A/N Hey guys! Merry Christmas! Yes, I know I'm posting this a few days off the mark, but that's just because this is a Secret Santa Present for MeowLoudly15 and as such, we had to wait until all the gifts were went out before posting them to our accounts. I hope you guys enjoy!
R&R!
A Carol For A Songbird
I just want you for you my own. More than you could ever know. Make my wish come true. All I want for Christmas is, you!
"Wow Mr. and Mrs. Loud, you two sure know how to throw a rockin' party!" A young blonde girl with a blue streak in her hair approached the two Loud Parents, two cups of punch ready in hand.
"Hah, well what can we say?" Rita leaned in close to her husband, giving the man a dreamy look, before turning back to their guest. "When you've got eleven kids, you've gotta know how to set up a party."
Lynn Sr. wrapped his free arm around his wife and turned to the young woman as well. "Plus, it's Loud Family tradition to hold a big Christmas party!"
"Heh, I heard, Luna was really excited when I told her that I was gonna be her plus one to this thing," she shrugged. "She said something about… only being allowed to bring good friends to this."
"Yep, everyone's allowed to bring a guest, but only one," Rita leaned in closer to the girl, rubbing her chin as she did so. "So you're one of Luna's friends?"
She nodded. "Yeah, I'm Sam. I'm her…" the young woman paused. "Good friend and stuff."
"Heh well then, why don't you tell us more over the after-dinner party? Luna usually puts on a show for everyone," Lynn Sr. continued.
"All right then, I'll go enjoy the party…" Sam quickly checked her surroundings, only to find that the same group of people still surrounded her, with a certain brunette rocker nowhere in sight. "Uhh… where is Luna? She said she'd be here."
Lynn Sr. shrugged. "Not sure. She said she was gonna go out to get some stuff, but that's it. I'm sure she'll be back soon."
Sam hesitated for a moment, before shaking her head and pulling out her phone. "I'll go text her."
Meanwhile…
"Dangit… I've been searching for hours!" Luna slowly trudged through the mounting snow as she made her way through the almost completely deserted town square. At this point, very few stores remained open, with most having already closed as to allow enough time for everyone to enjoy Christmas Eve with their families, while the few remaining stores were already preparing to close up shop.
For a moment, the young woman turned towards a nearby storefront, taking her chance to check for the object of her desire. However, she was disappointed to find yet another random clothing store, decorated with random mannequins to show off the current holiday wear. "Dangit… she wouldn't care for this at all…"
She shook her head in defeat, before stepping back and plopping down into a nearby bench, ignoring the freezing cold water that now soaked her back. "Why is this so hard?! I've been thinking of what to get her for months and now it's Christmas Eve and I don't know what to do?!" She took a breath and looked down, watching as the soft flakes of snow landed and melted, with some clustering into small mounds of snow. "Maybe I should just give up…"
For a moment, silence overtook the young woman, with her mind rushing from idea to idea, trying desperately to find a way out of this… only to find herself shaking her head in defeat. She looked up, towards the storefront. "It's just like the day I first met her…"
*Ring!* The final school bell echoed through the sunset afternoon, signaling the end of classes for the break.
"Oh yeah!" Luna cheerfully burst through the school's exit, raising her guitar as she did so. "It's finally break time! Two whole weeks of jammin' with the guys!" she began to tinker with her instrument, before pulling a piece of paper from her pocket. "Plus, I'll be able to finally try out this new song I've been workin' on. Chuck's gonna love it!"
She stepped to the side with that, before taking a look around. At this point, the random crowd of high school students had begun to make their way out of the building, while forming into the friend groups that had no doubt been established months prior. "Now where the heck are those guys?"
"Heh, new girl huh?" A familiar voice spoke up, prompting Luna to turn towards the source: one of the members of her school band talking to a certain girl with blonde hair with a blue streak.
"Yeah," Luna remembers her responding. "I'm lookin' for a band to join since I just got here."
"Then you came to the right place," the young man replied with a chuckle. "If you wanna join, all you've gotta do is talk to our lead singer and guitarist, Luna," he began to look around as well. "She should be around here…"
And in from the moment Luna's eyes fell upon her, she felt the urge to run. She didn't know why, though. Rather, she found herself turning and bolting away, her mind abuzz with random thoughts while her heart raced. "W-why am I feeling like this?!"
