"I'm fucking done."
Quinn sighs exasperatedly, making her annoyance clear as day whilst rolling her eyes at her best friend.
"Santana... I love you to death, but I swear to sweet Baby Jesus..." the blonde pauses for dramatic effect. "Sometimes… I want to murder you."
"Damn Q! That's a bit harsh, don't ya think?" The Latina replies.
"No, not at all," Quinn deadpans, not missing a beat. "Not when you've been complaining about the same bullshit for the past 4 months."
It was true.
Santana Lopez had a terrible track record when it came to her love life. Between the freeloaders, the 'still lives with mom', the cheaters, and everything else you could imagine... the Latina had dated some real winners in her short 24 years of life.
For Quinn's part, she played her role as the sympathetic best friend quite well. After knowing Santana throughout high school and undergrad, the blonde had become accustomed to her friend's shitty selection of suitors. Between her super busy schedule of working two jobs while finishing up her Master's degree, Santana rarely had any recreational time to just sit down, relax and enjoy life. When she did have free time, she usually spent it with whatever crappy boyfriend she was dating at the time.
Or in today's case, she was spending her free time with her bestie at her favorite restaurant, bitching about how shitty her current beau was being.
"What did dickhead do now?" Quinn asks, feigning interest.
"Jesus... what didn't he do," Santana replies rhetorically. "He had one simple task of picking me up from work last night since I let him borrow my car; his is still in the shop," she explains. "When he didn't show up, I started to get worried about him. I called and texted him, but got no response."
"So, what happened?" The blonde inquires, now actually giving Santana her full attention. Although she didn't care much about the Latina's current boyfriend, she would never wish any harm to him.
"After waiting about an hour, one of my co-workers offered to give me a ride home. Instead, I had them drop me off at Chad's apartment. So then, I start knocking on the door and it takes him forever to answer it. And when he does…" Santana huffs and begins laughing sarcastically, "this motherfucker is wearing nothing but his boxers – which were on backwards, by the way – and is sweating like he just ran a marathon."
"He didn't…" Quinn starts to say, but the Latina quickly holds up her hand to stop her.
"Oh trust me; it gets better," Santana assures as she continues on. "So of course his whole attitude changes once he sees who's at the door. Immediately, he tries to apologize and explain just how he managed to 'forget' to pick me up. As he continues to ramble on, it's clear that he's trying to block the door so I just brush passed him. Unfortunately for him, he left his bedroom door wide open so I got the perfect view of some naked ass bitch, spread eagle, on top of his bed."
"That motherfucker!"
"I know right?!" Santana agrees, taking in a deep breath. "Anyways, he then tries the whole 'it's not what it looks like' shtick, but ain't nobody tryin' to hear that. So, I cut him off and was like, 'let me guess... this poor woman must've fallen down and being the Good Samaritan that you are, you offered to help her up. But then, you 'accidentally' fell down and landed in her vagina! I know... it's crazy!'"
This time, Quinn erupts in laughter as her best friend continues to re-enact the conversation that took place between her and that scumbag boyfriend of hers the previous night.
"The idiot didn't even catch on to the fact that I was being condescending. So, while he was just standing there trying to process what I just said, I grabbed my car keys off of his kitchen counter and told him to lose my number," Santana picks back up. "Do you know he had the audacity to ask me how he was gonna get around without a car?"
"He didn't!" Quinn replies, shocked at the nerve of this asshole.
"Girl! Don't even get me started."
"So, what did you say?"
"I told him, 'you betta call Uber, bitch!' and then I threw up the deuces."
"Hell yeah! That's my girl," the blonde says as she gives Santana a high five. "Just so you know, I hated that guy."
"I know... I was an idiot for sticking with him for as long as I did."
Quinn's expression turns more serious as she takes in Santana's last comment. "So, why did you?" She asks, cautiously, not wanting to rile up the Latina by getting too personal by asking questions about her feelings.
"Honestly, I don't know," Santana starts to say, but then stops, not satisfied with her noncommittal answer. She sighs and mulls over what a more accurate response would be. "I guess I was just hoping that he would be different."
Quinn stares at her friend, curiously, urging her to continue.
"Although we were only together for a few months, I thought that maybe our relationship could turn into something meaningful. He was nice enough and treated me okay, but I guess I can't expect a guy like that not to stray when his girlfriend ain't puttin' out."
"Wait... you mean, you guys weren't having sex?" Quinn implores, seeming a little stunned by the implication.
Santana shrugs her shoulders. "No," she simply replies at first. "The last two guys I dated that cheated on me were gettin' it on a regular basis, but they still couldn't keep it in their pants. And with the others, as soon as we became intimate, their true colors started to show." She pauses. "I guess I just wanted to see if being abstinent would help me build a more solid foundation with Chad, but in the end... I guess it didn't matter."
"Oh, sweetie..." Quinn says sadly as she grasps the Latina's hand that was resting on top of their table. "Why didn't you tell me any of this before?"
"Because it's embarrassing," Santana replies. "I mean, I know that I'm still young, but sometimes I can't help but wonder... is there something wrong with me?"
Hearing the raw emotion in her voice and seeing the tell-tale signs of tears waiting to fall from their ducts, Quinn can't help but get emotional as well. She wants to tell Santana that she's an amazing woman that has just had a string of bad luck with several jackasses, but before she can open her mouth to relay her message, the duo is interrupted by a third party.
"Absolutely not," the newcomer says definitively.
Upon hearing the angelic voice behind her, Santana quickly uses her free hand to wipe the unruly tears trying to make their presence known and faces the person standing behind them.
"Brittany?"
Although Santana said her name with a bit of a question lingering in her tone, the woman standing there with a compassionate look on her face was undoubtedly Brittany Pierce.
Just shy of a year ago...
It was another one of those days when Santana was fed up with Matt, her boyfriend at the time, and needed to blow off some steam. She and Quinn were both on their lunch breaks from their respective jobs, but had not yet decided where they wanted to eat.
As they continued to walk down the busy streets of Scottsdale, they came across a quaint little restaurant.
"The Hash Kitchen," Quinn reads aloud.
"Either they make some really good hash browns or they sell some really good weed. I'm game for either," Santana says jokingly.
Quinn nods her head in agreement. "Regardless... they have mimosas and a Bloody Mary bar so I'm in."
The two friends share a small chuckle as they enter the restaurant. While the outside looked charming and rustic, the inside looked more modern, complete with a full bar and a DJ.
"Holy shit! This place looks pretty dope," Santana states as she surveys her surroundings.
"Yeah... how come we've never come here before?"
"I have no idea," Santana replies. "It looks pretty packed though."
Just as the two were contemplating whether they should eat somewhere else due to their time constraints, a stunning blonde with legs for days approaches them.
"Welcome to The Hash Kitchen! How are you lovely ladies doing today?" The friendly employee greeted them.
For a moment, Santana was absolutely stunned by the dazzling cobalt eyes engaging hers, but she quickly regained her composure. "We're good and super hungry, but it looks like you guys are pretty full."
"Yeah, we stay pretty busy around lunch time," the blonde employee replies. Both Santana and Quinn seem to deflate a little. Seeing this, the employee tries to lighten the mood. "But... if you ladies don't mind waiting at the bar for a few minutes, I can get a table ready for you."
"Sure, that would be great!" Quinn excitedly answers for the both of them.
After the chipper blonde escorts them to the bar, she made quick work of clearing a table off in the corner of the restaurant near the front bay windows. Within a couple of minutes, Santana and Quinn were seated at their own table as promised.
"So, since you two are newbies, I'll give you a few minutes to look over the menu while I get you guys some water," the employee says.
"Wait, how did you know that?" Santana inquires.
The other woman opens her mouth to reply, probably with some witty retort, but quickly closes it while briefly breaking eye contact. Santana watches her curiously as a light shade of pink stains the blonde's cheeks.
After taking a moment to gather herself, she finally settles on her answer. "Just call it a hunch," she says with a shy smile.
