RandomReviewerReturns: I don't know if I mentioned it publically, but I was thinking of doing a oneshot on Dino's origins and revealing that the suit is indeed possessed.


Lana sat across the table from Lincoln, her hands balled on either side of her plate and a grin on her face. Next to her, Lola glowered at the wall - next to her, Dino held a fork in one hand and a knife in the other, his head bobbing as if to music only he could hear. A napkin was tucked into his...well, Lana didn't know how it stayed put, but it did.

Everyone else did their best to pretend he wasn't there, but Lynn broke and stole a stealthy glance, and Luna's eyes flicked between him and her plate. At the head of the table, Dad cut a loaf of Italian bread into equal pieces. A giant dish of beans and franks sat in the center, flanked on one side by a pitcher of Kool-Aid and on the other by a gallon of milk. No one spoke - it was so quiet you could hear your blood rushing through your veins.

When he was done, Dad sat the bread next to the Kool-Aid, and everyone except Dino reached for the prized heel - the best part. "No," Dad said sharply, "the heel goes to our guest." He held it out to Dino with an accommodating smile. "Here you go, Dino."

Dino sniffed. "Nigga, get that shit out my face. Gimme a soft piece."

Dad's smile faltered, and he made no protest when Luan plucked the heel from his hand. Dino reached over, grabbed a slice, and slapped it on his plate. He grabbed the plastic spoon sticking out of the dish, scooped some up, and looked at it. "What this is?"

"It's beans and franks," Mom explained, "the kids just love it."

Dino looked around the table, seeing ten shades of nope, ranging from not my favorite but eh to this stuff is literally the worst. "Don't look like it. Imma still eat, though." He leaned back and draped his arm over the back of the chair as everyone spooned a little onto their plates. He snatched up his bread and shoved it into his maul.

"You can take the suit off if you like," Mom said hesitantly, "get comfortable."

Dino fixed her with a steady gaze, and she squirmed. "You gonna take yo skin off get comfortable too?"

Luna's face crinkled. "Is that really your skin?"

"Nah, nigga" Dino said and waved his hand, "it's a metaphor."

"Ah," Luna said. "Right."

When everyone was done serving themselves, Dino dragged the dish over and slopped a heaping helping on his plate, his elbow clipping the side of Lola's head. "Will you watch what you're doing, please?" she snapped.

Dino turned and favored her with a sneer. She kept her face forward, the corners of her lips turned sharply down and her nose up. Dino went back to his task, and when he was done, he dropped the spoon onto the table. "Y'all spank yo kids?" he asked Dad.

"Absolutely not," Dad said solemnly, "Rita and I don't believe in corporal punishment."

"I see that," Dino snorted.

Lana stared down at her plate, then at Hopps in her lap. She liked to think she was the grossest girl ever, but some things were too nasty even for her, and Dad's beans and franks was one of them. Luckily, Hopps was the grodiest frog in the world and he loved it. She picked up her spoon, dipped it in, then surreptitiously held it below the table. Hopps crawled onto her leg and shot his tongue out, grabbing a bean as though it were a fly.

She glanced up at Lincoln; he was watching her expectantly, his brows lifted quizzically. Lana winked, then fed another spoonful to Hopps.

On the other side of Lola, Dino shoved the spoon into his mouth and chewed slowly, appraisingly. "Goddamn, nigga," he said and turned to Dad, who jumped. "What this is?"

"B-Beans and franks," Dad said, "it's an old family recipe."

Dino looked from him to his plate and back again. "You need to call this shit fire, cuz it is lit, my nigga."

Dad's face softened with something like relief. "I'm glad you like it."

"Like it, nigga? I think I'm in love."

Lana sat her spoon on her plate and slouched down in her seat, her eyes meeting Lincoln's. She nodded. It's go time, Linc.

He waggled his brows and slouched down too. Lana reached out one bare foot and found his with her toes. She caressed them across his skin in a tender greeting. He returned it by stroking her sole with his big toe.

"...your day?" Dad was asking.

"It was okay," Luna replied, "had a righteous jam sesh with Sam."

Across the table, Dino tilted his head. "Had a what?"

"Jam sesh," Luna repeated, "you know, we rocked out. Played our instruments."

"Nigga, what didn't you say that?"

"I...did…" Luna said, her forehead wrinkled.

