Guest: Actually, I have a Lori x Lincoln story finished, I just haven't uploaded it yet. I don't know when I will because I have, like, four full length stories and a couple of oneshots finished and waiting to be posted.
Guest: The more you pester me about writing Elisa Combs's ideas, the less I want to do them.
Lyrics to California Love by 2Pac (1995)
"Lincoln!" Lana called over her shoulder, her eyes never leaving the mascot before her. He seemed taller than he did at The Pizza Dungeon, and broader, too, towering, hulking, his shoulders wide and his legs long. He had to be seven feet at least, maybe even seven-five. He stared down at her like she was a mildly distasteful bug and at any moment he was going to stop tolerating her, lift one giant foot, and splat, no more Lana Loud. "Lincoln!"
"What?" her brother's voice drifted down the stairs - there was a note of impatience like she interrupted him.
She swallowed when Dino shifted his weight. "Uh, we have a situation!"
A moment later, footsteps sounded on the stairs. "What?" Lincoln asked worriedly. "Is it -" he cut off when he presumably caught sight of their guest. She hazarded looking away from Dino, and spotted Lincoln at the bottom of the steps, his eyes wide and his mouth open in a perfect O of surprise. "D-Dino?" he asked.
Dino sniffed. "Nah, nigga, it's Ronald McDonald. Can I come in?"
Lana turned her head back to the gargantuan. She wasn't the smartest girl in the world, but she had enough deductive reasoning skills to know what him turning up at their door with a suitcase meant. Even so, she asked, "W-Why?"
Dino sneered. "Cuz Imma either stay at yo house, or Imma tell yo mom and dad what I caught y'all asses doin in my ball pit."
Drawing horror came over Lana like the terrors of death; she stepped aside so quickly that her feet tangled and she almost fell. "C-Come in," she said and flashed a sheepish smile, throwing her arm out in a right this way gesture.
"Umhm, that's what I thought," Dino said and stepped across the threshold, ducking under the frame. If possible, he looked even bigger now, his head bare feet from brushing the ceiling. Lana jerked a glance at Lincoln, who was frozen with his hand resting on the newel post.
Coming alive, he shook his head. "U-Uh, M-Mr. Dino, what, uh, what, uh, what brings you by?" He offered a big, nervous grn. "Not that we're not, uh, h-happy to see you."
Looking around and appraising what he saw, Dino nodded appreciatively and dropped the suitcase onto the floor. "My girl kicked me out the house. Caught me eatin another bitch pussy and started trippin." He shook his head in disbelief. " I need a place to chill til she stop." He went over to the couch and sat; it bowed and groaned under his weight, and Lana winced, expecting it to snap in two like a toothpick. It held, though - just barely.
Lana and Lincoln looked at each other, the same thought passing between them. This isn't good. They owed him, Lana knew, but this was too much. Lana flicked her eyes to Dino then to Lincoln. Get rid of him. Lincoln's face paled and he shook his head, his hands raising defensively, palms out. Lana bared her teeth. Yes she mouthed.
Bending forward, Dino snatched the remote from the coffee table, kicked his feet up, and turned the TV on. "Y'all got cable?" He pressed a random button, and a menu popped up on the screen. "Oh, shit, y'all got Dish? What channel BET?"
Lana glared at Lincoln, then stalked over. "He can't stay here," she hissed. "Mom and Dad will never go for it."
Rap music blasted from the speakers. "Oh, shit," Dino said, "there go Pac."
Now let me welcome everybody to the wild, wild west
A state that's untouchable like Elliot Ness
The track hits ya eardrum like a slug to ya chest
Pack a vest for your Jimmy in the city of sex
Dino bobbed his head back and forth, one hand throwing up gang signs and his shoulders shrugging up and down. Yeah, this was not gonna work. Lana looked at Lincoln. "W-We can lie," he said.
"Lie?" she demanded.
He nodded. "Yeah, I-I have a plan."
