though the look on his face was that of shock as even his own mouth hung open. This was the first time in his life that he'd ever performed a quad flip perfectly. A pleasant warmth spread throughout the young man's body and a grin from ear to ear formed on his pinkish face.

Bobby then stopped and grabbed the rail next to Tom, breathing heavily as Tom looked at him with nothing less than astonishment written all over his freckled face. "That was... sick!"

Bobby chuckled, exhaling in doing so before looking over at Tom, still breathing effortfully. "Not wicked?" he joked, referencing what Tom said prior to his performance.

"Oh, mate... It was wicked, brilliant, amazing, spectacular, terrific, all of it!" Tom wasn't ashamed to let Bobby know exactly how he felt about the performance. Being confined within the lifeless, metallic facility for over two months only made seeing something so beautiful all the more astonishing.

Bobby sat down on the ice, leaning up against the rail while smiling softly, his skin changing to an even redder hue after hearing all of the kind words. "Thanks." Bobby spoke softly as Tom sat next to him, both boys staring shyly at the ice in front of them.

"Thank you for tonight... Bringing me up here, showing me how to skate and all that. I needed that." Tom hadn't realized it until just then, but for the first time in months, he hadn't thought about escaping Waller's grasp during his entire time with Bobby. Genuinely, Tom thought it felt rather delightful to not think about his awful situation.

"Yeah, me too. Thank you for coming up here. I... I haven't felt this way in a long time..." What Bobby meant by that wasn't as clear-cut as one may think. He hadn't felt happiness, genuine joy in a long time, though that was only part of it. He hadn't felt a true, genuine connection with another person in perhaps an even longer time.

"I can't even think of the last time." Tom's feelings were reciprocated, though perhaps even more intense than Bobby's. For the first time, he really understood that voice inside him that he was afraid to listen to for so long, the voice that was telling him to just be who he wanted to be.

Both boys sat side by side, Bobby's harsh breaths being the only sounds made between the two of them.

"About that date of yours. Were you two... you know? Was she your girlfriend or..." Tom's voice was awkward, somewhat shaky as he pried. By that point n the night, Tom had already made up his mind. He was going to do what he'd been waiting to do for his entire life. Though before that, he needed to know if Bobby was the same as he.

"No. He wasn't my boyfriend either. I'm one hundred percent single." Bobby's pulsating, pumping heart jolted as he too felt the same way as Tom did at the moment. However, thoughts of being overzealous were flooding his mind. He thought perhaps Tom was just a kind person, nothing more, and he was overthinking.

However, Tom's next move would change everything.

"Well, in that case..." Tom's warm hand caressed Bobby's chilling fingers gently, gaining his attention. The two boys looked into each other's eyes, their hearts pounding against their chests as if they were going to break through their flesh and bones. "I can't tell if I'm reading this right... And if I'm not, you can stop me."

"No, it's okay. Keep going." Bobby's voice was raspy, a little shakey, as he gave Tom, permission.

Slowly, that warm hand of Tom's made its way up Bobby's arm, toward his neck, and up to his face. Caressing Bobby's pink cheek, Tom leaned in close, as did Bobby, and the two of them locked lips.

Uncertainty.

Fear.

Worry.

All of those negative thoughts were washed away almost instantly upon feeling the embrace of the other's lips. Though it wasn't verbal, this was Tom's first time telling anyone how he truly felt and the first time he felt that his true self was accepted by someone else.