Chapter 2
A Confession and a Cozy Meal

With 10 minutes to go, Lucy gently put down her pen and looked over her work. She'd been writing poetry for most of her life, but despite how often she'd ask for help, she was a natural at formulating the words and letting her feelings flow. Quickly, she gave it one more read over to make sure the words were perfect. It was her big moment and she needed to hit all of the right notes. She closed her poetry book and placed it under her arm, ready to face her date with destiny.

On the way to her door she reminisced over the many cherished memories she had made with her brother. The two were always very close, even at their youngest. When Lucy was born, Lincoln got to see himself as a big sibling, and thus took it upon himself to look after Lucy in the way his older sisters, Lori especially, looked after him. The young boy had a natural fatherly instinct from an early age and developed a close relationship with his younger sisters as a result. While most found baby Lucy creepy, especially her stare, Lincoln enjoyed every moment of it. Her adorable saucer eyes always reassured him that she looked up to him and cherished his company. He'd even cover for her in some of her infant antics, a notable one being when she decided to munch on one of Lynn Sr.'s prized records as if it were a large cookie. And their relationship only grew from there.

In addition to both protecting and supporting her over the years, Lincoln was always there to provide help whenever she needed it. From helping her solve serious problems, to simply needing a rhyming word to complete a poetry line, Lincoln was always there to make things right, and did it with a smile every time (well, almost every time). Even during the mystery of the clogged pipes, he was willing to take the blame to protect her, and her hidden interest in the Princess Pony comics, among other cutesy things. From that day onward, they discovered a mutual interest in comics, and began to spend even more time together, reading and talking about the epic tales being told in their books. Both in Lincoln's room and the air vent above the second floor, the two would spend hours reading and chatting together, enjoying each other's company (and Lincoln often reading in the buff was certainly a perk for the young goth). Not only did it give Lucy a safe and comfortable place to read her Princess Pony comics without fear and take a break from the darkness, but it only brought her closer to her cherished older brother, something that meant the world to her. The two also had a shared interest in the paranormal, and even if Lincoln wasn't necessarily into the seances, he loved tagging along with her to the Royal Woods Cemetery to see what they could find. And when they would come into disagreements, from the "Spell it Out" incident (which Lincoln deeply regretted) to her rather rude "pay up" when Lincoln was trying to train Clyde to be an older brother, she would not rest until the two made up and she could give her dear brother a warm hug once again.

Even something mundane like the kiddie table at dinner was something both Lucy and her dear brother held close to their hearts. It was more than just a way of dividing up the dinner tables. It was like a fun little clubhouse for Lincoln and his younger sisters. Sure, things could be rough, even Lucy gave him a hard time occasionally, but overall it was a fun time with cute food! Lucy loved seeing Lana being herself, Lola letting loose a little, seeing Lisa getting in on the silliness, and even baby Lily make a big smile as she played with her siblings. But most of all, she always got to sit next to Lincoln, and she always felt comfortable and calm in his presence. She also really enjoyed the comfort food. While Lucy openly likes blood pudding and claims it to be her favorite food, she has loads of comfort food she secretly enjoys. Alongside the chicken nuggets and crinkle-cut fries her father served them often, she loves seasoned waffle fries and crispy fish cakes, along with an ice cold glass of grape juice. Not only did she love the taste, but it reminded her of being surrounded by her jubilant sisters, and her beloved brother by her side. She lamented when Lynn Sr. decided to combine the two tables and serve everyone the same meal, but on nights when the parents were out, she always made sure to gather Lincoln and their younger siblings to assemble their little club once again.

Lucy's mind began to focus on the task at hand as she slowly made her way downstairs. Lincoln had just finished placing the pizza order and was heading back into the living room, arriving around the same time as his sister.
"There you are, Luce! I just put in the order, and added in some buffalo chicken bites since I know you love those!" Lincoln said with a smile on his face, Lucy reacting in turn with a smile of her own, along with a gentle blush. Pleasant memories came flooding in immediately. "So, are you ready to start the show? We have a long evening ahead!" He said, placing a hand on his sister's shoulder.

Lucy gently nodded and held up her book of poetry, leading to Lincoln looking slightly confused. "Luce, we did poetry night a few days ago, did you forget?" He said with a curious expression. He always made plenty of time for her poems and didn't think the timing was particularly good, but breathed a sigh of relief as Lucy revealed her intentions.

"That is true, there's...just one thing I wanted to read for you. I-Is that alright?" Her pale face became a bit flustered as she uttered those last words. The big moment was about to arrive.

