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This is a song!fic using Panic at the Disco's "When the Day Met the Night" from the album "."
When the sun found the moon
She was drinking tea in a garden
Under the green umbrella trees
In the middle of summer
Luna glanced outside as she pulled on a tropical blue sundress. She winced as the golden sun glared down at her. Gathering her towel, sunglasses and keys, she drove her little brother and sister to the local pool. She sat quietly under the large green umbrellas and sipped her tea slowly, watching Lucy and Luke. You could easily tell they were all related. Luke, Lucy and Luna all had the same light blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin their mother had. Luna sighed happily, making sure her young charges were having fun out of trouble. She sighed, happy to finally have enough alone time to get some work done on her summer reading. Alone, quiet time. She was five pages into Robin Hood when she heard a rough male voice.
“You’re doing your homework?” he slurred. Luna looked up, pushing her sunglasses up to see the boy, no, man, better. He was, after all, at least 19, if not in his early twenties. Her clear eyes gazed sharply at him, assessing him quickly. He was tall, at least six foot with a strong build and spiky black hair. Unfocused, sunken black eyes stared out at Luna from deeply tanned skin. He looked like he was in need of a shave, a solid night’s sleep, and a shower. His threadbare Korn t-shirt and faded jeans looked in need of replacements. Luna looked into his black eyes last, recognizing him immediately. How could she not? He had been her friend when they were younger.
“Ray?” she confirmed, shocked at the state he was in. His lips twisted upwards in a cruel impression of a smile. Like he knew all the motions but couldn’t put any emotion behind the actions.
“The one and only.” He spread his arms out, leaning back against a chair across from her.
“Oh my God, what happened to you? Do you want to sit down?” He shook his head in confusion. No one had shown him concern in a long while. He smiled, with real emotion this time.
“Thanks. You gonna drink that?” he asked, gesturing at her glass of tea. She glanced at him, noting the slightly darker shadows under his eyes and on the insides of his elbows and slid the tea over to him. He gulped it down quickly, smiling at her gratefully.
When the moon found the sun
He looked like he was barely hanging on
But her eyes saved his life
In the middle of summer (summer)
Luna didn’t see Ray for a week after that. They had talked that first day and she found out the reason he was at the pool was to see if they would hire him. Unfortunately they refused, based on the shabby appearance. Luna expressed her astonishment people could be so superficial and her sympathy he couldn’t get the job, but told him there was nothing she could do to help. It was Luna who found Ray seven days after that, not by stumbling upon him, but she actually looked around and called people and finally was able to locate him.
“So why’d ya wanna see me?” he asked, shoveling food down his throat. He looked starved. He was thin, too thin in Luna’s opinion. Luna pushed her salad around her plate, not eating.
“I wanted to see how you were doing. You don’t look so good, Ray. Are- are you okay? You look worse than you did last week.” Ray scowled at her, warning her not to delve too deeply into his personal life.
“I’m doing fine, thanks.”
“Are you getting high every night? Are you drinking? Are you fucking random women? That’s not fine, Ray! You need help!” she cried, voice rising with each question. Ray looked up sharply at her outburst, especially the harsh words about women uttered from the sweet, innocent Luna.
“And who’s gonna help me? No one likes me! No one will help me! Because get this no one cares.”
“I will! I will help you! You’re just being too much of an idiot to ask!” she protested, leaning forwards.
“I don’t ask because I know no one will ever feel anything other than pity and disgust towards me!” Luna looked angrily at him, eyes pleading. There was no way he thought that. No way he thought that about her.
“There must be someone that loves you!”
“Yeah, my mommy and daddy love me dearly, and so does my cheerleader girlfriend and my cute little Labrador puppy! Get real, Luna. I have no family. I have no life, and even if I did, it’s going nowhere,” he spat, glaring fiercely at her.
“Maybe no one loves you because you can’t love yourself. You’ll never share in love until you love yourself. I should know.” With that she picked up her purse and handed him a few bills.
“Take it. Buy new clothes. Take a shower. Shave. Eat. I don’t care, just don’t spend them on drugs, booze or women.” She left with a flourish, long blonde hair swinging behind her.
