Lemy poked his head trough the dining room frame and watched all his sisters and aunts roaming from the table to the kitchen. He looked aunt Lana and his mother enter to the kitchen to serve the food, and some of his aunts were already on the table. If you don't help don't get in the way.
Aunt Lori was typing something in her laptop. She always brought work to home because the buffet she worked for put a lot of pressure in her; she wanted to climb the administrative ladder and reach the top. He thought she wanted to take possession of the whole buffet, or at least have her own. Whatever it was, she was in the right way; she was one of the Boss's favorites. That's why she's always from court to court, case to case. Because of that, she was always traveling to Detroit, Warren, Flint and Lansing just to name a few.
Aunt Leni was working on her designs. She looked up and spotted him; maybe she felt her nephew watching her.
"Hey Lem-Lem, could you take a look at this, please?" she said and showed him the design she was working in. The sketch was made in pencil, and however, Lemy feels his "little friend" waking up, wanting to see his aunt Lola drawn wearing a sexy set of lingerie.
Lemy looked away; a voice inside his head was forcing him to watch, but he was stronger.
"It's really cool, aunt Leni" He said. She's a fashion designer, you know? She never went to college. In fact, she didn't even finish high school (thanks to a white haired motherfucker). Someone had to take care of the sin children, right? So when Lola's career started to take off, she sold Leni's designs as hers; you know, just like actresses and singers sell clothes, makeup or any other shit with their names on it for the branding.
Lemy felt kinda bad for aunt Leni; he wanted the world to know her name, to get the recognition she deserved, but she said she's ok as long as her works are in the market and were popular. Please don't thing bad about my aunt Lola; all the money she gets selling her dresses goes to aunt Leni.
Lori looks up; Lemy can see the tiredness on her face. He doesn't understand why she focuses that much in her career; I told you we're not the wealthiest, but Lola earns a lot of money, same with Lisa, so it's not like we'll go broke if she relaxes a little.
"Hey Lemy, how's it going? Ready to go back to school?" she said with a smile. He had to give her that; even with that work charge and forty years on her back, Aunt Lori was sexy, even more with that professional outfit.
"Yeah, everything's fine, and I guess I am, but truth be told… I don't wanna go back to school." Lemy scratch his head, uncomfortable. Lori always got him nervous; she was always strict, or maybe it was like Aunt Luan said: Blondes never get out of style.
C'mon man, stop thinking about that.
"You can stay in home if you want Lem-Lem, just like Loan" Leni said, smiling warmly. "Right, Lori?"
Lori's face darkened. She answered, trying to keep her smile.
"Loan is… Loan is special, Leni. Remember?" Lori said. She took her eyes back to the screen to hide her sadness. "She can't go to school, not again."
"School is shit, and if Loan doesn't want to go, I think it's ok, she… she will find something, I'm sure she will." He said.
Lori looked again at her nephew with a smile, a legit and real one, it brightened her face.
"That's true, she's special… but that isn't bad, I'm special too, and look at me now; everyone loves my designs. Loan will be okay; besides, Lemy will take care of her like Linky did with us, right?" Leni said.
"Yeah..." He said with embarrassment; he wasn't sure if he could do that, especially now.
"What are you talking about?"
Everyone, from Lori to Lemy jumped in fright.
Lemy turned his head to meet with Aunt Lucy, standing inches right behind him.
"Stop doing that!" they all yelled at her.
"Sigh" She said. She was wearing the same black dress so tight you could see her curves. The only perfect match could be those black stockings that stopped right on her tights; they even squeezed them…
Okay, I really ought to stop doing that.
"We're talking about how good brother Lemy is," Leni said, returning to her drawing. "But Liena says he doesn't want to sleep with none of them yet."
The silence that preceded her words was so dense you could slash it with a knife.
Lori looked away with notorious blush in her cheeks. Lucy just stayed stand there in silence, Lemy looked down again.
In that moment Luan entered the room and the tension rose to the next level. When Lemy heard her coming, he looked at her; when their eyes met, she looked down with shame.
Leni felt the change in the room, so she stopped drawing and looked at them.
"What's happening?"
Lemy got up and excused himself; he walked to the kitchen, towards the kiddie table.
In a normal house, kitchen counts with two tables, the one where family eat normally, and the dining room one that was used to special occasions.
But if you haven't noticed, this is not a normal family, and this isn't a normal house; the dining room has a huge table for ten and the kiddie table… well, it does too.
The little room filled with cupboards and shelves was supplied with food every Sunday, and every Saturday night they were again empty, same with the fridge. I've already told you, twenty people can eat a lot.
Thanks Cthulhu (surprised? You can't live in the same house with Lucy 'The Queen of Darkness' Loud and not hear about Lovecraft), today's Monday.
Sitting in the table were Lupa, Lacy and Liby. They all whispered who knows what. Liena is helping Lana and mom to serve the chicken stew, and dad is finishing the mashed potatoes.
