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

What Love Creates

By Lola Presents

Chapter 1

As Lola balanced herself on her knees and left hand, her face contorted in emotional pain, and streaks of black mascara contoured her cheeks, all strength left her. Resigning herself to an uncertain and lonely future, she collapsed onto the ground in front of her, uncaring, letting her sheer dead weight pull her free from her sisters' grasp.

"Lola!" screamed the troubled girl's twin as she made a mad dash for her.

Coming to a muddy halt beside Lola, Lana leaned in and cradled her sister's head.

"Are you okay? You aren't going to have another panic attack, are you?" she asked worriedly.

Even if Lola were close to having an episode, she was too far beyond the threshold required to process her loss. Slowly, the young beauty queen shook her head.

"No," she whispered, barely audible, laying perfectly still, having lost the desire to go on.

Lana looked over at her twin to assess her. Lola, ironically, had gone prostrate in the muddy spot where Lana used to play as a child. Her pink chiffon dress had become soiled with mud, and her hair had gathered clumps of it. Lana couldn't resist a chuckle, despite the circumstance. However, it may have been a good thing, as it somewhat diffused the situation.

"Heh," she guffawed. "You look like me now, sis. You're all dirty."

The mechanic felt her twin respond, issuing a slight muscular contraction in her lap.

"That's it," Lana replied, hugging Lola's head tight. "Let it all out. I'm here for you."

With that, Lola drew herself up and sat in front of Lana, trying vainly to laugh through her tears. Looking down at herself, Lola viewed for herself and, with a big chortle, splashed her gloved hands into the mire.

"Come on, baby," Lola heard her mother say as Rita scooped her off the ground. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Though Rita and her family had aged, she was still as strong as an ox. The woman had no difficulty carrying her daughter into the upstairs bathroom.

The remaining sisters huddled in the living room. Everyone wanted to say something, but none dared break the silence that had befallen them. The television remained inactive, and nobody touched their phone.

"I feel horrible," Luan finally announced. "I treated Lincoln like crap over this and I kind of feel like I helped push him over the edge."

Lori solemnly looked up.

"I do, too," she agreed. "I made Lincoln feel he needed to prove his love to her and us. How awful was that?"

"Pfft," spat Lucy as Lori and Luan began shedding small trickles of their own. "You didn't actively try to get them together as I did. I ruined everything!"

Sitting beside the goth on the couch, Luna rested her hand on Lucy's leg.

"No, you didn't, bruh. You were the only one who saw Lincoln's and Lola's true feelings and cared enough to do something," the rocker said through sniffles. "Leni and I saw it too, but we just let things happen."

"I don't get what all the huff is about," admitted Lynn, Junior. "So, they like each other and have sex. So what?"

"It has more to do with social norms and the possibility of pregnancy, Lynn," informed Lisa. "Though, I do concur. They do seem to possess a high degree of emotional attachment to each other. It's only natural that intercourse should follow."

"I just hope she'll be alright," said Lana sadly, curled up on her old dog bed. She hadn't used it for years, having grown beyond its confines. Yet, on this occasion, it offered her much-needed comfort. "She's not just my sister, you know. We're twins. We kind of feel things together. When she hurts, I hurt."

Leni had so far remained silent. Typically, she would've rattled on about one thing or another, making little sense. In this case, thoughts fought with emotions and roiled inside her head like balls in the raffle ticket basket at the retirement home. As her siblings continued to vent their feelings, Leni had a thought.

"Guys?" Leni interjected.

"Guys?" she said again, a little louder this time.

Finally, the group turned and looked at the blonde questioningly.

"You know, Mom and Dad told Lincoln not to contact Lola," she reminded them.

"Yeah, we know. Don't rub it in," replied Lori.

"No. Don't you see?" explained Leni. "We can pass messages back and forth for them; that way, Lincoln won't break his promise. I mean, if you guys want."

"Leni!" cried Lana. "That's a wonderful idea! I'm surprised you came up with it!"

Lisa laughed.

"It was bound to happen eventually," she said in amusement.

Lincoln drove down the old, poorly maintained road towards Aunt Ruth's house and struggled against the urge to let loose the torrent he'd been holding back since he pulled from their driveway. He cursed himself for allowing his carnal desire to override his common sense. As beautiful as the union had been, it cost him everything. With that one decision, he lost his home, family, and the love of his life.

Not paying particular attention, he swayed closer to the curb than intended and ran over a pothole. Jostled, he corrected his path, but something in the engine had come undone. A plume of white smoke erupted from under the hood.

"Goddamn it!" he screamed as he pulled over and turned the engine off.

Out of pure rage, he bashed the steering wheel as hard as possible with both fists, echoing a guttural wail throughout the vehicle. Mentally and emotionally exhausted, he laid his head on his hands and began weeping. The tears came with little effort and dampened the hub of the wheel he was now gripping.