So he said, "Would it be all right
If we just sat and talked for a little while
If in exchange for your time
I give you this smile?"
So she said, "That's okay
As long as you can make a promise
Not to break my little heart
Or leave me all alone in the summer."
Two more weeks went by without contact between either of them. Luna had decided to give Ray his space, deciding it was important that he made the choice to turn his life around on his own. Ray had spent most of the money Luna gave him on clothes and food, and it had been wonderful. But the rest of the money he had used on acid, and it had gone quickly. It had been raining for three solid days and Luna was beginning to worry about Ray, but she stuck to her idea that he would sort his life out if he wanted too. But the thought of him alone out there, doing absolutely nothing productive, the chance that she would see him on the news under “killed in a drive-by shooting” pulled at her heart. She realized she was falling for him. And she was scared because no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that Ray would be a terrible boyfriend, and that he didn’t like her for her, he just wanted sex, she still thought there was something sweet about him.
One cold, rainy night Luna was awoken from a delightful dream about meeting Panic! At the Disco before they became Panic at the Disco, and convincing them to keep the exclamation mark after Panic. It was very exciting, but she was pulled out of her sleep by a banging on the front door. Luna pulled her knee length, fluffy blue robe tightly around her as she walked to answer the door.
“Ray?” A dripping Ray stood on her front porch, illuminated by the dim porch lights and the occasional flash of lightning. From what she could see he was rubbing his wrist and grimacing, like he knew he had to do something extremely distasteful. “Ray, what’s wrong? Why are you here?”
“Can I come in? Can we talk?” He looked so vulnerable that Luna just had to take pity on him. Like one feeds a stray dog and hope they won’t come back, Luna fed Ray, but didn’t try and keep him away. She nodded fervently, gesturing to the kitchen. Ray shivered and hurried into the kitchen, trying not to drip too much water. Luna shut the door tightly and followed Ray.
“Do you want something to eat or a blanket or dry clothes or something?”
“If ya have it, all of that.” Luna nodded and hurried off, grabbing one of her dad’s unused tracksuits and a big wooly blanket. She handed them to Ray and told him where the bathroom was so he could get changed. She quickly gathered a pot and started to boil milk, getting out cocoa bricks too. Ray walked in silently, sneaking up behind her. He leaned on the counter next to her, still shivering slightly.
“You can put your clothes through the wash and dryer over there.” Luna nodded her head at the corner where the washing machine and dryer were half hidden behind a screen. “And for God sakes, wrap the blanket around your shoulders.”
“What are you doing?” he asked, referring to her slightly unconventional way of making hot chocolate.
“I’m making hot chocolate,” she explained, mixing the chocolate bricks in to the hot milk. “It’s the best way to make it.” She gently set down a steaming mug of frothy, chocolatey goodness in front of a still shivering Ray. “So what brings you to my house at,” she glanced at the clock, “Two in the morning? Are you okay?”
“Listen, Luna, it’s rare that I apologize, but you were right. That day at the restaurant, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so rude. And you were right, about the not loving myself. And also, I came for help.”
“Help with what?” she asked, gently sipping her steaming beverage.
“You offered to help me if I needed it, and I really need to get my life on track. You’re the most stable person I know, and I barely know you. I came to you first. What does that tell you about my life?” She gave him a wry smile.
“Your life is shit,” she observed, leaning back in her chair.
“Seriously, Luna, it’s really rare I apologize or admit to doing anything wrong. I’m doing it now and it’s killing me. But I need help. And you’re the only one that can see it. Please, help me,” he begged, black eyes shining in the dim kitchen lighting. Luna looked at him and could feel her heart breaking, shattering to pieces from the look in his eyes. She acted on impulse, for the first time in her life. Standing suddenly she leaned down and kissed him softly.
“I’m sorry. For what the world has done to you, for everything, I am sorry.” Tears leaked from vibrant blue eyes, taking curving paths down her pale face. She wiped furiously at her face. “I promise you Ray, I will help you. I just need you to promise me one thing.”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Don’t do this if you can’t follow through. Don’t leave,” Luna pleaded, her eyes begging him to listen to her. He swallowed hard and nodded.
