Doing It Right (17.5/19)
Title: Doing It Right, Chapter 17: In Vino Varietas (In Wine, There is Variety), Part 2
Author: creedogv
Rating: M
Summary: Santana has been given the opportunity to correct her past mistakes with Brittany, so she can’t help but take it. Brittany’s agreed to dump Artie, but it might take a little libation for Santana to win her heart for good.
Pairing: Santana/Brittany
Word Count: ~4500/9700
Spoilers: 2x14 “Blame It on the Alcohol”
Author’s Note: “Born This Way” had so much wonderful Brittana development.
And parts clearly stolen from my story. Santana blackmailing Karofsky so that it would be safe for Kurt to be at McKinley? I know I obsess about this constantly, but you’re more than free to skip these author’s notes. I know I’m a blowhard.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 6.5 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 16.5 Chapter 17
In Vino Virtus
Ten minutes later, the crowd of fourteen was in a large circle around a wine cooler bottle on a chess board. Rachel announced officiously, “Remember, everyone! Kisses have to last for five seconds, and we’ll be counting!” Kurt got the first spin. It landed on Lauren Zizes. Blaine found this hilarious. (He’d found practically everything that night hilarious, from Rachel’s pink bedazzled microphone to his own name.) Lauren picked Kurt up like a doll, sat him in her lap, mashed her lips into his for five seconds while the crowd counted slowly, and then deposited him back onto the floor beside Blaine.
“Feeling a little bi?” Blaine asked.
“No,” he grumbled.
Brittany laid her head on Kurt’s shoulder. “Was she better than me?”
“Impossible,” Santana mumbled, snaking her arm around Brittany’s waist.
Kurt declared, “Just for that, Brittany’s up next!”
Brittany’s spin landed on Artie. Santana tried to protest, but Tina officiously announced that there is no “Ex Exclusion” in Spin the Bottle “according to the Geneva Convention.” The kiss was dull and Brittany pulled away the instant everyone said five, frowning as she retreated to her spot between Santana and Kurt. “Santana, go,” Brittany instructed.
Santana’s spin landed on Sam. She scowled, but grabbed him by the collar and pressed her lips into his. He felt the way she remembered him feeling, and she extended the kiss by another half second for one particular reason: to see Quinn scowling at her afterwards. She teased her friend, “Lips likes those, just like macking on a girl. Better hold on tight to him, Q. Puckerman, you’re up!” Brittany was frowning at her, but Santana easily extinguished her foul mood by taking a seat in her lap, straddling her thighs, and wrapping a hand around her neck from behind.
Puck’s spin stopped on Mike Chang. Immediately, there was a cacophony of hemming and hawing. Puck called out, “Wait a second.”
“Nuh-uh. I kissed a girl!” Kurt proclaimed.
“I kissed a boy,” Santana added, leaning to high-five Kurt. When she righted herself on Brittany’s legs, she leaned back into the girl, just to hear her breath hitch.
Mercedes called out to Puck, “You gotta!”
“I’m gonna!” Puck yelled over the noise, “But I just want to establish two things. First, Cone of Secrecy. This ain’t getting back to the football team.”
Artie spoke with authority, “Party with underage drinking? Cone of Secrecy is always in effect, dude.”
“Secondarily, that the Same Gender Coersion Rule will remain in effect for the rest of the game. Do I hear a second?”
“Second!” Tina cried out.
“Good. That means I need all the girls to raise their right hands.” All the girls did, Santana grabbing Brittany’s hand so she raised the right one. Puck changed his mind, “No, everyone! Everyone raise their right hand!” The boys threw up their hands, too. “We’re all gonna solemnly swear that no one will refuse any kiss based on gender. All say ‘aye.’” He was met with a chorus of aye’s. “Good, now we need a penalty. Shaved head?”
He was met with universal refusal. “Totally not fair!” Sam screamed, covering his own shaggy hairdo with his hands.
Quinn piped in, “Cheerios had a default penalty of streaking for all party games.”
“Agreed. Once around the house,” Puck amended, “And so resolved. Get over here, Chang.”
Puck grabbed Mike’s face and laid a deep kiss on it, dutifully waiting for the crowd to count to five tortuously slowly. A loud smacking noise ended the embrace and Mike was thrown back into Tina’s arms. The Asian girl seemed excited. “Did he slip you the tongue? Oh, that’s so hot!”
Lauren was noticeably less enthused. “Eh, had my suspicions.” She adjusted her glasses.
Mike shoved Tina forward for her turn and her spin landed on Blaine. They kissed for the requisite five seconds and would have continued longer had they not been pulled away by Mike and Kurt. Tina apologized insincerely with a grin on her face, capturing Mike’s lips. “Sorry, he’s super-mega-neato-crazy-gay and boys kissing boys is a total turn-on. You’re still my man, Jackie Chan.” She fell backwards onto the floor when she tried to lean back on him and miscalculated.
“Feeling a little bi?” Kurt echoed.
“A little,” Blaine replied.
“Oh, Lordy.” He mouthed to Tina, How could you?
Oh please, she mouthed back, brushing her fingers through Mike’s hair, messing it up considerably.
Mike called out, “Rachel, your turn.”
It landed on Quinn. They locked eyes. “You gonna chicken out, Berry?”
Rachel scowled and harrumphed. “Obviously not. This is my neighborhood and I don’t want it getting back to my daddies that their little girl was running around the property in her birthday suit.” So, she leaned across the circle. Her face scrunched up, Quinn met Rachel’s lips halfway, kissing her close-lipped while the rest of the group counted even slower than they had for Puck and Mike. When she tried to pull away after five seconds, Rachel grabbed her face and mashed their lips together until Quinn was able to yank her hands off.
Quinn pulled away and wiped her face. Rachel just giggled, calling out, “Santana! You’re totally onto something with kissing girls! Their lips are so soft!” She screamed at Quinn. “Your face tastes like a pumpkin!”
Quinn rolled her eyes. “Oh, please, Rachel, I have enough lesbians in my life.”
Santana, who was currently peeling Brittany’s vest off her shoulders so she could leave a trail of kisses there, kicked her foot out into Quinn’s thigh.
Rachel cried out to her kissing partner, “Quinnie, we need to do a duet!”
Quinn considered it for a moment. “Fine, Chapstick, but if you suggest a t.A.T.u. song, I’m leaving right now.”