Lana licked her lips and ran her toes up the top of Lincoln's foot. It was a simple thing, playing footsie with him, but it really turned her on. Touching him in any way turned her on - laying in his arms turned her on, feeling his body heat turned her on, smelling his scent turned her on, sometimes just looking at him, especially the warm, loving light in his eyes, turned her on. His voice too; there were times she could simply hear him and get wet.

Right now, she was really turned on, especially after what they did earlier - she imaigined she could still feel his warm puke on the back of her head and taste his salty cum on her lips. If Lola and Dino weren't screwing everything up, she'd follow him into his room after dinner, get naked, sit in his lap, and sheath him between her folds, her hands on his shoulders and her forehead pressed against his...lifting, falling, lifting, falling, impaling herself on him until he swelled and gave her his love…

Warm, sticky girl cum dampened the crotch of her panties and her cheeks blazed with color. Alright, they had to stop or else she'd jump him right here in front of God and everyone. She pulled her foot away, her toes cold after the heat of his flesh, and sat up straight. Everyone was looking at Dino, and Lana realized that he had been speaking this whole time. "...nigga was trippin, so I knocked his ass out and left."

Lynn snickered and Mom forced a fake smile. "Oh, that's nice."

Dino nodded. "People think I play cuz I'm down with the Dungeon. Uh-uh. I'm a real nigga. I keep it real on these streets. Y'all see me comin, y'all know you done fucked up." He took a drink of Kool-Aid and sighed contentedly. Mom and Dad stared at him with big, shocked eyes.

"That's, uh, that's enlightening," Dad said and turned to Lynn. "How was your day, sweetie?"

"Good," she said, "I cleaned up at football. Gave Timmy a black eye."

Dad opened his mouth, but Dino cut him off. "Yo, you ball?"

"Every day," Lynn said.

"Nah, I mean real ball. Not that gay ass soccer shit."

Lynn snorted. "I don't play soccer. I play football."

"Real football?"

"Real football."

Her face darkened when Dino snorted. "Nigga, you weigh fifty pounds soaking wet, talkin bout you ball."

Lynn's face hardened. Lana reached reached for her bread because there wasn't any popcorn available. "I do ball."

"Who you ball with?" Dino pressed. "Who you ball with?"

"Timmy -"

Dino blew a raspberry. "Ballin on some lil' three-year-old boy down the street. Out there with the Nerf or nothin."

Everyone looked from Dino to Lynn - Lana shoved her bread into her mouth and chewed.

"I play with a real football," Lynn sneered, "on a real field. WIth real opponents."

"Yo, Madden don't count, though."

She splayed her hands on the edge of the table and started to stand, her face red and her eyes flashing, but Dad jumped. "Honey, sit down, please. Finish your dinner."

She hesitated for a moment, then did as he said.

"Umhm," Dino said, "sit yo ass down. Yo daddy might not believe in discipline, nigga, but I do. Imma do you like my grandmama did me - make you go get a switch out the yard and beat yo ass with it."

Lynn growled, grabbed her fork, and savagely stabbed a piece of hot dog with the tines.

Dino turned to Lola. "You too. I done touched all yo shit. What'cha doin?"

Lola shot him a dirty look.

"So, uh, Dino," Dad said in a clear effort to head off an argument, "how long have you worked at The Pizza Dungeon?"

"Ten years," Dino said and took a bite. "I was there the day it opened. Started washin dishes and worked my way up. Like Scarface in that bitch." He picked up his glass and tossed it back, then sat it on the table.

Lana stole a glance at Lola, who ate prim and proper just like she did everything. She still needed to talk to her - Lincoln said she hadn't done or said anything, but Lana didn't trust the princess wannabe as far as she could throw her, which...actually, she could probably throw her pretty far if she was mad. Okay, she didn't trust her as far as she could throw Dino.

After dinner would be the perfect time, but she was kind of hoping she could get Lincoln alone for a quickie. They couldn't use either of their rooms, but there was the attic, and the basement, oooh, and the bathroom. He could bend her over the toilet and ram her while she inhaled the stench of everyone's poop and pee.

Ummm. Yes, please.

"...I couldn't dance, I couldn't sing, I couldn't do shit, then my nigga Mr. Miyagi showed me what's up. Y'all can say Biggie or Pac was the best, but they ain't got shit on that man. He the best that's ever been. I got nothin but love for him. I miss that dead nigga every day."

