It was one of her bad days. That made it even worse when she got the news. It was bad enough that she was already feeling down on herself for her the usual shortcomings, like how she was too skinny, or how her jokes weren't that great, or how she didn't spend enough time with her family. And then when she did, all she did was annoy them. Yeah. It was one of those days where the world just seemed out to get her. She was sure of it from the moment she got out of bed, to the moment she put on her brown slides. She would be her own worst enemy, it seemed. Those awful, cynical thoughts that she just couldn't find a way to escape would follow her wherever she went.
Then she found out the truth, and she just couldn't deal with the pain anymore. She didn't even know what to say, she just kind of froze. Then… she ran. She ran as fast and hard as she could out of her home, far off to where she didn't think anyone could find her. Heck, she couldn't even find herself here.
It was better than burdening everyone else at least. That's what she told herself as she finally stopped running to catch her breath and take in her surroundings. As crummy as things were, the golden hour of the day refused to complement that with its conversely beautiful glow encompassing this almost sacred place she had discovered. A single tall tree planted firm on the ground at the tip top of a little hill, surrounded by nothing else but grass and sunset. She was lucky to have this, and she told herself that as she admired the view.
But it didn't change anything. She still felt sad and alone. That more than anything is what made her just so lucky to have found this place to call her own. Thanks to that, it made this the perfect place to sit down and rest, just underneath the tall tree, where she could bury her head deep in her arms and just cry like there's no tomorrow. Which, for all intents and purposes, there may as well not have been.
She sat there for a while like that, just letting her sadness pour out onto the skin of her arms and cheeks with the raspiest of breaths, sometimes shuddering curses at herself and others for why things had to be this way. She sat there like that until she felt a familiar presence looming in on her, one she knew all too well with just how quiet yet graceful it was. That's when she lifted her head from her arms, just barely enough so that her eyes could expose themselves to see who had come to disturb her wallowing.
She wasn't surprised to find her standing there, wearing her usually bleak expression as she paced closer and closer. Her grey eyes had something different in them this time though. There was an obvious concern, an unmistakable worry in them that came with riddled sympathy in her pale freckled cheeks. She knew she was at the very least somewhat to blame, and she felt as if it had all been her fault. Everything that weighed down on her friend's shoulders was on her as well.
It's that thought that made her get up to follow her here, but it's much more that made her keep tracking her down until she found her. It was a bond unlike other, something that she had said a few times before she never dreamed she could share with another person. And yet, she found it. She found her. The same girl that she brought this pain upon, and regardless of who or what caused it, that's what hurt the most for her own self. Knowing that her best friend was hurting like this.
She took a deep breath and heavily exhaled before deciding to take a seat by her, underneath the tree. The other girl buried her face back in her arms though, out of anger and rage, melancholy and betrayal. All of it brewed into one awful feeling that made her hope and dream that this was all just some nightmare, or a cruel joke. She could appreciate cruel jokes, at least. She did eventually muster the strength to ebb on her choking up enough to say the first word though. If only because she knew her friend couldn't be bothered to do it for what had to be a very good reason. She secretly hoped at least, in a selfish sort of way.
"I hate this," is all she could think to say, still burying her face in her arms, hoping to somehow disappear in them sooner rather than later.
The other girl said nothing for a moment as she silently contemplated. She usually wore this sort of bleak expression, mostly out of ennui and disinterest. Her friend made it easy to show some more mirth, or to even smile for no particular reason besides just feeling good every once in a while. But today, she was exceptionally melancholy. She had to bear the truth with her for a few days now, and when she realized she had to actually share it with her friend today before it became too late, just the thought broke her heart. Actually telling her nearly broke her everything…
But she found the strength to tell the truth, to bring that pain to her. She knew it was a lesser of other evils, but it didn't make it any easier. Absolutely not. But what was done was done, finished, never to be taken back. All that mattered next was the now, and doing what she could to help her friend pick up the pieces to make something whole. Just as they always did.
Even if it seemed impossible this time.
"I hate it too," she almost whispered, her voice even weaker than usual. And for a moment, she was quiet again before she decided to just let her heart do her talking for her, rather than overthink and overanalyze like she was one to often do. "Everyone's worried about you. You really scared us back there."
