it was love to me

by your-street-serenade

Brittany and Santana spend their summer vacation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's there on Liberty Avenue that they find their footing as individuals and as a couple, with just a little companionship from Justin and Brian along the way. Glee/Queer as Folk crossover. Post Season 2 Glee/Post Season 5 QAF.

19. It's a Revolution I Suppose

A/N: I'm still here and I apologize for taking so long with this. I lost my grandfather. I got caught up in a bunch of distractions trying to make it to the other side of grief. It's been tough but I just wanted to say thank you to G and buddy11 for leaving me those messages. Believe it or not, they really did help. Thank you both so much.

Also in case anyone is wondering, Melanie sings 'Say A Little Prayer' in episode 1x18 and Michael sings 'Ben' is in 2x09 of QAF.

On that note a fellow Brittana fan has started watching QAF and occasionally she and I will message back and forth about her binge-watching the show. As I was writing this chapter and working on the 'Say A Little Prayer' scene I happened to get a text from her saying 'Melanie just started singing Say A Little Prayer and it just gave me Glee feels!' and I was like 'dude, guess what I'm writing right now'. As for Michael's rendition of 'Ben', if you look at the scene Britin's reaction totally screams Brittana to me. They just sit there horrified and amused and all 'is this really happening?'. It reminded me of so many Brittana reactions to some wtf performances on Glee.

X

I raise my flag, don my clothes

It's a revolution I suppose

- Imagine Dragons

X

It was morning and Santana, clad in her short black silk robe, had been slaving away in the kitchen and creating a mess as she attempted to make breakfast.

She wasn't sure what exactly had come over Brittany the previous evening when the blonde had taken her all firm like in the elevator and later again in the loft, but whatever it was she wasn't complaining. It had been hotter than hot to see Brittany all intense and passionate. Even if Brittany hadn't suggested it Santana thought that kind of performance deserved a thank you in the form of a wholesome and nutritious breakfast.

But mac and cheese notwithstanding, she was still a little hopeless in the kitchen and wholesome and nutritious ended up being Eggos and some fresh fruit.

The fruit had been easy but warming up Eggos? It was a lot harder than it looked she concluded as she read the box.

''Toast on high or until golden brown,'' she recited the written instructions and pulled the small lever down on the toaster. Once the appliance began working and heating its own interior she tossed the box aside where it landed on the counter, she then exhaled loudly as she began fanning her face. ''Oh my god that was so exhausting. I don't know how Rachel Ray does it.''

''Morning!'' Brittany chirped as she came prancing in.

In a panic that Brittany would see it all before it was ready Santana literally slapped the Eggo box off the counter so hard it actually caught air before falling to the hard wood floors. ''What are you doing out here? I thought you wanted breakfast in bed.''

''I did, but I was listening and it took you twenty minutes to figure out how to plug in the toaster. I thought it'd be a lot easier if I gave you a hand.''

''Ummmm. What are you wearing?''

Santana did a double take as she took in the sight of the blonde who was wearing a skin tight white t shirt with the phrase 'too busy to fcuk' printed across the front of it, but other than that she remained naked from the waist down.

''Cute right?'' Brittany asked, looking down at the single article of clothing she was sporting. ''I found it in the back of the closet. It used to be Justin's I think.''

''I don't know how I feel about it,'' Santana went to wrinkle her nose, ''I feel like it sends the wrong message because one is never too busy to fuck, Brittany, and I'm appalled anyone would be.''

''Mmhm, I bet. So how far did you get with breakfast?''

''Pretty far actually,'' Santana exclaimed proudly. ''I opened the box of Eggos and got the toaster to working. I pulled the lever down myself and everything.'' It wasn't much, but it was as much as she could do on the fly and with her experience. ''I know it's not pancakes and bacon and the whole shebang but there's fruit and uh,'' she quickly scrambled to the fridge and pulled out a carton and began pouring them both glasses, ''juice see.''

She kissed Santana's cheek in gratitude and popped a tiny piece of sliced banana into her mouth. Anyone else would have viewed this pitiful breakfast as pathetic, but for the kitchen challenged Santana it was a lot of hard work and dedication.

''First the mac and cheese the other night, now Eggos...you're spoiling me.''

The Eggos jolted up from the toaster then. For the next few moments Santana went about grabbing them and placing them down on two plates that already had fruit decorating the edges. And for her part Brittany went to the fridge to hunt for syrup and after locating a bottle they both came to stand at the kitchen island where she began drizzling it over their food.

''This looks so yum,'' Brittany praised.

''Yeah, it...it does,'' Santana sighed, becoming preoccupied with the naked half of her girlfriend. Because damn.

Santana wasn't really sure what that was about, why with her coming out she had suddenly felt her sexual appetite grow. Why the urge and itch to have Brittany day and night, anywhere and everywhere were so overwhelming, even more so than ever before. It was just something that came from within, something that she couldn't control even if she wanted to.

They had always had a very active, healthy sex life but the amount and the intensity with which she gave and took now was something else, it was from somewhere else.

''You know I'm actually a little upset with you.''

''What-why?'' Brittany laughed and started cutting the Eggos into slices on her plate.

Santana went around to stand behind her and laid a kiss on her clothed shoulder. ''Because you had all the fun last night and then you rushed us off to sleep before I could get any of my own. Not very fair of you.''

''Babe, you were done, I wore you out.''

''Lies.''

''You needed sleep, besides like I said that was just for you.'' Brittany turned around but remained trapped between Santana and the counter.

''Mmm, well I think it's only right that since I made you breakfast I get to enjoy what I want as my first official meal of the day.''

Santana glanced down to Brittany, pink and exposed and so fucking perfect before her. It took about two seconds for the blonde to decode those words.

''That was horrible,'' Brittany said, holding in her laughter.

''Whatever. Get up on this counter.''

''Why?''

Santana smirked. ''Why do you think?''

She started kissing on her, playfully peppering pecks over her cheeks and nose and chin while her hands reached down to cup her Brittany's ass before giving it a swat. Brittany responded to it by doing a happy little hop to sit upon the surface of the counter. Once in place Santana bent down to kiss and tease her thighs open, spreading them for herself. A little more eager than usual she didn't waste any time getting her ready so she could get to the business of burying her face in Brittany's business. The blonde squeaked in excitement as Santana started kissing and lapping at her.

''I-oh my god-wha-whoa,'' Brittany said, placing one hand on the counter to steady herself and the other went to Santana's hair.

They both enjoyed their positions and the sensations it allowed them for several moments. Obviously kissing Brittany between her legs was one of her favorite things to do, because screw Disneyland, this was truly the happiest place on earth Santana decided as fingertips gently massaged her scalp.

If she could pack a bag and vacation there every year she would.

Her concentration however was interrupted ten minutes in when Brittany's cell began ringing, and ringing, and ringing.

And ringing.

''Ugh, who the hell,'' Brittany hissed as she turned and saw her phone vibrating across the other side of the counter. Santana licked at a particularly sensitive spot against her. ''Oh! Right there, I love it there.''

''Yeah I know you love it.''

''Dah-my-fuh.'' Brittany temporarily gave up on proper words.

And the phone kept on going off, endlessly chirping. Perhaps it would have been easier to ignore had it been a generic beepy ringtone but Brittany had set it to some god awful tune that was hella annoying and totally distracting. With an aggravated grumble Santana pulled her mouth away from her momentarily. ''Brittany, oh my god what the hell song is that ringtone it sounds like Lord Tubbington yowling,'' she huffed before burying her face back down inside of the other girl.

Brittany pointed a harsh finger at her girlfriend whose lips were still technically attached to, well, her lips. ''You will not disrespect Taylor Swift's musical contributions to this world in my presence like that, Santana.''

Again Santana came up for air to reply. ''Fine okay but will you either answer that or please chunk it out of a window or something because listening to that white girl sing about John Mayer being a douchebag is seriously making me lose girl wood over here.''

''Alright but just don't stop.'' She agreed and used a hand to press Santana back down into her. Then she grabbed her phone from the other side of the counter, being extra careful not to disturb Santana from what she was doing in her lap. ''Ohmyfuckinggodhello!'' she said into the device.

Justin's voice chirped through to her from the other side of the line. ''Morning Britt!''

''Muh-morning,'' Brittany managed to greet him back with a stutter.

