A/N: I usually don't write RPF but this is for my sweet Tumblr!Anon who desperately asked for Heya!angst after the Letterman interview. So, this was written in like half an hour in my lunch break so it's not beta'd or anything, but I hope it's what you were hoping for, anon ;)

It was nice to come home and have somebody waiting there for you. Sure, with Ashley Heather always had someone around, but it was different with a partner, wasn't it? Your better half cooking for you, setting up candles,...

Sure she was gonna miss Ashley but she was only gonna live ten minutes away. And they'd send each other funny letters and videos. Geez, they'd see each other all the time anyway.

And it was gonna work with Taylor, right? They had dated for years. High School sweethearts... first love... the way it was supposed to be. Just like her mother always said "Taylor is part of you, your past, your present and your future. And part of our family".

Yes, her mother loved him.

And she loved him too. He was her everything. Her best friend.

Sure there had been some difficulties lately... but that's normal. It happens. In every healthy relationship.

And they had been apart for so long, long-distance was always a challenge.

Yeah, he could act a little stressy when it came to her acting and kissing other people on screen and never having time to come to his games... they had even talked about breaking up for a while... but their relationship had survived. That was the most important. They'd marry and have kids one day.

It was already dark outside and Heather found herself looking forward to a comfortable evening on the couch. She was looking forward to spending warm spring and summer days outside, but she would make the best of the rest of those dark winter nights. With him. They could watch Letterman together tonight and Heather was excited to show her boyfriend her first appearance on one of the bigger late night shows.

She wondered if Naya was gonna watch it too.

Heather was digging in her bag now, fumbling for her door keys. When she finally found the small bundle with the little ballet shoe key ring, she noticed the light coming from the living room window. So he was here, as he said he would be. Nice.

She stepped inside, dropping her jacket and bag in the hallway, climbing over some cardboard boxes as she expected her boyfriend to sit on the couch with a beer to relax from the whole furniture carrying.

Her eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat when she noticed it was, in fact, not Taylor sitting on the couch. It was Naya.

"Naya...?" Heather asked confused, slowly stepping closer. "What are you doing here...? How did you get in?"

Naya stood up immediately, straightening her shirt.

"Sorry to surprise you like that" she mumbled, wiping some strands of hair behind her ear. "Taylor let me in. He said I could wait for you here, he's still running some errands... Said he needed such special screws for his new closet or whatever..."

"Uh, okay" Heather replied confused. "Um, you want a drink?"

"I'm good, thanks" Naya responded, a small smile on her lips.

"So... you came by because...?" Heather asked carefully, not really knowing what to do with the situation. Naya and her had been inseparable for a long time, and about a year ago she wouldn't have been surprised at all to find her sitting on her couch. After certain... things... had happened, however, her visits had gotten less. Sure, they were still good friends, but things had gotten a little tensed from time to time...

"I just wanted to bring you two a little present... for... you know... moving in together. A housewarming gift, so to speak..."

She opened the plastic bag that was standing next to her foot, getting out a medium sized cactus with a red bow draped around it.

"Oh." Heather let out, taking the plant from her friend. "You got us a... a..."

"Cactus." Naya finished for her.

"Yeah, I can see that" Heather concluded, eyeing the prickly green thing. "That's very... thoughtful."

Heather couldn't help but see the irony in this. A godforsaken cactus? As a present for her and her boyfriend?

"It's because I wanted to bring some life into the apartment, but I know you're both very busy and barely have time to look after your plants. It obviously doesn't need much water, so..."

Naya smiled and Heather couldn't help but smile back at her. There was this sadness in Naya's eyes though, and it broke Heather's heart.

They sat next to each other for a while, the air feeling heavy in the room. Heather kept staring at the plant and the red bow, not really able to look at her friend.

Here she was now, Taylor's stuff already now carelessly thrown over the furniture, some of his favorite posters hanging on those spots of the wall that Ashley had left empty. Somehow it felt wrong to sit here with Naya. It had felt right so many times to be sitting here with her, but now it just felt wrong.