The other girl raised her head now, looking to her friend with murky eyes that had practically smeared her face with their tears. She almost seemed offended by those words, and the sharpness of her voice let it show with her response. "Oh, gee Maggie, I'm sorry if my agony is an inconvenience for you guys. I'll try harder to suck it up like a big kid next time. Oh wait! There won't be a next time!" she cried.
Hearing that cut her like a knife. She knew that no matter what she said, she couldn't change the one irrefutable truth that wrought them this grief to begin with. She could try to say things to make her friend feel better, or to distract her from the inevitable, but she couldn't change it. She couldn't change a thing. She wore that pain in her eyes as she looked away to face the ground, silently considering just what to tell her in response to her outburst. The words didn't come easy, but again, she didn't have to overthink them. She just knew she had to try anything to show she cared.
"Luan… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. For everything," she began. It took her a moment to catch her breath, to keep from choking on any other words as she proceeded, but she was able to with some stroke of undeserved luck. "I should have told you sooner. And I guess I could have picked a better time. But I guess there really wasn't a good time to tell you I'm leaving, huh?"
Luan sniffled as she was able to ebb on some of her bawling, looking away herself as she tried to fix her eyes on nothingness in the form of arbitrary distance. She just wanted to pretend this wasn't happening, but if she had to face it, she at least wanted to alleviate some of her discomfort. She wanted to find something suitable to reply with, to show that she wasn't a totally lost cause. But the words didn't come. She just couldn't find them through her dark, cloudy thoughts.
It was okay for Maggie. She wasn't going to force anything or ask anything of her. She knew that it was all on her to try and raise her up from this doubt, even if it was the most challenging thing she'd ever had to do. It was bad enough getting sentimental when they knew they'd face each other again, like they didn't really have to and things could somehow work themselves out. But in a cruel sort of way, it was even harder to say what she needed or wanted to say now, in a moment where it seemed like all the time they had left was draining like sand in an hourglass.
"I tried everything I could. I tried begging, crying, I tried everything. But Mom told me we really don't have a choice. We have to go because that's just what's going to be the best for us, she said," Maggie explained, trying to sound pragmatic without sounding patronizing. It didn't matter though. It didn't make either of them feel any better. Even so, she kept talking, because she felt like the only thing she could do, for once in her life, was just to say how she felt. As if it could somehow make a difference. "She said it wouldn't be until the end of the month. So at least we have some time left to…"
She froze with that thought. She wasn't really sure what she could say in those regards. She knew what she was trying to get at, but it was in that moment that she realized she just couldn't stay strong like she thought she could. She had made a big mistake, and now she was just saying things to make it worse.
She turned back to Luan, her bleak expression having changed into one of clear dismays. "I don't want to lose you, Luan. I love you. I love you more than I've ever loved anything," she professed, practically begging for mercy with her tone. She wasn't going to cry. She knew she wouldn't even if she sort of wanted to, if only to make Luan see that her feelings are real. But the brunette could see sense the anguish coming from her friend, one that oddly meshed well with her own. It wasn't anything entirely foreign. After all, their friendship was really molded on such a foundation. And while that didn't make her feel any better about the idea of them being separated, she felt a strong desire to put her own desolation to the side if it meant she could help Maggie heal.
"And I love you. Why do you think this hurts so much?" she began, sniffling once again. She made sure to keep her eyes locked with the ravenette now, that desperation to keep away from them having been well replaced with an empathic surge of empathy. "You're gonna be leaving me, and I'm gonna be alone again. Just like it was before I had you."
It was a very sad thing to consider for both girls, the idea that they would possibly be alone. It was something they both shared an equally compelling fear of, now even more so that they had each other's companionship. But Maggie had thought about this, and she anticipated possibly having to make reason with her uncertain friend. Heck, she had to make reason for herself.
"That's not true though. You have your family, they love you so much," she assured Luan. "And just because I'll be… away, doesn't mean I won't still talk to you. I'll text you and call you, and you'll get sick of hearing from me."
