"Brittany," She says again, a little louder. "What are you…?" Her voice trails off though.
Brittany is here. She's in New York and she is standing less than ten feet away from Santana. A hand on her shoulder reels her back and she looks to her right to find a confused but hopeful Quinn.
"I'll just…" She motions between Santana and Brittany with her finger and jerks her head in the other direction. "I'll leave you to it." With a small smile of glee, Quinn walks away. Santana turns her attention back towards the current and soggy situation. Brittany is standing there with a backpack slung over her shoulders, dripping wet with a similar confused yet hopeful expression Quinn had just given her.
"What are you doing here?" Santana finally asks, chancing a step or two towards the girl she hasn't seen in over a month.
"You're here." Brittany tells her easily with a shrug of her shoulder. "I…" Her eyes fall to where Santana's feet are and shakes her head at herself. "I would have… I should have been here sooner." She admits, finally lifting her eyes back up to meet Santana's.
Santana's mouth opens but nothing comes out so she closes it and clears her throat. Instead of having this conversation, if they are actually going to have it, they aren't going to do it out here on the sidewalk in the rain. So then, she waves towards the door of the apartment building and steps closer to Brittany setting her hand onto the wet fabric of her shirt.
"Let's go inside." She tells Brittany with a tilt of her head and a half smile full of uncertainty. "You're soaking wet and I don't want you to catch a cold." Brittany can't fight the small grin that comes to her face. Even after everything they'd done and said to each other, Santana still cares about her well being; a good sign.
They quietly make their way towards the elevator once they are inside and away from the rain. Santana closes her soaked umbrella and shakes it out, more or less using at a distraction because she can't think of words right now. Their ride up to their floor is just as silent. The only noise is that of squeaky shoes and the drip drops of water falling from Brittany's clothes.
When the elevator doors open, Santana offers for Brittany to step out first, another moment that assures Brittany of everything they'd had still exists. Two tiny moments in the span of five minutes, but so meaningful. She notices the way Santana's hands fumble with the keys as she tries to smoothly open the door for them.
Once inside the apartment, they stand awkwardly in a place that had once upon a time been theirs. Of course, it still is, to the both of them even if they don't say those exact words at this exact moment. Santana sets the wet umbrella underneath the side table against the wall and drops her keys into the bowl. As she goes to hang her rain jacket onto the coat rack, she finds Brittany looking around the place with slight surprise. She smirks because she can tell Brittany is noticing how clean the apartment looks, especially considering she hasn't been here in a while.
"You can take your backpack off." Santana comments softly as she unzips her hoodie and steps away from the table. Brittany is taken out of her daze and looks over to the couch where Santana is hanging her sweatshirt over the back. She sucks on her lips and sort of smiles at the fact that she was momentarily paralyzed with overwhelming emotions from every which way. "I mean, if you want to." Santana adds with a shrug of her shoulders and glances down at her fingers as they pick at the fabric of the throw blanket.
Brittany pushes her thumbs under the straps of her backpack and pulls it up from her shoulders. Carefully, she sets it down between the coat rack and the table against the wall. Santana takes in Brittany's appearance and her own shoulders drop.
"I… I haven't eaten yet." Santana says once Brittany stands up straight, unsure of where to put her hands so she settles for her back pockets. "I could go get something and give you time to shower." She motions towards the hallways behind her where both bathrooms are up for grabs. Brittany looks down at her bag that is still wet and both of them wonder if her clothes have gotten just as wet. "You can borrow sweats if you need." She offers, nervously crossing her arms over her stomach.
"Okay." Brittany nods, finally coming out her chilled stupor and they smile at one another for a brief moment.
"Okay." Santana claps her hands together and grabs her rain coat once again as well as the umbrella. "I'll go get some pizza." She figures pizza is the easiest because it's right next to the bodega which was her nights first destination pre Brittany showing up out of the blue.
"Thanks." Brittany says softly and Santana looks over her shoulder as she reaches for the door knob.
"I'll be right back."
With that, Brittany is left alone in their apartment for the first time in a long while. It's pretty much the same as she left it, although she did expect it to be one hot mess when she decided to return. Not because she assumed Santana would be lying on the floor in complete and utter sadness, maybe a little bit, but because Santana rarely picked up after herself.
But, there under the table are her work shoes in the same place Brittany usually kicks them. There are no coffee mugs left on the coffee table and that pesky Nelson's check presenter where Santana keeps her money is actually on the kitchen island.