Five minutes later, Rachel and Quinn were on stage near the twin microphones. “So, I’m Superstar Spice and this is…”
“Queen Spice,” Quinn added.
“And we’ve got one request for you.” She pressed started the music and without a second delay screamed into the mic, “Yo, I’ll tell you want, what I really really want!”
Quinn replied back, “So tell me what you want, what you really reall want!”
“I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want!”
“So tell me what you want, what you really really want!”
In unison, all the girls in the room sang with them, “I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really/really really wanna zigazig ha!”
Rachel pointed to Santana, who was seated on the couch with Brittany. She sang, “If you want my future, forget my past.”
Quinn singled out Tina on the dance floor, where she was grooving with Mike. “If you wanna get with me, better make it fast.”
“Now don’t go wasting my precious time,” Rachel sang.
“Get your act together we could be just fine,” Quinn finished.
I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want,
So tell me what you want, what you really really want,
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really
really really wanna zigazig ha
Brittany corralled Santana and the other girls to the dance floor, even going as far to push Mike away from Tina. As the chorus began, she danced with the other girls watching and mimicking her the best they could.
If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends
Make it last forever, friendship never ends
If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give
Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is
Rachel screamed out during a musical interlude. “Brittany, how do you remember a dance from a 15-year-old music video?”
“She’s fierce!” Santana cried back, “She’s Fierce Spice!” The girls cracked up. “And I’m Spicy Spice.” She almost fell down with laughter. “That’s silly. Make that Saucy Spice.”
“I’m Domination Spice!” Zizes bellowed and the other girls gave her a wide berth.
“I’m Diva Spice!” Mercedes proclaimed.
“And I’m Vampiress Spice,” Tina reasoned.
Rachel pressed a button on the laptop attached to her stereo system and the track looped back to the second verse. The girls continued where they left off.
Mike invaded the dance space again and performed a dance number. Kurt drug Blaine to do the same. “What’s your Spice name?” he asked over the music.
“I don’t know. How would you describe me?”
“Dapper,” Kurt remarked, “You’d be Dapper Spice.”
“I love that word! So, what are you?”
“I don’t know. I’m fashionable?”
“Vogue Spice!” Blaine screamed, giggling.
“I can live with that!” Kurt replied, dancing closer to Blaine, who continued his spazzy dance.
Eventually the night wound down. Finn and Kurt transported most of the drunken teens home, leaving only Brittany and Santana at Rachel’s place. Since neither was fit to drive, Rachel told them they could crash in her guest room, but they seemed happy on the couch. So, Rachel left the two there with Santana sobbing about her inability to unclasp Brittany’s bra due to her fumbling fingers.
“In wine, there is courage.”
* * *
In Vino Venenum
Brittany, Mercedes, Tina, and Mike were walking through the hallways, all wearing sunglasses.
“I’ve been pretending to take notes with an empty mechanical pencil because I know it will sound like a machine gun if I click it,” Tina related.
“I’ve had a headache for so long I’m pretty sure that I got used to the pain and now my non-headache feels like a hangover,” Mercedes noted.
“It hurt so much to move,” Brittany related, “that I started letting my cat wash my hair like I’m a kitten. And I let my dog wash my face like it’s her fun zone. The rest of my body got cleaned when the ghost who lives in our water heater turned the shower on while I was sleeping in the tub. Did I mention I moved into my bathroom?”
“I’ve been puking non-stop, and I told my mom I was bulimic,” Tina explained.
“Don’t say puke,” Mercedes requested.
“She’s worried, but it’s not as bad as underage drinking to an Asian mother.”
“That’s true,” Mike agreed. “I had to tell my folks that I got food poisoning by visiting a Thai restaurant. They locked me in the basement so I could pray while doing yoga. In case you were wondering, Dolphin Pose allows you to spew without resistance.”
Brittany remarked, “I’ve lost six pounds. I don’t know where it came from. Do I have a white girl’s butt now?”
“Can we talk about anything else?” Mercedes begged.
Tina noticed something on Brittany’s neck. “Brittany, do you have a hickey? Ooh, does somebody have a new man?”
“No,” Brittany remarked sheepishly, covering the bruise with her hand.
“Oh, c’mon, girl, spill,” Mercedes prodded.
“It’s embarrassing.”
“Oh, no,” Tina realized, “tell me you and Artie didn’t get back together. It was so hard on him last time.” When Mike frowned at this, she replied, “Oh, please, Sweetie, it’s not like that. Brittany and Artie’s relationship near the end was really sad. I was afraid we were going to have to choose sides.”
“It’s not Artie, okay?”
Santana quickly joined the ranks. Okay, so apparently, I’ve been slacking off on the whole use of foresight thing, because I probably could have prevented a ton of this. “Sup, lushies.”
Mercedes frowned. “Girl, how are you so upbeat? All of us can’t feel our toes.”
“Oh, Saturday was a bitch, so I stole some of my dad’s higher quality pain killers. I’m pretty sure I haven’t learned a thing today.”
“Join the club,” Mike moans.
“In other news, I’m pretty sure my thumb is broken.” She wiggled it. “Nah, just a sprain.”
“And you didn’t think to bring some for the rest of us?” Mercedes asked.
“It’s hospital-grade shit. Would I not be under threat of being arrested for possession with intent to distribute, I would have.” She turned to Tina. “But if you want to suck my blood.”
“It’s too early for vampire jokes. And speaking of which, did someone else take you up on your offer, because your arms are covered with bite marks.” Santana just grinned. “Also, Brittany has a hickey, but she won’t tell us from whom.”
Santana grinned proudly, leaned in very close to Brittany, brushing her hair aside, and examined the bruise very closely. “Hmm, nice handiwork. I’m sure you’ve got a few to match in places we can’t see. All we can tell is that the person had a lot of experience giving hickeys and they had perfect teeth.” She showily chopped her teeth as Brittany, whose gulped.
“Great,” she whispered.
Tina’s, Mike’s, and Mercedes’s eyes all widened at the display.
Mercedes was the first to speak, only managing to say, “Oh.”
Tina told Brittany, “Don’t be embarrassed. We all knew you swung both ways. And alcohol just does that to a girl. Just ask Kurt’s friend Blaine.” Tina paused to lick her lips. “Or Rachel,” she added.
Rachel, who appeared beside Tina, cried out, “Stop talking about me! I don’t really like kissing girls. It’s just like that Katie Perry song you love.”
