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

Tainted Love

By Lola Presents

Chapter 2

When life presents such unexpected events that one's conscious mind is unprepared, it forces something more primal into action. And such was the case with Lori. Upon feeling Lincoln's lips upon hers, she withdrew into herself in panic. Her mind was overwhelmed with conflicting emotions. In addition to the incident with the song, while riding home in her car earlier, something about Lincoln's recent confession ate at her brain like cancer.

Resorting to autopilot, she felt herself accepting her brother's gesture, returning the passion equally. His flesh was warm and wet as it tenderly tested the limits of her mouth. And, as their tongues intertwined, she felt entirely at peace, as if a long-lost lover had finally returned home. Lori's heart raced, and ringlets of pleasure traveled down her spine, ending their voyage at the epicenter between her legs.

Slowly, control of her muscles began to wane as her energy was getting siphoned elsewhere, and her extremities began to tremble. Alarm bells began sounding in her head at the impending collapse, and her conscious mind fought its way back from beyond. Then, quickly taking a single step back, away from Lincoln, she slowly raised her right hand and gingerly touched her upper lip.

Feeling the residual moisture present, she rolled her fingertip around it for a moment before bringing her hand up for inspection. A thin trail of her brother's saliva still connected her mouth to her finger, eventually breaking as it grew too thin to maintain. Lori gazed at it in disbelief, thinking it was only a dream. But it wasn't. Lori hadn't been dreaming at all, and Lincoln had kissed her.

Lori's eyes darted from her fingers to Lincoln and back several times, still unable to respond appropriately. Her mouth opened and closed a few times with no sound until she recovered enough to speak.

"Me?" Lori said softly, weakly pointing to herself repeatedly. "I'm..."

"Yes," replied Lincoln stoically. "And now that you've forced me into humiliating myself, I'm going back to my room, where I can live the rest of my life alone."

This time, Lori was unable to move and couldn't stop him. Instead, she weakly reached her arm out for him as he left, hoping that somehow, he'd understand how she felt and would stay on his own. When the door closed behind her brother, Lori dropped to her knees and began weeping. Her face scrunched up, her eyes squeezed shut, and her face turned deep red as Lori released her frustration.

The truth was, Lori couldn't claim to understand her feelings. Part of her was disgusted that Lincoln had kissed her. Another was ecstatic that he had, and she desperately wanted more. But, did she love him? That, she couldn't answer. There was certainly something there, but what was it? Most of all, Lori's concern for her brother's feelings was at the heart of the matter, and it tore her apart, knowing she was the cause.

Slowly, she rose and wobbled over to her bed, where she nestled into the blankets and pulled them over her head. Then, noticing the old tent pole, she pulled it close and held it close to her. She was a mess, and she knew it. But that didn't matter nearly as much as restoring her brother's love of life. Only, she had no clue how to approach it, especially considering her current state.

Down the hall, Lincoln once again burrowed into his cloth refuge. He understood that things were about to change, though he could only imagine how much. He'd professed romantic love to his older sister and proceeded to kiss her. Regardless of how she may react or feel about him, there was no denying that an act of that magnitude would get dismissed.

Only one thing bothered him at the moment. He knew Lori well, and under normal circumstances, he would now be a human pretzel. But he wasn't. The possibility of not being prepared came to mind, but Lori seemed to enjoy their kiss unless Lincoln imagined things. No, he was sure there was something beneath the facade. Something Lori was afraid to face.

There wasn't much he could do about it, however. He'd made his move, and now, it was up to Lori. Either she would accept or deny him, and when that time came, all hell would surely break loose. There were no possible futures where he could see his family glossing over them. Even if it were just Lincoln to deal with, his parents would probably have him committed.

Downstairs, the remaining sisters, save one, nervously waited for some sign that Lori had gotten Lincoln to come around. It wasn't until they heard him exit Lori's room, storm down the hall, and slam his door that they began to grimace. Though, it was too early to tell what transpired. The resident eavesdropper had yet to return.

