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What She'd Been Missing	By : Trillhouse Category: +G through L > The Loud House Views: 8870 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Loud House, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
"Your money," The assailant said. "All of it. NOW."
"A-alright… alright. Chill. Take it easy…" Luna said in a shaky voice, raising her hands in submission. "Just… relax, okay?"
"Oh, I'm relaxed," The voice hissed. Luna breathed a sigh of relief as the gun withdrew from her back… only for her breath to catch in her throat again as the mysterious stranger pressed it to the back of her head instead. "Are you?" Luna swallowed, giving a small shake of her head.
"Not… particularly, no."
"We got an agreement, then?"
"Yeah… yeah, sure…" Luna muttered. She knew better than to try and fight back in this situation; she had no choice but to comply and hope against hope that the thief would leave her unharmed. Luna took a deep breath and reached for her pocket.
"Don't move!" The stranger barked.
"I'm just… getting my wallet," Luna said.
"...Slower." Luna nodded, reaching into her pocket as cautiously as she could manage. Last thing she wanted to do was piss off the one with the gun, especially when they sounded so… unhinged. Slowly, she withdrew her wallet.
"Just gettin' the money out. That's all." She said as she opened her wallet. Luna frowned as she looked into it; she only had about $40 in cash, give or take. She could only pray that it was enough to appease them. "H-here," She said, holding the money above her shoulder. "That's everything I have on me." The cash was snatched out of her hand, and she could hear the soft rustle of paper as the stranger flipped through it, not withdrawing their weapon for even a moment.
"...That's IT?" They snapped; Luna frowned and nodded.
"Nobody… really carries cash anymore, dude." She said, only to feel the gun press against her head even harder.
"I ain't your DUDE," They spat. "Not yours, not anyone else's. Got that?" So… a girl, then. Luna should have figured, considering their high voice. Well, man, woman, it didn't matter… they were armed all the same.
"...My bad," Luna said in apology. "Um, I could give you my card-"
"You'd just cancel it. I ain't stupid."
"Never said you were," Luna replied. "Sorry, but that's all I got." The girl clicked her tongue in irritation, but didn't back off.
"Y'got a phone, don't ya?" She asked. Luna sighed and nodded.
"...Sure." Luna withdrew the phone from her jacket and offered it to her attacker. It wasn't so much that replacing it would be an issue, but rather the amount of private information stored on it; still, it wasn't like she had much of a choice, and she doubted the thief would be able to crack it anyway. If anything, it could very well aid in tracking the bitch down. "Here… we good?" She asked as the phone was yanked from her hand. For a few moments the assailant said nothing, as though in deep thought.
"...Your ring."
"H-huh?"
"The ring. The one on your finger," The girl explained. "Hand it over." Luna tensed, her brow furrowing at the girl's demand. She looked at the ring; pure gold, bearing a blue and purple gemstone. Her ring… her wedding ring, given to her by Sam. Money? Expendable. A phone? Replaceable.
But not this.
"...No."
"...'Scuse me?"
" I said no," Luna spat. "It's… important to me."
"More important than your life?"
"More important than anything." For what felt like an eternity, neither spoke; it seemed as though the girl were weighing her options. Maybe this would end here?
"Must be worth a lot, then." Dammit. The rocker swallowed again, feeling the gun's barrel pressing even harder against her head. "Last chance. Give it over." Luna's heart was racing and she felt a pit in her stomach. Her brain was screaming at her that this wasn't worth it, it was just a ring, all she had to do was hand it over and she'd get out of this in one piece. Her heart, on the other hand, said no… this ring was precious to her. It represented the single greatest moment in her life, more than any performance or gold record could ever match.
Unfortunately, Luna never was one to listen to her brain.
"...I said no. That's that." Luna muttered. She squeezed her eyes shut, silently apologizing to her wife as she braced for what was to come. She felt the gun shift slightly, heard the subtle creak of plastic as-
Wait. Plastic?
Oh, you tricky bitch.
"Y'know what?" Luna snarled. "I got somethin' for ya after all." She raised her foot and turned, lashing out behind her with a kick aimed right towards her would-be thief's midsection. Or rather, where it should have been; instead, she planted her foot dead center in the girl's face. The 'gun', nothing more than a bright orange children's toy, flew from her hand as she was flung back, tumbling across the dusty concrete and crashing into several garbage cans with a grunt of pain. Luna blinked, leg outstretched, frozen in place as she tried to process what had just happened. The mugger was indeed a female, as expected.
...What she hadn't expected was a child.
"Um…" Luna lowered her leg, taking a cautious step towards the girl… or rather, the pile of garbage covering her. In retrospect, she should have at least been suspicious; the angle of the gun, not to mention the girl's voice, had been far lower than that of an adult, woman or not. Then again, she'd been too focused on not shitting her pants to really pay attention to the finer details of the situation.
The trash pile shifted slightly and Luna could hear a faint groan from underneath. Despite the circumstances, she couldn't help but feel concerned… she'd just kicked a child in the face, after all. Luna took another tentative step forward, then another.
"Um… hey… are you al-" Before she could finish the girl bolted upright with a gasp, bursting from the garbage like a bat out of hell. She coughed and sputtered, hacking up a clump of dust before clutching her bloody nose in pain.
"Owww….!" She hissed through clenched teeth. "Th' fuck was that for?! That really hurt!"
"I… er… you…" Luna stammered. "What do you mean 'what was that for'? You tried to rob me!"
"Yeah? And?" The girl finally lowered her hand to reveal a youthful, if bloody face beset with a noticeable boot-print. In any other circumstance, Luna may have even laughed. "Seriously," She snapped. "Who the fuck kicks a kid in the face?!"
"Wha… who the fuck robs someone?!" Luna shot back; she felt a bit silly for arguing with a child like this, but even now her body was still quaking with adrenaline.
"I do," The girl scoffed. "What, ain't ya ever been mugged before?"
"...Can't say I have, no." The girl didn't really seem to be paying attention… she was grumbling something under her breath as she staggered to her feet, garbage falling off of her and dropping to the ground. Luna sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Whatever. You alright?"
"Been worse. Ain't broken, at least." The girl wiped her face off onto her sleeve, and Luna couldn't help but grimace as she made a wet-sounding snort and spat a wad of bloody phlegm onto the ground. She stared at the stain on her sleeve and clicked her tongue in irritation. "Great, now THIS one's ruined too. Thanks a lot." Luna cocked an eyebrow, glancing over the girl's ratty clothing; quite frankly, the notion that the shirt hadn't already been ruined was absurd. In fact, everything about the girl was ratty. Her dirty blonde hair was matted and unkempt, her clothes faded and worn, her light skin mottled by soot and grime. Even the backpack slung over her shoulder looked like it had been through hell.
"Well, excuse me for protecting myself." Luna huffed. "Now give me back my stuff."
"No."
"Look kid, I'm having a bad enough day as is." Luna grumbled as she approached the girl. "Just give back what you stole and we'll call it even, okay?" The kid merely brushed some trash off herself with a disinterested look on her face.