''I didn't wake you did I?'' he asked with concern.

''No, not at all.'' She put the phone against her cheek and shoulder to speak into it and despite all of her many distractions picked up a piece of syrupy Eggo with her fingertips and popped it into her mouth while nonchalantly informing him, ''I'm just having breakfast while Santana goes down on me.''

From below Santana laugh-snorted into Brittany who wiggled and giggled at the vibrations that travelled through her body and caused her to yelp.

''Oh my god babe!'' Shocked, Santana pulled back, half horrified and half amused. ''Why did you tell him?''

''What, it's just Justin!'' Brittany rolled her eyes and waved back to her naked lap as if telling Santana to get back to the task. ''Go back to eating your breakfast and let me worry about this conversation.''

''I'm not in the mood anymore,'' she said and licked her lips.

''You're always in the mood.''

Santana stood and grabbed her own plate of food and buzzing with sexual frustration began to eat it almost angrily, tearing into her Eggo with a weird, funny kind of intensity. ''I just snorted into your vagina, I think any possible mood is good and gone for the moment,'' she said, chewing with her mouth full of golden waffle.

''Aww, honey don't sulk,'' Brittany reached out to comfort Santana who pouted sullenly at their interruption. ''I promise you can have me with dinner okay?''

Santana softened with that knowledge and continued on with her food as she watched Brittany go back to her conversation with Justin.

''Were you guys really-did I hear right-you know what-no-I don't even want to know,'' rambled Justin. ''I'm sorry for interrupting whatever but I was calling to see if you two were up for meeting Brian and I at Babylon in say an hour.''

Brittany took a piece of fruit and feed it to Santana who had to smile at the gesture. She kissed the long fingers that fed her.

''An hour? I thought Babylon was closed during the day,'' said Brittany.

''Oh it is but we have something we wanted you two to see. Brian is especially insistent that Santana have final approval on something here and trust me Brittany you're definitely going to want to see this too.''

X

After breakfast and a shared shower they had made their way to Babylon where they were let into the building by a lone club employee standing outside waiting for them. While the young man allowed them entrance he didn't follow them in and instead simply shut the door behind them to continue to stand his post on the outside.

They each looked up when they entered.

Babylon in the daylight hours was a stark contrast to how they had seen it come alive at night. There was no glitter in the air, no beams of dancing lights, no thumpa thumpa, just a large, empty club and dance floor. Save for one bulky circular ten foot steel platform that is.

When Santana called out for them and failed to be greeted by Brian or Justin she looked to Brittany. ''Okay now what?''

Brittany shrugged her response and approached the circular platform, laying her hands on it and giving it a tug to test its stability. The structure actually had wheels at the bottom but was well made and sturdy enough that she decided it was worth a climb. She immediately began to push the platform into the center of the main floor.

''What are you doing?'' Santana laughed.

''Let's go up.''

''Are you crazy?''

Brittany countered with a wiggle of her eyebrows. ''Scared?''

''Psshhh, scared.''

''Come on.''

Somewhat uncertain Santana followed her up the steps of the platform. Together they stood under the mirrorball that somehow managed to shine even in the dim lighting and looked out at the quiet deserted lifeless building. ''It's actually kind of sad when it looks empty like this,'' Santana said, so used to the vibrant thrumming of the club.

''You think?'' Brittany scrunched up her face in thought.

''You don't? There's no lights, no music-''

''Ah, but there's always music,'' Brittany said and dropped her hands to Santana's hips, urging her to sway along with her. ''Even if we can't hear it, it's always there. That thumpa thumpa.''

''What is that anyways?'' Santana asked as she started along, dancing to silence, their bodies moving together in slow degrees. ''I've heard Mel say it...Brian...Justin...I think Lindsay.''

''Emmett told me the thumpa thumpa is the gay pulse that keeps the city alive. Like it's the rhythm of the universe or something.''

''Mmm.'' Santana made a thoughtful little noise. ''I guess it's a nice thought.''

''It's more than nice. It's like we're finally around some people who get it, who get us for once.''

''I thought you said glee was a family,'' Santana reminded her of her own words.

''It is, and they are, we are, we're totally a family dysfunction and all. I love Mercedes and Tina and Mike and everyone else back at school in Lima and I can't wait to get back into that room and to do some epic numbers with all of them for senior year, but when I'm here dancing with Emmett or Justin or Lindsay...I don't know...it's different.''

''Because they're queer too?''

''Not just cause of that,'' Brittany shook her head, trying to put her finger on it. The feeling she had when they were with the Liberty Avenue gang. ''It's like they understand that dancing isn't just about moving or keeping in sync, it's about letting go of the things that are trying to hold us back, it's about giving yourself over to something bigger than you. It's about finding something in yourself to keep going. It's about...about...'' she halted her words, searching for just the right one.

''Liberation?'' Santana offered.

''Yeah that, liberation. Liberation,'' Brittany said, lighting up at the phrasing. ''Me and you, we needed to find a little bit of that this summer before we go back to a town full of small minds, with people who live small lives. We totally needed to feel this, this sense of liberty so that when we do go back we can kick senior year in the nads together.''

''You really think our senior year will be different?''

''I do. I'm going to run for senior class president and I'm going to do everything to try to change that place before we leave and you're going to lead us to a Cheerios championship and you're going to slay in glee, and when we leave that place it'll be changed. Because this time, this year we're taking it all on together. No matter what anyone else says or does nothing and no one can ever take us down, not as long as we keep dancing. Whatever else happens, keep dancing.''

Santana smiled. ''I think I hear it now,'' she whispered.

''Hear what?''

''The thumpa thumpa.''

Santana reached over and cupped pale cheeks before pulling her in for a heavy, hot kiss that Brittany quickly returned.

''You know we have rooms for that!'' Brian interrupted them and hollered from below as he and Justin came to stand at the bottom of the platform.

Santana pulled away from the kiss with a grunt and glared down at the dark haired man. ''Fuck you Kinney.''

''I already did before we got here,'' Justin informed Santana with a sly smirk while Brian stood silent, looking quietly proud.

Looking down at the male pair Santana shook her head. ''Must you two with the constant sexual innuendo.''

''Must you two with the constant sexual innuendo,'' Justin challenged with a chuckle.

''Fair point,'' Brittany admitted. ''Anyway why did you ask us to meet you two here?''

Brian and Justin looked at each other and smiled conspiratorially and were soon followed into the building by a group of young women, each of whom were carrying a garment bag. Justin pointed the group to a doorway leading to an employees only section of the building and gave them hushed instructions. The women, who all bore a general resemblance to Santana in that they were all dark haired and striking, began walking into the back as Brittany and Santana walked their way down the platform to the floor to stand with Justin and Brian.

''And who are they?'' Santana asked.

''We hired them for the Snix-themed party,'' Justin explained.

Brittany squinted. ''As waitresses?''

''Not exactly,'' Brian answered. ''Ladies, what do you think of when you think of the word charity?''

''Bullshit,'' Santana said automatically.

Brittany raised a shoulder as she gave it thought. ''When I think charity I think of my cat, Charity. I really miss her. She moved to Florida once she and Lord Tubbington finalized their divorce. I mean I'm sad it had to end between them but she got a really decent settlement out of it all. She owns a Dunkin Donuts franchise now.''

''...Right.'' Brian crinkled his forehead in confusion but carried on. ''When most people think charity they think boring as hell and rightly so. Most charity events are boring as fuck and that's why we have to make Snix Night feel like a party. The proceeds are going to a worthy cause - our local LGBTQ youth center - but if we really want people to open up their clutches and wallets we have to make them forget they're at a charity function and we have to make them think they're at a party. And all parties need proper decor so we thought our paying patrons might get a kick out of seeing Liberty Avenue's latest gay avenger up close and personal.''

''What exactly are you getting at?'' Santana asked.

As if to answer her question the group of women walked out one by one, each of them decked out in costumes modeled to look exactly like that belonging to the animated Snix Justin and Brittany had designed for the graphic novel. Six Santana-Snix doppelgangers stood in thigh high boots and a dark skin tight outfit that showed off their small, delicious figures. Their long jet black hair was down, framing their face and across each of their eyes was a small black face mask as well. They were all beautiful beforehand but with the Snix superhero costume in place they looked even more remarkably like Santana and just that more enticing.

