Brittany is anxious to know what they're going to do for her birthday—not anxious, excited—but every time she asks, Santana just says "you'll see." The anticipation is going to drive her crazy. "It's not a lot of money, right? I still think you spent too much on me for Christmas."
"Want me to take it back?" Santana jokes.
"No! I love it!" She wraps her hand possessively around her bracelet. She does love it. It's beautiful, and she likes that she can wear a little piece of Santana everywhere with her.
When Brittany wakes up on January 4, she isn't surprised that Santana is still asleep, but she really wants her awake. Now. It's her birthday; she should be allowed to wake Santana up, right? She starts kissing Santana's cheek and poking her sides gently. "Sannnn, wake up!" She sees the corners of Santana's mouth twitch, but she pretends to still be asleep. "Guess me having my shirt off is a totally wasted view," Brittany sighs. Santana's eyes pop open, and her head twists toward Brittany. The blonde isn't topless, but she's laughing. "So that's how to get you up."
"No fair," Santana whines, but she's still smiling. She wraps her arms around Brittany and flips her over, so she's laying flat on the bed, and Santana's now straddling her. "Happy birthday, baby." The Latina leans down and kisses her gently before rolling off, reaching into a bedside table, and pulling out another small jewelry box.
Brittany opens the box and finds another little charm—ballet shoes, this time—and a key. Beaming, she looks at Santana. "I love it! What's the key for?"
Santana wraps herself back around Brittany and lazily lays kisses to any skin she can reach. "My apartment."
"Your apartment?"
"Mhmm, so you can come over whenever you want, even if we're not there. Before you ask, Quinn is totally okay with it." Brittany simply looks at Santana for a moment. Then, she sets the little box back on the table, pushes Santana flat on her back, straddles her, and kisses her hard. When she finally pulls away, they're both breathless, chests heaving. "What was that for?"
"I just love you so much, San. I'm so lucky." She kisses Santana again, slower this time, but just as deep. Brittany feels desire burning deep in her belly. Without breaking the kiss, she grabs the hem of her shirt, then pulls back only to pull her shirt over her head. Quickly, she reattaches their lips. She's overwhelmed by all the love she feels right now, and she wants desperately to show Santana. Grabbing Santana's hands that are resting on her thighs, she places them on her now-naked chest and grinds her hips down onto Santana's.
"Oh fuck, Britt. I...we can't. We have to stop."
Brittany pouts. "Why? I need you."
"My mom doesn't have work today. If she catches us, she'll make us sleep in different rooms," Santana answers with her eyes closed, desperately trying to calm herself down.
"Okay. I'm sorry." Brittany lays down on top of Santana, still pouting.
Santana tickles her fingers up and down Brittany's back. "It's okay, baby. I want you too...so bad. Soon, I hope." For a while, they just lay there, trying to calm their bodies and soaking each other in. Then, Santana speaks up again. "We should probably head downstairs soon, or my mom's going to start knocking on the door. She's big on birthday breakfasts."
They get dressed and head downstairs, where they can already smell bacon and something sweet. As soon as they walk into the kitchen, Maribel breaks out into a round of "Happy Birthday." She loads up a plateful of bacon, eggs, and French toast. "What do you want on your French toast? You can have anything, birthday girl. Whipped cream, syrup, fruit. Your wish is my command."
Santana can guess what Brittany will pick. "Can I have strawberries and whipped cream?" Yep, called it.
While Maribel gets to work dressing Brittany's French toast, Santana fixes her own with just syrup. "So," Maribel starts as she sets Brittany's plate in front of her. "Antonio and I did something for you for your birthday, but you won't know what it is until later, okay?"
"But you've already—"
"Nonsense. It's your birthday. I just want to make sure you know it's coming." She kisses the top of Brittany's head before kissing the top of Santana's. "Morning Mija." Then, she grabs her own food and sits down with the girls to eat. Halfway through breakfast, Diego and Miguel show up and loudly wish Brittany a happy birthday. Once they're all done, Maribel asks, "What would you like to do today, Brittany?"
The blonde looks at Santana. "I'm not sure. I don't know what Santana has planned."
