It was just another normal day for most of the people in Royal Woods, but one that is special for a certain big family living there. By now, it wasn't only a frequent occurrence in their life but also an event they were all anticipating for. And as usual in the middle of all this, the sole son and brother of the family was one that helped them to get ready. At the moment, the white haired boy was standing in his room while looking at his assortment of belongings still nicely placed at their spot. His bedsheet was clean and his stack of Ace Savvy comic books were neatly placed under his bed.
"Oh hello there, sorry for not noticing you, I was just looking around." He said with a smile, turning his body around to look at the nonexistent viewer.
"I wanted to share more with you why today is an important day for us but as you probably already know my sisters need me." He stepped out from the opened door and slowly shook his head in amusement when he saw the expected sight before him. "While you're here, why don't you just follow me around." He added.
"Ugh, did anyone see where I put my phone, I literally can't find it." Lori groaned in frustration.
"I don't know, but you have been charging your phone in my room a lot lately, you should probably look for it there." Lincoln said.
Lori rolled her eyes and crossed the hallway to the small room at the end. "Found it, I was charging it in Lincoln's room, I kept forgetting this stuff a lot"
"It's fine Lori, I don't really mind it that much." Lincoln responded with a shrug.
"Hurry up Lana, we're going to be late if you keep being like this, what are you even looking for?" Lola said in annoyance while waiting for her twin.
"I'm coming Lola, just let me find my hat first." Lana said, hurriedly looking around for her favorite red hat.
"Can't you just leave it or something? We only have a few minutes left!?" Lola said.
"Hey! You have your tiara and I have my red hat, if you're only going to bother me than I would prefer it better if you shut up." Lana sharply retorted.
"Come on girls, there's no need for you to be arguing like this, I'm sure you will find it." Lincoln said. "Just remember where you saw it last at."
As Lana searched for her hat, Lola rolled her eyes and stepped out from their shared rooms. Maybe Lola was right, maybe she should just leave it behind, considering how little times they have left. But her hat was already like a part of her personality to her. Without it, she don't know if anyone would noticed who she was. Of who Lana Loud was...
"It's just a hat Lana, you don't need to be so bothered by this, you will always be the mechanic and tomboyish Lana Loud, you will always be my greasy little sister." Lincoln said while brushing her messy blonde hair tied into a twin pigtails.
"Here." At the voice of her twin, Lana turned around. Her eyes wide open to see what Lola was holding.
"My hat!" She quickly took it and placed it on her head, fixing it to not let it slip. "Thanks Lola." She said with a wide smile, showing the gap between her teeth.
"I found it in Lincoln's room, you should really remember taking your stuff back with you when you go there." Lola crossed her arms, her eyes lowered to the floor. "And sorry about earlier, I know how important that hat is to you, I shouldn't have told you to leave it behind, especially not today." Lola apologized.
"Jeez, what happened to you Lola, I almost don't recognize you anymore." Lana said while nudging her younger twin with her elbow. "Now come on, you're the one who said we're going to be late."
"Ugh, whatever you're going to do without me." Lola said, though a small smile plastered on her face.
"Hurry up Lola!" Lana yelled from downstairs in excitement.
"I'm coming Lana!" She replied, glancing back one last time before stepping downstairs.
"Girls, do you think this dress looks good on me?" Leni asked while wearing a pearl white dress that reached her knees. "Like I totes want to look my best today." She worriedly added.
"You always looks good sis." Luna said with a smile. "I don't think you should put so much thought into this."
"Luna's right Leni, you always looks good no matter what you wear." Lincoln agreed with a nod.
"That's totes not funny Luna, I'm like really serious right now, today is important for me!" Leni pouted.
"It is also important for the rest of us Leni." Luan rolled her eyes. "Just hurry up already, the fashion police won't be arresting you at where we're going."
"What!? No one told me the fashion police would also be there, I totes can't get arrested like this. It will ruin my dress!" She gasped. "I need to change." She returned to her room.
"Leni that's not what I meant." Luan facepalmed before looking at her chuckling roommate. "Can you help me or something?"
"Sorry brah, it's all yours." Luna shrugged as Luan groaned in frustration.
"You should really help her Luna." Lincoln said in amusement.
"Did anyone see my glasses?" Lisa asked.
"Poo poo." Lily mumbled while wearing a thick round glasses.
Luna walked over to the baby and crouched down. "Sorry Lily but this isn't a toy." Lily blew her tounge out at her as Luna picked up the glasses before placing it between Lisa's nose.
Slowly getting her vision back, Lisa fixed her round glasses on the bridge of her nose before looking at her helper. "Thank you for your assistance elder sister unit."
"It's fine little dudette, why don't you take Lily downstairs with you, I'm sure mom and pops are looking for her." Luna suggested.