"Yeah right. It'll be the other way around," Luan scoffed, almost like she had just heard a funny joke, almost like she was trying to make one herself. It was enough to make them both smile just a little bit, but she knew that this was no laughing matter. It wasn't something to laugh about. Especially considering what all of this meant for their new situation, far away from each other. "Look, I know you're going to make new friends. And I know you won't have time for me like you do now."
"Luan," Maggie tried to interrupt, but she kept going anyway.
"I just want you to be happy though. So if you need to forget about me to keep doing what you have to do. You do it, okay?" she insisted, even if it hurt. And while it did warm Maggie's heart slightly to consider that Luan really did love her enough to mean what she said, it also burned.
"Luan, listen to me. I will never forget you. Ever," she started again. "Look, this really bites. If I could flick a switch to make it to where I could stay here with you forever, you bet your bony butt I would," she stated, trying to sprinkle in a little humor like the other girl had a knack for doing. She wasn't as good as it, she didn't like doing it much. But she knew Luan liked it, and she knew that even she needed some sunshine for her own cloudiness in this moment. It was enough to get them to just barley smile again, but like before, they quickly deflated knowing just how defeated they really were.
"I know," was all Luan said in return. She could have argued, she could have gotten angry or impatient and said things she didn't really mean just for the sake of it in this crummy time. But she knew Maggie loved her, and she wanted her to see she cared too. She followed her here, at the very least. So she could try to make up for that just a little bit.
"I hope so. Because it's true," Maggie held firm before letting out a dejected sigh. For a little while, Luan just looked to her, studying the greyness of her pale face as she looked to the sunset. She was always talked about how much she loved the night sky and the stars, so maybe she found comfort in the sun too. Maybe she liked to think of it as a reminder that things all have a purpose, or maybe she just didn't want to keep staring at Luan to keep from feeling uncomfortable. Either way, she just looked to the horizon for a bit before meeting Luan's gaze once again. "Look, I know we give each other a hard time a lot. I still think your April Fool's pranks are terrible."
"They're supposed to be," Luan quipped, sniffling only once more before wiping a tear from her eye.
Maggie didn't smile, but Luan could feel she was a little amused by this. Just being together made them feel better about things, it always did, even in the worst of times. Now was no different, even when it seemed all hope was gone. Funny enough, as alone as they felt individually, that's what helped them form this current rapport now. Something they've done countless times before.
"I know. But the point I'm getting at is, there's a reason we work so well together, you know? There's a lot of reasons I like you so much," she replied. "So trust me when I say that no amount of distance can keep us apart. I could move to flippin' Argentina and I'd still go out of my way to talk to you. I'd send carrier pigeons if I needed to. I'd learn telepathy."
"You've been talking to the undead with Lucy again, haven't you?"
"Mostly for the laughs."
"You hate laughs."
"No, I hate how you make me laugh even when I don't want to."
Luan loved her so much, for this very reason. Even in the worst of times, she could make her smile. And she was lucky enough to say she could return the favor by making her Magpie smile back. And for a short while, there little banter was enough to make them forget everything that had them so distraught. It was enough to make them laugh, even!
But only for a few, unforgettable seconds. Eventually, they got quiet again. And while they got quiet, something had clearly changed. It was enough to get Luan to stop closing herself in, and it was enough for Maggie to stop being afraid to reach out. So she invited Luan to accept her embrace as she raised her arm to wrap it around her shoulder, and Luan wasn't hesitant to snuggle herself next to the girl. She still had some watery eyes, but they weren't nearly as bad as before. She felt that the storm had come to pass, and while she realized things weren't really all right, she felt that for now at least, they could be okay.
"I'm really scared," she admitted, wearing her heartbreak on her sleeve. Maggie felt it too, and those thoughts that had been on her mind so much ever since discovering she would be leaving Royal Woods flooded her mind's eye again. It was so much to take in, and she couldn't help it, her eyes began to tear up a little too. She knew she wouldn't be able to cry still, but there was enough pain to do this to her.