"Hey Lemy" Lana's smile was bright like the sun in a summer day; for a moment, Lemy could see Lizy in her traits. Lana may have thirty years, but that tough and careless look of hers, given her job as a vet and caretaker in the zoo… well, is like seeing the face of a girl in the body of a woman, a very sexy woman, because even with those scars and that explorer jacket and little shorts she can't hide her resemblance with Lola. Lana was corpulent; her job demanded her to be in good physical form, but even with that, the natural curves of her body were appreciable with those tight clothes.
And here we go again, stop thinking that man; it's not like you're seeing her for the first time.
"Hey" what else can I say?
"Could you help me with this?" she handed the tray. "It reminds me when I feed the lions."
"It actually does. But if I had to choose I rather feed the lions; I bet they're less dangerous than y'all" He commented. Lemy turned to go to the dining room, but suddenly he felt something grabbing him by the waist.
She hugged him tight, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Lizy showed me the gift you gave her; it sure was expensive…"
He couldn't reply. His throat was dry, and feeling her breasts on his back didn't help either.
"She's a lucky girl, having a kind, caring brother like you…"
"That's my boy: kind, cool and sexy. What else can a girl ask?"
Luna was helping Lincoln serve the food. She looked at him from the other side of the room with pride; for someone with half of her head shaved and the ears full of piercings, the way she looked at him was cute.
"It… It's nothing, I just…"
Lana laughed softly, her breath crashed against his ear.
"Thanks for take care of her, Lemy. Now go, the food is getting cold." she said, spanking him as if he was one of the zebras she takes care of at the zoo.
He walked out of the kitchen, and couldn't help to look at the little group of girls that looked at him with hate; everyone but Liby, who watched him with sadness in her eyes.
He walked to the dining room, Lynn and Lisa were waiting for the food.
Lynn was using a large orange shirt, obviously from dad. Doesn't it bother you? And she was using a towel on her wet, brown hair. Her eyes are closed while she rubs it trying to get it dry. She was shorter than Lemy, but built very good; a large shirt wouldn't be enough to hide her well-toned body; it was the result of years and years of working out and playing sports. Right now she just finished her workout. In the summer, she ran and exercised in the mornings, while in the night she used the little gym in her room.
"Could you please do that somewhere else? You're splashing me" Lisa said. She was sitting with Lulu on her lap; the little girl was trying to catch every drop.
"Dude I'm starving, what are we gonna eat tonight?" Lynn said, ignoring her sister.
"Chicken stew and mashed potatoes" Lemy responded. He passed the plates to her aunts, except for Luan, who just looked away.
"Hey Lem! Missed you at the gym; I told you, you have to be rough with your training, or all the work we've done will go to waste"
"Last night you had me training for three hours" Lemy said. He couldn't believe she was reproaching because he skipped a session; for the last three months she has been driving him to breaking point.
"It's not enough, once you're back to school you won't dedicate as much time as now, so you have to get your body used to exercising before dinner. But if you want to skip sessions, I can wake you up in the mornings so you can go running with Lizy and me."
"NO!" Lemy yelled with panic. Everyone turned their attention to him. "I mean, there's no need to do that, I will stay on the night shift, and I won't skip any other session, I promise."
His aunts looked at him confused, except for Luan, who was playing with her food.
"Appreciated, family unit 3.2, I've told you thousands of times if you want to use your youth on something optimal; you must drive your attention and efforts towards cultivating your mind and not your body. Those valuable hours you spend sweating and wasting your time, you could spend them in my lab where you're more than welcome. I is my understanding that in your last school cycle you failed an important biology test, which decreased important decimals to your final note, so I definitely advise you to leave Lynn and her competitive and primitive attitude, and join my study sessions so you won't fail on your academic performance, and that way avoid your paternal unit's wrath."
As always, Aunt Lisa used fancy words to express a simple idea. Why can't she just straight up say 'stop wasting time with Lynn and come study with me?'
"To be honest, I failed because…" He knew the real reason, but ultimately decided not to say it. "I failed because the teacher… that woman hates me… and Lacy." He whispered that last.
"Who you callin' primitive?" Lynn said, her mouth full of food and her fork pointing at her sister.
"The homo neanderthalis say what?"
"What?"
"As you can appreciate Lemy, you should join me; I've always wanted an assistant and you gather all the requirements for this work."
"Leave the boy alone." Lynn said. "Besides, it's obvious who he want to spend the time with, Frankenstein. With me at least he can enjoy the view while he exercises."
In that moment, Lynn started to lift the shirt, slowly and sexy showing her beautiful legs and her toned abs. Her red panties were so tight he could see her lips, and I'm not talking about her face.
"Girls, I don't think you should…" Luan spoke; her voice for a moment was as shy as her daughter's.
"You can always help me in the store." Lucy said, joining the talk. "You could use your ability to find treasures in something different to music."
"Leave Lemy alone, he must focus on the school." Lori said, not taking her eyes out of her PC.