Lincoln gently nodded in approval and took a seat on the sofa. The first show in the block wasn't his absolute favorite, so missing a few minutes wouldn't be a big deal anyway. "Of course, I'm always willing to listen...!" He said with a kind smile as Lucy hopped onto the sofa next to him, sitting rather close. Strategically, she also pulled up a big, soft blanket for them to share. Lincoln was used to how cuddly Lucy could be, but something felt...different...this time, he could sense it.

"I call it 'My Beacon of Hope'", Lucy said with a smile, scooting a little closer as she opened up her poetry book to begin reading. Her voice was very soothing and almost hypnotic, and Lincoln didn't fail to notice the extremely optimistic title, especially by Lucy standards.

As the passage of time continues to flow

I always look to my shining hero

a beacon of hope through my despair

My guiding light, you mend and repair

my aching soul, when we're together

I yearn that this will last forever.

As the sky blankets our world with snow

there's something I've always wanted you to know.

I pray we never stay apart

so if you wish to heal your weary heart

then look to the one who seems the darkest

and you'll find the light that shines the brightest

Lucy took a deep breath after uttering the final word of her message of love, turning to Lincoln with a smile on her face. She continued to speak in her almost hypnotic tone, her own soul soothed by the words as she got them off of her chest.

"Well, Lincoln, what did you think? Did you...like it?" She tilted her head gently, leaning a little closer.

"Th-that was beautiful, Luce. I've always enjoyed your poetry, but this...this really touched my heart." Lincoln said, in awe of the beautiful words that graced his ears. Something about it struck just the right emotion in Lincoln, it really spoke to him. But he would learn why in just a moment, and this is exactly what Lucy wanted.

"Th-Thank you, Linc... Lincoln, there's been something I've wanted to tell you for awhile..." Lucy said, looking down with a flustered expression.

"Wh-what would that be?" Lincoln said in response, not sure what to make of the situation. Lucy simply placed her hands on Lincoln's warm cheeks, looking deep into his big, round eyes.

"Lincoln...I love you, I-I always have... and" Lucy said, before being slightly interrupted.

"Luce, you don't have to tell me that, we're family. And you know I love..." Lucy the interrupted him, looking deeper into his eyes as her tone became a little more serious, but still soothing.

"N-No, Lincoln, it's not that... I meant I LOVE you, more than you know. M-More than a sibling should..." She paused for a moment, waiting for a reaction before continuing. "I-I want to be with you forever, Lincoln. When I'm with you I feel truly happy, like a light illuminating the darkness of my soul. And...I-I hope you feel the same. I don't care if anyone thinks I'm some kind of freak for this, because my feelings are true and they always will be...!"

Lincoln paused and thought to himself for a moment as the words of the poem came together in his mind, and the true meaning made itself clear. "Th-This was about me? I-I'm really her hero?" Lincoln always felt a lack of confidence and this kind of reassurance always shocked him. "If you wish to heal your weary heart..." wait, is she talking about my breakup? It is true...I have been feeling weary ever since splitting with Ronnie Ann, but..." the words continued to stew in Lincoln's head. "Look to the one who's darkest..." He thought, as he continued to space out while absorbed in his thoughts.

"Lincoln...?" Lucy said, staring at him as their eyes continued their fixation, wondering if he was alright. His attention was now back on Lucy, and as he let that last line resonate he felt a beacon light in his heart. He admired her beautiful raven hair, her soft lips, her adorable nose, and the rosy blush that glowed against her pale skin. "Isn't this wrong? What would people think?" He thought to himself, knowing the taboo nature of the commitment he was about to make. But that beacon of hope pulled him closer, guiding his heart to the one who loved him most, who his heart truly belonged to. Lincoln wrapped his arms around his little sister and looked at her with a warm smile, pulling her into a deep kiss, the young goth's face turning red like a tomato. She embraced her brother and smiled into the kiss as the passion flowed between them. He couldn't get enough of her soft lips as they continued their make-out session through the first show, though to them it seemed like an eternity.

The two broke the kiss for a moment to grab some air as their eyes became fixated once again. Lucy seemed the happiest she had ever been, and Lincoln wanted to make sure things stayed that way. Gently, he parted her bangs to look closer into her eyes, her beautiful eyes that he always found to be cute and reassuring. Lucy's rosy cheeks showed how much she loved it when they were admired and adored, regardless of how often she kept them covered up. "Does this mean, we're you know...?" Lincoln said to his sister, no, his lover. Lucy smiled and nodded in return. "Forever and ever Lincoln~ Forever and ever~" She said in that soothing tone he loved so much. He was about to lean in for another long kiss when suddenly the doorbell rang.

