''I think our dogs might be boyfriends.''
Santana Lopez looked up from her phone and raised an eyebrow at the woman standing in front of her. ''Say what?''
It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in New York. Normally Santana wouldn't yet be awake to see it because she usually slept in during her weekends but since she had adopted a pup a month ago she had learned that on top of attention, puppies generally needed a lot of activity and exercise. If she didn't get out with him at least a couple of times a day her little guy would get restless and turn her apartment into a jungle gym climbing everywhere and hopping off of surfaces in search of adventure.
She had taken the puppy out for an extra long walk in the park and had stopped to sit on a bench so they could both have a water break, and that's when she came face to face with a tall blond who declared that their puppies were dating.
''Our puppies,'' said the woman who stood before her. ''They're hitting it off.''
Santana glanced downwards and found that her small yellow lab had indeed found a playmate in a young german shepherd that was just a little more black than it was brown. The two pups were engaging in a game of tug-o-war with a stick before they abandoned it altogether and began to playfully wrestle with each other, panting happily as they rolled around together.
''I'm Brittany by the way,'' the woman introduced herself and took a seat on the other side of the bench. ''And that's Biscuit.''
Santana let an airy laugh out at that. ''Biscuit?'' she repeated.
''What's so funny?''
''Nothing, your dog's cute, he just doesn't quite look like a Biscuit to me.'' Santana smiled at the woman and took another glance down at her dog.
Brittany's german shepherd, Biscuit, looked a little rough around the edges for a puppy. He was obviously healthy but there was something about the gauge in his ear and the way he was darting around them that made her think he was a wild one who might have spent a little time on the streets. He had an edge about him. Biscuit made him sound like some shy timid animal not this rambunctious tiny monster in front of her.
Brittany shrugged it off. ''What's your dog's name?''
''Boss,'' Santana answered proudly.
Brittany laughed right back at her.
''What?''
''Maybe my dog doesn't look like a Biscuit, but your dog certainly doesn't look like a Boss to me.''
Brittany gestured below them where Boss, the adorable yellow lab, was now prancing around, swatting at a nearby leaf and chasing butterflies. What kind of name was Boss for such a tender, gentle thing.
''Yeah well, despite the name Boss is a total sweetheart,'' Santana admitted.
''I can tell.''
''What about Biscuit?''
Brittany looked over at her puppy who had just stolen a hot dog from a nearby vender. ''To tell you the truth Biscuit can be kind of a jerk.''
''I don't think I've ever heard anyone describe their animal that way.''
''Don't get me wrong, Biscuit owns my heart but he hardly ever gets along with anyone. The last two times I brought him here he started fights with other dogs and stole a kid's stuffed animal. Also I'm pretty sure I saw him whiz on someone's picnic blanket.''
Santana cracked up, tickled by this woman and her pet. ''Sounds like you got yourself a little delinquent there.''
''Everybody thinks he's a bad dog but he's not,'' Brittany said. ''He just puts up a bad boy front because he doesn't want people to see his tender side. Isn't that right Biscuit?''
Brittany looked down just as Biscuit struck a protective pose in front of her and growled at some passing joggers. He even had the beginnings of a tiny snarl going until Boss came over and toppled him over for another affectionate tussle on the ground. Just like that Biscuit's temperament changed. His growl turned into cute little pants as he engaged with his new playmate.
''What about Boss?'' Brittany asked.
''Boss? He's an angel. Like I said, he's a sweetheart.'' Santana beamed like a proud mom. ''Sometimes he can be a little too nice and trusting but when I look into his eyes...he's everything good in this miserable stinking world, you know?''
Brittany smiled warmly and nodded. ''Well your Boss and my Biscuit seem to really like each other.''
''I guess so huh.''
''Think it's love?''
Santana was charmed. ''Could be.''
''You didn't say what your name was by the way.''
''I didn't?''
Brittany shook her head. ''I mean if our dogs are gonna be boyfriends I think that means you and I would technically be in laws so….we should know each other's names.''
Santana extended a hand. ''Santana.''
''Nice to meet you, Santana.''
''Nice to meet you too, Brittany.''
Brittany looked like she was about to leap into speech when her phone went off. She took a look at the screen and frowned before standing up. ''Ugh. I have, like, a work meeting thing I have to do but it was nice talking to you. I'd stay longer but - maybe Biscuit and I will see you and Boss around sometime?''
