Author's Note
Lincoln Loud
'Damn, I'm tired.' Lincoln thought to himself as he continued he bumped into another person, he quickly apologized, and continued on, ignoring the question if he was alright. Perhaps it was the fact that he had been up to see the sunset, and was still awake as it started to rise He couldn't sleep the night before it had been too cold. It was a fear that if he fell sleep while it was cold, he wouldn't wake up. He knew he would go out early in this life, but he wanted to stretch it out as fast as he could. It was only going to get colder from here on out. Lincoln knew that he had to find somewhere he could go, a new hideout. But it would take weeks to find an empty house that wasn't occupied.
'I miss the Loud's house.' He thought remembering how warm the house had been when he visited a few days before. He kind of wished that he had been able to have something to eat while he was there. But while he was there he didn't feel right asking for food. While he had been there he noticed the many pictures on the wall. He felt relaxed there. It was one of the things that he envied about other families. Made him want to be back at the Loud's house. He had only been there for a few hours but he had been given a glimpse at what a family was like, however brief.
It made him wonder if Skippy had lived, if they could have found somewhere. Created a little family, maybe came across others homeless kids. Sat around, reading stories to each other. But that was all a fantasy. Skippy had hanged himself. He was just a homeless boy that no one wanted. The only reason his adopted father wanted him, was the monthly checks. Or maybe he enjoyed having a punching bag around too. Lincoln didn't know.
'I have to get out of this cold,' he thought to himself, as he felt another shiver run through his body. He had to get out of this cold before he caught pneumonia, or something. He also needed to get some proper sleep. And there was only one place in the city that would be warm, and wouldn't turn him away. A lot of places frowned on it, but this place. There were kinder.
The public library.
Lincoln stared up at the giant building, red bricked building, large floor to ceiling windows, on the floor, smaller ones on the top two. As he walked in he felt the warmth wash over him, making him sigh in relief. He quickly made his way to the upper floors. He was even happier that he had let Leni buy him the clothing, not that he really had a choice, but he was glad that he gave in. With his old clothes, they might not have let him in. Though they were kind, if you looked too dirty, they would think you were the kind of homeless that ruined things in their wake. It was usually empty whenever he came. Non fiction section. If he remembered right, there was a big comfortable chair, right under the heating vent. He shivered in excitement at the thought of siting in that chair, that warm air washing over him as he drifted to sleep.
Once he made his way to the area, he saw the chair. Big, and soft, and in the exact place he remembered it. He grabbed a random book off the shelf, and hurried over to the chair. Best thing about biographies were the fact that no one hardly came in this section. The library wasn't really a place people thought up when thinking for a place to get away. But for people like himself, this was a tiny oasis in the middle of a desert.
Lincoln sat in the chair, relishing in the warmth that came from above and thought about his situation. And thought about his situation. His hideout was gone, and he needed to find another. Though, that was a problem when you moved to a different area. You didn't know where was safe, where you needed to stay away from. The last couple of days he had saw a few gathered in alleys that he stayed out of. Even saw a couple around a trashcan fire, but he didn't know what these people were like. The homeless like every other groups of humans, had their cliques and they didn't like outsiders to intrude. He always minded his own business, or as least had until that day with Luan.
That was what he was afraid of. Those thugs being a part of one of these groups. They might not have been homeless, but there was a chance that they might have been. And if they saw him, he may not live long enough to regret it.
From where he sat he could see at the other end of the library, a couple of people sitting together, reading, and talking among themselves. He wondered if they were some kind of book club, wondering what that was like. Wondered if one day he would have friends he could sit with, and talk about something as simple as a book, with not many other cares in his life.
At this point he began to nod off, feeling warm and feeling safe sleep had finally come to the boy.
"Come on, time to get up! Get up, get up!" The small white haired boy jumped up and down on his parents bed. Excited. Smiling. Happy.
