Adult-FanFiction.org : Cartoons

Reeling in the Years	By : Flagg1991 Category: +G through L > The Loud House Views: 5080 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Loud House or its characters and I am not profiting from this story in any way.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
Lyrics to Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis (1957)
Flip's Drive-In sat on the corner of Main Street and Pine Avenue, a circular building with wrap around windows, neon signs, and a big, upturned overhang that terminated in a sharp point. That blustery December afternoon, the parking lot was empty, and the inside wasn't too much better: A few older kids sat at booths along one wall, and a man and woman occupied one of the tables.
Lincoln slipped into a booth and touched his right eye. The area around it was tender and swollen. If he went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror, he'd probably see a black and lumpy mass. Sigh.
Ronnie Anne sat down across from him, her eyes big and a sly grin creeping across her face. "That was cool. You decked that asshole right in his mouth." She snickered. "I'm pretty sure you busted his lip."
Lincoln shrugged. "He made me mad. The way he hit you."
Both of them looked away from the other, both beginning to blush. "How does my eye look?" Lincoln asked after a moment.
"Not bad," she said. "It's a little pink. You can tell something happened."
"Great," Lincoln said. "My sisters are going to be all over me when I get home...and if they don't notice my eye, which they will, Lynn will probably tell them anyway."
"That was your brother?"
"Yeah."
Ronnie Anne giggled. "He hit that piece of shit like a freight train. Pretty cool how you guys double-teamed him like that."
"I didn't do much," he said. "I was losing, remember?"
"The way your face looked when you hit him, I'm sure you could have mustered something else."
A waitress in a pink uniform came over with a notepad. "Hi. What can I get you?"
"What do you want?" Ronnie Anne asked. "I'm buying."
Lincoln blinked. Buying? Her? That wasn't right. It was the man's responsibility to pay. "No, that's okay, I'll buy."
"No you won't," she said, then grinned. "It's the least I can do after the way you defended my honor."
"Really..."
"I'm paying, get over it. What do you want?"
Lincoln had four sisters, so he knew the look in Ronnie Anne's eyes well: Her mind was made up and nothing in the world would be able to change it. "Just fries, I guess. And a chocolate shake."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
She looked up at the waitress. "Order of fries, two chocolate shakes, and a hotdog."
The waitress jotted down their order and went over to the counter. Flip himself, a beefy man with hairy forearms and a bushy white mustache, leaned against the register, talking to a man in a suit. He wore a dirty white T-shirt.
"So how does it feel? Your eye?"
"Kind of tender," Lincoln said. "What about your face?" He looked for a mark, but didn't see one, thank God. The thought of that bastard Billy Mason putting his hands on her – marring her warm, bronze flesh – made his blood boil.
"Fine," she said, "he didn't hit me very hard."
Outside, a car pulled into the slot directly in front of their window. "There's Bobby," she said. The driver side door swung open and Bobby climbed out, a cigarette in his mouth. The passenger door opened, and his buddy Blades got out. He wore a jean jacket over a black T-shirt, a little curl of hair limp against his forehead. He stepped aside, and Daggy, Bobby's other loser friend, climbed out of the back. His hair was messy and blonde and he wore a blue zip up jacket. Bobby took a drag from his cigarette and flicked it away.
"Oh, great," Flip said loud enough that Lincoln and Ronnie Anne could hear him, "here come the 3 Stooges."
Bobby stepped over a snowbank and crossed to the door, opening it and came inside with one arm out. "Honey, I'm home!"
Ronnie Anne rolled her eyes. "He's so embarrassing sometimes."
"I think he's cool," Lincoln said, then, "I mean, kind of."
"Well, if it isn't Tweedledee, Tweedledum, and Tweedledumbest," Flip said.
"Come on, Flip," Bobby said, strutting to the counter while Daggy and Blades grabbed a booth, "don't be like that. Aren't you happy to see me? Best employee you ever had?"
Flip craned to see around Bobby. "Yeah? Where is he?"
Bobby shook his head and leaned against the counter. "You're funny. How's the fry game?"
"Good. How's the being a pain in my ass game?"
Bobby spread his hands. "I haven't been here in a while, so I'm behind, but I'll catch up."
Ronnie Anne turned to watch her brother, her face red. Shut up, I'm on a date over here.