Brittany sighs and bends down to open her bag, only to be not so surprised that her things are indeed a little damp. She groans because it would figure she'd have to start the first night of her and Santana talking wearing clothes with Santana's scent all over it. She doesn't mind the scent, but it just makes her dizzy. It brings back so many memories and feelings and her stomach flutters. She loves it, of course. But, she needs to remain level headed for all of what is about to happen.
She takes her shoes off and sets them beside her bag and shoves her wet socks into them. Her feet coldly stick to the wood floor as she makes her way down towards the bedroom they used to share. But, when she walks in, she realizes that the living room and kitchen aren't the only things that look exactly the same as when she had left. Their bedroom literally looks like the day she had picked up and gone back to Lima.
Carefully, she heads over to the dresser and opens the top drawer to grab some pajama or sweatpants. She settles on an old pair of grey sweats that are on top and then opens the second drawer to get a shirt. For some reason, her body is trying to move as fast as possible as if the air in here is deadly or somehow poisoned. It's not, of course, but she quickly vacates the room nonetheless.
T-shirt and sweats in hand, she peeks her head into the guestroom to find the bed messy, lap top on the dresser and Santana's slippers by the bed. She rests her head against the door frame and sighs because she realizes that Santana has been sleeping in the guestroom since she left. Closing her eyes tightly, she bites on her bottom lip and wills herself away from the wall with force.
Before she steps into the bathroom in the hallway, she remembers she has to grab a towel and then decides on the need for a sweatshirt. There's not a chance she's going into the bedroom again, so she settles for the sweatshirt in the living room. Then, within seconds she's undressing in the steam filled bathroom ready for a nice hot shower.
As she sets her wet clothes on the floor by the corner of the door, she can't help but wonder why she is so chilly. It's June and she's pretty cold and she has goose bumps running up and down her leg. For some reason or another, the rain in New York is freezing and can make the hottest summer day feel like a January night. Just as she is about to remove her under garments, she decides to move her towel from beneath the dry clothes and onto the lid to the toilet seat. So many times she hasn't made that move and upon reaching for her towel while fresh out of the shower, manages to get her dry clothes soaking wet. Not very comfortable.
However, when she holds her palm against the dry clothes to easily tug the towel free from beneath, something interesting catches her attention. Her eyebrows scrunch together and her eyes dart down to where her hand is. She lets go of the towel and reaches to pull the zip up sweatshirt away from the rest of the clothes. She shakes it out and then puts her hand into the pockets to find the offending object that has just hit her in the hip.
When she pulls out her hand, her eyes widen and her mouth falls open. Her other hand flies to cover her mouth as a small gasp escapes and she stumbles backwards onto her wet clothes.
"Rachel!" Quinn comes flying through the door to their apartment, tosses her bag and umbrella haphazardly onto the couch and moves fiercely down the hall to their bedroom. "You will not believe what I'm about to tell you." She continues, tearing her jacket off and storms into their room, finding her girlfriend sitting up straight with a startled look on her face.
"Oh my God." Rachel moves to the foot of the bed. "Is Barbra in town!?" She gasps moving her hands to her cheeks in excitement at the possibility. Quinn's eyebrows furrow and she jerks her head back.
"No." She answers quickly and Rachel's shoulders instantly fall.
"Brittany's back." She tosses out.
"Ugh, yeah." Quinn replies with a tilt of her head as she moves towards the chair by the desk to rest her jacket. "How'd you…?" Before she can finish the question, Rachel shakes her cell phone in the air at her.
"Kurt." Quinn nods, because of course Kurt would send out a warning text for the arrival of Brittany.
"I'm assuming that was the big news?" Rachel suggests that Brittany's return is what made her girlfriend come running through their apartment like a crazy woman on a mission.
"Yes." Quinn spits out quickly but then shakes her head and moves to stand in front of Rachel. "No." She waves her hands in the air as if to erase her initial response. Rachel's eyes widen and her shoulders tense at her girlfriend's intensity. "I probably shouldn't even been sharing this with anyone." Quinn shakes her head and moves her hands to her face, pressing the tips of her fingers into her closed eyes as though to process it all. "But, I have to tell you." She drops her hands and props them on her hips.
"Are you going to…?"
"Santana bought an engagement ring!" Quinn blurts out. Rachel's eyes widen and her mouth falls open.
"Oh…" Brittany breathes out and her thumb presses into the tiny clasp that is keeping the box closed.
