DISCLAIMER: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino.
Saving Lincoln
By Lola Presents
Chapter 12
Tristen: Yup! That she is.
TheAllSeeingEye4812: Hm, you'll have to wait and see!
He23t: Yes, it sure was. As for Lisa, who knows?
Lana bolted from the room as fast as her little legs could carry her and burst into the room directly across the hall.
"Lola!" exclaimed the young mechanic. "I need to borrow your car!"
"What? Why?" implored Lola, looking at her twin oddly.
"I need it to pull my wagon," explained Lana, "so I can haul a bunch of stuff home from the dump."
"And get my jeep all muddy?" proclaimed Lola. "I don't think so!"
"Oh, please!" begged Lana, getting down on her knees. "I'll pay you and clean it before I return it!"
"Hm, how much?" Lola inquired, always ready to accept a good bribe.
"I'll give you five a day, as long as I need it," Lana offered, fully expecting to earn much more than that, herself.
"Alright, fine," Lola sighed, "but you have to wash it, and if you scratch it, I'll charge you extra."
"Deal!" exclaimed Lana bounding out of their room.
Lana made her way to the garage, where she hauled out her old red wagon. After dumping its current load, she applied some WD-40 to the axles, then attached it to the hitch on Lola's pink battery-powered jeep.
She looked at the sun, seeing it was high in the sky. Perfect! There was plenty of daylight left, and the little girl hopped in, driving off down the road. She'd never been paid to have fun before and was enjoying herself.
Luan finally took a shower, changed into her typical daywear, and then went downstairs to see what everyone was doing. Luna was chilling in the recliner while Lily played at her feet. Luan wasn't sure where her other sisters were, though, or her brother for that matter.
The jokester turned on the television and browsed the lineup. Football, news, soap operas, reality shows, nothing interesting was on. Then she paused, landing on a show she'd never heard of called "Finding Comedy in Tragedy."
"What kind of show is this?" Luan muttered and read the description. "Drama students take turns attempting to instill a sense of humor into tragic scenarios given to them by a panel of judges."
"That sounds horrific, dude," Luna said, offering her unasked opinion.
"I know, right?" agreed Luan. "Some things are just off-limits, you know?"
"What's off-limits?" asked Lucy, who was suddenly sitting on the couch with them.
"Augh!" yelped Luan. "How the hell do you do that?"
"Do what?" inquired Lucy.
"Nevermind," spat Luan, obviously agitated. "Here, you choose something," she added, handing the remote to the little goth. "Anything will be better than this."
Lucy accepted the device and began scrolling through the listings, eventually settling on a show on The Discovery Channel about Spelunking, searching for rare breeds of bats.
"It figures," Luan sighed. "But I can live with this."
"You don't have to watch, you know," replied Lucy. "It is your day, after all, isn't it?"
Luan blushed instantly and became slightly withdrawn.
"Y-yeah," she replied. "But I already... I mean, we already..."
"Are you saying you want to forfeit the rest of your day?" asked Lucy with a wide grin.
"Wait!" Luan pleaded. "You mean we can still..."
"All day," answered Lucy. "Then again, everyone else only got one shot, so..."
Luan never replied to Lucy's comment. Instead, she bolted upstairs and entered Lincoln's room, where he sat on his bed, working on his latest masterpiece.
"Lincoln..." Luan cooed.
"Oh, hey, beautiful," Lincoln answered. "What's up?"
"Would you like to go on a stroll with me at the park?" she asked.
"Sure, why not," Lincoln agreed. "I'm just working on a picture of Lily. I can do that anytime."
"Oh, may I see?" Luan asked.
"Sorry, not until it's finished," Lincoln told her as he closed his laptop and stuffed it into his nightstand drawer.
"That's understandable," Luan replied before getting an idea. "Say, how about we grab the stroller and take Lily along with us?"
"You know," Lincoln said as he came to a stand. "That's a wonderful idea. I haven't gotten to see her much the past few days."
"Alright, then," Luan instructed. "You get dressed, and I'll get the baby!"
In just moments, the two were standing by the front door, preparing to leave. Luan securely nestled Lily in the stroller, and a baby bag hung from the handle.
"Guys!" Lincoln announced to Luna, Lucy, and Lori, who had joined them in watching the cave exploration special. "We're headed to the park. We'll see you later!"
"What a great idea, have fun!" sang Lori, unworried as a public outing could only lead to a limited number of events.
Together, the three kids walked to the park and settled on a bench near a small pond. The trek had been mostly silent but peaceful. A gentle breeze blew the warming air across their bodies, bringing life to them. As they neared the park, they could feel the spray from the pond as the wind picked up moisture blowing across its surface.
"Wily feed da dugs!" Lily pleaded with large puppy-dog eyes.
"Of course, love," Lincoln said, handing Lily a slice of bread.
"Won fuh you, won fuh me," Lily said as she shared the treat with the waterfowl.
Luan studied Lincoln carefully. He'd called Lily "love," and while it may have just been a term of endearment, it may have had another meaning as well. With any other male, in any different situation, Luan would have had no doubts. However, things being what they were, she couldn't be too cautious.