Wait.
Date?
"Yeah, you're catching up quick. What do you want?"
Bobby glanced up at the menu over the counter even though he knew it by heart. "Uh...gimme a burger, some fries, and a Coca-Cola."
Flip nodded. "What about your boyfriends?"
Bobby chuckled. "I don't know. They're on their own."
"Real gentleman," Flip remarked.
Bobby shrugged and glanced over, his brow arching when he saw Ronnie Anne. "Ah, I see my kid sister's here too." He looked at Flip. "With as much money as we spend in here, you oughta treat me a little better."
"You oughta go away. I'll get you when your food's done."
Bobby held up his hands and swaggered toward Ronnie Anne and Lincoln, much to Ronnie Anne's dismay. Go away, loser! I'm on a date.
Bobby nodded as he passed, flicking Ronnie Anne's ponytail. He stopped at the jukebox and scanned the selection of songs. "Same old stuff, Flip," he said over his shoulder, "when you gettin' the new?"
"Half past shut up and put your dime in."
The man Flip had been talking to shook his head and laughed. Lincoln couldn't help but watch Bobby: He was really something else.
Bobby sighed and dropped a dime in. He pressed a button and music began to play:
You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain.
Too much love drives a man insane.
Bobby nodded. "Alright. This thing go any louder?" He looked it over. When he didn't find the volume dial he knew wasn't there, he slapped its glass face.
"I swear to God, Santiago, if you break my Payola, I'll break you," Flip warned.
Bobby turned. "Damn, Flip, chill, I'm not gonna break it. I'll treat it real gentle. Like a woman."
Flip snorted. "You've never had a woman in your life."
Bobby's friends snickered, and he flushed in embarrassment. "There's where you're wrong," he said, pointing at Flip.
"No, it's not."
Bobby's blush deepened as his friends lost it, Daggy pounding the table and Blades nodding in agreement. "Go make my hamburger," Bobby said and waved his hand, "I'm buyin' food, not your gas, old man."
Flip nodded. "Alright. I'll make it extra special for you." He snorted deeply.
"Better not spit in my food," Bobby grumbled as he passed. He laid his hand on Ronnie Anne's head and pushed it aside.
"Cut it out, creep!" she cried.
"Yeah, creep," Daggy said when Bobby sat. "Cut it out."
"Close your flaps, pencil neck."
Ronnie Anne sighed. "Is your brother that embarrassing, or am I alone here?"
"Uh," Lincoln said, trying to think. "Kind of, I guess. I mean...he kind of gets really excited about sports. It can be a little embarrassing. My sister Leni can be, but she's sweet, so that makes up for it."
"Yeah," Ronnie Anne said and sighed. "Bobby's sweet too. He acts all tough but he can be a big softie sometimes. He, uh...he kinda had to grow up fast."
Lincoln tilted his head. "Why?"
Ronnie Anne suddenly wished she hadn't said anything. It was embarrassing. God, I'm so damn stupid sometimes. "Our dad left a couple years ago," she admitted, "and Bobby had to get a job to help our mom with the bills."
For a moment Lincoln didn't know what to say. He had literally never heard of a family without a dad before...he didn't even think it was possible. "I'm sorry," he replied, and rubbed the back of his neck. "That must be kind of bad."
Ronnie Anne shrugged. "He was a drunk anyway."
Okay, Lincoln had heard of drunks before.
"I'm sorry about that too," he blurted.
Ronnie Anne giggled. "Don't be."
The waitress came over with their shakes and food. Ronnie Anne rubbed her hands together. "Man, that hotdog looks nice." She looked up at Lincoln. "You want half?"
It was a good looking hotdog. But it was hers. "No, thanks."
"You sure?"
He nodded.
A tick or a twitch of the eye must have betrayed him. "Here," she said, pulling it apart, "really, take it."
"No, it's yours."
"No," she said, holding up half, "this is mine." He held up the other half. "This is yours." She sat it in the fry basket.
Who was he to turn down such a nice gesture? It would be impolite, really. "Thanks," he said.
"No problem," she said around a mouthful, "hero."
Lincoln blushed.
A few booths down, Flip sat a plate in front of Bobby. "Here's your damn food. Eat and get out."