She blinks a few times, licks her lips and moves to sit on the lid of the toilet. Her elbows rest on the tops of her knees and she holds the box out in front of her, just staring at it. Surely she must be dreaming. This cannot be real life. She contemplates pinching herself, but the chill still running rampant through her toes lets her know she is in the here and now.
Tilting the box from side to side, she contemplates opening it just to see if it is actually what she thinks. But, she can't find it in her to move the clasp and lift the lid of the small, black box. Her lips twist and she moves one of her hands from the box to her mouth where her fingers drum against her lips.
She must have been gawking at this tiny wooden box for a while, because the next thing she knows there's a knock at the bathroom door. Her head shoots up towards the door and she almost drops the box to the tile floor.
"Foods ready when you are." Santana shouts through the door so Brittany would be able to hear her if she were in the shower. But she's not in the shower and she panics.
"Oh," Brittany calls back, setting the ring back onto the clothes and pulls her underwear and bra off. "Be right out." She says just before jumping into the shower, only feeling like she's sweating now under the hot water. That chill is so very gone now.
Santana's head spins around quickly when she hears those familiar footsteps coming towards her from down the hall. She inwardly smirks when she takes notice of her slippers snuggly on Brittany's feet and fully turns in her spot on the couch, keeping the tips of her fingers against her lips.
"My feet were cold." Brittany tells her in a small voice, noticing Santana looking at her shoes. "I hope you don't mind." Santana shakes her head and finally pulls her hand away from her mouth.
"Pizza's cold." She comments and pushes herself up from the couch to head into the kitchen where the pizza is sitting in the oven.
"Sorry." Brittany says, taking some more steps into the living room and plays with the throw blanket.
"It's okay. It'll only take a few minutes to reheat." Santana assures her with a wave of her hand and turns the dial up to preheat the oven.
"Can we…" Brittany speaks up a little louder and shifts awkwardly under Santana's gaze. "Can we talk first." She motions towards the couch, hoping to clear some air before they fall into a silence brought on by the consumption of food that often happens. Plus, at this moment, her stomach is too busy doing flips to think of any food.
"Uh," She glances quickly at the dial to make sure it's at the desired temperature. "Sure."
On her way to meet Brittany in the living room, she grabs a spare hair tie sitting on the counter top. She figures keeping her hands busy putting her hair up for the those five seconds might not show how nervous she is right now. By the time she gets to her spot in the corner of the couch, her hair is already up in a ponytail and she inwardly groans at how lame she is sometimes.
"Wait," Rachel holds her hand up and closes her eyes as though processing everything is made easier this way. "Santana is proposing?!" She asks in haste and complete confusion.
"Well," Quinn stops herself, realizing she is still using her outside voice and drops her hands to her thighs. "No." Her hands find her hips again like she's annoyed about this whole story.
"So, Santana has an engagement ring, Brittany's back, but there's no proposing going on?" Rachel recounts the details of the story with uncertainty.
"Excatly." Quinn points at her girlfriend like she's just answered all of her universal questions and she turns her body to fall down to the bed beside her.
"Wait a second." Rachel turns to look over at Quinn who is lying face down on the bed. "If Santana isn't proposing then how the hell do you know she has a ring?" She asks in this maintained state of confusion. Quinn huffs and moves her head so her cheek is resting against the comforter and so she can look up at Rachel.
"I was rummaging through her things, as I so often do, and I stumbled upon this box which I obviously opened and inside was this ring." She rambles and after a beat and a perplexed stare from Rachel she rolls her eyes and moves to rest onto her side. "She showed it to me." She playfully pushes her hand into Rachel's shoulder and chuckles.
"Was she planning on going to Lima?" Rachel tentatively asks. Quinn sucks in her bottom lip and gives the question a thought.
"I don't think so." She settles on because she really thinks there was no plan for that trip. But, then again, she never really imagined Santana to have a ring like the one she had at only twenty one years old. "I think if she was gonna go, she would have been there before Brittany even landed in Ohio." She comments as an afterthought. Rachel nods because that much would be very true. "Maybe somewhere deep down, she kind of knew Brittany would be back." Quinn shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head to herself. "We'll never know the inner workings of their world." Rachel nods in agreement and finally lets her body fall to the bed next to Quinn.
Brittany and Santana sit on the couch, a few feet between them, and nervous hands fidgeting around them. Santana's fingers twirl strings and frayed bits of pillow around and around. Brittany's hands dig deep into the pockets of the hoodie, one wrapped around the black box that is beginning to make her body grow hotter than the shower was.
