DT Serum, Primary Testing In Progress

"Sam..." Ashton laughed softly. "Sam I believe just see himself as a misfit. Did you know, that kid Sam is entirely to blame for Lex still being alive, and by proxy me being alive, and both of us living here rather comfortably?"

Tramp tipped his head, unconvinced.  "Sam is a misfit and I'm a virgin.  He's so quiet and... forgettable.  A wallflower.  Did he alert the doc or something when you were in trouble?"

"he kind of tried to insist on Lex teaching him how to fight." Ashton explained. "Persistent kid too. But one time Sam was looking for Lex.... well, remember a guy by the name of Black Jack?"

"Yeah, he got slaughtered bad," Tramp nodded.  "What about him?"

"He and his goons attacked Lex one night, and nearly did him in, but Sam found him and Gaster patched him up. Lex nearly killed himself again looking for me, and that's how we came to live here pretty much." Ashton said. "So it's Sam's fault you and I are both here having this conversation."

Tramp scratched the back of his neck.  "I guess I can't go blaming him, now can I?"  He sighed and leaned back.  "I'm glad he's okay.  I.... I never had a good experience with homeschooling."  He smiled crookedly at Ashton.  "I guess you can blame my lack of trusting you on that.  Start grooming the paranoia young, and it's hard to get over."

Ashton looked away. "How I wish I could say I had no clue what you were talking about. Next to you and Lex, I don't like talking around people much, and there's still things Lex even doesn't know all about."

Tramp snickered.  "I'd be disappointed if you didn't have a sad sack backstory, love."

Ashton hesitated. "We can test that." He decided cautiously. "You tell me yours, and I'll tell you mine."

Tramp actually laughed at that.  "Ashy, darling, when has any street kid told the truth about their past?"

Ashton shrugged. "Fair enough, but I always strive to be a man of my word. I said I would never kill another person, and it stands true. I always believed that my word and my integrity, even as a street rat was something that could never be stolen."

"That makes you a better man than me," Tramp admitted with a sad smile.  "I lost that a long time ago."

Ashton smiled a little. "Well, I wouldn't have known that had you not told me. And besides, you can always turn over a new leaf. My little brother managed to forgive me for not even remembering he was related to me."

"Last I heard I'm an only child, but how can you forget who you're related to?" Tramp asked quizzically.

"I guess you could say I have some amnesia." Ashton explained. "I remember less and less prior to a certain incident of my life, and the most memories I had related to it. Before that, I hardly remembered the family that gave birth to me, and barely that I had a little brother I abandoned years ago."

Tramp considered.  "Forgetting your brother sucks.  Not so much forgetting a bad family.  I guess?  Must not have been great if your little brother is now with you, and you didn't mention him being on the streets."

"But he was on the streets." Ashton said with a sigh. "I don't remember it, but apparently he was out on the streets not long after I ran away nearly ten years ago. Shuni was still a kid, and had to survive on his own as a little guy with no home and no family. Luckily, he forgives me now, and is actually quite huggy and snuggly."

"Is that why the cats are such a big deal?" Tramp asked, a spark of sympathy in his eyes.  Little kids on the street always broke his otherwise caged heart.  They had so little chance of survival, and those that did... well, sometimes survive was all they did.

Ashton nodded. "An old cat he called 'Mama' basically raised him, and helped him figure out how to survive. He literally learned from alley cats and in turn, they did their best to take care of each other. Just about all the cats in this house are his, or came with him here."

Tramp looked around at all the cats watching him suspiciously.  "That explains a lot.  Poor kid.  I'm glad you found him a place.  With you.  And the others.  I mean.."  Tramp groaned and stared at the ceiling. "My small talk needs work."

Ashton laughed softly. "To be honest, I think it's kind of endearing." He said quietly, his face blushing a little.

Tramp lifted his head to look at Ashton.  If he didn't know any better, he would swear Ashton was crushing on him.  Really?  No.  No, he was just out of it and jonesing for a hit.  Tramp suddenly asked, "What was your street name?"

"Huh?" Ashton asked. He had been distracted and didn't hear the question.

"Your street name," Tramp repeated.  "What was it?"

"The only one I remember using and probably the most note worthy one was the Gollum, or the Shadow's Right Hand, or the Shadow's Shadow." Ashton answered.