Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino
Tainted Love
By Lola Presents
Chapter 12
Clyde sat there, staring at Lincoln, for a good few minutes before displaying any reaction. And when he finally did, it nearly broke Lincoln's heart. He had ignored his friends for so long that he couldn't blame him, but this was his last chance to salvage their friendship.
Finally, Clyde stood and walked towards Lincoln's door, then stopped and addressed him. "Lincoln..." he said calmly, though entirely shaken. "That's the most fucked up thing I've ever heard. But I'm dating Lynn now, so I suppose I'll have to talk to you eventually. Just don't expect things to go back to how they were."
"I understand," sighed Lincoln as he watched Clyde leave his room. "But if you have any room left in your life for me, please, don't tell anyone about this. I only told you out of respect."
"We'll see," muttered Clyde before closing the door.
Lincoln waited until he heard the front door open and close, then figured the coast was clear. He emerged from his room only then, heading straight for Lynn's.
"Lynn!" cried Lincoln. "What the hell was all that about?"
"She's not here, Lincoln," answered Lucy, still lurking behind her book.
"Well, where'd she go?" asked Lincoln.
"She left with Clyde, I think," mumbled the goth. "Why?"
Lincoln strolled over and sat on Lucy's bed. "What do you think she sees in him, anyway?"
"Oh, I don't know," sighed Lucy. "Some women like aggressive men, which makes sense for her when you think about it."
"He didn't become aggressive. He became a jerk," Lincoln muttered. "He kissed our sister without asking permission."
"Well, I suppose there is that..." grumbled Lucy. "Why are you so concerned about it anyway? It's Lynn's life."
"Because!" barked Lincoln. "He'll be hanging around now and with Lori and me..."
"Oh, I get it," said Lucy, finally putting down her book. "I take it you haven't told him then?"
"No, I did," Lincoln admitted, lowering his head.
"Please excuse my euphemisms, but what the fuck did you do that for?" Lucy complained.
"I don't know," sighed Lincoln. "Maybe I wanted him to be jealous."
"Well, did it work?" inquired Lucy, thriving off the drama.
"How would I know?" quipped Lincoln. "He left before much more was said."
"I wish you hadn't told him, but as you have, at least tell me when the shit hits the fan," requested Lucy. "I want to be there for that."
"You're weird," grumbled Lincoln, preparing to leave.
"You have no idea," Lucy said, grinning wickedly.
It didn't take long for the news about Lynn and Clyde to spread throughout the house, and for a little while, Lincoln became content. Nobody was discussing his relationship with Lori. That's when it occurred to him that he hadn't seen Lori in a time and decided to see where she was.
"Go away, Lincoln," called Leni from their door. "Lori doesn't want to see you right now."
"What?" exclaimed Lincoln. "Why not? Is she alright?"
"Not really," Leni called again. "Mom found out, and they had a little fight."
Lincoln turned his back to the door and flopped against it. "Great..." he muttered. "Anything else I should know?"
"She says she loves you but needs time to think," Leni replied through the closed door.
"Alright," sighed Lincoln. And with no other option before him, he walked off.
"Hey, son," said Mr. Loud as he intercepted Lincoln near the top of the stairs. "Do you have a moment?"
Lincoln could tell by the look in his father's eyes that he was upset and concerned. Besides, he rarely called him "son" unless he was perturbed. And after hearing about their mother's discovery, it wasn't too difficult to guess why he was irritated.
"Let me guess, it's my turn to get fussed at," Lincoln said in disgust as he resigned himself to his room. "I swear to God, and I'll explode if this day worsens."
Lynn, Senior, closed the door behind him and stood there with his arms folded. "So, you and Lori, huh?" he said, not so much a question but a statement.
"Well, yeah," Lincoln confirmed, staring defiantly at his father. "Me and Lori. So what?"
