A/N: I deeply apologize for the lack of updates. It's bbeen a quite troubling few montha since the last time I updated, with this damn pandemic going on and job loss. I actually had to switch jobs around for a month before I got comfortable again; on top of lack of will to write anything due to stress from real life or just being too bored to type anything. Anyway, I don't have much left to do with this story, so hopefully updates won't be too few and far between.

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.

It took Lynn a moment to register a request she didn't think would occur for at least the remainder of the year, but she moved a little further into the shade so Lincoln wouldn't be exposed to the sun. The younger boy sat down, albeit just out of arms reach, which Lynn expected. Lincoln didn't say anything after, preferring to focus on his own lunch for the meantime. The brunette eyed the sandwich he dug out of his bag: peanut butter with sauerkraut.

"Of course." Lynn took a mental note, her eyes closing slightly whilst pressing her teeth together so her tongue didn't stick out in disgust.

To this day, she didn't understand why he liked the taste, often considering it grody like the rest of her sisters; even Lana, who apparently had no problem eating out of dumpsters. It's not the peanut butter Lynn didn't get; anyone likes that stuff unless you were allergic. It was the chopped up lettuce, onion and sometimes carrots with all that mayo. Lynn would occasionally order a little of the condiment with her sandwiches, but it was never a lot. She could remember there was a time she may have ordered more than one would like, but now these days, you could say she accidentally trained herself to hate it.

The former athlete's gaze dropped for a moment as the not-to-recent memories of her and the other girls chiding Lincoln over his food choices made themselves known. Again, it one thing for Lana to be eating garbage (which was a serious health concern and really gross), but at least Lincoln wasn't eating a day old chicken leg covered with ants.

Lynn realized she must've been staring for too long, seeing that her brother gazed at his sandwich while his chewing slowed.

"Crap, he's probably getting self...whatever Lisa would say. Say something!" Her mind screamed at her. "Soooo...h-how's your day been?" Lynn asked in an awkward tone, putting on a toothy smile in hopes it'd ease her brother.

Lincoln stole a glance at her, making Lynn's smile wider as visible sweat formed across her forehead. The look he gave made it clear he wasn't buying the charade, but for whatever reason, he chose not to comment on it. He thought her first remark would've been about his choice of lunch, seeing as his sisters didn't like the stuff.

"Good..." Lincoln directed his gaze away from Lynn. "In a way..."

Another awkward silence befell the two, and the former jock couldn't help but become a little annoyed at this. "So Lincoln just shows up out of nowhere, asks to sit with me, but he still can't at least make small talk? What happened to all the stuff we said during therapy?!"

Lynn's nose flared as put the brakes on her negative emotions. "But even then, I can't blame him. He's spent nearly TWO flipping months thinking we were gonna..." She bit her cheek. "I even hate saying it...but that whole stint with Dr. Lopez was in a place where he'd feel comfortable; school never was that since he got back..." Lynn stole a glance at her brother, whom immediately diverted his attention to elsewhere when he saw Lynn look at him. The brunette sighed inwardly. "Guess I'll have to be the talker again..." She placed her lunch back inside her bag before sitting it on the grass.

"Lincoln." The boy flinched when Lynn called his name. "You know I'm gonna ask but...why did you wake up so early today? I mean, I believe I already know why, but I might be wrong."

"...If you feel you already know..." Lincoln began, swallowing part of his sandwich. "T-Then why do you think I did?"

"Not wanting to wait in line for the bathroom, or just not being around all of us in general." Lynn gave a light shrug. "We all figured you wouldn't want to ride in the van either, but that would be obvious."

Lincoln bit his cheek. "I guess I really am easy to read..."

"Actually," Lynn dared a look towards him. "You've been throwing us off our game since you sent that text to Lori."

The boy felt as if a weight was pressing on his chest. "What..." He eyed Lynn with suspicion. "What kind of game are you talking about?..."

The brunette noticed the muscles in his legs becoming tense, which would allow Lincoln to get up and run if he felt threatened. "I-I didn't mean it like that." Lynn spoke quickly, frantically waving her hands back and forth before adding, "I was talking about our plan to keep avoiding you until you felt comfortable to be near us."

Lincoln gave a hum in understanding, relaxing his muscles a little.

"We thought you'd take a long time to want to be back home." Lynn paused for a moment. "Well much longer than 2 months."

Lincoln stared at the ground, his half-eaten sandwich having been placed back in the bag. "...I can't keep avoiding you girls forever...even if I think I'd be safer that way..."

Lynn formed a solemn frown at that.

"And I realized trying to do so is next to impossible at home; not just for me, but you guys as well..."

"...Do you think it'd be better if you went back to Clyde's house?" Lynn hated to ask that, seeing all the potential progress towards helping Lincoln overcome his fear (or resentment) being set back to the dark ages. However, it wouldn't be worth putting the boy's sanity and self esteem at risk.

"...I've thought about it since coming back." Lincoln replied, idly twisting up the top of the paper bag. "But I've gotten this far, and I told Clyde and Mom and Dad I was ready. And I don't want to disappoint them by leaving..."

Lynn blinked in surprise, having understood the basis of Lincoln's point. In essence, he was trying not to quit while he was in the game, and he was willing to put as much determination as he could to see it through to the end. To win. If the circumstances weren't so depressing, she'd be more proud of him than she was currently.

"But I still don't know how to handle being at home with everyone. I...guess I could just stay in my room until dinner. But what if I wanted to watch TV? Or just read comics on the couch?" Lincoln droned on, staring out into space. "I like my privacy (if I get any...) but I don't spend all day in my room. And even if you guys try to avoid me when I wanted to do either of those, how would that work?"

"I dunno," Lynn started, shifting her position a little. "But you ARE The Man With The Plan. You'll definitely come up with something."

Lincoln let out a dry laugh, making Lynn turn to him. "I doubt I even deserve that title."

Lynn squinted an eye. "But, what about-"

"I may plan for stuff Lynn, but you and everyone else know my plans don't always work. Whether because I forgot to take something into consideration or," Lincoln looked towards Lynn with a sour look. "My sisters butt in and muck things up."

