Title: Locksmith
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 7.5k
Summary: Even now, after ten years together, you still aren't in the right place and it's like you can never fit right together for too long before one of you shifts and it happens again.
Notes: I've got around to updating all my current stories today! Just getting a few out but I love this story and never want it to end, but it's close :(
/
So, you got changed and even got to the door, but then Brittany complained and pouted when you said you couldn't kiss her goodbye without getting distracted again – even though she got dressed first – and well, like you were going to say no to her.
You're did try to argue.
You tried to explain that you really needed to talk to Quinn as you owe her, but then you spun around when there was no response to your comment, and found Brittany laying back on the bed, somehow undressed again in her underwear, even though you didn't see her slip out of the few clothes she managed to put on, spreading her legs with narrowed, blue eyes. She was fucking smirking at you, a bottom lip taken between perfect teeth, and she began begging you not to leave without kissing her, with a mischievous glint in her eye, one hand tracing invisible circles around her then bare hipbones and kissing her became the last thing on your mind.
It was so much better than you expected, not realising that that type of thing was now going to be appropriate again, and you felt this buzz beneath your skin as you shrugged, stormed over to her, tearing off your clothes and literally jumped her on the bed again, not even bothering to mess around with foreplay before you were sliding into her and making her eyes roll back into her head.
After though, your entire body is aching as you've had so much sex today, in a matter of hours, and you read the time to be midday and know you have to go and talk to your best friend. Quinn's probably still waiting somewhere for an explanation, and you roll out of bed, pointing a finger at the blonde who holds the sheet against her chest and eye fucks the shit out of you as you back away towards the bathroom to shower, telling her to stay there this time.
Even though it was you who came over to her earlier, but whatever. She teased you into it.
Shockingly, Brittany does stay there… For a short while.
You almost manage to get away, feeling far too smug about yourself – you literally haven't felt this good in over a year now – as you flick the shower on and step in, water raining down on you but barely two minutes in, Brittany's slipping in behind you, hands snaking around to press flat against your stomach as she hugs you from behind and reaches down to get you hard again in a flash and well, okay, maybe you have sex one more time.
It's quick, and sloppy, and you end up laughing against each other's mouths when you almost fall over on a bar of soap that dropped somewhere during, and bump teeth several times, but it feels more natural than ever. Somehow, if anything, it's better than it used to be and that was something you didn't think was achievable, but you won't argue about it. You've got her back, you're returning home to your family and there's a lot of fine details to go over, but for now, you're good.
You feel like you've turned a page in your tragic love story, fast forwarding to the end, where happily ever after is in reach and after you pull out of her, wincing at the loss of warmth around you – you had to turn the shower cold whilst you were fucking; it got far too hot in a lot of ways – you just stand back and watch her wash her hair after the twitching stops, admiring her. Your hands are reaching out before you know it, aiding her in the process and she peers over her shoulder, squinting at you through soapy eyes that you laugh at and wipe away, before tilting her chin down to kiss her.
It shouldn't feel so normal, to be kissing her so casually in a way that you've yearned for, for too long now, but you're trying not to think about how it could go wrong because it won't. After the conversations you had yesterday, you know that this is where you're drawing the line. Where you're starting fresh, in a way you did ten years ago, and it worked back then, so you know for a fact it's going to work that way now.
Except there's development between you two. Whilst those conversations were beneficial for obvious reasons, it's also brought up a lot of questions to you. You still can't get the damn thought out your mind that she never knew you were going to marry her, and ten years ago when you started fresh, you didn't have to consider that because you just started dating. Back then, marriage was never on the cards as you had to build a relationship that wasn't started with fuck buddy guidelines, but now you know more than ever that she has to know that was always your intention.
You literally had the cash for a new ring at one point, or even the one your mom wanted to give to you that's in Miami, but it was never the right time to bring it up, and it's that thought that powers you to tear yourself away from her and leave the room.