The rest of their little lovefest would have to wait, it was time for a delicious feast!

"O-Oh, looks like our food is here!" Lincoln said with a slight daze, coming to after the pure bliss of their little make-out session. "I-I'll go get that now..."

"Don't be be gone for TOO long... my love~" Lucy said in a teasing sort of tone as Lincoln made his way to the door, slightly stumbling. She gently nuzzled the soft blanket as Lincoln opened up the door. At one point Lynn Sr. had gotten the buzzer fixed, so no more free pizza for this house.

"Hello?" Lincoln said, looking up at the teenage deliveryman holding three pizzas and other assorted items, including a big bottle of grape soda that he struggled to balance.

"Your order's here, that'll be about $40..." The guy said in a somewhat nasally voice. Lincoln pulled out the money and handed it to him, along with a generous tip. He clearly wasn't having a very good day and Lincoln wanted to throw him a bone. "Here you go, have a good evening!" He said in his usual kind and lovable tone as the guy left, closing the door behind him. Lincoln, hot boxes of food in hand, gently sat them on the table as Lucy went to the kitchen to grab plates and glasses.

They had ordered a lot of food, both of them having notably big appetites, and with Lori absent they were able to grab even more. On the table laid three pizzas, along with a few assorted sides like buffalo chicken bites and spicy cheesy bread. Lincoln's pizza was loaded with pepperoni and mushrooms, a real crowd pleaser, at least among adults. Not a lot of kids enjoy mushrooms. Lucy's pizza was similar, swapping the mushrooms for loads of black olives, Lucy's favorite color. The third pizza was more adventurous so to speak, a pizza with every meat-based topping on one half+ hot sauce, while the other half was just...beef and nothing else. Lucy was initially confused but enjoyed joking about it with Lincoln as he explained its' origins.

Now that the food was served, the two lovebirds hunkered down to watch their shows together. Lincoln wasn't disappointed, especially by the ARGGH! season premiere, which placed Hunter Spector at the scene of his old high school, back to investigate the rumors of a janitor's ghost haunting the school's plumbing system. Lincoln lamented the fact that Lana would miss the episode, as it'd be right up her alley, but knew that tonight was for him and Lucy, and their blossoming relationship. Plus he could record it later on anyway! It also managed to startle Lincoln at one point, making him drop a couple of slices of his pizza, which Charles promptly devoured, earning a laugh from the two of them.

The Vampires of Melancholia episode, quite fittingly, focused on romance, and Edwin's relationship with Griselda. The two reaffirmed their relationship after her long trip to the underworld, and even featured a heartfelt scene of Griselda's short-term ex, a werewolf, giving Edwin relationship advice. A heartwarming tale of love staying strong and rivals becoming friends. Lincoln and Lucy became a little more playful as the show went on, playing footsie under the blanket, or Lucy letting Lincoln feed her cutely. Soon enough the two had eaten their fill and were snuggling on the couch, the young goth laying peacefully on her lover's shoulder without a care in the world. Even the action packed Sorcerer for Hire wasn't enough to distract the two from their little bundle of love.

*Knock knock knock* "Lincoln? Lucy?! O-Open up, we forgot to bring a key!" What appeared to be Leni's voice, if slightly muffled, came from the other side of the front door. Not wanting to get caught, the two snapped back into a sitting up position, Lincoln then hopping off of the couch and unlocking the front door. "Th-Thank you...!" Leni said, stepping inside and clearly shivering. She promptly made her way upstairs to take a hot shower. She forgot to bring her goat as well, it seems. Meanwhile Luan was helping Luna walk, who had an arm around her sister's shoulder, prompting immediate concern from Lincoln.

"Luna?! Luan, what happened to her?" He asked, looking shocked. Normally Luna had more energy than this, even after a concert.

"She's just a little drained, don't worry!" Luan said in her usual cheerful demeanor, prompting a sigh of relief from Lincoln.

"Yeah, don't worry, little bro!" Luna audibly yawned, as Luan carried her towards the stairs. "Some stuff just went wrong at the gig and we had loads to clean up... But yeah, I'm fine!" Luna said, eyes half closed and sounding somewhat droopy. Lincoln knew that a little food would help, and picked up the box containing the rest of his cheesy bread, promptly offering it to Luna. It was one of her favorite foods and it made her face light up with joy. After a night gone wrong it was definitely the pick-me-up she needed. "Here, Luna, take the rest of my cheesy bread. You need it more than I do!" Lincoln said with a kind demeanor.

