"How are you even wearing that?"
At the question, he felt a sense of pride and amusement. He laid the towel on the sand before his dark sapphire blues met topaz orange ones.
"Ninja magic.", he replied, smirking and waving a hand in an arc.
The other boy frowned, picking up some sand and tossing it at him, who ducked effortlessly. Carl laughed, hands going into the pockets of his hoodie. "Don't worry, I'll be taking off later."
"Carl, Nomi isn't here for you to show strip for.", another voice piped up.
Looking to his right, Carl gave a finger salute. "Whatever, Fire Lord."
"Don't call me that." Twilight got up from the kneeling, dusting the sand from his red swim shorts. He placed a hand over his eyes to shield the light from them. "It's way too bright to be out here today."
"Why were we sent to the beach?", Carl questioned, watching as Daria came up and opened the umbrella, setting it up in the sand.
The Tenth Doctor shrugged. "Something about... doing something to keep us out of trouble."
"That and to prevent any more casualties around the base."
The boys watched as their proclaimed 'babysitter' stepped up closer, mint green hair semi-wet from already being in the water. He eyed them all, arms crossed. "You shouldn't be complaining since this is pretty much a given free day."
"Rise, it's so hot though.", Spongebob complained anyways. He draped himself on his boyfriend's shoulders. Rise shifted him so they were face to face, taking the freckled face in his hands.
"It's summer and we're at the beach, love. What do you expect?"
"For it not to be this fucking hot."
"Watch that mouth."
"Make me."
There was a loud whine, interrupting the couple. They watched as their alien shifting friend rolled onto his back on a neon green and black striped towel. Stanley's lips were formed in a childish frown. "So not fair that your boyfriend is here, Spongebob."
"Well, Kyu can't handle hot weather, can he? Besides, he had that Plumber meeting, right?"
"Six is on a small mission.", Daria sighed.
"Some ancient ninja thing with Steven.", Carl added in.
"Not only your boyfriend is a book, but he's old, too?", Twilight asked.
"Shut up. It's not like any of us is dating anyone normal."
"Yup. Six is a secret agent. Kyu is an alien. Miss Pauling is a wizard. Rise is a clone. Steven is a book with a now human form. And Dan is half ghost like Sunset. Speaking of whom, anyone seen Sunset?", Spongebob questioned, looking around.
"Gone invisible. I betcha he did.", Stanley sassed.
"And you'd be right."
They jumped at the sudden words, looking up to see a shimmer in the air just above Stanley. They were able to make out a human shape, realizing it was their missing companion.
"Damn it, Sunset. You almost gave me a heart attack.", Carl growled, a hand on his hoodie covered chest. "So not bruce."
Sunset chuckled, getting down to his feet while turning back visible. "Sorry."
"What were you doing, bro?", Twilight asked, eyebrow quirked.
"Finding cooler places here on the beach. Didn't. Major fail."
"Oh, that's a bummer.", Spongebob pouted, digging a cool soda out the cooler. He passed one to each of the others. "Because it's literally hot as hell."
"Spongebob, how in the fuck you know what hell feels like?", Stanley questioned.
"I don't. And I honestly don't want to. I just know that today is hella hot."
"Swimming. We should try swimming. It cooled me down a bit.", Rise suggested. "I'll go get you some ice cream."
"Aaawww! Rise, you're so sweet.", Daria cooed, kissing the clone's cheek and running off to the water.
"Hey! Don't kiss my boyfriend again, Salazar!"
The sun definitely wasn't going to let up soon.
It was practically scorching now.
At least, the water was helping a little.
Even if at times it felt boiling. But they found a shady area by some rocks.
And Carl had long abandoned his hoodie.
Sunset sunk a little deeper into the water, sighing heavily. "I think I got a tan."
"Good. You were too pale anyways.", Twilight laughed, dipping back to wet his hair.
"Oh ha ha. Carl's as pale as me."
"Don't put me in your madness."
"Spongebob, your boo has been gone for quite some time.", Stanley noted, looking out to the shore, a little worried.
