[TLH/SinKid] Lupa helps Leia

"Oh thank God you're here." Lola pulled Lupa into a tight and unwanted hug, the smell of way too much expensive perfume filling Lupa's nose.
Lupa wormed her way out of her grasp. "H-hey, Aunt Lola."
"I wouldn't have called you if it wasn't important."
Lupa raised an eyebrow. More like she was the last resort. She stepped passed her and entered the house. It was not very large, but ludicrously expensive-looking. "So what was wrong, exactly?"
"It's Leia." Lola started. "She hasn't left her room in a week, and she's barely been eating."
"Weird." Lupa murmured. Ignoring Lola from then on, she walked up a flight of stairs to where she knew Leia's room was. She knocked on the door.
"Go away." Leia replied.
"Yo Curls, it's Lupa."
Silence for a moment. The door opened just a crack, a brilliant blue eye looking at her. "What do you want?"
"Gwen told me you've not been at school for a week. I'm just checking on you for her."
"And she sent you rather than coming herself?" Leia scoffed. "Some friend." She went to close the door, but Lupa jammed it open with her heavy boot. "Move your foot, dumbass."
"Not until I get some answers." Lupa practically barged into her room. By complete contrast, it was a mess, paper and clothes scattered everywhere. What stood out the most was Leia wearing a hoodie and sweatpants, her otherwise immaculate hair a complete mess. "Jesus."
"Get out of my room!" Leia yelled at her. "I'm busy!"
Lupa turned to her desk. A whole stack of books and sheets of half-written paper coated it. She studied the topmost book - something for chemistry, high school senior level. Nothing way beyond her league, seeing as she was already a senior student.
"Are you even listening to me?!" Leia shouted.
"So you've been stuck in here doing homework?" Lupa raised an eyebrow, placing the book down.
"Y-yeah, and?"
"Pfft, lame." Lupa smirked. "Explains the mess, though."
"Hey, you don't get to mock me, Miss Barely-passed-high-school-and-college-dropout."
"That'd cut me deep if I actually cared." Lupa replied. "But back to the point. Why are you even here and not at school?"
"I..." Leia frowned. "None of your business!"
"I've had about three people tell me it *is* my business." Lupa crossed her arms. "And I'm not leaving until I'm satisfied with your answer."
Leia growled. "Fine. I'm... a bit behind in my classes, so I've decided to do homeschooling so I don't have any distractions."
"And how's that working out for ya?"
"Fine." Leia replied. "Kind of. I don't know!" Leia pouted and sat on her bed with a huff.
"Leia, you're a straight B student, you can afford to relax a little."
"Easy for you to say, your mom doesn't care about your schoolwork."
Lupa frowned in thought, then sat next to her. "Is... everything okay?" She asked in a soft voice.
"I..." Leia sighed. "I don't know. I keep trying but it's never enough." She turned to look at Lupa. "Do you know how that feels?"
"More than you know." Lupa placed a hand on Leia's shoulder.
"It's just... I keep pushing myself harder and harder, but it's never enough for her- I-I mean, myself..." Leia curled into herself.
Mother problems. Lupa sighed. "Well, I doubt this'd help, but I'm quite proud of how you've done. Certainly doing better than me, anyway."
"That's a low benchmark." Leia replied.
"But it *is* a benchmark." Lupa smiled. "So maybe stop comparing yourself to what your mom wants and lower your expectations. Besides, you have dyslexia, so you're already doing great."
Leia looked back up at her, sniffing. "B-but I don't think I can do that."
"Sure you can. Also, fuckin' ask for help. I know it's hard but ya just gotta suck it up."
Leia paused, thinking. "I... I don't know..."
"Well, lemme see if there's anything I can help with."
---
A solid five hours later, Lupa finally left Leia's room. Immediately Lola was up on her feet. "So what's wrong with her?"
"Where do I begin?" Lupa smirked. She had been wanting to say a few words to her for years, but now that she was an adult, she could.
Lola wasn't an idiot, either. Lupa's expression made her frown.
"First and foremost, lay off the damn kid. You keep demanding perfection and don't even have the heart to even aknowledge her efforts. So now she's stressed out of her mind, trying to both please you, pass high school, *and* overcome her dyslexia which you fully know she has, and it's becoming an impossible climb." Lupa crossed her arms. "So stop being a total bitch and cut Leia at least *some* slack."
Lola was absolutely furious. "You have no right to talk to me like that! You have no idea what it's like to be a single mother!"
Lupa looked around the upstairs hallway. "You seem to be doing fairly well for yourself though."
Lola's eye twitched. "That...!"
"Listen, all I'm saying is that you should being so... heartless? I feel like that's a good word. Stop being so heartless to Leia. She's trying her fucking best, and if you weren't such a thundercunt about her success doing then maybe she wouldn't be isolating herself just to attain your impossible standards."
Lola went to yell back, but faltered.
"I mean, if Aunt Lori, *fucking Aunt Lori*, can stop fucking up their daughter, then you can too." Lupa let out a deep breath. "Man, I have been wanting to say that stuff for years."
Lola looked deep in thought. "Have... have I really been that bad of a mother...?"
"'Fraid so."
Lola was on the verge of tears. "I... I need some time to think. I think you should go, for now."
"Just leaving now." Lupa smiled. Leaving the house, she scooped up a small rock and threw it at Leia's window. Leia peeked through it, then smiled and waved. Lupa couldn't help but smile back, and she wave-saluted her as she made the short walk back home.