One of Lynn's eyes twitched as she felt irritation entering her system. Fortunately, she was quick to bite her tongue before a witty remark passed her lips. "We don't always ruin your plans Lincoln." She spoke in a firm tone.

"Well you guys certainly didn't seem interested in actually HELPING me get groceries that one time." Lincoln furrowed his brows. "Or the fact you all are the chocolate I was going to use for a school project. And speaking of projects, there was also that time my diorama got ruined because Lori had to refuse leaving the house because Bobby didn't want to wear a suit or something!"

"Hey..." Lynn narrowed her eyes before pointing an accusing finger at him. "It was your fault for dropping it in the first place." One could hear some strain in her voice as she did her best to avoid yelling.

Surprisingly, Lincoln wasn't phased by the irritation coming from his sister. "And let's not forget the time you girls tricked me into thinking Lola was going to do something horrible to me, just because I wanted some peace while I read." Folding his arms, "I should've thought you all would find out and try something, just like I should've figured you girls couldn't handle the truth when I said your plans stink!"

Lynn's planted her hands to her sides as they tightened into fists. "Wanna run that by me again?..." She spoke through her teeth.

Lincoln rolled his eyes before looking away from Lynn. "Do I really need to bring up the time you, Luna, Luan, and Lucy set me up with FOUR dates to the Sadie Hawkins Dance? I said I wasn't interested in going, but you just HAD to play matchmaker huh." The snow-haired child retorted. "Sure, I lied about Ronnie Anne not asking me, but who sets up a guy with FOUR dates?! I wasn't even THAT upset about not going to that dance!" The middle child huffed before simmering down a little. "I probably should've saved myself the pain of letting you sleep in my room when you and Lucy had that stupid fight too..."

When he turned back to his sister, he took note of the glare she was giving him. It...It looked awfully close to the one she gave him before breaking his ar. Not only that, her hands were already tightened into fists; either one could be launched right at his face before he could even react. His anger dropped completely, pupils shrinking and his face feeling as if the color was draining from it once it dawned on him that he may have ticked off Lynn more than he should have. Knowing her temperament was the shortest amongst his sisters, the only reason he could think of as to why she didn't jump him now was due to her planning which area to inflict the most damage toward.

Immediately, his thoughts turned to planning an escape route. He could try a dead sprint towards the nearest shelter; unfortunately, one quick glance towards the nearest door made him think such an attempt would be futile. Lynn would catch him halfway regardless, just like she caught him on the stairs that infamous day.

Lynn dropped her glare seeing her brother suddenly lock up. She started to become worried when that face filled with fear reared its unsightly head and was staring back at her. "Shit! I didn't scare him, did I?...I mean, I just glared and all, but-" The girl went wide-eyed upon realizing that. "Oooooh shit...he's thinking about THAT!"

Knowing she had to act quick before things got messy, "Lincoln, I'm-" She reached a calm hand out to him.

"I-I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" Lincoln interrupted, making Lynn pause in her movement. Lynn felt as if her heart was breaking as her brother shuffled away from her before he started to curl up into a defensive ball. "I-I didn't mean to say all that mean stuff! I-It just slipped! I-I take it all back!" The former athlete blinked fresh tears away upon hearing the cold fear in his tone. "J-Just...just don't hurt me..." He tucked his head and arms into his knees, his hands griping the biceps as if he were trying to lock them in place. "P-Please don't break m-my arms again..."

Seeing Lincoln on the verge of a nervous breakdown wasn't new to Lynn; the fact he didn't try to throw something at her or run was (arguably) a good change of pace, at the very least. The 13 year old brought a hand to her mouth, biting on her knuckles as she wracked her brain on how to help him. His breathing was shaky as he fidgeted on the spot, but Lincoln still made no sign of attempting to run. Her first instinct was to hug him, but immediately withdrew that idea out of fear of making him fly into a frenzy.

"Link...I'm not going to hurt you..." Lynn spoke softly. "I won't do," A bit of disgust ran through her as she remembered his initial condition at the hospital. "That...ever again..."

Lincoln didn't move from his current position, nor did his fidgeting cease.

"Of course he wouldn't believe me..." Lynn sighed inwardly. "I could walk away and let him calm down on his own. Might be the BEST option, but..." She bit her lip. "Dammit, I can't just leave him like this! He's my brother for corn's sake!" Unfortunately, in the heat of the moment, Lynn couldn't come up with any other solution aside from the most risky one. "Actions speak louder than words...right?..."

The brunette scooted over to her brother, being deliberately slow with her approach as to not spook him further. Once she was next to his curled form, Lynn opened up her arms and gently wrapped them around her brother. She knew Lincoln had been subjected to group hugs on occasion, with a regular one from his sisters at some point throughout the week. However, Lynn couldn't remember the last time she gave her brother a genuine hug; typically, it was a bear hug or a fake out that resulting in two dabs to Lincoln's arm. The former athlete hoped she could correct that slight in the future.

Plus, at least Lincoln didn't try to hit or push her away.

Lincoln's breath hitched before bringing his head up, growing very alarmed seeing Lynn embracing him. Spoke too soon...

"L-Lynn..." He squeaked out in a weak voice.

"Shhh..." The older girl soothed, rubbing his back. "It's ok bro..."

"Lynn..." Lincoln squirmed a bit in her grasp, starting to regret having put his arms in a position where he couldn't use them. "P-Please-"

"Lincoln." Lynn spoke softly but with a firm undertone. "I'm not gonna hurt you; I already messed up on my end for years. All that time I spent trying to get you into stuff I liked, not thinking about what you liked (or making fun of it), and I screwed up big time after you got put in the clinic..." Her cheek tingled on the brief memory of the white-haired child smacking his food tray in her face. Lynn shook her head as she pushed the thought aside. "All I want to do is help you, as your older sister and someone you could look up to. I know you don't trust me much, but I never stopped loving you as my brother; even when I angry..." Lynn blinked a few times when her eyes felt watery. Fairly recent memories of all the crude pranks she pulled on him before the incident played around in her head as a few tears stained her cheeks. "But I have a crappy way of showing it..."

