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It was the loud shutting of the front door that roused Santana from slumber at, as her alarm clock revealed, three thirty-seven in the morning. It was the loud clack of heels and the stumbling of her roommate that kept her awake and lifted her out of her sleepy haze.
Santana wanted to curse the cast party for running so late, and for providing so much booze, but she'd always been a fan of parties, and couldn't quite condemn one that was, in part, held in her roommate's honor.
Rachel, after all, had been cast as Maria in the school's production of West Side Story; she'd invited Santana as a guest, and the party had been actually kind of great given it was run by Broadway nerds, but she'd had to leave early. Unlike Rachel, she had a part time job, and that job had scheduled her for a mid-morning shift. As much as she didn't really need beauty sleep, Santana adored sleep more than most things in life, so she'd left around eleven.
Maybe three hours of sleep...goddamn it... Santana internally groused, not happy at all with how loud Rachel was being. Santana always made an effort to be quiet when she was drunk and coming home late, but Rachel had never really seemed to catch on to that sort of courtesy and etiquette when she was impaired.
If it was literally anyone else, Santana would have jumped out of bed, marched over there, and started a screaming match. Maybe punches would have been thrown; she went to the angry place sometimes, she had a temper, everyone knew that.
But Rachel was different.
Sure, the girl was a diva who could be self-centered and selfish even on the best of days, but she was also kind-hearted, and sweet, and supportive. Rachel had a seriously inflated ego when it came to her talent, but she was passionate, and confident, and so utterly joyful and brilliant when indulged in her work. The girl wasn't a traditional beauty, but Rachel had warm mocha eyes that could lift her spirits with just a glance, possibly the prettiest, cutest smile she'd ever seen, and legs for days.
Two years of rooming with Rachel was enough to know that much.
Maybe she had a crush on her roommate, but Rachel really was a good person, even accounting for her flaws. So when Rachel inexplicably stumbled into her curtained off section of their apartment, and started flinging off her clothes, malicious revenge definitely didn't pop up on Santana's agenda. But an innocent little prank did; besides, she had the willpower to refrain from doing anything untoward with Rachel this time around, but the little diva needed to never make such a mistake again, for both of their sakes.
Santana watched blearily as Rachel stumbled through her area, probably tripping on the array of clothes she'd left scattered on the floor only hours earlier. The darkness hid her roommate's nude body, but she could see her silhouette, and hear her dresser being opened and rummaged through.
It was an odd sight, and Santana was waiting for her roommate to clue in, but Rachel just pulled out a pair of her panties and slipped them on, only adding to the idea Santana had been fostering in her imagination as a form of teasing payback. Even if she was grumpy to have been woken up, the laughter she could get later that morning could definitely be worth it.
Rachel teetered over to the bed and flopped down onto it unceremoniously, assuring Santana's plan would come to fruition. No one messed with her sleep and got away with it, not entirely. Santana reached out and gave a light tug to Rachel's hand, prompting the diva to roll under the covers and, as expected, wrap her tiny diva self around her like an octopus.
She's going to be so freaked out and confused when she wakes up, holy shit...
Maybe letting the diva wrap around her was entirely risky, with how she felt about Berry, but the girl was straight. There wasn't anything wrong with a lesbian cuddling her straight roommate in bed, especially since Rachel was often more than happy to cuddle while sober.
Santana let out a sigh and shut her eyes, smiling at the notion of getting more sleep, and of embarrassing Rachel a little bit. With her roommate's warm body in her arms, she was out like a light in seconds.
Rachel woke to the unfamiliar feeling of...well, many things, according to her half asleep mind. From the density of the pillow, to the way the mattress beneath her gave a little more than usual, to the noticeably higher thread count of the sheets, to the lack of sunlight beaming in from her right side, Rachel couldn't help but feel that there were a peculiar amount of differences.
