Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino.
Graduation
By Lola Presents (Suggested by Rose_the_Changeling)
Chapter 2 - Summer Love
The sounds of someone coming up the old wooden steps alerted the twins, and after quickly parting, they straightened their clothing as best they could. While Lana only needed to let her tee shirt fall back into place, Lola had considerable difficulty with her dress, still brushing it straight as their father came through the door, turned on the light, and addressed them.
"Uh..." stammered Lana, still retaining a rosy glint in her cheeks. "Um..."
"Y-yeah..." offered Lola nervously, wiping the wetness from her lips with the back of her hand.
"Are you sure?" prodded their father as he looked them over awkwardly. "Because there's a party going on in your honor, and people are beginning to miss you."
"Right!" chirped Lola, heading for the door, eager to put the awkward moment between her and her sister behind her. "Everything's cool now."
Everyone cheered when the twins emerged from the kitchen, looking livelier than when they entered. And though they were no longer fighting, they seemed particularly cautious about spending too much time in the same place, gravitating towards opposite sides of the yard.
Lola wasn't sure where her sudden urges had come from and tried to drown the cries in the back of her mind with music and dancing, the louder and more energetic it was, the better. Lana's mind was otherwise occupied, knowing precisely where her feelings originated, though she, too, immersed herself in activity to silence her inner voices.
Though many of the Loud children viewed Lana's apparent jealousy toward her sister's looks as a form of sibling rivalry, it was far more than that, though even Lana wasn't aware of it until recently. When the twins reached puberty and began filling out, the young tomboy came to terms with her feelings, lamenting that Lola would never return them.
Now that Lola spontaneously forced herself upon her, Lana was confused, wondering if her sister's actions were authentic or a result of the evening's stimulus. Despite Lola's occasional glance in her direction, what stymied Lana most was her sister fading into the crowd whenever she made her way toward her.
Eventually, Lana gave up, with a bit of help from more of Luan's special punch, and spent the rest of the evening dancing her butt off. While both twins loved to dance, Lana was more timid about it than Lola, conscious of how dorky she looked. While Lana had come a long way since childhood regarding her femininity, she was far from refined.
As the hours passed, night fell, and the celebration ended, with local noise ordinances and respect for sleeping neighbors facilitating the choice. Of course, Mr. Grouse had been notified a few days prior of the Louds' intent and was staying at a nearby motel. But that didn't account for the rest of the neighborhood.
Leaving things as they were, intending to clean up the next day, Rita turned out the backyard light after following her family inside. And for old-time's sake, Lana had given her room to Luna and Luan, returning to her original room with Lola. Likewise, Lisa bunked with Lily while Lynn, Lincoln, and Lucy slept in the living room.
While the room was quiet, save for the soft sounds of light breathing, the twin's minds were anything but silent. Both had gotten raised in a rather liberally-oriented household, where things such as sexuality were a non-issue. Their sister, Luna, was proof of that. However, having feelings for one's twin was a different matter altogether.
Being consenting adults reduced the seriousness of the situation, though it was still illegal, at least in Michigan. As far as either could foretell, it wasn't likely that anyone in their family or circle of friends would report them. However, the risk was still prevalent in their minds, assuming they'd read their emotions correctly.
Neither was convinced, regardless of how fast their hearts beat or how awkward talking to each other had become. After all these years, being alone in their childhood room didn't ease their tension either. As their parents had repurposed the adjoining rooms once their occupants left home, nobody would hear them, yet, neither said a word.
As always, Lola laid perfectly still under her blankets with her arms folded neatly on top of the covers, her blindfold obscuring her view. At the same time, her sister, Lana, tossed and turned, completely disrupting her coverings. Neither could sleep and remained silent until Lana could no longer handle the lack of closure.
"Lola?" Lana whispered into the dark. "Are you awake?"
"Unfortunately..." Lola sighed, moving her blindfold to her forehead.
"What..." muttered Lana sheepishly. "What happened earlier, in the kitchen?"
