Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino
Tainted Love
By Lola Presents
Chapter 6
All eyes were on Lori as she stepped into the house, wiping her eyes clear. If the stress of letting Bobby go wasn't enough, the intensity with which her siblings stared at her only made things worse. Lori had made up her mind not to engage Lincoln. However, now that she'd broken up with her former boyfriend, if one could truly call him that, a change washed over her as she looked into his pleading eyes.
"So?" queried Luan. "How'd it go?"
"About as well as one would expect," mumbled Lori, still sniffling a little. "But, I got it done."
"So-" Lana asked, unsure of the future. "Does this mean that you and Lincoln-"
Lori took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. Her sibling's bizarre insistence that she and Lincoln couple was beyond her. Although, it was nice knowing that they supported them. Family, and their opinions, were essential to her, sure. But, she could still refuse, based on principle. And, she might have, had it not been for Lincoln's presence. Something about the way he looked at her melted her resolve.
"Well-" sighed Lori, walking over to Lincoln and leaning in. "Does this answer your question?"
As Lincoln's face blanked and began to turn red, Lori pressed her lips against his and finally returned the kiss he'd so surprising given her before. And like then, Lincoln took a moment to reciprocate, but once he did, one could only gaze in awe at the degree of passion shared. Nobody would've been able to separate them, even if they all tried together.
Their mutual acceptance garnered quite the response from their siblings, including a few "oooh's," some clapping, and even a joke by Luan. "I'm telling mom! Haha! Just kidding!" It wasn't until Luna shushed them, reminding them of the need for secrecy, that they lowered their voices.
But neither Lincoln nor Lori noticed any of them. They were too engrossed in each other to pay attention. All previous doubts and hesitation that Lori had vanished in those moments, and the kiss lasted for some time. Eventually, though, they parted, and Lincoln finally stood up after being pinned in his chair.
"That was so beautiful!" cooed Lola, holding her hands close to her chest.
"What are you going to do now?" asked Leni. "I mean, it's totes adorbs, but what about dates? Everyone in this town knows us."
"You couldn't have pointed that out earlier?" Lisa griped. "In any regard, they can always visit the next town over. It's not that far, and Lori can drive. I see nothing to get upset about."
"If you think that mom and dad won't wonder why Lori and Lincoln always leave together, something's wrong," interjected Lucy, folding her arms.
"Guys, guys-" pleaded Lori. "It's okay! Really. We'll say we're on a double date. No problem."
"With who?" gasped Lincoln. "I mean, I don't have a great track record in that department."
"Oh, I don't know," sighed Lori, leaning toward lincoln, gushing over how cute she thought he was. "But, you'll think of something if I don't first. Besides, you are the man with the plan. Right?" she added, brushing his nose with her own.
Lincoln began blushing again. It had seemed impossible, if not entirely improbable, but here he was, standing beside Lori, with his arm wrapped around her waist. His heart rate was racing, somewhere close to breaking the sound barrier, and he felt sweat forming on his brow and palms.
"Y-yeah-" stuttered the stricken lad. Then, after a moment's reflection, his demeanor elevated. "You know I will! I love you too much not to!"
Lori grinned wickedly and wrapped her arms around his neck as she pulled him into another deep kiss. She never wanted to let go, to have him to herself for all time. And yet, she knew they had to play it safe around the house and in public. He was still her brother and underage.
"I love you too, Pooky," she announced as they finished their lover's seal.
"Pooky?" asked Lincoln, shaking his head while smiling. "How do you think of these names anyway?"
"That's what I'd like to know," Lynn stated. "I mean, isn't his real name good enough? Girls in love are dumb sometimes. You'll never catch me saying something that lame."
"Oh, I don't know," sighed Lori, beaming at Lynn. "Lincoln's a great name. I love it. That's what everyone else calls him, though. I need something to remind him how special he is to me."
"If you say so," Lynn laughed. "But why Pooky?"
"Maybe she's kooky for Pooky?" Luan said before bursting into laughter. "Get it?"
After everyone groaned, Lucy chimed in. "I'm sorry to tell you this, Luan, but that was as unfunny as a vampire who sparkles."
"Why you little-" threatened Luan as she began chasing Lucy around the kitchen.
"What's up, gang?" said an all too familiar and wholly unexpected voice. "What's going on?"
"Dad!" they all shouted at once, standing to block his view of the tightly intertwined pair. "What are you doing home so early?"
"Uh-" murmured Lynn, Senior, scratching his head. "Well, uh, business was slow, so Kotaru and Grant gave me the night off."
"Wow!" exclaimed Luna. "That's cool, dude. Do you know what you should do? Get some relaxation! I hear there's a special episode of Iron Chef on tonight!"
"I thought you hated cooking shows?" replied their father, folding his arms. "What's going on here?"
"N-nothing, and yes. I do," mumbled Luna, taken entirely off guard. "But I won't be watching it. You will, and you love them. Right? Now, go sit down, and I'll bring you some refreshments."
"Hm. I suppose you have a point," Lynn groaned. "Though, I have to wonder why you seem to be pushing me out like this? It's like you don't want me around."
