Taking it Slow
Chapter One
A/N: So this is based off of my One-shot 'Slow'. It has the same scenes as the one-shot but other scenes added around them. Also the scenes that were in the One-shot have a bit more dialogue added, but they're basically the same.
Thank you guys so much for all the AMAZING reviews! I'm so glad you guys are excited for the story and like the idea! Your reviews made me write and update quicker than I'd thought! (:
Hope you enjoy! (:
Santana stands behind the bar of callbacks, watching Rachel and her new boy toy singing a duet on stage. She can't resist the urge to roll her eyes at them and vomit a bit in her mouth. She really doesn't like that guy for some reason. He hasn't necessarily done anything personally to her but she gets a weird vibe from him.
Not to mention what he has done to Rachel. She is nothing like the girl Santana remembers from high school only months ago. She's like a confident sex machine now. And yes Santana used to make fun of her for being such a prude but it's who she is. Seeing her like this is just weird and Santana isn't really a fan of the new Rachel. She liked her before even if she wouldn't admit it.
She gets pulled out of her thoughts when she sees Kurt sit down on a barstool across from her. He glances over at the couple on stage and rolls his eyes. He isn't a Brody fan either or a new Rachel fan.
"Do you want a drink?" Santana asks him directing his attention back over to her. "Only non-alcoholic," She adds with a shrug.
Kurt gives her a smile and raises a brow. "Is Santana Lopez following the rules?" He asks teasingly. "My, I think you and Rachel may have switched bodies." He jokes, making her face scrunch up in disgust.
"I am nothing like Berry." She snaps, giving him a glare. "But I'm not about to lose this job so unless you have a fake you get virgins." She informs him, placing a hand on her hip.
Kurt chuckles and shakes his head a bit. "Just a vitamin water." He requests and she nods, before walking to the other side of the bar to retrieve it.
"So how are you and your new boo?" She asks, sticking a straw in the bottle before passing it over to him.
Kurt takes a sip and shrugs his shoulders. "It's nothing serious." He responds, placing the drink back down on the counter. He starts playing with the straw distractedly and Santana raises a brow.
"Are you still hung up on Blaine?" She asks curiously.
He looks up at her and sighs. "I don't know." He answers honestly. "I still can't trust him after what he did, but I do still think about him a lot. Especially after the wedding." He informs her.
"What happened at the wedding?" She asks curiously, her own mind drifting back to the wedding and what happened with her. With Quinn.
Kurt winces, "Me and Blaine hooked up," He says, making her eyes widen.
She lets out a short laugh and shakes her head. "Wow Hummel, just sluttin it up now are you? What the hell is in the water in New York?" She asks, glancing over at Rachel who is just now coming off the stage, her arms wrapped around Brody's bicep.
"It just kind of happened, seeing him again made old feelings resurface," He responds with a shrug. "But I made it clear that it didn't mean we are back together." He says firmly.
Rachel and Brody sit down on the stools next to Kurt and Rachel orders a fancy virgin cocktail. Santana starts expertly making it after handing Brody a beer. She's been living in New York now for about a month and a half now and she has been a bartender for about a month.
She'd been a natural from the beginning.
Maybe because she drinks a lot…
"What are you guys talking about?" Rachel asks nosily, smiling over at her best friend.
Santana glances up at Kurt as she continues making the drink wondering if he is going to say anything or not. She is pretty sure that Rachel already knows about his hookup with Blaine considering they are best friends, but she isn't sure. They hadn't been on the best terms lately because of Rachel's new personality.
"Blaine and the wedding." He answers and Rachel nods her head knowingly.
Guess he had told her.
"I think everyone hooked up with everyone that night. Even Artie got laid." She says as Santana places her drink down on a napkin in front of her.
Santana and Kurt both give her incredulous looks because that was a little rude and Rachel doesn't normally say things like that. Well, not the old Rachel. Although Santana is a bit surprised that Artie had gotten some too, but she is happy for him. Ever since the whole Artie and Brittany thing had passed, they'd become better friends. He is a cool guy when you look past the whole stealing her girl thing.
Now her enemy is Sam.
