Tagging: Santana Lopez & Rachel Berry
Location: The Red Thorn, NYC
Author: This is a collab rp with FoxChaos and you'll find this x-posted to her account. I'm writing for Santana and she is writing for Rachel
Summary: Rachel and Santana run into each other in the last place they would expect to.
Warnings: D/s Theme, Mild Violence, and Santana's Mouth.
Disclaimer: We do not own Glee nor its characters. We're just borrowing them.

Santana Lopez sat in a darkened corner of The Red Thorn nursing a beer and lazily watching the couple giving a performance up on the stage with mild interest. She had seen the same couple more than a few times and they weren't her favorite, though she had to admit the Domme was an artist with the ropes.

Her cell buzzed in her pocket and she spared the stage one last glance before digging the vibrating device out of her pocket and unlocking it. It was a message from Rachel once again confirming that they were still on for lunch tomorrow and Santana had to roll her eyes in fond amusement. This was the third time today Berry had messaged her about tomorrow and Santana was sure she'd get at least one more message in the morning. "Jesus Berry I forget one time in nine years and you act like it's a major problem," Santana chuckled while she quickly typed back a yes before turning off her phone and putting it in her pocket.

With a glance back up to the stage Santana downed the rest of her beer before standing up and stretching. Across the dimly lit room she could see a group of women standing near the door leading to the private room's and considered going over and talking with them. In the six months since she had joined the club she had only played like that three times and each time had left her feeling unfulfilled in the end but something was better then nothing. Santana also had to begrudgingly admit her own inexperience might have played a part.

Deciding against it the dominant Latina decided instead to head to the bar to figure out the rest of her evening.

Rachel wasn't really sure what she was doing here.

...Alright, that was... sort of a lie. Sort of. She knew exactly why she had secured an initiation pass into the Red Thorn, but it didn't mean that she was... well... comfortable.

All around her different people, dressed in leather, some dressed to the bare minimum at that, chatted, drank, and enjoyed themselves. The show on stage had fascinated her, but only for the first ten minutes, and after the third time being approached by strangers (polite, if very... forward), Rachel knew she needed a drink. Or three.

No. Just one. Anymore and she couldn't know exactly how well she'd be able to account for her actions.

As she approached the bar, checking her phone, she knocked into someone, though didn't bother to look up, merely muttered a hald-hearted apology and continued on her way. Finally, she sat herself down on the closes stool and sighed. "Well Rachel, you're here. Here to... explore. So just relax, drink a little, and... relax."

Santana has just ordered her beer and was watching the bartender salt the neck of the bottle when she saw a familiar head of curly chestnut hair slink past her. Quickly the Latina hunched down on her bar stool and leaned enough to the left to be hidden behind a large man wearing a leather mask.

The music exec took a deep breath before peeking around the man and nearly yelped in surprise when she realize she was in fact sitting about five stools down from her very nervous looking best friend. "Oh my god fuck," Santana hissed under her breath before hiding again.

Towards the ending of High School the two had grown a lot closer, but it had been the years spent co-inhabiting the loft in Bushwick with Lady Hummel that had really warmed Santana up to the feisty brunette. Since then all three of them had gained large amounts of success in their chosen field; Santana as a music executive for the hottest up and coming record label in the world, Kurt as a major fashion designer, and Rachel had been of course blowing up Broadway.

Now Rachel and Santana saw each other at least once a week if only for lunch but most definitely not for casual cocktails in a super exclusive private BDSM club. Santana was just considering the best way to duck out from the bar and regroup when she saw a man, a well-known Dom, approach Rachel. He had a certain reputation for being overly aggressive, and a knack for not playing by the rules. The number of times Santana could recall him getting a warning by the manager was more than she cared for, and immediately she felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle protectively.

From her place at the bar, attention mostly on her drink, Rachel startled as she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.

She turned, leaning away from the tall, semi-muscular man now standing over her, taking in his deep frown and the way he held his arms tightly across his chest. "May I... help you?" she asked, her eyes narrowing to match the man's easily.