Brian spoke with a hint of wicked glee. ''On Snix Night I'm going to have them circulating through the club and mingling with people, making sure everyone is having a good time and also reminding them where the proceeds are going: our local youth. What do you think?''

Santana stared at her lookalikes who blinked at her in unison. ''You're out of your fucking mind, you know that?'' she shot a grin at Brian.

''I've been told once or twice,'' the man answered unoffended.

It was one thing to have your alter ego brought to life within the pages of a comic book, it was quite another to see girls dressed up as said alter ego and Santana couldn't contain her wonder. She approached the group of Snixs who stood still and made no comment as she looked them over. She walked around them in circles, as if inspecting them and taking in their features which were so very similar to her own.

Justin turned to Brittany, ''what do you think?''

''I think they're hot.'' Impressed Brittany blinked rapidly, her mouth agape.

''Since they'll be representing your comic book alter ego we thought you should have final say on costuming and casting Santana,'' said Brian. ''So what do you think, are they Snix enough?''

Santana stopped circling to stand behind the Snixs and placed one arm across her chest and while the other went to pet her chin as if in great contemplation, as if she were critiquing a piece of art when in reality she was literally staring down at six pieces of ass on display for her. ''Firm but curvy, tight with a little give,'' she began inspecting their butts. ''Clearly theirs aren't as heavenly and defined as my own, but I deem them decent enough to pass.''

Brian shook his head. ''When I asked if they were Snix enough I meant in terms of their facial expressions and attitude. We want them to be in character when they're on the dance floor talking to people.''

''Well excuse me but if these girls are supposed to be me I first have to make sure their asses are up to par! It takes a lot of effort to have my essence, Brian. You don't just wake up one day and become Snix. It's a process, my friend, a long difficult bloody process. In fact I think these ladies are going to need a little Snix 101,'' Santana said.

Justin looked at his watch. ''Well these girls are on the clock so you have exactly twenty minutes to teach them your process.''

He made a hand motion to Santana, silently instructing the young women to take notice of her, and with that they were under her spell.

''Alright, listen up ladies and Snixs,'' she said loudly, relishing the attention from her doppelgangers who appeared to be eager to soak up whatever she was willing to offer. Soon the group of young women came to form a tight circle around her as she went about addressing them. ''If you're working this party you're not just playing superhero dress up, you're playing me. And yeah, a huge part of being me is my hot ass, but I'm about to give you a brief rundown on how to badass. First of all I see a few of you smiling, stop that.'' The young women immediately went stone-faced and straightened up at Santana's stern tone. ''I don't want to see any teeth because Snix does not smile. She smirks. She sneers. She smolders. But smile? She does not. I want to see some smoldering going on, show me what ya got ladies.''

As Santana, who was clearly having a lot of fun with it, went about instructing the group on how to achieve maximum Snix-ness in a sort of Snix masterclass, Brittany, Justin and Brian wandered over to the other side of the room towards the bar. Brian moved to walk behind the counter to access the beverages and noticing this Brittany slapped her hand down against the bar as if to get his attention.

''Barkeep, gimmie a strawberry milk here straight up,'' she made her order as if she were some ragged, weary cowboy walking into a saloon.

Brian chuckled at her silliness and went about fixing her and Justin a drink. He pushed two glasses filled with soda in front of them. ''Fresh out of milk, but here's a Pepsi.''

Brittany tilted her head in disappointment. ''I can't drink this unless it has a tiny umbrella in it.''

''I don't know where the drink umbrellas are, I think they're out,'' Brian said, raising a shoulder and feigning exhaustion over having to pour a can of soda. ''You can take it or leave it, Pierce.''

Brittany squinted in thought.

If there was anything she had learned from her relationship with Santana it was how to penetrate and demolish prickly barriers with the batting of her blue eyes. And if Brian was so much like Santana it stood to reason he had a similar kind of kryptonite.

She decided to test out her little theory by staring at the dark haired man, but her eyes weren't hard or intimidating. Her stare was soft and pleading and puppy dog like and when she did blink she did so rapidly, like she had just stepped out of a Disney movie.

That blinky move always made Santana cave and she wanted to see if it could in turn make Brian do the same.

In silence Brian looked to Justin, then to Brittany, then to Justin again. Unable to deny either pair of bright beautiful blue eyes he sighed ''damn it'' to himself. ''Fuck, fine, I'll go look in the back for fucking drink umbrellas.'' He tried to play it off all pissed and pouty but Brittany could tell he was amused to have his arm twisted by her, however harmlessly.

Brian grumped and disappeared through a door behind the bar and satisfied to have gotten her way Brittany threw Justin a cheesy wide yet wicked smile.

Justin laughed and together they turned to lean back against the bar and watched Santana and the Snixs from afar. Santana was definitely taking this How-To-Snix seminar seriously as she barked out at them on how to stand, how to walk and how to appear completely and totally disinterested in everything around them. Most of the girls looked like they were actually taking mental notes on how to portray Snix convincingly but a few appeared to be more interested in getting to be as close to Santana as possible. There was definitely some flirtatious lip biting and head tilting going on there.

''What's that about?'' Justin scrunched up his face and looked to his cousin.

Brittany shrugged. This again.

''It's a thing apparently,'' she said monotonously. ''According to Lindsay on Liberty Avenue unto each generation a fabulous gay sex god is born and it looks like Santana's the newest.''

Justin raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't press for more which Brittany was glad for. She was still trying to sort her own feelings out on that. On what it was like to date someone who with her sharp tongue and ever so wicked smirk could put girls under her spell without even trying, without even realizing. This was new territory.

Santana had always had that thing about her, Brittany knew. That certain something that turned heads and made pulses quicken. Back home in Lima it was always clear that Santana never really had to do much to catch the eyes of the male teenage population at William McKinley High. Boys tripped over themselves just to be on the receiving end of one of her verbal lashings. They walked away with a smile generally no matter how humiliating or degrading it was, because to have the attention of Santana Lopez for even a moment was an achievement.

Brittany also knew that Santana had also went to bed with several of those very same boys. And to be fair, it wasn't like she had been sitting around twiddling her thumbs. Brittany had done her own fair share of sexual exploration as well.

But in the midst of all of their fumbling about with other people Brittany had deep down always had a sense that none of that, no moment shared with another could ever measure up to what they had together when it was just the two of them. Other people, for Brittany at least, well, they were fun and they could help her pass the time, but that's all it ever was. Killing time. Killing time until the next time she was with Santana. Even though these momentary distractions were void of any real true passion she could bring herself to enjoy another's company and had even believe it or not found a couple of worthwhile friendships that way when the physical side ended. Brittany knew she could never truly love them, but she did feel for them on some level.

But Santana? Santana ate boys for breakfast. She had them and then she was done with them. Santana never really connected to boys that way, with feelings. Of course it wasn't till much later that Brittany pieced together why that was exactly. Truth be told she hadn't given it much thought because all she had known, all that had mattered to her back then was that, no matter who Santana was with, she would be done with the guy by the end of the week at which point Brittany would get all of her attention and affection, even if only briefly until the next shiny boy showed up on Santana's radar.

Now of course she knew why this was, why boys never seemed to hold Santana's attention or affection. Santana could never and would never desire men in that way, she had just needed a cover.

But now they were on Liberty Avenue

It would stand to reason that in a place like this full of fairies and sprites proudly prancing about the neighborhood, that an out and proud Santana would attract many female admirers just as she had attracted male ones back home.

It was a thought that, if she were being honest with herself, had been at the back of her mind since they arrived on the avenue and since realizing that there really was something uniquely dark and appealing about Santana that made so very many women turn their heads. It was more than just the tantalizingly tight short dresses or her perfect pouty lips. Certainly her beauty was a part of it, but Brittany sensed it went deeper than that.

Santana had something about her, about her looks, about her stare, about her mannerisms, about her smolder that well, felt somehow otherworldly. When she looked at you, you felt something spark inside of you. It was one of the things that had actually drawn Brittany in in those very early days of their friendship, but here and there and everywhere, in shops and on the streets it had quickly become clear that the young female population had also definitely taken notice of Santana Lopez's landing on Liberty Avenue.

It was even more abundantly so in club Heroine where they were surrounded by women and where Brittany had witnessed a peculiar moment from afar.