"Come on, Snowball. Give use a little bit more rest kiddo.' His father had asked him, as he continued to bounce on the bed as if it were his personal trampoline. The boy giggled as his fathers attempt to grab him, and pull him to lay down.
"But it's my birthday!" The boy dodges another attempt, and strikes a silly pose
"Well, in that case," His father says, before he suddenly jumps up, grabbing him and started to tickle his sides.
"Daddy! I don't like the tickles!" The boy manages to squeak out as he giggled.
"I dunno, I didn't hear the magic word!" His father taunts him playfully.
"P-Please D-Daddy!" He quickly giggles out.
"Now, that's my boy." His father finally stopping the attack on his sides, and smiles down at him with affection. "Now, why don't we wake up Mommy, and we can go make a super special breakfast for the birthday boy."
"Yay!" The boy readies himself to leap on his mother, giggling, before she raises an arm up.
"Like I could sleep through that!" His mother turned to look at him, an eyebrow raised, causing both males to sink back a little. Before a grin appears on her face.
Once everyone was up, and the kitchen full of laughter, and the smell of breakfast cooking The boy stares at the large pancake stack that was put in front of him. These were not just any pancakes, these were his mom's special birthday pancakes that she added cake mix into, along with frosting and sprinkles. It was a tradition in the family, and you only got them on your birthday.
"Eat up, snowflake, we have a big day ahead of us. His mother said while his father wrapped his arms a round his mother, giving her a peck on the cheek.
"EW! That's gross daddy!" The boy said before attacking the tower of pancakes before him, savoring every bite, while both his parents chuckle at him, while digging into their own breakfast.
Breakfast was over quickly, well he had finished his. His parents on the other hand ate theirs, while enjoying each other's company, and talked. While they finished, I rushed up to go get dressed and ready for the day. Once he was finished, and hurried back down. When he reached the bottom he was greeted by his parents who were waiting for him smiling up at him.
"Why, Kiddo, you wouldn't happen to want to open one of your presents before we leave, would you?" His father asked, leading him into the living room. Inside the room sat a couple of presents on the coffee table, neatly wrapped. I eagerly run to them, before my father stops me.
"Remember, only one present right now." Another tradition in his family. You can only open one present before the day's activities. The others were to remain until later.
The boy scanned the presents, he spots a smaller one, pick it up, and turn it over in his hands. Turning to his parents. "I want to open this one!" His father taps his nose, with a smile.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Open it up!" His father smiled as he tore into the brightly colored paper. Once the paper lay obliterated on the floor it he opened the box that was inside. It seemed to be a necklace with a plaque attached to it. He looked closer and noticed that there was writing on it.
"What is it?" The boy asks scrunching up his face.
"Well," his mother started, "It's a little something to always remind you that we will always be with you. And will always love you, Snowball." His mother says as she takes the necklace, putting it on him. It says, 'To our Son, you are braver than you know, smarter than you think, and stronger than you believe. Always remember, that we love you more than you know, and you will never be alone- Love Mom and Dad'." she finishes while cupping his cheek.
"Thanks Mommy, thanks Daddy. I'm never gonna take it off," the boy said with excitement.
"C'mon, Snowball, lets go celebrate," His father said while walking to the door carrying him in his arms.
The day past by swiftly, too swift for his liking. Even so, The boy had so much fun with his parents. They took him to the zoo, got to see a lot of birds and animals. Including the lizards, one of his favorites. Went to the park, and got ice cream cones, and flew kites. It was a wonderful day.
On the way home, his mother and father were singing along with the radio, very badly, but he could tell that they were having fun. And that made him happy. After giggling at them, he joined in with his parents, singing the parts that he knew. His mother turned to look at him, a smile on her face as she continued to sing along with the radio. It felt like that moment was never going to end.
At least until a car in front of them moved into their lane, causing his father to jerk the wheel to keep from hitting the other car, though it didn't help as their car slammed into the other car. The last thing he heard was his mother screaming his name, and a loud metal grinding noise.
