Chapter Text
“Rachel, just give in. This is happening, and I can either drink alone and be reckless, which I know you won’t let happen because you’re far too much of a control freak buuut would also feel too much envy watching me have the greatest tipsy time, or I can just spike your tea when you leave the room, no, no don’t look at me like that, I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again, don’t doubt me Berry!”
Fingers were being pointed, and though Rachel was just as amused by the arrival of this carefree Santana as she always was, she was not amused that said uncoordinated finger was so close to her eye.
“Oooor you can just give in and grab a glass that isn’t sporting the face of a very overexcited guinea pig and get your drank onnnn!”
Santana may have already had a few by the time Rachel arrived home and stumbled a little from her bedroom to the kitchen once she heard motion and caught her in the throws of very complicated looking tea making with her usual choice of mug. She was now dancing to what Rachel could only assume was the music happening inside her head as she hummed every now and then whilst making her way around the kitchen island with many sways of her hips.
“Whether I decide to partake or not, I am a little confused. When you text me this afternoon it seemed like you were having the actual worse than worst day at work, and that’s saying something considering you claim to have the worst day everyday. What’s got you in such a great mood?”
“Well, Ms. Berry. If you promise to take at least 3 shots with me I promise to tell you.” Santana had a lopsided grin on her face, moving toward the tequila already.
“Ugh you know what, fine, I’m not in till five tomorrow.” Rachel sighed, but smiling as she did so, taking the bottle from Santana who was already spilling more than she was getting in the glasses, and this stuff was not cheap. “I can handle 3”.
Turns out that was a lie. Both the 3 part and the fact that Rachel could handle it. Apparently neither of these (technically underage) women had a very good control over their liquor intake or themselves. They had made their way to the living room, both ungracefully flopped over different items of furniture as Santana caught Rachel up on her day.
“So she’s super pretty? And she just flirted, like she just went for it, like all lesbian all in your face?” Rachel got a little less coherent when drunk, her usual superfluous vocabulary just went out the window after drink number 4 or 5.
“Welll, I don’t know if she’s gay or not, but she’s definitely into both me and the twins right here” Santana smirked, shimmying a little to show off her chest, which was now covered by a Wonder Woman tank top. Typical secret nerd alert.
“I am shocked”. Rachel stated bluntly, lacking any kind of emotion that Santana could use to discern the meaning of that statement. Yeah, not thinking all that much about what she said or what she sounded like saying it was another of Rachel’s drunken traits, as Santana had come to realise after the number of times she had decided that half way through a party was a great time to have a “discussion” about Santana’s “lack of courtesy” around the house. That wasn’t a dynamic that really went well, especially if Santana was far gone enough that she was in weepy mode already. Blunt and Weepy, not the 2 of the 7 dwarfs that were having the most fun.
“What is that supposed to mean?! What? What are you so shocked about?!” Santana immediately went to panic.
“No, no I’m not shocked she asked you out, I know an attractive lady when I see one I’ll have you know” now Rachel was the one pointing wobbly accusatory fingers as Santana mumbled a thanks, whilst still narrowing her eyes at Rachel in suspicion.
“It’s just bold, like remixing Don’t Rain on My Parade bold, I think she’ll be good for you. Now excuse me whilst I step onto the couch, it’s Barbara time”. And that was that. Rachel had dramatically declared the rest of the course of the night, and left Santana on the floor beneath her, repeatedly missing the coffee table as she tried to return her empty glass to it, pondering Rachel’s words.
“You’re confusing, Berry” she decided she would leave it at that for now, “Now don’t hog all the stage, I needs my space. I got some hairography to put out there toniiiight!” she jumped up beside Rachel, swinging her hair out in circles in front of her as she spoke.
She stilled.
“I’m letting you have one show tune for every 5 normal songs ok. That’s the way it’s gonna go or I’m out”. she finished seriously, almost soberly, and Rachel just had to agree, compromises people, it’s the only way these two could possibly exist for this long in the same space.
