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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
- 8
- 9
- 10
"Ow, ouch, damn it…" Lori grumbled under her breath with each step as she made her way through the crowded halls of Tokyo International Airport, rolling her carry-on bag behind her. She regretted opting to wear heels for the trip, though she supposed she should always try to look her best. She was tired, too; not even the comforts of first class had been able to ease her mind enough to sleep for more than a few hours.
Lori followed the signs to the baggage claim. As expected, there were many people, drivers, family members and the like, holding signs bearing the names of disembarking travelers. For once, Lori was thankful for her unusual surname; it didn't take long to spot a well-dressed Japanese man with a placard reading 'Loud'.
"Ms. Lori Loud?" The man asked as she approached.
"Yes, that's me." She said. The man smiled and lowered his sign, extending his hand to the woman.
"Welcome to Japan, Loud-san." As she shook his hand, the man bowed his head respectfully; Lori wasn't quite sure if she was meant to do the same, and instead gave a small nod. "My name is Kim Tanaka… starting today I'll be your personal assistant."

Ding
Loan groaned and stirred slightly, reaching out from under the covers towards her nightstand. She fumbled around for her phone, only to accidentally knock it to the floor in the process. Growling in frustration, she scooted over to the edge of the bed and reached down to pick it up, finding that she received a message from her mother.
) Hi sweety, just wanted to let you know I made it to japan safely. Hope your doing well, love u XOXO
k (
Part of Loan wanted to reply 'I love you too'. Another part wanted to chew out her mom for texting her so early; however, a quick glance at the time revealed it to be nearly noon. Loan sighed, forcing herself to sit up at the edge of her bed. The previous day had been so emotionally draining that she'd done nothing butsleep, only waking to have a small snack or use the bathroom.
…Or to let go of Bobby. Apparently she'd kept the poor boy trapped in a bear hug for over an hour the previous night, and he just hadn't had it in his heart to wake her. She'd meant to give him a proper apology, but by this time both he and Ronnie would have left for the day. This also meant that she missed breakfast, of course, which only soured her mood even further. Also probably explained why her stomach was cramping up a bit.
Loan rubbed her bleary eyes and stretched before sliding out of bed. In the hallway she could hear faint music coming from her father's study; she could only assume that he was working. She stifled a yawn as she shuffled down the hall towards the bathroom, receiving a static shock from the doorknob as a result.
Well, at least now she was awake.
Loan grumbled under her breath and stepped into the bathroom. She didn't even bother checking her reflection; she was sure she looked like death warmed over.
When DON'T you?
"Shut up," Loan grunted as she slid down her sweatpants and boxers before sitting down to relieve herself… and then she noticed it. A dark red spot, right on the crotch of her boxers.
Blood.
"…Oh, no…"

Lincoln pursed his lips in thought as he looked over his work. He wasn't sure what, but something seemed off.
Ah, of course. The penciler had forgotten One-Eyed Jack's mustache. Lincoln rolled his eyes and added it; correcting mistakes like these were all part of the job of course, but still… he expected better from someone working on a major comic series. Granted, he was far from perfect himself, but at least he never forgot a key aspect of a character's design. At least, he was pretty sure he hadn't.
"...Have I?" Before he could dwell on that any further, Lincoln heard a knock on his door. He sat upright. "Yes?" The door creaked open and Loan peeked into the room.
"H-hey, Dad…" Loan stammered, her face flushed a light pink. "Um… d-do you have a minute…?"
"Of course." Lincoln said with a warm smile. Loan nodded and meekly stepped into the room. Lincoln couldn't help but notice that she looked incredibly flustered, and was shuffling awkwardly in place.
"U-um… sorry to bother you…"
"It's fine… what's up, Loan?" Her father asked, leaning forward with a concerned look in his eyes. "Is something wrong?" Loan averted her eyes as she anxiously wrung her sleeve. "Loan-"
"Well, I…" Loan began, then stopped and chewed her lip in thought; finally, she let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. "A-alright, um… I… I've started my, y'know…" She trailed off, hoping that he may be able to pick up on what she was trying to say, but he just looked confused. Loan cleared her throat. "I'm having my… uh… end-of-sentence thingy…"
"…What?"
"Y-y'know how girls… y'know… once a month…?" She stammered. Lincoln cocked an eyebrow.
"Once a… oh." Her father's brow furrowed as the wheels began to turn in his head. "Oh. You, ah… you're on your period." Loan hung her head, giving a small nod; her face was bright red, and Lincoln's cheeks were only a few shades lighter than that. He looked away and coughed into his palm. "Sssoooo…"
"R-right, well… I don't… have anything." Loan mumbled.
"I'm sure Ronnie wouldn't mind if you used one of her tampo-"
"No!" Loan snapped, making her father jump. The flustered girl groaned and bowed her head apologetically. "S-sorry, I mean, um… I-I can't. I don't like to use anything that, y'know… g-goes… in."