"Incorrect, oh paternal one," Lisa said, taking over. "We merely recognize the devotion you display for our care and wish to return the gesture. Now that you a reprise, there's no excuse not to indulge yourself."
"As always, you're spot on, Lisa," their father sighed. "Alright then, it's off to the couch I go! But if your mother complains that I didn't get anything done around here, I'm telling her it was your idea."
The team mobilized when their father retreated to the living room and settled on the sofa. For once, everyone worked in harmony. Well, close enough, anyway. Soon, Luna was ushered from the room to deliver the tray of food and beverage they'd prepared to their father. Hopefully, that would keep him occupied for a while.
They knew what was at stake and didn't want to raise further suspicions by continuing to congregate together. Eventually, they decided to leave the room in groups of two or three, with Lori and Lincoln being in different groups. Afterward, they would have more freedom. Neither their mother nor father often went upstairs. Each child's duty was to clean their room and do their laundry. Of course, there was the restroom issue, though everyone seemed to agree that the hallway wasn't a likely place to make out.
In small groups, they left the kitchen and headed upstairs. Lincoln went with Lynn and Lisa while Lori left in the last group, with Leni and Luna. The orderly exit gave Lincoln a few moments to take stock of developments and deal with their situation. Things were different when he loved her from afar. Nothing was going to happen, so he worried little. Now, their predicament was entirely different. Should they be caught, their lives would change dramatically.
Lincoln remembered his friends next, even though he doubted they thought much of him. He'd practically abandoned them nearly a year ago with no explanation. And, what about Clyde? What if he found out that he and Lori were together? Heh. Maybe one day, he'd tell him, just out of spite. He always hated how Clyde hit on her. Then again, Lincoln didn't fully understand his feelings toward her at the time.
Right then, all Lincoln wanted was to see Lori again, to hold her and whisper sweet nothings in her ear as they embraced. He cared not where it took place, though his room made more sense as he didn't have a roommate to avoid. He was confident that none of their sisters would have objected. However, some things are too private to put on display. Sighing heavily, Lincoln sat on his bed and wondered how long he'd have to wait before seeing Lori again.
Leni gently pushed Lori into their room after they parted way with Luna. However, Leni had some difficulty as Lori kept squirming, trying to sneak towards Lincoln's room. Leni knew what was going through her sister's mind and wasn't having it. Though Leni was rather simple-minded, even she knew that things needed to progress at a natural pace. Rushing headlong into a makeout session this soon would indeed cause suspicion, a luxury they couldn't afford.
"No!" emphatically whispered Leni. "You have to stay in here for a while first! Otherwise, you might get in trouble, and I don't just mean getting caught!"
Lori pouted but understood. While she had no clue how prepared Lincoln was, she had no protection on her, and at the moment, Lori couldn't deny the possibility of getting pregnant. After all, it wasn't easy to control oneself during the height of passion.
"Fine-" mumbled Lori, turning and marching into the room with her head held low. "But don't think you're going to keep me cooped up in here the whole summer."
"I wouldn't dream of it," replied Leni as the door closed behind her.
Inside the twin's room, the atmosphere was entirely divergent. While others were gossiping about their overly romantic views of the new couple, one of the pair had something else on her mind.
"Hey, Lana?" Lola asked, turning from her mirror, where she currently sat, brushing her hair.
"Hm?" murmured Lana, who lay on her stomach on her bed. "Yeah?"
"You know," Lola started, "you never told me your reason for supporting Lori and Lincoln. Care to share?"
"Okay, first, keep your voice down," Lana responded, turning her head to look at her sister. "It's already loud and gravelly enough. Second, why do you care? As long as I'm not against it, there's no problem. Right?"
"Oh, come on," pleaded Lola. "I told you mine!"
"Fine," Lana grumbled, pulling herself up. "If you need to know that badly, it's because it's natural. Animals don't care and do it all the time, regardless of age or relation. All this crap about incest and age limits is retarded. Besides, mating is cool. Maybe one day, I'll get to try it."
Lola's eyes widened at Lana's statement. "You what?"
"What?" retorted Lana.
"Nevermind," sighed Lola, returning to her hair care. "Forget I mentioned it."
"Come on," gasped Lana. "Don't tell me you've never thought about finding a nice guy and getting boinked repeatedly."
"Lana!" snapped Lola, abandoning her task. "I can't believe you'd ask me something like that! But-" she added, calming down a little due to embarrassment. "Yeah, I have. But, we're too young, so I try and forget."
"I know what you mean," agreed Lana, flopping back down. "I mean, I can't even get it on with a crayon."
"Huh?" inquired Lana, confused yet curious. "A crayon? What do you mean?"
"Oh, boy," sighed Lana. "We have got to talk."
One room down, neither occupant would've required an explanation. Both Lynn and Lucy were well versed in bodily function. Lynn was overly familiar with human physiology as a result of her interest in sports, as well as her age. On the other hand, Lucy gained her awareness through trashy gothic novels. Either way, they fully understood what was on Leni's and Lincoln's minds.