It felt so wrong,
It felt so right,
Don’t mean I’m in love tonight
“Don’t sing,” Mercedes growled, pressing a thumb into her temple, “how are you so perky?”
Rachel replied, “I’m naturally like this. Believe me, I feel like Evita upon her death bed, giving her final Broadcast to the people of Argentina.”
“I will stab you with your own sheet music if you dare sing the song that inevitably goes with that death scene.”
As they reached the corner, they found Puck pushing Artie’s wheelchair, flanked by Quinn and Finn. Artie had a thermos full of Bloody Mary. “Hair of the dog that done bit yo’ ass,” he called it.
Santana’s thoughts were: Okay, so I know this is inevitably going to lead to in-school drunkenness and not two minutes ago I was lamenting the fact that I didn’t prevent this hangover, but this bout of inebriation did lead to that little hug with Brittany. Is that trade-off worth it? Problably not. Then again, I can just…
Blame it on the Goose, got you feeling loose
Blame it on the ‘Tron, got you in the zone
Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a alcohol
Blame it on the a-a a-a-a a-a-a a-alcohol
Plus, she figured, I have a pretty epic solo on this song.
And to my independent mamas who can buy their own bottles
If you’re looking like a model when them broke fellas holla
And I do that epic hip thrust on “looking like a model”. Can you blame me?
Mr. Schue apparently could blame them, saying the song glorified alcohol use when the whole point of the song seemed to be all about the bad choices made on alcohol. Rachel spewed her monologue about how there weren’t any dangers to alcohol, as if they all hadn’t spent the entire weekend with pounding headaches and vomiting.
“Have I ever told you how great you are?” Rachel told Sam as she hung on him, her hand grazing his midsection. Quinn stumbled over, put a possessive hand around Sam’s arm, and cleared her throat with disapproval. “I’m so sorry,” Rachel told her, reaching over to feel Quinn’s stomach. “Nice,” she giggled, at which point Finn ran over and pulled Rachel away as Quinn did the same with a clearly confused Sam. Rachel leaned heavily on Finn, rubbing her hand on his stomach, “Aw, not too shabby.” She nuzzled her face into his armpit.
Mr. Schue gave his talk about alcohol poisoning and Santana, without exactly knowing why, broke down again. She couldn’t even claim she was acting. Four hundred? Again she found herself in Brittany’s arms.
“Where’s Ms. Holliday?” Quinn asked.
“She’s dealing with something else.”
“In wine, there is poison.”
* * *
In Vino Victimas
The next morning, Will, Holly, Shannon, and Emma were all seated in the counselor’s office, sunglasses on as they nursed their hangovers.
“So, Will,” Holly remarked, “when I told Emma we were going out to cheer her up, I didn’t realize we were going to a bar.”
“Thank you, by the way,” Emma remarked sleepily, “It’s exactly what I needed.”
“I was exactly what you didn’t need.” Will apologized, “I’m sorry. It was Shannon’s idea.”
“Don’t blame me,” Shannon Beiste remarked from the corner, “Everyone looked like they were having a good time. We made a pretty good… what that thing called when you got four people singing?”
“A quartet,” Will answered.
“Hey, we’re all adults here. Sure we went a teensy bit overboard, but no one did anything stupid. Like try to kiss me again.”
Holly added, “Or proposition me with a threesome with your ex-girlfriend on your matrimonial bed with a particular roleplay in mind involving James Dean, a flight attendant, and a diner waitress.”
“Is that why I dreamt about eating waffles on American Bandstand?”
“Funny, you probably should have been dreaming about being an eccentric billionaire at the Globe Theater.”
“You’re making this up.”
“Only because it’s funny to watch you squirm.”
Beiste remarked, “Look, I gotta go tell Strando to make two coolers of Gator-Aid. One of them is for me.”
Holly and Will turned to the desk, where Emma was snoring while her hand wiped off the drool from her desk.
Holly explained, “I’ll take care of this. For real, this time.”
“In wine, there are victims.”
* * *
In Vino Vomitus
Ain’t got a care in the world, but got plenty of beer
Ain’t got no money in my pocket, but I’m already here
Santana’s dance moves were sharp, but somehow they didn’t outshine Brittany’s, even on Rachel’s suicide concoction. Well, first good thing about doing this sober, I get to watch Brittany dancing without the fog, and… Oh, Dear Lord…
Brittany had somehow dropped to the ground, doing the splits and was bouncing up and down. I would so drag her off stage and have my way with her if not for… Wait for it…
Brittany was spewing a purple-gray liquid on Rachel. Santana knew she could have prevented this just like she was preventing herself from throwing up, but it was Rachel’s fault for distributing the suicide beverage. Plus, no one had heeded her warning about perhaps not ingesting anything that had bits of pickled lime rinds and carpet fuzz floating in it.
“Everyone drink responsibly,” Brittany said to a dead-silent crowd as Santana dragged her off stage for a completely different reason.
“In wine, there is vomiting.”
* * *
In Vino Victoria
Brittany felt the warm water from the shower cascade over her. Her mind was still a little big foggy from the disgusting mixture that had put her in this state. Suddenly, Santana, naked as she, was in the shower with her.
“I don’t feel so good. Maybe we shouldn’t.”
“Oh, Sweetie, your breath smells like a dumpster. Our sweet lady kisses would be sour lady kisses. I’m just gonna get you cleaned up, since you haven’t moved a muscle for the past eight minutes.”
So Brittany let Santana wash her body, cleaning the excuse vomit off her face and out of her hair. She was in a half-asleep state the whole time. Once the shower was done, Santana exited first to grab some towels. Even though she could have handled the task herself, she allowed Santana to dry her off. It was just such a rare thing to see Santana so nurturing.
“My belly hurts,” Brittany whined, “Worse than the time I tried to groom Charity with my tongue. Or that time I thought that carton of Twinkies was going to go bad. Or that time I tried to make a salad out of grass clippings, jelly beans, and yogurt. Or…”
Santana kissed the top of Brittany’s head and shushed her. “I’ll break into the nurse’s station and bring you a bottle of Pepto-Bismol and a silly straw.”
“You’re a better doctor than your dad.”
“Well, thank you, but frankly, when you get appendicitis and not just I-thought-the-raspberry-scented-hand-soap-was-a-smoothie-itis, I’m gonna put down the Pokémon letter opener you hand me and drive you to Allen County General. I’ll even call ahead to make sure they have root beer lollipops.”
