Before I get to the story, there's a lot that needs to be said. Feel free to skip this part if you don't care (that means you, mom and dad ;-;)

One year ago, on this day, I uploaded my first Loud House story. I had been watching the show since the year before, and had even been reading other fanfictions, when I found myself bored at college one day whileIwasskippingclass and typed up a small one-shot and posted it on here. I never knew that one-shot would propel me this far; the friends I've made, the ideas I've explored, the writer I've become… all thanks to this simple, enjoyable show about eleven siblings.

And of these siblings, I found myself drawn to the sporty, tomboyish Lynn Loud Jr. the most. This story is a small celebration of my (pretty crummy, all things considered) career, but more importantly is my partial exploration/vision of my favorite sister. I thought about who I wanted to pair Lynn up with to really show this off, only to realize that Lincoln and Lynn's relationship is the perfect backdrop for this.

With that all finally out of the way, please enjoy :)

It was a clear, sunny day in Royal Woods, Michigan. The weather had been gloomy and rainy for a while, but as the seasons shifted and the sun reappeared over the houses and streets of the city, the world seemed like a more vibrant place.

But the dark clouds still hung over one boy's head.

His back was slouched and his face was marred by an unhappy frown as he sighed with disappointment and defeat. He weakly opened the door to his house, and made his way up the stairs to his bedroom.

"Dang it," was all Lincoln Loud could say as he crawled through the hall, aware of a few of his sisters giving him sympathetic looks.

"What's wrong, Linky?" came Leni's sweet, caring voice.

"Is everything alright, bro?" asked Luna.

"Seeing you in such a humiliated state is causing me some inner turmoil… I repeat my elder sisters' questions; is something not well with you?" Lisa echoed their sentiments.

His hand grabbed the cold steel of the door. "Yeah, I'm… I'm just a little annoyed. And disappointed, I guess. Just drop it, I don't want to talk about it..."

"Was it a bully? You know if it was a bully I'd grab my wrench and-"

"No, Lana, it wasn't a bully!" he snapped at the young tomboy, startling her and a few others. "I just want you all to drop it, is it really that hard to get?!"

Lana swallowed. "Sorry, Linc."

Lincoln sighed again, now even more ashamed of himself for getting angry with his little sister showing concern... like any good sibling would.

"Don't be sorry, Lana. It's my fault. I just… can I have a little space?"

"If that's what you need, sure," Lori said, followed by nodding from her younger sisters. Lincoln nodded back, and then slipped into his room. He tossed his Muscle Fish bag onto his bed before throwing himself on the soft mattress, bouncing slightly. For a few moments, the white haired boy lay there, gazing with an empty mind at the floor, before reaching into his backpack and pulling out a thin slip of paper. He read it over again, his eyes shifting from side to side as he allowed everything to hit him again.

With an upset snarl, he crumpled up the paper and threw it against the wall, slamming his face back into his mattress.

"Should we have an Emergency Sister Meeting?" Lori asked her sisters, still standing in the hallway and looking at Lincoln's room with worry.

"Do we have to? He's just a little upset, it's not the end of the world," Lola pointed out.

"I've seen Lincoln upset before. Believe me, this is a new level of dark emotion. It makes even me shiver," Lucy said, her monotone voice a little shook.

"What's he upset about?" came a tomboyish voice from downstairs. The other sisters watched as Lynn Jr. bounded up the stairs with her usual agility. She wore a proud and beaming smile, which faltered as she saw the looks of her sisters' faces. "Did I miss something?"

"It's Lincoln. He seemed really upset about something," Lana pointed a finger at his shut door.

"Oh… did anyone talk to him about it?"

"I… tried," the older twin grumbled, rubbing her arm. If she was being honest, Lincoln yelling at her did leave a bit of a mark.

"I think the best thing we could literally do right now is let him be alone. I can talk to him later," Lori said.

"How about this? I'll talk to him. He might open up to his favorite big sis," Lynn said, her tone unwaveringly cocky. Lori rolled her eyes, but didn't offer much resistance to the idea. Lynn was Lincoln's closest sibling, both in terms of age difference and, more importantly, the fact that they seemed to connect to each other in a way no one else did with their only brother. Their relationship could be complicated at times, but there was no denying that the two simply… got each other.

"Do whatever you want," was Lori's finally verdict.

