Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino.
Graduation
By Lola Presents (Suggested by Rose_the_Changeling)
Chapter 1 - Breaking Point
The aging two-story suburban house on Franklin Avenue had seen much activity from its many occupants throughout the years. However, as time passed, the Loud children aged, eventually choosing to attend college or enter the workplace. With Lucy being the most recent to leave, only four siblings remained.
After graduating from college, Lori settled down with her husband, Bobby. After spending another four years touring the country with the LPGA, they had their first child, Lorianne, who was now a bustling seven-year-old who looked identical to her mother, save for her brown hair and skin.
Leni, being a woman of simple mind, couldn't bring herself to leave home at first. However, she eventually married her childhood boyfriend, Chaz, who now drives transfer trucks cross-country for local retailers, and together, they have a five-year-old daughter named Fritz.
Luna left the house a few years later. Opting not to further her education and accommodate her desire to focus on her music, she accepted a job at the local Hot Topic in the mall. Eschewing any responsibilities that a higher-level position might offer, she settled for the sales floor.
Luan left in order and moved to Las Vegas, where she struggled as a stand-up comedian for several years before getting noticed by a producer who attended one of her shows. Much to Lola's chagrin, her older sister made her first movie at the age of twenty and hadn't looked back.
Lynn attended college at Taxes A&M, playing for the Aggies on an athletic scholarship. However, an injury in her final season put her career to an early end. Moving back to Royal Woods, she now teaches driver's education while she isn't coaching the local high school football team.
Lincoln spent most of his youth catering to his sisters, and though his stress decreased as they left, he only delved deeper into worlds of fantasy. Remaining at home to attend community college, he eventually got a degree in graphic design and now works for a low-key local firm.
In an unexpected move, Lucy attends Juilliard School of the Arts in New York City. Lucy's flair for the dramatic got quickly noticed in high school, and the head of the department virtually blackmailed her into joining them. Now, she spends her weekends slumming in various NY dives.
The remaining home-bound children had grown considerably, reducing the noise and crowding that once made the house feel like a home. But as spread out as the Loud family had become, they still managed to visit on the holidays, some staying for extended periods during the summer.
During those times, the house came alive again, especially with Lorianne and Fritz running around, bringing a sense of life back to Mr. and Mrs. Louds' lives. Today was such an occasion, the twin's graduation from high school, and everyone began arriving soon after breakfast.
Lynn and Rita had spent two days preparing for the event, intending to attend their evening ceremony, followed by an extravagant celebration in their backyard, which had seen little activity in recent years. While Lynn had raked the leaves and mowed the lawn, Rita began cooking the meals.
Later, a trip to the mall provided them with ribbons, streamers, balloons, and a large banner, which read, "Congratulations on Graduating," which they hung between the two trees supporting the old hammock. With help from his older children, Rita decorated the picnic table with centerpieces.
Soon, everything was ready, and everyone headed into the house to change into something more presentable. Around four in the afternoon, they all took their respective vehicles to the high school to find a decent parking place and seating for the event, scheduled for five o'clock.
Parting ways once they'd arrived, the twins left for the cafeteria, where the procession was to begin. Wearing their caps and gown over loosely fitting clothes to avoid heat buildup, they stood nervously waiting in line for the cue to march onto the field.
"God, I'm nervous," mumbled Lana over her shoulder to Lola, who stood immediately behind her. "What if I trip and make a fool out of myself?"
"Haha!" laughed Lola, teasing her sister. "That would be just like you," she said. "That or leaving your seat to chase after a stupid bug."
"Hey!" barked the tomboy. "I can't help it if they're so darn cute!" Then, after a moment's thought. "Do you really think I might see some bugs?"
"NO!" barked Lola empathically. "Don't even think about it! It's bad enough that I have to stand behind you. I should be first!"
"Too bad!" laughed Lana, having gotten one over on her sister for once. "My name comes before yours. So there!" she teased, giving her sister a prolonged raspberry.
Though the two hadn't changed much in personality, other changes were self-evident. For one, Lana had shed her ponytails in favor of a more manageable pixie cut and began wearing more fashionable clothes, which netted the girl a fair amount of attention.
