Title – Halfway To Anywhere
Summary: Naya's not sure how she ended up in her bathtub; hung-over and with Heather on top of her, but the kink in her neck suggests they slept there. Sequel to Behind Closed Doors. RPF. HeYa.
Disclaimer: Not mine!
A/N: I had a deadline to get the next chapter out before the end of the year, so here it is :)
-ooo-
Sex is not dating. Sex is not dating. Sex is not dating.
That is what her character says, which is fine. Because there is nothing out of the ordinary about Santana stating something like that. It's in her characters nature to say a line like that if Naya's honest.
But then Heather's line appeared. Directly under Naya's own it sat all innocent until the very last word.
If it were, and then there had been a full-fucking-stop, like a pregnant pause before the bombshell was dropped. Before Naya's mind exploded and internally her brain turned to mush. Santana and I would be dating. Nothing prepared her for that little nugget! She even stuttered when Jenna asked her what she thought about the dialogue, before she made her way to her car and drove in a hazy trance towards Heather's apartment.
Because, dammit, she needed that beer and she also needed Heather to be aware of what the script said. Of what both their characters said. Or really, she needed Heather to know that Brittany just dropped a fucking bomb on their heads and in no way had she expected this.
So she's driving erratically fast. With the script on the passenger seat and her jaw locked in concentration, and she's got the radio blasting some indie song out at her because Heather always turns it up as a joke so that when Naya starts her car up she's deafened. Only Naya can't even care that her music can be heard by other cars, because she's a little preoccupied with her own thoughts.
She thinks she should be confused. Or maybe at a stretch a bit panicked. But honestly, she's grinning like a fool, and her heart hammers from excitement rather than dread.
Because the script is implying that Santana and Brittany have had sex, and Naya kind of really needs to see Heather's reaction to this. Because her own reaction right now is pure enthusiasm and she's not sure if it should be.
It's pouring with rain by the time she pulls up outside Heather's apartment and with a stupid grin plastered on her face, Naya runs quickly towards the front door. Her hoodie soaks up the rain like a sponge.
She knocks loudly. A sharp sound that is almost washed away by how loud the rain is falling, and within moments the door is pulled open to reveal Heather. She smiles at Naya and Naya is quick to return it and she's also quick to reach a cold hand towards Heather and grab her slender wrist firmly.
"Come out here with me." She mumbles softly. She pulls Heather a little closer and is quietly surprised when Heather does in fact step out into the rain. Albeit she looks completely confused, but she's watching Naya with such trust it has Naya's stomach flipping and her heart warming.
Naya honestly just wants to talk to Heather in private, and she knows her roommate is home. So being outside makes sense. At least it would if it were not raining.
She leads Heather further into the rain until they are just standing in the dark and also the small light coming from the opened door, and gently she takes Heather's hands within her own. Compared to her own wind chilled skin, Heather's skin is warm and soft; always soft.
Naya licks her lips. She can taste the rain on them. "I read something interesting today." She continues. Heather looks around them, blue eyes flick from Naya to the sky, to the door and then to Naya's car. Naya changes tactics and instead cups Heather's face. Her palms are wet as they meet with heated skin and she directs Heather's attention back to herself. "Do you want to hear what it was?" She asks slowly.
"Naya! It's freezing!" Heather exclaims in a whisper. Her eyes are wide and the thin tank top she is wearing is completely wet. It clings to her body like it's hugging her, and Naya allows her eyes to roam across Heather's subtle curves for a moment before she feels Heather starting to pull away from her.
She shifts her hands so that they fall to the back of Heather's neck, and strongly she pulls Heather against her own body. Heather's little noise she makes at the sudden move sets Naya's skin on fire and her stomach curls tightly.
"It's okay." She starts. She's trying her best to convince Heather through her eye contact that them standing this close, in the rain and at night, is completely normal. She also wants to convince herself. Because she's not the type to do this, she's not spontaneous and reckless.
Heather's gaze dances around Naya's face, looking everywhere but at her eyes, and Naya thinks it's because Heather is trying to gain insight into the random moment.
"It's freezing." Heather's voice is shaky from the cold, but Naya just nods and presses her body closer until Heather licks her lips and looks down. "And you're insane." She adds on weakly.
It makes Naya smile, "Mm, I read something…." She hushes. "From next week's script," She's smiling again. She can't help it. And Heather's own lips curve slightly as she tilts her head. She's still confused, Naya can tell, but she looks intrigued and amused all at once.
"What did you read?"
"I think I should show you instead." Unwrapping herself from Heather, Naya pulls the dancer towards her car. Heather grips her hand tightly and Naya laughs because she's ducking her head and hunching from the rain, when she's already drenched.
She gets to the passenger side, rips open the door, and fumbles to grab the script.