"Santana didn't hook up," Kurt points out. "Did you?" He then asks, turning to her with wide eyes. "You didn't sleep with Brittany did you? She has a boyfriend!" He says accusingly, already chastising her for something she didn't even do.
"No, I didn't hook up with Brittany." She answers glaring at him.
Rachel, who had just been looking at Brody like a tofu dog, turns her attention back to Santana. "So you didn't," She half states and half asks.
Santana bites down on her lip and glances around the bar, hoping that someone needs another drink because she really doesn't want to answer that question. She can easily lie but believe it or not Santana is an awful liar. Sure she is a complete bitch and manipulative but her thing is brutal honesty. Not lying.
She isn't sure if Quinn wants people to know about their hookup and even if she didn't care, it's not really their business anyway. Honestly Santana doesn't really want them knowing just because she will never hear the end of it. They will get those looks in their eyes when they hear the juiciest gossip and they will ask her a million questions.
Thankfully, a guy raises his empty beer mug and she gives him a smile before walking over to him.
She hasn't really talked to Quinn since the wedding. It wasn't awkward the next morning like she had feared it would be. They'd woken up, taken a shower together which made it a three-time thing. And then they'd gone to have some breakfast before going their separate ways. They hadn't talked about what happened, they just went on with life as if it hadn't happened.
The only time she has really talked to the blonde is a few text messages here and there. But before that night they hadn't talked much anyway so it wasn't odd that they haven't talked a lot.
She talks to Rachel a lot and she doesn't know what it is really, but Santana gets a weird feeling in her gut when she watches Rachel walk around the apartment on the phone with Quinn. A part of her wonders if Quinn has told her, but then she guesses probably not because Rachel would have said something to her. There is no way Rachel could keep her mouth shut on something like that.
She'd had a brief thought that the feeling she gets when she sees Rachel talking to Quinn is jealousy, but she'd pushed that out fast. Why would she be jealous? She doesn't like Quinn, it was just a three-time thing at a wedding. Everyone hooks up at weddings it's like a rule and plus they'd been drinking. And not to mention the fact that Santana had been extremely jealous watching Brittany and Sam together.
Hooking up with Quinn didn't mean anything.
It didn't.
And even if she was jealous, which she totally isn't. It would be stupid because Quinn is straight. She'd even said it that night that she was experimenting and that it wouldn't happen again.
It was nothing.
Just best friends helping each other out.
Santana was jealous and lonely and Quinn wanted to experiment.
That is all.
"Hey lady!" Someone shouts at her, pulling her from her thoughts. She sees a guy at the bar glaring at her, holding up an empty glass. She gives him a glare in return but snatches the glass from him to refill it.
o0o0o0o
Santana opens her eyes and quickly regrets that decision because it is extremely bright in her room. If you can even call it a room. It's really just a corner of the apartment hidden by decretive room dividers. But even so, it's better than her dorm room and New York is definitely better than Kentucky. She knows she made the right decision moving here.
She lets out a groan and rolls over onto her back. It takes a few seconds but the sound of a blender rings through her ears and she realizes that is what had woken her up so damn early.
Throwing the covers off of herself she storms out of her room and into the kitchen ready to give someone a little Lima Heights hospitality. "What the fuck are you doing?" She yells when she sees Brody standing in the kitchen in only his underwear using the blender.
It's not an odd sight for her really, she's just glad he is at least somewhat covered. "I'm making a protein shake." He says loudly, trying to be heard over the noise. "Want one?" He asks giving her a wide smile.
Santana huffs and unplugs the blender from the wall, making the room go silent once again.
Brody just frowns at her, his brows furrowing.
"It's too damn early for this shit." She tells him pointing the end of the plug in his face as she speaks. "I work until almost 3 a.m. and I do not appreciate being woken up at freaking 7 in the morning!" She screams at him, making his eyes widen as he takes a step back.
"I'm sorry, but I ran out of the powder." He says, nodding over to an empty container of his protein mix. "I had to make my own." He adds with a shrug.
Santana drops the cord onto the counter and gives him another glare. "Go by some more or go without it. I think you'll survive." She tells him before spinning around on her heel and storming off to her room. She passes Rachel on the way there who gives her a confused look and she just holds her hand up to Rachel's face before disappearing behind the divider.