"...Nnnnah." She said. "Besides, I didn't 'steal' nothin'. Ya gave it to me, 'member?"
"Yeah, at gunpoint." Luna shot back.
"I don't see no gun, lady. Jus' a toy." The girl said with a shrug. "Ain't my fault ya can't tell the difference."
"I'll call the cops."
"With what phone?" The sheer audacity of the child was impressive, to say the least. Luna's hands balled into fists, and she had to take a deep breath to calm herself down; she knew that shouting at the girl would do no good.
"...Alright. Alright, look. I don't need this right now. You can keep the money, I don't care. It's yours. Just… give me the phone and that'll be that, okay? I promise I won't call the cops." Luna said softly, holding out her palm. "Please." The girl only glanced at her hand for a brief moment before averting her eyes once more. She scratched the side of her head, bits of dirt and what appeared to be dead bugs falling out and onto the ground. Then, she smirked.
"Gonna hafta catch me first," She said with a sneer, before turning on her heel and making a break for it. Luckily for Luna, the girl almost immediately stepped on a can, losing her footing and falling back into the garbage with a yelp. Luna buried her face in her palm; were she in the mood to do so she would have had a good chuckle at the girl's blunder, but right now she was just too fed up.
"Oh no you don't," Luna grunted as the kid started getting back to her feet. The rocker strode forward and grabbed her by the collar, halting her in her tracks.
"Hey! Leggo!" The girl shrieked, trying to pull away to no avail. As scrawny as she was, she put up one hell of a fight… Luna was barely able to keep hold of her as she bucked and struggled in her grasp.
"Just… give me the… OW!" Luna cried out in pain as the girl sank her teeth into her hand, loosening her grip enough to let the young thief slip away. She scurried a short distance away and shot her mark a cocky smirk.
"Told ya to let go," The girl said with a hoarse laugh. "That's what happens." Luna hissed in pain and clutched her hand; thankfully it didn't look like she'd broken the skin, but she was still pretty sure she'd need to get some kind of shot for fact that the girl wasn't using this opportunity to run away spoke volumes… she was toying with her. The rocker let out a growl of anger and waved her hand dismissively.
"Y'know what? Screw this. Keep the damn phone, it's not worth it." She turned away and stormed off down the alley. She'd wasted enough time with this kid as is… she'd just stop by an electronics store on the way back and replace the stupid thing. Just as she was walking past a dumpster, she was startled by a loud bang as the girl leapt atop it in a single bound.
"C'mon, c'mon, don't go!" The odd child crouched down, looking almost like a cat observing its prey. Luna considered making another grab for her, but doubted it would amount to much. "You're fun, lady."
"Well, glad I could entertain you," Luna said in a brusque tone. "But I got more important things to do than babysit some punk kid. Seeya." With that, she continued on her way. The girl watched her go with a slight frown; she'd been enjoying their little game. It wasn't every day that her mark had so much fight in them. Still, she'd gotten some money and a nice phone to pawn off to boot… not a bad haul, all things considered.
"Right, well… seeya, then." She grumbled under her breath, shooting the woman one last glance before hopping down from the dumpster… only to freeze in place. She turned back to Luna with wide eyes. It couldn't be. There was no way.
...Right?
"H-hey… hey, hold on." She said, but the rocker simply ignored her. "W-wait…!" Luna sighed and stopped in her tracks; she had no interest in wasting another moment with this girl, but the rapid thud of approaching footsteps told her she wasn't going to have much say in the matter. She turned to face the little pest, who skidded to a halt a short distance away from her.
"...What." The girl didn't respond, simply staring at with a furrowed brow. She was eyeing Luna up and down, flicking her gaze between the woman's face, her clothes, the purple streak in her hair… Luna couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable. "Um… what're you- gah!" She recoiled slightly as the strange girl suddenly bolted towards her, stopping barely more than a foot in front of her. She leaned forward, tilting her head as if studying her, giving little mind to Luna's sense of personal space. Hell, may as well have been sniffing her.
...Actually, Luna couldn't even rule out that she was.
"You… I know ya…" The strange girl muttered.
"I, uh… I'm pretty sure I'd remember meeting you, dude." If being called 'dude' bothered her in any way, she didn't show it; she simply shook her head, not looking away from Luna for even an instant.
"No, no… I know ya," She said again. "I… oh. Oh my God." She drew back with a gasp, her eyes going wide in shock. "You're… you're her, ain't ya? F-from the Velvet Lips… Luna, right?!" Luna blinked, swallowing and giving a small nod.
"Er… yeah, that's me." She said. The girl stared in awe, a shaky smile slowly crossing her face. She emitted an odd sound that Luna could only describe as a scratchy, barely-audible squeal. "You, ah… you've heard of us, I guess?"
"HEARD OF YOU?!" She screamed, so loudly it made Luna wince. The woman scratched the back of her head, averting her eyes as she took a step back… only for the girl to take a step forward herself. "Fuck yeah I've heard'a ya! You… you're my favorite, favorite band! See?!" She pulled on the bottom of her shirt, stretching it to better show the design. It was so faded that Luna hadn't noticed, but it was indeed an old Velvet Lips t-shirt… from early on in their career, no less. "Omigod, omigod, I, I… I robbed a legend… this is the coolest thing that's ever happened!"
"Not sure I'd say tha-"
"I can't believe it's you… hoooly crap, this is amazing! Charlie won't believe it… he loves y'guys too, y'know?!"
"I… who's-"
"Dunno how I didn't recognize ya… I've listened to 'Scissor Party' so many times. Ya don't look like ya do on the cover, y'know?"
"..That was ten years a-"
"Omigod, I bit you… I bit you! I-I ain't never gonna brush or drink nothin' again!"
"That's a bad-"
"What about Sam?!" The girl pressed on, glancing around as though she somehow could have missed someone else in the vicinity. "I-is she here too?!"
"No, she's-"
"Can you sign your pho-" The girl was silenced by Luna clamping her hand over her mouth, a look of exasperation adorning her face.
"Okay, that's… that's enough. You're gonna pass out, dude." Luna said. The girl's broad grin didn't fade for a moment, and she was literally trembling with excitement… Luna had to admit, it was pretty adorable, even considering her earlier attitude. "You, ah… you good?" She nodded, and Luna let go.
"S-sorry, sorry… I just can't believe it's you," She said. "You guys're, like… you're my heroes, y'know?! Or… as close as I got, at least."
"Well… always nice to meet a fan, I guess." Luna forced a smirk, which only seemed to make the girl beam brighter. "But what's a kid like you doin' out here, anyway?"
"Stealin', mostly." She said with a shrug. Luna rolled her eyes.
"...I mean besides that."
"Right, right." The girl grunted; Luna took a step back in disgust as she scratched her head, once again unleashing a cloud of dust and God knows what else. "Well, I live here."
