📚Scream out

Concerts are exhausting.

Characters: Colress/Lune/N

Warnings: None

Wordcount: 1,429

Vibe: Hurt/comfort

Original AN:

once again with all unova trio oneshots this is cheesy as hell sorry

i wrote this bc i needed to project feelings whoopsies

3am unrevised, u get the drift this is normal around here

yes im co-opting touhou arranges for titles again

also i figured i didnt need a warning for it since it’s so commonplace for me but theres swearing. lune literally says fuck in the second sentence

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“Are you sure you’re ok doing this?”

“It’s not like I have a fucking choice.”

Lune’s strained posture in front of her dressing room vanity said everything N needed to know.

“Sure you do, you-” N started to say, though his words were quickly cut off.

“No, I don’t. Am I supposed to just walk onto a stage in front of a full stadium and say ‘Sorry! Lulu’s got a case of the feelies! Show’s cancelled!’?” Lune replied, slowly sliding her head down until she was face down on the vanity.
“This is my nightmare. I have to live with it.”

N didn’t say anything, he simply looked on from the couch with concern. He wanted to do something, but was aware how little she liked to be touched when frustrated.
Suddenly, a noise caught N’s attention – the door to the dressing room had been opened.

“Prep’s good to go, we should be on in 10!” Colress said as he entered the room, clipboard in hand. He sat down on the couch next to N, giving him a light kiss and leaning into him as he made himself comfortable.
“Is she still upset?” he whispered to his partner, looking on at Lune.

“Mmmmhmm.” N muttered, leaning to take a look at the clipboard.

It detailed the concert’s venue information, as well as the standard tour details.

Lune had always been a bit negative towards the idea of tours, but pressure from fans and media eventually cracked her stubborn attitude. It went well at first! But week after week in a new hotel, with prying fans and unfamiliar places, it all was starting to get to her. She’d done it before in her early idol days though, but this time it was different.

She’d been feeling like she was going to burn out for a while. Being fake and marketable was alright at first, Lune enjoyed it, even. Just like her highschool plays or Pokestar flicks.
But then it started to bleed into her personal life – where she felt she’d become completely two-faced. She was either frustrated, angry, or exhausted most of the time she was off-camera from the stress of it all – but had to turn around and go back to her peppy persona at a moments notice.
The game she started out of boredom had become a maze she couldn’t escape.

She wanted the noise to stop.
It reminded her too much of how she had to pretend she was a different person for two years. And then it spiraled, recalling… everything.
It was too much noise.
She wanted it to be quiet.

But in the lack of quiet…

“Shit.” N said under his breath, as the sounds of Lune choking up filled the room.

It became evident to N and Colress that Lune was at her breaking point. She rarely cried, and only truly did so if things had boiled over past the point she could mask.

Colress got up from the couch, but N quickly grabbed his arm to stop him from approaching Lune. N figured that while she was crying, she was still pissed off – and would end up getting snappy at Colress’s attempt to comfort her.

Even from her most beloveds, Lune had a history of attempting to deflect any and all attempts at comfort, not wanting to burden others or be perceived as weak. She’d attempt to assure her partners she was getting better, but… she really wasn’t.

N and Colress were all too familiar with this, but their combined empathy still begged them to do something. It hurt so much seeing the woman they loved suffer, but all they could do for now was give her space.

Time ticked down.

10, 9, 8, 7 minutes…

Lune was still crying on and off, and her partners still felt helpless.

N was starting to get frustrated himself. He wasn’t sure if it was too early to make the no-show call, and didn’t want to make the announcement that Lune wouldn’t be performing to a full stadium. But mostly, he was frustrated that he felt he couldn’t do anything – that he hadn’t done anything.
What kind of boyfriend am I? – was the phrase that kept clogging his thoughts. N could easily stop a rampaging darmanitan with his compassion, but ever since ‘he’ repeatedly used Lune like a pawn, her emotions had become a puzzle not even N could solve. Or maybe he just had trouble understanding that some people need space when upset, and that he can’t fix everything – either way, it hurt.

Colress felt similarly, but felt a bit more daring. Hesitantly, he spoke;

“Lulu,”

No response, aside from a pause in the crying noises, indicating acknowledgement.
Even after boiling over, Lune’s chaotic and noisy thoughts couldn’t block out his voice.

“It’s your show. If you’re not comfortable with playing a facade anymore, by no means should you have to.”

Slowly, Lune lifted herself up from her slump, and spun around in her chair.
Her face was red, with strands of hair wet from tears stuck to it. She didn’t look as angry as she did exasperated.

“And what?” she said, voice cracking.
“Have the world find out I’m a bitch? That I’m not some kind of magical pop girl like they think I am?”

Colress didn’t really think he’d get this far, and was at a loss for words. But as N flopped down over on his lap, Colress’s train of thought was carried on by N.

“Well, yea.” N said, stretching out his arms.
“Who gives a shit? If they don’t like the truth, they can fuck off.”

“But…”

“But what? These people would follow you to the ends of the earth even if you were some kind of notorious criminal. They believe in your talent, I think they could care less for how you act.” N paused, and fixed his posture a bit. He looked rather serious.
“I think it’s about time people knew the real you.”

Lune just huffed and stood up from her seat weakly, and shambled over to the couch – where she promptly collapsed on top of N and Colress. Colress was quick to embrace her as she landed, as N nuzzled up to her side.

“Goddamnit.” she groaned.
“Who let you learn to speak…”

Colress chuckled a little, and was quickly jabbed in response by Lune before apologizing.

N just had a smile on, and kissed Lune on the forehead.

“We believe in you, Lulu.” Colress whispered, ruffling Lune’s hair a bit.
“It’s going to be alright. Just act how you want…” he continued, pausing briefly before he perked up a little.
“Oh! Or, as an old friend would advise… you could use your frustration? I really enjoy when you let your more powerful voice come through – even just shouting into the mic works,”

“I always loved how you growl sometimes when you sing.” N purred, moving to sandwich Lune more in a cuddle puddle between himself and Colress.

“Mmmmmmmmmshutup…” Lune mumbled as she dug her face into Colress’s chest, partially using his shirt to dry off her tears. She let out a deep sigh, before leaning back on the couch.
“…Alright. I think… I can try. If I just let go and don’t think much.”

“Do you remember some of the lyrics to that more serious collection you wrote? I feel like they may work better.” Colress asked.

“Yea… and if I don’t I can just make shit up and nobody will notice – I did improv, I think I can just do what I want.”

“That’s the spirit!” N said with a smile.
“Do what you want.”

The three cuddled a bit more before the 1 minute buzzer went off.
Lune sighed once, and untangled herself from her partners. She got up from the couch and did a big stretch, and promptly noticed she hadn’t actually gotten into her initial outfit.

“Ah, shit.” She mumbled, wiping down her black tank top.

“Uh, quick, illusion it?” Colress suggested as his eyes quickly moved between the clock and his girlfriend.

Lune thought for a second.

“Mm… nah. I think I’ll do what I want.”

Lune ruffled her own hair a bit while turned to the vanity mirror, gave Colress and N a kiss, and headed out of the dressing room.

The lights on stage were almost blinding, and the crowd erupted upon seeing Lune. The pressure was on, but she took a deep breath and grabbed the microphone.

This was her game, after all – it was about time she changed the rules.