Hairography was the worst choice she could have made. One that had Santana running for the bathroom after 3 songs. But 3 songs though, that’s got to be a record for her. It was Ke$ha that had done it, those damn jumping required beats. The throwing up had then prompted weepy mode which had then prompted the heart to heart on the bathroom floor, which had somehow become a tradition in this apartment. Even at bars they’d commonly find themselves in this position at some point in the night, it was one of the things that had first bonded them when no one could really understand their somewhat friendship, as it had been then. But these quiet moments where they were both liberated from the normal fronts they put on for the world and just had a conversation. Raw and honest. They were important and they were really what had humanised each girl to the other, sharing advice and opening up to each other over the difficulties they were facing in their lives.
“I’m afraid”. Santana mumbled, leaning herself against the now closed toilet lid.
“Of what?” Rachel asked, “Everything with Brittany?”
“I just— I know it’s stupid, but I’ve never really done this before, dating and stuff, and part of me, I just… Ughh” she almost growled, “You know what, it doesn’t matter. Right now I need my bed and if she texts she texts, I’ll figure the rest out from there”. Santana sighed, feeling a lot less drunk since both the puking and the talking. She moved to get up.
“I hear you Santana, but just know, that I believe in you. I haven’t seen you like this about, well, anyone really, not this fast. Give her a chance, if there is one to give, I know you’re brave enough.” Rachel was up before Santana and put out her hand to help her regain her balance.
“Thanks Rach” Santana called as she waved her off to her room, down the other end of the hall, “Goodnight!”
Santana headed to the kitchen to get herself a glass of water and pick up her phone that she’d left on the table. She stopped off in her room on the way back to the bathroom, plugging in her phone, so it would come back to life as she got changed and went to brush her teeth. She basically belly flopped into bed after a few minutes, immediately regretting that choice of entry as she felt herself get a little nauseous again. Groaning she turned herself over and got under the covers. She was willing herself not to check her phone, to just wait till morning, she couldn’t be in this deep and this needy already. That wasn’t cool. She just wanted to get to know the girl, that’s all. Yes she was super pretty and flirty and presumably liked women, considering the gay comment… But that didn’t mean anything! Santana wouldn’t let herself go down that road, not yet, too soon too fast. She should probably actually have a more than 5 minute conversation with this girl before she planned out the rest of her life with her. Yeah. Okay.
But she did need to set her alarm.
Santana flinched as her screen light basically lit up the whole room, turning that down she saw that she did have a few texts. The first was from her boss asking her why there was 6 bouncy balls in the drawer with new rolls of receipts. She ignored that. Her manager would never understand the trials and tribulations of preteens with fast flying cannonballs of rubber while locked away in her office all day. Then there was the next one, under the name of Britt, as Brittany had saved herself in her phone as. It had made her smile when she had seen that this afternoon.
Santana read over the text she had managed to send earlier whilst a bit inebriated (for courage ok), cringing a little at her total lack of conversational skills.
21:30pm: ‘Hey, it’s Santana, from the overpriced store for overprivileged children. Nice seeing you again today, hope you’re alright.’
She scrolled down to read the response, feeling herself tense as she did so.
21:45pm: ‘Hi! I’m so glad you text! Hope the rest of your day wasn’t as manic as your morning!’
Then there was another,
21:46pm: ‘P.S. I meant what I said, I’m really looking forward to getting to know you. Maybe we could go get a drink sometime this week?
Then another, after drunk Santana had let her phone die for hours,
22:36pm: ‘Sorry if I’m coming on too strong, please tell me if I am… Anyways hope to hear from you. I’m out at this really cool nighttime mini golf place right now and I don’t know like anyone and I’m totally loosing but it’s all neon so yay! Okay, ttyl :)’
Shit! Now Santana felt bad, why had she let her phone die! She fumbled with her phone attempting to reply as quickly as possible. Not that speed really mattered at this point, it was 2am after all. But despite feeling guilty for making the girl doubt her and the nervous swarm appearing in her stomach once again, Santana was grinning so hard to herself. Fighting back a squeal (Santana didn’t squeal) as she threw the comforter over her head, embarrassed at herself, she typed out a reply so that Brittany could maybe wake up in the morning and feel the same way that she was right now. Santana really wanted to make her smile.