"Very well then." Lisa picked her baby sister and cradled her against her chest. "Now come on Lily, let's get you ready."
"Inkcoln!" She excitedly mumbled as Lincoln gently patted her head.
"Well, I think that's everybody." Luna rubbed her hands together.
"Not everybody." Lynn annoyedly said.
"Lucy, you better come out from Lincoln's room, were leaving in a minute, don't make me drag you out from there." Lynn yelled with her arms folded, her feet irritatingly tapping against the floor.
"Sigh, you don't need to scream Lynn, I'm just taking my notebook." Lucy stepped out from his room with a notebook held in her right hand.
"Keep saying that, I might believe you one day, it's not like this is the first time this happened, no one asked you to leave your stuff in his room Lucy." Lynn complained.
"Calm down Lynn, really, I don't mind any of you using my room." Lincoln assured her.
"Woah, chill dudette, take a deep breath, you don't want to be like this for the whole day right?" Luna said.
Lynn took in a deep breath and exhaled from her mouth, calming her rapid heartbeat. She averted her to the side, ashamed with the way she was behaving. "Sorry, I... " She paused, biting her bottom lips. "Sorry Lucy... I-I didn't mean to scream at you like that."
Her eyes slightly widened when the black haired girl hugged her. "I understand why you're being like this Lynn, we all do, we all have our own ways of showing it. Today is an important day, for all of us." Lucy muttered.
Smiling Lincoln joined their hug. "Lucy's right you know, I'm glad you all have each others back." He agreed. Luna soon also joined their hug, then Lori and Leni as they came out from their room.
"Hey, why didn't any of you tell us we're having a group hug!?" Lana sulked before shoving herself into the hug, pulling her unamused twin by her side. Though Lola did no attempt to break away from the hug.
Seeing the sight, Lisa slowly and hesitantly reached out for the hug, unsure how she should continue. Noticing her approach, Lola pulled her along into the hug, surprising her a bit with her sudden gesture before basking in the comfortable warmth of her family embrace.
"Girls, you better get down here in two minutes, we're leaving." The voice of Lynn's Sr, their father informed.
As the hug parted, they all went downstairs and walked out from the front door where mom and dad were already waiting for them in vanzilla. Lincoln waited outside for his sisters to get in first before choosing the last seat still available. Dad started the engine, pulled out from the driveway, and sped up onto the street.
In the vehicle, each of his sisters were doing their own stuff while waiting for them to arrive to their destination for the day. It would only take a moment but they all already knew that. What they are doing at the moment was mostly to fill the time during the drive there.
Lori was checking her social media as Leni was talking to her while pointing out the pictures she liked. Luna was humming to herself as Luan was listening to song with her earphones. Lynn was absently staring out through the window as Lucy was writing into her notebook. Lola and Lana were chatting to each other as Lisa was reading a picture book to Lily beside her.
As for him, Lincoln let his eyes rest for a moment while waiting for them to arrive, there's still some time left.
When the van eventually stopped moving, Luna opened the door, stepping out from the vehicle with the rest of their sisters also following her. Lincoln was the last person to come out as he looked at his familiar surrounding. He followed their lead, walking as slow and gentle as he can before passing by each of his sisters along the path. Their steps were filled with a strange feeling of confidence and certainty. They know why they were there, just like the first time they're there.
Leading them at the front, Lincoln smiled before sitting on the first thing he saw, waiting for the rest of them to catch up to him. His smiled brightened even further when they arrived and stopped infront of him.
"Hey bro," Luna greeted him. "it's nice to see you again."
"Well you know what they say, it's never too late." He responded, swinging his legs back and forth from where he was sitting.
"I hope you liked my dress Linky, I totes want you to see me wearing it." Leni asked. "Even if the fashion police will arrest me for breaking the fashion law."
"I see you Leni, and I really liked your dress, really." He replied with a short chuckle.
"How are you doing twerp, I hope it wasn't lonely for you there." Lori said, for once not looking at her smartphone, instead directly at him.
"Meh, it has its up and down, though I do miss some stuff sometimes." He rubbed the back of his neck, still embarrassed to talk honestly with his eldest sister.
"Hey, just want to tell you your sister is famous on Metube now, I finally have one million subscribers just like you said I would before." Luan pointed out with a wide smile.
"Woah, that's amazing Luan, I know you can do it. Now you just need to reach that ten million milestone." He encouraged her.
"Sup bro I..." Lynn trailed off, biting her bottom lips in frustration. "I..." She struggled. "I..." Again. Luna put her hand on her shoulder, telling her to calm down.
"It's been great, my team and I were already preparing for our fight against Hazeltucky next week for a spot in the states league." Lynn clenched her fists by her sides. "I really wished you could see me there."