Lincoln sat up, startled his hands up in front of him, bracing for impact. A book had been slammed on the table not far from where he sat. What the sound did, was push his sad feelings aside, but brought panic with it. Had he been found? He jumped up looking around, expecting his adopted father to suddenly jump out from behind a book shelf. When he didn't see him, his eyes focused on the only other person near him. And it was someone that he didn't expect, and oddly, it seemed it was hard to go anywhere in Royal Woods without running into one of the,
Fate must be against him, or was it pushing him towards them? He wasn't sure. Even a family as big as the Louds, a city this size he should be running into them this often. Now, a library. He might would imagine the young genius, I think she was introduced as Lisa, he would expect to run into her maybe but this person, She didn't seem to be the library type. It seemed to quiet a place for her.
Luna Loud.
Lincoln looked at the book she held, a biography of someone named Mick Swagger. What was the odds, that Luna Loud would come to the library today, and visit the most boring section of the library?
"Hey, Linc man, were you asleep over here?" she asked pulling a wooden chair from the table before him and moving it to sit in front of him.
"Uh, yeah. I mean No. I mean. I was here reading, and I sorta dozed off," Lincoln sat up, setting his book that he had opened in his lap on the table next to him.
"If you say so dude." She looked at him with uncertainty in her eyes.
"Well," He had to think of something. "I sat here, after walking here today, and it's cold outside. Turns out the heater vent is right above, when it kicked on, I think I got sleepy."
"Oh, That makes since." Luna smiled, maybe pushing aside doubts. "Nothing makes me sleepier than being warm and cozy dude."
"Anyways, what brings you here? No offense but I wouldn't expect-" He started.
"Me to come to the library? Yeah, I'm not offended, It's not really my scene. New family moved in up the streets. Really fancy people, the Yates or something bogus like that." She seemed to think a moment before continuing, "Anyways, Moms and Popster started to think we needed to be more well rounded. So, they dropped me off here, and told me to brush up on my English or something.
"And you choose a book about some long haired guy?" Lincoln looked over to the book on the table, " Mick Swagger – Life by the Guitar!"
"Some guy? You do know who Mick Swagger is don't you?" Luna says with some outrage, which earned a shush from somewhere in the library.
"I don't, Sorry, Never heard of him." Lincoln said after thinking for a moment. He didn't know who this guy was, apparently it had to be someone important. From the title, he was sure that he must have been some kind of musician, or something. The only music that he really listened to was acoustic, and well he had listened to the few bands, and Luna during the festival.
"What!?" Luna exclaimed again, earning yet another shushing from either a librarian near by or a patron, "Everyone has to know who Mick Swagger is, he's literally one of the most famous musicians in the world." She continued in a hushed tone finally learning her lesson.
Luna leaves her seat, and crams into the chair next to him, turning towards him, while looking in her pocket for something. Finally she fishes out her phone, along with a pair of headphones. Putting one in her left ear, handing him the other. She had to lean close to him, and he couldn't help but blush due to the close proximity to this female. And the fact that her boob was turning his arm. He wasn't used to a lot of things, but being this close to a female, was among the top of the list of things he wasn't used to.
"Listen to this. I guarantee, that it will change your life! Oh, man, this one's my jam." Luna whispers while hitting play on her phone. Music started flowing into the earphone into his ear. A slow guitar accompanied by drums and bass. He found myself nodding along with the music a little bit. Though, by the thirty second mark, a male voice begins to sing, the voice backed up by Luna as she sings along softly under her breath.
As the music picked up it's pace, he paid more attention to the rocker, than the music. She seemed to be blocking out everything around her, nothing else existed to her in this moment except her and the music. He could tell from when he saw her on stage, that she was very passionate about singing. But this song, it seemed to define her very existence. After two more minutes of enjoying Luna's singing, Lincoln hears the song come to an end, watch as she opens her eyes, turning to look at him
"What do you think about that, dude? Totally awesome, or what?" Luna asks smiling leaning against him.