Lemy started to back away slowly to get as far as he could from the conversation. He was about to get in the kitchen, until something started climbing up his leg; it didn't stop until it got a firmly hold on his hair.
He didn't flinch; he already knew it was Lulu.
It has become a common thing; Lulu was always on her mother's head, my father's or sometimes on mine. Sorry if I feel special for that, but man it is really cute when she does it. Right now she's playing with some strands of my hair, and yes, sometimes she gets a little too excited and tries to rip them off.
But look at her, sucking her pacifier while looking for something in my hair, it's fucking cute, and those eyes… Have you ever seen that "Shrek" movie? The first one was really good, but like every good movie, the cinema industry exploit it until all that remains are shitty sequels, each one worse than the other (and there we go again, rambling).
However, in one of those sequels, there's a puss in boots, and in one moment, he looked at some guards with those big eyes, and it is supposed to be so cute you can see the universe in them. Well, that cat is a rookie compared to Lulu; she has those big eyes, and like the cat in the movie, you can see constellations in them. And I'm not being poetic, man; it really looks like you can see a nebula on her eyes, and believe me when I tell you I can't even tell what color they are: blue, purple or turquoise? It's like watching the northern lights; always changing, always beautiful and mysterious, that's how her eyes are, I know it because right now she's hanging from my head like a bat, and she's looking at my insipid green eyes.
She's switches position and now she's hanging from his hair with one hand, and uses the other to boop on his nose. Once she felt satisfied, she started to explore his face with her fingers. He just grimaced to avoid a scratch on his eyes.
Lisa looks at her creature, never said better, and laughs.
"Don't let her do what she wants or she'll think she can bother everyone."
"She's not doing anything wrong." He said, but then stopped. Lulu watched him talk, and now she grabbed his lower lip and start pulling it.
Everyone stopped arguing and looked with tenderness the scene.
"You're a good brother, Lemy" Leni said with a smile; she was taking the plates as Lana passed them. "Now I understand why Liena never stops talking about you… well, she can't talk, but she does that thing with her hands… what I mean is, now I understand why she's in love with you."
Lemy was too busy playing with Lulu, trying to avoid her claws he didn't hear a thing. Lulu tried to grab his hand, but the boy was quicker. It made her laugh (or buzz, cicada sound).
In that moment Liena was getting into the room with a bowl of soup; it was all happiness until she heard what her mother said, she dropped the bowl and covered her blushed face.
Everyone gasped and watched, expecting the bowl to shatter and the soup spill all over the floor. Lemy quits playing with Lulu and with a ninja-like move catches the bowl. Lulu was still clinging to his hair and laughing.
Damn bro, Aunt Leni might be the purest and nicest soul around here (ignore the incest for a second, please), but sometimes she can be too nice for her own good, or everyone's.
He left the bowl on the table and walked to the kitchen, Lulu rested on his hair.
He let out a sigh of relief. Damn, that was intense. Aunt Leni is a cinnamon roll; she basically took care of Loan, Lyra and Liena while everyone studied college, but she was always telling things she was not supposed to say, and the worst part is… I can't be mad at her, she doesn't do it on purpose; it just comes out without warning. Do you know how many times we got in trouble because she tells everyone that Liena's father is her brother? The answer is: A lot.
"Is everything ok, son?" Lincoln put off his 'World's best mom' apron as he looked at Lemy. You can see that parental love and concern in his eyes.
Lemy, however, didn't feel the same way.
Fuck you and your love. I know how you like to show affection, and you can stick it up your ass. I'm not a faggot, but even if I was I would never let you 'love me', not in the way you do.
Lemy ignored him and sat in the farthest place of the table.
Lincoln tried to add something, but Lemy was already far to hear him. He just looked down.
What's wrong dad? You're not used to be rejected? Well, fuck you, here's someone that won't beg for your attention.
"Ignore him daddy, Lemy is just in a bad mood." Lemy looked up to see Lacy defending him. What was that about? Wasn't she supposed to be mad at me? Does it mean we're cool now? "Sure he's on one of those days of the month."
I knew it. It was too good to be true.
He looked down again, ignoring her words and focusing on how Lulu played with his hair.
"Or maybe his boyfriend broke up with him." This time was Lupa. Both girls laughed at him.
"Quit messing your brother, girls."
Lincoln made an effort to look at his son again, but the boy refused, instead he started to play again with Lulu.
"If we stop, will you give us something?" Lacy said, her voice was soft and with a little pinch of beg.
"If you don't stop I'll take out something from you, so better help me with the plates and… where are Lizy and Leia?"
"I'm here daddy, I was changing my clothes." Leia said. She entered the room wearing a really short, tight dress that barely covered above her knees, exposing her milky smooth tights for everyone to see. "Do you like it, daddy?"
"It's really nice sweetie, now please help me with the plates" he said, getting inside the kitchen again.
Leia hand out the food to her sisters; she was so mad she almost threw the plates at them. It was not a surprise; that wasn't what she expected.
