Santana was twiddling her thumbs with nervous energy, excitement, and trepidation.
She had no idea how she was going to do it when the time came, she didn't really have any idea how to do this at all. She remembered how she would rack her brain for ideas every single night in bed when Quinn finally fell asleep in her arms. She would come up with one or two ideas in her head a night, and she would feel really excited, but then the next day she would deflate when she realises that her plan is flawed or there are too many things that can go wrong with her plan.
An example is this.
One night last week, Santana had decided that she wanted to take Quinn out to a fancy restaurant, and sneak the extremely expensive wedding ring in her soft drink. Quinn would drink it as time went along, and then she would find the ring at the bottom of her cup when she finished. She would stare at Santana in confusion, and Santana would gently pick the ring out from the base of the cup and get down on one knee (once she had thought that she should get on both knees because she thought that one knee wasn't enough, but then she pictured herself doing that and decided that she looked incredibly stupid), Quinn would cover her mouth with both hands when Santana finally popped the question, and Quinn would nod enthusiastically and they would kiss while the pianist played jazz and everyone around them started to applaud them, congratulating.
Santana had thought that it was the perfect, foolproof plan until the very next morning over breakfast, when Quinn started to choke on some scrambled egg Santana realised one thing: Quinn could be quite clumsy at times, choking on air even, so what if she swallowed the ring? First, she would probably be sent to the hospital and the whole date would be ruined, and second, what about the ring that took up two years' worth of Santana's savings? She couldn't afford to buy another tailored one!
So Santana racked her brains even harder for the next few nights, until she came up with the perfect plan two days ago. Well, it wasn't that perfect, but it was the only one that she felt like it couldn't go wrong. She would rather go safe and go for a slightly more… boring proposal, than an exciting one and it going horribly wrong.
Quinn is coming home late from work, so Santana has taken it upon herself to cook up a grand meal for the blonde. She had it all prepared, she even bought some white wine from the supermarket this morning just for this occasion. They weren't really heavy drinkers, either of them, and they tended to stay away from alcohol, but Santana thought that this occasion could really count.
Quinn really, really likes bacon so Santana decided to make some spaghetti carbonara for the blonde, along with some seasoned asparagus and some garlic-coated bread to finish off the meal. To say that Santana was pleased with it would be an understatement, Santana could already tell that it was going to be amazing just from the aroma of it.
Santana smiled when the food seemed to be ready and turned off the stove, letting the remaining heat from it finish cooking the food. She got out a set of scented candles which she bought from the store this morning as well and started to light them up one by one, setting them around the room, making sure to place them in the specific spots that she marked out that made the arrangement look like a gigantic heart from the bird's eye view. When she was satisfied with the ambience after switching the light off, she smiled and started to drag the table towards the centre of the room, right in the middle of the hearts. She was just about to leave for the kitchen to start plating when she heard the front door open.
Santana froze. Slowly, she turned her head to look at the time and it was… six-thirty in the evening. Quinn wasn't meant to be here until at least fifteen minutes later. Was she here early?
Santana hobbled over, careful not to step on any of the meticulously placed candles, and walked towards the front door, where she could see a flash of blonde hair, and instantly her heart started to beat faster just at the sight of the woman she loved.
Quinn turned around and smiled when she saw that Santana had come. "Hey baby," she smiled, walking over after setting her coat on the peg.
Santana stared lovingly into Quinn's hazel eyes. She was so beautiful, and she wasn't wearing any makeup. Santana still didn't know how she got so lucky to know someone as amazing and beautiful as the blonde standing right in front of her right now. She still didn't know how she got to be hers, how Quinn actually liked her back.
Unable to suppress herself any longer, Santana reached over and gave Quinn's cold lips a tender kiss.
After a few seconds, they broke the kiss and Quinn smiled bashfully and it was nice like that, just them spending time with each other in silence, not needing to say anything, just basking in each other's presence.
After a while, Quinn spoke up again, "Is that bacon I smell? It smells amazing."
Right, the meal.
"Yep," Santana smiled. "I know how much you like it."
Quinn smiled back. "So… what's the occasion?"
What's the occasion? Probably… I'm going to ask you to marry me, that's what it is.
"Nothing," Santana side-eyed the blonde playfully. "Just wait in the lounge, the food will be ready soon."
"Okay," Quinn drawled, obediently walking towards the sofa and plopping herself down.
"Love you Quinn," Santana called as she kept on walking towards the kitchen, to start plating the food.
"Love you too," she heard Quinn's voice call back and Santana couldn't help but smile again. She loved Quinn so much, this was going so well, it was going to be perfect!
About five minutes later, Santana placed the plates that were now plated meticulously on the table, along with the fork and knife on either side. Then Santana grabbed a few wine glasses and poured some white wine into each, setting it above and to the right of the plates. Then she stood back and stared at the whole thing – it was perfect and calming and beautiful and romantic… Santana's heart started to swell at the thought that she was going to be able to call Quinn her fiancée soon… it was just such an amazing thought. Her heart also started to beat faster with nerves – what if Quinn doesn't accept her proposal?
Santana shook her head. What was she thinking? Quinn loved her too.
The meal went well. When Santana finally led Quinn to the room with all the candles and the romantic atmosphere, Quinn had stiffened, thinking that she had forgotten some special anniversary or something. She started to feel guilty, and a tear even slid out of the blonde's eye. Santana had to spend ages trying to convince the blonde that no, she had not forgotten anything and Santana used the excuse that every day was special with the blonde to get Quinn to stop feeling bad. It worked.
Quinn really enjoyed the meal. She would compliment Santana frequently over her cooking, and Santana would beam proudly. Over a few times, Quinn would also let out a few rather indecent moans as she swallowed mouthful after mouthful of food, and that would send a few pulses of heat down between the brunette's legs. Santana's heart rate started to increase again when they finished the meal, because she was now going to ask the question.
