Lola Can't Sleep
Lola could not sleep...
No matter how much she tossed and turned under her bedsheets, her efforts were futile.
It was far past dark outside. And she didn't need to look at her bedside clock to know just how late it was.
She was sorely missing her much needed beauty sleep, and the more she thought about it, the harder it was proving to be.
Perhaps stress was to blame.
Yet stressfully stressing about the stress was only causing more distress... stressfully.
Lola continued to roll and squirm, trying to clear her mind of any thoughts. But try as she might, this particular bugbear had sunken its claws into her deeply.
Alongside the constant clicking and ticking of the clock, the room echoed with the soft sounds of her room mate, blissfully snoring away.
Happily snuggled up on her mess of a bed, Lana looked cosier than a lapdog curled up by the fireplace.
How did she make it look so easy?
It wasn't a competition, but this was one of the many things her twin excelled at. Lola couldn't help but feel a bit jealous.
Lana seemed to have thicker skin than her pet snake. But Lola on the other hand was a delicate rose; complete with thorns.
She peeled off her eye mask with a grumpy sigh. It's not like it was doing her any good right now. Especially since she felt a headache coming from its tightness.
Unable to bottle her thoughts up any longer, she reluctantly sat up and began contemplating them.
Today had been beyond crummy, detestable even. Not that anyone else knew, she had only confided the truth to her toys.
Her dolls were second to none at keeping secrets; though the downside was a lack of any response from them. The only comfort they offered was physical.
Comfort...
'Yeah, that's what I need...' Lola thought to herself.
One of her cuddly toys might help her finally sleep, and she had plenty to choose from.
In a grouchy fashion, Lola hopped out of bed and snatched a plushie from the shelf. She didn't care which one. She just hugged it tight, and slithered back into bed.
Falling back into position, Lola tried to sleep again.
And again.
And again.
'Come on! Do your thing, you stupid doll! Act like a comforter and start comforting!'
Why wasn't she feeling any better?
She was bear hugging the teddy so hard, it would suffocate if it could.
Maybe that was the problem.
Though Lola treated her toys like they were alive, deep down she knew they were nothing more than just glorified clumps of wool and string. Inanimate and lifeless.
She needed more than this.
Tossing the teddy aside, she retrieved another armful of plushies from the shelf; trying to clear her thoughts once more as she settled back into bed. Despite being surrounded by dolls, she felt so alone.
It forced her to think back on today's events and the thing that pissed her off so much.
Usually, if something bothered her to this extent, she'd have screamed bloody murder and torn it to shreds; size and stature be damned.
So why hadn't she done it this time?
After she saw... that. She had clenched her fists, bitten back tears and stormed off in a smouldering temper.
'I feel so...lonely.' Lola whispered to herself.
She briefly thought of asking Mom and Dad for help. Maybe bunk with them for the night. She needed the warmth and comfort. There's no way they'd say 'No'.
It was a perk of being a younger sibling. But for some reason, her pride would not allow it. Not this time.
What did everyone take her for?
A helpless little girl?
She didn't need her parents to bail her out of all her problems! She could handle things fine on her own.
Lola threw her pillow aside, crossing her arms and pouting so hard she could crack a vase with just a glare.
Her thoughts still hounded her. Gnawing at the back of her mind like a vulture, until she could bare it no more. She wrenched her eyes shut, and that snarling rage vanished as she softly whimpered.
Her sour facade slowly washed away as tears ran their way down her cheeks, her grimace melted into a frown.
It wasn't fair!
She couldn't stop thinking about it. About him. How could she have just stood there and done nothing while he was getting kissed by some dollar-store hussy?
Her handsome Prince. Her rightfully promised! Her dearly beloved...
What did that slut know about his likes and dislikes? What did she know about treating him well?
What did she know about him at all!
...What could she have even done about it?
Then there was him... How could he betray her like this?
Sure, he probably didn't know about her true feelings, but still! He belonged with her; he deserved only the best!
He made her sick to her stomach with his sweetness, the jerk!
The way he was always looking out for her. Always making her laugh. Always being so benign with his big stupid smile.
That stupid smile...
Her teeth gritted in frustration, Lola threw aside her bedsheets and let them fall to the floor with her stupid dolls.
To heck with them all! She thought to herself, stomping towards the door with sharpened daggers in her eyes.
Enough of this stupid kiddie kibble, she knew what she really wanted. What she needed.
Something her dolls weren't.
Something she needed.
She needed someone warm and real.
She needed...him.
Lola felt like she should explode with anger, but she made no more than a grunt as she closed the door behind her. She quietly stepped down the hall to the only person who could help her now.
Restraining herself from battering down the door, she gently knocked on the former linen closet. Quietly she waited, biting back the urge to just barge in.
Nothing.
She tapped her foot with impatience. He'd better answer or she was gonna… gonna...
She didn't know what, but you'd better believe she was angry enough to do it!
Then came a click, and the creak of a hinge that sent her into a bite on her quivering lip.
As the door opened, its groggy occupant stumbled before her in his pajamas. While he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, she softly called out to him.
"L-Linky?"