She was about to had Lemy his plate, but she had something else in mind. You see, Leia is cute as she's mean; Lemy tried to grab the plate but it "accidentally" slipped from her hands and landed all over his pants.
"Ouch! That's hot!" Lemy jumped from the chair and desperately tried to separate the wet fabric of the pants from his crotch.
"Oops, I'm sorry Lemy. Oh well, it's not like you use it anyways." Leia said. Man, you can hear the venom in her voice.
"Careful Leia; hot water might cause it to shrink." Lupa spat.
Let the buffet begin. That's the reason they all are gathered here. I don't know why dad bothers in cooking when they have more than enough with me.
"It can't Lupa, he has nothing down there." Lacy said. She and the others burst on laugher. Liby just smile a bit, it was obvious she was trying to hold her laugher.
Lemy sat again and squeezes the spoon. Ignore them Lemy, try to focus on your food. Don't let them ruin your dinner.
He takes a sip; carrot soup, and the second sip it's for Lulu; her mouth showed a small fang coming out, but what was more impressive was her snake-like tongue.
Lemy knows this has just begun, it's always the same. He tried to take another spoon, but Lizy came jumping like a bunny with her new toy in her arms; it was so big she could barely hold it. She had the remote hanging from her neck; when she left Lemy's room, he realized how big it was, so he added the strap of an old guitar he didn't use anymore.
Loan and Liena walked just behind her. Liena's face was still red; she looked at her siblings and noticed Lemy's tension and the mocking smiles of the girls.
"What's happening?" she moved her hands fast and smooth, fruit of her experience.
"Nothing" everyone answered, including Lemy.
"Dad told you to stop messing with Lemy"
"Liena, he will not choose you just because you're defending him." Leia said.
Liena's face went red again. She moved desperately her hands in an effort to answer, but she was so embarrassed it looked more like she was trying to kill a fly.
Loan looked at his only brother too, and sat as far as he could from him.
Liena, trying to get over the bad moment, took Lizy and tried to sit her in a chair.
"I want to sit next to Lemy" She said and placed her dinosaur in the chair next to her brother, then she lifted her arms in front of him.
Lemy already had Lulu in his head; there wasn't any other space available. At least until he saw his little sister's eyes. He couldn't resist.
""Alright, come here Lizy-Lizard" Lemy lift her and sat her on his lap.
"Why are you wet? Did you pee yourself?" She asked.
"Yeah, he did. You should go for one of Lulu's diapers for your brother." Lacy attacked again.
Liena lifted her hands willing to defend her brother, but Lupa glared at her; those yellow, bright eyes were enough to stop her right in her tracks. Liena looked down at her plate again.
"Do you want me to go get one?" Lizy looked at him, without a single pinch of mockery on her voice. She sounded worried.
You get it now man? This is why I'm more than willing to sacrifice something of my collection for this girl: she really loves me, she really cares about me, without expecting something in exchange, without expect me to…
"It's not that Lizy, Leia dropped on the soup on me. It's nothing."
Lizy glanced at Leia and snuggled with Lemy.
"I'm gonna tell your mom you damp Lemy and threw Mr. Fangs through the window."
"Why are you complaining? Thanks to me you now have a new toy; you should be thankful, not mad at me."
"Lemy bought you that?" Lacy pointed the Indominus Rex. "Now I see why you don't like girls, you like em' small, don't you Lem?"
"It's because he can't deal with a big one" Lupa topped off.
"The only way his little friend can look bigger is being with someone smaller than him" Leia laughed, almost splitting her soup.
"We should warn Aunt Lisa; if he likes Lizy, Lulu sure drives him crazy"
"I don't like them!" he yelled with rage.
"You… don't like me?" Lizy asked.
"Why does Lizy have a gift? It's my birthday, not hers!" Loan yelled, hitting the table with her fist.
Liena watched with fear the argument.
"Your birthday is in two days." She said.
But Loan didn't look at her; she was looking at Lemy. She never learned sign language anyway.
"I'll give you something too, it's just that Leia broke her toy and..."
"Why don't you like me?" Lizy was about to cry.
"He doesn't like you because he's a faggot." Leia glared at him; her disgust was noticeable.
"What does faggot means?" Lizy asked.
"It means Lemy doesn't like women, but that's ok; we're too much for him." Lacy responded.
"Unlike you, dad is a real man." Lupa stabbed her fork on a piece of chicken the same way as if it was a heart.
"Lizy, don't listen to them, I like you… I mean, I love you, I really love you." Lemy looked at her pleadingly.
Lizy whipped her tears.
"I love you too."
"I knew it! I knew Lemy like little girls, don't you Lem-Lem?" Lupa grinned.
You get why I hate dinner time? You see what I was talking about? I have to deal with this shit every day. Those girls never talk to me, and when they do it is to spill their venom, and all that because I'm not like their fucking daddy, just because, unlike him, I'm not a fucking pervert. How dare they to say such things when they drool all over the floor for a bastard like him?
