Author's Note: All characters over eighteen and paid above industry standard rates.
****
Luna was feeling absolutely miserable. Totally disgusted with the world, and her own particular problems within it. Never mind that it was meant to be her weekend to relax, and she'd already wasted most of her Saturday moping.
That was one of the lesser explored problems with breaking up, she felt. That person you expected to comfort you just wasn't there anymore. Never mind that they were the problem to start with.
And the rest of her dang family wasn't helping either. All giving her space and shit just because she'd demanded they do so. How very dare they.
Well fuck it. She'd just have to reach out, then. Like a normal, well-adjusted human being. Would the indignities never end?
****
Ryu was out on the back deck, lounging in the sun, cooler full of beers next to him. He grinned at Luna trudging out the back door and harrumphing her way over. She grabbed a can out of his stash and cracked it as she sat down on the chair beside him.
"Look who awakens," Ryu said pleasantly.
"I wasn't sleeping," Luna said.
"Sisters, like Great Old Ones, can awaken from things other than slumber."
Luna glared at Ryu. "How many have you had anyway?"
Ryu laughed. "Enough." He took another sip of his current half-finished beer. "I've worked it out, you know."
"Worked what out?"
"Life."
"Oh. That."
"The secret to it," Ryu said. "It's so simple."
"Is it?"
"Yes. The secret is to have a yard in which to lie in the sun and drink beers."
Luna stared at him. "You think that's the secret?"
"Why not? Better than any I've ever heard."
Luna sighed and took a long drink, wincing at the taste. "Well... today I don't even know if I can argue with it."
Ryu nodded easily. "The question, of course, being why you've decided to join me in my philosophizing. You don't even hardly like beer."
"I can acquire the taste."
"Sure. I did. You've never shown the interest."
"Haven't often needed to get drunk."
Ryu waggled a finger. "Ah, I should warn you. Part of the secret is in not needing to get drunk. Just... wanting to get a lovely buzz on."
Luna made a face. "Let's pretend for a second that I still don't believe your nonsense."
"Ouch."
"Let's further pretend that I'm in pain."
"Double ouch."
"So maybe... maybe I do just want to get stupidly drunk."
"Perhaps," Ryu allowed. "Perhaps."
Luna forced her way through half a can of Ryu's beer. She knew from experience that once she got a bit buzzed, she'd mind the taste less. She still didn't grasp how people found it enjoyable, but she allowed that it probably was one of those things that came with experience. She was perfectly happy with tastier drinks most of the time.
"This secret of yours..." Luna said.
"Yes?" Ryu said, halfway surprised that Luna would bring it up again. She'd seemed to prefer sullen silence.
"How does it account for the yard you drink in being your parents'?"
Ryu laughed. "Well... yes, I see what you're saying. And I've considered that. See, houses and yards are expensive."
"They are."
"And I like apartments alright, more affordable, but rarely with sufficiently private yards."
Luna nodded, considering bringing up the last place Ryu had lived in with his ex. She wasn't sure she wanted to get into that, since it would probably mean getting to her fresh breakup.
"It's a problem," Luna said instead.
"Right," Ryu agreed. "So for now... our parents' yard." He sighed. "Housing market being what it is, I don't know how anyone affords a house at all these days."
"More's the pity."
"But hey, I get your lovely company, so there are upsides."
Luna snorted. "How many beers are you on again?"
"How many beers do I need to love my delight of a little sister?"
"... alright I'm cutting you off."
"You're very welcome to try."
Luna halfway considered it, but it probably would have meant a bit of wrestling with her brother to take his alcohol away, and she wasn't in the mood. It might cheer her up, after all. Couldn't have that.
"Blurgh," Luna said. "This is so stupid. You know what thought I just had?"
"Couldn't possibly," Ryu said.
"Right, well... you know when you're in a bad mood, and you want to feel better, but also anything that might cheer you up is something you want to actively fight?"
"Sure. Who doesn't?"
"Well... why are we like that?"
Ryu thought about the problem for a long moment. "Not enough lying in the sun drinking," he finally decreed.
"You're hopelessly one track today, huh?"
"You saying you aren't?"
Luna glared, but had to concede the point. "Ok. You win this round. Toss me another beer?"
"Getting a taste for them yet?"
"Not yet. Give it a minute."
Luna got in to her second beer. It still wasn't enjoyable, exactly, but she had a nice start of a buzz going, and it was less distasteful already.
Plus she wasn't quite as morose about her situation. She tried to think how that had happened, but couldn't come up with anything. She wasn't drunk enough to forget about her ex yet, but she just couldn't seem to care as much.
Maybe part of it was Ryu? He looked so damn carefree. Maybe it was rubbing off on her a little. Or maybe... maybe he was just a good person to be around right now. Big brothers couldn't be trusted, exactly, but they could be trusted not to engage in certain behaviours that ex-boyfriends sometimes got up to.
