Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino

Tainted Love

By Lola Presents

Chapter 3

"In love?" repeated Leni. "I don't know. You just do. Why? Are you having doubts about Bobby?"

Lori squinted and rolled her mouth around for a moment. "Yes. No. Maybe."

"Well, which is it?" asked Leni, somewhat perplexed. "It can't be all three."

"Okay, so, tell me, why do you love Chaz?" implored Lori.

"Let's see..." thought Leni, placing one finger in her chin. "He's funny, intelligent, and kind."

"And you still love him, even though he's overweight?" continued Lori's questioning.

"Lori!" gasped Leni. "That's a horrible thing to ask! I never pictured you as someone who would fat-shame anyone!"

"I'm not," Lori explained. "But, please, answer the question."

Leni wasn't pleased but gave her sister's question some thought. "Lori, everyone has at least one 'even though' attached to them. Some more than others. You aren't ever going to find the perfect person."

"So, if everyone has them, we're back to my original question," Lori sighed. "How do you know when you're in love?"

Lori's questions were getting more difficult for Leni to answer, venturing into mental territory that Leni had little traveled. Yet, she gave it her best attempt. "I don't think I have the answer you're looking for, Lori," she began. "My reasons may be different from others. Perhaps, only you can answer that."

"I see," mumbled Lori, gazing down at her crossed legs. "What if a person's 'even though' is, I don't know, say, illegal?"

"You mean against the law?" confirmed Leni. "I suppose you'd have some choices to make, then. Whether to love them or not and what to do about it."

"What do you mean?" implored Lori, not entirely following Leni's line of reasoning.

"Lori, I read an article in one of my magazines once. Did you that it's unlawful to sit or lie down on public sidewalks in Reno, Nevada? I mean, I understand that doing so could impede traffic and all, but mostly it's just dumb. The people walking aren't stupid. I mean, wouldn't they just walk around them? The point is not every law makes sense for everyone, even when they have good intentions. Of course, a law is a law, so, you know. If someone breaks that law and sits down, they could get arrested. So, you know. Be careful. That's all."

"I see..." muttered Lori, preparing for her next question.

"KIDS! DINNER IS READY!" called Lynn, Senior from the foot of the stairs.

Soon, a thunderous roar rang out as multitudes of footfalls raced down the stairs to the dining room. Their mother was seated at her usual place at one end of the table, while the father placed the last entree onto the table. The children clambered to reach their favorite seats, which, considering their number, was quite the feat.

"Hey! Where's Lincoln?" observed Luan questioningly as people began devouring the meal. "It's not like him to miss a meal, even if he never says anything anymore."

"I'll go get him," sighed Lynn, Junior, rising to fetch her brother.

Several pairs of eyes covertly followed the girl as she left the room and headed upstairs. All except Lori's, as she focused entirely on filling her gullet.

Lynn bounded up the stairs, then paused long enough to pump herself up before entering Lincoln's door. That boy was in dire need of a good thrashing, but Lynn didn't want to make things worse. Instead, a mild one would have to do.

"Lincoln!" Lynn belted after entering and closing the door. "Get up, damn it. It's dinner time."

"Ugh, do I have to?" whined the boy. "I not in the mood."

Lynn furrowed her brows. "Game time," she thought to herself, violently yanking the covers off her brother. "Yes!" she barked again. "You have to. Your sister is home from college, and we're all celebrating with a big meal. Now, get your ass downstairs before I kick it there! It won't do if the whole team isn't present."

"Lori?" asked Lincoln, nearly whispering it. "I c-can't..."

Lynn's lids fell, taking a seat at Lincoln's side. Surprisingly, she found herself in doubt of their plan, which wasn't like winning a game, one that was temporary at best. They were playing with Lincoln's well-being, and Lynn could see the desperation in Lincoln's face, softening her stance. Perhaps, this once, she would go out on her own.

"Lincoln," Lynn sighed, recovering him slightly. "I know how you feel about Lori, and I have for quite a while. Maybe I should've said something earlier, and I'm not sure why I didn't. But, if you need someone to talk to about it, I'm here. In the meantime, let me tell you something."