"I don't know, Lana..." whispered Lola, furrowing her brows. "I guess I got caught up in the moment. I'm sorry."
"No," sighed Lana deeply. "It's alright," she assured her twin.
But it wasn't alright. Not for Lana. And if her suspicions were true, it didn't sit well with her sister either. A common side effect of alcohol was the loosening of one's inhibitions and tongues, allowing one to express their inner desires when all else served as a restraint. The tomboy desperately wanted to reaffirm her feelings for her twin, but couldn't, fearing rejection.
However, there was no harm in prodding things along, was there?
"Lola?" whispered Lana again a few moments later.
"What now?" yawned Lola, readjusting her visor.
"I liked it," Lana admitted. "You know, what we did..."
Despite having replaced her blinder, Lola's eyes shot open. Quickly removing the implement again, regardless of not affecting her hearing, Lola rolled and faced her sister, laying one arm upon the other. She had enjoyed it too, immensely should she be truthful. Only, she wasn't sure what she felt. While there was undeniably something, the entire concept was new to her.
"Why?" Lola inquired of her twin, needing an affirmation before responding.
"Because..." Lana muttered. "It felt nice, and..."
"And, what?" prompted Lola, unsatisfied with her sister's answer.
Lana bit her lip nervously. While no stranger to being attracted to other females, especially Bobby Fletcher, her sister was an entirely different story. Struggling with her deepest secrets, Lana became overwhelmed with a desire to confess, even if it meant another fight. At least her feelings would be out there, and Lana wouldn't have to stress over them.
"And..." Lana said, trembling as she hesitated. "Lola? I d-don't know how to say this, b-but..." she stammered.
As much as the pageant queen needed to hear the truth, she was afraid. Should Lana confess, it would force Lola to face her emotions, perhaps inciting reciprocation. If Lana gave an entirely different reason, Lola would feel rejected. Neither result appealed to Lola, being uncomfortable with the whole notion.
"I love you, Lola..." whispered Lana sheepishly as an adolescent schoolgirl, pausing for no reason before continuing. "You know, like, in love?"
"Damn it..." thought Lola as she involuntarily blushed and smiled in the dark.
Lana had voiced Lola's fears. And as much as the princess fought against it, she felt the same about Lana. The question now was how to handle it. Her sister was uncouth and messy. However, Lana was also kind, stunning, and more intelligent than she was. While Lola had never thought about her twin in such a way, something happened earlier that changed all that.
Perhaps it was the alcohol. Then again, maybe Lola had reacted to Lana's unspoken desires. If Lana had harbored feelings for her, Lola could've unconsciously picked them up over the years. Whatever the reason, Lola had fallen in love with her sister faster than the stock market changed. The stunned but excited girl took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, oscillating as her body trembled nervously.
"Lana?" she whispered, wondering if her sister had finally fallen asleep, robbing her of the opportunity. "Are you still awake?" she softly prodded.
"Mmhm," hummed the tomboy, not close to retiring, despite the alcohol.
"I lo..." stammered Lola, trying to force the words out before she reconsidered. "I l-love you, too."
There, she'd said them, the words Lola had been too frightened all evening to speak. Regardless of what transpired from that point forward, the twins at least knew how they felt about each other. Lola had planned on moving to Los Angeles, California, over the summer to begin auditioning for movie roles. At the same time, Lana intended to make good on Ms. Fletcher's request to contact her when Lana turned eighteen. However, they had a couple of months to figure the logistics out.
"What now?" whispered Lola, surprised when Lana didn't erupt into a frenzy of activity.
Lola's answer came in the most unexpected of ways. While things remained silent for a moment, putting Lola on edge, her fears got allayed upon hearing a faint clicking sound as their door's lock engaged. Then, unaware of her sister's location until she gently nudged the bed, Lola's heart leaped into her throat as Lana pulled back the covers and slipped in beside her sister.
"Hi," Lana chirped quietly, smiling from ear to ear. "Wanna cuddle?" she cooed, nervously excited.
