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Prom Night Promise	By : Trillhouse Category: +G through L > The Loud House Views: 3578 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Loud House, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
Chapter 3 - Getting Carried Away

Leni was frozen in place. Surely, she must have heard wrong, right? Or misunderstood, as she often did.
Then why was everybody looking at her?
"L-Lincoln…" She gulped. "What did he say…?"
"It's you, Leni," Lincoln replied, beaming at his big sister. "You're the Prom Queen…!"
Leni was in a daze. Her eyes slowly drifted from her brother, to the equally shocked faces in the crowd, and then, finally to the Emcee on stage. Slowly, she pointed at herself. "…M-me…?"
"You are Leni Loud, are you not?" Tyrone replied with a painted-on grin.
"Y-yes, but…" Leni stammered, looking towards her brother for assurance. "Linky, i-is there another Leni Loud?"
"I… kinda doubt it." Lincoln replied. He clasped her hand and squeezed it lightly. "Leni, you won! You're Prom Queen!"
Five girlish shrieks broke the silence. Leni's friends burst through the crowd and embraced her, hopping up and down in excitement. "Leniiiiiii~!" "Omigosh, congratulations!" Their cheers seemed to kick off a chain reaction and soon the entire gymnasium was applauding her as well. Finally, it all sunk in for her… this was real. She was Prom Queen.
"O-oh… my… gosh…" Leni said in a trembling voice. "A-are you sure…?" She squeaked out.
"That's what it says," replied the Emcee, waving the sheet of paper for emphasis. "Ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause for your Queen, Miss Leni Loud!" He exclaimed, prompting another round of cheers from the audience.
Leni's knees felt weak, and she had to put a hand on Lincoln's shoulder to support herself. It's real, she thought as she fought back tears of joy. She felt her brother embrace her.
"Congratulations, Sis." He said as he hugged her, smiling brightly. "I'm proud of you."
"L-Linkyyyy…" She sniffled, squeezing him tightly… a little too tightly, but he didn't resist. She earned this one, he figured.
"Leni!" Cried out a familiar, obnoxious voice. Leni stiffened again, letting go of her brother as Joanna Hawthorne approached through the crowd, once again followed by those two friends of hers. Lincoln was ready to defend his sister again if need be, but strangely, Joanna was… smiling. Not sneering, not smirking, but smiling. "Congratulations, Leni," She said graciously. "You totally deserve this."
Leni was taken completely off guard by this, however, she seemed to accept it and smiled warmly in return. "T-thank you~!"
"Will our lovely Queen please come to the stage!" Tyrone said exuberantly.
"Go on, Leni," Lincoln said supportively, giving her a gentle pat on the back. "You got this!" Leni smiled at him sweetly before heading for the stage.
"And Leni," Joanna called out after her, "Don't get carried away up there!" Leni only nodded in response, and Joanna chuckled softly.
Too softly.
Nobody else seemed to hear it, but Lincoln did. It bothered him, for reasons he couldn't explain; as did Joanna's words of advice. Don't get carried away…? He mulled it over. That's a weird thing to say…
He was distracted from his thoughts as Rochelle placed a hand on his shoulder. "Like, wow, right? Leni's Prom Queen… you must be super happy for her."
"Y-yeah… I am." Lincoln replied with a smile. That's right… forget about Joanna. This is Leni's moment. As she climbed onto the stage, her sequins shimmered under the bright lights and Lincoln could only imagine that she was covered in hundreds of dancing fireflies. She took her place beside Teddy as the Emcee bestowed her with her crown and sash, and as Lincoln looked at her teary, smiling face, he realized that she had never looked more beautiful.
"Your highness, would you care to address your loyal subjects?" Tyrone asked, offering her the microphone.
Leni hesitates a moment, feeling a lump in her throat. She'd never been one to shy away from the spotlight; high fashion was her life, after all. She'd never been afraid to speak her mind, whatever it may be… even if people thought she was silly, or laughed at her. But now, for the first time in forever, she felt nervous. "U-um…" She stammered, wringing her hands slightly. Then, her eyes met his.
Lincoln.
He was smiling at her… for her. He was happy for her, and he was there for her. He'd come tonight not for himself, but for her.
To make her happy.
Leni smiled, feeling the pressure in her chest going away. She took a deep breath. "T-thank you, everyone. This… this means, like, so much to me." She said at last. "And… especially my brother, Lincoln. Thank you for being here with me tonight… you're the best. "
A few scattered 'Awwwwws' spread throughout the audience. Lincoln felt his cheeks heat up, but he smiled warmly nonetheless. She was so happy. Just for this moment alone, tonight had been worth it. He was so lost in the moment that he almost didn't pick up on the hushed murmurs of Leni's friends.
"Like, she looks so beautiful~"
"I know, right?! Like a princess…"
"Or a Queen."
