Her little trip to the movies with Brittany may not have been a date... but Santana was certainly nervous enough. At work on Monday she was distracted and fidgety. And during her lunch break with Kurt, he finally made her confess what was up. She ended up breaking and spilling on everything. The dancing, the flirting, the touching... her anger and frustration at the unwelcome surprise of meeting Brittany's boyfriend... and finally, the phone call that led to their 'non-date'.

'You can't go after her Santana. People with partners are off-limits.' He'd said. Santana insisted that the thought had never even crossed her mind. She may be a bitch sometimes, but she would never do that. Nobody deserved to be cheated on... and Brittany certainly didn't deserve to be put under that kind of pressure. Even though Santana was sure that the girl was far too moral and loyal to ever consider that kind of thing.

And besides, she still wasn't positive that Brittany would go for her at all... even if the blonde was single.

No. She wouldn't dare push things now. She had to swallow all of her feelings if she wanted to be friends with Brittany. And she'd decided that she did. Whether she liked it or not, she was already too attached to the blonde at this point to just block her out.

Still, Santana tried to remember why she agreed to this so soon. Even now, as she drove home from work and began to get ready for the night, she felt so defeated. How did she find herself saying yes to hanging out with Brittany when she had been so upset? She figured it was a knee-jerk reaction. She craved Brittany's presence on an instinctual level. It had just felt natural to agree. And she'd wanted to please Brittany... because... Well, Santana wasn't really sure why. She knew how much she enjoyed the sound of the girl's voice when she was happy about something. And just the thought of being the reason behind Brittany's smile, even for a millisecond, made her feel all warm and fuzzy. How could she not say yes?

But it didn't stop the overwhelming dread that cornered the Latina whenever she thought about the possibility of getting close to Brittany, knowing full well that she was off limits. In theory she was determined she could handle it. But in reality... Who knows? She'd never really been in this kind of situation before. When she found out a girl wasn't single, she usually just moved on. With Brittany though, she just couldn't bring herself to let go so easily. If they were going to be friends, she would just have to accept defeat and try to enjoy spending time with her simply because it was fun and the girl made her feel happy. But that was easier said than done.

Fuck. I don't know. Maybe I'm just an emotional masochist. Santana mused, letting out a deep sigh as she checked herself over in the mirror.

She'd settled on something really simple. Jeans and a red and black plaid shirt. Standard issue Black Converse. Hair straight and down. After all, it was NOT a date. She was NOT trying to impress Brittany. And she was NOT trying to look sexy. Okay... so maybe she had a few too many buttons undone on her shirt and was revealing just a little bit of cleavage. But hey. She was trying.

Even though she knew she was early, Santana risked a glance over at the clock. 6.15. It would only take her ten minutes to drive to the theatre and she definitely did not want to be standing around, awkwardly waiting for the blonde to arrive. If anything, she considering showing up a little late. You know, just to prove that she was chilled about the whole thing. She didn't want Brittany thinking she was too eager and catching on to all those pesky feelings she was so desperate to hide now, did she?

So Santana took a seat at her desk and flipped open her laptop to check her emails. Now that she knew Brittany had a boyfriend, she needed to change her approach completely. Thankfully, due to her nerves around the blonde, she had been lacking and occasionally failing in the flirting department. If Brittany had been single, she would be chastising herself for this and trying to determine how to up her game. But now... it was almost a blessing in disguise. She just hoped that the girl hadn't already deciphered her small hints and gestures. It would make it that much harder to take a step back and, more than anything, Santana wanted their friendship to be comfortable and simple.

Seeing that there was nothing of interest in her inbox, Santana closed her laptop and flicked on the T.V. Even though she might have failed miserably at flirting, Brittany had certainly done a heck of a job on Saturday night. Prior to the party, the girl's actions could have been interpreted as nothing more than friendly. That little dance though was anything but. Santana held back a shiver at the memory. Her hands on the blonde's hips, Brittany's arms draped around her neck, that unbelievably sexy sparkle in her deep blue eyes... It was almost too much.

And then the way Brittany had rested her head on the Latina's shoulder while they sat quietly in the backyard. It felt so gentle and intimate that, for a brief moment, Santana had thought it was a cue to kiss her.

But no. It wasn't that at all. The brunette scoffed silently to herself. She'd obviously let her desires and imagination run far too free. She was just grateful that she had been too nervous to actually make a move. It had saved her from a world of embarrassment.

Santana reached into her pocket to check her phone again. 6.25. Still too early to leave. She sighed and rolled her eyes, flicking between channels with the remote. She wasn't really paying any attention to what was on the screen though. Her mind was far too busy.