You kiss at the shared door after leaving the shower and getting dressed, knowing that Quinn's probably hanging about in the other room – she's relentless and has no life – and pinkie promise Brittany (again) that you won't be gone long. She pouts, and it breaks your heart in the best way possible and you take a few more minutes to push her up against the door, hands pinned either side of her head and stroke your tongue into her mouth, just because you can. She pulls away breathlessly, eyes glossy and dazed and you smirk at her, wiping her bottom lip with your thumb before pressing your own lips to the spot and stepping away.
Again, Brittany flinches, hand jerking toward you like she wants to grab you again, but you shake your head, ducking your chin to your chest and looking up at her through long lashes.
"I won't be long," you whisper, your voice hoarse from the make out session you just had, and she bobs her head, even though her face looks like she's about to stand in front of the door and block your path. It makes you chuckle, and she matches it in return, rolling her eyes before stepping widely aside, sweeping her arm out to grab at the door handle, opening it to let you through.
If you don't leave now, you won't fucking leave, so reluctantly, you head through and pull the door shut behind you, not trusting Brittany not to yank you back in, and you rest against the wood, the back of your head pressing against it as you look up to the ceiling to process everything now you've got the first bit of alone time since last night.
You're on fucking cloud nine. Your chest is looser than it ever has been, your heart is beating a faster but more regular rhythm and there's butterflies in your stomach that are making you feel like a fucking teenager with a crush. You can't remember a time where you felt like this, and you resist the urge to jump around like a little kid, kicking your legs into the air in celebration and take a deep breath, stepping out into your original room, only to be stopped two strides in.
"Santana," Quinn calls, your neck whipping around and eyes widening when you see the blonde with her arms crossed, legs too, looking stern in the corner armchair. It's like looking at a really bad version of a Bond villain, and you can't help but pinch your lips together as a snort threatens to escape, ignoring the fact she probably just saw you smiling to yourself as you leant against the door. That was totally lame and incredibly embarrassing but you're going to skip over that and hope she doesn't mention it.
"Were you listening to us, pervert?" You fire back, quirking a brow and hazel eyes narrow, her face straightening with a lack of amusement but that just makes you laugh as you cross your arms over your chest, hip cocking out. "Well?"
"No," she snipes back and clicks her tongue, looking entirely unimpressed with your demeanour but you don't even care. Nothing could ruin the mood you're in now. "I came back ten minutes ago, actually," she hisses and reaches forward to grab the bottle of water on the coffee table in front of her, twisting off the cap and taking a long slurp. "Figured you'd be at it for hours, so I went shopping with Sugar," she explains, and you know she's trying to make a bitchy remark, but she's not wrong.
"You weren't wrong," you reply with a smirk, earning an eye roll and you decide to approach her, taking the armchair beside her but not breaking the eye contact.
She's glaring at you though, her tongue pushing out her bottom lip like she's stopping herself from lashing out at you but there's no need to, and that's kind of why you wanted to talk to her. As incredible as this morning has been, making love to Brittany repeatedly and soaking up every ounce of her possible, you know there's a lot more to deal with and if this is the beginning, you're going to need Quinn's support. She's been through this thing the entire way, more involved than you thought as per your recent discoveries, and it's the least you can do.
So, you pick at your top, you other arm coming up to the arm of the chair and you try to seem casual as you get it out, knowing blunt, honest explanations is the easiest way to handle your best friend when she's like this. God only knows you've got enough experience in that area.
"We're back together, by the way," you shrug. "Not just sleeping together and ignoring everything like usual."
It's said so quick, and when there's no immediate response you have to check you actually said it by ducking your head as you look at Quinn, but her mouth just drops open and the deep frown turns into a confused one, and it's such a shift in her attitude towards you that you know you said it, but now you're wondering why she isn't replying. This bitch always has something to say – you know now more than ever – but this is the first time she's ever stayed silent when you've been talking about Brittany and you're not going to lie, it's really unsettling.
You clear your throat, breaking the silence and Quinn shakes her head quickly, blinking rapidly before her vision slides back to you.