Santana tried to hide her disappointment at their conversation being cut short. ''Sure. Yeah. Maybe?''
Brittany gave her a cute but awkward wave and then began to walk away, gently encouraging Biscuit to follow along on his leash. He let out a sad whimper when he realized he had to go and leave his new playmate behind.
Boss let out a single sniffle and hopped up onto the bench to sit with Santana. She rubbed his head softly and as a result he burrowed himself into her side. Biscuit always needed that extra little bit of contact and affection.
It was strange. Santana Lopez had actually always considered herself more of a cat person but from the first moment she saw that baby yellow lab in the shelter it had been love at first sight.
Several months earlier she had just gone through a particularly bad break up that had left her reeling for a few dark, lonely weeks. Her ex had sat her down and point blank told her that she didn't feel like Santana was giving enough of herself in the relationship. Her ex said she had needed Santana to open up more. It kind of came as a shock to Santana because she had felt like she was trying harder than she ever had before to be more emotionally available. Santana knew she had a tendency to come off cold and aloof and okay sometimes bitchy, but she had thought she was making some kind of personal progress in this relationship but apparently that wasn't the case. Or at least her ex didn't see or sense the effort she had been making.
All of that had opened up some old fears that she had tucked away.
There were nights and days where she wondered, who could ever want her. Who could ever love her. She started to think that maybe she was meant to spend her entire existence alone. She wondered if people like her were meant to have anyone or anything.
It was a pretty bleak period.
But then her friend Sam tried to pick her up out of the dumps by suggesting she come and hang out with him while he volunteered at their neighborhood pet shelter. Adopting a puppy hadn't been a part of the plan, her friend just wanted to get her out of her apartment for the day for some fresh air. But then she saw him.
An adorable baby yellow labrador with the brightest, most innocent eyes she had ever seen. The first time she held him he burrowed himself into her arms, as if it was where he was always supposed to be. There was some kind of hope and light in his eyes that made her, for the first time in weeks, smile from ear to ear.
And that was that. She just knew they belonged together. Normally there was a bit of a waiting period for the adoption but since Sam had a little bit of pull there with his friends they were able to push the process through. She ended up taking him home the very next day.
Boss, she had decided to call him. Because yeah he was a sweetie, but he was also now a Lopez. He might look cute but he at least deserved a badass name.
Boss wasn't some magical solution to all of her fears and insecurities about herself but he made it a little less lonely for her. Every morning he would greet her with slobbery licks before walking all over her, wanting attention from his human. And every night when she would sigh as she stared up at the ceiling wondering if she was capable of being loved, he would crawl up into bed with her and prop his head up on her chest. It was like he was warding away all of those horrible thoughts she had when she was alone. The weight of him there made her heart feel a little more whole.
It was amazing how this small creature could turn her dull existence into one filled with energy and wonder with his silly spirit. In his eyes she wasn't a bitch or a cold emotionless robot, no, in his eyes she was the sun and moon and stars. She knew it was dumb but with Boss, she felt loved and accepted for the first time in her life. He saw her completely and wholly and loved her for all that she was.
That wasn't to say that sometimes he wasn't a handful. Santana could admit that as much as she loved him Boss could also be a little bit of a doof. Running into doors or falling off of couches or startling himself awake by farting in his sleep. He wasn't exactly the brightest crayon in the box but that didn't matter to Santana. He had the purest, most beautiful little puppy heart.
To her, he really was everything good in this miserable stinking world.
Back on the park bench Santana stood up and patted Boss on the side, encouraging him to follow along on his leash.
''Come on Boss, let's go home and get you a snack.''
Boss' eyes lit up at the word snack and he did a clumsy stumble down to start after his owner.
''So did you make a new friend today, boy?'' she asked him as she started her stroll. He replied by letting his tongue hang out like a happy little goofball. ''...Yeah? I think I made one too.''
X
''So guess who made a little love connection at the park today?''
Brittany was practically floating as she walked into her apartment. Her roommate Tina looked up from their office nook in the corner.
"Did Biscuit hump a park sanitation worker's leg again?" Tina asked, cringing.
"No," Brittany scoffed. "And for your information Biscuit and I had a very serious talk after that incident about the importance of consent."
"Tell that to my pillow he violated yesterday. By the way you're buying me a new one."
"That's fine. I doubt Biscuit will have any more use for your pillows after today." Brittany grinned and picked Biscuit up into her arms, cradling him like a proud mommy. "He met a puppy at the park and let's just say sparks flew."