Diamonds shining looking like I robbed Liberace
It's all good, from Diego to the Bay
Your city is the bomb if your city making pay
Throw up a finger if ya feel the same way
Dre putting it down for Californ-I-A
Dino vibed to the beat, then turned it all the way up - soundwaves blew Lana's hat off and made hers and Lincoln's faces ripple like they were on a rollercoaster. Oh, no, Dad was -
"Turn that music down!" Dad called from the top of the stairs, and Lana's heart sank into her stomach. She panicked and hurried over to Dino, reaching for the remote. He held it up and swatted her away.
"Nah, fuck you, nigga."
Out on bail fresh outta jail, California dreaming
Soon as I stepped on the scene, I'm hearing hoochies screaming
Fiending for money and alcohol
The life of a west side player where cowards die and the strong ball
Only in Cali where we riot not rally to live and die
Lincoln jumped when his father's voice spoke behind him. "Lincoln, turn that cra -" he cut off when he saw Dino dancing in his seat, twisting back and forth and making strange shapes with his fingers. Lana gave a shamefaced smile and Lincoln winced. You know...up until now, he would have said he never made a deal with the Devil, but it dawned on him that he had. "Uh, why is Dino in our house?" Lincoln could barely hear him over the music. He gestured to Lana, and she scurried over to the TV and yanked the plug out of the wall, plunging the room into silence.
Dino froze. "Yo, what the fuck?"
Lincoln turned to his father - he stood there with a scowl on his face and his hands on his hips, one foot tapping the floor. "H-Hey, Dad," he said nervously, "w-what's up?"
On the couch, Dino tossed the remote away and leaned back. "Man, y'all wack."
"Lincoln," Dad said, "explain what is going on right this instant."
Taking a deep breath, Lincoln said, "Well, it's, uh, it's part of the Pizza Dungeon's new birthday policy. Every kid who comes in on their birthday gets to have a, uh, a sleepover with Dino."
Dad's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Oh...really?"
Lana and Lincoln both nodded. "Yeah, Dad," Lana said, "y-you forgot?"
It was a heck of a gamble to imply that he knew in the first place, but one that paid off; he bunched his lips and rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. "Uhhh, I guess I did," he said at length. He laughed. "Well, in that case, you kids have fun, and keep the music down." He looked at Dino. "Welcome to our home, Dino."
Dino held up one hand.
When Dad was gone, Lincoln let out a deep breath - he wasn't sure he was gonna buy it. His sisters called him the man with a plan, but most of his plans blew up in his face. Not this one, though, whew.
Unless Dino wound up staying longer than one night.
Cold dread filled his throat, and he swallowed it. "Yo, can I get somethin to drink?" Dino asked.
"Yeah," Lincoln said at the same time Lana said, "Sure." Before Dino could stop them, they rushed off to the kitchen. "Nice one, Linc," Lana said when they were alone, her tone earnest. "Do you really want him hanging around, though?"
Lincoln shook his head. "No, not really, but I'd rather that than him tell Mom and Dad about us."
He had her there. "Something tells me he's gonna lord it over us," she said and shot a dirty look into the living room. "He's as bad as Lola."
"Lola knows?" Lincoln asked quickly.
"No," Lana said, "but you know darn well she'd blackmail us or something if she did."
Lola was the queen of blackmailing people. One time she found the Hustler Lana picked up at the dump and made her an ultimatum: Play tea party with her every day for a month of I'll be forced to tell Mom and Dad about your...reading material. She was the last person Lana wanted knowing about her and Lincoln - after Mom and Dad of course. She'd even trust Lori more than Lola.
"Y-Yeah, she would," Lincoln said. Before Lana called him, he was actually planning to fo talk to Lola and try to ascertain what she knew. He just needed a pretense - she'd see right through him if he said he just wanted to chat or hang out. Sounding her out would have to wait for now - he and Lana had bigger fish to fry.
Like the seven foot tall dinosaur in their living room. "Yo, where my drink is?" he called.
Sighing, Lincoln went over to the fridge and opened the door. "We're just gonna have to deal with it and hope he makes up with his girlfriend." He reached in, grabbed a juice box, and shut the door. "It sounded like they argue a lot, so maybe it won't take long."