"Why don't I have a gift? Why does Lizy have one?" Loan looked at Lizy with anger, and she hugged Lemy tight seeking protection.
"Loan, please listen; I got a gift for you, I swear."
"They're right, the voices were right; you don't love me. Nobody does."
"Relax Loan, I love you, we all love you."
"I could love you more if you took a bath now and then." Leia looked at her with disgust.
"Shut your fucking mouth!" Lemy yelled at his little sister.
"Don't tell me what to do, faggot." Leia threw a fork against Lemy.
"I hate you!" Loan screamed.
In that moment, several things happened at the same time.
Loan threw her glass against Lemy, and he raised his arm to protect Lizy and Lulu. As the discussion was growing, Lulu was getting more and more nervous; she opened her mouth in a predator-like way and shot a neon blue mass towards Leia. She took Liby and used her as a human shield, the mass impacted in her face. The poor girl tried to take it out but it was stuck; she panicked and started to whimper. Lizy began to cry and hugged Lemy tighter, he now had a cut in his right arm; the glass broke against his skin. Liena tried to stop her sisters moving her hands as fast as she could, but nobody looked at her.
And when everything was about to explode…
"What's happening here?"
Lyra's beautiful voice echoed in the room, and everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her with fear.
Once Lori was the leader of the Loud kids, and now the baton was passed to Lyra. Loan could never have such a responsibility because… well, you know. Liena was mute; her kind and motherly nature made her a good kindergarten teacher, but she couldn't be able to control the chaos in the house.
And then there was Lyra: Responsible, serious, tempered and strict.
Everyone looked down with shame.
"Leia, Lacy and Lupa were mean with Lemy… and… and Leia broke my dinosaur toy, and Lemy gave me a new one… and Loan got angry and threw a glass to Lemy… and… and…" Lizy couldn't continue; she buried her head on her brother's shirt and started to cry.
"Are you ok, Lemy?"
Lemy put his arm behind his back as fast as he could.
"I'm ok, it's nothing. Loan didn't do it on purpose, it wasn't her fault…"
"Show me your arm." She demanded with a soft and calmed voice.
"Please, Lyra, it's just a scratch… it was my fault, I should've known that…"
"Show me, your, arm." She repeated, her voice came sharp this time.
When Lyra went into big sister mode, there was nothing else he could do but do as she demanded. He raised his injured arm; the blood formed red lines that flowed through his forearm to his elbow.
Everyone gasped.
Loan looked with horror the blood, and with tears in her eyes, she ran away to the backyard.
"It's just a scratch; you don't have to tell Aunt Lori… or HIM."
Lyra's face paled when she saw her brother's blood; it was a nasty cut, but she had to keep it together.
"Lacy, take out that thing off Liby's head; if you can't, tell Aunt Lisa that Lulu was just playing, she will know what to do. But just as a last resort."
The girls nodded. She took Liby on her shoulder; the poor girl was still trying to pull out that thing out of her face.
"Lupa, go find Loan and calm her. Tell her that nothing serious happened, and please, don't say it was her fault."
Lupa, slowly nodded, and went to the backyard.
"Leia, take Lulu and Lizy, and finish your dinner."
"I'm not hungry." Lizy said; she hugged him tighter, nobody would take her brother away.
"Me neither." Leia responded.
"I'm not asking. Eat and then go to bed."
"Ok…" Leia tried to take Lizy, but she was firmly grasped to Lemy's shirt.
"Come on, Lizy, let out Lemy, I have to take him to the bathroom and take care of his wound." Lyra said softly. Lemy could've sworn he heard concern in her voice, but it sure was just his imagination.
"I'll be ok, I promise. Now go and drink a glass of milk and go to bed, I'll go in the first opportunity I get, and we'll play with your dinosaur. It is supposed to roar and move, you know?"
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Lizy looked at him with concern.
"I swear, now go."
Lizy got off his brother's lap and with narrowed eyes, she approached Leia.
Leia tried to take Lulu from Lemy's head, but the little girl opened her mouth in that "special" way; her usual cicada-like sound was deeper and slower, it was scary.
Lulu threw a bit and Leia jumped back, barely avoiding her needle sharp fangs.
Lulu grabbed Lemy harder and buried her face in his hair.
"I don't think she want to come with me." Leia said.
"You know what? I don't care. Come on Lemy, and hold up that arm."
Lemy obeyed and went to the bathroom with his big sister.
Man, can she read minds? Loan needs me; she can be a little dangerous, but it isn't her fault, she didn't want to hurt me, and it is just a scratch, Lyra is exaggerating, it is not Loan's fault. Are you thinking it was Leia's or Lacy's? Or maybe Lupa's? No man, it isn't their fault. If everything it is mine… This is all my fault: the argument, their attitudes, it is my fault. Well, mine and more of HIM, if he wasn't like he is, they wouldn't expect me to… get it? It's Lincoln Loud and his sister's fault that my sisters think what they do is normal. It's their fault that they think families have to be like that.