Heather's pushing herself against Naya forcefully, and it isn't until Naya turns with the script hugged against her chest that she fully notices why. Heather is shivering so much, Naya can actually hear her teeth hitting together.
"You're cold."
Heather looks at her dumbfounded. But doesn't say anything so Naya bodily pushes her to sit in the car.
"I'll get the seat wet…." Heather's tries to protest.
"Don't care. It'll dry. Now sit, you're turning blue. Sit and read." Shoving the script on Heather's lap Naya crouches so that she can better see the dancers face and places her hands on the side of Heather's thighs to steady herself. The rain is hitting the back of her hoodie and her hair but at least Heather is sitting in a dry spot. And Naya's more than happy to shield the bits of rain that would have otherwise landed on Heather's knees and feet, if it means Heather won't freeze.
Heather frowns and almost hesitantly picks up the script. The moister on her hands from the rain soak hungrily into the thin paper, and darkens its appearance and drops from her hair splatter spontaneously on the backs of Naya's hands.
"Is this next week's script?"
Naya nods, "you bet. Jenna pointed something out to me earlier. I want you to read it." She adjusts her position with a small shift and Heather curiously looks down at the script. She widens her eyes to see in the low light, and Naya holds her breath and simply waits.
The rain is cold and the air even colder and Naya finds herself shivering along with Heather.
She's not sure she's excited anymore, in fact she kind of feels nervous.
Holding her breath probably isn't helping any.
She lets it go and her lungs burn as they empty. Heather continues to read, squinting and tilting her head as her mouth moves along to the words she skims over. Naya watches her. She's tense and unbearably on edge and when Heather stops reading and just stares at the page, Naya's heart turns to stone for a second and she bites her lip.
"So what do you think?" Naya asks. Her voice strains in a whisper.
Heather swallows. Naya watches her neck move from the action. "Wow."
"I don't know if that's a good 'wow' or a bad 'wow'." Naya admits. She's so nervous it's making her feel twitchy, so she shifts and her shoes scratch the ground below her loudly.
Heather looks up at the noise. "I don't know either." Her eyes are soft and so blue even though it is dark, and Naya nods.
"I think it could be a good thing." She says as quietly as she can. Her fingers twitch against Heather's thighs and then she breathes out a tiny chuckle. "I just wanted to show you."
Heather's lips curve into a soft smile and it's so beautiful Naya's throat catches and her breathing quickens.
"I don't know what to say." Heather states around her own tiny chuckle. They're both being so quiet and the rain is still so loud that it's like they are in a bubble of their own. "Do you really think it could be a good thing?"
Naya doesn't even need to think before she's nodding. "Yes."
"It came out of nowhere."
"Apparently it made sense to the writers. It might be nothing. Maybe it's just a line, but if it's not I think it'll be good." She gives Heather a quick smile and while standing she simultaneously cups Heather's face and brings their lips together. It's sudden and not planned on her part, but she goes with it because it kind of feels extremely natural to kiss Heather 'just because'.
Heather responds instantly. And it's a nice thought in the back of Naya's mind, it's nice to know that if she chose to kiss Heather whenever, Heather would kiss her back.
It's not a long kiss. It's just a soft press of lips and a tilt of Naya's head as she pushes a tiny bit more firmly against Heather's mouth before she pulls back.
She drops her hands from Heather's face and stands completely. The rain is lighter now, misting about her face and when Heather stands as well all Naya can see is blonde hair surrounded by tiny misty raindrops, and blue eyes staring back at her. Heather is beautiful. She's actually perfect in Naya's eyes, and it's so bewildering that Heather of all people would allow Naya the chance to kiss her and touch her, and simply be around her. Naya feels a strange sense of protective admiration for Heather, but mainly she just feels really, really lucky.
The script is placed on the passenger seat again and Naya barely waits for Heather to step forward before she grabs for her desperately and with more force this time crashes their lips together again. It's a messy kiss. It's all lips and firm pressure and Heather's hands cup Naya's face strongly as she takes the lead and tilts her head to deepen the kiss, and then it's all lips and tongues and hot breath and Naya's own hands tangle in Heather's wet hair as she encourages Heather to keep kissing her. To keep pressing against her with damp clothes and warm skin, and to flick her tongue teasingly and nip on Naya's bottom lip with just the right force.
She can taste beer on Heather's lips and she smiles internally for no other reason than because she finds it enticing.
Heather keeps pressing against her and Naya shivers when slender hands slip away from her face to grab strongly at her hips. She keeps herself steady by wrapping her arms completely around Heather's shoulders and neck, and so as not to break the kiss, she stands on the tips of her toes. Heather's height is endearing, even if it is only a few inches off Naya's own height.
