Huh... It felt weird...
He don't know if he was capable of describing this strange feeling he was trying to figure out. Of this hollow gap growing larger in the middle his chest as if it was consuming him whole from the inside, ripping his ribcages open to reveal the secret hidden underneath his bleeding flesh. Of the truth he was keeping away from the world. From the steady sound of his heartbeat reverberating against his constricting chest to his faint breathing barely slipping out from his lips. It was suffocating, the utter silence was slowly eating him up pieces by pieces like a starving man driven by blind hunger, drowning everything else that was happening around him into a screeching halt. How... Just how did this happen?
[Warning: Stress level is increasing at an alarming rate, please refrain from being close to the source of distress]
This... This is wrong. It shouldn't be like this, it wasn't supposed to end like this. She deserved better than this, she deserved to be happy. Why did someone so kind and innocent need to suffer this much, it wasn't fair... It clearly wasn't. His mind returned to his conversation with Mr Florence earlier that afternoon before he finally decided to take his leave, asking the older man to keep his bicycle for now and walking away from the park. He didn't even looked back at his girlfriend as Shay was worriedly watching him leave, too deep in the constrain of his own thought to notice his surrounding. Honestly, the background was mostly a blur with how much he was ignoring everything around him. For once, he was truly alone, nothing but himself to speak with, to confide with.
'When you first met her, Alex was already in a critical condition with the tumor growing larger in her brain even after so many surgeries being done to get rid of it. Some of us even gave up on saving the girl since there's no way she can went through more surgery with how weak her body has become to the medication. We even decided to give her the option if she wanted to continue with her treatment at our hospital or just stop entirely.' Mr Florence's tired voice lingered in his head like a distant memory coming back to him.
Of the news regarding the girl passing last Monday after she was transferred into the new hospital. It was weird hearing it from the older man, from the blank look on his face to the despondent tone of his voice. It's almost felt unreal with how sudden and ridiculous it sounded like to him that his mind barely registered what was actually happening at that moment. He was there when great grandma Harriet passed away before Lucy was born, sure he was sad losing a family member, but maybe he was just too young to really feel the whole effect of it. But Alex was different, he didn't even know her that long, not even for a week, and yet he couldn't help but feel like a part of himself was being ripped away from him. He felt lost...
Like he can no longer see the path Infront of him, trapped on a cliff with no other way to go. It felt like he was sinking deeper and deeper into this bottomless darkness taking hold of both his conscious and body. He was in a state of disarray, both existing and not in the same time, his mind refused to accept the fact, denying him of his grieve and sadness. Why would he be sad for her, for the girl he barely knew?
'It was a miracle when her health was beginning to recover when you started seeing her while also visiting your aunt, I can't explain it but your presence was probably also encouraging her to try and get more treatment for herself, and since she was getting better, her father decided to transfer her into a different hospital with specialized equipments and doctors to treat her tumor for her sake.' He still remember the look Mr Florence was giving him, the tired and defeated expression plastered on his slightly wrinkled features.
'Something... Something happened. After registering into the hospital, she suddenly had a seizure attack, and the strain from the sudden shock into her stressed brain was enough to cost the girl her life. It was painless, I don't think she even feel anything when it happened. Since they already knew her situation, they also buried her in the same day with her father's permission.'
'And as Alex requested, she was buried here, in the Royal Woods Cemetery.'
It doesn't make sense, none of this does, and that single thought alone keep him from breaking down. He have no right to be sad for her, not with how much of a stranger he was to the girl. Seriously, he wasn't anything more than just a passing guest in her life as she was to him. It would be stupid of him to cry over someone he barely knew. At least that was the explanation his mind gave to him.
"I'm sorry Alex...I-I'm really sorry."
And yet here he was, doing the opposite of what his mind was saying to him...