"You're back together?" She squeaks and you nod, slowly but surely.
That is what you said.
"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!" She screeches, scaring the crap out of you and making you leap out your damn chair, and you grab the closest thing to you – a small pillow – and lob it at her as she's now on her feet, arms straight above her head in a cheer. There's a wide grin on her face, hazel eyes sparkling with joy and if you heart wasn't beating so damn loudly in your ears, you'd be able to pick up on her incoherent babbling as she paces back and forth in front of you, hands waving about everywhere.
Which is fucking weird, because it's a rare sight to see Quinn happy, and you initially came here to explain to her about what's happened with you and Brittany, potentially earning a slap, but now you think you're going to have to smack the shit out of her if she doesn't stop fucking talking. Everything she's saying is in a hurried mess and you climb to your feet, grabbing at her arm to stop the frantic movement as she walks around the space between her chair and the coffee table.
"Quinn," you hiss and her eyes snap to you, wide and bright. "Fucking quit it; you're annoying me."
Quinn laughs, almost manically, and you drop your hand away, seriously debating getting an exorcist in here. What the fuck is she doing? "Santana fucking Lopez," she draws out your name, hand coming up to clap you on the shoulder, but you flinch away, lip curling up. You could do without the touching. "You fucking talked to her, didn't you?" She asks, and it's so not what you're expecting, your jerk away this time for a whole other reason.
"Well, yeah," you reply, dumbly. You thought that was obvious by the whole getting back together thing and you don't know why it's evoking such a reaction out of your best friend.
"You fucking communicated," Quinn enunciates, pinching her pointer finger and thumbs together as she says it and your face releases the frown.
You get it. She's fucking proud of you for breaking through the barrier that's always held you back. You're not dumb. You know your biggest downfall was that you couldn't talk to Brittany, but you never felt like you could. You never felt brave enough to bare your soul and expose your heart because it was black and bruised and what was the point in pushing yourself outside the comfort zone if you thought there wasn't going to be a positive response? You just couldn't do it after the emotional hell you'd been through.
But you did. She may have initiated it, but you pushed through the barriers and both you and Brittany are now more open, so you guess you can see why your best friend is so happy and roll your eyes playfully as you wave her off. You're totally excited about this too – you just smiled by yourself by the damn door – but you're not one to welcome the attention, or rather you don't want to make it such a big deal even though it's the biggest deal since… Forever.
"Seriously though," Quinn continues, and your attention return to her. She's still grinning, even though she's trying to play this down too. "You should've said that when I walked in on you two," she remarks and yeah, okay, you could've done, but you'd just been walked in on. "I was about to inflict some serious pain," she laughs, and you do too, but you know you could take her, should it come to a fist fight. Bitch can slap, but you're smaller and faster than her so her threat is entirely amusing, and you scoff in reaction, earning a glare. "I could've killed you both when I walked through that door."
You click your tongue and shake your head, sitting back down and she does the same. "I could own your ass, Fabray," you retort with a smirk and hazel eyes roll. "Maybe knock next time though? You kind of interrupted us during."
"I noticed, thank you," she hisses back, totally unimpressed that you don't give a damn. "I didn't think I needed to knock."
"How entitled are you?" You spit back with a playful tone and Quinn laughs before looking away, exhaling heavily through her nose to glance around the room, but she still speaks.
"So that's it, then? You two are back together? For good this time?"
You nod because it seems far to surreal to say it out loud. It feels like you need to hide it still, because you've been hiding it for a while now, but you know it's different this time. You know that it's not like it was before, and it is for good, just like Quinn said, and even the thought makes a grin break across your face. You try to battle it, try to conceal it, but you just can't and your stomach flips as you think about the rest of the weekend and how much more exciting it's going to be now that you and Brittany are back together.
Which, shit... You don't really know what the plans are.
"Yeah, for good," you finally reply and then twist in your chair, cocking your head to the side. "What's the plans for tonight anyway?"