"You… live here?" Luna asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Not here here, but near here. Pretty much run the place, tho," She said with a self-satisfied grin. "Like my own lil' slice'a the city. Nice, aint it?" Luna's face scrunched up as she glanced around the filthy surroundings, spotting a roach scuttle across the path and into a crack in the wall.
"Yeeeeeahhh… real nice," She muttered.
"Hey, hey!" The girl gasped, once again leaning in far too close for Luna's liking. "Y'wanna see?"
"Uh… see what?"
"My place!" She said with a grin. "It ain't far, an' I bet Charlie'd like to see ya too."
"Who…?"
"He's my best friend. Big fan." The girl explained. "Whadda ya say?"
"Er… sorry, I can't." Luna coughed into her fist, trying her best to ignore the look of disappointment on her young fan's face. "Gotta get back… band stuff, y'know?" The girl sighed and gave a small, dejected nod.
"Right… band stuff…" She mumbled. Luna couldn't help but feel a bit bad, but she just wasn't in the mood to deal with it today. Besides, child or not, following a strange girl into a dark alleyway was a recipe for bad news.
"So, hey…" Luna muttered, giving an awkward laugh. "Any chance you could give me my phone back...?"
"Huh…? Oh! Um…" The child frowned, knitting her brow in thought. On one hand, a phone was a very nice catch… but on the other hand, this particular phone belonged to one of the coolest people in the world. Or in the country, at least.
But then again, Luna had kicked her in the face.
"...Tell ya what," She said, a sly grin crossing her face. "I'll give it back to ya, if ya come with me." Luna took a deep breath through her nose and pinched her forehead in irritation.
"Kid, c'mon-"
"It won't take long," The girl assured her. "Jus' wanna show ya somethin'." The rocker let out a groan and buried her face in her palm. Of course she wasn't going to make this so easy.
"...Fine." Luna grumbled, earning her an excited gasp from her fan. "Fine. As long as you make this quick, okay?"
"Alright, alright." The girl let out a raspy snicker. "C'mon, c'mon, ain't far." She motioned for Luna to follow her, and the woman did so with a sigh of resignation. She was taking a big risk here, sure… but she supposed the girl seemed harmless enough. A bit weird, sure, but harmless.
…Probably.
Plus, she had to admit that she was curious. For a girl that young to be mugging strangers in an alleyway was highly unusual, not to mention dangerous… but judging from her ragged clothing and what seemed to be weeks of baked-in grime, Luna could only imagine that she didn't have much of a choice. Was she homeless? A runaway, perhaps?
"Hey, kid… what's your name, anyway?" Luna asked; the girl glanced up at her with a smirk.
"Name's Allie," She said. "Nice ta meetcha."

Bobby hated math.
As much as it bored him, it wasn't that Bobby was bad at math. He was quite good in fact, even if his grades didn't always reflect that. But he was in second grade, not third. It had started out easy enough; despite his age he understood multiplication and division, or at least the basic concepts. Besides, that was what calculators were for, right? Or at least it would be, were it not for those three dreaded words at the top of the page:
Show your work.
Bobby let out a deep sigh. 'Show your work'. Why? He could work out in his head that twenty times five was one hundred, or that thirty-two times seventeen was five hundred and forty-four, or that seventy-eight divided by three was twenty-six… what else would they be? Even a toddler could figure that out, right? Whether or not he knew the step-by-step process shouldn't matter as long as the answer was right. Of course, this was only compounded by the fact that he didn't know the processes required. No now he was stuck at his computer, struggling to focus on a video tutorial clearly intended for kids that barely understood how numbers worked at all. Still, there was a silver lining to all this: he really only had to do this once, then it was a simple matter of copying the answers from Hayden's sheet onto Andy's.
So, no, the work wasn't particularly difficult, just frustrating; especially when it wasn't his own, and even more so that it was for them of all people. Plus after this he still had to get through their english homework, not to mention his own. But it wasn't like he had much of a choice. It was either this or face the wrath of Hayden and Andy, and that was a situation he preferred to avoid as much as possible. So he soldiered on, doing his best to keep his focus in a room filled with distractions. But the boy was nothing if not diligent, and it didn't take too long for him to understand what he was supposed to do.
At least, he hoped.
"Hey there, bud." Bobby was snapped out of his concentration as he heard his father's voice from the doorway, accompanied by a gentle knock.
"O-oh, um…" Bobby stammered, quickly shifting to cover the worksheet with his arm. Surely if his father noticed he was doing third grade homework, he'd have some questions Bobby wasn't prepared to answer. "...Hi, dad. Um… d-did you need something…?" Lincoln cocked an eyebrow.
"Er… is something wrong, Bobby?" He asked; his son simply shook his head in response, and Lincoln shrugged. "Alright then… just wanted to let you know that we're ordering out later. I was thinking chinese, but…"
"Oh. Um… that's fine," Bobby said.
"Great," Lincoln said with a smirk. "Know what you want to get?" Bobby thought for a moment. He was an adventurous eater for a boy his age, and though he did have his favorites, tonight he felt like trying something new. Something to hopefully take his mind off his frustrations a bit.
"...Whatever's spiciest." The boy muttered.
"Whatever's… spiciest." Lincoln repeated, to which Bobby gave another nod in response. He averted his eyes, scratching at the back of his head. "You sure about that…?"
"Mhm." Lincoln sighed in defeat. He knew that his son had an unusually high tolerance for spicy food, but he couldn't help but worry that one day he'd overdo it. Surely it couldn't be good for such a small boy… still, if he did have a limit, he certainly hadn't found it yet.
"Right… I'll, uh, ask them I guess. Anything else?" He asked.
"No, that's it…" Bobby said with a shake of his head. "...Thanks." His father smiled before heading down the hallway to Loan's room. Once Bobby was sure he was gone, the boy turned back to 'his' homework with a sigh.
Soon enough he had finished both math sheets; after double-checking to make sure he'd copied down the answers correctly, he gave a satisfied nod and set them aside. Next up was the english homework, which he figured would be a cakewalk. He excelled at language arts, after all… but unfortunately for him, said homework happened to be an essay pertaining to a passage he hadn't read, from a textbook he didn't own.
...That had been assigned over a week prior, and intended to be completed over that time.
Bobby sighed, hanging his head. Looked as though tonight was going to be an evening wasted.

"C'mon, c'mon!" Allie urged Luna as she led her through the winding, graffiti-lined alleyways. "Ain't far now."
"Yeah, great…" Luna made little attempt to mask her lack of enthusiasm, though her over-excited fan didn't seem to pick up on it. She simply walked on with a noticeable spring in her step, pausing briefly to peer into a nearby dumpster only to click her tongue in disappointment.
"Feh… always forget t'watch this one. Good shit's already gone," She grumbled.
"Right… bummer." Luna muttered. "Good shit as in…?"
"Whatever, really." Allie said with a shrug, kicking over a trash can out of apparent spite before continuing on. "Food, clothes. Found a radio in there once, that was pretty neat. Got a coupla bucks off it. Aaanyway, here we are!" The two came to a dilapidated wooden fence blocking off the gap between two buildings, bearing a worn and faded 'no trespassing' sign. It looked as though it had been left to rot for decades. "Wait here one sec." Luna groaned and buried her face in her palm.
