It was a relatively quiet Friday night in the Loud House. Obviously, the fact that every sibling had their own room helped with the house's relative quieting down. Lincoln had moved into Lori and Leni's room at the end of the hall, and the room opposite his belonged to Lily, which meant that Lisa was left alone in the room on the other end of the hall. Lucy and the twins were the only ones who hadn't changed rooms, while Lincoln's former room was changed into a makeshift guest "bedroom." Lana actually moved into Lincoln's old room for a while due to her constantly arguing with Lola (more than usual). However, after a few months, the twins decided they were too used to sharing a room and decided it would be best if Lana moved back in with Lola.

Lincoln was playing a game on his computer at his desk, which he recently got as a birthday present. Specifically, he was playing the remaster of Ace Savvy: Bluffham Prison. He had completed the main story and was searching for collectibles needed to 100% the game. As he was following a walkthrough, which he had opened on his phone, he heard a knock at his door.

"Come in," Lincoln called, pausing the game and setting his controller on the desk.

The door creaked open, revealing Lucy Loud, now thirteen. She was dressed in her trademark black dress, but with one glaring difference: her hair. She cut off a part of her bangs, which meant that her left eye was visible. She had beautiful blue eyes, and her family was surprised to see that, questioning why she ever hid them in the first place.

Lucy shuffled into the room, clutching a notebook to her chest. Her normally calm and composed demeanor seemed unusually nervous.

"Hey, Lucy," Lincoln said, sitting up. "What's up?"

"Can I… talk to you?" Lucy asked softly, avoiding his gaze.

Lincoln's curiosity was piqued. It wasn't every day that Lucy asked for help outright. "Of course. What's on your mind?"

Lucy hesitated before sitting at the edge of his bed. "I need advice."

"Advice?" Lincoln asked, his eyebrows rising in surprise. "From me?"

Lucy nodded, still avoiding his eyes. "It's about Rocky."

"Rocky?" Lincoln said with a teasing grin, leaning forward. "You mean your boyfriend?"

Lucy's cheeks turned a faint pink. "Yes, him."

"What about him?" Lincoln asked, his tone curious but gentle. "Everything okay between you two?"

Lucy fidgeted with the notebook in her hands. "Sigh. he asked me to go out with him on a real date this weekend."

Lincoln's grin widened. "That's great! So, what's the problem?"

Lucy sighed, for real this time, instead of saying the word 'sigh,' her shoulders slumping. "We've only ever hung out at school or our houses. We've never been on a "proper" date. I don't know what to do. What do I say? How do I act? What if it's awkward?"

Lincoln tilted his head, surprised by her vulnerability. "You're worried about messing up?"

Lucy nodded, her hair bouncing slightly. "I like him, Lincoln. A lot. I don't want to ruin it."

"Well, let me get the rest of our sisters and we'll give you some point-" Lincoln said but was firmly cut off by Lucy.

"NO!" she almost screamed before realizing how loud she was and returning to her normal volume. "Please don't tell our sisters. I don't want them butting in. I know we used to do that with you before your dates with Ronnie Anne, but I cannot put up with that, especially since none of our older sisters are home. At least they have experience with Romance, unlike everyone else."

Lincoln felt a swell of affection for his little sister. It wasn't often that Lucy let her guard down like this, and it was kinda sweet that he was the only one she trusted to help her with such an important issue. He wanted to make sure she felt supported.

"Alright then, I guess I'm the man for the job." Lincoln said, "Trust me, you have nothing to worry about. You're not going to ruin anything. Rocky likes you for who you are, right?"

Lucy nodded hesitantly.

"Then you don't have to worry about pretending to be someone you're not," Lincoln said. "But I get it—first dates can be nerve-wracking. My first date with Ronnie Anne didn't go so smoothly either."

Lucy looked up at him, squinting her eyes. "What? I remember how much we girls glammed you up and basically coached you before your first date with her, and when you came back, you said that everything went great. There's no way you lied because we can all tell when you lie."

"Well, actually, I did lie," Lincoln said with a smile. "Not about how the date went, though; it was absolutely magical. I lied about the fact that it was our first date."

"No way. You're kidding," said Lucy.

