group
She snorted. "Oh right. The hooligans. Yeah, they did look like the type to drink 'till they drop. Not very healthy, but who am I to judge?" She smothered a yawn, then stretched out her arms. She was already considering just passing out and getting up early in the morning, except she was still puzzling over the fact that she didn't have a change of clothes.
Marx chuckled and shrugged, but when she noticed Luana getting tired, she realized how late it really was. "Uh…I have clothes you can borrow when you wanna sleep, and blankets, too," she said, smiling a bit awkwardly as she set her soda back in the fridge
group
"I really hate being this needy, but I have no choice." She sighed and glanced over at Marx. "I appreciate your help, really. It's just that I hate feeling in need of charity, y'know? It's sometimes like people are treating me like my life isn't good enough for their standards. That I need more for them to be happy." She shook her head, calming down. "But you're not one of those people, I can already tell. You're genuinely being nice and helpful when I'm just a street rat that now needs a new nest."
Marx's eyes widened a little at that. "A new nest?" she asked, but after a brief moment of consideration, a smile spread across her face. "Look, I…I know how you feel. I was there before I joined the band. But what if you hang out here for a little while, until you can find a…nest you like?" she offered hopefully
group
Luana was taken off guard by the offer—and the hopefulness in which Marx had offered it. She was just expecting the other girl to help her tonight and that be the end of it. But Marx was suggesting that she stay. "Wait, what?" she asked after a brief lapse of shocked silence. "You want me to stay with you guys?"
"I mean–if you want, you don't have to or anything," Marx stammered, turtling a little in her bandanna as she looked off to the side. "You could help out a little with setup and stuff, so that way the others wouldn't get all mad that you're just staying with us for nothing," she said
group
Luana tilted her head and looked up at nothing as she turned over the options she currently had. Marx's suggested seemed like the most beneficial of all the options, and it was quite appealing. She slowly licked her lips as she finally gave her answer. "I'll help out and make myself useful while I stay with you lot–at least until I can find somewhere else to stay."
Marx perked at that, grinning despite her better judgement. "Great!" she exclaimed, but she quickly hid in her bandanna when she realized that she had a little bit of an excited outburst. "A-Ah…I mean, uh…That's good," she mumbled after an attempt at clearing her throat
group
Luana smiled slightly at Marx's outburst, then her less enthused mumbling. It amused her how eager Marx seemed to keep Luana around. It also made her cold heart swell with the feeling of being wanted by at least someone. Marx seemed like one of the few people she could get along with. She was easy to talk to, she wasn't an asshole, and she doesn't strike Luana as an idiot. Works for her. "Well, alright then. I guess I'm hitching a ride with you guys."
Marx just nodded, deciding to just shut up for now. "Uh…If you don't want anything else to eat, I can show you to one of the rooms? There's a spare," she said, gesturing vaguely towards a hallway off to the side
group
She nodded. "That works for me." She covered her mouth to smother yet another yawn. Who knows? Maybe she'd end up liking this little band she's found herself tangled up with.
Marx nodded, beginning to walk over towards the rooms. She led them through a doorless entryway before walking out into a rather oddly designed hallway. It was shaped like a triangle, with the tapered end serving as the end of the hallway and the wide end opening up to what looked like an indoor pool and hot tub
group
Luana looked around with a raised brow. "This…This is going to take some getting used to…" she admitted with a breath. This place was just getting more and more extravagant, the display of wealth clear with every nook and cranny and corner. She couldn't complain about the hot tub, however.
"Yeah, we don't usually stay in places this nice. We just got a discount because Corinth is friends with our label producer, and this is where we get the songs recorded and produced," Marx explained, turning down the hall towards the rooms at the narrow end. "You can have whichever of the two rooms at the very back, right or left. We stash our instruments and costumes in the one on the right, and then the other three are taken."
group
Ah, so that somewhat explained the fanciness. Luana nodded slowly as she listened and followed Marx. When she was given the option of her bedroom, she cocked her head to the side as she thought. "As much as I'd enjoy sharing a bed with a guitar and spiked jackets," she mused, "Could I have the relatively empty bedroom?" she asked, turning to look at Marx.
"Yeah, ah, you can have one of these ones," Marx said, pointing to the two at the very end of the hall. She didn't really mind which bedroom Luana took, she more minded having to explain to everyone the situation the next morning, when the rest of the band wasn't drunk out of their minds
group
Luana nodded and tried a small smile directed towards Marx. "Thank you. I promise I'll be out of your hair as soon as possible." She was truly grateful for this girl that had saved her from Kade and offered her a place to stay while she got her shitty life back in order–or, as much in order as it was before.
"It's okay, you don't need to keep thanking me, really. Let's just get you something you can sleep in, alright?" Marx said, smiling sweetly as she for once managed not to turtle at something as simple as a small thanks
group
Luana nodded and waited for Marx. She kept thanking her because she was just not used to all of this help with no hidden motives—at least, none that Luana could fathom Marx having.
Marx walked off, returning a few moments later with a small armful of different clothes. "Do you have a preference? All I really have are big t-shirts, sweatpants, shorts, and a couple of big tank tops," she said, gesturing vaguely with her armful
group
Luana shook her head but stated her preference anyway. "T-shirt and shorts work for me," she said. She was already mentally going through her dwindling savings to figure out some way that she'd get some new clothes—and snatch her old ones from beneath Kade's nose.
Marx nodded, shuffling through the various things she had brought out before pulling out a large, old band t-shirt and a pair of shorter basketball shorts that were probably closer to spandex-length than anything. "Here you go," she said as she held the items out
group
Luana nodded in silent thanks and accepted the clothes. "I'll give these back tomorrow morning," she said. She already had a plan running through her mind. A bit of theft was nothing, and Kade certainly deserved it. The few grand she knew he had stashed away could hold her off for some time.
"Oh, ah, okay. Oh, before you go to bed, you should probably close the door. The rooms are relatively soundproof, and you'll probably need it when the others get back. Also, Adrik's kind of a night wanderer, so if you hear someone in the hall at like two in the morning it's probably him," Marx said as she gathered up the rest of her bundle
group
She nodded again and started toward one of the available bedrooms. "That's alright with me. I'm a heavy sleeper anyway." She paused and looked back over to Marx. "I'll be heading out early in the morning, so don't worry too much if I'm missing."
Marx tilted her head in confusion. "Why's that? Do you need to go get something? Because I could probably get us a ride," Marx offered, not exactly clued in as to what Luana was planning yet
group
She flapped her hand nonchalantly. "No, it's good. I can get there on my own, and it's not far. You've already helped a lot." She didn't need Marx discovering what she was planning. To Luana, it was well deserved and not that big of a deal. But others might not see it that way.
Marx just nodded a bit, rubbing at the back of her neck. "Alright, well…Do you have a phone so you can text me if you need anything?" she asked. She knew she was probably being overbearing, but she was just trying to make sure Luana was okay
group
Luana nodded and pulled out her cell phone. It wasn't much, but it was cheap and it worked. She handed it to Marx so she could enter her contact info. "I shall warn you that I don't use it much."
"That's okay. I just wanna make sure you aren't murdered or anything," Marx chuckled as she quickly put in her contact info before handing it back. "Sorry to keep you up, I'll let you go to sleep now," she said, turtling a little when she handed the phone back