Rachel watches Santana disappear into her room before looking over at Brody who looks like a kicked puppy.
o0o0o0o
With a few more hours of sleep under her belt, Santana makes her way into the living room where she sees Kurt sitting on the couch and Rachel in the chair next to him. She walks behind Rachel and ruffles her hair making the girl squeal and quickly bring her hands up to fix the damage.
Santana just laughs when the shorter girl glares at her and she sits down next to Kurt. "Where is the sex doll?" Santana asks, throwing her feet across Kurt's lap. He gives her a look but doesn't seem too mind too much because he doesn't push them off his lap. Either that or he is just too afraid to push them off.
"He isn't a sex doll Santana." Rachel says, folding her arms tightly across her chest. "And he went to the gym." She says, tilting her chin up in the air.
Santana rolls her eyes and sinks down into the couch, getting comfortable. Kurt huffs as her feet move across his lap and slide down until her calfs are resting against his thighs. Once she is settled he puts his arms down over her legs.
"Are either one of you going home for spring break?" Kurt asks, glancing between the two of them. Spring break is this coming week and none of them could afford to go on a vacation anywhere. Santana had wanted to go to Mexico or something but had maturely decided to save up that money her mom had given her, just in case.
Santana shakes her head as she pulls her cell phone from her bra. "I'm not. I just got here and plus I'm working." She says, unlocking her iphone and pulling up her Twitter.
"My dads bought be a plane ticket so I'm going but just for a couple of days." Rachel informs them. "What about you Kurt?" She returns curiously. "I'm sure that Blaine will want to see you." She adds making Santana glance up from her phone to look at him.
Kurt sighs, letting his shoulders drop. "I'm working, but he said something about coming here." He says not sounding particularly interested.
"Well that'll be awkward." Santana says, letting her hands and phone drop to her stomach. Kurt looks over at her and she smirks, "your ex possibly meeting the current." She states.
"He isn't my boyfriend." Kurt says annoyed. "We've just gone out a few times." He explains although he has already explained multiple times. "I told Blaine not to spend the money, but he is persistent." He says with a small sigh.
The conversation gets interrupted when there is a loud knock on the door. They all three look over in the direction of the door as if looking at it will open it or something. They then all glance at one another curiously, seeing if anyone was expecting anyone.
"Rachel get the door," Santana mumbles, sliding down more into the couch and burying her head into one of the pillows.
"Why do I have to?" She asks with a huff, even though she is already standing up.
Santana doesn't even bother answering the question since Rachel is halfway to the door. It doesn't even matter why because she is doing it.
Neither Santana of Kurt bother getting up or even looking over that way to see who it is. Kurt directs his attention back to the TV that he'd been watching before they started talking and Santana closes her eyes letting out a content sigh. She really has no interest in whoever is at the door because she has no friends in this city yet. Except Rachel and Kurt so she knows it isn't for her.
The metal door squeaks open and then Santana and Kurt hear Rachel let out a loud squeal. Santana's eyes snap open again and she looks up at Kurt who is now looking in the direction of the door with a smile already trying to get out from underneath her feet.
Santana huffs but sits up, now curious who is at the door. As soon as she turns to look she spots Quinn and Rachel walking into the living area towards them.
"Quinn!" Santana exclaims surprised and the tone of her voice makes Kurt and Rachel look at her with furrowed brows. "Uh what are you doing here?" She asks ignoring their looks as she stands up from the couch.
Quinn smiles a bit shyly at Santana and bites down on her lip but after a few seconds she lets her eyes flicker over to Rachel and Kurt once she realizes she'd been staring at Santana for a little too long. "Spring break," She says with a shrug. "I thought I'd come and stay with you guys. If that is okay anyway." She says, looking between the three of them.
Santana looks like a deer caught in headlights and she looks at basically everything except for Quinn as she mentally curses at herself. Her and Quinn had promised that things wouldn't become awkward between them after that night and she isn't holding up her end of that deal.
"Of course it's fine." Rachel says a bit too overjoyed as she puts an arm around Quinn, pulling her into a side hug. "This is going to be so much fun!" She exclaims, squeezing the blonde in her arms.