Tina nodded. She was glad to see Brittany in good spirits but she wasn't invested in the love life of Brittany's puppy.
"I also might've met a girl today too," Brittany added slyly.
Now this piqued Tina's interest. "Oh yeah?"
"Not just any girl either, the cutest girl ever." Brittany gushed. "Like she had the most kissable dimples I have ever seen, ugh. Plus I've seen how she treats her dog. You know how people treat animals is my biggest test of character and she passed that with flying colors."
"Oooooo. Did you ask her out?"
"Well no." Brittany placed Biscuit down and winced a little as she answered.
"Oh...well did you atleast get her number?"
"No."
"Well what do you know about her?"
"Her dog is named Boss."
"Cute. Did Biscuit go off on your new crush?" asked Tina.
It was a well known fact that Biscuit didn't take too much to random people anywhere near his territory or his human. He was fiercely protective of Brittany. One time Brittany walked into a glass door, it didn't result in anything more than a bump to her forehead but Biscuit had ran up to it and starting barking and growling at the door in an adorable but absurd attempt to defend his human. Biscuit kind of had a short fuse like that.
"Actually no," said Brittany, a little stunned herself. "He didn't seem to mind her at all which is weird for him. He usually barks at anyone that comes within two feet of me but he relaxed around her and her dog."
Tina hummed thoughtfully. "Too bad you didn't exchange info then."
"Yeah," Brittany sighed, realizing she didn't shoot her shot when she had the chance. "So what are you up to?"
"I'm just finishing up a project. I have a deadline at work so I have to focus." Tina stood up with a couple or folders in hand and started towards her bedroom. "You can have the living room to yourself though. I'm gonna finish this is up in my room."
Brittany nodded and plopped herself down on the couch. She picked up the remote and flicked the TV on.
All in all it was turning out to be a nice chill Saturday she thought. She had a walk, got some fresh air, talked to a super cute girl and her dog. Sure she didn't exactly lay on the charm like she wished she had but, maybe she and Biscuit would take a few extra walks this week and if she was lucky maybe they'd cross paths with Boss and Santana.
As Brittany always liked to believe, anything was possible.
Biscuit had helped show her that, ever since the day she discovered him in the back alley behind her and Tina's apartment building only a couple of months ago.
It had been raining like cats and dogs for several miserable days. One grey afternoon she was walking inside when she heard a commotion come from behind the building. For some unknown reason she felt compelled to investigate. What she found saw was a pretty nasty looking dog fight taking place. One giant unfortunate looking dog looked like he was ready to attack a couple of smaller animals in order to get at the food they had scavenged out of a nearby dumpster.
There was a dirty cat cowering behind a slightly bigger puppy, a dark haired german shepherd. It was a mere baby itself but he was up and snarling back at the larger dog threatening them. Brittany watched them circle each other for a moment before the large dog pounced on the puppy who immediately cried out in pain when teeth sank into him.
On instinct Brittany grabbed a rock and threw it towards the larger dog. She purposely missed. Even though he was being a meanie Brittany still didn't want to hurt it, she just wanted to scare it away so it wouldn't hurt the other animals. Frightened by the movement and the noise the larger dog scampered off within seconds.
Without thinking Brittany immediately went to the injured puppy and the shivering terrified cat. She scooped them up and rushed inside the apartment building.
Tina told her she was crazy later that evening when she came home to find Brittany nursing both animals back to health. She had made a bed of towels and a couple of old pillows in a laundry basket. Tina was conflicted about it all, she didn't want Brittany to just throw the animals out in the rain to fend for themselves, she wasn't cruel, but on the other hand she wasn't sure they had the room or the means to take in two strays. Brittany told her it was just temporary though, until she could clean them up, make sure they were okay and then she would figure out what to do with them.
Tina knew that was a lie though, especially when later that first night she caught Brittany cuddling the injured puppy, holding him tenderly to her front and having a hushed one sided conversation. "You're such a brave boy. You were trying to defend your little cat friend too weren't you? You were trying to take on a dog three times your size. He took a little piece of your ear didn't he...ouch...we'll have to get you checked out by a vet tomorrow. But I promise I'll figure it out. There's no way I'm letting you go back to the street.''
The small german shepherd fell asleep in Brittany's embrace.