"Come here, you," demanded Lola, pulling the covers over their heads and accepting Lana's trembling lips for the second time that day.
Despite being an early summer day, the morning seemed to come exceedingly early for the twins, waking them with its warmth. Lola cracked her eyes and rubbed them with her only free arm. As consciousness slowly claimed her, she realized her sister was still sleeping next to her, Lana's head nestled comfortably between her embarrassingly small breasts.
"Hey, Lana?" chirped the young lady as she gently rolled her sister back and forth. "Time to get up."
"Really?" complained Lana in her sleep. "One more minute. I don't want to go to school."
Lola chuckled, slipping from underneath her sister. Then, standing beside her bed, she pulled the cover down to Lana's bare feet. Lana curled into the fetal position, desperately clinging to slumber, hugging her legs tightly as Lola admired her naked form. She'd seen her twin nude more times than one could count, but never from the perspective of a lover, and it made a tremendous difference. Still, Lana needed to wake up.
"Get up, lazy-butt!" barked Lola, leaning over Lana's ear.
"What?!" spat Lana, suddenly sitting upright. "Huh?!"
"Good morning," cooed Lola, kissing her sister lightly on the cheek. "It's time to get up," she informed her twin, sniffing the air afterward. "It smells like Dad's cooking us breakfast again."
With only four of his children remaining in the house, Lynn's morning duties had waned. Those that remained were not only older and more capable, but Lynn was getting older, and his body needed more rest. However, he'd returned to the habit with everybody at home for the summer.
"Mmmm," hummed Lana, her stomach already threatening to leave her body and eat without her. "Smells delicious!" she muttered as she rose, stumbling over to her dresser.
"So..." hummed Lola as she browsed through her closet. "I was thinking..."
"Yeah?" responded her sister as she pulled on a fresh pair of panties, tee shirt, and jeans.
"How would you feel about moving back into this room?" Lola asked from behind her closet's folding Venetian door. "If you're still interested..."
"Still interested?" gasped the tomboy. "Are you kidding me?!" she squealed, running to her still nude sister, hugging her from behind. "Of course I am! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"Okay..." sighed Lola, rolling her eyes. "Calm down, or people are going to wonder."
"Oh, right," chirped Lana, stepping back and straightening herself before noticing the previous day's clothing scattered about the floor. "I'll just get this..." she muttered.
"You know what?" mused Lola, looking over her shoulder as she removed an outfit from the closet. "Leave it. We'll get it later."
"Alright," Lana declared, resting her wrists on her hips. "Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?"
"Oh, stop it," chuckled Lola, slipping into the clean dress. "I'm sorry I've been so demanding all these years. There's no reason we can't get it later."
"Yeah..." sighed Lana, looking chastised. "I'm sorry I'm so messy, Lola..." she muttered. "Maybe I could work a little harder at being neat."
After finding a tentative and uneasy common ground, the twins smiled lovingly at each other, then headed downstairs for breakfast.
Of course, neither brought up their plans for the future, which would surely disrupt their newfound fondness for each other. And while the issue preyed upon their subconscious minds, they got so profoundly repressed that neither mentioned it for quite some time.
Despite being older, wiser, and more responsible, having graduated, the twins reveled in their freedom for as long as they could. At their age, pulling off a considerable amount of discretion was easy. Lisa had always been emotionally detached, and Lily was too busy associating with her friends to notice their increased levels of affection.
However, dealing with the upcoming discussion was a test of their conviction. The summer was half over, and the twins had yet to voice their concerns. With summer ending, Lola needed to search for a job and cheap housing in Los Angeles. Likewise, if Lana chose to pursue a career in engineering, she needed to get her FAFSA forms submitted.
As they did when they were children, the girls avoided confrontation, finalizing their plans individually, without so much as a whisper between them. While Lana got accepted into Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, Lola secured housing in Los Angeles and accepted a position at a local talent and staffing agency.