Santana rolls her eyes at Rachel but can't help smiling to herself.
She's excited too.
However when Rachel pulls her away, babbling on and on about all of the things they are going to do together and all of the places they're going to go, her smile is replaced with a scowl.
o0o0o0o
Santana had wanted to talk to Quinn all day today but Rachel had been hogging her. Santana had been tempted to say something to the Diva and steal Quinn away but she didn't want to look suspicious or desperate or anything.
So instead she sat quietly as Rachel planned the next few days for them. Quinn has on a smile the whole time but Santana knows it's her fake smile. Not really fake, because Santana knows Quinn likes Rachel and wants to hang out with her, but it's the smile she gets when she is overwhelmed but doesn't want to be mean.
Which in itself is a weird thought because Quinn can be a bigger bitch than Santana. But Quinn isn't the same kind of bitch. Like mentioned earlier, Santana is just brutally honest. Quinn is the one that is good at lying and going behind people's backs with crazy schemes.
But for the past couple of years she hasn't been mean to Rachel. Sure she's had her moments where she snapped at the girl but for the most part they have become friends. And when you are Quinn's friend she is loyal and she is nice.
Most of the time.
Santana agrees to go to dinner with them tomorrow including Kurt and Quinn even manages to rope her into Rachel Berry's personal tour of New York City. She'd protested weakly but for some reason she couldn't seem to say no to Quinn. Which is odd because she always used to say no to Quinn. She used to take pleasure in saying no to Quinn.
Now it's like that word doesn't exist in her vocabulary.
"You should take her to the bookstore down the street." Santana suggests, cutting off Rachel's ramblings. She's made a list of places to take them but they're all touristy places and a lot of them they'd gone to when they were here for Nationals. "I think you'd really like it. It's huge." Santana says directing her attention to the blonde. "It's two stories and it has like really old books that have been recycled plus new ones." She says with a small shrug.
"Santana, she is in New York, I highly doubt she wants to waste time in a bookstore. She can go to a bookstore anywhere." Rachel chastises, shaking her head.
Quinn tears her eyes away from Santana and looks over at Rachel with a smile, "I'd actually really like to go to the book store." She says honestly making Santana smile smugly over at the Diva.
o0o0o0o
Unfortunately for Santana, she has to work tonight. She'd tried to get out of it but nobody could cover for her such last minute. Rachel and Quinn are currently at dinner together, just the two of them. Kurt went out with his boy friend so now it's just Rachel and Quinn.
Santana had hoped Brody would go along just because she didn't want them going alone together, but he of course had other plans. Probably hooking up with some other girls, and possibly for money. She's still investigating that theory.
But anyway, that just left Quinn and Rachel. Alone.
Maybe it is stupid that she is jealous. Okay it's definitely stupid. But whatever, at least she is acknowledging that it is jealousy and she isn't still trying to deny that.
She doesn't really think anything would happen between the two of them, although she strongly believes that Berry has a lady boner for Quinn and has all through high school. But Rachel has her new boyfriend and Quinn had said she wouldn't sleep with a girl again.
But then again Quinn did sleep with her another time, and then another.
And Rachel has turned into a little harlot. What if she wants to experiment as well? What if Quinn tells her she'd tried it and she can help her out?
Oh god, she really needs to stop thinking about this. It's pathetic really.
So with all the will power she has, she clears her mind and focuses all of her attention on her customers. Which isn't that hard considering it is packed tonight. She barely even has time to think as long as she continues working.
o0o0o0o
Santana walks into her apartment a little after 2 a.m that night. A part of her was hoping that the others would be awake, but she knew that was wishful thinking. Rachel doesn't stay up late unless Brody is over and keeping her up.
Gross.
A big part of her had hoped that they would come to the bar to visit her, but they hadn't. She'd almost text Quinn to tell her to come, but again she didn't want to seem desperate or anything. It makes her mad that she doesn't know how to talk to Quinn anymore. It's like she over analyzes everything.
As quietly as possible, she closes the giant door behind her and makes her way into the kitchen.