Lincoln studied Lynn's face for any signs of falsehood, even carefully listening the way her voice pitched and trembled to see if he could pick up a lack of sincerity. The fact he couldn't find any of either left him deciding whether he should feel relieved or even more nervous. He started to quake again, prompting Lynn to hug him a little tighter whilst giving soft pats to the arm. It finally started to dawn on him that Lynn was hugging him in a normal, sisterly way; not the usual 'try to crush my spine' or 'act like I want to hug but really use my head as a knuckle grinder' tomboyish way.

"She hasn't done anything like this since...I guess it'd be before she started doing sports?" Obviously, Lincoln couldn't recall the exact moment, but figuring it was before Lynn grew interested in her hobby (and before her brash attitude came into play), he'd have to say it would've been when he was only a toddler. "And she's not even telling me to just 'suck it up', or however she normally tries to cheer me up..." His eyelids dropped a little. "Technically, HER way is getting me to do exercise; but this is..."

He couldn't find the right words for it. It was as if Leni somehow possessed Lynn to bring out a compassionate side of her. Then again, he didn't think Leni had a mean bone in her body; that was easily disproved when she took part in pounding him into the floor that afternoon. And since that happened, it shouldn't have been a question as to whether Lynn could actually be THIS nice.

Yet it was.

"After living with a growing number of sisters, I always thought I had them figured out. Lori was bossy, Leni was nice, Luna was musical and chill, Luan was funny (sometimes), Lynn...well, I guess 'competitive' is one thing to describe her. Lucy was creepy, Lana was gross but knew her tools, Lola (thankfully she won't hear this) is spoiled, Lisa was smart, and Lily was just cute." Lincoln's nose flared as his eyes became wetter. "I never thought they'd get super angry...but I guess I never knew them as well as I thought I did..." He sighed. "Which means I never saw the whole picture like Ms. Lopez said, for way longer than I thought..."

Lincoln heard a door opening somewhere nearby. Looking towards the school, he saw people from his grade exiting the lunchroom and making a beeline towards the playground. Lynn noticed as well, as he saw her head move in his peripheral. "No wonder my plans never worked out when my sisters were involved. I barely knew them aside from how they normally act. And how am I supposed to figure out how to deal with them NOW?...I can't keep staying away from them forever, and I can barely talk to them when alone..." He sank his head into his knees again. "I don't even know what to do anymore..."

"Huh?" Lynn looked towards her brother, having been idly watching the other kids play.

"I said..." Lincoln rose his head. "I-I don't know what I know what to do..." One of his legs gave a dull pulse of pain. "And my legs are starting to cramp..."

"Oh, my bad." Lynn released him before repositioning herself.

Lincoln straightened his legs and let his arms fall to the ground. "Everyone in the house calls me 'The Man With The Plan', but I don't deserve a name like that. I can take months trying to cook something up, like I did to try and get the Sweet Spot, but it all failed because I didn't figure out several things beforehand. Even my plan get you and Lucy to stop fighting was a total waste; and I spent a whole day making the food and setting everything up. I always thought I knew my sisters well enough to plan around you guys, but it might be the other way around."

Lynn squinted an eye as her head tilted to the side. "What do you mean?"

"You girls knew I wasn't really listening when I bought the noise-canceling ear buds; or, Lola did at least. And I should've figured everyone would make fun of my Ace Savvy costume since you girls already tease me about reading comics..." Lynn sulked a little, recalling how sad Lincoln was after a week's worth of teasing. "And I also should've figured there might've been a reason Lori goes Drill Sergeant on us when Mom and Dad leave her in charge. And somehow, you guys were right when it turned out Ronnie Anne was picking on me because she liked me."

"Actually..." Lynn started. "That last one was a little bit of a fluke."

Lincoln raised a brow.

The brunette twiddled her thumbs. "You didn't know it at the time, but I was going to get her off your case after she stuffed your locker with trash that one time." Looking directly at Lincoln, "She really does care for you Link, but she thought all thoss pranks were the best way to grab your attention because Lori did that to her boyfriend."

Lincoln didn't know how to feel about that, though it did explain why Ronnie suddenly targeted him out of nowhere. "But why did she punch me?"

"Well, how would you feel if your crush suddenly kissed you?"

Lincoln blushed a little. "Well..." He averted his gaze. He briefly thought of Cristina, but his mind then drifted towards his feelings for Ronnie Anne. "I wouldn't punch her in the eye at least..."

Lynn made a light smile. "She just freaked out. Heck, she was more worried I'd break her in half afterwards."

Lincoln felt a little uncomfortable hearing that. It sort of contradicted the fact Ronnie showed up Lynn in a fight, not that he'd say it out loud. He dispelled a breath he didn't know he was holding, deciding to move on. "But, my point still stands. My sisters know me more than I know them, and trying to build a plan for what I want to do is pointless because, at the end of it all, it would just be a waste of time."

He brought his hands to his face, lightly pulling down on the skin and exposing the lower parts of his eyes. "It's...it's just tiring Lynn...I really shouldn't have to plan how to get to the bathroom first, when I can get some peace to myself, or make sure no one takes the last cheezy bites I was saving. I was about ready to call a quits during the time I had to cover for everyone during chore day before someone finally came home even. And I hate having to do it; trying to plan around my sisters just to get out the house without noticing for example. But I feel like I don't have a choice because..." Lincoln tilted his head back until it made contact with the tree. "I'm just the only boy in the house..."

Lynn sunk her head as guilt filled her chest. It was no secret that the girls tend to one up Lincoln and belittle him for his own interests, often for the simple fact they didn't share his hobby or didn't understand why he liked certain things. They already had a uncomfortable discussion about how they made him feel more isolated that he already had been, and hearing him come to that realization on his own wasn't doing Lynn any favors.

"Maybe if I was girl...maybe I'd fit in better..."

Lynn shut her eyes, unable to sit and hear her brother's self deprecation any longer. "No, it wouldn't."

"Why?..."

"Because Lincoln," The former athlete started as she pulled her knees to her chest. "You give us too much credit. You might think we can read you like a book, but the truth is..." She brushed some of her hair to the side. "We don't really know you at all. We tease you and mock you for liking the stuff you do just because we aren't interested in it, don't get why you like certain stuff, and we never really took the time to appreciate the fact we even have a brother. You could argue I did by trying to get you into sports, but we both know that for a while, I didn't care about the fact you weren't interested..."

Lincoln didn't disagree as his head dipped a little.