As depressed and confused as the isolated siblings upstairs were, the ones amassed downstairs in the living room were another matter. For they already knew the truth and had for nearly three years. All siblings fought occasionally. However, when it came to making up, that was it. Things moved on.

Not only did Lori and Lincoln fight more often than most, but their apologies were also altogether too emotional. It wasn't as noticeable or frequent when things began three years ago. But as time marched on, it became increasingly evident that Lori's and Lincoln's relationship was anything but a manifestation of sibling rivalry.

In the beginning, the other siblings would snicker or whisper jokes, laden with sexual innuendo, to each other as they scuttled off. The younger ones didn't know any better and made the most of what they thought was a funny situation. Only Luna and Luan took issue with their younger sister's innocence and tried to educate them.

However, over the years and many lengthy discussions, they began to change their mind as well. It wasn't until after Lori left for college that things got worse for Lincoln, and by proxy, themselves. Unable to bear the intensity of their brother's depression, they hatched a plan to either get Lori and Lincoln past their barriers or force them into moving on.

No sooner had Lori's car appear, coming down the road, did Lucy put her specific talents to use. After the morbid girl disappeared into the ductwork, the others scattered, pretending to be going about their usual business. Soon, the front door opened, and Lori greeted them. And, the plan began.

A few moments later, Lori's door opened and shut, followed by weary footsteps and the opening and closing of another door. Surmising their sibling's discussion was over, they waited patiently for their field scout to return. A few moments passed, and just as they began to get nervous, the sound of slightly rumbling metal sounded, then the ventilation grill opened, and Lucy dropped onto the floor. Everyone turned toward the girl as she straightened her clothing and walked over to where they huddled.

"So...?" whispered Lynn, anxious yet nervous to hear. "How'd it go?"

"A little tight," sighed Lucy, gazing at the grating. "I'm getting too old for this."

"Not that, idiot!" Luan seethed. "What happened up there!"

"Oh! Right..." Lucy groaned, turning back to her sisters. "Well, things went pretty smoothly at first. They made a tent and started talking. Eventually, Lori got him to open up, and he actually confessed. Only..."

"Only, what?" prodded Lana, eager to know. "Come on! Tell us."

"Only," Lucy began again. "Lori, uh, mistook his confession for admission of seeing a married woman. They argued for a moment, interrupting each other, then he tried to leave. Lori blocked him, demanding to know who she was, and that's when he kissed her. After that, Lori just stood there as Lincoln left."

"Well, what's she doing now?" inquired Leni, with a massively disappointed look on her face.

"That's what took me so long. I watched for a while, but nothing much happened. When I left, Lori was ugly-crying in her bed," Lucy told them.

"Ugh!" cried Lola, throwing a small couch cushion across the room. "This is ridiculous! Now we have two depressed weirdos to deal with?"

"They aren't depressed, Lola," informed Luan. "They're in love and frustrated because they believe they can't pursue it. That's why they're always picking fights with each other. It's a defensive mechanism to distance them. Only, it doesn't work, so..."

"Hey, you know something?" asked Luna with her head tilted and one finger pressed against her cheek. "This reminds me of that episode of American Dad, where Stan and Roger would fight all the time, and Haley suggested they just fuck and get it over with."

"Only you would watch something so bizarre," quipped Lola, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, what are we going to do? Lori's only here for a little over two months, and if we have to either get them together or fine with being apart."

"I haven't the foggiest as of yet," admitted Lisa while taking numerous notes. "However, I am working on it."

"Fine," sighed Lucy, seemingly with no emotion. "But no stupid experiments, alright? We want them happy, not mutated or something worse."

"Have it your way," groaned Lisa, closing her notepad. "Nobody appreciates good science these days, anyway."

"Hey, guys," Leni spoke up. "I've known Lori longer than any of you. I mean, come on, we've been best friends our whole lives, and I know she'll open up to me if I press the right buttons. So, let me take the first try, alright? Give me tonight to talk to her, and we'll see what happens."