"We don't need to get ready until 4, baby, so we have time."
"Do you want to play a board game?" Maribel claps her hands, then leads Brittany to the closet with all their board games. "You choose, dear. We'll happily play anything you like."
Brittany looks through the games. "I haven't played any of these, I don't think."
"Oh, that can't be true. Look, here's Monopoly! Everybody's played that." Brittany shakes her head slightly. "Your family didn't play Monopoly?"
"My mom, aunt, sister, and cousin played a few times, but I wasn't allowed."
"Too young?" Maribel asks. Santana cringes; she can tell by Brittany's tone that this isn't a happy memory for her.
"My mom said I'm not smart enough. It wasn't that long ago, so I don't think I was too young."
Maribel's eyes widen, and Santana sees her jaw clench—an easy tell that her mother, brothers, or she herself are angry. "Well, I highly doubt that is true at all. Would you like to play?" Brittany nods enthusiastically, and Maribel brings the game to the table. While Diego and Miguel set up and start to explain the rules to Brittany, Maribel goes to the kitchen to get drinks.
After about five minutes, Maribel still hasn't come back, so Santana goes to the kitchen to see if she needs help. Her mother is standing with her hands clutching the counter and her head bent towards her chest. "Mami?"
Maribel jumps. "Santana, you scared me. I'm sorry, I got distracted." Avoiding eye contact, she starts gathering cups and setting them on the counter.
"Are you okay?"
Maribel stops moving and stands there for a moment, collecting herself, then looks at her youngest child. "How could a family treat her like that? Was there anything good at all? Was there anyone in that family that cared for that sweet, wonderful, loving girl the way she should have been cared for?"
Santana can see her mother's eyes getting damp. She shakes her head. "I don't know, Mami. I don't know how to ask those questions."
Sniffling slightly, Maribel hugs her daughter. "You'd better treat her like a princess, Santana." She fakes a stern voice. She's seen the way Santana treats Brittany and is pretty sure there isn't any room for improvement.
"Always. Let me help you." After Maribel pats Santana's cheek, the two pick up all the cups and head back to the dining room table.
An hour and a half later, it's safe to say that Brittany is nowhere near too dumb to play Monopoly. She's currently lording over most of the property and money. After everyone else goes bankrupt, they all pile into the living room to watch TV.
At 4 PM, Maribel tells Brittany that she can use her bathroom, so the two girls can get ready at the same time. After thanking her, she and Santana head upstairs. "San, what should I wear?"
Santana goes to her closet to examine the clothes Brittany hung in there. Pulling out the dress that Rachel's dads bought her and a pair of heels, she hands them to Brittany. "This, with these shoes."
As soon as Brittany leaves for the master bath, Santana closes and locks her door, then grabs a box out of the closet. She's scrambling around, setting up the room as quickly as she can, so she'll still have enough time to get ready. When she's nearly done and about to get into the shower, she hears a knock at the door. "Uh, hello?" she answers awkwardly, hoping it isn't Brittany.
"It's me, open up," Maribel whispers from the other side. Opening the door just a crack, Santana squeezes out. "Oh, don't want me to see your sex set-up?"
"MAMI!" Santana gasps.
"Oh, like I don't know why you asked for us to be miraculously out of the house tonight? I wasn't born yesterday, Santana. You be safe, and so help me God, if you get that girl pregnant before you're married—"
"Mami! We're safe. Oh my god."
Maribel laughs at her flustered daughter. It's too easy. "Here's the credit card. Dinner, dessert, souvenirs if she wants them, okay? The reservations are already in place, so you just need to show up. Papi set it up for you." She hands Santana her credit card. "Tell her dinner is from us, okay, Casanova? Make sure she knows you had some help. Sí?"
"Yes, yes. Now, let me go. I need to get ready. And thanks Mami, for helping me make tonight special." Maribel kisses her cheek before nodding and heading down the stairs.
