It's Always Better Together

The prompt for this chapter is cuddling.

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Loud House/The Casagrandes', directed and produced by Miguel Puga and Michael Rubiner, produced by Nickelodeon Animation/Jam Filled Entertainment, and distributed by ViacomCBS. Accordingly, this author makes no claim to any copyrights herein and makes no monetary gain from its production. Please do not flame.

(Chapter 2- Friday Night's Alright For Snuggling)

It's one of those things you do when you have no plans for tomorrow. It's a Friday night rite of passage for kids their age. Ricky is out with a group for overnight laser tag, the pizza, snacks, and drinks have all been devoured, and now it's time for Becky and Dodge to scour the various streaming services to find something to watch. The young couple is having a sleepover, much to their delight, and are sitting on the couch underneath a giant throw as Dodge scrolls through a selection of new movies.

She stops on an anime called Sawyer and Miko about a boy and his cat trying to get back home after finding a magical tomb that takes them to many fantasy worlds. Dodge turns to her girlfriend and asks, "What do you think Becks?"

"Artemis told me about this movie. He said don't judge it by its cover," Becky responds. Pondering it for a few more seconds, she says, "Let's do it. Any movie is better with you than without you." Dodge presses play on the remote and the two wait a few seconds before they see the intro screen. Dodge takes what she considers her natural place, laying her head against Becky's shoulder cuddling with her sweetheart.

"I'll say it again," Dodge says, "I'm glad you stood up for us so we could have this time. I can only imagine how much of a convincing job you had to do to make it happen."

Becky sighs before admitting, "Well, I'm glad you're glad because it wasn't easy."

Then Dodge's face forms a spry smile as she asks her girl, "You begged your mom and dad, didn't you?"

The question leads Becky to turn her thoughts to about two weeks ago.

FLASHBACK

"Please, mom? Please, please, please, please, please?"

Sighing, Mrs. Vandermeyer bluntly places her coffee mug onto a coaster before explaining for probably the fifteenth time, "Becky, we've been through this. Just like I wouldn't have Ricky bring a girlfriend to sleep over, you cannot bring your girlfriend. Your father and I accepted you and Dodge, but there still have to be some boundaries. You're twelve years old! I don't give a damn if you can't get her pregnant, you're starting to hit puberty, and with that comes certain...urges that I'd rather you hold off on as long as possible."

Turning to her father, she asks "Dad, can you help me out here? I promise I'll be on my best behavior. I made the honor roll! You said you'd at least consider! What do you want me to do? Get on my knees and beg? I'll do it!"

As Becky gets on her knees and pleads with her father, he shakes his head and says, "Becky, get off the floor. I'm sorry, honey, but your mother has a point. Your hormones are starting to rage. Last week, you talked about wanting to drown Dodge in hugs and kisses."

"You're acting as if you've never said that about Mom!"

"Well, what about the Baby Maker app I found on your phone?" Her mom counters. "That took it to a more mature area than I would've expected."

"A girl can dream, can't she? Besides, other couples at school did the same thing. It's all in fun! Heck, you even said nothing would come of it!"

"And do I even need to mention the wrestling? I know you say you're just playfighting, but…I don't know. I just wonder about these things. You seem to keep holds on Dodge longer than you do anyone during the meets."

'Goddamnit,' Becky thinks while she appears to be sweating bullets under the pressure of her folks and being confronted with her actions. She's stammering and stuttering while attempting to find some sort of answer to her mother's concerns regarding her horseplay. It's all coming back to bite her and hard. She finds herself beat and about to give up, but that's not the way she intends to go down. Balling her fist and gritting her teeth, Becky enters 'last resort' mode and says to her folks, "This is not fair."

Even though she said it and had a sense that she'd get these words back from her mother, Becky hears the refrain from Mrs. Vandermeyer, "Life isn't fair, Becky."

"I know, but…what if we come to some sort of compromise? I'll do anything you ask for and be on my absolute best behavior. Please, let me have this!"

END FLASHBACK

"Becky? Becky?" Dodge calls for her girlfriend.

Clearly, in a trance, Dodge's words shake her out of it. The blonde bruiser says, "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"You begged your Mom and Dad for this sleepover, right? Don't lie to me, girl."

That did it. No, she can't lie to Dodge. You don't lie to those you love and you don't put your trustworthiness in jeopardy because of pride. Sighing, she confesses, "Yes, I did. I was a mess. I damn near cried. They gave me every reason, all of them valid, why we couldn't do this and I just negotiated. They made me sign a contract."

"They did what?"

"Look, Dodgy, that was the only way we could have this sleepover!" Becky informs her girlfriend. "You noticed I pulled out the sleeping bag from last summer's camping trip? It would've been naive for us to think after coming out that my folks would let us sleep in the same bed."

"No…no, I get it," Dodge responds, accepting of the reality of the matter, though that doesn't mean she has to like it. "Out of curiosity, what else did you have to agree to?"

"Quite a few things," Becky answers. "We cannot sleep in the room together, no sneaking out to rendezvous with the other, the open-door policy is in effect throughout the evening and public displays of affection cannot be too excessive."

A shrug of the shoulders from Dodge follows. She can't help it. What can she do? She's at least grateful for this time and nuzzles closer to her girl before a voice rings out, "Becky? What's underneath that throw?" It's Mrs. Vandermeyer doing another PDA check this evening. The young couple rolls down the large blanket revealing Dodge in her lavender pajamas and Becky with her blue sleepwear.

"We're just cuddled together watching the movie, mom. No need to worry."

Mrs. Vandermeyer shakes her head. There are certain things she just can't help. "As you were, girls. Just remember, I have my eyes on you. No funny business."

As she walks away from the girls, they position the throw to its previous position and snicker for a bit as their attention turns to Sawyer and Miko deep in feudal Japan and in training for combat.

A/N: Read, review and let me know what you think. With no canon surnames, I'll be switching them in and out (same for Dodge's real name in future chapters).

The next prompt is first meeting.