Quinn glances at you, lifting a shoulder quickly. "Think Rachel wants to gamble Vegas style after shopping."
Oh, God. You know what that means, but sure. It's not like you have to join in and you have more sense than to blow hundreds of casino games that are probably rigged, but still... This is a reunion and partial celebration for Berry's birthday, Sugar's wealth too, and if everyone else is going, you can. Plus there's that surge of excitement pulsing through you at the reminder that if you get too bored, you can just sneak off with your girlfriend again into a dark corner or back up to your room.
Fuck. Girlfriend. Brittany's your fucking girlfriend again.
That's going to take a while to get used to.
"God," you groan, throwing your head back and envisage Rachel throwing hundred-dollar chips at everyone (that don't belong to her) and telling them to win her some money for her birthday. Sugar would have no problem with it, and would probably fund the ridiculous request but again, if Brittany's there, you can get through anything. "Where's everyone else?"
Quinn slides her eyes to you. "We're about to go for lunch. Another reason I came back."
Your eyebrows shoot up. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. Gonna take a walk down the strip too, see if there's any trashy novelties we can take back for our kids."
You think about Lucas getting his own pack of real casino cards, and maybe even a kids version of Roulette and get way too excited thinking about how excited he will be, bobbing your head at the idea and smiling. "I'm game," you reply and shrug. "I'll go see if Brittany is, too."
Quinn scoffs and pushes up from the chair, adjusting her cardigan at the shoulder before looking down at you. "Yeah, like she's going to leave your side now you're back together," she says sarcastically and your heart leaps inside your chest. "Everyone's in the lobby already," she adds and heads towards the door, pausing to throw a look at you. "Don't get… distracted," she smirks, eyes flitting to the shared door, but you just roll your own. "You have ten minutes."
"Shut up," you drone and get to your feet, your arms folding over your chest when you turn to your friend. "We can control ourselves, you know," you continue, even though it's total bullshit seeing as Brittany said the same thing last night, about six hours before you proved the statement wrong, but you still managed six hours. So you're technically not lying. Not like you're going to be in your room for six more hours.
"Yah, okay," Quinn scoffs again, louder this time but darts out the door and you shake your head as you go through your own.
/
So maybe you don't take ten minutes.
Maybe when you walked back into the room, Brittany was watching television and looking effortlessly beautiful and you couldn't even stop yourself before you joined her on the bed, kissing her in greeting and honestly meaning for it to be a quick one, but then her hands were in your hair and yours were slipping beneath her t-shirt and well… You end up being an additional twenty minutes late.
Quinn scowls fiercely at you when you do make it down to the lobby, seeing everyone tapping their feet impatiently and checking the time on their phones, but no-one gives you shit when you walk towards them, holding Brittany's hand and they are, instead, entirely distracted, grinning proudly. Brittany eyes you, smiling but biting her lip like she doesn't know what to say, but you don't either and who fucking cares anyway? It's obvious you two are fine now and you're still in your bubble, so you're good with not telling anyone that you're officially back together.
They have eyes and they can use them.
You all head to lunch, you and Brittany pressed up against each other in a booth and holding hands the entire time – you think you being left-handed and her being right-handed is a sign from above that you're destined for each other as it means you can eat with your free hands – and Rachel and Sugar stare at you both the entire time, eagerly awaiting an explanation. Quinn must see it, and sense your hesitation, or just know you hate when all eyes are on you, especially when it's involving Brittany, and starts talking about what games everyone wants to play tonight.
Sam wants to go on the slots, Mike wants to go hit up a poker room after last night's lesson, Sugar wants to do whatever anyone else wants to do and Rachel asks if she'll be given better odds as it's her birthday. Quinn's the one to disappoint her, and they have another longing stare which makes you shift uncomfortably and nudge Brittany, who just smirks at you like she knows what you're thinking. Those two could actually start something up if they considered it, and it's even funnier when you look to Sam to see him finally cotton on and cock his head to the side like a confused dog.