The rain falls softly now, but Naya can still feel it on her skin. She can feel it sticking to her clothes every time Heather pushes against her. And she can feel it on Heather's hair as blonde strands gets tangled and sticks to Naya's arms and her own face, and it's all so deliciously frantic that Naya doesn't even care how messy everything is.
She holds onto Heather so tightly she's sure Heather hasn't breathed properly since they first started kissing, but Heather's fingertips dig against her hips just as firmly and Naya thinks if they didn't cling to each other desperately they'd both have lost balance by now.
Heather's tongue pushes past Naya's lips just as she turns them both around until Naya crashes clumsily against the side of her car. The action is so quick, Naya barely has time to register how cold her car is, or that she has let go of Heather and smacked her palms against the hard surface for balance. But then Heather pulls back and breaks the kiss with an apologetic smile.
"Sorry." She breathes. It's so cold now her breath fogs.
Naya shakes her head and returns the smile as she pushes back Heather's sticky hair, and then tickles her palms down the dancer's neck until she's gripping her tank tops collar between her fingers. She squeezes the wet material once before she tugs on it and brings Heather closer.
A little laugh escapes Heather's mouth at the action and then she's leaning forward and capturing Naya's lips with her own again. Softer this time, still messy and fast, but undeniably softer. It pulls a whimper up Naya's throat unexpectedly and then Heather is breaking the kiss again, her breath hits Naya's lips hotly as she rests their foreheads together.
They're both out of breath. Panting lightly as the cold air brushes past them, and Naya's really not sure how a simple kiss turned into a kiss that now has her up against her car with Heather pressed against her warmly. But she doesn't care.
She smiles at their positions and brings Heather into her arms for a hug. They're both giggling breathily, high on the random kiss and from being in the rain.
There's so much that Naya wants to say in that moment. The words are on her tongue, dancing between her lips to be said, but nothing comes out. She doesn't know how to express herself. She doesn't know how to tell Heather what she feels when they're together. Maybe it's because her emotions are pretty much everywhere, but she thinks it's also because her emotions are really strong and she isn't always good with expressing things that are so… out of her control.
She settles for a grazing kiss to the juncture of Heather's neck and then she pulls away with a smile that feels sticky from the rain, and Heather's earlier kissing.
"I should go home." She doesn't actually mean to say that and it takes her by surprise. When Heather frowns, she continues quickly. "I have your kitten locked in my bedroom, and I don't want to leave it for too long." She explains.
Heather doesn't stop frowning. "I thought we were having a beer together." She looks down. "And it's our kitten."
"Ashley is here." Naya states, she nods behind Heather and at the apartment almost as if to prove her point and Heather shrugs.
"We can go to my bedroom, Naya. Ash won't disturb us. Besides we're all adults. She'll understand that we want to have time together." When Naya just stares, Heather shrugs again. "We can bring the script with us and I'll just say we're reading through and practicing lines."
"Heather I just –"
"Please, c'mon."
Naya ducks her head and reaches to pull at her wet hoodie. It feels heavy and awkward. "We're both soaked from the rain. It'd be weird going inside like this."
"Ashley wouldn't care. She probably wouldn't even notice." Heather encourages.
"But what would we say? I mean, don't you think she'd wonder why we stood in the rain?"
With a little wobble of her head, Heather licks her lips. "I do stupid things all the time around Ash, so she wouldn't even think that it was strange that I stood outside. Besides she knew I was answering the door and she hasn't come out to check on me, she doesn't care. Trust me. So come inside."
Naya wants to. She does, a lot actually. But the situation feels wrong. She feels like Ashley would cotton on to something or that she herself would end up letting something slip, and she doesn't want that, because she's only just admitted things to Dianna and that was hard enough.
Call her paranoid.
Hell, call her selfish. She just can't go in there. Her unexpected nerves won't allow her too.
Heather's hands slide up her waist and Naya's eyes drop to slender fingers and even slender wrists, she misses the soft smile Heather's gives her. "I have an idea." Heather whispers. Naya looks up slowly, coaxed to do so from curiosity.
She licks her lips, "Mm?"
"You don't have to come inside if you're worried about it," Naya goes to say she's not worried, but Heather's perceptive little look silences her. "But I don't want you to go home just yet. Ok? So I'm going to go grab a couple of beers and we're going to sit in the back seat of your car and drink them." She pulls away and steps back with a wide grin. "And you can't say no. I'm going inside now. Don't like, drive away, 'cause I'll be back. So stay."
"I'm not a dog." Naya chuckles, her stomach is twisting with so much adoration that it kind of makes her feel sick. In a good way, she guesses.
Heather gives her another wide grin and then she gnashes her teeth together playfully.
