Tethered (Book Two of The Invisible String Series)

Merry Christmas, Darling

All in all, it was a fantastic haul in my opinion and afterwards Lizzie and I settled ourselves back onto the couch to continue to watch more Christmas-themes movies, this time with mugs of homemade hot chocolate in our hands.
Halfway through the first movie I suddenly remembered something and began to squirm my way out of my girlfriend's embrace. "Why do you keep removing yourself from my snuggles?"

Grinning over at Lizzie, I hurry my way to the tree, reaching down to grab the one thing I'd forgotten to give her earlier. Holding the small object to my chest, I hesitantly make my way back over to my girlfriend, carefully handing the neatly wrapped gift to her. "Sorry. I forgot to give this to you earlier."

Lizzie stares down at the gift, sitting up straighter on the couch as she begins to unwrap it, all while I watch with a hesitant smile. This was kind of a last-minute thing I'd decided on giving her, and I just really hope she likes it.

The brunette frowns when she has the CD free of its wrapping paper, turning it over in her hands. "What is this?"

I clear my throat as I tap the clear case, right above the words on the otherwise blank face of the CD that reads, 'For Lizzie' in my messy handwriting. "This is your song."

Lizze's eyes immediately meet mine, her expression unreadable. "My what?"

Still feeling a little nervous, because I'd never done this before, the whole 'writing a love-song for someone' before and I'm a little scared she's not gonna like it. I'd wanted to include it on our last album, but where we were in that weird time/break thing, I held off. "I wrote you a song. It's not perfect, I still gotta tweak a few things when I get back in the studio next month before we release the EP, but the band I managed to get a rough version of it completed for you for Christmas. And aside from us, you get to listen to it first."

Lizzie's green eyes drop back down to the CD, and before I can say anything further, she's up and off the couch and placing the CD in the stereo next to the TV. A few seconds later and there's a low hum, followed by the guitar riff that opens the song and then my own voice: (AN: the credits for this song goes to the original writer, Lzzy Hale and is owned by them and for the purpose of this story, we're gonna pretend that Y/N wrote this.)

I stare at the girl in the mirror.
T-shirt, torn up jeans, no beauty queen.
But the way that you see me,
You get underneath me,
And all my defenses just fall away.
Fall away.

I am beautiful with you,
Even in the darkest part of me.
I am beautiful with you.
Make it feel the way it's supposed to be.
You're here with me,
Just show me this and I'll believe,
I am beautiful with you.

I stand naked before you now.
No walls to hide behind.
So here am I, see all of my scars.
Still here you are.
I bare my soul and I'm not afraid.
Not afraid.

I am beautiful with you,
Even in the darkest part of me.
I am beautiful with you.
Make it feel the way it's supposed to be.
You're here with me,
Just show me this and I'll believe,
I am beautiful with you.

I've been the strong one for so long.
But I was wrong,
It doesn't make you weak if you need someone.
I'm not holding back, and I know what I want.

I am beautiful with you.

I am beautiful with you.
You want me for myself,
Look at me like no one else.
I am beautiful with you.
I am beautiful with you,
Even in the darkest part of me,
I am beautiful with you.
Make it feel the way it's supposed to be.
You're here with me,
Just show me this and I'll believe,
I am beautiful with you.

The song ends and since it's the only thing on the CD, the living room is filled with silence. I stand from my spot on the couch, walking towards Lizzie's unmoving form. Just as I'm about to reach her, the brunette turns, tears steadily streaming out of her green eyes and I instantly panic, my brain automatically thinking that she hates the song or something.

My panic is immediately squashed when Lizzie collides into me, wrapping her arms around my neck before she pulls me into a deep kiss. It takes my brain a few seconds to realize what's happening, but when I come to my senses I return the kiss with just as much fervor, my hands making themselves home against the small of her back.

After a few minutes, Lizzie pulls away from me, her hands sliding down from my neck to cradle my face as she sniffles. "I can't believe you wrote a song for me."

I let out a little laugh, running my hands up and down her sides before resting my forehead against hers. "So I take it you liked it then?"

Lizzie's only response is to bounce herself on the tips of her toes and press a series of chaste kisses against my lips and all over my face. "I love it. And I love you."

Smiling, I pull the shorter woman towards me, wrapping my arms around her tightly. "I love you, too. Merry Christmas, my love."

Lizzie hums as she leans into the embrace, head tucked under my chin as she gives me a squeeze. "Merry Christmas, Y/N."

----------------------------------

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE!

This is only the first of the two Christmas chapters, and I don't think the next one will be out until after the holidays are over. But I wanted you all to have one holiday chapter! Consider it your all's present!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was fun to write, and if you all are interested in listening to the song I used for this chapter, I included the link for it on YouTube up top! If you can't see it or access it, it's called Beautiful With You by Halestorm.

I don't think I've ever really said what kind of vibe Y/N's band has, but almost every song in this story that the band sings as "their own" is gonna be a Halestorm song, so if you don't know that band they are awesome and you should totally check them out.

Let me know what you all thought. Remember to keep warm, especially if you're like us and got any bit of this winter storm. (It's like -13 degrees here)
And also, again, Happy Holidays! Love you all! -C ♥️