"Sir."

"Excuse me...?"

"When you speak to men better than you, you say Sir. And when you insult them, you better be real quick in getting on your knees and kissing their boots."

Rachel gawked, then her jaw tightened and she stood up. The Dom was easily a whole head taller than her, but Rachel wasn't so easily intimidated. "Excuse you," she spoke up clearly. "But you are, in no way, my 'better'. Also, you're being rather rude to someone of whom you don't know, and it's a little appalling that you could have such an attitude and still have the gull to-"

"Quiet, bitch!" His hand was wrapped in the collar of Rachel's hoodie suddenly, and she gasped in shock.

Santana watched the exchange closely, her fingers grasped so tightly around her beer her knuckles had turned pale. She felt a hint of nostalgia as she watched the Dom being treated to a classic Rachel Berry rant but the second his rough hand reached out and grabbed a hold of the brunette's hoodie Santana was off her stool and storming their way with a fiery intensity.

"Get your hand off of her now," Santana snarled furiously and loudly enough to cause several people around them flinch.

The Dom raised an eyebrow at her and chuckled before rolling his eyes and turning his attention back to Rachel with a look on his face that could curdle milk. Now Santana was not only severely pissed off at his actions towards Rachel but she was livid to the absolute dismissal of her presence. She might not have been the most experienced person in this club but she was a Domme in good standing, his equal.

In a flash Santana forced herself between them and dug her nails into his tattooed forearm. "I said get your hand off of her now," she growled lowly, her eyes locked onto his, challenging him to dismiss her now as her nails dug into the soft flesh of his arm.

Rachel stood there, back to the bar top staring with wide-eyes at- "S-/Santana/?" she squeaked, voice failing her due to her redoubled shock. By the time she had regained some of her wits, she noticed a few more men walking up to them, their faces rather stern looking. Rachel reached out to touch Santana's shoulder, trying to say something- perhaps warn her. Not a second later the large man that had grabbed her, before he could reply to Santana's challenge, was being pulled away forcibly.

"Hey, back off Scott. Don't make us get security again, man," spoke one of the men that had approached. He wasn't too big, or too tall, but there was a certain... air about him. Calm, but intimidating in his own right. Certainly more firm than the other one...

"This bitch disrespected me. Not a sorry, nothing. Then this one-"

"Shut up. You haven't got any claim over either of them, and if that young lady did something to upset you, talk like a gentleman, not a damn thug."

By now Scott's attention was completely focused on the shorter, but clearly more prestigious, man, and Rachel found herself nervously pressing into Santana's arm, her hands gripping it tightly without her realizing.

She had only wanted to finally explore a part of her that she'd been terrified of even thinking about for years. And of course, with her luck, she had caused drama. Had even somehow dragged Santana Lopez into the mix.

For a second Santana had not even noticed the other men walking up, her attention too focused on Scott, but when she did she was thankful. The Red Thorn had a zero tolerance policy for violence of this sort and Santana did not relish the thought of being kicked out.

That train of thought was nearly forgotten though when Scott's lips curled up as he spat out the word bitch and gestured angrily at Rachel. Instantly the fire inside of her rekindled and her entire body tensed with rage. But as quickly as it had came on the fire passed as the Dom she recognized as Jeff chastised Scott much to her amusement and his obvious discomfort.

By this point it seemed everyone in the bar area had become aware of the altercation and the other Dominants were watching it intensely along with a few unclaimed Submissives. Scott's face turned bright red from a clear mixture of anger and embarrassment as he nodded stiffly at whatever Jeff had just said in firm whisper. "Whatever," Scott said smoothing out the front of his coat and glaring at Santana. "Just keep that girl in line."

"You keep yourself in line and there won't be a problem," Santana said, narrowing her eyes at the man and posing protectively in front of Rachel.

Scott looked like he was going to protest but he obviously thought better of it. With a huff he stormed off away from the bar with the other men following behind him after nodding their heads to Santana.