The funny thing she discovered was as sweet as he was to her, the puppy could be a pain in the ass to other people. When she took him to the vet the next day they practically had to wrestle him into the exam room. He wasn't vicious to be vicious though, it was obvious he had been through a lot and had trust issues. He didn't like strangers and he certainly didn't like strangers trying to touch him. The only one who could soothe him was Brittany.
When he was in Brittany's arms he didn't shake and he didn't snarl. He melted.
When it came time to figure out where the animals would go after getting some proper medical care Brittany had arranged for her neighbor, Marley, to take in the cat. Marley was new to the building and a little shy and Brittany thought the girl could use the company. Luckily when Brittany brought it up to her Marley was eager to adopt. By the time Brittany showed up on her doorstep to deliver the cat Marley had already decked her apartment out with a ridiculous amount of pet accessories.
She had found a loving home for the feline but every time she reached out to a friend or coworker or acquaintance about adopting the young german shepherd in her care, well it never really worked out. A few had been receptive to the idea but when they would come around to meet the puppy they always changed their mind and lost interest. He wasn't exactly the young carefree puppy they all envisioned him to be in their heads.
The puppy had some temperment issues and didn't seem to warm up to anyone. He didn't hold humans in very high regard and he for sure didn't believe in following commands. Every time Brittany had someone over to meet him in the hopes of getting him adopted the puppy would be distant and cold and the few times he did come towards the guests he would stare at them like he thought they were idiots unworthy of him.
Brittany didn't understand why he couldn't show his sweet side to everybody, but then she also kind of loved that about him. How she was the only one he seemed to care about or want to be around.
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months and without anyone really making it official it became clear that the puppy was here for good. Tina kind of figured that he was a keeper when Brittany decided to name him. She called him Biscuit because she thought he was warm and soft on the inside - even though he did a good job of hiding it from everyone else.
Now on the couch Brittany smiled remembering how she had found her furry partner in crime.
''Oh my god, get out of my room!'' Tina shouted from down the hallway.
Brittany then watched as Biscuit came running towards her with something in his mouth. He was followed by a fuming Tina.
''I was working when your dog snuck into my bedroom again,'' she said. ''He does it because he knows it annoys me. Don't ask me how but he got into my underwear drawer.''
Brittany took a closer look at Biscuit who had crawled up onto the couch to join her. He had a fancy expensive looking bra in his mouth.
Brittany took it from him with a roll of her eyes. ''Biscuit, what have I told you about respecting people's space and property.'' She then turned and gave Tina an apologetic look. ''I'm sorry, I'll replace it. I have no idea why he's fascinated with eating women's underwear, it doesn't make any sense. I mean Biscuit is clearly gay. Right Biscuit?''
Biscuit dipped his head as if in confirmation of that.
''Whatever, I'm going back to my room,'' said Tina. ''Biscuit, you can keep the bra.''
Tina huffed and puffed back into her bedroom. It wasn't until they heard the door shut that Brittany and Biscuit erupted with mirth and laughter. Well, Brittany laughed, Biscuit mostly just panted with excitement. He was clearly pleased with himself and his actions.
''You're so bad,'' Brittany said to him.
Biscuit held his head up high and proud. He was bad and he loved that Brittany could love him regardless of that.
X
''So what do you do for a living?''
It was a few days later and once again Santana had found herself face to face with Brittany and Biscuit. Although Biscuit wasn't very interested in her as he was currently occupied below them on the ground, goofing and rolling around with Boss.
Santana had been so relieved to see Brittany again and thankfully this interaction was proving to be a lot more lengthy and intimate. Brittany had sat with her and after a few pleasantries they fell into an easy conversation. There was something about the woman. There was something in her eyes that drew Santana in. She somehow felt familiar to her.
''I'm a music producer,'' Santana answered.
Brittany widened her eyes, impressed. ''Really? That's so cool. Have you worked on anything I would've heard?''
Santana smiled but played it cool. ''A few. I don't want to name drop but let's just say if you've listened to the radio regularly in the last few years there's an eight out of ten chance that I worked on that album.''
''Wow. So you're like one of those super impressive people huh?''
''Not really. I mean I know some influential people and get some perks here and there but I mostly stay behind the scenes. Once upon a time I was trying to make the singer-songwriter thing happen for myself. It didn't really work out though. But I picked up a lot, made some connections, learned the ins and outs of the studio. I kind of fell back into producing.''