Naya would do it back, but she's momentarily hypnotized by how much Heather's teeth turn her on. She doesn't think she's ever been turned on by someone's teeth before.
"You won't leave?" Heather asks, taking more steps backwards.
Naya's heart kind of sinks a little at the thought that Heather might actually be worried that she would seriously leave, and she shakes her head. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Awesome. I'll be right back." With a comical thumbs-up, Heather turns and jogs back inside. And Naya breathes a small chuckle at how beautifully random the dancer can be.
She wants to be kissing her again.
-ooo-
Heather returns within moments, gripping all up four beers and grinning excitedly as she slides into the back seat alongside Naya.
She passes Naya two beers and pulls her legs up to cross them Indian style on the seat as she sits sideways. Her knee bumps Naya's leg in the process and Naya's heart picks up its pace for no apparent reason, except for the simple knowledge that Heather is close to her.
She swallows and looks to Heather quickly, before back down to the two glass bottles sitting between her legs. They're cold from being in the fridge, and against Naya's wet clothes they add to her chills. She just stares at the beer, squinting in the shadows as Heather's own beer hisses when she pops the seal and the lid is removed.
"Here." Heather's voice comes out so quiet Naya actually looks up worriedly, although once she sees the offered beer held towards her she just frowns. Heather's lips curve into a grin. "It won't bite you." She says and Naya sheepishly takes the drink.
Heather's smile turns pleased and then she reaches across Naya's lap to grab one of Naya's own beers. Her fingertips graze the middle of the bottles neck and she lifts it swiftly, and into her own lap before opening it like a pro.
Naya watches with a small amount of confusion, and Heather holds up her beer into the cars cabin.
"Sharing is caring." She says with a one shoulder shrug. "Now gimme some beer love and chink a girl."
Naya smiles and raises her beer as she clinks it against Heather's. "Cheers." She hushes. She watches as Heather takes a mouthful of beer before she takes one herself, the bubbles burst on her tongue and the taste sits heavily in her mouth when she swallows and all she can think of is that Heather's lips had tasted like beer when she had first kissed her in the night.
Heather doesn't say anything. She just raises her beer again and waits for Naya to do the same.
So Naya complies with amusement, clinking the glass together sharply for a second time and in the process making Heather grin.
"Cheers." Heather says after a pause. They both giggle softly at the moment, and then Heather continues her 'toast'. "To drinking in cars," She takes a large sip, swallows with her teeth gritted for some unknown reason and then looks down.
Naya quickly swallows her own mouthful, before she shifts so that she's kneeling sideways on the seat, facing Heather. Her other beer falls on its side, forgotten.
"To drinking in cars with beautiful girls," She whispers and Heather looks up with the sweetest smile Naya has ever seen. She gives Heather a soft look and wiggles her beer for Heather to clink. Heather does and the sound seems loud against the quiet. Loud but not intrusive, it's just the kind of sound that you notice because other sounds are gentler and more relaxed in comparison.
Naya breaks eye contact first and looks to her knees with a small smile. She can hear Heather's fingers tapping against her own beer, a slow tap. It's a nervous tension that is the good kind of nervous tension.
"Did Ashley say anything?" Naya asks her knees.
She hears Heather's taps pause. "No, she was editing a video. She didn't even hear me come in because she had headphones in." She explains.
Naya nods at her knees and then looks up. Under the low light Heather's eyes look pale. They are soft and expressive, and so enticing that Naya finds herself keeping eye contact.
Her fingers are cold from holding her beer when she talks, "Are you warm enough?" It's freezing in her car. Although Naya knows that has a lot to do with the fact she's in wet clothes and drinking cold beer. She can see that Heather is cold simply because she's shivering and her bare arms are slightly red.
Heather takes a sip of her drink, and Naya watches as pink lips surround the rim of the glass bottle before they break away with a tiny 'pop'. Heather swallows. "I think if you sat closer I'd be warmer."
It's a cheesy line, but Heather say's it without an ounce of arrogance and it actually comes across as kind of inviting. So Naya does sit closer. It's just a shuffle until her knees hit Heather's crossed legs, but it's still closer.
She sips her beer as a distraction to her nerves. "Close enough?" She hushes after her beer slides down her throat and breaks away some of her nervous apprehension.
Heather grins. "Not quite, I think we should be touching…, body heat and all."
"Of course," Naya chuckles; playing along easily as she holds her beer out for Heather to take. Heather reaches for it and once she's holding both their drinks in each hand, Naya sits up on her knees. "Put your legs out straight."
With a little moment of pause, Heather complies. She moves slowly and Naya shuffles so that she is straddling Heather's thighs. It's precarious because they are sitting length wise on the back seat, but Naya makes it look smooth and Heather lets her back rest against the door.