“If I live through this,” Brittany began, to Santana’s giggles, “I’m going to take you to Breadstix every night and paintball every weekend for a whole month.”
“Be still my heart,” Santana replied playfully yet not jokingly. “I’m going to go get our extra clothes from our lockers. And a toothbrush.” Brittany breathed into her hand and grimaced.
After Santana had left, Rachel popped out of a shower stall across the room, wrapped in a towel.
“Hi,” Brittany greeted.
“Hi. Sorry, I don’t think I was supposed to overhear that. Santana has been nicer as of late, but I didn’t want to test that theory.” When Brittany didn’t say anything, she took a seat beside her. “That girl's crazy in love with you, you know. I know she won’t say it, but not just anyone would clean throw-up off of a friend.”
“I know. She’s loved me for a long time. She’s just been scared.”
“And it’s not like you’re any good with hiding your feelings for her. So, can I ask why you and Santana aren’t together, as in together-together?”
Brittany bowed her head. “I want to be.”
“Are you afraid that Santana’s going to say no? From what I gather, she’s been chasing for a very long time. I can see it every time she looks at you. I suspect it’s how I looked at Finn all last year.”
“Like a stray dog at the back door?”
“I guess that’s one way to put it.” She paused. “Don’t let her go, Brittany. I know this is the part where I’m supposed to say she’s a real catch, but frankly, except for a few redeeming qualities she developed in the last few months, I’m not sure what she brings to the table. She’s protective, I guess, in a Chihuahua-who-thinks-it’s-a-Doberman kind of way.”
“I think she’s wonderful.”
“Splendid for you then.” The far-off sound of the locker door opening echoed through the room. “That’s my cue.” She scrambled off to a toilet stall, grabbing a bag on the way over.
Santana came in with a gym bag slung over both shoulders. “Okay, B, here ya go. I know you don’t like the hot cinnamon toothpaste I use, so I borrowed some wintergreen flavor from Sam. Remember, spit, don’t swallow.”
“What are we going to do tonight?”
“Well, Figgins is probably going to yell at us tomorrow, so I figure we’d get a movie and throw back some cream sodas until your tummy feels better. I’ll be on strictly cuddle duty tonight.”
“You can pick the movie, Santana.”
“Baby, you’re the sick one.”
“I know, but it’s your turn to pick. Even if it’s a scary movie about ghosts who walk on the ceiling.” She trembled in her seat.
“That’s quite thoughtful of you, but I actually intend to sleep tonight, and I can’t do that if you don’t, so maybe we’ll split the different and get a nice action flick? Something with kung fu so there’s no guns, okay?”
“Okay,” Brittany agreed.
“In wine, there is victory.”
* * *
In Vino Vale
Emma stepped out of the backseat of Holly’s car and looked up the Windy Mills Rehabilitation Center.
Holly hopped out of the front seat. “It’s a very good place, Emma. They won’t name names, but a very high-profile lead singer of the Foo Fighters came here when he crashed his tour bus into a police station after a concert in Cleveland.”
Emma just nodded, hugged Holly and then Will, and entered the facility.
“In wine, there is a farewell.”
* * *
In Vino Vilicos
Principal Sylvester was away “on business”, which meant she was in Indiana coaching a rival glee club, so it was up to Figgins to discipline the glee club. After realizing that they couldn’t all fit in his “office”, they moved to the principal’s office.
They were saved from another tongue-lashing by Figgin’s naiveté. But they still got one in glee from both their directors.
Holly added to the speech, “And, guys, I wasn’t going to share this originally, but since my sex education program starts next week, I thought I’d give you a sneak preview. Alcohol can also lead to unwanted pregnancy.” The glee club’s collective jaws all dropped, except for Brittany, who clapped. “No, I’m not pregnant. But only because I’ve been on the pill for two years. You think this complexion is natural? Guys tend to conveniently forget that their Trojans are in the top drawer of their nightstands.”
All eyes turned to Will, whose face was red as a cherry. Santana remarked, “Geez, and I thought we knew way too much about your sex life before.”
Puck admitted, “She’s not wrong. I’ve pulled the ‘forget’ the condom trick a hundred times. Except for that one tiny incident, I’ve been fine, but it is word to the wise.”
In her seat, Quinn mouthed, one tiny incident.
Mr. Schue handed out the forms. Up at the top were both his and Ms. Holliday’s cell phone numbers. Santana agreed to be the first to sign, and helped Brittany sign her own name, at times literally dragging her fuzzy-top pen to make the right loops in neon green glitter ink.
Ms. Holliday was the one to offer to bring the celebration beverage, and it wasn’t sparkling cider.
“In wine, there are stewards.”
* * *
In Vino Venustas
Santana, drenched in sweat, fell back onto her bed, huffing and puffing with exhaustion. Okay, when Brittany said she was on the rebound, I didn’t realize exactly how much bouncing she really intended to be in. “You’re one salacious vixen, B.”
Brittany nuzzled into Santana’s neck. “I like it when you use big words.”
“Then I’m going to buy a thesaurus.”
“They’re extinct.”
Santana threaded her fingers through Brittany hair. “Not even gonna bother with that. So, is this your way of cancelling out that little Breadstix-and-paintball debt you promised me? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure I owe you four dinners after that.”
“Five, but who’s counting?”
“At this rate, I may have to end up paying for prom myself.” Brittany pulled away and Santana cringed. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I know we’re not there yet. I’m such a girl.”
After a long time just staring at Santana, Brittany smiled, “That is very…” A kiss to the shoulder. “…very…” A kiss to the neck. “…super…” A kiss to the chin. “…true.” A kiss to the lips. “Now, let’s double check that girl thing.”
Santana rolled her head back, resigned to her fate.
“You’re perfect,” Brittany stated.
“In wine, there is beauty.”
Author’s Note: I was the right age during the Second British Invasion. All my female peers were obviously obsessed with the Spice Girls, because it was the thing to do at that age. Anyway, it surprised me exactly how few of their songs I remembered. So, I went with the default choice of “Wannabe”. If you’re curious how the parts were broken up. Rachel was Melanie B (Scary Spice) and Quinn was Geri (Ginger Spice) because they were the leads on that song. Santana took over Melanie C (Sporty Spice) and Tina Emma (Baby Spice) for vocal reasons. That left Mercedes to sing what little Victoria (Posh Spice) had for that song. This is obviously not the breakup most people would assign them, but it fit the story. Brittany took over the dancing and Lauren was there. Sorry for the sucky embed.
