How the Other Half Lives || Cherry
TAGGING: Mike Chang and Rachel Berry
WHEN: 5th of September
WHERE: Mike & Rachel’s apartment, New York
GENERAL NOTES: Mike starts college while Rachel starts a new job
WARNINGS: None
Rachel: let out a long sigh as she walked into the Brooklyn apartment she and Mike now called home. Things between them had been going amazingly but the brunette knew that could all be put in jeopardy now that Rachel was working as a waitress and Mike had officially started his freshman year at NYU. Tossing her handbag in the corner by the front door, the former Skank made a beeline towards the couch. She had been on her feet for ten hours and Rachel was pretty sure she was now incapable of standing.
Mike made his way up the steps of the apartment, each one feeling more draining than the last. It had been his first day of classes, and while he'd thought the professors would go easy on them, at least for the day, he'd been completely wrong. In spite of the exhaustion and throbbing muscles that hours of dance classes had left him with, though, it had been one of best days he'd ever spent inside a studio. Opening the door, he grinned as he realized Rachel was already home from work. "Hey," he greeted, setting his dance bag down by the door and walking over to the couch where his girlfriend was currently sitting.
Rachel: smiled softly at Mike's greeting. "Hey baby." She replied, a yawn escaping her lips before she shook her head. "How was your first day?" She asked, her tone light as the excitement and curiosity oozed from her voice.
Mike dropped down to sit next to Rachel, noting the soft yawn she let out. "Long day?" He asked, watching her curiously. "It was great. Kinesthetics of Anatomy probably won't be my favorite class - it feels too much like something pre-med not to haunt me a little - but everything else was amazing." He paused for a moment, focusing on her more completely. "Thank you for encouraging me to go after this."
Rachel: nodded her head at his question. They were officially in a grown up relationship and the brunette refused to hide anything from Mike. Not that she did during high school but things were a lot higher in consequence now that they lived together. "I had a long day but I managed to get $50 worth of tips so that's something, I guess? Even if I'm only getting $7 an hour. Like, how is that even liveable?" She muttered before moving herself closer to Mike. Leaning over, she pressed a kiss to his lips before smiling against his mouth. "You're going to be so successful. I can't wait to see you perform again."
Mike cringed internally listening to Rachel talk, especially when she voiced her frustrations over her financial situation. It wasn't an ideal situation, her working as a waitress, but he was confident that it was only a matter of time before she landed a break. "It's not. They should have to at least adjust minimum wages with cost of living increases, but I'm not sure that's a change that's ever going to happen. Other than that, though, how was it?" He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she moved closer, happily returning the kiss. "It's going to be a while, you know. I don't know if they make a habit of casting freshmen in performances."
Rachel: snuggled into Mike's side as she felt herself relax for the first time in hours. "It was okay. Santana called me during my lunch. She fucking hates OSU. I'm glad I didn't go there." She admitted casually before smiling softly. "You're too good for them not to cast... But if they don't see that, I'm more than willing to wait. Or force you to perform a private show for me." She laughed.
Mike wasn't surprised in the least to hear that Santana wasn't loving OSU. Like Rachel, she had always seemed destined for better things than Lima had to offer. "I'm still surprised she's actually going there. Think she'll stick it out long term?" He pressed a quick kiss against the top of her head before speaking again. "I'm glad you didn't, too. I know it's not always going to be easy, but I really think New York is where you're meant to be." Laughing softly, he nodded. "You know you can have a private show any time."
Rachel: shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure. Maybe? Santana wants to prove something to everyone so she'll probably stick it out and be miserable only to say she has a college degree." She explained lowly. "I miss her."
Mike held back an amused snort at the characterization of Santana. "Yeah, that sounds like something she'd do." He nodded a bit wordlessly. "I'm sorry, Rach. Maybe we can figure out a way for you to go back to Ohio to visit her soon."
Rachel: shook her head. "I don't want to go back to Ohio." She replied sincerely. "I want her to come here and maybe she'll realize how much potential she has... I mean... We do have a two bedroom apartment. I wouldn't ask her without discussing things with you but maybe she could live with us? It would help money wise and I'd have my best friend."
Mike hadn't been expecting that response from Rachel and he was momentarily glad that he'd had as much practice keeping his thoughts hidden as he did, since it let him keep his face carefully neutral. "Do you think she'd want to move here?" He finally settled on asking.
Rachel: shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure... Maybe? She's wanted New York for as long as I have. I just feel bad that I get it and she doesn't."
Mike nodded slightly. It was easy to understand where she was coming from, in spite of the fact that it had caught him off guard and he'd never been completely sure where he stood with Santana. "We'd need to figure out whether or not it would really be feasible, but," he shrugged, "I don't have a problem with the idea of it."
Rachel: smiled softly. "Are you sure? We're a team and if this is something you don't want, I'm not going to get mad. Your voice matters just as much as mime." She reassured sincerely.
Mike heard her words, and he didn't doubt the sincerity behind them, but it was still hard to get past years of feeling like he didn't have a voice of his own. Or, if he was honest with himself, to admit that part of him was jealous that Rachel could bring along the parts of her life from Ohio that she missed while it felt like he'd left nothing but fractured relationships behind. Shrugging again, he nodded. "Yeah, it's fine. It's not like I hate Santana or anything. But I'm not sure she'd be all that thrilled about living with me."
Rachel: frowned. "What makes you think that? She likes you." She replied honestly. "She likes you more than she's ever liked Puck or anyone else I've somewhat dated. She thinks we're good for each other. I promise. If she disliked you, trust me, you'd know."
Mike huffed out a soft laugh. "I don't even know, actually. Just a feeling I've always gotten from her."
Rachel: shook her head. "Well don't okay? Besides, if she ever treated you badly I'd force her back into line." She added before kissing his lips. "Enough talk about Lima. Did you want to go and have a shower together and totally not get clean?"
Mike nodded, relieved for the opportunity to drop the conversation there. "Sometimes I swear you can read my mind," he grinned, getting up from the couch and reaching back to offer her his hand as they moved toward the bathroom, a trail of clothing littering the floor behind them.