Lincoln rolled his head to peer at his sister. "What?" he asked nervously and was more than a bit annoyed that she knew.

"Well, let's say I was recruiting for a new team. You'd be the last person I'd ask, regardless of how well you might play. Do you want to know why?" she asked her brother.

Lincoln rolled his eyes. "I suppose. I mean, you're going to tell me, anyway."

"It's because you're too busy basking in self-pity," Lynn told him. "Look, if you want to get accepted by a team, or Lori, the last thing you want to do is make yourself undesirable. And, right now, you're on the very edge, bro. Like, you are teetering on falling into an abyss."

"B-but there's no way Lori would ever go for me," whined Lincoln.

"Hey! None of that, alright? Listen, if you love her, then go and get her. Do whatever it takes. That's how you win. Otherwise, stop this whiny-ass complaining and move on, okay?" pleaded Lynn. "Nobody likes a sad-sack. With that kind of attitude, you'll never win anything."

Lincoln finally sat up and stared at his sister. "Why are you supporting this, Lynn? Are you actually interested in seeing us together, or are you just tired of seeing me depressed? You do know that incest is against the law. Right? Not to mention it'd be doubly illegal for Lori, considering she's over eighteen."

"Lincoln..." sighed Lynn. "If you ever tell anyone this, I'll pound you into the ground, and I'm only going to say this once, so listen well."

"Um, okay," promised Lincoln. "Please, go on."

"The truth is," Lynn began, suddenly seeming entirely more demure than Lincoln had ever seen her. "I'm not as tough as people think I am. I'm human, you know. I have a heart, and right now, it's breaking."

"What do you mean?" prodded Lincoln, noting that she'd altogether avoided the legal implications.

"I've seen the way you look at each other, even when arguing or fighting over something stupid," Lynn told him. "I know there's something there, even if Lori hasn't recognized it yet. Or, maybe she has and is in denial. I don't know. But, it's heartbreaking to see two people, who are so right for each other, so close and yet so isolated."

"You..." mumbled Lincoln, somewhat ashamed that he never thought of Lynn as being empathetic before now. "You really believe that, don't you?"

Lynn nodded. "Yes, I do. And, I'd do anything to help."

Lincoln smiled, but it soon gave way to a frown as he folded his arms atop his knees. "I don't think it matters now, anyway. I already confessed and even kissed her. But, she didn't respond."

"You're still alive, aren't you?" inquired Lynn, making a point. "Which likely means she wasn't mad. Only confused about her feelings."

"I don't know," sighed Lincoln. "Maybe you're right, though."

"Good. Now, let's get some dinner," Lynn demanded, playfully pulling him by one arm. "What's the worst that can happen? So, Lori might throw a roll at you. Throw it back, then laugh. Come on!"

"Yes, ma'am," Lincoln grumbled, coming to a stand. Then, in a rare, more light-hearted way, he added, "Thanks, coach."

"Well, there he is!" exclaimed their father as Lincoln meandered into the dining room, following his sister. "Fall asleep?"

"Uh, yeah..." sighed Lincoln, mussing his hair suspiciously. "Something like that."

Lincoln took a seat as the conversation around the table continued unabated. The current topic seemed to regard Lola and how she tripped and fell head-first off the stage at her last pageant. Everyone was laughing and making jokes.

"When they said, 'put your whole body into it,' that's not what they meant, Lola!" Luan teased, laughing so hard she could barely breathe. "That's not the way to get 'a head' in life!"

"Shut it, Luan!" barked Lola. "Before I knock yours completely off!"

Servings got passed, and soon Lincoln had a full plate of food. His father's food had never been that good, at least until he gained financial backing for his restaurant. After that, they had the money for quality ingredients, and his creations came alive.

"Man, these turkey croquettes are amazing, Dad," he offered before taking another large bite. "And, these potatoes are delicious."