In the living room, Lincoln held out the juice box and Dino looked at it. "Nigga, what's this? Do I look like a juice drinkin nigga to you?" He snatched it away, ripped the straw out of its cellophane packet, and stabbed it into the hole. "Where my room at? I'm tryna chill."
Uh, well, now that was something Lincoln hadn't had time to think of. The Loud house was home to thirteen people, and space was one of those precious commodities that was severely regulated, like food in a communist country. He guessed he could -
Lana grinned and he lost his train of thought. He knew that look - she was up to something. And in a flash, he thought he knew what it was. "Follow us," she said.
"Ight." Dino got up and started toward the stairs, then stopped and looked at his suitcase. "Y'all gon get that?"
Seriously? Lincoln started to protest, but Lana drove her elbow into his guts, her toothy smile never wavering. Get it, Linc, or he's gonna tell, he could hear her say. Fine. He went over, grabbed the handle, and lifted it off the floor.
At the top of the stairs, Lana went left then into her room. Yep, exactly where he thought she'd go. He followed, and Dino brought up the rear, looking left and right like he'd never seen a second story before. In the room, Lola sat at her vanity applying lipstick and gazing seductively at her reflection. She saw him in the glass and smiled. "Hi, Linc -"
Her words died when Dino came in. "Uh...what is he doing here?"
Dino glanced at her and rolled his eyes - or at least Lincoln imagined he did, since he couldn't actually see them. "Oh, hell no. This little girl here too?"
Ignoring him, Lana rubbed the back of her neck and looked at the floor. "Uh, Dino's going to be, uh, spending the night. Since there's no room, he's gonna stay in my bed and I'm gonna bunk with Linc."
Lola's face dropped.
And so did Dino's. "Oh, uh-uh, y'all ain't puttin me in here with miss thang."
"I am not staying in the same room as him," Lola spat. She got to her feet and wheeled around, her hands balling at her sides. "If you think I'm going to do that, you are sorely mistaken, Lana Loud. Send him away."
Dino shook his head and Lana blushed deeply; Lincoln stood on the sidelines, not knowing what to do or say. "There's no room," Lana said, "and no one else will give up their bed for -"
Light flickered in Lola's eyes, and her lips settled into a smug little eureka grin; Lincoln imagined Einstein looked the same way when he came up with the theory of relativity, or when Edison dreamed up the lightbulb. "I will," she said.
Lana blinked. "Uh...I don't….I don't know." She threw Lincoln a stricken help-me-out-here glance, and he started to speak, but Lola cut him off.
"It's no big deal, really." Her voice was sugary sweet now, and Lincoln knew an instant that she had ulterior motives. Ulterior motives that involved her playing the part of the spider, and he the fly trapped in her web. So, Lincy, he heard her say, I know all about you and Lana. Let's make a deal.
Suddenly, the air was too hot, too stale, and the walls were closing in, getting closer and closer, looming, towering, threatening to squish him like gum on the sidewalk. He already made a deal with the Devil once, he didn't want to do it again.
"I-I don't want you to give up your bed," Lana said, "it's fine. I'm just gonna...sleep on the floor. And Linc's floor is really gross, you wouldn't like it, it's grody, trust me." There was a desperate edge to her voice - she could tell Lola was up to something too, and she didn't like it one bit. If she fought too hard though, it might look suspicious.
Did she know? Lana knew she could be sneaky, but she and Linc were real careful - yeah, they cuddled up on the couch sometimes, but not like boyfriend and girlfriend level, not like they did when they were alone in Lincoln's room. How could -?
A terrible idea struck her.
What if Lisa told her? Lisa was the only person in the world who knew (other than Lucy, but Lucy was totally cool with it), and it would be just like that four-eyed snake in the grass. Lana didn't know why or to what end, but she was suddenly sure that Lisa told Lola, or would if she hadn't already.
Her right hand closed in an angry, shaking fist.
And what did Lola want with Lincoln? To blackmail him?
Her other fist closed.
One for each sister.
Lola closed her eyes and held up a forestalling hand. "I shan't hear of it, my darling sister. I will sleep on Lincoln's floor and I will not be dissuaded - by dirt, dust, or debate."
