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

When Love Speaks

By Lola Presents

Chapter 7

For the next hour or so, the Loud children ate and reminisced about times past. Together, they managed to finish most of the meal Lola prepared, despite having made enough for everyone to have seconds with some leftovers. But as the meal ended, stomachs bursting with satisfaction, Lynn spoke up.

"I bet I can clear my place and wash my dishes fastest!" she challenged them, bolting to the kitchen with a handful of dinnerware.

Understanding their sister's challenge as a subtle way to insist they clean up after such a wonderful meal, the rest fell into step.

"Lincy-boo," Lola cooed, playfully poking his ribs. "You should shower and get dressed to get that job."

Lincoln squirmed, attempting to avoid getting tickled.

"Okay, Lola," was all Lincoln could get out between fits of laughter.

Making a break for it, he dashed upstairs and entered the restroom.

Moments later, the young man stood under a cascade of hot water. He wanted a job such as the one Lola had circled for the longest time, and it so happened that Apex was a conglomerate that owned many of the shows and comic titles he enjoyed. It was the chance of a lifetime. At the same time, he felt hesitant.

Had Lola changed her mind about wanting to continue pageantry? One thing was for sure; he wasn't used to being treated this well. It was beautiful in its way. However, allowing others to care for him would not be enjoyable for one so used to caring for others.

Lincoln finished his shower, toweled himself dry, then stood in front of the mirror and shaved. Even at seventeen, he didn't have much facial hair, but he was proud of the little tuft of white under his chin. Wanting to look as professional as possible for the application, he resigned himself to shaving it off.

He stood in his room a few moments later, browsing through his garments. Despite several sisters having moved out, he couldn't leave the place he called home for so long.

"Ah! There it is," exclaimed Lincoln, eyeing his target.

Locating the suit he'd gotten once his old blue one had burst at the seams, he laid it out on the bed and donned each piece, one at a time. Lincoln had barely gotten the pants on and the shirt over his arms when Lola walked in.

"Ooh," she shuddered deeply. "You're going to look hot!"

Walking over to him and running her hands up his bare chest, she fluttered her long lashes.

"Here, let me help," she requested.

Lincoln couldn't help but let her do as she pleased. It made her happy, after all.

One by one, she fastened each button, from the bottom to the top, and adjusted the lay of his collar. Then, grabbing the tie from the bed, she set to work. Once that was complete, she let Lincoln tuck the shirt in himself as she stepped back to admire him.

"You're going to ace this. I know," she said. "But, good luck anyway," she added, grabbing his sport coat and helping him into it to avoid wrinkling it. Stepping back to admire him, she asked, "Would you mind if I rode along?"

"Not at all, Lola-bear," he said. "That is if your sisters don't have any objections. I'd love for you to come. Who knows, I might need moral support or encouragement."

Lincoln wasn't lying. His nerves were firing on all fronts, and he wasn't sure if he could go through with it. After slipping on his socks and dress shoes, he viewed himself in the mirror.

"Well, if I don't get the job, at least I looked good trying," he declared. "Come on, Lola. Let's get this over with."

Lola reached up and tweaked the cowlick that still stuck up awkwardly, despite his age. Then, she kissed him gently on the tip of his nose.

"That's better!" Lola exclaimed, taking him by the hand as they walked downstairs, preparing to leave.

"Whoa-ho-ho!" declared Luna, who was relaxing in the living room. "Rockin', dude!"

"Damn," Luan said. "Lookin' sharp, Lincoln."

The young man's cheeks filled with blood.

"Oh, stop! You've seen me in this suit before," he reminded them. "You're going to make me even more nervous than I already am."

"Out!" shouted Lynn, pushing the two of them toward the front door. "And don't come back unless you win!"

Standing on the front porch, Lincoln produced his keys and walked toward his car, hand in hand with his sister.

"Is this another one of those pageant things?" asked their nosy and overly grumpy neighbor, Mr. Grouse, just as he had years before, seeing Lincoln in their backyard after trying to read Lola's diary for secrets.

Had he been successful, Lincoln might have known how his sister felt a long time ago.

"You know it, Mr. G!" he called out.

Then, opening the door for Lola and letting himself in, they headed out.

"Lincoln?" prodded Lola after a few moments of silence.

"Yes?" replied Lincoln. "I have a confession," stated Lola. "While taking my bath, I overheard you guys talking downstairs. I just wanted you to know."

"So that explains everything since this morning, then," he said. "Do you still want me to get this job?"