"Nope, I'm being serious," Lincoln said with a smile. "We actually had our first date a few weeks prior. All of you had stuff planned that day, so none of you were home. I decided to take her to Jean Juan's French Mex Buffet because it was actually the one-year anniversary of the double date Lori and Bobby took us on, so I thought it'd be cute. Unfortunately, the whole thing was a bust. When we got to the restaurant, it turned out that the table that we reserved had been broken after two idiots had a fight and one of them put the other through the table. Since that wouldn't work out, we decided to go outside and get some ice cream. Unfortunately, the second we stepped outside, it started raining really hard. We went to the ice cream parlor nearby, soaking wet, and it turned out that the place was shut down for the day because of a gas leak. At this point, we were starving, soaking wet, and incredibly annoyed. Running out of ideas (and the will to live), we decided to go to Gus' Games and Grub. Thankfully, it was open, and we actually managed to salvage the date by having some Pizza and playing a few games, though it didn't feel special cause that's what we'd usually do, even as friends. Heck, she even mentioned the idea of breaking up during our next video call if doing long-distance was gonna be a car crash like that. That's why, a few weeks later, I came to all of you and had you 'meddle' with my preparations for the date. My relationship with her was literally on the line."

Lucy just stared at her brother wide-eyed, "Wow."

"Yeah, it was terrible. Luckily, our second date went much better, and we haven't looked back since. Anyway, trust me, your date with Rocky will not be remotely as bad as mine. You're gonna be fine, especially after we're done getting you ready," Lincoln finished as he went and grabbed the extra chair that was stashed away in his closet. "Now, let's go through some scenarios so you're prepared in case anything happens during your date."

Lincoln set up the two chairs in the middle of the room, facing each other. Lucy sat in one, her notebook still clutched tightly, while Lincoln took the other, pretending to be Rocky, "Okay," Lincoln said. "I'm Rocky. We just sat down at the restaurant. What do you say?"

Lucy stared at him, her face blank. "Hi?"

"Good start," Lincoln said. "But maybe add a little more. Ask him how his day's been or something. Like this: 'Hey, Rocky, how was your day?'"

Lucy nodded slowly. "Hey, Rocky, how was your day?"

"Perfect," Lincoln said. "Now, what if he asks about your day? What do you say?"

Lucy hesitated. "I guess… I'd tell him about my poetry?"

"Exactly," Lincoln said. "Talk about what you're passionate about. He already knows you like poetry, so maybe share a little more about why it means so much to you."

Lucy tapped her notebook thoughtfully. "Okay. That makes sense."

Lincoln smiled. "See? You're already doing great."

"Alright," Lincoln said, pacing before Lucy like a coach preparing his star player. "Next up: what if something awkward happens?"

"Like what?" Lucy asked, her brow furrowing.

"Like, what if there's a long silence?" Lincoln suggested. "Or he spills his drink? Or someone says something embarrassing?"

Lucy's eyes widened slightly. "I hadn't thought about that."

"Don't worry," Lincoln said. "The trick is to stay calm and roll with it. If there's a silence, ask him a question—something you're curious about. And if something embarrassing happens, laugh it off. He'll probably appreciate you making him feel less awkward."

Lucy nodded, taking mental notes. "Got it. Stay calm, ask questions, laugh it off."

"Exactly," Lincoln said. "You don't have to be perfect, Lucy. Just be yourself."

That evening, Lucy stood in front of the mirror in her room, trying on different variations of her gothic wardrobe. Lincoln sat on her bed, offering feedback.

"Too much lace?" Lucy asked, turning to face him.

"Maybe tone it down a little," Lincoln said. "You want to look like yourself, but not like you're heading to a vampire ball."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Fine. What about this?" She switched to a simple black dress paired with a small silver necklace shaped like a bat.

Lincoln gave her a thumbs-up. "Perfect. It's you, but it's also date-appropriate."

Lucy glanced at her reflection, her lips curving into a small smile. "Thanks, Lincoln."

"Anytime," Lincoln said. "You're going to knock his socks off."

Saturday arrived, and Lucy was as ready as she'd ever be. Lincoln stood by the front door, giving her a final 'pep-talk' before Rocky arrived to pick her up.

"Remember," Lincoln said, "just be yourself. Talk about what you love, stay calm, and don't be afraid to laugh if something weird happens."

Lucy nodded, clutching her small black purse. "Thanks, Lincoln. For everything."

Lincoln smiled, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "That's what big brothers are for."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Lucy's face turned pale, but Lincoln gave her an encouraging nod.