"Well... I can definitely see where you got your style from. It was awesome, I'll admit." Lincoln says only to see her eyes brighten a bit more, as she pulls him into a hug.
Luna looked like she was about to say something, when her phone started buzzing, he assumed that she had gotten a text message.
"Looks like Luan has skipped her well-rounding activity, and has managed to drag Lucy to the arcade, they want to meet up." Luna smiles standing up, then she looks at him. "Hey, Wanna hit the arcade with us man? Unless you wanna get back to your old man nap."
He laughs a little, "Yeah. Lets go.
"This is gonna rock!"
The arcade was about a twenty-minute walk from the library. Lincoln and Luna had talked a little on the way to the arcade. Discussing like what they wanted for Christmas, and what was happening later in the week. Though he had let Luna take the lead with the conversation, talking about her parents, and her sisters. Which didn't bother him at all, since he lived on the streets, who was going to get him anything?
No one, that's who.
As they arrived at the arcade he and Luna had been talking about gifts for her sisters, rather Luna was bouncing ideas off of Lincoln. Lincoln tried his best, but since he really didn't know much about the sisters. Other than gifts that fit the sisters based on what he knew.
They stopped in front of the arcade. He had never went into an arcade before, this one or any of them. The closest that he had ever got to the arcade was usually passing by. He had always heard the laughter and happiness from inside, from the quick glace that he had gotten inside, he had seen all the flashing lights, and the machines. They stepped inside the building and it looked like nothing he really imagined before. It took his breath away. Though he couldn't look around long, as Luna had started to move, looking for his sisters, and he didn't think he could find his way out again if he got lost.
It didn't take but a minute or two before they managed to locate both girls who were standing in front of one of those dancing game machines. He had caught just the tail end of the conversation.
"-c'mon, Luce, don't leave me like a skeleton at the prom, no body to dance with, get it?" Luan was laughing at her own joke. Even Lincoln chuckled a little, while Lucy stood there giving no reaction at all, at least until she noticed them arrive.
"Sigh, thank the spirits you're here, Luan keeps trying to make my dance with her." Lucy says to Luna, her monotonic voice sounding more displeased than usual, and had even shuttered when she said the word dance. Then she turned her attention to Lincoln, tilting her head to the side, maybe confused.
Don't worry Little sis, Luna is here to the rescue!" The rock star says, before pushing me forward. "Linc here will will save you, and take your place."
'That's a lie,' He thought to himself, there is no way he was going to dance on that thing and embarrass himself.
"Finally, I've been waiting for a new challenger for ages. I have beaten everyone I know at this game. They don't call me the Dancing Queen for nothing."
"Nobody calls you Dancing Queen, Luv." Luna smirks, while leading him towards the dancing machine. Lincoln would have put up more of a fight to stay away from the machine, but something about the way the palm of her hand felt pressing against his that made his mind go blank. For some reason, these girls did this to him. Before he knew what was going on, the game had started.
'No use in complaining now,' Lincoln thought as he began to pay attention to the game. It seemed as if it were simple enough, as the arrows scrolled up the screen, you step on the corresponding one on the the buttons on the bottom of the machine. An idiot could do it.
After thirty seconds of game play, he was some what keeping up with Luan. Lincoln was splitting his attention between the game and the score as it rises.
'I think I can beat her.' Lincoln thought as he felt some hope rise up in him.
The hope slowly died out as the game sped up faster and faster. He was doing his best to keep up, and he was doing it very well. Though apparently Luan had a lot more practice, as her feet moved at speeds he couldn't imagine. He watches as his name appears below Luan's on the score board.
"What can I say, Lincoln. It was a guaranteed de-feet." Luan giggled, her braces glittering in the flashing neon lights as she grinned. "Get it?"
"Whoa dude. With a bit of practice, you could be awesome at this, and finally end Luan's reign, You could be really good at it." Luna exclaims patting him on the back, while Lucy muttered something about how no one in their right mind would want to be good at this game.
