Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino

Bohemian Serenade

By Lola Presents

Chapter 1

Luna Loud has always been a dreamer, and though she did well enough in school, she had other plans post-graduation. Unlike most of her peers, who either went to college or entered the workforce, Luna focused on her music. It was challenging to say the least, but Luna convinced Sam, Mazzy, and Sully to postpone college aspirations, claiming they could always do that later.

After two years of hard work, she and her band, The Moon Goats, began picking up notoriety. After another two years of playing statewide, a local producer named William Casey, or Bill as he preferred, pitched them to his label. Although it took a few listens and more than one meeting, Future First music signed them.

The Moon Goats' first album came out a year later, and they have been touring the country, headlining for a variety of top-name artists. Calls home became increasingly infrequent, let alone visits. The holidays and summers never seemed the same without her. Of course, Lori and Leni had already left home.

Between then and now, Luan and Lynn had also left, making the blow even less traumatic. Still, their absence got felt by the remaining siblings. For one thing, the noise level in the house got dramatically reduced due to the others not having to compete with her music to get heard. These days, the only thing that broke the monotony was one of Lisa's explosions.

While Lincoln didn't particularly want Lori and Leni to leave, he was particularly stressed once Luna moved out. She had always been one to bring a sense of life and positivity to their home. But, as time passed and the noise level settled, he began to think otherwise. Lucy kept to herself, and the twins grew up, becoming more independent.

Life was good for the boy until he entered high school when his social life began to suffer. The first tragedy occurred between their first and second year in high school when Zach's and Rusty's families moved out of state. The second came near the end of the second year, when Liam's family fell on hard times, forcing the boy to take a farmer's release to help out.

Lincoln, Clyde, and Stella remained good friends until the summer of their sophomore year. However, Stella found love and began dating Corey Johnson. Though she tried to manage both, the girl eventually drifted away from their group to pursue her interests. Unfortunately, Clyde wasn't much better, having formed an unusual interest in sports.

More accurately, Clyde's interest was in the cheerleaders, specifically Addison Beckett. Signing up for weight training classes in his sophomore year put the young lad in good stead for joining one of the varsity teams in his senior year. Still too short and thin to play football, not to mention his need for glasses, he opted for the baseball team.

While Lincoln continually added new friends to his pool of acquaintances, he never felt comfortable with a formal group again, spending most of his junior and senior years moving between them. It was hard enough having friends come and go, but graduation was probably the most challenging thing he'd ever done.

Walking across the stage was exhilarating until he remembered that he only had his parents and his five younger sisters cheering for him. Lincoln wasn't the best student at his school or even the second best, but he wasn't the worst either. He was an average Joe in a long procession of them, waiting their turn to accept their awards at mediocrity.

Standing on that stage, with his hand out to receive his diploma, Lincoln finally realized that he had no life goals. He'd spent his entire youth centered around others, primarily his sisters. Though he was still fascinated with comics, science fiction, and the occasional horror novel, they had taken second place to simply making it through the day.

After graduation, he floundered from one entry-level job to another before finally landing a position in the print room at the local newspaper. How he wished he'd joined Clyde in weight training classes. The job was great, and he and his coworkers had a lot of fun, but it wasn't all typesetting and layouts. They also took care of most of the heavy lifting and moving.

Then one lazy summer afternoon, as Lincoln relaxed on the couch with his remaining sisters, something unexpected happened that changed his entire world. His older and now somewhat well-known sister, Luna, walked through the front door completely unannounced. Bearing gifts for everyone, mainly band merchandise, she greeted her family warmly.

"Yo! Dudes!" she exclaimed with exuberance. "What's up?"

"Luna!" they all declared, instantly cheering up from their eternal boredom.

"I'm sorry?" asked their father as he peeked out of his bedroom. "Did someone say Luna was here?"

Rita was the first to hug her daughter after pushing Lynn aside and forcing the girl to set the bags on the coffee table. "Oh, my, God, honey!" she cried into Luna's shoulder. "It's so good to see you!" Rita added before backing away to look her over. Then, furrowing her brows, she couldn't ignore the relatively silent years. "I understand not visiting as often, but you could call more, you know..."

"Sorry, Mom," cooed Luna, blushing as she sighed. "Business tends to consume everything, including my time."

"Which makes me wonder..." sighed Mr. Loud, hugging his daughter second. "Why are you here?"

"Yeah!" chirped Lily. "How long are you going to be here, anyway?"

"Sadly," relayed Luna, staring at the carpet. "Not long," she informed her family. Then, purposely walking over to the recliner Lincoln still slouched in, she kicked the upright footrest and barked, "I only came to offer this sad sack a real job. If he wants it, that is."

"Me?" asked Lincoln, pointing to himself as he tore his attention away from the anime that played on the small screen. "What do you mean?"

"Listen, little bro. I heard you've been having a difficult time with jobs recently," she reminded him. "And, we just lost a roadie. So, I thought, maybe you could use a little excitement. You know, join the crew on the road, see the world, have some fun, and maybe find something you want to do along the way. What do you say, brah?"