Dad nodded gravely. "It sounds like he was important to you."

"Straight up, that nigga made me who I am today." He looked down at Lola, who had pushed her plate away and sat with her hands in her lap like a queen on her throne. "You gon finish that?"

She didn't reply.

"Silence gives consent, nigga," Dino said. He picked her plate up and scraped the leftovers onto his. "Mr. Miyagi was like my dads, feel me? Nigga stayed on me. It work, though. Look at me now. Look at me now. I got money, I got bitches, the Dungeon love me; damn, it's good to be Dino."

"What happened to your real father?" Dad asked.

Dino picked up his fork and scooped it across his plate. "Nigga punked out when I was a kid. My mama worked three jobs to support me and my brothas."

"She sounds like an incredible woman."

"Nah, fuck her. Her jobs was sucking dick, slingin rock, and McDonald's."

No one spoke for a minute. "What's wrong with McDonald's?" Lucy asked.

"McDonald's wack," Dino said. "They took they ball pits out. Best part the playground too." He shook his head. "Speakin of food, lil girl, you bout to eat or nah?" He nodded at Lucy's plate, which hadn't been touched.

"I don't like beans and franks," she said.

Dino snorted. "You better eat, get some color in ya face. Lookin like you came out the pet sematary. What, you can't go out in the sun? You gonna burn up?"

Lucy started to speak, but Dino cut her off. "Nah, nah, nah; you gonna sparkle like that nigga from Twilight. Nigga, you wear a cape, you use big words, you sparkle - I know exactly what you is. Say it it out loud. Nigga, you a faggot."

"Ha, ha, ha," Lucy said, her voice dripping sarcasm. "You're hilarious."

Dino took a bite of his food. "I ain't jokin; you over here lookin like that girl from The Ring. The fuck you got to be darkness about? You got yo'self a lovin family, you got a roof over yo head, a bright future foldin T-shirts at Hot Topic, nigga, you ungrateful. You was my child I'd whip yo ass."

Luan snickered, and Dino whipped his head in her direction - her smile fell and the color drained from her face. "I know you ain't laughin. Way you took that bread out yo daddy's hand, nigga, uh-uh. My grandmama woulda slapped the taste out my mouth. And what the fuck is that flower on yo shirt? It ain't real, is it? Gon squirt someone in the face, huh?"

Flashing a nervous smile, Luan lifted her hands. "The best pranks are classics."

"Ummm. You a pranksta, huh?"

"T-The best in the business."

"She's a nightmare," Lori said.

Luna nodded in agreement. "Every April Fool's Day, she takes it waaay too far. Last year she destroyed the house."

Dino looked at her, then at Luan - she shrank away in fear. "Umhm. Yo ass lucky you ain't have my family. You try that shit, nigga, you gon hear a joke. What the five fingers say to the face?"

Mom and Dad laughed nervously. "It sounds like your family was strict," Mom said.

"You goddamn right they was. We was well-behaved, too. Let me ask y'all somethin: When y'all go to the grocery store, these little niggas run crazy, huh?"

Mom shook her head. "N-No, I-I wouldn't that. They can be rambunctious -"

Dino blew a raspberry. "Saw that comin. Oh, they just kids. Kids grow up, homegirl, and when they ain't get the parentin they need, they turn out like punks."

"Like you?" Lynn asked.

Mom and Dad both paled. "Lynn," Dad said sharply, "that wasn't very polite."

Dino lifted one arm. "RIght there, nigga, my point exactly. I said some shit like that, nigga, I'd be lucky to have an ass left when my grandmama got done with me."

Across the table, Leni furrowed her brows. "Like...would you have it right?"

Dino turned to her and looked her up and done. "What?"

"Like, you said you wouldn't have an ass left, so you'd have it right. Right?"

For a moment Dino stared at her like she had lobsters crawling out of her ears. "Let me guess," he said, "you the dumb one."

Leni blinked. "No," she said, drawing the word indignantly out.

"Umhm. What's one plus one?"

She started to speak, then touched her index finger to her chin in thought, her head tilting and her eyes rolling up to the ceiling. She hummed then brightened. "Oh, I know. It's totes five."

Dino threw back his head and laughed. "Nigga, stop playin. You know damn well it ain't no five."

"I do?"

