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just won a stolen shopping cart in a dance off in a parking lot.


It was like an old western movie shootout. There was even a tumbleweed blowing in the background. Okay, maybe it was just a plastic bag, but it made everything seem that much more authentic to Santana, who was having way more fun then she should have been, seeing as she was standing in an empty parking lot at 2 A.M.

She secretly squirmed with ill-concealed glee as she sidled up next to Brittany, whose eyes were narrowed and zeroed in on Mike, who was standing in a wide legged stance directly across from her, about ten feet away. Santana squared off with Puck and tried to scowl when his hand twitched toward his pocket. Before she could call him out for cheating, Sugar's shrill voice cut through the cool night air.

She was perched on top of a shopping cart return station sign, about ten feet off the ground, and waving her arms to catch everyone's attention. Tina was stationed directly under her, leaning on the coveted prize.

"Alright, this here's a shootout, but since guns tend to kill people I have changed the theme of choice to a dance off instead," Sugar drawled. She tipped an imaginary cowboy hat to Tina and said, "Give 'em the rules, cowgirl."

Tina rolled her eyes but Santana knew she was amused. Nobody really knew much about Sugar. Not where she came from or where she lived, or even how she always managed to tag along on random middle of the night adventures when, as far as anyone could tell, nobody had invited her. She might be her own special brand of crazy, but something about her seemed comfortably familiar to Santana, so she made an allowance for her slightly arrogant antics. Plus, Brittany thought she was hilarious and liked having her around, and what Brittany wants, Brittany gets. No, Santana is not whipped. Not at all. Ok, maybe a little bit.

Tina stepped forward and stated the rules, "Alright. Brittany, Mike, if you guys die, your seconds will take your place. Puck, Santana, that's you." Puck pumped his fist and bellowed, "Hell yes!" and Santana cheekily saluted her, but Brittany and Mike stood locked in their staring contest and didn't acknowledge her. Brittany waggled her eyebrows to try and break Mike's concentration, but he only winked, making her giggle instead.

Tina smirked and continued, "Sugar and I will judge the winner. The prize is this trusty steed." Tina stepped back and patted the battered shopping cart that she had been leaning on previously. When they had wandered into the parking lot earlier that night, they found the shopping cart abandoned and alone over by the dumpsters. Puck had immediately claimed it as his own; but Santana insisted she had seen it first.

Really, she just did it to piss off Puck. When he got angry, he repeatedly scrubbed his hands through his mohawk, which made it stick up. Brittany got a kick out of it; she said he looked like a cockatoo that stuck its foot in a light socket, so Santana tried to rile him up as often as she could (still not whipped).

Plus, riding in an old shopping cart with Britt under the starry skies of Lima with the summer breeze blowing through their hair seemed really romantic. Like in that old 80's movie with the lawnmower. Except Santana that didn't know how to start a lawnmower, so a shopping cart was the best she could do.

Unfortunately, Mike was being blackmailed by Puck as a result of a Mario Kart mishap that Santana still didn't quite understand, and chose to pay his debt by participating in the duel over the shopping cart (and maybe Mike wanted to push Tina around a little bit too, he did, after all, call Santana once asking to borrow her lawnmower).

"Give me the radio, Puck," Tina said, sticking her hand out and waggling her fingers. Puck pulled a tiny portable radio out of his pocket and Santana scowled. She knew that's what he had been reaching for earlier.

"Does that thing pick up any stations? It looks like it's from when Jesus was alive," Brittany said, breaking her gaze from Mike for the first time.

Puck replied with a cheeky grin, "Yeah, it's super old. God probably made it on, like, the eighth day or something. It works, though."

"All right, would you give the Asian the damn radio? The sooner Britt wins, the sooner we can gets our shopping cart on."

"Wanky!"

"Shut up, Fuckerman, that's not even how you say it." Santana made a threatening step towards the idiot, but Brittany slung her arm around Santana's waist and gently tugged her backwards.

"You have to wait until I die first, San, that's the rule," Brittany said softly before dipping her backwards and smacking a chaste kiss on her lips. While Santana tried to make her head stop spinning, Brittany gave Tina a thumbs-up to signal she was ready.

Santana was actually surprised at the power of Puck's tiny radio; the music radiating from it echoed throughout the parking lot and it immediately made Brittany start to wiggle next to her. She thought about mentioning how the miniscule radio was bigger than Puck's dick and had more power, but Brittany and Mike had already started dancing and Sugar was whooping up a storm so she decided to just let it go and be a good person for once. She could always remark on it later.

Watching Brittany dance always mesmerized Santana, but watching both her girlfriend and Mike was like watching a captivating explosion of skill and energy. It was hypnotic; Santana barely heard the music as she watched Brittany's limbs spin and twist seemingly independent of one another, yet totally in sync. Mike's movements were more forceful and staccato, he was laughing as his shoes scuffed against the pavement and his shirttails flew up.

