AN: So this is meant to accompany Seven Heavenly Virtues but it can standalone. They sort of say the same thing just from the girls own perspectives and relating to the inverse Sin/Virtue. It's meant to be pretty short, both stories about seven or eight chapters a piece and not very long chapters at that.
Warning: Maybe abuse, mental, physical and emotional. Angst. Smut. The sins won't be in any specific order, and definitely not chronological order. It's more like general points and events through the course of their relationship pertaining to the actual sins/virtues.
Disclaimer: I don't own glee or the characters.
To say that Santana Lopez was the worst thing to ever happen to me is an understatement. That's not to say that I didn't love her, but that love is what made me see, firsthand, how truly bad she was for me. At first I thought it was just her, the cruel girl from high school, loving me back in her own selfish way. Looking back, I can't say I'd want it to have been different, just that it could have been.
Santana was so very proud, and who am I to say she wouldn't have been? She got out of Lima, as so many of us wanted to, made a name for herself, and had gained everything that seemed so important to her. I can't exactly blame her for placing me on that list; some part of me loved how much she wanted me. She'd brag about me, treasure me, and treat me as if I were some trophy, and I suppose that's what I was to her. She got to claim me, announce to the world that I was her girlfriend, and I just smiled at her side, feeling as loved and adored as I'd hoped to be during the four years of hell that I'd went through in the life I'd left behind.
"This is my girlfriend Rachel, you might recognize her from her new show," the raven-haired beauty who claimed me introduced me to a coworker, a man hardly older than her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Santana talks about you all the time," he offered along with his hand.
I couldn't fight the blush that appeared as I shook his hand, "The pleasure's all mine."
We held up a light banter before Santana swept me off to meet the next patron of the small party. Our relationship was still young, it was so fresh and I tried to stay on my own two feet but she constantly came in with that confident smile and swept me off. At the time her pride hardly struck me as a problem. It was subtle, and hardly something to argue with. My own want to be wanted is what really blinded me to the fact that I was slowly becoming a notch in the bedpost of Santana's achievements.
"So, do you think your boss liked me?" I asked as I followed her into the apartment.
"Of course, what's not to love?" She asked as she pulled me into her arms, kissing my neck, "You're beautiful, smart, and charming."
"You always say that," I relaxed into her embrace and welcomed her to my skin with a tilt of my head.
"It's always true," she assured, stripping me of my jacket and pulling away long enough to hang it up.
"You aren't to bad yourself," I replied, a confidence that I only felt around her in my voice. I turned to her, looking the girl over.
"Not to bad," she scoffed, only a hint of playfulness to be heard, "I'm a catch."
"I must be quite the fisherman then," I announced, sliding one hand behind her neck and the other resting on her chest.
"Mhum," she hummed against my lips as we met in a passionate kiss.
The worst I'd seen in her pride was the bragging. Her constant need to brag, to gloat, to put in another's face what she had. As far as I know I was the only one she wouldn't brag to. Her favorite game was to one up anybody. "You have a quaint little apartment? That's nice, you should stop by my condo," and many other reminders of her status over others could be heard. She always had to have the best and be the best, and if she didn't she'd do everything she had to to reach her goal.
"San, come to bed," I groaned from the doorway.
"Rae, baby, I'm so close to this promotion, I can't just stop now," she didn't look up, she didn't even still her fingers on the keyboard.
"You'll get it," I assured, "You do so well at work, and it's late, please just come lay down."
She finally stilled her hands and sighed, "Rachel, I can't. I need to get that promotion or anybody else could swoop it up."
I moved closer, pressing my lips to her temple and sliding an arm around her neck, trying to persuade her another way.
"Rachel, enough!" She snapped and I pulled back, "Just go back to bed."
She didn't look up to see the hurt on my face, instead she went back to her efforts to stay better than everyone else.
I may have encouraged the haughtiness that was what Santana called a personality of my own accord a few times. I've said I enjoyed the feeling of being wanted as Santana wanted me but that was no reason to encourage it as I had. To smile coquettishly while Santana spoke of how happy we still were together while an acquaintance finished a story of a failed marriage, or to sing a few notes while she bragged about my talent after someone mentioned a skill or hobby they took to. Worst of all was that damned ring. The diamond accent three stone braided band was, at first, the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. It meant the world to me. For my gold star inscribed on the inside used to make me think I was truly more than just an accessory that nobody else could have. But soon enough the metal burned, it became a white gold weight, no, a tag, claiming me as hers so that nobody else could have me. It was my ring, but it was her mark.
"I just asked my girlfriend to move in with me," another nameless associate stated excitedly, smiling to a woman a few feet away, laughing carelessly.
"Oh, yeah?" San grinned, "I just proposed, Rae show him."
Never so far from her side to show off, I smiled to the man and held up my hand, smiling broadly.
"Woah, that's some serious bling, guess that new promotion will really help, eh?" He laughed, finally drawing his eyes away from my hand long enough for me to drop it back to my side.
I groaned inwardly at that sound while Santana took up the new topic with ease. She had money, that was never an issue with Santana but she wouldn't let herself be outshone.
"Oh yeah, it's more work, a bit of travel, but insane money and benefits," he announced.
"That'd be great, huh Rae?" She sounded so excited, taking the opportunity as well as a child in a candy store, and while I hated the work, I couldn't be upset at her for being happy, even if I knew it wouldn't last long before the next promotion or prize came along.
"Of course, love," I put on my best stage smile and slipped my hand into hers.