Lola, on the other hand, remained the immaculate princess and had won the prestigious Prom Queen award that year. However, she'd outgrown her bratty nature long ago and had broadened her circle of friends to include those who weren't as popular.
Despite their changes, Lola and Lana still fought as often as before. Lola was still the epitome of cleanliness and decorum, while Lana preferred slouching and was highly disorganized.
Even after their older siblings began moving out and more space became available, they continued to share a room until they could no longer stand it. One day, after Lola gathered all Lana's soiled clothing and dumped it on her sister's bed, Lana moved into Luna's and Luan's old room.
Lily had moved into Lori's and Leni's old room, happy to be free of Lisa's constant experiments and the occasional explosion. While their parents turned Lynn's and Lucy's room into a study, they reverted Lincoln's into a much-needed linen closet, much to their children's dismay.
Things got better between the twins once they had separate rooms, but something was missing. Something they were about to rediscover. For now, all they could think about was getting through the ceremony without the other ruining it for them, giving each other subtle glares.
Soon, they heard the music begin bellowing from the field's loudspeakers, signaling the beginning of the event. And as the line of students started marching onto the field, Lola held her head high and proudly walked while Lana strolled along, waving at people she didn't even know, something they got told not to do.
Once the students had filed amongst the rows of uncomfortable plastic seats, they sat quietly as the principal and a few others made their introductory speeches and announcements. Then, the principal retook the podium and began calling the students names.
"Can you see them, honey?" whispered Lynn, adjusting the glasses he now wore due to failing eyesight, shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight.
"Of course," replied Rita, recognizing her children immediately, as any mother would. Pointing them out, she whispered back. "They're right there, honey. See?"
"Oh, yeah..." Lynn muttered. "I'm so proud of them. It was touch and go for a while with Lana, though. I feared she'd drop out and go to work for some greasy mechanic."
"Lynn Loud!" chirped the man's wife. "You know she's planning on going into mechanical engineering in college. Right? It's practically the same thing!"
"No, it isn't," argued Lynn. "She won't be working on engines. She'll be designing them."
"Mom! Dad!" growled Lori. "Be quiet. You can have a lover's quarrel later. I want to hear their names getting called!"
"Fine..." muttered their father, trying vainly to get comfortable in the stands.
"Mommy?" said Fritz, poking her mother nervously. "I gotta go pee."
"What?" gasped Leni. "Now?"
"Uh-huh..." sighed the embarrassed little girl, nodding politely.
"It's alright, Leni," offered Lily, taking Fritz by the hand. "I'll take her."
"Okay, but be careful!" Leni reminded her little sister while approving her gesture.
"Oh, good grief, Leni," sighed Lily. "I'm not a little kid anymore. I'm fourteen, for crying out loud."
As strange as it seemed, Leni still saw her family as they used to be, treating them the same way. For her, Lily was still the effervescent three-year-old she'd always known. At least, in concept. Leni knew that Lily no longer needed to be changed, but when it came to who she was, Leni couldn't let go of the past.
"Hey, Lols..." whispered Lana, elbowing her twin in the ribs. "Wouldn't it be funny if I let Hops the Fifth out right now?" she teasingly said.
"Do it, and you won't graduate," Lola sneered. "Please tell me you didn't bring that slimy thing with you, did you?"
"Croak," said Hops the Fifth, risking a peek from the collar of Lana's robe.
"Shut up!" whispered Jeremey Lancaster, who sat beside Lola. "You two are always causing trouble. If you make a scene today, I swear to God..."
"Fine!" mouthed Lola, sitting straight, ignoring her sister as the self-same girl snickered.
Having their last name start with the letter L was a curse. Not only did they have to sit through the first half of the alphabet, but also the last, in nearly equal measure. But, eventually, Jeremy Lancaster got called, leaving Lana and Lola even more nervous than before.
And, just as Lily had returned with Fritz, the principal called Lana Loud to the stage. While the Loud family clapped, cheered, and whistled, a large image of the girl appeared on the scoreboard, embarrassing Lana to the nth degree. While not a terrible picture, it wasn't representative of her.