"I'll pack his bags!" chirped their father, only half joking.

"Uh..." stammered the stunned young man. "I don't know. I mean, this is kind of sudden. People don't usually drop in unaccounted and offer someone a job. How do you know I'm even qualified?"

Luna folded her arms and scowled at him. "Dude, seriously? You know my gear better than anyone, and you look plenty strong to me. Besides, who better to look out for yours truly than her brother? I mean, nobody else is going to have my back like you."

"Well..." muttered Lincoln as Lola and Lana forcibly removed him from his seat and stood him up before his older sister.

"Take the offer, ding dong!" exclaimed Lana. "There's no telling where this might lead!"

"Seriously, Lincoln," added Lola. "I'd kill for an opportunity like this! Just think of all the celebrities you'll meet!" Then, upon reconsideration, she amended her statement. "Okay, an opportunity sort of like this, only without the manual labor and responsibility."

"Alright!" chirped Lincoln after his sisters finally convinced him of the positive side to things. "I'll do it! Where do I sign?"

Luna chuckled. "Bruh, you don't have to sign anything," she laughed. "It's not like you're joining the band itself. Just pack your things; we leave tomorrow morning."

The rest of the evening reminded Lincoln how boisterous the house could be with the right siblings. The family spent the evening reminiscing and cutting up, and the atmosphere over dinner got charged with excitement. Lincoln and Luna discussed everything from what there was to do on the road to where they'd be staying.

Lincoln was enthusiastic about the potential of this job. Not only had he not felt grounded for some time and needed an opportunity to spread his wings, but he was going to get to do it with Luna, the star of Royal Woods. However, he wasn't too keen on the lodging arrangements, which primarily consisted of a bunk on Luna's tour bus. Still, beggars can't be choosers.

After dinner, Luna insisted on helping her brother pack. After all, she knew the ins and outs of touring; what to wear, what not to wear, and how to pack light. Sighing at a few of her choices and recommendations, he decided to defer to her experience and packed accordingly. Once the two suitcases got loaded with things he'd need, they got ready for bed.

While Luna still had a bed in her old room, she asked Lincoln if it would be alright to bunk on his floor instead. Though Lincoln didn't understand why she'd pass up the chance at sleeping in a real bed, he conceded. It had been a while since he'd seen her, and he still had many things to discuss, let alone hear more about life on the road.

"Do you ever get lonely?" asked Lincoln as he lay in his bed, his arms folded above the covers.

"Sometimes," Luna admitted with a yawn, dropping to her normal voice. "Mostly, we're too busy to get lonely. And when we're on the road, actually traveling, we have each other. The band mates, I mean."

"So..." Lincoln prepared to ask, always curious about the private side of touring. "If you don't mind my asking, what's it like as far as dating goes?"

"Dating?" sighed Luna, furrowing her brows, unseen by Lincoln. "If that's what you want, you're better off staying here. I mean, yeah, you meet a ton of people, but it's all very short-lived. Keeping up with people, much less dating, is a nightmare."

"I see," sighed the young man. "What about you and Sam? How do the two of you get time alone?"

Luna took a deep, thoughtful breath, then relaxed. "Dude..." she muttered tiredly, "we aren't together anymore. She's still with the band, though, contract and all. But..."

"I'm sorry," apologized Lincoln. "That's too bad. I won't pry, but it must be hard working with her now."

"No, it's okay," sighed his sister, trying to make herself feel better. "And, it is. Sometimes. She developed a fairly bad drug problem, and she tends to get in trouble a lot. So, I broke up with her about a year and a half ago. Didn't you know this? Don't you pay attention to entertainment news?"

"Not really," returned her brother. "I'd always get depressed whenever they had something negative to say about you and the band."

"Really?" Luna whispered. "That's sweet. But, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Maybe we should get some sleep now."

"Yeah..." yawned Lincoln, grabbing his covers and rolling toward the wall. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Lincoln," cooed Luna before yawning and getting settled.

The night flew by with unexpected ease. Neither Lincoln nor Luna recalled having any dreams that night. While Luna was merely exhausted, Lincoln was excited, and it surprised him that morning had come so soon. Either way, Luna was up long before her brother and had already headed downstairs for breakfast when he came wobbling into the kitchen.

"Hey, bro!" chirped the twenty-four-year-old as she chowed down on a slice of cantaloupe. "Sleep well?"

Lincoln's eyes still hadn't adjusted to the morning light, and he struggled to focus on her, rubbing his head. "Yeah. I guess I so," he told her, choosing a seat and plopping into it. "I usually sleep a lot later than this, though. So, like, I'm not sure what happened."

"It's called excitement, Lincoln," snapped Lisa after setting her orange juice on the table. "Your body is rife with endorphins, so you had trouble sleeping."

"Well," sighed Luna through a big smile. "You're going to have to get used to it. We keep odd hours and might get woken at any time. Sleep when you can, but do it hard because you never know how long you'll get."