“I promise.” He took a sip of cocoa and looked intently at her; she could feel his eyes piercing her, trying to read her emotions. “Luna, there are some things you should know, before you really agree to this.” She looked up expectantly at him. When he failed to speak she prodded.
“Yes?”
“You already know that I’m a drug addict, and well on my way to becoming a severe alcoholic and I love women, but you should know why.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Eyes still shut he continued. “I never knew my father, and I probably never will. My mother didn’t even know him that well. I don’t hold it against him though, my mom was young and neither of them wanted responsibility. My dad was Hispanic, as you can probably see on me. When my mom gets drunk she tells me I look like him. But then when I was 14, my mom got arrested for selling weed. She wasn’t selling it and it wasn’t her weed anyway. It was mine.” He looked up tentatively at Luna to gauge her reaction, so he would be ready for the slap that was sure to come.
“Did she tell the police it wasn’t hers?” Luna asked softly. Ray looked shocked. That was certainly not the next thing he was expecting to hear.
“No, she told them it was hers. She didn’t do it to protect me, she was drunk and thought it was hers. So I paid for the weed, but she went to jail for it. After that I moved around a lot, I lived with my friend Manuel for a few years. Those were the best years. He got arrested while I was living with him though. He’s an illegal immigrant, so we both knew it was coming sooner or later. His bitch ass girlfriend turned him in ‘cause he told her not to fuck me. We never did though, she was cheating with a cop. Same one she turned Mannie in to.” Luna winced. “So I moved around a bit after that. By then I was sixteen and could drive well enough to not get pulled over immediately. I stole cars and sold them to junk shops, and worked around a bit downtown. That’s when I got really heavy with the drugs, during the car stealing phase. There was good money then, I could afford them easier,” he explained. Luna placed her hand on top of his.
“I won’t judge you, Ray. We’ve all had problems. My parent’s don’t love me. I was raised by a nanny until I was ten, but she was fired because my mom thought she was sleeping with my dad.”
“Was she?”
“I dunno, I was ten. Probably. My dad has never been real good with fidelity. That’s why they aren’t here now. They are on another honeymoon, their fourth I think, to work out their issues.” Ray smiled compassionately.
Well he was just hanging around
Then he fell in love
And he didn't know how
But he couldn't get out
Just hanging around
Then he fell in love
“Will Ray-ray be at the pool too?” Lucy asked, light blue eyes imploring. Luna smiled at her younger sister.
“I don’t know, why don’t you ask him?” she grinned, crouching so she was eye-level with the seven year old.
“Did he spend the night again?” she asked, excited. Luna nodded, smiling.
“He’s in the kitchen! Go say good morning!” Lucy scampered off down the stairs, blonde hair flying behind her. Luna smiled fondly at the retreating figure of her little sister. Ray had been staying with them for a few weeks, and already the kids loved him. He was getting better too, mostly because Luna was making him go to Narcotics Anonymous meetings for help.
“Luna?” a sleepy voice mumbled. She turned and picked up Luke.
“Yes?”
“What’s all the noise? Why does Lucy have to be so bouncy?” the five year old pouted. Luna laughed.
“Lucy is just happy that Ray-ray will be going to the pool with us again today.”
“Ray-ray’s here? Put me down! I wanna go see him!” Ray looked up in time to see two excited children running towards him. They launched themselves at him, hugging him tightly.
“Luna! Save me!” he gasped exaggeratedly for their benefit. “I’m being attacked by the vicious pool monsters! I will be dragged to a watery grave!” Luna laughed, standing in the doorway with her hand on her hips.
“Okay guys, enough smothering Ray. He had a bit of a rough night,” she ordered, braiding her hair as she spoke. Ray flashed her a thankful look. Last night had been particularly rough for some reason that Ray wouldn’t tell her. Luna suspected he was suffering from withdrawal, though he was going slowly, just doing less and less each day. It was easier, he said, than quitting cold turkey. He always looked like he had fading bruises under his eyes from lack of sleep. He was going through a really rough patch, and Luna tried not to push him. It was just hard to watch and make sure he wasn’t slipping back into being an addict. This was one of the most dangerous ways to quit, because you ran the risk of slipping back into bad habits.