Santana took a deep calming breath and finally realized that Rachel had her arm in a death grip and suddenly the entire situation caught up with her. Sparing one last glance at Scott as he was being led away she turned and looked down at the petite brunette.

"Are you okay," she asked as she gently pried Rachel's fingers off of her arm and guided her a few feet away where they were shielded better from the curious gazes of the other patrons.

Rachel nodded, taking a breath and trying to calm her wildly beating heart. "I'm okay, yes," she replied, though her voice trembled a little. Looking around, feeling so many eyes on her that she wasn't trying to gain the attention of, she shifted a bit, as though attempting to subtly use Santana as more of a shield. "I know you all constantly joke about drama following me everywhere, but this is sort of ridiculous..."

Santana chuckled slightly at Rachel's words but she didn't respond. Instead she studied the shorter woman closely relying more on her intuition at that moment. Rachel said she was okay but years of regrettably torturing her followed by years of being her friend had made her a near damn expert at reading Rachel Berry body language and right now discomfort was rolling off of her in waves.

Santana looked around the bar area once more and realized with a small amount of anger that nearly everyone's attention was still focused on the two of them. Next to her she could feel Rachel's lithe frame shaking and she quickly came to the conclusion that they needed to talk and they needed privacy to do that. "Come on let's go talk," Santana murmured before gently yet firmly wrapping her hand around Rachel's wrist and guiding them towards the private rooms.

"Um-" But Santana was already leading her down the hall and through one the many sets of doors. Once inside, the doors closed behind them, Rachel sighed, though it was more like a breath of relief. She looked around, noting that the room looked... normal, really. There was a small stage with a pole, which, well... But then also a nice sized couch, a small table and chairs and on the walls some... Toys was the best word, really. A simple flogger, several pairs of leather restraints, etc. Not too harrowing, really.

She turned to Santana, finally offering the woman a real smile. "So... I suppose I should be surprised, but... suddenly so many things make sense," teased Rachel.

"And what do you mean by that?" Santana asked quirking an eyebrow as she ensured the door was locked behind them and slid the sign to occupied.

Turning her back on Santana, casually stepping onto the stage and idly looking around, Rachel smirked a little. "I always knew you were secretly a bottom," she deadpanned.

"Ooh girly's got jokes," Santana chuckled rolling her eyes and watching as the woman curiously explored the room. "But I think we both know who the real bottom here is Berry," Santana said as she sat down on the couch and stretched her legs out in front of her, her eyes not leaving Rachel. "So," she said her voice dipping seriously. "What are you doing here Rach? Because you can only get in the door with a card so I know you didn't happen to stumble in here by accident thinking maybe you had found an undiscovered karaoke bar."

Eventually going back to sit on the stage, leaning back on the palm of her hands, Rachel's smile dimmed a bit, and she sighed again. "What is anyone doing here? Right?" She looked up at the ceiling, breathing out with a bit of a huff. "I'm not... Alright, no, of course I have an idea; I never do anything without extensive research. And I had heard that The Red Thorn was one the best and most private clubs in the city. So..."

"So…" Santana said slowly leaning forwards a bit in her seat and studying Rachel closely. She wanted to hear this from Rachel's own lips just to be sure. She didn't want to assume even if she had a pretty good ideal as surprising and surprisingly not all together surprising as it was.

"So... I figured if I could, dip my toes in the waters of submission, this would be the place to start," Rachel finally admitted openly. She didn't blush, was not embarrassed by it at all. But she was uncomfortable, in the way someone new is always uncomfortable.

Santana blew out a breath at the admission and leaned back into her seat as she let her mind wrap around the situation. It seemed surreal to be honest. She had grown up and lived with this woman and at the moment it felt as if their entire history was flashing before her eyes…and some things…well…it made sense to Santana. Granted if someone had told her this yesterday she would have rolled her eyes or possibly punched them depending on how the news was delivered, but she could see it now, or at least she was getting there. "So of all the bdsm clubs, in all of New York, you walk into mine," she chuckled lightly as she ran her fingers over the soft fabric of the couch and looked at Rachel with new eyes.