"Thanks, son!" exclaimed his father. "It's amazing what a little butter, herbs, garlic, and chicken broth will do."

Then, noticing he needed some roughage to go with his meal, he reached for the last roll, which sat upon a small platter in the middle of the table. It wasn't until he realized another was attempting to fetch the same roll that he looked up, locking eyes with Lori.

For a moment, their touch lingered as they looked into each other's eyes, then Lori blushed, and Lincoln withdrew his hand. "No, please. Lori, you take it."

"Oh, I couldn't!" Lori gasped. "I already had one. It's yours. Take it."

"No. I insist," Lincoln pleaded. "I've got enough food on my plate. Besides, I can always grab a piece of bread later."

"Okay..." breathed Rita. "Who are you, and what have you done with my children?"

Rita's timely remark broke the awkward stares everyone gave Lori and Lincoln, and levity spread across the table. However, the issue has yet to get resolved. Lori and Lincoln would wait until the other wasn't looking and place the roll on the other's plate. Finally, Luna had seen enough.

"Here!" she glared, tearing the breading and serving them each one half. "There. Now you both have bread. Geez, you two fight like an old married couple!"

Both Lori's and Lincoln's eyes expanded, followed by mild blushing as they focused on the meals. Neither wished to look at the other for the remainder of dinner. However, their siblings were on to them, making such difficult.

"So, Lincoln," asked Lucy. "Do you have anything to ask Lori about her time at college?"

"Uh, well, um..." stammered Lincoln, briefly glancing at Lori, who would quickly turn slightly away. "How were classes?"

"Oh, you know," sighed Lori, feigning indifference. "The usual. Difficult and boring."

"Oh yeah!" exclaimed Leni. "I forgot. You have regular classes too. Not only golf stuff. How did you do? I mean, did you get promoted to grade fourteen?"

"Fourteen?" repeated Lori. "No. Leni. College isn't like grade school. You only have to complete a certain amount of required courses before graduating. Though, they do still use terms like junior and senior. But, they don't have grades."

"Oh," sighed Leni. "I see."

"And, if I may ask," interjected Lisa, finished with her meal. "How did you do?"

"I did reasonably well," answered Lori, spooning some green beans into her mouth. "I mean, I had mostly A's, a few B's, and one C."

"That's admirable," congratulated Lisa. "However, you should retake the class you earned a C in, even though you passed. You'll thank yourself later."

"No thanks," replied Lori. "I'm happy with what I have. Life isn't all about being perfect. Now, if it were a class I was interested in, that'd be a different story. I'd go all out for it."

"Something to think about, I suppose," whispered Leni, elbowing Lori in the side.

"What?" Lori muttered, entirely lost.

"Nothing," Leni said happily. "Nothing at all."

As dinner came to a close, people began excusing themselves from the table. Naturally, Lori and Lincoln were among the first to do so, neither wanting the awkwardness of getting left alone together. The tension between the two was palpable, though none could have known how deeply it ran.

While Lincoln wanted nothing more than to express his feelings for his sister to any who might listen, he fought against that urge until he knew more about how Lori regarded him. Sure, civility during dinner was one thing. But, it revealed nothing of her innermost thoughts. Regardless, Lincoln concluded that keeping his distance for a while was in order.

Lori, however, was more troubled. Now that she was aware of his feelings, Lincoln's every word and action were suspect. And, as much as her heart got pulled in one direction, her brain got pushed in another. In any case, Lori thought it best that she avoid being alone with him, at least until she sorted herself out.

Both managed to evade each other as the evening's activities concluded, though it took some doing. The only issue for Lori came when Lincoln emerged from his room to use the restroom before bed. Lori had also arrived late and was acutely aware of Lincoln's presence behind her.

"Oh god..." she thought. "Is her admiring my butt?" Then, a moment later, she continued her private conversation. "I wonder if he'd trade places with me. I'd much rather be looking at his, after all." Again, pausing a moment and furrowing her brows, she continued. "Wait. What am I saying? That's messed up, Lori. Get a hold of yourself."