"Lincoln..." Lynn began, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, I'm not blaming you. It was Lori's indiscretion, not yours. And while I haven't decided yet how to handle this, I need to know your thoughts. Please, give me one good reason not to have her arrested."
"Arrested?!" gasped Lincoln. "You wouldn't have your daughter arrested, would you?"
"For having incestuous relations with another of my children?" prompted Lynn. "You bet I would. You know, people can't pick and choose the laws they obey. And there are consequences to their actions."
"What consequences, Dad?!" barked Lincoln, rising to meet him. "It's not like we're going to get pregnant, for fuck's sake! We've been smart about it. You're only jealous because Lori is young and hot, and Mom's not!"
"Son! You're very close to pissing me off, you know that?" spat Lynn. "And there's a reason I usually take the back seat. If you want to know why, keep on, and you'll find out. Now, sit down, and let's talk!"
Lincoln saw something he'd never seen before in his father's eyes, which scared him deeply. Giving in to better judgment, he retook his seat and nodded. "What do you want to know?"
"Okay, then," said Lynn, calming as well. "What do you see in Lori that other girls can't give you?"
"Well, she's intelligent, confident, and goes after what the things she wants. At the same time, she can be extraordinarily empathic, sweet, and kind. Not to mention being the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."
"And what if she had rejected you?" inquired Lynn.
"Then, well, that would've been it, I suppose," Lincoln said. "I'm in love with her, yes, but I also want her to be happy, even if that means I'm not in the picture."
Lynn sat on the bed beside his son and folded his arms. "I don't understand something. What was all the depression for these past few months?"
"I..." stammered Lincoln. "I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps it was because I was anxious about confronting her with it? I wanted to so badly, but she wasn't around to do it in person. I was in limbo any way you look at it, and it was tearing me apart."
"Son, love isn't supposed to hurt," his father told him calmly. "Even if it is one-way. And, if you were an adult, you would've realized this, which brings me to my point. You're still a kid, Lincoln, and think like one. You aren't ready for a relationship of any kind, much less one with Lori."
"But that's not true, Dad," pleaded Lincoln. "Everyone makes mistakes, including you, and we learn from them. It doesn't stop just because someone is an adult," argued Lincoln. "With Lori by my side, learning from my mistakes will go smoother. I mean, think about it for a moment. We learned to eat, got potty trained, were taught manners and ethics at home, and all through interactions with family members. Why not this? If nothing else, it'd be in a controlled environment. You wouldn't have to worry about me running off with some floozy you don't know. Look, Lori and I, we aren't stupid, you know. We understand the risks for offspring, and we're being careful. Outside of children, what harm is there? Nobody is getting hurt. We're in love, whether or not we're having sex. I'm sitting here talking to you, but I'm still in love with her. The sex is irrelevant. It would be no different if we enjoyed giving each other foot massages instead."
Lynn furrowed his brows, afraid to admit that his son presented decent arguments. Perhaps, he'd prejudged their dynamic? Were his convictions truly his own, or those built by an ignorant society?
"Well, I..." Lynn responded, fumbling for words. "I have a lot to think about now. Thank you for being honest with me. I think your mother and I have some things to discuss. I'll get back to you later."
With that said, Lincoln's father rose and respectfully left the room, leaving Lincoln to flop backward onto his blankets to release a heavily weighted sigh. Everyone in the house now knew about their relationship. In a way, he was happy to get it off his chest. Doing so would undoubtedly make talking more openly about it much easier, not to mention the occasional public display of affection. Then again, a lot depended on the result of his parent's discussion.
Dinner began as usual, and neither Mr. nor Mrs. Loud brought the subject up. At least, not until Mrs. Loud noticed that Lori had not yet arrived. "Where's Lori?" she asked, glancing around. "Didn't anyone tell her dinner was ready? Maybe I should go get her."
"No, honey," her husband said. "Allow me."