"Look, kid, I-" Before the rocker could finish that thought, Allie leapt up and grabbed on to a nearby drainpipe, clambering up the pipe with ease before dropping down on the other side of the fence. "...Damn." She had to admit, the girl was nimble. A moment later she heard what sounded like several locks being undone before the door swung open, revealing the beaming face of Allie.
"Sorry, sorry. Gotta keep the weirdos out, y'know?" The girl stepped aside to allow Luna entry. After a moment's hesitation, she stepped through the doorway, Allie shutting the door and fastening the numerous latches and locks behind them. Luna rubbed at her arm anxiously, already beginning to regret her decision; kid or not, the strange girl now effectively had her cornered. Still, she certainly didn't seem to have ill intentions, so Luna took a moment to glance around her surroundings. They seemed to be in an old maintenance or storage area, long since abandoned and left to the elements. The brick walls were stained with lime and crumbling in spots and the ground beneath their feet was cracked and uneven. Weeds had sprouted through the cracks, forming a sort of overgrown lawn to the corrugated metal shed against the back wall. "Watch'er step, ground's a bit fucked," Allie said as she headed towards it.
"Yeah, no kidding…" Luna muttered. The shack was no less worn than the rest of their surroundings, and she could see holes where the metal had been eaten away by rust; most of these had been boarded up to some extent, but Luna had little doubt that the structure was far from watertight. The door was also old and rusted and seemed to be hanging slightly off its hinges. All in all it didn't look as though it were fit to house anyone, let alone a child. "...You really live here?"
"Yup. Pretty cool, ain't it?" Allie grinned as she approached the shack, taking hold of the combination lock sealing the door. She rotated the tumbler a few times and it popped open with a click, then lifted the crooked door slightly so she could pull it open; even then, Luna couldn't help but cringe as it made a harsh scraping sound against the concrete. "C'mon, c'mon! Oh man, I can't believe Luna Loud is here…" She muttered as she disappeared into the shed. Luna hesitated a moment, looking over her shoulder at the fence door as she weighed her options. Finally, she let out a sigh and headed into the shed. The girl had her phone, after all.
Besides… she hated to disappoint a fan.
As she stepped through the doorway she found herself in a small room, perhaps only twice as large as Lincoln's old linen closet had been and uncomfortably hot due to the corrugated steel paneling. She could only imagine how bad it must get in the summer. It was filthy too, not to mention a cluttered mess; the floor was littered with trash and the air was thick with a foul musk. In one corner sat a bare child-sized mattress covered in stains and in terrible condition, with broken springs poking out in spots. In another corner sat a pile of ratty clothes, and in another a heavily scuffed and dented filing cabinet that was missing one of its drawers. A makeshift dresser, perhaps. Atop it sat an old CD player with a stack of CDs beside it.
All in all, an absolute dump.
"Welcome to el casa de Allie," The girl said in an almost cocky tone as she haphazardly dropped her bag to the floor. "Fixed this place up all by myself. Ain't half bad, I'd say."
"Yeah, uh… it's… nice," Luna murmured half-heartedly as she glanced around Allie's hovel. However, something caught her eye: there were a multitude of posters lining the walls, most of which were frayed and faded, some even torn and sloppily taped back together. But what stood out in particular was that almost all of them were of the Velvet Lips, some even dating back as far as the early days of their success. A closer inspection of the stack of CDs revealed that they too were mostly Velvet Lips albums. "Damn… you weren't kiddin'. Where'd you even get all this stuff?"
"Amazin' what ya can find in the trash, huh?" Allie said. "Old record store not far from here, check back every few weeks t'see what they're chuckin' out. Good shit, sometimes." She glanced at one of the posters, then back at her guest with a furrowed brow. "...What happened to the big ol' RUGMUNCHER tattoo on your neck?" Luna cringed and rubbed at the former site of said tattoo.
"Yyyeahhh… don't remind me," She grumbled before clearing her throat. "A-anyway, as fun as this is, I really do gotta get going… you wanted me to meet someone, right?"
"Oh, right. Hey, Charlie! You here?!" The girl called out; Luna cocked an eyebrow, glancing around the cramped space in confusion.
"Uh… pretty sure no one's here, dude. So…"
"Nah, nah, just give 'im a sec," Allie assured her. "Hey, CHARLIE!" She called again, louder this time. "Get your ass over… oh hey, there ya are," She said with a grin as she looked towards Luna or, rather, past Luna. Curiously, she followed the girl's gaze.
…Finding herself face-to-face with a large grey rat perched atop the filing cabinet.
"Holy shit!" Luna yelped and recoiled so hard that she fell onto her rear end, earning her a raspy, wheezing laugh from Allie.
"Chill, chill," Allie snickered. "Charlie's cool. C'mere bud, up-up." She offered her hand to the creature, who gave it a quick sniff before obediently climbing into her palm. Luna scooted away as Allie approached her, vermin in hand; unfortunately, she soon found herself backed against the wall with nowhere to run. Allie crouched down before her and held out her little friend for the woman to see. "Ah, c'mon, ain't ya ever seen a rat before? He don't bite," She said, before pursing her lips in thought. "...I mean, besides that one time. Fuck, did that hurt… y'know those bottom teeth spread apart? Little guy sank 'em right into my thumb, took like ten minutes to get 'im to let go. Hurt like a bitch, blood everywhere, had a fever for days, wasn't fun. But that was, like… months ago. He cool now."
"...You're… really not making a good case, here." Luna leaned as far away from Charlie as she could, but Allie wouldn't relent. For his part the rodent was simply eyeing her curiously, cocking his head to one side as he studied her. She had to admit, it didn't seem aggressive… perhaps it was even a bit cute. But it also looked as though it had just crawled out of the sewer, with a revolting odor to match. Still, Allie was looking at her expectantly, and didn't seem to have any intention of backing off. Luna sighed in resignation before cautiously extending her hand. "Uh… h-hey, little dude," She said, carefully scratching the top of the critter's head with her index finger. Thankfully, Charlie seemed to enjoy it; he shut his eyes and reared up to nuzzle his head against the woman's finger, and Luna couldn't help but crack a smile at the display. Granted, it would have been far cuter were it not for the dirt and grime collecting under her fingernail, but at least she wasn't getting bit.
"See, see? I told ya he was cool." Allie beamed at her before getting to her feet and letting Charlie climb from her palm to her shoulder, where he began digging into the girl's hair for dead bugs or any other treats he might happen to find. "He loves your music, too. I mean, I think he does… he's never asked me to change it, so, y'know."
"Yeah, that's… that's a true fan, right there." Luna got to her feet with a grunt. She brushed herself off, coughing a bit from the dust in the air. She'd definitely have to take an extra-thorough shower tonight. "Anyway, that's it then, right? I met your… friend. So…" Allie's face fell slightly, and Luna immediately regretted being so blunt about it. Nonetheless, the girl sighed and gave a small nod.
