Before Santana could rethink her current plan, the door in front of her opened and she was immediately greeted with a shriek and a face full of blonde hair as a girl jumped into her arms. Staggering a little under the weight, Santana couldn't help but smile.
"Hey Ash. I guess you missed me?"
"Lots and lots," Ashley replied, still not letting go.
Santana felt a brief twinge of guilt. Growing up Ashley had been the closest thing she had had to a little sister and with the way things turned out, Santana hadn't seen or spoken to the girl since before Thanksgiving.
"Who's here, Ash - " Brittany stopped speaking suddenly as she came around the corner and her eyes locked with Santana's. After a brief pause, Brittany continued with, "Ashley, get off of her. You are way too big to jump on people."
Ashley obeyed, but her face filled with that Pierce pout that was all too familiar. "But I missed her. She hasn't been here in forever."
Santana couldn't resist. "Actually I was here yesterday."
"Nuh-uh!"
"Yep, while you were at soccer," Brittany confirmed.
Ashley huffed in response and Brittany finally greeted Santana with a quiet, "Hey."
With the banter paused for the moment, Santana was forced to remember that she had just shown up unannounced at the Pierce house. It had been a normal thing to do for years and now everything was different. But Brittany's face when she had been sitting on the stage alone had been haunting Santana all night and she didn't think that she would be able to get on a plane back to New York without confirmation that she was going to be okay.
"I was just, um…I wanted to…" Santana stumbled as she failed to come up with a single explanation for her presence. "I can just go," she finally blurted out.
"No!" Ashley cried, wrapping her arms around Santana's midsection. Now that Ashley's feet were on the ground Santana could see that the kid she had held as a baby would soon be taller than her. "You can't go yet. You just got here and I want you to braid my hair. Brittany never does it right."
Santana looked at Brittany for guidance and only saw soft blue eyes staring at her with unmasked affection.
"I guess I could stay for a bit. Is that okay?" she directed the second part at Brittany.
"Duh," Brittany responded in a teasing tone. "Ash and I are on our own this weekend and so it's Nemo and popcorn tonight. You already missed the beginning part so there shouldn't be any issues with your 'allergies' tonight."
Santana couldn't even sputter out a response before she was being dragged by each hand as two blondes pulled her towards the living room.
Not five minutes later, Santana was back on the worn blue fabric couch where she had spent countless hours watching movies, doing homework, making out, and cuddling. Ashley was sitting on the floor between her knees and Brittany was stretched out on the other side, toes nudging their way under Santana's thigh. She was wearing sleep shorts that exposed far too much leg and it was all Santana could do to keep herself from running a hand up her calf to the soft skin behind her knee.
"Did you know I'm in middle school now?"
Santana smiled and pulled another strand of blonde into the tight French braid she was weaving. "Wow. Are there lots of cute boys?"
"San-tannnn-na," Ashley whined.
Chuckling, Santana continued to split her attention because Ashley's hair and the screen that reminded her that "fish are friends, not food." She focused on making the braid as perfect as she could, mostly so that she would have one more thing to prevent her from staring hopelessly at the other occupant of the couch.
Too soon she finished the braid and had nothing left to do with her hands. Luckily she was saved from awkward flailing when Ashley climbed up on the couch right on top of Brittany's legs and leaned into Santana's side. Brittany pulled her legs out from underneath and plopped them across her sister's lap.
"Gross, Britt, we don't want your smelly feet!" Ashley exclaimed.
"Tough." Brittany refused to move and Ashley gave up after one more half-hearted push at long, bare legs.
The movie continued on with occasional comments from the sisters and a rather impressive whale speaking impression from Brittany that earned her a smack on the leg from Ashley. It felt just like old times when Santana used to spend more time at the Pierce's house than her own and sleepovers more often included the occasional interruption from Ashley seeking the attention of the older girls.
As the reunion of Nemo and Marlin approached, Santana found herself running a finger up and down the high arch of Brittany's left foot, tracing over hard callouses worn into the skin from years of dancing. It was a comforting and familiar action and made Santana feel like she was back in high school; that she had been up on that stage singing tonight; that nothing had ever changed.
"Ok, bedtime, Ash," Brittany announced after the final scene.
"Not yet," Ashley countered, looking at Santana as she said loftily, "now my bedtime's not until ten thirty."
Santana didn't quite know the appropriate response to that statement said with such eleven year old pride, and gave what she hoped was an appreciative nod of acknowledge.
"True," Brittany agreed, swinging her legs off their laps and pulling out her phone. "But it's already 10:41 so either turn back time or go get in your pajamas."
Ashley pouted but didn't argue further, giving Santana a bear hug before dramatically trudging up the stairs.
Brittany rolled her eyes. "Such a little diva."
Santana snorted, remembering what Sam had described to her on the phone the other day. "Yes, and I have no idea who she would have learned that from."
