Chapter 11
"You're worrying too much," Quinn says, smiling at how often Phoenix had licked her lips and clenched and unclenched her fists around the steering wheel.
Quinn had decided to ignore whatever it was that she was feeling towards Phoenix, blaming it on her hormones and the fact that she hadn't been in a relationship for a while now. It had been four months since Finn and three months since Puck, so she figured her body and her mind were simply craving that intimacy.
Essentially, Phoenix was just a friend.
End of story.
"This is my first date Quinn," Phoenix sighs, tapping her fingers nervously, "Not only with Brittany, but my first date ever. I just feel like I'm going to mess it up somehow."
"Hey, you're not," Quinn tries to reassure, "Just be yourself. Trust me, that is all that Brittany would want."
"You really think so?"
"I do. You're pretty amazing anyway."
"Now you're just making things up," Phoenix laughs but her cheeks were tainted a deep red causing Quinn to smile at her bashful expression.
"You're sure it's okay that I'm taking your car?" Phoenix asks after a few seconds.
"Yes, just don't forget to pick me up tomorrow morning," Quinn says.
"I won't," Phoenix promises, before pulling up outside Quinn's house.
Quinn looks on in confusion as Phoenix quickly and wordlessly gets out of the car. This wasn't the redhead's stop. However, when Phoenix walks around the car to open the door for Quinn, the blonde can't help but smile and frown at the same time.
Chivalry wasn't dead after all.
But Phoenix was making it so, so hard to blame whatever she was feeling on anything but actual attraction.
Phoenix grins, holding her hand out for Quinn to take, making her laugh before she took it and stepped out.
"Thank you," Quinn smiles.
"Not a problem," Phoenix says, letting go of Quinn's hand before walking her to the door.
"You can call me if you or the baby need anything, anytime okay?" Phoenix says, watching Quinn dig into her bag for her keys.
"I'll hold you to it," Quinn says, finally taking her keys out, "Go now, you don't want to be late. Britt's house is just around the corner, you'll be able to spot it."
"Okay," Phoenix says weakly.
"Hey," Quinn says, putting her hands on Phoenix's shoulders, "Try not to be nervous. Like I said, just be yourself and Brittany will be happy. It's going to go fine," Quinn reassures, although a small part of her did not want that to happen.
"I really hope so," Phoenix says, a brighter smile on her face at Quinn's encouragement.
"Go get your girl," Quinn says, with well concealed difficulty, spinning Phoenix around and giving her a gentle push, "Pick me up at 8!"
"I'll be early," Phoenix says confidently.
"We'll see about that," Quinn laughs, watching as Phoenix bounded up to her car, got in and rolled the window down.
"Have fun!" Quinn waves, ignoring the unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Thanks Q," Phoenix yells back.
Quinn stands on her porch and looks at the car driving away, sighing when it disappears around the corner. This was confusing and new to her. Never in her life had she trusted someone as suddenly and quickly as she trusted Phoenix and it scared her. However, it wasn't something Quinn wanted to get into. As she walked into her house, she decided to do what she did best with her feelings.
Bury them deep enough that eventually, it was like they never existed.
Phoenix stopped the car outside the Pierce house before the feeling of self doubt flooded back into her mind. She put her forehead against the steering wheel, groaning in frustration.
She had no qualms about shamelessly flirting with Brittany, so why was she nervous about this date?
After staying in her position for a couple of minutes, Phoenix steeled herself as the clock struck six. Quinn had given her quite the ego boost earlier, so she wasn't as panicked as she was before, but it was still nerve wracking.
Woman up, Winters.
Phoenix grabbed the bouquet of flowers from the backseat before stepping out of the car, walking up to the front porch. She knocked on the door, patiently waiting for Brittany to open the door.
It only took a few seconds before Brittany opened the door, her face lighting up when she saw who it was.
"Hey Britt," Phoenix says, glancing imperceptibly at Brittany's attire. Her shorts and tank top with a denim shirt hanging loosely on her lean frame, a scarf around her neck and the cutest beanie resting on top of her hair was almost exactly how she imagined Brittany would be outside her cheerleading uniform.
"Hey Phoenix," Brittany says, appraising Phoenix's outfit, "Suspenders suit you," she smirks.
"Thank you. These are for you," Phoenix smiles, holding the flowers out towards Brittany. She accepts them with a small smile, shaking her head, a little pink in her cheeks.
"They're beautiful Phoenix, how did you know these were my favorite?"
"Quinn," Phoenix says sheepishly, making Brittany laugh but in the back of her mind question exactly how Quinn and Phoenix had interacted so closely.
"Let me just put them in water and then we'll go," Brittany says, gesturing to Phoenix to come inside, "Welcome to the humble Pierce abode," she says dramatically, making the redhead laugh.
"I was warned that it would be louder," Phoenix admits.
"Oh, it totally is. My parents have gone for my sister's football game and LT is out with his feline gang creating chaos," Brittany explains, "Do you want something to drink? Water?"
"No thanks, I'm good," Phoenix smiles, looking at the way Brittany bit her lower lip in concentration while carefully unwrapping the flowers and placing them in the vase.
So fucking cute.
"Come on darlin', we best be on our way now," Brittany says with the fakest accent and the most serious expression, but her eyes are bright with their ever present spark.