Spongebob splashed him a little, not really looking in his direction since he too was looking out towards the beach for his boyfriend. Honestly, he was a little worried, too. "Stanley, stop saying 'boo'."
"Sorry. Bae."
"N- okay, fine."
"The line at the stand was pretty long, so it will be a while before Rise get back.", Sunset said, floating on his back now. Somehow.
"We should probably go and check on him.", Daria advised, standing up and running fingers through his wet hair.
Carl had noticed that the little action had caught some attention from the participants on the beach. With a giggle, he gestured to Daria's audience.
"Hey, dude, seems to captured the hearts of some folks."
Daria looked over his shoulder, spotting people that he did indeed capture some stares. Immediately, he sunk back into the water, a visible reddish tint colored on his cheeks and nose. He averted his eyes to the water to avoid the grins he was sure his friends were shooting at him.
"..."
"If Six knew about this...", Stanley started.
"He'd get stabby.", Spongebob finished.
Daria splashed water both their way, grumbling and turning redder at the mention of his boyfriend.
"Shut the hell up."
"Hey... um... is it me or this water suddenly getting colder?", Twilight questioned.
They all soon noticed that water's surface was indeed getting colder. There was even little ice chips forming. Carl had sighed blissfully as he sunk lower into the now icy water until it was to his neck. Easily, the heat faded.
"This is nice. But how is this happening?"
Stanley had noticed that where Spongebob, Daria, Twilight, and Carl were the ice was a lot smaller than where he was. Looking to his left, he eyed the still quiet Sunset, who was still somehow floating on his back. He also spotted that Sunset's usually black hair adorned white tips. And his hands were pale, tinted a light blue color.
He managed to put two and two together, smiling.
"Sunset. Sunset, pal."
The halfa stirred, obviously disrupted out of whatever semi-conscious trance he had been in. He gazed at Stanley, his eyes still blue.
"Hm?"
"Are you aware that you're using your powers?"
Sunset looked at his hands, finally feeling the icy touch hit him. His eyes widened as he stared up at the others with a sheepish smile. "Sorry."
"In this weather? I'm not complaining.", Daria chuckled.
"It's much appreciated.", Twilight agreed, sinking further into the water.
"Well, I see that you can make do without ice cream."
Instantly, the grey-mint skinned clone was tackled and ambushed for the ice cream he had.
"I can't believe we forgot we had powers."
"Ice powers at that."
The boys were now laying under their umbrellas, laying on their towels and enjoying the shade and ice and snow scattered around them.
Carl and Sunset had summoned the cold element, ultimately disappointed at themselves for forgetting they could.
Since the beach wasn't too occupied, no one noticed the strange scene of Big Chill sitting under an umbrella with Daria and Twilight leaning on each side of him. Spongebob was resting on Rise, letting the clone run fingers through his hair.
He was halfway to a nap due to the soothing caressing.
"Mmm. Magic fingers."
"Oh really?"
Spongebob looked up at him, a smirk on his lips. "Yeah. Magic fingers." He leaned up to kiss Rise briefly on his nose before going for his mouth. The kiss quickly became more intense with tongue, Spongebob's hands going for under Rise' tee and the clone's arms going around his waist. It was a good two minutes before Carl reached over and pinched Spongebob's butt.
"Hey. Hey. I know you're in, like, honeymoon stage or whatever, but no. Don't get too into it."
The cryptid whisperer pouted, still holding onto Rise' shirt. "I'll remember that the next time you decide to make out with your boyfriend."
"You do that.", the ninja replied, not really fazed. Holding up a hand, he formed a snowball and threw it at unexpecting Twilight. "Ninja snowball!"
"Ow! Hey! And it's not a 'ninja' snowball if you shout it!"
"I do it my way."
"Your way sucks." Smoke came out his nostrils when he huffed. "I'll prove it in a game of volleyball."
"Dude, you're so on."
"No. Bask in the chill.", Sunset whined, forming some ice into the cooler.
"No. Come on! You're joining us, Jack Frost!", Carl demanded, getting up to his feet and taking hold of Sunset's wrist to tug him up on his.