"I hate using this word cause it makes me feel sick, but you could say we might've been acting a bit...ugh...sexist...towards you." Lynn recoiled a little as if she ate something sour. "You're pretty smart bro. You often pull out ideas that none of us had thought of before, but then we end up hijacking it and make it a total loss. And even when all of us get sacked with a grounding, you end up feeling like you're taking the brunt of it because you feel you don't fit in with us as a group." She scratched the back of her head as a sigh escaped her. "Doesn't help that someone ends up trying to make it seem like you were the one who started it..."

Lincoln felt some heat rise in his chest as the grocery store incident came to mind once again. One could argue that his mother was at fault for assuming Lincoln was the main reason the family was banned from the store, but none of the girls confessed their part in the mess on that ride home when it would've been beneficial. There was also the fact his sisters nearly caused him to fail in class on three separate occasions. Maybe four if he were to consider the polar bear project, but you could argue his class was simply too dense to realize he had a large family.

"So, you might think we're better than you; but we're not angels. And we haven't been the greatest sisters even before all this..."

"...Sometimes I wondered if I'd ever get a brother..." Lincoln stated, before frowning a little. "But then I worried if he'd end up being a total jerk. No offense Lynn," He looked at her. "But you're the closest I have to one." He paused as he pondered something. "And sometimes Lana. And aside from Clyde and Bobby."

Lynn raised a hand. "I'm not offended, but I think I'd make a better sister than a brother..."

"Even then, you'd still win a bunch of trophies like our other sisters..." His face soured a bit. "Even 'Most Improved Brother'..."

Lynn could already see where this was going. "Lincoln..."

"Just about every girl in our family won something, even at a young age. I barely get anything done, and sometimes..." Lincoln hesitated for a moment. "Sometimes I felt like Mom and Dad don't have anything to be proud of when-" He paused when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to Lynn, only to flinch as she was giving him a soul-piercing stare.

"I'm gonna stop you right there bro. First off, Mom and Dad are proud of you. You might not have some trophy or whatever to gloat about, but they are happy they actually have a son they can raise." Lynn gave a light chortle. "Heck, Dad may have named me after him, but I still remember how loud he was screaming after finding out you were a boy while Mom was carrying you." She squinted an eye. "I think I remember crying nonstop until Mom put me back to sleep."

"I guess...though we barely do much..." Lincoln pointed out. "What about Mom?"

Lynn gave a shrug. "You can ask her at home. Also, I heard from Ronnie Anne you may have a knack for drawing, so you definitely got something going for ya. I sure as heck can't draw to save a life." The brunette spoke the last part while chuckling to herself.

Lincoln was caught off-guard by this, only to remember his friends and sisters kept in touch for a while; so naturally, Lynn would've heard about it. Not only that, Lynn was encouraging his newfound hobby instead of bashing it for not being something sports related. "Guess she learned not to tease me over stuff I like. That's...pretty nice actually."

The middle child repositioned himself so he sat cross-legged. During the latter part of their chat, Lincoln subconsciously noted that he was feeling more at ease around Lynn than he would've expected. Actually, he believed he would never be at peace if he was around any of his sisters besides Lily. And once again, he was being proven wrong with Lynn's actions. But for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why. Maybe it was the fact she was finally acting like a protective older sister.

But that wouldn't explain why he had sought her out earlier...

"Is it because she was being honest with me the whole time? Or maybe because she kept coming to me so she could apologize?..." Lincoln mulled to himself. "She WAS the only sister (not counting Lily) to see me at the hospital (by herself)..." His eyes closed a little. "Though it was the same day Ronnie Anne visited me, and they had their fight that day, so it could've been a coincidence. But then she came to me at lunch one day wearing baggy clothes, with her hair down..." He eyed Lynn from the edge of his vision, who was preoccupied with her phone for the moment. Ever since he'd seen her since, the brunette always kept her hair in a ponytail like usual. "She could've been trying really hard to get me to trust her then, but decided she didn't need to change her looks; or she figured it'd make me wonder if she was being serious or not." Whilst turning his head away, "She always said we were close when we were younger too...so could it just be old habits coming up? I mean, I guess I felt a little closer to Lynn than the rest of my sisters since she's not that much older than I am." Lincoln shook his head. "It's weird...maybe I can ask Mom or Dad about it at home."

Thoughts about the house brought in a wave of dread. "Dang it. I still haven't figured out how to handle being around everyone at home..."

"You ok Link?" Lynn's question brought him out of his thoughts. As Lincoln whipped his head towards her, "You were getting sad again."

"...You know how you wanted me to talk with Luan next?" Lynn nodded. "I'm...not ready to speak with her. Or at least I won't be for a while. It's not that I won't follow your suggestion, it's just..." Lincoln moved a hand in a circle. "Well, you know how Luan is sometimes."

"Riiiight..." Lynn agreed, pocketing her phone. "I only brought her up because I know, like me, she has a lot she needs to make up for." She bit her cheek. "Probably more if you remember April 1st. But I get you though; hardly anyone in the house can have a serious talk with her without a joke being thrown in."

"Or a prank." Lincoln furrowed his brows a little. "I can't begin to count how many times she's thrown a pie at my face."

"Ok, so Luan is off limits for now, but who else do you think you could talk with?"

Lincoln mulled in thought, rapping his fingers along his forearm. "I don't know...but...I was..."

Lynn raised a brow.

Lincoln gripped his arm in an attempt to calm the swirling in his chest. "I was w-wondering if you'd help me figure that out..."

Lynn bit her tongue to keep her mouth from dropping open. Under normal circumstances, Lynn would've wholeheartedly given her brother some great advice. Well, if you considered doing something sports, exercise related, or brutish as great advice. Still, it made her heart swell that Lincoln was actually asking her for help on what to do; even if it seemed like he still didn't trust her much. But hey, it's a start, right? It wasn't like her unofficial job as a liaison between the rest of her sisters and Lincoln was gonna end any time soon.

"S-Sure." Lynn stuttered, shifting around until she was resting on her knees. "Now, would you prefer to start with the younger or older ones first?"