"Well, one of y'all need to go cuz I'm tryna to stretch out," Dino said.
Lana considered telling Lola to sit her glittery fairy princess butt down, but decided against it: She might not know, and fighting on this would draw unnecessary attention. "Fine," she said through her teeth. She turned to Dino and pointed at Lola's bed. "That's your bed. Go on."
Dino looked like he wanted to say something, but instead he brushed past her and dropped onto the bed, making it dip in the center. Humming a happy tune, Lola crossed to her dresser and opened one of the drawers. "Just let me grab my things, Lincy," she said.
Lincoln nodded jerkily and looked at Lana; she hung her head in disappointment and drew a heavy sigh. Stupid Dino, this was his fault.
"This bed soft," Dino said and bounced a little, "smell like perfume though." He crinkled his nose and noticed Lola's trophy case. "They give awards for bein a brat now? In my day they gave out ass whippins.""\
"I earned those through my beauty, thank you very much," Lola said. She shoved a few slips of clothing into a pink gym bag with a gold crown emblazoned on the side and zipped it up. She turned to Lincoln and smiled prettily. "All ready," she said and shrugged her shoulders cutely. Look at how fake she is, Lana thought; as soon as she had Lincoln alone she was gonna suck out his blood or something.
Lincoln smiled nervously. "Okay, uh, let's go get you settled in."
WIth a furtive and longing glance at Lana, he went to the door, and Lola followed. Before she left, she stopped and shot at withering look at Dino over her shoulder. "Don't even think about touching my things."
Dino glanced at her nightstand and spotted a bottle of lotion. "Yo, like this?" He smacked it off and it landed on the carpet.
Lola's eyes blazed with loathing. "Yes," she hissed, "like that."
"Ight," he said and kicked his legs up onto the bed, one arm bending behind his head. "I feel you."
She glared at him, then humphed, spun in a swish of blonde hair, and swept out of the room, the hem of her dress ripping around her knees like royal vestments. Lana watched her go with slitted eyes, then dropped onto the foot of her bed and fisted her hands in her lap - she didn't mean to pout, but she did anyway.
"Yo sista a bitch," Dino said and absently picked up a fashion magazine from Lola's nightstand. He opened it and scanned the page. "You chill, though. What'cho name?"
"Lana," Lana said sullenly.
Her first order of business was getting Lisa alone and finding out if she told Lola about her and Lincoln - and punch her lights out if she did.
Second - in either case - was Lola. If Lisa did tell, she'd go to her twin and demand to know what she was planning. If she didn't like what she heard...heck, she'd beat her up too. You don't get in-between Lana Loud and the boy she loves...ever. Lincoln was the most important thing in the world to her, and if fighting all of her sisters tournament style was what it took to protect their love, so be it.
"...need her ass whipped," Dino was saying. He reclined against the headboard with his right leg resting on his left knee. "My grandmama light that bitch up. You say shit to her, she smack yo mouth. Back talk, nigga, shit talk, nigga, just sayin hi, nigga, uh-uh, you kept yo grill shut." He shook his head.
Third...she didn't know what the third order of business was, but given the mood she was in, it might very well involve being bonded out of jail. Grrrr, she was so mad she couldn't even think straight. Okay, deep breath, deep breath. What was that first thing again? Right, see Lisa.
Before she could get up, Lori passed by in the hall, eyes pointed at her phone like always. She looked up, saw Dino, and furrowed her brows. "Uh...Lana. Why is Dino in Lola's bed?"
"Oh, hey, girl," Dino said and tossed the magazine away. "I saw yo boyfriend at the gas station."
Lori blinked. "Uh...Bobby is not my boyfriend anymore and...why are you in my sister's…" she shook her head and held up her hand. "You know what? I literally don't care." She disappeared down the hall, and Lana took that as her cue; she got to her feet and went to the door.
"Yo, girl, where you goin?" Dino asked.
"I need to talk to one of my sisters," Lana said, "I'll be right back."
With that, she went to go meet, and possibly beat, Lisa.
