"AH-ACHOO!"
Things sucked. Was it even possible for bats to get colds?
"ACHOO!"
Only humans got colds, right? And the last time she checked…still not human!
So why was she stuck with a cold? Why was she stuck in bed?
"Good morning, America! This is POP101 with your favorite songs from then and now! To kick things off, let's put on an old classic to make the grouches smile for the holidays!"
Where was a hammer when you need one?
As Rouge tried to find a heavy object nearby to smash her unsuspecting alarm clock to bits, a jingly Christmas carol began. She groaned and rolled away from her radio clock and clamped her pillow on her ears to drown out whatever music was playing.
Why would she want to listen to a Christmas carol when everything was going all wrong?
She was snowed in with a cold, while she had to go set up lights in front of Cream's house in a couple days (after being volunteered by Amy), go get presents for everyone, help Amy set up her holiday party, wrap those presents, go to work, go be Santa's elf at the mall (the Santa here being Sonic, because he didn't want to go it alone), practice cooking a turkey, shovel her walkway, buy new boots, get over a cold, regain her voice, and stop thinking about Knuckles the Echidna.
…Seriously.
…They wanted her to cook a turkey?
"ACHOO!"
It seemed as if this Christmas wasn't gonna go her way. She couldn't even complain about anything because she lost her voice.
Not that there was anyone to complain to. She was currently snowed in her house.
Everyone was.
"Bah, humbug! No that's too strong 'Cause it is my favorite holiday. But all this year's been a busy blur, don't think I have the energy-" The radio sang. Rouge sighed, pulled off her pillow and sat up.
This song didn't seem so bad. Kinda relative to her life. She did love the holidays, but this year things just weren't happing…And her year? Blurrier than a blur! This year went by so fast all Rouge could remember was coffee and work! "And as for energy, with this cold, I'm surprised I have any left to get out of bed, much less than celebrate the holidays!"
For the first time this winter, Rouge smiled. Finally, a song that understood her and her holiday issues!
"-Encounter, most interesting. Had his number but never the time, Most of '81 passed along those lines-"
"Come to think of it," Rouge pondered as she got up to change, "I was so busy with work I get to visit Knuckles very much this year…" Not that she cared. She didn't like the echidna!
"-So deck those halls, trim those trees! Raise up cups of Christmas cheer! I just need to catch my breath; Christmas by myself this year-"
"Christmas by myself…doesn't sound too bad…" But then again, if she spent Christmas alone, Amy would freak out at her for not attending the holiday party, not to mention she'd miss out on seeing Knuck-
She didn't like the echidna! Geez, Rouge, stop thinking of him!
Rouge shook the thoughts out of her jumbled mind and pulled on her clothes.
"-Merry Christmas, but I think I'll miss this one this year! Hardly dashing through the snow 'cause I've bundled up too tight! Last minute have-to-do's, a few cards, a few calls, 'cause it's r-s-v-p! No thanks, no party lights! It's Christmas Eve, gonna relax, turned down all of my invites!" The more that radio sang, the more sense it was making. She was happy she didn't crush it.
Really, missing Christmas? Letting her stress dissolve? Just relax by the fireplace with her jewels?
Why didn't she think of that earlier?
Oh right. Her friends would be mad at her.
"-Forget it, it's cold, it's getting late. Trudge on home to celebrate! In a quiet way, unwind…Doin' Christmas right this time!-"
Yeah, Rouge wanted to do Christmas her way! No worrying about presents and parties and dressing like an elf and dealing with colds and clearing walkways and cooking turkeys.
She should do it her way! Just get a bag of chips and a bottle of Mountain Dew, and settle in her house by the Christmas tree and watch sappy romance movies.
And get slammed in the head by Amy's hammer the next day for not going to the party.
Why was the weight of everyone's problems on her? Almost all of her friends wanted her to a favor for them while she was having her own personal issues! Well, the sooner she got everything done, the sooner her holidays would get better.
She finally got her coat, scarf, boots, and gloves on. Grabbing a bunch of tissues, the bat stuffed them into her pocket and grabbed her purse. With the way it was snowing outside, she might not even be able to get back in her house. After turning off her alarm, Rouge yanked opened the door and lost herself in the whiteout.
…
"Happy Holidays!" A saleswoman shouted cheerfully as Rouge sought refuge in the mall from the freezing cold outside. She sniffled and wiped her nose as the sight of huge crowds mobbing the numerous stores came into view. "Great, this is gonna take longer than I thought…"
Rouge shook off the cold as she began her mission in the mall. First was Amy's present! Passing by the numerous shoppers who were in a rush to get holiday gifts, Rouge mulled over Sonic's problem. "The Blue Blur doesn't even know what to get his girl for Christmas…I wish they'd just go out already; that way I wouldn't have to do shopping for other people…" Although now that she thought of it, getting Amy a piece of lingerie from Victoria's Secret and telling her it was from Sonic would certainly brighten up Rouge's holiday. That would've been funny!