The halfa began whining, hissing at the ninja to let him go while the others boys headed to a nearby volleyball court.
"Let me go! Or I will send you to the afterlife or something!"
"Sunset, it's just volleyball. Not a death tournament."
"Same thing."
Eventually, after thirty minutes of coaxing and reasoning with the ghost of the group, the boys were set to play their game.
Rise was sitting nearby, warning them to not use their powers even if there are just a couple of people who didn't pay much mind to them. Though, a couple of times a few checked out the boys.
They're cute. Who wouldn't?
The clone knew they wouldn't listen come the tenth round when Carl may have threw a ninja smoke bomb at Spongebob.
"Oh, you bitch! Fight me!"
It was Sunset, Carl and Daria versus Stanley, Twilight and Spongebob.
Rise was chosen to keep score... reluctantly.
"Eyes sharp, Spongebob!", Daria had laughed, high-fiving Carl.
The cryptid whisperer growled, his eyes briefly turning a bright orange. Spongebob wasn't too much of a competitive person, but when a challenge arose, he called back to it.
"Alright. So they want to play dirty? Twilight?"
Said teen looked over and caught the grin Spongebob shot at him. Through body language, they easily understood that this game quickly turned into an unfair turn of events.
Sunset had swatted the ball over the net next. Seeing it coming his direction, Twilight allowed his human hands to become dragon red scaled paws, spiking the ball back with a little more strength than normal. Carl had went for it, but missed, falling into the sand. He shook it out his hair, glaring at the opposing team laughed at him.
"Ugh! Not bruce at all!"
"Neither was the smoke bomb."
Sitting on his golden-yellow towel, Rise watched the game become rather... havoc-y.
There were some points where Twilight would use his Dragon heritage to his advantage. Daria really took it to the next level with his Tenth Doctor powers. Sunset either froze someone or turned tangible. Stanley, as it turns out, didn't really rely on his aliens, but more so on his mana that he came to recently discover. Rise had no idea that Spongebob brought the Klaw. He was also highly intrigued to see just how quick and limber his boyfriend was. Then there was Carl who was just as quick and skillful with flips.
In conclusion, this wasn't a volleyball game any longer, but a competition on who's team had the power level of over 9000.
"Why did I decide to come here again?", he questioned himself just as Stanley spiked the ball with a small boost of mana with an impressive shift to the right and a swing.
Sunset had missed, grumbling as the game was now tied up.
"See?! This is unlawful!"
"Don't be a pouty face, D. I use to play soccer. Volleyball is just another sport that came natural."
"Still unlawful!"
"Best 11 out of 21?", Daria suggested, passing the ball to Spongebob.
"Sure."
Rise watched as his boyfriend passed the ball to Twilight, the Dragon hybrid swatting the ball over the net. Sunset managed to hit the ball back this time, whacking it back over the net in Spongebob's direction.
Back and forth the ball went, Rise not breaking contact. He noticed that there was a couple of more people coming onto the beach now that the temperature a bit. With the added people, came an audience on the game.
The boys were intense on winning, too intense that they didn't notice that they were drawing in some attention.
They were now tied 10 - 10.
Spongebob had paused to tie his hair back, earning some unnoticed swooning by the inhabitants nearby. The light of the sun did wonders to his skin, creating a nice glow to it.
Rise appreciated the sight, deeply imprinting it in his mind. However, he didn't like it when some girls and boys, possibly in their late high school or early college age, came over to watch.
He got up, resisting to run over, as the last round started.
"Last match. Losers have to buy smoothies for the winning team.", Stanley said. "Agreed?"
"Agreed. Now bring it on!", Carl challenged.
Stanley tossed the ball high, whacking it when it came close and over the net it went.
Daria hit it back, then Spongebob, Sunset, back to Spongebob, Daria again and then Twilight coming up from the middle.
It seemed to go on forever.
And so did the ogling.
Rise left anger boil in his chest as one boy leaned against the pole of net, close to Spongebob's side.
"Hey, can we play with you after your game?", he questioned, trying to be smooth.