"So this is it now, huh?" Naya suddenly asked, swallowing hard. Her voice was cold, yet shaking. A weird mix, Heather had to admit.

"What's what...?" Heather asked carefully, not sure she understood what the other woman was getting at.

"You... him... me... " her friend whispered now, focusing on her fingernails.

"You make it sound like a love triangle..." Heather tried to lighten the mood with a chuckle but Naya's features remained serious.

"Isn't that what it was?" she asked her, her voice almost hopeful.

"Nay..."

"No, seriously Heather" Naya interrupted her. "For a long while you were talking to me about splitting up with him... you told me you were constantly fighting on the phone, he constantly complained... and now you move in together? All of a sudden?"

"I thought you'd be happy for me" Heather blurted out, hurt mirrroring in her eyes. "Why can't you be happy for me?"

"I want to be happy for you, but this feels... it feels rushed."

"Rushed?" Heather almost yelled now, apparently close to losing her temper. "What on earth is rushed about it, you know exactly how long Taylor and I have been together, it's far from fucking rushed..."

"What about us?" Naya wanted to know, her voice calm now. Sad even. "I'm not stupid, I know you've started avoiding me, at work and in private. I know he was jealous, you didn't have to tell me. I sensed it in the way he spoke to me, every single time. Did you tell him what happened between us? Did he figure it out?"

"Nothing happened between us" Heather stated, her voice cold.

"Right..." Naya mumbled, biting her lower lip as her eyes narrowed in anger.

"We agreed it didn't mean anything..."

"Yeah" Naya said, rolling her eyes. "It didn't mean anything on Halloween, I know, cause we were drunk. It didn't mean anything on Christmas, cause we were both lonely, correct? It didn't mean anything on New Year's because well, it was New Year's, right? And it didn't mean anything all those times in between because... hm, because? Can you tell me? Cause I'm kinda running out of excuses here..."

"That was a year ago Naya, and Taylor and I were on a break!" Heather tried defending herself.

"On a break, I see. What are you two, Ross and Rachel?" She had to roll her eyes again, grabbing her coat.

"It was stupid to come over. I'm sorry. I wish you two good luck." She stopped herself, obviously trying to collect her thoughts as she calmed her voice. "And I'm not just saying that, okay? I wish you both good luck and I hope you'll be happy together."

Heather saw the tears in Naya's eyes and she felt the pain stabbing in her chest like a sharp knife. She missed Naya. She missed her in her life. Every single day. It had been months since they had kissed for the last time and she had wanted to kiss her many times after that. But with Taylor becoming suspicious and angry and... she couldn't leave him. She had tried, she had wanted to... but she just couldn't.

She reached out her hand, capturing Naya's. Why couldn't they be best friends again as they used to be? Why did feelings always make everything so damn complicated. And why with her? Heather wasn't gay. She wasn't even bi, at least she didn't think she was. But with Naya... maybe Naya was her one exception to the rule... Naya wasn't just an attractive woman to her... Naya was... she was amazing. She had fallen for the person Naya Rivera, regardless of her gender. She had fallen for her laugh, her sweetness, her big heart, her humour, her dorky side, her pouty lips,...

"I miss you..." Heather admitted, her voice soft and sincere.

Naya met her gaze again for the first time, a glimpse of hope in her eyes.

"But it's not enough, is it?"

Heather was lookoing on the floor, shaking her head.

"Didn't think it was..." Naya concluded, getting ready to leave.

Heather didn't know what made her do it, maybe the nostalgia, maybe the knowledge that it was going to be her last chance, but she tugged on Naya's arm, hard, pulling her in her direction. She pressed herself against her, pushing her softly against the back of the sofa as her lips captured Naya's in a soft kiss.