When she finally did look down, cheeks tinting red, it still had nothing to do with her admission, and everything to do with the way Santana's eyes studied her. She chuckled a little, though, pushing some stray hairs behind her ear. "Your club?" she asked in jest. "I wasn't aware. That Scott person didn't seem very aware either." She knew she was tip-toeing around the subject, or, well, what was probably meant to be the subject. But, well, she couldn't help it. What else could she say? 'Yes Santana, I sort of kinda of get off in a physical but also an emotional way when I get tied up. And you?' That would just be... She was still wrapping her head around things, honestly.

Santana's brow knit in residual anger at the mention of Scott's name but she shook it off with a deep breath. "That Scott guys an asshole," she said plainly. "This has to be like the fifth time I've seen him get reprimanded for the same shit. "

Suddenly a thought hit her and Santana was quickly off the couch and heading towards Rachel whilst she metaphorically kicked her own ass for not considering it sooner. "He didn't hurt you did he? When he grabbed you?" She asked, her eyes narrowing and inspecting Rachel for any sign of pain.

Rachel nearly falls backward at how sudden Santana's movements are, her face flushing deeper in surprise more than anything else. "I- What? N-no. No, I'm fine, I told you. He just grabbed my shirt, nothing else." She reached out then, taking Santana's hand and pulling her down to sit by her, smiling calmly in an attempt to get her friend to do the same. "Relax, okay? You're freaking me out. Next you'll be offering me a foot massage and chocolates or something."

"Dream on Berry," Santana chuckled as she took a deep breath to calm herself down. Her face flushed lightly in mild embarrassment at her slight over reaction but she managed to keep it straight.

The music exec was silent for a moment as she stared down at the shorter woman's hand linked in hers and chose her next words very carefully. They had so far been beating around the bush and it was tiring and confusing and frankly she was curious. Deciding to curve her usual bluntness just the tiniest bit Santana sat up straight on the stage and looked into Rachel's deep chocolate eyes. "So how long have you known this about yourself," she asked her voice steady.

"And I suspect you know or you wouldn't be here," she added as an afterthought.

Letting Santana's hand go, Rachel wrapped her arms around her knees, looking out to the rest of the room. "Hmm... Awhile, I guess," she replied, then remained silent for a moment, before continuing. "Long enough. I guess you could say it's sort of like coming out the closet, you know? In that, it's someone you are, or have inside of you, for x amount of years, and no matter who or what tries to push it down, or how badly you pretend it isn't there, it is. And you're just... waiting for the right way, the right person, and the right place, to finally let it out."

She let out a heavy breath of air, and shrugged. "I haven't actually found any of that. I just got really tired of trying to... be satisfied with things that didn't satisfy me, I guess."

Santana nodded at this, understanding the brunette's words on a deep emotional level. She had been there in High School and again six months ago when she first set foot in the club. "I understand that," she murmured, her eyes not leaving Rachel's face and one of her hands coming to gently rest on her shoulder. "I can't say I've felt the same way exactly as you do because my wants and needs are…different…but I know where you're coming from Rach."

The Latina silent for a few moments just letting the information sink in completely. She felt…well a little odd to tell the truth. She was a bit overwhelmed yes, not over the admission but more of what to say and do now. This wasn't like finding out they enjoyed the same band or both enjoyed skipping stones. This wasn't a hobby. It was the core of who a person was. Gently she pressed down her fingers into Rachel's shoulder to get her attention. "This want. Is it a full time lifestyle you're looking for or just play?" She asked, keeping eye contact with Rachel.

Rachel looked away. She couldn't hold Santana's gaze, though it had more to do with the need to focus on her words and thoughts. "Um... I don't know. I mean... Hmm..." Leaning into Santana's side, she rested her head on her friend's shoulder; an act of familiarity, and one that she had grown accustomed to doing whenever she needed to really think about something, and then explain it. "I think I'd know that better with the right person, honestly. But that seems to be half the battle? You know how I am, Santana. I'm a lot of... this," she said, gesturing to herself. "Big voice, big words, a million things to say and an opinion on everything. Yes, submission is something I want to give to someone, but finding a person who will actually, you know, cherish it, not push too hard, etc? That seems to be hardest."