"…Oh." An uncomfortable silence fell over the pair. Lincoln couldn't help but grimace slightly. He supposed it only made sense, given the girl's past. "I'm sorry, I should have figured…"
"N-no, it's alright!" Loan assured him. "It's… silly, but-"
"No, it's… I understand." Lincoln sighed. "So… I guess we're going to the store, then."
"I-if it's not too much trouble…"
"It's no trouble at all," Lincoln said, letting out a small grunt as he got to his feet. "Besides, I need to pick up a few things myself. You go get dressed… I'll meet you downstairs, okay?"
"Oh, um… alright. Th-thanks, dad." Lincoln gave his daughter a supportive smile and patted her on the shoulder before passing her and heading out to the hallway. As he disappeared down the stairs, Loan finally let out the groan of embarrassment she had been holding in. That had easily been one of the most awkward conversations of her life. And yet, somehow, it still went better than expected.
Not like you could set the bar any lower.
Well, awkward or not, it was done. Soon she'd have her pads, and-
"…I guess we're going to the store, then."
Wait, Loan thought, we?
"You go get dressed… I'll meet you downstairs, okay?"
Loan felt a pit forming in her stomach. We. He'd said we. As in, both of them. As in, Loan would be going too. Outside. In a town she barely knew, to a store she'd never been to before. Why did she have to go? Surely she could just tell him what she needed, right?
Selfish bitch. He does so much for you, and you can't even be bothered to get off your ass for one hour of the fucking day.
"N-no… that's not it, I just…" Loan muttered, shaking her head. "I-I'll just ask if I can stay here. Dad would… no. Come on, Loan." She lightly knocked her fist against the side of her head. They were just going to the store, for crying out loud. She wanted to get better, didn't she? She wanted to at least try. Sitting around all day wasn't trying. It would be fine; she could do this. Besides, it wasn't like she would be alone… her dad would be with her, after all. Loan took a deep breath to calm herself before returning to her room to get dressed.
Wait… dressed?
Loan was dressed. T-shirt, sweatpants… those were clothes, right? That was dressed.
If you're a hobo, sure.
The troubled girl's phone lit up with a ding, and Loan picked it up from the bed. 'Ready when u r' her father had texted her. Loan bit her lip, her thumb hovering over the touchscreen for a few moments before she sighed and typed in her response.
be right down (
Loan pocketed her phone and grabbed her Doom hoodie from the closet, throwing it on as she exited the room.

"Loan, you're biting your nails again."
"O-oh… sorry…" Loan mumbled, lowering her hand to her lap. Lincoln frowned, taking a moment to look over his jittery daughter as they stopped at a red light. It dawned on him that, save for their two trips to the city, this was the first time she'd left the house since moving in. She looked no less antsy than she had been then… if anything, she seemed even more on edge, which Lincoln could only guess was due to her current hormonal state. She was bouncing her leg, anxiously wringing her hands in her lap as though fighting the urge to start chewing her nails again. As she stared out the window, her eyes darted about so rapidly that, if he didn't know any better, he would have assumed she were being followed. Lincoln cleared his throat, turning his attention back to the road as the light turned green.
"So… I guess this is the first time you really get to see the town, huh?"
"Huh? Oh, um… y-yes." Loan replied. Lincoln gave a small nod, as though this weren't obvious enough already. Still, he found it necessary to at least make an attempt at conversation, if for no other reason than to hopefully distract the girl from her worries.
"Hazeltucky's a nice place," He said. "Quiet, peaceful. A bit boring maybe, but it's home."
"It, uh… it does seem nice, I guess." Loan admitted. Compared to the hustle and bustle of the city, Hazeltucky felt so much more relaxed… even if she stayed cooped up in her room all the time. Maybe getting out more wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.
It will be. You'll make a fool of yourself, like you always do.
Loan shut her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose.
"Loan? Are you alright?"
"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine." Loan said, forcing a smile. "Um… you… lived in Royal Woods before, right?"
"For a while, yeah," Her father said. "I mean, I lived upstate for a few years when I was in college, but we came back afterwards. Me and Ronnie, I mean. Just couldn't stay away, I guess…" Lincoln chuckled, scratching idly at his chin. "When Bobby was born, we figured we needed a change of scenery. Something a bit quieter after all that chaos, you know?"
"I guess that makes sense…" Loan muttered, just as a small drug store came into view. As her father made a turn and pulled into the parking lot, the young woman felt her stomach twist into knots again. "Oh… w-we're here already…"
"One of the benefits to a small town like this: everything's within arm's reach." Lincoln said. The SUV pulled into an empty spot and Lincoln put the car in park before turning to his daughter. Loan's gaze was fixed on the building standing before them, and she was chewing her lip apprehensively. Lincoln frowned and let out a soft sigh. "Loan… you don't have to come in if it makes you uncomfortable. Would you rather wait in the car?" Loan perked up at that.
