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The summer leading up to senior year is a feeling unlike any other. Worries fly, some people book tutors last week of school to get a good first semester mark in the next three months. But Brittany does not care for that. Never really has. She has one goal set, and that is to celebrate pride.
Lima, Ohio isn’t really known for its support of the Lgbtq+ community, which is not shocking. It’s a small town in the middle of rural America that got cut from using the Midwest terminology. But it’s disheartening to all the little gays all over the state that wish to celebrate soon equality and one day praying they will be able to marry their significant other.
Brittany had mentioned being sad about no pride, not even from the Gay Straight Alliance club, they usually did something during summer, but all the seniors who ran it had graduated and fled past state lines as soon as they could.
That's when Kurt mentioned driving to the Chicago pride festival instead.
Brittany had jumped at the idea. Literally. Quickly contacting her parents who were away on business then Santana. Her parents didn't mind, Santana was more hesitant, not for the drive or Chicago but just for going to pride in general. She just come out not even a few months ago to herself, her parents still having no idea.
“Just say we're going out of town. It's summer, they wouldn't question it.” Brittany says, laying on her bed.
They had been lazing since late morning, the air conditioning fully blowing at them to keep either from breaking out in a sweat from the humidity alone.
“Yeah but,” Santana picks at her nail bed, not raising her gaze. Her pajamas still on from the night before, crumpled and twisted and her hair in curly knots. “I'm just…”
Brittany waits for her to reply, then when she doesn’t keeps pushing. “Just?”
Santana shrugs, “Maybe I'm not ready for that.”
“Not ready to walk around at pride?” Brittany moves herself closer, putting a hand over hers and rubbing the back of it with her thumb. In her eyes Santana is the most confident person she knows, and when she gets all in her own head about something it's hard to pull her out of. “Everyone there will be like us, that's what it's about. I understand if you're still scared I really do, but we stand out there as much as everyone else. That's what makes us fit in.”
Santana bites her bottom lip to stop herself from smiling. Big brown eyes crinkling at the sides. “When did you get so smart?”
“I just can't go without you, you're the reason I'm even going.” Brittany smiles, leaning in to cup soft cheeks and placing a soft kiss on her lips. Santana sighs into it, arms moving around the blonde's neck and deepening the kiss.
“No no,” Brittany attempts to pull away, her hands gently pushing her hips away with no real edge. “Eggos downstairs.”
“They can wait.” Santana mumbles, pulling on her bottom lip and biting it softly.
“San…They're gonna burn.”
“Five minutes.”
Brittany has sent confirmation to Kurt about her and Santana coming, and a group chat was formed with the few that also checked in. Mercedes was on board immediately, even if she wasn't a part of the community, everyone around her including her icons, were.
Santana added Quinn to see if she'd want to go after her yearn ful stares at Berry and oddly specific questions about sexuality.
Which she had gotten no reply about.
Not shocking. But Quinn was also away in Europe so she wouldn’t be back in time regardless.
The parade started around twelve pm, so they had planned to leave Lima a little before seven to be able to get there on time. Hoping boarder checkpoints wouldn't be an issue.
As six am rolled around Brittany was waiting outside her house with Santana who had stayed the night. A precaution so she wouldn’t over sleep and miss their leave time.
Santana leaned heavily into the blonde, mumbling about how tired she was, and how nobody should ever be up this early ever.
“I’m so excited.” Brittany beams. “It’s gonna be so awesome today.”
Santana gives her a tired smile back, letting out a tired sigh in agreement.
They’ve been up much earlier for cheerios, but both of their summer sleep schedules have them up till sunrise and awake by sunset. No true sense of time until this moment. A dark BMW comes speeding down the road, some kind of musical blaring and a bright eyed Blaine staring out the window. “Hey guys!”
Brittany bounces on her feet. “Hi!” She moves to drag their stuff into the car, and waits for Santana to follow but looks back to her standing in place. Possibly asleep.
“Let’s go, San.” Brittany says gently, pulling her arm into the back seat with her.
Santana has her hands over her ears the seconds she’s in the car, muttering angrily that the music is too loud for the hour of the morning. Before she becomes heated Brittany hands her the sound blocking headphones she had brought for herself. Pushing the little pieces of hair behind Santana ear to make sure nothing got caught in the headphone.
Santana mumbled a ‘thank you’, annoyed with the fact she couldn’t lean her head on Brittany’s shoulder with how bulky they were, but kept a hand on her to be close. She tries not to act too worried about the driver at hand being the only person in the world who dresses like a gay grandma, settling into a comfortable position in the middle. Cuddling into Brittany's side.
Mercedes on the other side of her begins to also slowly fade, eyes on the window watching the road, and a iPod propped in her hand.
Brittany tried to get an extra hour of sleep just for herself later on, but couldn't. Her body wired wide awake with excitement. She attempted to play a car game with Blaine but it gets repetitive quickly when all you see it farm land for mile and miles.
She plugs in the headphones to her iPod, turning on the newest playlist Santana downloaded for her and lets it quietly play through her ears. The ride is calm and relaxing compared to the road trips she has taken prior, ignoring the front seat drivers.
