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

Tainted Love

By Lola Presents

Chapter 7

The mass exodus from the kitchen seemed to last an eternity. At least, to Lincoln. On the other hand, Lori was shuffled around by her sisters like a rag doll and didn't have time to think. Eventually, everyone was upstairs, milling about in the hall, wondering what to do next.

Lincoln's and Lori's recent union left an inevitable change in the home's atmosphere. The excitement and wonder of getting the two together began to dissipate, and slowly, they began to consider what might happen next.

"Alright, guys!" whispered Lori, loudly enough to silence the onslaught of comments, questions, and inuendos. "Enough. You can go away now, you know. We need our space."

"Oh! Right," gasped Leni. "Okay, everyone. Scatter."

"Awe, do we have to?" muttered Lana, desperate for excitement.

"It's either that or you get fired," Leni blurted.

"What," gasped the girl with twin ponytails. "You can't fire your sister!"

"Fine, I'll hire you," explained Leni stoically. "Then I'll fire you."

Seeing Leni's steadfastness gave pause to the others, and they left one after another, grumbling or not.

"Have fun, you two," smiled Leni as she walked off. "But not too much!"

Finally, the hall was empty, leaving Lincoln's bedroom accessible. Hesitating slightly, they shared an awkward glance before Lincoln broke eye contact and stepped inside his room. Lori followed as quietly as possible and locked the door behind her.

Alone, at last, Lincoln turned to face Lori, who scooped him into her arms. Lincoln rested his head against her chest while she laid hers upon his crown. Together, they stood there for a moment, basking in each other's presence. However, Lori was eager to spend quality time with him and tried to pull away. But Lincoln resisted, raising concern in the pit of Lori's gut.

"Are you alright, Pooky?" cooed Lori, staring down at him.

"Yeah," sighed Lincoln, nearly breathless. "I only want to hear your heartbeat a moment longer."

"Oh, my, God, Pooky," cooed Lori. "That is, literally, the sweetest thing ever! But, aren't you ready for something a little more physical?" she added with a hint of lust in her voice.

Lincoln shrugged as he finally relinquished her and laid back on his bed. "I guess," he said, lost in thought, "but we don't have to rush into anything, you know?"

Lori studied him for a moment, floundering at his answer. "Of course, we don't," she said, climbing on top of him, supporting herself with her elbows. She stared into his eyes momentarily, tracing irregular shapes upon his shirt with one finger. "Is something bothering you?"

"No," answered Lincoln. "Not really. I mean-"

"Hm?" pleaded Lori, flashing her lashes at him. "I would've thought a young man your age would be all too eager, and you haven't yet made a move. Are you in love with me, or not?"

"Of course, I am, silly," chuckled Lincoln, giving him the persistence to continue. "It's that I've never done this before, unlike you. You've probably done it a hundred times by now. And I-"

"I see," sighed Lori. "Listen, Pooky. I'm nervous too. I've, quite literally, never done this before either. Not that I haven't thought about it. It just never felt right with, uh, you know."

"Really?" gasped Lincoln. "After all that time?"

"Yup," sighed Lori. "And, it's okay if we don't do anything yet. I mean, if you aren't ready-"

"It's not that," admitted Lincoln. "How many pairs of ears do you think are listening at the door right now? I mean, that's what they are waiting for, you know."

"In this house?" laughed Lori, beaming at Lincoln. "Probably all of them."

"Doesn't that bother you?" asked Lincoln, reaching up and running his fingers tenderly through her hair.

"Nope," replied Lori. "I've gotten used to all the eavesdropping over the years. Besides, you know how thin the walls are. It's not like they wouldn't hear us anyway."

"Lori?" sighed Lincoln after a long pause. "I need to ask you the same question. Are you truly in love with me or the idea of being in love with me?"

"Is that what's bothering you?" Lori attempted to verify, though Lincoln didn't say anything. "Pooky, it's complicated enough, as is. Do we need to rationalize it?"

