DOOM DAYS ✓

Chapter 15: Emotion Immunity

Emotion Immunity: the ability to suppress one's emotions or possess none at all.

"Let me walk you guys to school," Tyler offers the two sophomores as soon as Josh is dressed and ready to be in public again.

Josh looks at Tiana for an answer. He wants to hang out with him but at the same time he doesn't. "I'm not sure. I mean, don't you have school too?"

"Yeah, but I do online school." Tyler grins and stuffs his hands into his jean pockets. "Come on, little ducklings, it can't be that far."

He starts walking into the busy street, not even waiting for the two of them to catch up. Tiana looks at Josh, shrugs, and starts to follow him. Josh reluctantly follows.

"So... online school?" Josh inquires as he sets his pace beside Tyler, trying to make conversation after the awkward moment from before. He hates being vulnerable in front of anyone that isn't Tiana.

"Yup. I've only been doing it for a year, though, ever since I started superheroing," Tyler replies.

Tiana skips ahead of them, walking backwards in front of Josh. "Was it too hard to go to school and be a hero?"

"You tell me, I get to set my own pace."

"But is that why you left school?" Josh sees his face scrunch up from his peripheral and immediately begins to backtrack. "I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to say if you don't want to, I was just-"

"Nah, it's alright. I just invaded your compromised emotional state, I might as well give you a little look-see into my private life." He says it as a joke, but there's tension in his voice.

"Really, it's no big deal-"

"Relax, Josh, it's fine." Tyler waves away Josh's concern. "I got my powers same as you guys. I was in VESSEL Industries when it exploded and I woke up with glowing skin and webbed fingers. So I stopped going to public school."

"You've had your powers for seven years?" Tiana sounds as shocked as Josh feels.

"But you've only been a hero for a year." Josh lingers on what he said for a moment. "Hold on. You said my compromised emotional state. Is that how you calmed me down?"

"Just if I'm outside too long I didn't calm you down so much as I just transferred what you were feeling to me," Tyler clarifies, as if that makes it better.

Tiana's expression turns from cheery into confusion. "Why on earth would you do that?" She asks.

"It was either that or I let your clumsier counterpart over here have an elongated panic attack in school, which could trigger his abilities, which would not be good in a public setting."

"But-"

"No buts," he snaps. "You should be thanking me instead of being concerned."

"Why wouldn't we be concerned? We're your friends," Josh protests.

Tyler rolls his eyes. "Friend's a strong word."

"Close acquaintances," Tiana suggests.

"More like kids I have to babysit."

"Are you saying we're not friends?" Josh asks. He tries not to sound offended but he can't help but deflate at Tyler's comment.

"I- ugh, please don't tell me you're gonna be upset over that," Tyler groans, shaking his head.

"You literally just said we're not friends," Tiana says, tripping but recovering quickly. "So no shit we'd be upset, especially since we've known each other for three months."

Tyler stops, raising his hands up in defense. "No offense guys, but it's best not to have friends in our line of work. Not because I don't enjoy seeing your toddler faces every day, but because it's dangerous to have friends."

"That's dumb," she retorts. "If you don't have friends, then who'll have your back?"

"I'll have my back."

The school is only a couple of blocks away from where they were- thank god Josh convinced Tiana to leave early- and somehow make it five minutes before the bell. Tyler stops at the door, patting Josh's shoulder awkwardly.

Josh flinches. "You might not want to touch me."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Tyler winks at him and holds his hand out to Tiana. She crosses her arms, frowning in defiance. He sends her a puppy dog look and she relents, high-fiving him. "See you kids after school."

"He's an asshole," she says as soon as he's out of earshot, pushing the front doors open and holding it open for Josh and herself. "How did you ever have a crush on him?"

He makes a pterodactyl noise. "Wha- I never had a crush on him!"

"Uh-huh, sure. The poster of him on your wall says different."

"You- I- what about your poster of Queen Cobra?"

"She's cute, why wouldn't I have her poster?"

Tiana skips ahead of him, manifesting a black heart shape and blowing it at him. Josh swats it away and flips her off.

As close as they are, they're never actively discussed their sexualities. Josh knows that she can't be straight, but he doesn't even know who he likes, much like who she would like. To him, both girls and boys are cute, but he's never really considered if he'd date anyone. He's never actually dated anyone before.

Josh can only guess about Tiana until she feels comfortable telling him, or until she pulls a Tiana and just shows up with a girlfriend without a word.

He wonders if Tyler's straight. Probably. Or maybe all heroes are just gay.

"I'll race you to homeroom. Whoever wins gets to use the good mats," Tiana challenges.

He chuckles, grateful to be distracted by his train of thought. "How about if I win, I get to copy your geometry homework, and if you win, you get to copy my study guide."

"Deal." She turns and sprints. "Three, two, one, go!"

Josh takes off after her, trailing pretty far behind as she's gotten a lot faster than him and had a head start. "Cheater!"