"I—I didn't mean to get quite that depressing on you," he mutters. "I'm not even a genuine mutant, for God's sake, my genes are fine, the damage is strictly teratogenic, not that this ever seems to make a difference to how people look at me."

Wait, he's trying to be less depressing. Say something else, Miles.

"It's better on Beta Colony, at least here the pity and disdain mostly only comes up when I mention what planet I'm from. And there are no alleys to get beaten up in."

No not that. God what's wrong with him. He covers his face with his hands.