Who was he kidding anyway, he was just lying to himself to feel better about the entire situation, it has always been like that for him hasn't it. Hiding his true feeling beneath a logical explanation, a coping mechanism he created for himself to deal with the feeling he refused to acknowledge. He don't need a skill like the mask of deception to do what he has been doing his entire life. He was the fool here, dancing in the palm of misfortune frowning at him. How amusing was that, being watched by both tragedy and comedy, being orchestrated by the string of fate, and being tricked by a hopeless dream of a happy ending, a fantasy, a delusion of grandeur. How much more pathetic can he be to believe in such nonsense. But he never believed in such thing to begin with, he know that, not with how pointless it was. Then how can he explain this feeling piercing into his soul, tightening the red string wrapped tightly around his neck.
Lie as much as he wanted to but he actually believed that he will see the girl again, that the next time they meet she would be fine, that she will eagerly show him her story like when they first met.
Did he really think everything will be fine, that he will be able to fix whatever life throw at him. Then why don't he fix this already, why don't he make a plan so he can feel better about himself for something that he clearly can't prevent. Isn't that what he always does when he got into this type of situation. Then what is he waiting for, nothing a half baked plan and stupid scheme can't fix. What a joke, it wasn't even funny than it was pathetic, did he really think he can make a difference, a naive kid who don't even know his own place in this cruel world.
[Warning: Stress level is increasing at an alarming rate, please refrain from being close to the source of distress]
Under the cloudy and darkening sky, Lincoln found himself standing still Infront a headstone with a familiar name written on it. Alex Anderson, a girl with a big dream, of a world full of kindness and wonder.
"Access save file." Lincoln whispered to himself.
[Instruction unauthorized... System can't register...]
"Access back log." Lincoln gritted his teeth, it wasn't raining and yet he could feel the wetness trailing down his cheeks.
[Instruction unauthorized... System can't register...]
"Access history, opening last data file." He clenched his fists tightly by his sides, almost drawing blood from his palms with how much strength he was putting into it, but he doesn't seem to feel anything as his blue eyes stared blankly at the fresh dug up dirt.
[Instruction unauthorized... System can't register...]
"Please..." He trailed off, the corner of his lips curved up into a grim smile, one full of sorrow and disgust. "Please do something." He desperately begged to no one. What was he waiting for? This isn't a fairy tale where a miracle would suddenly come out of nowhere to grant him his wish.
[Instruction unauthorized... System can't register...]
Lincoln fell to his knees, his eyes blurry with the tears welling in them. His entire body felt weak. A low chuckle escaped from his lips like a haunting memory of his regret, of his ignorance, of his own weakness coming back to whisper words of truth into his ears.
"Is... Is this all my fault?" He started to sob, his cracked voice hoarse and laced with desperation. He needed something, anything to keep himself together.
[System can't answer...]
"C-could I have done something about this?" Lincoln asked to no one in particular.
[System can't answer...]
"Could I... Could I have saved her?"
[...]
[...]
[...]
[Due to Alex Anderson's route being disconnected completely from the database, the system no longer see her as a suitable candidate for your Harem. Please refrain from the stress and continue with your quest.]
What?
[The system will only affect those who are suitable for the player's compatibility, any hindrance would be disqualified and rejected by the database. Please refrain from the stress and continue with your quest.]
W-what was that supposed to mean?
[The system will continue to assist you to build your Harem. Please refrain from the stress and continue with your quest.]
His... His harem...
"Pfft... Ha...hahaha... Hahahahaha!" He couldn't help the humorless laugh of despair escaping from his lips. It was so fucking painful, it hurts, it hurts so fucking much to laugh. How disrespectful can he be, to laugh so openly in the middle of the cemetery. If he was worried of people seeing him as a madman before, he definitely look like one right now.
He can't believe it took him this long to realize this. Seriously, how stupid can he be!?
The system don't fucking care about him, it never did in the first place. The system was only there to fulfill its purpose, to get him his harem. Even from the beginning, it has always been doing that, guiding him along the way like he was a puppet, he was just the one oblivious enough to not notice how obvious it was. This was all just nothing but a game to them. So all of this was his fault after all. He was the one that make everything so difficult for himself, for the people around him... For his own sisters who were genuinely worried for someone like him. How funny is that!?
He was the source of all his problem, the irony!