Santana carefully wrapped an arm around Rachel, hoping it would be comforting. She recognized the action after years of being friends with the woman as a method of putting her thoughts in order when she really needed to think. Santana…Santana was not good with words. She never had been and she doubted that she would ever excel at it either. She had accepted that personality trait and tried to show her emotions through her body language and her actions. Rachel though, could talk for hours on end and sometimes did, but it was the moments like this when the woman talked in short stop and goes that Santana always tried her hardest to vocalize her own thoughts aloud.

Squeezing the woman lightly Santana nodded. "I do understand Rachel. Where you're coming from, why you want this. You…you've always been so controlled…because you've had to be." For a second Santana's voice dipped and she had to clear her throat to continue. Their years together in high school was still a sore spot for Santana and another thing she knew probably would never go away. "And yes you do have a big voice and you use ten words when one will do, but I think those are some of your best attributes when you're not lecturing me about eating meat or glaring at my favorite jacket. What I'm trying to say is I understand how you feel. It's daunting knowing what you want and then going after it."

Rachel sighed once more, letting her body settle against Santana more firmly. She listened to the other woman's words intently, closing her eyes and letting Santana's smooth, smoky voice wash over her, the arm around her shoulders warm and strong, and comfortable. When Santana stopped speaking, she didn't move, or open her eyes, but she did respond in kind.

"Judging by the fact that you're here with me, instead of someone else, and judging by the fact that I have definitely not heard of any lucky woman in your life... I'm assuming you're still looking for that right person as well?" Though she usually didn't, in this case, Rachel was pretty sure her assumption was right. And that was mind blowing. After all, though she couldn't vouch, technically, for Santana's skills as a Domme, she could vouch for Santana's skills in everything but the bedroom.

Who wouldn't want Santana Lopez? Not even for the money, really. But just because Santana was gorgeous, loyal, and sometimes funny, though Rachel was sure to say that she wasn't nearly as funny as she liked to believe. So Rachel said as much. "I find that hard to swallow, no lie. I'd think you'd have good, wonderful submissive women practically begging, in a non-annoying way, for you to collar them."

Santana blew out a breath and laughed lightly at Rachel words before shaking her head and running a hand through her thick black hair. "You'd think huh?" She asked resting her head against Rachel for a moment before sighing. "But no…I haven't found anyone that interests me. I mean I've done some play sessions a few times…but…I didn't click with them you know? I've had a few women who have seemed interested in me but I've mostly kept to myself since I started coming here."

Santana was quiet as she let her eyes glance down at Rachel's hands which were still wrapped around her knees. Concentrating on them she struggled to order her thoughts. "I want…I need this to be part of my life. But I also don't want to start something just to start something. I want to trust them and know them before I own them. I want that time to make sure we mesh well, to make sure that we're on the same page. And I want to explore and discover…well everything together. I don't want to be the only one in the relationship just getting my feet wet. Does that make sense?" She asked, chewing on her bottom lip as she studied Rachel's hands like one might study a painting. It was grounding for her.

Nodding, Rachel smiled, though it was broken by a wide yawn, which ended in a small squeak. After she had regained her voice, she resettled herself against Santana, and spoke, "I get that, yeah. I mean, I'm sort of in the same boat, just on the other end of the spectrum." She chuckled lightly, adjusting her legs so that they were folded not-quite under her, her arms loosely crossing over one another and resting in her lap.

