When you live in a large family, several things become obvious over time, such as the relationship within a sibling group that has long since become accustomed to absurdity, or the dangers that their diverse personalities, which have become even stronger over time, could exude.
For all members of the Loud clan, the world found itself in a situation that cannot be explained with words because even they didn't know what to say when strange phenomena began to happen in their house.
In particular, Lori Loud, behind her phone, observes out of the corner of her eye a spectacle that has become commonplace for the universe but not for her eyes, which are searching for the error in this picture.
Lincoln, his only brother, who had turned fifteen a week earlier, was lying on the sofa with a quiet smile on his face as he read a book.
Disturbing? No, what tickles Lori's pupils is the fact that Lucy is lying on him, her back firmly against Lincoln's chest, who, as a result, has placed his chin on his little sister's shoulder, who hasn't flinched as she turns the page of her book, without really complaining about the warm breath passing over her ear.
Never in her life would Lori have believed she would one day be perplexed by such a commonplace scene. Yes, Lucy lay down on Lincoln and…
The eldest Loud brother gently closed his screen to better observe his brother's movements as he read silently with their younger sister, without indicating whether or not he had finished a passage. Without missing a beat, Lucy turned the pages with a simple flick of her thumb, without even asking Lincoln if he was reading at the same pace. Did she not care? Lori doubted it, since the two Louds had often gone to the bookstore to buy books together.
Understand that Lori was much more curious to know why they only took one copy for two people than to know what the story was about because she had a strange fear stuck in her throat of discovering what those two were reading.
"So? What's your book about?" she asks with feigned interest after hours of practicing in front of her mirror.
Lincoln's reaction was the most charming; his lips twisted into a playful smile, his blue-grey eyes turned towards her, sending waves of amusement, and finally his cheek rested against the head of his favorite goth.
"Well, he doesn't talk much despite all the words he knows," he replied with a laugh so vibrant that Lori almost mistook him for a cat that had laughed while purring.
The eldest of the siblings undoubtedly wanted to talk about this witty joke, but his mouth clicked shut when he saw an eye turn towards her and look at her with as much intensity as if she had stepped on the foot of the Queen of England.
"Since when have you been interested in reading?" Lucy asks with a slight hiss of annoyance.
It is said that an angel passes in rare absolute silences, except that the angel was bitten by a playful demon that day.
Confused but also outraged by her little sister's hostility, Lori nevertheless kept her calm because it would not be a good idea to choose to let an argument break out between them over so little.
Growing up sometimes makes you mature, or so it seems.
"Well, I admit I'm not a big reader at heart, but I'm interested in what you like, Lucy," she replies, trying to offer a friendly smile to the brunette who gracefully raises her eyebrow.
"Oh?" she said eloquently before feeling a hand massage her scalp, soothing all the irritation. On the contrary, she seemed almost blissfully relaxed as Lincoln massaged her head with one hand.
"Excuse her, Lori, she's just distraught over the death of the Earl of Arganiva," Lincoln said softly as he ran his fingers through the black silk curtain absorbing the sunlight. "Yes, it was indeed the most beautiful hair in the world. And also very annoyed to see that I was right about the maid in the castle in the lands of Ismor."
Even though she was prized for all the softness of her touch, her little sister found a way to squeak like a cat that didn't want to get wet.
"You were wrong!" she said, closing the book after tucking a bat-shaped bookmark inside. "She didn't choose to betray her duchess willingly; this is just further proof that the Duke of Chudne is actually a mind-manipulating sorcerer."
"You've been supporting this theory since the second book," Lincoln sighed, his smile still fixed, while his little sister pouted slightly, refusing to turn her head to look at him and his mocking eyes. "And yet there's no evidence to support the presence of magic, not even the author says anything about it."
"That's because," Lucy began, her voice slowing and elegant, a phrase she reserved only for Lincoln when she was teaching him something, "my dear brother, the best stories are those filled with unexpected surprises." She put her feet back on the floor, regretting that her head was no longer nestled against Lincoln, who watched her rise with the grace of a queen. "Besides, you were quite wrong about Captain Rosso, of course."
At this delicate sentence, Lincoln's smile slowly disappeared, replaced in turn by a pout of childish indignation which, despite himself and his manly charm, made him very cute in Lucy's eyes.
"I don't understand how he could have betrayed Esteban. They were sworn brothers! You can't betray someone you're braving death with!" he replied, getting up in turn to stand next to a smug-looking Lucy.
"Yes, it was a really nice surprise," she said, casually sticking her tongue out at her brother, who did the same before avoiding her gaze.
"Tsk"
Lori obviously felt excluded from the conversation these two were having; she wouldn't even pretend to try to understand their verbal sparring because the only detail that mattered to her was, of course, their body language. As Lucy started walking, a hand gently patted the cheek of their only brother, who took advantage of her back being turned to smile like a bandit who had found treasure.
The eldest Loud felt his pupils dilate as Lincoln moved toward Lucy's head and cupped her cheek between his teeth. Once he'd taken the small bite, the white-haired boy admired the vermilion red that had crept up his little sister's neck and ears, staring at him in disbelief. Then, his indignation shifted to that of a queen discovering she'd been deceived by a servant.
"LINCOLN! COME BACK HERE!" she shouts, stamping her foot on the ground, a surprising detail for Lori who doesn't remember ever seeing the goth girl so noisy.
In response to the black fury that awaits him, the male Loud removes an imaginary tricorn hat while executing a perfect curtsy for his beautiful lady who looks at him with as much anger as love.
"To my great regret, I cannot grant this request, but believe me when I say I am the most hurt by it," he said in a velvety voice that made Lucy want to kiss him right there. "Now forgive me, my lady, but I must go to Chestergem to save the heir to the throne!"
Fleeing with a black-haired devil on his heels, Lincoln never saw how Lori Loud suddenly felt like a third wheel.
"What just happened?"