บท 17: Loud and Proud
After the storm from the other day, the residents of Royal Woods could finally enjoy a sunny day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing their melodic songs, and the few fluffy white clouds were made perfectly for the children to test their imaginations on them. Yes, sir, some would say it was a perfect day.
However, on Franklin Avenue, it wasn't only peace but also a deafening silence. Since the tragedy struck in Loud House, their street has become the quietest in the whole neighborhood.
Yet a family van appeared down the road, the old ingine breaking by the Loud's van, also known as Vanzilla, that stopped to regain the silence of the street when the van parked directly in front of the house, the car's sliding door opened up, and... Well, most people know what would usually happens next. Around 9 girls all kicking, pushing, jumping, and screaming to get out first to continue their activities in the house or wherever they wanted to be.
But this time, it was different.
This time, someone else stepped out. It was a young boy with white hair that was shinning in the powerful sun, his greenish blue eyes looking at the house in front of him like it was the most incredible thing known to man. The wind was blowing, moving his hair, and getting under the large baby blue shirt that he was wearing, together with the large sweatpants of the same color and some brown old men's type sandals that he had gotten from the hospital because his clothes were too damaged to be worn again.
His eyes move slowly, absorbing every detail of his old house. The mud piles made by his sister Lana, the multiple sports equipment forgotten by his older sister Lynn, the toys stuck in the roof that were there even before he was even born, and the big tree in front of the house
Staring at the base of the tree, he could see himself so clearly, especially on this perfect sunny day. He could see himself before 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, is before 𝘣𝘢𝘥 stuff happened. He could see himself reading one of his comic books under the shadow of the tree, sitting on the cold grass, while all his sisters joined him outside. The big sisters indulge in their favorite activities around him while his younger ones play happily their silly games.
His eyes moved, spotting a couple of pairs of green and blue eyes trying to spy on him behind the curtain, but when they realized he spotted them, their big, pure eyes widen in surprise, and they jump cutely, closing the drapes as fast as they could in a vain attempt to hide themselves. He couldn't fight a little small smile on his freckled face...
*click*
...but that small smile vanished almost immediately when he heard the van door open.
...𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬...
He heard someone getting out of the van and closing the door after them their steps were steady as they walked towards him. He knew who it was, but that didn't help, it was like a switch that was suddenly activated when he heard the door open. He couldn't move, he didn't even dare move his eyes, and the steps that were getting closer to him didn't help at all for his mad, beating heart.
He cursed himself. How could he think like that about his own father. The very last person that would do something wrong to him, the kindest man he ever saw, and the one who walked on eggshells all the way back home in the fear of not startling him or even making him uncomfortable. How could he?! What was wrong with him? What...
He couldn't believe he didn't jump when his big, warm hand touched his shoulder. His father's hand warms his cold shoulder. He didn't know his father was so warm, or maybe he was very cold, but the heat was soothing and very much welcome to the boy with white hair.
"Ready to go, Son?"
It was like a spell, hearing the soft voice of his father gave the boy back his control over his body and mind, helping him vanquish the bad thoughts for the moment.
Lincoln turned his head towards his father, who was watching him with a warm smile. Looking at his green eyes, he could see that his father was nervous. It was so easy to read his father, and that was one of the reasons Lincoln was able to relax and not let the bad thoughts take over.
"Ye-yeah dad."
The only men of the Loud family walked towards the entrance his father was going first and his son, Lincoln, was staying 2 steps behind him. His right hand was rubbing slowly against his left. It was not cold, but the short sleeve shirt showed the scars on his arms. Lincoln couldn't help himself but to feel a bit conscious because of them.
His thoughts about the scars were put on pause for a second when Lincoln saw his father's mouth twitching upwards like he does every time when he has a surprise prepared.
Lincoln was thinking about what he had in mind, but when his father reached for the door and opened it, he got his answer.
"Welcome back, Lincoln!"
He didn't jump in fear. How could he? His sisters, his mother, and even his own father were behind him, watching him with wide smiles, while his mother held a cake with a crooked "Welcome home!" sign, showing that it was made in a hurry. He could see so many emotions in his family's eyes, but the one that was the most evident was "Happiness" happiness for 𝘩𝘪𝘮, happiness for finally coming back.
Watching all of them, finally inside his house with his family. He couldn't help himself, especially after what he'd been through.
It took him a moment, but he realized he had started crying. He didn't even know how he got on his knees, but his legs felt too weak to get up. He tried to wipe the tears as best he could, but he couldn't, he simply couldn't.
He was finally back, back to his family, back to his house, even after everything what she...
He felt someone embrace him tight to their chest, interrupting his bad thoughts. His eyes couldn't see much because of the tears, but he saw the aquamarine marine color, the signature color of his sister, Leni.
Right after Leni, another pair of hands embraced him, he could tell from the height difference that the owner was his father. Then, one after another, new pairs of hands transferred their warmth to his cold body and saying calming words filled with love and care. All of them for him, he could hear the sobs that came from those who were crying out of happiness.
In that moment, the Loud family couldn't be more happy.
After some time, the family finally slowly broke the hug. The boy with white hair felt a pair of soft hands embrace his left arm. Looking on his left was his big sister, comedy lover Luan, looking at him with a gentle smile and eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Lincoln, you should get a taste of the cake I and mom made. It doesn't look much, but the taste will not dessert you! Hahaha! Get it?"