"Um… would that really be okay…?" Her father nodded and Loan averted her eyes, pursing her lips in thought. On one hand, she did want to stay in the car, but on the other hand she couldn't help but feel like that would be unfair. Then again, he was offering, and it wasn't like she had wanted to come in the first place. "W-well… if you don't mind…"
"I don't. You just needed the pads, right?"
"Yes. Um, ultra-thin please." Loan said.
"Sure thing. I'll leave the keys… just don't go driving off without me, okay?" Lincoln said with a chuckle. Loan, however, gasped and shook her head.
"N-no, o-of course not…!" She sputtered. "I-I-I'd never… I mean, I-I don't even know how to drive, and I don't have a license so if I got pulled over I'd go to jail..."
"Loan, I was-"
"And it's not like I even have anywhere to go, you know…?"
"Loan-"
"N-not that I'd take it if I did, I promise-"
"Loan." Lincoln said, raising his palms in exasperation. "…I was joking." His daughter blinked, then sheepishly averted her eyes.
"O-oh. Um. Y-yeah, so was I." The girl stammered, her face growing hot with shame as her father tried and failed to stifle a snort of laughter.
Of COURSE he was joking, you fucking idiot.
"R-right… well, I shouldn't be too long. Give me a call if there's any problem, okay?" He said. Loan nodded, and once Lincoln had shut the car door behind him she let out a long groan and buried her face in her palms.
"Why am I like thiiis…" Loan whined. She sighed and rubbed her tired eyes before leaning back in her seat, really wishing she had grabbed her fidget cube on the way out. She could only hope that by the time her father returned he would have forgotten about the awkward exchange. Until then, she figured she may as well enjoy the peace and quiet.
Alone.
In a parked car.
…In an unfamiliar town.
No, Loan told herself, shaking her fears aside. No, it's fine. There are people around. Everything's-
…Did that guy just look at me?
"Dad, w-wait…!"Lincoln hadn't even made it inside before he heard his daughter's voice. "I-I changed my mind, I'm coming too!"

It was recess at Hazeltucky Elementary School; but while his fellow students ran and played, young Bobby sat alone on a bench with his face buried in a book, as far away from the action as Mrs. Heathers would allow. She glanced at him briefly from across the playground, sighing and shaking her head in disapproval before returning her attention to the other students. She wished the boy would at least try to be more sociable, but she knew from past attempts that pushing him to engage in his peers' activities was a fruitless endeavor.
"Look out!"
"Huh…?" Bobby looked up, only to be met with a red sphere hurtling directly towards him. Before he could do anything to react, a kickball smacked him right in the face with a loud thwap, making him drop his book. "Ow!" The kickball bounced off and rolled a short distance before being scooped up by one of Bobby's classmates.
"Sorry, Bobby." The boy said between snickers. Bobby grumbled under his breath, rubbing his sore nose. It stung, but thankfully didn't seem to be bleeding.
"It's-" Bobby began, but the boy had already returned to his game. "…Fine." He let out a sigh as he picked up his book, dusting it off before resuming reading. Not that he was really taking it in… his thoughts had been elsewhere all day. Namely, with Loan.
He hadn't actually spoken to her since the previous night; she'd only woken briefly enough to let go of him and hadn't come down for dinner, nor for breakfast the following morning. He'd offered to go wake her, but his father had told him it was best to simply let her sleep. Bobby wasn't sure he fully agreed with that… after all, a good meal always helped raise his spirits when he was feeling down.
Beyond that, the issue with Lori still weighed heavily on his mind. It made no sense to him that his father's sister could also be the mother of his child. It dawned on him that he could have tried pressing Lori herself for more information when he had the chance, but quite frankly he hadn't wanted to be in her presence any longer than he had to. Sure, perhaps that was a bit unfair, seeing as he barely even knew the woman… but he couldn't help it. He may not have fully understood what happened between her and his father, but he understood enough to know that he didn't want anything to do with her.
The bell rang, signaling the end of recess and snapping Bobby out of his thoughts. He hopped down from the bench and lined up with the rest of his class; he stood in the back as always, keeping his gaze focused on the ground as they walked back to the classroom. But as the rest of his peers filed inside, Bobby lingered at the door beside Mrs. Heathers.
"Robert," The woman said. "Go on inside. Or did you need to use the restroom?"
"N-no, I…" Bobby paused, chewing his lip. He wanted answers, and Mrs. Heathers was a teacher… surely she'd have some sort of insight into this matter. But something in his gut told him that this was an issue best kept private for now. He sighed and shook his head. "…It's nothing."

Loan gently clutched her father's sleeve as they made their way through the aisles of the store, following so closely that she bumped into him when he stopped to grab a can of shaving cream.
"S-sorry…"
"It's alright. Um… are you sure you wouldn't rather stay in the car?" He asked; Loan chewed her lip in thought for a brief moment before shaking her head.
