DT Serum, Primary Testing In Progress

"Yep," Lex answered, taking another drag.  "One a day is great for that irritable gut disease thing.  Other stuff, too, but what tobacco companies don't want you to know is they put fiberglass in cigarettes and chew to slice up your gums and let the nicotine enter your blood faster.  Then the cuts get infected and you end up with gum disease and lose your teeth.  Awesome, right?"

"She doesn't expect it to go well," True commented as they rolled along.

Sam thought for a moment. "What about making your own cigarettes then? Then they wouldn't have the fiberglass or all the other harmful chemicals." He suggested.

"Then I'll have to shatter her expectations." Gaster said. After a moment, he stopped walking and looked at True in a panic. "True! How do I even date?! It's been over a decade since my last one! What if I say or do something weird or accidentally creepy?!"

Lex xmirked and pulled a joint out of his pocket.  "I do.  And you're acting like fiberglass, so get lost.  I gotta take care of him anyhow."  He gave Black Jack's man a firm kick to the ribs.

True sighed and caught Gaster's arm.  "Dad, you are weird, and that's part of what makes you awesome.  Do yu know how long it's been since Geena's last date?  I'll bet just as long."

Sam looked a little downcast. "Can we hang out again?" He asked Lex.

Gaster still looked panicked. "What do I wear? What should I say? Where should I invite her to? Someplace fancy?"

"No.". Lex pulled the guy over his shoulder and started walking.

"Some place nice, but not fancy," True told him. "Start small or you'll scare her. Wear something nice, but not a tux. Okay?"

Sam tried to follow him. "Please?" He asked. "And why not?"

Gaster nodded some. He was still incredibly nervous.

Lex stopped then turned and held up Sam's knife.  "Because the next time I see you, I'll be taking more than your pocket knife. Now scram!"  He shoved the knife into his pocket and strode away, weaving into the first alley and taking the back roads toward Black Jack's territory.

"Why don't you go check on Shuni while I see what Sam's up to?" True suggested.  "Divide and conquer."

Sam stopped and was upset now. "No wonder no one wants to be your friend. Whenever anyone tries, you shove them away." He murmured before he teleported back to the bathroom at the lab. He cried some to himself. For a small time, he genuinely wanted and thought he and Shadow could have been friends.

Gaster nodded. "Good idea. I need to work this afternoon, so I will check on Shuni before heading to the lab."

True gave him a salute and rolled into the lab.  Upon hearing that no one had seen Sam since he'd gone to the bathroom hour(s?) ago, he went straight there and knocked on the door.  "Sam?  Sam, you okay?" he called before trying the knob. He'd never been in the bathroom here and so didn't know if it was a single room or one of those big ones with the stalls.

Shuni and the cats had cleaned the house while the others were gone, and now they all lay in a heap on the floor napping.

It was the kind with all the stalls. Sam quickly wiped his face and tried to make it look like he wasn't crying. "Yeah?" He opened the stall door and poked his head out to see True.

Gaster raised his eyebrows, impressed. He saw everything was fine, and Shuni seemed happy. Gaster quietly left a note for Shuni before he slipped back out and to the lab.

True frowned, noting the slight redness to his brother's eyes.  Awkwardly elbowing the door open, he wheeled himself inside and went to him.  "Hey, what's wrong?"

Sam hesitated, but decided to tell True an edited version of what happened. "Well, there's someone I want to be friends with, but when it starts seeming like we could be friends, he tells me to get lost and leave him alone."

"Maybe he's not worth being friends with, or maybe he's protecting himself," True suggested. "Why do you want to be friends with him so bad?"

"Because there's times where he doesn't seem that bad andbeven almost friendly." He sniffled.

"Sounds mental," True said bluntly. "Dad doesn't know about this new pal, does he?"

Sam shook his head. "Please don't tell him. I really want to be friends with this guy..."

(Sorry. Dinner)

True continued to frown but slowly nodded.  "If he asks, I'm not going to lie, but I won't tell him unless he asks.  Deal?"

Sam nods and hugs True. "Thank you. You're the best brother someone could ask for."

True grumbled softly but hugged him back tightly.  "Just be careful, okay?  Now clean up and come on.  Dad's going o be here soon to check on you."

~

Lex arrived "home" tired and grumpy, his head hurting.  He was so sick of migraines and headaches!  But he'd had to live with them for years.  Still, sometimes he wondered if they were getting worse.

Sam nodded and cleaned himself up some. "Better?" He asked True.

~

Ashton looked up at Lex. "Hi! Welcome back. I cleaned up some, and made a list of stuff we should get soon." He paused as he noticed Lex's mood and wordlessly handed him a joint.

"Better," True confirmed.  "Will you open the door for me, please?  Never could get the hang of bathroom doors.  Got myself locked in one for over an hour one time before someone came to let me out."

~

Lex snatched the joint from Ashton and slumped down, lighting up and smoking moodily.  He didn't say anything for a long time.  Finally, "What?"

Sam nodded and got the door. "Of course."

~

Ashton sighed and shook his head. He sat on the couch. "I worry about you, man."

"Thanks."  True wheeled out and waited for Sam before heading down toward Gaster's office.  "How do you get there, anyway?  Are you a teleporter like Dad?"

~

Lex gave Ashton a somewhat started and bewildered look.  "What?" he repeated, confused.

Sam nodded. "Yeah. I think dad and I have all the same powers because of the genetics part of how the DT Serum operates."

~

Ashton looked at Lex steadily. "You're the closest thing I have to a friend, Lex. Yeah, you may not be the easiest to get along with sometimes, but you always seem to have my back when I need it, and I appreciate it." He smiled a little. "Why else did you think I did all those small things just to make your life a little easier or you a little happier, even when it wasn't exactly necessary?"

"Cool."  True peered into Gaster's office.  "Dad?"

~

Lex looked away and shrugged awkwardly.  "Keep me happy to be kinder to you, I guess, I don't know," he mumbled, fiddling with his joint.  He didn't really want to think about having a friend.  Friends were a weakness to be exploited.  Friends smiled then stabbed you in the back.  Maybe not all, but anyone on the streets would, right?