Have you ever seen a nine years old girl like Leia flirt like that to his thirty-five years old father? Of course not, the idea is disgusting, but here you have it; a beautiful, little girl begging her father to… But don't you ever dare to say a word about her; ok, maybe she's mean, but she's not a whore, she is not, she's just imitating what she sees, she grew up thinking this is normal, that's how they all are, so I don't want you to call them whores or anything, because then we'll have a real problem.
Like I told you, it's my father's fault, and maybe mine… if I give in, if I just… they wouldn't be like that with me, they wouldn't be mad at me, they wouldn't be mean with Lizy, but I can't man, I just can't, you can call me faggot, maybe I am.
Lemy and Lyra walked upstairs in silence. Lemy gripped his shirt over his wound so the blood doesn't drop on the carpet.
They both entered to the kids' bathroom; just two bathrooms for twenty people? Who the fuck designed this place?
Lyra took him quickly to the sink.
"Ok, let me see." Lyra took the rag on his arm and threw it away. She grabbed his arm and put it in the sink under the water.
It was just a small but deep cut. Lyra took a closer look to make sure it was just the skin; luckily for them, it didn't damage anything important, she let out a sigh.
"I told you it was just a scratch." Lemy said.
"You can pretend you're tough with the others, but I changed your diapers, so erase that smile. Let's see if you're tough with the alcohol."
"Oh, damn."
Lyra opened the shelf behind the mirror; she moved tubes of tooth paste, mouth wash, tampon boxes… where is it?
"They're forcing you again?"
"They're not forcing me; they are just messing with me."
"Don't protect them Lemy, you shouldn't let them bother you, not because of that." Lyra said, still looking for the alcohol bottle. Lemy knew that she didn't want to look him in the eyes. Lemy lowered the lid of the toilet and sat down. He was tired; from the fights, from the day he just had, from everything.
"I know… but it is not their fault, they just want what their mothers have, what they taught them. Maybe I'm wrong and I should…"
"Don't you even think about it Lemy." In the blink of an eye, Lyra was knelt in front of him, strongly taking his hands and looking him in the eyes. "We must not give in, we must be strong Lemy. We've been stained since day one with their sins, we must not make it worst following their steps, we're not like them, remember?"
"I know… but… I just want everything to be like it used to be, I want everyone to talk to me again. I just don't want to be alone." He looked away, not wanting her to see his watery eyes.
The tiles are beautiful, you know that? That's why I'm looking at them. Definitely I'm not about to cry, no way, never.
"You're not alone; I'm with you, right?" She was right. Lyra was inside of the 8% of the students accepted with a full scholarship in the Julliard College, in New York. However, she rejected that scholarship, and decided to stay in Michigan University, on the faculty of music and theater to be precise. She's one of the most talented students; Madonna and the fucking Iggy Pop graduated from there, but man, reject New York? Reject a life away of Royal Woods where everyone knows your legacy? Lemy was just waiting for the first chance to leave the city and never come back.
But Lyra rejected the opportunity to escape and live a college adventure in one of the most beautiful cities of America because… because of him. Lyra traveled two hours by car to go to the college, and two hours to come home, just to keep living in this nuthouse and everything because of him, because of Lemy.
"You're right, but you're all day in college, I miss you, and with how the others treat me it's like I'm alone." That was what he hated the most; missing Lyra because she was away was one thing, but missing his sisters because they gave him the cold shoulder, man, that hurt a lot.
"Come on Lem, you think that's the attitude of a rockstar?" she smiled, but still she looked sad. "I must return to class a little earlier. I want to start this school year with the right foot, and I have to set up everything before going back, I've told you already."
"I know, and I don't want to make a big deal about it but… this is too hard, I don't think I can make it without you."
"Come on Lemy, you can always call me. Besides, you have Lizy and Lulu. They're with you."
"I guess…"
I know what you're thinking: What happened to the cool Lemy? Where's the boy who smokes weed being thirteen years old and goes through life criticizing everything? What happened with that attitude?
Well, that's what it is, just a facade. I've told you before: I'm a soft man, and maybe I can pretend in front of everyone, even in front of my other sisters, but not in front of Lyra. Remember I told you she's more like my mother than my own mother? Well, that's true. I'm ashamed to say this, but she was right; she changed my diapers, she bathed me and she took care of me when I was just a little Lemy who jammed to the Blarney songs (yup, that dinosaur it's not extinct yet, but hey, he's cool). With her I learn how to talk and how to walk. She's like my mother, and I want to ask you something: do you pretend to be tough with your mother? I don't think so. When life throws shit right to our faces, we go with mommy and cry on her lap while she sings a lullaby, it doesn't matter if you're five or one hundred, that's how I am with Lyra, and with her there's not mask or disguise, I don't hide anything from her, and well, I couldn't even if I wanted. I'm an open book for her, and you know what? I like it.
Lyra patted him before messing his hair; they both were smiling, his green eyes meeting her blue eyes.
Wait, did she pat my head?