She clears her throat, trying to loosen her grip on the box and shifts her feet from underneath her. Santana watches the little movements in Brittany's body, unsure how to react with her own body. She isn't sure if she's still allowed to look at her like this or if she should look away or close her eyes. All of this feels awkward and uncomfortable and forced.
"I…" Santana tries to break the weird silence between them, but Brittany jumps in before she can even finish the thought and make it into a sentence.
"This isn't working." Brittany blurts out. Santana's eyes widen and her body goes from rigid to slouched in disappointment within seconds.
"Britt," Santana looks down at her hands in her lap and licks her lips before glancing back over at Brittany with sad eyes. "You already broke up with me and it hurt like hell the first time. Please, I'm begging you." Santana interrupts and shakes her head.
"Just listen, okay?" Brittany says with a little force, catching Santana's attention. "This," She moves her hands around as though 'this' is something she is holding. "Being broken up isn't working for me." Santana tilts her head. "I was wrong." Brittany admits with her head hung low and watches the way her fingers pick at one another. "I… I shouldn't have just left like that. You didn't deserve that." She lifts her gaze up to meet Santana's that are glassy and waiting.
"But, I get why you did." Santana shakes her head and reaches for her arm but Brittany pulls away from her. "I don't blame you Brittany." She assures her in a gentle voice, pulling her hand back to set on her lap. "Do you still want to be with me?" She nervously asks, once again picking up on twisting the strings of the pillow around her finger.
"Of course I do." Brittany replies almost instantly, reaching out for her hand. Santana opens her mouth to speak, but Brittany squeezes her hand and shakes her head. "No, please. Let me finish." Brittany begs. "I know that we've been dating since high school and that this is both our first real relationship. But, I also know that I don't want to know anything else. I want and need us to be together. I miss waking up to you and watching you watch me blink the sleep out of my eyes." She smiles when Santana finally smiles. "I miss your arm under my pillow, even though sometimes it's uncomfortable and I wake up with a sore neck." Santana breathes out a chuckle and shakes her head. "I miss…" She glances down, head sideways as tears begin to cloud her vision. "I miss the girl… the woman who is not as scared as she thinks she is. I miss the woman who bought this." Brittany pulls her hand from the pocket of the hoodie and opens her fist.
Santana's jaw drops and her eyes grow wide and she stares un-expectantly at the tiny black box in Brittany's hand. She'd completely forgotten she'd left that box in her hoodie pocket and thought nothing of it when Brittany came out wearing said hoodie. But, all of those tiny details are not that important right now. The focus is Brittany found it. She's seen Santana's one and only secret.
"Did…" Santana stumbles over her words and shakes her head numbly. "Did you open it?" She asks in a shaky voice, though she tries to mask it with confidence that Brittany can always see right through anyway. Brittany's eyes go from the box and to meet Santana's gaze. She opens her mouth, but instantly closes it and clears her throat softly and shakes her head. "Oh." Santana breathes out with a mix of relief and curiosity.
"Is it…" Brittany looks back at the box and the way her hand is turning it around. "Is it what I think it is?" Santana lifts her hand to the back of her neck, rubbing the stress and worry from her own body and nods. "Are you…?" She isn't quite sure how to broach the topic of the question. "Were you gonna…?"
How does one ask 'were you gonna propose to me?'?
"I…" Santana starts but then settles for a shake of her head to settle her words better. "Brittany, I was gonna ask you at the beginning of this year." She admits. "But, we were still in school, still so young and we are still both those things." She explains with a sideways glance at the ring. "And now, I keep going over everything and our fight and what I was going to say when I finally saw you. I kept trying to figure out how to make it better." She says, giving the box a quick look. "But, asking you that question doesn't make it better. Even if you said 'yes' it doesn't make our problems go away." Her eyes slowly lift to find Brittany, who is nodding because she knows she is right. Santana sighs and she looks down at the ring Brittany had given her and she smiles tight lipped at it. "One day, I do plan on asking you that question. I can promise you." Brittany smiles bitter sweetly at her and nods in understand and agreement. "Maybe for now, I guess, since you know it exists, you can wear it as a promise ring." Santana offers with a wave of her hand towards the still unopened box, and then twists her own promise ring on her finger.
Brittany looks from Santana to the box she still has a firm grip on. With a deep breath, she shakes her head and places the box gently into Santana's hand.
"I don't want to wear this until you're ready to ask me that question." Brittany explains after a few moments of silence. "But, more importantly," She clears her throat and tucks some stray blonde hair behind her ear. "I don't want to wear it until I'm ready to say 'yes'." Santana nods. She gets it, even if the last part does hurt a little bit and make her sad. "I do, one day," Brittany searches Santana's confused eyes. "Hope you ask me."