"Hey Linc, can I come in?"

Lincoln inhaled heavily when he heard the question, which was swiftly followed up by a series of knockings. He was confused for a second, shaking his head before he realized that he had dozed off and taken a light nap by accident. He sat up straight and called "It's open, I guess."

The door opened wide, revealing his older sister Lynn. She was precipitating lightly from her forehead, and her chest was rising and falling, which told Lincoln that she had just been outside doing some exercise or another just a few moments ago.

The brunette made her way to his bed, plopping herself right down next to him. The bed rippled as they both bounced lightly, and Lynn placed her palms flat against his bed. "So… what's bothering you, bro?"

"I don't want to talk about it," he grumbled.

Lynn cocked her head as she stared at her younger brother, as if it would yield information directly from his mind. "You aren't blushing, so it probably has nothing to do with girls. Or guys," she added, grinning lightly as Lincoln shot her a half-annoyed, half-amused look.

"Look, Lynn, I really appreciate it, but I..."

"Lincoln, if you're going to ask me to leave you alone so you can make yourself feel like crap, I'm not going to," Lynn said firmly. Her rough fingers grabbed onto the edge of his bed and held tightly. "If you don't let me help you, I'll sit here until the next Super Bowl."

Lincoln groaned. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"

"Because I care about you, Stinkoln," Lynn chirped with a smile. Then she booped his nose for good measure.

The younger boy huffed, trying to think of any way to get out of this. He considered pushing her off and tossing her out, but quickly realized that he stood no chance physically against his sporty sister. Her toned muscles were flexed, and her knuckles were white as she gripped by the bed-sheets with Herculean strength. Lincoln knew the only way out was to… talk to her… (groan)

"Lynn, do you see that crumpled ball of paper over there?"

She turned to look where he was pointing, and then got up to iron the sheet out on her jersey with her palms and check what was written on it. As she read what was on the page, her tongue clicked and her expression changed to one of sympathy. Lincoln looked away; he always wanted Lynn to be proud of him, so seeing her face so crestfallen…

"Hey, Lincoln… are you busy tomorrow?"

"Busy?" he repeated.

"Did I stutter? Or are your feet so big they take all the blood away from your bra-"

"No, no, I'm not busy. Why?"

"I want to take you out somewhere. Maybe… maybe it'll make you feel better. 'Course, we're going to be heading out in the morning, so don't stay up to three in the morning jerking it..."

"I don't… I never..."

Lynn chuckled at her brother's flustered expression. "Just be up and at 'em tomorrow morning, okay? And Lincoln?"

He looked back at her, and she gave him a light punch on his shoulder. It stung, but was still a lot softer than usual, and her mouth was curled in a genuinely affectionate smile.

"Take it from the girl you've spent your whole life with; you're more than any slip of paper will tell you."

It seemed like nature was on Lynn's side, as the morning wasn't as cold as she had expected. As she waited for Lincoln, she zipped up her light jacket, grabbed a small pack, and stepped outside onto the porch of the Loud House. She breathed in, her lungs filling with the sweet, crisp air of the early morning. The sky was gray, but it was still beautiful to look at, and the beams of sunlight that slipped past the heavy clouds hit the dew on the grass, making the entire lawn glisten with shimmery lights.

The athlete crossed her arms with a smile. If she hadn't been waiting for someone, she would've loved to take a long jog around the block. Give the neighborhood dogs all something to bark at, she thought with a snicker.

After a little while of waiting, she heard the door click open behind her, and watched her younger brother shamble out of the house. "Think fast," she cried as she tossed him a small snack bar. Lincoln's eyes read the label, and he scowled. "Lynn, this is a sports bar. I don't like these."

"Oh, my b," she said, taking back the sports bar. "That one's for me. Here… this one's for you," she reached into her pocket and pulled out a regular granola bar. "I'm guessing you didn't have breakfast."

"I didn't want to keep you waiting."

"What a gentleman, not leaving this fair lass in the shivering cold" she teased. "Come on, let's get going, we're wasting sunli-"

Lincoln glanced up at the dark clouds above head, and Lynn corrected herself. "We're wasting daytime."

The two set out on the sidewalk, eating their respective snacks on the way. There were few people out, except for a few dedicated joggers in sweaty tracksuits and a smiling old man who paused his lawn-mowing to wave at the two siblings.