Chapter 18: Love Is a Battle
Author: creedogv
Rating: M
Summary: Santana has been given the opportunity to correct her past mistakes with Brittany, so she can’t help but take it. Brittany’s agreed to dump Artie, but it might take a little libation for Santana to win her heart for good.
Pairing: Santana/Brittany
Word Count: ~4500/9700
Spoilers: 2x14 “Blame It on the Alcohol”
Author’s Note: “Born This Way” had so much wonderful Brittana development.
And parts clearly stolen from my story. Santana blackmailing Karofsky so that it would be safe for Kurt to be at McKinley? I know I obsess about this constantly, but you’re more than free to skip these author’s notes. I know I’m a blowhard.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 6.5 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 16.5 Chapter 17
In Vino Virtus
Ten minutes later, the crowd of fourteen was in a large circle around a wine cooler bottle on a chess board. Rachel announced officiously, “Remember, everyone! Kisses have to last for five seconds, and we’ll be counting!” Kurt got the first spin. It landed on Lauren Zizes. Blaine found this hilarious. (He’d found practically everything that night hilarious, from Rachel’s pink bedazzled microphone to his own name.) Lauren picked Kurt up like a doll, sat him in her lap, mashed her lips into his for five seconds while the crowd counted slowly, and then deposited him back onto the floor beside Blaine.
“Feeling a little bi?” Blaine asked.
“No,” he grumbled.
Brittany laid her head on Kurt’s shoulder. “Was she better than me?”
“Impossible,” Santana mumbled, snaking her arm around Brittany’s waist.
Kurt declared, “Just for that, Brittany’s up next!”
Brittany’s spin landed on Artie. Santana tried to protest, but Tina officiously announced that there is no “Ex Exclusion” in Spin the Bottle “according to the Geneva Convention.” The kiss was dull and Brittany pulled away the instant everyone said five, frowning as she retreated to her spot between Santana and Kurt. “Santana, go,” Brittany instructed.
Santana’s spin landed on Sam. She scowled, but grabbed him by the collar and pressed her lips into his. He felt the way she remembered him feeling, and she extended the kiss by another half second for one particular reason: to see Quinn scowling at her afterwards. She teased her friend, “Lips likes those, just like macking on a girl. Better hold on tight to him, Q. Puckerman, you’re up!” Brittany was frowning at her, but Santana easily extinguished her foul mood by taking a seat in her lap, straddling her thighs, and wrapping a hand around her neck from behind.
Puck’s spin stopped on Mike Chang. Immediately, there was a cacophony of hemming and hawing. Puck called out, “Wait a second.”
“Nuh-uh. I kissed a girl!” Kurt proclaimed.
“I kissed a boy,” Santana added, leaning to high-five Kurt. When she righted herself on Brittany’s legs, she leaned back into the girl, just to hear her breath hitch.
Mercedes called out to Puck, “You gotta!”
“I’m gonna!” Puck yelled over the noise, “But I just want to establish two things. First, Cone of Secrecy. This ain’t getting back to the football team.”
Artie spoke with authority, “Party with underage drinking? Cone of Secrecy is always in effect, dude.”
“Secondarily, that the Same Gender Coersion Rule will remain in effect for the rest of the game. Do I hear a second?”
“Second!” Tina cried out.
“Good. That means I need all the girls to raise their right hands.” All the girls did, Santana grabbing Brittany’s hand so she raised the right one. Puck changed his mind, “No, everyone! Everyone raise their right hand!” The boys threw up their hands, too. “We’re all gonna solemnly swear that no one will refuse any kiss based on gender. All say ‘aye.’” He was met with a chorus of aye’s. “Good, now we need a penalty. Shaved head?”
He was met with universal refusal. “Totally not fair!” Sam screamed, covering his own shaggy hairdo with his hands.
Quinn piped in, “Cheerios had a default penalty of streaking for all party games.”
“Agreed. Once around the house,” Puck amended, “And so resolved. Get over here, Chang.”
Puck grabbed Mike’s face and laid a deep kiss on it, dutifully waiting for the crowd to count to five tortuously slowly. A loud smacking noise ended the embrace and Mike was thrown back into Tina’s arms. The Asian girl seemed excited. “Did he slip you the tongue? Oh, that’s so hot!”
Lauren was noticeably less enthused. “Eh, had my suspicions.” She adjusted her glasses.
Mike shoved Tina forward for her turn and her spin landed on Blaine. They kissed for the requisite five seconds and would have continued longer had they not been pulled away by Mike and Kurt. Tina apologized insincerely with a grin on her face, capturing Mike’s lips. “Sorry, he’s super-mega-neato-crazy-gay and boys kissing boys is a total turn-on. You’re still my man, Jackie Chan.” She fell backwards onto the floor when she tried to lean back on him and miscalculated.
“Feeling a little bi?” Kurt echoed.
“A little,” Blaine replied.
“Oh, Lordy.” He mouthed to Tina, How could you?
Oh please, she mouthed back, brushing her fingers through Mike’s hair, messing it up considerably.
Mike called out, “Rachel, your turn.”
It landed on Quinn. They locked eyes. “You gonna chicken out, Berry?”
Rachel scowled and harrumphed. “Obviously not. This is my neighborhood and I don’t want it getting back to my daddies that their little girl was running around the property in her birthday suit.” So, she leaned across the circle. Her face scrunched up, Quinn met Rachel’s lips halfway, kissing her close-lipped while the rest of the group counted even slower than they had for Puck and Mike. When she tried to pull away after five seconds, Rachel grabbed her face and mashed their lips together until Quinn was able to yank her hands off.
Quinn pulled away and wiped her face. Rachel just giggled, calling out, “Santana! You’re totally onto something with kissing girls! Their lips are so soft!” She screamed at Quinn. “Your face tastes like a pumpkin!”
Quinn rolled her eyes. “Oh, please, Rachel, I have enough lesbians in my life.”
Santana, who was currently peeling Brittany’s vest off her shoulders so she could leave a trail of kisses there, kicked her foot out into Quinn’s thigh.
Rachel cried out to her kissing partner, “Quinnie, we need to do a duet!”
Quinn considered it for a moment. “Fine, Chapstick, but if you suggest a t.A.T.u. song, I’m leaving right now.”
Five minutes later, Rachel and Quinn were on stage near the twin microphones. “So, I’m Superstar Spice and this is…”
“Queen Spice,” Quinn added.
