HEAD OVER FEET - CHAPTER 1: SAY YES.


"Say you'll do it? Be my Best Friend of Honor, pleeeeease?"

"Didn't we always promise each other? 'Course I will! I'm so happy for you, Bite-Size!"

She stands on tiptoes and throws her arms around her best friend's neck, squeezing him tightly while exhaling into his shoulder, "Thank you thank you thank you! Oh Finn, this means so much to me... I couldn't possibly dream of anyone else standing by my side for this. I'll need my BFF or it just wouldn't feel real."

With his long-reaching arms still wrapped around her waist he kisses her on the cheek.

"Anything for you Rach. You know I'm always here for you."

With a sweet smile and a slight blush, she suddenly looks up into those honey warm almond-shaped eyes of his. "Now we just need to get you squared away. Exactly when are you planning to set the date?" She pokes her little index finger teasingly into his chest a few times.

"Set a date?" He chuckles heartily, wrapping his large hand around her small one, tickling at her palm with his thumb. "Jumping the gun a bit aren't you, Rach? You know full well the ring is still sittin' in my sock drawer... how 'bout I maybe ask her first?"

"Right, you should probably actually do that! I swear, you're the King of Procrastination." She smirks at him.

"It's not procrastination. I've just learned that with her, it's best not to make too many sudden moves. Slow and steady is the safest play."

Peals of laughter ring out from her soft lips. "Okay, if you say so... but you do know Tana's getting impatient, right?"

He aims a glare laced with sarcasm at her. "Ya think? She keeps bringing home new bride magazines like, daily, and watching hours-long marathons of Say Yes to the Dress. Between you and me? I really hope she wants one of those Panini Turkay dresses, y'know, the ones that look like corsets and see-through lingerie?" He wiggles his eyebrows with a suggestive smirk as he nudges her with his elbow.

"Finn Hudson! You're just ridiculous!" She chastises him through laughter. "I swear your mind is always in the gutter, isn't it? And her name is Pnina Tornai. A panini is a grilled sandwich, Finn. We've discussed this before."

Shaking it off he doesn't miss a beat, images of those sexy dresses still dancing in his smiling eyes. "Whatever. Those are some super HOT dresses... especially the ones that lace up the back."

Rolling her eyes, she gapes at him with mock disgust, then resigns with a sigh. "First of all, Finn, they are not dresses, they are GOWNS – very expensive gowns, I might add. But... Well, I guess I can see the appeal from the groom's point of view, although, I'd suppose they're really only meant for a certain type of bride..." Her voice softens a bit, and he can almost hear a sadness behind her previously cheery tone. "I, for one, don't think I could ever pull off something so... risqué or revealing – not that it's really my style anyway. Besides... I'm just not built for a dress like that."

"You serious right now, Rach? You know you'd totally rock one of those Panini dresses."

"It's Pnina. Pronounced pa-nee-NAH, Finn."

"Don't care. Stop deflecting... You always do that though, you always put yourself down – and it sorta pisses me off. You gotta stop doing that. Don't you know you're beautiful Rach? And I bet anything you'd look super awesome in one of those dresses. In fact, I know you would. I'll even prove it to you."

She laughs hysterically as he pokes her lightly in the most ticklish spot on her left side – a spot only he seems to know about ever since he'd first discovered it at the age of ten. He knows it's her kryptonite and she's utterly defenseless against his tickle attacks.

She blushes at his sweet words and squeals through her giggles, "Finn STOP! And exactly just how do you think you're gonna prove anything?"

"Well, as your official B-F-O-H, I get to go to the dress shop while you're picking out a dress, don't I? So... I'll pick one out, you'll try it on and I'll prove my point."

"You wanna help me pick my wedding gown? You're insane."

"Hmmm, maybe. But we both know you're gonna insist on getting my approval either way, plus you're going to Kleinfeld's anyway, so we might as well take advantage."

She looks at him for a hard minute, her narrowing eyes laced with suspicion.

"You seem to be very well informed, not only about the designer's names and dress styles, but also with the name of the bridal shop... Admit it Finn. You actually watch Say Yes, don't you?"

Looking away nervously, he shrugs her off. "Uh... no comment."

A chorus of giggles rings out as her lovely plump pink lips curl up to the apples of her cheeks making her eyes shine brightly. "Oh you're so BUSTED!"