Santana tumbles the box between both of her hands for a moment, watching the way her finger tips press against the corners. Her lips twist in thought and memories and she half smiles. Letting the ring box settle into one hand, she places it down onto the coffee table and shoves her hands between her knees.
"I bought this ring when we first moved to New York." Santana starts, breaking away from the quiet that has come over them. "We were in the kitchen at our old apartment and you were doodling our names." She smiles when Brittany does. "I remember thinking, actually, realizing that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I wanted to spend the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as you make me and to love you even when you hate me, because regardless," She grins and blinks away unshed tears. "I will always love you. I haven't been a very good girlfriend and neither have you. But, that part isn't even your fault. It's mine." Brittany tilts her head to the side and glances down at the way Santana's hands nervously push against her thighs.
Hearing Santana say it was all her fault only reminds Brittany of all the things were her fault. She shakes her head, remembering the realizations she'd come to back in Lima and what had prompted her to fly back to New York. Brittany knows that there are way too many things to discuss before settling them. If they were going to continue this partnership, they have to both take responsibility for their short comings.
"On the way here, I kept thinking about how we've never had to try so hard. All of this," She motions between them with her hand. "Us, it always came so easy to us. I mean, I think it still does or it can. I guess what I'm trying to say here is, we've always worked. Even when it seemed like we weren't working. It's like; we didn't know how to try." Brittany's brow furrows and her eyes are desperate to sense any kind of understanding from Santana's. When she gets a nod to continue, she takes in a sharp breath. "I don't want to go through the motions when we have disagreements or fights. I would like to think you don't either. Because, like, can you imagine how incredible we could be if we actually tried? It would be magical. More magical than what we already have. I don't want to start all over again but, I don't want to go back either. Does this make any sense?"
"Kind of." Santana replies honestly. She thinks she gets it, but at the same time, she isn't exactly sure where Brittany is going with this. She kind of feels like an idiot though, because only ten seconds ago she figured they were completely fine. But, then again, she does acknowledge the fact that there is a lot they need to go over before being anything at all.
"Before all of this, I feel like we were comfortable and…" Brittany continues nervously. "I want more than that. I know that, this relationship, for me, it's it. The one. I don't feel like there's anyone else out there for me. You're my one and only. I've always known that. I don't question your loyalty or even your faithfulness, even though you tested the lines." Santana lowers her head in embarrassment and guilt. It's true and she isn't surprised that Brittany would bring up her indiscretions. It's why they are where they are. "I don't want to be broken up anymore, but," Brittany starts again, slowly. "I feel like we're at a standstill right now. I can't just dive back into this, us, and not be weary. I know nothing happened, I guess that much hasn't been the point. Our trust was compromised and you let that happen. I feel like I'd be foolish to take you back so quickly."
"What exactly are you trying to say here, Brittany?" Santana interjects, without a doubt confused by Brittany's round and round mini speech.
"I know our love for one another is limitless. But, I feel like we need to build more to this relationship. Sure, I can forgive you right here and now, but that's really not important because they're just words. I still love you just the same. Maybe more." Brittany twiddles her thumbs uncomfortably. Words are real hard sometimes. "But, I was so mad at you because you made me see all of the cracks we had before any of this happened. This isn't just about you and everything that happened. It didn't help much, but, I realized how horrible I have been to you. I'm sorry." Brittany apologizes getting a perplexed and sad look out of Santana. She reaches down for Santana's hand and lets out a long sigh through her nose. "We weren't as perfect as I thought we were. I know that's a tall order because no one is perfect, but, when it comes to us, I feel like it's something that can happen. We love one another too much to settle for anything less than that." She explains in a voice that tells Santana she is fighting off tears. "I need more of everything. I need more communication even about the boring things. I need more kisses and hugs and little 'just 'cause' touches. I need more 'I love you's' and more alone time. I want pillow talk and dirtier talk in bed. People say good relationships are easy and last because they don't have to work at it. Well, I want us to work at it because I want a great relationship. I don't want us just to be fine, I want us to be amazing." She rests her head against the back of the couch and looks at Santana through the tears that have built up. They squeeze one another's hands and Santana's body finally listens to her and shifts closer to Brittany's.
"I want amazing too." Santana whispers, but it's a confident whisper and it makes Brittany's heart feel a lot warmer in her chest than it has in a while. She lets out a breath of relief and moves her head against the couch towards Santana's. "I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too." Brittany reminds Santana that she too has things to apologize for because this is once again a two way street.