“And we’ve got one request for you.” She pressed started the music and without a second delay screamed into the mic, “Yo, I’ll tell you want, what I really really want!”
Quinn replied back, “So tell me what you want, what you really reall want!”
“I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want!”
“So tell me what you want, what you really really want!”
In unison, all the girls in the room sang with them, “I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really/really really wanna zigazig ha!”
Rachel pointed to Santana, who was seated on the couch with Brittany. She sang, “If you want my future, forget my past.”
Quinn singled out Tina on the dance floor, where she was grooving with Mike. “If you wanna get with me, better make it fast.”
“Now don’t go wasting my precious time,” Rachel sang.
“Get your act together we could be just fine,” Quinn finished.
I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want,
So tell me what you want, what you really really want,
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really
really really wanna zigazig ha
Brittany corralled Santana and the other girls to the dance floor, even going as far to push Mike away from Tina. As the chorus began, she danced with the other girls watching and mimicking her the best they could.
If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends
Make it last forever, friendship never ends
If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give
Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is
Rachel screamed out during a musical interlude. “Brittany, how do you remember a dance from a 15-year-old music video?”
“She’s fierce!” Santana cried back, “She’s Fierce Spice!” The girls cracked up. “And I’m Spicy Spice.” She almost fell down with laughter. “That’s silly. Make that Saucy Spice.”
“I’m Domination Spice!” Zizes bellowed and the other girls gave her a wide berth.
“I’m Diva Spice!” Mercedes proclaimed.
“And I’m Vampiress Spice,” Tina reasoned.
Rachel pressed a button on the laptop attached to her stereo system and the track looped back to the second verse. The girls continued where they left off.
Mike invaded the dance space again and performed a dance number. Kurt drug Blaine to do the same. “What’s your Spice name?” he asked over the music.
“I don’t know. How would you describe me?”
“Dapper,” Kurt remarked, “You’d be Dapper Spice.”
“I love that word! So, what are you?”
“I don’t know. I’m fashionable?”
“Vogue Spice!” Blaine screamed, giggling.
“I can live with that!” Kurt replied, dancing closer to Blaine, who continued his spazzy dance.
Eventually the night wound down. Finn and Kurt transported most of the drunken teens home, leaving only Brittany and Santana at Rachel’s place. Since neither was fit to drive, Rachel told them they could crash in her guest room, but they seemed happy on the couch. So, Rachel left the two there with Santana sobbing about her inability to unclasp Brittany’s bra due to her fumbling fingers.
“In wine, there is courage.”
* * *
In Vino Venenum
Brittany, Mercedes, Tina, and Mike were walking through the hallways, all wearing sunglasses.
“I’ve been pretending to take notes with an empty mechanical pencil because I know it will sound like a machine gun if I click it,” Tina related.
“I’ve had a headache for so long I’m pretty sure that I got used to the pain and now my non-headache feels like a hangover,” Mercedes noted.
“It hurt so much to move,” Brittany related, “that I started letting my cat wash my hair like I’m a kitten. And I let my dog wash my face like it’s her fun zone. The rest of my body got cleaned when the ghost who lives in our water heater turned the shower on while I was sleeping in the tub. Did I mention I moved into my bathroom?”
“I’ve been puking non-stop, and I told my mom I was bulimic,” Tina explained.
“Don’t say puke,” Mercedes requested.
“She’s worried, but it’s not as bad as underage drinking to an Asian mother.”
“That’s true,” Mike agreed. “I had to tell my folks that I got food poisoning by visiting a Thai restaurant. They locked me in the basement so I could pray while doing yoga. In case you were wondering, Dolphin Pose allows you to spew without resistance.”
Brittany remarked, “I’ve lost six pounds. I don’t know where it came from. Do I have a white girl’s butt now?”
“Can we talk about anything else?” Mercedes begged.
Tina noticed something on Brittany’s neck. “Brittany, do you have a hickey? Ooh, does somebody have a new man?”
“No,” Brittany remarked sheepishly, covering the bruise with her hand.
“Oh, c’mon, girl, spill,” Mercedes prodded.
“It’s embarrassing.”
“Oh, no,” Tina realized, “tell me you and Artie didn’t get back together. It was so hard on him last time.” When Mike frowned at this, she replied, “Oh, please, Sweetie, it’s not like that. Brittany and Artie’s relationship near the end was really sad. I was afraid we were going to have to choose sides.”
“It’s not Artie, okay?”
Santana quickly joined the ranks. Okay, so apparently, I’ve been slacking off on the whole use of foresight thing, because I probably could have prevented a ton of this. “Sup, lushies.”
Mercedes frowned. “Girl, how are you so upbeat? All of us can’t feel our toes.”
“Oh, Saturday was a bitch, so I stole some of my dad’s higher quality pain killers. I’m pretty sure I haven’t learned a thing today.”
“Join the club,” Mike moans.
“In other news, I’m pretty sure my thumb is broken.” She wiggled it. “Nah, just a sprain.”
“And you didn’t think to bring some for the rest of us?” Mercedes asked.
“It’s hospital-grade shit. Would I not be under threat of being arrested for possession with intent to distribute, I would have.” She turned to Tina. “But if you want to suck my blood.”
“It’s too early for vampire jokes. And speaking of which, did someone else take you up on your offer, because your arms are covered with bite marks.” Santana just grinned. “Also, Brittany has a hickey, but she won’t tell us from whom.”
Santana grinned proudly, leaned in very close to Brittany, brushing her hair aside, and examined the bruise very closely. “Hmm, nice handiwork. I’m sure you’ve got a few to match in places we can’t see. All we can tell is that the person had a lot of experience giving hickeys and they had perfect teeth.” She showily chopped her teeth as Brittany, whose gulped.
“Great,” she whispered.
Tina’s, Mike’s, and Mercedes’s eyes all widened at the display.
Mercedes was the first to speak, only managing to say, “Oh.”
Tina told Brittany, “Don’t be embarrassed. We all knew you swung both ways. And alcohol just does that to a girl. Just ask Kurt’s friend Blaine.” Tina paused to lick her lips. “Or Rachel,” she added.
Rachel, who appeared beside Tina, cried out, “Stop talking about me! I don’t really like kissing girls. It’s just like that Katie Perry song you love.”
It felt so wrong,
It felt so right,
Don’t mean I’m in love tonight
“Don’t sing,” Mercedes growled, pressing a thumb into her temple, “how are you so perky?”