She rushed all the way home and bolted up the stairs. She slammed her room door closed and jumped onto her bed, wasting no time burying her face in her pillow, before screaming louder than she ever had before.
…
"I guess… that was how it felt to have a huge crush on another girl…" Luna found herself chuckling. "The next day I managed to muster up the courage to talk to her… only to wimp out at the last second."
A soft blush overtook her cheeks. "I remember how hard it was for me even say something to her… let alone tell her my name," she found herself standing up. "Thankfully, Lori told me about this stuff… how it was normal to feel the way I was…" she took a breath, allowing her eldest sister's words to echo through her thoughts. "If you ever have doubts about what to do or if you find yourself questioning why you're doing something for them, just ask yourself what made you feel this way for them the first time'."
"It was the music…" Luna whispered, her gaze slowly moving up, towards the night sky. Despite the soft snow sprinkling down upon the town, there was a break in the clouds where she could see the full moon, its glow falling down upon her as milky rays of light. "Heartache, heartbreak all over town, but something flipped like a switch when you came around. And I'm in pieces, pick me up and put me together! Ooh! These are the days we've been waiting for. On days like these who could ask for more? Leave it coming cause we're not done yet. These are the days we won't regret. These are the days we won't forget!"
Suddenly, Luna found herself clutching her fists, while more memories rushed forward. In that moment, she could remember the first time they jammed together. "I can't remember the song… I guess I was just so focused on making sure that I would leave a good impression…"
More events rushed passed her. Their first lunch together, their first dinner together, their first girls night out, their first concert; all leading to them laying together under the shade of an oak tree, simply talking about life… at least that's what she remembers them trying to do. Instead, they found themselves leaning in close and a soft heat slowly enveloping them, as their arms wrapped around each other, pulling the other as close as possible.
Luna clutched her fists and steeled her gaze. "No… I can't give up just yet. I just can't!" At this point, the snow had begun to rain down harder than before, blanketing the moon in a sheet of shite.
*Buzz* her phone echoed through the cold night, prompting the young woman to pull it out. "Sam…"
"Hey Lunes, where are you?" ~Sam
She paused for a moment, before carefully typing in her response, albeit with difficulty given the snow melting at her fingertips.
"I'm on my way now. Just sit tight!" ~Luna
With that, she took a deep breath, before running off, deeper into the snow-filled night.
Later…
"Have you heard anything from Luna?" Sam began to worriedly pace in front of the Loud parents. "It's been an hour since she replied and it's lookin' pretty bad out there!"
Rita turned to her husband, worry filling her voice. "This isn't like her… she's usually home by the time she says, even when she goes to concert!"
Lynn Sr. nodded, and placed his hands on her shoulder. "You hold down the fort here then. I'll go out and look for her," before he grabbed his coat and the car keys, only for Sam to grab her coat as well.
"I'm going with you. I've gotta find her!" Sam grabbed hold of the man's coat, eliciting a nod from him. And with that, the duo stepped out of the house and into the blizzard night.
"Still nothing…" frustration filled Luna's mind, while the soft tears that filled her eyes quickly blew away, joining the cloud of snow forcing it's way passed her. "And it looks like the blizzard's getting worse-"
Before she could finish her though, her foot broke through a patch of loose snow, sending her tumbling down and landing, leaving her mark in the blanket that now coated the deserted road. "Maybe… maybe it'd be a good idea to give up after all… face facts that I just can't get a perfect present for her…"
"Sam…" that name echoed in her mind, before the image of the smiling young woman flashed before her eyes. "She probably got me the perfect present… and I'll never be able to pay her back…" her heart began to race, while a lone tear made its way down her freezing cheek. "Just seeing her gave me butterflies… I wonder if I did that to her too…"
Suddenly, her next memory rushed forward, of the day she finally worked up the courage to tell her how she truly felt. "I… I took a chance that day. My siblings did too, but I was the only one who chickened out every time before that. I didn't even know if she'd be into me…"
She could feel a rush of determination run through her veins, urging her to shove her hands into the snow and force herself up. "That's right… I took that risk before. She didn't have to accept me… but she did. That means I can't give up yet. I have to keep going on, for her!" She struggled for a moment, but eventually managed to pull herself back onto her feet, before steeling her gaze at the snow-filled road ahead. She clutched her glove-covered hands and secured her hat and scarf, before checking her guitar. "I just hope there's still-"
*Honk!* A horn filled the once windy air, with a set of headlights illuminating the path ahead, prompting the young woman to turn towards the source: a certain family van, which despite its lack of snow tires, had still managed to catch up to her.