"I still can't believe she won, though."
"Like, I know. I don't even remember seeing her on the ballot…"
Wait, what?
Lincoln turned to Leni's friends. "The ballot…?" He asked, confused.
"Like, yeah," Answered the redhead. "It's not like just anyone can be Prom Queen, y'know? You have to be, like, eglible or whatever."
"A-and… Leni wasn't on it…?"
"I mean, I don't think so…" Said the redhead, scratching her chin. "I mean, if she was, we totes would have voted for her."
Lincoln gulped. Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong. He looked back towards Leni, not listening to what the Emcee was saying. Everything seemed fine. Nothing seemed out of-
Hang on. Wasn't Joanna right in front of him a second ago? Where'd she go?
Joanna. That's right. She must have had something to do with this. Lincoln remembered how everyone had been looking at her before Leni was named Queen. Clearly, she had been a shoo-in. So why would she give up her moment like this? To be nice? Somehow, he doubted it. His eyes scanned the audience. Ah, there she was, near the front… whispering something to one of her friends. The friend nodded and scurried off…
…and then darted backstage, unnoticed by anyone.
Lincoln felt a tightening in his chest. Something was going on, he was sure of it. He replayed those troubling words in his head; don't get carried away. Why had that bothered him so much? It wasn't so much the words itself, but the way she said them.
Don't get carried away.
Carried away.
Carrie.
Oh, no.
Lincoln's eyes slowly travelled upwards, above the stage; and there it was. Perched precariously above, almost completely hidden from view by the curtains… a bucket.
Oh, no.
Lincoln ran, pushing his way through the crowd. He called out to Leni, but she couldn't hear him; she was too caught up in the moment. The Emcee was saying something; Lincoln wasn't sure what. He couldn't hear anything over the pounding in his chest. Please, he thought. Please, anything but this. Not now. Not HER.
"-ENI! LENIII!" Leni suddenly heard her brother crying out her name. He sounded… panicked. Why?
"Linky…?" Leni looked for the source of the noise. Then she saw him, desperately tearing his way through the crowd. "Linky?!" She gasped; was he hurt? Did something happen?
"LENI, GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Leni didn't move; she seemed confused. What was going on?
Time seemed to slow down as Lincoln rushed for the stage; a photographer was stationed at the front of the crowd, his lens fixed on the King and Queen. His finger had barely brushed the brushed the shutter release before Lincoln shoved him aside, sending the camera and tripod crashing to the floor. Joanna clenched her teeth in frustration. This brat again…
Somewhere backstage, a feminine hand grasps a rope.
Lincoln practically vaulted onto the stage, losing his footing for a moment and painfully smashing his knee on the corner, but he ignored it and scrambled to his feet. There was no time for pain. Leni needed him.
The rope is pulled tight, spinning a series of pulleys.
The bucket tips.
Lincoln grabs his sister, pulling her out of the way. Her eyes are wide in shock and confusion. What's going on?
Then, she sees it; the bucket falling from above. She gasps and recoils, shutting her eyes. Lincoln tries to block her as best as he can. But it's no use… the bucket crashes to the stage, splattering its contents everywhere. Lincoln feels something wet splash across his back. He can feel his stomach lurch, but he forces it down. He can hear the audience gasp, and Teddy cry out in surprise as he's splashed as well.
And then, in an instant, it's over. The room was deathly quiet, save for the shocked whispers of the audience. Lincoln gasps for air, his heart still pounding a mile a minute. God, it's everywhere. He can feel it on his back, in his hair, on his hands…
Lincoln gulps and slowly cracks open an eye, steeling himself for what's to come. He looks down at his trembling hands, wet and slick with… paint?
It's just paint.
Thank God.
"Leni, are you-" He began, but his voice caught in his throat as he looked up at her. She was staring straight ahead blankly, eyes wide with shock. Thankfully, he had taken the brunt of it, but poor Leni was nonetheless covered in splotches of red paint. It was in her hair, on her dress… one big dollop had splattered across the side of her face. Lincoln's heart sank. "L-Leni…"
Leni finally snapped back to reality. She looked down at her brother, covered in paint. "L-Linky." She said softly, barely more than a whisper. Her eyes darted from him, to the huge splotch of paint where she had been standing just moments before, to the shocked faces of the audience. And then, her eyes met those of Joanna Hawthorne, smiling cruelly. Finally, she looked down at her dress… her ruined, paint-covered dress. "Wh-what…" She stammered. Her vision began to blur with tears. "…Why?" She asked to nobody in particular, choking back a sob.
"Leni-" Lincoln reached out for her, but she backed away, shaking her head. With one more glance towards the audience, she turned and ran, rushing down the stage stairs and out of the gymnasium. "Leni!" Lincoln called after her, but she was gone. Lincoln's arms dropped to his sides. He was too late. If only he had realized a bit sooner…
Then, he heard it. Cutting through the silence like a knife… that laugh. That horrible, shrill laugh. It pierced right through his self-loathing. That's right, he thought. It was her. Joanna Hawthorne did this. She set the whole thing up. She humiliated his sister in front of everyone.
