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>Leni's doing the dishes.
>It's her job after lunch on Tuesdays, after all.
>She's humming away, standing on her little stool to reach the sink.
>Being eleven, she's taking this new responsibility in stride.
>Bouncing on her heels, she places another clean, shiny plate onto the rack when she feels a tug on her dress.
>Looking down, she sees Lincoln staring back at her.
>"Hi Lincoln," she greets, digging out a fork from the water. "I'll be a little while longer before we can play, Ok?"
>Turning back to her work, Leni finishes another plate before another tug grabs her attention.
>"Linc, I told you, I'll be a few minutes," Leni chides, putting on her mom voice. "Go wait in the living room, I don't think anyone's using the-"
>Lincoln silently raises his arms up, flexing his small fingers.
>A light bulb flickers weakly in the sister's head.
>Drying her hands, she leans down so she's face to face with her brother.
>"Huggy time?" she asks softly.
>He nods eagerly.
>Clicking her tongue, Leni pets his hair before standing up again.
>"I have to finish the dishes, but after that, huggy time for sure. M'Ok?"
>Lincoln nods, turning and walking out of the kitchen.
>The last plate settles into the rack with a clatter, shiny and clean.
>Finally done, Leni dries her hands and goes into the living room.
>Lincoln sits on the floor, mere feet away from the TV.
>"Linc," Leni scolds, tapping his shoulder, "Mom said you shouldn't be so close. It's bad for your eyes."
>Lincoln turns to look at her, glancing at the couch, then at her again.
>Leni hops down onto the couch, patting her lap as she gets comfortable.
>"Come on, huggy time."
>Lincoln gets up and approaches his sister, struggling to climb the couch before she helps him up.
>He then calmly sits in her lap, wraps his arms around her back, and plants his face in her neck.
>Leni scoots down a little further, mostly to give him a little more room to recline, and a bit to move his arms higher, against her shoulders.
>She's always been a little ticklish.
>Nuzzling his hair, Leni calmly rubs her little brother's back as she struggles to think of a lullaby for him.
>He's already halfway to dead weight, but it's the principle of the matter.
>"Twinkle, twinkle, little star," she whispers.
>There we go.
>"How I wonder what you are..."
>She can feel Lincoln's tiny hands clench her dress, balling into little fists before letting go.
>She can feel his breathing slow down.
>Leni pauses for a second, trying to remember the rest of the poem.
>Luna remembers the lines better than her.
>"Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky."
>Lincoln mumbles softly into her neck, and lifts up slightly to put his feet under his legs.
>"When the blazing sun is gone, when the nothing shines upon..."
>Leni pauses to adjust her posture as well, propping up one leg against the couch.
>She kisses his head.
>His hair is so soft.
>"In the dark blue sky you keep, and often through my curtains peep..."
>Wait.
>Leni furrows her brow, in thought.
>No, she missed a bit.
>Dang.
>Whatever, he won't notice.
>"For you never shut your eye, 'till the sun is in the sky."
>Lincoln wiggles in her lap, his grumbling practically silent.
>Leni places another couple to his head, stroking his hair while gently shushing him.
>When he calms down, she continues.
>"As your bright and tiny spark, lights the traveller in the dark..."
>Lincoln breathes deeply, his little chest puffing out.
>He holds in the air for a moment, then lets it out in a heavy, resigned sigh.
>Leni can feel his hands drop from her shoulders, and his weight fully press against her.
>Humming softly, she gives him a moment to settle into his sleep.
>Then, pushing slowly and carefully with her leg, she rotates and slides down, laying down on the couch with her brother cradled in her arms.
>Settling down with her head on the armrest, Leni finishes the last of the poem.
>"Though I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star..."
>Lincoln snores in applause, out cold.
>Leni reaches behind her head, fumbling for the remote.
>"Looking for this?"
>Leni twists her head up, looking to see who it is while trying not to disturb Lincoln.
>"Lori, shh," she whispers, a finger to her lips. "He just fell asleep."
>"I saw," Lori whispers back drily.
>She turns off the TV with a tap.
>"And he's too old for this. You can't keep babying him like this, Leni."
>"I...I know," Leni mumbles, hugging Lincoln a little tighter.
>Lori watches them for a second, then ughs.
>"I'm just...look, I know you love this as much as he does, but he has to grow out of this someday. You know that."
>She doesn't answer, hiding her face in his hair.
>Lori places the remote down on the arm of the couch, turning away from the two.
>She pauses at the stairs to look back.
>"Don't sleep all day, alright? We still have homework."
>"I wonnn't," Leni whines quietly, still hugging the slumbering Lincoln.
>Now alone, Leni dwells on what Lori said.
>He's not too old.
>He's just a little kid.
>He still needs her and the others to look out for him when Mom's out or busy with the new babbies.
>She looks down again and takes stock of her brother.
>His soft face twitches now and again, and his hands flex and curl with him.
>What does he dream about?
>He looks so at peace...
>Leni lays her head back, letting out a small yawn herself.
>She doesn't know why, but this routine always calms her down and makes her forget her worries.
>He's heavy enough for her to feel his weight, but just enough to enjoy his presence.
>He's just warm enough to simulate a heavy blanket.
>She hums tunelessly again as she strokes his arm.
>His skin is so soft...
>Leni doesn't notice her eyelids grow heavier.
>She kisses his head one last time before her eyes shut, herself slipping into dreams.
>Unconsciously, she pulls him closer to her.
>An hour later, Lori comes back downstairs, her homework finished.
>Turning the corner, she stops when she sees the napping siblings.
>Creeping closer, she watches them silently, their chests rising and falling.
>Lincoln had rolled over onto his back sometime after she left, clutching Leni's wrists, with her arms wrapped protectively around his chest.
>Lori can't help but admit that they look happy together.
>It reminds her of when she did a similar thing for Lynn, when she was afraid of the dark.
>Lori sighs, and gets to work.
>She misses that.
>Carefully unclasping the two nap pals, Lori kisses Lincoln's forehead before hoisting him up, cradling him in a bridal carry as she escorts him to his room.
>Returning with a pillow and blanket, she briefly watches Leni fuss and whimper in her sleep before enacting step two.
>Even when she's deep asleep, Leni can tell when Lincoln's gone.
>Gently placing the pillow on her chest, Lori lets Leni latch onto it, clutching tightly to her before Lori drapes the blanket over her.
>A moment later, Leni's murmurs die down and her face relaxes again.
>Lori kneels down, gently pressing her lips to her sleeping sister's cheek.
>"Good dreams, Leni," she whispers, creeping back out and up the stairs.
>Leni murmurs back, whispering nonsense in her sleep.
~Fin~