So yeah...this story is a little fluffy, but I've read (and written) one too many overly-dramatic Brittana fanfics. I wanted to approach iwith a softer touch. It's only a 4-part story since it's based on the seasons. Please leave reviews; I'm always looking to improve my writing.
"We should do this more often," Santana remarked, as the two lie under the stars in the park, on a warm summer night.
It had rained all through the spring and though Brittany still took walks (accompanied by an umbrella) she still hadn't had the chance to see the stars. It was Santana that called her first.
She had been sitting on the roof of her house trying to escape the sound of her parent's yelling. They weren't anywhere near a divorce, no way, because Santana knew that they knew they weren't getting any younger. This is the last shot they got at love and they weren't going to split over a stupid chicken recipe.
Anyways, she was just sitting up on the roof, no doubt getting wet because everything still hadn't dried completely since the previous weeks of violent thunderstorms. She saw the clouds rolling away and the lightning flashes about a couple miles away. She really shouldn't have been on the roof but it was wild.
Even in the distance she could feel the heat coming of the little rays of electricity. It was the kind of nature that she could appreciate. It was powerful, and dangerous, and beautiful…it kind of reminded her of her mother. A lot of people compared Santana to her mother but she didn't see it.
She was so mesmerized the electric lights show that she actually fell asleep to the distant rumble of thunder. Her parents were distraught to find her on the roof the next morning, after searching all night for the girl. She apologized profusely but the punishment stood: grounded for 2 weeks.
Santana grudgingly accepted but after that last turbulent storm the skies had cleared up. All she wanted to do was go out and see the stars with Brittany.
"Please Mami," she had begged. She flopped hopelessly on the couch, her arguments useless against her mother's firm resolve. But that night she had a meeting with the local socialites and her father subtly granted her permission.
He saw her make a beeline for the door and when she looked back cautiously he gave her a noncommittal grunt, acting as if he saw nothing. Even though they were supposed to be secret about it she flashed him a quick grin and sprinted out the door.
It pays off to a be Daddy's girl, even if those shirts are social suicide.
Brittany looked over at Santana, wanting nothing more than to do this again…and again and again…
All of a sudden Santana sat up, and Brittany was afraid she might leave. She was afraid she might think this was stupid and just leave. Brittany feared those same fears everyday. Santana just didn't seem like the type to stay. She was always moving. Like a shark.
But then Brittany saw something that caught her attention. Something was approaching them and in the distance, Brittany thought she could see a little orange beak.
"Venga aquí, Patito. Venga aqui," Santana cooed.
Somehow, the duck understood. It slowly hobbled up the bank of the lake and planted itself firmly by Santana's side.
"Look Britt," Santana said in awe, "He's still wearing our ribbon!"
Indeed he was. Brittany reached over to pet his little head but he quacked violently at her.
"Don't do that," Santana snapped, "She's a nice girl." Still the duck wouldn't budge.
"Por dios," Santana mumbled in frustration.
Brittany smiled weakly, "It's okay San. He's kind of like you."
"I don't snap at you!"
"Sometimes you do."
"Shut up," Santana huffed, but there was a little twinkle in her eyes. Brittany laid back down and Santana tried once again to sway the little duck. This time she spoke to it in Spanish again.
"Brittany esta un chica muy buena. ¿Es muy bellísima, no? Ella esta mi mejor amiga en todo del mundo. Por favor da un abrazo a ella. ¿Para mi?" Brittany wasn't sure what Santana had said but the little duck came over and nudged her softly with it's wing.
She reached over to stroke it's head and it didn't flinch this time. It hopped up onto her lap and Santana smiled contentedly.
"What did you say?" Brittany asked incredulously.
Santana smiled coyly, "Oh nothing."
Brittany stared back at the duck, "I don't know why you like her. She's pure evil."
The duck quacked in amusement, harmonizing with Santana's loud laugh.
"Everyone always gangs up on me," Brittany grumbled.
Both girls lie back down and the duck moves to sit in between them.
"What should we name him?" Brittany asked quietly. Her eyes were once again trapped in twinkling lights above. She had her hand carelessly laid out to the side and Santana grabbed onto it. Brittany could feel the other girl's thumb trace circles in her skin.
Brittany looked over at Santana who seemed to be enveloped in her own thoughts.
"Earth to Santana, get your head out of the clouds."
Santana shot Brittany a sheepish grin and then looked back up at the stars, "We could call him Patito. It means little duck." She looked over at Brittany sheepishly again, "Sorry. I'm not very creative."
"No. I like it."
They hadn't realized it but for the first time they weren't distracted by the stars, or ducks, or clouds. They were just staring into each other's eyes.
The duck waddled over to Santana and quacked a couple of times, trying to get her attention. Santana sat up but she didn't let go of Brittany's hand, forcing the blonde to sit up as well.
