Author's Note: Short little thing. Just my OTP Feelings spilling out into a word document. Nbd.
She isn't quite sure how she ended up here, of all places. Sitting in a deserted corner of the Berry's basement nursing a half empty bottle of champagne is nowhere near the list of things Santana Lopez would ever plan to do with her Friday nights.
All the typical Glee misfits are present and dancing around the room…well, gleefully. She rolls her eyes as she watches Hummel do some ridiculous jig with his midget and ignores the uncomfortable tug in her stomach as the Berry husbands move in for a, not so chaste, kiss in the middle of the crowd.
Santana blinks several times hoping that maybe, just maybe she's having some sort of sick sadistic nightmare, and the pulsing ball of cheering shenanigans swirling around her will disappear if she just wishes hard enough.
Once. Twice. Three times she squeezes her eyes shut tight, and every time the celebration only seems to grow louder, mocking her cruelly as she sulks in her self imposed bubble of misery.
She turns the bottle up to her lips, releasing a frustrated groan when she finds it empty. She swears she only just picked up the bottle, but she shrugs and tosses the it aside.
Santana struggles to her feet and makes her way through the throng of gyrating bodies towards the table she knows is camouflaging the Berry's well stocked liquor cabinet. She quickly locates a bottle of something that smells strong and tiptoes up the stairs and out onto the back porch.
She slumps down on the steps and tries her best to ignore the burning as she takes a few healthy sips from the bottle. A gentle breeze is whipping her hair around her face as she stares up at the sky, battling herself to keep it together, just once.
She's decided that before she leaves Lima she is goingto get over that weepy hysterical drunken thing she's mastered. Santana hears the door swing open behind her and convinces herself it's just the wind until she hears footsteps approaching. She instinctively moves to hide the bottle and prays whoever it was hadn't seen.
Rachel's parents were pretty chill about the drinking thing, but even they would probably be a little miffed at some 16 year old stealing their good liquor without permission.
It isn't until the person is directly behind her that she realizes who it is and wonders how she hadn't known. The smell of her perfume is floating around her head, clouding her senses along with the alcohol. A goofy grin appears on her face as she breathes in the familiar scent, basking in it's comforting effects before her mind catches up with her again.
Santana is vaguely aware that the person has sat down next to her, but she refuses to look up.
"It was nice of Rachel's dad's to have this party. I know this was important for them, but it was important for a lot of us too. It's nice, huh?"
"Mmm." The non-committal sound is all Santana can manage without sobbing.
Soft hands brush along her own as Brittany scoops the bottle out of her hands and takes a tentative sip.
"This is gross. It tastes like rubbing alcohol."
She laughs in spite of herself but still keeps her gaze on the steps below her, counting the blades of grass that have be tracked up and down the faded wood with the day's traffic.
"What are you doing out here, Santana? I thought you'd be excited. Ya know…since you're…" Brittany trails off.
"Since I'm a lesbian," she provides helpfully.
"It's okay to say it, Britt. I'm not gonna run from the word anymore. I'm too tired…"
"Then why are you out here instead of inside celebrating? This is a happy day, right?"
She finally looks up at Brittany; takes in the questioning blue eyes, the adorable crease furrowing her brow, the pouty lips stuck out in genuine confusion.
All she can think is how she wants to kiss away that pout. All she can think is how she wants to kiss away that pout forever. She has to look away as the voice in her head, the one she's been trying to drown out all night, finds it's volume again. Now you can. You can have that life now.
"It's the happiest day I've had in a long while. I just wish I could celebrate it."
If Brittany looked confused before, she looks completely perplexed at this point.
"But, there's a party inside. You could go back in and then-"
"No, B. I can't. Not yet. I can't go inside and shout at the top of my lungs how completely ecstatic I am right now. How utterly thrilled I am that I have this chance now…with you." She whispers the last part and Brittany smiles tenderly.
"I can't because…because…" And just like that, her vision is swirling with tears. Fuck. Whatever is in that bottle is finally catching up with her.
"Why, Santana? Tell me why! These are our friends. They're here for us and they just want us to be happy. You make me so happy, Santana; happier than anything or anyone else in the entire world, except for when you don't."
Santana sighs as Brittany reaches over and tangles their fingers together, squeezing until she looks up at her.
"I meant what I said when I told you I loved you more than I've ever loved anyone else in this world, Santana. I truly meant that. I know you love me like that too, and I'll wait forever for you to realize that nothing anyone says or thinks about us is going to change that fact. I just can't…"
Brittany leans in and presses her lips firmly to Santana's, tugging gently on her bottom lip as she pulls away from the kiss. She sets the bottle down and reaches out to touch Santana's cheek.
"Just don't make forever too long, okay?"
"Okay, Britt." Santana sighs, leaning in again and kissing Brittany lovingly. She pours everything she couldn't say, everything she can't say, into that kiss. They're both smiling and little breathless when they break apart.
"Great. Because after everything that's happened today, I fully expect you to put a ring on it, Santana Lopez."
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