And yet he still think that he can help the people around him. Why? Just to make himself feel better about his own inability to be happy. How deceitful, he didn't only lie to the people he cares about, he also lied to himself, that everything will be better as long as the people around him were happy. And this is what happen when he break out from it, when he make a decision. He finally got what he fucking deserves, the realization of how fake his entire identity and existance was clearly proven before him. Of how pathetic he truly was under the kind and nice facade he kept up for himself. He felt horrible, he felt disgusting, he felt like throwing up...
On a deceased girl's grave really?
The system has a purpose, it wasn't there for him to use as a simple tool for his liking, it was there to create the path for his harem, for him to make the decision he could never make for himself. It was exposing and forcing him to choose whether to make his harem a reality or destroying everyone that cares about him, and he can only choose one of them.
Stella...
What would happen to her now, what would happen if her route was also disconnected from the system. Will something bad happen to her?
When Shay's routes was momentarily disconnected from his database, she was assaulted by Trevor, if he wasn't there to help her, he can't imagine what would have happened instead.
Then what would make it any different for Stella, how can he know something bad wasn't happening to her already while she was absent from school. To know that it was all his fault that she was in danger. To know he was the source of her suffering.
His heart started beating painfully against his chest. It was frustrating, to know that he can't really do anything to stop the system from interfering with his life anymore. It was far too late for that, he know he can't change what that has already happened. But he can at least prevent it from happening again. The system wanted him to keep being the Lincoln Loud that will make everyone happy, to complete his quest like they intended, then he will give it to them.
If fate really wanted to challenge him with this stupid game of theirs, then he will play along with it.
If tragedy and comedy were entertained by his show, then he will burn the stage with them trapped in it for the end scene as his captive audience.
And if misfortune favored him for his bad luck, may the black cats and crows served under his name.
He have no intention of losing to them...
...
The streetlights flickered one by one along the sidewalk, lighting the pavement under the night sky. A few birds were flying low over the ground as the sound of cricket started filling the night air. As the sun grew dimmer across the horizon, Stella stared out through the window of her room, looking at nothing interesting in particular. It had been three days since she was absent from school, and yet she still think that she wasn't ready to get back there yet, not with the thought of seeing the white haired boy again after their last confrontation. As much as she don't want to think of it, the subject of their conversation kept coming back to her mind like a broken record, rewinding the worst moment of her life again and again much to her frustration. If she was worried of losing him as a friend before, she definitely did it now. She don't think she can even talk to him anymore and it was all her fault. She have no one else to blame but herself, after all she was the one who put up such a ridiculous suggestion to him. Even if she really didn't mind it that much, as long as he would accept her, she don't know if she even care about anything else.
She was the one who kept pushing her baggage and feeling on him, to make him understand how much she was willing to give for him to accept her. She cornered him to make the decision he should have never even considered in the first place. It was wrong, to make him choose when she clearly know how hard it was for him. She was just his friend, why would he choose her instead of his girlfriend, it was just plain stupid on her behalf for even suggesting such notion in the first place. But she still did it anyway, disregarding all her doubt and fear to make him understand how much he meant to her. She wanted to know what he thought about her, if he can ever look at her as anything more than just a friend.
And now, because of her own selfish desire, she lost him. Even an apology won't be enough to fix this, to make up for all her mistake. But did she really see it as such, did she really see all of her effort as nothing more than a slip in her conscious. That she didn't mean to put him on the spot like that, to put his feeling for her out in the open. Who was she kidding, it need to happen. Even if she didn't do it, she know she can't keep it hidden forever. At least she would get a closure from all this. Even if... Even if she also lost everything in the end.
Stella didn't notice the stray tears escaping from the corner of her eyes before quickly wiping it away. She can't believe she still have tears to shed with how much she had been crying since that day. Seriously, how much longer she wanted to stay like this, holed up in her room and lying to her mom that she was sick. It wouldn't take long before even the school will start asking question about her absence. She know she need to face it one way another, she just don't want to.
Was it wrong that she just wanted to stay like this, to hope that everything was a dream she will wake up from, to know that she didn't lose him, that she didn't lose the person she loved with all of her heart, the person who always smiled and laughed with her, the person who always have her back, the person that would never let her cry. To dream again one day that he will also be the one wiping the tears away from her face with his stupid smile. Was it really wrong for her to dream of something so impossible.