Lincoln hummed in thought. Unlike Lynn, his older sisters definitely had a size advantage while being a little more crafty (in the case of Luan) or hot tempered (namely Lori and sometimes Luna). Leni was something of a sweet spot though; while she was about as tall as Lori, she was hardly one to become angered. Though, Lincoln wasn't too certain of her real temperament in light of recent events...

With the younger sisters, Lincoln visibly shivered. "I-I think I'll take my chances with our older sisters..."

Lynn gave a shrug. Honestly, she felt either option would've been a hard choice for him. But she couldn't help but wonder, "How come?"

"F-For starters, I never thought much about creepy Lucy could be until now. Her popping out of nowhere is already scary enough, but the fact you can't see her eyes when she's looking at you," He paused to gather his thoughts. "It's...it's just creepy not knowing what she could be thinking."

"Fair enough. But that last part might be off, cause she stopped covering her eyes since," Lynn shifted awkwardly. "Since you were at the hospital..."

Lincoln became wide-eyed. "But, she never let her eyes be shown, even for picture day!"

"A lot of stuff's changed since then Link." The tomboy stated in a sullen tone. "She might've been a closed book for as long as we can remember, but she's a bit more open these days."

"But, I didn't see her eyes last night." He seemed hesitant with his answer as he tried to remember if he really did during his random scans around the table.

"Probably because you were too busy trying to keep your focus on your plate bro." Lynn pointed out. "But I don't blame you. Lucy's kinda...hard to notice. It bothers her more than you think, but she doesn't say anything." She thought she should add more to it, but Lynn realized that wasn't her place to say. Lincoln stayed silent as he processed this; thankfully the tomboy decided to move on. "So, what about the others?"

"Lola's..." He paused, taking a moment to find the right words. "Knowing how cunning she is and tries to get what she wants by any means, I can't see myself talking to her for a while either; Lana is ok, unless she wants me to help with her pets." Lincoln tapped his chin. "Actually, I'm not sure if she even has any left..."

Lynn frowned a little. "Just three. The rest were given to others after being in the shelter for so long."

Lincoln mouthed an "Oh". "As for Lisa..." A few of his nightmares rapidly flashed through his mind, making the boy shut his eyes before shaking his head.

"Lincoln?" Lynn asked with mild worry.

"H-How many times has she tried to turn something into an experiment?..."

Lynn sighed. "Too many to count. I think she tried to take my kidney in my sleep once."

"S-So you get where I'm going with this." Lincoln looked up towards the clouds. "And with all of that, I'd rather deal with a bossy Lori and unpredictable Luan. I don't know what to think of Luna or Leni; they aren't as nice or chill as I thought they were, but I'd still take them over my younger sisters..."

Lynn raised a hand. "I won't judge. And I agree cause having spooky as a roommate isn't peachy." She rested her hands behind her head. "So out of those 4, who would you be willing to talk with the most?"

"...I don't have a preference. It was hard enough just deciding to talk with you."

A smirk developed on Lynn's face. "Well if you can work up the idea of us talking, the others should be easy."

Lincoln would've been inclined to agree, though it didn't feel that simple. Lynn was easy to figure out since playing mind games wasn't her style; she's all physical. The same couldn't be said for the rest though. Dealing with Lori would depend on her mood, as she wasn't afraid to strong arm him or (if that didn't work) she'd give him a wedgie. Luna was a bit of a polar opposite; she was much less likely to lash out when in a good mood, though there were times when she threatened to hit someone with her instruments. Plus, she knocked him into walls with sound speakers more than once. Luan was a cloud of mystery. Even when she's in a good mood, she wasn't above pulling pranks; the severity of them depended on whether she wanted to be vengeful or a clown.

Leni, as far as he knew, didn't think to toy with people since she was arguably too pure to do so. But it was clear she wasn't ok in the head in more than ways that could be said. She seemed like the best option; though Lincoln would have to be cautious.

"Well in that case, I'd take my chances with Leni."

Lynn nodded. "Think you'll try it out tonight?"

"...Probably..."

Not wanting to seem like she was pressing him, Lynn left it at that. Unfortunately, she knew she couldn't spend anymore time talking with her estranged brother; she was skipping one of her classes right now as lunch ended a while ago. Unlike the smaller grades, middle schoolers didn't get a recess outside of lunch.

"I'll leave you to it bro." Lynn replied as she pushed herself off the tree. As she started stretching her legs, "I gotta get back inside so the teacher doesn't yell at me too much."

Lincoln raised a brow. "You've been skipping class this whole time?"

"Nah." Lynn pulled a leg up to stretch her quads. "Just 30 minutes." Letting her leg fall back down, she started walking towards the building. "See ya at home Link."

Lincoln watched her go until she disappeared behind one of the doors. It took a moment for him to realize he hadn't been tensed up the entire time. All the nervousness and uncertainty he felt before their chat had reached all time lows by the time it finished; it went without saying that he didn't feel as afraid as he should've been after Lynn somehow managed to calm him down.

She did everything she could to keep him comfortable, and in spite of his earlier outburst, she didn't hold that moment of slights over his head and believed him to be in the right. In return, he rewarded her effort with by making an attempt to try and put his trust...in...her...

That's what it was right?

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Lincoln didn't view Lynn as if she were a stranger that wronged him the past. And for those twenty or so minutes, he felt like he was talking to a lost family member. It would explain why he asked her for advice on how to deal with his other siblings instead of just Lynn giving pointers he was hesitant to follow. And unlike the previous time, he was more willing to follow up on his commitment instead of dwelling on it.

But even as this newfound confidence settled in his chest, Lincoln couldn't help but wonder if this was just a fleeting moment of courage, or did he genuinely believe he could be more confident in his improving relationship with his (formerly) sporty sister. Part of him felt it was a necessary evil as she was the strongest of his siblings, making her an ideal shield if things got too hectic with the other girls. But another part of Lincoln longed for things to return to normal: having 10 loving sisters who occasionally got on his nerves; even though this seemed like a pipedream now.

"Can I really trust Lynn?..." Lincoln mumbled to himself, only to get pulled back into reality as the bell rang.

The rest of the day carried on like normal, until the flood gates opened to let out a torrent of school children who were happy to get through another boring day. The effect from his talk with Lynn carried Lincoln throughout the remainder of the day, though he had to remind himself more than once he wouldn't be making his way to Clyde's house. Not only that, it seemed he would be heading home alone today.