"So where are we even going?" Lincoln asked when he finished his breakfast. He stuffed the wrapper in his pocket, and hoped that wherever they were going, there would be a recycling bin.

Lincoln Loud was many things, but he was not a litterbug.

"I'm taking you to the soccer field. I used my team captain privileges to book it for us, so we shouldn't be disturbed. Unless Margo shows up for some reason, but hey, she's the only person I'd welcome..."

"And why are we going to the soccer field?" Lincoln asked, cutting through Lynn's rambling.

"A. I'm a soccer mood today, and I thought it'd B. fun to play a few rounds with you. And C. I think you'll have fun too. Who knows, you might even learn something..."

"About what?"

"I don't know. Life, I guess."

Lincoln sighed. "Lynn, I get what you're trying to do. But I don't think kicking around a football is going to help me."

"What if I told you that I guarantee that I can put you out of your mood?"

"I wouldn't believe you."

Lynn stopped in front of him, and Lincoln stopped with her. For a moment, he saw her clench her fist, and he panicked, worried that he upset and angered her. However, she simply turned to him, her face scrambled with… some emotion he honestly couldn't decipher…

"Look, little bro," she started, "You know I'm not… the best with words. I can't write a poem like Lucy or talk all fancy and sciency like Lisa. And I'm okay with that. But it does make it so that… you know, sometimes I gotta show you something because I can't describe it to you."

"Like how you punch me on the shoulder to show that you love me?"

"Let's… let's not use the l-word," Lynn grumbled, her cheeks blushing pink, making Lincoln grin lightly. "Point is… I can't tell you what I need to, so at least give me a chance to show you."

Lincoln rubbed his chin as he considered her words. True to form, she didn't exactly make too strong of a point, but Lincoln knew his older sister enough to know that, even though she didn't want to outright say it unless it was a mocking joke, she loved him enough to try to pull him out of his bad mood.

And to that end… he'd go along with her.

"And hey, it's not even like we can turn back now. We're already here," she announced, pointing at the tall, mahogany brown stands. They stretched across and around the green field, looking almost as natural as the trees they were made from, and they radiated with the pleasant coolness they had gathered over the night. Lynn tossed her dark crimson pouch onto one of the seats, and then walked onto the field itself, her shoes stepping and squishing into the mud. She didn't care, however, as her mind was occupied by thoughts and visions of people in those seats, cheering her on as she scored the final goal in a game against Hazeltucky's team. LYNN! LYNN! LYNN! The audience chanted in her mind.

"Lynn… Lynn… Lynn..." she chanted underneath her breath, a goofy smile glued to her face. It wasn't until she heard Lincoln kick the post that she remembered why she was there.

It wasn't her day to shine. Right now, it was Lincoln's. Lynn nodded with a smile, relishing the thought.

I'm going to put you through a lot today, Linc. Make me proud, little bro.

"Hey Stinkoln!" she called, snapping her fingers to get his attention. "Grab one of the soccer balls in that cage over there for me, will you?"

"What?" he called back. Lynn growled; she really walked far when she was daydreaming about glory. Why couldn't he keep up with her?

"Grab one of the soccer balls over there for me, so we can play the game. You know, soccer balls? They're bigger than the balls you usually play with..."

"You're a regular Luan, you know that?" he called back. Lynn smiled to herself. She did like to think of herself as a jovial person… even though she didn't know what that word exactly meant...

As Lincoln returned from retrieving the checkered ball, he found Lynn standing in front of the net. She had put soft goalie gloves on her hands, and she rubbed them together as she got into her goalie stance. "Here's the game, Stinkoln; you're going to try to get one goal on me."

"Wh-what? One goal? That's it? I've done that before..."

Lynn gave him a fox-like grin. "True, but this time… I'm going to be giving it my all. And believe me, no one can score on me when I give it my all. Not Margo, not Francisco, not that bitch Tanya… think you're up to score against Lynnsanity Jr.?"

The sheer confidence in her voice made Lincoln hesitate. She was the best athlete in all of Royal Woods, maybe even the whole country, and he knew it as well as she did. Compared to his weak, nonathletic frame, he could never compare. For a moment, he even considered just dropping the ball and going home.

Then again, it is only one goal. Even the best goalies don't have a perfect record.