She told herself that it was all harmless enough. The gym bunnies, the girl in the record store and all of the others, but there had been something about that interaction between Santana and that waitress at the bar in the club. She didn't know what was said between them, just that it looked weirdly intense from where she been sitting.

Whatever it was though, it had led to Brittany taking Santana in the elevator. Something had overcome her and after an evening out where dozens, possibly hundreds of girls had gazed longingly at her girlfriend she had needed to touch and be touched by Santana to reaffirm that this here, this fire, this heat could only ever be found between the two of them. Between their hearts, their bodies.

Brittany wasn't just giving her sex, she was giving her her whole entire universe and that was something no random girl could ever give in the same way. She wondered if Santana felt every promise and sentiment she had tried to convey with touch.

Standing in the empty Babylon however she watched the group of girls hang on Santana's every word with a dreamy kind of intent painted all over their faces.

Yes. This again.

X

For the next several days they continued hopping and bouncing around Liberty Avenue, finding a rhythm and their own unique space within the existing friend group.

And while they danced most of their nights away in some bar or club filled with flashing lights and mirrorballs, they filled up their afternoons elsewhere.

Some days they found themselves shopping with Emmett who like Brittany they soon discovered loved himself a good hat just as much as her and thanks to some encouragement from Santana the man had become a proud owner of a faux-fur vest very much like her own (''twinsies!'' he had declared them). They had also caught a couple more yoga classes with Lindsay and Hunter and Santana had promptly embarrassed herself in each other of them, whimpering like a puppy trying to prove herself just as limber as the others and failing every time with a huff. The gang even took them to their very first drag king show where Debbie MC'd the festivities. They hooted and hollered and bought drinks for some of the contestants who had found their way towards their table after the glitter in the air had settled.

They laughed their way through conversations and situations and Santana was relishing every moment, every crazy turn, every new encounter because if she was going to go back to Lima, to it's small people with small minds, she was going to need to soak up everything this place had to offer.

And though she would never openly admit it she had come to find that perhaps one of her favorite things about finding herself on Liberty Avenue for the summer was that she now had a lifelong invitation to Debbie Novotny's weekly family dinners.

Once a week the entire gang would show up and pile around the cramped dining table of the Novotny household and stuff themselves with Deb's authentic italian food as they conversed and teased and ribbed each other with a familial kind of affection.

It as always a kind of crazy wonderful chaos. It was the kind of atmosphere where sometimes you had to shout to be heard over someone else's laughter, where people passed dishes every which way in front of your face, where sometimes if you weren't watchful someone might steal a ravioli off of your plate and at the end of it no matter how stuffed you were Deb of course wouldn't let you leave the table until you had a taste of dessert.

During one family dinner Brittany had decided to sit with Jenny and Gus at the kiddie table where she taught them how to roll meatballs across their plates with their noses, Lady And The Tramp style. It was too adorable for words and even with everyone in the room staring at her Santana couldn't just not kiss the sauce off of her girlfriend's nose. Brittany had flinched and laughed happily as the gang let a collective ''awwwwwww''. During another dinner Santana had made the mistake of comparing Debbie's lasagna to Breadstix lasagna; Melanie and Emmett had openly gasped and whisper-shouted ''run!'' to her. She had narrowly missed a wicker basket of homemade breadsticks to the back of her head.

And on the one occasion where she and Brittany decided to take a break from the chatter and the noise of the dinner table they had snuck off to explore the rest of the house. Which granted wasn't large enough to have much to explore but they had mostly been in search of a tucked away place to sneak a few kisses and have some quiet. What they ended up coming across was Justin and Brian in search of the same thing. They had found the male pair in the upstairs guest room, but they had been giving each other much more than just kisses.

Santana's immediate reaction had been to double over in laughter while Brittany had been the one to squeal in horror and slam the door shut. The blonde closed her eyes and flapped her hands in front of her face as she proceeded to comically wig out.

''Oh my god, ahhhhhhahaha,'' Santana's sputtered and giggled uncontrollably. She couldn't help but take a sort of twisted delight at seeing Brittany completely lose her chill.

''That's not funny, that's my cousin!'' Brittany shouted, not one bit amused at the visual of her family member having sex.

''At least Justin was topping so it's not like you saw much of him since Brian was the one taking it up the-''

''Please stop,'' Brittany whimpered and shook her head, trying to knock the image out of her brain.

And of course their karaoke outings at Woody's seemed to be more frequent.

On this specific evening the group had once again commandeered a couple of tables and pushed them together and now several hours into the night the tabletop was littered with empty glasses and cracked peanut shells as they took turns on the stage under the spotlight.

And Santana had to give it to them, what they lacked in talent the group made up for in heart. Or so she thought. She wasn't entirely sure. Truth was she had been zoning out on occasion because Brittany had decided to sit in her lap for the entirety of the night. Every so often she would wiggle it against Santana when she would shake with laughter or applause.

Not that Santana was complaining of course. Every time she said something funny or snotty or a mixture of the two Brittany would lean back slightly to smile at her or whisper flirtatiously in her ear. It was a delicious sort of distraction.

Still, even with Brittany practically wrapped around her she managed to pay attention to a few of the more notable performances.

Emmett and Ted had went through a truly atrocious but highly entertaining rendition of a Sonny and Cher tune, with Emmett of course taking all the Cher parts. Lindsay had even taken the spotlight for some classic 90's Sheryl Crow. Emmett had even ventured up for a solo of TLC's Waterfalls. He had the entire bar on the verge of tears, people were sobbing into their beers and barbecue wings. Santana may or may have not been one of those people. And then finally in an attempt to get the place pumping again Brittany dragged a sputtering and nervous Daphne up and forced her to share the vocals on Party In The USA.

Daphne's demeanor and voice had started out stilted and shaky but with some gentle encouragement and nudges from Brittany by the halfway point of the song she had found her groove and was giving it her all, dorking it up with exaggerated little dance moves. The crowd responded with appreciative roars of laughter and applause.

Brittany ended the song delivering a high five to the slightly older girl who playfully took a bow before hopping off stage so they could make their way back to the others.

''Miley Cyrus? Seriously?'' Justin giggled at his cousin and best friend's choice of duet.

''S'cuse you, don't be hatin' '' Daphne threw a hand up in Justin's face.

''Yeah,'' Brittany said as she sat back in Santana's lap and began sipping on some fruity concoction Melanie immediately handed to her, ''that song is my jam, Justin. If you knock it I will disown your ass.''

Santana raised her glass to that and kissed the side of Brittany's face in support.

Hunter drummed his hands on the table with excitement. ''I wanna go next! They have 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love'. Duet anyone?''

Ben, Michael's brainy and brawny husband, waved both hands at his sides. ''Yeah, count me out, kid.''

Michael lightly elbowed his son in the side. ''I'm in, but I get all the high notes.''

''Dude you're on!''

As the two men made their way up to the stage and began their tune the rest of the table continued on in conversation as the music soon fell into the background.

''So Melanie are we gonna get to see you up there some time tonight?'' Brittany asked bouncing in place. Santana had to bite her lip to stop herself from making a happy little moan at the movement in her lap.

''Yeah, Mel, you should get up there for a song,'' Santana encouraged, and then dropped her voice to a low whisper into Brittany's ear, ''you need to stop moving your ass like that.''

''Like what?'' Brittany feigned innocence and turned her head slightly so they were able to make eye contact. She batted her lashes.

Santana reached down and gave her a pinch on the bottom.

''Ah!'' Brittany squeak-laughed and jolted slightly in Santana's lap. She made a pouty little face before quieting herself again and throwing a shrug at her. ''Jokes on you, I actually liked that.''

''I'm with Brittany and Santana on this,'' Lindsay interjected into the conversation and looked to her wife. ''I'd love to see you up there, Mel.''

Melanie smiled warmly but shook her head in the negative. ''Baby, I can't carry a tune, you know that!''

''That's true I do,'' Lindsay said, cackling in agreement and took a swig of beer. ''But that doesn't stop me from loving it.'' She turned to the group, specifically Santana and Brittany as she explained, ''when Gus was a baby and having a crying fit we had this magic trick up our sleeves. Melanie would always sing Say A Little Prayer to him and just like that,'' she snapped her fingers, ''he would stop fussing. It was amazing. It only worked with Mel and only with that song.''