I stayed late at the cast party...did I stay over at someone else's? She mused groggily, bringing up a hand to wipe at her eyes as she rolled onto her back. It took a moment of willpower to force her eyes open, gazing off to the right and spotting a familiar curtain instead of a familiar window, that simple confirmation of where she'd slept sending a jolt of fear and panic thrumming through her veins.
Oh Barbra, I...I slept in Santana's bed! She has work this morning, she's going to kill me! Rachel thought to herself as her worries immediately had adrenaline pumping through her, forcing her out of her sleepy state to gaze at her surroundings. How she was curled up in Santana's bed, sheets practically wrapped around her, leaving an empty space at her side.
Rachel cautiously placed a hand at the conspicuously empty spot and felt residual warmth, dragging a gasp out of her throat at the notion that she'd slept with her roommate, Santana. The girl she'd crushed on since they'd started living together. The snarky waitress who could just as easily warm her heart as she could turn her on or aggravate her. Oh no...she was...she was HERE! I bet she didn't sleep a wink! She must have just left, and ...oh Barbra, she might be getting her razor blades!
She sat up, realizing that Santana could come back any moment, though Rachel quickly realized she was naked from the waist up, feeling air waft against her bare nipples. She took a glance downward and couldn't quite stifle another panicked gasp, eyes bugging out and heart exploding in her chest at the sight of Santana's panties. Not just any, but Santana's 'special' lingerie that she'd bought once upon a time to celebrate an anniversary with an ex, but apparently hadn't worn after learning her ex cheated on her, if the tag still attached was any indication. How the heck? Why...
It seemed wrong to be wearing something so intimate, so Rachel shot up out of bed, only to stumble and fall back onto bed at the sight of her and Santana's clothes wildly strewn across the floor.
Oh... my... Barbra! Did...did we have sex?! I'm wearing her panties, so...how...did I give her a striptease during the...the festivities? Rachel mused nervously, eyes glancing around the room, around the bed, body crackling with anxiety as what happened last night became clear to her.
And yet, that realization, that clarity, had a warmth blooming in her chest that, second by second, calmed her as the implications set in.
Santana and I had sex...we slept in bed together...she's out there making breakfast, oatmeal from the smell of it. She didn't yell at me, she didn't throw me out of bed...she loosely wrapped her portion of the covers over me so I'd be warmer, even. Rachel thought to herself, teeth digging into her lip to contain her utter glee at the thought that something had happened between them. I must have confessed to her last night! And...and she must have felt the same way!
All remaining feelings of self-consciousness fell away as confidence burst through her body. Suddenly, wearing Santana's finest lingerie wasn't a breach of privacy or intimacy, it was a show of acceptance and a declaration of her own sensuality. Suddenly, the clothes flung around the room weren't terrifying, they were evidence of mutual passion. Suddenly, the scent of food wafting in from the kitchen wasn't a routine thing, it was a newfound link to potential domestic bliss.
Rachel felt damn sexy and, deciding to fast-track celebration, got out of bed and went to San's dresser, cutting off the tag to the lingerie and tossing on Santana's favourite silk robe for a bit of added decoration. If San was making her breakfast, the least she could do was look nice for the occasion. Quietly as she could, she tiptoed out of her roommate's area and into the kitchen, quickly spotting Santana at the counter, chopping up peaches.
Her heart swelled at the sight, and suddenly, there was no other choice for her but to dive in and seal the deal.
Santana had been too engrossed in making breakfast to realize she wasn't alone in the kitchen, and had nearly jumped out of her skin when Rachel's arms unexpectedly slung around her waist, a soft body pressing into her back a mere second later.
It was Rachel's nose nuzzling into her shoulder that really woke her from her shock and brought her mental faculties back up to speed, and thank hell for that, because it wasn't supposed to go down like that. Of all the possible outcomes of her prank, Rachel embracing her wasn't one she'd at all expected.
"How'd...how'd you sleep?" Santana managed to get out without stammering too much, though even a minor verbal stumble like that was annoying. There was no reason to be nervous, it was just Rachel. Right?
