PERCEPTIONS

SYNOPSIS: Lincoln learns something that changes the way he views himself.

Published on: Dec. 19th, 2016

Word Count: 1,306

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LOUD HOUSE AND MAKE NO PROFIT FROM THE PRODUCTION OF THIS PROSE.

Lincoln sat amongst his sisters during one of their regular Secret Secret's Meeting. Lori and Leni were painting each other's toenails, while Luna sat on the bed near them, playing the bass to Tame Impala's The Less I Know the Better. Lola was serving everyone refreshments from her small tea table, and Lana was roughhousing with their dog, Charles. Lucy was halfway under the bed, reading one of her poetry books, while Lisa had sensors stuck all over her head, to what end, no one knew. Lynn was playing with Lily, lifting her through the air making exaggerated plane noises. Luan was in the middle of sharing her latest screw up while working with their dad's tools for a new prank.

Lincoln, however, was too lost in thought, not paying attention to anyone around him when he was struck in the face with a pillow, knocking him over and onto his back. Groaning, he rolled back into a sitting position, rubbing his head with an irritated look on his face.

"You know, you guys could just call me to get my attention," he said. "No need to knock me on my butt."

"We tried that, Link," Lynn said with a grin. "You were ignoring us."

"Was I?" Lincoln watched as his sisters all nodded, eyeing him curiously. "Oh, I'm sorry."

His sisters took that as their cue to surround him. Even Lily crawled her way into Lincoln's lap. Giggling, he lifted her into his arms.

"Is this about your test," Lori asked. "You'll do fine! You've been studying real hard, and you even had a really, really… good tutor," all the girls sighed wistfully, remembering the incredibly handsome Hugh.

Lincoln rolled his eyes, but shook his head dismissing Lori's assumption.

"No, I've got the test in the bag," he said confidently. "But it does have to do with Hugh." They all sighed…again. Again, he couldn't resist the urge to roll his eyes.

"Hugh is, like, totally perfect," cooed Leni.

"Sooo handsome!" Lori said.

"And atheletic! Did you see those abs!?" Lynn added enthusiastically. All of the girls seemed to melt even more at the mention of Hugh's physique.

"And-"

"Anyway!" Cried Lincoln, cutting off Lana. She looked a little put off at being interrupted, but said nothing. "Yes, it has to do with H-him," Lincoln avoided saying Hugh's name this time, he didn't need his sisters to start swooning all over again. "He kind of said something I thought was weird," he admitted shyly.

"What'd he tell you bro?" Luna asked. Seeing that Lincoln was a little uncomfortable, she frowned, her protective instincts rising to the surface. "If he said something that made you uncomfortable, total babe or not, we'll kick his ass," Luna declared vehemently. Her sisters rallied behind her, voicing their support.

"No, it wasn't anything like that," Lincoln said trying to diffuse the situation. "It's just, well…do you guys think I'm good-looking?"

The girls all looked at Lincoln, surprised.

"Of course we do!" Lori's voice rang out.

"You're our handsome little brother," said Luan.

"No!" Lincoln cried over all of their voices. "None of that, 'cute little brother' stuff," he stressed. "I mean, if we weren't related would any of you look twice at me?"

"Lincoln, why are you so interested all of a sudden," asked Lynn. "You were never a slob, but you never struck me as the type to fuss over their looks."

"Like I said, it's what Hugh told me," Lincoln reiterated.

"What did he tell you, exshactly," Lisa said with her unique lisp.

"While we were studying in my room," he began, "I apologized to him, again, for how crazy my sisters were acting," they all blushed, embarrassed at their earlier behavior.

"Oh, it's no bother, Lincoln," said Hugh. "This is hardly the first time I've been accosted by girls," he chuckled.

"I guess beauty has a price, huh?" Lincoln joked as he attempted to solve the math problem in front of him.

"Oh, you'll learn that soon enough," laughed Hugh. At his words, Lincoln looked up, confused.

"Why do you say that," Lincoln asked. "I'm nothing special, girls don't look twice at me," Well, Ronnie Ann does, he thought to himself.

"You're a cute kid, Lincoln," said Hugh. "And I've seen your dad, and I saw pictures of your mum too," he said. "And your sisters too, you're an attractive family. You, and all your siblings, will definitely break a lot of hearts," Hugh said with a chuckle. "So, how're you doing with that problem?"

All of a sudden, Lincoln was at the center of a group of squealing girls.

"O-M-G!"

"He thinks we're hot!"

"I knew our love was meant to be!"

"Guys!" Again, Lincoln cried out catching his sister's attention. "I'm glad you're all so happy, but this is really weird for me."

"Why would this be weird for you?" Lucy asked, in her signature gravelly voice.

"I don't know," he admitted. "It's not like when family tells you you're cute, they're family, so it doesn't really hit you," he explained. "But when a guy like Hugh tells you you're handsome, a guy who's practically a model, then he must be right, you know?"

The girls nodded. They knew the feeling. Being complimented by family didn't really take as much as being complimented by others.

"But, like, why is this an issue," asked Leni. "So, like, you'll be totally hot someday, that's, like, a good thing!" The girls nodded in agreement.

"Well, I guess it is, it's not like I'm mad about it," he said. "I guess it's just unexpected? I always thought of myself as the boring one in the family, you know?" The girls definitely knew about Lincoln's low self-esteem. "You're all so talented, and I'm just me, and I guess I never really thought there'd be more to me than the Loud Sister's Brother."

Lola and Lana both grabbed Lincoln in a hug, trying to comfort him.

"Lincoln…"

Suddenly, Lincoln snorted in an attempt to stifle his laughter.

"Can you imagine that," he asked. "Lincoln Loud, Male Model." He waved his hand dramatically, with a serious face as he said that. Then he burst out laughing. So did his sisters.

"You know," Lincoln started, as he wiped a tear from his eye. "I don't even know why I was surprised," he said thoughtfully. "I always thought you guys were really pretty, so I guess it makes sense that I would be pretty good looking too. I don't think I'll be as good looking as Hugh though."

"You'll probably be better looking," said Lori. All eyes turned to her. She was scrolling through her phone, with a contemplative look on her face. "If mom and dad are any indication." She turned her phone towards her siblings, showing a picture of their parents from back when they were dating, before they were married. "Dad totally looks like a cross between David Beckham and young Clint Eastwood! And mom! I forgot how beautiful she was, she actually looks a little like Iskra Lawrence."

The Loud siblings all marveled at the photo of their young parents. They all stared, seeing their parents in a new light.

"You know, we just think of them as 'Mom and Dad' but they are people too," Lincoln commented. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Wait a minute," Lincoln cried out. He had a worried look on his face. "If I do get really good looking, are girls gonna start chasing me around too?"

All of his sisters laughed.

"I'm not kidding you guys! Is this something I should worry about?"

"I don't think you have to worry about that for a while, Lincoln," Lori said, still laughing.

"And even if does happen," Lynn began. "We'll totally protect you from those horny girls."

"Yeah!" The girls cried.

"Wait, what's 'horny' mean?" Asked Lana.

x X x

This is just a silly little thing I started back when "Study Muffin" first aired. I didn't finish it till today, and I decided to go ahead and publish it.

This takes place DURING Study Muffin, after Hugh leaves, but before Lincoln's big test.

It's meant to be a slight introspection on Lincoln's character, and his slightly low self-esteem, at least when it comes to his sisters. It's also meant to be funny, but I don't know if that came across in my writing.

Iskra Lawrence is an Instagram model. Her at is just her first name, iskra

Either way, I hope you enjoyed it.