She made his sister cry.
Lincoln felt a deep rage bubbling up inside him. He could feel his stomach turn with each self-satisfied cackle. How dare she.
Lincoln hopped off the stage, making a beeline for the giggling bitch that ruined Leni's night. He wasn't going to stand for this. Nobody hurts his sisters and gets away with it… especially not Leni. The crowd parted to allow him through; the fury on his face was more than enough of a sign to get out of the way.
Joanna didn't even notice as he approached, doubled over in laughter. God, that had been amazing. The look on that stupid blonde's face had been so priceless! She hoped somebody had gotten it on video-
Suddenly, Joanna was jerked forward roughly by the front of her dress. "Ow!" She cried out, suddenly finding her face inches away from a very, very angry Lincoln Loud.
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" His scream echoed throughout the gymnasium, making Joanna wince. Lincoln glared at her with tightly clenched teeth, absolutely seething with rage. He'd never hated someone more than at this very moment.
"Let… let go of me." Joanna demanded, trying to pull away. And so he did; Joanna fell flat on her rear with a yelp, leaving Lincoln looming over her.
"You…" He began, taking a step towards her. "You think you can just treat people like that…?" He took another step forward, forcing Joanna to scoot back. "You think you can treat my sister like that?!" Lincoln bellowed. "Why?! What did she ever do to you?!"
Joanna said nothing; she wasn't sure what to say. Nobody had ever dared speak to her like this before. Nobody had ever dared lay a land on her before. And now this child, five years her junior, had her at his feet. Screaming at her.
Her.
"Y-you listen here, you little-"
"No, you listen." Lincoln hissed. "Leni is the kindest person I know. She's kind to everyone, even people that don't deserve it… even people like you. So answer me. What the hell has Leni Loud ever done to you?!"
Joanna opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out; in fact, she had no words for this. She glanced around, desperately, for someone to come to her aid, but her friends were long gone, and… wait. Were people recording this?!
"Let me guess," Lincoln answered for her. "Nothing. She's never done anything to you, has she? You don't even know why you hate her, do you?" His eyes narrowed. "I do. You hate her because she's everything you're not. You hate her because she's kind, and generous, and has a family that loves her."
"That's not… my daddy loves me!" Joanna blurted out, her face red with indignation. Bad move. She had given Lincoln more ammo, and he gladly seized on it.
"Oh, I'm sure he does." Lincoln spat. "I'm sure he loves how you get all dolled up for him."
"Th-tha… wha… h-how dare…." Joanna sputtered, mortified at the implication. "That's not true…!"
"Let me make something clear, Joanna." Lincoln said in a low growl. "My family is everything to me. Leni is everything to me. And if you ever so much as talk to Leni again…" He leaned forward to glare menacingly in Joanna's eyes, causing her to shrink back in fear. "…I will find out."
Joanna swallowed the saliva that had gathered in her mouth. Right now, this kid may as well have been seven feet tall. She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when he turned to leave… only to recoil in fear as he suddenly turned towards her again.
"And another thing," He added. "Enough with the stupid rich bitch act! This is a PUBLIC SCHOOL!" And with that, Lincoln stormed off after his sister, leaving Joanna trembling on the floor.
There was a tense silence throughout the gymnasium. "…Did Joanna just get chewed the fuck out by a kid?" Someone muttered.
Joanna was in shock. What the hell just happened? This wasn't how it was supposed to go. She was Joanna Hawthorne, the queen of Royal Woods High. But as she looked around, all she saw were the sneering faces of her peers. Mocking her. Judging her. "W-what…?" She hissed as she unsteadily got to her feet. "What the hell are you all looking at?"
"Not much," Came one student's reply, to the laughter of others. Joanna growled in humiliation and stormed off… only to find the principal standing in her path.
"Miss Hawthorne." The principal said in an angry, strict tone. "Just where do you think you're going?"
"Leni? Leni, where'd you go?" Lincoln called out as he wandered the empty halls of the school. She was nowhere to be seen. Lincoln sighed as he continued his search; part of him regretted not following her immediately, but there was no way he could have passed up the opportunity to give that bitch Joanna a piece of his mind.
Lincoln's heart sank as he replayed the past few minutes in his mind. The look of hurt and confusion on Leni's face… that was an expression he'd never wanted to see on her. Lincoln couldn't remember her ever looking so distraught, not even when Lori had left for college.
And he couldn't help but partially blame himself for being unable to stop it. He should have realized something was up sooner… for God's sake, he had just watched that stupid movie the night befo-
Just then, Lincoln stepped on something hard and lost his footing. "Ffffu-" He cried out as he crashed to the ground. Great, he thought. Perfect way to cap off the night. He grumbled softly, rubbing his head as he looked back at the offending…
Shoe?