''Well, it sounds like it was a nice cushy landing.''
''What about you? What do you do, Brittany?''
''I'm a dancer.''
''I knew it,'' Santana laughed. ''I mean, I knew you had to be something like that. You have dancer legs. Not that I was checking out your legs. Not that your legs aren't worth checking out, cause they are, I just-yeah.''
''I don't really do it full time anymore though. I used to do it professionally but I wrecked my knee and couldn't really push myself like I had before.''
Santana made a small comforting sound. ''I'm sorry.''
''No, it was actually was a weird blessing in disguise,'' Brittany continued on with a laugh as she looked down and saw Boss chasing his tail while Biscuit watched with glee. ''I ended up landing a great teaching job afterwards. I'm still active it's just not nearly as intense now that I'm instructing a bunch of six year olds. I still get to do what I love and working with kids is rewarding in its own way.''
''That sounds awesome,'' Santana said. ''I mean not the part about your messed up knee, but the teaching kids stuff.''
''It really worked out. And anyways I probably would've burned out if I kept at it professionally. When I started I did a couple of tours for some minor acts and it was really fun and exciting but after awhile the travel got to me. It was hard to have a life living like that. I was in a different city every other day. Having a boyfriend or a girlfriend at home while I was out on the road was like totally impossible…''
''Oh. Yeah, that makes sense. I would imagine it would be.''
''Not that I've had any luck nowadays either,'' Brittany admitted with a chuckle.
''Soooooo, you're single?''
''Unfortunately. Biscuit is the only one I cuddle up with at night.''
''Lucky Biscuit then,'' Santana said softly.
Brittany blushed. ''You?''
Santana let some nervous, awkward sounding laughter roll out of her as she rubbed the back of her back anxiously. ''Yeah I'm uh, newly single.''
''Oh,'' Brittany's voice lowered. ''Sorry to hear that.''
''It is what it is.''
Brittany looked down at Boss who was rolling on the ground, happy as a clam. ''Well, who ever they were lost out on a really sweet dog…...and a really sweet human too.''
''What makes you think I'm sweet?'' Santana asked.
''I guess I just have a gut feeling about you. I say you can judge a lot about someone by the way they treat their animals. You clearly have a huge soft spot for Boss. Besides, Biscuit seems to like you and Biscuit hates everyone.''
''Biscuit and I sound like we have a lot in common. I hate everyone too.''
''Somehow I don't believe that.''
X
Their chat in the park ended with them making plans to meet up again. Brittany said it was so that Biscuit and Boss could get some more quality time together but something told Santana there was more to it than that. Or at least that's what she wanted to believe.
Santana had never been good at relationships. Girls never seemed to get her humor and the few that did just ended up getting frustrated with her hard exterior. They never saw beyond it, or maybe they just never wanted to. Women would generally stick around for a few weeks, a month or two tops but then they would inevitably sit her down and tell her they just weren't getting enough.
''Look, you're a really cool person, Santana. You're smart and successful, you know everybody in the industry, you have a mondo swanky loft and you're like really hot in bed but you're not the kind of girl people settle down with and bring home to meet their parents. You're exciting and have the whole sexy bad girl thing down but I want someone a little more emotionally available...''
That was the usual gist of how it always went down.
Even though she always knew it would come, it never stopped stinging when she heard it.
After the last one and after adopting Boss she told herself she was going to take herself off the market for a while to be on her own.
But she couldn't get Brittany out of her head.
Brittany who looked like sunshine and sweetness and actually listened to Santana when she was talking and always seemed eager to hear what she had to say and yet at the same time never prodded for more information that Santana wasn't willing to give. She was soft, she was comforting. Also she had a really cute butt.
''I don't know, what do you think, Boss?'' Santana asked the puppy one morning as they walked into her kitchen. She placed his bowl on top of the dining table and he scampered up into a chair to reach it. Once she poured him some kibble she then went about fixing herself a bowl of cereal and took a seat on the opposite side in order to face him. Having breakfast together was one of their many traditions. ''What do you think I should do? Brittany is cute and funny and...she doesn't look at me the way other girls look at me. It's like she sees me or wants to see me. She called me sweet the other day. You heard that right? No one's ever called me that before.''
Boss pulled his head up and out of his bowl to lick his lips and look up at his human.