Lincoln swallowed his first bite (that dog was even better than it looked). "Wow, Flip really doesn't like him."
Ronnie Anne shook her head. "Nah, Flip loves him. That's just how they play."
Lincoln looked again, and this time he noticed a twinkle in Flip's eye. He clapped Bobby on the back as Bobby dug a crumpled bill out of his pocket. "Your money's no good here," Flip said, "probably stole it off some old lady, you hood."
Bobby shrugged. "Granny got her pension check in the mail, and I got to it first. What can I say? That walker really slows her down."
"That car," Ronnie Anne said, nodding out the window, "Flip gave it to him."
Lincoln's brows lifted. "Gave? It's practically brand new."
Ronnie Anne nodded. "I know."
Wow. A brand new car. Flip must like him.
"Hey," Ronnie Anne said, and Lincoln looked away from the window. She looked nervous.
"Yeah?"
"I was wondering," she said, "you know, if you wanted to go to the dance."
"T-The dance?"
"That's what I said."
"I thought dancing wasn't your thing."
"It's not, but I didn't say we'd be dancing. We can just hang."
Lincoln really wanted to dance with her...slow and close...but he'd take what he could get. "Sure, that sounds cool."
"Yeah, it does."
For a while, they ate in silence, enjoying each other's company and the prospect of hanging out in the future. They were just finishing up when Bobby came over and crossed his arms. Ronnie Anne didn't look at him. He leaned in, and she continued ignoring him. "Come on, snake," he finally said, nodding to the door, "let's rattle."
"I speak English and Spanish," Ronnie Anne said, "not loser."
"Es hora de ir a casa."
"No quiero ahora mismo."
Lincoln looked from brother to sister, entirely lost.
"Si no te gusta, ¡peor para ti. Vamos. Se puede ver la cuadrado mañana."
Ronnie Anne shot him a dirty look.
"Come on," Bobby said seriously, "let's go."
"Fine," she said tightly, then turned to Lincoln, her expression softening. "I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow."
He glanced at Bobby, who raised a brow, then to Ronnie Anne. But I don't want you to go. "Okay. See you at school."
She grinned and got up, slapping a five dollar bill on the table.
"What's this?" Bobby asked. "You payin'?"
"Yes," she said.
Bobby grabbed the bill and shoved it into her hand. "I'll have Flip comp it."
While Bobby went over to talk to Flip, Ronnie Anne waited by the door, trying really hard not to look at Lincoln but failing. Lincoln grinned every time she stole a glance at him. She didn't think he saw her, but he did. And he was happy.
When Bobby was done, he went back over to his table, where Blades and Daggy still sat. "Alright," he said, "I don't got room for everyone in my car, so one of you assholes is walkin' home."
Blades and Daggy both looked up at him. "Eeny," he said, pointing at Daggy, "meeny," at Blades, "miney," at Daggy...then "Daggy. Come on, Blades, let's roll."
Daggy spread his arms. "Really?"
"Yeah, really," Bobby said. "Más tarde, gilipollas."
When Lincoln came through the door, Luan, Luna, Leni, and Dad (surprising...he usually got home much later) were sitting on the couch and watching American Bandstand, Dad not looking impressed. Dick Clark stood among a group of dancing teens, a big smile on his face. "Hey, all you chickie babies, cool cats, greasers, and motor heads; you are hip to a whole new sound, so put on your best threads, lose the squares, and get ready to head to fat city for the biggest bash of the weekend. Let's get cranked and have a blast!"
"What the hell did he just say?" Dad asked, and Luna laughed. Leni cocked her head in confusion.
Luan sighed. "Come on, Dad, get with it, he said...actually, I don't know what he said either."
Maybe if he was reaaaally quiet, he could...
Leni turned her eye and smiled brightly. "Hi, Lincy!"
Darn.
Her eyes clouded. "What's wrong with your face?"
Sighing, Lincoln closed the door and came into the living room just as Elvis started swiveling his hips. Luan, Luna, and Dad glanced at him, each one registering the bruise on his face. "You okay, Linc?" Luan asked worriedly.
"It's nothing," Lincoln said, "I fell down."
"Like...on a fist?" Leni asked.
Oh, no, was it that obvious? "No, ice."
"You sure?" Luna asked.