Why had Brittany even called her? I mean yeah, the girl had said she wanted to hang out. But Santana never really expected her to make the effort to call... Especially so soon. Something about it seemed off. Maybe Brittany didn't have that many friends? Maybe she was lonely?

Santana frowned. No, that couldn't be right. The blonde was so bubbly and friendly. She probably had dozens of people just dying to hang out with her. She couldn't imagine Brittany ever lacking companionship. She was like this bursting ball of sunshine... and you couldn't help but be drawn into her light.

The Latina attempted to breathe out the consuming thoughts. She concluded that it was more likely that Brittany was just super nice. She probably made that kind of effort with all the new people she met. She was probably an expert at the whole process of making friends... and that's why she'd shown no hesitation in calling her. Yeah. That worked.

So why can't I fight off the feeling that there's something more to it?

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It was 7 o'clock exactly when Santana finally left the house. For the last ten minutes she paced, debating whether or not to leave on time. In the end, she held herself back, knowing it was for the best.

She had no trouble finding a spot in the parking lot near the theatre. It was Monday night after all, so there weren't that many people out and about. She took a deep, steadying breath as she made the short trip down the sidewalk. Her eyes were fixed on the pavement in front of her, afraid that if she looked up, Brittany would already be standing there waiting... and if she caught her eye too soon, their greeting would be made awkward.

At the last possible moment, she lifted her gaze to search for the blonde. And when she was nowhere in sight, Santana huffed loudly. Should have left later.

Just as the Latina was contemplating going back to wait in her car for a few minutes, she felt a light tap on her shoulder and spun around quickly to see bright blue eyes staring back at her.

'Hey you.' Brittany beamed.

'Hey.' Santana returned the wide smile and did her best not to stare. Brittany's outfit was surprising to say the least. The combination of bright colours and odd patterns on her skirt, top and jacket were not the least bit conventional. And yet somehow, the blonde pulled it off effortlessly and managed to look stunning in the process. 'You look nice.' Good thing you're not trying to flirt with her anymore Santana. That was fucking pathetic.

'So do you.' Brittany grinned, pushing a few strands of long blonde hair behind her ear. 'I like your shirt.'

Santana bit her lip and tried to control the blush creeping into her cheeks. 'Thanks.' She shoved her hands into her pockets and shuffled her feet a little. 'So are you... ready to go in?' Seriously. Stop it. You're Santana fucking Lopez. This nervous teenage boy shit has gotta end.

'You bet.' Brittany said brightly.

'Awesome.' Santana forced herself to straighten up and turn on the confidence.

It all melted away again though the second Brittany linked their pinkies together and dragged her inside.

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'So you never told me if you got that job?' Brittany asked, taking a sip of her soda before rummaging for a handful of popcorn.

Santana had gladly allowed Brittany to pick some new animated movie for their viewing pleasure tonight and after a quick stop at the concession stand for some drinks and extra large popcorn to share, they were currently sitting in the second to last row of the theatre. The cartoon wasn't her thing of course. But the look on the blonde's face when she'd noticed it was showing was too adorable to deny. With that expression, Santana was sure Brittany could have gotten her to agree to almost anything.

'Yeah... I did. I uh... I started last week actually.' Santana offered pleasantly. Inside though, she was beyond irritated with herself. She hated that whenever Brittany was around she turned into some bumbling, timid mess. She was not going to let her nerves get the best of her again. No matter how much her stomach trembled whenever the blonde locked eyes with her. She had to get that Lopez swagger back ASAP if she wanted the night to go well.

'That's awesome! Congratulations!' Brittany grinned.

'Thanks. It's a pretty cool job. I really like it there.' Santana replied assertively.

There was a comfortable moment of silence. It would be at least another fifteen minutes before the movie started so Santana took this as the perfect opportunity to get back in her groove. Just as she opened her mouth to ask Brittany a question about Mike though, the girl suddenly piped up again.

'Hey... So I um... I just wanted to say... Sorry if I was being a bit crazy on Saturday night. I get kinda hyperactive... and uh... hands-y when I drink.' Brittany said, carefully choosing her words and sporting an apologetic grimace.

'Oh...' Santana's eyebrows lifted slightly. 'That's totally okay. No worries.' She shook her head and tried to smile through the disappointment settling in her chest. So all that flirting really was just drunken fun. It didn't mean anything... 'I get it.'

'Cool.' Brittany bit her bottom lip and grinned.

'I just felt out of the loop because you never told me you had a boyfriend.' Santana wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, once again pretending the topic was of great interest to her.

Brittany giggled. 'Yeah... Sorry about that.'

'So how did you meet? How long have you been seeing each other? Come on B. Give me all the dirty details.' Santana did her best not to flinch at her own lame acting and plastered a wide smirk on her lips instead. 'You don't mind if I call you B do you?'