Lincoln knelt beside his bed and reached underneath, his fingers creeping across the carpet in search of the extra comforter that he kept on hand for wintertime - money was tight so Dad kept the heat low. Remember that episode of Spongebob where Mr. Krabs bugged out every time someone touched his thermostat? Dad was the same way. Ahhh, it's at 64 not 63.5! You're all grounded until I find out who did this!
The mattress dipped when Lola sat, and he looked reflexively up; she crossed her legs at the knees and impatiently tapped one bare foot, her French tipped nails slicing through the air like ten little blades. His eyes went to her exquisitely-crafted ankle, up her defined calf, toned from years of practice and exercise (a beauty queen has to look her best); her skin was smooth and bronze, and the hem of her dress, stopping well above her knees, laid against it like cloth against warm, tropical sand.
His throat went inexplicably dry and his eyes darted nervously to hers; they were hazel and translucent like a clear mountain stream, and when she was angry or sad, they muddled as if with silt, just like Lana's. Her hair, silky and like summer wheat, flowed over her shoulders and hung nearly to the small of her back, her silver tiara peeking out from its golden perch, inset with rubies, emeralds, and topaz. Her hair was like Lana's too, only longer and more yellow - Lana's was dirty with brown and nearly always up in pigtails while Lola's spilled free. Their faces were alike too, noses both pert and upturned, lips full and sensuous - all the better for kissing. The main difference was the tiny, tell-tale mole above the left corner of Lola's mouth. That's how you could tell them apart in a pinch - Lana had one, but it was on her right shoulder blade: Lincoln made a point to kiss it every time she took her shirt off.
"Hi, Lincy," Lola said, bringing him out of his reprieve. She wore a sly, gap-toothed smile. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and when she moved, the fine silver chain around her delicate throat rustled ever so slightly.
Blushing, Lincoln looked down at the floor. "I-I'm sure it's under here somewhere," he stammered, "I just...I was thinking maybe it wasn't." His heart hammered and his stomach turned like a tilt-a-whirl - she was so much like Lana it was easy to get them confused sometimes. Heh.
He reached under the bed and felt for the comforter, suddenly wanting to get as far away from his little sister as possible. When his fingers brushed it, he grabbed and pulled, bringing it out - it was soft and white with a red floral pattern. "H-Here it is," he said and got to his feet. He bent, picked it up, and tossed it onto the bed. Lola looked up at him with an inscrutable smirk, her brows lifting a fraction of an inch. "When it's time to go to bed, I'll lay it out on the floor. It's, uh, it's really comfy."
"Umm, thank you, Lincy," she said.
He flashed a smile. "N-No problem. I, uh, I-I gotta go."
Not giving her a chance to stop him, he turned and fled from the room; he didn't realize where he was going until he found himself in the living room. Sighing, he dropped onto the couch and held his head in his hands. Visions of Lola's lithe body danced suggestively through his head, and his stomach gurgled sickly.
It would be a lie to say he'd never looked at her - he had, and sometimes he wondered what she would look like with no clothes on: Her stomach taunt and her breasts beginning to blossom, not very big yet, just a handful, a warm, soft, fleshy handful. Would her nipples be dark like Lana's, or would they be pink? He imagined pink, blushing, like the tender bulb of a summer rose.
Entertaining those thoughts wracked him with guilt, and he tried so hard not to, but sometimes he couldn't help himself, and sometimes, when he was doing Lana, he pretended she was her.
I'm such a piece of shit. Lana's been so good to me, so kind and loving and understanding and everything else...and I repay her by drooling over Lola like a dog for a steak. Lola. The queen of mean. Where Lana was sweet and loving, Lola was bitter and vain; Lana was fun and silly and affectionate...Lola was self-centered, uppity, and only gave you the time of day when she wanted something. Lana was like a cuddly and excitable puppy, and Lola a cat that watches you from across the room with haughty disdain. That alone was enough to ensure that he never actually...cheated…but just thinking about her felt like slapping Lana in the face, and it made him want to cry.