She almost thought her eyes were playing trick on her with how much she was thinking about him, but it didn't take long for her to notice the familiar figure walking towards the front door of her one story blue house from her window. And with her mom still at her workplace, she know she was the one who need to answer it when the bells rang. As if it wasn't bad enough, the world managed to make it worse for her. It's almost funny in a sadistic and sarcastic way if it wasn't so painful for her.
And she didn't even change from his pajama yet with how long she had been stuck in her room. Great, as if she can't make his expectation of her any lower than they already were. But it's not like she have anything to lose anymore. And she don't exactly have anything to show either with her tall and thin figure.
But what is he even doing here? Especially when it was already this late in the evening? Shouldn't he be at his home already? What is so important that he need to meet her out of nowhere like this?
Sighing, Stella eventually left her room and walked to the front door, taking a deep breath before holding the knob and opening the door to see the white haired boy standing Infront of her.
"Hey Stella." Lincoln said with a small smile, it was the most he can do at the moment with how much his heart was trying to put itself together.
"Hey Lincoln." Stella replied with a sad smile of her own, even looking at his face was enough to send a skip to her heartbeat. And yet, she know she can't have him, she know sh can't let this feeling hurt her anymore.
But she didn't know this feeling of hers was also hurting him, and between them he was probably the one hurting the most for carrying the weight of their emotions. It was wrong, but it was still love nonetheless, a cycle of struggle and acceptance. He understand the weight of her struggle, and he accepted it as his own. He will carry it just like he did for Shay. He will carry all of this weight, all of this struggle, and all of their love.
...
"What are you doing here Lincoln, it's already late you know?" Stella asked while sitting on the couch across of the white haired boy after she invited him inside and closing the door. There's still time before her mom would be back from her work, and with how often she was home late, it's probably would also be the same for tonight. If anything it would be better if he can get this over with as quickly as possible, not only because of her mom but also her heart beating rapidly against her chest in both anticipation and fear.
Even sitting here in her own house was somehow getting more uncomfortable with the presence of the boy staring intently at her with his soft and kind eyes. It wasn't fair, why did he need to do this to her, why did he need to make her fall in love more with him. Didn't he know how painful it was to her, for her to hold her emotion back from consuming her whole until there's nothing left but her unrequited love he rejected. Why did he need to make it so much more worse for her by being here, by reminding her of why she loved him so much, even from the first time they met.
"I.. I'm here to talk with you Stella." He replied with a sigh, surprising her a bit with the hint of exhaustion lingering in his eyes.
"If you're here to check on me because I didn't go to school these last few days, don't worry Lincoln, I'm fine." Stella averted her gaze from his, unable to look at him with how fast her heart was beating in her chest.
"It wasn't about that Stella, it's different." Lincoln ran his right hand through his white hair, a habit of his that she had noticed occuring when the boy was struggling to find the word he was looking for, she had always found that small gesture of his to be cute with the way his light blue eyes were slightly looking away in concentration. She didn't even realize the small smile appearing on her face when he looked back at her after finishing his thought.
"You can talk to me about anything Lincoln, I don't mind." She unconsciously said, for once since that horrible day she almost felt like they were back to when they were friend again. Like nothing ever happened between them, and she almost believed it. Well, almost...
"What happened that day Stella, when we last talked?" And just like that her heart instantly dropped. She know it was too good to be true. She was the one who started this, she should also put an end to this, even if it will hurt her.
"W-what do you mean?" Stella nervously asked, no longer able to look directly at his face, afraid that he will look at her with contempt or hatred on his face. And she know she won't be able to survive from that. For him to look at her with disgust, it will break her, it will easily break her wounded heart to pieces.
"Anything... Just tell me how it ended." Lincoln responded. When she looked up at him, he was only looking back at her with genuine worry in his eyes. And she don't know if it was worse than what she expected.
"You just left." Stella answered in a low voice. "You went quiet for a bit and then you left me alone in that room. I understand if you hated me, if you don't even wanted to see my face anymore. So I decided to stop bothering you and Shay. It's the least I can do for disturbing you with my nonsense" She added with a frown.