With Heather's hands occupied with the beers, Naya takes advantage and cups her face. Her palms are warm in comparison to Heather's cheeks. And she smiles brightly in reassurance and excitement and also just because she's happy.
"Are you still cold?" She asks.
Heather swallows audibly before shaking her head, "not so much anymore." Her voice is so quiet Naya kind of just lip reads most of what is said and then she leans in for a kiss.
They sort of meet each other halfway. And it's so much slower than the kiss they shared earlier, that Naya's stomach twists pleasantly. It's a brush of lips and then she pulls back. Hovering close to Heather's mouth still and smiling at how tightly Heather is gripping the beer.
Heather's legs tense beneath Naya and then she leans forward, moving from the car door and pushing her head from Naya's gentle grip as she restarts the kiss. Naya allows her hands to fall to Heather's shoulders, her palms touch wet clothes and damp skin and she digs her nails in just to find a secure purchase on Heather and to ground herself.
Kissing Heather is something Naya doesn't think she will ever get bored of.
It's just not possible.
It's vastly different then when she and Mark had kissed, and not just because Heather is a girl either. It's the small differences Naya notices. Like how Heather is firm but not controlling, like how she teases with her tongue but never forces anything and her lips are always soft. Marks lips were sometimes chapped, sometimes dry and a lot of the time just thick and clumsy. He was an ok kisser. But Heather beats him by a flying mile!
Naya sometimes wonders if she's a better kisser than Heather's previous partners. Although that train of thought is usually quelled pretty quickly, because thinking of Heather being with someone else other than herself kind of makes Naya agitated and severely alert to mentioned agitation.
Heather's lips make soft sounds as she changes the kiss with a tilt of her head and Naya can feel the effort it's taking for Heather to sit forward and hold the drinks steady. She smiles. Briefly breaking the kiss, before her hands drop to Heather's sides and she presses warm palms against a cold tank top.
Heather's body tenses further and she grunts in equal parts encouragement and strain and then Naya pulls back, sitting more firmly on Heather's outstretched legs.
"Relax back." She instructs. Mainly because Heather is starting to shake from her position, and she worries there's going to be a spillage of beer. "Hand me the drinks."
Heather does and she also rests back against the door again as Naya takes the cold beverages. With an awkward movement Naya bends and places the beers on the floor of the car. She's careful to sit them upright and as steady as they can get and then she's shifting higher up Heather's body and smiling against the cold shadows of her car.
She teases her lips across Heather's gently, a tender touch, and she lets Heather respond. She presses her lips forward and then pulls back, and Heather follows the movement without letting their lips fall apart, eager to keep kissing. With a quiet sigh that melts between both their softly presses lips, Naya reaches her hands up until her palms are pressing against the car door and its window; on either side of Heather's head.
Heather's own hands find purchase in Naya's hair, and she pulls and grips the wet locks with every tilt of her own head; scratching her nails downwards until they've tickled over the back of Naya's neck and pulled a heavy grunt of encouragement from her.
Naya presses forward. Her hips fit perfectly against Heather's, and her thighs firmly hold the blonde in place as she flicks her tongue experimentally along Heather's bottom lip. Heather opens her mouth slightly at the contact, and Naya repeats the movement. She licks across soft skin, and tastes beer.
Heather's hands fall away from her hair and neck and then she's sliding slender fingers under Naya's hoodie, warm palms slip over ribs and the side of Naya's bra clad breasts, and then in one smooth motion Heather lifts the apparel up and over Naya's head, breaking the kiss. She lets it drop to the floor of the car with a damp thud.
The change in temperature isn't noticeable like Naya would have expected. But goosebumps still rise on her showing torso and chest and then Heather's hands are on her, warming her, caressing over her ribs and abdomen and sliding around to the small of her back as warm palms rest there and pull Naya closer.
Naya is quick to restart the kiss. Her lips press against Heather's with a firm and eager pressure, and Heather responds with a soft moan that sort of stays in her throat.
Again, Naya flicks her tongue across Heather's bottom lip. And as if it's muscle memory, Heather's lips part and she allows Naya free range to deepen the kiss. Which Naya dutifully accepts and with a small inhale through her nose she dips her tongue past Heather's lips and into her mouth. It's a slow movement, a slow kiss for a quiet moment shared between them. And then Heather's tongue pushes against hers, hotly and with a strong exuberance that makes Naya's hips roll down and her hands lands recklessly on the junction of Heather's elbows.
She squeezes Heather's arms and pushes her lips more firmly to the blondes simultaneously. Heather's head knocks the window of the car and then she smiles. It draws her lips tight and changes the pace and feel of the kiss, and Naya smiles along with her. The kiss breaks and Naya lets go of Heather's arms to slide one hand around the back of her neck, and the other to tangle in blonde hair. She tugs carefully to tilt Heather's head up a little, and blues eyes flicker up at the encouraging action.