''No way!'' Brittany hooted at the coincidence and threw a grin at Melanie. ''Santana and I have totally done that song. It was our audition for glee club with our friend Quinn! Oh my god, we have to do that tonight!''

''Yesssss!'' Emmett began clapping and added in a sing-songy voice, ''that would be fabulous!''

''It would be pretty amazing,'' Justin agreed.

''What?'' Melanie asked in a deadpan manner, her face going blank.

''You should go for it Mel,'' said Ben.

''We totally should. You can take the lead. Santana and I can be your back up!'' Brittany insisted. ''San?''

Santana tilted her head in consideration. ''If Melanie has the lady balls to get up there, why not.''

''See,'' Brittany said to the lawyer. ''This has to happen.''

''Yeah Mel,'' Brian said, so obviously enjoying watching his friend squirm in discomfort at being put on the spot. ''Let's hear you.''

Santana smiled as all eyes turned to a nervous and hesitant Melanie in that moment. Emmett, Ted, Justin and Daphne began to whisper and squeal their encouragement for their friend to have a go at the stage but Melanie didn't really stop shaking her head at the idea until she caught Lindsay's loving glance. And like that, with one hopeful, optimistic look from her wife who silently requested a serenade Melanie downed the last of her beer and laughed ''fine, okay! I'll sing if you all shut up already,'' the lawyer said, waving a hand about trying to shush her friends politely.

Lindsay wrapped an arm around her neck and gave her a peck which seemed to give Melanie the last bit of courage to stand and firmly declare, ''alright, Britt, Santana, let's do this.''

''Whoa there, Marcus, you need to slow your roll,'' Santana said, giving Brittany's ass a light little pat so she would stand. Brittany did and Santana followed suit. Each of them placed a hand on one of Mel's shoulders, halting her from advancing towards the mic and stage. ''Before we go up there we're gonna at least need fifteen minutes, you know, just so we can take you through the choreography a couple times.''

''Uhhhhh, choreography?'' Melanie asked, squinting in confusion. ''Nobody said any-fucking-thing about choreography. I'm going up there to sing.''

''Well, Britt and I don't half-ass our musical performances.''

''We full-ass them,'' Brittany said. ''Our musical performances are quite literally full of ass.''

''Trust us woman,'' Santana urged and pulled Melanie into a side hug. ''When it comes to shaking our thangs Brittany and I know what we're doing. We're gonna make you look like a karaoke superstar in front of your girl.''

Brittany let out a delightful little squee as they began dragging Melanie towards a dark, somewhat secluded part of the bar where only a few patrons lingered. ''Who knew we'd ever use this routine again,'' Brittany said.

''Right,'' Santana laughed as she began going through the motions.

They worked through the number several times, simplifying most of Quinn's moves so it wouldn't be too difficult for Mel who got the gist of it fairly quickly, even if she was just a tiny bit wooden in the beginning. She could do the moves, she just lacked a certain finesse to them Santana noticed. Still the woman looked determined. And after a few other people in the bar tried to belt it out, the three of them eventually found their way to the stage where Brittany practically had to shove the lawyer into the spotlight.

Santana wasn't sure, but for a half second it almost looked like Melanie was about to vomit all over the mic. She felt a little pang of sympathy for the other dark haired woman. Yeah they bantered for the fun of it, but Melanie had shown herself to be supportive and kind, and she could give as good as she got when it came to verbal sparring which Santana had to respect.

''Hey,'' she whispered to Mel as she took her spot behind her, ''you can do this, Marcus. You got this, okay?''

''We're right behind you,'' Brittany said quietly in support, touching Melanie's hand for a quick moment.

Melanie took a shaky breath. Santana meanwhile threw a nod at Brittany. They needed to this just right, just perfect, for Melanie and by extension Lindsay who was sitting in the crowd looking excited and proud, smiling from ear to ear at her wife on the stage.

And then those first few notes began floating up into the air…

''...The moment I wake up before I put on my make up,'' Melanie sang weakly, her voice wavering and unsure.

''Make up,'' Santana and Brittany echoed softly and began shimmying around her.

''I say a little prayer for you. While combing my hair now and wondering what dress to wear now.''

''Wear now.''

Melanie's voice cracked just the tiniest bit. ''I say a little prayer for you...''

''Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart,'' Santana came in with Brittany, projecting louder to cover Melanie's sweet but less than stellar vocals, helping the woman to sound stronger, fuller in front of the audience and more importantly in front of Lindsay, ''and I will love you forever and ever, we never will part how I love you. Together, together, that's how it must be! To live without a you would only be heartbreak for me!''

Melanie turned to each of them, Brittany on her left and Santana on her right, and found herself becoming a little more steady, a little confident and comfortable with their voices floating over hers. Her stiff limbs started to move with ease with the knowledge that they had her back in this, here on stage.

Santana caught her eyes giving her one long meaningful look, silently assuring her they weren't about to let her stumble, literally or metaphorically.

''I run for the bus dear while thinking of us dear,'' Melanie continued on and found herself smiling at the audience who was started to respond to the performance with the change in tempo.

''Us dear!'' in falsetto Emmett, Ted and Michael echoed from the table while Justin, Daphne and Hunter snapped their fingers and did silly dancing jigs in their seats, bumping shoulders against Ben who was sitting between them and generally acting like goobers.

''I say a little prayer for you. At work I just take time all through my coffee break time.''

''Break time!'' the entire bar sang back.

''I say a little prayer for you,'' Melanie sing-shouted, sounding absolutely off key and horrible and she looked completely aware of the fact and yet she wasn't letting it hold her back. Not as she saw her friends as well as the crowd smiling back at her, urging her on. ''Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart and I will love you forever and ever, we never will part how I love you. Together, together, that's how it must be! To live without a you would only be heartbreak for me!''

And as they danced around her, giving her the spotlight before Santana's eyes she and Brittany watched the very last shreds of shame and nerves falling away from Mel who not only began to own the song but the stage. Though clearly she was only putting everything into it for one specific audience member and by the end of the tune Lindsay was there waiting by the side of it, taking Melanie into her arms and quite literally lifting her off the ground for a hoppy little hug and giving her what looked like a legit steamy kiss.

Santana stared for a like half a second - because Mel and Linds were hot okay - but Brittany soon tugged her her by the arm and lead her back to the table, leaving Lindsay and Mel to whisper and canoodle with each other in a secluded corner.

''THAT WAS TOO ADORABLE FOR WORDS!'' Emmett declared to them, doing his baby seal claps again.

''That was great ladies,'' Ben praised them.

''Did you see the way Lindsay melted?'' Justin aww'd.

''Aww look at them,'' said Daphne who threw a nod towards the female married couple who were wrapped up in each other on the other side of the bar. ''You know when someone sings to you it's like they're tearing open their chest and giving you their heart. It's an intimate act.''

''Oh totally,'' Brittany said while Santana reclaimed her seat and Brittany reclaimed Santana's lap. ''I mean when Santana sings to me it touches me in a place-''

''I don't know if I want to hear about the places on your body Santana touches,'' Brian teased only to get slapped on the shoulder by Santana.

''Seriously,'' Brittany started again, ''when San sings to me it is a totally intensely intimate thing because it comes from somewhere really deep inside of her.''

Brian opened his mouth about to make a snotty comment about Brittany being 'really deep inside' Santana but before he did Emmett, as if already predicting it, hushed him, ''will you shut up, Brian?''

Justin nabbed a barbecue wing from a plate sitting in front of Michael and decided to do everyone a favor by playfully shoving it into his boyfriend's mouth. Brian shrugged and took the cue to quiet himself as he started eating.

''Of course Lindsay turned to mush after Mel sang to her. Singing to someone,'' Brittany carried on not missing a beat, ''it's passionate, it's emotional...it's romantic.'' She turned in Santana's lap to bump her nose into her cheek.

''Hear that, I'm romantic,'' Santana said quietly with pride.

''I agree with Brittany,'' Ben, who had been fairly quiet throughout the evening spoke up. ''I know when Michael and I were initially getting together he sang to me and it was deeply romantic.''

''Deeply romantic?'' Ted questioned monotonously. ''I was there the night Michael tried to win your heart with a song. He sang Ben to you...which is a song about a rat. It's from a horror movie. About a rat colony and it's rat leader Ben.''