"R-right… yeah. Promise's a promise, ain't it." Allie muttered. She scooped up Charlie from her shoulder and set him back down on the filing cabinet. But as her gaze fell upon her stack of CDs, she hesitated. "Hey, hey… um, one more thing. Nothin' big, I promise." She retrieved one from the stack and presented it to her idol. "D'ya… think ya could sign this?" She asked. "If it ain't too much trouble, I mean." Luna let out a soft chuckle as she took the CD.
"Shoot, that's all?" Luna patted her jacket pockets until she felt the familiar cylindrical objects within; she was always sure to keep a few sharpies on her just in case, even on a day like today. "Um… is it Allie with a Y or with an IE?" Allie opened her mouth to answer, only to pause. Her brow furrowed and she rubbed her chin in thought.
"...Y'know, that's a damn good question," The girl mumbled. Luna cocked an eyebrow.
"You… don't know."
"Hey, ain't never had ta think 'bout it before," She replied with a shrug.
"O… kay… how about 'Allison', then?" Luna asked, but her young fan simply grimaced.
"Ew, no. Name's Allie, I told ya."
"...Allie."
"Yep."
"Just Allie."
"Mhm." Luna sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.
"That isn't even your real name, is it." She said, more of a statement than a question.
"A name's a name, ain't it?" Allie said cooly. "And mine's Allie." Luna groaned and rolled her eyes.
"Little on the nose, don't you think?" The rocker asked. "I mean what's next, you gonna tell me your last name is Kat?"
"Huh… Allie Kat…" To Luna's exasperation, the girl seemed to be genuinely considering it. The woman simply sighed and hung her head in defeat.
"Right, well… just going with IE, then." She said, popping the cap off her silver marker. Allie didn't seem to have any objections to this so, with a speed and finesse that could only come from years of fame, Luna signed the jewel case and handed it back with a grin. "Here ya go, dude." Allie gingerly accepted the CD, handling it as though it were made from glass.
To Allie, my #1 Fan
Rock on, dude!
Luna Loud-Sharp
"W-wow…" Allie stammered; she seemed awestruck by it, almost as much so as by meeting Luna herself. A wide smile spread across her face and she clutched the CD to her chest. "This is so fuckin' cool! I ain't never gonna let nothin' happen to this, I promise!"
"Well… glad you like it." The child's joy was almost infectious. It was a rarity to meet a fan so young, and Luna had to admit that on the rare occasions she did she found herself questioning whether or not they should be allowed to listen to something so explicit. Still, she supposed in this case it didn't make much of a difference, given the girl's liberal use of profanity. "So," Luna cleared her throat, holding out her palm. "My phone?"
"Huh… oh. Yeah, sure thing," Allie set down the CD on top of the stack and fished through her pocket. "Alright, here ya… oh." The girl's heart sank as she noticed a long crack across the screen. "...Ah, shit. I-I guess it musta broke when I fell…"
"Oh, for fuck's sake," Luna groaned as she took the phone. She pressed the home button and the lock screen popped up, showing that she'd missed a text from Sam.

) Everything ok babe?

Luna sighed, locking the phone again and returning it to her jacket pocket. She'd answer that in a moment… right now, there was still the matter of the downcast girl standing before her.
"I'm sorry," Allie muttered under her breath. She looked apologetic, a far cry from the brash and lively girl she had been just moments prior. Luna took a deep breath to calm herself down. She couldn't bring herself to be mad at Allie… she was just a kid, after all, and in truth she could very well have caused the damage herself when she'd kicked the girl. The rocker exhaled and forced a smirk.
"Hey… chill. It's just a phone," Luna said, patting the girl's shoulder reassuringly. "I can afford a new one, believe me. And hey, at least it still works, right?"
"But-"
"No buts. Besides, it's probably my fault more than yours, so stop gettin' your knickers in a twist." She said with a wave of her hand.
"If ya say so," Allie grumbled. "But sorry for all the trouble anyway. Draggin' ya all the way here, I mean. Jus'... never thought I'd get ta see ya, y'know? Let alone meet ya… it's like a fuckin' dream come true. It means a lot, y'know?" Luna gave a sheepish laugh and scratched the back of her head. She was no stranger to praise, both genuine and forced… but for some reason, it was even more meaningful coming from someone with so little.
"W-well, y'know. Anything for a fan," Luna replied. "Anyway..."
"Right, right. I've kept ya long enough. C'mon, c'mon." Allie squeezed past Luna and out the door, motioning for her to follow. Luna nearly tripped on the uneven ground, awkwardly stumbling her way to the fence and slamming shoulder-first into it with a grunt of pain. Allie tried to suppress a laugh to no avail.
"Yeah, laugh it up." Luna huffed as she dusted off her shoulder.
"Sorry, sorry." Allie snickered before turning her attention to the locked fence door. A few clicks and latches later, Allie opened the door and stepped aside for her departing guest. "Well, I guess this is goodbye, huh?"
"...Yeah."
"Um, thanks again! For everything," The girl said with a melancholy smile that sent a pang of guilt through the rocker's heart. "This's been the coolest fuckin' day of my life, an' I ain't never gonna forget it."
"Er, yeah… no problem, dude. It's been… interesting." It had been an interesting experience, to say the least… and strange as it was, Luna couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that it was already coming to an end. "Sorry for dipping so soon, but-"
"I know. Band stuff, right?"
"...Right… band stuff," The woman mumbled. It wasn't a total lie. She did need to get back, after all… even if there was no real rush, Sam was no doubt worried about her. Plus, she was sure Jerry was going to chew her out for going out alone as it was. So, with some reluctance, Luna stepped through the doorway. For a few moments neither was sure what to say... 'Goodbye'? 'Take care of yourself'? 'See you around'?
Well, that would almost certainly be a lie.
"Sooo, hey, good luck with the show." It was Allie who finally broke the silence. "Heck, maybe I'll try an' sneak in. How hard could it be?"
"Hey now, that's illegal." Luna playfully scolded the girl. "What if you get caught?" She seemed to mull it over for a moment, pursing her lips in thought before giving a small shrug.
"They can try." With that, Allie shut the door and locked it once more. Luna couldn't help but chuckle, shaking her head before turning and heading back down the alleyway. Well, that was something, she thought. It hadn't been the first time she'd encountered a homeless fan… she'd met a few over the years in fact, mostly harmless. But it was certainly the first time she'd met one so young, and, come to think of it, the first time she'd even seen someone so young living on the streets.
And she'd just walked away.
But what was she supposed to do? Drag the kid to a shelter? Call CPS? Would CPS even be the ones to handle something like this? Besides, did she even want help? The girl seemed to be doing just fine on her own.
In a deteriorating metal shack, behind an old and abandoned building.
Before she could further pursue that thought, the rocker felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She stopped and took it out, clicking her tongue in frustration as she laid eyes upon the cracked screen. She pressed the home button to reveal another text from Sam.