Santana had a suspicion that there was more to be said, but she decided not to push; she had already been having a crappy day up until this point.
"I'm Brittany, by the way," the blonde adds in. "Let me know if you have any questions."
"Thanks Brittany," the Latina says back, testing the name out on her tongue. "I'm Santana and this is Quinn."
"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Brittany says sincerely. "Let me grab those waters for you."
As Santana watches Brittany walk away, she's surprised to see a grin on Quinn's face once she looks over at her. "What?"
"Do you normally introduce yourself to the wait staff?"
"That was kinda weird, right?" Santana questions, laughing at herself. "I don't know... she seemed really nice so I felt compelled to tell her our names."
"Yeah, you're right... that's super weird," Quinn chuckles back. "But if the food here is as good as it sounds on paper, then I have a feeling that we'll be seeing a lot of Miss Brittany."
And of course, the food there was amazing.
From that day forward, The Hash Kitchen became Santana and Quinn's go-to place, especially if the Latina needed to vent about her shitty love life.
Once Santana and Quinn became regulars, they would often make small talk with Brittany when they saw her and sometimes even asked her opinion about certain things.
It was during one of these many conversations that Santana had asked Brittany what she thought she should do in regards to her freeloader boyfriend. The Latina already knew what Quinn thought about the situation so she was curious to get another woman's perspective on it without the bitchy commentary she received from her best friend.
Brittany did her best to provide sound advice after being given a little more insight about the current issues Santana was experiencing with said boyfriend. After relaying her thoughts on the matter, Brittany added in an offhanded comment about her own personal preference in women.
Santana and Quinn were both a little surprised to hear such a revelation, but un-phased by it. In fact, their interest was piqued and they were very curious to learn more about their new friend and what it was like to date another woman, since neither of them had ever ventured down that road. Brittany didn't mind answering their questions and basically told them that although she's attracted to both sexes, she prefers to date women because she finds them to be more soft, sensible, and emotionally available – although the blonde had not been successful in finding a suitable partner in quite some time.
"How are you still single?" Quinn ponders out loud. "You are all kinds of fabulous!"
"Stop it," Brittany replies back, playfully waving her hand at them.
"No, seriously Britt. You are so awesome and adorable and just such a joy to be around; why do you think we always come here?" Santana says rhetorically as she unknowingly gushes about the blonde.
Brittany shyly ducks her head while tucking a blonde strand of hair behind her ear. Hearing Santana saying all of those lovely things about her made Brittany feel bubbly inside. Also, the fact that Santana had referred to her by her nickname that only a few close friends and family members called her sent chills down her spine. "Thanks."
It was at that pivotal moment that Brittany realized something: I am so screwed.
As Brittany looked back up and found mocha eyes staring back at her curiously, she knew that Santana would be a permanent fixture in her life.
In what capacity was yet to be determined.
Back to the present...
"I'm sorry for eavesdropping; it wasn't my intention," Brittany apologizes. "I saw you guys come in a few minutes ago and I wanted to come over and say hi. I didn't want to interrupt your conversation so I was just gonna come back later, but then I heard you talking about what an idiot your boyfriend is and I just couldn't stop myself from listening," she further states as she continues to ramble on. "It just made me really sad. And then just hearing you doubt how awesome you are made me even sadder and I just had to say something. I'm sorry."
After finishing her long-winded apology, Brittany looks down at the floor, not being able to bear eye contact with Santana. She felt ashamed and completely embarrassed that she had been listening to a private conversation between Santana and Quinn, but she just couldn't help herself.
To Brittany, Santana was a very likeable woman that intrigued her greatly. She was always happy to learn new things about her new friend. Santana was always so confident from the way she spoke to the way she carried herself. Her confidence – not to be misconstrued as being arrogant or just plain cocky – was one of the things that drew Brittany towards Santana from the beginning.
Normally, Brittany was very soft-spoken and tended to mind her own business. But, after hearing Santana sound so unsure of herself and doubt her own awesomeness because of some dude that didn't even deserve to breathe the same air as her... Brittany could no longer just sit idly by.
"I don't know what to say here," Santana says after a beat, breaking the uncomfortable silence while wringing her wrists. She still refused to make eye contact with anyone.
In all of the years that Quinn had known Santana, she had never seen her best friend look so small. She knew that the Latina had some serious intimacy issues and rarely talked about her feelings because she was afraid of being seen as weak in front of other people. And now, seeing the depressed look on the usually happy-go-lucky face of Brittany, Quinn was sure that Santana was slowly closing herself off and wishing that the ground below them would open up and swallow her whole to avoid the awkwardness she knew the Latina was feeling.
Looking back at the other blonde, Brittany appeared to be in deep thought before an epiphany seemed to hit her. "Then don't say anything; just listen for a few minutes."
With those last words, Brittany left Santana and Quinn's table and made her way towards the DJ's booth. After exchanging a few words with the handsomely groomed employee that was providing the music for the restaurant, he took a leave of absence and Brittany began manning the booth. After apologizing to the patrons for the brief interruption, Brittany picks up the microphone and seemingly presses play on the laptop in front of her.
I won't lie to you
I know he's just not right for you
And you can tell me if I'm off
But I see it on your face
When you say that he's the one that you want
"I didn't know Brittany could sing," Quinn whispers out, not wanting to interrupt the angelic voice that was filling the air.
And you're spending all your time
In this wrong situation
And anytime you want it to stop
"Neither did I," Santana quietly responds as she stares at Brittany in awe. Carefully, she divides her attention between gazing at the blonde and listening to the chorus of the particular song choice that Brittany had selected.
I'll stop time for you
The second you say you'd like me to
As Brittany continues to sing the second verse, Quinn doesn't miss the way her eyes linger on Santana, especially during certain lyrics of the song.
I just wanna give you the loving that you're missing
Baby, just to wake up with you
Would be everything I need and this could be so different
Tell me what you want to do
As Brittany gets back to the chorus for the last time, she tries to put as much emphasis on the words in hopes that Santana really gets the message she's trying to send.
I know I can treat you better than he can
And any girl like you deserves a gentleman
Tell me why are we wasting time
On all your wasted crying
When you should be with me instead
I know I can treat you better
Better than he can
After the impromptu performance, the patrons give Brittany a round of applause while the regular DJ returns to his post. Brittany does a modified curtsy and then walks back over to Quinn and Santana's table.
"Look Santana... I'm gonna be straight up with you because I hate playing games," Brittany begins to say before she inhales and exhales deeply. "If you haven't noticed already... I really like you. I've liked you for a long time now."
A look of utter surprise covers Santana's facial features. "How is that even possible? You barely know me."
"Sure, I may not know you as well as Quinn but I think I know enough to make a fair assessment," the blonde begins to say. Santana raises a perfectly shaped eyebrow, daring Brittany to amaze her with whatever observations she's made over the past year. "I know that you prefer grilled onions over raw ones, but you would never send your food back because of that, for fear that someone might add some 'special sauce' to it. I know that breakfast foods are your favorite kind of food and that's part of charm that keeps you coming back to this place. I know that you secretly love ketchup on your eggs, even though you would never eat them like that outside the privacy of your own home because you don't want people – i.e. Quinn – to think that you're weird."
Santana lets out a small chuckle. She did love her ketchup on some scramble eggs. Meanwhile, Quinn softly shakes her head as a tiny smile lingers on her lips. The lengths that her best friend went sometimes to appear 'normal' still astonished her, especially if those little quirks could be so easily detected by Brittany.
Although Santana was impressed with the observations Brittany had made about her – or rather her eating habits – thus far, those particular things said nothing about who she was as a person and what Brittany possibly liked about her. Sensing the silent conversation that Santana was currently having with herself, Brittany continues on with her assessment.