"I don't know," breathed Lincoln, nestling his arms under his head. "I only want to be sure, you know? It's not like we've had much time to discuss it."

"Hm," murmured his sister, rolling to curl up to him instead. "I guess you're right, and I'll start by saying that I am absolutely and unequivocally in love with you. The thing is, I honestly don't know when it happened. I mean, I was surprised when I realized it. But I didn't think there was any way you'd feel the same. Until you kissed me the other day, that is."

"I see," mumbled Lincoln. "So, what could I possibly offer you that Bobby couldn't?"

Lori gazed at Lincoln, who was being unusually mature. "It's not that he couldn't," she told him. "But, there are things he just wouldn't. Don't get me wrong, he was a great boyfriend, but in the end, I think that's all he'd ever be."

"So, how do you know I won't either?" queried Lori's focus.

"Because you already did," Lori explained, cooing in his ear. "When you kissed me and crossed the boundaries, you showed me how much you loved me. And, I love you just as much."

When Lincoln met her gaze and smiled, Lori leaned in and kissed him softly but passionately. Then laying one leg over his midriff, she began undulating against him. She could feel his member growing within its cloth restraints, and the heat they gave off steadily increased.

"So, are you ready now?" Lori whispered with bated breath as she nuzzled his ear with her nose.

"Yeah," mouthed Lincoln as Lori reclaimed her position above him. "I am, and I love you so much, Lori."

"I love you too, Pooky," she replied as she tore her shirt off and tossed it aside. Lincoln had seen his sisters, including Lori, in their undergarments before, but this was different. "Wanna undo me?" she asked, leaning her bra-clad chest over his face.

Lincoln swallowed and nodded as he reached his arms nervously around her torso and fumbled with the latch for a moment before it came undone. Beaming at him, Lori was patient and let him perform the rite of passage without incident. Once off, however, Lori threw the support to the floor, near where her shirt landed, then began grasping at the hem of Lincoln's top.

In a feverish pitch, they wrestled together as they took turns removing articles of clothing from each other, their hearts beginning to synchronize to an unheard beat. Soon, both were entirely nude, and for the first time, each was able to stare unabated at the other with no shame. Lori bit her lip as she took in Lincoln's length and girth, as he similarly admired her body.

Lincoln could feel the heat radiating between Lori's legs as her crotch rested upon his cock. Truthfully, Lincoln was average at best, but it must've seemed massive compared to his undeveloped body. Either way, her reaction gave him a measure of reassurance, and his fears of embarrassment disappeared quickly.

Lori worked her way along his chest, hand over hand, until she was lying upon him once more, this time with nothing between them but desire. Then, after taking the briefest of moments to pull the covers over them, she moved to claim her prize and reward Lincoln with his.

"So, what do you think they're doing in there, anyway?" asked Lola, honestly curious.

"Okay," sighed Lana, "it's time we have that talk."

"What talk?" inquired Lola, with her head resting anxiously on her knees.

"The one I said we needed to have," Lana replied. "About the birds and the bees?"

"Do we have to?" pleaded Lola, offering big puppy dog eyes to her sister.

It wasn't that Lola wasn't curious. She was only afraid she'd learn something she didn't want to know. From all the chatter at school and the secrecy surrounding her parents whenever they disappeared into their bedroom, such was entirely possible. Lana cupped her hands and leaned into Lola's ear, and there seemed no escape, so the diminutive little princess braced herself and closed her eyes as Lana began whispering.

Lisa sat at her desk, most perturbed. For a while, things seemed normal. Then, the noises began. Oh, the noises. Sometimes, Lisa wished she wasn't so intelligent or that well educated. It might've been better had she not been aware of what was happening in the other room, but as it stood, she did. To keep them from revealing themselves and give her some peace, Lisa rapped upon the wall separating their room lightly.

She could only hope they hadn't become so blissfully unaware that they failed to receive the message. At first, nothing changed. Then, after a moment's pause, things settled down, and Lisa withdrew her arm, which she poised for another message. Lisa couldn't know whether the siblings understood her message or that they had only finished. Either way, things were quiet again, and that's what mattered.

