To sum it up: my day was pretty crap.

Okay, maybe that's a little bit much.

But as I'm walking back to the dorm room, across the whole freaking campus!, I'm thinking about the dark pit my life has become

But then when I get back, at least I have a room to myself, only a common room shared with one other person. The budget for the scholarship stretched pretty far. I have to get back so that I can unpack my things and hopefully my roommate doesn't look through my bags and see Nightfox's costume. Crap. I have to get back fast, but I don't have money for a bike share again. Unless I got a job... Which would be pretty helpful, honestly. I sigh, not wanting to risk Nightfox's identity and grab a bike share. If I bike quick enough, I should be able to get to the dorm in 30 minutes or so (it's partially uphill) which should cost about $5.

Ever since the creation of the League, taxes have gone up and whatever the city can charge more for has been charged more for. The bikes used to be a dollar for however long, but the soon changed to $2.50 for 15 minutes. All so that the goddamned heroes can have their workplace in the middle of the city, where property is completely overpriced. It's large and grand and beautiful and it looks like they fricking built it out of caviar.

Crap, got to keep it together until I get back, I think. I have to keep Nightfox away from my "normal" life. I grab a bike and start biking.

~

I arrive at my dorm to my one box of stuff outside the room. I grab it and walk inside to see a short-ish, black haired boy in front of me with his back to me. I close the door and he hears it, jumping and turning around.

In front of me is Tyler Neverth.

God.

"Oh, um, Colin!" Tyler mutters with a small smile, "Sorry I, um," He motions to my bag, "was trying to get something behind it, and I was trying to clean everything and, um, ended up putting it outside." He uses too many "um"s. But I shouldn't judge.

"Oh, it's fine," I say quietly and manage a small smile back. He's trying to hide something and I know it. Tyler turns back to what he was doing, or seeming to try to put photos in an album.

"How was your day?" I ask. He smiles at me again.

"I-it was fine. My English teacher is an arse though," he laughs. I laugh too, probably awkwardly though. I put the box down, but then pick it back up because if I put it down, then it would seem like I'm trying to elongate this conversation, which Tyler might not be comfortable with and I don't want to pressure him to do anything.

He drops a photo and I pick it up. It's a photo of him kissing another boy on a beach with a sunset in the background.

Tyler sees what photo I held and was looking at and starts to blush and stammer. It's not exactly against the law to be homosexual, but close enough. The government basically encourages people and heroes to persecute gays, giving speeches about how it's disgusting and horrible and whatever. The heroes are the worse. The people who should be the manifestation of justice are persecuting something completely natural and beautiful. But whatever. It's not like I can do anything about it. I'm just another superpowered guy that can't do shit for shit.

Tyler looks down at his feet and I look at him.

"Gay, bi, or pan?" I ask him.

"G-gay," he manages to get out.

"It's okay," I say quietly, looking him straight in his eyes, "I am too."