"Yes, I do," purred Lola, "more than anything. I love you and can't be selfish anymore."

"Nonsense," Lincoln told her as he started the car and backed out of the driveway. "It's okay to be a little selfish occasionally. At least, where your loved one is concerned."

Together, they rode into town and parked at a small strip mall. The new office was in sight, beside the ice cream parlor.

"I guess that's it," said Lola upon reading the newly constructed sign.

"Okay, baby," Lincoln said, preparing himself. "I won't be very long."

Grabbing his portfolio and blowing her a kiss, he headed into the building. Lincoln had never had an interview before, and his nerves were firing. It was bad enough that he was inexperienced, but worrying about their relationship made things worse.

A part of him still wanted this job more than anything. Yet, there was another part that wanted to refuse. It was the latter that made him the most anxious. There was always the chance they may require him to relocate at some point. If that happened, what would become of them?

"Hello," he said, approaching the receptionist. "Lincoln Loud. I'm here for an interview?"

Lola sat, waiting patiently in Lincoln's car. It was a scorcher of a day, and she was glad he left the keys so that she could keep the air conditioner running. So, why was it that Lola was sweating so profusely? What was she frightened of; Lincoln getting or not getting the job?

With all her heart, she only desired that Lincoln achieve his dreams. There was just one problem; Lincoln said his goal had changed. Was she pushing him into something he'd regret or giving him the little nudge he needed?

Beginning to panic at the indecision, she turned on the radio and belted out a few tunes. She was nowhere as good at singing as her older sister, Luna. However, it was still something she enjoyed in private.

For all her bravado on stage, she was pretty insecure about herself, especially with talents she had yet to display in front of others. Distracting her mind, she soon lost herself in the four-quarter tempo of the offered selection, and time passed without notice.

After thirty minutes, Lincoln re-entered his car, taking his sister by surprise.

"Oh!" exclaimed Lola before realizing who it was. "Hi, Lincoln. You startled me. I thought for a moment that someone was hijacking me!"

Lincoln chuckled.

"Guess what, Lols?" he asked, trying to hide his emotions, just as she did at her most recent pageant.

Lincoln didn't quite pull it off, but Lola could see through him and understood what he was trying to do.

"What?" she asked solemnly, playing along.

"I got the job!" he exclaimed, pulling out an employee's handbook and some forms that required signatures.

"Oh, my god! That's amazing, Lincoln!" cried Lola, nearly bouncing out of her seat. "I'm so happy that I could kiss you!"

Quickly, Lincoln looked around, then back at Lola.

"Well, I see no sisters here. What's stopping you?" he said teasingly, leaning in.

Lola beamed, following her brother's lead. Tenderly, their lips met and pressed against each other, and soon they began exploring each other's oral cavities, sharing the soft wetness of their tongues. Their oscillations' slow, rhythmic motions drove them further from the reality around them.

Losing themselves, their hands began to move of their own accord. Lola placed her hand on the back of his neck, pulling him closer, while Lincoln's drifted to her midriff.

Soon, he felt the urge to move and repositioned his hand, rubbing his thumb over Lola's breast through her clothes. As he did so, it grazed her erect nipple, sending waves of excitement through her body, causing her to shudder and clamp her legs shut.

Lincoln pulled back just enough, so they were staring each other in the eye, no more than an inch away.

"Perhaps, we should stop," whispered Lincoln.

"Yeah, we probably should," stuttered Lola.

Lincoln righted himself in his seat and buckled his belt. Breathing heavily, he started the car and pulled away from his new employer's building. Even though the air conditioner was still on, Lola rolled down the window and rested her chin upon her arm.

Things remained silent for a few moments before either of them spoke.

"Lincoln," Lola asked. Her arm was still in the window, and her hair blew wildly in the wind as the car made its way through the city streets. "Do you ever think about the future?" she asked.

"Sure. Sometimes," Lincoln responded. "But what do you mean?"

"I mean," Lola explained, rolling her head on her arm to look at him. "Not like a few days from now, like my birthday, but years or decades. Will we still be together? Will we have a house and some kids? What would life be like, then? Where would we live? Would we have time for each other? Would we be good parents? What if people hate us for being siblings?"

Lincoln raised his brow in serious recognition of Lola's concerns.

"Yes," he admitted. "I've thought about it a lot recently. All I can say for sure is that, whatever happens, we'll tackle it together. You and I, together forever."

Lola smiled at her lover as he drove onto Franking Avenue.

"That sounds lovely," she said with honey in her voice.