) U there?
Sorry bout that, got hung up with a fan (
) Not a weird one i hope?

Luna paused to think a moment before responding.

Kinda weird yeah (
But cool weird (
) Sounds like fun
You could say that (
) R u ok though? I was worried
Yeah, im ok (
Sorry to worry you (
) Its cool
) Coming back soon?

The woman glanced back the way she came, then towards the exit to the main streets, then back again. She sucked her teeth as she considered her options, feeling that same sense of guilt wash over her again. Finally, she sighed and typed in her reply.

Gimme a lil bit, let u kno when im on the way (
) Alright be safe

Luna pocketed her phone and turned, heading back down the alleyway towards Allie's hovel. Maybe she didn't know how to help the girl's overall situation, but surely she could do something to help now. And, as luck would have it, she arrived just in time to catch Allie climbing back over the fence. She dropped down, deftly landing on her feet with a grunt.
"Yo, Allie." The girl practically jumped out of her skin at the sudden intrusion, wheeling around to face Luna with wide eyes. She blinked, tilting her head in confusion as she saw none other than her idol approaching her.
"Uh… hey. You forget somethin'? 'Cause if ya did, ya ain't gettin' it back." She said matter-of-factly. Luna cocked an eyebrow.
"...Pretty fucked up policy ya got there," Luna said. The girl simply shrugged before shooting her a playful grin.
"Really though, what're ya doin' back here? You get lost?" Allie asked. Luna averted her gaze and scratched her cheek.
"No, nothing like that…" She muttered before looking back at the girl with a smirk. "See, turns out I don't have to head back as soon as I thought, sooo… you hungry?"

Luna did her best to look casual as she waited for her order, her tour jacket now tied around her waist and wearing naught but a pair of dark sunglasses to help conceal her identity. Fortunately, it was late enough in the afternoon that the nearby Burpin' Burger wasn't too crowded, and aside from a few curious stares, nobody seemed to have recognized her yet. Part of her felt cheap for not treating Allie to something a little more high-quality, but she couldn't imagine that many restaurants would take kindly to such a ratty-looking girl stinking up their establishment.
A Burpin' Burger, though? Why, she fit right in.
In any case, Allie seemed more than satisfied with the arrangement. She was practically drooling with excitement as Luna carried the tray to the table, and was ready to tear into the meal the instant it was set before her. However, before she could so much as touch the carton, Luna laid her hand over it.
"You wash your hands?" She asked, receiving a baffled stare from the girl in response.
"...You fuckin' wit' me here?" She asked. "I eat actual garbage, y'know?"
"Don't care," Luna said plainly, gesturing towards the bathrooms with her thumb. "Go wash 'em." Allie held her gaze a moment before getting up with a groan of frustration, skulking her way towards the bathroom with the most exaggerated shamble she could manage. Luna rolled her eyes and sat down. "Kids..." She grumbled under her breath. Surely she hadn't been so snippy at that age. Soon enough, Allie returned with wet hands and a look of mild annoyance on her face.
"Here," She grunted, presenting her hands to the woman. "Happy now?"
"You use soap?" Luna asked. Allie shot her another irritated glare and stormed back off to the bathroom, returning a few moments later and once again presenting her hands with a huff. The rocker examined them with pursed lips before smirking. "Good."
"Finally," Allie mumbled as she sat down. "Y'know, for someone so cool y'sure do got a stick up yer ass."
"And for someone so young, you've got a hell of a mouth on you," She shot back. The girl simply shrugged and turned her attention back to the meal sitting before her: a triple Burpin' Deluxe, extra everything, large fry and large soda. Allie tore into the burger ravenously, making so much noise that Luna could practically feel the stares from the other diners. Luna sighed and idly sipped at her own soda, watching as the girl scarfed down her food. If she'd been hungry enough to get something for herself, she was sure she would have lost her appetite at the sight.
A particularly large bite made Allie start choking, and pounded her chest several times before washing it down with a big gulp of soda. "Geeze dude, chill. It ain't goin' anywhere," Luna said with a snicker.
"S-sorry," Allie coughed. "Jus' ain't had nothin' like this in a long-ass time."
"Well, relax. Take your time and enjoy it." Allie gave a small nod, returning to her burger at a far more reasonable pace. "So… what's your story, kid?" Luna asked. "Bit young to be homeless, aren't you?"
"Firtht of ahl," Allie mumbled, swallowing a mouthful of food before continuing. "I ain't homeless. I got a place, don't I?" Luna cocked an eyebrow.
"The… shed, you mean." She said. "The one you're squatting in."
"Ain't like nobody else is usin' it," Allie countered.
"Right, and it's just… you?"
"And Charlie," The girl reminded her.
"...Right. My bad." Luna said sarcastically. "But that's it? No friends? Family? What about your parents?" Allie paused, frowning slightly before taking another bite.
"...What 'bout 'em?"
"Well, where are they?" Luna asked. "Kid like you shouldn't be living in the streets alone."
"Fuck if I know," Allie said flatly. "Dead, maybe. Don't give a shit either way. An' I told ya, I ain't-"
"Yeah, I know. You live in a shack, with a rat." Luna huffed. Allie narrowed her eyes slightly at the woman's tone before shrugging it off and shoveling a handful of fries into her mouth. "You know what I mean. I mean, how old are you, anyway?
"Does it matter?"
"It does to me," The rocker said. Allie let out a sigh, momentarily setting down her burger to count on her fingers. The fact that she would need to do this seemed borderline absurd to Luna, but then again she supposed the situation as a whole was borderline absurd.
"...Eleven, I think."
"You think."
"Like I said, it don't matter." Allie said as she took another bite of her burger. "Kid, adult, I get by. So don't worry 'bout it."
"You know there are places that-"
"Don't need 'em. Don't need nobody." The girl grumbled. "Look, I 'preciate it, but ya don't gotta worry 'bout me. I can take care'a myself." Luna groaned and rubbed her temples.
"You're a stubborn one, y'know that?" She said.
"Ya know it," Allie said with a grin and raspy snicker. "Hey, hey, my turn… what's it like?"
"What's what like?"
"Y'know… bein' you!" The girl leaned forward in interest. "Bein' famous! Makin' music! Seein' the world! All that good shit!" Luna furrowed her brow, drumming her fingers against the table in thought.
"It's… amazing," She said. "Exhausting, but amazing. All I ever wanted to do was make music, but I never imagined we'd get this big. Even now it's still kind of surreal, y'know? Like being in a dream."
"A dream, huh…" Allie murmured before popping the last bit of her burger into her mouth.
"Yeah." Luna leaned back in her seat, smiling wistfully. "Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to be a musician. And after my first Mick Swagger concert, I knew that I wanted to be a rock star… no, that I had to be. But if you told me then that I'd be playing to sold-out crowds around the world, let alone with the woman I love, I woulda laughed."