"I know that although you like the fact that your eyes are a darker shade of brown – because it makes you look like a badass – secretly, you wished they were lighter so people won't think you're mad all of the time. I personally love the color of your eyes; I think they're deep and dark and only add to the mystery that is you. Plus, they accent your full lips perfectly," Brittany casually says, making the Latina blush. Quinn quickly takes a sip of water, feeling a little hot herself. "I know that although Quinn pretends to not care about whatever guy you're seeing, secretly she hopes that you do find a good one. But until then, she's happy to sit here and let you vent as much as you need to, no matter how annoyed her expression appears to be. She loves you and just wants what's best."
Santana looks over at the other blonde at the table, as if to get confirmation on what Brittany had just said. For her part, Quinn just shrugged her shoulders. "Even though you drive me completely insane, you know I'm always here for you."
"Aww, Q… you do have a heart after all," Santana mockingly says as she reaches to pinch the blonde's cheeks. Quinn slaps her hands away.
"I seriously need new friends," Quinn jokingly replies back, making Brittany laugh at the two friends before she picks up where she left off.
"I know that besides Quinn, your mom is your best friend. I know that you miss her a lot and wished that she lived closer. I really hope I get to meet her one day; she sounds like an incredible woman," Brittany adds in, getting more serious. "I have a laundry list of things that I could carry on with, but I think the most prominent thing about you that sticks out to me is how these losers you date make you feel so self-conscious and inadequate. You bend over backwards and put so much effort into everything you do, including your relationships, and yet you never seem like you're truly fulfilled. The guys you date make you feel less about yourself and make you doubt how absolutely beautiful you are."
Brittany briefly pauses to make sure she has Santana's full attention. Once she's sure, she continues.
"To me, it sucks that there are so many idiots out there that don't know a good thing when they have it; idiots that treat you like crap. You don't deserve that. You deserve someone that truly appreciates you…" Brittany trails off, pausing again before finishing her thought. "Maybe someone like me?"
As the blonde spoke, Santana couldn't help but hear the sincerity in her voice and the absolute certainty that followed every word. Not only was she astonished by the attention to detail that Brittany was able to ascertain during their short interactions over the past year... she was also a little overwhelmed.
"Britt..." the Latina softly sighs before seeing Brittany raise her hand to stop her from continuing, even though the use of her nickname warmed her heart.
"It's okay; you don't have to say it," Brittany informs, ripping off the proverbial Band-Aid of the rejection that was about to come. "Never have I wished more to have a penis," she mumbles to herself, causing both of the ladies at the table to hold back a smirk.
"I'm glad that you think so highly of me; it's very flattering. And if things were different…" Santana cuts herself off, not really knowing how to word how she was feeling. Instead, she just said, "I'm really sorry, Brittany."
The blonde flashes a sad smile. "Don't be."
After exchanging another small smile, Brittany turns around to make her way back towards the kitchen; however, she only gets a few steps away before coming back to Santana and Quinn's table.
"Before I embarrass myself any further, let me just say this one last thing..."
As Santana's chocolate orbs lock with Brittany's crystal blues, she gives the blonde a slight nod to finishing saying her peace.
"There's only been a few times when I've actually seen it, but when you smile – like genuinely smile – and your little dimple is really prominent... it really is something beautiful to witness," Brittany sincerely says, breaking eye contact with Santana. "I just hope that you don't end up settling for the guy that's just 'nice'; I hope you wait for the one that makes you smile like that all of the time."
Without waiting for any type of response, Brittany quickly makes her escape while Santana is left behind, completely dumbfounded.
After a few silent moments pass by, Santana manages to whisper an astonished 'wow'.
"Wow doesn't even begin to explain what just happened here," Quinn states. "Well… what are you waiting for?"
"What?" Santana questions, seemingly confused about her best friend's inquiry.
"Go after her," Quinn replies as she makes a motion with her hands towards the kitchen area.
"Q… it's not that simple. I'm not gay," Santana says definitively.
"Who gives a shit?" Quinn retorts, not understanding the Latina's delay. "I'm straighter than an arrow. I mean it; no one loves dick more than I do," the blonde begins to explain, causing Santana to scrunch up her face at the crude language. "What I'm saying is… if Brittany was looking at me the way that she was just looking at you – the way she always looks at you – I'd be all over that in a millisecond."
Santana seemed to be completely flabbergasted by her friend's response; she definitely wasn't expecting to get that type of encouragement from her bestie.
"I'm sorry that I can't be gung-ho like you, Q…" Santana finally responds. "It's just a lot to take in."
"Wait… are you seriously trying to tell me that you had no idea that Brittany liked you?"
"No."
"Bullshit."
"I'm being serious, Q. Why would I think that Brittany would be interested in me?" Santana implores. She honestly had no idea that Brittany had any type of feelings for her other than the quick friendship they had formed during Santana's first visit to The Hash Kitchen.
"Other than the reasons that she clearly just laid out for you?" Quinn says rhetorically. "You already know that you're gorgeous, hella smart, and have a great personality. Why wouldn't Brittany be interested in you?"
Santana takes a moment to think about what Quinn had just said. Instead of answering her actual question, she poses one of her own. "How long have you known that she liked me? Did she say something to you?"
"Sweetie, she didn't have to say anything," Quinn says softly. "I knew it from the first time we all met. Brittany is very discreet, but I have caught her a couple of times… admiring you. I wasn't sure if she would ever say anything, especially since she knows you're straight. I guess she just couldn't hold in anymore."
"I just…" Santana starts to say, but then stops. "I just wasn't expecting that."
As Santana and Quinn sit in silence for a few minutes, Santana in deep contemplation, they are interrupted once again.
"Santana? Quinn?" A male voice says from behind them.
As both women turn to the sound of the seemingly familiar voice, they are both pleasantly surprised.
"Oh my God! Blaine, how are you?" Santana says while standing up from her chair, being the first to greet the man with a hug. Quinn quickly follows suit.
"Hey ladies! You both look amazing, as usual," Blaine replies happily. "What are you guys doing here?"
"This is one of our regular lunch spots," Quinn answers after hugging her friend. "Man, we haven't seen you since Mercedes' going away party. What was that, like 2 years ago?"
"At least. It's so good to see you though," Santana says as she and Quinn take their seats, offering a free one to Blaine. "How's Kurt? You guys still together?"
"Yep! Going on 5 years," Blaine says giddily. "He's doing really well. I'll tell him you said hello."
"Wow, that's amazing! Congratulations!" Santana responds, happy to hear that her old friends were doing well. "College sweethearts; talk about relationship goals."
"What about you guys? Any special men in your lives?" Blaine wonders.
"Nope; I'm happily single and ready to mingle," Quinn quips. "I'm way too picky to be committed to one person right now."
"And I'm recently single," Santana states. "I have no problem finding the guys; they just all turn out to be assholes."
"Girl, don't I know it. Gay men are the worst," Blaine adds in. "That's why I'm so glad to have Kurt."
"I'm so happy that you guys are doing well," Santana genuinely says. "We better get invites to the wedding," she says with a wink.
"Trust me, you will."
"So, are you here having lunch with someone? I don't remember seeing you come in," Quinn asks.
"Oh no, I'm actually one of the chefs here."
"Really?!" Both women exclaim.
"How long have you been working here?" Santana questions.
"About two years," Blaine replies. "I actually started here not too long after the last time I saw your lovely faces."
"So how come we haven't seen you here before? We come here like once a week."
"If you usually come here during your lunch break, then that's probably why. I'm usually slammed in the kitchen and don't take a break until afterwards," Blaine states. "The only reason I got an early reprieve today is because my boss decided to hop on the grill."
"Well, you are a killer cook so thanks for all of the meals," Santana says with a chuckle.
"Who's your waiter?"
"Brittany… she's such a sweetheart," Quinn answers.
The confused look plastered on Blaine's face puzzles the two women.
"What? Why do you have that look on your face?" Santana inquires.
"No… it's just that," Blaine tries to say while gathering himself from his internal laughter. "Brittany is my boss; she owns this place."
"Wait, what?!"
Quinn and Santana look at each other in complete befuddlement.
"You're talking about the tall blonde with bright blue eyes and legs for days, Brittany?" Quinn asked, just for clarification. Santana just stared at her best friend after hearing that description.