Dino sobered when he realized she wasn't playing. "Yo, you serious, huh?" He looked at Mom and Dad, and they both cringed a little. "What grade she in?"

"Eleventh," Mom said.

"She in special ed?"

"No," Dad said and shook his head. "Regular ed."

Lana scooped some beans and franks onto her spoon and shoved them into her mouth. Across the table, Lincoln did the same, and their eyes met; a grin spread across his face and he gave a conspiratorial wink. Lana opened her mouth and showed him her food, some of it dropping down her chin and back onto the plate; he playfully crinkled his nose, which made her giggle.

"Goddamn," Dino said, "George Bush wasn't playin with that no kid left behind shit. He bringin all the dumb niggas with him."

Mom forced a tense laugh. "Bush was a disaster," Dad said tightly, and Lana rolled her eyes. He and Mom were both liberals and when the topic of Bush came up (or, oh god, Trump) they got annoying, Dad more so than Mom.

Dino dismissed him with a curt wave. "Nigga, shut yo ass up. You think you can do better?"

Dad opened his mouth, but Dino lunged for his jugular like a vicious dog. "You one them niggas up on Facebook frontin' like he know everything. You an expert in foreign policy, nigga, economics, defense spendin. You the smartest motherfucka to ever live. Go on and run, then, out there wit'cho pink apron. Yo first day in office we gon get invaded and took over. Mista I-Don't-Believe-in-Corporal-Punishment. How you gonna repel an invasion? Cuba gon send five niggas in an overturned refrigerator and you gonna surrender they asses."

"I think Lynn would make a very good president," Mom said, a defensive edge in her voice. "He's kind, gentle, sensitive -"

"So he a bitch."

Mom blinked and Dad looked hurriedly down at his plate like a castigated dog. "No," Mom said, her irritation beginning to show, "he's -"

Dino shrugged. "He a bitch. I saw him up in that kitchen in his pink apron, shakin his ass and singin like he Beyonce. Check up on it tonight. You really tellin me this faggot gon lead us to victory?" He gestured at Dad.

Wow. This is better than cable, Lana thought.

Mom's jaw clenched and she took a deep breath through her nose; her nostrils flared which meant she was getting mad. "I trust him to do the right thing."

Dino started to speak, but seemed to censor himself. "'Ight. I ain't votin for ass, though."

Lola sighed in contempt. "May I be excused?"

Dad nodded; Lola picked up her plate, carried it into the kitchen, then came out, passing behind Lincoln and dancing her fingers along his shoulders. "Can we play a game, Lincy?" she asked and batted her eyelashes.

Lana's eyes narrowed.

"Uh," Lincoln said nervously, "l-like a video game?"

"Umhm."

He shrugged one shoulder. "Sure." He looked at Lana, and it was clear he didn't want to. He got up, took his plate into the kitchen, and followed anyway; Lola stood on the stairs, one hand resting on the bannister and a devious smile on her lips.

Screw that.

"Can I be excused too?" Lana asked.

"Yes," Dad said.

She grabbed her plate, rushed into the kitchen, dropped it into the sink (she thought she heard something crack), then streaked out as fast as she could go without arousing suspicion. She reached the stairs, climbed them two at a time, and got to Lincoln's room just as he sat next to Lola on the bed, two controllers in his hands. He looked up, and a ghost of a smile flickered across his face. Lola, on the other hand, frowned.

Umhm. You are up to something, you little bitch.

"Hey, Linc," she said, winded, "can I play too?"

"Sure," he said, and Lola's jaw clenched. "There're only two controllers, though."

"That's okay," Lana said and came in, "I don't mind." She dropped onto the bed next to him, and couldn't help leaning playfully into him. He started to put his arm around her shoulders, but stopped himself when he remembered Lola. She stared at the TV screen with a strained expression, but Lana could see her watching them from the corner of her eye. Ha, you're sneaky, sis, but not that sneaky.

On TV, the words STEAL THAT CAR 8 appeared, followed by a montage of cars exploding, people getting shot, and a city skyline. She and Lincoln played this game all the time; it was really fun, especially spraying people with the flamethrower and watching them burn up.

The game started, and Lincoln handed her his controller. Lola glanced at him and leaned close, her shoulder rubbing his. "Lincy," she said, her voice dripping sugar, "what do I do?" He turned to her, and she pouted.