Lori now lay beside Lincoln, their sweating bodies half-exposed by the damp blankets lying across their bellies. Their breathing was deep and labored but becoming more manageable by the moment as they recovered from lovemaking. Neither had expected it to be that intense, having only masturbation for context. And sharing their first time played no small part in the experience.

"Whew," sighed Lori lightly. "I never knew-"

"Me either," whispered Lincoln, holding Lori's hand under the covers. "I thought it'd be similar to, you know-"

"Mmhm," murmured Lori in complete satisfaction. "Wanna do it again?"

"I don't know if I can," Lincoln admitted. "That was exhausting. Besides, shouldn't we clean up and get ready for dinner?"

"I hate it when you're right, Pooky," Lori chuckled as she rolled across Lincoln, leaving a trail of goo as she moved. "Alright, I'll go first. So, wait a few minutes before you leave. Otherwise, Mom or Dad might put two and two together."

Then, suddenly, both Lincoln and Lori heard Lola's voice from the room next door. "OH! MY! GOD!" she cried loudly. "People do that! That's disgusting!"

"Lana must've explained things," Lori chirped, muffling her laughter.

Lincoln wasn't quite so agile and barely covered his mouth. "Can you imagine?" he chuckled.

Once the amusement receded, Lincoln sat up and appreciatively watched as Lori cleaned herself and dressed as best as possible. Then, after giving her a quick kiss before she disappeared altogether, he repeated his sister's actions. Afterward, he sat on his bed, reliving the experience until he heard Lori enter and exit the restroom, then headed out himself.

The stage lay set, whether Lincoln, Lori, or their siblings realized it or not. For what? Nobody could foresee. All the pieces were in place, however. And, for some of them, the actual job was about to begin. Lori and Lincoln had cemented their relationship, and all but mom and dad knew about it. Those who knew who had the most important job: keeping anyone else from finding out, especially their parents.

Sure, the Loud siblings could plan and conspire with the best of them. They could be downright devious at times. But, working together was another matter—an ongoing operation like this required coordination and teamwork with a shared vested interest. Considering how often they quarreled and fought over the most insignificant things, would such a feat be possible? Only time, and probably a large amount of luck, would tell.

For the parent's part, they were satisfied that Lincoln had seemingly returned to his former self and was no longer sequestering himself in his room. Naturally, they wondered what had changed but were hesitant to question him regarding his reasons. If his behavior had changed negatively, that was one thing. As it was, Lincoln seemed happier than ever, offering to help prepare dinner.

It took a while, but soon, everyone sat around the table, gawking at the layout their father and Lincoln had prepared. It was Lincoln's idea, but he was fine letting his father take most of the credit. Lincoln was only happy to give Lori's welcome home dinner another shot at success, and he'd spared no expense at his suggestions for the meal.

"Dad! Lincoln!" bellowed Lynn, Junior. "This looks amazing! What's the occasion?"

"Oh, well, I just thought since the other celebration went south," Lincoln began, "mostly on my account, I thought we'd give it another shot."

"Awe," cooed Luan, her eyes watering over. "That's so sweet!"

On the other hand, Lola asked Lucy to trade seats.

"Um, okay?" moaned Lucy. "But, why? You know this chair is my gloomy seat."

"I don't care, Lucy," Lola begged. "I just- Please?"

"Fine," sighed Lucy as she rose, walked around the table, and sat beside Lincoln.

"What was all that about?" asked Rita. "Don't you like your spot anymore? I mean, of all the places to request, why Lucy's?"

"I-" sputtered Lola before her more conniving instincts asserted themselves. "I wanna look out the window. Okay?"

"Uh, sure, sweetie," replied the girl's mother. "If you say so."

"So, I guess I'll get this started!" announced their father, raising his glass of tea. "Welcome home, Lori!"

"Welcome home!" everyone shouted, some lightly brushing their glassware together.

"How was college?" pondered Leni.