"There you are!" Lynn Sr. shouted, sticking his head out the window as he did so. "Do you know how late you are?! Your mother and I have been worried sick!"
Sam immediately rushed out the van and ran to her side. "Luna!"
And yet, in that moment, Luna looked away. She didn't know what or why, but she found herself turning and bolting through the ice and snow. "No… I can't let her see me like this… I just can't!"
Instantly, Sam's eyes went wide in surprise, before she gave chase to the young woman. "Luna! Wait! What's going on with you?!"
Yet, Luna didn't respond. Instead, she closed her eyes and continued to run. Though she did find the task difficult, as the mounting snow blocked her at every turn. No doubt the town of Royal Woods would have quite the mess to clean up in the morning. "I just… I have to get away. I need more time!"
However, Sam wouldn't relent. She fought to keep her young companion in her sight, turning and weaving along with her as they forced their way through the blizzard overtaking the town.
"Luna?" Sam called, as she climbed a small hill, making her way towards an oak tree, standing firm against the winds that threatened to overtake the town. "I saw her run this way… she has to be here, I know she does!"
*Crunch*
The young woman looked down and moved her foot, only to spot a piece of crumpled up paper laying in the snow. "That looks like one of the pages from Luna's notebook…" she looked up, allowing her gaze to fall upon another crumpled up page, and then another, creating a trail leading towards the tree.
"Luna… what's going on?" She slowly stepped closer. "You would never run when your parents were around, or heck you'd never even run from me!"
*Sniffle* Despite the raging storm around her, that small cry is still able to seep through. "Luna…" she took hold of the side of the tree, using it to balance herself as she looked towards the trail's end, allowing her gaze to fall upon a certain young brunette dressed in a purple coat and clutching her favorite guitar tightly.
"Luna!" Sam shouted, hoping her voice would be able to make it through the noise. Though, much to her dismay, Luna does reply, choosing instead to bury her head in her arms.
Slowly, Sam leaned in, placing her hand on her shoulder as she did so. "Luna."
"Go away…" the young rocker replied. Thankfully, the shade of the oak tree was enough to make a small sanctuary from the raging storm going on around them.
"You know I'm not, until you tell me what's going on with you," Sam didn't hesitate to reply, stepping next to her and leaned back, against the tree as she did so. "Now tell me, what's going on? Why are you acting so weird! This isn't like you!" she looked around. "And why are you just tearing out the pages from your notebook?!"
Luna remained silent, though her whimpers had quieted down.
Sam simply crossed her arms and remained quiet, taking the chance to lean against the tree and look out into the snow raging around them. No doubt the flakes would inundate them if it weren't for the old oak tree providing them shelter.
For the next few minutes, they simple stayed there, with neither willing to break the silence that had formed between them. That is, until Luna took a breath and whispered. "I'm sorry…"
Sam squatted down to her height. "Uhh, what?"
The brunette looked away in shame. "I'm sorry…"
"Sorry for what?" The blonde said with a comforting tone.
"Running…" She continued, closing her eyes only to feel soft tears begin to make their way down her cheeks.
Without word, Sam took a seat by Luna's side and wrapped her arms around her. "Why'd you run?"
Luna hesitated with her response. "I couldn't get you a present…"
"What?" Sam raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"I couldn't get you a present, ok?!" Luna broke her stance and buried her head in her knees. "Sam… this is gonna be our last Christmas together before we have to go off to college, and I just couldn't get you anything for it! I've been trying and trying to figure something out but I just couldn't!"
"And so you ran…" Sam started, only for Luna to cut her off.
"Because I… I wanted to get you the most rockin' gift I could find. I didn't want the music to go out Sam!" Her voice filled with an uncharacteristic pain. "You probably got me something that'll blow my socks soft!"
For a moment, Sam sat by, unsure of just how to react. Yet, once it passed, she leaned in and took a hold of Luna's face, turning it to face her own. "Luna, it's all right."
"No it's not!" the brunette flared her arms with emphasis. "I'm a horrible person… I couldn't give my best friend a good gift to remember me by…"
Sam immediately took her face in her hands once more. "Lune, you're being too hard on yourself! You're the best girl I know! I know you'll go through the fire and the flames for me! Don't knock yourself down like that!"
Luna looked away, unsure of what else to say.