“Come on guys, eat your cereal and then we can go swimming!” Ray said, getting out bowls and milk. Lucy and Luke inhaled their breakfast and ran upstairs to put on their bathing suits.
“You’re so good to them,” Luna grinned, standing on her tiptoes to lean on Ray’s shoulder.
“Did you know they asked me the other day if we were going to get married?” Ray asked, walking away from Luna. She laughed.
“Yeah, they asked me when the wedding was. What did you tell them?”
“I told them that we were just friends, and friends don’t get married.” She smiled.
“Yeah, friends don’t get married,” she echoed softly. Suddenly Ray grabbed her shoulders and pressed their lips together, catching her by surprise. She froze until he pulled back.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that, and you’re doing so much for me and I’m trying to get better. I swear I am. It’s just so hard, the pressure you know?” he ranted, facing the window, running his hands through his hair repeatedly. “And you’ve been so good to me and letting me sleep here, I mean, for weeks I’ve been bumming off you and you’ve only been nice about it, integrating me in your family’s life and showing me how to be a better person and it’s just you, Luna. It’s just you. I can’t stop thinking about you. I can’t get you out of my head. You’re so perfect and pale and beautiful and I know I shouldn’t be thinking or even saying this-oh God, what am I saying?” Luna stared in shock at him, trying to register his words as he spoke them.
“Ray?” Luna said in a soft voice, just above a whisper. She almost couldn’t get the words out.
“I’ll go get my stuff,” Ray muttered. She grabbed his shoulder, her hand pale against his black Escape the Fate shirt.
“You’ll do nothing of the kind!” Luna reprimanded, her voice suddenly strong.
“What?” Ray turned halfway, looking confused. Luna pulled him around so he was facing her fully. She took a deep breath and slid her hand off his shoulder, twisting her fingers as she spoke.
“Ray, listen. I might not have been completely forthright when we entered this agreement. I didn’t take you in out of the goodness of my heard, or ‘cause I wanted to help someone set their life straight.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “When we were in school I always found you the most interesting person ever. You might not have been smart but you didn’t care what the rules said and you didn’t follow them. I wished so hard I could be like that, but there was nothing I could do. My way of life was set in stone. I would never change.” She took a deep breath. “That day at the pool, the first time I saw you, I was so happy to see you. The entire year I was afraid you would drop out of school during the summer and I’d never see you again.”
“But we didn’t even know each other before this summer,” Ray protested, looking really confused.
“Actually, we kinda did. We sat together in fourth grade, we were always paired on assignments, and we were almost friends. At least, I thought we were. You were smart and funny and I had the hugest crush on you. By the time we got to high school, everything was different. Drugs were destroying you, but I could still see the laughing, unbroken, whole little boy in you, and I missed him. So that’s why I’m helping you. Because I want that little boy back.” Ray looked at her, shocked.
“You remember fourth grade?” he asked. Luna smiled.
“I only really remember you,” she confessed softly, wrapping her arms around his waist, pulling them together. Ray leaned down and kissed her properly and it was magical. His lips were soft and gentle against hers, though she knew exactly what he was capable of and what he had done with other women, but his lips were distracting her in the most wonderful way. Her stomach had no butterflies, but she was nervous and excited and felt like there was nothing inside her, nothing to hold her up except bones, and if he kept doing that she was sure he could and would disintegrate her bones too. His tongue darted out and lightly touched Luna’s bottom lip, running over it a few times until she opened her mouth by instinct. She pulled back suddenly.
“I’ve never kissed anyone before,” she confessed softly. Ray pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.
“I won’t rush you. I love you, Luna.” And she smiled because they might be as different as the sun and the moon, but all was golden when the day met the night.
Wow. This is the most I've looked over and revised a story. Generally I don't do anything. This story has actually been revised and betaed and sat in my saved folder for a few months, and I am so proud to finally get it out! Please review with your questions, comments, or words of affirmation.
