hacked title number 6

Lex snarled and grumbled in the same old way as he always had as he cleaned the wounds and pulled out the two slugs.  That done, he sewed Ashton up with a couple of stitches and slapped a bandage on top.  "Be more careful.  Tell me who they were?"

Ashton nodded a thanks to Lex and pulled down his shirt once more. "i think the same gang that beat up Layla." He answered. "I was in that area."

"Then that gang is going down," Lex said firmly.  "Once I'm not passing out at any second."

Ashton nodded. "While you recover, do you want me to see what I can hear about them?" He offered.

"Yes.  But don't be coming back shot again.  Or stabbed," Lex added, grumbling crankily.  "Either we'll set the cops on them or do it themselves."

Ashton nodded. "Understood. Now, how are you holding up?" He asked.

Lex considered the question.  "Decent.  Hey, Ash?  About what went down earlier..."

Ashton shrugged. "What about it? You were not feeling like your usual self, and I didn't help, didn't I?"

"I still suck," Lex said bluntly, "but thanks."  He hesitated, looking like he wanted to say something else.  Then changed his mind.  "Layla still around?  Someone should keep an eye on her."

"I think so. Want me to bring her back in here?" Ashton offered. "I seriously don't think she will stray far from you if you let her stay close."

"Yeah.  You stay close, too, in case those dam holes start bleeding again," Lex warned.

"Aye aye." Ashton nodded in firm understanding. He stood and left, returning after a moment with Layla, who smiled at Lex when she saw him.

Lex eased back, able to relax now that he knew everyone was safe.  Then he frowned.  "Hey.  I got a question."

Layla sat next to Lex on the couch while Ashton took the chair. "Yeah? What's up?" Ashton asked while Layla tilted her head curiously.

Lex wagged his finger between the two.  "I thought you two were the deal here.  Not Lays and me."

Layla furrowed her brow. "What? What made you think that?"
Ashton shook his head. "Layla's a nice girl, but she's always badgering me about you, actually. I think she's liked you since day one."
Layla blushed. "Maybe not quite that much, but Lex walking out with  no shirt on and still glistening with water certainly didn't help..." She muttered.

Lex's brows knit.  "Lex walking out... Ashton?  Help me out here.  Why would that have anything to do with anything?"

Ashton struggled to think, and finally Layla had to explain, face red. "Lex, you look sexy without a shirt on, and your muscles are gorgeous, and when they glisten a little, it's enough to make a lot of girls swoon over you."

Lex opened his mouth then closed it.  "Oh.  So... I should not do that around the house?  Or I should?  You're sending me mixed signals here with that tomato face."

"Well, around other guys, it's fine unless they're into guys, but around girls, I wouldn't exactly recommend that.... but if you do it around me, I don't know if I could stop myself from trying to kiss you and take advantage of you looking so sexy..." Layla said.

Now it was Lex's turn to turn beat red.  He looked to Ashton for help.  What was he supposed to say to that??

Ashton shrugged. He felt about as clueless and awkward as Lex. He didn't know girls and how they worked, other than to make another person you needed one and a guy.

Layla swallowed and looked down, shifting awkwardly. "Um, maybe a subject change?" She suggested.

"Okay."  Lex thought about it for a moment.  "Geena's around more.  Think they've patched things up, or just friends?"

Layla shrugged. "I don't know. I think they are definitely still friends, but I don't think she trusts him quite yet."

"They need to just hurry up and make up." Ashton said bluntly. "Everyone wants it, and at least the Doc does too, and it's just getting weird and awkward otherwise."

"Agreed," Lex grumbled.  "It's our own soap opera."