''This movie sounds awesome by the way,'' Brittany was automatically intrigued by the wtf plotline.

''I'm sorry,'' Santana laughed at Michael. ''You sang a song about a rat to your future husband?''

''It was the thought that counted!'' Michael exclaimed in his defense. ''The point is, no matter what song you choose when you're singing to some it says more than a box of chocolates or diamonds or any sort of material thing that people try to win hearts with.''

''I'd even venture to say it's probably even more intimate than sex,'' said Daphne.

''I wouldn't go as far as that,'' Santana chuckled, because nothing in this world was better than sex, or rather nothing in this world was better than sex with Brittany. ''But to sing to someone or be sung to I'd say it's definitely a close second.''

''I would die if someone sang to me,'' Emmett gushed wistfully and sipped from his fruity drink.

''I've sung to someone before,'' Daphne admitted. ''It was nothing elaborate, just something silly. I was terrible and totally off key but I don't think any of that mattered to my boyfriend at the time. It was just about opening yourself up and being willing to sing and look ridiculous for the sake of romance.''

''Did singing get you laid?'' Santana pointedly asked.

''Hell yeah it did,'' Daphne answered and lifted her glass which Santana reached over to clink with her own. The young woman then turned to her best friend, ''what about you Justin?''

Brian shifted in his seat.

''I've never sung to anybody and no one's ever sung to me but I agree, it's probably an intimate and revealing act,'' Justin said and took another glance at his two friends on the other side of the bar, ''which is why Lindsay's tongue has been down Mel's throat for the past twenty minutes.''

''If you ask me,'' Brian laughed and looked to Santana, ''it was a pathetic sappy sentiment and even with help from you and Brittany Melanie still managed to butcher that song in front of everyone.''

Brian had delivered his words in a rather cold, disinterested tone. But Santana saw right through that needlessly petty remark. He was trying to downplay Mel's performance for her wife to sidestep the fact that he had still yet to go up there and give his own for Justin. The others didn't seem to quite catch this, the envy and sadness even in his voice, but to Santana it was so very utterly transparent.

He was such a bitch baby sometimes.

''Yeah well,'' Santana said, quick to stand up for Mel, ''at least she had the guts to get up there and put it all out on the line for romance. Not everyone can do that, you know.''

Brian gave the table one of his trademark unimpressed grins and reached for his pack of cigarettes on the table as he began to stand. ''Whatever. I'm going out for a smoke.''

With that and a kiss to Justin Brian walked out of the bar leaving everyone to continue on with their chatter over the clinking of glasses and the laughter of the crowd.

Santana wasn't entirely sure why she felt the need to join Brian outside, she just did.

She pulled Brittany close to her body, hugging the girl in her lap and whispered that she was going to step outside as well for some fresh air. Judging by the look on Brittany's face she wasn't buying it.

''Just promise me you'll come back and that you two won't wander off to brood somewhere together,'' Brittany teased and hopped up off of her lap to allow Santana to stand.

''I'll be back in ten, tops, and when I get back me and you can do a number. Just the two of us.''

Brittany bit her lip in anticipation. ''Promise?''

''Promise.''

''Anything I want?''

''Anything you want, babe.''

She gave Brittany a few more promising kisses before making her own exit from the building. She walked down the front steps of Woody's to join Brian where he stood and smoked.

When he saw her he immediately turned away, not embarrassed to be seen smoking of course but rather embarrassed that despite his claims of otherwise he was very obviously uncomfortable with the topic of conversation. And with the fact that he still hadn't mustered up the balls to sing to Justin while apparently so many of his other friends could sing to their partners with ease.

''Can I have one of those?'' she asked, nodding to the pack of cigarettes.

Without a word he offered her one and lit it for her. She took a few drags before he eventually asked ''so did they send you out here to 'look after me'?''

''No. I came out here because I needed a break from everyone's butt fuckingly bad karaoke,'' she said breezily.

Brian made a noncommittal grunt in reply and pursed his lips to expel smoke from one side of his mouth. They remained silent for several moments as they both watched people walk up and down the avenue, groups of friends laughed and goofed with one another as they rushed in and out of shops and bars, cafes and clubs. In the midst of the loud and lively neighborhood though, their expressions were a lot less animated.

''What was the point though?'' she asked and flicked ash off of her smoke.

''The point of what?''

''Of pissing all over Mel's performance,'' she elaborated with a roll of her eyes. ''Yeah she was kind of crap at singing but that wasn't the point and who the fuck cares if it made Lindsay happy.''

''It's not like I said it to her face and anyway she's heard me say worse about her.''

''Maybe. But she had the balls to get up there. It isn't easy and you of all people shouldn't fucking knock someone for having the guts to do something you have never done or might not ever do.''

''Will you shut up?'' he asked quietly.

She erupted with mirthless laughter. He should really know better by now. ''No, I won't actually. It's funny that you think you could get me to though.''

''Alright, I get it. It was an asshole thing to say. It wasn't pathetic and of course Mel wasn't pathetic, I know that.''

''So are you ever gonna do it?''

''Do what?''

''You know fucking what,'' she said, squinting at his pricky way of being evasive. ''You said you wanted my help so you could sing to Justin. We've had almost a dozen little vocal sessions. And all of that, all of the technical stuff I showed you that's only gonna get you halfway. The rest, that's all you and what you bring to the table. So why not stop pussyfooting around and go for it?''

''I don't know. If you're waiting on some big elaborate reveal, there's not one. That's my answer. I don't know, Lopez. I'm not ready to get up there and have people laugh at me, to have my friends laugh at me….most of all to have you laugh at me.''

''Why the fuck would I laugh?'' she questioned, genuinely baffled. ''And why the fuck would it matter to you if I did? You wouldn't be up there for me or for your friends or for anyone else in the bar. You'd be up there for Justin...and...and,'' she took a moment and shook her head, ''if he isn't reason enough to want to get on that stage in front of the mic...then you and me, maybe we're not as alike as everyone seems to think we are.''

''Well then maybe we're not,'' he said and took another drag.

''Because now that I'm with her there's nothing that could ever stop me from getting up on that stage to sing for Brittany… like I know you want to sing for Justin.''

She took one last look at the street, busy and bustling and alive, and dropped her cigarette to the pavement and put it out with one of her heels. She started to turn to make her way back up the short staircase but something in her made her halt her movement and glance back to him.

She understood fear. Perhaps more than anyone. How fear could strangle your heart, clawing at it brutally until you could swear there was nothing there to begin with.

But she also understood that fear could be overcome.

''I'll see you inside when you're done with your smoke,'' she said, ''I gotta get back in...I promised Brittany I'd sing with her.''

He turned his head to look at her standing at the top of the stairs. ''Good luck,'' he said softly, with no malice, with no pettiness. He said it like he meant it.

What she didn't say then before walking back in, back to the group, back to Brittany, is that when it came to holding a mic within your hands luck of was of little importance. Luck had nothing to do with it. No one she had ever known, not Rachel, not Kurt, not Tina, Mercedes, not Brittany or even Mike had ever needed luck when it came to performing. You didn't need luck when you got on stage, the only thing anyone needed to start a song was passion.

And yes she might have grinded their gears and teased and taunted them endlessly but without a doubt she knew that everyone in glee club had at the very least some tiny sliver of it within them: passion. Some had much, others had only a glimmer, but either way they had it and no one in that room had ever been afraid to find theirs and use it in song.

Despite all of his bitchy tantrums and snide little comments to the contrary, she knew that somewhere deep down in his cold unfeeling heart Brian Kinney had passion too. He was for whatever reason deathly afraid of opening his mouth and letting it out.

As much as she understood him on so many other levels she didn't quite understand that.

She left him standing there alone on the sidewalk.

X

After a couple of more hours singing it out at karaoke night the group had disbursed, though not before Michael had pulled Santana aside and handed her a large document envelope with the suggestion for her to open it later when she was alone with Brittany.

She had successfully found a way to hide it from her girlfriend on the way back to the loft and while Brittany went about undressing in the bathroom, Santana had quickly shed her own clothing and plopped herself into bed. Once sat in her underwear she decided to take a peek at what the comic book store owner had handed her.