It was amazing to taste her again, her extremely soft and amazingly sensual lips. It felt like a relief. Like something she had pushed down for a long time and finally got back. Like the first piece of chocolate after a long and annoying diet.

She didn't want to let it go further, all she wanted was this one kiss, this one last fucking kiss. She didn't want her mouth to open. She didn't want her tongue to dart out. She didn't want her breath to shorten. She didn't want to feel Naya's hands run along her back. God, why did she still let it happen?

Naya was kissing her with everything she had. Her tongue demanding, skilled, intoxicating. Heather couldn't help but wonder if Naya was trying to tell her she was the better choice. Trying to make her aware of what she was missing. Or maybe this was just her own mind, telling her what she was missing. Her own mind feeling fucking tricked.

She would have been fine with Taylor, she would have been okay. She would have been able to let go. Yes, she would have been sad to see hers and Naya's friendship suffer, but she would have made it. But now? What was she doing to her? Why was she making her aware of how much she had missed her? Fuck you, Naya. Fuck you.

They both froze when they heard the key in the door and Heather quickly pushed Naya away. The smaller woman looked fragile, her lips still glistening from their quite passionate kiss. Heather wanted to hug her, wanted to hold her close, wanted to tell her how fucking sorry she was. That she never meant to hurt her. That she deserved better. That she would find this one person and he or she would make her happy. But she couldn't say a word, she felt paralyzed.

A few seconds later Taylor came inside, a rose in his left hand, two Starbucks coffees in his right hand.

"Honey, I'm home!" he said, grinning. "I always wanted to say that to you."

Heather just looked at him, then back at Naya, then back at Taylor.

"I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to still be here, or I would have gotten you a coffee too..." Taylor said, apologetic. Naya was raising her eyebrows as if she didn't believe a word he said.

"I was just leaving anyways..." she mumbled, and Heather had to cringe at seeing Naya wipe her mouth clean with the back of her sleeve.

"Are you two okay?" Taylor asked confused and Heather wished he'd shut up for a few minutes. At least until Naya was gone.

"Yeah.. yeah, Nay got us a cactus..." Heather mumbled and Taylor grinned, taking the plant to examine it closer. "I always thought they look like a cucumber that just got fucked by a hedgegog..." He laughed at his own joke, carrying the cactus into the kitchen.

Heather looked at Naya again who was coming closer, wrapping her arms around the taller woman.

"Good night, Hemo" she told her, trying to sound friendly.

"Good night, Nay."

The hug lasted for a few moments longer as Naya let her chin rest on Heather's shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut to keep the tears from falling.

"It never meant more to you, did it?" she whispered into Heather's ear but she didn't wait for an answer as she headed to the door. Her eyes were teary, yet she smiled. "I wish you two the best, you hear me? And I hope your interview today went fine. I look forward to watching it."

"Thanks..." was all Heather managed to bring out before Taylor had returned from the kitchen, wrapping his arms around her girlfriend from behind.

"Night, Nay" he said, placing a kiss on Heather's cheek as he looked over to her.

"Night..."

xx

Later that night they were watching Letterman, Taylor massaging Heather's feet, constantly complimenting her, telling her how funny she was, how good she looked on the show, how proud he was.

Yet Heather had to grab her phone, opening her text app. She didn't know what to say, what to write... She typed a message but deleted it again, then typed another.

"Who are you texting?" Taylor wanted to know, eyeing her curiously.

"Just Naya. Thanking her for the cactus..."

Taylor gave her an incredulous look, yet chose to remain silent.

Heather didn't know that Naya was already asleep. She didn't know that Naya had never turned on the TV because she couldn't bring herself to see the woman she loved on screen, talking about how in love Heather was with a person that wasn't her.

She would never know the look on Naya's face the next morning when she saw Heather's texts and the words "It did mean more" on her cell.

She'd never know.

Oh and in case you ever have such little requests, feel free to drop a message in my ask on tumblr. lovebugxstories . tumblr . com