Anonymous asked: 14. "I can't do this on my own."
Santana insists on Brittany staying with her until she's completely healed, and Brittany definitely won't argue with her girlfriend about being doted on. She's never really been a person who enjoyed being pampered while she was sick or injured but, as with most things, Santana is her one exception. Santana takes time off of repairing the shop to care for Brittany, helping her change her bandages everyday and getting her pain meds whenever she needs them and cooking for her every evening and cuddling her to sleep whenever she gets tired (and helping Brittany shower since she can't raise her one arm high enough to wash her hair, but Brittany's pretty sure that Santana has ulterior motives with that one — not that she's complaining, like, at all.)
Santana's mom gives Brittany a couple days to heal before she starts calling her daughter and inviting herself over and insisting on cooking for them after she heard about Brittany getting jumped. Brittany was beside herself with nerves; she's been so worried since her first meeting with Ms. Lopez that no amount of reassuring on Santana's part could calm her down (though Santana knows that Brittany's worries are sorely misplaced; her mom already adores Brittany).
Supper goes perfectly, and Brittany somehow manages to charm her mom every more than she did last time, and before she knows it, her mom is carefully hugging Brittany in the doorway and scolding her for not getting enough rest, and then scolding Santana for not taking care of her girlfriend more. Santana knows how her mother is, so she just rolls her eyes fondly and ushers the older woman out the door, promising to call her tomorrow and let her know how the frozen meals she made and brought over are.
Brittany finally relaxes once Santana's mom is safely driving away, and Santana can't help her giddy giggle as she throws her arms over Brittany's shoulders. "She told you to call her Maribel," Santana says dreamily. Brittany chuckles and nods, anchoring her hands on Santana's hips and tugging her closer. "She never tells anyone that," Santana confesses with a small, adoring smile, "She loves Mercedes and only told her to start calling her that, like, two years ago."
Brittany freezes. "Really?" she rasps.
Santana nods and kisses Brittany's nose. "Really really," she promises. Santana hopes that this will be enough to convince Brittany that she made the perfect first impression last week; her mom couldn't stop talking about how perfect Brittany was despite the news she had to deliver (Santana knows it's because her mom definitely spied on them from the living room, but she decided not to tell Brittany that quite yet just in case it freaked her out even more.)
Brittany's still a little dazed when Santana rises up to kiss her, but Santana's lips on hers quickly refocuses her. "Will you believe me now when I say she adores you," Santana asks teasingly. Brittany blushes all the way to her the tips of her ears as she nods. "Good," Santana says as she kisses Brittany again.
Brittany sighs into Santana's mouth and slips her fingers under Santana's shirt. "Come to bed?" she asks, scratching lightly at Santana's warm skin.
Santana sighs deeply. "I gotta finish cleaning up first, babe."
"Will you let me help?" Brittany asks as she presses herself closer.
Santana grins and carefully trails her fingers over Brittany's still sore sides. "Nope," she rejects easily, and as much as Brittany would like to, she knows she doesn't stand a chance at arguing with that smile on her girlfriend's face.
"Fine," Brittany pouts, reluctantly pulling away from Santana and heading for Santana's bedroom.
"Actually, Britt," Santana says suddenly, and there's something weirdly anxious in her voice. Brittany turns and finds her girlfriend playing with her hands, chewing on her bottom lip and looking at Brittany with wide, searching eyes. "I can't do this on my own," she says, and the dimpled, nervous smile that's spreading across her face and the way her dark eyes bore into Brittany's own with something more serious than putting the dishes away makes Brittany's heart stop.
"What are you saying?" Brittany whispers, but she's quickly finding it impossible to stop her own smile from spreading.
Santana takes a deliberate step towards Brittany and grins up at her. "I'm saying, Detective Brittany S. Pierce, will you move in with me?"
Brittany squeals and surges towards Santana, forgetting about her sore arm and still healing ribs, wrapping Santana up in her arms and spinning them around until all she can see is Santana's dark hair in her face and all she can hear is Santana giggling in her ear and all she can feel is unimaginable happiness. She lets Santana slide down her body until she can fuse their lips together, sighing in pure, unbridled joy when Santana continues giggling into her mouth.
"Is that a yes?" Santana asks breathlessly when she pulls away.
Brittany shakes her head fondly and rocks backwards until Santana's pressed all along her body and her feet have left the floor again. "Of course it's a yes, honey," Brittany laughs, "It's all I've ever wanted since the first time you called me your girlfriend."
Santana's smile is blinding when she shakes her head. "I love you so much," she breathes, and Brittany doesn't even have time to return the sentiment before Santana's lips are on hers; she doesn't think it really matters though, she's pretty sure Santana already knows.