Luan said it with a real smile, with an actual real smile that her family thought was long lost on her face. Her fingertips felt every bump and distortion of his scars, but she didn't dare to move her fingers, not now. Not when her little brother just cried his eyes out, and not ever. These scars doesn't matter to her; they are from the past, and she will make sure of it.
Lincoln could only give a smile to the yellow-clothed comedian when he felt a new pair of hands holding his wrist, firm but gentle.
"I don't think so!"
Turning his head again, he saw his other big sister, Lynn, who was looking at him with her brown eyes. She looked directly into his eyes with love, and her never ending energy.
"He had that hospital so called food, and now you wanna give him something worse! I betcha he wants to come with me in the dining room to eat his favorite food with me"
Lynn said she was ready to pry Lincoln off the comedian's hands and walk with Lincoln towards the Dining room, where two bowls with freshly made Mac n' Cheese were waiting for them, but Luan didn't even bugde, The comedy lover didn't even look that she heard Lynn, she kept her hands on Lincoln's arm, not even thinking to let go. Lincoln felt how her arms became more secure around his while keeping her gentleness.
Lynn opened her mouth to say something, but she was interrupted by the brains of the family.
"Actually, I would like to conduct some tests on Lincoln's body, these days, you can't have too much trust in... "
"And to zap him and make his hair green for a week, again! Not gonna happen! Lincoln had a long day, and I know he would rather play Total Trash Takedown More Gross Than EVER!"
Said the girl with the blue overalls, pointing with her finger at the TV where the game was all set, with some junk food and drinks sitting on the coffee table and extra pillows on the floor to make it as comfortable as possible.
When her princess twin saw the screen with the disturbingly high quality imagines of trash, and with an avatar that look like a homeless drunk Mario, she couldn't help but grimace. Not on her pink princess watch! Her pale pink gloved hand pushed her twin sister aside and said with a proud beauty contest winner smile.
"Darling, like you said, Lincoln had a long night, so I know for sure he would want to have a cup of hot tea with the bite-sized desserts that I made, and then he can take a nap. His room is a bit dusty, so he can sleep in my..."
"Those thing you call desserts would literally knock his teeth out!"
"... And she mean that 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 literally"
Interrupted the oldest with the backing of her musician sister, looking at the princess sister.
Lola was ready to defend herself and tell them those times in the past didn't count, but Lucy appeared behind her, making herself known.
"Lincoln can sleep in my bed, I'd rather sleep in my coffin anyway."
The "sudden appearance" of Lucy startled some of her sisters, but actually their goth sister was there from the beginning she just didn't speak. All her sisters looked at Lucy how she was staring at Lincoln with an almost smile, which coming from Lucy is equivalent to a full face smile. However, her little and big sisters didn't even miss a beat to express their disapproval of their only brother sleeping in a coffin.
"No way!"
"Dream on!"
Before the girls could shout out more of their disapproval, the oldest sister shouted out, stopping the other girls.
"Girls, Girls! "
"The solution to this problem is literally very simple, we just take turns!"
Continue Lori, the girls all looked at her for a second before exchanging glances in the next. Actually, the idea was pretty good the girls were ready to take turns.
"... And since I'm the oldest..."
Until Lori showed her true intentions, it was actually painfully obvious, and some sisters were a bit amused that they didn't saw that coming, and so again, the Loud sisters didn't even miss a beat to disagree.
"No way, Jose!"
"Nice try, love."
"Yeah, Lori, like we don't wanna take turns from Lincoln we want to spend time 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 Lincoln."
"Leni..."
"Let her go. Come one, Lincoln bet ya starving, let's eat those Mac n' Cheese..."
"Over the resurrected body of Edward"
In the past, Lincoln could practically hear a boxing bell before his sisters started their infamous fights, and this time was not different. Working like some Spider-Sense, the boxing bell rang in his head, and with a quick move, he moved out of their way, oblivious that Lili, his youngest sister, was holding his arm. Not even a second later, the Loud sisters jumped on each other, creating a white cloud of smoke that covered most of their fight, showing just a fist or a foot sticking out for a short time before to disappear back in the cloud.
Lynn Sr. was looking dumbfounded at his daughters, he didn't know if he should laugh or be annoyed that they started a fight in this moment. His eyes slide to his wife, and his green eyes widen in surprise at seeing her face. Her large blue eyes were a bit glossy because of her happy tears, her rosy lips were trying their best not to let out a laugh that was painfully obviously ready to explode, forming some funny looking smile, and her face was just glowing with so much happiness that he almost forgot she was able to express... that 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 are able to express.
The father looked back at the scenery in front of him. His daughters fighting in the most comical way, his son sitting on the side looking at his sisters grimacing sometimes when one of them made a dirty move, not even noticing little Lili dragging him by the hand towards the living room away from their distracted sisters with a full mischievous but still very adorable smile on her face.
The shouting of his daughters, the laughter from his youngest, and his only son's eyes stealing glances at the fight from the living room waiting for the right moment to break the fight... like he always did in the past.
Suddenly, he felt a warm digit brushing against the back of his hand. He took hold of his wife's hand, intertwining his fingers and holding her closer. If she wasn't holding the cake she and Luan made in a rush while he picked Lincoln from the hospital, he would embrace her with all his might, but now he let that go for later and enjoyed her warm hand and her thumb gently caressing his thumb.
The Loud house was back.
*CRASH*
... and it was louder than ever
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