Leni's shoe. And the other one was close nearby. He figured she must have taken them off at some point so she could run better. Not only that, but now that he looked closer, he could make out tiny droplets of red paint blending in with the speckled tile floor. He smirked. Bingo.
With Leni's shoes in tow, Lincoln followed the paint trail until he arrived at a small janitor's closet. He could hear Leni softly sobbing from within. He tried to open the door, but she had locked it from inside. "Leni…?" He said softly, and he could hear her go quiet. "Leni, it's me." Silence. Lincoln frowned; he could still hear her unsteady breathing through the door. "Leni, I know you're in there. Please come out…"
"…Go 'way." Came her mumbled response.
"I'm not leaving till you come out." He stated plainly. No response. "…I have your shoes," He added. "They're fine, you know… the paint missed them."
Lincoln heard his sister sniffling softly. "I'm hideous…" she choked out.
"You could never be hideous, Leni." He said honestly. "Not to me." He heard her shift slightly. "…Please." And then, after a few seconds, he heard her getting to her feet. A moment later he heard the lock click, and the door creaked open slightly. Leni peered out cautiously, and Lincoln could feel his heart breaking as he saw her face. Her eyes were read and bleary, and her makeup was dripping down in streaks, mixing with the paint still splattered across her face. Her hair was completely disheveled and had flecks of paint scattered about.
"L-Linky…" She whimpered before throwing herself onto him, burying her face in his chest and sobbing loudly. He could do nothing but embrace her as she cried into his chest, rubbing her back gently. It hurt, seeing her like this… like someone was twisting a knife through his heart. He could feel her tears soaking through his shirt. This was new to him; when he was younger he'd often go to Leni for comfort when he was upset. Now, the roles were reversed.
"Shhh… it's okay. Everything's okay," He said gently, stroking her hair like she used to do for him. "I'm here. Just let everything out." And she did. He wasn't sure how long he held her crying form, but by the time she let out her last choked sobs he was practically holding her up himself. "Better?" He asked. Leni shook her head, her face still buried into his chest. "How about we get you cleaned up?" This time, Leni hesitated a few moments before giving a small, barely noticeable nod.
Normally, Lincoln would feel weird being in the girls' bathroom; however, this was a special circumstance, and it's not like there was anyone around to stop him anyway. Leni sat on the sink counter as Lincoln gently wiped her face with a wet paper towel. There wasn't much he could do for her dress, but he could at least get the paint off her face and hair.
"Don't do that," He gently scolded as Leni rubbed her eye with her hand. "You'll ruin your gloves."
"They're already ruined…" She muttered softly. Well, she wasn't wrong.
"Shh. Close your eyes." Leni obliged, and jumped slightly as he she felt him cup her cheek before settling gently into her brother's hand. Carefully, he wiped the tears and smeared makeup from her eyes. The damp cloth felt cool and soothing against her face, red and sore from rubbing away tears.
Her hair was next; the paint had started to dry, so thankfully it was fairly easy to pick it out. By the time Lincoln was done, Leni looked like her old self again, more or less; better than she had, at any rate.
"There. See? Beautiful." He offered her a comforting smile, which she returned with reddened cheeks. "Come on," Lincoln said, offering her his hand. "Let's go."
"I…" Leni mumbled softly, hesitating. "I don't want to, like… go back."
"I know," Lincoln replied patiently. "We're not going to."
Leni sniffled again, finally taking his hand and letting him help her off the counter. "…Thank you, Linky."
The two siblings sat in silence at the bottom of a staircase, each holding a drink from the nearby vending machine. Now that Leni was calmed down, Lincoln wasn't quite sure what to say to her; what could he say, really? Her night had been ruined. She'd been embarrassed in front of her peers, and her beautiful dress was beyond repair. Lincoln looked at her sadly; she was staring down at the unopened iced tea in her hands with a distant, sorrowful espression. Lincoln sighed. Poor Leni. He had to say something.
"I'm sorry." It was Leni who broke the silence first, to Lincoln's surprise.
"For what…?" He asked. It was an honest question. What did she have to be sorry for?
"For tonight." She said in barely more than a whisper. "It wasn't-" She began, her voice cracking. "…It wasn't supposed to be like this."
"Don't apologize." Lincoln's voice came out more stern than he had intended, and he exhaled softly before continuing. "You didn't do anything wrong… Joanna did." Leni visibly tensed up at the mention of her name. "How… how long has this been going on?" He asked at last.
Leni hesitated, plucking idly at the tab on her iced tea for a few seconds before answering. "…A while."
"How long?"
Leni shut her eyes, taking a deep breath before responding. "Since… since Lori left."