"Gee, I don't know, Leni," complained Lynn. "You're kind of a blabber-mouth. What we're doing has to be a secret, remember? Not only can they not know what we're trying to do, but neither can Mom and Dad."

"I know that, silly!" retorted Leni, waving Lynn's observation away with a flick of her wrist. "And, don't worry, I've got this. I won't spill the milk this time. I promise."

"Okay, Leni? First of all, it's beans, not milk," sighed Luna, facepalming herself. "Second, what did you have in mind?"

"Pictures!" Leni cheered as everyone rolled their eyes.

"I fail to see how selfies would assist in this endeavor, Leni," announced Lisa, adjusting her glasses.

"No, photo albums," Leni corrected her sister. "I'll show her pictures to cheer her up and get her talking about Lincoln. Maybe, somewhere along the way, she'll figure out how she feels."

"That's not entirely a bad idea," Lisa said approvingly. "Direct, yet subtle. I'm surprised you thought of it."

"I know," smiled Leni, clasping her hands in front of her, dipping slightly. "I'm surprised too."

"Fine," agreed Lucy. "But do try and keep her from crying even more. Please? I don't know how much more misery I can take." Then, when everyone gave her an odd stare, she clarified. "I meant the misery of other people. I enjoy my own."

"Nope!" chirped Leni. "I can't do that. More crying is what she needs right now."

"Um, what?" gasped Lynn. "Are you insane?"

"It's true!" blurted Leni in her defense. "People can't heal until finished crying. And, I've cried a lot over the years, so, believe me, I know. And, if you ask me, Lincoln could stand to do a little crying himself." Then, after a short pause, she put her hands on her hips and continued. "He's always so stubborn about that kind of thing. He always has to be the strong one."

"Well, then," announced Lucy, looking at her watch. "Let's meet in the basement tomorrow at noon and see how things go with Leni's approach. As for the rest of us, go about your normal routines. We don't want to raise any suspicions by unnecessarily hanging around."

Everyone nodded, rose, and scattered throughout the house as the meeting concluded. Some returned to their chores, while others watched television or went outside to play. Leni, however, stood at the foot of the stairs, preparing herself for her assigned duty. Repeatedly, she drew in deep breaths, held them for a moment, then released them.

With each repetition, Leni reminded herself of the goal, fermenting it in her mind as she did at work. Finished, she forced a smile upon her face and made her way upstairs. Leni knew her task would be difficult, but it was necessary, not only for Lori and Lincoln but for everyone else, herself included. She arrived at their door all too soon, then, turning the knob, she put on her best face and waltzed in.

"Hey, Lori!" chirped Leni as she headed toward her sewing machine, intentionally ignoring the fetally-shaped lump under the covers. "What'cha doing?"

"Huh? Oh, hey, Leni," murmured Lori. "No, I'm only laying here."

"Why?" asked Leni briskly as she aligned the dress she was working on under the spindle. "I mean, it's such a nice day outside, not to mention everyone is eager to see you."

Lori sighed, supposing Leni was right. She couldn't justify secluding herself so soon after arriving and poked her head out from under the blankets, leaning against the headboard. After wiping away the remaining traces of liquid from her face, she considered Leni.

"What are you working on?" Lori inquired, interested only in getting recent events off her mind. "Anything special?"

"Not really," came Leni's reply. "Sometimes, I don't know what I'm making until I make it."

"How is that possible?" Lori asked. "I mean, you can't start out making a pair of slacks and end up with a cardigan. You need a plan."

"No, you don't," argued Leni. "It's like... looking for something at the mall. You just start walking and find a store. If that store doesn't have what you want, you leave and walk in another direction. Eventually, you'll find what you need, even if it wasn't what you wanted to start with."

"Wow..." sighed Lori. "You have such a simple way of looking at things. I wish I could do that."