"Calm down, you crazy bird," Brittany watched with amusement as Santana tried to swat him away. He kept nipping at their hands and Santana had no choice but to let go.
Once she did, the duck jumped onto her lap, and quacked some more until she started stroking his feathers.
"I think he's jealous," Santana joked.
Brittany, who had seen the little exchange, was confused. Could a person really be jealous of a duck? "I would be," she muttered, until realizing that she hadn't meant to say that out loud.
Santana just laughed graciously, covering for Brittany's slip up.
Brittany watched again as Santana whispered things in Spanish to Patito.
"That's not fair," Brittany whined, "I don't get to know what you're saying!"
"Trust me, you don't want to know."
"Is it bad?"
"No."
"Then why don't I want to know?"
"Because I don't want you to know."
"I'll learn Spanish if I have to, just to know what you're saying."
"Then I'll say it in Portuguese."
"You don't know Portuguese."
"Yeah, but I'll learn it just so you don't know what I'm saying," Santana smiled cheekily and Brittany threw her hands up in frustration.
"I give up."
Once Brittany closed her eyes Santana braved a look at her. The duck bit down on her finger and Santana's attention was once again redirected to the bird.
"Ella es mi vida. La quiero muchísimo. No se puede tener mi corazón porque ya lo robo." Santana's eyes fearfully darted back and forth between Patitio and Brittany.
She knew it was unreasonable to think Brittany had understood, but that blonde could always surprise you.
"You know one day I'm going to figure out," Brittany muttered.
Santana put down the bird and stretched out so that her face was hovering inches above Brittany's.
Even though Brittany still had her eyes closed she could tell Santana was getting closer because her throat closed up. Her oxygen tanks ran dry. Now Brittany was positive that it was Santana who caused these weird breaths. And she really really needed to breathe.
Weakly she tried pushing Santana away but the other girl wouldn't move.
"San," she groaned.
Santana still wouldn't move. Her body was locked in fear. She didn't know how she allowed herself to get this close but she found that she couldn't move back.
Brittany rolled over on her stomach and shot up to her legs, "Stop!" She stomped around furiously breathing in and out deeply as if she had never experienced breathing before.
"What's wrong?" Santana's mouth was dry but she forced the question out anyways.
"I just," Brittany panted for more air, "I-I can't," …air…"I can't…" …air…"BREATHE. I can't breathe when you're around San-I-I just can't."
Santana was unsure of how to react. Patito stomped angrily in Brittany's direction but Santana held him back. She pulled the little bird back into her lap, stroking his head until he calmed down. In a way he really was like Santana. She liked it when people played with her hair.
Santana had said nothing after Brittany's outburst. She waited until Brittany inhaled as much air she possibly could…and calmed down a bit.
Brittany leaned against the trunk of a tree watching Santana calm down the little animal. It was so cute she thought she might never breathe a normal breath again. His head was slightly golden but the rest of him was pearly white. He was still kind of young so all his feather's hadn't grown out yet. And even though Santana never owned a pet, and she didn't have any brothers or sisters it seemed as though she just naturally had this caring, protective nature.
How come Brittany could breathe normally around everybody else but not her own best friend?
"I can't believe I'm jealous of a stupid bird," Brittany muttered again, this time not caring that she had said it aloud. "At least he can breathe around you."
Santana just shrugged.
They stared up at the stars again and Brittany saw one star shining brighter than the rest. She pointed up to it, "You see that San? Imagine that this sky was my whole life. Well you're that one shining star, the one that shines brighter than the rest."
Santana smiled softly up at Brittany, who continued looking at the star in amazement.
"Hey Britt."
"Mm-hmm?"
"You're the only star in my sky. Just imagine, this giant blue ocean of nothing, except for one shining star. That's you."
"Just shut up!" Invisible ropes constricted Brittany's neck and she clawed at her throat, desperately trying to pry them off.
Santana rushed up to Brittany's side, stopping the other girl from doing further damage to herself.
She bit her lip. She was nervous. Brittany was petrified. Santana looked up into her eyes, "If I stole your breath then you stole my heart."
Brittany looked down at her curiously. She was almost, 99.99% sure she knew what that meant.
Santana's eyes were misty and Brittany could sense the real emotion behind it. She stepped closer, the distance between them slowly fading away. Santana pressed her lips firmly against Brittany and it arrived in a wind.
She could feel everything inside her go on high alert. Her blood ran faster, her heart beat faster, every little hair on her body stood up. Her lungs filled with something different than air. It was thick and heavy and she thought she might overflow with it if Santana didn't stop kissing her.
She finally pulled away to say something she hadn't realized she'd been dying to say, "I love you."
Santana's breath hitched and she realized what this feeling was. This disease that Brittany had been harboring for years now. It was incurable but Santana didn't care.
Those weird breaths were so worth it, so long as she got to keep kissing Brittany…again and again...
