Ivan wasn’t in the best state, currently.

He was living alone, away from his mother & family. His father had died a couple of weeks ago, which took a toll on him despite his distance. He’d moved away from his family a few years ago, yet he still missed them; missed greeting his mother in the morning with a kiss on the forehead, just missed the general commotion of the occupied house.

He didn’t have much money, as he lived off the inheritance he’d earned from his father. His father’s legacy wouldn’t be enough to keep Ivan afloat for long, however, & he knew this; yet, despite his best efforts in getting a job, no one was hiring within a 10-mile radius—& Ivan couldn’t go a further distance on his own, as he had no car & didn’t like to commute much.

One late afternoon, Ivan left the job centre in town & headed for the bus stop, no matter how much he despised being crammed on a reeking bus full of random strangers. As he waited at the bus stop, staring at the asphalt beneath his feet, he glanced up as another person arrived.

This person, he… he had the most delightful yellow skin & blonde hair. It was pretty, Ivan thought. That… pink hoodie, too. It wouldn’t have suited anyone else as much as it did this man.

Ivan cleared his throat discreetly before the other guy could catch him staring, looking back down at the ground. What were those values his father taught him—? Ah, yes. A man could never love another man. It just wasn’t natural.

But this wasn’t love, was it? He just found the other pretty, & looked like an interesting person. Ivan glanced up at the guy again, eyes landing on the headphones he was wearing. He wondered what he was listening to…

A bus arrived at the stop, & the blonde guy didn’t get on. This was Ivan’s bus, but he decided to wait for the next one, even if it came five minutes later & Ivan was unsure of the route it went.

Ivan fidgeted with his wallet (mostly empty), just for something to do. Most of the people got on the bus, really leaving only him & the blonde guy waiting. He swallowed his nerves down & stepped over, holding up a tattered ten-dollar bill between trembling fingers as he approached the guy.

“Excuse me, sir, b-but do you—can you split this bill for me? I-it’s for the fare.”