Lincoln, however, was not gawking at his sister's butt. Instead, he twitched nervously, trying to stop himself from wrapping his arms around her waist and hugging her tightly, and having her nestle comfortably back into his support. Though, she did have a nice ass. At least, according to the hormones coursing through his body.

Eventually, the line shortened, and everyone disappeared into their rooms, passing both Lori and Lincoln as they waited for their turns. Occasionally, one of their siblings would wink as they passed, leading both Lori and Lincoln to think the odd message intended for them. Neither considered that, just maybe, there was some hidden meaning for the both of them.

Finally, Lori stepped into the bathroom and took care of business while Lincoln frittered about outside the door. For the first time, Lori became self-conscious regarding any noise she might make while using the facilities. In previous years, such was never an issue, as nobody cared.

However, now that Lincoln was fawning over her, things had more than subtly changed, and despite Lincoln not being in the same room, Lori began to blush furiously. Then, she ended her activities prematurely, redressed, and left, heading for her bedroom. Their eyes met only briefly as they passed, and Lori could've sworn that Lincoln's misty gaze followed her until her door closed.

And, it had. Lincoln couldn't keep his eyes off his sister's form until she disappeared into her room. Then, once he stood alone in the hall, he sighed, took care of his nightly routine, and headed off to bed as well. Frowning, he looked at the state of bedding. Lynn had destroyed them. Grumbling to himself, he remade his bed, then burrowed into the sheets. Somehow, they felt cool yet warmed his body, much like those at hotels.

His thoughts kept him awake for some time, however. Things hadn't gone as expected at dinner. There were no fights or arguments. At least, none of any consequence. Nobody seemed to make unwanted accusations, either. Indeed, his sisters knew something was amiss, especially after Lynn's confession. There was little chance she was the only one.

Lori had been primarily silent at dinner, though pleasant enough when she did speak. She hadn't treated him coldly or indifferently. Her only discretion was not looking him in the eye. Then again, he was just as guilty. Did she like him? And, if so, would she ever tell him so? Could he and Lori even have a life together?

Even if things played in his favor, it would be challenging to hide, and if discovered, all hell would break loose. Right? He was well aware some places took no issue with incest. However, an adult-child relationship was another matter. Considering that, would either of them be inclined to wait? That was the real question.

Sighing, Lincoln rolled over and pulled his covers close to his chin. Part of him wished that he'd never fallen for his sister. Another part begged for strength. Maybe, denying his feelings would be easier on Lori if he had such. But what about him? How would he fare, knowing he'd let the one person he'd ever truly loved go?

As the night wore on, Lincoln's thoughts turned toward more carnal imagery, better suiting a teen in puberty. The familiar scene would begin with Lori silently slipping into his room, apologizing for her impartialness throughout the day. "I couldn't risk the others finding out," she'd say. Then, she'd wiggle her way under the covers, coming to rest over him, and kiss him deeply.

Sometimes, Lori would say other things or initiate their bond differently, but it was always essentially the same. In almost every instance, Lincoln would doze off before much further happened, partially due to never having done it before and not knowing what it would be like, and partly due to replaying the same introductory scene over and over.

In either case, Lincoln's body gave out long before his satisfaction. Tonight was no different. His body was exhausted, and his stomach was full. Both items convened to lull Lincoln into sleep. And, whether he wanted to or not, his lids slowly closed, drawing him into a temporary bliss, away from the stress and uncertainty of his life.

A few doors down, Lori was in a similar position. Only from the opposite viewpoint. Images of Lincoln and her, together, routinely invaded her thoughts, even as she fervently attempted to dissuade them. Recalling how Lincoln's flesh felt as it brushed against hers while their fingers met during dinner nearly drove her over the edge. Sighing, she faced her wall and picked at the loose paint around the crack in the wall.

"Oh, Lincoln..." she whispered to herself. "Why do you have to be my brother and so young?" Then, finally coming into her own, "I guess there's no point denying it any longer, especially to myself. Lincoln, I'm in love with you." Then, a moment later, "God damn it."