The Princess and the space cowboy Chapter 27: Changes, a loud house fanfic

Chapter 27: Changes.

Lincoln's P.O.V:

*beep* *beep* *beep*

It's that dreaded sound again, I wonder if someday, just… someday, I'll be able to hear the alarm without wanting to trash that clock, well whatever… I guess it is my fault today.

I didn't get much sleep yesterday, but whatever, it was worth it.

I open my eyes and immediately notice the absence of my usual sleeping companion, it's sort of a miracle that she gets to wake up earlier and leave the room without me, or anyone else in the family really, noticing, it makes me also worry about her, considering just how little sleeping time she gets, she's always adamant about her beauty sleep being a requirement to maintain her looks for the pageants.

Although It might just be me, but she doesn't look any less beautiful regardless of how much she sleeps.

… Why am I using that word? What the fuck Lincoln Loud!?.

… anyway, I guess that's enough thinking for today, I slowly but steadily make progress as I manage to untangle the heavy mattress surrounding my lazy body, until I finally get to stand, officially separated from my bed, then, as I open the door, I make a mental note to prepare myself for the line of sisters separating me from the shared bathroom of the house.

The outside of my personal safe space is revealed, I see my sisters lining up.

…Oh wait, it's just Lynn, Lisa and Lily, I wonder if I will ever let that old habit of mine die someday.

First it was Lori, then Leni, then Luna, and Luan just left like a month ago, the departure was a hard time, I will not lie to you guys, the house just doesn't feel the same without them, I myself still have to allow the tears to flow from time to time, I miss them a lot.

But of course, every Loud will eventually have to leave the nest, College awaits, among other pursuits in life, you just have to move on and build your own identity, and it's not like we were never going to see them again, Lori still has video-chats with all of us every day at lunch when she gets to leave her office, Leni comes every month to shower us with gifts of unique fashion items that she herself designed, Luna is always inviting us to her gigs around the state whenever she manages to escape her side job as an accountant (the music industry can be a though one, even for someone as gifted as she is), and Luan promised to always mention us whenever we see her Saturday morning show on TV.

- Lincoln! – I hear my youngest sister say my name excitedly as I enter the ever-shrinking line.

- Hi Lily! – I reply with a rivaling mood to match hers, raising my hand to shake her growing light-yellow hair in a playful manner.

- Hey stop that! – Lily giggles while I continue my playful assault, the cute sign reminding me of how I used to do the same to Lola when we were younger, Lily having almost the same age as she did back then.

- Sup – I hear Lynn say in a disinterested manner, having barely noticed my presence before picking her phone again, why is it always the 17-year old sister in the house that gets biologically dependent to that damn device? Ever since she got to dating that piece of shit Chandler she's been like this…

- Sup – I return the disinterest.

- Good morning Lincoln – Lisa cordially addresses me next, being the one that I could say has changed the least out of all the siblings, maintaining her impersonal and technical attitude around the family as the only relevant information that she allowed her gifted brain to process was In relation to science… well… at least she refers to me by name now.

- Good morning Lisa – I reply happily to my sister's attempt at being friendly, at the very least, seriously, the only reason for why that girl isn't out of the house yet and being hired by top universities across the world is because our parents won't allow It due to her age.

I begin doing a brief chat with Lily about her recent struggles in elementary school, my sister, despite being very bright for her age, although not Lisa-levels, has a continuous problem with paying attention to some classes due to her being hyperactive, always looking to draw things on her notebooks instead of copying and playing some heavy pranks on the kids at the class (thanks Luan…), I, of course, just listen patiently and give her tips in order for her to focus more and self-improve, I will always look for the well-being of all my sisters, and that comes double in the case of Lily, being the youngest and bringing my big brother instincts to their fullest.

Although I'm kind of surprised at just how little I get to spend time with her, having more obligations in high-school than ever, friends, a girlfriend, etc… I barely get to be there for her when she's alone after coming home, which is sort of unexpected, as many people told me while growing up that Lily was basically going to be exactly like me, and for a while, I believed them, I certainly felt like Lily was going to grow up to become my closest sister.

…Huh, that title is kind of taken, I must admit shamefully, what little time I get after coming home from hanging around with my friends and my gf, I find myself preferring to spend it with Lola, or just alone in my room…

… What? A 15-year old teenager needs his privacy time too!

- How's it going champ! – I hear my dad say as soon as I get to sit on the heavily reduced Loud Table, as I watch my other sisters ready at the table eating their breakfast in silence, it's eerie, and sometimes depressing, to think just how silent the table has become over the years, even scarier to think that it will only get worse as Lynn leaves the house.

Lana, as usual, is MIA, the moments where we actually get to see her becoming rarer every day, one might think that Liam's family has adopted her, leaving Lola alone at the opposite end of the table with a bunch of empty seats at either side, who doesn't seem like wanting to interact in the morning.

Then there's Lynn, or rather, neo-Lynn and Lucy, at the chairs that stand at each side of where I am sitting, who could probably send the world into chaos if they dared speak their thoughts for a change. Lisa is also sitting to the farthest seat in the table at the other end, focusing exclusively on her "necessary calorie intake for brain productivity", it's honestly a miracle that we even see her eat at the table at all, her increasing amount of responsibilities forcing her to just take the food back to her lab In most situations, and finally, still sitting closer to our parents, is Lily, the only other member in the family willing to start and sustain a conversation, if there was a chance for one.

- It's fine dad, thanks! – I only limit myself at acknowledging his presence, the most grateful act that I can muster to show my appreciation for all his hard work making breakfast for all of us, I also have to admit to myself on sharing the blame for the silent environment, not being one to start fluid, interesting conversations, at least, not anymore.

I manage to see from the corner of my eye as my dad's face begins to shrink, with my mom touching his shoulder on the side, to indicate comfort, the kind of comfort that his own children do not provide him anymore. I can't really blame him really, trying to focus on my outside life has admittedly made me more distant to the rest of my family, what little chats I have with Lola being of a more private nature and secret from the rest, not to mention the absence of my more happy-go-lucky and easy going older sisters taking a bit of confidence away from me.

…or it could just be the "awkward teenage phase", who knows?

Just like that, the breakfast was over, I calmly reached to say good-bye to mom, dad and Lillie, who gave me the usual sandwich enclosed in an Ace Savvy lunchbox, I quickly grabbed the sandwich, and without anyone noticing, put it into a more serious, black colored leather lunchbox before going outside with my other younger sisters already waiting for their stop.

I feel relief for being out of that boring house.