Still, you don't say anything and Quinn's the one to shake out of it, blinking rapidly as she glances around with reddened cheeks and Mike's the one to draw the attention to him as he decides he's probably the best one to perk up and question you two about what's going on.
"So," he starts and shifts in his seat, fork pausing in his place of pasta, eyes darting up between you and Brittany. "Seeing as no-one else is going to ask, are you two back together?"
You pause, feeling the question crawl over you uneasily, as for the past eight months you've been avoiding talking about your relationship with absolutely everyone, but you guess it's appropriate seeing as you're now fully aware of the interest thanks to Rachel Berry last night. Still, it feels weird to like, announce the new status of your relationship and so you suck in your lips, silently pleading with Brittany to say something but you're still a little scared, and stumped as to what a good response would be.
She sees it, nodding her head in a way that only you can see and clears her throat, straightening up. "Yes, we're back together, but no further questions and if you have any, direct them towards my attorney," she says quickly, holding her free hand up, blocking her eyes like celebrities do around paparazzi.
Simultaneously, everyone bursts into laughter – Brittany's super funny – and you do too, scrunching your face up when she throws you a wink and squeeze her hand underneath the table, suddenly finding the strength within her to lift them above the table and place them down. Several pairs of eyes flit down to it, but you steel yourself and clench your jaw, but you still feel super vulnerable in this moment as it's far too surreal to be living the life you did ten years ago, but Quinn just smirks at you, Rachel sighs obnoxiously loudly and Sam cheers, punching his fist into the air which Mike shortly joins in with, alongside Sugar.
They're all reacting so positively, that you can't help but let your mind wander to how they'd react if you weren't just back together but heading somewhere else too, perhaps with a ring on Brittany's finger, and you think something shows in your face at the thought, or maybe it's the way the smile dropped from your face, because Quinn pokes you in the ribs and you whip your head around, narrowing a glare at her.
"What's wrong with you now?" She hisses, whilst Brittany begins chatting away to Sugar about how you two ended up back together as the last time they saw each other was on the casino floor, drunk out their minds. Your eyes still shift, suddenly scared that your girlfriend has gained superpowers or something and has supreme hearing abilities, but the blonde just continues in a lower tone, and you know Brittany probably can't hear. "Everyone's happy, so why aren't you?"
You are, but you also just got really nervous because since Brittany made that first comment about not knowing where you two were headed, all you can think about is how she never knew for sure and well… It's not like Vegas isn't a perfect place for it. There are literally hundreds of chapels with very limited rules about who can get married – Sugar told you about a dude who married a donkey in a dress – and as untraditional as that is, you can't help but think it's kind of perfect, too.
Nothing about you and Brittany has ever been traditional. Nothing has ever been easy, and you've always gone the long way around, and you know that getting married in Vegas is the short one and that's the equivalent of communicating, but in actions. Sure, it could be seen as eager as you've literally just got back together, but you also know that is really is forever and what better way then promising forever with vows and sharing surnames?
Then again, you know you always knee jerk react and so instead of voicing the honest truth, you just wave off your friend and roll your eyes, getting back to the spaghetti and meatballs you ordered, forking it into your mouth and swallowing before answering. "I am happy," you reply and throw her a confident gaze. "I don't think I've ever been this happy before. It's just a lot to process."
"Hmm," Quinn's eyes narrow, her hands darting to yours in Brittany's, still on top of the table before coming back to you. She leans in, using her knowledge of you and now, your tells – thanks to the poker guy shouting them out the one hand you played last night – and chews on her bottom lip for a long moment before talking again. "You're not telling me something," she whispers.
Your eyes flit around, to the opposite side of the table, then to Brittany, then back again, and you damn yourself for allowing Quinn to get to know you so well because it's usually so easy to lie for you, but you guess after years of being with someone like Brittany, you've softened and apparently, for the better, even if right now it doesn't feel like that. Still, you know you need to say something to throw Quinn off course and click your tongue, taking a long sip of your water before shaking your head at her.