"I know. I am too. But I'll do everything I can to hold on to this. Someday you'll be a big time comedian, and I'll be the store manager of Edge Topic, and we'll find a way to be together again. No matter where it is," she said, donning a weak grin as some of their hopes and dreams they had shared managed to work their way into her sadder thoughts. Luan sure appreciated it as she smiled too, taking her hands and resting them on the girls' wrapped around her. They were so warm, so comforting, just as they had always been. And that serene familiarity brought with it the impulse to make light of darkness, something she just found to be second nature thanks to her.
"But you can't be the store manager. You're not sharp enough."
Maggie took a moment to really digest the joke, then softly sighed. "That one was objectively stupid."
"It was supposed to be," Luan simply told her, looking to meet her grey eyes once more. In their mutual gaze, they found some greater comfort, they found more reason to feel okay. They realized things would get painful again within the next couple weeks, but for now, in each other's embrace, they could let that go for a little while. They could just relax knowing they had each other.
"So… now what?" Luan soon asked.
Maggie thought about it again, like she tried to do before her emotions got the better of her. "I don't know. But like I said, everyone was worried. We should get back before they really start to freak."
It was rightfully so. As hard as it was to think that her family couldn't quite connect with her the way Maggie did, it wasn't for lack of trying. Mom, Dad, Lincoln, Lori, Luna… they all loved her. Her little sisters, her older sisters, they all wanted the best for her, and the best of her. They might not have appreciated her sense of humor all the time, but they did appreciate her spirit, and her compassion that came with wanting to make others feel happy.
It was only fair to go and let them know she would be okay. She might not have had an easy time admitting she was truly cared for, and part of her felt guilty for making others care so much. But at the very least, she owed it to them to go and explain herself, and to help them ease their minds.
Deep down, she knew they'd make her feel better if she'd let them, too.
So, with that, she nodded at Maggie, who used her finger to lovingly cup her chin before making her way to stand up. She did a little stretch, and for a moment, she lost herself looking to the sunset as she did before. It really was beautiful the way it shined over just her and Luan at this hour, almost like it was made to serve them with its glow. Yeah, it was a reminder alright. It was a reminder that when all else failed, at least they could find some light in darkness somehow.
She was ready to move on though. She had done enough contemplating the meaning of things for one day, and now that she had her Luan to herself, she was ready to just relax and take things in stride for the evening. Tomorrow would have to come, it always did. But until then, she just wanted to try and put their minds at ease.
However, as she began to walk, Luan took her by her arm. "Hey Mags, wait." The black haired girl gave her friend the attention she requested as she made it to her own feet, and for a moment, she stayed quiet as she thought of how to say what she wanted to say to her. "After we play crowd control and stuff, there's something I want to ask you. Something… kind of complicated."
She wasn't quite sure what she meant, she really wasn't. But she knew it had to be important, and while it may not have been something she could easily take for herself, Luan had the gumption to at least bring it up to her now. That was enough to make her feel she could press further, even if it meant it could cause more tears.
But then again, it could lead to more laughter. There was only one way to be sure.
"You can ask me anything, Lu. Anything at all."
Luan pondered it further, nervously rubbing her arm before deciding it was okay to go ahead and say just a little more. "Well, it's kind of lame. But there's something I've always thought of us doing. And, well, since you're going to be leaving…"
Maggie's eyes widened a little, and she casually responded with some flirty sarcasm, "Well, I'm glad to see you have your priorities in order."
Luan could read the innuendo, and weakly laughed. "Don't flatter yourself, I'm not that easy," she quipped before settling down. "But seriously…"
It wasn't often Luan used the S-word, so Maggie simmered down herself. "Alright. What is it?"
Luan blushed as she mentally composed the request for herself, and she would blush even harder after she leaned in and whispered it for only Maggie to hear. Now Maggie didn't blush, no. She was visibly taken back a bit though, and she made it obvious with the way she shook her head and slightly rolled her eyes before meeting Luan's bubbly, smiling face with a little grin of her own.
"You're right. That's really lame."
"I know, right?" Luan simply responded, trying to mask the fact that she really was anxious about the thing she had asked of her. She didn't do a very good job of hiding it, but that was okay. Maggie could relent from her usual displeasure of all things saccharine this one time.