Farmland stretches for miles, and when the road seems to bump Santana grabs onto hear hand tightly. It doesn’t take them long to get to the first toll in Indiana, and it goes by smoothly. Due to time they can’t stop in Indianapolis like Kurt wanted to, but Mercedes assures him they’ll do this again.
Nine-am rolls around like nothing, and they end up at a Quikstop on the other side of the state before they're supposed to cross again. Brittany drags Santana in, grabbing Twinkies, nerds, and bug juice for herself. Santana grabs a Diet Coke and small size Cheetos, adding it to the pile.
She shoves away Santana's attempt to pay, tapping her card down and taking the bag. Santana doesn’t fight it, but still sighs dramatically. “I could’ve paid for that, you know.”
“Yeah but most of my stuff was in there, you only got a bit. I also owe you a lot because I just got paid for walking cats around the neighborhood.” Brittany smiles. “You can spoil me at the parade.”
“Fine.” Santana huffs, feigning annoyance, and following her back to the car.
Kurt and Blaine are still in the store when they get back in the car, doing god knows what. Mercedes offers the two of them a powdered don't and Brittany insists on trading one for a Twinkies.
Santana takes a bite of Brittany’s doughnut, trying to not touch the powder and not touch her outfit as she pulled it out of the bag. Brittany loved the outfit Santana had picked, a skirt that they picked up a matching pair of at the mall last summer, and a pink tank top she had gotten on vacation covered in orange hibiscus flowers.
Brittany sat behind her, helping her brush and fluff out her hair as she did makeup. They would hopefully get there within the next two hours, and neither wanted to have to find a place to change there. Santana caught her eye in the corner of her makeup mirror, winking and Brittany places a kiss on her cheek before moving to dig through her makeup bag.
“Mercedes, do you want face glitter? I have a few different ones with extra colors.”
“Hell yeah, I’ll take some. Hand me whatever.” Mercedes is already in her outfit, and it reminds her of the one she wore to New York. Not flashy, but eye catching in a way. Mercedes is good at that.
Brittany nodded, even if she couldn’t see. “San, give this over.” She handed her two pallettes, one for them and one for Mercedes. Waiting for Santana to finish her eyeliner before tabbing it on her cheeks.
“Are you guys excited? Im so excited right now.” Brittany grins, looking into the mirror to put it on herself.
“I can’t wait! I haven’t been out of Lima in years, and to Chicago no less.” Mercedes squeals.
“What do you think San?”
Santana nods. “Yeah, I’m excited.” She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. Brittany gives her a look, and she just shrugs, opening her bag of Cheetos. “It will hit soon.”
“Yeah it will!”
The rest of the ride revolves around everyone getting ready. Kurt changing his shirt in the front seat while talking about the line up of people, along with events. He turns back for Santana to put eyeliner on his eyes, just a bit to make them pop. That’s what he says.
The air buzzes with a light layer of excitement from everyone. Blaine puts on the ‘Born this way’ Lady Gaga CD, blaring it through the speakers, and it shakes the car just a bit.
Brittany smiling at the bridge ever approaching, eyes on a grinning Kurt who had switched spot’s with Blaine for passenger seat with his fingers pointing back at himself as it starts up. “Cause what?”
“Cause you were born this way baby!”
She points toward the two in the front, pointing toward Mercedes after for ‘straight’ and she laughs, then toward herself. She turns toward Santana when the ‘lesbian’ lyric comes on and Santana is already pointing at herself singing along to the lyric.
The car erupts in laughter, Brittany falling into Santana and Santana places a quick kiss on her cheek. Subtle in the way she’s just leaning her body into her like she’s about to whisper a secret. It warms Brittany and she beams at Santana when she catches her face again.
They planned to go to the events on a side street, but from what Brittany has heard there are some floats to look out for in the parade she doesn’t want to miss. Some famous people, and singers they know what know will have their own stage. Something she really wants to get Santana to see.
Brittany pulls Santana into her side a little more, squeezing her shoulder and running her fingers down her arm, feeling goosebumps start. She knows Santana is blatantly nervous about the entire thing, neither will talk about it because they both know bringing it up will only make it worse.
This isn’t supposed to be a stressful thing, this is supposed to be the least stressful thing they do all summer.
Santana’s hand is clammy around her own, and she squeezes it just a little more for reassurance.
Chicago is a lot bigger than Brittany originally thought it was. It surprises her, and has butterflies running through her stomach at the height of some of the buildings. She keeps her grin wide as they step out of the car, Blaine and Kurt bickering about the parking meter.
The street they walk on is overflowing with people, arrays of colours can be seen just from where they stand alone. Flags with rainbows, and sunsets, mixes of blue and grees and pink and purple. A sight neither of them have ever really seen before besides old documentary found in the back of the public library.
It is surprising, shocking even and Brittany sees the shock play over Santana’s face as well. The giddiness builds around her cheeks, a smile when she sees more and more people, groups of them passing by. The hand in her own squeezes three times, and she tugs them forward out of the car.