Lincoln dropped onto the arm of the couch and faced the TV. "Yeah, it's fine."
"You should probably put some ice on it," Luan said.
Leni huffed. "Luan, ice is what caused this mess. He should, like, use heat. It's ice's arch nemesis."
"Elvis is really shaking," Lincoln said, hoping to change the subject. "Pretty obscene, huh, Dad?"
Dad nodded. "Yes, it is. I don't think my teenage daughters should be watching this."
"Come on, Dad!" Luan said. "It's not bad!"
"Yeah," Luna put in, "you should see the stuff on the news. It's way worse than someone dancing."
Dad crossed his arms and sighed. "I can't argue there," he said. He glanced at Lincoln. "How was your day?"
"Good," Lincoln said and found himself grinning.
"You're a little later than usual. Lynn said something about you going to Flip's. With a girl."
Luan, Luna, and Leni whipped their heads around as one, and panic filled Lincoln's stomach. Oh, great, Dad, now you did it. "A girl?" Luan asked. "Why didn't you tell us you had a girlfriend?" Luna asked with half-lidded eyes. "Lincy, like, reeled one in."
Holding up his hand, Lincoln said, "Calm down, we're just friends."
"Uh-huh," Luna nodded, "that's how it starts."
"Then you end with six kids and a mortgage," Dad said. He put his hands on his knees and got to his feet with a groan. "And a bad back." He shuffled to the kitchen and poked his head in to see if dinner was ready.
"What's her name?" Luan asked.
"Ronnie Anne," Lincoln said. "But honestly, we're just friends."
Only...were they really? Thinking back to their date (and that's the only word he could think of to describe it), to the way she looked at him, to the tone and timbre of her voice, to the light in her eyes...to the way she asked him to the dance...he got the feeling that maybe they weren't. Wishful thinking?
Luna shook her head. "Come on, man, if she was just your friend you wouldn't be blushing like that."
Was he blushing? He touched his face, and his sisters all laughed.
"What's funny?" Lori asked as she came down the stairs. Lincoln turned, and she paused at the bottom step. "What's wrong with your eye?" Her voice was edged with sisterly concern...and maybe just a sprinkling of disgust. Gee, did it look that bad?
Before he could reply, Leni said, "He fell down."
Lori's brow furrowed. "On what, a fist?"
"That's what I said!" Leni gasped.
Lori came over, grabbed Lincoln's chin, and tilted his head back. "Are you alright?" she asked. "Does it hurt?"
"It's fine, it's just a little bruise," Lincoln said and pulled away from her grasp. "I'm okay, guys...really."
"He has a girlfriend," Luna said over her shoulder.
Lori's eyes widened. "A girlfriend?"
Jesus. Lincoln drew a deep breath. "She's just a friend." I think?
Lori came around the couch and shoved in next to Leni, nearly knocking Lincoln off the arm. She crossed her legs and put her hands on her knee. "What's her name?" She leaned in and smiled. "Is she pretty?"
"Her name is Ronnie Anne and...uh, I guess she's pretty. I mean, I haven't noticed."
All of his sisters laughed at him. "You're full of shit, man," Luna said and shook her head.
"No, really," Lincoln lied.
"Uh-huh," Lori said, "sure you haven't." On TV, Bandstand was ending. "Turn the channel, Luan," Lori said over her shoulder, "it's time for Lawrence Welk."
"Oh, yuck," Luan said, crinkling her nose. Nevertheless, she got up, went to the TV, knelt, and turned the knob.
Lori looked back at Lincoln. "You have a dance coming up, right? Are you going to ask her?"
Lincoln opened his mouth: The pride of an eleven-year-old boy drove him to boast that actually, she kind of asked him, but his common sense beat it back. "I don't know," he said noncommittally. "I guess it's a possibility."
On TV, The Lawrence Welk Show was beginning and Lori turned away from Lincoln. "Cool," she said absently, "now hush." A man in cutaway tails sat behind a piano, playing a light melody. His hair was curly and he smiled as he nodded his head. Luna and Luan groaned, but Lori watched, rapt. Whew. Lincoln never thought he'd be this happy to see Liberace.
"What's better than roses on your piano?" Liberace asked the camera in a whispy, effeminate voice. "Tulips on your organ."
