DT Serum, Primary Testing In Progress

"I have no idea," True admitted.  "Whatever's in the fridge, I guess.  Dad had to work late today."

Lex nearly dropped his tea cup as his head snapped back.  "What in the bloody hell?!" he yelped. Recovering only slightly, he snapped, "Get down before someone spots you and starts trying to stick you in a zoo!"

Paul smiled happily. "Okay!" He didn't seem at all saddened or bothered that he probably wouldn't see his dad for a while.

Sam nodded and landed behind Lex. "I'll leave soon if you want me to. I just wanted to apologize for what I said earlier. Shuni explained to me that you have a hard and lonely job, and it wasn't nice of me to criticize you for it." He handed Lex the Zippo lighter. "Here. Now you won't have to use fifty million matches either."

"How are you doing, Paul?" True asked as they neared home.  "Are you doing okay?"

Lex stood when Sam landed.  He took the zippo automatically but just stared at Sam.  "Come again?" he said bluntly.  He couldn't remember anyone coming to him to apologize.  It was usually when he had them cornered and they were terrified of getting their arms torn off.

Paul smiled brightly. "Yeah! Why wouldn't I be?" His smile grew to a concerned expression. "Did something bad happen? Can I help fix it?"

Sam calmly repeated himself. "I'm sorry I said those rude things earlier when I thought I was protecting Shuni. It wasn't a nice thing to do, so I'm apologizing." Sam shook his head. "It's okay if you don't forgive me. Shuni explained that you don't really have the same life I do, so it's harder for you to trust and make friends. I'd like to be your friend still, but I'll leave you alone if that's what you really want."

True shook his head.  "No, everything's fine, I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

"Without a doubt, you are the weirdest kid I've ever seen," Lex said flatly.  "You protect him, whatever.  That's what counts."

Paul beamed. "Oh, okay!"

Sam smiled a little. "Is that a good weird or a bad weird?"

True opened the door and sniffed.  "Smells like someone's cooking grilled cheese."

Lex snorted and turned his back to sit back down.  "Weird is weird."

Paul smiled. "Smells awesome!" He said as he went to put his bag in his room. No homework today, which was nice.

Sam laughed a little. He paused a moment before sitting a short ways from Lex. "So, uh, what do you look for from up here?" He asked curiously.

Bitty Kitty went with Paul, refusing to be parted from her person.
True went in to check on Shuni, but it looked like he had things well in hand.  Surprising.  Kid learned quick when shown to him, but he still struggled to grasp certain concepts or read even simple things.  Satisfied, True went to get Sam for dinner.  "Sam?  Ready for dinner?  Sam?"

Lex glared at Sam.  "Still not your friend."  He looked out, though, and answered.  "Patterns.  Blockages.  Free flowing.  Trouble."

Paul played with Bitty Kitty for a couple of minutes before he got ready for dinner
There was no sign of Sam. His robot didn't even look like he touched it today at all.

(I have an idea; what if Sam actually witnessed Lex being hurt, and managed to scare them off a little after he finally got over his panic? Or do you want to still just have Sam find Lex hurt?)
Sam nodded and looked around. "I know we aren't."

True frowned.  He must have gone to visit his "friend" again.  "Come on, Paul, let's have dinner."

(I'd prefer to keep it with Sam finding him, please)

"And yet you keep trying," Lex grumbled, taking another drink.

Paul beamed. "Okay!" He sat down at his usual spot next to True.

(Okey dokey! )

Sam sighed. "I also want to help you and be useful. But... if you want me to stop trying to hang out with you, say so now and I'll stop."

Shuni happily served his brothers and sat down.  "Sam isn't here?"
"Nah, he's gone to visit a friend," True said casually.  "Thanks for this, Shuni, this looks really good!"
Shuni glowed with pride as he started to eat.

"I've tried that and you're still showing up."  Lex casually flicked the joint dregs off the roof.  "At this point, all I'm doing is waiting for someone to come and lock your freak ars up.  I'd never say a word, but you're showing to others, and word's going to get out.  Sooner or later, someone is going to come looking for you."

Paul took a big bite. "Ift ashtfs ear-ly gaof!" He said happily with a full mouth.

Sam sighed a little and looked down. "Dad wouldn't let me get locked up. I just... I don't get it. On one hand, Dad taught me that if you have an advantage, a leg up, to use it for what your heart says is right. But on the other hand, he says I should use my powers only in emergencies, but how will I know how to use them if I don't practice, you know?"

True chuckled and tapped Paul gently on the back of the head.  "Manners, little bro!  I may call you a puppy, but you can't act like one."

Lex just laughed.  "Kid, doesn't matter who your dad is and what kind of power he has.  When someone wants to take something from you, they'll take it.  No one can say otherwise."

Paul laughed and swallowed his food, still smiling. "Sorry! It tastes good too, Shuni!"

Saam sighed. After a moment he looked over at Lex. "Is that what happened to you?" He dared ask softly.

Shuni smiled.  "I made it like Doctor Dad showed me.  I just changed the cheese a little so it smelled better."
"You made a good call," True praised, finishing off his sandwich.  "Thank you, Shuni."

Lex finished his tea without answering.  Finally, he stood and lifted his sleeve, exposing one of his worse scars, but only one.  "When they want it, they find a way to take it, and they don't give a Crap about anything or anyone else.  You practice, but every time you do in an environment you don't control, you risk being found.  Fix that.  Cause I'm not going to help you.  I don't have a soul or a heart to care with.  Got it?"

Paul politely asked for a second sandwich if there was any.

Sam nodded. He had seen scars before, and Lex's didn't faze him at all. After all, his dad had a few pretty prominent ones. "Okay. I'll stop using my power out in the open as much."

Shuni got up and willingly made everyone seconds, returning to the table with equally delicious sandwiches.

"No skin off my nose, unless I get caught in the middle," Lex said, tucking the cup inside his coat.  "Scram.  I gotta get back to work."

Paul beamed at Shuni and thanked him.

Sam nodded. Once he was sure no one would see him, Sam teleported back to the garage. He walked into the house. "Oh. Sorry I missed dinner..."

"Yes, you did," True said, rolling back from the table.  "If I was Dad, I'd have words for you for leaving without so much as a note, but I'm not Dad.  So, eat, then help clean the kitchen.  Thank you, Shuni."
Shuni smiled and went to hug Sam hello.  "I kept your sandwiches warm for you!"

Sam nodded somberly to True before he smiled and hugged Shuni. "Thanks. If you want, I'll clean everything up, Shuni."

"Thank you, Sam.  I need to feed kitties," Shuni said, giving him a squeeze before running off.

"I'll help you clean up," True said.  "Paul, you don't have any homework, right?  Do you need to clean your room?"

Sam nodded and ate his sandwiches quietly before he collected the dishes and started the sink.

True wiped down the stove and counters quietly.  He was almost finished before he started speaking.  "Look, I'm not Dad, but I am your big brother, and Dad depends on me to make sure everything is okay at home.  I don't pretend to have the authority to say who you can visit when if it's not at like midnight or interfering, but you have got to tell me something.  You can't just expect me to know what's going on.  I said I wouldn't tell Dad unless he asked, I didn't say I'd give you free reign to vanish.  What if Dad came home and I didn't even know you weren't in your room?  Do you have any idea what that would do to him?  That would hurt him worse than anything else in the world, not knowing if his son was safe.  I I gotta know that my little brother is okay.  I just got this family.  I don't aim to lose it.  Understand?"