Never again (Quinntana)

Chapter 42 - Salt and Longing

"Brittany?", Santana said, baffled. "What are you doing here?" 

"Uh- I- I'm sorry-" Brittany was fidgeting with her purse, her eyes fixed on the floor. 

Maribel interrupted, eager to put an end to her discomfort. "It was Brittany who warned us you weren't at practice, honey. She called us to check on you, and when we realized you were missing, I offered that she wait here."

"Oh-", Santana said. 

"I'm sorry-", Brittany started again. "I didn't mean to make such a mess-"

"Don't be sorry, honey", Maribel quipped. "You did the right thing by letting us know." Maribel smiled warmly at her, and Brittany's spirits soared.

"Yes, thank you for checking on me, Brit." Santana added.

"I'm glad you're safe", Brittany smiled shyly. "I can go now, you probably want to-"

"No, Brit. Please stay. I want to thank you properly", Santana said. She threw a quick glance at her parents to make sure they didn't mind, then seized the blonde's hand and walked to her room. "Come on, Brit-Brit."

Brittany closed the door behind them and leaned back against it, her cheeks a light shade of red. 

"Are you okay, San? What happened? Why are you wearing these clothes? They're not yours, are they?"

Santana frowned. "I- I fell in the mud and had to change", she answered lamely.

Brittany eyed her suspiciously, worry etched on her face. "San- You can talk to me. I won't tell anyone. Just- please- I want to know that you're okay." Brittany's eyes were pleading now, her hand still holding Santana's and squeezing it lightly. "I just want you to be okay", she whispered. 

Santana lifted her eyes to meet Brittany's. She found them filled with love, empathy, worry and pain, and somehow she felt bound to reassure her friend.

"I'm okay, Brittany.", Santana breathed, the lie flowing easily. "I'm okay", she repeated, trying to convince herself as Brittany pulled her into a hug. "I'm okay-", she said once again as a sob shook her and she snuggled against Brittany's chest.

"Shh. Shh-" Brittany rubbed Santana's back comfortingly, her heart breaking as her best friend fell apart in her arms. "I'm there, Santana. I'm here. Always", she murmured.

The last of Santana's tears fell on her cheeks as she closed her eyes in resolve, gently pulling away from Brittany.

"I'm a mess, aren't I?", she laughed, her voice hoarse from the crying. The question was rhetorical.

Roughly, she started drying her tears with the hem of Quinn's sweatshirt. The fabric was rubbing against her cheek, the pain getting through her numbness, balancing her anxiety. 

She was gazing into space, unable to connect to reality. Solely focusing on the feel of the cotton against her skin. She noticed distractedly that she was only drying her right cheek. 

Mechanically, she raised her left arm. Brittany's cold fingers on her lifted hand jerked her awake.

"San", