Hello! I'm back!

Guess who wrote this whole (kind long, actually) chapter in less than a day? Me! Ah, I'm so proud of myself; I don't think I've ever done this before (don't hold me to that though). And considering that I've had to fit my writing around my revision timetable (*sarcastic* yay, fun), I think I've done a pretty good job.

I kind of hated this chapter at first but, the further I got into it the more I started to enjoy it. (I think that's just because writing the starts of chapters is awful though). But anyway, this is for you, Owllover34. Here's your Struts & Lugnut chapter!

On the fourth day of Christmas Struts got drunk…from four glasses of eggnog.

Struts was completely oblivious to the fact that the more of her mother's eggnog she consumed, the more the brandy in it started to hit her. Struts had been left at home decorating the Christmas tree while her mum, her (probably) soon to be stepdad and his two (adorable) little boys went to visit the Santa Claus at the mall, and, to save herself from getting bored, she had decided to invite over Lugnut to help.

After helping decorate Lela and Butchy's place earlier that week Lugnut considered themselves pros at this anyway, so he didn't mind accepting the offer at all. And besides, when was he ever going to turn down an offer to spend time with Struts.

As chaotic and hilarious as the task of decorating Lela and Butchy's house had been, it had been a relatively simple task (well, a simple task on a huge scale). And since Struts just had one tree to decorate (compared to Lela's entire house) he had expected them to be done rather quickly so that they could move onto…other things. But alas, when Struts started sneaking sips of eggnog from the jug her mum was keeping in the fridge, Lugnut saw all hopes of that slipping away with Struts' common sense.

The moment that he knew she was well and truly done with even attempting to act moderately sensibly was when she had disappeared into the hallway to get something and had returned with a long strand of silver tinsel draped around her neck. She stopped in the door way and clumsily struck a pose with so much force that Lugnut thought she had put her hand through the wall.

"Lovely," Lugnut chuckled, still startled from the sudden noise.

"Look what I found!" Struts exclaimed, doing a little spin towards him as she held the tinsel out around her.

"Are we putting that on the tree?" Lugnut asked, attempting to take the tinsel away from her.

"Well, it would look good on the tree…" Struts began, walking straight past Lugnut to stand in front of the tree. "But I think it looks much better on me," she giggled, wrapping the tinsel around her like a feather boa before spinning around to face him and striking another pose. "I feel like a movie star!"

"You are one," Lugnut chuckled, even more amused by Struts' antics when she let out a large gasp in response.

"You're right!" she cried. "Do you think we ever made a Christmas special?"

"You know, I don't think we did," Lugnut said, having to stifle a laugh when he caught sight of Struts' look of utter dismay.

"Are you tellin' me we didn't make a sequel where the Rodents save Santa and the surfers all give up their lives to become elves?"

"I wish," Lugnut laughed, unsure whether Struts was being serious or not anymore.

"Well I think it woulda been a hit," Struts said, throwing one end of the tinsel over her shoulder and sauntering over to the window sill, where she had balanced her latest glass of brandy-laced eggnog.

"Woah, woah, woah," Lugnut said, hurrying to swipe the glass out of her hands.

"Lugnut, give it back you little sh-"

"You've had enough," he said, holding it out of her reach.

"I've only had a few sips," Struts protested.

"Yeah, sure," Lugnut said sarcastically.

"Look, I'm fine," Struts said, but when she almost lost her footing after attempting a step forwards she soon realised otherwise. "Woah, you're right, maybe I should lay off it," she then giggled after Lugnut lunged to catch her arm.

"I think yous is more of a milk and cookies girl," Lugnut chuckled, downing the remainder of the eggnog in the glass so that she wasn't tempted again.

"Like Santa!" she gasped, her eyes flying wide open as she excitedly scurried over to the decoration box. She rummaged around in it for a few seconds before bringing out an ornament shaped like the jolly character himself and dangling it in front of her eyes. "There, that's the finishing touch it needed," she said as she proudly hung it on the tree. "Doesn't it look great?" she then asked, spinning around to check for some sign of approval from Lugnut.

"Struts…it's half-done," was all he said though.

"What do you mean?" she asked, turning to look at the tree again.

"It's got like ten things on it. All we've got on are the lights and the fancy ornaments your mom always talks about."

"But we've been doin' this forever," Struts whined.

"You mean I've been doin' this forever," Lugnut corrected with a chuckle. "You've been stealin' drinks from the kitchen and dancin' around in a Santa hat."