"Me either," Brittany responded, the twinkle in her eye the only break in her completely innocent delivery.
Chuckling, Santana stood up from the couch and twisted her hands awkwardly. "Well, I should probably go. I have to, um…" Why could she never come up with a single excuse in Brittany's presence?
"Or you could stay," Brittany suggested mildly.
"Oh…um, well." Santana still could not come up with anything.
"When do you fly out?"
"Not until tomorrow afternoon," Santana replied.
"So stay," Brittany urged. "I'm sure your parents are already in bed. And you'll have plenty of time to see them in the morning before you leave. Plus I've missed our sleepovers."
Their eyes meet for a long moment, swimming in intensity until Santana broke the stare with an, "Ok, fine."
"Great!" Brittany chirped with her most winning smile. "Come on." She tugged Santana by the pinky up the stairs, stopping in front of the closed bathroom door where it sounded like Ashley was brushing her teeth.
"I have to make sure the diva actually goes to bed," Brittany explained. "Want to just go wait in my room? It should just be a couple minutes."
Santana nodded wordlessly and continued down the hall to a room that was almost as familiar as her own. She walked around to 'her' side of the bed, once again at a loss for what to do. Her eyes fell to the picture she and Brittany had taken one day in the choir room that still graced the small table next to the bed. Seeing it there made her smile.
She was still standing awkwardly next to the bed when Brittany came into the room.
"I didn't bring anything to sleep in," Santana immediately blurted out by way of explanation. Though she had already changed out of the dress she had worn to the competition, the tight jeans she had traded for it were hardly better as sleepwear.
Brittany smirked slightly and looked to be holding back a comment that Santana all too easily imagine. Instead though, Brittany walked over to her dresser and pulled out a pair of soft cotton shorts and an old cheer t-shirt.
"Here. I already finished in the bathroom so you can go ahead; your toothbrush is still in my drawer."
Jumping on the excuse to leave the room to change, Santana grabbed the clothes from Brittany and headed for the bedroom. Her toothbrush was right was it had always been, ever since the day they had realized that they had enough impromptu sleepovers that it only made sense to keep necessities at both houses.
Brittany was already curled under the covers by the time Santana got back to the room.
"Can you turn off the light?" Brittany requested.
Santana obeyed with a silent nod, easily navigating her way over to the bed even before her eyes had adjusted to the darkness. She slid in next to the other girl, their bare legs bumping each other as Santana settled into the double bed that had never before seemed so narrow.
Brittany rolled onto her side to face Santana. "Thanks for coming to the show tonight." Her eyes shone in the darkened room.
Santana smiled softly. "Of course. Your dancing was amazing." She paused for a beat before adding, "I'm really proud of you. You know that right?"
"Well sure, but it's just Glee Club, San."
"Not just Glee Club. You're all done at McKinley now and moving out to Boston and MIT. Just….all of it." She winced at how in love she had just sounded.
Brittany was silent for a moment before she quietly asked, "Did you know that Boston is only 4 hours from New York?"
"Yes," Santana breathed. She was all too well aware of the fact. And that they were once again both single. But the distance hadn't worked out last time and she was wary to try it again. She wasn't sure it either of them could withstand the heartache if it didn't work out.
"Do you think I could come and visit sometime?"
"I'd really love that, Britt-Britt."
''And maybe you could come to MIT?"
Santana sighed and couldn't help herself from brushing the back of her hand again Brittany's cheek for a fleeting second. "Definitely."
That brief touch was apparently all the permission Brittany needed to snuggle against Santana so that their bodies were flush and they were practically breathing in the same air.
"I really love you, Santana."
"I really love you too," Santana responded and then someone moved their head and they were kissing desperately. Santana couldn't be sure who had started the kiss, all she knew was that she never wanted it to end. Brittany was all tongue, but still somehow soft and loving and she tasted like peppermint toothpaste and hot air and just Brittany.
Brittany pulled back after a minute to ask, "is this ok?" and Santana's only response was to sit up just enough to whip her shirt over her head and toss it aimlessly into the room. She then tugged at Brittany's until it was bunched under her arms and the bare skin of their stomachs and breasts could press together.
When warm lips moved to travel down her neck Santana could no longer hold back her moan. Brittany sucked hard in response and Santana couldn't bring herself to care about hickey that was most certainly forming. Santana's hands landed on firm abs and skated across perfectly smooth skin unless they landed on pert breasts. Nipples hardened against both palms and Santana pulled her neck from Brittany's mouth so she could suck one and then the other into her mouth.
"You're gorgeous," Santana murmured around puckered skin.
Brittany sighed in response and slid her hands down Santana's back and under the waistband of her shorts. After a quick grope of Santana's ass, Brittany kept pushing the shorts and panties down Santana's legs until she kicked them free and Brittany locked their hips together.