A few moments passed before Lincoln collected himself. Looking up and wiping the wetness from his face, he glanced out the window. The white smoke had dissipated. However, an unknown local couple was staring at him intently. Sighing, he grabbed an old duffel bag from the back seat and exited the car. Slamming the door and locking it, he continued the trek to Ruth's on foot.

After a few blocks, he arrived and walked up to the door. By this time, his tears ebbed, but his face still exhibited signs of pain. He loved his aunt, but she was not the kind of person one would like to visit, much less live with long term. He'd have to save up and move out as soon as possible if he wanted to keep his sanity. Sighing one final time, he knocked.

Slowly, the door opened.

"Lincoln," Aunt Ruth spoke abruptly. "I've been expecting you." Though, as Lincoln attempted to enter, Ruth didn't move. "Listen, if you're going to stay here, there will be a few rules. One, there'll be no funny business. Two, you'll be in by nine o'clock. Three, you do whatever chores I assign. And four, you are to stay away from your parent's house and anywhere Lola might be. If you break these rules, you're out on your keister. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Lincoln conceded.

It wasn't his proudest moment, but the way he saw it, there was little choice. Lincoln only had to endure a few months. He could do this. Ruth led him down the hall to one of the guest rooms.

"You will stay here," she instructed, sounding like a person unfairly burdened. "The other rooms are for my cats. Speaking of which, their litter boxes need changing. Hop to it."

Lincoln placed his bag on the bed, accepting that he'd be unable to unpack until later, and left the room.

"There you go, dear," Rita said as she finished rinsing Lola's hair. "Just as pretty as ever!"

She hoped her praise would distract her daughter from recent events, but the young teenager just laid there, up to her neck in bubbles and resting against the back of the tub forlornly.

"How about we discuss your next pageant?" Rita asked, continuing her tactic.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Lola finally said. "I don't feel like talking right now."

Rita frowned, worrying that her daughter would fall into chronic depression, when there was a knock on the slightly ajar door.

"Mom," asked Lucy from the jam. "May I have a moment with Lola?"

Rita looked from one to the other and sighed.

"I suppose," she said. "Just don't take too long. I don't want her getting water-logged. It's not good for the skin."

Leaving, Rita passed Lucy and closed the door behind her while Lola's older sister knelt beside the tub.

"Hey, Lola," Lucy said. "Listen, I can't say I know what you're going through, but I understand emotional pain. I've lived with it most of my life. I'm always the outcast for being different and never expressing myself well." She then leaned in and pressed her head to Lola's. "I'm not going to make you talk or anything. You will when you're ready. Just know I'm here for you. I love you and Lincoln, and I think what's happened is unfair."

Lola returned the gesture and leaned into Lucy.

"Really?" she asked timidly. "You don't think we're weird or strange?"

Unseen by Lola, Lucy smirked.

"Weird and strange describes me, not you." the goth reminded her sister. "You're in love. I get it. Nobody in this mortal coil is immune to it. Nor should they resist it, regardless of what others say. Imagine if Luna never told Sam how she felt because they're both girls. What if Lori had never married Bobby because they're different races? We wouldn't have Lorianne to spoil, would we?"

Lola patted Lucy's head.

"Thanks," she said. "I needed to hear that, but it's a moot point now. Lincoln is gone, and we can't see each other."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," whispered Lucy. "We've been talking and decided to pass messages between the two of you."

Lola's eyes lit up, and she pulled herself into a seated position, splashing more than anticipated.

"Oh, my god," she exclaimed. "Really? Can we send something right now?" she pleaded.

Lucy eyed Lola, still in the bath, bubbles slipping from her body.

"Mm," she murmured. "You might want to, you know, get dressed first?"

"Oh, right," blushed Lola as she stood and grabbed a towel from the nearby rack.

Lucy tried not to watch as her sister dried herself and got dressed. But it was difficult. The goth was two years older than the princess, but the latter experienced intimate love first. In a way, it pissed her off. On the other hand, she became consumed by curiosity and admiration.

"What was it like?" she asked as Lola shimmied into a clean dress.

"What is what, like?" asked Lola, turning to the mirror and brushing her hair.

Lucy shrugged.

"You know, sex," the goth said quietly.

Lola stopped mid-stroke and stood motionless as it dawned on her that her older sister, the queen of all things taboo, was a virgin. At that moment, the younger sister realized what she lacked until now was someone to talk to about everything that's happened.

Indeed, Lynn would have been a better choice for Lucy to ask such questions. They had been roommates for years, and Lynn was older, with a broader perspective. Still, Lola was thrilled at the notion of having Lucy with which to share her secrets.