"Lead the way."
Brittany hooks their arms together after grabbing her bag and they walk towards the car, Phoenix smiling at the warm contact.
"By when am I supposed to have you back home?" Phoenix asks.
"Strictly by eleven."
"I'll have you back early then."
"Trying to get into the good books, are we?"
"Hey, I can't risk these things!" Phoenix defends, making Brittany laugh.
"That's Quinn's car," Brittany suddenly says in confusion.
"We're going a little far, so I figured you would more comfortable taking a car instead of my motorcycle," Phoenix says sheepishly, making Brittany laugh.
"I definitely wouldn't be, but my parents would probably be imposed to it."
"Opposed," Phoenix corrects gently.
"Oops," Brittany chuckles, making Phoenix smile as she quickly walked ahead, opening the passenger door for Brittany.
"Fancy," she teases, getting into the car.
Phoenix just smiles, shaking her head before running to the other side and getting into the driver's seat.
"So, where are we going?" Brittany asks, as Phoenix starts driving.
"I'm not telling you yet," Phoenix winks.
"But-"
"Surprises are always better, Brittany."
"The suspense is killing me," Brittany exclaims.
"Don't, you're too amazing to die."
"That does make me feel better," Brittany giggles, pulling at her beanie to adjust it.
"Music?" Phoenix laughs, "The iPod is connected, you can choose what you want."
"And dancing too?"
"Of course, where there's singing, there's dancing," Phoenix says easily, surprising even herself. She was usually so self conscious but Brittany's presence alone just made everything easier and more comfortable.
"I'm already having a blast, you know," Brittany says honestly, leaning over the console to press a kiss to Phoenix cheek.
The redhead freezes at the proximity for a second, her deep blush increasingly apparent with her pale skin.
"I'm glad B," Phoenix whispers, smiling when Brittany picks a song and instinctively starts moving her head along with the beat.
Phoenix watched as Brittany looked around the carnival in awe, her excitement clear on her face.
Thank you, Quinn.
"I hope this isn't too bad for a first date," Phoenix says.
"This is perfect Phoenix, I love it," Brittany grins,
"I'm glad. So what do you want to do first?" Phoenix asks, smiling when Brittany looks around for a few more seconds before her face lights up. She slips her hand into Phoenix's like it's the most natural thing and starts dragging the redhead along with her.
"Where are we going?" Phoenix laughs, Brittany's exuberance infectious.
"Balloon animals! We need proper gear to be able to get the entire effect," Brittany explains.
"I see your point."
Brittany and Phoenix walk - or more like skip, at least in the blonde's case - to the stall selling the balloon animals and on closer inspection, other props and different shapes too.
"So, Phoenix Winters," Brittany states.
"Brittany Pierce?"
"We have to get to know each other."
"Okay," Phoenix says easily, "What's your favorite color?"
"Blue. Blue's the best," Brittany nods confidently, "What about you?"
"Grey, probably."
"Oh god," Brittany's eyes widen, "That's saddening," she chastises.
"Oh really?"
"Yep. You're exactly like San."
"Santana? How so?"
"Her favorite color is black. I'm not even sure if black is a color so her choice is probably invalid," Brittany shrugs, before looking at Phoenix conspiringly, "Between you and me, she just says black to look tough. Her favorite is totally red."
"The secret is safe with me," Phoenix laughs, "The two of you are close?
"We are. She's my...best friend, has been for longer than I can think of," Brittany says, her bright eyes getting a faraway look in them.
"Anyway, the only way to fix your apparent aversion to color is..." Brittany trails off, looking at the different options, trying to pick one out.
Phoenix smiles at the contemplating look on the blonde's face but instantly frowns when she picks something out. Something being a monstrosity of a balloon headgear, complete with various neon colored balloons sticking out in different directions.
"Brittany, no way," Phoenix says resolutely, her expression one of complete horror, "I am absolutely not wearing that."
Brittany looked at Phoenix with a stoic, disappointed expression for a few seconds before she burst out laughing, setting the balloon horror show back on its display.
"I'm kidding, I'm not that bad," Brittany giggles.
"You scared me for a second," Phoenix says, before glancing at the stall and picking a relatively normal piece of headgear out and placing it on her head.
Brittany bites her lip in a futile attempt to control her laughter. "Bunny ears?"
"Hey, it's better than...whatever that is supposed to be," Phoenix defends, putting the bunny ears on before Brittany started suggesting more options, "What are you going to pick for yourself?"
Brittany immediately picks up a headband with a small balloon ladybird attached to it, making Phoenix raise an eyebrow questioningly.
"You're sure about that?" Phoenix asks.
"Totally."
"Well, put it on then!" Phoenix encourages with a smile. Brittany pulls her beanie off and stuffs it into her bag, before putting the headband on.
In a burst of confidence, Phoenix reaches out and gently tucks a stray strand of hair behind Brittany's ear, letting her fingertips rest on the blonde's cheek for a fleeting moment.
"It's looks perfect," Phoenix says softly.
Brittany blushes. "Thank you."
Phoenix smiles, paying the vendor before Brittany could protest.
"You didn't have to do that," Brittany shakes her head.
Phoenix smiles, "I wanted to."
Sorry for how many months it took for an update! Hope this made up for it.
Reviews are always welcome and appreciated.