"Must be pretty great, though." The girl said. "All that money, gettin' recognized everywhere ya go…"
"Well, that first part's pretty cool, the other part's… hit or miss," Luna said with a chuckle and a dismissive wave of her hand. "But it's never been about all that, dude. It's about the music. It's about the fans. It's about-"
"Bein' free?" Luna blinked, taken off-guard by the girl's interjection. "It's why I like ya so much. Ya don't give a shit what anyone says… you guys jus' do whatever the fuck y'want. That's how I feel when I listen to ya, anyway." She shot Luna a toothy grin, one that she returned with equal enthusiasm.
"See… that's why we do it," The rocker said. "If our music makes people feel things, that's enough. It gets rough sometimes, all the touring, rehearsals, recording… but every time we're up on that stage and I see all those excited faces in the crowd, I remember that it's all worth it. They got us where we are, and we owe it to them to…" Luna trailed off, her expression growing morose. "...to be the best we can be." Allie tilted her head in confusion.
"Somethin' wrong?"
"...Ah, it's nothing," Luna assured her with a forced smirk. Allie frowned, her gaze lingering for a moment before she shrugged and shoved her remaining fries into her mouth, washing them down with a big gulp of soda.
"Oh, man, that hit the spot…" She said with a satisfied sigh, leaning back and patting her stomach. "Don't remember the last time I ate like that. Coupla months, at least. Usually spend whatever money I find on water an' shit like that, but sometimes… y'know. Gotta treat yourself."
"With the money you steal, you mean."
"Eh. Sebandex."
"...Pretty sure you mean 'semantics', dude."
"Yeah, yeah. Look, if words was easier t'say I'd use more of 'em." The girl let out a loud, undignified belch that drew more than a few dirty looks from nearby customers. "Anyway, I gotta take a shit," Allie said as she got to her feet.
"That's… great. Thanks for sharing," Luna said with a grimace. She groaned and buried her forehead in her palm as Allie headed for the bathroom. "That kid's somethin' else, that's for sure…" She mumbled under her breath before leaning back with a soft sigh. The woman took another sip of her soda and mulled over her own words. She suddenly remembered why she'd come out today in the first place… ever since her talk with Lincoln she'd been off her game, playing worse than she had in years. But it wasn't about her, was it? It was about the fans, and she was letting them down. If she couldn't push her own issues aside for a few hours and put on the best show she could, what kind of musician was she?
"Never mind, false alarm." Luna was snapped out of her thoughts as Allie returned, seeming almost disappointed by it. "Thanks for waitin', though."
"Hey, I wouldn't just dip on ya without saying goodbye," Luna assured her as she got to her feet. She finished her soda before placing it on the tray, being sure to throw away their garbage on the way out. Luna was almost certain she heard multiple sighs of relief as they departed, but simply shrugged it off. "So… what's next for you, Allie? No more muggings, I hope?"
"Not today, at least…" The girl yawned loudly, not even bothering to cover her mouth. "Prob'ly gonna take a nap. Today's been pretty fuckin' wild, y'know?"
"Heh… yeah, I guess it has." Luna chuckled and scratched the back of her head. The two stood in silence for a few moments; thankfully, passerby gave them a wide berth thanks to the filthy young girl standing before her.
"Er… thanks again for the food, by the way. Y'really didn't need to do that. I woulda found somethin' sooner or later." Her idol scoffed and shook her head.
"Nah, dude, s'all good. Heck, thank you… I really needed that pep talk," Luna said. Allie cocked an eyebrow.
"Pep talk…?"
"Ah, don't worry about it." The rocker said, waving her off. There was another awkward pause; Allie rocked back and forth on her feet, and Luna cleared her throat. "Anyway, uh… you gonna be around tomorrow, by any chance?"
"...Around where?" Allie asked, her face scrunching up in confusion.
"Just… in general? I guess that's kind of a stupid question, actually…" Luna averted her eyes and scratched the side of her head. "Er, look. Can you be at your place 'round noon tomorrow?"
"I… guess? Why?" The girl asked.
"Well… guess you'll have to wait and see," Luna said with a sly grin. Her young fan stared at her with a blank expression. Slowly, it sank in: Luna was coming back to see her. Her, of all people. An ecstatic smile crossed the girl's face.
"Y-yeah… yeah, I will! I-I don't know what noon is, but I swear I'll be there!" Allie was practically shaking with excitement, and Luna couldn't help but snicker into her palm.
"Good. Seeya then, Al'."
"Seeya… a-and thanks again!" Allie made an unusual, hoarse squeal of excitement before running off, breaking into a string of profanity as she nearly ran headfirst into a passing tourist. Luna laughed and watched the girl disappear into the crowd before taking her phone from her pocket. She sent for an Uber, texted Sam to let her know she was heading back, and leaned against a nearby wall to wait. She'd have to talk to Jerry about what she had planned. She was sure he'd be able to arrange it, though knowing him she was almost certain he'd object. Not that she'd give him much say in the matter… Luna was going to give that girl a night to remember, no matter what.
Gonna be a hell of a show, Luna thought, a wistful smirk crossing her face. Never forget your first, after all.

Bobby breathed a sigh of relief and set aside his essay. Well, 'Hayden's' essay, more specifically. He'd ended up taking more time on it than he'd intended… heck, just finding the required textbook online took up more time than he'd hoped. Sure, maybe he had found the passage interesting enough to read again. And sure, maybe he'd ended up downloading the entire novel it came from and started reading that before remembering what he was meant to be doing, but even so he couldn't help but feel bitter. Plus, he still had Andy's essay to do, and it wasn't like he could just duplicate Hayden's. But before he could get started, the familiar tone of the doorbell rang out. Had dinner already arrived? A quick glance at the clock confirmed that it was just before 6 PM. Bobby groaned and hung his head. His bedtime was 8:30, and he still had his own homework to finish after Andy's… an evening wasted, just as he'd feared.
"Loan, Bobby! Dinner's here!" His father called from downstairs. Bobby grumbled under his breath and slid out of his chair. Frustrated as he was, he was hungry, so at least there was some silver lining to all this. Perhaps a spicy meal would be just the kick in the pants he needed to speed through the rest of his work with time to spare.
A boy could dream, right?
"Hey, Bobby." Loan greeted her little brother with a smile as she stepped out of her bedroom.
"Hi, Loan..." The boy said with a small smirk.
"You've been awfully quiet... did you finish your homework?" She asked hopefully. Bobby sighed and shook his head.
"...Not yet," He mumbled. "Almost done, though…"
"O-oh…" Loan's face fell slightly. "You… have a lot of homework tonight, huh? Are you sure you don't want some help...?" Bobby frowned, averting his eyes from his sister. As much as he'd have loved to speed things along as much as possible, he couldn't involve her in this. She'd surely spill the beans to their father, and then he'd call the school, and then… well, he could only imagine what his bullies would do to him then.
"No… um, it's fine." Bobby said quietly. "I have to go to the bathroom… I'll see you downstairs."
