These strange steps

35

Notes:

AN: If you care about my sanity, please spare me in-depth feedback on what neighborhoods in Chicago I should have mentioned here, because it's soooo not the point of the story, not to mention that I'm married to a Chicago native and actually spent about an hour discussing this with her, so: I'm content. PLEASE BE CONTENT ALSO!

Chapter Text

There aren't any bad parts to Chicago, from what she can tell after a day of wandering around, but the minute they hit Wicker Park, Quinn literally lights up and says, "Okay, so this is basically the hipster center of Chicago, but in recent years the prices have sort of gone through the roof so now it's this weird mixture of like, bohemian kid culture and young families being pushed out of the more expensive neighborhoods in other parts of town. A normal academic couldn't live here, and would be moving out to like, Andersonville-"

"You mean that incredibly lady-gay part of town we were in yesterday?" Rachel asks, and Quinn nods, before tilting her phone and getting the map on it to focus.

"Yeah. I wouldn't be able to afford living here or in Bucktown at all on a starting graduate student salary, but, with my savings-"

Rachel stops walking and spins around; they're on an intersection about a block down from two main streets and the Blue Line, but it's suburban in feel. From just looking around, she can spot two vintage clothing stores, one record store, two little art galleries, a few diners and coffee places, and a small assortment of convenience stores.

There are people around, but not to an overwhelming degree, and as soon as they head off the main street they're fine.

"Apparently there's a super busy farmer's market here on Sundays that shuts down traffic in multiple directions, but-I mean, I don't know. When we go out to dinner with um, Robert and his wife tonight-"

"Wait, what?" Rachel says, putting a hand on Quinn's arm to get her to focus for a second. "We're going to a dinner with-what, a future colleague?"

"Oh, shit, did I not tell you?" Quinn asks, before making a face. "Sorry, we can get out of it if we need to-

"No, it's fine, I'm happy to go and dine with whoever, but-who are these people?" Rachel asks.

"Robert Cavello is one of the other graduate students in the department. We met at dinner during the interview and he told me to give him a call when I was next in town, so I did, if only for real estate tips. He lives in the Ukranian Village, because he has a kid and his wife works for some high-rise law firm, but-"

"Wait-so-who does he think I am?" Rachel says, putting a hand on Quinn's arm.

Quinn stares at her like she's lost her mind. "My partner?"

"Like, in crime?"

"No, Rachel, my Chicago-skeptical partner who I'm showing around now to prove to the world doesn't in fact end at the Brooklyn Bridge," Quinn says, shooting her a look.

Rachel falters in her step for a moment and then says, "So-you're introducing me to a future colleague tonight as your girlfriend?"

The coin seems to drop after a moment, and Quinn says, "Oh, is that what this is?" She grins and then elbows Rachel gently in the side. "What do you think I call you to Nicole?"

"Rachel?" Rachel says, giving her a look. "My Rachel, if you're feeling particularly soft in the head?"

Quinn chuckles. "Yeah, okay. You know, I can use normal people words, when I need to. And it's not like we haven't spent the better part of six months negotiating what we're doing together. We're together. Of course you're-"