"No… no, it's okay." Loan let go of her father's sleeve, taking a deep breath before forcing a small smile. "Sorry about that. I-I'm fine, really." Lincoln studied her for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright. We're almost done, anyway." Lincoln returned to the task at hand, and Loan let out a soft sigh as she followed, never straying too far from her father's side. She knew it was silly to be so on edge, but couldn't help it… even if the store was nearly empty, she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so insecure.
When DON'T you feel insecure?
Before long the two were making their way up to the cashier, a young man no older than Loan… possibly younger. "Did you find everything okay?" He asked as Lincoln set down the basket.
"Yeah, thanks." Lincoln said, reaching into his pocket for his wallet.
"Um, da-" Loan began, before catching herself. "I-I mean, Uncle Lincoln, wait. I'll pay."
"Loan-"
"It's okay. I can afford it, besides…" The girl trailed off, giving a nervous chuckle. "I-it's the least I can do, you know…?" Lincoln was about to protest, but stopped himself; Loan was actually taking some initiative, after all.
"Well… alright, then." Lincoln gave his daughter a supportive smile. "Thanks, Loan." She returned the smile and took his place in front of the cashier as he began to scan the items. It may not have been much, but she owed it to her father to chip in in any way she could.
"How's your day been, miss?" The cashier asked politely; a simple question.
Simple for anyone but Loan, at least.
"Huh? O-oh, um…" She stammered. "M-my day? It's, uh… r-right… my day…" Loan chewed her lip apprehensively. Her day? Why did it matter how her day was?! Her day wasn't even over!
Answer, Loan.
Instead, Loan stood frozen in place. The cashier seemed nonplussed by her lack of a response… clearly, he was used to being ignored by snooty customers. But Loan wasn't snooty, or at least she wasn't trying to be. She was just trying to buy some things and get back home. Why did he have to put her on the spot like this?
Fucking hell, it's a simple question.
The nervous woman gripped the countertop, feeling that familiar tightness in her chest. She shut her eyes, taking a deep breath; not now, she thought. You're fine. Everything's fine.
Loan glanced over at her father; he was starting at her with a raised eyebrow, as though she were acting weird. Was she acting weird? No, of course she was acting weird. She flicked her eyes back to the cashier, sweat beginning to form on her brow. This was a nightmare. She was making a fool of herself… she had to say something.
Just say 'fine'.
"Your total is-"
"Fine!" Loan blurted out far louder than intended, making both the cashier and her father jump slightly. "M-my day's been fine! Y-you know… just n-needed… needed to get some things…!"
Loan-
"Those," She continued, pointing to the box of pads. "We needed those."
Loan, stop talking.
"I-I mean… I did. Not… not him." Loan explained, gesturing towards her baffled father. "Obviously…"
Oh, God.
"I-I mean, he… he's a guy, and guys don't… you know." Loan gave a drawn-out, nervous laugh. "Th-that'd be… that'd be weird… right…?"
Silence. The cashier was staring at her wide-eyed, clearly taken aback by her rambling; her father, meanwhile, buried his face in his palm in secondhand embarrassment. Loan swallowed, her cheeks growing hot.
Jesus. Fucking. Christ.
"R-right, well…" The cashier cleared his throat. "Your total is thirty-eight dollars and thirteen cents."
"O-okay," Loan squeaked, bowing her head to hide her beet-red face behind her bangs. She wished she could just disappear. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so humiliated, if ever; even flashing Bobby hadn't been this embarrassing.
You're such a train wreck.
Loan sighed and tried to force it out of her mind as she reached into her pocket. The damage was done. All she could do was pay so they could get out of there already… hopefully she'd never see the man again, and this whole incident could be put behind-
Oh, no.
"Loan?" Lincoln asked as his daughter hung her head in shame. "Is something wrong?"
"I, um…" Loan muttered dejectedly. "…I forgot my wallet…"
And there it is: the cherry on top of the shit sundae.
Loan stood off to the side as her father paid, doing her best to look as small and unnoticeable as possible lest she make things any more awkward than she already had. Plus, the sheets of toilet paper she'd shoved into her boxers as a makeshift pad were starting to get uncomfortable, and she really just wanted to get home as quickly as possible.
"Alright, I guess that's that." Lincoln said, approaching the girl with shopping bag in hand. "You ready to go?"
As if he even had to ask.
"Yea-" Just as she was about to take a step forward, Loan froze, an uncomfortable grimace crossing her face. Lincoln blinked, about to ask what was wrong… until she clamped her thighs tightly together and began to awkwardly fidget in place. "U-umm…"
"You, ah… need one now, don't you?" Lincoln asked; Loan bit her lip and gave a small, bashful nod. Lincoln wasted no time, quickly tearing open the package and handing one of the individually wrapped pads to his daughter. "Bathroom's in the back. I'll, uh… I'll wait here I guess." She mumbled a quiet thank you before hurriedly shuffling off, nearly knocking over a cardboard M&M's display in her haste. Lincoln sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Yep… that girl's my daughter, all right."