"But for you Luan, I'll do anything you want. As long as we have each other."
Luan beamed brightly at that, and that's what got Maggie to blush. Then, without another word, the usually melancholy girl invited her to take her hand, to which Luan happily accepted. Then together, they made their best effort to forget everything that had pained them on this day, just looking out on the day of another dream with each other.
She was never a fan of the way she looked. Yeah, she was sure to rock her Edge Topic T-Shirts with a sense of Black Parade pride, because it was important that normies realized just how against conformity she was. But she didn't really like her… well, anything. People really only noticed her for her chest it seemed, or for being some sort of symbol for exclusion. Like a caution sign. In a way, she liked being unnoticed by others. But unfortunately, she always had to be around herself. Which was really, really hard some days.
Today… not so much. It had gotten easier to like herself more since meeting Luan, that much was true. She still had her days where she tried to avoid mirrors as much as possible, to the point where it could even be considered a case of spectrophobia, but there were other days where she could even find herself somewhat attractive in the right light. And today was one of those days.
It probably had something to do with the fact that she had gotten herself dressed up nice for her date tonight. She had Lola help her coiff her hair up nicely, and she asked Leni to help her find a nice dress to wear too. It had to be black, of course. And it had to look good with boots. Luckily, the Loud sisters didn't let her down. They knew this had to be important, and that (along with their almost strange fascination with getting Maggie to wear something that isn't a graphic T Shirt) was enough to make them drop everything they were doing to make the emo poppler into a scream queen.
She took a deep breath as she thought about what she had to do next, and she let her happier thoughts travel with her heart as she made her way out to the Loud family garage. Normally, this sort of thing would make her feel embarrassed and stupid. She was not at all a fan of things that made her look vulnerable or even caring, but this was for Luan. And they were running on limited time.
And, well, truthfully… She was kind of looking forward to it. Yeah, she was nervous. For a lot of reasons. But there was also some relief from pressure with knowing that they had an excuse to be putting everything on the line tonight. They didn't have to worry about losing a sense of closeness the next day, or worrying that screwing up could put a wedge between them. No, she knew that tonight was all about fighting to keep a sense of togetherness, and to savor some of the last moments they had together before she had to take her leave.
Those thoughts gave her the determination to place her hand to the door of the garage, and to actually twist the knob to open it. Inside, everything was different. All of Mrs. Loud's tools and handiwork projects had been moved elsewhere, as well as Vanzilla and all of the boxes full of mementos and useless junk that the family had been hoarding for heaven knows how long. Streamers and lights had been set up eloquently along the rafters and the walls, and there was even a little table made for snacks and drinks with a pristine white cloth on top of it. The center of the garage had been cleared out to provide ample room for movement between any parties involved, and aside from the speaker/stereo system set up along the easternmost wall, only one other thing was worth taking notice of.
A pretty little girl with a bow in her hair.
Maggie couldn't help it, her jaw actually fell upon seeing Luan Loud standing their in her beautiful yellow dress. Everything that she had done to get ready for this evening made her compare to some sort of Roman statue, one that practically shined with the chiaroscuro of the room. Luan blushed as she timidly rolled her hands before her, sinking her neck into her shoulders a bit all bashfully. Because Maggie looked amazing too.
"Hey," she simply greeted, failing to find any other words to say.
Maggie struggled to regain her composure as her mouth stayed agape a moment longer, and it wasn't until the Loud daughter let out an adorable little giggle at her expense that she shook herself of the stupor. "I like what you've done with the place," she was eventually able to muster out.
"Thanks. I had Luna help," Luan responded. Then for a little while the two girls stayed quiet as they looked to one another, then other ways to make it alone but keep a straight face before facing one another again. They really took time to appreciate and admire the way they had gussied themselves up, and knowing full well that Maggie wouldn't be able to untie her tongue in this moment, Luan took the initiative to speak up. "I like what you did with your hair. I won't brush that off," she joked with a smile.
Maggie couldn't fight the smile that crept up on her own face with that. After earlier, it was great to see Luan making jokes again. "I wanted to look nice for you."