Lori's jaw dropped and her face flushed. Luna and Luan both gaped. Leni tilted her head. "I don't get it."
Luna started to laugh. "This is way worse than Bandstand! Hey, Dad! Liberace just told a dirty joke on The Lawrence Welk Show, Lori shouldn't be watching it!"
"That's nice," Dad called from the kitchen, obviously not listening.
Shaking his head, Lincoln stood and went up the stairs. In his room, he pulled his jacket off and hung it up. Next, he took off his sweater and his shoes until he was wearing just his polo shirt and his jeans. He took his radio out, found a station playing music, and sat it on his nightstand. He looked around in confusion. Hm. Where's...?
Something crashed into him from behind, and he went down hard with a cry. His arm was wrenched up behind his back, and a powerful forearm snaked around his neck. "Hey, bro!" Lynn cried happily. "I was wondering when you'd be home from your date!"
"Get off!" Lincoln cried, thrashing in his brother's grip.
"Make me," Lynn said. "I know you got it in you, Loud. I saw you almost drop a guy today."
Lynn wrenched Lincoln's arm farther upward, and hot pain snaked up Lincoln's shoulder. "Oooow, get off, goddamn it!"
"Someone's got a potty mouth!" Lynn said. "He must be getting mad!"
Lincoln's face was red and his legs kicked impotently. Lynn's weight pinned him to the floor, and he couldn't get out from under him no matter how much he wiggled.
"Come on, bro," Lynn said, his breath hot against Lincoln's ear, "make me leave you alone...weak sister."
Lincoln did the only thing he could: He threw his head back. It connected with Lynn's nose, and the older boy cried out, his grip on Lincoln's neck momentarily loosening. Lincoln mustered all the strength he had and rolled; Lynn toppled over and fell to the floor like a mighty oak.
Panting, Lincoln got to his feet and spun on his brother, who sat in a heap on the floor, his hand pressed to his nose. When he pulled it away, there was blood on his palm, and more trickled from one nostril. Lincoln's heart clutched. Uh-oh.
Lynn looked up at him, his eyes shining with dark malevolence, and Lincoln gulped. "You little bastard," Lynn growled. He started to get up, and Lincoln fell back a step, his heart racing.
"Y-You told me to get you off!"
Lynn's face was set and his shoulders hunched as he stalked forward, his fists balled and his teeth bared. Lincoln backed into the doorframe. Well, world, it was nice knowing you; Lincoln Loud, over and out.
Lynn threw a punch, and Lincoln squeezed his eyes closed.
The impact didn't come.
Lincoln creaked one eye open. The fist that had so recently been hurtling at his face like a world-ending asteroid was now a palm extended forward. Lynn was smirking. "Not bad, bro. You gotta work on your follow up, though. If this was a real fight I woulda creamed ya."
I...I get to live?
"Come on," Lynn said, "take my hand!"
Against his better judgement, Lincoln did, but instead of tossing him over his shoulder or clotheslining him, Lynn pumped his brother's hand. Uh, what's happening? "That was a good hit, though. I didn't know you had such a mean right hook. I, uh –" here Lynn glanced away, "I kinda wanna teach you to fight. You know, build on what you got."
"I'm not much into fighting," Lincoln said honestly, "I just lost my cool."
Lynn snickered. "No, you gained your cool. Come on, it'll be fun."
Lincoln mulled it over for a minute. He should learn how to fight. From what he had gathered in his eleven years, the world was full of people like Billy Mason, from the moment you slipped out of the womb to the moment you crawled into the grave, and though everyone seemed impressed by what he did, he was getting his ass kicked when Lynn saved him. That didn't bother him so much, but the thought that maybe...just maybe...Billy might have moved onto Ronnie Anne when he was done with him did.
"Alright," Lincoln said, "yeah, let's do it."
Lynn grinned. "Alright, we'll..."
He trailed off when Lori appeared in the doorway. "Dinner's..." she stopped, her voice taking on that famous sisterly concern Lincoln was so accustomed to, "what happened to your nose?"
"I fell," Lynn said and smiled nervously.
Lori shook her head. "The boys in this family are so clumsy," she said. "Are you okay?"
"Never better," Lynn said, and socked Lincoln in the arm. "Let's go, I'm starved."
- 3
- 4
- 5
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Reeling in the Years