DISCLAIMER: Popular is the intellectual property of Ryan Murphy. I simply dabble in his sandbox, make his characters gay for each other and enjoy the turn on that follows.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is for marishna's Multi-Fandom Picture Prompt Ficathon. Special thanks to mysensitiveside for beta'ing this last minute.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Sugar and Spice and So Not Anything Nice
By carpesomediem
"They're mine, Sam!" Brooke's voice seemed to echo through the downpour. Soaked to the bone, Sam turned briefly to face the blonde. She hesitated for a moment, her eyes roaming over Brooke's t-shirt – now stuck to her body in all the right places – before turning away just as quickly.
"No, I called them first," Sam replied, shrugging matter-of-factly. She wanted to keep her feelings at bay, hidden beneath the surface but it was so easy to get lost in Brooke. It was getting easier day-by-day, and by Sam's standard, that wasn't necessarily a good thing.
"You can't call rain boots," Brooke responded incredulously. "Especially when they're mine. We're not even the same shoe size!" As soon as she said it, Brooke realized how stupid the comeback was. She rolled her eyes at herself, frustrated that once again Sam had managed to throw her off her game.
"First of all, they're galoshes," Sam pointed out, reaching for one after taking off her rain-soaked sneakers. "Second, they're made bigger than your actual shoe size, so they'll fit me fine. And third, you can call dibs on anything…"
They were now sitting under the small roof in front of the entrance to their home. Somehow they had both managed to leave their keys somewhere other than on their person that day. Of course, rain wasn't part of the forecast either, but that was their luck.
"But Sam," Brooke began, whining and shivering. "What am I supposed to do?" Brooke looked down at her soaked shoes, rolling her eyes as she shivered again. Sam didn't notice, she was too busy putting on the other boot and making sure they would do justice for what she had in mind.
Jane and Mike were on their way home, but they weren't sure how long it would be until they made it. The storm was pretty bad, the wind had picked up slightly and it was just a mess outside. However, Sam had an idea. Once she'd seem the galoshes out front, she'd known how she wanted to kill the time. It was something she and Lily used to do as kids – they'd puddle jump during a storm much like this. They'd come home soaked, a muddy mess, but those were some of the happiest moments Sam could remember.
"Where are you going with my boots?" Brooke asked, watching Sam stand and begin for the front yard. She hesitated stepping off the front porch, but then the realization that she was already soaking wet washed over her. So, she followed Sam out into the rain. What else could she do? It was becoming increasingly clear; she'd follow Sam McPherson anywhere.
"Those aren't going to work for this," Sam teased, pointing to Brooke's flats. Brooke just looked down, shrugged and closed her eyes as the rain fell onto her face. Sam just stared, taken by the sight before her. Never had she seen Brooke look so beautiful… and so very, very free.
Without warning, Sam stepped forward, took Brooke's hand in her own and urged her forward. The blonde was startled, tripping slightly over her own feet at the tug and falling into Sam's body. Sam caught her, laughing at the clumsiness before steadying Brooke and pulling her forward as she made her way towards a large puddle. Unbeknownst to the other, they both were fighting off butterflies.
"What are you doing, Sam?" Brooke practically whispered into Sam's ear, still close. It was as if the world faded around her and that's all Sam heard. She couldn't help asking that question aloud, wondering briefly just what was happening between the two of them as they held one another in the rain.
"Do you trust me?" Sam responded, resting her head against Brooke's, letting the rain surround them and drown out the rest of the world. They were here, in the moment, and neither one of them wanted to let it go.
"Yes," Brooke managed to get out, "I do." It was as honest as she could be.
Without warning, Sam turned and surged forward splashing into a large puddle in the middle of the yard. She went from one to another, Brooke following in her wake as her flats were soaked through and she could feel the water chill her feet. But she continued to follow Sam, taking in the laughter and happiness of the brunette's stride.
And, despite the cold, she felt a warmth fill her in a way she hadn't felt in years. Finally, in this moment, Brooke understood the things she'd missed out on as a child and realized she could still live those moments as long as Sam shared them with her.
The End