At first glance, Tokyo didn't seem all that different from any other metropolitan city… and yet somehow, it was unlike anything Lori had seen before. The late hour meant that the city was brilliantly illuminated; the streets seemed cleaner, the buildings newer and more modern. It was beautiful.
"What's all this…?" Lori asked as they drove through a colorful area lit with bright, neon lights. The buildings and storefronts were adorned with characters from anime and video games, some of which even seemed familiar to Lori.
"Ah, this is Akihabara. Think of it like Times Square for otaku."
"That's… nerds, right?"
"I suppose that's one way to look at it, yes." Mr. Tanaka chuckled. "Though 'fan' might be a better term."
"I see…" Lori muttered, taking out her phone and snapping a few pictures through the window. She'd need to come by here sometime… Loan was into such things, after all. Of course, she knew fully well that she couldn't just buy her daughter's trust, but perhaps it would be a start.

Loan breathed a sigh of relief as she slid up her sweatpants, pad nestled comfortably in place; though a few drops of blood had reached her boxers, she hadn't bled all the way through. Had even a minute or two more passed she might not have been so lucky, so at least something was going right for a change.
Loan chucked the wrapper in the trash bin and thoroughly washed her hands. Not that she really needed to, but it was a force of habit any time she was in a bathroom. As she dried her hands, her gaze wandered towards the mirror and, as expected, she looked terrible.
What else is new, she thought to herself.
The young woman frowned and tried to pull up her hood, but this only served to awkwardly bunch up her hair around her face. Loan flipped it back down with a groan of resignation before leaving the restroom, being sure to keep her head low as she made her way to the front of the store.
"All good?" Her father asked. Loan forced a smile and nodded.
"Yeah… much better. Thanks for waiting…" She said, only to gasp and shake her head. "N-not that I expected you to leave me or anything! I-I know you wouldn't do that, I-"
"Loan. It's alright," Lincoln said softly, placing his hand on the girl's shoulder. "Let's… get you home, okay?" Loan hung her head, quietly muttering in agreement. She was grateful that her father had stopped her before she made even more of a fool out of herself, but his reassuring tone did little to soothe her anxiety.
You're such a fucking mess.
Loan said nothing as they walked to the car, nor as she and her father took their seats. Lincoln turned the key in the ignition, the motor revving to life; he put the car in reverse but, rather than back out, he hesitated. Finally, the man let out a sigh and put the car back in park, to Loan's confusion.
"Dad…?" The girl's brow furrowed in concern. "Um… i-is something wrong?"
"Actually, that's what I was gonna ask you." Lincoln said. He chewed his lip as he mulled over his words before turning to his daughter with a gentle frown. "What's going on, Loan? You're really out of it today, even considering… you know, everything." Loan frowned, turning away from her father as she absentmindedly wrung at her sleeve. She didn't really have an answer, but Lincoln pressed on. "…It's because of your mom leaving, isn't it?" Loan bristled slightly at the reminder.
…However.
"…No." She said quietly. "I-I mean… I don't know. Maybe a little, but… I don't think that's it."
"Well… do you know what it might be?" Lincoln asked. "Because… I'd like to help you if I can." Loan furrowed her brow in thought, letting out a sigh as she slumped back in her seat. Yes, she was on her period. Yes, her mother's farewell still weighed heavily on her mind. But that was no excuse for her current state; even by her standards she was tense, unfocused, and above all else…
Pathetic?
…Uneven.
"…Oh." Loan gasped. "Oh… I'm such an idiot," She groaned, burying her face in her palm.
"What?"
"M-my meds," Loan muttered. "I forgot to take them today… ugh, I'm so stupid!"
"Loan-"
"I-I'm sorry…!" She stammered, hanging her head in shame. "I don't… you know I usually never forget them, but…"
"Loan, it's okay." Lincoln assured the frantic girl. "It's a simple mistake, that's all. Honestly, considering everything… I can't really blame you. You've had a lot on your mind."
"S-still…" Loan reflexively raised her hand to her mouth to chew her nails again, but Lincoln gently took her hand in his before giving it a light squeeze. Loan forced herself to look up at him, finding herself calmed somewhat by his gentle smile.
"Relax. It's still early, right? You can just take them when we get home," Her father said. "I mean, I forget mine from time to time too… it's nothing to worry yourself over." Loan frowned, letting out a sigh before giving a small nod of understanding. She knew he was right, but…
"I'm sorry."
"You don't have anything to-"
"No, it's…" Loan muttered. "…I-I'm sorry I embarrassed you. That was…"
"Cringy?" Loan couldn't help but giggle at her father's bluntness. He chuckled as well and gave a small shrug. "Don't worry about it. I've embarrassed myself and others more times than I can count. It's just kinda part of life, especially in this family. Like when Bobby walked in on-"
"D-Dad!" Loan whined, her face turning bright red. "Don't bring that up…!" Her father laughed again.
"Sorry, sorry. Just saying… awkward moments happen. Just gotta shrug it off and move on, you know?" Lincoln said. Loan took a moment to chew over his words, idly watching the passerby through the window.