"Lola? What's wrong? Why are you out of-"
Before Lincoln could utter another word, Lola clung tight around him, pulling him into her embrace.
Face buried into his chest, away from prying and judgemental eyes, she began to softly weep.
The dam inside her heart had given way to a torrent of tears filled with as much grief as they were with joy.
Holding him again, his body so close she could finally relish his scent, his warmth, his love. Only now did she feel safe.
Good thing she had wiped her make up before bedtime, because now her tears flowed freely and without end. It would have stained him dark enough to make Lucy jealous.
Yet even that wouldn't have bothered him.
With a careful motion, Lincoln knelt down and clasped his arms around her, her head tenderly tucked under his chin.
She offered him no explanation, and he didn't need one.
"Shhh... There there, Lola, it's okay. I've got you." Lincoln soothed.
All he had to know was that his little princess needed him. He wasn't sure what caused this, but that was for later.
Right now he only wanted her to feel better, no matter his cost.
Lincoln was not the eldest sibling, but at times his maturity and selflessness went beyond his years.
Finally getting to hold him like this, Lola couldn't find her anger. Where did it go? It was like he melted that icy fury around her heart from a simple hand on her shoulder.
"Come on, let's go inside. Okay?"
Quietly closing the door behind him, Lincoln guided his sister inside and she clung tightly to his arm.
Lola held on like a possessive kitten; she could barely hold in her tears and sniffles.
Lincoln sat down on his bed, Lola joining him as she rested her head on his lap.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" He quietly asked.
"I just... I just had a nightmare." She lied.
Even Lincoln knew better, but he didn't pry. He knew she'd tell him the truth when she was ready. His little sister never kept secrets for long.
"Hold me?" Lola pleaded, her voice reduced to a whisper.
"Anything for my little princess."
He let her snuggle into him as he gently stroked her somewhat messy hair. For a second, he swore he heard Lola purr, like their pet cat Cliff.
Lincoln let her rest for as long as he could, until sleep began to get the better of him as his posture began to wane.
"Come on, Lola," He yawned. "I'll walk you back to your room."
"I don't wanna." She petulantly clung tighter to him.
"But you need your beauty sleep."
"Right now, I need you more."
"Sorry sis, but I can barely stay awake. I need some rest too, y'know."
"Fine. Then I'll sleep here."
"But Lola, this is my bed-"
"-Learn to share, will ya!?" She suddenly snapped.
"Lola! What's gotten into you? Why are you being this way?" Asked Lincoln with genuine concern.
Lola simply gave Lincoln a silent look. Her face said it all, but what exactly it said Lincoln wasn't sure of.
Did he do something wrong? It sure felt like it.
An aura of pure heartbreak and despair radiating from her seemed to say so.
It was hopeless trying to argue. Lola had always been a handful, and she usually got her way. She could be a spoiled brat, but this time it felt serious. He knew her well enough for that.
Even though he wasn't comfortable with sharing a bed with her, it'd hurt him even more to turn her away. It certainly couldn't be worse than the time he had to share with Lynn.
"Ugh, okay fine." Lincoln finally conceded. "You can crash here, but just for tonight. Okay?"
"Okay."
Lola eased up slightly after hearing that, yet her face still kept a somber look.
Having a big family meant making sacrifices sometimes, and it was better one of them was happy then both sad.
For the first time since she got there, Lola let him go so he could get under the sheets.
"Here, I'll scootch over and take this side so you can-"
Lola swiftly dove under the covers and jostled him close to herself, like a wildcat wrestling for dominance.
Lincoln couldn't tell if she was exceptionally strong for her petite figure or if he was just weak by proxy. Lola's hold on him was strong like a vice. He could barely whisper.
"Whoa, take it easy, Lols-I can't breathe."
Half asleep, Lola mumbled her words out, though they came straight from the heart.
"You're mine, Lincoln," she whispered. "You're my brother. I won't let anyone take you away from me. Not even you. You got that?"
"Noted!" Lincoln managed.
Finally, she seemed to have settled. Maybe now he could finally get some sleep.
"Kiss me." Lola interrupted his thoughts.
"Huh?" muttered Lincoln.
"Kiss me good night," demanded Lola, her eyes still closed. "I can't fall asleep until you do."
"Uh, okay," replied Lincoln, before meekly giving her a tiny peck on the cheek.
"My turn."
With no warning, Lola ensnared her arms around him even tighter and greedily seized him by the lips. She moved so quickly Lincoln barely had time to register it, much less protest.
When she had finished with him, Lincoln was left in a mortified stupor. Did she really just do that?
But they… they were… they were siblings. This was wrong.
Then why… Why had he… why had he enjoyed it?
As much as he hated to admit it, this kiss was even better than the one he had earlier with R-
"I love you, Lincoln," Lola sighed contently, almost beaming with contentedness. "Good night, my sweet prince."
Lincoln said nothing at first. What could he say? This was all too much, too soon.
But then, after weighing his options. He resigned himself to his fate.
"Good night, my little Princess," Lincoln yawned and tried to make the best of things.
They would need to have a long long talk about this tomorrow morning.
...
Author's Note: I want to give a huge thank you to Wheatabix for helping me edit this fic. Thank you very much.