DT Serum, Primary Testing In Progress

Lex managed a slight head shake, staying where he was.  "Need to breathe," he whispered.  "Can't breathe."

True smiled and touched her cheek.  "And you gave me the ability."

Ashton moved and rubbed Lex's back in a way he saw Shuni do to help cats that had trouble breathing. "Deep, calm breaths...." He murmured in instruction.

Kat smiled brightly at True and kissed him happily.

The rubbing seemed to help.  Lex wasn't sure if it was because of the actual rubbing, or the soothing motion, or the fact that he had the physical reassurance that someone was there with him.  His labored breathing eased gradually, coinciding with the easing of his migraine.

Ashton noted Lex relaxing, and when he seemed a lot more relaxed, he quietly asked if he felt better. All Ashton really wanted and needed was his best friend and brother to be okay. He had spent so long relying on and caring for Lex, that he kind of needed Lex for mental reassurance too now.

Lex took a deep, careful breath.  "I'm okay," he whispered, still sounding winded, but breathing easier now.  He turned his head enough to see Ashton.  "I'm fine.  F-k, you look like sh-t, you know that?"

Ashton huffed. If Lex had been better off, Ashton might have tussled him. "And you look like an old man that got hit by a car going seventy five." He retorted. "So, better than you."

"Seventy-five?  That's exact," Lex smirked weakly, pulling himself together.  "I'm going to bed."  He stood and started to the door.  He paused in the doorway and glanced back.  "Hey, Ash?  Tomorrow's Saturday, right?"

Ashton thought for a moment. "I believe so. Why?" He plucked up Night and pet the kitten.

Night snuggled in, still unnerved by Lex's reaction.  
Lex shrugged.  "I was thinking maybe we could take everyone to the park tomorrow."

Ashton smiled. "Sounds fun. You bringing Layla too?" He asked with a grin. He meant so that Lex could get close to Layla.

"Sure, it might do her good," Lex agreed calmly.  "True and Kat, too.  They need to get out of that damn room."

Ashton chuckled. "Probably. They may get a little stir crazy and try crazy things out of boredom and being locked in a room with someone of the opposite gender for too long..."

Lex glared at Ashton.  "Don't go there.  Night."  He headed to his own room and stripped down to boxers before climbing into bed.  It wasn't long before he passed out.

(Wonders if Layla tries to cuddle Lex tonight or not.... and decides not, and to wait until Lex likes her a bit more)

Ashton shrugged before he snuggled down with Night on his chest and fell asleep.

On the couch, Layla eventually passed out as she was reading.

The next morning, Lex got up at his usual time, bright and early, and sat on the roof, staring out.  He used to spend most of his days sleeping and his nights prowling, but he was making an effort to change that.  After about half an hour of watching the world wake up, he went back inside and headed to go downstairs but paused when he saw Layla.  The girl looked ready to fall off, her face smooshed into her book.  Carefully, he lifted her head enough to remove the book then tried to nudge her back onto the couch.

Layla was completely out of it. In her sleep, she tried to cuddle Lex's arm, muttering incoherently about something that sounded like marriage and ice cream.

"Yes, Lays, you can marry the ice cream man," Lex soothed, patting her head as he tried to extract his arm.  How was she wrapped around it??  Was she part octopus or something?

Layla almost purred in her sleep and snuggled Lex's arm a little more, which probably didn't help things. Layla in reality was a cuddly person, and in her sleep, she was still a cuddler.

Lex huffed softly and continued trying to get his arm free.  He muttered soft curses and finally hissed, "Ash!  Ashton!  Get in here!"

Ashton sleepily came in. "Mmm?" He asked, still tired.

Lex nodded toward Layla.  "I need a hand here."

Hugs - who had been sleeping on Layla's side - shook his head and gave Lex a disgruntled look.  What was he doing to his person?

Ashton took in the scene a moment before he pulled out his phone and snapped a discreet pic and stalked over. "Um, how am I suppose to help, other than by waking her?"

Lex scowled at Ashton.  "After you get me out of here, I'm breaking your phone.  For now, can you just pull her arm or something?"

Ashton rolled his eyes. "Or, I could just delete the picture." He reasoned. "And why don't you just wake her up?"

"Because she needs her sleep," Lex reasoned, "and I don't want to get hit when she sees I'm so close to her.  And my arm kind of close to..." He indicated how she was hugging his arm to her chest.