The alignment of the stars, or even the great forces of this world that grant you a bit of luck—she knew how to appease them to gain their favor during a match. Yet, she didn't know how to summon them to answer her burning question: why was she watching her little brother sitting on the family sofa, his left arm completely bandaged by the nurse on duty, Lucy, who was currently carefully applying a disinfectant-soaked compress to wipe his right cheek, where a little blood was trickling from a graze inflicted by a boy who had hit him without having the courtesy to remove his signet ring?
"Huuuun!" The grimace on his face was enough to tell Lynn that it stung, no matter how sweet the dark-haired girl looked at him with a hint of irritation.
"Please stop moving," she asked patiently. Hearing this, the white-haired boy closed his eyes to try to control his pain while his sister cleaned up the blood.
"I can't believe you wanted to fight," Lynn murmured, her voice filled with surprise at the young man she thought would be the last person to raise their fists to settle their problems.
Opening his eyes, Lincoln looks at her with something resembling passion buried beneath a thick layer of anger.
"They wanted to get at Lucy," he growled through gritted teeth, remembering his beautiful lady picking up leaves from the ground while those animals stared at the supple figure of young Loud. "Those damned jackals should know that if anyone goes after her, they'll have to kill me first."
"Stop threatening those insects and stay quiet while I finish," said Lucy suddenly, blushing at her lover's words, who now looked at her with fierce determination. "Besides, I have nothing and, with the rumor going around, there's no doubt that no one will dare bother a Loud without being afraid of you."
And so, Lynn was now sidelined by these two who, once again, ignored the rest of the world to converse in their own private way. Over time, everyone noticed how Lucy seemed to become more confident and open in her brother's presence, who, in turn, became more self-assured and playful with his jokes, which all too often targeted his goth little sister. What still shocks the Loud siblings is how close they've become, how they seem to be one in their actions and thoughts.
They can easily finish each other's sentences, understand what each other might need. With just a glance, Lincoln and Lucy seem to have a million silent conversations. What irritates the rest of the family, of course, is the fact that Lucy completely monopolizes Lincoln's time. None of the sisters could hope to have a single minute alone with the white-haired young man without Lucy being in the room, as if the very idea of leaving Lincoln alone seems ridiculous to her.
"I'm still glad you fought to defend our sister, little brother!" exclaims Lynn, smiling proudly at Lincoln, who simply gives a thumbs-up in agreement.
"All to serve our queen of darkness," he said in an amused tone as a pair of fingers lightly tugged his earlobe.
"Don't make fun of me," the brunette squeaked softly, blushing every time her lover joked while praising her.
"Ouch!" he said, feeling no pain. His eyes turned to her as she put a bandage on his cheek. "Thank you for taking care of me."
Seeing Lucy smile always makes Lynn recoil in surprise. Her younger sister had seemed incapable of even lifting the corner of her lips to smile, then one morning, she walked with a spring in her step, humming happily and sporting a joyful smile that captivated the Loud family for an entire day. Naturally, her sisters tried to figure out the reason for this new development, but of course, Lucy remained as silent as the grave.
The moment seemed to drag on, but the dark-haired woman left to put away the first-aid kit, leaving Lynn alone with her little brother, who collapsed back onto the sofa cushions with a happy smile that had become second nature in recent years. Seeing this, the athletic brunette decided it was the perfect time to ask one of the questions that had been on her mind ever since she learned that Lincoln had fought off ten boys who were apparently trying to flirt with Lucy.
"You know, some people are saying you shouted things..." she began with a hint of nervousness before sensing that the look she was receiving from her brother was not hostile "...you said it was your Lucy."
"I only have one Lucy," he replied, with his usual sweet and happy smile. "And above all, I will not allow any animal to approach her."
Yes, his younger brother's tongue has become more skillful and sharp from spending time with a poetry enthusiast.
"They are nothing but pretentious roosters who take women for hens who coo to their insolent crowing," he continued, this time with more warmth in his voice, something that disappeared very quickly as he displayed a smile like Alice's cat. "But if they have made the mistake of touching one of our lionesses, let them come, I will be there to show them who has claws."
Mute, Lynn thought she knew who her brother was, but as time went on, a side of him she hadn't known was emerging. Goodbye insecurity and nervousness, hello confidence and gentlemanly banter, and this came with the presence of a more liberated Lucy. Each made the other stronger every day.
"For what ?"
At this, Lincoln smiled more tenderly while raising his erect member.
"People sometimes do funny things..." this time, he leaves a touch of love in his voice "...when their heart speaks."