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My turn!
**
Lex's jaw worked as he peered at his friend. Ryan nearly seemed intimidated, but not completely. He didn't doubt that Lex was not opposed to taking a good swing at him, after all, once upon a time they'd been the same kind. Breaking out of Boot Camp when the murmuring of new areas the virus had stuck came back to them, Lex's own area on the roster. He remembered finding KC sobbing in a corner and -
"You're to *never* hit my brother, do you hear me?" Lex barked, invading Ryan's personal space and thought. "And embarrassing him in front of everyone? That's supposed to be a proper thing to do to him?"
"Lex, I know you're upset, but he NEEDS discipline! He's always handling money because he's CHEATING people!"
"What's so wrong with that then? He's doing what he sees," Lex countered. "He's smart, he can rely on himself and when he can't I'M there, that's all he ever needs to learn."
"What about culture?" Ryan argued.
"Have you SEEN our culture?" Lex laughed without humor.
"Not that, and you know it. I mean plays, writing. What about math? Just because he can collect payments does not mean that he can do more difficult equations."
"You bring this to me now? AFTER you've punished him?"
Ryan sighed, his breath slow as he shook his head. "Look. I'm sorry, I guess Salene and I took ourselves a little too far, it's just that for some of the other kids we *are* their authority, they don't have anyone else. Perhaps the ruler was a bit much, we're still not sure about the whole guardian thing ourselves, but I'll stand by the need for *something*."
Lex peered at him and folded his arms. He thought school was pointless, for his view anyway, but he was talking about his brother here. Lex knew what counted now was knowing how to handle a weapon, but maybe, for KC, the other things could be useful too. Even if he thought it was bullshit he knew that Ryan wouldn't just come up with something to waste time.
"Fine. I'll talk to him. But when he's finished learning what he needs it's over, he's out," Lex announced. Ryan nodded thoughtfully as Lex stepped forward once again, his voice low. "But if I find out you or Salene takes to hitting on him again I won't be as cooperative as I am now, whether you admit you were wrong or not."
The implication of a payback lingered darkly in his voice as he stepped back and away, leaving Ryan standing there.
**
"Oof!" Again Trudy stumbled, but didn't fall. Looking at the charging mass in her way she grimaced. "Twice in one day, this is payback for something."
"Just get out of my way."
"What's wrong with YOU?" she snarked, more out of annoyance than concern.
"Evil incarnate annoys me. Move."
"So clever," she goaded, crossing her arms. Trudy didn't know why she continued instead of moving, but it was a distraction from her own pity party. "What's wrong Lex? Another girl reject you? I thought you'd be used to that sort of thing by now."
His face dropped a little, his eyebrow rose, and Trudy could almost see the half smirk. "No one's rejected me yet and, I'll have you know, I've got a pretty good record. Want to see?"
He let the double meaning sink in. Nothing like a little verbal sparring, involving sex, that put Lex in a good mood. And fighting, preferably with someone bigger or even better so it was more challenging.
"The only thing I'd like to see is you leaving," she smiled condescendingly.
"So it's my a$$ you got your eyes on? Okay," he said, puckering his bottom lip thoughtfully and nodding.
"Never flatter yourself, besides, check your own record - which you do often, I'm sure - because I rejected you hours ago. Or did you forget so easily?"
"You didn't exactly reject me," he grinned. "Just like now, this, this is all flirting."
"WHAT? All those feathers must be poking your brain if you think . . ." She flinched back as if a flame was held in front of her face as she realized, in a way, he was . . . right . . . Ew.
She could see it come over his expression, that self satisfied -
"LEX! I know Ryan talked to you and I just wanted to tell you that it wasn't my fault I--"
"KC --"
"I just wanted to tell you though," KC continued as Trudy stood there a little shocked. WHAT was she doing flirting with Lex? Like her problems weren't crappy enough, now she was unconsciously adding an egotistical jerk in the mix. She looked up to where he was looking at a rambling KC.
"I'll talk to you--" he broke in.
"But, Lex, it wasn't me, it was--"
Trudy shook her head. She'd already resolved to start over, forget about Bray, block the Zoot incident COMPLETELY from her mind. She didn't need to add anything else to the list.