"Oh… okay." Loan frowned as Bobby headed down the hall to the bathroom. Something was wrong, she was sure of it. But she couldn't very well force it out of the boy, right? If and when he wanted to talk about it, he would.
Because you're ALWAYS up front about things, right?
Loan scoffed and made her way to the dining room to find the table already set; her father was rifling through a large paper bag. He smiled at her as she entered.
"Hey there, Loan. Where's Bobby?"
"Bathroom… he'll be down soon," She said as she took her seat. Her father nodded in understanding and pulled a carton out of the bag, examining it.
"Let's see… I think this one's yours." Lincoln popped off the lid and set it down before her.
"Thanks, dad." Beef with broccoli… the same thing she'd had the prior two times they'd ordered chinese. Sure, it was delicious, but he couldn't help but suspect that the main reason she liked it was because it was so easy to separate. And, sure enough, she did: beef on one side, broccoli on the other. Piece by piece, as always. Bobby had been the only one to ever question her about this and, as expected, she hadn't been able to give much of a reason for it.
"And I guess this one's Bobby's…" Lincoln muttered as he took out the last carton. They'd assured him it was the spiciest thing on the menu… so much so that they saw fit to warn him about it. Upon opening the lid, he immediately understood why. The sheer heat radiating off of it was enough to make his eyes water, and the strong spices were so pungent that he had to lean away from it and cough. "Dear God… they weren't kidding." Loan eyed the dish curiously as her father set it down. It seemed to be large chunks of tofu tossed with slivers of beef and a deep red sauce, topped with green onions and still bubbling as though it had just come out of the pot. She leaned in to take a whiff, only to immediately recoil and cover her nose with her hands. It had actually stung.
"I-is that okay…?!" She gasped. "I-I mean, he's only seven…" She knew Bobby liked a bit of heat, but this? Her father looked down at the imposing dish with a frown.
"Guess we'll find out," He said, just as Bobby stepped into the dining room. "Speak of the devil."
"Hi, dad..." Bobby muttered as he climbed into his seat. "What's this?" He asked, eyeing the carton of steaming tofu before him.
"I think it's called mapo doufu," Lincoln explained. Bobby leaned in and inhaled deeply.
"...Smells good," He said with a smirk. Lincoln exchanged a glance with Loan, then shrugged and sat down. Both adults watched with bated breath as Bobby speared a chunk of tofu with his fork, brought it to his mouth and took his first bite. For a few moments, nothing happened… the boy chewed in silence, brow furrowing as he got a feel for its taste and texture. Then, in an instant, his eyes shot wide open and began watering. Loan could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead, and he gripped the edge of the table so hard that his knuckles turned white.
"B-B-Bobby?! Are you okay?" Loan stammered. Bobby's face scrunched up in concentration and he swallowed. Then, a smile spread across his face.
"I like it." Bobby took a small sip of milk and resumed eating, and his sister and father both sighed in relief. "Could be spicier, though…"
"One of these days you're gonna find something even you can't handle, Bobby." Lincoln said. His son simply shrugged.
"...Hope so," He said in his usual dull, quiet tone. Lincoln rolled his eyes and took a bite of his stir-fry. Sometimes he wondered if his son really enjoyed spicy food as much as he claimed, or if he simply liked to challenge himself. Either way, he couldn't help but admire the boy's iron stomach.
"Um… so, Bobby…" Loan began as she finished separating her food and took her first bite of beef. "What kind of homework have you been doing? I-if you don't mind me asking, I mean…" Bobby paused a moment before averting his eyes awkwardly.
"I, uh… I have to write an essay," He mumbled.
"Must be a pretty long one," Lincoln chimed in, his son giving a small nod in response.
"Yeah… I get those sometimes."
"Do you need me to proofread it?"
"N-no!" Bobby blurted out far more forcefully than he'd intended, leaving his father taken aback; the boy's face somehow turned even more red than it already was, and he cleared his throat. "U-um… I mean… no thank you. I want to do it myself…" Lincoln blinked before smirking at his son.
"Well… alright, then," Lincoln said as he returned to his food. "I'll leave it in your hands." Bobby took a deep breath through his nose and dabbed the sweat from his forehead with his napkin. He hated to lie like that, but then again he supposed technically he didn't.

The rest of dinner passed by without incident; Bobby managed to finish the entirety of his meal with little issue, only pausing to drink some milk every so often. But despite the fire in his belly, he found himself no more enthusiastic about doing 'his' homework than he had been before. He stared down at the blank sheet in silence, taking a glance at the clock before turning back with a groan. It was already 6:45… his bedtime was 8:30, and between writing a whole new essay and working on his own homework, he'd be lucky if he had even half an hour to enjoy himself.
"Jerks…" He grumbled. It wasn't fair… he'd never done anything to them, but from the moment he'd first encountered Hayden and Andy they had singled him out as their prime target. And why wouldn't they? He was small, weak, and timid, a perfect punching bag for a pair of delinquents like them. After all, what was he supposed to do? Fight them? Andy alone could probably chuck him around like a ragdoll. Unsurprising, really; the boy was two full years older than Hayden. Had he not been held back twice, Bobby may have never had to deal with him at all. In any case, dwelling on the matter wasn't going to speed things along in the slightest. He had to do what he had to do, and that was that. With a huff of resignation he sat up straight, pencil in hand.
Ten minutes later, he still hadn't gotten so much as a word down.
Bobby let out a growl of frustration and let his head hit his desk with a thud. He'd never had to write two different essays for the same story before. What could he even do differently? What else was there to even say? Then again… did he really need to? Bobby picked up Hayden's essay, glancing it over with his eyes narrowed in thought. He'd been sloppier than he would be otherwise… it was supposed to be Hayden's work after all, not his.
And Andy's was supposed to be Andy's.
Bobby immediately perked up and got to work. If there wasn't anything else to say, then why try to force it? He could just rewrite Hayden's. Change some of the phrasing, swap out some words, even intentionally misspell a few… he was sure that would be more than enough. Within fifteen minutes he had finished, less than half the time he had spent on Hayden's essay. He briefly looked it over before smirking and nodding in satisfaction. It was far from his best work… far from anyone's best work, he would hope. In other words, perfect.
The boy tucked away his bullies' homework in their respective folders before getting out his own. It was comparatively simple, just a few short worksheets. Bobby took another glance at the clock. 7:06… he could probably speed through his homework in half an hour or so, perhaps less if he really pushed himself. But then again, that would still leave him with less than an hour with Loan… not to mention the time it would take to get ready for bed. Bobby sighed, hanging his head; so close, yet so far.
"But maybe…" Bobby muttered to himself, giving the worksheets a quick once-over. They did look simple enough… simple enough for him, at least. He looked at the clock again, then back to the worksheets, biting his lip as he weighed his options. Finally, he took a deep breath and set his homework back down on the desk. He'd been working ever since he got home from school after all. Surely he'd more than earned himself a break, right? With that in mind, the boy got up from his desk, left his room and gently knocked on Loan's door.
I'll just do it in the morning, he thought. It'll be fine.
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