"This is nice," noted Lincoln. "The sun, the breeze, having you two with me. Things couldn't get much better."
Luan smiled and looked from Lincoln to Lily and back. Yes, she thought. Things could be better if only her brother would give her a child of their own. But, she held her tongue.
"Aw doned!" Lily declared, displaying her empty hands, then pointing at the birds that had gathered.
That's when Lily noticed how Luan was looking at Lincoln. The little girl sighed mentally. There must be something she could do to gain Lincoln's attention.
"Wincoln?" Lily asked softly. "Wily go swing? Wincoln push?"
"Hm? Oh, yeah," Lincoln said, averting the loving stare he was giving Luan. "Sure, we'll go play now."
A short walk down the nature trail led them to a clearing where several swings and gyms stood. Old, repurposed railroad ties bound the area, and sand covered the grounds under the play equipment. Lincoln pulled up to another bench, this one in the shade, and parked the stroller.
Luan unfastened Lily's straps, set her free, and then sat down on the bench to watch her frolic. In a way, she could understand Lincoln's feelings for the girl. Lily was energetic, outgoing, and friendly. Also, she displayed a fair amount of talent and intelligence. She was kind-hearted and sensitive, as well.
"Tum, Wincoln!" Lily called as she leaped off toward the swings. "Swing!"
As Luan watched Lincoln lift Lily into the rubber seat and begin to push her into ever higher arcs, she couldn't help but think how great a parent and lover he'd make.
Lincoln stared longingly at Lily's small body as it moved forward and back, swinging with delight. The motion was almost serendipitous of his relationship with her. Every time he got closer to her, something happened that pulled her away again. He was both happy to spend time with her here, at the park, but that aching pain in his heart wouldn't stop. He wanted more than just time.
Suddenly, his head began to hurt, and as before, his vision went fuzzy. This time, it was more intense, causing him to falter upon his legs.
"Lincoln!" gasped Luan, running to his side and stabilizing him. "What happened?"
"I d-don't know," Lincoln replied groggily. "I went all wobbly for a moment."
"Has this happened before?" Luan demanded as she walked him to the bench and helped him sit down.
"Just once," answered Lincoln, his vision returning to normal. "But I'm better now. Thanks."
"We doh home now?" Lily said after leaping from the swing and following Luan to the bench. "Wincoln sick?"
"Yeah, I think that's a good idea, Lily," Luan agreed and began getting the little girl resettled into her stroller. "Can you walk, Lincoln? Or do I need to call mom?"
"No, no," Lincoln said as if nothing had happened. "Really. I'm fine now."
As they headed back home, Luan became worried about her brother. She went over every possibility she could in her head, asking him questions every few minutes. He did what he could to satisfy her, but nothing made sense.
"Tell me," Luan finally asked after a few moments of silence. "You said you felt this way once before. When was it?"
Lincoln stopped and tried to remember and found it challenging. Every time he got near it, the memory seemed to slip away as if it knew he was looking for it and fled. Finally, after much mental strain, Lincoln recalled. Closing his eyes, he replayed the event.
"It was dark," he said. "Lori, I think, was taking me somewhere, and she was crying."
Once he'd spoken things aloud, the memory submitted, and he remembered it in detail.
"Yes, that was it," Lincoln said. "It was after Lori found me in the garage, and she led me upstairs to my room for our first night together. Sometime between leaving the garage and walking into the house, I felt that way. Only it was very brief. It was worse this time."
"I see," frowned Luan. "Maybe we'd better ask Lisa about this."
"Good idea," Lincoln agreed. "But not right away. I want to enjoy the rest of the day if you know what I mean."
"Yeah..." sighed Luan. "Though, I don't know if I will be able to with you almost passing out like that."
Lincoln would've responded, but the pair were rounding the corner to Franklin Street. Deciding to stay silent for now, Lincoln and Luan walked the rest of the way home without speaking.
"Oh, hey, lovebirds!" quipped Lori as they entered. "Have fun?"
"We sir did!" answered Lily, laughing and giggling.
"Ehem," Lori coughed. "I was talking to Lincoln and Luan..."
"Nggg," growled Lily.
"We had a lot of fun," replied Lincoln. "Thanks for asking."
Luan assisted Lily out of the stroller then headed upstairs with Lincoln. Near the top of the stairs, Luan turned to the right and knocked on Lisa's door.
"Whatcha doing, Luan?" pondered Lincoln, stopping in his tracks.
"I need to see Lisa for a few," Luan replied. "Go on and relax for a bit."
"Well, okay," Lincoln conceded and watched Luan disappear into Lisa's room before entering his.
Lucy stood and handed the remote to Leni, who'd shown up just as the spelunking show ended, then headed upstairs. Upon reaching her bed, she laid upon it, sighing and moaning. Luan had now not only had sex with Lincoln but spent the day with him at the park to boot. How was that fair?
It didn't matter, though. After tonight, Lincoln would be all hers, and she had plans to never let him go. Ever. As Lucy's thoughts turned to how she'd go about greeting Lincoln and what they would do afterward, she slipped under her covers and pulled her dress up.