That stray thought lit a fire in Lincoln's heart. He dropped the ball to the ground, a serious look on his face. Lynn smirked when she saw it, her chest filling with pride at her younger brother. There's the Lincoln I know. A guy who gets knocked down and gets back up.

"Alright, Lynn," he called, putting his foot on the ball, "you asked for it. Ready to get scored on by your younger brother?"

"Not at all. Why get ready for something that won't happen?" she mocked playfully.

Lincoln didn't respond. Instead he kicked the ball lightly forward, then rushed towards it. He threw his leg back, ready to kick the ball as hard as he could, ready to score a goal on Lynn, ready to finally feel accomplishment for the first time in a long while…

By the time noon rolled around, Lincoln hadn't scored even a single goal.

Over at the goal, Lynn blew the whistle around her neck as loudly as she could. "Man, I love using this thing," she said to herself, before checking back with the visibly exhausted Lincoln. "Alright, time out. Let's take a lunch break."

"Lynn… can we just stop here?" Lincoln asked, his voice desperate. He thought he had been crushed before, but now… he knew for a fact what he was.

A failure.

A loser who couldn't even score one goal.

Lynn gave him a sympathetic look, but she still shook her head. Her auburn ponytail danced as her head swayed from side to side, and her thick hair ruffled in the wind. "Get some chow before you start Loserville talk, okay?"

The two sat at the bleachers, and Lynn reached for her pouch from earlier. She pulled out two long meatball grinders, wrapped in crinkled tinfoil, which were thankfully still warm enough to radiate in the girl's calloused hands. She kept the one marked with a red 'S' with her (it was the one that was drenched in hot sauce) and handed the other one to her brother. The eleven year old lifted his hung face as he accepted his lunch. "Should've known you would bring subs for lunch," Lincoln grumbled.

"You don't like them?"

"No… they're the only part of this trip I do like..." he opened his mouth wide and bit down into the sandwich. The rich mix of saucy meat, warm cheese, fresh lettuce and sesame-infused bread made Lincoln lick his lips hungrily before he dug in for a second bite. If Lynn didn't become a sports-star, he knew she could rely on her talent for cooking.

"Can I ask you something, Lynn?"

"Shoot," the jock said in between large bites of her sandwich.

"Why do you like meatball grinders so much? I mean, out of everything you eat..."

Lynn swallowed the chunk of sub that she had been noisily chewing on before she answered "Aside from the fact that it tastes awesome? Well, it's practical. I'm a growing girl that's constantly popping off home runs and dunking hoops. The meat gives me protein, the bread gives me carbs, the cheese is packed with calcium… and, you know, it tastes good."

Even in his crushed state, Lincoln gave a small chuckle.

By the time both of them finished, Lincoln was wiping his mouth with a napkin Lynn had packed, while the girl wiped with her sleeve. She jumped back onto the grass with enthusiasm, and turned to her little brother. "Well, we're done. Let's get back in the game, Lynnzilla's not done yet."

"Lynn, I'm being serious. I'm done."

"No, you're not, Linc."

"D-don't tell me what I am," Lincoln retorted, feeling a bit offended.

Lynn bunched her mouth to the side, as if she was in thought.

Then something strange happened.

It wasn't a physical change, but something about Lynn seem different. It was as if all her playful energy and immaturity evaporated, and she seemed more adult and experienced in that moment. If Lincoln had to describe it, he would've said that she went into a hybrid of 'big sister' and 'team coach' mode.

"Lincoln Loud, if there's one thing I know goes on in that big head of yours besides imaging what Ace Savvy's girlfriend looks like naked, it's plotting. The Man With the Plan, right? Isn't that your thing?"

"Well, yeah, but..."

"The reason we call you that, you idiot, is because you don't give up. You're never done. Dad says you can't go to the mall because you need to babysit our sisters? You take our sisters to the mall. Mom says you have to spend time with Aunt Ruth? You switch places with someone else over and over until you can't anymore, and you even get us to follow you. Think, Stinkoln… would I have followed Luna if she told me to do that?"

"N-no," Lincoln's voice warbled, unsure where she was going with this.

"No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't listen to a plan made up by Luna or Lola or even Dad. But I would listen to you. You're like… the coach of this family. Our weak, frail, dorky, shy, anxious… do I need to keep going?" Lynn grinned mischievously. Lincoln's dark glare answered her.