"Here you go, dear," Lincoln's mother cooed as she set a plate and a mug of coffee in front of him. Then, standing back, she stared at him with her hands clasped by her waist. "Oh, this is so exciting, isn't it?" she asked rhetorically. "My little man is off to see the world and get famous."

"Mom," grumbled Lincoln as he dug into his oatmeal. "I'm only going to be a roadie. It's not like I'm going to be on stage or anything. Nobody pays attention to them."

"You'd be surprised, bruh," Luna interjected as she ate. "Not everyone goes backstage, you know. Those who don't have passes mingle with the roadies. You'll get plenty while on the road, trust me."

"Plenty?" inquired Lincoln, eying his sister as he swallowed.

"Come on, bro," whispered Luna, leaning closer. "You know..." she muttered, "sex?"

"Luna Marie Loud!" exclaimed their mother, waving a wooden stirring spoon at her. "I thought I taught you better than that. That's not a good meal-time topic."

"Well, what did you expect?" gasped Luna in her complaint. "I tried to be subtle, dude. But he didn't get it. I had to be more specific!"

"Just finish your breakfast so I can clean up," Rita sighed, finally taking her coffee into the other room.

Lola and Lana pointed and giggled, blushing profusely at the mention of the word, while Lisa rolled her eyes. Lily didn't pay any of them any mind, instead focusing on her breakfast. It wasn't until afterward, when everyone met in the living room to say farewell to Lincoln, that the reality of his leaving hit them.

"Look, guys," he pleaded before all the misty-eyed faces. Well, all except Lucy's, whose bangs hid her feelings. "It's not like I'm going away forever. Plus, we can always call each other. Though, like Luna, I don't know how much time I'll have. So, if there's anything you want to say, now's the time."

Without a word, Lola stepped forward and hugged her brother tightly around the waist and pressed herself against his chest. Then, stepping back, she told him what was on her mind. "Lincoln," she said. "You've been the best big brother any princess could want. You always took time away from your schedule to play with me and coach me for my pageants. And, even though I always seemed to take it for granted, I didn't. You be careful out there. Alright?"

"I will," Lincoln replied, smiling back at her."

"Shoot..." mumbled Lana as she walked over with her hands in her pockets, taking them out only at last to hug him. "You know I'm not good with this mushy stuff, but Lola's right. You've always been there for us, and it's nice to see you finally do something for yourself. And, if you ever get stressed, find yourself a nice mud hole to wallow around in. It'll cheer you up for sure. At least, it always does me."

"While I wouldn't advise that, myself," interjected Lisa. "I concur with my fellow siblings' sentiments. You mean a lot to us, Lincoln, all of us. And though it means losing yet another test subject, it's nice to see you excited about something for once. Even though I don't believe in luck, I wish you the best in your future success."

"Thanks, guys. You mean a lot to me too," Lincoln sighed as his sisters said goodbye. He then faced Lucy, who appeared to want to say something. "Lucy?"

"May the Fates bless your journey," moaned the fifteen-year-old girl, handing him a stack of hand-made business cards with her name and number. "If you meet any vampires out there, give them one of these, please."

Smirking while raising one brow, Lincoln stuff them into his pocket. "You bet, sis," he told her, despite knowing none of them would ever get handed out.

"I'm gonna miss you, Lincoln," cried Lily, hugging his leg. "You're the best and deserve the best. So, go out there and get it, big brother! Just..." whimpered the young girl. "Bring some back for me, okay?"

"Okay, tater-tot," Lincoln replied, mussing her hair. Then, with a sigh, he grabbed the two suitcases that sat by his sides and picked them up. "Well, we should be going. Mom, Dad, thanks for everything you've done over the years. I hope that one day, I'll be able to repay you."

"Don't worry about it, son," replied his father as his mother hugged him tightly, weeping. "You don't owe us a thing. Just pay it forward, one day, when you have kids of your own."

"I will, Dad," Lincoln muttered, beginning to feel tears welling up. "Mom, Dad, all of you. I love you guys. But..." complained Lincoln. "If you don't let go of me, we aren't going to make our flight."

"Oh, right," sobbed Rita as she pulled away, smiling at her son. "You stay in touch. Okay? And, make sure your sister does too. If you don't, you'll get the spoon next time you're in town."

Laughing, Lincoln followed Luna to her rental and placed his bags in the trunk before joining her in the front passenger seat. Of course, Luna had to turn on the radio before pulling into traffic, not that there was much on their little street, drowning out any chance at conversation on the way to the airport.

"Where are we headed, anyway?" Lincoln finally got to ask once they'd arrived at the terminal.

"Charlotte, North Carolina, dude," the girl said enthusiastically. "We got a show there tomorrow, opening for Twenty One Pilots."

"Ah, cool," replied Lincoln, unsure what he was more excited over, meeting famous people or working with his sister.

Seeing the expression on his face, Luna read him like a book. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she nipped the nervousness in the bud. "Relax, Lincoln," she cooed, staring into his eyes. "They're just people, like us. Stick with me and be yourself. Okay?"

Lincoln nodded. "Okay," he conceded before exhaling a breath he'd been holding all morning, then followed her into the terminal.