Santana expected words, not the purring against her shoulder. "Mmmmn, wonderfully." Rachel's words did strange things to her, and had Santana wondering if Berry has seen through her prank, since her roommate wasn't freaking out at all. If anything, she seemed serene, which was a huge change of pace for the diva in the morning hours.
It was a kiss against her shoulder, and a breathy whisper against her ear that had Santana feeling the tables had turned completely. "Is that for me?" It took a moment for Santana to register that the diva was referencing the peaches and oatmeal in front of her.
Santana swallowed back her sudden nerves and nodded. "You forget to eat sometimes. Gots ta keep my diva roomie happy." She croaked with a shaky grin, needing a deep, steadying breath to calm herself and smooth out her heart-rate.
"A good morning kiss would make me very happy, San." Rachel murmured against her neck, hot breath wafting against her sensitive skin that utterly destroyed any semblance of Santana's hard-fought composure.
Rachel was being touchy-feely, Rachel was speaking so softly and with such yearning, Rachel wasn't the least bit nervous. That all spelled the reality that the spunky diva thought the both of them had gotten intimate as hell last night and, well, Rachel was more than happy about it.
And honestly? After a second of wrapping her head around that conclusion, she couldn't help but feel a little excited. Her roommate had never shown that sort of interest in her before, after all, so it'd been hard to adjust to how Rachel had acted that morning. Against all odds, Rachel seemed like she might like her back which, and as annoying and embarrassing at it might be, had butterflies fluttering around in her ribs, and hope blooming in her heart.
Full of emotion, Santana turned in Rachel's arms and slung her own arms around the diva's waist, offering her roommate a smile that she hoped would relay how she was feeling. "I need to tell you something, Rachel."
Apparently, her smile hadn't gotten anything across with any accuracy, because the diva's mouth immediately twisted into one of the saddest frowns she'd seen gracing the woman's face. Hell, Santana thought she could see Rachel's heart shattering in her eyes, and that was just way too sad, so she reeled the diva in physically, pulling the girl closer in her arms to where she could press a kiss to Berry's forehead.
That, at least, managed to fully grab Rachel's attention, even if it didn't fully dispel her sadness. "Do you...do you regret last night?" The diva asked meekly, fear carved into each syllable.
Santana let out a sigh, not so sure how to answer that. "Well, in some ways, yeah. But not really, no."
Despite her impromptu answer's vagueness, her words did seem to stabilize Rachel's mood a bit. "Because I was drunk?"
"That was actually more amusing than anything." Santana let out with a teasing smile she hoped Rachel could tell was good-natured.
Which, thankfully, seemed to be the case, even if Rachel let out a loud groan and shut her eyes, angling her head upward. "Ugh, did I humiliate myself? I humiliated myself! I..."
"No, no, no! It's just... you stumbled into my room, tossing your clothes around, muttering something or other while searching through my underwear drawer. Then you changed and got into bed and zonked out on me." Santana clarified, deciding to just lay out the facts instead of adding her own flavour, knowing that in this instance, it wouldn't be appreciated. She could tease Rachel to death about it later; for now, she just needed to help clear the air and seal the deal.
Rachel's expression smoothed out into a confused blank stare, the diva just staring for long seconds before clear mortification kicked in, twisting at the poor diva's features. "Oh god, oh god..." Rachel began muttering, moving to turn and escape Santana's grasp, but like hell if she would let that happen.
Santana just held Rachel closer, pressing her forehead to the diva's, drawing the girl's reluctant attention. "I don't regret it because I thought you would honestly totally freak out, and that it'd be hilarious, but...honestly, I'd be happy to give you a good morning mack session if you, you know, still want one."
Rachel's eyes went wide and wet, glimmering with hope as she gave a tiny nod. "Yes, please."