As soon as Santana gets in the shower, she starts thinking about Brittany, how much Brittany wanted her this morning, and her plans for the evening. Those thoughts, coupled with the fact that it's been a while since she last came, get her hard quickly. For a second, she considers turning on the cold water and forcing it away, but the last thing she wants is to come too early tonight. Grasping herself firmly, she closes her eyes, picturing the last time they had sex in her room—her on the chair, Brittany riding her, head thrown back in pleasure, breasts bouncing with every thrust. She comes, quietly gasping Brittany's name.
After getting out, she blow dries her hair and does her makeup at warp speed, trying to make up for the time lost in the shower. She pulls on her tightest compression shorts, because this dress will show any hint of anything. Grabbing her heels, coat, wallet with her mom's credit card, and the tickets, she heads downstairs. As soon as her foot leaves the bottom step, she sees Brittany standing there, talking to her mom, and her breath catches. She's so lucky.
When Brittany hears the clicking of heels behind her, she turns to look at Santana, and her mouth falls open. She's so beautiful and incredibly sexy. Brittany doesn't know if she wants to take her out and show her off to the entire world, or take her back upstairs and finish what they started this morning. Her dress is about as short and tight as can be allowed, while still being very classy. Brittany knows she's staring—probably drooling—but can you blame her?
"You look absolutely beautiful, Britt."
The blonde grabs and kisses her hand. "San, you look...wow. I don't even have words. Amazing. Unbelievable."
"You both look beautiful. Now, stand together. I want to take pictures."
Santana's head snaps towards her mom. They never agreed on that. Before she can open her mouth to argue about it being embarrassing or them not having time, though, Brittany hugs her. "I'm glad your mom is taking pictures. We need more, and you look so beautiful." They pose for a few minutes, during which Maribel probably takes about a hundred pictures, before Santana decides they really do have to get going.
Once they've been driving for a few minutes, Brittany turns to face her. "Now, can I know where we are going?"
"Mmm, I guess you can know the first part. Dinner." Santana smiles but keeps her eyes on the road.
"Where?"
"Just a place. Relax, B. You're going to love everything tonight. I hope, anyway."
"I know I will." She forces herself to stop asking questions. While she wants to know, she loves that Santana planned this whole surprise evening for her. For the rest of the drive, she plays with the radio, looking for songs they both like, and admires the city's tall buildings and bright lights. When they pull to a stop, Brittany looks around for a name or sign but doesn't immediately find anything. Santana gets out of the car, walks around, opens the passenger door, and offers Brittany her hand. "San, the car is still running."
"I know, babe. The valet is going to take it." She kisses her hand. "And not scratch it," she says threateningly in the valet's direction.
As Santana leads her through the doors and into a very fancy lobby, Brittany finally sees a sign with a name. "Le Cirque?" she questions. She's never heard of it.
"Yep. My dad likes it here, and he knows the chef. Golfing friends or something." Santana walks up to the podium, a man in a tuxedo standing there. "Two under Lopez, please."
"This way, ma'am," he replies. After taking them to their table, he tells them to have a good evening, and their waiter will be right with them. The waiter shows up a few minutes later, handing them menus and telling them about the daily specials. Brittany understands about every third word, but Santana nods politely at him.
As they open their menus, Brittany immediately notices the prices. "Santana! It's so expensive." She worries her lip between her teeth.
"It's not that bad, baby. Plus, my parents are paying. It's their birthday gift to you. They made me promise to make sure you get dessert." She can see Brittany's eyes still shifting between the menu and her. "Please don't worry about the money. Just get anything you want. You could ask the waiter for the most expensive thing, and it would be totally fine. My parents and I just want you to have a good time. It's your birthday, you should have fun. If you don't like it here, we can go somewhere else."
Brittany shakes her head, trying to let Santana talk her out of her guilt. "No, no. This is perfect." Looking back down at the menu, she encounters another problem. "San, I don't know what any of this stuff is. Can you order for me?"
Santana nods. "Of course, baby." Her parents have brought her here a few times, so she knows a few things that are good. It seems like a small thing, but her heart flutters at the idea of ordering for her girlfriend. She loves that Brittany trusts her enough to know what she likes.
"This is the nicest place I've ever been in my life."
"Get used to it. I don't know if you've noticed, but my family likes food, and especially really good food. When we aren't around, my parents go out to eat like twice a week to places like this."