Rachel replied, “I’m naturally like this. Believe me, I feel like Evita upon her death bed, giving her final Broadcast to the people of Argentina.”
“I will stab you with your own sheet music if you dare sing the song that inevitably goes with that death scene.”
As they reached the corner, they found Puck pushing Artie’s wheelchair, flanked by Quinn and Finn. Artie had a thermos full of Bloody Mary. “Hair of the dog that done bit yo’ ass,” he called it.
Santana’s thoughts were: Okay, so I know this is inevitably going to lead to in-school drunkenness and not two minutes ago I was lamenting the fact that I didn’t prevent this hangover, but this bout of inebriation did lead to that little hug with Brittany. Is that trade-off worth it? Problably not. Then again, I can just…
Blame it on the Goose, got you feeling loose
Blame it on the ‘Tron, got you in the zone
Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a alcohol
Blame it on the a-a a-a-a a-a-a a-alcohol
Plus, she figured, I have a pretty epic solo on this song.
And to my independent mamas who can buy their own bottles
If you’re looking like a model when them broke fellas holla
And I do that epic hip thrust on “looking like a model”. Can you blame me?
Mr. Schue apparently could blame them, saying the song glorified alcohol use when the whole point of the song seemed to be all about the bad choices made on alcohol. Rachel spewed her monologue about how there weren’t any dangers to alcohol, as if they all hadn’t spent the entire weekend with pounding headaches and vomiting.
“Have I ever told you how great you are?” Rachel told Sam as she hung on him, her hand grazing his midsection. Quinn stumbled over, put a possessive hand around Sam’s arm, and cleared her throat with disapproval. “I’m so sorry,” Rachel told her, reaching over to feel Quinn’s stomach. “Nice,” she giggled, at which point Finn ran over and pulled Rachel away as Quinn did the same with a clearly confused Sam. Rachel leaned heavily on Finn, rubbing her hand on his stomach, “Aw, not too shabby.” She nuzzled her face into his armpit.
Mr. Schue gave his talk about alcohol poisoning and Santana, without exactly knowing why, broke down again. She couldn’t even claim she was acting. Four hundred? Again she found herself in Brittany’s arms.
“Where’s Ms. Holliday?” Quinn asked.
“She’s dealing with something else.”
“In wine, there is poison.”
* * *
In Vino Victimas
The next morning, Will, Holly, Shannon, and Emma were all seated in the counselor’s office, sunglasses on as they nursed their hangovers.
“So, Will,” Holly remarked, “when I told Emma we were going out to cheer her up, I didn’t realize we were going to a bar.”
“Thank you, by the way,” Emma remarked sleepily, “It’s exactly what I needed.”
“I was exactly what you didn’t need.” Will apologized, “I’m sorry. It was Shannon’s idea.”
“Don’t blame me,” Shannon Beiste remarked from the corner, “Everyone looked like they were having a good time. We made a pretty good… what that thing called when you got four people singing?”
“A quartet,” Will answered.
“Hey, we’re all adults here. Sure we went a teensy bit overboard, but no one did anything stupid. Like try to kiss me again.”
Holly added, “Or proposition me with a threesome with your ex-girlfriend on your matrimonial bed with a particular roleplay in mind involving James Dean, a flight attendant, and a diner waitress.”
“Is that why I dreamt about eating waffles on American Bandstand?”
“Funny, you probably should have been dreaming about being an eccentric billionaire at the Globe Theater.”
“You’re making this up.”
“Only because it’s funny to watch you squirm.”
Beiste remarked, “Look, I gotta go tell Strando to make two coolers of Gator-Aid. One of them is for me.”
Holly and Will turned to the desk, where Emma was snoring while her hand wiped off the drool from her desk.
Holly explained, “I’ll take care of this. For real, this time.”
“In wine, there are victims.”
* * *
In Vino Vomitus
Ain’t got a care in the world, but got plenty of beer
Ain’t got no money in my pocket, but I’m already here
Santana’s dance moves were sharp, but somehow they didn’t outshine Brittany’s, even on Rachel’s suicide concoction. Well, first good thing about doing this sober, I get to watch Brittany dancing without the fog, and… Oh, Dear Lord…
Brittany had somehow dropped to the ground, doing the splits and was bouncing up and down. I would so drag her off stage and have my way with her if not for… Wait for it…
Brittany was spewing a purple-gray liquid on Rachel. Santana knew she could have prevented this just like she was preventing herself from throwing up, but it was Rachel’s fault for distributing the suicide beverage. Plus, no one had heeded her warning about perhaps not ingesting anything that had bits of pickled lime rinds and carpet fuzz floating in it.
“Everyone drink responsibly,” Brittany said to a dead-silent crowd as Santana dragged her off stage for a completely different reason.
“In wine, there is vomiting.”
* * *
In Vino Victoria
Brittany felt the warm water from the shower cascade over her. Her mind was still a little big foggy from the disgusting mixture that had put her in this state. Suddenly, Santana, naked as she, was in the shower with her.
“I don’t feel so good. Maybe we shouldn’t.”
“Oh, Sweetie, your breath smells like a dumpster. Our sweet lady kisses would be sour lady kisses. I’m just gonna get you cleaned up, since you haven’t moved a muscle for the past eight minutes.”
So Brittany let Santana wash her body, cleaning the excuse vomit off her face and out of her hair. She was in a half-asleep state the whole time. Once the shower was done, Santana exited first to grab some towels. Even though she could have handled the task herself, she allowed Santana to dry her off. It was just such a rare thing to see Santana so nurturing.
“My belly hurts,” Brittany whined, “Worse than the time I tried to groom Charity with my tongue. Or that time I thought that carton of Twinkies was going to go bad. Or that time I tried to make a salad out of grass clippings, jelly beans, and yogurt. Or…”
Santana kissed the top of Brittany’s head and shushed her. “I’ll break into the nurse’s station and bring you a bottle of Pepto-Bismol and a silly straw.”
“You’re a better doctor than your dad.”
“Well, thank you, but frankly, when you get appendicitis and not just I-thought-the-raspberry-scented-hand-soap-was-a-smoothie-itis, I’m gonna put down the Pokémon letter opener you hand me and drive you to Allen County General. I’ll even call ahead to make sure they have root beer lollipops.”
“If I live through this,” Brittany began, to Santana’s giggles, “I’m going to take you to Breadstix every night and paintball every weekend for a whole month.”