''But then,'' Santana carried on, this time taking a more pessimistic view. ''What if I make a move and ask her out and it just blows up in my face anyway. Ugh, what am I even doing? It's just a girl, a girl I've had, what, two conversations with. I shouldn't even get myself worked up over this. Right?''
Boss went back to munching on his kibble.
''Some therapist you are.''
''Knock, knock,'' a male voice hollered from the front of the apartment.
Santana listened as someone let themselves inside her place. She heard the closing of a door and the tossing of keys onto the entryway table followed by shuffling footsteps. She knew who it was before Sam even appeared. He came strolling into the kitchen with reusable grocery bags filled to the brim. He placed them on the counter and made his way over to join her. He slid into the seat Boss decided to jump down from.
''Just in time for breakfast I see,'' he said, reaching out to steal a little something to snack on.
''You just ate some of Boss' kibble.''
Sam gagged and sputtered all over himself.
''Ugggh,'' he whimpered. ''Why does his kibble look just like Count Chocula? Pah!''
Sam spotted a glass of orange juice on the table and desperately grabbed it. Santana watched in disgust as her friend chugged some and then proceeded to gargle with it, before swallowing it down.
''You're so weird,'' she said.
''Says the woman who lets her dog eat at the kitchen table like he's human.''
Sam had been her best friend for a few years now. He was a new session musician on the scene at the time and she had taken a liking to him early on. Mostly because he was one of the rare men behind the scenes who never thought to hit on her. He also had a nerdy charm about him too that she found somewhat amusing on occasion.
As she rose to success she brought him along with her, always putting his name up when an artist needed someone to expertly lay down a riff for their album. Through all of that they had forged a very real friendship.
He had been there to cheer her up after her last breakup and the fact was if it wasn't for Sam, she would've never found Boss.
''So what brings you by today?'' Santana asked. ''Or did you just want to pop in to eat Boss' leftover kibble?''
''I was in the neighborhood and figured I'd drop in and bring you groceries, seeing as how you never seem to have anything in your fridge.'' Finally recovered from the accidental kibble ingestion, Sam pulled her bowl of cereal over to himself and with nonchalance began to eat out of it, not even bothering to get a clean spoon. ''Oh and!'' he stopped feeding himself briefly to pull out two tickets that he slid towards her. ''I need you to go to this thing with me next month.''
''What thing?''
''This Jazz House Parlor thing,'' he said. ''A session buddy of mine is in one of the bands and I scored some tickets.''
''Mmmmhm.'' Santana squinted. ''This wouldn't have anything to do with you trying to impress that Mercedes chick you've been talking to, would it?''
''It's supposed to be a classy event okay. Maybe I want to show her that I'm not some unsophisticated country bumpkin. Which reminds me, you'll need to take me to buy my first suit.''
''What are you, my child?''
''No, but you know style. I want a women's opinion. I want to look good for my girl. Anyway I got you a ticket too plus an extra one so you can bring a date…''
''Ehhhh. I don't know about that.'' Santana stood up and went into the kitchen. She opened the bags Sam brought and began to stock her shelves and fridge with the items. ''I mean I'll go to your thing with you if you want but I doubt I'll bring a date. I've taken myself off the market.''
''Are you still not over whats-her-face?'' Sam asked with a twine of sympathy.
''No. I'm over that. It was never about her, really. I'm just tired of wasting my time with girls who think I'm exciting or different but don't give two craps about getting to know the real me. Everybody loves to hook up with 'the bad girl type', but maybe this 'bad girl' actually just wants to settle down and pick out china patterns. Maybe this 'bad girl' just wants to find a nice girl to come home to and have dinner with.''
''Hey, come on, you'll find that. I know you will.''
''What if I don't?''
''You will. Maybe not tomorrow or next week, but she's out there.'' He discarded the cereal bowl and went to join her. ''Look, keep the extra ticket. This jazz thing is a few weeks away. Maybe you'll come across someone who catches your eye by then. But if not then so what. You, me and Mercedes will have a great time.''
''I guess.''
Santana really didn't want to get her own hopes up and share with Sam about meeting Brittany. She was nowhere near that level yet. She told herself to chill and just enjoy this new thing for what it was, polite and innocent conversation. Casual.
Besides she thought, what were the chances of someone as nice and good as Brittany would never be into someone with Santana's reputation of being hot but emotionally defective.
X
The next time she met with Brittany and Biscuit, they bought treats.
''I hope you're hungry,'' Brittany said as she arrived with Biscuit's leash in one hand and a pink pastry box in her other.