For a moment longer, silence made way into the room again, but only until Maggie decided to ask the question that had been niggling its way in her mind since anticipating this encounter. "Are you doing okay?"
Luan took her time to really ponder that question, but she didn't seem too conflicted as she composed her answer. "I think… somehow… things will work out."
The two of them warmly smiled at one another once again, happy with the trust they could place in that notion. Things would eventually become tough again as Maggie's leaving day would draw nearer, that was certain. But the other thing they could completely have faith in was that, for tonight, things could be perfect. They could be fearless, they could fall head over heels into security. They weren't alone, either. They had each other to fall with.
"I'm happy to hear that," Maggie told her, and that was all that they needed to say.
Luan then made her way to the stereo, and pushed the button to turn it on. It only loaded for a moment before the first track to a CD Luan had Luna burn for her with 'songs that remind me of Maggie' began to play.
*Up on melancholy hill there's a plastic tree. Are you here with me? Just looking out on the day of another dream… *
*Well you can't get what you want, but you can get me. So let's set out to sea. 'Cause you are my medicine when you're close to me… When you're close to me…*
They gazed deep into one another's eyes for what seemed like weeks before wrapping their arms around one another. In those eyes, they remembered everything that made them love each other so dearly. The passions, the pains, the pleasures, the things that made them perfectly imperfect for each other. And in their arms, they felt what they knew all along. They were meant to find one another. They were meant to someday share this dance, to lose sight of all their fears, insecurities, and doubts as they wandered almost aimlessly along with the melody of a song seemingly made just for them.
It wasn't a bad day anymore. It had a become a perfect night where they could stay lost forever.
"Luan? Luan?"
She breaks her gaze away from the photo album, turning to face the woman calling her. "Huh?"
Maggie stands at the door frame, having painted all her makeup on and wearing an actual shirt instead of just a tank top or hoodie. She wears a bit of incredulousness on her face, one that's freckles have slightly faded with age. "What are you doing?"
Luan just sort of stares at her for a moment as she tries to convalesce, only to remember she does have the picture album wide open on her lap. "Oh, uh… Just…" she stammers.
Her wife pussyfoots her way over to join her on the bed, catching eye of the album. She recognizes some of the pictures in there, all pictures of the two of them and some or the memories they've shared together over the years. It's a happy thought to know that her partner still takes time to do things like this, but she also knows just why she is now of all times. She makes it evident too with the way she smirks at Luan.
She just smiles too, deciding there's no need to be embarrassed. "I'm taking a page out of your book and being overly sentimental," she jokes.
Maggie considers whether or not she wants to engage in a similar manner or not, but deciding that there is already an air of sentimentality today, she goes along with it. "Well, I could have pictured you doing that."
Luan just laughs, "You're bi-polaroid."
"That… was so awful and forced," Maggie responds, nodding with approval.
"I take pride in my crap," Luan jokes back. Then comes a pause as she and her wife look back down to the album. Inside, there are dozens of snapshots from some of their most remarkable days spent together. A picture from the time they watched Lynn, Lincoln, and Lana beat each other up in a triple threat match for the Loud Wrestling Championship, one from the time Luan did her makeup to look emo like Lucy and Maggie; Lucy insisted she was a goth instead though.
Then there were the time when they cosplayed as Starfire and Raven for Halloween, and the time when they fell asleep watching movies on the living room floor. One of her favorites was the one of her playing guitar for Maggie in her bedroom, a lot of love went into that one.
Her favorite of all though was the one of them sitting on a park bench in the summertime, confetti in their hair and little rainbow flag in her hand as her eyes welled with tears of joy. Something about this image on the two of them together was actually magical. It never failed to tug at her heartstrings.
She makes that obvious as she wipes a tear from her eye. If she's going to choke up over this of all things, then Maggie is going to stop her before she can go through the wedding day and Lois' birth day pictures.
"She's only going to be gone for a week. She didn't die," she says, finally addressing the elephant in the room.
Luan breaks away from another reverie to look back to her, softly laughing at her quip. Despite everything, this woman always knew just the right thing to say to get a smile out of her. "I know. It's just-"
"It's not even the first day and you're already crying," Maggie adds, smirking again.