End Part Three
My turn!
**
Lex's jaw worked as he peered at his friend. Ryan nearly seemed intimidated, but not completely. He didn't doubt that Lex was not opposed to taking a good swing at him, after all, once upon a time they'd been the same kind. Breaking out of Boot Camp when the murmuring of new areas the virus had stuck came back to them, Lex's own area on the roster. He remembered finding KC sobbing in a corner and -
"You're to *never* hit my brother, do you hear me?" Lex barked, invading Ryan's personal space and thought. "And embarrassing him in front of everyone? That's supposed to be a proper thing to do to him?"
"Lex, I know you're upset, but he NEEDS discipline! He's always handling money because he's CHEATING people!"
"What's so wrong with that then? He's doing what he sees," Lex countered. "He's smart, he can rely on himself and when he can't I'M there, that's all he ever needs to learn."
"What about culture?" Ryan argued.
"Have you SEEN our culture?" Lex laughed without humor.
"Not that, and you know it. I mean plays, writing. What about math? Just because he can collect payments does not mean that he can do more difficult equations."
"You bring this to me now? AFTER you've punished him?"
Ryan sighed, his breath slow as he shook his head. "Look. I'm sorry, I guess Salene and I took ourselves a little too far, it's just that for some of the other kids we *are* their authority, they don't have anyone else. Perhaps the ruler was a bit much, we're still not sure about the whole guardian thing ourselves, but I'll stand by the need for *something*."
Lex peered at him and folded his arms. He thought school was pointless, for his view anyway, but he was talking about his brother here. Lex knew what counted now was knowing how to handle a weapon, but maybe, for KC, the other things could be useful too. Even if he thought it was bullshit he knew that Ryan wouldn't just come up with something to waste time.
"Fine. I'll talk to him. But when he's finished learning what he needs it's over, he's out," Lex announced. Ryan nodded thoughtfully as Lex stepped forward once again, his voice low. "But if I find out you or Salene takes to hitting on him again I won't be as cooperative as I am now, whether you admit you were wrong or not."
The implication of a payback lingered darkly in his voice as he stepped back and away, leaving Ryan standing there.
**
"Oof!" Again Trudy stumbled, but didn't fall. Looking at the charging mass in her way she grimaced. "Twice in one day, this is payback for something."
"Just get out of my way."
"What's wrong with YOU?" she snarked, more out of annoyance than concern.
"Evil incarnate annoys me. Move."
"So clever," she goaded, crossing her arms. Trudy didn't know why she continued instead of moving, but it was a distraction from her own pity party. "What's wrong Lex? Another girl reject you? I thought you'd be used to that sort of thing by now."
His face dropped a little, his eyebrow rose, and Trudy could almost see the half smirk. "No one's rejected me yet and, I'll have you know, I've got a pretty good record. Want to see?"
He let the double meaning sink in. Nothing like a little verbal sparring, involving sex, that put Lex in a good mood. And fighting, preferably with someone bigger or even better so it was more challenging.
"The only thing I'd like to see is you leaving," she smiled condescendingly.
"So it's my a$$ you got your eyes on? Okay," he said, puckering his bottom lip thoughtfully and nodding.
"Never flatter yourself, besides, check your own record - which you do often, I'm sure - because I rejected you hours ago. Or did you forget so easily?"
"You didn't exactly reject me," he grinned. "Just like now, this, this is all flirting."
"WHAT? All those feathers must be poking your brain if you think . . ." She flinched back as if a flame was held in front of her face as she realized, in a way, he was . . . right . . . Ew.
She could see it come over his expression, that self satisfied -
"LEX! I know Ryan talked to you and I just wanted to tell you that it wasn't my fault I--"
"KC --"
"I just wanted to tell you though," KC continued as Trudy stood there a little shocked. WHAT was she doing flirting with Lex? Like her problems weren't crappy enough, now she was unconsciously adding an egotistical jerk in the mix. She looked up to where he was looking at a rambling KC.
"I'll talk to you--" he broke in.
"But, Lex, it wasn't me, it was--"
Trudy shook her head. She'd already resolved to start over, forget about Bray, block the Zoot incident COMPLETELY from her mind. She didn't need to add anything else to the list.
End Part Three