Going to try this again. Maybe I'll balance this and Day Comes. A few days for this, then a few for that. Wish me luck!
Chapter 10
Luna's New Start
Luan awoke with a heavy yawn, stretching both arms and immediately regretting it, feeling her knuckles brush hard against the top bunk. An instant wince threw her in a fit, and she bit her tongue in the process. "You really gotta remember that, Luan! Third time this week!" She blew heavy breath against her fingers, massaging them delicately. She really had to be careful, otherwise she might wake up her sister...
She froze, as did her brief anger. She recalled the previous night, happy with the family, but feeling so torn up inside over the previous school day. Every class flowed perfectly, and she even got a giggle out of the principal, but that didn't make it any better. She still felt the sting against her bottom landing hard on the walkway to school, brought on no doubt by a crazed Luna. With no reason, being pushed like she was nothing.
Was she angry, or sad? She didn't know, but seeing her sister flee their room for Lincoln's got her nerves all wrapped in a bunch. She sighed; being emotionally confused was always a dreadful experience. "Jeez, cheer up! Put a 'blanket' on it and... eh, not feeling the puns right now. Well, as long as it's not the runs! Eh, close enough."
She stood up, looking towards the top bunk. As expected, Luna never came back. A cold chill went up the comedians spine; even knowing this would happen still stung her harder than it should've. To see her older sibling lying on that bed, crying her eyes out over something she refused to share just made everything worse. What the heck was she hiding? Sam and her broke up? Mick determined rock was dead? As she looked in the mirror, making sure that pony-tail was as sharp as it could, Luan wiped away some stressed sweat against her brow.
"Wonder if Lincoln's gamble was right?" She asked, remembering the final act she did last night. Even when angry, she still cared, and her little brother decided to be kind and share his cereal for once. Anything to cheer Luna up. She needed to eat, that's for sure. Another sigh. "Man, I should be making gags, but all I'm doing is gagging over being worried! She had to have eaten it!" She looked down. "I hope..."
By the time she put on her comedic bowtie against her neck, a wonderful smell permeated through the air. Luan was used to smelling wonderful stuff coming from the kitchen (and it was a nice detour from, er, other odors that often made themselves known), but to feel the wonderful scent approach her personally like this was quite the unusual sight. A delightful aroma came up with the sound of marching feet, carefully navigating themselves up the stairwell, each step a perfect stride to keep the perfect gift at hand. Needless to say, the young Loud looked on in shock as their door was quickly approached with a gentle knock, even if it was already ajar.
"Uh, come in?" Luan asked hesitantly.
She was already shocked enough to smell the wonders of the day, but upon seeing the new occupant, she nearly leaped out of her yellow socks. Luna Loud returned to her room, carrying up a tray of breakfast that honestly looked quite delectable. Amazing to say, considering of all the Louds, the rocker's strong suit wasn't exactly in the culinary arts. Luan watched as her older sister placed it down against their tiny bedside table, still looking weak and thrown off, yet having a smile that the very least looked genuine and supportive.
"H-Hey, Luan," Luna spoke in a whisper, seemingly filled with guilt herself over the previous night. "I, uh, decided to make you and Lincoln some, er, breakfast. Hope it's... rockin'." She seemed scared to look over at her younger sibling, choosing instead to keep that heartfelt smile going, even if her words came out a little weakened. She brought her eyes up towards the window, before sighing again. "Heh, I... I hope you like it. Probably used to much cinnamon on the toast..."
If Luan was the shocked one, then that became wrong come the next action. The comedian didn't give her older sibling any time to prepare for the massive hug she was thrown into. Luna jumped at the feeling, but didn't push away, instead taking it all in, closing her eyes at the warmth of love she so dearly missed. Her silence was rather deafening, but the younger sister refused to speak herself. She wanted things to be quiet for a little bit. If only just for a moment, bringing enough peace back for the two of them to share.
Didn't take long for Luna to return it, at last letting some tears come out. "Sis... I... I didn't hurt you, right? Please tell me you aren't bruised and such!"
Luan nuzzled her head against Luna's neck. "What, me? You think I can't take a small push? Prat-falls are the basics of comedy! I barely feel it when hammers smack against my head!"
"... You don't actually do that, right?"
"Hey, every comedian worth their water-flower has to have one joke they regret!" She broke her embrace temporarily, looking into Luna's eyes, giving off a serious vibe that was rarely seen by any family member. Concern, yes, but rarely serious. "Besides, it wasn't the push that hurt, y'know?" She brought her gaze down, closing her eyes midway. "You... you pushed me, and I... I don't know. You scared me."
Luna felt like curling up into a ball and hiding away in a box, hopefully never to come out. She, like the rest of the family, had her moments of anger and strife that often lent itself to pain and woe. It was sadly a common experience with a family so large. Even still, it was a habit she wanted to break so badly, and to see it rear its ugly face again, especially outside of any actual reason for being mean, made the rocker shake herself down to her core.
"Luan, I...," she tried to speak, but found no use from her tongue. The words just couldn't be located in time. Not that this bothered Luan, who seemed to surprisingly understand her dilemma. Well, most of it, at least.
"Lunes, you don't have to tell me everything, okay? Just... you're scaring all of us."
The purple-clad young lady looked over at her sister, showing some shock, though that didn't last long. Luna had no reason to feel any sort of disbelief. She saw how everyone was reacted right off the bat. Still, she sighed in defeat. "How bad?" she asked bluntly.