After getting Rita's approval, Lynn rose and made his way upstairs. Silently, he stood in front of Lori's and Leni's door, unsure of what he would say. Lincoln's argument had not swayed Rita, but she had promised to reserve judgment until Lynn had entirely decided himself. Steadying himself and relying only on instinct to guide him, he gently turned the knob.
"Hey there, Lori-Lou," he cooed, poking his head into the room. "Dinner's ready. Aren't you coming?"
Lynn's heart broke when he saw his eldest and closest daughter sitting on the edge of her bed, rocking and cuddling a large pillow against her chest. Slowly she shook her head as tears streamed down her face.
Lynn entered the room and closed the door behind him. "Honey, everything will be alright," he affirmed., hugging her from the side.
"I'm sorry, Dad," Lori whimpered. "I'm so, so sorry."
"About what, baby?" he said, hoping she'd come to her senses.
"Lincoln," she whined. "I love him so much, and I can't stand it anymore. Being around him kills me since I can't openly show it. Not being around him hurts even more. What am I supposed to do, Dad?" she explained, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Leave?" she asked. "What good would that do either of us? We'd both be miserable. Stay? We'd both still be miserable."
"I don't know, Lori," Lynn conceded. "But I promise you this; we'll get through this as a family, alright?"
Lori glanced up at her father and wiped some of her tears away. "Do you mean that?" she asked through her weeping, looking at him with cautious optimism.
"Mmhm," her father murmured with closed lips. "I can't say either of us is happy with the idea, especially your mother, but..."
"Yes?" sobbed Lori, hoping for more.
"But, Lincoln said some things to me that made me realize that nothing everything is so cut-and-dry," he told his daughter. "I can't promise anything, but I believe there may be some room for compromise. If the two of you are willing to negotiate, that is."
Hearing such words filled Lori's heart with tentative joy, and she turned to embrace her father fully. "Oh, thank you, Daddy!" she squealed as her arms wrapped around his neck. "I love you!"
"I love you too, baby," Lynn struggled to get out. "But, you're squeezing a little too tightly. I can't breathe."
"Oops," Lori chuckled as she released her father and continued to clear her eyes. "I'm sorry."
"So, are you ready for dinner now?" he asked. "Regardless of anything, I can't let my baby go hungry, can I?"
This time Lori laughed outright and stood. "I guess not," she said. "You are my dad, after all."
A few moments and one flight of stairs later, Lori entered the dining room, where everyone sat, silently eating their food. Gashing at the sight of Lincoln, she took her seat and fumbled with the serving bowls. Both she and Lincoln were well aware that their siblings knew about their affair and had been somewhat instrumental in getting them together. They also knew that both parents were aware. Their siblings, however, did not. Both Lori and Lincoln kept the illusion going, sparing only a glance with which to communicate.
Not wanting things to stagnate, their father occasionally introduced topics for discussion, the most interesting of which was L.J.'s newfound interest in Clyde. Once broken, the silence gave way to heated debate and comments from all around the table. Clyde had been such a nice, though mousey, little boy. And the idea that he'd entirely changed seemed impossible. Yet, L.J. insisted on his maturity and couldn't stop praising him, claiming he'd manned up and taken what he wanted.
In this case, what he'd taken was L.J., and she apologized for it, either. She even made vague hints at the possibility of something more developing between them, which gave their father an opening. "Listen, guys," he pleaded. "Everyone, calm down a moment. There's something we'd like to discuss."
The boisterous discussion settled, and everyone looked at their parents., both expectantly and nervously, especially Lincoln and Lori, who were sure to be front and center, without warning.
Lynn sighed, folded his arms, and leaned against his chair. "Something has come to our attention, and we need everyone's input. But, before we say anything, we would ask that however you feel about it, you don't interrupt each other and remain calm. We must know how you feel about it to decide how to address it, alright?"
Lynn glanced around the table, each of his children nodding in turn. It was rare when everyone agreed on something, and the event struck him with curiosity. However, he had a job to do and pushed himself forward.