Liam, Rusty, and Zach parted ways before he reached the door; the farm boy had some important chores to do at home, Rusty had to help his dad at work, and Zach had a dental appointment. The Loud thought Clyde might walk with him like usually would, but it turned out he had to join his dads on a bi-monthly trip to the vet; in spite of the nice gestures Lincoln got during his stay, Cleopawtra still loathed going to the doctor.

Catching a ride with his sisters was a flat No for two reasons:

1. He wasn't willing to sit in a van filled with a potential EF5 sisternado.

2. He forgot he brought his bike to school until he walked past the rack.

He wondered if Lynn might be willing to ride home with him. Sure, it would be awkward with her having to stand on the rear bike pegs; not to mention Lincoln would have to make sure the bike didn't flip backwards due to the extra weight. Not that Lynn was fat, but safety first. As he started to unlock the bike chain, he idly looked around the front lot. A frown adorned his face as he shot that idea down. Not too far away, Lynn was talking with their other sisters, the subject undoubtedly about the conversation they had during the lunch period.

He saw the twins deflate a bit as Lynn continued talking. Lincoln sincerely hoped she wasn't telling them everything, lest he needed to deal with some potentially angry sisters.

"Why does Leni get to go next?!" He heard Lola shout.

"It's his choice Lola." Lynn pointed out.

Lincoln focused his attention back on his bike lock. "Well, at least she's not talking about the reason why I don't want to speak with them yet." A frown crossed his face. "And she knows better than to spout secret insults to other people...unlike me..."

"Talking to yourself again, Lame-O?"

Lincoln flinched for a second as the lock came undone. "H-Hey Ronnie Anne."

The tomboy smiled. "Didn't mean to startle you. You ok?"

"Mostly." Lincoln stood up as he wrapped the chain around the handle stem. "How come you're still here? I thought you would've walked home by now; or that your mom would've came already."

Ronnie gave a disappointed look in response. "She's gotta work an extra shift today. Buuuut," She eyed his bike whilst shoving her hands into her hoodie pockets. "I heard you rode up on your own today sooo..."

Lincoln gave a wry smile. "You want me to give you a lift home?"

"Yes." The tough girl responded quickly.

"What about your skateboard?" The Loud asked with a brow raised. "Don't you bring that to school every day?"

"I..." Ronnie Anne shifted her gaze towards her backpack. "Left it at home." She smiled nervously.

Lincoln bit his cheek as he stared at the girl with a bit less amusement in his eyes. "Riiiight..."

Naturally, the resident bully got agitated. "Does it really cost an arm and a leg to ask a friend for a way home? Sheesh..."

Lincoln raised a hand to his nose as a chortle left him. "No, but you're a bad liar."

Ronnie gave a sigh before raising both hands. "Alright, you got me." She dropped them before clasping them behind her back. "I wanted to see how you were doing after you talked with Lynn earlier. And..." She looked away as a scowl formed on her face. However, the fact her cheeks were glowing red betrayed whatever hostility she displayed. "I...thought it'd be cool if I rode home w-with you..."

Lincoln gave a genuine smile. "All you had to do was ask." He pulled his bike off the rack and grabbed the blue helmet that hung off the handle.

Ronnie Anne furrowed her brows further as she looked at the boy. "I DID ask FYI."

"Buuuut it wasn't the whole truth." The Loud suppressed a grin as the tomboy continued to glare at him.

Interactions like this were rare at school, as neither child was comfortable being open about their relationship in public yet. It was a different story when it was just the two of them, but Lincoln did enjoy the subtle jabs he got to make at Ronnie Anne when the situation called for it. Her wanting to discuss his earlier chat was expected; he could even see his other friends asked her to do so since they couldn't. However, Lincoln would be lying to himself if he said it didn't bother him a little that he had to goad Ronnie Anne to telling the main reason she wanted to go with him.

And he did want to talk about the whole 'secret task force' his friends made behind his back.

Lincoln sat on the seat as he strapped his helmet on. Ronnie walked over, gripping his shoulders before pushing herself up to stand on the wheel pegs. The Loud turned and noticed something wasn't right. "Where's your helmet?"

Ronnie rolled her eyes. "It's not that far to my place. I'll survive."

Lincoln smirked. "If you wish to ride, you are required to wear a helmet." He pointed to the one atop his head.

Instead of fighting with him, the tomboy just rolled her eyes before unzipping her bag and started to dig into it. Lincoln heard her mutter something about him being stingy as she strapped hers on. Satisfied, the Loud kicked the stand back and started pedaling out of the school lot. It took a moment for him to build momentum, but the Loud reached a comfortable speed as the two cruised away from their 'prison'. This didn't go unnoticed by the Loud girls, who found it cute seeing the two together. Secretly, they hoped Lincoln didn't try to avoid being at home for as long as possible.

"So, what did you guys talk about?" The Santiago girl asked once they were far enough from the school.

"Just figuring out which of my sisters I could talk with next. And," Lincoln did a short debate on whether he should tell Ronnie Anne everything. Ultimately, the Loud decided it wouldn't hurt; and it may lead into the group chat topic. "Other stuff..."

"Like what?" Ronnie asked. "Wait, before that, did she come to you first?"

Lincoln shook his head. "No." He turned onto a different street. "I-I went to her."

Ronnie Anne narrowed her eyes a little. "She didn't force you into talking, did she?"

"No. She was surprised more than anything." Ronnie Anne didn't give a reply, so the Loud took that as his cue to carry on. "She asked why I left so early and understood my reason. But I wanted to talk to her is because..." Lincoln groaned. "I know I said I wanted to go back to my house, but I didn't think about how I could avoid being around so many of my sisters. There's always my room, but what about the living room, kitchen, or even the hallway where our rooms are?"

The tough girl huffed. "I'm pretty sure you've thought your way out of tougher jams before." Ronnie Anne spoke with confidence. "Sides, how many times had you snuck out the house so we could hang?"

"To be fair, half the time I just walked by without saying anything to them. I still had to tell my parents obviously." Lincoln frowned. "But I wasn't confident on how to handle this because I didn't know my sisters like I thought. Lynn asked me to speak with Luan after therapy, buuut..." The Loud paused as he let a car pass before crossing the road. "Remember April Fools Day?"