"So I just left you without saying anything." He sighed as Stella nodded at him. That was probably the worst thing he can do, instead of giving her a proper answer, he left her to her own assumption, letting her make a reason why he would have hated her by leaving like that. Even if he would have never wanted that, not for her.
"I would never hate you Stella, you've known me this long, I can't believe you would think of me like that..." He couldn't help but let out a short chuckle. Getting up from his side of the couch, Lincoln crossed the living room and carefully took his seat beside her. "I'm sorry Stella, I shouldn't have let you wait this long without an answer, that was really rude of me." Even after the turmoil he went through earlier, he genuinely smiled at the girl, holding both of her hands in his. He needed to do this, he needed to be honest with her. "I just don't know if I can really do this, if I can really trust myself with my own feeling..." He paused, looking straight into her murky brown eyes, and the dark bags hanging underneath from her lack of sleep... Or crying.
"But I do know that I don't want to lose you Stella." He sincerely said, shocking the girl with what he was trying to say.
"W-what are you talking about Lincoln?" She confusedly asked, uncertainty and anticipation mixed in her nervous voice barely getting out from her quivering lips. Is... Is this really happening. How can she know that this wasn't just a dream, a cruel trick made up by her own mind to punish her for her sin. That she was only getting her hope up for nothing. She... She can't deal with more disappointment, not when her damaged heart was so fragile and vulnerable like this.
"This... This is important Stella, I'm serious about this, I don't want to lose you, and I don't want to lose Shay either, I'm not going to break up with Shay or cheat on her, I need to know how much you are willing to give for this, I need you to understand how unfair it will be for you with what you're asking from me, I need to know that I won't be hurting you by doing this." Lincoln said with tears welling in his eyes. "I know I'm asking so much from you, but I need to know if you are really fine with this." He asked for her confirmation, a testament of how much he cares about her.
"Then will you love me Lincoln, will you really take me as yours." Stella said, barely holding herself back from wiping the tears from his freckled cheeks, to wipe away the pain from his features. She need to hear it from him.
"I... I don't know what this feeling is, I just know that if I didn't do anything I will lose you, and I don't want that, I know it is selfish but I will take you for myself." He admitted. "I-I love you Stella." He confessed as the girl started tearing up while smiling back at him. The struggle and the acceptance. Two both opposing sides of the same cycle. To love is to struggle for the price of acceptance, and what a heavy price will it be.
"Is... Is this really happening?" Stella asked in disbelief as her smile getting wider when he nodded at her.
"I need you to trust me Stella, I need you to know that I will always love you like I love Shay. That I will never treat any of you differently." He caressed her wet cheek in his right hand, tucking a strand of her black hair behind her ear.
"And by that, I also mean that I will treat you like I treat Shay." He whispered, slightly tilting his head and closing his eyes before connecting his lips with hers, startling Stella a bit as she eventually closed her eyes and giving herself into the kiss. It was a short one but it rivaled in the amount.
When he pulled away, Stella quickly grabbed his collar in both of her hands and pressed her lips against his, stealing the air from his lungs. And he could also feel the hollow gap in his chest slowly closing in with her warmth and passion burning his skin. No words need to be said, as the girl backed away to collect her breath, Lincoln lifted her chin with his right hand and returned her kiss, tasting the sweet flavor of her leaking saliva in his mouth. It was slightly different than Shay, but he still found his appetite liking the taste nonetheless. It was an exchange of kisses after kisses as both refused to let the other go without making sure they understand how much they meant to each other. It was neither out of desperation nor fear, it was their way of communicating their feeling, the soft touches and heavy breathes.
I needed you, I missed you, I'm sorry, please forgive me, don't let me go, hold me tight, I love you, I love you too...
Each kisses, each breathes, and each moans, a conversation being shared intimately by both of them. Their way of expressing their long yearning for each other. A sign of trust and honesty, a bond tempered by their struggle for acception of their feelings, to be one as they were and always will be. A promise, an oath, a sign of devotion.
[Congratulation]
[You've completed Stella Zhau's Route.]