Tina put the radio through its paces, switching the station every thirty seconds or so. Rock, techno, classical all brought a different array of moves from the two dancers. Everyone seemed to forget it was a contest and started cheering and hollering when one of them pulled off a particularly difficult sequence. Mike even grabbed Brittany's hands and gave her a few turns when a waltz came on.

Mike's short black bangs were plastered to his forehead with sweat and his voice was rough with fatigue as he called out, "Better give up now, Britt, I'm so winning this thing!"

Santana laughed and cupped her hands around her mouth, "Ha! Is that what your fortune cookie said, Jackie Chan? My girl is kicking your ass!"

Brittany caught her eye and grinned, blowing her an air kiss. Her hair was down and constantly whipping around as she danced, creating a storm of gold that haloed her head. Her cheeks were pink and the streetlight shone off her damp skin, creating an alluring shine that made Santana's heart wobble as it sped up.

The two seemed evenly matched until Tina switched the radio to a Spanish station. A swift flamenco rhythm took over the parking lot, filling the air with an upbeat guitar soundtrack. Both dancers faltered at the unfamiliar song, but after a second Brittany recognized it.

She turned toward Santana and dramatically clutched at her heart before tumbling to the pavement with a theatrical moan. Santana jogged to her side and knelt down beside her, slightly confused. Brittany peered up at her through her bangs and smiled before yelling, "Oh Santana, I fear I am deceased. You must take my place and avenge me," before collapsing back in Santana's arms.

"Avenge you, I will, my fair maiden," Santana proclaimed, gently setting Brittany down before climbing to her feet. She easily slipped into the steps that she'd practiced every weekend on worn wooden floors, guided by her abuela's hands.

It had been a Sunday tradition; after church Abuela would turn on the radio and get lunch cooking, twirling Santana around as she added ingredients, the flamenco music mixing with the sizzle and clang of pots and pans. Sometimes Brittany would be there, but most times not. Dancing with her abuela on weekends were some of Santana's favorite memories, but now they tasted bittersweet and coppery, like pennies under her tongue.

Mike backed off and stood next to Tina as Santana flew through the song. She let her eyes slide shut and the music take over. Her muscles remembered the steps even though her mind was rusty, so she let her feet take over and stopped thinking.

After what simultaneously seemed like an eternity and an instant, Santana felt familiar hands slip into hers. She opened her eyes only to be blinded by brilliant blue ones. Brittany was so close that Santana could've counted all her freckles, one by one. Their bodies slid together, fitting so well against each other it was like they were one being.

It reminded Santana of a Plato quote she had read somewhere. She whispered it softly to Brittany as they danced, "Humans were originally created with four arms, four legs, and a single head made of two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate beings- condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other half to complete them."

Brittany laughed softly and pressed her forehead against Santana's, whispering back, "My little bookworm. We got the jump on Zeus, though. I didn't spend my whole life searching; I found you right away."

After Sugar had proclaimed them the winners Puck gallantly helped Santana into the basket of the cart. Before he let go of her he said quietly, so nobody else could hear, "This shopping cart better get you laid, Lopez. I had big plans for this thing." Santana gave him a kiss on the cheek and ruffled his mohawk. "Thanks for playing, Puckerman, better luck next time."

Brittany was standing over by Tina and Sugar and goofing around with Mike. He gently shoved her shoulder and said, "I've never heard of a duel where someone came back from the dead. I call breaking the rules."

Brittany wiggled away from him and stuck out her tongue, "Ever heard of zombies? They come back to life all the time. They even come in double rainbow form sometimes." She ducked behind him and pretended to sink her teeth into his neck.

Santana shifted in the cart and called over her shoulder, "C'mon, B! We've got a sweet ride and a town to conquer. Let's do this thing!"

Brittany walked over and yelled goodbye to their friends before grabbing the cart railing and taking off with Santana down the street. She got a running start and then hopped on the back, pumping the sidewalk every so often with her right leg to keep them going. The night stretched long and unbroken before them as they left their friends behind, their voices fading away until the only things Santana could hear were the shopping cart and Brittany's breathing.

"We're so weird!" She cried to Santana over the shriek of the shopping cart's wheels.

"Why?"

"We just stole a shopping cart that we won in a dance off at 2 A.M. in the grocery store's parking lot!"

"That's not weird, that's awesome! We're awesome!"

Santana threw back her head and watched the stars wink and sparkle as the wind blew through her hair. She reached back to grab Brittany's hand and whispered an "I love you" that she probably couldn't hear, but definitely already knew.


Author's note: I sort of wanted this to be funny, but it turned a little more serious in the middle. I love that Plato quote, it's from The Symposium. Thank you for all the kind reviews last time, please do it again, and prompt if you want!