Luan dons an unimpressed expression at first, then sighs with wistfulness. "I'm just going to miss her so much. It's her first time really doing something on her own… away from us..."
Maggie laughs. "Listen, I'm more worried about us. I've seen what you're capable of after graduating Clown Camp. She's going to be scarier than Pennywise." Luan doesn't really react to the joke, and seeing that she may not be at her strongest, Maggie decides to ease up on the teasing. Instead, she'll be supportive. "She's going to be fine. Hey… You came back to me after so long, didn't you?"
"Yeah, I guess I did, huh?"
With that, the two just share compassionate smiles, at least until their favorite voice in the world starts hollering from outside the hall.
"Mom! Mom!" Lois calls out, rushing her way to the door frame. She just kind of looks at her parents for a moment, and then meets them with frustration. "What are you guys doing? I'm ready to leave!"
The two mothers roll their eyes in unison, then show off that mental synchronization that can have but one explanation as they begin seeing just how ready she really is.
"Did you pack your extra retainer?" Maggie asks
"Yes, Mom."
"And did you remember your phone charger? Remember my story about having to borrow Giggles'," Luan adds.
"Yes! I remembered everything. Now can we please go?" their daughter begs.
Luan takes another moment to really think it over, but she comes up with one last thing. "Did you remember tire patches? You might get the rusty unicycle at juggle training."
Lois is prepared to argue again, but has to stop herself as she realizes that she doesn't have tire patches. "I- I will get some. But then can we go?"
Her moms look to one another to gauge their reactions. Maggie had been ready for a while now, but they both knew that. And they also know that the only one who was still having some trouble with this is Luan.
But she remembers Maggie's words about them finding each other again. And she remembers how no amount of distance that ever came between them ever got in the way of the true love they both shared over the years. If that was true, then she knew one week away from her daughter wouldn't be so bad after all.
She didn't have to say anything, she let her eyes do the affirming for her. And seeing that, Maggie took the initiative to set things in motion. "Alright, I'll go get the car started," she said, standing from the bed to go join her daughter in leaving the room.
Luan can sort of hear them saying things to each other as they walk out into the hallway and down the stairs, but only vaguely. She knows that whatever they're saying to each other has love behind their words, and that's all that really matters. It's the same love that she feels every time she lays eyes on the two of them, the same love that fills her to the brim every time she sees the pictures in her family album and escapes back to those days. Pictures that, no matter how many times she sees them, make her smile wide like she did on that park bench that summer day.
…
With a heavy heart, Luan is the last to make it to their car outside. She assumes the passenger seat of the vessel, and once she's comfortable within her seat belt, she briefly glances at her wife Maggie just to show her that she's as ready as she'll ever be before turning to the backseat. There sits her only daughter, her pride and joy, Lois Loud. She's taken things from her other mom, sure. Her freckles, her hair… her snark. Yeah, she was really great with the attitude when she wanted to be.
But she's a lot like her too. She loves laughter and making people smile, and is a fan of the arts. Although this week would mean she'll be dedicating her life to clown school, she'll very well be practicing more of her magic tricks there, Luan is sure of it. She has to just stare at and admire the fourteen year old girl, losing herself in the emotions that she's felt so many times for her and her mother before. She wasn't sure of a lot of things in life, even now that she's getting up into middle age. But one thing she was sure of, just like that day up on melancholy hill, is that she loves these two. More than anything else in the world.
Eventually though, Lois grows concerned with the way she's getting gawked at. "What?" she tartly asks.
Luan just smiles. "Nothing."
With that, she sits back in her seat, and Maggie shifts the gears to get the car going. Funny enough, she used to be terrified of getting behind the wheel. Nowadays, she doesn't think anything of it. In fact, it would seem her and Luan both just sort of drift off into their thoughts as they stare out the windshield and window respectively, likely thinking some of the same thoughts about how to spend a week without their daughter at home. They have their work to tend to, that's a constant. Edge Topic doesn't manage itself, and neither does Funny Business, Inc. And they can always go visit their nieces and nephews and other Loud relatives back at Franklin Avenue. Their arms were always wide open for company.
