There's an uneven number of people in Santana's class, and she's really tired of going over to Mrs French's house because no one else wants to be her doubles partner. (Really, fuck those NYADA student wannabes, just because she lays it down real.)
They're doing tango in class and sitting out every other lesson is kicking Santana's ass. After a full week she still has no idea how to cross-walk without tripping over her own feet. It's embarrassing enough that she wants to do something about it before they're tested on it.
"I'm not learning anything." Santana whines and leans back into the washing machine that Rachel is busy filling with towels.
"Why don't you tell your instructor that?" Rachel looks mildly annoyed, reaching around Santana to sprinkle powdered detergent over the laundry.
"I have. She just tells me to come over to her place at lunch and we run the moves."
"That sounds… unconventional." Rachel lets the washer's lid slam closed and adjusts the settings.
"It's as creepy as it sounds," Santana rolls her eyes, shifting to the side when Rachel presses into her to turn on the washer.
"I learned the tango in class last semester." Rachel's voice is light, playful, she sidesteps around Santana, her arm brushing across Santana's front.
"Yeah, and?" Santana watches Rachel, her eyes following her as she bends over the laundry hamper.
Rachel shrugs, standing and - Santana startles and stares at her feet. starts stuffing clothes into the washer. "I was just thinking, maybe I can help. You know, with the steps."
"Uh-"
"It's not a terrible idea. I mean, Cassie really helped me tap into a sexier me, opened me up to a fluidity within myself I had no idea existed."
"Wanky."
Rachel's head whips around so fast Santana expects to hear the air snap. "If you don't want my help, you can just say so."
"No," Santana sighs, looking like it takes a huge effort to do so, and steps towards Rachel. "Look I appreciate the offer, it's just, when are we going to even get a chance? It's Sunday and I have class tomorrow."
"We have time now." Rachel closes the lid to the washer, setting its timer and pushing the start button.
"In the laundry room?"
Rachel just smiles, doing that thing where she bites her bottom lip and looks up at Santana with that look on her face. "Do you have any music on your phone?"
"I …think so." Santana pulls her phone out of her bra, ignoring Rachel's muffled chuckle, and flips through her music files. "There's not a lot of r-"
"There's plenty… for a beginner's lesson."
Santana glares but Rachel's expression is unflappable, so she just sets the phone down on the washer. It rattles, just a little, but then the music filters out and it has a beat that makes Santana's hips move, even though she doesn't really want to do this.
"Okay do you at least know the one-two-three-and-four step counting?"
"Duh."
Rachel gets close, raising her hand up and looping the other around Santana's back.
"Oh hell no you are not leading."
"Yes I am," Rachel nods towards her open hand and, sighing, Santana caves and lets Rachel take the lead. "Now just… feel the music."
Rachel steps towards Santana and Santana jerks her leg back, the movement stiff and uncomfortable.
"No," Rachel sighs and stops so abruptly that Santana bumps into her. "Just. Be loose. I know it's ballroom style and so it feels stiff, but that doesn't mean you can't… you know." Rachel twists her hips and then rolls them to the music's accordion beat. "It's like-"
"Fucking."
"Oh." Rachel blushes to her ears and Santana laughs breathlessly. Rachel tightens her grip on Santana's back, pulling her close again ."Now. Um. Let's try that again."
Rachel steps forward but instead of sliding her foot back, Santana steps forward and onto Rachel's foot.
"Oh come on!"
"Sorry! Sorry." Rachel's lips are pursed and Santana looks down at her feet, hiding a grin. "Okay, let's do it again."
Rachel just nods, allowing Santana to step close again until they're pressed together. Rachel's hand is hot in Santana's, her other radiating heat against Santana's back. The room is dark, stuffy from the heat of the dryers running along the back wall. The music switches to a new song, slower than the last one, and Rachel takes a breath and steps forward.
Santana moves with Rachel this time, her steps still a bit choppy and stiff. The more she moves, the more Rachel moves with her, the less awkward she feels and the easier following the music gets.
"That's good," Rachel breathes and slows her step until they stop, Santana's back almost flush with the wall of dryers. "I think you have the basic step."
"Yeah," Santana blinks, suddenly feeling the heat radiating from the dryers and from Rachel's body. Rachel licks her lips, drawing Santana's attention to her mouth.
"So next time we can tackle basic fig-"
Santana leans forward and kisses Rachel, resting both hands on her hips and pulling her close.
"Are you sure you-"
Santana rolls her eyes and kisses Rachel again, grazing her teeth against the other girl's bottom lip. Rachel lets out a whimper and Santana feels the sound crackle down her spine. She leans back against the dryers and pulls Rachel with her.
She feels Rachel relax against her and Santana responds by sliding her hands from Rachel's hips to her ass.
"Rachel did you remember to separate out my neckerchiefs, I don't think I - oh my god!"
