A/N: Another fic by a talented friend- Nocturnal Elf Missions Operative- N.E.M.O.. Enjoy!
Pom pom pommmm
Ting ting tinggggggg
Pom pom pommmm
Ting ting pom ting
"Shit!" It barely came out above a whisper.
She shook her entire upper body as she released a sigh of exasperation. Her left hand quickly rose to her head as she ran her fingers through her dark hair, pushing it back away from her face yet again. Her arm rested atop the smooth curve of the wooden instrument as she repositioned her hand above the nylon strings for another attempt. The first three fingers of her right hand were still pressed firmly against the neck of the guitar, holding her chord in place. She plucked each string one by one in the exercise she had been practicing for the past ten minutes. Part of a progression she had been practicing for the past 3 weeks.
Pom pom pommmm
Ting ting tinggggggg
Pom pom pommmm
Ting ting pom pom
She slapped the strings silent with a little more force than she intended. She felt a small nudge behind her as the blanket beneath her attempted to shift. She raised herself off the corner of the bed to relinquish the fabric but it wasn't warmth that her roommate was seeking. Silently cursing herself at the same time as praying she was wrong, the young girl slowly turned her attention to the head of the bed to assess the damage her horrible playing had caused. Two bare pale arms lay one on top of the other over the closed eyes of the blonde cheerleader. Her breathing was soft and steady and she made no attempts to move again. Thankful for her pardon, the student turned again to continue her lesson with a little more caution. She let her fingers drape lazily over each string for a moment, trying to figure out the perfect arc for her wrist.
"San..? What are you doing?"
She should have known better.
"…My… I didn't mean to… I just… Go back to sleep, babe."
She was struggling under the blanket again but she didn't wait for Santana to move. When Santana turned around again, Brittany's back was flush against the mahogany headboard of the bed with her lower body still tucked beneath the thick layers of Santana's black comforter. She wore a canary yellow camisole that complemented her soft golden hair well. As Santana subtly admired Brittany's lazy smile and the way she could barely open her beautiful blue eyes, she couldn't help but notice the way she brought a brightness to the dark décor of the room they inhabited. Like sunshine in a black hole. She continued to try to wake herself by rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands.
"It's okay. I'm up. But… I don't understand why you're doing this. Are you mad at me?"
"Wha…" Santana began to protest but then she remembered explaining to Brittany why she had to get the guitar in the first place. Her parents had received far too many calls about Santana's attitude and a counselor had suggested that they find a way to channel their daughter's rage into something more constructive instead of destructive. Cue her father discovering two birds worth murdering with one Spanish guitar. She would have a way to deal with her aggression and she would also be embracing her heritage.
"Of course not, Britt. I just figured I should get some use out of this thing since it cost my parents so much money."
Brittany's eyes finally opened completely only to squint with scrutiny at Santana's response. She could tell she was lying and Santana knew it. Brittany gracefully pulled her legs from beneath the warm shelter of the blanket and scooted down to join Santana at the foot of the bed. Carefully, she pointed her feet down and snaked her legs beneath the neck of the guitar and nuzzled herself closer to Santana until they were hip to hip. She looked the other girl in the eye, giving her a moment. Santana stared back, trying to keep a straight face until she felt the broken smile give her away and she turned her head away with a snap.
"Is it your grandma?"
She could hear a quick exhale of air from Santana. She slid the instrument from the smaller girl's lap and into her own. Santana still didn't budge. The skilled cheerleader twirled the guitar like a baton, flipping the neck toward Santana without a flinch. She rolled her head left and right, her bones making quiet snapping noises as she did. She rested the guitar on her stomach and stretched her arms and hands as well. Santana was beginning to show interest but Brittany was too busy setting a groove for herself to notice. She tapped her fingers along the neck of the guitar getting a feel for the new instrument then began strumming the strings to a rhythm. It was a familiar rhythm. She was halfway through the first verse before Santana grabbed her hands to make her stop.
"What…are you… HOW are you..? Brittany!"
Brittany looked into Santana's eyes with alarm.
"What did I do?"
"My God! I've been sitting here for weeks trying to learn Malaguena or even Baa Baa Black Sheep to get back in Abuelita's good graces and you just pick up the guitar, upside down at that, and start playing Coldplay? How?"
Brittany simply smiled as she pulled her hands out of Santana's grasp and placed them on either side of Santana's face. Her thumbs caressed the temples of her worried girlfriend's head until Santana's eyes closed, relaxing into the gentle massage. Brittany continued the subtle motion as she leaned in and barely kissed Santana's lips. She awkwardly leaned closer still, balancing the guitar on her lap as she whispered into Santana's ear.
"She'll find her way back, San. She loves you. Hold on to that, okay? The rest will come later."
She kissed Santana's left cheek as she sat back and began strumming on the guitar again.
"Did you know this is how Jimi Hendrix's played guitar? He did. But whenever I play the guitar like this, it never sounds this good. Or good at all… This guitar really must have cost a lot. Or it's magic. "
Santana just smiled at the girl as a tear rolled down her face. Brittany smiled back with a knowing glint in her eyes.
"Magic, Britt. It's always magic."