Desperate for friction, Santana squirmed against Brittany's pelvis and abandoned those small breasts to press kisses across pale cheeks and finally landing on a slightly opened mouth that was easy to dip her tongue into.
"Santana?" Brittany asked once her mouth had been freed in favor of the column of her neck. "San, can I touch you?"
"You are touching me," Santana murmured back, focused on the patch of skin that she could see was blooming purple even with just the dim glow of a distant street light to offer contrast.
"I want to touch you like this," Brittany clarified, and Santana gasped loudly as she was rolled onto her back and long fingers slid into the growing wetness between her legs.
"Yes," Santana hissed. "Please." It felt far too good and achingly familiar as Brittany teased through wet folds, deliberately avoiding her clit. Santana pressed her hips forward to try and get friction but Brittany dodged the attempt with a small giggle and Santana clung to the folds of Brittany's shirt in a desperate response.
Even without stimulation to her most sensitive spot, Santana felt herself building fast. She was so wet that when Brittany teased near her entrance, all it took was a quick jerk of Santana's hips for her to swallow two fingers all the way to the knuckle. Brittany curled them forward slightly on her next thrust in and Santana's back arched off the mattress.
Her clit was now absolutely aching for attention, and she summoned as the concentration she possessed to moan out, "God, Britt, please touch me."
"I am touching you, San," Brittany teased in response.
Santana nearly cried in frustration. She was so, so close. Everything was throbbing and she needed more of Brittany's touch. "Please," she managed, her voice ragged. "Britt…please."
She nearly blacked out from the pleasure when Brittany's thumb finally came into play, rubbing against her with just the right pressure.
"Fuck…" she groaned loudly. "I'm going to come. Britt, you're going to make me…"
Suddenly forming coherent words became impossible and Santana could only cling to Brittany as two more thrusts and tight circles against her clit had her coming hard. She whimpered as Brittany's responses drew out the pleasure until Santana was so sensitive that she had to shove the hand away.
"God," she breathed out after a few moments, opening her eyes to find her field of vision overtaken by bright eyes and strands of blonde falling forward around her face. Brittany was so beautiful that Santana found the energy to lift her neck up to kiss her, at the same time tugging Brittany down by her shoulders.
"Why the hell aren't you naked?" Santana panted out when they broke apart.
"What are you going to do about it?" Brittany shot back.
Santana smirked, flipping them over to yank Brittany's shirt the rest of the way up and over her head before starting on the shorts. Santana could smell the other girl's arousal before she had the shorts all the way off and she automatically dipped her head down to bury her nose in the source without prelude. As soon as clothing was completely out of the picture, Santana lifted one long leg up by the knee until she was satisfied by the amount of glistening folds exposed.
Part of her wanted to tease Brittany in retribution, but the part that was in control decided it would much rather taste and suck and explore. She breathed in deeply through her nose, her brain flooding with memories of doing this to Brittany time and time again. With a soft moan against wet skin, Santana wrapped her lips around Brittany's lip, the benefit of experience reminding her to use free arm to hold down narrow hips to prevent a pelvic bone from smashing her nose. She brought her left hand up to slip two fingers deep inside of Brittany, just hold them still as she continued to lightly suck.
"Ummm, San, that feels so goooood." Brittany's voice was nearly a growl. "So good."
Brittany's vocal appreciation was nothing new and Santana considered it a small miracle that they had never been walked in on by any of their parents. But then again, maybe it was Brittany's moans and shrieks that had alerted them of the girls' activities and kept them far away.
As Santana started to move her fingers slowly in and out, Brittany became loud enough for Santana to regretfully pull her mouth away for the second it took to hush her and remind her that they weren't the only ones in the house.
It didn't take much longer for Santana to feel the insistent tug of muscles contracting around her fingers and for Brittany's moans to pick up again in volume. The sound she made when she finally came had Santana twitching with arousal, but also listening acutely for any footsteps in the hall even has she brought Brittany back down.
"You still can't keep quiet," Santana lightly teased as moved up Brittany's body and settled against her side.
"And you're still really good at that," Brittany shot back.
Santana giggled in the way she only ever allowed herself to in Brittany's presence and leaned over to peck soft lips. "I've missed you."
"Me too," Brittany murmured in response.
Tears unexpectedly pricked the backs of Santana's eyes and she ducked her face into Brittany's neck, letting the scents of sweat and sex calm her. Fingers lightly tangled through her head to scratch her scalp and Santana sighed in appreciation.
"Goodnight, Britt-Britt. Thanks for having me over," Santana managed to say.
"Always."
Brittany's response hung in the dark air of the room, teasing them both with hope that it could one day be the case.
When Santana boarded her flight the next day she carried with her the lingering shadow of Brittany's tight hug and a promise that she would have a visitor in New York as soon as Brittany settled into her classes. It wasn't nearly enough, but it was a hell of a lot more than she had had before. And it planted within her that hope that their always might still find a way to work itself out.