"Still thinking about him?" Ryu asked.
Luna blinked, then glared. "Stay out of my head."
"Hehe, no mind tricks. I could just see your expression, is all. It went pretty dark there."
"Well... it's hard not to. I fucking hate Terrence, but... I thought I loved him too. Shatters your whole world."
Ryu sighed. "Yeah, it does, doesn't it?"
Luna winced at the pain that flashed across her brother's face.
"Sorry. I know how you felt about Ava when you were with her."
Ryu shrugged. "Yeah, well... you know she got cheated on by the guy she cheated on me with?"
"No shit?"
"Yeah. Doesn't help a lot, but... it's kinda funny at least."
"Ha, yeah. Maybe someone'll break Terrence's heart for me. Since apparently he didn't even care enough to ever give me that power."
Ryu looked at Luna, examining her expression. He carefully considered her mood.
"Is that what hurts?" he asked softly. "Giving him part of yourself and feeling like he never actually gave that same trust back?"
Luna's face screwed up, and Ryu ached at the pain his sister was currently feeling.
"Partly, I think," Luna said. "You think you know someone, trust them, love them... and you were nothing to them the whole time."
"I don't think that's fully true. But... I know what you mean. Just remember, he's the asshole. You're not an asshole for daring to love someone."
"Yeah, well... yeah. I guess."
Luna took a long drink from her beer. Ryu sighed his way to his feet, just a touch unsteady from drinking, and from not standing up in a while.
"I'll be back in a minute," Ryu said.
"Oh?"
"Need to pee."
"Oh. Gee, thanks for sharing."
"You asked."
"I didn't!"
"Your tone did."
Ryu started walking. As he passed Luna, on a whim he couldn't even understand, he reached down, lifted her chin up toward him, and kissed her. Not on the lips, that would have been weird, but not safely on the cheek either. Right on the edge of her mouth instead. Flirting with dangerous territory.
"You know I love you, though, right?" he said.
Luna blushed furiously, and had no idea how to respond.
"Sure," she mumbled. "What...."
But Ryu was already moving again, beyond her reach before she could muster any coherent response.
What the hell was that? It wasn't a kiss. Not really. But kind of?
Luna was still pondering on it when Ryu returned and settled back into his seat.
"You kissed me," Luna said.
"... yes?"
"Why?"
"To show sibling affection?"
"It was on the mouth though," Luna said.
"No it wasn't."
"Very close."
Ryu shrugged. "Not that close."
"Super close."
"Oh. Well... sorry."
Luna waited for more. None was forthcoming. "Did you mean it?" she asked.
"How can one not mean a kiss?" Ryu asked, brow furrowing in confusion.
"Like when someone doesn't actually care about you but pretends they do."
"Or an ex right before they reveal something horrible," Ryu added almost immediately. "Yeah, I see that now. Well I don't intend on breaking up with you, or indeed cheating on you, if that's any help."
"You couldn't anyway," Luna said with a flippant toss of her hair. "You're my brother. You can't cheat or break up with me. Even if you wanted to."
"I could see another sister behind your back."
"We haven't got one."
"That we know of."
Luna just glared until Ryu laughed and shook his head.
Luna softened as she watched her brother. Just the way he laughed, the way he stretched out unconcerned. The way... the way he'd so casually kissed her moments ago and expressed brotherly love.
She wasn't drunk enough for this. Maybe with enough booze in her she wouldn't mind. Wouldn't even think about any of it. Instead she had a minor obsession on her hands. And her stupid brother could just relax and not worry about anything.
Luna hopped to her feet and stepped to Ryu. He raised an eyebrow, but she didn't give him time to say anything. She simply bent down and kissed him. A proper kiss, on the lips, none of this borderline shit.
It was fairly chaste as these things go. Hardly more than a quick peck. Enough to make Luna's tummy flutter a little, and Ryu's cheeks redden.
Luna sat back down, feeling far better about her situation. Triumphant, really, in a weird sort of way.
"What was that?" Ryu asked.
"A kiss."
"Yes, but... why?"
"You're allowed but I'm not?"
"Mine wasn't on the mouth."
Luna waved an airy hand. "Details."
Ryu frowned. He'd known his kiss was on the edge of inappropriate, but it had felt like the right thing at the time. He wanted Luna to feel better. To not sulk her days away forever. She was loved, after all.
But then she kissed him like that. That wasn't fair. Did it mean anything? Or was it pure revenge for his flirtation with her lips?
They both sat in silence for a while. Just sipping their beers. The buzz of alcohol only making thinking that much more difficult, even as they sought its solace.
"We probably shouldn't do that," Ryu said.