"…I guess," She said at last. She had to admit, he was right… she'd had no shortage of awkward moments in the past, and she was sure to have even more going forward. Eventually, she'd likely forget all about this particular incident.
Just wait 'til the next one, 'cause you're on a fucking ROLL.
"Tell you what," Lincoln said. "I dunno about you, but I'm feeling pretty hungry. What do you say we grab something from the Burpin' Burger on the way home?" The mere mention of food made Loan acutely aware of how hungry she was… she hadn't eaten all day, after all. Plus, thanks to her current hormonal state, a greasy burger sounded like it would hit the spot.
"Yeah… that'd be great." Loan said with a smile.

The bell marked the end of the school day, and as the students poured out of their classrooms into the hallway Bobby once again found himself being mercilessly bumped and jostled by the crowd. Normally he'd wait a bit to avoid the rush, but he wanted to get home as quickly as possible; at least, he would like to if he could just get out of this crush.
"U-um, excu- ow. P-please, can you- guh!" Despite his best attempts to make his presence known, the diminutive boy went unnoticed by the throngs of students. He found himself squished between two students' backpacks, struggling in vain to push through, until someone grabbed onto his own backpack and yanked him out with a yelp. Bobby gasped for air before turning to properly thank his savior. "Th-thanks, Char-"
Bobby froze. Standing behind him wasn't Charlie… in fact, quite the opposite. Instead he found himself staring at none other than Hayden and his lanky cohort, Andy. They wore amused sneers on their faces as they glowered down at him. "A-ah…"
"Hey there, Dobby. Looked like you were havin' some trouble," Hayden said with that smug smirk of his; Bobby lowered his gaze, staring down at the floor and giving a small nod. Hayden frowned at the boy's silence, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Well? What d'you say?"
"…Thanks," Bobby muttered under his breath. The two larger boys snickered at his expense, and he wanted nothing more than to get away from them… but the crowd surrounding them made this borderline impossible.
"This is the second time I've helped ya out, y'know… but I dunno. I don't think you sound all that grateful."
"I-I-"
"What do you think, Andy?" The boy asked, ignoring Bobby's attempt to interject. "I think lil' Dobby here owes us one, how 'bout you?"
"Heh, yeah. I think he does." The taller boy nodded in agreement. Bobby grit his teeth, but he knew better than to argue… better to do a favor for the two bullies than risk a beating from them.
"…What do you want?" He asked quietly. The two punks exchanged a smirk before unzipping their backpacks. They rifled through them a moment, soon withdrawing several papers and shoving them into Bobby's hands.
"Here."
"What's this…?"
"Our homework," Hayden replied. "You don't mind doin' it for us, do ya?" Bobby's brow furrowed as he looked at the worksheets he'd been given; they were complicated. Far more complicated than he was used to, at least… the math page alone was full of problems he couldn't even begin to process let alone understand.
"I… I don't…" Bobby mumbled. "I-I can't-" Bobby quickly clammed up as Hayden leaned forward, glaring at him threateningly. "I-I mean," Bobby sputtered. "I… you're a grade above me! I can't do this!"
"Sure you can… and you will. Ain't that right, Dobby?" The bully's tone left no room for argument… either do what he said, or face the consequences. Bobby swallowed, giving a small, reluctant nod. "Good boy," Hayden sneered, roughly tousling the boy's hair before bumping his way past him. "You're a smart lil' guy. I'm sure you'll do juuust fine." Bobby frowned, giving a sigh of resignation.
"Why me…?"
"Because," Andy scoffed as he flicked the boy's forehead, eliciting a yelp of pain. "We don't want to." With that, he too bumped his way past to follow his friend. Bobby looked down at the papers, sighing again before putting them away in his backpack.
It had been such an adequate day, too.
The bullies' interruption had, if nothing else, given enough time for the crowd to thin out a bit. Bobby grumbled under his breath as he made his way to his locker, now more eager than ever to get home.

Loan lay in her bed in a considerably better mood than she had been a few hours prior. Sure, she was still cramping a bit, but she was sated, her meds had been taken, and, perhaps most importantly… she was on a roll in Monster Hunter. Not a single failed hunt all day, even if she'd come close a few times.
With another victory under her belt, Loan shut her handheld and set it aside; her eyes were starting to get tired, after all. Last thing she wanted was to break her winning streak on account of blurred vision. She got up and stretched, her back letting out several satisfying pops as she did so. She must have been lying there even longer than she'd thought. Then, she heard a gently knock on the door.
"Oh, um… come in!" The door opened, and Loan smiled brightly as she saw none other than her little brother standing in the doorway.
"…Hi, Loan. I'm home."
"Bobby! Welcome-" The girl paused as she noticed his expression; he looked absolutely miserable. Well, more so than usual, anyway. "Um… are you okay…?" Bobby frowned, averting his eyes briefly. Part of him wanted to tell her about the bullies, but what good would that do? She'd just tell his parents, then they'd get involved, and in the end things would undoubtedly be even worse for him than they already were. Instead the boy simply sighed and shook his head.
