Diva on a Half-Shell - 1

[griefofdawn]

Chapter Title: The Proposal
Disclaimer: Fox owns the Glee money making machine and RBI came up with the original show idea. Still not mine.
Pairing/Character: Quinn/Rachel
When/Where: AU. Sequel to 'Pocketful of Quinn'
Summary: Kissing was the easy part. A year in the life of a former Bunny and a Diva.
Note: I don't know how many 'episodes' there will be - but at least a dozen covering the year after their first kiss.
Posting frequency: 2/month minimum.

Word Count: 1,015 (Ficlets - minimum of 1000 words each.) 

     Posted for the 5th Annual Day of Femslash (July 14th, 2012)

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Stepping quietly into the living room, Rachel stared at her girlfriend sprawled out on the couch, an arm touching the floor, pillow over her face. Girlfriend. A word she would never have associated with her significant other back in high school. There'd been something about high school Quinn that she'd been attracted to, like a moth to a flame, but it had been nothing like now. Back then she'd just assumed it was part of her desire to be part of the popular crowd, instead of the Broadway obsessed outsider she truly was. Now, her day wasn't complete without some show of affection from Quinn.

If they hadn't shared an apartment, six months before their first kiss, six months of slowly learning the rhythms of friendship, she suspected their relationship would have never happened. But now their relationship was going through another phase. An important one according to Kurt. Personal boundaries were being redefined. As friends, they'd rarely come into physical contact. The occasional hug, sure, but in an awkward way.

As her girlfriend, Rachel had no qualms about sitting down next to Quinn, laying on the couch like she was now, and running her hand along her girlfriends bare arms or shoulders. No qualms about initiating physical contact. Granted, in the month since they'd become girlfriends they hadn't gotten past first base, but they'd agreed to go at their own pace. It was something new for both of them, exploring intimacy with another woman.

Rachel blushed, as she thought about how she'd tried to rush Quinn that first week. Assuming she'd be willing to jump into the community with both feet, ready to not just come out but become active in a big way. She'd been one phone call away from volunteering them to host a fundraiser for Pride Day.

Until Kurt had read her the riot act. He'd been happy for them, truly, but he'd forced her to sit down and think about her actions for once. To really think about how Quinn, the woman who guarded her privacy with an iron fist, would react to other people knowing her business.

"You're thinking too hard," Quinn said, pulling off the pillow to give her a thoughtful look.

"How can you tell?" Rachel asked.

"You're humming," Quinn said.

"What's wrong with humming?" Rachel asked.

"Cecilia?" Quinn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with a little Simon and Garfunkel?" Rachel asked, wondering how she was able to do that lying down.

"We're not sixty year old baby boomers? And they didn't write show tunes?"

"I was just thinking," Rachel said.

"About?"

"Us."

"I can see where that would lead to humming," Quinn said, shaking her head, her eyes twinkling.

"Don't laugh at me!"

"I'm not laughing at you," Quinn said. "You can be adorable when you think no one is watching. What were you thinking about?" she asked again, leaning forward to wrap her arms around Rachel and pull her down on top her.

"I've been talking with my agent," she said, knowing bringing up Kurt would be a bad idea even if she'd talked with him first. "I want to become more active in the community."

"Community?" Quinn asked, softly kissing her neck.

"The LGBT community," Rachel said. "I think we could be a good example."

"But?" Quinn said.

"But... I was reminded that this affects your life also," Rachel said. "Are you ready to be known as the girlfriend of an actress? For the world to know you're a lesbian."

"Um..." Quinn sighed, her warm breath tickling Rachel's left ear. "What did your agent say? How is this going to affect your career?"

"I'm just a minor Broadway actress," Rachel said. "No one is going to care."

"Minor? Rachel Berry? Never!" Quinn said kissing her nose.

"I'm being realistic, Quinn," Rachel said. "Ten years ago? Coming out would have killed my career so fast but now it isn't a big deal. It might make things a little harder but not impossible."

"And your agent? What'd she say?"

"She wants me to wait until after my first Tony or Emmy before riding on floats in Pride parades or appearing on the cover of "Out"," Rachel said.

"You did tell her you have a girlfriend?" Quinn said.

"Yes," Rachel said. She didn't think telling Quinn how disappointed her agent had been that her girlfriend was Quinn would help.

"And that was okay?" Quinn asked.

"I didn't give her a choice," Rachel said.

"A butch Berry?" Quinn said, amused. "I wish I'd been there to see that."

Rachel blushed. "I did have to promise to not go out of my way to advertise our relationship."

"Okay. I should probably cancel that billboard in Times Square asking you to marry me," Quinn said with a straight face.

"You didn't!" Rachel said, gasping.

"No," Quinn said laughing.

"Good," Rachel said, throwing the pillow on the floor, and attacking Quinn in retaliation.

"Stop!" Quinn said, giggling as she tried to avoid Rachel's fingers.

"Promise you won't propose in such a tacky way!" Rachel said. "Promise!"

"I promise! I promise!" Quinn said, sitting up to get away from her fingers. "Wait, why am I the one proposing?" Quinn asked.

"It's years away, Quinn," Rachel said. "You can't ask me before I win my first Oscar."

"Is that the plan?" Quinn asked, poking her. "Dreaming big?"

"One of us has to," Rachel said haughtily.

"We've only been dating for a month," Quinn reminded her. "Do you really see us getting married?"

"Planning ahead is very important," Rachel said. "If it happens I will be ready."

"So, your Oscar speech is ready to go?" Quinn asked, winking at her.

"Only the basic outline," Rachel said. "Thanking family and friends for their support. that kind of thing. Anything more is difficult without knowing the role I'm nominated for. But you better have that ring ready when they call my name."

"Of course, Miss Rachel 'Diva' Berry," Quinn said, miming getting down on one knee in front of Rachel.

"I knew you'd see it my way," Rachel said, pulling her girlfriend into a hug.