"So where does this leave us? Or bring us?" Santana asks after some silent seconds, realizing she isn't sure what this means for them. "Where are we?"
"Where do you want to be?" Brittany asks easily.
"With you." She answers without missing a beat and it brings an instant smile to Brittany's lips.
"Good, 'cause I want to be with you." Brittany agrees with a nod, but she can tell from Santana's expression that she needs a little bit more information than the obvious. "Like I said before, I don't want to start over again." She shrugs her shoulders and looks down at their connected hands. "We have too much history. We've already built and created so much together to just start from scratch." Her head shakes from side to side at the thought of a new beginning, because as appealing as the idea is, it sounds sad and strange. "We already have this… what's that thing that things build up from? Like, a building?" She motions with her free hand.
"Umm, foundation?" Santana chances and is relieved when Brittany nods with a big smile.
"Yes. We already have a foundation. We don't need a new one." She continues on her response to where they are going to be in their relationship. But, as she searches for words her smile fades, only a bit though. "But the way we were going wasn't working." Santana takes a look at their hands now, nodding because Brittany is right. "Can we just… stop being apart right now? I need to know we are an 'us' again because, it just makes me think better. And I can't figure out what we are if we are still in…" She waves her hand in the air, unable to find words to explain herself. Santana smiles gently and tucks some blonde hair behind her ear.
She can tell by the looks she saw on Santana's face that her ability to accept some of the responsibility for everything is greatly appreciated. And for that, she appreciates Santana just a little bit more. Her eyes flitter to the box that has brought up so much more than she had anticipated and she chuckles through some of the tears that have trickled down her cheeks. Santana shifts her head and gives her a curious look.
"Are you laughing?" She asks with a small smirk. Brittany shakes her head and holds her hand up as though to ask for a moment.
"Not really." Brittany answers but the tiny giggle that comes out with her words says otherwise. "It's just…" She looks long and hard at Santana, having a tiny debate in her head before she finally gives in and pushes herself up from the couch.
"What are you doing?" Santana questions and watches as Brittany moves from the couch and over towards her bag where she unzips the front pouch and retrieves something.
"I was at the airport, waiting for my flight." Brittany starts, and slowly walks back to the couch. Santana can tell she's nervous by the way her hands are behind her back and how her throat visibly moves up and down as she swallows. "And I was thinking about the last time I was in Lima without you." Her eyes fall to Santana's and she slinks back onto the couch over the arm rest.
"Christmas, freshman year." Santana recalls and smiles at the surprise that she came home to. Brittany nods and sits on the heels of her feet. Ever so slowly, she pulls her hands from behind her and Santana's notices her fists are loosely closed.
"I think we need to make new promises to one another." Brittany says and opens her hand to reveal a small silver ring with a knot tied up in the middle. It is nothing extravagant, but it's the thought behind it that makes it so. Santana moves to her knees and finds those blue eyes, searching them for all the answers to the questions she isn't even asking. Brittany sheepishly smiles through unshed tears and gently nods her head up and down as she opens her other hand to reveal a second, but identical, ring and offers it to Santana. "I know they're nothing crazy, they're just airport jewelry but…"
"They're perfect." Santana quickly interrupts getting a smile from Brittany.
"This isn't exactly the next piece of jewelry I planned on slipping on your finger." She admits quietly, lifting the ring to Santana's right hand ring finger.
"Me neither." Santana breathes out nervously, flashing a timid smile at Brittany. "But," She swallows hard. "It will do." She offers with a slight shrug of her shoulders and they smile at one another.
"Santana," Brittany squeaks out. "I promise myself to you and only you." She whispers gently, quickly looking at the way her fingers push the ring on Santana's. "I love you. Sometimes feelings and words get lost in translation. But, I love you in every sense of the way and then some." She nervously bites on her bottom lip and fixes the ring that now sits at the base of Santana's finger. "I promise to keep the lines of communication open so that nothing is ever lost between us. I don't ever want to lose those little details that make us great ever again."
"Brittany," They both smile and Santana lifts the other ring to Brittany's finger. "I love you. But sometimes, it feels like saying those words don't really do us justice. You know me better than I know myself. It's one of my favorite things about us. Life is hard and nothing is perfect, but, with you none of that really seems to matter much." She pushes the ring down to the base of Brittany's finger and quickly wipes a fallen tear from the corner of her eye. "I promise myself to you and only you."