"But Sonic and I are on good terms. Blue boy's only problem is that he doesn't know the first thing about buying things for girls." A smile crept onto Rouge face as she walked into Delia's and proceeded to find a cute T-shirt for Amy. Last time, if she remembered correctly, Sonic got Rouge a coffee maker.
Well, maybe it was a great present, but the only reason he got her that was because he broke her last one! Otherwise, what would he have gotten her? Probably dish soap or something crazy like that.
Yeah, Sonic had no idea when it came to women. At least Knuckles got her something nice. It was a gift card to Starbucks, which she knew she'd use since she ate, breathed, and slept coffee.
Rouge pulled a cute hot pink t-shirt off of one of the racks. It had silver sequins spelling out 'Princess' across the top, with a crown below it. "Hmm…now for some matching earrings…" She plucked two silver earrings off of a display and gazed at them. They were crowns; a nice match to her shirt.
One down, fifty million to go.
"Hi, did you find everything you were lookin' for today? Just to let you know we have fifty percent off on your second purchase if your first one is over sixty dollars." The teen at the register smiled cheerfully at her before ringing up the items. Rouge wanted to get Amy a gift card, but she couldn't even talk! How was she gonna do this?
"Excuse me…" Ouch! She sounded pained and voiceless; in fact, she said it so softly it was a wonder the girl heard her.
"Hmm?" You know what? Forget talking. Rouge simply pulled a gift card off of one of the displays in front of her and slapped it down on the counter, along with fifty dollars.
"You want a fifty dollar gift card?" The girl asked uneasily? Rouge batted her eyelashes to calm down her impatience and nodded.
"Umm…well then, that's fifty nine dollars and ninety eight cents for the shirt and the earrings."
Really? Really? She was two cents away from getting half off on the earrings?
Whatever. She was just gonna buy the presents and get out of there. Rouge let out a breath to cool off her stress and annoyance as the teen handed her the bag, and in a flash she zoomed out of there.
"Time to get everyone else a present…"
Time flew as Rouge grabbed a caramel frappucino from Starbucks and traveled to the different stores in the mall trying to get everyone a present. Pretty soon it was 1 PM and the only person left on her list was…
Knuckles.
"I don't want to think about think about him!" Rouge thought stubbornly. There was no way she was gonna spend her hard earned holiday brooding over how Knuckles would never love her…
N-Not that she cared! She didn't like him! She. Did. Not. Like. Him. End of story!
But…well…she couldn't just go to Amy's party with a present for everyone but him…it would be rude! Unlike a certain red echidna, this lady had manners!
"Well, what am I gonna get him…? Ooh, a watch sounds good…maybe then he can remember to show up to the holiday parties on time!" She kept a smile on her face, pleased with her idea, and walked into JCPenney. The displays were decorated with jewelry and whatnot, causing Rouge's blue eyes to dazzle.
"Oh, it's so pretty! Having these would make my holidays great!" She bounded over to a glass case containing some nice gold watches (well, not totally gold, but it looked like it). As she scanned over the price, she suddenly felt an invisible weight hit her head.
"Fifty dollars? That's all I have left for presents! Fifty dollars for a watch?" Even though she could probably sneak in the mall at night and take it, she didn't want to. She had been doing that all year as a part of her job, and she just wanted to refrain from doing anything that reminded her of her work.
"I just don't wanna go through all the trouble…well, I guess I'll get the watch…"
Another saleswoman approached Rouge, and before long, she had only ten cents and a piece of mint gum left in her purse.
Her arms, on the other hand, were loaded with bags.
"Urgh!" Her voiceless grunt pierced the air as she tried to carry all of the heavy bags. All she wanted to do now was go to Bath and Body Works, Sephora, and maybe Deb's, just to get an idea of what she wanted to get herself for Christmas.
Isn't that sad? She was buying and wrapping her own presents this year! Whatever. She would need a long vacation in the Caribbean after this Christmas party.
Off she went to Bath and Body works, examining all of the nice fragrances and body washes she wanted, and then to Deb's, where she scoped out cute dresses to wear to Amy's party. Finally it was Sephora for her make up, and as soon as she walked in a red headed saleslady greeted her warmly, "Hello Rouge! Come to get your regular cosmetics, or do you wanna try something new for the holidays?"