"Oh, you know," shrugged the eldest Loud sibling. "It's just like school. Only, you live there, and recess is longer."

"What subject did you like best?" asked Luna, interested in learning more about her sister's experience.

"Hm," murmured Lori, diving into her tuna casserole. "I guess it had to be sociology."

"Gee, that sounds difficult," exclaimed Lana, poking at her mashed potatoes. "I mean, it's not like working on an engine, where things have a definite design."

"Yeah," sighed Lori. "It was long and hard, but I'm glad I took it. It helped me understand people better."

Luan, who sat a few chairs down on the opposite side of the table, had turned bright red and was trying her best to contain her hysteria.

"What?" barked Lori. "What's so funny?"

Luan could contain herself no longer and nearly ripped her sides with laughter, gently banging the table with one hand. "Bwahahaha!" she giggled, pointing her finger at Lori, who sat there, bewildered. "You said it was LONG and HARD!"

"That's enough, Luan!" snapped Rita. "You know we don't like those kinds of jokes at the table."

"Or anywhere," added their father. "What's gotten into you tonight?"

"Nothing, Dad!" Luan lied, trying to calm herself down. "I swear!"

Both Rita and Lynn eyed their daughter momentarily then returned to the discussion.

"So, Lori, you were saying?" prompted Rita.

"Oh, right!' gasped Lori. "I guess the best thing was having free access to the green. I could play any time I wanted, as long as it didn't interfere with class."

"With all those golfers, I suppose they'd have to constantly work on the fairway to keep it in good shape," surmised Lisa while enjoying her peas and carrots. "Though that seems like an awful lot of effort during the week when classes would cut down on playing."

"Sometimes," acknowledged Lori. "But the grass grows pretty fast, and if they don't trim it, it gets all bushy, making it difficult to play."

"That's it!" barked Luan, unable to maintain herself. "I can't stand it! I have to go upstairs for a moment. May I be excused, please?"

"Of course," sighed Lynn, Senior. "But make sure your in control of yourself when you return."

Having gotten permission, Luan rose and bolted upstairs, closeting herself in the restroom, and fell into fits of laughter.

"What?" inquired Lori, a bit red in the face. "Did I say something funny?"

"No, honey," Rita told her. "It's just that your sister's at that age now where everything is well-"

"About gross stuff, like sex!" leaked Lola, just before covering her mouth, followed by a significant widening of her eyes as they slowly glanced around the room.

"Sex isn't gross," exclaimed Lana. "It's how babies get made and completely natural."

"Ehem!" barked Lynn, Senior, gaining everyone's attention. "This isn't proper dinner-time conversation, kids. I'm surprised the two of you even know what that is. But, we'll discuss it another time."

After Luan retreated to her room, the conversation around the table normalized once more, and for the next hour, the family caught up with Lori's adventures at college. Of course, she left out a lot of details, especially those involving Bobby, mostly because she didn't want to remember and partially because she didn't want to spur any jealousy in Lincoln.

As for his part, Lincoln probably asked the most questions, and he seemed genuinely interested in Lori's answers. Though, not all his questions were about college. Some focused on her as a person, which he snuck in sideways whenever he could. But eventually, things wound down, and the time had come to clear the table.

"Mom, Dad?" Lisa queried. "Leave this to the twins and me. "You should get some rest. Both of you worked hard today and deserve some time to yourselves."

"Thank you, girls!" replied their mother approvingly, rising to leave. "Come on, Lynn, we need to discuss Luan's recent behavior."

"And here I was, hoping to catch the news," sighed Lynn. "But, alright. She was out of line. And, I'm not too thrilled about Lola's comment either."

The remaining siblings sweat bullets until their parents had finally left the room, disappearing behind the master bedroom doors. Then, an audible sigh filled the room as they all began to relax.

"That was close," stated Lucy as she stood.

"Too close," agreed Leni quietly.

Then, flashing a playful grin, Lori grabbed Lincoln, pulling him toward the stairs. "Speaking of closeness-"