"You've got this," he said.

Lucy took a deep breath and opened the door. Rocky stood on the porch, holding a small bouquet of dark purple flowers. His cheeks turned pink when he saw her.

"Hi, Lucy," he said, his voice nervous but warm. "You look… amazing."

Lucy's cheeks matched his. "Thanks, Rocky. These are beautiful."

Lincoln watched from a distance, a proud smile on his face as Lucy and Rocky looked at each other. It reminded him of how he and Ronnie Anne would look at each other when they first started dating. He felt a twinge of protectiveness but reminded himself that Lucy could handle herself. The boy's shaggy hair and gentle smile radiated sincerity, but Lincoln had a job to do.

"Rocky, a quick word. Lucy, you go put those beautiful flowers in some water, alright?" Lucy shrugged her shoulders and set off to find an extra vase to put the flowers in. Lincoln crossed his arms and gave Rocky a measured look. "We need to talk."

Rocky blinked, a little startled. "Uh, sure?"

Lincoln stepped closer, lowering his voice just enough to sound serious without being outright intimidating. "Listen, I know Lucy really likes you. And as her big brother, it's my job to make sure anyone she spends time with treats her right. You understand?"

Rocky nodded quickly. "Y-yeah, of course! I'd never do anything to hurt her."

"Good," Lincoln said, his gaze softening slightly. "Because Lucy might seem cold, but she's got a big heart. She's letting you see a side of her that most people don't get to see, which means she trusts you. Don't take that lightly."

Rocky swallowed, looking a bit nervous but nodding earnestly. "I won't. I promise."

Lincoln let the moment hang for a beat before clapping Rocky on the shoulder. "Alright, then. Have fun tonight—and remember, I'm just a phone call away."

Rocky managed a small smile. "Thanks, Lincoln. I'll take good care of her."

"You'd better," Lincoln said, though his tone was more teasing now.

Rocky nodded and waited in the living room while Lucy put the flowers in the water. As she exited the dining room, Lincoln caught Rocky glancing at her with a shy but genuine smile. For all his protective instincts, Lincoln couldn't help but feel a little proud of his sister—and of Rocky for being the kind of guy who deserved her trust. He'd known the kid for a few years since he was his friend Rusty's younger brother. He knew Rocky was a kind boy that wouldn't do anything to Lucy.

Later that evening, Lucy returned home, her usual stoic expression softened by a faint smile. Lincoln was waiting in the living room, pretending to read a comic but clearly eager to hear how it went.

"So?" he asked casually. "How was it?"

Lucy set her purse down and sat beside him. "It was… nice. Really nice."

Lincoln grinned. "See? I told you it'd go great."

Lucy glanced at him, her expression thoughtful. "You were right. I didn't have to be perfect—I just had to be myself. And Rocky… he likes me for who I am."

"That's because who you are is pretty awesome," Lincoln said.

Lucy's lips curved into a small, genuine smile. "Thanks, Lincoln. I couldn't have done it without you."

"Anytime," Lincoln said, giving her a hug. "That's what big brothers are for."

As Lucy headed upstairs, Lincoln felt a swell of pride. Helping his sisters navigate life's challenges wasn't always easy, but moments like this made it all worthwhile. Now, to call his own girlfriend and also his older sisters about this. Even if he promised he wouldn't tell the younger ones about Lucy's date with Rocky, he never promised anything about Ronnie Anne, Lori, Leni, Luna, Luan, and Lynn.

The one thing that all members of the Loud Family do is gossip about the relationships of other people in the family. Also, he always sort of understood why his sisters were so excited about him dating Ronnie Anne, and this was him getting a small form of retribution.

A little later, Lucy was sitting on her bed, holding her phone. She was texting Rocky.

I had a great time tonight. - Lucy

Me too. I really enjoyed our first date. See you on Monday, my vampire queen. - Rocky

Lucy blushed at the nickname that Rocky used. It came up during their date, and Rocky said he'd start calling her that, in private, of course. Lucy thought he was joking, but it turns out he wasn't. As she was smiling at her screen, she got a notification for a group Facetime call from all of her older sisters. Lucy was surprised that they were all calling her, but she answered.

"LUCY, TELL US EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR DATE!" yelled Lori.

"Dang it, Lincoln!" said Lucy, loudly.