Songs series - The climb - Pezberry
So…honestly, I had in mind this scene since forever, and I searched for the song that it would have make more sense to link it at. It doesn't really make sense? Oh, well… *shrugs*
I don't know a thing about wheelchairs, but I know that some models that can be folded to make the transport easier. Artie has one of those.
Pairing: Rachel/Santana, Rachel/Santana/Artie friendship
Rating: K
Words: ±1100
Disclaimer: nothing is mine
Note: English is not my first language. Thanks to myxe for the help
"Wow."
"This is beautiful."
Mr. Schuester looked at his Glee kids. They were holding onto the banister, admiring the breathtaking view.
"Was it worth climbing up all those stairs or not?" he prodded, remembering all the whining and complaining he had heard during the trek. He grinned when they all agreed.
They had been admiring the panorama for a while, scattered around, when Mr. Schuester called them. "Everyone here!" He waved his camera. "I want a photo of you all."
"Wait, where's Rachel?" Finn asked, causing everyone to look around.
"Santanas missing too," Puck noted. "What?" he exclaimed as they stared at him. "When I didn't hear Santana chime in with an insult about Rachel being too short to climb the stairs or something like that, I looked for Santana to see if she was feeling well."
"Rachel's legs aren't short," Finn frowned, his eyes then taking a faraway look.
"Oh," Brittany said, remembering. "Then Artie can't come up here either. His legs don't work at all."
They looked at each other, realization dawning on them, and then looked away in embarrassment and shame. They didn't know what to say or or do. Silence fell upon the roof. Then-
"Fuck!"
The swear word broke the silence. They all looked towards the door, where the sound seemed to come from.
"Come on, we're almost there," Rachel said, breathing heavily.
"Did you fatten up, boy?" Santana asked.
"I don't weigh that much," Artie muttered.
"I don't care if it's you or your damn chair, I'm dying anyway."
"Santana, save your breath," Rachel scolded her.
"I swear, if that the door is closed, I will break it down," Santana continued.
"And how do you plan to do that?" Artie was more amused than curious.
"I'll use you as battering ram."
"You wouldn't!" Artie gasped. "Rach, you wouldn't let her, right?"
"It's not like you could escape," Santana carried on. "You're already trapped in my arms." She started laughing, as if she was an evil character from a cartoon.
"Santana, stop laughing. You're jerking him around!" Rachel reprimanded, then noticed the door ahead of them. "Look, it's open."
"Thank God!" Artie exclaimed as they stepped onto the roof. Rachel's and Santana's arms were linked under his thighs, as to form a human chair, and his arms were around the girls' necks.
"Rach, you ready?" Santana asked.
"One moment." Rachel took a deep breath. "Okay. Artie," she said. He took away his arm away from Santana's neck and put it around Rachel's, who shifted on her feet to have a better grip on Artie as he turned his bust towards her.
"Rachel," the diva said, once she felt steady on her feet.
"Artie." The boy followed by saying his own name, and then tightening his hold on Rachel.
"Santana."
As soon as the word left the Latina's mouth, Rachel lifted Artie up, freeing Santana's arms that fled to her back where Artie's wheelchair was strapped, folded on itself. Rachel staggered under Artie's weight, but she soon steadied herself against a wall. Santana, with swift and practiced movements, took off the wheelchair from her back, put it on the floor and unfolded it. She snapped the locks closed so that it would be safe for Artie to sit on it and quickly went to the couple, arms joining Rachel's under Artie to take some of the burden.
"Ready to move?"
"Rachel," was the diva's answer to Santana's question.
"Artie."
"Santana."
They started moving towards the wheelchair and positioned Artie so that he was hovering over it.
"It would be so easy to just dump him right now."
"Last time he bounced off and fell down," Rachel reminded her.
"And I'd rather not repeat the experience," Artie added.
"Too bad," Santana grumbled, as she and Rachel started lowering him.
"You're bitch," Artie said, the light smile on his face betraying the severity of his words.
"You only say that since you've stopped being afraid of your mother"-Santana slid her hands away, leaving Artie to sit in his wheelchair-"or of Rachel." She chuckled at Rachel's glare.
The girls started pushing Artie's wheelchair, each girl having a hand on a handle.
"Thanks for the help, by the way," Santana sneered at the rest of the club who were still watching them, not having moved a muscle.
"Artie-" Mr. Schuester stepped forward.
"Please"-Artie raised a hand to stop him-"don't." He shook his head, almost as if he was too used to it to be disappointed. "Let's just enjoy the view. That's why we're here, right?"
The girls wheeled towards the banister, Rachel on his right and Santana on his left.
"Can you see?" Rachel looked at him.
"Sure," Artie gave her a half-smile. "I'm at the right height," he joked, pointing to the empty space between the railing and the banister.
Rachel frowned and looked at Santana, who had followed the exchange.
"Come on." Santana took a step back and leaned down.
"Put your arms around our necks," Rachel told Artie, imitating Santana.
"Girls, really," he protested.
"Do it yourself, or I'll make you," Santana glared at him. "And I'll probably break your arm while doing it."
Artie huffed. "You're-"
"A bitch, I know," Santana interrupted him. "So what?" she raised an eyebrow, and Artie moved his arms. The girls put an arm around his waist and hoisted him up.
"Wow," he breathed out, finally seeing the view in its entirety.
"Isn't it better?" Rachel asked knowingly.
"Okay," Artie said after a while. "You can put me down,"
"Are you sure?" Rachel looked at him. "We can stay longer."
"No, it's okay. Really." He smiled at her. "After all, it's all the same after a while," he joked. "Besides, I can always continue to enjoy it from my chair, comfortably seated."
"This is how you thank us?" Santana asked, acting affronted, as they lowered him down.
Artie rolled his eyes, but when the girls turned around to continue to look at the view, he grabbed Rachel's left hand and Santana's right and squeezed them. Then he linked their fingers, one by one, exactly like he'd always done since they were little.
He remembered the first time it happened. He was tired of his two best friends making googly eyes at each other but, not having the courage to talk, he had taken their hands and joined them instead, proceededing to announce, "San, Rach like you. Rach, San like you. Now kiss."
And whether it was because he wanted them to make up after a fight, or simply because he loved to play with their fingers, it was something he never stopped doing.
"I think you should be the one to thank me."
Hands linked, Santana and Rachel smiled in response.