Lincoln's stomach clenched. It made sense. Lori could be downright terrifying when she was angry… especially when someone was messing with one of her siblings. Her mere presence was undoubtedly a deterrent for anyone looking to start trouble with Leni. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Leni's frown deepened. "I… didn't want to be a bother."
"Leni, you could never-"
"My whole life, everyone's been looking out for me. Mom, Dad, Lori… even you." Leni said sadly.
"Leni, of course we look out for you," Lincoln said, placing a hand on her arm. "We're family. That's what family does."
"That's not, like, what I mean." Leni muttered. "It's different with me… it always has been, you know?"
"I don't… what do you mean, Leni?"
"Lincoln… remember when you were little?" Leni asked with a sad smile. "You used to get nightmares."
"Yeah…" Lincoln said, smirking wistfully. "I'd come running to you, every single time. And no matter how late it was, you'd hold me and sing to me until I fell back asleep."
"That's right," Leni giggled. "You were so cute. My little Linky~"
"R-right…" Lincoln coughed, blushing bright red. "But what does that have to do with…"
"Because," Leni began, her smile fading slightly. "You grew up. When I look at you now, I don't see that cute little boy anymore. I see… I see a grown up." She looked back down at the drink in her hands. "A-and Lori, too… we used to take care of each other, you know? But… she grew up. She didn't need me anymore… not the way I needed her. And now… now she's gone."
Lincoln could feel the pain in her voice. He'd never heard her talk so openly about her feelings before, and it struck him just how much she must have been bottling things up. "But Leni… Lori's not gone. She still-"
"For me." Leni's words were soft, barely louder than a whisper. "She comes home for me. Because I…" Leni squeezed the can in her hands, her shoulders trembling; she seemed to be fighting back tears. "Because I begged her to."
Lincoln was surprised; Lori had never mentioned that.
"I… I know it's selfish. And I know that soon…" Leni chewed her bottom lip. "…Soon, she won't be able to. That's why…" Leni sniffled. "I… can't keep depending on everyone else. I need to grow up. But I don't know how. And I'm sick of it...!" She hissed, tears beginning to flow freely.
Lincoln rubbed her back gently. He couldn't stand seeing her like this, but he could understand in a way… being thirteen, he understood the need to seek independence. But clearly, this went deeper than that. Leni saw herself as a burden.
"Leni…" He began, scooting a bit closer to her. He felt her body settle against his. "I think you've grown a lot."
"T-that's not-"
"You have." Lincoln replied honestly. "I would know. I was there, remember?" He said with a gentle grin, earning a teary smile from Leni in return. "Remember when you first started doing your own makeup? You looked like a clown."
"Linky, don't tease me~" Leni whined, doing her best to not smile.
"But now you're amazing! Not just with makeup, either." He said. "Look at that dress. Look at this suit! You did all this in just a week… you're like an artist."
"An… artist?" She sniffled, smiling softly. Lincoln nodded. "Thank you, Linky~" She giggled. "Just wait till I tell Dr. Morris. He thinks I'm only mildly artistic."
"Er, riiight…" Lincoln chuckled nervously. Roll with it, he told himself. "A-anyway… remember when you kept failing your driver's test? Well, what happened last year?"
"I totes passed," She said happily, before her smile slipped slightly. "…thanks to you and Lori…"
"And that's fine! Everyone needs a little help sometimes… that's not something you should feel bad about." He pulled her close, resting his head on her shoulder. "Maybe you get a little mixed up sometimes… and maybe you need a little more help than others. But… that's fine. We love you, Lori. I love you." For some reason, Leni felt her cheeks heat up. "And whenever you need us, we'll be there for you."
"You mean that?" She mumbled, leaning into him slightly. "Even if it's something totes stupid…?"
"Always." Lincoln replied. He could feel his sister's warmth pressed up against him; at some point, he realized, their fingers had become intertwined. But he didn't mind… he felt comfortable. He felt… safe. "And Leni," he added, smiling warmly up at her, "For what it's worth… no matter what, I'm still your little brother. And I'll always need you, too."
"Lincoln…" Leni blinked away a few tears, smiling brightly. Whatever words she had were lost, and she simply nuzzled the top of his head lovingly. "…Promise." She said.
"I am, sorry, though." Lincoln mumbled with a frown. "About the prom, I mean."
"Oh, don't worry about it, Linky. All's well that ends better." She said with a contented sigh.
Lincoln chuckled. Typical Len- wait a minute. "Leni, what'd you say?"
"All's well that ends better?"
"You… mean 'all's well that ends well', right…?"
"Nope~"
Lincoln raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Leni… that's Lord of the Rings."
"Yeah?" She said plainly.
"You just quoted Lord of the Rings." Lincoln said in disbelief. "You like Lord of the Rings?"
"Linky," Leni huffed in mock offense. "Everyone likes Lord of the Rings."