"Where's Lulu?" Lemy asked worried"
Lemy lift his arm and there was Lulu; her mouth stuck over the wound like a leech sucking his blood.
"Shit, how did she go there?" Lemy tried to take her off with no avail. Damn, she's strong.
"Get off him Lulu, and stop doing that, it's gross." Lyra grabbed her and pulled; it took her three attempts, but Lulu finally came off.
It was odd, she had never done that. Why would she…
Lemy looked his arm; the wound was covered in Lulu's blue saliva. Lyra looked at it with disgust, but Lemy watched closer; much to his surprise, the wound started to heal instantly.
Call me Deadpool, bro.
"Did you see that?" Lemy asked.
"Of course I did."
"Her saliva must be magical or something…" Lemy touch again the place where the wound used to be, expecting to feel pain or even the wound opening again, but his skin was clean and smooth as always, there was no sign of a cut.
"Magic isn't real Lemy, I've told you." She said. "Witchcraft, magic or anything like that, God doesn't like it. You're not hanging with Aunt Lucy, are you?"
"Of course not, but you gotta admit, it's cool. Lulu has super-saliva."
While Lyra checks his arm again to make sure everything is ok, Lulu climbs again to his head, and again snuggles on his hair.
Lyra, still unsure, cleans his arm with alcohol and gauze.
"Come on, I wanna go check on Loan."
Outside the house, Lemy finds Loan leaning against a tree, and Lupa is talking to her with soft whispers. Loan allowed her to get so close she was gently patting her shoulder.
Leia is there too, with Lizy by her side.
"Lemy!" the little blonde with red cap ran and jumped into his arms. He lifts her in the air and hugged her.
"That's my name, don't waste it." He said, kissing her cheek.
"You're ok?"
"Of course I am; I'm indestructible like superman, but with style." Lemy showed her his arm, free of any wound. "I told you I would be ok."
Leia, Lupa and Loan look amazed his brother's skin. Loan let out a sigh.
"Didn't I tell you to go eat your dinner and after that go to bed?" Lyra looked at Leia with anger.
"Lizy wanted to see Lemy, she… was worried…" Leia looked away.
"So Lizy was worried, good thing you were not." Lyra replied with sarcasm.
Lemy put Lizy on the grass, he made a gesture with the head; Lupa received the cue and walked away from Loan.
He looked to all of his sisters and told them to get inside the house.
Lyra looked afar, not so sure about this. But in the end she gives everyone the signal and they all get inside.
With some work, he takes Lulu off his head and kisses her goodbye; it made her sing happily throughout the summer night, the last one of the year.
Once all the girls are inside, Lemy sits aside his elder sister. She was the most fragile, even more than Lizy, even more than Lulu. Man, you just saw what she can do.
"Loan, nothing happened, you didn't hurt me, look."
Loan refused to look up; her face was buried on her legs.
"I'm sorry okay? I shouldn't have given Lizy something if I didn't had something for you, but I swear it's not what you think, I have a gift for you, and I will give it to you in two days. In just two days someone will turn twenty-four, isn't that cool?"
Loan stopped whimpering. Now she's just listening in silence.
"You're lying, you don't love me, and you didn't buy me anything because you don't love me, and because I'm not little like Lizy or beautiful like Leia, or normal like Lyra."
Suddenly, Lemy embraced his big sister.
"Never say that again Loan, ever. You're cute, and beautiful, and you don't need to be like Lyra, you're excellent being Loan."
"You're lying, you don't love me."
"Of course I love you Loan, I love you all. Can't you feel it?"
She leaned against his chest; his heartbeat was steady and calmed, it was relaxing.
"A little…" she said. Her voice sounded a little less sad.
"Just a little? But I love you a lot."
"Do you really have a gift for me?"
"Yes, and if you want, I can give it to you now, you want it?"
Loan thought for a long moment.
"No, because if you give it to me now, you won't give me anything in my party… but you gave Lizy something, so I want something too."
Sigh. He knew this wouldn't be easy.
You see? This is what that bastard did to my sister. She has Asperger and early schizophrenia, and everything because the all mighty Lincoln Loud wanted to play God, and then there's all that shit this girls had to been through from those assholes who think that messing with someone just because they're different it's okay. Sometimes I just want to burn it all, reduce it to ashes; fuck the whole world and everyone living in it.
"What do you want me to give you?" he asked with fear, because he knows what she want from him, what everyone wants.
Loan looked up, and Lemy could see her eye bags caused by her altered sleep schedule, with that expression of perpetual nervousness. She looked beautiful, those blue eyes and her golden hair… and there's again that need in his veins, in his soul, in his bones; "just do it" it says, "just do it". And if she ask now, if she begs now, he will give it to her because she looks so in need, so fragile, and he wouldn't dare to hurt her. He can't say no to anything she says now that he saw those tortured eyes.
I know. I'm pathetic. I just promised Lyra not to do it, and look at me now.