Finding comfort in the warmth and darkness of her blankets, her hand crept under her panties and attacked her most sensitive spot. It remained there, like a spider wrapping its prey for storage, for several minutes. Her breath became labored, and her panties dampened.
"Soon, Lucy, soon," she muttered to herself. "Soon, you will claim your dark prince, and he shall succumb to your desires."
Soon didn't come soon enough for Lucy, however, and she fell fast asleep buried under her bedding.
"It sounds like a stress reaction," said Lisa. "Or perhaps the heat of the day? You had just copulated, did you not?"
"Well, yes, but..." Luan responded, blushing again. "What about when he was with Lori? They hadn't done anything yet."
"True, but he did just try to commit suicide," Lisa said, thinking out loud. "Listen, I'll keep an eye on him, alright. In the meantime, perhaps you should take it easy on him for the rest of the day."
"Alright," Luan nodded the left the room.
Things remained calm the rest of the evening, especially once their parents came home from work. That was mostly because they now had something to do; help make or prepare for dinner.
It took nearly an hour, but eventually, dinner was ready, and Lori took it upon herself to call everyone down. As usual, everybody came rushing down. Tonight was Lynnsagna with Mac-n-Cheese bites night, which made them all drool.
Things were finally beginning to normalize, now that all the siblings were in the know. Discussions picked up, and laughter returned to the table. It seemed that everyone offered Lincoln their extras, especially Lily, who practically insisted that he take her portions. Of course, Lincoln didn't complain, but he could only eat so much.
After dinner, Lincoln decided he needed a relaxing bath. It had been a while since he'd taken one as quick showers had become the staple in their home. He couldn't remember the last time he took a bath.
Oh, right, it was with Lynn when they were younger. Wow, he wished he'd known how Lynn felt back then. They could've had a lot more fun that night.
Regardless, he filled the tub with warm water, used some of Lily's bubble bath, and then sank into the water. The cleansing sensation cascaded over his weary form as he began to clear his mind of everything that occurred recently. As much as he loved his sisters, even he needed a break.
Not one sister complained when Lincoln announced he wished to take a bath instead of a shower. Instead, they seemed adamant that he do so, smiling or blushing at him. Whether or not his parents read anything into it or even noticed it, Lincoln had no clue. And right now, he didn't care.
Lincoln was free of worry, obligation, and responsibility, as he lay in the tub, washing his body with a bar of soap. If only there were a way to escape reality like this. But that's something that only happens in science fiction.
Whatever was going on inside him, he would discover and solve for himself, with the aid of his loving sisters. For now, all that was important was relaxing in the warm liquid that now cradled him.
Lincoln enjoyed his bath until his fingertips became wrinkled and soggy, and as everything must, it came to an end. Pulling the drain and stepping from the basin, he grabbed the nearest towel and began drying himself off.
Finally, he put on his pajamas and tossed his day's clothes into the hamper, then made his way to his room. Yawning, he reached for the ceiling, and his back popped a little. After he stretched, he crawled into bed and covered himself.
He thought about how crazy the past few days had been and wondered how much more insane things could get. Every boy dreamed of entertaining several girls at once, but things were getting out of hand. If something didn't even out soon, he feared he might lose his mind.
At least nobody had gotten hurt. Everyone who participated thoroughly enjoyed themselves, including himself. It was the remaining sisters that worried him. Only Lucy, the twins, and Lisa remained. Of course, Lily got excluded as she was the reason for their newly revealed interest in him.
He could see having Lucy as she wasn't that much younger than him. But the twins and Lisa? They were another matter. The younger his sisters were, the more he feared hurting them. It wasn't that he didn't desire them, though. In fact, the younger they were, the more attractive they were to him.
Lincoln scrunched his face when he realized what he just thought. Such a thing was unthinkable, and it wrenched his gut terribly. Saying no was one of Lincoln's worst problems, in that he found it difficult to say. He always prided himself on taking on whatever his sisters needed. But now, that selflessness seemed a curse.
Lincoln rolled from his position, staring at the wall, to one where he gazed at the ceiling. Whatever he planned on doing, whatever his sisters did, he hand to stand firm and say no when the time came. That was his resolution. Whether he could keep it or not, he had no idea.
For now, the shadows called, and his body listened. His breathing slowed and became more shallow, lending the shadows a hand in pulling him in. Soon, Lincoln saw only darkness as he fell asleep.
Unseen by the slumbering boy, his door silently opened, making not a single sound. Then, a shadowy figure entered, as quiet as the night sky. After the door closed once more, as effortlessly as it opened, the figure slinked across the room, seemingly moving in tandem with the occasional beam of light streaming through the window.
Even in his sleep, Lincoln knew something wasn't right. His unconscious mind screamed in alarm, waking him suddenly. As he opened his eyes, though blurry from much-needed rest, he could make out a figure seemingly hovering over him.
"Blessed, be the night, dear brother," said Lucy. "For I have come to claim my dark prince and sit at his table for eternity."