Author's Note: When I think of Faberry, I think of bathrooms.
1
"Get out!" you scream, red hot anger and dark black, engulfing sadness weighing you down.
Rachel's face crumples, like daisies wilting in the winter. If you weren't such a bitch and this fucking child inside you wasn't tearing you apart, you'd have chased after her when she ran from you.
2
"I'm sorry,"
It's two months later, sans Beth, when Rachel walks in on you staring yourself down in the smudged bathroom mirror. She's covered, head to toe, in purple goop.
You apologise for a lot of things-the abuse, the teasing, the constant back-and-forth with her, breathing-but she's assuming you mean the slushy attack.
You're okay with that; explaining everything to her would require a lot of liquor and a miracle from God.
3
"Good morning, Quinn," she chirps.
Things are stable. She doesn't hate you. You're civil.
You're in love with her.
She's 'kind of' friends with you.
4
"Finn...," she begins, and it's quiet and not at all Rachel.
Fuck.
You stay quiet, because you're good at fucking things up and because Rachel just looks so scared.
"He asked me to marry him," she breathes, frantically looking at every sink and stall in the bathroom before she meets your eyes.
You're going to be sick.
"What did you say?" you whisper, because if you open your mouth too wide, the words would pour out and eat both of you alive.
"No."
5
"I have something for you," you admit nervously, because maybe you're being naïve-Rachel's straight, you idiot, and why would she like you?-but you think the metro passes will be good for the two of you and this budding friendship you have.
Rachel's all smiles and you melt at the sight, nearly dropping the envelope behind your back.
You show them to her, and she looks confused until you say "Metro North passes. For seeing you,"
A blind man could see how much love you have for her, and it's getting pathetic at this point, but when Rachel jumps in your arms, you're okay with everything.
6
You're having a panic attack.
You're crumpled in the corner of the school bathroom, dressed in cap and gown, with your phone clutched to your chest like a seed being sown.
Beth's face is gracing the screen, a happy little smile on her chubby face, and you're reminded of how much she favours you, and you're sick all over the floor, because your breathing is so erratic and halted and you want to stop it altogether.
Your stomach empties itself, turns inside out, fluids burning you out, and you feel so, so hollow.
Strong arms are around you somehow, and you think maybe you're hallucinating. (Sometimes you imagine Rachel holds you to make yourself feel better.)
"Quinn, breathe. Match my heartbeat,"
It's a melody, her heartbeat. It's harmonies and melodies and strings and woodwinds and it's a symphony, and you know you could never match it, in any aspect. She's all beauty, all music and wonderful heartbeats and sheer perfection, and you're Quinn Fabray, all broken pieces and she got pregnant at sixteen and drunken father and hallucinations.
"You're safe with me, Quinn. I promise,"
She's kissing your head and all the emptiness is filled with thousands of monarch butterflies, beating their wings and it's something that feels good for a change.
When you're calm, you're exhausted. When you're calm, Rachel doesn't let go.
When you're calm, you kiss Rachel.
7
"I'm sorry," you whisper, and Rachel's shushing you before the words even ring out.
"Had I been expecting it, I would've kissed you back,"
8
Rachel kisses you on the last day of senior year. She's gentle and her lips are like a healing salve and whisky and your favourite tea all at once.
You kiss her back, because you've waited fucking years for this.
9
You kiss Rachel every day after that.
She kisses back.