Ronnie Anne gave a frown of her own. "I thought it was a little odd she invited me over, but then I remembered what you said about how she acts on her favorite holiday." She slouched in her position. "Probably should've put jalapeno peppers in that pie."

Lincoln raised a brow as he glanced back. "Did you know what she was going to do?"

"Nope. She just said you liked April Fools a lot, so I figured we'd exchange pranks." The tomboy sighed. "Though had I known what kind of 'pranks' she planned, I would've warned you..."

A sound of the wheels turning on the concrete filled the silence for a moment before Lincoln spoke up. "If you ended getting some of those pranks...w-would you have blamed me for them?"

"Uh, no?!" Ronnie was quick to say, wondering why he even asked a question like that. "Lincoln, you may know how to set up a good prank, but I doubt you'd do anything to make me pulverize you." She rested an arm on top his helmet. "And that stuff you went through can't be called pranks if they made you look like that..."

The Loud felt his heart sink, with a pit of guilt opening up in the void it left. This would've went unnoticed by Ronnie Anne if the sudden dip of his head and shoulder nearly threw her off balance. "You ok?"

He could've lied and said it was nothing or moved on to a different topic, but the fact Ronnie Anne just proved his assumptions wrong would've eaten at him for who knows how long. And he'd regret not bringing it up when he had a golden opportunity to do so. "...I didn't say this after you fixed me up, but I actually could've told you what Luan was up to before you came over..."

"So why didn't you?"

"...I thought you'd think I was bailing on you and you'd..." Lincoln gulped, sweat forming on his forehead. "P-Pulverize me. Same thing if I let you get pranked by Luan..."

Ronnie Anne blinked in surprise. She knew she could be pushy, aggressive, and have a rough attitude half the time; but she didn't think Lincoln believed she'd tenderize him over something like that. She couldn't help but draw a comparison between herself and the Loud's sisters, and she didn't like it one bit. There was no way Lincoln feared her in a manner like he did with his sisters.

Right?...

"...Why didn't you say anything when we were at my place?..." Her voice was almost a whisper.

"...I thought it wouldn't be a good idea to say anything unless..." Lincoln didn't finish his sentence, but both kids knew what he meant.

Ronnie's stomach dropped as she unconsciously tightened her grip on his shoulders, making the Loud shudder slightly. He glanced back towards Ronnie Anne, expecting her to be visibly annoyed or angry. Instead, while she wasn't looking at him, the way she frowned and the sad state of her eyes told a different story.

"...Can we pull over for a minute?..." The tomboy finally asked.

The snow-haired child silently complied as he squeezed the brakes, letting the bike roll to a stop after a few seconds. Ronnie Anne stepped off, sitting on a ground power box just a few feet away situated next to the curb as she felt her legs wouldn't keep her up. Lincoln wasn't sure if she wanted him to sit next to her, but seeing the depressed look on her face compelled him to do so.

Just as he started parking the bike, the tomboy started to speak. "...Are you afraid that I'll hit you any time you do something that might upset me?..."

"Um, no?" Lincoln started. "Well, not all the-"

"Lincoln." Ronnie Anne stared at him. "Just be real with me."

The boy's lips curled earthward. "Sometimes..." He undid the strap to his helmet before pulling it off. "Don't get me wrong Ronnie Anne. I'm not afraid of you in a way like I am when it comes to my sisters," The Hispanic girl bit part of her lower lip as her chest tightened. It was pretty damn close to what she feared. "But sometimes you can be a little..."

"Bully-ish?..." Ronnie stated lowly.

Lincoln rubbed his arm. "I was gonna say 'scary'..." He leaned against his bike. "I've seen what you've done to other bullies, or anyone who looks at you the wrong way; I just didn't want to do anything that would get on your bad side..."

"Like with your sisters?..." Ronnie Anne stated bitterly. Lincoln opened his mouth to refute this, but no words came out. Feeling guilt about his choice of words, he closed his mouth.

The tomboy took a long breath through her nose. "I don't blame you for thinking that way, and it's my fault I let you think I'd do that stuff to you..." Lincoln raised a brow. "You're right about me being able to pulverize people, but I only ever do that to other bullies; and people who say..." Ronnie Anne shifted uncomfortably. "Hateful words about me or my family..." She rested her hands in her lap. "But those are the ONLY kinds of people I'd thrash without question, and you're nothing like those people..."

"But..." Lincoln shifted his weight to his other leg. "Why all the pranks? I mean, I know you like me, but-"

The tomboy's cheeks began to glow red, making her divert her attention away from Lincoln. "I thought it was the best way to get your attention...at least, that's how my brother explained it..."

Lincoln squinted his eyes in thought. "So, Lori did that stuff to Bobby...to get his attention?" His brain was stuck trying to figure out how that made any sense.

Ronnie Anne nodded, letting her head tilt down in shame. "I knew Bobby had a girlfriend, but I didn't realize you were her brother; or that she had A LOT of sisters. I also didn't realize how much I was messing up until after they dragged us to that French-Mex place..."

"But, what about you punching me in the face after..." Lincoln hesitantly rubbed the back of his head as a blush began to form on his cheeks. "Actually, I get why you'd do that..."

Ronnie Anne pursed her lips. "...I-I freaked out..." She saw Lincoln make a confusing stare, so she opted to clarify. "L-Look, it happened like this: I did all those pranks because I thought it was the best way to get your attention, and when you told me to meet you at your house, I was happy, but nervous..." Her food tapped against the unit as she collected her thoughts. "I was, hapervous?..." She shook her head. "A-Anyway, I didn't expect to run into Lynn, who didn't like me picking on you. S-So I was forced to spill the beans, and she let me go..."

Lincoln nodded. "So Lynn wasn't lying..." Though he still felt some pieces were missing. "But what about-"

"I was getting to that!" Ronnie Anne shouted, making Lincoln recoil in fear. She shook a little from her outburst, becoming sorrowful as her blush increased. "S-Sorry...a-anyway...I thought about what Lynn told me and thought this would be a good time to apologize and tell you my real feelings..." She gripped one of her arms. "Then you came out, puckered your lips and..." The tomboy's entire face formed a red hue as she took off her helmet and used it to cover her face.