'No, I don't mind.' Brittany smiled softly and looked down at her lap. Santana could have sworn she saw the girl blush. 'Well... I met him at my audition for dance school. He came up to me after we finished learning some group choreography and told me that he thought I was really a good dancer. And... I don't know.' Brittany shrugged. 'He seemed nice. So we went for coffee... That was almost two months ago.'

'Aww. That's sweet.' Santana felt her jaw tighten with the fake smile she was forcing onto her face. All she wanted to do at that moment was stick her finger in her mouth and pretend to gag. But instead, she pressed on. 'So... is it serious?'

'Uh...' Brittany frowned and looked away hesitantly. A long moment passed.

'Sorry... You don't have to talk about it if you don't want.' Santana had no idea what it was about that question that had upset the blonde but she didn't want to push.

'No... It's just that... I don't really know if it's serious... No? I'm not sure.' The blonde sighed. 'Mike's a brilliant dancer. And a great guy. And he's really fun to be around. But... it's like... there's something missing you know? I like him but I wonder if... maybe I should like him more.'

Santana's hopes jumped a bit in response and she immediately cursed herself for taking pleasure in Brittany's confusion. It was selfish and mean to hope that Brittany and Mike weren't such a happy couple after all... but she almost couldn't help herself. Biting back the conflicting feelings, she just nodded to convey her understanding.

'I guess that's why I never mentioned him. Because I'm just... not sure. I think I feel guilty for not being as into him as I should be... It's so silly. He's good to me. And charming. And sweet. And handsome. And I should be over the moon about it.' Brittany shook her head with a wry smile. 'But anyways. Look at me going on and on now. My relationship issues are really not that interesting. I'm sure you don't want to hear about it.'

'I don't mind.' Santana offered up the friendliest and most comforting expression she could manage. Seeing Brittany so unsure hurt her more than she could have expected. She suddenly realized that she wanted nothing but happiness for the blonde. Even if that meant working things out with Mike. This selflessness was certainly not like her at all and it was disturbing to say the least. But Santana did her best to shake it off.

Brittany gave her an appreciative grin. 'Thanks. It's just that I don't really have anyone I can talk to about this stuff. I mean, pretty much all the friends I have here I know through Mike or they know him from dance school. That's how I met Blaine actually. He and Mike went to high school together... And I don't really see anyone I work with outside of work.' She shrugged lightly. 'It's just nice to have someone to talk with.'

'Hey. No problem.' Santana replied gently. 'But... if you don't mind my asking, if you don't think he's right for you... why are you still with him?' The words flowed out freely, unfiltered by her brain and stuffed with innocent curiosity. It did nothing to lessen her guilt though. Are you insane Santana? That is NOT cool. You said you'd stay out of it and you will. It's not your place! Especially because you have feelings for her!

Brittany let out a small laugh. 'I feel bad I think. He's never done anything wrong. He's always been the best boyfriend anyone could ask for.' Her eyebrows furrowed in thought. 'And I think honestly... I know it's stupid but... I can't stand the thought of hurting him. He's one my best friends.'

Santana nodded in understanding. Even though she wanted to scream that Brittany deserved to find someone she loved and she shouldn't settle for someone she wasn't sure about just because she was afraid of making them sad... the Latina took a deep, calming breath and reached over to take the blonde's hand gently. 'It's not stupid Brittany. I think it's really nice that you care about him so much.'

Brittany glanced down at their connected hands for a long moment before returning her gaze to Santana's eyes. 'You're kinda awesome, do you know that?' She smiled brightly. 'I'm really glad we're friends.'

Friends. Despite the flip of her stomach at the compliment,the word helped to ground Santana and she removed her hand from the blonde's, clearing her throat with a small blush. 'Yeah. Me too.'

There was a short pause as both girls watched a couple come to sit in the row below them.

'So... what about you? Any relationship troubles you wanna vent about? I think I've done enough rambling for tonight.' Brittany shifted to face Santana more and placed her elbow on the armrest, holding her chin in her hand.

The question caught the Latina completely off guard. Although her heart skipped a beat and she was tempted to look for an excuse to brush the topic off somehow, she realized it was only fair that she shared too. Brittany had trusted her enough to open up about something fairly personal. That thought alone made her feel incredibly special. She figured the blonde deserved the same honesty and respect from her. Not that she had much to share... But she could at least disclose on her sexuality. 'Nope. Sorry to say... I'm pretty boring. My last girlfriend was quite a while ago now. And... yeah. There hasn't really been anything since.'