[Stella Zhau will now be recognized as part of the Harem.]
[Devotion Activated]
[Lion's Cowl of Pride Activated]
[Stella Zhau will now be a part of your Pride]
Breaking the kiss once more, Stella pushed him onto the couch and straddled his waist, her hands gently sliding underneath his orange polo shirt, feeling the surprising faint line of his abs brushing against her palms.
"Woah, I didn't know you have been training your body this much Lincoln." She embarrassedly said, her reddening cheeks slightly heated up as her face flushed a shade darker with how much his physique has improved.
"I can't really back up my words to protect those I love if I didn't have anything to show for it you know." He seductively said. "Plus I can't let what happened to Shay happen again, not to any of you." He softly added as Stella blushed brighter before slowly lying down on him, her budding breast pressing against his chest as he could feel the twin peaks hidden beneath her thin clothes. "You didn't wear a bra?" He raised a brow as the girl poked the tip of his nose with her index finger.
"I'm still wearing my pajama Lincoln." She reasoned, her brows slightly furrowed as a tiny pout plastered on her face, getting a small chuckle from him.
"Yeah, I hope you didn't forget to shower today, I might not kiss you again later if you smell too much." He teased with a smirk.
"You're the one talking, you smell like dirt." She replied. "What, you wrestled with Lynn again?"
"No, I was just teaching Shay how to ride a bicycle earlier." Lincoln responded.
"She don't know how to ride a bicycle?" Stella asked.
"I know right, but she's probably going to get the hang of it soon, she's a fast learner after all." He said, smiling softly at the memory as the girl went quiet for a bit.
"Lincoln..."Stella hesitated. "You're serious right, about all of this?" She nervously asked only to squeak when he grabbed her ass.
"Stop it Lincoln, I'm serious." She glared at him.
"Then what makes you think I'm not." Lincoln traced his hands up her lithe figure, memorizing each and every curves of her slender body. What they would look like without her clothes covering them. And it was starting to get his own body excited as her eyes slightly widened when she felt the bulge poking into the middle of her damp neither region.
"Is... Is that..." Stella swallowed the lump in her throat and looked at his teasing face.
"You're mine Stella, I'm going to take all of you for myself, you need to always remember that I will never stop loving you as mine." He said while slowly pushing her up from his body.
"I will sort everything out, just believe in me alright, if you need anything..." He chuckled. "Well I hope you still have my numbers."
"Of course I do, I can finally change your nickname to my boyfriend now." She teased.
...
With one final kiss, they eventually separated as Lincoln finally leave her house since it was getting far too late in the night, and once again he was also breaking his curfew. But it need to be done, he know he can't let his situation with Stella stay too long without knowing the repercussion from the system. For now it was the least he can do to make sure that she will be safe. With Stella being added into his harem, the system would alerted him if she was ever in trouble. It wasn't favorable but he can manage this, it was a responsibility he was willing to take. He knows he was putting a lot of risk by doing this, especially when he don't even know if he was capable of loving more than one person but it was his decision, and he will make it work. No matter what it takes...
Taking out his phone, Lincoln unlocked the screen only to wince when he saw the amount of missed calls he got from his sisters. Not wasting any time, he scrolled through his contact and clicked for Clyde's number, waiting a bit before his best friend finally picked up his call.
"What is it buddy, you need help with anything?" Clyde asked.
"Sorry for suddenly calling you like this Clyde, but can I stay at your house tonight?" Lincoln scratched his cheek while walking on the sidewalk.
"Why, did something happen, please don't say your sisters kicked you out of the house again!?" His right eye twitched as Lincoln lowered his phone from his ear when Clyde raised his voice.
"N-no Clyde, it's nothing like that, I will explain it to you later, can I stay at your house or not?" He asked.
"Sure Lincoln, I will tell my dads, you just come here alright, I don't want you to stay out there alone this late." Clyde replied.
"Thanks buddy, I will see you later." Ending the call, he scrolled through his contact again and clicked on his mom's number, sighing before bringing his phone back to his ear.
