Zane strolled directly into the game room, where Kai was sat, playing something violent and action packed. It was one of the few ways he dealt with anger and stress.

"Hello Kai. May I ask you to take a break from your gaming? I have some very important information to relay to you."

"... ugh. I guess? What's so important?"

"Not right now. It will be much more efficient if I tell a group all at once."

Kai ruefully paused his game and stood up, stretching his slightly achey limbs.

"Alight. Where are we going?" He asked.

"I think that the bridge will be suitable enough for a small meeting. Please wait there for me, while I collect the other three."

"M'kay."

Kai trudged over to the bridge, as Zane had said, and sat down at the boardroom-type table in the centre. Impatiently, he tapped his fingers against the wood, looking around at the few entrances to the room. Surely it wouldn't take all that long for Zane to bring all the others to the desired location?

A minute passed, and another, and one more, before Nya and Lloyd walked through one of the internal doors together.

"... where's Sensei?" Kai asked.

"He's apparently gone out to do something. Zane's gone to get him. Said he should only be about twenty minutes.

"Alright."

They both sat down, Nya right next to him, and Lloyd on the other side of her.

"... well... since we have a while to wait... maybe we should... talk about some things. Like... you know..." he suggested.

Nya was briefly confused.

"... what is there to talk about? Zane and I already talked about Jay with you and-"

She cut off when she realised, and looked to the blonde next to her, and back to her brother.

"... Kai you can't possibly mean-"

"Nya, it's fine. He wants to talk about how I'm gay. It's not like I'm ashamed." Lloyd interrupted.

Kai sighed, and looked the green ninja in the eyes.

"... why didn't you tell us."

"Because it's none of your business. Why should I have to tell anybody?"

"You basically lied to us."

"The only time I said I wasn't was when I was risking this whole damn country turning on me. I think even you would lie in that situation."

Kai grimaced. Lloyd had a point.

"... I just... I don't get it. Why would you choose to be... gay? Why would you choose that?"

Lloyd stared, then gritted his teeth, and leaned back in his chair, forcing himself to breathe deeply.

"Nya, promise me that if I get angry enough to slap him you'll stop me?" He questioned.

"At this rate, I might end up joining you."

Kai looked offended.

"I'm just trying to understand!" He exclaimed. Lloyd shrugged.

"Sure! Trying to understand by asking the stupidest questions you can think of!"

"I am! Can you please bloody explain to me now?!"

He took another deep breath, and quite honestly, had to hold back a few tears.

"... being gay isn't a choice, as you seem to think. If it was a choice, nobody in this world would be. Because it's horrible. Every f*cking day, I wake up and I have to face a world that hates me. When I still had social media, there was homophobia everywhere. You can't escape it. There are people telling you that you're a freak, you're wrong, sinful, disgusting, just for loving in a different way to them. For being attracted to the same sex. It doesn't hurt or effect anybody else but there are still hundreds, thousands, millions of people who would rather that all gay people were dead and gone. Even though I know deep down that she'll accept me, I'm still terrified to tell my own mother about it because I'm afraid that she won't support me. I was afraid to tell me best friends, because of how they might react. Because of how you DID react! Nobody in their right f*cking mind would choose to be gay because. It. Is. Awful! Are you seriously telling me that I'd make the decision to not be straight, to force myself to go through all this hatred and fear and loss?! Constantly scared that the people I care about will abandon me, unable to find a partner because it's too dangerous? In some places, gay couples can't even walk down the street holding hands because people will throw stuff at them, and scream at them, and will do everything they can to make their life hell! It's not just gay people either. Transgender people, people of colour, anybody who isn't Heterosexual and Cisgender and White is destined to face discrimination from the day they're born! Living like this... is not happy. Until the world sorts itself out nobody will be able to live a completely happy life! And until people stop thinking that it's a damn CHOICE, nothing will get better! I can't believe you'd think that I'd choose not to be straight... you... you know what?! I wish I was straight! Because then this entire f*cking country wouldn't still be considering that I'm nothing but a disGUSTING INHUMANE FREAK!"

Lloyd had left his chair a long time ago, but now he kicked it over, and stormed away out of the room.

"I'll be in my room when Zane gets back, but right now, I don't wanna be around him! I'm gonna end up hitting him!" he yelled, directing the statement at Nya.

"Lloyd! Wait!"

Nya got up out of her seat and followed him, leaving Kai alone in the bridge.

Alone with his thoughts.

... thinking about it, that question was pretty stupid. He still didn't understand it or agree with it... but Lloyd had made a very good point. Why on earth would he choose to be that way when he would be treated so horribly for it? It didn't make sense.

So... after all this time thinking that homosexuality was the fault of the individual...

It wasn't their fault.

It wasn't up to them to decide what they were attracted to.

Kai still had a long way to go before he could accept the LGBTQ+ community, and somewhere in his head he still thought that it was a mistake. A fixable mental illness that could be treated and removed, but at least... this was a start.

A step in the right direction at last.