For nearly an hour they sat snuggled together, their drinks completely forgotten as they chatted about this and that. Lincoln was shocked to find that Lord of the Rings was just the tip of the iceberg. For example, Leni had seen every Star Wars film at least five times; she even loved the prequels. Lincoln couldn't believe that his fashion-loving sister had such a nerdy side to her. He was struck by the sobering revelation that, for all the time they had spent together over the years, they had never just sat down and talked like this.
"Don't make stuff up, Linky!" Leni said with an exaggerated pout, laying with her head in Lincoln's lap.
"I'm telling you, it's real. Look it up! Star Wars Holiday Special."
"Fine," Leni huffed as she got her phone from her purse. "Teach you to try and trick me… oh?" At some point, she had gotten a text from one of her friends. "What's this…?"
'Z0mG leny! ur br0 iz BADA55!1!' read the message, bracketed by about five emojis. Underneath was a link to a Facebook video, and Leni clicked it. "Linky… it's you!" She gasped as a video of Lincoln telling off Joanna started to play.
"What?" Lincoln looked town in shock. He'd been so caught up in the moment that he hadn't realized people were filming. And now, seeing it for himself… he couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. "Oh, geeze…" He muttered, face beet red. He'd never flown off the handle like that in public.
Leni, however, was transfixed. She couldn't believe he'd gone so far for her… as the video came to an end, she looked up into her brother's eyes with a big smile on her face. "My hero~" She giggled softly. To his surprise, Leni started the video again, watching all the way through to the end. "You're totes scary when you're mad, Linky. Like, that big angry green guy, y'know?"
"W-well…" Lincoln coughed. "I couldn't stand seeing her treat you like that."
"It's sweet," She said earnestly. She looked up at Lincoln again when the video was finished. "Did you mean it?"
"Mean what?"
"That I'm, like, everything to you." Leni replied with a light blush.
"A-ah…" Lincoln stammered, his cheeks burning. "W-well… yeah. Yeah, I did." It wasn't a lie; his sisters were everything to him.
…Perhaps especially so, in Leni's case.
Leni's eyes seemed to sparkle as they stared into his. Her phone hid her mouth, but he could see her cheeks turning red. Why was she looking at him like that…?
"Hey! What're you kids doing here?" A gruff voice called out suddenly, making them jump. It was the school janitor, pushing along a trash can; he looked at them suspiciously. "No hanky-panky in the school halls. Even after hours."
"W-we weren't! We just, um…" Lincoln stammered as he and Leni scrambled to their feet.
"We, were, like, trying to get back to the prom, but we got lost." Leni finished for him. The janitor raised an eyebrow before shrugging, apparently satisfied with her answer.
"Well, whatever. Prom's over, so you need to go." He said, using his thumb to point down the hallway. "Go on, now, before I decide to have a word with the principal…"
"R-right… sorry about that!" Lincoln said, taking Leni by the hand. "Come on, Leni."
"Byyyyeeeee~!" Leni waved as Lincoln hurried her off.
Once they were in the clear, they slowed to a comfortable pace, still holding hands. Lincoln sighed. "Guess we lost track of time…"
"Time lies when you're having fun!" Leni said in her bubbly voice, making Lincoln chuckle. As they passed the gymnasium, Lincoln took a glance inside… before freezing in place.
"Leni," He mumbled, giving her arm a little tug. "Leni, look." The gym was empty, save for an annoyed faculty member… and a very grumpy Joanna Hawthorne struggling to mop up the mess she had made.
"What are you doing, Miss Hawthorne?" The teacher snapped. "You're just spreading it around!"
"I told you, I'm trying!" Joanna hissed.
"And watch your-"
As Joanna took a step back, her foot struck the bucket of dirty water behind her and knocked it over. Joanna shrieked in rage and slammed the mop against the floor hard enough to snap it in two.
"Miss Hawthorne!"
Lincoln and Leni scurried away quickly, stifling their laughter as two angry voices echoed through the halls.
"O-oh gosh…" Leni squeaked out between giggles. "Poor Joanna."
"She got what she deserved," Lincoln retorted.
"S-still…" Leni snickered, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "Don't you feel a little bad for her?"
"Psh, no." Lincoln scoffed. "She's a bitch."
"Lincoln!" Leni gasped.
"What? She is." The two exchanged a glance before breaking out in peals of laughter once more.
"Thanks Lori. See you in a few." Lincoln said as he ended the call. The school's entrance was completely devoid of life; excluding Joanna, everyone else had gone home. Lincoln was sitting on a wooden bench, his sister nestled snugly against him. Leni sighed contentedly, and Lincoln couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you for coming with me tonight, Linky~" Leni cooed happily. "Totes the best date ever."
"Yeah… I guess everything worked out, huh?" Lincoln coughed. "I mean… all things considered."
