He closed his eyes and remembered the bombing. How many explosives were needed to kill five people? Clearly, they didn't use enough. Every Titan had escaped. Starfire had grabbed Robin. He had grabbed his best friend Cy, Raven could handle herself. They had salvaged as much as possible. The tools and machines keeping Cy alive were the top priority. BB hadn't saved anything for himself at all. Didn't matter now. Now he sat in his car, several years later, and thought about how quickly they turned. When heroes started seeming like menaces and the Sokovia Accords made people think they couldn't trust the caped crusaders.

He looked up at the sign. Shadow Valley Apartments, 100% bomb proof. A place created for heroes turned hiders. He looked around to make sure no one was watching and ducked inside.

"I take it you are here to interview for residency?" A woman with perfect posture and a critical non-smile asked when he ducked in.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Sit down," She ordered, her voice commanding, her nameplate reading Hilda Beauregard. He sat.

"Name?" He bit his lip from answering the wrong thing.

"Garfield Logan, ma'am." Her eyebrows raised.

"No relation to Wolverine?"

"Oh, oh no." He ran a hand through his hair.

"I did not think so. Inhuman, mutant, or other?"

"Other," He mumbled, feeling small.

"Thought so. Affiliated with any group?" Avengers, Justice League, et cetera?"

"Former Teen Titan, ma'am."

"Never heard of them, but I believe you." She wrote it down.

"Did you sign the Sokovia Accords?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And you are aware that within these walls you are able to use your powers however you see fit as long as it is not destructive?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Are your powers inherently destructive?"

"No ma'am I'm a shapeshifter." She turned stern.

"I did not ask you what you are. In this building, people are not their powers. They are residents. They are neighbors. They are people deserving of respect and safety and a break from being seen only for their differences. If you cannot give them that respect you cannot live here which is why you do not start a conversation with what are you or what do you do unless the other is comfortable with it."

"Yes ma'am, of course, ma'am." He looked ashamed.

"I take it, Mr. Logan, that you are here because you know that respect is not found easily out there. You do not want to be hurt by those you tried to save. If that is the case, you will be at home here."

"Thank you."

"Rent is due first Friday of every month. You have to call a week in advance if you need any exceptions to the rule. There is a laundry room on this floor and on the third floor. You requested a roommate so I am putting you with Kurt Wagner. I have one last question."

"Alright."

"Do you have any desire to return to heroics?" He hesitated. That was one of the only things that he was still hung up on. Save the world? Absolutely, he would always want to try. But the war on different made it more likely that he had to be saved from the world. That or change everything about himself to fit in. To be safe.

"Ah, most likely no." He didn't have a team anymore, had no way to protect himself. Other than superpowers... But those weren't enough anymore.

"Your room is 207, second floor, here is your key." She handed him his key, and after slinking outside to grab the two bags he had until his things arrived he headed upstairs to his new "home".

His roommate sprang right up and came over, looking delighted to see someone, anyone, in the middle of the afternoon. The place was fairly bare. This man, a little older, maybe 27 to his meager 23, had been perched in a gaming chair, the only piece of furniture in the snug living room.

"Kurt, hello," The man said with a noticeable German accent.

"I mean, I'm Kurt, your roommate, hello."

"Hey I'm Be- I mean, I'm Gar." Beast Boy. Ugh. He felt stupid whenever he let his "hero" name slip out in this day and age.

"Gar. Interesting," Kurt said, pumping Gar's hand enthusiastically.

"Let me give you the tour," He added, glancing around the bare apartment.

"Okay."

"Living room, kitchen, bathroom, my room, your room, closet." The apartment was completely unfurnished. There was only that gaming chair, a card table and two folding chairs in the kitchen, and a desk, swivel chair, and bed in Kurt's room.

"Hey, man, don't worry, I've got furniture coming tomorrow. My friend Cy is driving it over. It's cheap stuff mostly but I've got a couch and a real table and chairs so..."

"That's awesome, dude." Kurt looked excessively grateful.

"I can barely pay for this apartment and my car. Well, I mean, I could. Just got a promotion, actually. The manager thinks I'm cute." Kurt hesitated and pressed a button on his watch. The normal looking man in front of him transformed into a blue-skinned human with a tail.

"Probably wouldn't think that if she knew what I actually look like."

"Hey, no, I really hope cute doesn't depend on skin color." He gestured at his green hair and body.

"I'd like to think that, dude. But over half the places in this city require you to wear one of these if you physically look like a mutant or an inhuman just so you can get a job there. The places that don't are so cruel to you basically have to change your entire identity to be accepted." Kurt just looked so tired when he said that, flicking back to his "human" form.

"Mine is coming with my boxes and furniture. I'll blend in soon enough." They stood there gazing around the empty room.

"You want to go for dinner?" Kurt offered.

"Know any vegetarian places?

"Yeah, a couple."

"Know any places that serve people like me?"

"You want to order in? I'll pay. You eat cheese pizza?" Kurt was quick to change the subject.

"Yeah. People deliver to this place?"

"Some will, but we have to meet them at the door. Hilda won't let anyone up to the apartments unless they live here or are vouched for."

Over pizza, Kurt and Gar talked about employment and education. Garfield was going to attend Pensley's College, a semi-segregated university that promised a safe learning environment for Accords signer. Gar had attended three colleges prior and had given up on being able to focus anywhere else. The air in the colleges he'd tried had been humid with hatred and he'd never felt safe, and with good reason. As for Kurt, he was making enough money now to nearly be able to quit his second, "mutant friendly", ill-paying, and strenuous job. Mutant friendly meant mutants, which he apparently was, could work there- not that the job prioritized mutant safety or even guaranteed that the mutants involved would not be harmed. Quite the opposite. You see a sign that says Mutant friendly you're basically seeing a sign that says slaughterhouse. Slaughter's a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much.

"Why do you work there?" Gar asked, looking dutifully alarmed.

"Because it's a place I can go where I don't have to hide what I look like or what genetic group I'm affiliated with. It's a place where the word mutant isn't treated like an insult, they know I have a right to be there. I know they have a right to disagree with that." Gar couldn't help feeling like there was a weight on his shoulders, just completely controlling him.

"I'm gonna get some sleep. Thanks for the pizza, Kurt."

"You want to use my bed until yours comes? I can sleep in the gaming chair."

"No thanks, I can fall asleep anywhere." Beast boy felt homesick for Titan tower and the people he'd left behind. Kurt saw that look of homesickness and mentioned, as Gar turned away,

"Do you want to have a party? Meet some of your new neighbors?"

"Are we allowed?"

"Sure. Invite some of your friends, it'll be fun."

"Yeah, okay." He had already pulled out his phone, texting a number he couldn't possibly ever forget.

Raven…