"Shut up. Hey, I'm a GUY alright? So I can't help it if I happened to be walking through the room during that one episode where the bride wanted to be practically naked and had a dress special made that was like HOLY FU–"

"Finn! Language!" She slaps him lightly on the bicep. "And please stop objectifying women like that; you know it annoys me. Not to mention, how do you think Tana feels about you making those comments?"

He chuckles. "Are you joking right now? She's the one who usually comments on the hottest brides on the show most of the time! She even rates them on a scale from g-strings to granny panties. Which, that alone is pretty hot and reason enough to watch."

"Mmhmm. I forgot. She's a little... peculiar like that. It's almost like I'm talking to Puckerman instead of her most of the time. Sometimes I think you two are kind of an odd pairing."

"So what, you think I shouldn't—"

"Hey, I never said that. I mean, you love her, don't you?"

"Well, yeah. Sure I do."

"Okay then, it's settled. Just get off your procrastinating ass and get the deed done already, BFG! She's going to be in my wedding party too, don't forget, and you know that's just going to make her even MORE antsy if you don't hurry the hell up."

"Yeah yeah, Bossy Baby Spice, as long as you're sure... Annnnd as long as you say you're gonna be my BFOH," he teases back with a wink.

She beams her megawatt smile and reminds him, "Didn't we always promise each other?"

"Cool. You're the bestest y'know that, short-stuff?" He brushes her bangs from her eyes and wraps a loose strand of her mahogany locks behind her ear, a sincere smile stretching across his dimpled face. "And hey, you're gonna make a beautiful bride, Rach. Seriously. Jesse's a lucky dude – and he'd better treat you right or he'll have me to answer to."

"Is that a fact?" She laughs softly and leans her head against his shoulder. "You'd still defend my honor, huh?"

"Always, Rach. Hey... you wanna grab a bite? Since you mentioned paninis I've got a craving now."

"Oh god... Sure. C'mon, let's go feed the human garbage disposal."

...FRFRF...


A/N - HELLLOOOO FINCHELINGS! Welcome to another new story!

I was watching Bride Wars the other day (for like the zillionth time), and the idea for this story just crept into my brain. I haven't seen a story so clear in my head since Mulligan, and well, gotta listen to the singing muse, right?

Thought maybe you'd appreciate a few FYI's for this story, incase you're starting to panic.. YES OF COURSE THIS IS A FINCHEL STORY. The pairings do begin as St Berry and Finntana, but it sb obvious which way this is headed in the end...

Also FYI about canon... Pretty much the entirety of New Directions are from NYC. McKinley happened in NY not OH. The next chapter goes into more detail, but the biggest diversions from high school canon is that Finchel was BFF's the whole time, the whole babygate thing never happened, and the teachers/faculty will have different roles here - their 'characters' are the same, just not as a part of McKinley staff. I have not yet written this version of Finchel, as 'the best friends in love but seem to be in denial/oblivious to it'.. which, I personally am a sucker for those. I hoped you feel the same and do not mind this little detour away from my other stories in progress. =)

Speaking of other stories, I DO have at least 4-5 other irons in the fire; updates for SOOF, NSB, and the Jr/Sr Summer chapter of Simp are all in progress (possibly some Simp oneshots too) - plus another very angsty/drama filled brand new AU future fic with FIREFIGHTER FINN, which, well, I need to get back into the right headspace for that one! My Girl Gleek Squad is really excited about that one so far - and I am too, but my concentration is shotty at best lately and for the moment THIS story is sucking up all my creative juices. So Ima jus' go with the flow and hope you enjoy the little sidestep into fluffier territory for now...

I debated quite a bit on whether this one would be chaptered or a LOOONG oneshot (like, monroeslittle kinda long - or longer)... but I do think it's ending up somewhere along the length of Mulligan - possibly a bit longer; so chapters made more sense to me (and I have a LOT already written for this piece with the full story roughly outlined to the end, so this one should be finished pretty quickly.)

OK OK enough babbling already! Hope you like it... feel free to drop a review or a PM or even an email if you so desire - my email handle is my PSEUD at the yahoo or gmail of your choosing ;)


HAPPY FINCHELING AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING! XOXO