"Who can say what may come? Sometimes life throws things at people that nobody would expect or suddenly take them away through some horrible accident." Lincoln shrugged. "All we have is now, and I plan to make the most of it."

Pulling into their driveway, Lincoln parked the car, then let himself and Lola out.

The news spread like wildfire regarding Lincoln's new career once they rejoined their siblings. There were many congratulatory hugs and statements of support, but eventually, things died down.

As Lola was in the kitchen talking to Lana, Lincoln figured he'd get in some television time.

Flipping through the channels, he found some old reruns of A.R.G.G.H., and the young ghost enthusiast considered watching them for a moment but declined. He'd seen them so many times that he could recite them.

A few more flips later, he landed on a pageant. His thumb hesitated over the channel button for a second, then he moved it away, setting the remote down on the nightstand.

It had been a while since Lincoln had watched a pageant. He had been too absorbed in Lola's to have time. Yet, somehow, watching one now gave him a strange nostalgic feeling. It comforted him, and he had to admit, the girls on-screen were indeed pretty.

"What are you doing, mister?!" declared Lola, standing there with her hands on her hips and patting her foot. "Drooling over other women already?"

"What?" Lincoln stammered, his cheeks turning a hundred shades of red. "No. It's not like that."

Lola smiled and draped herself across his lap, hugging him as she landed.

"Relax," she said, giggling. "I'm just messing with you."

She then turned her attention to the show. Together, the two began pre-judging the contestants on poise, grace, and other considerations.

Halfway through the third episode, Lincoln glanced down to see that Lola had fallen asleep, nestled in his lap. Well, as much as she could. Lola wasn't six years old anymore. She had not yet brushed her wind-blown hair and wore a telling smile. Thinking about how lucky he was, Lincoln gingerly started fixing her hair as best he could, using only his fingers.

Lola must have unconsciously felt the caring movements and curled up Lincoln's chest. Wrapping one of his arms around her for support, he grabbed a nearby comforter and pulled it over her petite frame. Watching her chest rise and fall gave him an incredibly satisfying feeling. Looking back at the screen, he could only see a stage full of Lola.

Regardless of his new position, it became clear to Lincoln that he had to do something so that his beloved sister also got to continue her dreams. It was about both of them. They each deserved happiness, and granting one shouldn't preclude the other.

After the current episode ended, Lincoln carefully came to a stand, paying particular attention to not dropping Lola. Then, cradling her close, he carried her upstairs and laid her on her bed. Covering her, he kissed the creamy-smooth skin of her cheek and left the room.

As Lincoln lay in bed, his thoughts returned to Lola's questions while driving home. He wondered if she had regrets about leaving the pageant business. He knew her well and understood that she was unusually good at hiding her emotions. Still, she seemed so happy recently that it was difficult to be sure.

After a few more moments, lost in thought, Lincoln was asleep.

The following two days passed in a rather unremarkable way. Sure, the siblings argued and conversed. Lincoln and Lola snuggled together on the couch, watching one show or another. Mom and Dad would come and go, occasionally settling a dispute. But mostly, things were settling into a comfortable routine.

Lola's eyes cracked way too early. Looking outside, Lola saw that it was still dark. Despite being daybreak, the sun hadn't shown itself fully. Lola tried vainly to return to sleep, but her enthusiasm prohibited it.

Every few moments, Lola would roll from one side to the other. She was about to give up and rise when a soft knock sounded on her door before Lincoln entered, holding a tray in his hands. Lincoln placed the offering over Lola's lap as she sat up.

"For me?" she asked.

"But of course, ma'am," he said, using the same voice he'd used years earlier while playing butler at his sister's tea parties. "Breakfast has arrived," he announced, coming to a traditional butler's stance.

Lola stared up at him.

"Lincoln, you didn't have to do this," she stated, despite being as happy as a lark and already partaking in the cereal and toast.

"I'm aware, ma'am," said the obedient man. "That's precisely why I did it." Lincoln smiled, leaned in, and kissed her forehead. "Happy birthday, Lola."

"Cut it out, you big goof," demanded Lola. "Have a seat and join me. It's not that I don't appreciate it, but I don't ever want to use you again. You're part of my life now."

Lincoln tossed the white towel draped over his arm to the side.

"I thought you'd never ask!" he exclaimed, sitting beside her.

Together, they shared the breakfast that he'd made. It wasn't nearly as good as anything his father or Lola could make, but it served its purpose.

Soon, Lana stirred and sniffed the air.

"Do I smell food?" the tomboy asked as she rose.