From within the crisp brown paper she pulled out the glossy dark first printing of her very own Snix graphic novel.

Art by Justin Taylor, Story by Brittany S. Pierce it read on the first page.

She flicked through the pages and began reading start to end.

It was the story about a young darkly attractive sharp tongued woman struggling with insecurities and worth and only just beginning to understand her own sexuality, in search of personal resolution which she eventually finds when she becomes transformed into Snix. The transformation being the result of one of Mayor Swine's evil plans.

The very piglike Swine - a recurring villain within the verse who is constantly trying to destroy Gayopolis from inside the mayoral office with the help of many corrupt fellow politicians and government officials who are all hellbent on seeing the city lose it's joy and freedom - secretly begins containing and experimenting on his own citizens in a desperate, evil bid to steal another term. In his underground facility, he, his henchmen and evil gaggle of scientists brainwash men and women alike until they are but dazed and weakened shells of themselves. With their minds completely altered by the experiments and Swine's evil serum the formerly happy, proudly out citizens claim to be straight and ''cured'' and pledge their vote to Mayor Swine so that he may 'make the city great again and rid it of deviants and the unwanted'. His plan is to ''convert'' all of the citizens of Gayopolis.

It is within one such citizen roundup that Mayor Swine's henchmen capture a young woman with dark features and a wicked combative tongue. While all of the other people kidnapped and tied down and injecting with the mind and soul altering serum unfortunately fall victim to his despicable tactic, our dark female heroine powers and grits her way through it. She refuses to deny her pride, refuses to forsake who she is. None of the brainwashing or threats deter her, and the serum which was effective a hundred percent of the time on all of the other citizens somehow fails to weaken her resolute.

It doesn't work on her. Instead of the drug making her believe she's straight it instead unleashes something fierce inside of her. Somehow and for some reason her DNA simply reacts differently to the twisted formula Swine and his men concocted.

It makes her stronger giving her new and strange powers that she eventually uses to escape her captors. She makes it out alone, weathered and disoriented but with a mission to figure out what was done to her. She vows to herself to return to the scene, to free her fellow citizens and find a way to restore them to who they were and to not only once and for all rid Gayopolis of Mayor Swine, but to destroy him and his party until nothing of them exists.

Days later in a secluded warehouse which she's converted into her own lair, Snix adjusts to her newly acquired superior strength, speed, agility and super healing abilities. She even fashions herself herself her own signature garb, her attire complete with a small black mask across her eyes.

By day in her civilian clothes she maintains her sexy but obnoxious, offensive everyday persona but by night she trains herself and works to unravel Swine's latest scheme. It's in the process of this while following leads and examining clues Snix occasionally crosses paths in dark alleys and abandoned buildings with a certain playful yet determined blonde newspaper writer named Bethany as she herself tries to uncover her own suspicions about Swine backdoor dealings.

And while Snix is all dark and brooding and always on about wanting to work alone, Bethany refuses to be dismissed so easily, convinced that working together they can accomplish more. They push and pull and challenge each other and while they are so very opposite they are also so very in sync, so very drawn to each other. Their interactions become increasingly charged and heated. Bethany's not shy about her interest in our dark crusader, often asking Snix why she can't see what's behind the mask. Finally unable to resist the magnetic pull of their attraction Snix, not yet ready to share her true identity, doesn't undo her mask but instead reveals herself and her affections to Bethany in the form of an embrace.

Santana smiled at the panel of Snix and Bethany tangled up in each other's arms, their eyes closed, lost in each other and the moment and the heat between them, their lips pressed together passionately.

Comics weren't her forte and she wouldn't claim to know the first thing about them but even she had to admit the drawing of them was beautiful and in its own way even romantic.

Her eyebrows did raise a bit when she realized that the novel had a few steamy moments when Snix takes Bethany to her bed. There's tenderness in those drawings yes, but there's also an urgent sense of passion. Clothes are shed, moans ring out, limbs become tangled. It's enough to make her shift in her seat when a sudden pang of arousal hits her.

That quickly dissipates though when she reads on to see that in the dead of night, after their lovemaking Snix rises leaving a peaceful, slumbering Bethany in her bed sheets, not wanting the blonde to follow her as she heads towards a final confrontation with Mayor Swine.

Only when she's about to breach Swine's compound she runs into a similar dark figure: Rage, Gayopolis' prominent masked avenger. It's then revealed that Rage had been conducting his own parallel investigation of the matter and was about to make his own strike against the Mayor.

Face to face for the first time Snix and Rage don't take to each other. They sneer and snipe (and toss zingers out about who looks better in their tights), trying to warn the other off so they can go it alone, they verbally combat each other and when that fails to work they tussle. Knocking each other into walls, wrestling about but ultimately neither of them are able to inflict anything other than minor discomfort; they both have super strength and they both have super healing. Still neither of them are willing to share the mission. Taking down Swine is something each of them feel they need to do on their own. But as they grunt in frustration, tumbling about with each other on a dark slick deserted street of Gayopolis they're attacked.

And while Snix quickly fights off several baddies and manages to evade capture by Mayor Swine's henchmen, Rage is overpowered. He screams out as he's restrained and dragged away by a half dozen croonies. They inject him with something, incapacitating him long enough to toss him into the back of a van and haul it away, straight into Swine's compound.

Chest heaving and jaw set Snix watches. ''Great...now I'm gonna have to save his cocky ass too,'' she sighs to herself as she watches it all go down from a nearby rooftop.

She jumps to the pavement below, her feet meeting the concrete with a loud powerful crunch. Before advancing though she takes a look around and notices something that had fallen off of Rage's person: a small communications device. It quickly beeps to life and is met with the face of a very confused and concerned JT. Once she informs him of what's happened he urges her to proceed for the sake of their people captured and hurting inside. With Rage captured Snix is the last hope for the citizens of Gayopolis.

And so with JT assisting her from back at Rage's lair working some kind of techno magic in order to bring down the compound's technical defenses, Snix finds and fights her way inside and with ease shoves off henchmen after henchmen, bullets bouncing off of her skin like nothing. She kicks through doors, through panels, breaking locks and barriers until she finds her fellow friends and neighbors. They're all restrained yet breathing, their spirits weakened by the ''straight serum'' being injecting into their veins. Many of them almost zombie like. She pulls out needles and frantically tries to bring them to and when she finally manages to get them up and moving she trashes the facility and the machines, making sure nothing can be used or salvaged from it.

JT eventually shows up with a calvary, ushering the kidnapped citizens into vehicles and safety. But Snix however isn't done, not until she finds Rage and not until she finds and destroys Swine for what he did to her and her people.

She thrashes her way through endless corridors, punching through walls until she eventually finds Swine in a room torturing Rage who's strapped to a table.

''I've saved a very special batch of our serum for you Rage,'' Mayor Swine laughs as he and a henchman approach with a needle and vial in hand, ''after we put this into your veins you'll be no more. The city will no longer have it's precious gay avenger-you'll be straightened out so to speak. And without you to save the day the city will fall into my hands once and for all.''

Rage thrashes his head about. ''Fuck you Swine. I'll never be straight! I'm queer.''

''And so am I,'' Snix zings out as she launches into the room.

She charges at the lackey about to inject Rage first. He drops the needle which immediately breaks, splattering it's contents to the ground. She takes a few hits but throws him into a wall which he collapses against unconscious. Unfortunately when she turns around Mayor Swine has vanished. She breaks the bloody and brusied Rage out of his restraints and together they zoom through the building giving chase. The chase finds them on a rooftop watching Swine being swept away in a helicopter.

But it isn't the end.

Standing side by side they both vow to take him down and protect their city and their people and to one day, finally, do what Gayopolis has been trying to do since he stole his very first election: to bring Swine and every hateful political figure like him down. Even if they have to work together because they come to agree that Gayopolis needs all the heros it can get.

It's their duty to protect their fabulous fellow citizens and their rights.

They achieve a ceasefire with each other for the good of their people.

They part ways with an understanding of each other.

The comic then cuts to days later at a press conference where another swine-like politician is attempting to bullshit the reporters spitting questions at him about a rumor that a major disturbance took place on a property belonging to Swine, who is suddenly MIA. Swine is on a much needed vacation, the official explains unconvincingly. The rumors that Mayor Swine was involved in anything questionable or illegal is preposterous, he spouts.