Naya takes a second to simply allow her own gaze to fall and rise and mesmerize everything about Heather's flushed cheeks, and blown pupils and the way her lips are a darker shade of red that comes from kissing. She looks at the soft pants that expand Heather's chest and the flutter of a pulse on her neck. The way her wet hair looks almost brown in the shadows takes her interest as well, but the main thing that Naya simply stares at is Heather's expression.
It's beautiful. And casted under the dark shine of Naya's car and the moon light from outside, Heather looks undoubtedly breathtaking.
"You're beautiful," Naya whispers. She doesn't give Heather a chance to react. She simply starts kissing her again. And with subtle lips and a quiet sigh, Heather eagerly takes the affection in her stride.
Naya thinks they end up kissing for hours, but in reality it's much shorter.
She wants to try one day kissing Heather forever.
-ooo-
"I can't do this." Naya states with a jerky movement of her hand, she huffs and then closes her laptop screen with a tiny click. It sits on her knee and whirs once more, before going into hibernation. The room is silent. Dark, because the last time Naya had even remotely been aware of the time it was still light out. So it's probably also late.
Her apartment is legitimately pitch black now that the screen of her laptop isn't shinning like some damn warning light, and Naya kind of feels weird sitting on her couch, in the shadows and with very little knowledge as to what the time is.
She throws her head back, "I can't do this." She whines again. Her voice comes out strained from her position and her throat bobs when she swallows.
Something brushes against her bare foot and it takes everything in Naya not to scream the place down, because she's in a dark room and she's seen one too many horror movies, and honestly she's been on edge a lot lately. So it takes a lot of effort not to scream. Instead she ends up biting her tongue accidently when she flinches. And her teeth lock together in a way she is sure isn't meant to happen.
"Fuck." She mumbles.
She moves her foot and a soft little squeak reaches her ears.
"Don't get under my feet. I've warned you. I will end up treading on you, and we both do not want that." With a grunt she tosses her laptop a bit too recklessly onto the other couch cushion and bends forward to reach blindly near her feet. Another tiny squeak fills the room and then Naya's hands are touching soft fur as she bundles Heather's kitten into her grasp.
His claws extend instinctively and firmly press against Naya's skin but once she has sat him securely upon her lap, he retracts them. She's not a big cat person. Actually when she thinks about she's not an avid animal lover at all, she likes them, sure. Who wouldn't? But if she never has a pet for the rest of her life she'd be ok about it.
At least he is distracting her. Because after spending half the night googling herself, Naya is torn in two ways. First, she's overwhelmed by how many fans she actually has and considering she's not even a regular on Glee it's nice to see that her popularity is increasing. It's validating when she can see the effect Glee has on people, when she can acknowledge the power the show holds. But then there are the rumours and negative blurbs and awkward photos of her, and suddenly Naya gets why Heather doesn't like the spotlight. Because it's kind of scary and thrilling and cringe worthy all at once, and the internet is a huge place that Naya is now aware she's a part of.
The point is, never again will she type Naya Rivera into the search bar with the naivety of some start-up actress.
Her phone rings abruptly and Naya again bites her tongue from the shock. The silence of the room breaks immediately and with a gentle action Naya directs the kitten back onto the floor. She probably shouldn't be letting him run around in the dark, but it's not like he could do much harm. She wiggles on the couch as she pulls her phone from her pocket and glares at her screen.
It's instantly erased when she sees Heather's name and she unlocks her phone with a swipe so fast Superman would be impressed.
"Hi, hey…." Her words sound eager. It's embarrassing but Heather responds in kind.
"Hey, hi," She teases and Naya unabashedly grins around her dark apartment.
She ducks her head and stares at her lap. "Why are you calling so late?" Her voice sounds strangely accusing, so she adds a quick; "can you not sleep?" And genuinely frowns at the thought of Heather not getting rest.
Stop being weird!
Heather chuckles, "Naya, it's ten thirty." She tells. "And I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing with the kitten."
Ignoring the urge to blush furiously over the small and irrelevant fact that it's only ten thirty and she had totally just sounded like an old bitty who was in for the night, Naya clears her throat. It's a gesture done to pull herself together, and above other things to stop her from giggling nervously.
Stop being weird!
"He's fine. He's nameless. When are you going to name him?"
"When I think of a good one," Heather says simply.
"Makes sense."
"Crazy that," There's a pause and a thunk on Heather's end and then Naya can hear Ashley singing in the distance. Heather talks a moment later and drowns out the sound. "Um, about earlier…." She starts. Another loud noise thuds over the phone line and Naya grimaces. She can hear Heather grunt in annoyance.