"How bad? Badder than Lori when she loses her phone! You were all good a few days ago, but then out of the blue you've been acting like, I don't know, a zombie?" She stood away from Luna, allowing her hands to do a lot of the talking. "I ran into your band, and they're completely freaked out. You didn't show up to lunch, and you skipped dinner twice now! I don't even think you ate at all since you got those tickets!" She walked close, still showing that serious face. "Did Lucy enchant you, or does Lola have something on you that's dangerous? Wait, are you the glitter queen and the guilt's driving you bonkers?"
What is with this glitter nonsense? Luna smacked herself across the forehead. Somehow she wished everyone would've ignored her blights, but then again, how could that happen if she kept showing it to everyone? Sadly, all her theories were perfect to describe this pain, and yet completely wrong at the same time. Her mind still feared sharing the info with anyone else, but she knew it to be a necessary evil. She can't let it kill her forever, right?
At last, Luna folded her arms over her chest, looking down at the food she made. "It's... none of that. Really, it's... hard to explain..."
Luan stomped her foot. "Well, try me! I don't want you suffering and not getting help! I'm not just a joker, okay? I'm known for my mastery at being a doctor!" she grinned, stretching out two gloves she suddenly had over her lanky hands.
This prompted a shake of the head from her sister. "Oh no, not the doctor of comedy again."
"Oh yes, the doctor of comedy again! Now, step into my office, fine Luna, before this trouble makes you purple in the face!"
Play along; Luan wants to help, and Luna should accept it. With another defeated sigh, Luna sat down upon her sister's bed, feeling the also-suddenly produced stethoscope placed against her chest. "S-Seriously? Why?"
"Just checking your heart, making sure you ain't heartbroken." She put it away, grinning all the same. "Looks like you're doing good, so no messy relationships?"
Luna determined the safest bet was to just let it all out immediately. Don't drag this on, or else that voice might return, and the last thing she needed was it hurting her sister even more. "No, nothing like that. I... at least I hope not." She still didn't call her girlfriend. If the school day really was called off, then she needed to do it soon. "It's... silly."
Luan flexed her muscles. "Well, why didn't you say so? Look who ya speaking too!" Luan leaned close to her sister, staring deep into her soul. "But, er, what can be so silly that it practically destroys your mind?"
Time to finally say it, right? "I... overheard Dad crying the other day. He, er, brought up some things..."
Luan dropped the act for a brief moment. "Woah, what? I didn't know dad cried. When was this?"
"Two days ago, I think. Right when, you know, I started acting like this."
"So before that dinner?"
"Y-Yeah."
Luan placed a finger to her chin. "Hm, strange. He looked so happy when we were eating, so it couldn't have been that bad." She looked down at Luna suspiciously. "Well, what did he say, then? Had to be a murder or something if it caused this much issue!"
That would make so much more sense than the truth. With a sigh, Luna looked down to her feet. "He said... we're in a deficit..."
"Deficit? Like money deficit? Over what? I thought we were doing just fine."
Luna fell back on the bed, looking up at her own bunk. "That's what it looks like, but he was devastated! I never heard such horrible sobs coming from him, you know? Broke my heart."
Her sister shook her head. This was really weird. "Hm... so that's why you did this, then? He made you depressed?"
"No, not... exactly that." She remained lying on her back, staring into the nothing she was making for herself. "It... he said why we were..."
"Oh? Well, what is it, then?"
She gulped. "M-Music...," Luna closed her eyes. "As in, music threw us in the pits, dude! Hearing that, and knowing I bought tickets... dammit!" She slammed her arm against the mattress. "I didn't think I did anything wrong, but if I made him cry, then I... I guess I just lost it, you know?"
She fully expected Luan to laugh at her. After all, what if that wasn't what he said? She freaked out over an issue that could be serious, yes, but if their dad didn't bother bringing it up, how big could the problem actually be? Probably not at all, then. It seemed so lame.
However, Luna should've realized that would never occur. Luan threw her doctor outfit away and hugged her older sibling once more. The warmth was perfect, and the rocker couldn't help but return it. "Wow... I didn't think it would've been that personal. Yikes. Did he bring it up with you?"
Luna closed her eyes, resting her chin against her sister's shoulder. "No. He... he hasn't yet. Think he's scared too? I guess not knowing's driving me mad, hehe."
"Hey, I know when we should laugh, and this is no laughing matter!" She looked at her sister, giving a sweet smile as powerful as possible. "You need to talk to him. If he's scared to bring it up, and it's dad, we know that's a real possibility, then you got to instigate it! I... I want my happy sister back. All of us do..."
Luna felt her heart breaking. "L-Luan..."
"Linky... he thinks he did something wrong, and...," Luan looked at her sister determined. "Please talk to him today, okay? Both Dad and him. Please? If we find out the truth, you'll feel better. I just know it!"
She's right. She had to talk, and no matter what, she will. Even if that voice wanted to sabotage her, her goal will be met. She can take the anger she threw at herself, but knowing her family was getting dragged along... that didn't sit well with the rocker. With a nod, Luna tightened her hug. "I will, sis... thank you."
"What are sisters for? Aside from being doctor's, of course!"
As they hugged, the aroma of the breakfast made both of their stomachs rumble. Luan couldn't help chuckling, but she broke that away remembering her sister's lack of eating. "Hey," she brought up, "... you made some for yourself, right?"
Luna looked down. "Sorry, brah..."
Luan didn't yell. Instead, she smiled and grabbed some of the toast, carefully leaving Lincoln's portions alone. "Well, I gotta say, you really did good here! But, I think you made a little too much, and I know I can't eat this all myself!"
That sting of guilt still nestled itself in Luna's mind, but she knew she had to fight it. Her sister would never forgive her, and neither would her stomach. "You... want to share?"
"Always do, Lunes. Always do."
She never had a better meal in her life. Today may work out after all.