"By our standards, yeah."
"Y'know Leni, sometimes I wonder if this family's cursed."
"Maybe~" Leni giggled. "Bet that would made Lucy happy, though."
Lincoln gave a small laugh at that. He stroked his sister's hair gently and she nuzzled further into his neck, tickling it with her breath. Maybe the prom had been a bust, but he'd still had a good time; most importantly, he felt closer to Leni than ever before. But he still couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt; he hadn't been able to give Leni the prom night she had been hoping for.
Then, an idea struck him. "Leni," He said, "Can I see your phone again?"
"Huh? Oh, like, sure." She said as she handed it to him. He opened up the music browser and flicked through it. Crap, crap, too fast, crap, crap… a-ha! Perfect, he thought. A bit overdone, but it'll work.
Lincoln got to his feet. "Linky?" Leni looked up at him in confusion as he offered a hand to her. Then, she heard it; 'Africa' by Toto.
"It's a bit late, but… Leni. May I have this dance?" Lincoln asked with a bashful grin.
Leni's eyes went wide. She nodded enthusiastically, biting her lower lip in excitement as she took his hand. He pulled her close, placing his hands on her hips, and she likewise placed hers on his shoulders. This time, he led without hesitation, swaying with her in tune with the music.
"See, Linky? I knew you could dance~"
"Yeah… I guess I can." Lincoln chuckled softly.
Leni closed her eyes, quietly singing along with the music. "…nothing that a hundred million boars would ever do… I guess it rains down in Africa~"
Well, close enough, Lincoln thought.
As the music faded out, Leni opened her eyes, her gaze meeting her brother's. Neither said anything for a while, nor did they move; Lincoln's hands were still firmly grasping her slender waist, and hers were still delicately rested upon his shoulders. She had a dreamy look in her eyes, and her cheeks were tinged pink. Lincoln swallowed.
"U-um…" She began, at last, chewing her bottom lip slightly. "Lincoln…"
HONK.
Lincoln and Leni jumped back with a yelp, just as Lori's car pulled up. "Hey you two, how'd it- whoa." Lori called out from the window, taking note of their disheveled appearance. "What the literal hell happened to you two?!"
"O-oh, you know," Lincoln stammered, trying to calm his frazzled nerves. "Shenanigans."
"Shenanigans." Lori stated flatly, cocking an eyebrow.
"Y-yeah. You know!" Lincoln laughed nervously. "Typical Loud family shenanigans!"
Lori narrowed her eyes for a moment before shrugging. "What else is new. Did you have fun at least?"
"Yes~!" Leni exclaimed happily, hugging Lincoln's arm. "We totes had the best time."
"Glad to hear it," Lori said with a smirk. "Now come on… it's late."
Lincoln and Leni shared a smile before he walked her to the car, opening the door for her. But just as she was about to get in, she heard a familiar voice from the entrance of the school.
"…What do you mean you can't pick me up?!" Joanna shouted into her phone as she stormed out. "I told you, nobody else is… no it's not fine, Daddy! I'm not taking an Uber by myself! …Daddy? Daddy, are you there?" The call ended and Joanna screamed in frustration. "FINE!" In her anger she threw her phone to the ground with all her strength, smashing it to pieces. "Fine…" She muttered softly, her voice cracking. She crossed her arms over her chest and sulked against the wall.
Leni's brow furrowed as she watched the pathetic display play out. Joanna had been cruel to her, yes… but she didn't hate the girl. Leni didn't have it in her to hate anyone, regardless of what they had done to her. "Joanna…?" She called out softly.
Joanna sniffed and glanced over at Leni in surprise before looking away with a huff. "…What."
"Do you, like…" Leni exchanged a glance with Lincoln, who simply sighed before giving her a nod of support. "Do you need a ride…?"
Joanna bit her lip. "I don't…" She began, but hesitated. She glanced down at her broken phone. Finally, she sighed. "...Alright."
Leni smiled as Joanna slunk her way to the car, picking up her shattered phone along the way. Lincoln couldn't help but notice that she went out of her way to avoid making eye contact with him as she strode over to the passenger seat and got in; only for her blood to run cold as she set eyes on the driver.
"Heeeeeyyyy, Joanna." Lori said with a wicked smirk on her face. "Long time no see."
"H-hi, Lori..." Joanna mumbled awkwardly, already regretting her decision.
"So, where am I taking you?"
"Pine… Pine Bay."
"Pine Bay…" Lori muttered. "That's near the Super Mart, right? With all the condos?"
"…Yes." Joanna grumbled, shrinking back into her seat.
"Wait…" Said Leni as she got into her seat. "I thought you lived in Huntington Manor…?"
Joanna said nothing, suddenly very focused on fastening her seatbelt… or trying to, at least. It seemed to be jammed.