Her words are instantaneous. "You alright?"
Another grunt and then there's a low rumble that sounds like Ashley's laughter. The phone line crackles and Naya grimaces further and then all she can hear is Heather breathing.
It's a soft sound. Small inhales and long exhales, and it would sound creepy if it weren't for the simple fact that Ashley's voice is chatting endlessly to Heather. Thus, giving an understanding to Naya that Heather is merely listening to Ashley. Not breathing over the phone line with an ulterior motive.
There's a pause and a long silence and then another thud. Heather's breathing hitches, Ashley's laughter booms down the phone line and then Heather is growling. A playful sound, an annoyed sound, and a sound that makes Naya's eyes widen and her head tilt with interest.
Stop being fucking weird!
"Heather." Naya's little call goes unnoticed. Although Ashley's laughter is so loud it's not surprising. So she tries again, this time in a tone that is practically a bark. "Heather."
Another thud and Heather breathes in. "Yo."
The response is unexpected and Naya kind of just stares blindly ahead of her as her mind catches up. Sometimes Heather's personality was so random, Naya feared for the girl's sanity.
When Naya doesn't speak, Heather continues.
"Sorry, Ash was throwing things at me from across the room. I got hit in the head with a coaster. I didn't even know we had coasters." She explains quickly, "Although now I do. Are you okay?"
Naya twitches her head back a little and smiles at the question. "You're the one that got hit in the head." She says. Heather hums in the back of her throat.
"I live a thug life."
Naya smiles even wider, "I'm sure you do."
"No but, seriously, you're ok right?" Heather's voice gets quieter and Naya thinks it's because Ashley is around. She can almost imagine the sneaky look on Heather's face and it makes her stomach twist with pure contentment.
With a swallow she manages to control her smile. "I'm fine. I just finished googling myself actually."
Heather's laugh is low and shaky and so unexpected Naya's smile comes right back.
"Is that what the kids these days are calling it?" Her laughter breaks and she gulps in air and Naya blanches so much she's sure had she of been standing she would have been hitting the floor like it was hot.
"You live in a fucking gutter, Morris." She manages around her horrified expression. Her words just make Heather snort another chuckle. "No, I'm being serious; I googled myself." She tries again.
Heather practically sucks in a mouthful of air to speak. "Stop telling me about the things you do in private." She sniggers.
"Stop tarnishing my words with your filthy thoughts." Tarnishing? Filthy? Naya feels old.
"There's a double meaning to what you are saying –"
"There is not –"
"I'm just reading between the lines."
"Well learn to read, because you've got it wrong. I was googling myself on the internet."
Heather literally gasps down the phone line as a sharp chuckle leaves her mouth, and although Naya is horribly embarrassed the sound captures her attention immediately. Butterflies fill her stomach and make it tight and she sits forward to squash the sensation.
Heather pops her lips. Whether it's intentional or just because she's still laughing, Naya isn't sure. "Everything you say sounds so wrong." She tells with a little suppressed noise that hums like a soft whimper.
Naya kind of has to physically hold her stomach or she thinks the butterflies will eat through her skin and escape.
Stop being weird!
"Maybe you're just hearing what you want to hear." She's trying to turn the tables, she's trying to make Heather blush and stutter and change the subject. It doesn't work. Heather just hums throatily.
"Probably," Naya doesn't even know how to respond to that. So she doesn't. Eventually Heather continues, "So you googled yourself?" She asks. She's not laughing anymore, but there is still an amused tone to her voice.
Naya shrugs away her blush and draws her legs up onto the couch to sit Indian style, "Yeah." She breathes.
"Are we getting a little self-obsessed, Naya?" Heather asks. It's almost a coo.
It sounds strange and Naya kind of wants to tease Heather about how her voice came out, but she ends up just smirking to herself and answering in all seriousness.
"It was a frightening experience."
Heather hums again. "You loved it."
"I was going to google you."
"Oh God, don't. There are probably nudes or something." Heather jokes.
Naya's own hum comes as a surprise even to herself. It's low and thick and yet light all at once, and she giggles mid-way. "Even more of a reason to google yo fine ass then."
There's a pause and then Heather breathes out so quickly, that Naya can't tell if it's a laugh or a shocked exhale. But either way she thinks she just managed to make Heather blush. So, four for her!
"You're not gangsta." Heather states, quietly.
Naya gives a small chuckle. "Break it to a girl hard, why don't you."
She so has Heather blushing.
"Thought it was best coming from me," Heather replies. There's a shuffling sound from Heather's end and then she's huffing out with exhaustion. Naya thinks she just lied down. Probably on the couch because every now and then Ashley's humming would drift through the phone line. So the two were probably situated close by. "Hey, listen. I wanted to talk about earlier, when you came by…." She stops.