Our determined blonde Bethany however steps forward from the crowd with a pen and paper in hand. ''What about the accounts from citizens claiming to have come to drugged and disoriented on the Mayor's property?'' she questions. Nonsense is the reply. ''And what about the witnesses claiming that it was a masked woman who saved them after their volition at the Mayor's hands?''

''Fairytales. Gayopolis only has one masked avenger and as the Mayor and his office and the local police have said, Rage is no superhero, he is a vigilante and a threat.''

''He's never threatened anyone, he's saved people,'' Bethany insists firmly. ''And according to several people so has this new masked individual, this Snix everyone is referring to. They're not threats, they're heroes...and maybe our citizens wouldn't need saving if our corrupt Mayor Swine wasn't seemingly intent on destroying Gaypolis from within every chance he got!''

''I will not stand for these gross, grotesque accusations against my respected Mayor!''

''The only thing grotesque about any of this is the Mayor.''

From several rooftops away Snix watches the scene. Her anger at officials covering for one of their own comes only second to the ache in her chest at seeing Bethany at the forefront of reporters asking questions and demanding answers.

She longed for the blonde but after all was said and done, even after their one night together beneath the sheets, she knew it was simply too dangerous to have the young woman in her life. Gayopolis was a beautiful city, but parts of it needed saving. There would be risks and Snix wasn't about to allow Bethany to ever become a target.

If protecting her city meant a life alone she was prepared for it.

But fate's hands, well, they had vastly different plans for our dark heroine, the comic read. An unspecified amount of time passes and it is on a bustling street that our hero in her day to day persona sans her costume and eye mask, finds herself crossing paths with Bethany, our persistent blonde reporter, at a newsstand as they stand before racks of magazines and papers. Several of them have headlines with Snix in the title or grainy pictures of this new masked avenger on the scene.

Snix watches the reporter completely aware that without her outfit, without her mask Bethany has no clue who she is. She's just another face in the crowd, another young woman standing about on the sidewalk.

''I wrote that,'' Bethany speaks to her, motioning down to a stack of newspapers in front of them both. SNIX IS HERE, the headline reads in bold letters.

''The article?'' Snix asks, playing dumb. ''Don't tell me you're one of those people who believes all of this noise? In this...Snix? In this supposed masked avenger running around our city?''

''You don't?'' Bethany asks. ''Read my article. Two nights ago a teenager walking home from a diner was almost mugged and beaten - would have been had Snix not shown up to defend her. She saved a girl's life. The night before that she stopped some asshole homophobe father from beating his son half to death for daring to come out to him. And last week when a hate group came to picket in protest of the city's new gay and lesbian elder care center she took care of them. When it got dark and they came back to spray paint hate speech on the building, she hog tied them all, stripped them down to their underwear and left them all squirming in front of town hall for everyone to find the next morning. I have sources and witnesses on all of these instances.''

Snix noted the blonde's passion. ''Is that so?''

''It is, and even if I didn't I'd still believe.'' Bethany folded the paper in her hands, carefully sliding her palm across the headline. ''Cause I've seen her...I've met her...I've touched her.''

''You have.''

''I have.''

''Well then...'' Snix laughed. ''Since you've gotten up close and personal with her, answer me this, is she as beautiful as everyone is speculating?''

Bethany smiled. ''Even more.''

''I find that hard to believe.''

''Believe whatever you want but trust me Snix is here.''

''And she's here to save us?''

''I think she's here to help us save ourselves.''

Our incognito hero and our blonde reporter share a long and meaningful look for several moments. Bethany still utterly clueless that Snix is standing before her, and Snix simply thankful to see and speak to Bethany once again, even if she has to hide her identity. For the time being anyway, the comic narration informs the reader. And while Bethany may not yet see that Snix is in front of her she still sees something inside of Snix's bad girl day time alter ego.

The story closes out with a wide shot of them both standing on the bustling streets of Gayopolis, their eyes though are only for each other. It is left open ended, giving the hint that this is just the beginning for Snix, for Bethany, and for their adventures.

There back in the loft in bed and waiting for Brittany to exit the bathroom Santana finds herself on the last page where under the credits and thank yous a message is printed out. 'For every girl who's ever needed a hero...Snix is here' - B.S.P.

She smiles at the text. And that's when Brittany, clad in her underwear, walks in.

''What are you reading?'' she asked.

Santana quickly pushed the comic behind her back. ''Nothing.''

''Nothing huh?''

Brittany didn't buy it and with a giggle leapt on top of her, knocking Santana back onto the cool, smooth sheets where they wiggled and wrestled and laughed as Brittany attempted to make a grab for the item.

''If it's nothing why can't I see it?'' asked Brittany who pinned her down with one hand.

''Who said you can't?''

''Then why are we wrestling over it?''

Santana looked down at their bodies writhing against each other. ''Because this is fun,'' she laughed.

''Come on. Show me. Is it a dirty magazine?''

''No it's not a dirty magazine! Also screw you, I get my porn off the internet like a civilized human being. Puh magazine!''

Santana gently pushed Brittany off of her, making her topple to the other side of the mattress. Brittany seemed to enjoy losing this particular battle when they came to lay side by side and she started stroking Santana's thighs.

''Close your eyes and I'll show you,'' Santana whispered.

Brittany did as told and Santana brought the graphic novel to her front, placing it in her girlfriend's direct line of vision.

''Open 'em.''

The blonde slowly opened her eyes and let out the loudest, cutest, most adorable squeak Santana had ever heard.

''Oh my god! Oh my god! It's finished! It's finished!'' Brittany shouted and took the comic in hand, quickly flicking through page after page, panel after panel. ''Look at you! Look at me! Look at us!''

''Michael said the first printing arrived today,'' Santana lit up as she explained, delighting in Brittany's delight. ''He told me I should be the one to show you.''

''Have you read it?''

''I just finished it.''

Brittany's excitement halted for a split second. ''What did you think?''

Santana took a hold of a tendril of blonde hair and slid her fingertips down to the very ends which she stroked for several silent moments. ''I thought...I thought it was brave and political, radical...but also funny and fucking inspiring too. It felt like it was a little bit of everything. It was beautiful if you ask me.''

''You really think?''

''I really think,'' Santana affirmed. ''And you know, usually I don't go for girls who are 2D but uh this Bethany,'' she nodded down to a specific panel of the blonde character, ''total hottie. She's persistent and passionate and who doesn't love a chick in a newsboy hat. I can totally see why Snix would be all about that.''

''Yeah?''

''Oh absolutely.''

''Yeah well, Snix is pretty easy on the eyes too if I say so myself.'' Brittany turned a page of the comic, making the item dance in front of Santana's hands as she displayed a page where Snix was standing in a rather heroic pose with a smoldery expression on her face.

Playing coy Santana smirked. ''Can't imagine where you got the idea for such a character.''

''Oh I had some inspiration, trust me,'' Brittany played along.

Santana pulled her into a slow unrushed kiss. ''Thank you,'' she murmured into Brittany's mouth.

''For what?''

''For this,'' Santana pulled away to lay a light kiss upon a freckled nose. ''For seeing me like I'm...I dunno...a hero?''

''You're not like a hero to me, Santana. You are a hero.''

In that moment Santana's heart felt so full. ''I'm proud of you too you know.''

''Why?''

''Britt this...this is big. People are going to see this. People are going to see your name.''

''I don't care about that. It was never about that. I just thought it was about time we saw a hot badass young gay woman save the day. Like Rage is a great character and I'm sure he's really important to teenage boys out in the middle of America who need to see themselves. That's great, but teenager girls needed to see someone who looks like them, who fights for them too. If anyone can do it...it's Snix.''

She had once vowed to herself that she would become the superhero Brittany deserved. It had never occurred to her that Brittany had seen her as one all along, or that maybe she had been one all along without even realizing it.

Because maybe standing up and learning to embrace yourself for who you were, maybe that was what made heroes of them all, she thought.

X

A/N: so when I envision Rage/Snix in that comic book universe, Radioactive by Imagine Dragons is absolutely what I hear in my head. That tone, that atmosphere. Like if that was a real thing Radioactive would be it's official theme song.

Anyhow, sorry again for the wait imaginary readers. As always I'm yourstreetserenade on Tumblr. Thanks for reading.