"Hey, Luna you'll never guess what." Luan said grabbing her sister's arm, and before Luna had a chance to guess, Luan continued, "I heard someone say they installed a new guitar game the other day, near the back."
"What? Dudes, we so gotta go find it!" Luna jumps with joy before disappearing down the aisles heading towards the back.
Once they found the machine, Lincoln, Luan, and Lucy all took turns trying to beat Luna at the game, and all failed. She was too good at the game, which was apparent from her first try. After a while, once they had all taken a beaten from the Goddess of Rock they finally gave up.
The rest of the time at the arcade pretty much progressed the same way. Luan, Luna, and even once or twice Lucy found games and they competed with one another. And they continued that pattern for about an hour before it was time for him to go..
"Hey, Dude, you sure you gotta jet?" Luna asked him when he told them it was time for him to leave.
"Yeah, I have a few things I gotta take care of before it gets too late." He explains to Luna, not wanting to have to explain the details of what he needed to do to prepare for the night.
"Hey, Linc. Our parents will be away tomorrow. If you can get away, why not and come hang out with us. I can introduce you to new music." Luna smiles.
"And I have some jokes that I wanna try one someone," Luan piped up.
"Sigh, and I would like to get your opinion on a couple poems I have been working on." Lucy appeared behind him, scaring him slightly.
'Should I really?' He wondered to himself for a few seconds.
"Yeah. Sure. I'd love to come over." Lincoln smiled, actually meaning it. He would love to spend more time with this family. It would give him something to look forward to. Something to make his meaningless life worth something. He said his goodbyes and made his way out of the arcade.
The real reason that he had to leave was because his stomach was growling and he needed to eat something. He hadn't had anything decent in about a day, even then whatever he had wasn't really good for him. Though, it filled his stomach he couldn't ask for much more than that.
He had wasted a lot of his money in the arcade today that he had collected in the past few days, paying for his goes on the arcade games. He hadn't wanted them to pay for all of his games, it might have brought on some questions that he didn't want to answer. With as much time as he spent with the Loud sisters, he wouldn't have enough time today to gather enough money to get him something decent. So, that left him with just one option.
A soup kitchen.
Now, he hardly ever went to a soup kitchen. Mainly because it drew in unwanted attention an eleven year old attracts when they go to one of these buildings. It's a good way to get caught by Child Protective Services, and he'll never, go back to one of those places again. He would rather freeze to death than return.
As Lincoln made his way towards the soup kitchen when he noticed the feeling of exhaustion creep back into him once again. The same feeling he had before heading to the library. It was the effect of not getting enough sleep. Granted he had been able to grab an hour or so in the library, but any rest that he gained was burned up in the arcade.
'I can't wait to get this over with, then find somewhere to sleep.' He thought to himself, maybe something in his stomach will help him get some rest.
The building that was used as the soup kitchen came into view. The building looked miserable like it took on the personification of the people that it helps. As if it reflected the hopelessness, and the suffering. Lincoln placed his hand on the outer wall next to the entrance. He knew how it felt. He took a deep breath, and walked into the building. Noticing the signs that pointed him in the right direction, pulling the door opened. The smell of soup mixed with the unfortunate bad smell of people who hadn't bathed in a while. He couldn't say anything, he hadn't either. He probably smelled just as bad, maybe even worse considering his many nights sleeping in an alley.
Lincoln joined the line leading to the counter trying to ignore the eyes he was getting from the other people in line with him. As the line moved along, he picke dup a bowl that was provided, along with a soon. Fiddling with the spoon to distract himself from focusing on the watchful glaces around him. Wasn't it rude to stare? He puts his spoon in his bowl and decide to keep his eyes down. He continues this way until he reaches the counterm looking up to talk to the person behind it. Once he looks up at the person, his heart stops, and a pit forms in the bottom of his stomach.
"Lincoln?" The person behind the counter was Lynn Loud Jr. How in the world... Maybe this was her 'well-rounding' activity.
'Well, fuck.' He thought.