Perhaps, Lola would have eventually tapped Lana for the role, but one doesn't look gift horses in the mouth. Finishing the stroke and dropping the brush, Lola spun and took Lucy by the hand, and together, they disappeared into the twin's room.

So far, Lincoln had changed the litter boxes, scraped bunions, washed an excessive amount of dishes, and cleaned the house. He was confident that his aunt planned to keep him so busy that there wasn't any time to think about anything else. Whether or not he was correct, it was working.

Finishing the living room carpet, Lincoln coiled the cord around the vacuum and placed it back in the closet. He glanced at his watch and yawned. It was nearly ten o'clock.

"That's enough, Lincoln," announced Ruth from her couch. "Go ahead and unpack."

With no thanks, the young man headed down the hall and into his room. It was much larger than his old room, yet he would've given anything to have it back. Something was inviting and warm about the place he grew up in that made him long be within its walls. The familiar stains on the carpet, the decorative cracks in the walls, and the posters adorning the walls made the room a part of him.

He placed his belongings in the dresser drawers, hung his shirts and pants in the closet, then donned his pajamas and lay on the bed. Free for the first time that day, his thoughts turned to his love. Reaching for the small tote on his nightstand, he unzipped it and pulled a polaroid from it. Holding it above him, he stared admiringly at the image of his sister, wondering what she was doing. Would she be getting ready for bed or still too distracted to bother?

He rolled to the side, taking the picture with him. Walking away from Lola, knowing she was behind him, pleading for his return, was the most challenging thing he'd ever done. Still, he'd done it for her. He didn't want to, of course, but decided the only way to end her pain was to remove the source. Had their parents been more understanding, things may not have turned out this way. However, they hadn't been, and leaving was his only option.

"Lola," he whispered to the picture. "I would do anything for you."

Lana sat on her bed, playing with a reptile, when Lola and Lucy entered.

"Oh," gasped Lola. "I didn't know you were in here."

"Where else would I be?" quipped the mechanic. "It's my room too."

"Yeah, listen, Lana, remember that time you took my place in a pageant, and I didn't make a big deal over it?" asked Lola, still gripping Lucy's hand.

"I remember. What about it?" Lana asked quizzically.

"Well, I need to talk with Lucy," Lola explained. "Can you do me a solid and give us some time?"

Rolling her eyes, Lana nodded and proceeded to leave, but not before teasing Lola about taking advantage of twin protocol.

"Okay, but you know the rule," Lana reminded her sister. "You can't lock me out for more than thirty minutes."

Lola closed the door behind Lana, then leapt upon her bed, sitting on her knees.

"Sit," she demanded of Lucy, patting the covers. Once her sister took a seat, Lola prodded her. "So…" Lola started slow. "The thing is, I've only ever done it once, and I'm not sure I can give it poetic justice. However, I can tell you that it's the most fantastic thing ever! It's like, you both know how to move without telling each other. When you press against the one you love, it's as if your souls extend through your bodies and intertwine. This understanding goes beyond words and fills you with a warmth and sense of completion you never thought existed. You feel safe and protected yet open and vulnerable at the same time. Does that make sense?"

Lucy stared and hung on every word, realizing Lola was more poetic than she admitted.

"Yes, it makes perfect sense," acknowledged the goth before looking at her lap. "I wish I could experience that."

"You will, Lucy," Lola promised. "I know you will. You just have to find the right person."

"Will I, though?" Lucy pondered. "Those with my interests don't seem to like me, and I'm not attracted to those whose hobbies I don't share. You and Lincoln are so different and yet so similar. Why does it work for you and not me?"

Lola smirked and pursed her lips.

"Lucy," she said thoughtfully. "All people have some things in common, and some not. Don't pay so much attention to the similarities. What you want is someone who complements you. Sure, Lincoln and I have certain similar qualities, but it's the things we don't that make it work. Some of the things he is strong in, I am weak in, and vice versa. It's like, we fit together like puzzle pieces."

"I think I understand," admitted Lucy, though she wasn't entirely sure. "You're saying I shouldn't require people to be exactly like me?" Lola nodded. "Yes, that's it. Just be yourself, and don't be afraid to take chances."

"I see," replied Lucy as somebody knocked on the door.

"Come in," called Lucy, having no further questions for her sister. At least, not presently. More would come later. But for now, she was satisfied.

The rest of Lola's older sisters entered, pleasantly surprised to see her talking rather than blubbering.

"Hey, champ," Lori said, sitting on the bed. "We were just about to leave for home and thought we'd see how you were doing before we left."

Lola looked around at Leni, Luna, Luan, and Lynn and smiled broadly. "I'll be fine," she announced, looking squarely at Lucy. "I have someone to talk to now."

One by one, they exchanged hugs and said their goodbyes. Then Lola watched them leave, closing the door behind them.

"So!" uncharacteristically chimed Lucy. "How about we send Lincoln a text now?"