"Don't worry Lynn, I will go and watch your game, cheering for you like usual." He said.
"I hope you received my poems Lincoln, they're all inspired by you, by all the stuff you've done for me." Lucy said.
"Wow Lucy, I'm flattered, really." He scratched his cheek. "But you don't exactly have to burn them to send your poems to me, mom and dad should really monitor your internet search after this." He chuckled.
"Hey Lincoln, are you lonely?" Lana asked as Lincoln went quiet for a moment. "Would you be happy if we're also there?" She added in a low voice.
"Sure it gets lonely sometimes Lana." He sighed. "And it would be nice to have any of you around... But I don't want that." He asserted.
"I'm fine with what I have right now Lana, it was even more than enough for me. It would be selfish to ask for more than this." He reasoned.
"So don't worry to much about me." He lifted his head to look at the nice shade provided by the tree towering over him. A drop of morning dew fell on his face, slowly rolling down his cheek, and rippled into the small puddle on the ground.
"Hmph, I don't want to be a tattletale anymore but they are using your room a lot lately." Lola crossed her arms. "And they kept messing it up everytime they're in there, do they know how long I need to keep tidying your room. How ungrateful..."
"Yeah, I know about that." He chuckled. "Thanks Lola, I really appreciate it." He added.
Today was going pretty good so far... Though he can't say he expected it to stay that way for too long...
Lisa was nowhere to be seen. Upon looking further, a small and shaking frame was hiding behind the patriarch of the family, tightly clutching onto his clothes.
Lincoln looked at her with a small fond smile... They did much better with holding themselves back this time. He can't be that selfish to ask them to be happy for him. Not when their true emotions was breaking out from the cracks they barely hid deep underneath.
"Sorry everyone, Sorry if my wish is too much for you..." He let out a humorless chuckle. "I'm sorry."
"You can let go now."
As he expected, Lisa was the first to broke, crying out as loud as she can, then Lily followed her, confused but also saddened by her upset closest sister.
Leni gritted her teeth and quickly hugged Lori which she didn't hesitate to return. They both needed it.
Luna was struggling to wipe the tears from her eyes as Luan barely keeping her smile on her face with the wet tears rolling down her cheeks.
Lynn clenched her fists tightly, almost drawing blood from her palms as her body shook with each of her sobs. Under her dark bangs, her eyes watered as Lucy hugged her roommate, hiding her face and emotions from the world. Also hiding her older sister's pain with hers.
Lola held Lana's hand. She didn't even realize the first drop of tears escaping her eyes until she looked at her twin bawling her eyes out.
She... She did good, right Linky?
She didn't cry like he asked her to.
She was being a good girl like he wanted him to.
She was there for Lana like he needed her to.
I'm doing all that you wanted Linky...
Then why did it still hurt so much! Why did it need to hurt so much Linky, why is it so painful...
Why... Why do you need to leave us Lincoln.
"We... We all missed you Lincoln." Lana choked out.
"I missed all of you too Lana, it might get a bit lonely here sometimes, but whenever I think about all of you, I can live in that moment again." He forlornly said. "It wasn't the same but it was enough."
Lincoln stayed there, watching them let their emotions out before finally leaving his new home, it was selfish of him to ask them to let go, to forget about him, to move on...
He was their brother... They had always went to him for advise. He just can't do the same for them now.
Sitting on the headstone with his name on it, Lincoln stretched his arms over his head. He can't believed how much he missed their loud voices.
'Here lies Lincoln Albert Loud, a good son and brother, may his young soul rest in peace among the angels.'
And he almost can't believe it's been a year already.
But time would still be moving on even without him, just like everything else. And sometime in the future, he will completely be forgotten like the nameless people before him. Another moldy headstone among many. So for now, he can just wished that his sisters would move on from him already. For once he wanted to be selfish, he wanted them to be happy. Even if he wasn't there for them anymore, he wanted them to be there for each others. To be the person he used to be for each of them.
"Why are you all still here?" Lincoln asked, looking at the reader.
"I've nothing else to tell you, your stories will go on while mine end here, you should really do something useful with what little time you've left." He advised.
Raising a brow, he chuckled in amusement. "What, you really want me to do something, sorry everyone but it doesn't work that way."
"Even if my story ended here, the stories of my sisters would still be going on as they grow." He paused, letting a small smile plastered on his face. "I just won't be there to narrate it for them, for all of you."
As the silence returned, Lincoln looked at the reader with a smirk growing on his face.
"Heh, you would really listen to a nonsense tale from a dead kid. I supposed we all grew attached to something as we get older." He sighed while slowly shaking his head.
"But let me ask you this..."
"Do you think you will ever really let me go?"