"I think the hardest part," she went on, "is finding someone I can trust. I mean, trust enough to even begin, you know? I... I went online, under a different name mind you, and I talked to a lot of people. Several nice men, who seemed genuine and interested, and well, then I realized I didn't... get the right feeling with a guy. Not for this. I'm still very much bisexual, but there's something about a Dom that honestly just does... very little. If anything. Then there were the Dommes, who were also nice. Not all, but some. And they just..." She laughed lightly, sighing at the end of it. "Okay, honestly? I was terrified. I never said that, but it was true. And a lot of them had this fetish for humiliation, which just... Isn't one of mine. Long story short, I gave up on that front, and I'm just sort of flailing around trying to see if it's worth it to keep trying or just... I don't know. Go back to pretending."

Santana smiled at the rather adorable squeak Rachel has just let out and sighed as the woman resettled warmly against her body. She listened to her words closely, understanding them on a very base level. "I understand that. I tried to do the whole online jazz for a little while and it was…not near what I wanted. And I can only imagine how it would be on your end. Some of the other dominants I talked to were straight up fucking crazy." Carefully Santana shifted Rachel's weight against her body and stretched out her legs in front of her.

"But I can tell you, from experience, that trying to go back…it doesn't work, or at least it didn't work for me. I…once I realized that this is what I wanted it was intimidating, and I thought it would be better to just leave well enough alone. So I tried to ignore it and do normal dating, you remember Courtney? Yeah that's why that didn't work out. It's kind of like tooth paste. Once it's out all the stubbornness and hope in the world won't put it back in." Santana finished the thought with a yawn and shook her head to try and clear it. The late hour coupled with the few drinks she had had, the confrontation from earlier, and now the rather personal matter they were discussing was taking there tolls on her and she was quickly becoming exhausted.

It was with a heavy sigh, more like a groan, that Rachel sat up, stretching her arms and making her spine pop. With a tired huff she stood, then took Santana's hands, and helped pull the woman to her feet as well. "Trust me, I'm already realizing that. I can ignore it for awhile, but the moment I start looking to date, or even flirt, it's always on the mind." Then, she pulled Santana into a tight hug, letting it go on for several seconds before pulling back just enough to look up at her.

"I vote you sleep over tonight, because my apartment is closer. And I know your schedule is clear tomorrow, like mine. So, we go back to mine, you steal my clothes again for bed time, and we have a sleepover. It's been at least a month since we've had that, anyway. Then, I can cook breakfast, you can pay for lunch, and you can tell me aaaall about your 'play' sessions." She ended with a teasing, though clearly tired, smirk, along with an exaggerated wink for good measure.

Santana groaned herself as the short woman pulled her to her feet and barely managed to hold in a grunt when she found herself wrapped up in a hug. It was a secret that she kept very close to her chest that Rachel Berry's hugs were probably the best thing on the planet in her opinion. And it was an ever bigger secret that she loved hugging the singer because she was so petite it made Santana feel stronger. It was hard to explain.

Santana nodded along with the woman and rolled her eyes at the playful jibe. "That sounds like a plan to me Hobbit as long as I get to wear the red shirt this time, and you make those cinnamon pancakes things" she laughed as she led them out of the room.

The club had seemingly cleared up a lot since they had gone back to talk but there was still a decent number of people hanging around by the bar. Mostly it was just a group of unclaimed Subs and a few older Doms who would probably be here till late as it was a Saturday night. Santana noticed Scott leaning against the wall next to the bar and instinctively pulled Rachel tight against her body, daring him with a single glance to come near them as they walked out of the club together.

Only when they were out on the street and the bouncer had flagged down a cab did Santana let the petite woman go. Santana was quiet as they got into the cab but it was a peaceful quiet. Rachel was without a doubt one of the most important people in her life and she was the first person she knew that had found out about Santana's…desires…and what's more she understood them on the same level. On the cab ride home, with Rachel nodding off on her shoulder she realized the feeling as being…extremely content.

Author's Note: Hey guys this is to be an interactive rp and we have tumblrs set up where we will be posting as the characters, answering asks, and interacting with each other.

The Santana page is s-lopeztrt and the Rachel page is rachelbberry-trt so go follow them!

Also go and follow our regular tumblrs to if you want. Mine is jr-abraxas and Fox's is foxchaos.