Lunatics

Synopsis:  A romcom about 2 people who meet at a stargazing event to view a lunar eclipse.   Oddly enough our protagonists have astrological names: Apollo Hellenski and Lyra Dart.   

Chapter 1—Lonely Hearts at the Observatory 

Lyra had been burned too many times to count when it came to her old relationships.   Her life was wildly successful, and she had become beloved in many circles.   Many people knew her as the ‘cosplay queen’.   She had even become a popular name in commercials, jingles, radio broadcasting and landed bit parts in well-known movies.   She was mainly known for her background work in popular cartoons and Western anime, but her biggest selling point, other than her contagious laugh and warm personality was her vastly creative comic book that she had printed (with help of her own staff working beside her) and penned all due to dreams she had growing up as a little girl.    It was reminiscent of Buck Rogers, Kid Cosmic, Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica with a dash of Dirk Gently thrown in for good measure.   Even those who hated time travel and quantum mechanics found themselves in love with the characters and their iconic designs.    

Lyra’s best friend, Windy, had talked her into going to the observatory.   

‘You’re a selenophile, right ?’, she mentioned.  

‘Yeah, a regular ‘loony’.’, Lyra chuckled.   Lyra had been the butt of ‘lunatic’ jokes for many years but didn’t let it chip at her confidence.   Some people were just looking for undo attention and making her mad was one of their favorite games.   As she recalled from her D&D roll playing online, ‘Don’t feed the trolls’.    

  ‘So, you need to get out.   Try to meet someone.  You’re a regular sweetie.   I would hate to see you go through life alone just because you’ve been hurt.   It’s about risk, and I’ve seen you risk everything just to get Starland published.’, Windy said, patting her friend on the shoulder.   Windy was wise beyond her 27 years and Lyra was only one year older than she.  Needless to say, Lyra had led a very sheltered life and knew she had to break out of her ‘comfortable mold’ if she ever wanted to grow. 

‘This is the crystalis stage.  I want to see you become a Monarch !’, Windy said, hugging her friend.    With a small grunt, Lyra complied.   She knew Windy was correct.   Relucantly, she went to the observatory, knowing that an eclipse of a lifetime awaited her. 

Chapter 2—Stargazers Unite 

Apollo had come to the observatory, shocked at how much the whole event was shaping to become a proverbial ‘sausage fest’.    He sighed, berating himself internally. 

‘Shouldn’t have listened to my dolt brother !   He knows these things are going to be attended to by NERDS…’, Apollo critiqued in his beleaguered mind.   Suddenly, from his perhiphery, he saw a spellbinding blonde.   Sucking in a fast breath of air, he gave himself the quickest pep talk in the history of lonely but hopeful hearts.  

‘Showtime.’, he mused, as he strutted her way.   

Lyra saw the tan Greek walking cockily before her.   Typically, she didn’t find overt ego attractive, but there was something about this man that stood out.   Every constellation and planet, he had no trouble finding.   It was as if he had been navigating by stars his whole life.    

‘I noticed you’re the only hot-blooded female here.   I’m Apollo.’, Apollo said, seductively.   His accent made it hard for Lyra to focus, especially when she looked into his deep, dark eyes.   Lyra tittered like a college schoolgirl.    

‘I think you may be the only stargazer here worth his salt.’, Lyra said with a flirtatious grin.   The more the two spoke, the more the two knew that they had waited for each other their entire lives.     

Chapter 3—Beyond the Stars 

As the night gave way to the rays of morning, Apollo said his farewells to Lyra, but that wouldn’t be their final meeting.    Once they had gone their separate ways, Apollo gave Lyra his number and the two began the process of courting each other. 

Days became months and eventually a month became a year.   Before the two knew it, they had their own home together and were looking at the results of a pregnancy test.   

‘Looks like it’s positive.’, Lyra said, her expression becoming brilliant and euphoric.   Apollo picked her up in his arms and twirled her around.

‘A new chapter for us both.’, he said, kissing her passionately.   

As the couple grew their homestead, they found themselves transitioning from newlyweds to parents and respected sages in their respective neighborhood as well as respected guides to the stars themselves.   Apollo became an astrologist and Lyra dabbled in the healing arts as her side job.    

Lyra and Apollo welcomed twins into the world, Estelle and Luna.    The two were quite the handful and never did anything apart.   It was a challenge to differentiate the one sister from the other, but Estelle was most definitely the louder and more boisterous of the two. 

Chapter 4—What’s to Come 

Tucking their babies in for the night after a long day, Apollo and Lyra went outside to watch the constellations from Apollo’s highly advanced telescope.    It had been a gift his parents gave him during the best Christmas of his life and he couldn’t wait to teach Estelle and Luna how to use it once their motor functions were fine enough and they understood how to treat expensive equipment.

‘Did you ever imagine that we would ever come this far ?’, Apollo asked, leaning against Lyra, holding his hands in his atop his lap.   He idly stroked them and nuzzled his shaven chin atop her head.   The gentleness of his embrace made her giggle and sigh contentedly.   

‘No.  I honestly didn’t.   I’m glad I did.   My friend is a real matchmaker.    She’s long since married and has plenty of kids, but she’s still Cupid to many of my other friends who have all but lost hope.   She has a very high success rate.’, Lyra boasted.   

‘I’m glad she convinced you.   I’m never letting you go.’, Apollo said, kissing Lyra’s temple lovingly.    As the two started to fall asleep outside, they were awoken by the family dog, Sirius, who only wanted to go outside for his evening excretion. 

Epilogue 

Estelle and Luna are older now, going to school on their own and developing friend groups by tastes, hobbies, and favorite songs.   Sirius is far older now, because like the girls when they first came into the world, he was only a puppy himself.    He’s a bit older now, but being a Caine Corso, he has an innate desire to protect everything he believes is his.   

As for Lyra and Apollo, they are as ever in love with each other as they are the day they met.   They often find free time to dance, sing, laugh, cook, and have fun in any event they can.  Unapologetically, they live life to the fullest and still live for stellar events even if they are up far past their appointed bedtimes.   

The End