Spongebob had hit the ball before answering him. He easily caught onto what he was trying to do. There was an empty volleyball court next to them, which was one sign.
"Actually, this is our last game. You can have the court after. Yo, B, to your left!"
Stanley ran up, sliding onto his stomach in time before the ball could touch the ground. The ball went over the net, heading Carl's way, but the ninja missed, giving the last point to Twilight, Spongebob and Stanley.
"And that's game, bitches!", Twilight cheered.
"Shit!", Daria cursed. He sighed, letting his arms drop in defeat. "I guess I'll buy Twilight's smoothie."
"I call for Stanley.", Sunset decided.
"And include your hands, too. I think I burnt my stomach skidding on that sand.", Stanley groaned, an arm on his torso with a frown on his face. "Please?"
"Sure thing, pal."
"That was a fun game. How about you join us later?", a girl tried, getting close to Twilight.
He eyed her, eyebrow raised. He took a step back, looping his arm with Spongebob for comfort.
"Yeah, I'm going to have to decline. We're gonna have lunch and leave."
"Oh."
Of course, the girl was going to be disappointed. She'll be more disappointed to know Twilight wanted happily taken by a red haired, wizard gentleman who he swears is his future hubby.
"The weather's getting to us and we've been here long enough.", Spongebob added, starting his walk to Rise who gladly welcomed him in his arms. The couple could feel the dude from earlier frowning in instant defeat and a bit of anger at them. "Babe, Carl, Daria and Sunset owe us smoothies."
"Which is total complete fuckery... What kind of smoothie?", Carl huffed, but smiling after as they headed towards their umbrellas.
"I'll go for kiwi strawberry."
Apparently, the college (or senior high school) group was highly persistent about letting the boys go.
They were indeed playing volleyball, much so to put on a show than just to play for fun and competition.
The guys were constantly showing off their muscles, pouring water on them when they got 'too hot'. The girls were pros at hair flipping.
Stanley, laying on his towel with sunglasses on and his phone in his hand, chuckled.
"How disappointed you think they'll be to know we have boyfriends?"
"Well, given how sad that one dude looked when he realized Rise and I are a couple? Hm. Pretty disappointed.", Spongebob laughed.
Daria tugged his second towel over his head, frowning with a blush. "Ugh. I don't like this."
"Me neither. Never one for attention.", Sunset grumbled.
Carl had rolled his eyes when one dude winked at him. "I feel like I should have brought a kunai."
"But you brought your mask?"
"Shut it, Twilight."
"I'm just saying."
"I wonder what's Kyu up to. Think he's still in the meeting? It's been hours.", Stanley sighed, tapping away on his screen. He waited for Kyu to pick up his phone. A minute later, Kyu's blue and black striped face popped up on the screen.
"Kyu!"
The other five boys crowded around Stanley with grins on their faces.
"Hey, Kyu!", they greeted, laughing while Stanley tried shooing them away.
"Hi, guys. How are enjoying your day at the beach?"
"Fine. But I miss you so much. Are you still in that meeting?", the alien shifter pouted. He really did miss Kyu. Even if it was just for a few hours.
"The meeting just ended. I'll be coming to pick you all up soon."
"Please do! They're out of control!", Rise shouted from the sidelines, not really meaning any of it.
"Oh, shut up, babe. We're not that bad.", Spongebob giggled. He smiled when Rise kissed his freckled cheek.
It was then a volleyball came and hit Carl's arm, some sand flying a bit and decorating Twilight's hair since he was laying down. They exclaimed in discomfort as one of the boys came jogging up, a concerned expression adorning his face.
"Dude, are you okay? I swear that shouldn't have happened. I'm so sorry.", he apologized, dropping to their level.
"I'm okay. The ball didn't hit me that hard.", Carl assured.
"I'm still sorry." He sighed, glaring over his shoulder back at the others on the court. "I know they're being a bother. My friends seem to really find you attractive and are set on getting your numbers."
"Too bad we're all taken, huh?", Twilight sassed, shaking the sand out his black and green hair.
"I figured. And I keep telling them you probably are. But they really do like you.", the guy chuckled. "You could they're..."
