"It's funny how we consistently underestimate ourselves, isn't it?" Topher grinned. "Keeps us humble, sure, but sometimes it also keeps us from achieving great things. I don't think you lack the brains to go as far as you want in the medical field, man. I think it's more...our self-doubt, our baggage, sometimes it makes it seem as though we can't go as far as we want to." He nodded, then. "But. EMT's, all those guys? As important, as necessary, as surgeons and doctors and specialists. Everyone's got their roles to play, and each role is important." It was a thin line. On the one hand, Topher did want to encourage his roommate to not hold back and grab life by the balls, but on the other hand, he didn't want to come off as too pushy or Pollyanna-ish.

"Heh. Apparently I do the cutsey-with-a-streak-of-evil thing really well." His grandfather was Magneto. It's possible that it was in his blood.

But he didn't want to think about that.

"My favourite book is 'Hero' by Perry Moore," Topher said. "It's about this gay teen whose dad is a disgraced superhero, struggling with all that fun coming of age stuff that gay teens with superpowers struggle with." He chuckled. "I identified pretty heavily with it, big surprise."