Rouge shrugged. Some new stuff would be nice. She had been in Sephora so many times for her makeup they knew her there, and dubbed her a 'regular'. What a surprise; they call her that at Starbucks too!
Rouge walked around and gazed at all of the eye shadows and lip-glosses and eyeliners longingly. Ever had that feeling of wanting to buy something but knowing you can't because you spent all of your money on other people? That was what she felt right now!
"Ooh, if only I had a couple hundred dollars! Then I could go on a shopping spree and really celebrate this holiday my way!" She bit her lip and sighed sadly, lowering her blue gaze. Maybe if she hinted at her friends, they could get her all of these things…
Nah. It wouldn't be the same as letting loose on a shopping spree.
"Hey Rouge," The red head whispered with uncertainty, "Isn't that your boyfriend?"
What?
No. Oh no. Oh. No.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she flapped her wings a bit to peek over the aisles.
And there he was at the counter. The one person she didn't want to think about.
Knuckles the Echidna was in Sephora.
Wait.
Knuckles the Echidna was in Sephora!
Rouge didn't know whether or not to crack up in voiceless laughs or hide behind a shelf of makeup.
…Hey! He was not her boyfriend!
Rouge turned to the redhead, only to see that she wasn't there. Her eyes gre wide in shock. What if…?
She peeked over again.
SHE WAS TALKING TO KNUCKLES AND POINTING AT HER!
"Noooo! I don't wanna see Knuckie right now! I can't even speak to him!"
"GAH! Rouge!" Her body was electrified as she wheeled around and stared at him in silent shock. She attempted to put on her seductive smile, but it wasn't working. Why was he in Sephora? And was that a gift card in his hand?
"What are you doing here, Bat-girl?" Knuckles asked. Rouge rolled her eyes. Leave it to him to get all defensive. She put her hands on her hips as best as she could since the bags were sliding down her arms and looked at him expectantly, as if to say, "I should be asking you that question, Knuckie."
"U-uhm…" Knuckles, understanding her look, began stuttering, "I-I was getting a…um…p-present! A present! For a friend of mine!"
Hmm, a gift card to Sephora? Could be a girl…not that Rouge cared. Instead she scowled, causing him to wear a small smirk.
"It's not for you, if that's what you think. Why would I spend my money on a present for you?" The moment those words left his lips, however, he regretted them. Rouge was awfully silent, and she heaved a big sigh before walking past him to leave.
She spent the rest of her money on this guy, and he tells her he wasn't using a dime on a present for her. Wow, just what she needed for the holidays!
"Wait, Rouge!" Knuckles didn't understand why she wasn't saying a word to him! Did he say something to make her mad? The sick bat spun around, only to hear Knuckles ask, "What's wrong with you? Why are you so quiet?" Hmm, well, maybe it's because she lost her voice!
Rouge scoffed and was about to turn away when Knuckles spoke, "Fine, don't talk to me! Why should I care?"
At this point, she snapped.
Rouge spun around and yelled, "I lost my voice smart one!" But her voice came out as just a harsh, painful whisper, causing her to cringe and rub her throat. Knuckles, on the other hand, wore a look of surprise. Was she sick?
"Bat-girl…?"
The words never reached her ears, for she ran out of the store and out of the mall, heavy shopping bags in tow.
…
"ACHOO!" She sneezed as she trekked through the knee-high snow. Today was not a good day for her. Well, only fourteen days until Christmas! Then she could start planning her Caribbean trip. All she could see was snow falling all around like a heavy storm, and wind whipping against her face. Everything was just so white…
"I wish I could fly…" Rouge glanced at the bags that weighed her down, and then squinted up ahead to see the faint glow of a traffic light. She was almost home…
"AH!" Though her voice still wasn't coming out, a bunch of snow flew over her like a wave, and as she shook it off, she heard a voice call out behind her.
"Rouge?"
Slowly she rotated and peered into the white storm, only to see a dark figure approaching her.
"What are you doing out here?" It was…Shadow? Rouge simply stayed silent, but upon inspection Shadow understood what was going on.
"Give me your bags." Rouge blinked at him, not quite understanding what he meant, but soon he grabbed her belongings and murmured, "Which way is your home?"
Rouge pointed toward the streetlight.
"Let's go."
…
"BAM!"
The door to Rouge's house flew open and hit the wall as Rouge and Shadow entered. Snow blew into her house, causing gusts of cold wind to reach every corner of the living room. Rouge, with some effort, pushed the door shut while Shadow plopped all of the belongings on the ground and turned to the bat.
"Are you sick?"
Rouge nodded, then motioned for her throat. Shadow blinked.
"You lost your voice."