"Hey, where did I leave the Santa hat?" Struts asked. Her attention was very easily averted to this new ask, which once again left Lugnut sorting through the box of baubles by himself until she returned. "I've got it," she hollered, skipping back into the room swinging it in her hand.

"Good," Lugnut said chirpily to play along with her. He didn't even protest when she slipped it onto his head.

"Hey, how is it that you even look good in this?" she giggled, standing back to admire him.

"Effortless charm," Lugnut said, only half-joking.

"I bet you'd look good in only that too," she snorted, ungracefully winking at him as he just lightly shook his head at her and laughed to himself.

"Struts, focus," Lugnut chuckled, taking her by the hand and leading her back over to the decoration box.

"On what?"

"Decorating the tree," he said, enunciating every word as clearly as he could so that it might actually register as something in her alcohol-clouded brain.

"I can't concentrate on that when you're stood here lookin' cute," Struts cried as if the idea was utterly ridiculous.

"Struts-" Lugnut tried as his smile widened and another bashful chuckle slipped from his lips. But it was no use because Struts had already slipped away to the record player. He didn't see much point in trying to coax her back over if she was going to be about as useful as the tinsel she still had draped around her neck was, so he just left her to do her own thing.

But apparently Struts couldn't leave Lugnut alone to do his own thing.

Within seconds Struts was pressed against Lugnut's side quietly giggling to herself as a giddy smile spread across her face. "Santa, baby, slip a sable under the tree for me," she softly sung into his ear as he attempted to continue decorating.

"Struts-" he began, attempting to stop her. But again, Struts showed no signs of cooperating and just pressed a finger to Lugnut's lips if he tried to interrupt again.

"I've been an awful good girl," she continued in the same hushed, lustful tone with an occasional giggle thrown in there too. "Santa, baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight."

Every now and then, although Lugnut mostly just let Struts sing and prance around to her hearts content, he'd jump in with little comments to amuse her further.

"Think of all the fun I've missed," she'd sing.

"Like what?" he'd reply.

"Think of all the guys that I haven't kissed," she'd continue, ignoring him and choosing to dance with her tinsel feather boa instead.

"Like who?"

"Next year I could be just as good if you check off my Christmas list," she finished, tapping Lugnut's nose in time to the last few words. All he had time to do was chuckle (and blush a little bit) before Struts flounced off and began singing again.

She almost knocked over a lamp when attempting to mimic an angel as she sung the line: "I've been an angel all year" and then nearly gave Lugnut the same fate when she hip-bumped him and knocked him off his feet. "Santa, cutie," she continued to sing (and giggle) as she helped Lugnut steady himself again. "There's one more thing I really do need: the deed to a platinum mine."

"So just a small present then?" Lugnut chuckled teasingly.

"Uh huh," she nodded and shot him another giddy grin before toying with his Santa hat and continuing to sing. "Santa, baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight." Struts then scurried over to the Christmas tree, where Lugnut presumed she was going to begin helping. But alas, she just struck another pose with her tinsel scarf and got the giggles…again. "Come and trim my Christmas tree with some decorations bought at Tiffany's." She punctuated that line with a not so subtle shaking of her 'feather boa'. "I really do believe in you," she sung to Lugnut before looping the tinsel around his neck and shooting him a rather suggestive look as she sung the line: "Let's see if you believe in me."

If Lugnut hadn't been blushing before then he certainly was now. But naturally he was playing it off cool by just softly chuckling at her as she (finally) tossed the wretched tinsel to the side.

"Santa, baby, forgot to mention one little thing: a ring," Struts half laughed half sung as she jokingly flashed her ring finger at him. Lugnut, joining in with her laughter, decided to play along and got down on one knee as if he was going to propose. But Struts just did a little twirl and perched on his knee instead of accepting an imaginary ring from him. "Santa, baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight. Yeah, so hurry down the chimney tonight. So hurry down the chimney tonight." As she finished she coyly toyed with Lugnut's Santa hat again before leaning in to kiss him.

Just before they got too far though, Lugnut broke away and gave her an offer.

"Hey, we can continue this later if you help me finish decoratin'," he said quietly, not even bothered about the scent of alcohol that was woven into her breaths.

"Lugnut-" Struts began to whine, trying to use his t-shirt to pull him back towards her.

"The quicker we get it done, the quicker we can continue," Lugnut prompted, leading Struts back over to the tree yet again. Normally he would drop everything to 'continue' with Struts, but considering that Lugnut was trying to make a good impression with her mom, and she had specifically explained that she wanted the tree decorated by the time she and the boys got home, he was determined to get it finished.

"Fine," Struts sighed over-dramatically before flouncing over to the partially decorated Christmas tree. "But I'm still singin'," she jested with a playful grin.

"Hey, I'm not objectin' to the singin'," Lugnut chuckled, grabbing a red bauble out of the box to hang up. "I don't think I'm gonna be lettin' ya hold any of the breakable ones though," he added, making another laugh slip out of Struts' mouth.

"Rockin' around the Christmas tree, have a happy holiday," were the words that Struts' mum and her boyfriend heard being sung upon entering the house. After taking a peek into the living room they saw the two teens (apparently a lot sleepier and gigglier now than they had been a few hours ago when they'd left them) quietly singing away to the record and goofily dancing in front of the freshly decorated Christmas tree.

"Everyone's dancing merrily in the new, old fashioned way," they finished, striking poses in time with the fading beats of the music. As the giggling couple both turned to the doorway they caught sight of the two adults (and the two sleeping children in their arms) softly laughing to themselves and smiling fondly at them.

"Oh, mom, you're back," Struts said, trying to keep her voice down so that she didn't wake her (sort of) brothers. She'd sobered up a little bit now (emphasis on the 'little bit') so she wasn't as obviously tipsy as she had been three songs ago. "Did you have a nice time?"

"Yeah, the boys loved it," her mum said, smiling down at the four year old boy she had balanced on her hip.

"Joey couldn't get enough of it," William, her mother's boyfriend, added, ruffling the little boy's hair and adjusting the way he was holding his older son (Jackson, who was 6).

"Good," Struts said softly, mustering a smile, which only grew when Lugnut stepped up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I guess I should get going now," Lugnut began, sensing that it was his time to leave.

"Nonsense," Struts' mother scoffed. "You don't need to go rushing off so soon."

"Are you sure, Miss Miller?" Lugnut asked.

"Absolutely, especially since you've decorated the place so nicely."

"Thanks," Lugnut replied bashfully as Struts just cheesily grinned up at him.

"It was all Lugnut," Struts gushed, gently laying a hand on his chest.

"Well, in that case you're free to stay the night," Struts' mother laughed airily, letting a small, knowing smile form on her face. It wasn't long since she'd been a teen herself (she'd had Struts when she was quite young, after all) so she knew when and when not to let things like this slide.

"Wait, really?!" Struts exclaimed, her eyes lighting up like the glowing fairy lights that were adorning the tree.

"And if you're willing to decorate as beautifully as this every year then you can stay as often as you like," her mother chuckled. "Goodnight," she added before disappearing out of the doorway and heading upstairs.

"God I love my mom," Struts sighed, turning to grin at Lugnut.

"I'm gonna have to join you on that opinion," Lugnut said, matching Struts' smile (but toning it down a little).

"Now, if I remember correctly, you owe me a little something," Struts said, beckoning him towards her with her finger.

"Well I guess I'm gonna have to pay up then," Lugnut sighed, mocking reluctance.

"Oh, if you have too," Struts smiled, joining in with the game. But she when Lugnut swept her off her feet and leant in to kiss her all she could do was start giggling. She did get that kiss though…and many more to follow.

So, what did you think? I hope you liked it!

The two songs I included were Santa Baby and Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (which is the song that inspired this chapter) if you hadn't recognised them already and wanted to know.

Also, I know I said before that I only needed an idea for Lugnut's chapter but, upon looking back at the ideas I have written down, I don't really like the one I have for Butchy's (or Giggles') chapter. So if you have any ideas for one (possibly surrounding a Christmas party?) then I'd love to hear them!

Again, thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter! Guest, I'm glad to hear that you were excited for this chapter and I hope that it lived up to your expectations. And Owllover34, I'm so glad that you enjoyed the last chapter (I enjoy me some Cheecat too!) and I really hope that you liked this one (because I know how much you love Struts and Lugnut). Also, thank you for your review on A Night To Remember, I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the Struts and Lugnut parts I included in that. I really love reading your feedback!

Well, that's all I've got to say. Thank you for reading! Don't forget to review! And I'll see you next chapter!

-cherrygorilla