"Well, you -"

"I have a better idea," she said. She half stood, then shifted onto his lap, her butt wedging between his legs and her sleek body pressing back against his. Lana's jaw dropped, then snapped closed again. Really? "There," Lola said and held the controller out in front of her. "Now reach around and help me."

Lincoln's cheeks burned and his lips quivered - he was so embarrassed he looked like he was going to die. "Uh...okay." He wrapped his arms around her and cupped the back of her hands in his palms, his thumbs resting atop hers. He stretched his neck to see over the top of her head, blowing and smacking his lips when some of her hair got in his mouth. She favored Lana was a smug sidelong glance that made her blood boil - she knew alright, and she was mocking her. Lana's grip tightened on the controller and her teeth ground back and forth; she had half a mind to go upside Lola's head with it.

"You just, uh, you push the joystick to move," Lincoln said, and pressed his thumb against hers; onscreen, one of two characters standing side-by-side moved.

Lola turned her face to his; she was shorter, but looking up, her lips were inches from his, and the closeness made Lana seethe. "Like that?" she asked innocently.

Lincoln gulped and nodded. "Uh-huh. Yeah."

She batted her eyelashes. "What else do I do?"

"Play the game and stop acting helpless," Lana snapped. She input a quick cheat code giving her character a knife, then walked up to Lola's and stabbed it in the face - it grunted, stumbled back, and started gushing blood. "Or that'll happen."

Lola gasped, then knitted her brows in an angry V. "Really?" she asked snottily.

Pursing her lips, Lana stabbed Lola's character again, this time in the guts; it doubled over and swayed from side to side. "Really."

Lola looked at her, her lips a tight, white slash and her eyes pooled with contempt, then turned to Lincoln. "Lincy, how do I get a weapon?"

"Like this," Lana said. She hit X and sliced Lola's character across the throat; it fell over and curled up on the ground, then died.

It respawned a few feet away. "Lincy, give me a weapon!"

Lana entered another cheat, her thumbs flying across the controller; an AK-47 appeared in her guy's hands. She took aim and held down X, peppering Lola's character with bullets; it jerked, twitched, and spun before going down and dying again. "I guess you really are helpless," Lana snorted.

Crimson flashed across Lola's cheeks and her eyes glinted with cruel intentions. "Lincy," she said, "Lana's being mean."

"LaNa'S bEiNg MeAn," Lana mocked.

"See?!"

Lincoln looked stricken for a minute, then looked at Lana. "D-Don't kill her like that. She's just learning to play. It isn't fair."

Isn't fair? ISN'T FAIR? She was sitting between his legs and having him put his arms around her - she wasn't trying to play, she was trying to taunt them.

That's it. No more pussyfooting around. "You know, don't you?" she spat.

Lola looked at her strangely. "Know?" A faint glint in her eye, like the gleaming of a knife blade, betrayed her lie. Lincoln's face paled and he turned to Lana. Stop, he mouthed.

She ignored him. "You know and you're gonna blackmail us or something, aren't you?"

Lola shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

Lana popped. She threw the controller to the ground and shot to her feet. "Stop playing games! You know exactly what I'm talking about!" She balled her fists and leaned in; Lola's eyes flickered with mortal terror and she shied against Lincoln for protection. Lana cocked one fist, but before she could throw it, someone snatched her by the back of her overalls and pulled her away.

"Girl, what the fuck is yo problem?" Dino asked and held her up like a mother cat holding its baby by its scruff. Lana's feet dangled over the floor, and being helpless only made her madder. She threw a flurry of kicks and punches at the air, and Lola flinched, her face burying in Lincoln's chest.

"It's her," Lana said, "she's being a bitch. Again."

Dino followed her gaze, saw Lola, and hummed. "Ight. She deserve it." He let Lana down, and Lola squealed. Lana threw herself at her sister, but Lincoln shot out his arm and shoved her back.

"Lana, stop! She didn't do anything."

In her fury, she may very well have ripped Lincoln apart to get to Lola, but the point became moot when Dino grabbed her and flung her aside; she lost her balance and went to her knees with an umph. "Oh, shit, nigga, you got Steal That Car? That's what's up." He dropped onto the bed, grabbed the controller from the floor, and took aim at Lola's character with the AK. "Pow!" he said and pressed X; bullets tore into Lola's avatar and knocked him flat on his back. "Talk that shit, nigga, see what happen."