Santana held her breath as she watched the recognition play across Brittany's face. The girl didn't seem surprised. Although, her slight pause did hint towards some thought on the newly revealed information. Santana wondered how Brittany was going to respond. She was sure that she wouldn't run screaming or anything. The girl seemed far too kind and accepting to ever have a problem with that sort of thing.

'Hmmm... Maybe it's better. Girls can be just as much trouble as guys.' Brittany laughed.

Santana had to fight off her surprise at the statement. Did that really mean what she thought it meant? Did Brittany just imply she was bisexual? A few days ago, this information wouldn't have come as a surprise to the brunette. After all, she'd had her suspicions from the start. But since finding out about Mike, she'd just automatically assumed Brittany was straight.

'Sounds like you're speaking from experience.' She asked with a sly smirk on her face.

'Maybe a little.' Brittany replied casually, sporting her own mischievous grin.

Almost on cue, the lights in the theatre went down and the screen flickered to life, casting shadows across their faces and forcing their eyes away from each other. But Santana was glad for the interruption. It meant she didn't have to hide the huge smile on her face.

They spent the rest of the movie in relative silence, occasionally sharing an amused look and a giggle when something funny happened on screen or a shy apology when their hands bumped in the popcorn. Santana had to keep reminding herself that this wasn't a date. But at times it felt so cliché, it might as well have been. Something in Brittany's playful glances was making her feel incredibly nervous and even though she was sure she was making it up in her head, the air around them seemed tense with anticipation.

She promised herself she wouldn't take things any further when she found out Brittany had a boyfriend. And despite knowing now that things might be a little rocky for them and the blonde could potentially play for her team, she was going to keep that promise. She refused to be the cause for their break-up. Because even if Brittany did like her back... Entering a relationship like that was sure to be some seriously bad karma.

Santana also tried to suppress the hope that was swelling inside of her screaming that if they did remain friends, and over the course of time, Brittany and Mike did break up for their own reasons, she might have a real chance with the blonde. It was far too arrogant and certainly too early to be thinking that way. But it's possible...

Whether or not Brittany liked her, there was certainly an attraction there. She could just feel it. Their looks... the spark when their hands or elbows accidentally brushed on the armrest... there was chemistry. It was foolish to deny it. And she could sense the blonde felt it too.

But none of it mattered. Not when Brittany was so obviously loyal to Mike. The girl was sure to deny it.

When the movie ended, they spent a few minutes chatting about it, sharing their favourite moments as they slowly ambled out onto the street. Santana was surprised that she had actually enjoyed the overly cutesy film. Although she wondered if maybe it was simply due to the beautiful girl she had shared it with.

'This was fun.' Brittany turned to face her as they stood on the sidewalk.

'Yeah. I had a really good time.' Santana smiled. She had expected seeing Brittany would be like torture... but it wasn't like that at all. Sure, when they spoke about Mike, she felt the expected twinge of jealousy and sadness... and the desire to lean over and affectionately brush the hair from Brittany's face on numerous occasions was difficult to suppress... but it was worth it for all those cute little smiles and the sound of her laughter. 'We should do it again sometime.'

'Definitely.' Brittany chewed her bottom lip slightly before leaning over to wrap her arms around Santana's neck. The hug was friendly. But it still held for just a moment too long.

As they pulled away, Santana wondered if it had been her own unwillingness to let go or if they had both been guilty of lingering. She had a hard time trying to figure it out though as the smell of Brittany's fruity shampoo refused to leave her senses. And by the time she gathered herself properly, Brittany was already waving goodbye.

With her skin tingling and her heart attempting to slow to a moderate gallop, Santana took back everything she'd thought about their time together being easy. That brief moment of intimacy stung warm inside in her chest, reminding her of exactly what she was missing out on. And it hurt.

But could she really give up her time with the blonde because it was painful?

No. Being with Brittany felt too right. It might suck big time now... but she could get passed it eventually. She was strong. And it would be worth it to have another friend besides Kurt that she felt comfortable really being herself around. Sure Brittany made her nervous. But there was also something so calming about her presence. And it was addictive.

Brittany was like a drug. And she was definitely hooked.

A/N: So actually... that didn't turn out quite as angst-y as I thought it would. Hmm... perhaps the next chapter might be a little darker. Hope you guys still liked it regardless!

What did you all think? How are you feeling about this whole Brittany/Mike thing now?

Let me know! I love your sweet lady kisses... uh I mean 'reviews'. So please! Negative or positive, I want to hear it! Thanks for reading =)

Oh and just in case you haven't heard, at the SAG awards HeMo said Brittana are going to KISS in the VDay episode. That's right. KISS. LOTS.

If she's trolling, I will kill her...

*sigh* Who am I kidding. I'll still love her.