It was a calm night at the Loud house, which was basically a gift to the heavens to not only the normally... Well, loud inhabitants of the house, but to the entire neighborhood as well. After a day of the Louds' hijinks, there should've better be a quiet night as well.
And it was quiet, for the most part.
However, in the bedroom belonging to Lucy and Lynn Loud, the latter was having trouble sleeping due to the former not only moving around her bed in an uncomfortable manner, but also moaning in displeasure.
"Lucy, can you stop that?" Lynn asked, getting the goth to wake up.
"I'm trying, but I'm having a lot of trouble doing so," Lucy sighed. "Every single time I try, I get this horrible nightmare that haunts me until I wake up again."
Lynn's sisterly instincts immediately started tingling, and so she went to Lucy's side-which seemed to make the goth a bit uncomfortable-and asked, "What happens in that nightmare?"
"Lynn, you're too close for my comfort," Lucy meekly remarked.
Realizing her mistake, the athlete separated from the goth, then heard intently as Lucy explained:
"I'm in a dark void. Several beings, much taller and much stronger, tell me that I mean nothing. That I'm a toy, a plaything to be used and discarded when it's no longer useful. I try to deny it, to get them to stop, but they never shut up. And they never explain why they think that, they just do."
"I'm no psychologist, but this nightmare seems to be based on a lack of self-esteem and self-value," Lynn thought, frowning in sympathy for her sleepless sister. "Well, no matter what that nightmare means, I have to do something to help her."
And so, Lynn put a hand on Lucy's shoulder, and stated with a reassuring smile:
"Lucy, I can assure you that what those beings are telling you is nonsense. You don't belong to anybody, and you're not a toy or a pet or anything like that. You're your own person, with control of your own destiny, and you must never allow anybody to make you think otherwise. Because in the end, the only opinion that really should matter to you, is your own opinion. And if it's the same as them, then I promise you I'll help you change it for the better."
Though her eye-obscuring hair... Obscured them, Lynn could tell that Lucy's eyes were glowing in relief, almost as if all her fear and anxiety from the nightmare had disappeared.
Lynn's speeches seemed to have that effect on people, as long as they weren't about bragging about her victories, that is.
"Well, how do you feel now, Lucy?" the athlete asked, returning her sister to reality. "Think you can sleep peacefully now?"
Upon hearing that, Lucy did something unexpected: She got as close to Lynn as possible, grabbed her arm with her hands, then requested with a meek tone:
"P-Please tell me that again."
"Perhaps she's having trouble processing such a long, inspirational message?" Lynn pondered, and considering Lucy's usual... Demeanor, she probably had the right idea, or something close enough. "Maybe a shorter version will get across more easily?"
And so came the abridged version:
"Lucy, I can assure you that what those beings are telling you is nonsense. Because in the end, the only opinion that really should matter to you, is your own opinion. And if it's the same as them, then I promise you I'll help you change it for the better."
And then Lucy did another unexpected thing, she sat on Lynn's lap, wrapped her legs behind her back and her arms behind her neck, and slighly looked up to her with a little blush.
"Tell me that again," Lucy requested, this time sounding a bit more happy than before.
"Did you went to check out Luna's latest concert before coming here?" Lynn asked, clearly growing exasperated with her younger sister. "I mean, seriously, why is it so hard for you to hear what I'm trying to say?"
"This is the last time, I promise," Lucy replied, subtly sounding worried and desperate. "Please, Lynn, just tell me those words one more time. My sleep depends on it."
Lynn, opting to trust her Gothic sister, rolled her eyes and begun the third repeat:
"Lucy, I-"
And then, Lucy kissed her.
On the lips.
The next thing that happened was that Lynn and Lucy separated, with the jock spitting out to try and get the taste of Lucy's mouth from her mouth.
"Lucy, what the hell was that all about?!" Lynn complained, all while the goth couldn't help but cover her mouth as she giggled uncontrollably. "Why did you decide to kiss me all of a sudden?!"
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Lucy said in the middle of her laughter. "I really needed to see something funny after the nightmare I got, and I couldn't think of anything else."
And then, Lynn asked, "Let me guess, Luan gave you the idea?"
Lucy's little nod pretty much confirmed Lynn's suspicions. Once the taste of Lucy's mouth had left her tastebuds, Lynn took a deep breath and folded her arms.
"So, do you feel better?" the jock asked, looking away as she blushed a little. "Can you sleep now?"
"I think I can, yes," Lucy hugged her older, athletic sister. "Thanks a lot, Lynn."
The jock tried to go back to her bed, but unfortunately, Lucy's grip was much stronger than she thought, for she couldn't move off the bed. This could only mean one thing:
"You want me to sleep with you, don't you?"
The goth rubbed her head up and down Lynn's belly in a manner similar to nodding, alongside a little, "pretty please?" moan. And so, Lynn sighed and tucked herself and Lucy on the goth's bed, all while the younger Loud didn't loosen her grip on her sister's stomach. Although, judging from how Lucy started snoring, it was safe to say the goth fell asleep almost immediately.
Fortunately, she wasn't moving around in an uncomfortable manner anymore. Rather, she just quietly snored with a smile on her face-quite a rarity for her-which made a feeling of satisfaction surge through the athlete as she smiled, and decided to return the favor.
So she returned the hug, and fell asleep as well.