"Thirsty?", came the collective answer.
"Yeah."
"Thirsty? Stanley, I'm at a lost.", Kyu spoke up, drawing Stanley's attention back to the phone.
"Oh, right. Babe, 'thirsty' pretty much means that someone is rather... persistent about giving up on someone they want to..."
"Fuck.", Sunset finished.
"Yeah."
"Oh. So... kind of how you act when we-"
"And you catch on quick, Kyu! Ha ha!", Stanley interrupted, chuckling nervously as the part of his face that was visible turned red. He ignored the grins shot his way.
The dude shook his head in amusement, picking up the ball.
"I'll just pretend I didn't hear that."
"Yes. Please."
"I better get this ball ba-"
"Taylor! Come back to the game!"
They watched as a girl and a guy came up, both looking rather impatient. Until they saw the group.
The now known Taylor tossed the ball at the guy who almost didn't catch it.
"I was heading back. Just apologizing to them for your mistake.", Taylor voiced, obviously not pleased at the look in the others' eyes.
"Hey, but Brandon missed."
The girl looked over at Stanley. A twinkle was visible in her eyes. "You're Stanley Tennyson!", she practically squealed.
Uninterested, Stanley briefly looked up from his cell. He was still talking with Kyu and didn't like being interrupted. "Yes, I am."
"I'm such a huge fan of yours!"
"Well, thank you. But right now, I'm in the middle of a-"
"Can I take a picture with you? I would love to brag to my friends that I took a picture with you!", she asked, getting next to him with her phone out from the pocket of her jean shorts.
"Actually, I'm in the middle of an important video call."
"Jess, seriously. He's in the middle of a call and it's kind of rude of you to be in his space like that.", Taylor advised, a warning look in his eyes.
Jess stared at him, pouting and getting up to her feet, defeated.
"Now, let's get back to our game."
"Hey, is your hair naturally like that or is it dyed?", the other guy asked.
Carl and Spongebob looked unsure as to who he was asking. "Um... who are you asking?"
"Well, both of you.", the guy grinned. Behind him, Taylor looked close to face-palming.
Carl gave him a fake smile. "Oh, natural. It's my natural hair color."
"As for me, too.", Spongebob deadpan, cuddling up to Rise to show he was taken. Rise got the hint and glared at the dude over Spongebob's head. The dude definitely took the hint, looking a bit frightened at the couple's hard staring.
"Uh... Well... cool..."
"Now, can we go back to our game? I'm sure the others are getting impatient.", Taylor tried again.
This time Jess and the guy followed in, quickly walking from the group.
Taylor turned to the boys. "I think they got it now."
"Thank goodness!", Sunset sighed, falling back on Stanley's lap who grumbled.
"I better get back now. Again, I'm sorry about that."
"It's fine. But thank you.", Twilight assured.
Taylor gave a farewell wave before running back to the court.
Daria, digging in the cooler for a soda, smiled. "Now that's a sweet guy. It's always that one person in the group that's like super gentle and nice and stuff. The adorable one."
"So like... who's the person in our group?", Carl questioned.
"Spongebob. Definitely Spongebob.", Stanley chuckled, ending his call.
The cryptid whisperer pouted.
"What? No, not me."
"Uh, yes you. And Twilight. You're both are adorable.", Sunset countered.
"I am adorable.", Twilight smirked.
"See?"
"Whatever."
The group was all packed up, heading up to the parking lot where Kyu was just pulling up. He reached to help with the cooler, but Stanley jumped into his arms, kissing his cheek.
"Missed you, babe."
"Stanley, we just-"
"Not the same, baby!"
Stanley continued his task on kissing Kyu like no tomorrow.
Sunset groaned, pinching Stanley before he followed the others into the vehicle.
"Hey! Let's get a move on! I'm melting and I have a boyfriend to cuddle on, too!"
Kyu had blinked, once he could, and stared back at Stanley.
"Eventful day?"
"You have no idea, Kyu."
"Yeah. A girl tried getting into-"
"Can it, Daria!"