Santana rolled her eyes at the formality and closed those last few inches between them, savoring the slower pace, loving how her lips felt perfect against Rachel's, adoring how the diva clutched at her as if she couldn't get enough, chasing her lips every time she parted for a change of angle.
When Rachel started pushing for something less chaste, Santana had to put on the brakes, knowing if she shifted gears like that, they'd come up for air two hours later, breakfast long forgotten and wasted. And really, she knew Rachel wouldn't be happy about wasted food, fantastic mack session or no.
She eased her way out, kisses lingering less and less, finishing off by peppering her diva's nose and cheek with affection, turning Rachel's face all pink. "Good morning." She let out eventually, following it with a happy hum as she pulled Rachel into a close embrace, more than content with how the morning had gone, even if it was a surprise.
"I thought...I thought we had sex, and I confessed my crush on you, and you were making us a celebratory breakfast, since you know cinnamon-peach oatmeal is my favourite, and instead I...I was just super drunk and nothing happened." Rachel rambled sadly, clearly not happy that her ideal fantasy hadn't actually happened.
Still, what did happen was good. Santana believed that with all she was. "Well, you did wrap yourself around me like a cute little octopus, so that was nice." She replied, pressing a lingering kiss to her diva's hair. "Might not have been the most romantic journey, but we're here. I didn't expect you to be all affectionate and cute, but I gotta say I'm happy you got confused last night. It led to this."
"And...what is 'this', exactly?" Rachel asked, and while Santana used to be opposed to unnecessarily labeling anything, she was happy. She was proud of what she felt for Rachel.
And sure, maybe it deserved a name. "Hmmm...Pezberry...yeah, that works."
Rachel let out a huff. "Well, while I appreciate the portmanteau, I was more wondering about...what we are..."
Santana gently pulled out of the embrace and shot the diva a bright smile while grabbing their respective bowls. "Maybe girlfriends who are having their first breakfast together?" She asked, topping Rachel's bowl with a bit more cinnamon and a few more peach slices.
Santana hadn't expected silence to drag on, so she got around to setting their meals on the table. She was just pouring Rachel's orange juice when those thin arms wrapped around her waist again from behind.
"You've never called in sick before..." Rachel purred, stating a pretty basic fact. Santana was a damn hard worker, and was more than a little stubborn about making her shifts and pushing through pain and/or sickness. "It's nearly the start of winter, the temperature's been changing pretty drastically. Many people tend to get sick at times like these."
Santana nodded along, suddenly hoping that others on her shift would show up and not leave her short-staffed. "Mmmhmm, gotten way colder than usual lately. No me gusta."
"Soooo...surely Gunther could understand if you called in sick. It would, of course, be precautionary, not wanting to spread it while you're contagious." Rachel added, Santana hardly needing a second to see where her diva was going with it.
Fuck her coworkers, they'd all left her short staffed dozens of times in the past. They could stomach it just this once. "And what, pray tell, could I possibly do at home while being oh so sick?"
"Well, I'd be here to take care of you, of course. All morning and afternoon. Maybe I dress up in that nurse costume you wore on Halloween?" Rachel asked, and Santana was sure that if she was a little paler, her face would be beet red at the mere thought of Rachel wearing that costume.
Santana swiftly spun out of Rachel's arms and pressed a kiss to her diva's nose. "Eat up, tiny, I'll make the call."
Sure, it meant she'd earn less money that month, but less money spent on one night stands and drinks at the bar meant in the long run, she'd probably be saving money, all while getting to date her amazing roommate.
Just one glance back at Rachel en route to her room, spotting that brilliantly joyful smile gracing her face, was all the proof she needed that she'd made the right decision, both the previous night and that morning.
To think an innocent prank could lead into a legit relationship... Santana mused to herself as she grabbed her phone. Maybe it really was the Lopez Charm...my sexual magnetism strikes again!
With a proud smirk, she dialed the diner and prepared herself for the next era of her life, thinking it'd probably be pretty fantastic.