A part of it felt wrong. A sickly realization that maybe they were slowly falling back into old habits but Vera didn’t know who else to turn to. Bottling up everything had done her no good and she already felt like a pressure cooker that was about to explode and besides, it wasn’t like she could just open up and share everything with Jay so she slipped. She’d invited Flynn over and immediately felt nauseous about her actions but desperate times seemed to call for desperate measures. Yet, the knock at the door still seemed to startle her since she wasn’t sure if he’d actually turn up at all or have some cathartic realization that this was a terrible idea. With a deep breath, Vera went to open the door and the wave of emotion immediately hit her at just the sight of his face-- like she hadn’t realized just how much she needed him until now. “God, you showed up. You actually showed up.” There was a weird sense of desperation and relief in her voice as she hurriedly wrapped him up in a hug before freezing at the realization of what exactly she’d done.
GENERAL NOTES: Rachel shares one of her songs with Mike
WARNINGS: None
Rachel: smiled softly to herself as she put the pen down on the bedside table next to the bed where she was laying on next to Mike. After two weeks, she had finally completed the song she had been working on and while she was bias, the brunette thought it was really good. "I'm finished." She told her boyfriend, the room only brightened by the two bedside lamps. It was nearing 10pm and the couple had settled in for the night. It was Rachel's favourite time on the day, she loved just being with Mike and being comfortable and relaxed before bed.
Mike flipped the book he had been reading shut, looking over at Rachel curiously. He knew she'd been writing more lately, but he hadn't wanted to invade her privacy by asking for details on the song while she was still working on it. Now that she was done, though, he couldn't deny he was interested in the process and whatever the finished product was. "Can I read it?" He asked, a bit tentatively. "Or, actually...can I hear it?"
Rachel: wasn't expecting Mike to want to listen to it but she probably should have. Biting down on her bottom lip, the brunette nodded her head tentatively after a pause before quickly opening her mouth to explain. "I'm not a professional so it might not be that good." She felt the need to defend. "They say to write about what you know so... I wrote it about you. About us. Be nice?"
Mike couldn't help but grin when Rachel immediately went on the defensive. "It'll be amazing," he argued, leaning forward to press a soft kiss against her lips. It was a surprise to hear that she'd written about them - somehow their relationship had never crossed his mind as a potential subject for a song - but he nodded in agreement anyway. "I'm hurt that you'd think you even have to ask me to be nice," he teased. "But ok."
Rachel kissed her boyfriend back before offering him a shy smile. "Okay..." She replied before turning her attention down to the page where the lyrics were written. Sucking in a breath, the brunette closed her eyes and began to sing.
The city sky's feeling dark tonight
We're back to back with our heads down
Just look at me, give me more tonight
Just give me more of your love now
Let's set fire to the lonely night
You're beautiful when you look at me
Let's give love another life
Cause you'll be safe in these arms of mine
Just call my name on the edge of the night
And I'll run to you, I'll run to you
I would run to you, if you want me to
Just give me some kind of reason
I'll take the pain, take it all away
Just give it some kind of meaning
Let's let go, let it be the start
You know I'm feeling the same thing
Let's let go of our broken hearts
Cause you'll be safe in these arms of mine
Just call my name on the edge of the night
And I'll run to you, I'll run to you
Even if it's gonna break me, love
Gonna make my way to you
Anyway it's gonna take me, love
I run to you
I run to you
Run, run
Cause you'll be safe in these arms of mine
Just call my name on the edge of the night
And I'll run to you
I'll run to you
Even if it's gonna break me, love
I run to you
Mike knew Rachel was talented, but hearing her sing something she'd put so much of herself into put it in a completely new perspective. As soon as the song came to an end, he immediately voiced the thoughts. "You're so crazy talented, and I'm not just being nice. That was amazing"
Rachel: smiled softly. "You really think?" She asked before biting down on her bottom lip. "Thank you."
Mike couldn't help but smile at the seemingly shy way she responded. "I really do," he nodded. "Have you thought about performing your songs before? Like an open mic night somewhere?"