"Look at me," Sam commanded, prompting the brunette to turn back in reply. She continued by taking hold of Luna's shoulders and looking into her eyes. "You're my best friend… my girlfriend," she took a breath, allowing a soft, caring heat to overtake her voice. "I know you've been having trouble, but that's nothing to beat yourself up over!"
"But…" Luna tried to look away, only for Sam to pull her into a soft hug.
"But nothing. It's all right. Because all I want for Christmas, is you," Sam's voice filled with assurance, while she helped her companion onto her knees. "Really, it is."
Luna cracked a smile, and wrapped her arms around Sam in response. "Thanks…" before an idea rushed to the forefront of her mind. Immediately, she rushed to her feet, pulling her companion up as she did so. "I know what to get you!"
Sam raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh? Uhh… what is it gonna be?"
"I'll show you later!" She then turned and pulled Sam. At the point the blizzard had begun to calm down, allowing them easy travel through the ice and snow. "But first lets find my dad!" And with that, they headed out.
A Few Minutes Later…
"So, did you figure out what to give me for Christmas?" Sam stepped forward, curiosity filling her voice.
Luna nodded and smiled, before turning to her amp. "Yeah, I just hope you'll like it."
The young blonde chuckled and put a hand on her hip. "I'm sure I know what it is already, and I'm sure I'll love it," she turned and grabbed a medium-sized box from under the Christmas tree. "So here, I want you to open this."
For a moment, Luna hesitated, seemingly unsure if she should even consider opening her present early. However, after receiving a reassuring gaze from her partner, she complied. "All right."
And carefully, she opened up the box, revealing a simple, purple electric guitar decorated with a pure white plate and brown next, with each piece signed by a certain Mick Swagger. "Y-you-"
Sam rubbed her head. "You told me how Mick was your favorite artist and stuff, so I though, why not get you one of his old guitars?"
Luna's expression of disbelief soon turned into a tear-filled smile, before she threw her arms around her friend. "Thank you Sam!" she soon broke the embrace immediately checking the tune as she did so. "Man, with this I feel invincible!"
"I hope so!" Sam chuckled, covering her mouth as she did so.
In that moment, Luna found herself fighting back the urge to lean in closer, her heart urging her to do so, but her mind telling her that she had a performance to hold before anything else. And from what she could tell, Sam felt the same way. "Thanks Sam."
The young blonde simply shook her head. "Merry Christmas, love."
And the brunette gave a nod and smile, before hooking up her new guitar to her old setup, and shoving a flash drive into an auxiliary receiver. "All right, everything's set!" She turned and adjusted her microphone.
Immediately, the crowd of friends and family turned and took their seats, posting themselves to listen to the young woman preparing to sing. "Let's go. I'm not gonna be an American Idiot and waste this chance! I will show her just how much I care!" And with that, she focused her gaze upon her best friend and partner, before strumming, causing a soft beat to fill the room.
From the day I met you, I knew you were the one.
And now years have passed and what's done is done
La, la, la, la, la.
She leaned forward, her voice filling with a soft heat, before her beat sped up, filling with life!
And no matter what happens we'll still be together in heart.
After all, we'll sing together and create our own art.
La, la, la, la, la.
Soft tears began to make their way down her cheeks.
So Sam, thanks for the days
And one day, I hope to replay you in so many different ways!
La, la, la, la, la.
And with that last line, she lowered her guitar and smiled. "Thanks for the memories! And have a merry Christmas!"
A soft silence overtook the house after that, with no one sure just how to respond.
Slowly, Sam stepped forward, not hesitating to wrap her arms around Luna's waist, while Luna moved her guitar out of the way and did the same. For a moment, they looked into each other's eyes, their hearts beating in unison as they leaned in.
With that, their lips met, and the thousands of thoughts that had once filled Luna's mind disappeared, leaving her to simply enjoy the bliss of her beloved's affection.
And she took comfort in knowing that, no matter where they were, no matter what would be going on in the world, no matter who would try to stop them, and no matter what circumstances would stop them from seeing the each other, their love would always hold strong.
With that, she leaned in closer- as close as she could be to her beloved- and took in Sam's love, with her partner doing the same.
The End
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A/N I hope you guys enjoyed! As always, feel free to R&R! And if you're wondering, I'll be working on new content in January! Have a happy and healthy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! And as always, feel free to just the TLH discord server or PM me if you have any comments or requests!