Blaine laughed wholeheartedly. "Yep, that's her. You guys really didn't know that?"
"No… she's been our waitress since we first started coming here a year ago," Santana replies, confusion still apparent on her face.
"Huh… well, that's not really surprising. Brittany is a very hands-on boss. She doesn't mind waiting on folks or busting some tables to help out the staff. That's part of the reason why she's so awesome to work for," Blaine starts off. "Actually, now that I think about it… about a year ago, one of our new waiters had a death in the family during his first week of work. Brittany gave him two weeks off – paid – so that he could be with his family and grieve. She helped out the other waiters by covering his shifts. That's just the type of person she is."
"Wow… she's pretty amazing," Quinn says in awe.
"Yeah… she is," Santana agrees.
After a beat, an earlier part of their conversation sticks out to Blaine. "But wait… you said Brittany has been your waitress every time you've come in?"
"Yeah, that's why we thought she was a waitress," Quinn jokingly responds.
Blaine takes a second to look back and forth between Santana and Quinn, analyzing them both before it finally hits him.
"You're the girl," Blaine says knowingly. "You're the one that Brittany's been so smitten with."
"Wait, she talks about me?" Santana questions, feeling a little giddy inside.
"Sporadically. She's never mentioned you by name, but there are times when she has a certain glow about her. We figured it was from a certain customer. Some of the waiters have seen you guys talking and briefly described you to me, but I never put two and two together. Wow… small world."
As everyone at the table takes a moment to process all of the new information they had received, something else hits Blaine.
"So, what happened today?" He wondered. "Brittany came to the back looking like a sad panda, that's why she wanted to cook. What was different today than all of the other times you've visited?"
"Brittany told Santana that she liked her," Quinn replies softly.
"Oh. I'm guessing that didn't go too well," Blaine ascertained from the look on Brittany's face when she came back to the kitchen. "That's a shame. I know you're not into women, but I think you guys would be great together. Brittany's hasn't had a lot of luck in the dating department either. Because she's so giving, a lot of people have taken advantage of her in the past. She deserves a nice girl like you."
"I'm far from nice, Blaine," Santana reassures.
"Sure you are," Blaine says condescendingly. "I've known you since Freshman year of college. And although you were a total badass when you defended me from that homophobic jerk in our Intro to Psych class, we all know that you're just a big ol' softie on the inside."
At that remark, Quinn giggles. Santana just rolls her eyes at her two friends. However, in the back of her mind, the comment Blaine made about people taking advantage of Brittany really bothered her. Brittany was one of the sweetest people she had ever met in her life and to hear that someone would ever purposely be mean to her upset Santana greatly.
"Anyways, it was great seeing you guys. We'll have to have dinner this weekend and catch up properly," Blaine said as he stood up from the table, giving the two women another hug.
"Yeah, that sounds great. Is your number still the same?" Quinn asked. Once she received a nod from Blaine, she continued. "Awesome! I'll call you this weekend then."
"Alrighty. You guys enjoy the rest of your meal."
After those last words, Blaine returned to the kitchen.
"I can't believe that we never knew he worked here. Talk about being out of the loop," Santana solemnly shakes her head at herself. "If I wasn't so worried about all of these stupid boys, then maybe I would've had more time to pay more attention to my real friends; the people who actually give a crap about me."
"Don't beat yourself up too much; none of us have been very good at keeping in touch with each other over the years… well, with the exception of you and me."
"That's because you're a freaking stalker that won't leave me alone," Santana says teasingly.
"You're free to leave at any time," Quinn deadpans, motioning towards the door.
After stroking her chin, seemingly contemplating the invitation, Santana finally settles on an answer. "Nah… it would take way too much time to break in a new best friend," she says with a small smirk.
"You're an ass."
"I know."
After taking a few more bites of their food, Quinn flags down a waiter passing by and asks for their check. She assumed that they wouldn't be seeing Brittany again before they both had to go back to work. Quinn knew that she should probably find a way to delicately broach the topic of what had transpired earlier between Santana and Brittany; however, she felt the only way to get through to her best friend was to come at the problem head on so she decided to be blunt and direct.
"So, what are you gonna do about this whole Brittany situation?"
"What do you mean?" Santana replies back, jumbled by the question. "I thought we already talked about this."
"No… I tried to talk to you about it earlier, you skated around the issue with the whole 'I'm not gay' thing," Quinn pauses, rolling her eyes at the Latina, "…and then Blaine came out of nowhere."
"Well, I don't know what else to say here Q," Santana says exasperatedly. "I like Brittany. She's a really sweet girl, but at the end of the day, I'm just not attracted to her in that way."
"Bullshit," Quinn says, leaving no room for discussion. "Deny it all you want, but I've also seen the way you look at her sometimes; the way your mood completely brightens up whenever she's around."
Santana had no earthly idea of what her best friend was talking about. Sure… whenever she was having a crappy day, a short encounter with Brittany always seemed to pull her out of whatever funk she was in. Brittany was just a positive energy to be around so it was only natural that Santana felt better after a visit with the gorgeous blonde.
But that didn't mean that Santana liked Brittany in a more-than-friends context… she just enjoyed spending time with her (or at least that's what she kept telling herself).
"Do you wanna know what I think?" Quinn asks.
"Not really," the Latina quickly responds.
"Well, tough… I'm gonna tell you anyways," Quinn says with a shrug of her shoulders.
Now it's Santana's turn to roll her eyes at her bestie. "Should've seen that coming," she mumbles back.
With a victorious smirk, Quinn begins to explain her observations of Santana over the past year.
"The first time we walked into this place and met Brittany, your eyes lit up. It was like you were almost in a trance of some sort; being gay or straight had nothing to do with it. The simplest answer I can think of is the fact that Brittany's beauty is just undeniable," Quinn starts out. "I caught you staring at her, even though it was only brief and you played it off really well. And then when she went to get us some water, you watched her walk away. I didn't think much of it at the time, other than it being peculiar, but looking back at everything now… it all makes sense."
Quinn pauses for a moment, seeing if Santana would object or have some sarcastic retort or explanation to add. Once she's met with silence from her Latina counterpart, she continues.
"We've come here at least once a week for the past 6 months when we only used to come here about once every month when your shithead boyfriends would piss you off. Don't get me wrong… the food here is orgasmic, but there seems to be a direct correlation between when you're having a bad day and where you go to feel better," Quinn assesses. "For someone who we don't know very well – besides the mindless chitchat during our visits – you always want to know Brittany's opinions on important things going on in your life. You always ask her how her day is going when you normally don't give a crap about anybody who's outside of your inner circle. And whether you want to admit it or not, there's always a little part of you that seems sad whenever we have to leave this place and go back to work; whenever you have to say goodbye to Brittany."
Santana looks away from Quinn. She doesn't know what to say or how to feel about the whole situation. Just thinking about it makes her head hurt.
"In the 10 years that I've known you, I've always tried my best to do all that I can to make you feel better on your worst days. Sometimes I'm successful; most times I'm not. But for whatever strange reason, in the short amount of time that you've known Brittany, she's somehow been able to crack through the secret code of Santana Lopez with a simple smile."
Santana lets a tiny smile flash across her face. She didn't know the reason either, but what Quinn had just stated was very accurate.
"Look, S… I'm not trying to persuade you or force you into giving Brittany a chance; I'm just trying to open your eyes so that you can maybe see something that's been right in front of your face all of this time," Quinn starts again, gently grasping the Latina's hand. Santana finally looks back at her. "Brittany just laid everything out for you. Hell, she even took it a step further and serenaded you in front of the whole restaurant. Someone who's willing to make a fool of themselves to tell you how they feel or just to make you feel better is someone I would love for my friend to date over all of these other undeserving jackasses that you seem to attract."
As the waiter comes back to their table to drop off the check, Quinn pulls her wallet out of her purse and places cash inside the billfold to cover both of their lunches and the tip before she stands up.