“Be still my heart,” Santana replied playfully yet not jokingly. “I’m going to go get our extra clothes from our lockers. And a toothbrush.” Brittany breathed into her hand and grimaced.
After Santana had left, Rachel popped out of a shower stall across the room, wrapped in a towel.
“Hi,” Brittany greeted.
“Hi. Sorry, I don’t think I was supposed to overhear that. Santana has been nicer as of late, but I didn’t want to test that theory.” When Brittany didn’t say anything, she took a seat beside her. “That girl's crazy in love with you, you know. I know she won’t say it, but not just anyone would clean throw-up off of a friend.”
“I know. She’s loved me for a long time. She’s just been scared.”
“And it’s not like you’re any good with hiding your feelings for her. So, can I ask why you and Santana aren’t together, as in together-together?”
Brittany bowed her head. “I want to be.”
“Are you afraid that Santana’s going to say no? From what I gather, she’s been chasing for a very long time. I can see it every time she looks at you. I suspect it’s how I looked at Finn all last year.”
“Like a stray dog at the back door?”
“I guess that’s one way to put it.” She paused. “Don’t let her go, Brittany. I know this is the part where I’m supposed to say she’s a real catch, but frankly, except for a few redeeming qualities she developed in the last few months, I’m not sure what she brings to the table. She’s protective, I guess, in a Chihuahua-who-thinks-it’s-a-Doberman kind of way.”
“I think she’s wonderful.”
“Splendid for you then.” The far-off sound of the locker door opening echoed through the room. “That’s my cue.” She scrambled off to a toilet stall, grabbing a bag on the way over.
Santana came in with a gym bag slung over both shoulders. “Okay, B, here ya go. I know you don’t like the hot cinnamon toothpaste I use, so I borrowed some wintergreen flavor from Sam. Remember, spit, don’t swallow.”
“What are we going to do tonight?”
“Well, Figgins is probably going to yell at us tomorrow, so I figure we’d get a movie and throw back some cream sodas until your tummy feels better. I’ll be on strictly cuddle duty tonight.”
“You can pick the movie, Santana.”
“Baby, you’re the sick one.”
“I know, but it’s your turn to pick. Even if it’s a scary movie about ghosts who walk on the ceiling.” She trembled in her seat.
“That’s quite thoughtful of you, but I actually intend to sleep tonight, and I can’t do that if you don’t, so maybe we’ll split the different and get a nice action flick? Something with kung fu so there’s no guns, okay?”
“Okay,” Brittany agreed.
“In wine, there is victory.”
* * *
In Vino Vale
Emma stepped out of the backseat of Holly’s car and looked up the Windy Mills Rehabilitation Center.
Holly hopped out of the front seat. “It’s a very good place, Emma. They won’t name names, but a very high-profile lead singer of the Foo Fighters came here when he crashed his tour bus into a police station after a concert in Cleveland.”
Emma just nodded, hugged Holly and then Will, and entered the facility.
“In wine, there is a farewell.”
* * *
In Vino Vilicos
Principal Sylvester was away “on business”, which meant she was in Indiana coaching a rival glee club, so it was up to Figgins to discipline the glee club. After realizing that they couldn’t all fit in his “office”, they moved to the principal’s office.
They were saved from another tongue-lashing by Figgin’s naiveté. But they still got one in glee from both their directors.
Holly added to the speech, “And, guys, I wasn’t going to share this originally, but since my sex education program starts next week, I thought I’d give you a sneak preview. Alcohol can also lead to unwanted pregnancy.” The glee club’s collective jaws all dropped, except for Brittany, who clapped. “No, I’m not pregnant. But only because I’ve been on the pill for two years. You think this complexion is natural? Guys tend to conveniently forget that their Trojans are in the top drawer of their nightstands.”
All eyes turned to Will, whose face was red as a cherry. Santana remarked, “Geez, and I thought we knew way too much about your sex life before.”
Puck admitted, “She’s not wrong. I’ve pulled the ‘forget’ the condom trick a hundred times. Except for that one tiny incident, I’ve been fine, but it is word to the wise.”
In her seat, Quinn mouthed, one tiny incident.
Mr. Schue handed out the forms. Up at the top were both his and Ms. Holliday’s cell phone numbers. Santana agreed to be the first to sign, and helped Brittany sign her own name, at times literally dragging her fuzzy-top pen to make the right loops in neon green glitter ink.
Ms. Holliday was the one to offer to bring the celebration beverage, and it wasn’t sparkling cider.
“In wine, there are stewards.”
* * *
In Vino Venustas
Santana, drenched in sweat, fell back onto her bed, huffing and puffing with exhaustion. Okay, when Brittany said she was on the rebound, I didn’t realize exactly how much bouncing she really intended to be in. “You’re one salacious vixen, B.”
Brittany nuzzled into Santana’s neck. “I like it when you use big words.”
“Then I’m going to buy a thesaurus.”
“They’re extinct.”
Santana threaded her fingers through Brittany hair. “Not even gonna bother with that. So, is this your way of cancelling out that little Breadstix-and-paintball debt you promised me? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure I owe you four dinners after that.”
“Five, but who’s counting?”
“At this rate, I may have to end up paying for prom myself.” Brittany pulled away and Santana cringed. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I know we’re not there yet. I’m such a girl.”
After a long time just staring at Santana, Brittany smiled, “That is very…” A kiss to the shoulder. “…very…” A kiss to the neck. “…super…” A kiss to the chin. “…true.” A kiss to the lips. “Now, let’s double check that girl thing.”
Santana rolled her head back, resigned to her fate.
“You’re perfect,” Brittany stated.
“In wine, there is beauty.”
Author’s Note: I was the right age during the Second British Invasion. All my female peers were obviously obsessed with the Spice Girls, because it was the thing to do at that age. Anyway, it surprised me exactly how few of their songs I remembered. So, I went with the default choice of “Wannabe”. If you’re curious how the parts were broken up. Rachel was Melanie B (Scary Spice) and Quinn was Geri (Ginger Spice) because they were the leads on that song. Santana took over Melanie C (Sporty Spice) and Tina Emma (Baby Spice) for vocal reasons. That left Mercedes to sing what little Victoria (Posh Spice) had for that song. This is obviously not the breakup most people would assign them, but it fit the story. Brittany took over the dancing and Lauren was there. Sorry for the sucky embed.
Chapter 18: Love Is a Battle