"Nothing I need to think about whilst we're eating lunch," you finally reply and Quinn stays silent for a long minute, but it must be said strongly instead of in a panicked tone, because she accepts it.
Luckily, Sugar stands up and claps her hands, choosing this specific moment to announce that everyone's going on a shopping spree – despite her going earlier with Quinn – and takes stacks of dollar bills out, giving everyone one each and all thought of that chapel disappears as you handle the cash with wide eyes.
That bitch is crazy, but she is well timed.
/
In the daytime, you realise how big everything is in Las Vegas.
As you live in New York, you're aware that in tourist locations, the USA really goes hard in the oversizing of everything, but this is just on another level. You walk for what feels like hours, just taking in the still lit neon signs, which is pointless as the sun is brighter than your future, the oversized instruments on the side of various buildings, and how the stores at ten time the size of the ones back in the city.
You still love it though, especially because you, Brittany and Quinn hang back, all three of you getting more and more annoyed by Rachel's narration of the hotels that Barbra Streisand has performed in, and how you should all go to the MGM Grand to watch her recreate Streisand's infamous performance on New Years Eve of '93. No-one wants to tell her no – it is the girls birthday – but you shove Quinn forward and tell her to use her sapphic charm to convince her that there isn't enough time, or alcohol in the world, for you to endure something like that.
She does, even though she scowls at you and Rachel accepts reluctantly, only grinning when Quinn tells her that they'll go to a karaoke bar or something so she can be the centre of attention, but you know that's not happening as Sugar already paid for another session with Goolsby the Poker Guy for Mike and Sam, and you were serious… Even Vegas doesn't have enough liquor to go to a freaking karaoke bar with the troll, let alone a fucking performance from her so you won't be going anywhere.
Brittany giggles, and Quinn comes back to walk with you as Sugar drags your girlfriend into a store when you get into a shopping mall, and you come to a stop outside the entrance, knowing that you don't technically have enough room in your suitcase for more clothes. You overpacked as it, and the others all scurry into a few of the other stores, leaving you alone with Quinn who obviously stayed back for a reason as she stares at you expectantly.
"So, you gonna tell me why you were weird at lunch?"
You don't answer immediately. Half of you thought she genuinely bought that it wasn't that important, but you should've known better. As the past has shown, she's incredibly perceptive and so it shouldn't come of that much of a shock, but you're still surprised. "What? I told you. It's just a lot to process."
"Don't bullshit me," Quinn states and comes to stand in front of you, eyebrow cocked. "We've been best friends for thirteen years now," she explains knowingly, and you resist the urge to roll your eyes. "Something's going on with you."
As if someone is looking down on you, you glance around the mall and gasp when you see a specific store, staring back at you. Someone of higher power has to have a hand in the shit that's happening to you recently, because it's when you're trying to think of a lie to tell your friend, your eyes focus in on what that store is selling and it's gotta be a sign. The universe has to be telling you something or pointing you in a certain direction because Quinn's picking up on the scent you haven't even thought about it all the way through, at the same time there's several rows of sparkling jewellery mocking you from the other side of the mall.
And shit… You've been trying not to let fate lay a hand, but it's hard to think of any other explanation as to why you'd be here, with your friend badgering you about something you've considered like, three times today, at the same time you come across a jewellery store directly opposite to the one Sugar decided to go into.
So, knowing that everything's worked out pretty far so well by letting go and allowing seeds to be sewn without your intentional involvement, you don't answer Quinn and instead grab her hand, quickly looking around to make sure the rest of the group is still shopping in various stores before you pull her over to the one you were eying. She protests a little, focusing on trying to pull herself from your grasp but when you enter the shop, she completely freezes inside and stares around with wide eyes.
You don't look back though, too scared you'll bail if she makes a judgemental comment and instead head to the displays, chewing on your bottom lip as you search for something you like. You've had this thought for less than three hours, proposing or whatever you might be considering, so you're not sure what you're looking for but luckily, Quinn steps up beside you and grabs your arm this time, giving you a moment to process this before you decide whether it's the right thing to do.