Climbing the short staircase to the podium, Lana turned and waved at her family, only to trip on the edge of the stage, just as predicted. And while the crowd tried to contain their laughter out of respect, Lola buried her head in her hands, not wanting to witness anything further.
However, Lana salvaged the fall, being as active as she was, and merely stumbled. After regaining her composure, she took a slight bow before accepting her diploma, which garnered respectable applause from those in attendance. And as Lana left the stage, the principal called Lola.
Lola glided between the seat as Jeremy entered from the other side to retake his seat. With years of pageantry behind her, Lola practically floated to the stage. However, in her arrogance, she tripped over the final step, falling flat on her face. Believing her twin had cursed her, Lola stood and solemnly accepted her diploma before scurrying away.
"Oh, no!" murmured Lorianne, covering her mouth. "Aunt Lola tripped too!"
"She did?" inquired Fritz, trying to see over her grandfather's head. "Did she get a boo-boo?"
"No, sweetie," reassured her mother, regardless of whether Lola was hurt. "She's fine."
"Huh..." sighed Luan. "What do you know? They still do things together," she chuckled. "This is going to make a great story later."
"Oh, shut up," Lucy griped. "Lana jinxed her somehow. Lola's more poised than that."
The Louds sat respectfully quiet as the remainder of the students got called, and finally, the principal announced that the student body could move their tassels, concluding the ceremony. After a flurry of graduation caps got tossed into the air, Lana and Lola embraced, then wandered off to join their family.
"Too late!" Lana barked loudly to anyone who listened. "That was your last chance to take it back! It's mine now! See you later!" she squealed as she walked off the field.
"Oh, my, god..." grumbled Lola. "Do you ever shut up?"
"Nope!" chuckled Lana as she gazed at her diploma.
Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, Lola entered her mother's waiting arms while Lana embraced her father.
"I'm so proud of you guys!" their mother chirped, beaming like a headlight. Then, holding Lola at arm's length, she looked at her children and smiled, a small tear in her eye. "My babies are all grown up."
"Go get 'em, kids," Lynn cheered. "The world's yours now."
"Congratulations and all," teased Lincoln, having snuck in behind them, "but you're still my little sisters, so I get to do this," he said, suddenly tickling their ribs. "Now, let's go eat. I'm hungry."
Then, ensuring that everyone was present and accounted for, their parents, grandparents to some, led them to the parking lot before announcing they'd meet everyone at home. And as they left, Lola and Lana said farewell to the school they'd known for so long.
Luan arrived home first and promptly offered to manage the refreshment counter she had set up earlier beside the garage. Not yet old enough to drink, Rita provided various punches, sodas, and plastic cups for everyone to use. Those who could, fetched cans of beer from a cooler beside the refreshment bar.
While Luna handled the music, playing loudly, much to the dismay of the now elderly Mr. Grouse, the festivities began. Despite the large gathering and a desire to celebrate separately, Lola and Lana always seemed to migrate toward each other, only to walk off in a huff whenever they'd bump into each other.
Things went smoothly for the first thirty minutes. However, the twin's disagreement on the selection of music brought things to a temporary halt. Lola was adamant that Luna only play pop music get played while Lana insisted that only alternative pieces aired, nearly causing a fight.
Such problems have been prevalent since they were little. Sharing a birthday was already bad enough. Before settling on taking turns, the two fought terribly over their party's theme and choice of entertainment. It seemed that graduation was nearly as bad. Even more so being older.
The twins constantly argued over something, whether it was seating arrangements or who got to dance with their father first. And while their siblings tried their best to keep them separated, they continued to end up in the same place at the same time, aggravating the situation.
Then, Luan got a not-so-brilliant idea. In an attempt to mellow her sisters out and perhaps get a few laughs out of the evening, she slipped the twins a few cups of punch that she'd covertly spiked with a bit of alcohol. Unaware of the substance, the twins returned to Luan's table for more.
