DT Serum, Primary Testing In Progress

Lex shrugged.  "Looking for something to do with my time outside of babysit."

Ashton shook his head. "Whatever. I'm going to eat and then go for a walk around the block. I feel like I'm suffocating in here still. Wanna see if the Doc will let you come with?"

"No.  I just want to sleep," Lex sighed.  "Be careful."

Ashton nodded. He ate and threw his trash away. "Not sure what Layla's eaten all day...." He commented before he went to take his walk. "Sleep well."

Lex sighed.  Great.  He scrounged in the kitchen and put together a tray of food.  He took it into Gaster's office and put it on the desk.  "Oi.  Lays."

Layla looked up suddenly, having been lost in thought. "L-Lex! Sorry. I, ah, didn't... didn't hear you come in." She looked back down.

Lex pointed to the desk.  "Eat.  Take care of yourself.  Okay?"  He sat down on the couch and leaned back, closing his eyes.

Layla took a deep breath. "Lex... if it means anything, I don't exactly know what I'm doing either." She admitted. "I've never really cared for much of anyone before, and even less myself recently, but now I want to care for you. I'm just doing what I can, and what feels right."

Lex looked at her.  "Oh.  You heard that.  All of it?"

"Not all of it." Layla admitted. "I left while Ashton was questioning you." She hesitated. She half wanted to tell him, but she had never really told anyone.

Lex rubbed his eyes.  "I'm sorry if you heard anything you didn't like.  I didn't mean for it to be hurtful."

Layla shook her head. "It's just.... I didn't realize how lost you were in all this. I... I don't really know how to deal with this either. I've done lots of romantic things, but it was more because I had to than anything. Now it's I want to, and I'm scared of screwing up. I feel like if I don't act perfect, you'll hate me."

"So..." Lex hesitated.  "You were a Unsavory female to survive.  That ain't romantic far as I know.  I think romance is supposed to be candlelight dinner and conversation and flowers and listening and stuff, not a fast hook up for pay."  He frowned.  "What the hell is perfect?  I mean real perfect?  The only perfect I've ever seen is a cover for some major Crap under the surface."

Layla's cheeks turned light pink at what Lex described as romantic. That did indeed sound nice at least. "So how come you aren't?" She asked quietly. "Yes, you have flaws, but everyone does. You're handsome, strong, smart, and when you put your mind to it, you seem pretty darn indestructible. And you care, too. You care about your little brothers, and listen to them, even if Paul seems to be talking about any random little thing, you listen and care, just because Paul cares at the time."

Lex considered.  "I don't know," he said slowly.  "Started out just that's what I did.  I looked after people so I got protection and money and other payback.  Then it was... I don't know.  Got something more.  Now I... I guess I do care.  I don't know what else I feel.  But I guess I'm getting the hang of this feeling stuff."

"Well, feeling isn't all fun and games." Layla said a little bitterly. "Sometimes I wish I was number, especially in the past."

"Numb isn't all it's cracked up to be, either," Lex muttered.  "I think I like feeling better.  What are you hiding from?"

Layla sighed. After a few moments, she lifted her shirt and showed Lex some old, faint scares on her stomach. "My 'mother' gave those to me." She murmured. "After my dad died, she got hooked on drugs and became an alcoholic. She would get angry and yell at me, and of course I'd yell back, and sometimes she got violent about it." Layla pulled her shirt back down.

"I'm sorry.  Parents are the one you're supposed to trust.  If they won't take care of you... no one will," Lex mumbled.  "She still alive?"

Layla shook her head. "She OD'd on some hard stuff a few years ago. Hospital couldn't pump everything out of her stomach in time, and her health was shaky to start."

"Oh."  Lex didn't say anything for a bit.  Then pointed to the desk.  "Eat," he said simply.

"Have you eaten yet?" Layla asked before she even touched the food.

"I'm not hungry.  I had stuff earlier," Lex told her.

Layla hesitated a moment longer before she ate hungrily. The girl hadn't eaten anything other than what little Geena managed to coax into her that morning.

Lex watched through half closed eyes, laying side long along the couch.  His mind was a whirl.  He wanted to figure things out, to simplify things, but this... this thing with Layla wasn't something he could simplify.  Or maybe he could and he wasn't seeing it?  Lex let out a soft sight.