"Oh, sorry about that." Lori teased. "Passenger seatbelt's literally been broken for ages. Guess you'd better hold on tight!"
"Wait, what…?"
"You guys buckled in?" Lori said, turning her head and giving Lincoln a sly wink. He gives a thumbs-up in response. "Then let's burn rubber!"
"W-waAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-!" Joanna shrieked and held on for dear life as Lori floored the gas pedal.
What a crazy night that was, Lincoln thought as he unbuttoned his shirt before chucking it aside with the rest of his suit. Normally he'd be more careful with such fancy clothes, but let's face it… these were done for. He stretched, feeling his joints pop pleasantly. He still had a few flecks of paint in his hair, but he'd deal with that in the morning… he was exhausted.
The ride home had been… eventful, to say the least. Lori had a little too much fun making sudden stops and accelerations, and by the time they got to Pine Bay Joanna was a nervous wreck. He could hardly blame Lori, of course. It did look like fun.
What surprised him the most was when Joanna suddenly shoved a wad of bills into Leni's hand, 'For the ride,' she had said. When Leni told her not to worry about it, she just snapped that it was 'For the dress, then' and stormed off. Lincoln wasn't sure if it was meant to be an apology or a show of gratitude, but either way it had been a nice gesture. Not that it made him despise her any less.
Leni ended up falling asleep on the ride home, and Lori had grilled him for details. He figured it best to tell her the truth before she stumbled upon the video herself, and she… took it about as well as expected. After he managed to convince her not to turn the car around and make Joanna's life a living hell, she had told him she was proud of him for handling the situation. Still, he made her promise not to get involved.
You know, just in case.
He had just slipped on his pajamas and was about to climb into bed when someone knocked on his door. "Come in," Lincoln said with a sigh.
The door creaked open and Leni stepped in, wearing her usual nightgown. Lincoln's eyes lit up. "Oh… hey, Leni!" He said with a grin.
"Hi Linky~" Leni chirped with a sweet, sleepy smile. "I wanted to thank you again for tonight… I…" Leni stifled a yawn. "I had a lot of fun."
"Yeah… me too." He agreed. For all its low points, tonight had been something special. In a way he was almost grateful to Joanna; if not for her, things might never have gone the way they did. "Um… I am sorry, though." He added sheepishly. "For, y'know… being so weird about it."
Leni giggled. "Like, you did great, Linky~" He could tell she was being sincere.
"Still… maybe I can make it up to you. I, uh…" he gave a small, nervous laugh, scratching at the side of his nose. "It'll be a few years, but… I've got one coming up too, y'know? Prom, I mean. Sooo…." Lincoln cleared his throat. "I mean, if you want to…"
Leni raised her eyebrows in surprise before giving Lincoln a wide, happy smile. "…I'd love that."
"It's a date, then." Said Lincoln, and Leni nodded. For a few moments, neither said anything; the two simply stared at one another, and Lincoln noticed Leni was chewing her lip again. "Was, uh… was there something else, Leni?"
"Oh… n-no. Well, I mean, yes. Like, um…" Leni giggled nervously, fidgeting a bit. Finally, she took a deep breath. "Sooo… there's, like, one more thing that would make tonight… perfect." She mumbled the last part, kicking at the carpet bashfully. God, Lincoln thought, how is she so cute?
"Anything," Lincoln found himself responding. Seeing her like that, how could he refuse?
"Umm…" Leni looked away, her cheeks turning red. "Can you, like… close your eyes…?"
Lincoln raised an eyebrow. Close his eyes? That was weird, but whatever. He complied. For a few seconds, nothing happened; then, he heard her inching forward. For a brief moment, he swore he could feel her breath on his face, and then-
Lincoln's eyes shot wide as dinner plates.
She was kissing him. Not a sibling kiss, mind you… a real kiss.
On the lips.
Lincoln's mind went haywire. He knew he should stop this, his brain was screaming for him to pull away, but her lips were just so soft, and so warm, and so… sweet. As her hand cupped his face, he found himself leaning into the kiss, shutting his eyes as he savored it.
He knew he shouldn't be doing this.
He didn't care.
All too soon, the kiss broke. Lincoln was in a daze, looking up at his sister with half-lidded eyes; she was gazing right back at him with that dreamy, distant expression that had enraptured him before. She looked almost as overwhelmed as he was; then she gasped, as though shocked that she had gone through with it. She shuddered for a moment, making a small, muffled yelp that seemed as though she was stifling a girlish shriek of joy. She took another deep breath before giving Lincoln the warmest smile he had seen all night.
"Good night, Linky~" And with that she was gone, practically skipping back to her room.
Lincoln, however was frozen in place, that same dazed expression on his face. He could still taste her lips on his; strawberry, he realized. Lip gloss? Maybe. Or maybe she's just that sweet.
Wait.
"What the hell just happened…?"

THE END
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Prom Night Promise