"Maybe you're not attracted to Brittany in that way; maybe you are and just insist on blowing smoke up your own ass," Quinn says casually, not allowing Santana interject. "Maybe you two were meant to meet as a part of some much larger plan or maybe it was just a coincidence. Either way, maybe it's time for you to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new. God knows everything else you've tried hasn't work."
As Santana opens her mouth to voice her disdain for her best friend's previous comment, Quinn quickly pats her on the shoulder and says 'call me later' as she swiftly exits the restaurant. Santana takes a moment to gather herself before she collects her purse and heads towards the exit as well. With one look back towards the kitchen – hoping to catch a glimpse of Brittany, but failing miserably – Santana bids adieu and makes her way back to her job.
Throughout the rest of her day, Santana couldn't think of anything else except for Brittany.
Do I like Brittany more than a friend? Why didn't I notice her feelings for me earlier? Could I have said or done something to make Brittany feel less embarrassed and exposed after she told me how she felt besides just sitting there like an idiot?
All of these questions were playing on repeat in the Latina's head as soon as she had left the restaurant earlier that day. Santana was pretty much useless at work because she couldn't concentrate on completing her remaining tasks. Noticing that his usually very productive and highly focused employee was a little distracted after coming back from her lunch break, Santana's boss decided to send her home early so that she could start her weekend a little earlier and hopefully recharge.
Santana was grateful for the reprieve. She figured once she was in the comfort of her own home, she'd be able to relax and put this day behind her. However, that was not the case at all. Once she opened her front door, poured herself a small glass of red wine, and sat down on her comfy couch, she was met with the same dilemma: nonstop thoughts about Brittany.
After fighting with herself for quite some time, Santana finally gave in and made a decision. After doing a quick Google check on her phone, Santana took a quick shower and changed into something more causal than her usual workwear. Then she grabbed her car keys, cell phone, and wallet to make her way to the only destination she could think of.
And that's how she found herself parked outside of The Hash Kitchen, just a little after closing time.
Through the large bay windows, Santana could see that the lights were still on. However, she didn't see any employees inside and the parking lot was practically empty besides her car and some others, probably belonging to people visiting some of the other business in the same shopping center. As Santana got out of her car and walked towards the entrance, she could hear music still being played inside the food establishment. Right on cue, Brittany appears from the back, holding a broom in her hand. Santana quickly takes a step back so that she is partially covered by a post outside.
As she watches the blonde for a few seconds, Brittany walks over to the DJ booth and turns up the song that was just starting. She then props herself up onto the counter of the bar and begins swaying side to side while softly singing along.
I'd love to know just what you're thinkin'
Every little river, running through your mind
You give and you take, you come and you go
You leave me here wondering if I'll ever know
How much you care, or how much you don't
Whatever you need, whatever you want
Unfamiliar with this particular song, Santana just listens to the lyrics and watches Brittany cutely sing along. Brittany then slowly slides off of the counter and starts to really get into the song, using the broom as a pseudo mic stand.
If you're gonna be somebody's heartbreak
If you're gonna be somebody's mistake
If you're gonna be somebody's first time, somebody's last time
Baby, be mine
If you're lookin' to be somebody's just friends
A little laughin', a little lovin', never callin' again
That's just fine
If you're gonna be somebody's heartbreak
Be mine, yeah...
Ohh, be mine...
As much as Santana would've loved to continue watching the performance in front of her, she felt that she was heading into borderline stalker territory so she decided to make her presence known. Lightly tapping on the door, Brittany is a little startled by the interruption. Once she looks up and sees the stunning Latina standing outside, she quickly turns the music down and makes her way towards the door to unlock it.
"Santana? What are you doing here?" Brittany questions, still feeling a bit shocked by the other woman's appearance. "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon... or ever again really, if I'm being honest."
The sound of dejection in Brittany's voice cuts through Santana like a knife. She wasn't used to seeing the blonde be anything other than happy and positive. Santana supposed that it was her own fault for causing Brittany to be in this current mood, which only made her feel more guilty about how she had reacted earlier when Brittany had basically spilled her guts.
And now, the blonde could hardly maintain eye contact with her.
As Santana scrambles to find something to say to ease the palpable tension and make Brittany feel better, she notices that there doesn't seem to be any other employees around.
"Britt, are you here by yourself?" Santana asks with a mixture of concern and general curiosity.
Brittany still refuses to make eye contact, even though hearing her nickname easily rolling off of Santana's tongue for the second time that day made her feel the butterflies inside her stomach start to come alive.
"Yeah... I sent everyone home right at 7. I figured everyone probably had something fun to do since its Friday," Brittany answered lowly. "No reason to be stuck at work with the boss after hours," she adds in as an afterthought. "Besides, the solitude mixed with the cleaning kinda helps me clear my head."
Santana couldn't help but think of how Brittany was always so selfless when it came to her job and the people in her life; no wonder why everyone loved coming to The Hash Kitchen.
"Why didn't you ever tell me you owned this place?"
Brittany shrugs. "You never asked."
Hearing that short response, Santana felt a little silly for even asking the question. More so, she got the feeling that maybe Brittany preferred to be alone at the moment, but was just too nice to say it.
"Do you want me to leave?" Santana slowly asks. She hoped the answer was no, but she wouldn't blame Brittany if she answered in the affirmative.
Again, Brittany just shrugs.
Not able to take this sullen Brittany for too much longer, Santana gently grasps the blonde's arm to get her attention. Brittany's eyes quickly snap down towards the place where Santana is touching her – and practically burning a hole through her skin. Upon seeing this, Santana slowly removes her hand and places it back down by her side.
"Look, Brittany... I just want to talk to you for a few minutes. After that, if you wanna throw me out on the streets, then so be it," Santana tries to explain, but appears to be failing miserably. She had so much that she wanted to say to Brittany, if given the chance. All she needed was an icebreaker. "I don't want what happened this afternoon to be our last interaction; you're too important to me."
Immediately following those words, Brittany's head snaps up, almost giving her whiplash, as she finally meets the Latina's eyes. She definitely wasn't expecting Santana to say something like that. Other than the small conversations they shared during Santana's visits to her restaurant, Brittany didn't think that Santana actually thought anything more of their interactions than just friendly chit chat during her lunch breaks.
"Geez... you don't have to seem so surprised," Santana says with a hint of faux annoyance.
"Sorry... you just caught me off guard."
"Do you think I could come in?" Santana inquires as she wraps her arms around herself. "It's a little brisk out here."
Quickly stepping aside, Brittany ushers Santana inside and locks the door behind them. "Sorry."
"Why do you keep saying sorry to me?" Santana questions. "That's what I came here to tell you."
"Actually, I'm the one who needs to apologize," Brittany interjects. "This morning, I was completely unprofessional. I shouldn't have interrupted your meal and said all of those things to you. It was very inappropriate of me and does not reflect the high satisfactory level of customer service that my restaurant is known for."
Hearing the almost robotic speech coming from the blonde's lips made Santana feel a bit uneasy. It didn't sound like the Brittany she knew at all. In fact, Brittany's response sounded a lot like the generic reply you would get from a bad review on Yelp! or a comment card located at the restaurant.
"Britt... I'm not one of your customers right now," Santana softly says as she lightly touches the blonde's arm. "We're friends. No matter how awkward or embarrassed you might have felt – or maybe even still feel – I'm glad that you told me. It took a lot of balls, so to speak."
Brittany nods her head in understanding. "I'm still sorry though. I feel like I made you uncomfortable, and that wasn't my intention. Something just took over me and it was all downhill from there."
"You didn't make me feel uncomfortable, okay?" Santana says, trying desperately to get the blonde to understand. "I was just stunned because I had absolutely no idea. I mean, you never said anything before or even hinted at the possibility."
Santana halts, trying to configure how she wants to say her next selection of words.
"I guess there were signs here and there, but I never picked up on any of them because I was too self-absorbed in my own issues," the Latina finally settles on, shaking her head at her own ignorance. "You know so much about me, stuff that only my family or Quinn knows and yet... I know so little about you because I'm always blabbing about me instead of shutting up for once and asking stuff about you."