"Oh, for real? Thanks, Linc, you're the best!" Luna said with more energy now, as she gave her brother a hug. Lincoln's thoughtfulness and generosity went a long way, and never failed to touch his sister's hearts. Lucy, witnessing all of this, blushed brightly once again. It was one of many things she loved about her brother, and she'd adore it no matter how many times she saw it.

"You're welcome, Sis, enjoy your snack!" Lincoln said with a smile. Luna gently squeed as she and her roommate went up the stairs together and into their bedroom. Lincoln turned to his lover and held out his hand in offer. "Now, where were we~?" he said, as Lucy happily took his hand. Now that their shows were over, the two headed back up to Lincoln's room for some more privacy. It was 11:00, so they had time before their parents would return.

As the two entered Lincoln's room, the boy pushed the door shut with his foot as they descended to his bed, tossing off everything but his prized victory undies. Arms wrapped around each other in a lover's embrace, the two locked lips as they tumbled around the bed, taking turns on top. Periodically they would break the kiss and stare into each other's eyes, with Lucy admiring Lincoln's slim but smooth build. It was even sweeter up close, and Lucy, unable to resist, began to deliver gentle, soft kisses up and down his chest.

"Ah, hehe, L-Luce, that tickles!" Lincoln said with a gentle whisper as Lucy's soft lips continued to send warm tingles throughout his body. Lucy simply smirked in response before resuming her tender affection. "S-Stop~!"
"Oh, no, I won't stop until I've had my fill, sweetheart~" Lucy winked and slowly moved her way up to his ear. Her hot breath tickled his ear as she whispered, "I've got you now~" Playfully, she began to nibble on Lincoln's shoulders and neck, much like a vampire would. Small marks were now visible on the boy's neck, though not deep enough to hurt him, of course. He gently massaged his lover's back as she continued, enjoying every moment of his little bat's passion and affection.

"I wouldn't have it any other way~" He whispered, as the duo continued for what felt like hours. After a little while Lucy kissed her brother's cheek and rested her head on his shoulder, pulling up the comforter of her lover's bed to make them a little more comfortable.

"I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you, and the rest of time~ " Lucy cooed as her finger gently stroked Lincoln's chest in a circular motion. "You make me happier than anyone in the world...~"

A lifetime with Lucy, would this be possible? Right now Lincoln wasn't sure what to make of the possibility. But none of that mattered to him right now, he was snuggled up in bed with the love of his life, who opened his eyes to a beacon of hope. He wanted to enjoy every moment of it and bask in their mutual affection.

"L-Lincoln...?" Lucy said, catching him as he was lost in thought. After a moment he came to and smiled at her, looking at her with what she described as his dreamy, reassuring eyes. "And you do too, Luce~ I can't think of anyone else I'd rather spend my life with than you!" Lucy's face light up and her cheeks grew rosy as she hugged her brother tightly, nuzzling his cheek like the cutie she is. Lincoln reciprocated and snuggled her lovingly...until the sound of Vanzilla's brakes broke the mood.

"They're home already? What time... midnight already?" Lincoln said feeling rather alarmed as he glanced over towards his clock. Lynn Sr. could be heard excitedly singing and dancing from the driveway with Rita, looks like that had a very jubilant evening out! Their father unlocked the front door and the two stepped inside the house. The living room was empty and rather quiet aside from the sounds of Charles' snoring. It was way too cold for him to sleep outside. "L-Lincoln, wait, what about L..." Lucy said, realizing that something was amiss, but her father beat her to the punch.

"Kids, were hooooome! Lori? How did it go?" Said their father in an almost singsong tone, his voice carrying to the second floor. Thankfully by that point Luan and Luna were sound asleep so there was nobody to blow Lori's cover. Still, Lori wasn't back yet, and that was concerning. But as soon as it happened, a buzz came from Lincoln's phone, what seemed like an urgent call.

It was from Lori...

"Luce, looks like we've got a cover operation on our hands..." Lincoln said to his now-girlfriend as he tapped the green icon to take Lori's call.

This one took a little while but I'm pleased with how this has been shaping up so far! And for those who are concerned, don't worry, there won't be any lemon in this story. But there will be plenty of passion and affection!

What's going on with Lori? Will Lincoln and Lucy be able to cover for her? Find out in the next Chapter!