"Santana," she hisses, low, her eyes flickering around the store. "Why are we in a jewellery store?"
You gulp, suddenly feeling like someone's going to find you in here and ask you the same thing, and it won't be someone you can actually tell the truth to, and it's not like you can lie because Quinn's staring right at you and you did just bring her in here. There's no way you can escape it this time, so fuck it, you'll go for broke. She is your best friend after all and after Brittany, she's the one you trust the most.
"I just had a thought earlier," you confess, trying not to say the words in case this is just that, a thought. "Wanted to see where it could go."
Quinn takes a long minute, eyes narrowing the longer she stays silent, but then her vision flits to the displays, then back to you, then to the store clerk, then outside to where you were about thirty seconds ago, and then it hits her. She gasps, mouth dropping open and hand shooting up to cover it – you didn't admit to just killing someone, but you guess she's been hanging out with Berry so much she's taking on parts of her annoying personality – and she tightens her grip on your arm until it hurts, and you have to hiss at her to loosen up.
"Ouch," you snap, pointing with your other hand to the whites of her knuckles. "Get off me," you follow up and tug until she drops it, but she's still in the same frozen state and this is so not helping the nerves.
She's highlighting how massive this is and if you're going to do it, if you find a ring, you'll be nervous enough without Quinn telling you it's a bad idea or too soon or whatever. It doesn't matter if you and Brittany have just got back together. In your heart, you two never split and it seems that Brittany's on the same wavelength and you knew Vegas was bringing something big – you felt it before you left – and this seems to fit into reasoning. It just makes sense.
"Are you–" Quinn stops, clears her throat, breathes out calmly through her nose like she's trying to calm herself and then carries on. "Are you going to propose?"
Hearing it makes it so much more real and you stutter out an exhale, eyes shifting out the store to see if anyone's come out of theirs yet, but you're good. No-one's there.
"I might," you reply, like it's not a big deal but again, the blonde reacts dramatically, eyes brightening and smile widening, and you let your gaze fall off to the side, a lack of amusement in your expression because Quinn is so Rachel these days, you're starting to wonder if they're sleeping together behind everyone's backs or whatever like you and Brittany did ten years ago. "I'm just… thinking about it."
"Santana, that's fucking huge!"
You hiss at her and scowl when the store clerk looks your way. "Shut the fuck up, Fabray," you tell her and smile apologetically at the clerk who looks back down to the counter. "People can hear you."
"I'm aware," she quips in response and moves her head catch your eyes again, holding them. "Isn't it like, a bit soon though? You've just got back together."
You knew it was coming, but unlike that, you apparently already have thought of an answer and stare through the glass display case, eyes trailing over every ring but none of them stand out. "I've loved her for longer than I can remember, Quinn," you sigh and feel the nerves kick back in again, folding your arms over your chest when your heart skips a beat. "We've got back together in status, but I've always been hers and she's always been mine and everyone knows that," you shrug and glance back at your friend who has her head tilted to the side, her eyes soft and understanding and it kind of shocks you. You were expecting some visual dislike to your explanation, but nope. "About time she knows how serious I am this time, and this is Vegas."
Quinn nods her head, like she's thinking it over and unexpectedly, she hums in appreciation and turns to the glass display case, ducking her head towards you as her vision flits to the clerk over your shoulder. "I'm not wearing a suit if you make me your best man," she whispers, and you let out a laugh, shaking your head. "Let's find you a ring."
You've never been so fucking glad for her existence.
/
Seeing as you have next to no knowledge about what ring you'd want to propose with – you looked before and technically have one at your parents' house, so you never needed to before – you struggle finding one. You think back to that Friends episode, where Chandler's buying one for Monica with Phoebe, and you know what he said was true; when you see the ring, you'll just know because you'll imagine Brittany's face lighting up and crying as she sees it for the first time, so you're a little down when none of them do it.