Santana pauses once again.
"I've been a terrible friend."
"San... that's not true," Brittany says with more conviction than anything else she had said since the Latina had first arrived. She was finally feeling like her old usual self again. "I actually never intended on telling you about my feelings because it's a moot point. Plus, I generally have a rule about not falling for straight girls but clearly my brain gave me the finger when I met you and has been ignoring my simple requests ever since."
Santana lets out a hearty chuckle. Brittany joined in, unable to contain herself. It was nice to share a genuine laugh with the Latina after all of the weirdness earlier.
"So... are we good?" Santana asked after a beat. She really wanted them to be okay.
Brittany took a moment to respond. "Yeah... as long as you're good. Like I said before, I don't want to do anything that might make you uncomfortable—"
"Brittany, stop!" Santana urges, cutting the blonde off from what seemed to be another apology in the works. "I meant what I said earlier: you're important to me. Just because I know about your little crush now doesn't change that. In fact, I'd like to spend some actual time with you... like outside of this place."
Brittany is taken aback by Santana's comment.
In her previous experiences, usually whenever a straight female friend or acquaintance found out that Brittany was bi – let alone if she actually fancied them – they'd conveniently became too busy or unavailable to Brittany. They'd constantly make up some lame excuse as to why they couldn't hang out all of a sudden. After a while, it got pretty old really quickly so Brittany decided to just be mum on the subject, unless it specifically came up; it was just easier that way. The last thing Brittany needed was for any of her female friends/acquaintances to feel like she was hitting on them anytime the blonde wanted to hang out with them.
And then… there was Santana.
Santana knew that Brittany was bi and didn't even bat an eyelash. She knew that Brittany liked her, and yet here she was on a Friday night, telling the blonde that she wanted to spend more time with her.
"Britt... you okay?" Santana carefully asks after receiving nothing but silence from the blonde for a few minutes. "If that's too weird for you, then I'll understand."
Brittany finally snaps out of the thoughts in her head. "No, it's not that. It's just... I'm surprised."
"Why is that?" Santana curiously inquires.
"Usually when straight girls find out I'm bi, regardless if I like them or not, they generally disappear from my life as opposed to asking to spend more time with me," Brittany explains.
"Hmm..." Santana simply replies. "Well, luckily for you... I'm not like most girls."
Brittany looks back at the Latina with a wistful smile. "No... you're certainly not."
Santana shyly smiles at Brittany before clearing her throat. She didn't know why, but sometimes Brittany made her feel things that she couldn't really explain. Despite what had taken place earlier that day and the conversation she had with Quinn shortly thereafter, Santana couldn't deny the pull she had towards the blonde.
"Okay, so I say we call a truce and start over," Santana suggests. "I'll help you finish cleaning up and then you could come back to my place and let me make you dinner?"
"Santana, you really don't have to do that."
"Please... you feed me all of the time; it's the least I can do," Santana reasons.
"Noooo... you come to my restaurant where I charge you for the food you eat here. I'd hardly call that the same thing," Brittany chuckles out.
"Okay, so it might be slightly different, but I still want to cook for you," Santana says, not backing down. "I figured we could enjoy a nice meal together and just hang out, like normal friends do."
"Well, if you're going to twist my arm like that..." Brittany casually replies back, feigning disinterest.
Santana can only laugh to herself. This is the Brittany that she was more accustomed to: playful and lighthearted.
After finally receiving verbal confirmation from the blonde, Santana helps Brittany tidy up the rest of the restaurant before the two head back to her place, Brittany following the Latina in her car.
After enjoying a delicious meal, Brittany and Santana continued to get to know each other better – outside of the restaurant. Their conversation flowed easily and wasn't awkward at all. Santana was surprised at how much she and Brittany had in common and how she'd never felt this comfortable with someone before, especially someone who had expressed an interest in her. Not once did she feel like Brittany was flirting with her or agreeing with her on a particular topic in hopes of getting into her pants.
Although that should've been a great relief to Santana, knowing that she and Brittany could move past the whole 'I like you, but you don't like me; let's still be friends' stage, it wasn't. In fact... it was the exact opposite.
The more that Santana learned about Brittany, the closer she felt to her. Mentally, she berated herself for not inviting the blonde to hang out outside of work sooner because she was really enjoying her company.
But, as the saying goes... all good things must come to an end.
"... and then Blaine was like 'I could totally help you with that'. After that, those two were inseparable," Santana says, re-telling the story of how Blaine and Kurt first met.
"Wow... I didn't think Blaine had it in him," Brittany says with a giggle. "Usually he's so shy and reserve."
"Normally, he is... but I guess he had a little boost of courage when he saw something he really wanted," Santana agrees. "You should've seen him Britt... the first time he saw Kurt, he couldn't take his eyes off of him."
"I can relate to that," Brittany mumbles under her breath before her brain has a chance to catch up with her mouth.
Brittany looks over at the Latina that seems to be none the wiser. However, unbeknownst to her, Santana had heard her statement loud and clear; she just chose to keep her face neutral because she figured the blonde had not meant for that little tidbit to slip out.
"Well, I'm glad things worked out for them; they're an amazing couple," Brittany says in hopes of moving the conversation along. "I hope to find someone someday that makes me feel the way they feel about each other."
"You and me both girl," Santana agrees good-humoredly. "I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding Mr. or Mrs. Right; you're pretty incredible."
Brittany didn't know how to respond. On one hand, she was flattered by Santana's comment. On the other hand, Santana's statement saddened her because she really wanted that person to be Santana.
After a few moments of relative silence, Brittany was the first one to speak once she gets a look at the clock illuminating from the kitchen.
"Oh wow, is that the actual time?" Brittany asks as she does a double take of the digital clock on the stove.
Santana looks back towards the kitchen to see the time is just shy of midnight. "Yeah... I didn't realize it was that late already. I guess time really does fly when you're having fun," she lamely adds in.
Brittany appeases her corny line and shoots a small smile at the Latina. "I guess I should get going then," she says as she stands from the comfy couch and stretches her arms into the air, unknowingly revealing a sliver of skin.
Santana can't help but stare and subconsciously bite her lower lip. After spending the last few uninterrupted hours with Brittany in a more private setting, Santana began to see the blonde in a different light.
It seemed as though every little thing Brittany did – including the smallest of actions – affected Santana in some way. From the way she cutely chuckled to the way her eyes lit up when they talked about a subject she was particularly fond of... Santana was enthralled.
The only thing she wanted in this moment was to spend more time with Brittany.
Maybe I'm not so straight after all, Santana thought to herself.
In her peripheral vision, Santana saw movement happening in the background. She then suddenly remembers what sparked these new feelings resonating inside of her: Brittany's announcement of her pending departure.
"You don't have to leave," Santana quickly says, trying her best not to sound too desperate. "For a Friday night, it's still relatively early."
"Although true, on Saturdays I like to get to the restaurant a little earlier so I can help the staff prep for the brunch rush," Brittany explains, politely declining the offer.
"But since you're the boss, don't you make your own schedule?" Santana wonders.
"I do, but... just because I'm the boss doesn't mean I'm too good to help out."
"Blaine did say that you were an awesome boss," Santana compliments.
Brittany begins to lightly blush. "He's just trying to get brownie points," she jokingly retorts. "Anyways, this was really fun. We'll have to hang out again soon. Maybe we could make it a group thing with Quinn, Blaine, and Kurt," she suggests.
"Yeah... that sounds like fun," Santana half-heartedly replies as she stands up from her spot on the couch and walks towards the front door.
Santana didn't know why, but suddenly she was experiencing this overwhelming feeling of disappointment. She didn't want Brittany to leave, but the blonde seemed determined to do so. And as much as she would love to hang out with all of her friends together, she wanted more one-on-one time with Brittany first.
Maybe she's not as cool with hanging out with me alone as she initially said she was, Santana thought to herself.