"Alright then," he began. "Now, it isn't our intention to embarrass anyone, but it has come to our attention that Lori and Lincoln have gotten involved recently," he informed them. Then when nobody responded, he continued. "You know, in a romantic and sexual capacity," he added for clarification.
Of great interest to both Lynn and Rita, their children remained silent, though they looked ready to burst. The confusing part for both of them was their children's expressions. Instead of outrage, they almost seemed overjoyed.
"Seriously?" sighed Lynn. "Nobody has anything to say."
Finally, Luna spoke up. "Dad, I'm sorry. I know we promised not to, but..." she struggled to say while keeping her elation from exploding. Then, a moment after throwing a knowing look at her sisters, they all stood up, throwing their arms in the air, and cheered loudly. And as Lynn tried to regain control of the discussion, a chant broke out between the children.
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" they repeated in synchronous taunts. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" they ordered, growing louder with every chorus.
Rita sat motionless, having said not a word during the entire ordeal, afraid her emotions would get the better of her. Now, she stared in both disbelief and awe. Her children, they wanted this? Even Lily clapped and seemed to be encouraging them. It didn't make any sense to the confused mother of eleven. She desperately wanted to say something but found herself immobile.
Finally, it wasn't until Lincoln and Lori rose, leaned across the table, and locked themselves in a prolonged, sensual kiss that Rita found her nerve. She stood quickly, and with a fierceness in her watering eyes, she finally spoke.
"STOP IT!" she screamed. "PLEASE, JUST STOP IT! I CAN'T GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN!"
Then, without warning, she threw her napkin over her plate and stormed from the room and out the front door. Stunned, the children looked from one to another, then at their father, whose head now faced his lap. The room was silent and remained that way until Luan finally spoke.
"Dad? What did she mean by 'again?'" Luan asked with no hint of humor in her voice at all. "Is there something you aren't telling us?"
"Daddy?" asked Lola nervously when their father failed to respond. "Are you alright?"
Finally, he looked up at his children, pressed his lips together, then cleared his throat. "Your mother and I wanted to wait until you were adults before telling you anything," he sighed. "But, it looks like the time has come."
"What is it, Daddy?" pleaded Leni, terribly worried. "Why is Mom so mad?"
"You, dear," Lynn announced after an awkward pause. "Your mother and I..."
"Yes? What is it, dad?" Lori asked sternly. "We're your kids, remember. We'll understand."
Lynn couldn't help but chuckle briefly. "Your mother and I are siblings. You are all products of incest. Every time we had a child, we were scared for you, praying for the chance that you'd all be normal. If Lori and Lincoln have a child, the chances increase dramatically, and that's something your mother wouldn't wish on anyone."
Everyone stared in disbelief, casting their glances from one to another.
"I'm sorry you had to find out this way," sighed their father, on the verge of tears. "But, it's the truth."
"But..." pondered L.J. "What about Pop-pop? He isn't your father, is he?"
"You mean Albert Loud?" Lynn corrected her. "Yes, it's true. We had different fathers but the same mother."
"Dude, seriously?" said Luna in awe of the revelation. "Then, who is your mother? I mean, it's not something you've ever talked about before."
"And for a good reason," Lynn informed them. "Our mother was Harriet. Sadly she died giving birth to your mother. We never got to know her. It was only through family albums and stories."
"Why have you never mentioned this before?" inquired Lincoln.
"There's more," sighed Lynn. "There's a reason we have both a white-haired child and a dark-haired child in our family."
"Are you attempting to suggest that Pop-pop and Harriet were siblings? inquired Lisa. "That would explain a lot."
Lynn pressed his lips together. "I'm afraid so," he admitted. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find my sister and calm her down."
To hear their father calling their mother "sister" hit the siblings like a ton of bricks. How had they never seen the similarities between them all? Silently, the children looked to each other for some clue on how to handle the situation. And, try as they might, none held an answer.