"How long do you think it'll be before they start fucking?" asked Lynn of Lucy.
Lucy closed her book and set it on the nightstand. "Do you honestly want to have this discussion, Lynn?" she asked, blushing somewhat. "And, if so, could you please be a mite more civil with your tongue?"
"Huh? You don't like the word fuck?" Lynn asked. "You do know that's how babies get made. Right? Speaking of which-"
"Don't even go there," groaned Lucy. "It's way too early. Besides, if they determined the father, Lori would get arrested, and Lincoln would be left alone, caring for a baby. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Anyway, I think they have more sense than that."
"Lori might," sighed Lynn, folding her knees up to her chest. "I don't know about Lincoln, though. You don't know what it's like being a hormonal teenager. He's going to be thinking with his di- his other head, if you know what I mean."
"I appreciate your discretion," Lucy said, her blush receding. "But, I'll have you know that I am pretty aware of my feelings and desires. I may not have reached puberty, but as a girl, you should recall that's not when emotions and bodily reactions begin."
"Yeah, I do," admitted Lynn. "Heh. I remember playing with myself when I was around your age, thinking about Pele."
"I'm sorry. Who?" posited Lucy, raising a single, unseen brow.
"Uh-" dismissed Lynn. "He's an athlete from a while back. You wouldn't know him."
The next room down the hall was relatively quiet for a few moments as Luna and Luan settled into their daily routines. Things continued that way until the weight of everything came crashing down on them. It came first to Luan, who lay on her bunk. Luan tried to develop new ideas for her stand-up routine with her joke book in hand.
At first, Luan directed her thoughts toward writing material designed to challenge people's views of incest or age restrictions. That, of course, started her next train of thought, which soundly focused on Lori and Lincoln. Luan, being a teenager, failed at staying on topic, and her thoughts migrated toward matters most lewd.
"So, Luna," Luan asked Luna, beginning the conversation. "What do you honestly think of Lori and Lincoln? I mean-"
"Bruh! Seriously?" gasped Luna. "You've lived with me in this room for how many years?"
"I don't know. Why?" asked Luan.
"Because, dude. You should know me well enough by now to understand that I live for love," explained Luna. "I mean, love is love. Right? Who are we to stand in the way? I say, make it happen or shut up."
Luan smirked and nodded. "That sounds like you, alright. But, what I meant was, can you imagine them having sex? Would it be by the books or all hot and sweaty?"
"Dude, what?" Luna giggled so hard that she nearly fell over. "I don't know. I guess I'd say all hot and sweaty. At least at first. I mean, they've been in love for so long, and now they've finally accepted it. What would you do?"
"Hm," mused Luan. "I guess you're right. I'd probably fuck the shit out of him."
"Wait," gasped Luna. "Lincoln?"
"Oh, God, no!" snapped Luan. "I meant whoever my boyfriend was at the moment." Luan paused, then continued, thinking Luna needed a better explanation. "I know Lori and Lincoln are like that, but it's not me. I'm sorry for my choice of words. I honestly didn't mean to confuse you."
"Nah, bruh," chuckled Luna. "It's okay. I'm only messing with you."
"So," Leni exhaled as soon as they'd entered their room. "How do you feel now that you and Lincoln are officially a couple?"
Lori plopped into the oversized beanbag chair and laid her head back, staring at the ceiling. The poor girl reeled with emotions; bliss, confusion, and anxiety. Alas, Lori had no specific answer for her sister.
"I don't know, Leni," Lori admitted. "I don't think it's hit home quite yet."
"Well, maybe that's a good thing," Leni observed.
"Huh?" asked Lori. "I don't follow."
"Knowing keeps you on a certain path," explained Leni. "Not knowing opens the door to all kinds of possibilities."
"Leni-" Lori said quietly. "May I ask you something personal?"
Lori sat up and looked empathetically at her sister. "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but lately, you've said a lot of brilliant things, and I can't help but wonder-"
"Lori," the subject interjected. "I know what you're going to ask. Many people have accused me of being a lot of things over the years, including stupid and retarded. To be honest, I am a bit slow. But that doesn't mean I'm stupid. It only takes me longer to learn stuff."
Lori furrowed her brows, realizing Leni wasn't as oblivious to her condition as previously thought. "How do you manage?"
Leni shrugged. "I limit the number of things I have to think about, so I can concentrate. You, know, like family, work, fashion, and boys. Beyond that, I don't worry about a lot."
"I see," accepted Lori. "Well, you do a great job! You always seem so happy. I love you just the way you are."
"Awe, thanks!" grinned Leni. "I love you too. And, speaking of love-" she added, glancing through the walls toward Lincoln's room. "I think I've kept you long enough. Isn't it about time you go cement your relationship?"
Lori smiled, stood, and hugged her sister. "Thank you for everything. And, I mean that from the bottom of my heart."
"I know," replied Leni, beaming at her older sister. "I can see it in your eyes."
Satisfied, Lori made for the door and headed for Lincoln's room. This time, she'd get what she wanted. Kisses weren't the only thing on her mind, and jaws wouldn't be the only thing to drop.