God, she felt so nervous. What if it all went wrong? What if Quinn decided to run away, creeped out by the notion of marriage, and never came back?
No. That will never happen.
"Um, Quinn…" Santana started tentatively when Quinn set down her fork and knife. "I-I just want to ask you something…"
Quinn frowned slightly. "Are you okay, Santana? You look a little green…" she pointed out.
"No! I'm fine," Santana chuckled nervously. "I just want to ask you something Quinn, and uh… I just want you to listen, okay?"
"Okay…" Quinn drawled, the crease between her eyebrows fading slightly, looking into Santana's eyes with so much rapt attention that Santana felt even more nervous, to the point that she could feel the tips of her fingers starting to tingle.
"When I f-first saw you, Quinn," Santana started, darting her eyes around because she suddenly found that she couldn't maintain eye contact with Quinn for much longer. It was like staring into bright light, staring into the sun. It was kind of true though: Quinn was the light to Santana, she was everything good in this miserable world. "I thought that you were the most beautiful person that I have ever seen," Santana looked up nervously to meet Quinn's unwavering, beautiful gaze.
Quinn blushed slightly and gave a small smile.
"Not just on the outside, but on the inside too," Santana continued. "You saved me, Quinn, you saved me from the depths of despair and I have no idea how to repay you. You helped me through my darkest days, you were by my side at all times, supportive, unconditional…" Santana faltered as her head started to draw up blanks, her heartbeat starting to grow erratic and bordering on painful. Santana swallowed and kept on going. "A-And I just don't think that I tell you this enough, Quinn, because sometimes I fear that I wake up and you will be gone. I just want to say that… I love you, Quinn."
Quinn smiled back lovingly. "I love you too San," she said quietly.
"Which is why I want to ask you this, Quinn. I-I don't think that I can see myself with anyone else but you, I can't, I want to be with you forever Quinn, I want us to hold hands until we are old, until we watch the sun go down one last time. So, Quinn…" Santana took a deep breath. "Will you –" she felt in her pocket where she put the ring, about to take it out, but to her horror, she felt nothing there.
Trying her best to not let panic show up in her expression, she felt for her other pocket, and then when she found nothing there, she frantically started to pat at her body, just hoping to find the small ring that would signify everlasting love between the two of them. But in her panic-driven haze, she could not find it.
"Are you okay, Santana?" Quinn asked worriedly, putting a hand on the brunette's shoulder.
Santana gulped and looked back up, into Quinn's eyes. She cursed herself. How was something that was going so right go so wrong so quickly? How the hell did she lose the ring?
"Are you looking for… this?" Quinn smiled and held up the small item that Santana was so desperate to find.
Santana gaped at it for a while. The ring was in Quinn's hand.
Quinn smiled softly and gently put it back into Santana's hand, looking at her encouragingly, just waiting for Santana to ask the question.
Santana shook her head to bring herself out of her panic and into her senses. Once something is set in motion, it cannot stop.
"Quinn," Santana took a deep breath, holding the ring out. "Will you marry me?"
Quinn stared at the ring for a few seconds, in silence. When Santana started to feel dread at the lack of an answer, Quinn started to nod. "Yes," she whispered, a few tears starting to make its way out of her eyes. "Yes!" she said, a little louder this time. "Oh my god, yes!" She squealed, surging forward to claim the ring and sliding it on her own finger.
Before Santana knew it, Quinn had crashed her lips onto Santana's, and even after all these years it felt as if it was the first time that they had kissed in the orange, fading light when they were dancing, all the fireworks had not disappeared. It was so amazing, and it made Santana's heart beat so fast and she was pretty sure Quinn's heart was beating just as fast too.
After a while, Quinn finally broke the kiss, and kept on staring at the ring with awe. There were still a few tears on her face, and Santana reached forward to wipe them away from the blonde.
"I'm so happy that you asked," Quinn whispered. "I love you so much, Santana."
Santana beamed. "I love you, Quinn."
"I love you too, Santana."
XxX
"I can't believe that we are fiancées now," Quinn mumbled into Santana's chest as the two of them cuddled next to each other, naked, staring at the full moon outside.
"I can't either," Santana cooed. "I'm so glad that you accepted, Quinn."
"I'm so glad that you asked," Quinn smiled.
"How did you have the ring in the end?" Santana asked, because she was curious.
"You left it on the table," Quinn replied. "I found it and kept it, I knew that you were going to ask so I knew why you set up the candles and stuff, but I didn't know how… amazing it would sound, hearing that come out of your mouth."
"So… you knew this whole time?" Santana said. "And all that guilt about you forgetting a special occasion… it was all a lie?"
"What can I say?" Quinn grinned smugly. "I am a really good actress."
Santana smacked Quinn's shoulder playfully. "You should pursue a career in acting, Quinn. I think that you'll be amazing."
Quinn held up her finger to the moonlight, just staring at the ring. "But then I won't be home often," she pouted. "I want to spend every minute with you."
"Chase your dreams," Santana encouraged. "If you feel lonely away from me just know that we will both be looking at that," Santana pointed at the full moon. "At the same time. It binds us together."
"I guess," Quinn snuggled closer to the brunette. "But I still want to spend every living minute with you." Quinn sighed contently. "I can't believe that we are getting married, it's amazing."
"Me neither Quinn," Santana kissed the top of Quinn's forehead. "I love you, Quinn, forever."
"I love you forever too," Quinn said, before she let out a yawn and was soon fast asleep.
Santana grinned and buried her face into the tendrils of blonde hair. This went well. She couldn't wait for the day where they were legally bound to each other, she couldn't wait for the day that they could start a family.