Although she was positive that Brittany didn't mean anything by the suggestion, the mere thought of it made Santana's heart hurt and she couldn't figure out why.
Meanwhile, as Santana continues to struggle with her conflicting thoughts, Brittany was going through her own internal battle.
On one hand, the prospect of hanging out with Santana again thrilled her; however, the more time she spent with the Latina, the more apparent the reasons became as to why she had become so smitten with Santana in the first place. And so, Brittany decided to casually mention the idea of a group hang out, that way it would ease her mind and help her to focus on other things besides the beautiful brunette.
And then there was the thing about Brittany wanting to leave so badly.
In actuality, Brittany would have loved to stay and get to know Santana even better. But for her own sanity and well-being, she thought it would be best to call it a night before she possibly did something stupid.
"I really did have a great time," Brittany says again as she steps outside and walks down the driveway towards her car with Santana in tow. "Thanks again for inviting me over."
"I'm just glad that you said yes," Santana earnestly replies.
Both women catch each other's eye before shyly looking away. Now that it was time to say goodbye, neither one of them knew exactly what to do at this point.
Do I give her a hug or a hearty handshake? Santana wonders. Ooh, what about a crisp high five?
What would be the appropriate way to say goodbye without things getting all weird? Brittany thinks to herself at the same time.
Santana and Brittany look at each other again, exchanging a small smile. Brittany nervously rubs the back of her neck before slipping both of her hands inside of the pockets of her jeans.
"Well, I better get going. If you're not busy tomorrow, you should stop by the restaurant; lunch is on me," Brittany suggests, prolonging her exit.
"Uh, yeah... that would be great," Santana agrees.
"Okay, great!" Brittany says happily, excited about the prospect of seeing Santana again so soon. "G'nite Santana."
"Goodnight Brittany."
With one last smile, Brittany turns away and takes the last few steps towards her car. Before she is able to remove her keys from her pocket to unlock her door, she feels a gentle tug on her left arm.
"Britt, wait..." Santana softly pleads. Brittany slowly turns around and looks at the Latina with questioning eyes. "I, uh..."
Santana didn't know what to say. She hadn't planned on following Brittany to her car or taking it a step further by lightly grasping her arm. At this point, Santana felt like her mind and her body were not working together as one cohesive unit.
"What is it?" Brittany asks softly, still feeling a little confused as to why the Latina had halted her movements.
As Brittany looks deep into Santana's eyes, she sees conflict mixed with something else she can't quite place her finger on. Before she has a chance to possibly figure it out, Santana's presence completely consumes her as the Latina closes the gap between them and presses her plump lips against Brittany's.
It takes Brittany a moment to register what is actually happening before she quickly slips her hands out of her pockets and lightly grips the edges of Santana's face. Subconsciously, her toes begin to curl as her body slightly trembles at this new sensation.
Brittany often fantasized about how it would feel to hold Santana in her arms and kiss her soundly, but nothing could've ever compared to what she was feeling in this moment.
It's only then that the blonde's mind finally catches up with reality. Although it felt as if an eternity had passed (but what was really only a few blissful seconds), both women slowly break apart, but still stay in close proximity.
Santana opens her mouth to say something, to explain her actions, but she finds herself in the same predicament of becoming speechless while being so close to Brittany.
"I guess I'll ask the obvious question..." Brittany starts off after a beat when it's clear that the Latina is still searching for her words. "When did you eat garlic?"
Santana's mouth immediately drops down as a look that says 'how dare you!' appears on her face. This causes Brittany to break from the very serious expression donned on her face and grin teasingly.
"I'm totally just messing with you," the blonde giggles out. Seeing that it was just a joke, Santana breathes a sigh of relief while lightly hitting Brittany on the shoulder.
"So not funny Pierce."
"I'm sorry; I was just trying to lighten the mood a little," Brittany replies back. "I'm just really nervous and kinda confused, which I imagine are some of the same feelings you're currently experiencing too?"
Brittany trails off, waiting for an actual response from the brunette. Santana nods her head in affirmation.
"Why are you nervous?" Santana probes. She gets how Brittany would be confused by what just happened, given everything that she's learned in the past 12 hours; however, that didn't quite explain why the blonde would be nervous about Santana kissing her.
Brittany decides to humor her.
"I'm nervous because I don't know what that kiss meant to you," Brittany states. "Was it a mistake? Was it simply out of curiosity? Or was it one of those 'I got caught up in the moment' type of things?"
Santana remains silent as she runs the last few minutes over in her head, searching for the best way to explain herself.
"I can handle a lot of things Santana. I'm fine with just being your friend; I made my peace with that a long time ago," Brittany continues on. "However, I refuse to be a rebound or an experiment. I've had my heart broken more times than I like to admit, so please don't give me hope that—"
Seeing the drastic turn that this seemingly spirited conversation was taking, Santana does the only thing she can think of: she kisses Brittany again. This time, the kiss is much deeper, as if Santana is trying to convey everything that she's been having trouble saying out loud through this one gesture. She knew that she was more than likely confusing the hell out of Brittany – more so than before – but she had to do this.
In Santana's mind, the longer she kissed Brittany, the clearer her mind became. She finally figured out what she really wanted.
As Santana detached her lips from the blonde and leans her forehead against Brittany's, she tries to speak through her labored breathing.
"You're not a rebound. And I would never use you just to satisfy my own curiosities," Santana manages to get out after a few moments. "I've never dated a girl before nor have I ever been attracted to one..."
At this point, Brittany is completely perplexed. She's trying to keep an open mind about things, but hearing Santana say that she's never been attracted to a girl only leaves the blonde with more questions than answers.
"But... you're not just any girl," Santana says with a little smirk, giving Brittany a sign of hope. "I've never felt about a guy the way I feel about you. Initially, I didn't know how to describe what I was feeling when I saw or thought about you so I just pushed it aside. Instead of entertaining the idea that I could be attracted to you, I chalked it up to just having a mutual appreciation of another female's body. But knowing myself so well, I knew that was just a bullshit excuse."
Santana leans back a little and uses her left hand to raise Brittany's chin up, ensuring that she had the blonde's full attention. Looking into cobalt eyes, Santana gently caresses Brittany's cheek.
"I'll be honest with you... I'm fucking terrified right now," Santana reveals. "The words 'successful' and 'relationship' haven't really been ones that I've been able to associate with myself for quite some time... through no fault of my own, might I add," she clarifies. "The smart thing for me to do would be to just take a break from dating for a while and really get to know myself again..."
"But?" Brittany says with a hopeful expression when the Latina seemed to get lost in her thoughts again.
"But... I'd rather try and be scared with you than to be sad and lonely without you, pretending like you don't affect me the way you do."
Hearing the sincerity and vulnerability in Santana's voice, Brittany knew how difficult it must've been for the Latina to bare her soul like that. She appreciated the gesture, especially since she had practically done the same thing earlier that day.
Waiting for Brittany's response felt like forever in Santana's mind. Because the blonde had kept her face impassive, Santana had no idea if Brittany would be opened to the idea of starting a relationship with her. Of course she knew that Brittany liked her, but did she really want to take a chance with someone who was so screwed up when it came to dating; someone who had zero experience when it came to the fairer sex?
Brittany knew that Santana was probably going insane waiting for the yay or nay on her proposition. In that moment, staring back in the soulful mocha eyes barring into her, Brittany knew what her answer would be.
"So... you're telling me there's a chance?!"
Hearing the familiar quote, Santana bashfully smiles and nods her head.
"Yeah, definitely..." Santana responds back just as Brittany leans in and initiates the first real kiss between them.
Unlike the first two times they kissed, this one was a lot softer and slower; more exploratory. Brittany took the lead as she tightly wrapped Santana in a warm embrace, finally relaxing and simply enjoying the fact that she finally got the girl.
After all of the secret pining she had been doing over the past year, Brittany never could've imagined in her wildest dreams that she'd be here, kissing the most alluring woman she had ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on.