Rachel: shook her head. "Not really." She admitted. "I don't see myself as a girl who writes songs and has an album. At least, not yet. I need to be concentrating on Broadway classics if I even stand a chance at getting a role."
Mike shifted slightly, settling more comfortably beside her. "Fair enough. From what I've heard they're too good not to ever do anything with, but you're right, they might not be the best choice for Broadway auditions." Looking down at the bed, he picked at an imaginary thread on the blanket. "Have you seen anything you're thinking of trying out for?"
Rachel: closed her notebook and it put in on the bedside table beside her. "I try out for everything." She replied seriously. "Even Chorus Parts that have barely any face time on stage. Anything and everything. I can't be too picky just yet."
Mike nodded. "That's probably the smartest approach. I can't imagine you not getting something soon that you can use as some kind of stepping stone to a bigger role. They just need a chance to realize what a star Rachel Berry is."
Rachel: shook her head. "We've been here two months and I haven't even got a call back for a crappy background understudy. Maybe I'm not as a good as Lima made me think I could be?"
Mike chewed on his lower lip. "You are," he tried to reassure her. "It's just an industry that hands out a lot of rejection until you audition for the right person.”
Rachel: shrugged. "Or a nose job." She replied softly. "I thought I had heard my nose wasn't good enough enough during my time at McKinley. Fuck, I was so wrong."
Mike 's eyebrows knit together, a mixture of concern and confusion crossing his face. It was a harsh, judgmental industry they'd decided to go into, he knew, but hearing Rachel repeat that kind of criticism of herself hit hard. "Fuck that," he shook his head. "People at McKinley are idiots, and so are the casting directors you've auditioned for so far. You don't have to change parts of yourself to get a role...besides, you're gorgeous how you are."
Rachel: smiled softly at the passion lacing her boyfriend's voice. "I know." She replied honestly. "I know I'm not the typical beauty but I do know that I am beautiful. It just sucks sometimes for the thing that took me the longest about myself to accept is the reason why I'm being turned down for jobs."
Mike let out a quiet breath. Their situations weren't identical, but it wasn't like he was blind to the biases against him as an Asian-American in performing arts and the ways they worked against him. It was close enough to mirroring her situation that he could see where she was coming from. "Remind me why we're doing this to ourselves, again," he laughed slightly, trying to diffuse the situation though there was a hint of truth to his words.
Rachel: laughed at Mike's comments. "Because we're desperately seeking the approval we never received from our parents from strangers?" She offered out after a moment.
Mike couldn't help the surprised laugh that slipped past his lips. "You know, I actually hadn't thought of it like that, but it would explain a lot."
Rachel: smiled softly. "It really does." She laughed, moving to press a kiss to Mike's lips. "But I don't really care what anyone thinks about me... Besides you. I've become nicer since you and I started dating. You're why I quit the Skanks. I'm sure if you hadn't come along and reminded me of who I truly was supposed to be, I'd be in jail."
Mike cocked his head slightly, considering what Rachel had just said. "Who know the power leaving a note in your locker and some dance lessons could have," he teased. "But I'm glad you remembered who you really are. Besides, without you, I'd be slowly going crazy in a pre-med program somewhere. We're good for each other."
Rachel: laughed. "I'm glad we've prevented each other from slowly going insane."
Mike grinned. "Me too. This isn't where I thought getting transferred to Lima Heights for a while last year would end up going, but it's pretty much the best thing that could have happened."
Rachel: hummed in agreement. "I never thought I'd find the love of my life in high school and that my love would be from McKinley." She admitted with a shake of her head. "It's funny how life works."
Mike distantly wondered whether it should have felt as natural as it did that they both seemed to think of their relationship as something permanent, considering how young they were. He didn't give it much thought, though, because somehow everything felt right the way it was. "I almost feel like I owe my dad the right to say 'I told you so' on this one, since he was in favor of the whole transfer thing, but I'm not sure he'd even want to hear it."
Rachel: smiled softly. "You really should let him. Though I don't think he planned for you to end up slumming it with a Lima Heights Skank." She laughed.
Mike snorted in amusement. "I'll get right on that," he laughed, leaning forward to press a quick kiss against her lips. "Besides, this is hardly what I'd call slumming it."