"I want…" Lemy looked up at her; even when they both were sitting in the grass, she was taller than him.
She leaned forward, cutting the distance between her lips to his… "I want this."
Loan touched with her index finger his bandana, and with a movement she pushes him back.
"My bandana? But I thought nobody liked it; you all said it makes me look like an idiot." Lemy said. He started to undo the knot.
"I won't use it on my hair, that's stupid." She said.
Well, that wasn't nice. "So?"
Loan turned around and lift her hair, exposing her soft, beautiful neck. There's again that tickling, that sensation on his hands, he wants to touch her, explore her…
"Ok…" Lemy can barely talk, his voice is now husk.
He put the bandana around his neck like a pearl necklace. He tied the ends in a little knot, carefully evading her pale skin.
Loan turned around again and saw her gift with a smile; the bandana was blue, and it had a buffalo skull in the center, it was Lemy's favorite.
"Can I keep it?"
"All the time you want."
Her face brightened with a smile, a real one, and she looked even more beautiful.
And now it's time to get the hell outta here. Lemy got up, and offer his hand to Loan; she took it with a little blush. They both walked inside the house; the adults were gone, and it's honestly surprising none of them knew about their little situation.
They arrived to the living room; the family boss was on the sofa with Lucy and Lori in every side of him leaning against his chest. He looked up to see his children.
"Is everything ok?
No asshole, nothing's ok, we needed help and none of you came. But thanks for asking, officer dickhole.
"Everything's fine" Loan said, taking her hand to the bandana in her neck.
Lemy walked with her to the third floor. On the way he says goodnight to his aunts.
"Good night Loan." Lemy told her. She stood in the door frame for a moment; with a quick move she gave him a kiss on the cheek and got quickly into the room she shares with Lyra. The latter watched everything from inside.
Lyra went to the hall, where all her sisters waited their turn to use the bathroom.
"Do you want me to sleep with you?" she offered.
"No, I'm okay. Loan is a little tired, so you better take a look at her."
Lyra nods.
"I saw her more calmed than before, I'm sure it's because of the gift."
Lemy looked away.
"She wanted a gift like Lizy, so I…" Lemy scratches his head; he felt the need to apologize but he's not sure why.
"Don't worry, just be careful. Remember; we must resist."
"I know."
"You wanna take a bath?"
"Nah, I just want to go to sleep. It was a long day."
"Alright, let's go to your room then."
Lemy looked at her with a face of "really?"
"You won't go to sleep without your prayers."
"Ok mom." He mocked.
They walked down into the hall, passing through their sisters. Lupa, Liby, Liena, Leia and Lacy looked down ashamed; they all knew Lyra was angry, and that was never good.
"Good night" Lemy said, the only one who answered was Liena. She speaks in signs, so everything remained silent.
Lizy is in the bathroom, I guess.
They went to his room, and Lemy take his clothes off. He takes off his shirt leaving in sight what in the future would be a six-pac. He takes out his pants, remaining only his underwear. He turned to Lyra, observing the blush in her face.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, it's just hot in here."
"Yeah, that's why I sleep in my underwear. I don't know why you girls still sleep in those pajamas these days."
However, stripping in front of Lyra meant nothing. I've told you, she bathed me when I was a cub, so it's nothing new for her. Now we're both knelt, and it's time for her to talk to the big boss.
Lyra take out her cross from under her clothes, she nervously hold it with both hands. She bows her head and Lemy do the same, but he doesn't have any cross.
"Father, we thank you for another day of life, and for allow us to get through it to the end, Thank you for taking care of our family, even when we don't deserve it. Thank you for all the food you provide us, and thank you for giving Lemy the will and the kindness to take care of his sisters, and I beg you my Lord to give him the strength to resist the temptation not to follow our father's path that have marked us with sin. I beg you to illuminate my sisters with your light so they can leave behind their sinful desires, whose nature offends you. I beg you God to take care of everyone living in this house, and even if our sole existence is a crime against you, please take into account our actions and not our legacy. Please guide and protect Lemy from evil, am-"
"And take care of Lyra too, she beg for the good of everyone except for her own, so send two or three angels to take care of her, you owe her, man." He said, half joking, half serious.
"Lemy, don't be rude… but ok, that too… amen."
"Amen" Lemy repeated.
Don't call me hypocrite, man; I don't believe in god, after all the shit I've been through, but I do believe in Lyra.
Lemy gets under the covers, and Lyra wraps him like every night since he was born.
"You're ok? need a glass of water or something? Does your arm hurt?" Lyra pats his hair in a motherly way.
"Everything's ok Lyra. You know one day you will have to stop treating me like a baby, don't you?"
"Yeah, but that day is nowhere near. Good night Lemy."
She kissed his forehead, like he did to Lizy an hour ago. Man, it looked like it was days ago. And while Lyra turns off the light and closes the door, Lemy thinks on telling her to sleep with him tomorrow. But this time… just for this night he'll sleep alone.
Sleep Alone
Two Door Cinema Club.