Brittany straightens the crumpled up jean shorts, the pair she knows Santana likes and has caught her ogling over multiple times. They are impossibly short on her long legs, and show off enough behind without bending over to do some damage. Instead of being able to find any pride shirts like she hoped, Brittany used the old Born this Way t-shirts Mr. Shue made, and wore it.
Santana ran her hand down the front of the shirt to straighten it, then laughed rereading it. “This is so you.”
“I know! Too bad I couldn’t get like a pride coloured top or something but this will do.” Brittany gives a slight frown looking at it, but is shaken out of that feeling when Santana presses a wet kiss to her cheek.
“You look so hot so matter what.”
Brittany brightens at that. “Thanks, sweetie. You too.”
Blaine is still trying slash failing to figure out the payment on the parking meter, and Kurt has pulled out a printed map, while leading Mercedes down the walk sidewalk.
Brittany pulls Santana toward where everyone else is going, and they begin to see good bunches of people crowding to each side. There is a small opening near the first tree in sight, and Brittany moves toward it before anyone else can.
Almost on the street, and front row to the parade.
Mercedes pops up behind them, smiling wide. "It should be starting any minute now.”
Brittany squeals, and Santana squeezes her hand.
They aren’t close to the beginning of the parade. A good few hindered feet, so it takes a bit to get around to them. It is unlike anything any of them have seen, bunches of people walking through the street holding flags, and signs.
Brand deals, and cartoon character ballons, and queer community safe groups. A float blaring Tegan and Sarah with woman dancing and dressed as disco balls.
Some people from the floats hand out items, candy, signs, condoms…. Santana hands the three she was given back to Kurt, and he throws them back at her.
A huge group walks down holding a good thirty foot long pride flag, waving it proudly. Santana cheers as it goes by, waving her own pride flag she was given by somebody running by. Blaine is doing about the same, slapping hands with others moving past them.
It is one of the most exciting days to be alive. Brittany’s cheek feel warm under the hot sun, and the multiple Chupa Chupa’s she has eaten begins to give her a stomach ache.
Santana hasn't stopped screaming since the first float arrived, she isn't sure how far in they are but more keep coming. Someone dressed as the Little Caesars mascot walks through, holding a flag.
Behind them comes a group of people carrying an array of Latin American country flags, signs too high to read but multiple flags are walked down. The two people are the front row of the group are holding a banner that reads ‘Latino Pride’. Santana sees it and cheers loudly, grinning, and Brittany does the same so Santana knows she is cheering for them as well.
Brittany knows its been a hard year for Santana, coming out and talking about her feelings has always been a rough spot, but she is glad it has all lead to this in a way. Them at Pride.
After a bit the parade is too loud and too hectic, the other three say they’ll stay a bit longer while Brittany and Santana walk around else where.
They walk along the backstreet event set up area, stages set up for singers and drag queen and side by bars. In the window of a bar Brittany spots a drag queen dresses like one of the girls from Sweet Valley high, and points it out. Santana laughs, smile wide.
A few vendors are selling jewelry plus flags and more on the other side od the street, and Santana gets Brittany a bisexual coloured gem bracelet and a gold plated ring for herself. Brittany grins when she sees it, smiling wide as Santana pushes it on her wrist. “Looks it’s perfect for you.”
“Thank you so much Santana.” Brittany leans in to place a kiss on her cheek, out of habit because she isn't sure what Santana truly feels comfortable with in Chicago and Santana moves her until their lips are pressed against each other.
It shocks Brittany, but she tried not to show it. Santana is already a pile of nerves as it is.
The closest food place is a Chipotle a block up, Brittany grabs a burrito while Santana stands outside the liquor store asking if anyone will buy them a pack of literally anything. The need for a little more of a kick with a late lunch. An older man agrees after the last three haven't, and he hands her a pack of Nude before walking on.
Not the worst thing in the world.
Sitting at a bench on the street covered in rainbows Santana takes bites of the burrito and chugs of the bubbly drinks. Knowing they’ll begin to get warm soon.
“I’m so glad I came with you.” Santana looks toward the other shops as she says it, but her cheeks are pink and she’s sheepish with her hands.
Brittany grins. “Not nervous anymore?”
“Nope still super nervous, but we know nobody here so it feels kind of silly.” She shrugs. “And I’m with you, so.”
“So, I’m just awesome and make you feel awesome.” Brittany pokes at her shoulder, biting her lip to stop her smiling from becoming any bigger.
Santana laughs, but she knows that's in agreement.
The two trudge back over catching the last bit of the parade. Santana holds out the box with cans, and Mercedes happily takes one while Blaine says he’ll share with Kurt. Brittany knows Kurt isn’t really into any of that kinda stuff, and that Blaine will waste a properly good can by sipping on half of it.
A clan of motorcyclist end the parade, loud engines roaring with older and newer couples. All lesbians with huge flags on the back blowing in the wind.
Santana wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her close, and Brittany places a kiss to the side of her cheek.