Gradually, Lola and Lana began to lighten up, and for a while, things went smoothly. But before long, the cumulative effect of the alcohol took its toll, and a fight broke out over who would become the most successful in life. As trivial as the notion was, they took it seriously in their intoxicated state.
Having had enough, Rita pulled them aside by their sleeves, asking what their problem was, and demanding an explanation. When she got none, their mother suggested they go talk things out like they used to, pointing harshly at the house.
Muttering to themselves, both girls solemnly headed toward the house as the party picked back up. Not ready to speak to one another, Lola reached for the doorknob in silence. Unfortunately, so did Lana, instigating a few exchanged slaps on the hand as they tried to knock each other away.
Finally, getting the upper hand, Lola pushed her way into the kitchen, wobbled over to the old wooden table that had served them numerous breakfasts over the years, and sat down. Following her lead, Lana sat down as well, feeling slightly unbalanced.
"What are we supposed to be doing again?" muttered Lana, supporting her head with her arms, oddly squishing her cheeks.
"What you do best," Lola barked, furrowing her brows, "talk."
"Why do you always have to be such a brat?" spat Lana.
"I don't know," sneered Lola in return. "Why do you always have to be such a weirdo?"
"At least I know how to enjoy the moment," barked the tomboy. "You act like you've got a broom stuck up your ass."
"I do not!" belted the girl in pink. "I only like things done a certain way!"
"Yeah, well..." sighed Lana. "So do I."
For a few moments, neither girl said a thing. Instead, they folded their arms and glowered at each other, not making any progress.
"What now," sighed Lana eventually, returning to her previous stance.
Lola only drew up one corner of her mouth and shrugged.
"Look at us," demanded Lana softly, standing and wandering around the kitchen floor. "We're twins, and yet, here we are, fighting on what should be one of the best days of our lives," she admitted, the effects of the little alcohol she had beginning to wear off.
"Humph," sighed Lola, beginning to relax a little. "I suppose that could've gone better," she offered, joining her sister by the kitchen sink. "Still, why do we fight all the time?"
"I love you, Lola. You know that," murmured Lana. "And we're alike in so many ways. But sometimes, our differences are too much to handle."
"Yeah," mumbled her twin. "I know what you mean. I love you, too. It's just that I can't handle all the mess, and don't get me started on your critters."
Despite how often they fought, the truth was that they were closer than any of their siblings could ever hope to be. Though they no longer shared a room, they shared something more compelling, their bodies. They even developed a language all their own and still used it occasionally.
And though they'd not spoken about it recently, the twins knew what the other was feeling at any given time by only a glance. Being a twin was a unique experience that only another twin could understand. Others could try but would fall short. Some things had to get experienced firsthand.
"I'm scared," Lana eventually said, breaking their silent stare.
"Of what?" pondered Lola, staring intently at her sister.
"Of losing you," Lana admitted. "I think that's why I fight with you so much. I always knew a day would come when we'd go our separate ways, and that scares me," she confessed. "I guess I thought that if we'd grown apart, it wouldn't hurt so much."
"Honestly?" chirped Lola, letting her hands fall to her side and biting her lower lip. "I feel the same way. But," she sighed. "It doesn't have to be this way."
"What do you mean?" inquired Lana, the tears beginning to fall at the inevitable. "We've graduated," she reminded Lola. "You'll be off to Hollywood or something while I'm in college, and we'll seldom see each other and..."
Before Lana could get another word out, Lola did something so unpredictable and shocking that Lana stood stiff as a board, her eyes widening to their fullest extent. Her twin sister had wrapped her arms around her and was kissing her!
Whatever her sister was thinking was beyond Lana. However, it probably mirrored the long-held, often-denied feeling she held for Lola. Slowly, Lana's eyes closed as she wrapped her arms around her sister, returning the intimacy she was getting shown.
The walls they'd built around themselves over the years crumbled around them as the passion they felt for each other came bursting to the surface. And as Lola slipped her hands under Lana's shirt, caressing her breasts, her twin returned the favor, gently groping her sister's butt.
"Are you guys alright in here?" asked their father as he stepped through the back door and turned on the kitchen light.