Brittany's eyes widen. She can't even imagine how expensive that must be. When the waiter returns, he sets their food in front of them. It smells amazing, even though Brittany has no idea what it is. "The chef asked me to tell you that he sends his regards to your father. He hopes you enjoy." After a small bow, the waiter walks away, and Brittany and Santana begin eating.
"I got you the chicken. It's got a fancy name, but that's basically what it is: chicken and vegetables in a fancy sauce."
Brittany takes a bite and can't deny that it's delicious. "It's so good. What did you get?"
"Salmon. Want to try?" Brittany nods. Before she can reach over, Santana's already holding her fork to her mouth. "Careful, it's hot."
Brittany takes the bite and can't stop the small noise that escapes her lips. "That's amazing too."
Santana's happy and relieved that Brittany seems to like her birthday dinner. "Here, let's share." She transfers half of her salmon and squash to Brittany's plate, in return for some chicken and veggies. After they eat nearly all of their food, they order dessert (because Brittany isn't about to let Santana break a promise) to share. Once Santana pays the check (which Brittany never even sees), she helps Brittany with her coat, then takes her hand and walks out of the restaurant.
While they're waiting for the valet to bring Santana's car back, Brittany's reserve breaks. She has to ask. "So are we going home now, or...?"
Santana just chuckles. "You'll see, babe."
The drive to their next destination is short. Santana leaves the car with another valet, just far enough away that Brittany still isn't sure what they're doing. All she knows is that they're somewhere near Times Square. As they get closer, Santana fights to hold her smile in, waiting for Brittany to figure it out. Finally, she hears a gasp. "San! Are we going to see Wicked?!" Santana nods, and Brittany practically tackles her in a hug. "I am so excited! I've listened to the music over and over again, and Rachel told me so much about it, and I've been wanting to see it so bad!"
Santana chuckles. "I know. Happy birthday, baby." She gives Brittany a quick peck on the lips. "Let's get inside, it's cold." Once their tickets are scanned and they're in the lobby, they take their coats to coat check. They're a bit early, so they stand in a corner, enjoying some pseudo-alone time. As soon as the doors open, Santana leads Brittany to their seats.
Brittany keeps expecting Santana to turn down a row any second, but they keep moving forward. Finally, when they're about six rows back, she turns in, and they take the two seats that are almost dead center. "These seats are amazing."
"Only the best for you." Santana takes Brittany's hand over the arm rest. "Gabe knows some people who he trades sports tickets and show tickets with. I asked him to get me the best he could for Wicked, and here we are."
After reading the program and Brittany's energy level reaching bouncing levels, the show finally starts. Santana has seen Wicked before, and she honestly enjoyed it. The story was a little lame, but the show itself was good. However, nothing beats watching Brittany's face throughout the performance. She is literally on the edge of her seat. Anytime she sees something that she thinks is amazing (which happens fairly often), her jaw drops, and she points or claps excitedly. Santana has never seen someone enjoy something so much. She vows they'll come see every Broadway show if Brittany's reactions are always like this.
After the show, while Brittany's waiting in line for the bathroom, Santana walks over to look at the merchandise table. She remembers her mom telling her to get Brittany a souvenir if she wants it. She knows Brittany would never ask, though, so she buys a hoodie (because you can never have enough) that has Wicked written across the front and artwork decorating the front and back. Once they're back in the car, Santana not-so-subtly puts the hoodie in Brittany's lap. "What's th—is this for me too?"
Santana nods. "Mami told me to get you one." That's stretching the truth a bit, but whatever. Brittany's too excited over the show and now the hoodie to even be modest about having been bought another gift. "So, we're headed home now, but the night isn't over."
Brittany wonders what could possibly be left as she watches the bright lights out of her window, hand tucked into Santana's. When they get home, Santana leads Brittany inside, and the first thing Brittany notices is that it is both dark and quiet. "Where is everyone?"
Santana looks back at her, a sexy smirk gracing her features, while she pulls Brittany up the stairs. "We've got the house to ourselves. Until tomorrow."