"...Yes," He lied.
"Are you sure…? You look-"
"I'm fine," He mumbled, staring at the floor sheepishly. "I just, um… I have a lot of homework."
"Oh…"
"A-anyway, I need to get started, so…"
"O-oh, wait…" Loan said, stopping the little boy just as he was about to leave. He looked up at his sister with a curious gaze, and she fidgeted slightly before continuing. "I, um… I'm sorry. A-about last night, I mean… I shouldn't have just hugged you without permission, o-or fallen asleep on you, or-"
"It's okay." Bobby cut in, a concerned look crossing his face. "…You were really sad, weren't you?" The older woman frowned and gave a small nod. "Are you okay now…?"
"I…" Loan began, trailing off as she considered her words. "…I'm… better." Her response was too vague for Bobby's liking. She was still hurting, he was sure of it… and he couldn't blame her. If one of his parents were to move away, he didn't know how he would feel.
"Um… do you want to play something later…?" Bobby asked. "A-after I finish my homework, I mean." Loan blinked, then smiled warmly.
"Of course I would," She said with a nod. Bobby returned her smile, albeit with a far slighter one.
"…Okay. See you..." And with that, Bobby left his sister to her privacy, being sure to close the door behind him. Bobby stepped into his room, flipping on the lights and setting his backpack down. He'd need to get started right away if he wanted any time to play with Loan. A part of him wanted to ask her for help with his work… well, perhaps not his work, but he didn't want to risk her figuring things out. He didn't like lying to Loan, or anyone for that matter… but he really didn't like involving others in his problems, either.
Still, he couldn't help but wonder if she somehow knew. She always asked if he was okay when he was feeling down, despite his best efforts to hide it. He didn't know why, but the fact that she seemed to notice made him… happy. Few ever noticed, not that he wanted them to, but… still. It was a strange feeling, and, like many things Bobby wasn't quite sure what to make of it.
Bobby shrugged of his thoughts. He'd need to get started right away if he wanted any time to play with Loan, after all. He slipped off his hoodie and, as he approached the hamper, something within caught his eye… something that made the little boy's blood run cold.

Loan sat back down on her bed. That was enough of a break… it was time to get back to hunting. But just as she picked up her 5DS, a ding from her phone stopped her in her tracks. Loan groaned, setting the handheld aside and picking up her phone. She almost set it back down without looking as she saw it was a text from her mom. With a sigh, she checked it to find that it was a picture.
Loan's eyes went wide. She knew that place… she'd seen it countless times in anime. It was Akihabara. The Mecca for otaku; if she had to name any one reason why she wanted to visit Japan someday that would be it. 'Drove by here 2day. Let me kno if u want me 2 get u anything' her mother had said. Loan blinked before a soft smile crossed her face. 'Okay, thanks' she texted back. She appreciated the gesture, and she could already think of several upcoming releases she was hoping to get her hands on… but she decided against immediately bombarding her mother with requests. Just as she was about to set her phone back down, her door flew open with a bang. She yelped and jumped, the phone flying out of her hands.
"L-Loan!" It was Bobby, looking more frantic than she had ever seen him before; his eyes were wide and he looked a bit pale. "A-are you okay?!"
"W-what…?!" Loan gasped, her heart racing from the sudden intrusion. Bobby rushed to her side, and she noticed he was holding some sort of cloth.
"Y-you got hurt, right?!" The boy asked; Loan had no idea what he was talking about.
…Until he held up the cloth.
"Ah… ah…" Loan stammered, her face turning red as a tomato. "AaaAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" She shrieked in horror, and a moment later their father came bursting in, a panicked look on his face.
"Loan?! What happened?!" He asked; Loan could only sputter unintelligibly, her face red with shame. Bobby ran to his father's side.
"D-Dad! Loan's hurt!" Bobby cried.
"What're you-" Lincoln trailed off as his son held up the cloth for him to see. Lincoln froze, a blank look crossing his face; and then, he bit his lip, struggling to hold in the laughter. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help it. "O-oh my God." Lincoln snorted, his daughter turning an even deeper shade of crimson.
His son was holding Loan's bloodstained boxer shorts.
"D-Dad…!" Loan whined as her father finally cracked, breaking into peals of hysterical laughter. Bobby had no idea why his father was laughing… Loan was bleeding, after all. Shouldn't he be worried? Bobby glanced between his father and sister in confusion, and finally the man's laughs petered off; Lincoln had laughed so hard that there were tears in his eyes, and he still couldn't help but chuckle as he wiped them away.
"S-sorry… sorry, I couldn't help myself," He managed to gasp out. He tried his best to force down his laughter and regain composure. "B-Bobby… your sister's fine."
"B-but…!" Bobby sputtered, his trembling as he waved the stained undergarments. "B-blood!" It took every ounce of willpower not to burst out laughing again.