Upstairs, Lola sat her bag on the bed and unzipped it, her arrogant cheekbones pulled back in a pleased smile. She pulled out a thin pink night gown, folded it neatly, and laid it aside. She chose that one for two reasons: One, it was practically sheer, and when she wore it, her tiny breasts were clearly visible, and two, it was so short that it barely covered the bottom of her butt. All she had to do was reach one shapely arm up, and the hem would lift, revealing everything she had to her brother's hungry eyes.
She packed other things too, things she would wear for him if he wanted - lace stockings, see-through negligee, a V-shaped teddy that covered the spot between her thighs, her nipples, and little else. She could be his Barbie and they could play dress-up, or dress-down. She imagined lying back on his bed in barely anything and letting him take her clothes slowly off until she was entirely naked, her slender body blushing with exhabitionist passion; he caressed her with his eyes, drinking her in like the fine wine she was, then grazing his fingertips up and down her chest...then kissing her all over, his lips leaving wet, burning trails in their wake.
She brushed her teeth across her bottom lip and drew a deep breath. Her pussy tingled with desire and her nipples ached.
Soon, she told herself, soon.
And giggled.
Lana stood at Lisa's door a long time before knocking - despite her willingness to beat her little sister up, she didn't particularly want to. She would, but she wouldn't like it, and every moment that she procrastinated, she wasn't knocking Lisa's face in, so...yeah.
Finally, she sighed, balled her fist, and rapped her knuckles against the wood.
"Enter," Lisa called out.
Alright, here goes. Find out what she said and ignore her dumb comments. If she did tell Lola, punch her so hard her glasses become permanently embedded in her face and tell her to mind her own goddamn business. If she didn't, leave.
She turned the knob and slipped in.
Lisa was at her computer directly across from the door, her back to Lana. Her desk was shaped like an L, and the short arm was crammed with vials, tubes, beakers, pieces of machinery that Lana couldn't name from afar but probably could up close, and a thousand other smart people things she could examine all day and still have no name for. Lisa turned, and when she saw who it was, her eyes narrowed; Lana's heartbeat quickened and she steeled herself for a fight. "What do you want?" Lisa asked briskly, her voice oozing distaste.
"I need to talk to you," Lana said, doubling her resolve; her tone was even and calm, beling the roiling emotions - fear namely among them - swirling in her chest like a black tempest. She was scared, scared of Lisa, of what she might do to Lisa, and, most of all, scared of losing Lincoln.
Looking her up and down and finding her lacking, Lisa clucked her tongue. "About?" Her eyes were hard and bubbled with malice, and Lana fought the urge to stare down. Instead, she firmly held the genius's gaze.
"Did you tell Lola about me and Lincoln?" she asked pointedly, injecting her words with a level of menace that she suddenly didn't feel.
Lisa's face was stony and unflinching as she replied. "No." That single word hung in the air like a scream, and Lana was honestly thrown off balance even though she expected as much. She grasped for a response, then forged ahead like a bull charging through a china shop.
"I think Lola knows, and you're the only person who could have told her." Her tone was challenging. If you got something to say, it said, say it to my face.
Lisa took a deep breath through her nose and blew it steadily out. "Lana, you and Lincoln cavort around here like two -"
"No we don't," Lana spat, "we're very careful. You and Lucy are the only ones who know about us, and Lucy wouldn't run her mouth because she doesn't ride around on a high horse like you."
A dark shadow rippled across Lisa's face and her jaw clenched. "Lana, perhaps you do not understand - "
"Perhaps you don't understand that I love Lincoln and he loves me. I bet you're just jealous because you're too cold and unfeeling for love. You're gonna die alone and no one's gonna miss you."
Lisa shot to her feet, her hand balling and her eyes burning with hatred. "Get out of my laboratory," she growled.
Lana stood her ground. "Did you tell Lola?"
"Get. Out."
"Did you -?"
Lisa came forward, and Lana's heart jumped into her throat. She didn't back down, though; she braced her feet against the floor and squared her shoulders. "No," Lisa repeated, her voice low and threatening. "I did not inform Lola of yours and Lincoln's relationship. I told you that I want one of you to be the reason our parents uncover it and send you to therapy. I have not, nor will I ever, tell; but when it comes crashing down, Lana, I'll be there to gloat, and to metaphorically lick the tears from your face." She smacked her lips with a loud, wet squelching sound that made Lana blink in revulsion. "Now get your ass out of my lab or I'll tell our parents everything I know."