Naya gives a little grunt for her to continue, and Heather breathes in.
"I'm kind of nervous about, uh, well about what the line in the script implies. I mean, do you think it's just another throwaway line that the writers thought would be funny? Because it suggests that Brittany and Santana have slept together." Heather's tone is quiet, not secretive or ashamed, she's just talking softly. Naya has noticed that Heather tends to talk either really quiet when confused about something, or loud and pronounced.
She wiggles on the couch and briefly looks about the dark room for the kitten, subconsciously she thinks it is probably peeing in her room or scratching all her nice things. But realistically it is probably sleeping somewhere quiet and warm. Cats were a lot different than dogs.
They were independent. Naya liked that about them.
She breathes out gently and squints in thought, "I think the writers wrote it to imply that Santana and Brittany have had some type of friends-with-benefits relationship. But it's tricky, because it could also just be another confused line from Brittany that advocates she doesn't know what sex is."
"Do you think?" Heather quietly asks.
Naya honestly doesn't know. She thinks she should probably ask someone about it, like Matt or Ryan himself. That would be a good move. "I seriously don't know. I think I'm going to ask Ryan about it, just to clear things up. Because it could be nothing, you know? We might be taking it for more than what it is."
There's a soft hum from Heather that Naya smiles at. "It'd be weird if they were in a relationship."
Heather's words aren't said in a disgusted manner. She's just idly stating her thoughts, and Naya allows the line to go silent for a while as she thinks.
If she's honest she wouldn't mind Santana's storyline evolving in that direction. It'd mean more dialogue and also more time with Heather on set, and maybe she'd even become a bigger part of the show. It's kind of appealing. And if it were just a throwaway line, it would be just another distasteful joke about two girls making out for the sake of making out. She thinks the writers of Glee would at least be aware of that, and of how it might be taken in a bad way.
She doesn't want that kind of storyline anyway. She wants a storyline where her character is strong, self-reliant, and doesn't make out with her friend for guys attention. Although, really, she can't dictate what happens with her character. So it's all up in the air. But playing a confident character is something she enjoys; playing a character that does things just to please a guy is not.
But maybe she's overthinking things.
"I actually think they're kind of right for each other." She says. The silence is broken and Naya continues. "What's more relatable then falling in love with your best friend? It'd be a good story arc, and we'd get a bunch of screen time."
Heather breathes out. "Are you on a mission to make this happen now?"
"I wouldn't unless you were comfortable with it. Besides I gots ta talk to the slave driver first, see what is what."
"I thought I already broke it to you that you're not gangsta." Chuckles Heather, she sounds tired.
"That wasn't me trying to be in anyway gangsta, I was being sassy."
Another little chuckle from Heather, "I think you failed."
"I've got sass, girl. Don't be trying to tell me otherwise."
"Oh my God, you are a nerd!"
Naya beams and then softens her expression until she looks thoughtful. "But seriously, if you're not comfortable with it let me know. I don't want to fight for this to happen and have you regret any of it, ok?"
"I wouldn't regret it." Heather states sincerely.
It's nice to hear. Naya's more than aware that Heather isn't an experienced actress, so taking on a simple role that could potentially become something bigger and more emotional would have to be daunting. Because even Naya, who has been acting before she could talk, is a little apprehensive about what might come from the line between Santana and Brittany.
She'll ask around before she goes assuming anything will come of the quip. But even Jenna had assumed something more might have been meant, she wouldn't have pointed it out to Naya if she hadn't.
"Are you plotting world domination?" Heather asks and Naya blinks away her thoughts. She must have been quiet for a long pause.
"Always," She replies and it earns her an amused hum from Heather. "You should sleep, you sound tired."
"You just want to google yourself again."
Naya was half expecting that response, so she doesn't feel the need to blush insanely. Instead she shrugs one shoulder and sits forward a little bit. "Maybe I'll google you and see if I can find those elusive nudes you talked about." It's done to tease and also to one up Heather, and Naya smiles toothily when she hears Heather's little intake of air.
She's managed to make her blush again.
"You're a nerd." Heather whispers.
Naya loves how Heather's tone changes from brazen to shy in an instant. She kind of wishes she could see Heather, because when Heather blushes it's very noticeable; and also very pretty.
"You're a dork." She retaliates, "now go to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow on set."
"Okay," Heather's breathy reply is still whispered. Maybe Ashley is around. Or maybe Heather is just too tired to speak louder. Either way, Naya likes the fact that Heather is whispering to her over the phone. It's like they're sharing a secret. "Night, Naya."
When Naya answers, she whispers as well. "Goodnight, Hemo."
A/N: I hope everyone has a good end of 2012 and a fantastic 2013!
TBC