And of course, they'd make time just to sit back and unwind, and talk to each other about everything they've come to know and love and become curious about, just like they did when they were kids. Some things just never changed.
Luan takes a break from her daydreaming to look to her, and while she's able to just admire her from a comfortable distance for a few seconds, Maggie realizes what she's doing soon enough. While she might have been sour about it all those years ago, back when they were just teens, she probably would have cringed, or rolled her eyes, or done anything of the sort that made it seem like she hated it when really she didn't. Now though? She just smiles back at her wife, and puts her hand on the console for her wife to take it.
And Luan gladly accepts.
It would seem all is well in the world, even with her baby girl leaving her. But she knows that she'll be back soon enough, she knows she can trust in the fact that her family will be here for her no matter what, no matter the distances. it doesn't stop her from sneaking another little look at her daughter from the rear view though.
While she had put on this mask that she was only happy and excited to be going on her trip, and that she didn't mind at all that she'd be leaving her parents for a while… Luan can see a familiar anxiousness in her eyes. She knows better than she could ever imagine what that must feel like. And while she knows there is only so much she can do for her, just like her parents before her, she also knows how important it is to just stop and have a laugh every now and then.
"Hey Lois. Wanna hear a joke I heard yesterday?" she asks.
The girl perks up a little, calmly responding. "Alright, let's have it."
"Why didn't the clock eat dessert?"
"Why?"
"Because he went back four seconds."
Maggie has to groan sigh at the stupid anecdote, but Luan just wears a proud smile as she watches her daughter burst into laughter. It wasn't often she got her so good, but apparently, she had never heard this one before.
"Pffffft! Alright, that one was actually really good. I'll have to remember it," Lois tells her.
With that, Luan turns her eyes to her wife once more, and Maggie returns the look. The morning sun in her face really shows her age, but that doesn't worry Luan any, in her eyes, she's everything. She's fought tooth and nail through thick and thin to try and make that obvious. And while it was really hard some days for the both of them… they somehow found a way. They somehow found each other, every time. And knowing that, Maggie can't help herself. She has to smile back at her, just like she always ended up doing.
And while Lois wasn't one to open up about these things… like, ever… she loved that about her moms. They didn't fight very much, and they always seemed to bring out the best of one another. She didn't think of them as opposites attracting like so many others liked to point out, she saw them as the perfect match. For every pun, there was a groan to remind her it was awful. For every rant about conformity and the status quo, there was a joke about nothing being normal. And for every stupidly cute, serendipitous little picture worthy moment that came around every so often, there was a smile. There was always a smile.
For Lois, she was a girl with a lot of uncertainty. There was a lot she had to learn about the world, people, and herself. She was scared to admit it, but she wasn't one to ignore it. She just worked through it in her own way, trying to go by the examples her loving parents had set for her. And while she couldn't be sure where her path could lead her, she could rely on one thing.
If ever she was lost, she could look to them.
THE END.
Hey everyone, I hope you're well. And I hope you enjoyed this Luaggie one shot. That being said, I have some long winded things to air out. Things I've been planning to say for a while, and things I think the people I care most about will be interested in hearing.
I'm not finished yet, but one day I will be. I have Captain Carol and Christmas Carol to finish, and you never know, I could find the determination to bust out another one shot or something here and there. But for all intents and purposes, I decided to write this story as if it would be my very last. I started off in this fandom writing about Luaggie, and I want the idea of them to be the shield I'm carried out on. The pairing means more to me than anything fictional ever has, and well… I'm just never going to stop loving them. Stage Plight can happen fifty more times and I will still love Luaggie.
But as much as I love them, I'll always love all of you more. Some of you that have been with me since the very beginning, some that maybe just recently I've come to know and be privileged to talk to. I can list a lot of names, and while I'll be lame and say that my fellow Agents of Memes are my family who I'll punch Brock Lesnar and Thanos in the face for, I can't thank you all enough for this.
Where my path will lead me, I can't be sure. But if ever I am lost, I'll look up to… well… you.
Thank you so much true believers. I won't ever say goodbye, but for now, I'll say see you later.