"Th-that's…" Lincoln looked up to his daughter, who had her face buried in her hands out of shame. "Come on, Bobby. I… I think it's time I explain something to you," He said.
"Huh…?" Bobby tilted his head in confusion, planting his heels as his father tried to guide him out of the room. "B-but Loan-"
"Is fine, trust me." He assured his son. "Now come on. Let's… give your sister some space, okay?" Bobby frowned, looking over his shoulder as his father ushered him out of the room. As soon as they were gone, Loan groaned and flopped down on her stomach, burying her face in her pillow in shame.
Beautiful work, Loan.
Shut up, she told herself. That one wasn't my fault!
Oh, it'll get worse.
After several minutes Loan sighed and rolled back over, her cheeks still bright red with embarrassment. She tried to remember her father's words from before… this wasn't that big of a deal, right? Soon enough she would forget it, and Bobby would forget it, and it would be like nothing ever happened.
You know it's coming.
"Loan…?"
And here. We. GO.
Loan sat up to see her little brother standing in the doorway, his cheeks tinged pink; in any other context, he'd look positively adorable.
But right now? Not so much.
"H-hey, Bobby…" She managed to squeak out. The boy chewed his lip, sheepishly grinding his foot against the floor. "Um… what's, uh… what's up…?"
"Well, I…" Her brother muttered under his breath.
Oh, God.
"I, um… I-I'm sorry."
Please don't-
"…About your period."
Aaand there it is.

Luna kept her hands jammed deep into her pockets as she slunk through the busy streets of San Jose, California. She was alone… something Jerry never approved of, and that Sam certainly wasn't crazy about. But Luna needed to be alone right now. She needed space to think. Besides, she was wearing a hooded jacket and dark sunglasses… surely nobody would recognize her, at least on first glance.
Luna sighed, stopping to wait at a crossway. She hadn't spoken to Lincoln in weeks, not since he had royally – and rightfully – chewed her out for her lies. There was not a single part of her that could blame him for that. She'd been thrust into a situation where there was no right thing to do, and now… well, she doubted her relationship with Lincoln would ever be the same. At best, he would always harbor some resentment towards her. At worst, he'd never want to speak to her again.
That would hurt her more than she could bear.
The walk signal soon flashed and she pressed on, not having any real destination in mind. She often did this with Sam, at least when time allowed… they both loved to travel and take in the sights. Granted, they'd been to San Jose plenty of times before, and she couldn't really consider this 'taking in the sights' by any stretch of the imagination. She was practically on autopilot, only stopping to pick up a pack of smokes from the corner store. Jerry didn't like her to smoke, but she didn't care, he wasn't here, and even if he was, fuck it. Luna hadn't gotten this far by following rules.
"Hey, isn't that…?"
Dammit, Luna thought; she'd been recognized.
"Nah… couldn't be."
She breathed a sigh of relief and quickened her pace. Normally, Luna didn't mind stopping for autographs or photos… hell, both she and her wife relished the opportunity to interact with fans one-on-one, without any of the red tape or corporate bullshit. But today, she just didn't have the patience for it.
"Holy shit, I think that's Luna Loud!"
"Fuck." Luna hissed. She assumed it must be the hair... that purple streak stood out like a sore thumb, even with her hooded jacket.
…Her Velvet Lips tour jacket.
Actually, that may have been it.
"U-um, excuse me…!" Luna ignored the fan and quickly disappeared into the crowd, ducking into an alleyway as soon as she had the opportunity. She darted around the corner, waiting for a minute or so to make sure she'd given them the pass. Sure enough no one followed her, and she let out a deep breath. Well, she supposed this was as good a time as any for a smoke.
She unwrapped her box of cigarettes, placing one between her lips and lighting it. Luna took a long drag before blowing a thick plume of smoke. Yeah, that's better, she thought. She'd technically given up smoking a long time ago, but she often fell back into old habits in times of stress. And this? This sure as hell was a time of stress. The tour helped to keep her distracted, at least, but both Sam and Jerry had noticed her change in behavior. She hadn't been herself, couldn't focus properly… this was the worse she had played in years, and a cursory glance at comments online told her that others had noticed as well.
Luna frowned as she thought of her wife. Sam was extremely concerned for her, and had pleaded with her to take some time off to rest. But she didn't want to disappoint their fans… they hadn't had to cancel a show in years, and Luna was in no rush to start now. Surely even a subpar show was better than no show, right?
The rocker sighed, her cigarette now little more than a smoldering stump. Luna figured she might as well head back to the bus… Sam was sure to be worried about her, after all. Besides, it wasn't like being out and about was doing anything to improve her mood. She dropped it to the ground and stamped it out, then made to leave.
"Don't move."
Just as Luna began to head down the alleyway she'd come in from, a high, raspy voice stopped her dead in her tracks. Before she could turn to face her intruder, she felt something hard pressing against the small of her back.
A gun.
"Your money," The assailant said. "All of it. NOW."
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What She'd Been Missing