She sets her bag down on the counter and turns on the small lamp in the corner before walking over to the refrigerator. She grabs a bottle of water and spins around, only to just about jump out of her skin. "Quinn," She breathes out, holding a hand over her heart. "You scared me," She mumbles, opening the lid to her water.
Quinn smiles and sits down at one of the stools. "Sorry, I was waiting on you" She says, watching Santana take a long drink of water. "How was work?" She asks curiously.
Santana ignores the fluttering in her stomach at that fact that Quinn was waiting on her and puts the water on the counter rolling her eyes. "Well, I got hit on by like a 100 drunk guys, I don't know I lost count. I even think some of them were gay." She says waving her hand dismissively. "And I had one guy spill a drink on me," She says motioning to the stain on the front of her dress.
Quinn chuckles and shakes her head. "I thought you liked being a bartender." She says raising a brow at the girl across from her.
Santana just shrugs. "I do, it's fun. Some nights just have worse crowds than others." She explains. "And they're kind of making me hate musicals." She adds with a smirk.
Quinn looks at her curiously. "Haven't you always hated musicals?" She asks with a smirk, even though she knows that isn't true. Santana always makes fun of Kurt and Rachel for being so obsessed with them when in reality Santana was a closet Broadway freak as well.
"Yes," Santana answers rolling her eyes. "But working at Callbacks and being around all of those freaks all night and listening to them sing show tunes makes me want to stab something very sharp into my ears." She says making the blonde grimace.
Quinn can't help but chuckle at her friend though, "I think you really love it." She says boldly and Santana only rolls her eyes and scoffs in response. "Anyway, I wanted to come tonight, but Rachel kind of kept me busy." She says rolling her own eyes.
Santana bites her lip and nods her head. "it's fine." she shrugs, brushing it off as if she didn't care. "I know that Rachel is excited you are here." She says, moving her eyes down to the cap siting on the counter as her fingers start knocking it around.
"I didn't just come here to see Rachel." Quinn says truthfully. "Is she the only one excited to see me?" She asks, her voice lowering as she raises a brow at the Latina.
Santana looks up from the water bottle on the table to meet Quinn's eyes. "Who else did you come here to see?" Santana asks with a smirk.
"Answer my question first." Quinn retorts, leaning forward on her forearms towards Santana who is across the island from her.
Santana holds her eyes for a second before rolling hers and sighing. "Whatever, It'll be good to have someone normal around here for a change. Rachel and Kurt are cool but I could use a break." She says making Quinn shake her head, but smile. She knows this is Santana's way of saying that she is excited to see her.
"What about Brody?" Quinn asks curiously.
Santana groans and shakes her head. "Rachel's sex doll? I can do without him as well." She says making Quinn grimace. "yeah, it's all that do. Fair warning."
Quinn chuckles once again and stands up from her stool. She walks around the island over to Santana who is watching her curiously. "Santana, all honesty," she starts, stopping right in front of the brunette. "I just came to see you. Kurt and Rachel are just a small bonus." She adds with a shrug.
Santana swallows and blinks. "W-why?" She asks, mentally slapping herself for stumbling over her words. It's just that Quinn is really close to her.
Quinn smiles, obviously pleased with the effect she's having over Santana. "Because I haven't stopped thinking about you since the wedding." She admits, finding Santana's hand that is resting on the counter. She lets two of her fingers softly trace the skin of the back of her hand, up and down.
Santana looks down at her hand and tries to wrap her mind around what Quinn is telling her. But her mind is all clouded up and she can't focus on anything except Quinn's fingers tracing circles on her hand.
Quinn hadn't been the only one not able to stop thinking about that night.
"At first, I thought it was just really good sex and I needed to get laid." Quinn says, making Santana's eyes move back up to her. The brunette looks a bit disappointed. "So I got laid." Quinn continues, "But it didn't make me stop thinking about you. If anything it made me think about you even more." She says honestly.
Santana opens her mouth to say something, but her voice doesn't seem to be working.
Quinn just smiles at her, continuing the caressing on her hand, only now she's stroking her fingers halfway up Santana's forearm and back down. "I still tried to convince myself it was just about the sex because let's face it, it was awesome." She says and this gains a grin from Santana. "But," Quinn emphasizes, her face turning thoughtful. "But then I started thinking about other things…"
"What kind of other things?" Santana asks quietly, her voice raspy.