In her eyes, Lana saw earnesty - she didn't tell...but she would if she didn't leave.
With a parting sneer, she turned, went into the hall, and pulled the door closed behind her. In her room, she found Dino standing at Lola's trophy case, touching each one and muttering to himself. "Oh, all state? Imma rub my hands on this bitch too."
She sat on the bed and took a deep breath; her heart throbbed painfully and her whole body trembled. Her skin burned and she fought for air - the confrontation played on her nerves more than she thought it would.
Sensing her, Dino turned. "Yo, I found a frog in here. I threw his ass out the window for ya."
Lana's heart dropped to her feet. "What?"
"Yeah, I sent his bitch ass packin. You welcome."
"THAT'S MY PET!"
Dino froze. "Oh, shit."
Panic gripped Lana's chest, and she sprang to her feet; she hit the top of the stairs before she even knew she was running and took them two at a time, visions of Hopps hurt and broken beyond repair assailing her from every side like a pack of child molsters at a playground. At the bottom, she met Lynn going up, and mindlessly shot out her arm, shoving the jock out of her way. "Hey!"
At the back door, she fumbled with the knob, tears of fear filling her eyes. "Mama's coming, Hopps!" she yelled. She got the lock, ripped it open, and froze.
Hopps sat in front of the door, looking up at her with annoyance.
Ribbit.
Relief washed through her in a crashing wave, and her knees gave out, spilling her to the floor. "Hopps! Are you okay, boy?" She snatched him up before he could answer and checked him, turning him this way and that looking for cuts, breaks, or abrasions.
He was okay.
Thank God.
Ribbit, he demanded.
"I know, I'm so sorry," she said and got shakily to her feet. "It won't happen again." She placed a tender kiss between his eyes, and his features softened; he licked the side of her face, and she laughed. "C'mon, let's get some lunch. I have a whole tub of grasshoppers upstairs with your name on it." She stopped. "And mine too."
In her room, Dino stood over Lola's vanity, touching everything in sight and knocking things over. "Oops," he said as a bottle of perfume tipped with a clink. He looked over his shoulder when Lana came in. "Yo, you found your frog?"
"Yes," Lana said tightly.
Dino turned away from the table to face her, his head tilting forward in the vaguest display of contrition. "Yo, girl, I'm sorry about that. I didn't know he was cool wit'chu."
"It's fine," Lana said hissed, "just don't do it again."
"Yeah, ight, I ain't gon hurt him. He, uh, he kinda cute. What his name is?"
Lana sat on the edge of the bed and reached into her nightstand drawer. "Hopps."
Dino nodded, then came hesitantly over. Hopps tensed and watched him from Lana's pocket, his eyes hard. "What it do, Hopps?" Dino asked and got down on one knee. He reached one finger out, and Hopps whipped his head away.
"He doesn't like people touching him," Lana said sharply, "only me."
"Oh," Dino said, "ight. Cool dat." He got up and stood awkwardly in the center of the room before going over to Lola's bed and sitting.
Lana found the tub of grasshoppers, pulled the lid off, and sat it next to her. Hopps licked his lips and jumped onto the bed. She dipped her hand in, collected a healthy palm full of dead bugs, and sat half before the hungry frog.
She tossed the rest into her mouth and crunched them between her teeth, guts, wings, and bristly legs coating the inside of her mouth and tantalizing her taste buds. Ummm. She opened her eyes and frowned at Dino's open mouth horror. "Oh, girl, you nasty," he said.
"What?" Lana asked and swallowed. "They're really good." She grabbed another handful and threw them in.
Dino shivered. "You cool but you gross."
"I know," Lana chirped and had another helping. "Want some?"
Dino shook his head. "Hell no. You go head and keep those for yo'self."
Lana shrugged.
More for her and Hopps.
Crunch.
