hacked title number 6

Ally shook her head. "I-I'm fine Sh-Shuni." She insisted.

Layla gave him a gentle smile. "Maybe while you eat, I can show you what I brought?" She suggested.

"Please, Ally?" Shuni begged, tugging gently.  "You need rest to work properly."

"Sure, okay," Lex agreed.  He tried to sit up, but his ribs and weak arm wouldn't let him.

Ally frowned at Shuni and adjusted her glasses. "Sh-Shuni, I s-said I'm f-fine. I-I've done th-this kind o-of thing before!"

Ashton, faithful as always, helped Lex up gently, using pillows to help prop him while Gaster hit a button that made the bed he was on raise so Lex could lay back and still be more upright. Layla offered a pillow to use that was from Lex's bed. "I got this and a blanket from your room, since there is a small part of us that recognizes the familiar smell and can be relaxed, even if it's not obvious."

Shuni backed away, feeling hurt.  He just wanted to help.  "Sorry.  I go find Ash."  He scurried out, heading for Lex's room.

"Thanks," Lex wheezed to Ashton.  He accepted the pillow, looking at Layla.  "Thanks.  That's smart."

Layla smiled a little and brought out the blanket, putting it over Lex's lap and handing him the food. "I also brought some candles, cocoa mix that should taste how you like it even if you use hot water instead of milk, cookies, puzzle books, and this." She showed Lex each thing, pulling out the rubix cube last, already messed up. "If you want, I can bring you some fresh clothes next time. I, ah, didn't think you'd want me going through your closet without permission."

Lex took the cube, eyeing it skeptically.  "What is this thing?"

Shuni edged into the room, looking for Ashton.

"It's called a Rubix Cube." Layla explained. "The objective is to match all of the colors onto the same sides by moving the collumns and rows around." She demonstrated some, but this puzzle wasn't her forte. "Anyway, I thought someone like you might enjoy the puzzle and challenge."

Ashton looked at the door when he saw movement, and gave Shuni a little smile. He still did not like it here, but tried to put on a brave face for Shuni.

"That was really nice of you," Lex said slowly, setting it aside so he could eat.  "What made you think to bring all this?"

"Can we go into the next room?" Shuni asked softly.  "It's crowded in here."

Layla blushed and looked down. "Well, I was talking to True last night, and he told me you didn't exactly like being in hospitals or labs, so I wanted to try and help you feel more comfortable."

Gaster decided to step out. Besides, he, like Ally, had some computer work to do.

Ashton nodded and walked out with his little brother. "What's up, Shu?" He asked.

"Oh.  Thanks."  Lex finished off the pancakes and pushed the plate onto a tray.  "Not a bad cook.  You into puzzles, too?"

Shuni shrugged.  "You?  I want to make sure you okay.  You are upset.  I help?"

"Some. I am more into the puzzle books than Rubix Cubes." Layla said with a smile. She handed him the books she picked out. "These two are just ones that have a variety of puzzles in them, since I didn't know what kind of puzzles you might like."

Ashton frowned. "Shuni... don't worry about me." He said a little firmly. "Something has upset you. Was it those bullies again? They must really have a death wish at this point..."

"Which ones do you like?" Lex asked.  He'd never worked on a puzzle book before.

Shuni shook his head.  "I'm okay.  I want to help you.  Please?  You help me and Lex.  You are scared here.  I want to help."

Layla smiled and showed Lex a couple of her favorites. They were the ones that combined abstract thinking and logic together. There were also some in the book that were more thought based, and even a few math based ones.

Ashton sighed and ran his hands over his face, "Shuni, I am here on my own accord, and I know I am making myself stay here and keeping myself scared on purpose, but there isn't anything you can really do to change that, Shu."

Lex followed her through the puzzles.  He was best at the math ones, but he did alright on the thought process and logic ones, but the abstract he had trouble with.  And those were the ones he was drawn to because they gave him difficulty.

"I can help you be calm, let you sleep," Shuni suggested softly.  "Please let me?"

Layla made mental notes for what to get Lex in the future. She lit a candle, which did a good job at getting rid of the clinical smell of the lab, instead making it smell lightly of cinnamon. She offered to make him some cocoa while he worked on the puzzles.

Ashton shook his head. "No, Shuni. I'll be fine. Besides, I can't sleep in this place."

Lex accepted the cocoa, but half way through the mug, he fell asleep, pen still in hand.

Shuni touched Ashton's arm.  "You need sleep to be good for Lex.  I can help.  Please?  Just lay down."

Layla smiled softly and gently took the book and pen from Lex, setting it on a table before gently pulling the blanket up and trying to make him comfortable. Admittedly, she was quite tired herself after pulling the all nighter, and the caffine from the coffee was finally reaching it's end.

Ashton sighed in frustration. "Why are you being so damn insistent on this?" He asked.

Lex stirred a little at the movement but didn't wake.  He sighed in his sleep, relaxing in the scent of cinnamon.

"Because I want to help!" Shuni suddenly cried desperately.  "Please!"

Lex jerked at the sudden cry, looking around for the threat.

Layla jumped a little too, especially when Lex reacted to it. She stood and went to investigate. "What's going on here?" She demanded when she saw Shuni and Ashton.

"I'm fine, and Shuni isn't letting me be." He growled. 

Layla looked Ashton over. "Ashton, go for a walk, clear your head, and then come back in a few minutes after you've calmed down."

"I'm going.  Ashton can stay," Shuni said bitterly.  He turned and ran out, taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Layla gave Ashton a frown and ran after Shuni. "Shuni, wait!" She called out.

Ashton sighed and went back to Lex's room.

Lex frowned at Ashton.  "What was that?"

Shuni kept going.  He didn't want to stop!  He wasn't going to.

"Shuni kept insisting I needed to relax and sleep, but I'm fine." Ashton grumbled as he sat beside Lex.

Layla was stubborn and kept following Shuni. "Shuni, please stop!" She begged. Layla was determined to make the sweet kid feel better, as long as she could get to him.

Lex snorted.  "The hell you are.  You look worse than I feel.  And you made Shuni run out crying.  Exactly how is that fine?"

Shuni finally stopped on the stairwell, too tired to keep going.  He kept his back to Layla, crying.

Ashton looked down, feeling guilty. "I... I just don't want him to worry about me." He said softly. "He needs to focus on making himself happy."

Layla caught up with Shuni and carefully brought him into a hug. "There there, it'll be okay." She said gently. "Do you want to tell me what happened? I may be able to help."