Quinn licks her lips as her eyes follow her fingers up and down Santana's arm. "Like not just sex things." She says, moving her eyes back up to find Santana's who is looking back at her with curiosity and a bit of nervousness. "Like going out to dinner with you, holding your hand, cuddling with you on the couch or bed while watching TV and movies." She lists off and Santana seems to forget how to breathe.
"Taking walks together, taking baths together," She says, her voice dropping an octave and a smirk forming on her face. "Also going to Callbacks and getting to sing our own duets together and annoy all of the single people there with our nauseating cuteness and awesome chemistry." she says making Santana chuckle softly. "Just like they annoy you now." She adds knowingly.
Santana inhales deeply and glances back down at Quinn's hand that is still stroking her arm. She clears her throat and shakes her head, trying to clear the fog. "Quinn," She sighs, pulling away from the blonde and taking a few steps back. "This is….this is a lot." she says honestly, running her fingers through her hair.
Quinn nods her head and takes a step towards Santana. "I know," She amends softly. "I'm sorry, that was kind of a lot to unload on you." She says regretfully.
"What are you even saying Quinn? That you want to be with me? Like be my girlfriend?" Santana asks confused. "You said you weren't into girls in that way."
Quinn leans back on the island, "I don't know." She says honestly. "It's been confusing for me but I do know that I have missed you and that it's not just about sex." She explains with a small shrug.
Santana sighs and leans up against the counter opposite Quinn and folds her arms over her chest. "Look Quinn, I don't really think getting into a relationship is the best idea for me." She says honestly, her brows furrowing. "I mean honestly, I haven't stopped thinking about you either, but-
"You're still not over Brittany." Quinn finishes knowingly.
"I'm trying." Santana says with a sigh. "I mean I'm moving on, I am. But still, it hasn't been that long." She explains, "Plus, if we start dating and then you decide you don't like girls that way or like me that way, it'll hurt too much. I just got burned, I don't want to be burned again, I don't know if I can recover." She admits honestly.
Quinn nods her head in understanding and pushes herself off the counter. "Well like I said, I don't really know what I want." She says taking a step towards Santana. "I wouldn't be ashamed to be with a girl, that isn't the problem but it still doesn't mean it's not confusing. I mean I've never thought of a girl in that way before you." She explains, taking another step towards the brunette. "So we can just take it slow?" She suggests, hesitantly reaching out and placing her hands on Santana's forearms. "I don't want to hurt you, but I do want to try this and see what could happen."
Santana looks down at Quinn's hands and watches them slide down her arms until the reach her hands, tangling their fingers together. She then looks back up at Quinn and gives her a slightly unsure smile but nods her head. "Slow sounds good." She says, her smile growing a bit more confident.
Quinn smiles back and lets out a breath of relief. She bites down on her lip and lets her eyes dart back and forth between Santana's for a few seconds before she finally takes the plunge and presses her lips against Santana's. Something she'd been wanting to do since Valentines day.
Santana smiles into the kiss and brings her hands up, draping them around Quinn's neck. She feels Quinn's tongue brush softly against her lower lip, prompting her to part her lips allowing Quinn's tongue entrance.
They both let out small moans when their tongues meet and Quinn's hands grip onto Santana's hips, digging her fingers into the fabric of her very tight dress.
After a couple of minutes, Quinn pulls away but stays close. "The cheerio's uniforms were hot," Quinn breaths out against Santana's lips, "But if you would have worn this stuff every day, I think what happened on Valentines would have happened a lot sooner." She says making Santana chuckle.
"Where did Rachel assign you to sleep? Her room?" Santana asks, hoping that she hadn't.
Quinn shakes her head and places a chaste kiss to Santana's lips. "I said I'd sleep with you so that Brody didn't have to sleep on the couch." She informs the Latina. "I hope that is okay with you," she says with a slight smirk.
Santana grins and pulls Quinn closer to her. "That is definitely okay with me." She says flirtatiously, leaning in for another kiss.
A/N: Thank you guys for reading and please let me know if you like it and want me to continue! (:
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