There's probably other stores in Vegas, potentially holding the one that'll catch your eye, but there's also a time limit to shopping and you and Quinn have to quickly rush back when Sam wanders out the store he was in, looking all kinds of confused to where you two are, seeing as he kissed Quinn and she told him she'd just wait there with you. So, you quickly head to a Fro-Yo stand, grabbing two and heading back to the original location, without a ring and with diminished hope in your chest, and Quinn says you just went to grab a snack.
You were gone for half an hour, but Sam isn't too bright and doesn't question it, kissing your friend on the cheek and only a few minutes later, everyone else comes back and you have to focus on not falling to the floor when Brittany skips up to you, not even letting you greet her verbally before she's pulling you in by the neck, kissing you in a way that shouldn't be done in public. But you don't care, and her tongue is stroking into your mouth and she's moaning and so you push Rachel's face away, literally palm on her forehead, when she taps you on the shoulder and makes a comment about PDA.
She's one to talk. After a drink, she's anybody's, wherever they want and you only know that as you had to stop her from being fucked in the corner of a birthday party you once went to, in an armchair that had a fucking lamp beside it, for everyone to see.
Brittany pulls back, you do too but breathlessly, and you both stare at each for a long moment, forgetting where you and who you're with. "Hi," she whispers.
You grin back at her, shakily exhaling at the butterflies that flip inside your chest. "Hey," you reply and nuzzles your noses together until someone clears their throat too loudly for it to be an accident and you whip your head around to find Quinn, vision shifting to the rest of the group and oh shit, yeah, you're not the only two people here. "Sorry," you say sheepishly but Brittany giggles.
"I'm not," she adds and looks at everyone. "You don't have to watch," she shrugs.
You're the one to giggle this time, and Brittany slips away from your grasp but stays close, grabbing your hand with one of hers, the other one coming to latch onto your forearm and your thumb strokes over the back of her hand. Everyone begins talking about what they're going to do and what time to meet in the lobby, and you catch blue eyes on you when you attempt to join in with the conversation like you're totally not distracted by her kiss still. Your body is still buzzing.
"Where did you go when we were in the store?" She leans down, the words quiet in your ear.
Your chest seizes, but you force calm into your tone as you reply. "Quinn wanted to see what other stores were around, so we went for a walk."
Brittany narrows her eyes but doesn't push and you're glad because she can usually see it when you lie. Even when you thought she couldn't, you're pretty sure she could and due to the situation you were in – broken up and all – you guess you just blamed it on that, but you're still hoping she isn't seeing past your white lie. When she doesn't say anything else, you offer her a warm smile and squeeze her hand as the group begins walking out the mall, some with bags in hand and Quinn slides up beside you, looping her arm through your spare one and you can't help but glance between the two blondes, feeling like you're back where you used to be.
It doesn't last for long though, as when you get back out on to the strip, Brittany leans around you and address Quinn. "Did you find anything?"
Quinn looks confused, but due to her arm in yours, you're able to crush hers gently and silently tell her to continue on with the lie as you clearly didn't do a good enough job of convincing Brittany a few minutes ago. And Quinn saw you were lying before about not going weird at lunch, so she should be able to pick up on this and luckily, she does. Hazel eyes find yours, and you give her the smallest of nods – hoping Brittany won't see – and she smirks a little, getting it, but shakes her head and clears her throat before she answers.
"No," she replies and smiles at the other blonde. "But I think we still have time," she adds and you're the only one who gets the double meaning, swallowing thickly and feeling heat prick around your collar. Fucking Quinn.
Brittany studies you both for a long minute, and you see the cogs turning in her brain, getting more and more anxious knowing she knows you better than she knows herself and could probably see through the bullshit if she tried, but then Sugar's bouncing up and joining your trio and she begins babbling about how her dad bet a million dollars once on a roulette spin and won and all attention is drawn to her.
You throw Quinn one final glance, not understanding how you have more time, but you guess you can talk about that later.
/
What does everyone want to see before it ends? Let me know :)