Lana, on her hands and knees, looked up at Lincoln; Lola was nestled protectively against him, her hands covering her face, and something about seeing it hurt so bad it was like a knife in her stomach. Hot tears filled her eyes, and she pushed to her feet, turned, and hurried out. "Lana!" Lincoln called after her, but she didn't stop until she reached her bed; she threw herself on and burrowed her face into the blanket, her tears soaking into the material.

First Lisa, now Lola. Why couldn't they just be happy for her? Why did they have to call her mean names and taunt her like that? She wasn't doing anything wrong, was she? Lincoln made her happy and she loved him with all her heart - she just wanted to have him and for her family to support them. Lucy did, but Lisa didn't - she couldn't even walk down the hall without her younger sister clucking her tongue or giving her a dirty look. Lola didn't...she was going to hang it over her head because when you got right down to it, Lola didn't care about her, she only cared about herself.

She squeezed her eyes closed and clutched the blanket in her hands.

Months ago, when she found that Hustler at the dump, she wanted to have sex with Lincoln and that was that. She didn't want to cuddle him at night or hold his hand, or run her toes up his legs as they snuggled in bed - she just wanted gross, dirty, amazing sex.

That was wrong.

Then she fell in love with him. She always loved him, always felt safe and warm and good around him, but it was only after deciding that she wanted to do sex with him that she started to really look at hm, and realized just how perfect he really was. She saw him suffering because of that bitch Ronnie Anne, and it killed her inside - she wanted to hold him, kiss him, and make him feel as good as he made her feel.

Was that really so fucking bad? Did she really deserve Lisa's crap, and now Lola's too?

The bed dipped, and she looked up through blurry eyes; Lincoln frowned and laid his hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

"No," Lana admitted, "I'm sad." The tears came faster, and she gave into them, bowing her head and crying silently. Lincoln wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. She curled up against him, pressed her face to his chest, and took a deep breath through her nose; his scent was warm and comforting, clean but masculine.

He ran his fingers softly through her hair and stared down at her with loving eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lots of stuff, she thought but did not say. "Lola," she said thickly, "I think she knows and she's gonna do something."

Lincoln blinked. "About us?"

She nodded.

Lincoln didn't speak for a moment. Sighing, he said, "I kind of wonder if she does too."

Lana looked up at him.

"She's been acting really...sweet," he said. "And she only does that when she's going to ask you for something, or when she's about to bite your head off."

Lana knew, boy did she know. She'd shared a room with her since they were old enough to have one, and in that time, Lana had learned all of her sister's tics, traits, habits, and motivations. She was fundamentally selfish, and she had a way of making everything serve her will, like she was God.

Not only was she selfish, though, she was also sadistic - she was like a cat who toyed with its prey before eating it, relishing its fear, savoring its terror, and delighting in the frantic squeaking it made as she sank the tips of her claws slowly into its chest.

There was no doubt about it. She knew about them and she was playing with them, like that damn cat with its mouse, batting them back and forth and holding them in her mouth before bringing her teeth down. She wouldn't tell outright, she'd make them serve her, and as long as they were together, she would have leverage.

She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the heel of her palm. "What do we do?" she asked.

Lincoln was quiet for a moment. "We wait," he said.

"Wait?" she asked, tasting the word as though it were foul. "Why? We should confront her. She knows so -"

He cut her off. "We don't know that for sure. We're both paranoid and we could be jumping at shadows. She might want something else, or maybe she knows something else. You trampled Mom's roses last week, and I accidentally tore up Dad's apron. Maybe she found out and that's what she's going to use against us."

"No," Lana said, "she knows about us, Linc. That's what she -"

"We don't know that," he repeated firmly. "If we go off half-cocked and assume that she does, we might as well be gift wrapping it and throwing it into her lap with a card that says We're together, here, please blackmail us."

"Lincoln," Lana said sharply, "look at how she's been acting and tell me it's over an apron and some roses."

He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. "We don't know," he said again, as if repeating it enough times would convince her...or him. "We need to play it safe. I don't want to lose you." His voice broke with emotion and his eyes welled with tears. Lana frowned and touched the side of his face, her heart swelling with love. She didn't want to lose him either, he was the best thing that had ever happened to her, and she would do anything it took to keep him as both a brother and more.

"Alright," she said, "we'll wait." Then. "I love you, Lincoln."

"I love you too."