"But..." sighed Leni, stopping her seam and turning to face Lori. "You already do."

"What do you mean?" pondered Lori, interested to see where Leni's thoughts went.

"Well..." said Leni, putting her hands in her lap. "You aren't where you thought you'd be ten years ago, are you? And, in another ten years, you'll probably be somewhere completely different than where your precious plan says you'll be. I mean, that's life. Right? All we can do is keep moving. And, speaking of life, I have something for you."

Lori's eyes lit up. Who didn't like gifts, after all? "Really? What?"

Leni stood, lifted a blue binder from her shelf, then walked over to Lori and offered it. "Here, I made this for you while you were gone. It's a photo album, but not like those Mom and Dad make. This one has all the leftover pictures in it. You know, the ones that show the real us? Anyway, there's some in there from while you were at college too."

"Really?" smiled Lori as she accepted the book. "Oh, my, gosh! This gift is, literally, the sweetest thing ever, Leni!"

Leni was right. There wasn't a single photo in the entire album their parents would've ever considered putting into one. Many would've ired their other sisters, too, had they known of their existence. Every awkward, unflattering image taken was there, neatly arranged in chronological order.

Together, Leni and Lori browsed through the thoughtful book one page at a time, alternating between laughter and grimaces as the scenes changed from Lisa's awful attempt at applying makeup to Luna, dangling from Lynn's basketball goal. The story was not of orderliness or perfection but the truth in chaos in imperfection. Accidents, spills, injured knees, and crocodile tears filled the pages, along with the tender moments that followed.

As the pages turned, years trekked by, and together, Lori and Leni reviewed their lives as they grew up. Laughter and giggling continued as one embarrassing vision occurred after another. Then, viewing the image at the top of the next page, Lori blushed heavily, utterly unaware that the photo even existed. Quickly, she closed the book around her finger to save their place.

"What's the matter?" Leni asked, chuckling at her sister's reaction.

"It..." mumbled Lori. "It's of the time I had a nip-slip in the pool! How did you even get this? I thought I destroyed it!"

"Now, now," Leni said, redirecting Lori. "It's something that happened, just like all the others. There's no reason to be embarrassed. I mean, we're the only ones who've ever seen it. Besides, what do I care? I'm a girl!"

"Yeah, but..." Lori stammered. "What if Lincoln finds it?"

"He doesn't need to, Lori," Leni reminded her. "He was there, remember? Take a closer look."

Tentatively, Lori gazed at the photo once more, looking for Lincoln. It only took a moment due to his white hair glaring in the sun. There he was, standing in front of her, holding his arms out to block everyone's view of her, despite there only being girls present.

"Wait, he..." Lori whimpered, liquid beginning to fill the wells under her eyes once more. "He never even... He tried to..."

"Yeah," sighed Leni. "And, there are more pictures like this in here, if you really look at them. But, enough of that. Let's finish the book."

Lori nodded and wiped away her tears as they continued their journey through time. Leni feigned interest whenever a photo came up that she wanted to examine further. Sometimes, Lori would point something out correctly. Other times it took Leni to put an image into perspective, validating her reason for inserting it.

But then, the tone of the images began to change. The last quarter of the volume contained very few pictures of Lori, and though Lincoln was present, the photos captured the decline in his mood quite profoundly. It was one thing to see him at any given time, but to experience it all at once, was unnerving. Eventually, he stopped appearing altogether.

Lori closed the album and held it close to her chest. "Thank you for this, Leni. I love it!"

"Oh, em, gosh, Lori..." Leni chirped. "It was no problem at all."

Then, Lori laid her head against the bed and closed her eyes while Leni looked on with interest. Smiling to herself, Leni knew she had done well, even if Lori hadn't come to any conclusions. The wheels were turning, and that's what counted. Then, as Leni prepared to return to her sewing, Lori got her attention.

"Leni?" asked Lori, looking at her sister with big, watery eyes. "How do you know when you're in love with someone?"