"Point is, I know that if you want something… really, really want something… you don't let anything beat you down. Not even a slip of paper."

"That's different, Lynn. I… I..." Lincoln sighed. He really didn't want to talk about the shame of that paper, but he had to explain. "I worked really hard on that comic. I missed sleep, I skipped spending time with my friends, I even dropped class once or twice. I poured my soul into it, with drawing and writing, just to win that contest. Just to meet my all-time comic artist hero."

"And you got last place. I know it sucks, really I do..."

"No, you don't!" Lincoln snapped with fury. "You're always Number One! Always waving around trophies, doing victory dances… in Football and Lacrosse and Ice Hockey and Bowling… you always get to be the best. Not like me… I never get trophies. Because… because I'm just the worst..."

His voice was cracking now, and his eyes threatened tears. Lincoln hated himself for appearing so weak in front of his strong older sister, and he turned away from her, planting his face on the post. He wiped a drop of water from his right eye, hoping she wouldn't notice. "I just wanted to make you all proud. I… I wanted to make you proud, Lynn."

There was a pause for a few moments. Neither of them dared to make a sound. Then Lincoln heard her speak up, her voice much softer than usual.

"Hey, Lincoln..."

Lincoln's eyes rose to meet his sister's. She was glancing at a patch of dirt to her right, her teeth biting her lip, as if she was considering whether she wanted to say what she was about to say. She then exhaled, and met his gaze. Her eyes were earthly brown, while his were as blue as a clear sky. The way she looked up at him… it was almost like the meeting of heaven and earth.

"I'm not always Number One, as much as I love saying it. And believe me, I do like reminding you all of that little fact," she laughed lightly, before her expression went eerily solemn. "But sometimes I don't get to take the winning shot. Sometimes I don't even get to win at all. No Lynner, Lynner for me."

"Are you talking about air hockey?"

"No, dumbass, I'm not talking about sports! I mean something more important… I'm talking about my love life," she finally spat.

"What do you mean? You're, uh, really pretty," Lincoln shyly complimented, "and strong and brave… I'm sure the guys are lining up for you..."

"Some do," she shrugged, climbing up a few seats and sitting down next to him. "And some call me 'lesbo' and some are too shy to even talk to me, cause they think I'm some scary monster that'll pummel them when I turn them down..."

Her fingers ran through her chestnut hair. "But that's okay. I got a guy in mind, and he's the only one I'm really… thinking about, right now, I guess. You remember Francisco?"

Just the mention of his name made Lynn's freckled cheeks flush bright red. Lincoln nodded, and Lynn sighed before she continued. "I… I finally grew a pair (not literally, but you know… whatevs) and asked him out. Not with a note, but face to face. Which was a good thing, because then I got a rejection to my face."

Lincoln's arm flinched, as if he wanted to protectively wrap it around his sister. Lynn noticed, and smiled. "So I didn't get to be Number One in love. I can score all slam dunks in the world, but I can't even get one guy to go out with me..."

"Did he ever tell you why?"

"He didn't want to be involved with someone on the other team. Thought it would mess with his head when we finally went up against each other. He did say though… one day, when middle school sports were behind us..."

Again, her cheeks went pink. "But that's way in the future. Look at you, Mr. Ladies Man. You got Ronnie Anne, Polly, that Paige chick… I noticed you and that girl with the blue ribbon in her hair giving each other googly eyes..."

"How'd you know about Jordan?"

"We keep a tab on your love life," she laughed, ruffling through his white hair. "Point is, you've got yourself way more gal pals than I have guy… pals. You beat me there."

"I wouldn't exactly call them all success stories..."

"Maybe not. But the places where you did win… you did because you didn't give up. The little squirt I know doesn't give up ever. He's too stupid and stubborn to do so."

A thin, sweet smile graced the young man's face. "Lynn… I don't know why Francisco is waiting for high school to be with you. If I, uh, could be your boyfriend, I'd do it in a heartbeat..."

"Gross," she said, and the two burst out laughing.

"So, Lincoln, now that all the blah-blah-blah is out of the way… do you really think you're done?" she asked, leaping from her seat back onto the ground with athletic grace. She gave him a wild grin as she extended her hand offeringly towards him.