''What is this?'' Santana asked.
''Well we give the dogs treats all the time. I figured we should get a couple for ourselves. You like donuts right?''
Santana groaned as Brittany sat down and opened the lid. ''Be still my heart. Ugh.''
''Which ones do you like? I got glazed, chocolate and sprinkles. I'm partial to sprinkles.'' Brittany lifted one up to her mouth and took a bite.
''I'm a simple girl, gimmie a glazed.''
''Glazed it is.''
''Thank you by the way.'' Santana practically hummed as she sank her teeth into the soft, scrumptious pastry.
''You're welcome. So how are you and Boss doing today?''
Santana chewed and smiled down at Boss who was, weirdly, walking backwards in a straight line. It would've been creepy if he wasn't so darn cute at everything. And anyway Biscuit looked like he was super amused by it.
''We're doing pretty well actually. He went with me on my jog so we got a good workout in and then I took him to visit his favorite tree and now we're here. What about you?''
Brittany let out a mournful little sigh. ''To tell you the truth Biscuit and I had a rough morning.''
''Is everything okay?''
''Yeah totally, but Biscuit likes to give my roommate Tina a hard time and they were kinda going at it this morning. Deep down, Biscuit loves her but he does enjoy grinding her gears for some reason. Last week he chewed up one of her bras. This morning he thought it'd be funny to steal her cell phone and drop it in the toilet. And granted, like, it was, but not to Tina.''
Santana vibrated with laughter and Biscuit seemed to sense he was the topic of conversation. He came and placed his head on Santana's knee and gave her a sly doggy smile.
''You're evil,'' Santana said to the puppy. ''I like you.''
Feeling a bit left out and perhaps a bit hungry Boss wandered over to Brittany and put his front paws up on her knee. He licked his chops as he stared at the donut in her hand. ''Yeah, I don't think so buddy, this stuff isn't good for you. But you're in luck…'' she pulled a small white bag from her purse and from that pulled a couple of elaborately decorated cookies. ''I got you and Biscuit some special snacks today too.''
''Are you sure those are good for them?''
Brittany nodded. ''What, oh yeah, a block away from the donut shop is a place that makes like artismal animal treats. These are pet snacks that just look like cookies.''
She fed one to Biscuit who chomped his up within seconds and then she offered one to Boss who took it in his mouth and toddled a few feet away. He shook his head with it as if he were play fighting with the treat between his teeth before dropping it on the ground and munching on it.
''He does that, he's weird,'' Santana explained.
Brittany smiled at the puppy but she burst into laughter whens he looked up at Santana. ''Um. You have a little…'' her words drifted off as she motioned to her own face, indicating the corresponding area on Santana's.
''Huh?''
''On your bottom lip. You have a little bit of that sugary glazed stuff.''
''Oh.'' Santana licked her lips, attempting to get the spot. ''There?''
''No,'' Brittany laughed again. ''Like down and to the side.''
Santana ran her tongue over her bottom lip once more but again neglected the spot.
''Here. Let me.''
Brittany leaned forward and using her thumb wiped the tiny bit of sugar off of Santana. She looked at it briefly before sticking the tip of her thumb in her mouth, essentially licking it clean.
Santana let out a strange, strangled whimper. Now that was a sexy-cute move. ''Thanks.''
''Mm, no problem.''
Brittany went in for another donut as she started to talk. ''So I was thinking and I apologize if I'm being forward…''
Santana inwardly laughed at that, Brittany just ate something that was once on Santana's mouth. You couldn't get more forward than that.
''But we should exchange numbers. For Boss and Biscuit of course. I mean in case one of us needed to cancel or reschedule.''
''Sure. Why not. For the dogs, of course.''
''Yeah, the dogs.'' Brittany eagerly fished her phone out of her pocket and handed it over to Santana, who handed her own over as well.
''There ya go, Brittany Pierce.'' Santana couldn't help but use her full name now that she knew it, having spotted it in Brittany's phone.
''Thank you, Santana Lopez.''
''I think this will make things much easier to schedule puppy play dates...and, I mean, even if it isn't puppy related you could still text me. About whatever.''
Santana bit the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning.
For the rest of the day Santana would think about donuts, Brittany's pink tongue and what kind of texts and pictures she could look forward to now that they had exchanged digits.
Yeah, this new friendship was going to be interesting.
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