Rouge nodded again and went to put her bags away. Shadow simply watched her for a moment before asking, "Why did you go out while you were sick?" Rouge said nothing, but she pointed to the day circled on the calendar by her couch?
"Christmas…so you got presents for everyone?"
Rouge smiled. There was no way she was gonna let him see his present ahead of time, if that was what he was thinking.
"Rouge…can I ask a question?" Rouge looked up at him. Shadow seemed to stand with an awkward look on his face, as if he thought Rouge was going to laugh at him. She motioned for him to ask, to which he took a deep breath.
"Teach me how to wrap presents."
"…Excuse me? Shadow the Hedgehog, the 'Ultimate Life Form', doesn't know how to wrap presents?"
If she had her voice, then her looks of glee and the tears pricking the corner of her eyes would've been followed by booming laughter.
"Rouge…Rouge! It's not funny!" Shadow growled as she wiped tears away. She calmed herself down and walked into the kitchen, to which Shadow followed.
"What are you doing?"
Rouge filled a kettle with water and set it on the stove to boil, and then picked up a box and pointed at it.
"Cocoa?"
Rouge looked at him for an answer. Shadow simply nodded.
After pulling out two packets from the box, Rouge returned to the living room and pulled out a roll of shiny green wrapping paper and a bag with bows, nametags, tape, ribbons, and all kinds of other things inside. Shadow's eye twitched.
This was gonna be hard.
…
"Hey…I did it."
Rouge looked up from the present she was wrapping (leg warmers for Sonic as a joke), and saw that Shadow successfully wrapped the t-shirt for Amy, which Rouge had put in a box. "Well, after watching me wrap for hours, he must know how to do it now." Rouge smirked as she saw the pink ribbon that tied it up and dangled off of the top, and the neat folding he did compared to the first one, which looked like he had slapped paper and tape on haphazardly, stuck a bow on, and called it a present.
"Now what?" Shadow noticed Rouge's approval, and after inspecting the present she handed him a nametag. He stuck it on and began writing, 'To: Amy, From: Sha-'
"Oh."
Rouge looked up. What did he do?
"I began to write 'From: Shadow'…" He blinked and handed the present for Rouge to see, and after a moment she grabbed the pen and scribbled something on. Shadow got the present back only to see it said, 'To: Amy, From: Shadow and Rouge.'
"I didn't buy this for her." Shadow said. Rouge rolled her eyes and looked around to find a nearby note pad. She grabbed one off of her coffee table and wrote, "You wrapped it, so we'll say it's from both of us."
"Oh." Shadow managed to say. He looked around to see that all the presents (except his) were wrapped. Rouge had put his present aside so he wouldn't see it; as if she'd let him peek!
"I…I should leave. Thank you, Rouge." What? Why was he leaving so early?
Shadow got up and opened the door.
"AH!"
Rouge shot up only to see that a huge pile of snow fell upon him. It was a crazy whiteout outside, so there was no way Shadow would be able to go home. She pulled Shadow out of the snow pile and both of them slammed the door and locked it.
"So…" Shadow began, but Rouge frantically wrote something on a piece of paper, shoved it in his hands, and dashed off to the kitchen to turn off the stove.
"You're just gonna have to stay with me, cutie! Don't open the door again. I have a guest room by the way, so don't worry." Shadow blushed after reading it aloud and shrugged. Rouge wasn't that bad, so he wouldn't mind staying until the storm blew over. Heh, Sonic would be jealous that his wrapping skills weren't as awesome as Shadow's was right now.
Rouge came in with two mugs of hot chocolate and handed one to Shadow.
"Thank you. I will leave tomorrow." Rouge waved her hand around to say, 'Whatever,' and they both proceeded to sit down side by side on the couch, and Rouge flipped on the TV.
Well, her day got better. Here she was, in a quiet room with low lights watching 'Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!' and drinking cocoa with her friend Shadow, the only one of her friends that she knew wouldn't drive her crazy before Christmas. As she and Shadow continued watching Christmas movies, like 'The Grinch,' and 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,' Rouge found herself falling asleep, her head somewhat resting on a drowsy Shadow's shoulder.
"Maybe the holidays won't be so bad…" Rouge thought as she slipped away into dreamland.
Or maybe, as the next day proved to her, chaos was going to explode and she would want to change her name, put on a moustache, and move to the Caribbean.
…
Author's note: Hey everyone! This is one looooong chapter; I should make my chapters shorter. This is a Christmas fic! And don't worry, it's Knouge or KnucklesxRouge. Anyways, I feel like the holidays are going insane for not only me but some of the people around me, so I wanted to write this. I should be posting a chapter a day until Christmas, so I hope you stick along and if you have any questions, just ask! This is dedicated to my late uncle, God rest his soul.