And for Santana... she was happy that she was finally with someone who she knew would treat her the way she deserved to be treated.
With that knowledge in hand, Santana smiled widely into their kiss, feeling a little less afraid of the unknown.
Bang... bang... bang…
"Santana Marie Lopez... if you don't open this damn door, I'm gonna—"
Before Quinn has the chance to finish whatever threat was lingering on the tip of her tongue, the front door of Santana's house swings open.
"Lucy Fabray... what in the actual fuck?!"
"Thank God you're okay," Quinn says with a sigh of relief as she hugs the Latina super tight. Santana just stands there frozen and slightly befuddled. "I've been trying to get a hold of you all morning."
"My phone must've died; I forgot to charge it last night," Santana explains as she gives Quinn a double pat on the back, signaling that she was indeed fine and ready for this awkward, protective hug to be over with.
Quinn takes the hint and steps back, eying Santana suspiciously. She notes the red satin robe currently being worn by the Latina and her still damp brunette hair.
"Y'know, if you were so worried, why didn't you just let yourself in?" Santana implores. "You have my spare key."
"Next to me, your phone is your best friend so I'm not buying this whole 'I forgot to charge it' act," Quinn surmises, completely ignoring Santana's previous statement. Taking in her appearance once again, Quinn starts to piece the puzzle together. "Is there somebody here with you?"
Santana opens her mouth to answer, but apparently the blonde wasn't quite done with her inquiry yet.
"And before you try to come up with some bullshit response, I find it hard to believe that you're just now getting up and taking a shower at..." Quinn pauses to look down at her watch, "1:29 in the afternoon. Plus, there's a car at the end of your driveway that I've never seen before so… what gives?"
Quinn had always been very inquisitive and observant... sometimes too much for her own good. Although it drove Santana absolutely crazy, it was one of the things she loved most about her bestie.
If it hadn't of been for Quinn's observations over the past year and the little pep talk Quinn had given Santana the day before at the restaurant, then who knows if Santana would've ever connected the dots and actually taken a chance to see where things could go with Brittany.
"Hey San, what do you wanna do for lunch?"
While Quinn was waiting for the Latina's answer, the other blonde in Santana's life appeared behind her.
"Quinn?!" Brittany says with a mixture of shock and uneasiness.
"Hey Brittany..." Quinn responds with just as much surprise until she analyzes the situation before her.
Looking over Brittany's attire, she could tell from the wetness of her hair that she too had been in the shower recently. Plus, the fact that she was wearing some super short boxers – which would fit perfectly on Santana's shorter frame – and a blue and red t-shirt displaying their high school mascot on it, Quinn had a pretty good idea of the reason why she hadn't been able to get into contact with her best friend all day.
With a smirk perfectly affixed upon her face, Quinn decides to have a little fun with the two women.
"Say… I didn't know you went to Sahuro too," Quinn says smugly. "What year did you graduate?"
Brittany scrunches her forehead, unsure of what Quinn is talking about. It's only when she looks down at the shirt she's wearing that she realizes what the other blonde was referring to. Brittany then looks over at Santana, hoping for a sign of how she should respond.
You see, after their third kiss last night, Brittany decided to stay at Santana's a little longer. But, as the story goes… one thing lead to another and Brittany ended up staying the rest of the night. She hadn't planned on things going down like that. In fact, once Santana had revealed that she did have feelings for Brittany as well, it was Brittany's every intention to at least take the Latina out on a date before anything more physical happened between them. However, the way her body reacted whenever Santana touched her – and the fact that Santana showed no signs of wanting to stop – Brittany just couldn't help herself. After admiring Santana for so long and thinking that nothing would ever happen between them, she decided for once to stop thinking so much and just let things happen naturally.
And of course, that led to numerous rounds of the most amazing sex that either woman had ever experienced.
Although Santana and Brittany were perfectly happy and content in their little bubble before Quinn's impromptu visit, one thing that they had not really discussed is the current status of their relationship.
Were they dating… and if so, were they exclusive? Were they telling people about the change in their relationship right away or were they going to keep it low key for a while?
All of these were good questions… great questions even; unfortunately, Brittany did not have the answers to any of them.
Even though Brittany would've loved to shout from the rooftop of the highest building in Scottsdale that Santana was hers, she wasn't quite sure if Santana was in the same place as her. Although they had been intimate several times the night before, this was all still brand new territory for the Latina. Santana had never dated a woman before, and as far as Brittany knew, she never showed an interest either so the fact that she was now dating Brittany would be a huge shock to her friends and family. Brittany didn't want to put any pressure on Santana into coming out to her loved ones, especially when Santana was still trying to figure out what her tryst with Brittany meant for her and her own sexuality.
And that's why Brittany just stood there, silent, during Quinn's inquiry. She didn't want to speak out of turn or speak for Santana, especially if she wasn't quite ready for other people to know about them yet. Brittany was a very patient woman and was prepared to go at whatever pace Santana needed so that she could comfortably adjust to this new aspect of her life.
Quinn continues to look at Brittany, waiting for a response, while Brittany keeps her eyes trained on Santana. The Latina is grateful that Brittany is giving her this opportunity to proceed with this conversation on her own terms, even though she's positive that Quinn already got the gist of what was really going on between her and Brittany.
Without hesitation, Santana grins back at Brittany before connecting her left hand with Brittany's right, lacing their fingers together. With all of the confidence she can muster, Santana looks directly into Quinn's hazel eyes and breaks the silence.
"I was going to call you later and gush about all of this, but since you're here now – uninvited, as usual," Santana begins to say, playfully rolling her eyes at her best friend, "this is Brittany… my girlfriend."
Not expecting to hear that exact word come out of Santana's mouth, Brittany is pleasantly delighted. She shyly smiles at Santana, mouthing the words 'thank you' to her for acknowledging that what happened between them was real and not just some fling.
Looking back at Quinn, both women notice the permanent smirk etched on her face.
"Well, well, well… it's about fucking time Lopez!" Quinn announces. "Now, who wants to make me some food because I am starving?!" She continues on as she brushes passed the new couple and makes her way to the kitchen. "By the way, we're having dinner with Blaine and Kurt tonight; you should bring Brittany."
"Is she always like this?" Brittany asks, not used to seeing this particular side of Quinn.
"Usually, she's worse," Santana chuckles out. "So, do you have any plans for dinner tonight?"
"According to Quinn, I guess I do now," Brittany replies as she slowly leans in and captures Santana's lips.
Although it was only meant to be a chaste kiss, Santana and Brittany get a little carried away and can't resist exchanging several more open mouth kisses.
"Jesus! Is this what I have to look forward to for now on whenever I come over here?" Quinn questions as she comes back into the foyer. "And for goodness sakes, shut the front door! You two are practically naked, giving the whole neighborhood a free show."
"Geez Quinn, dramatic much?" Santana says as she shuts the front door.
"Always… now make me some food woman!" Quinn retorts as she heads back into the kitchen; Santana follows. Once she's close enough and out of earshot from Brittany, Quinn gets a little more serious. "I'm glad that you finally found the one that genuinely makes you smile."
Looking back at Brittany still standing in the foyer, smiling and murmuring to herself 'what did I just get myself into,' Santana can't help but smile brightly. "Yeah… me too."
Author's Note:
Happy New Year everyone!
I'm so sorry for my lengthy absence; there just aren't enough hours in the day. I hope that this super long one-shot helps make up for my lack of updating. I promise to find more time to devote to writing for all of you guys out there that are still reading my stories. I really do appreciate it. Hopefully I'll be able to finish my next update within the next week or so for The Girl Next Door. I started on it a while ago, but then I got writer's block (and real life kept getting in the way). In any case, thanks again for your continued support. If you get the chance, I would love to know what you guys think.
Until next time,
- K
PS – The Hash Kitchen is a real restaurant in Scottsdale, AZ. If you're ever in that area, it's worth the stop. The food there is delicious!
Songs Used:
Treat You Better by Shawn Mendes
Somebody's Heartbreak by Hunter Hayes