A high-pitched girly scream was emitted from the Ronnie Anne, with Lincoln doing a double take to make sure his brain wasn't tricking him. Unlike what he may have expected, her wail sounded as if she was embarrassed rather than sorrowful. "M-MY BRAIN JUST SHUT OFF!...I didn't think what was happening until I felt my hand fly out and hit something!..." Lincoln bit his tongue to avoid interrupting her. "I should've apologized at that moment, but I was too surprised by what I did, AND what Lynn would do to me if she saw me..." Ronnie Anne removed her helmet so reveal a face filled with guilt and visible tears at the corners of her eyes. "And you already started stomping back towards your house..."

"So you used the steak and notes to try and make up for it." Lincoln surmised, to which the girl nodded.

"I know we had a rocky start, and me pulling pranks on you wasn't helping. But I..." The tomboy paused, digging deep to get the courage to say her next sentence. "I r-r-really like you Lincoln, a-and I didn't think that me doing all that stuff would..." Ronnie rubbed her nose. "Make you think I'd hurt you for every little thing..." She placed the helmet to the side. "Last thing I want is for you to be afraid of me like you are with your sisters..."

Lincoln brought a hand to his chest, subconsciously gripping the front of his shirt. Ronnie Anne wasn't one to outwardly show when she was feeling down, and seeing her like this was like a stake grinding through his heart. He couldn't help but be reminded of what he said that day at Jean Juan's French-Mex; they made up of course, but he was reminded of the face Ronnie Anne made before she tried to leave initially.

He thought back to what Lori heard via Bobby, and while he initially didn't believe it at the time, it lingered in his head since. Pushing off his bike, Lincoln walked over and sat down next to the tough girl, who was currently busy clearing her eyes.

"Ronnie Anne...that day I said I'd lick the bathroom floor in the lunch room..." He rested a hand near her. "Did you cry about it afterwards?..."

Ronnie eyed him for a moment before staring earthward, blinking once to let a couple stray tears stain her face. "Yeah...but I deserved it though..." She sniffled before wiping her nose again. "I was more upset Bobby dragged me on that date just to get us to make up, and that his advice didn't really work..." Turning towards him, "But then you tried to make amends and," She diverted her attention as a smile grazed her lips. Lincoln noticed her blush returning, which made him smile and give a nervous chuckle upon picking up what she was thinking.

Sadly, her smile disappeared as she looked back at him. "But I don't get why you'd want to hang with someone you're afraid will pulverize you..."

In spite of the fact she was yelling at him at the time, Lincoln had to agree with what she said: actions speak louder than words. His hand moved until it lied on top of the one in her lap. "Y-You're cute when you s-smile." He topped it with a gentle smile.

Ronnie Anne looked at Lincoln as if something popped out his head. "W-Where'd that come from?"

"It's true though: I-I think you're cute when you're smiling." Lincoln pressed. "I thought you were just a bully at first, but you're really a cool person to hang with." He rapped his other fingers on the unit. "Sure, it would've been nice if it didn't start with the pranks, but seeing you happy when we're together feels worth it." He wrapped his fingers around the top of her hand. "And in case I didn't say it then, I'm sorry for insulting you like that."

A warm smile worked it's way onto the tomboy's face, the hand Lincoln held curling its fingers inward to touch his. "You already did." The cogs in her brain worked on how she could repay him. That one particular moment at Jean Juan's played in her head for a few seconds, but the Santiago girl seemed hesitant to do it. However, the longer she looked into the boy's green eyes, toothy smile, and combed white hair, the more she was reminded why she initially developed a crush on him.

Ronnie Anne's smile grew. "He's definitely earned it. And needs it." She told herself before moving both hands to his shoulders. "And here's my apology for making you nervous around me. You don't need to be scared, Lincoln."

Lincoln's smile dropped due to his curiosity taking over, but before his brain shut down for a moment, he could only watch as Ronnie Anne brought her face inches within his own with her lips puckered. It may have lasted only half a minute, but to them it felt like an eternity. Lincoln had to open the eyes he didn't realize were closed when Ronnie Anne lightly tapped his cheek.

"Don't pass out yet Lame-O." She giggled. Like, actually giggled. "You still promised to drop me off."

"R-Right." Lincoln had a goofy smile on his face as he got up. Apparently, his sense of balance was slow to return as his walk was a tad awkward. The Santiago girl covered her mouth to avoid laughing out loud.

Lincoln put his helmet back on and got his bike back into position, with Ronnie Anne climbing onto the back with hers already strapped on. As they continued down the street, unlike last time, Ronnie Anne rested her head on Lincoln's shoulder. And it turns out, Lincoln didn't need to talk with her about the secretive alliance between his friends and sisters: him being happy to Ronnie Anne was about the same as him seeing her cheerful self. And he'd be lying if he said he didn't want things to be the old normal instead of this 'new' normal.

Not only that, he came to a few conclusions:

1. Lori and Bobby likely faked breaking up as an excuse to have a double date.

2. He really needed to stop misreading the girls around him. The girl guru incident should've taught him that, but it seems another life lesson was needed. And he wanted to make sure he didn't hurt someone else he cared about with false assumptions.

3. He probably should've been more angry at Luan for last April Fools Day instead of just shunning her for days. He didn't want to think about it, but if Ronnie Anne didn't want to hang out with him anymore after getting caught in those pranks...well, he wouldn't know what he'd do, but it wouldn't be anything close to 'pleasant'.

And 4. He was feeling a bit more hopeful about his impending talk with Leni.

At least, he hoped he could hold onto that confidence...

A/N: Yeah, I'm not dead; just preoccupied. And with that out the way, this ball needs to get rolling. This fic is 3 years old at the time of writing and I feel it hasn't aged well; at least when it comes to certain episodes. As of late, it seems that no one can really tell what the writers are thinking when formulating plots; or it's half-assed in some cases.

But Lincoln has made some breakthrough today. He's starting to trust Lynn more, and he's willing to talk to Leni. However, that may not go as smoothly as one would think. I'm saving Luan for later since, as Lincoln is still flip-flopping through his emotions, she'll likely receive the worst of it.