The TV monitor panned out to cover the entire courtroom. The senators were all sitting in their seats, some paying attention, some looking utterly bored. The camera focused in on a group of suited men talking close together, other looking more heated than others. But this all went unnoticed by the four teenagers in the room.
Blaine was sitting against the edge of Kurt's bed, gripping onto his waist as if it was the only thing holding him down to reality. Kurt was covering his mouth with his right hand as he was visibly shaking, eyes locked on the screen. Brittany sat to the left of Kurt's legs, gripping onto his left hand with her left hand, even though she had to stretch it across her body. Her right hand was strongly gripping onto Santana's, turning both of their knuckles white. Santana was seated in between Kurt and Blaine's legs, her right hand holding onto Blaine's.
It was at 31-29. They need 32 to pass, with only two votes remaining in the Senate. It was the two undecided votes. They could swing either way. It was one vote away from their dreams becoming a reality, or their future lives crumbling.
This was so much more than a vote for same-sex marriage for the four teenagers. This was a promise for the future. This was ensuring that no matter what happened to them in the crappy homophobic town of Ohio, New York could be their place of strength and survival. New York could be their saving grace. The four teenagers all planned to move to New York the second they got out of high school, regardless of the outcome of the vote. But having the rights that every human should be granted would be the icing on top.
For Brittany, it meant that whatever sex she decided to marry, she could. Brittany wasn't the brightest book smart, but she knew how much this meant. Brittany was still finding herself and finding who she wanted to be with. She knew she loved Santana and if this bill passed, she would be able to go to New York and marry her best friend. She wouldn't have to go through her life not married to the one person she loved more than anything in this entire world.
For Santana, it meant that she wasn't alone in all of this. Sitting in this room with Brittany, Blaine, and Kurt, Santana realized for the first time that she had people like her who were going to be with her every single step of the way. Santana would be able to call her best friend her wife, not just her partner. She wouldn't have to start a family as two parents who weren't allowed to get married. She would be able to tell her children stories about their wedding and show them pictures of their dresses and give them the promise of being able to wear them at their own weddings. She would be able to adorn her house with pictures of them as they grew old together.
For Blaine and Kurt, all of their dreams could become a reality. They would be able to move to New York and be husbands. They could get engaged only a year or two after high school because both of them were way too impatient to wait much longer than that. Kurt would be able to plan the most fabulous wedding the entire world had ever seen. He and Blaine would pick out every single designer detail together and no one could tell them they weren't allowed to or that it wasn't legal. Kurt and Blaine would be able to be in panics the week before over the New Direction's bridesmaids' dresses not matching their shoes and hair or Burt eating too much cake and pie at the rehearsal dinner that his vest didn't fit. They would be able to use a surrogate to have children, most likely Brittany and Santana, and show them just how amazing the world of New York could be. Kurt would be able to hold onto his husband's hand as he premiered his new fashion line. Blaine would be able to hold onto his husband's hand as he walked down the red carpet at the Grammy awards. They would be able to hold onto each other as husband and husband instead of boyfriend and boyfriend.
Their holds on each other tightened as the last two votes came in. Their breaths caught in their throat as the man at the head of the room read them over, showing them to multiple other people. And all four became still as rocks as the words traveled across the flat screen.
Two 'yes's.
33-29.
Same-sex marriage was legal in New York.
The room was silent except for the dull roar of the TV screen, but that wasn't even registering to the four teenagers.
All of their future New York dreams had become a reality. They would be moving to a state where they could all legally marry.
They were frozen for a moment before everything changed. Kurt moved and grabbed onto Blaine's collar, crashing their lips together. Blaine responded just as eagerly, gripping his hands into Kurt's hair. Their sweet tastes from their tongues met the salty water from their elated tears as they continued to kiss passionately. Blaine pulled back and whispered into Kurt's ear.
"It's real, baby. We can move to New York and get married." Kurt started crying harder as he nodded. He pulled Blaine's face back to his as their lips met yet again.
Santana leapt up and pulled Brittany against her chest. Brittany grabbed onto her and squeezed her back with everything she had. Brittany pulled away and placed a searing kiss on her lips, trying to desperately communicate every ounce of passion she had in her body.
"Be my girlfriend?" Brittany whispered against Santana's lips. Santana let the tears flow now, letting her bitch façade drop for once. She bit her lip as she smiled and whispered 'yes' back to her, pulling her lips back to her.
When they pulled away, they saw Kurt and Blaine desperately clinging to each other, but looking at them. They exchanged hugs and whispers of congratulations as they all slowly let it sink in that this was real and this was their dreams, finally a reality.
The next day, they smiled as the New Direction's congratulated them. They smiled as Santana and Brittany announced their relationship and everyone accepted them, like they should.
And even as slushies of every color on the rainbow were thrown at the four of them, they still smiled. Because being rainbow was better. And legal in New York.