At first, Lincoln was hesitant. But Lynn was radiant with such a fiery determination that Lincoln found himself reaching for her and grabbing her firm yet gentle grip. She pulled him to his feet, and for the first time all day, he seemed to stand tall and proud. Lynn led him back to the grassy field, and again she put on her gloves and placed a soccer ball (now stained with browns and greens) before the snow haired boy.

"Normally, I'd try to psyche you out," Lynn challenged with a smirk, "But I think you're a little too delicate right now."

"Feel free to try," Lincoln returned the playfully aggressive gaze.

Before she could say anything, Lincoln launched the ball with a powerful kick right at the edge of the goal. Lynn jumped from her place and slid across the wet grass as she smacked the ball away. "Nice try, Stinkoln!"

Lincoln tried again, kicking even farther to the left. Unfortunately, the ball flew way past the goal, and Lynn had to chase after it and bring it back.

Third time's the charm, Lincoln reminded himself, his breathing heavy and exhausted. He scanned the entire goal and Lynn's position, performing the kind of mental calculations that would make Lisa proud to call him her brother.

"Here I come," he called, raising his right leg, and Lynn prepared for him to kick in that direction…

...and at the last second, he switched legs with an adrenaline-pumped speed, and the ball flew towards her left… Lynn bound toward it, her arm stretched to catch…

It grazed the tips of her gloved finger before it flew into the net.

"Oh my G… I did it?" Lincoln mumbled to himself, his wide eyes unable to register what they were seeing.

"You did it, bro," Lynn answered, giving him a slow nod.

"I DID IT!" he cried out loud, throwing his arms up in the air with pride. He did a few victory dances before tearing off his shirt and waving it in the air, all the while hollering like a crazed ape. He had scored on Lynn. Him, the weak, nerdy fanboy had managed to beat Royal Woods' greatest athlete at soccer! He'd be celebrating for the rest of the afternoon if he could.

"You did it, bro," Lynn repeated with a soft smile, fondling watching the boy go nuts in the field. He reminded her of… well, herself, though she liked to think her victory dances were way more refined.

The dirtied ball rolled next to her slender legs, and she put her foot down on it, holding it in place.

You know, he looks pretty proud out there. I think I'll keep the fact that I let him score to myself. Still, he's got potential. Just a few weeks of training from me… I'll be the one struggling to get the ball into the goal.

Truth be told, the thought terrified her a little. She liked being the star jock of her team. But watching her brother with such a bright smile on his face, after how deep his frown was the day before… well, she gladly let Margo have her day in the spotlight… she'd be more than happy to give her little bro a chance…

Later that night, Lincoln pulled out the letter the contest had sent him. He looked over his low score on the ratings again, and it stung just like it did before. But he remembered everything Lynn had taught him (or tried to, he wasn't sure if she actually was helping him or if she just wanted an excuse to play soccer) and he smiled lightly to himself.

"Hey, uh, Lucy," he stuck his head out of his door, and his gloomy sister gave him her usual neutral stare, "I'm working of a small comic here, and I was wondering… can you give some tips on my writing?"

"Sigh. I'm more of a poet by trade, but I suppose I have knowledge in the trade of storycraft," the goth replied.

"So… that's a…?"

"Sure."

"Awesome. Thanks Luce," he said as she entered his room and stared to read over his notes and look over his drawings.

Lucy's complaints about Lincoln's drawings being colored too brightly reached the ears of her thirteen year old roommate, who gave herself a light smile.

"LINCOLN!" Lynn called. "Can you come here for a second?"

Lincoln rushed to her doorway. "What is it, Lynn? I need to get to work on my comi-"

"Surprise Lynnja hug!" Lynn cried as she tackled Lincoln to the ground and wrapped her arms around him in a tight, squeezing bear hug. Lincoln coughed and sputtered as she held on tight, and he heard her whisper in his ear "I'm proud of you, bro, don't ever forget that."

"I know," he muttered back kindly, tapping her back lightly so she would let him go. The two stood next to each other for a moment, just basking in each other's company, before Lincoln turned to rush back to his room. "Thanks for everything, Lynn," he said before going. "I'm going to dedicate this next comic to you."

"Better put a boxing match somewhere in there, then," she said as she fondly ruffled his hair again...