"Lincoln Albert Loud, where have you been young man!?" Her voice shouted from the speaker, almost deafening him with how high the volume was. He already expected this to happen and yet it still managed to surprise him. He should really lower the volume after this, especially if he was calling any of his family.
"I-I'm fine mom, I'm at Clyde's house right now, sorry for not answering your calls earlier, we're just too caught up playing his new game that we didn't realized how late it was getting, I'm going to be staying at his house tonight, I promised I will be home early in the morning tomorrow for school." Lincoln carefully replied.
"You need to stop doing this Lincoln, we're all really worried about you." His mother frustratedly sighed. "You could have at least tell us first if you're going to be at the Mcbrides tonight."
"I know mom, I'm really sorry about this, can you please also tell the girls where I am, I don't want them to worry too much about me." Lincoln said while rubbing the back of his head when his mom went quiet for a bit.
"Lincoln, sweetie are you alright dear?" She worriedly asked much to his surprise.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine mom." He hurriedly answered. "I'm just a bit tired from trying to figure out how to beat the game, that's all." He lied, what was he even trying to achieve by hiding the truth from his own mother?
"If you say so dear, just don't bother the Mcbrides too much alright, and don't play anymore game you hear me." She advised.
"Sure mom, good night." Lincoln ended the call and placed his phone back into his pocket. He then stretched his arms over his head, easing his tight muscles a bit before letting them hang by his sides.
What was he even doing with his life...
Instead of going straight to Clyde's house, he made his way somewhere else, he still have something that he need to let out from his chest. It was stupid but he still wanted to do it, if anything just to get some fresh air.
Walking through the metal gate separating the threshold, Lincoln carefully walked along the dirt path until he found what he was looking for, even with nothing but the dim moonlight hovering above the dark sky it was enough for him to know where he was going. Of the single headstone getting his attention among many others lining the uneven ground of the cemetery.
"Hey Alex, sorry for bothering you this late." He let out a tired sigh.
"I know I should be at home right now, you don't need to be so mad at me." Lincoln chuckled pitifully to himself.
"I will leave soon alright, I promised." He sat on the wet grassy patch on the ground. "It's just..." He trailed off.
"You're always the one talking before when we first met, I hope you don't mind listening to me now." He snorted.
"Not like you have a choice anyway..."
"Right Alex..." Lincoln sadly smiled.
...
A/N: A long author note I guess...
FINALLY!!! We can finally start his radical phase, the arc that I wanted to write the most, you don't know how long I've been waiting for this. Seriously, we can actually start the harem now after all the build up. And it is only going to get more fun and complicated now, I can finally add more girls into this too. Who would I even start with...
With Alex's death being the trigger, Lincoln finally know what the system has always been about. Do you really think NoSoul01 will give him a happy ending when Lincoln himself don't think he deserves one. Not a chance. If you read my other stories you will know how much I like to torture him.
Finally, It's time to connect the puzzles...
Pirohiko Balthazar: Sorry dude, but I don't really want to put too much religion or history stuff into this, that's why I'm being vague about it. But thanks for teaching me new information though, I really appreciate it to learn new stuff from the review. I will mostly take how the modern society view the subject. Sure some don't mind about polygamy, but people would still view it as cheating, and with how people are these days, I would probably take the bad side of it to spice it up.
Dogspirit: Here you go my dude, just stay tune for the next chapter, there will be more moment of Stellacoln coming soon. Of course you can't forget the lemon scene, or perhaps even a threesome, how exciting.
Lerans: Yeah I kind of figure it out, it wasn't that subtle anyway, she really raised up a lot of red flags for her own death. Let's just hope her story and sacrifice end here.
Mr Haziq: Ba dum tish...
Kitehaseo: But the live action is really good though, if only they can tone it down with the fart jokes, seriously, the weird DeviantArt people would like that way too much for their own good.
I"m not sure if anyone notice this, but there's also something different in his status if you really read the past few chapters.
And also don't forget to review if you wanted too... I need to start writing the next girl for his harem.
And if you're new here, just say whatever you want I guess, I will probably answer your question in the next update.
Right before I forget, this is unrelated but wasn't there something like a Loud house x Tokyo ghoul fic here.