The summer had been good to the girls. Their love for each other matured, and they knew each other more intimately than ever. Yet, it wasn't until the day Lana was to leave for college that Lola walked in on her sister packing her bags that the reality of their situation surfaced. With her things already packed and ready to go, Lola gazed at her sister and silently began to weep.
"Lana!" cried Lola, wrapping her arms around her sister from behind, just as Lana had done weeks prior. "I don't want you to go!" she wept.
"I don't want you to go either," muttered Lana, stubbornly refusing to cry or look at her lover. "But we both knew this day was coming. Can't we be grown up about this?"
"I don't want to be grown up about it!" complained Lola, nestling her head in Lana's neck, kissing her lightly. "I want you..."
"And give up the career you've worked so hard for?" gasped Lana in contempt, spinning in Lola's arms. Then, resting her forehead against her sister's, Lana stared into her eyes. "I could never ask you to do that. I won't hear of it. Do you understand?"
"I know, but..." stammered the troubled girl, trembling as she chewed on her lips. "What if I insist?"
"No..." murmured Lana, securing her answer. "Loads of people live apart during college, only to return to each other afterward," Lana explained. "Once I get my degree, I can find a high-paying job in Los Angeles and join you," she continued. "If you're truly in love with me, you'll do this for me."
"Excuse me?" came a familiar voice from their open door. "What precisely is going on here?" Lisa inquired sternly.
Despite how astute Lisa was, emotional discernment was not her forte, and she had gone unaware that anything was amiss all summer. Even now, she couldn't believe her sixteen-year-old ears. It sounded like the twins were covertly having an intimate romantic incursion, which flew in the face of everything the growing scientist thought.
In retrospect, their aversion to dating should've made their involvement more imminent, something she was adamantly against. Turning and preparing to call for her parents, Lisa got interrupted by Lana, who grabbed the girl by her arm, dragging her into their room, covering her mouth while Lola slammed the door shut.
"Sh!" Lola demanded emphatically. "Now..." said Lola, quietly but firmly, "...Lana's going to let you go. Do not call out. Do you understand?"
Lisa considered her options. While she could lie and alert her parents, that might incur Lola's wrath, a persona she and her siblings jokingly referred to as the Lolanator, a combination of her name and the Terminator. Or, Lisa could comply and live to see another day. She chose the latter, feverishly nodding.
"What the proverbial heck?" Lisa sputtered as Lana dropped her hand and backed away. "You understand that incest is illegal, not to mention nauseatingly upsetting. Right?"
"Keep your voice down!" barked Lana. "Of course, we know that. Why do you think we've kept it hidden, dork."
"You know what's also illegal?" Lola growled, trying to intimate her intrusive sibling. "Silencing snitches, that's what!" she growled.
"Okay, look..." offered Lana. "Everyone calm down," she requested. Then, facing Lisa, she tried reasoning with her. "Listen, it's not as bad as you might think. We're both adults, and neither of us is going to get pregnant," she told her. "What's the harm? Besides..." she reminded everyone, her voice growing softer and more distant. "It's not like we'll be seeing each for a while."
"Well..." conceded Lisa in a tone that suggested resignation. "At least that will give you some time to grow apart or realize how stupid the idea is."
"Please?" Lola requested, uncharacteristically engaging in begging. "This is important to us. Do you promise not to say anything until we figure things out?"
"I suppose..." offered Lisa, folding her arms. "But I'm warning you, if you get caught and end up in court, I'll not be a reliable character witness."
"We can live with that," replied Lola, slowly beginning to relax. "But you have to swear it!" she said, extending her pinky. "Come on..." she pleaded, goading her sister.
Reluctantly, Lisa returned the gesture, and pinky swore to remain silent. But before anyone could say anything else, a knock sounded on their door.
"Lola? Lana?" called their mother from the hallway. "Are you ready? It's time to head to the airport," she informed them with happiness and reluctance in her voice, having slipped into a melancholy state, proud of her children yet not ready to let them go.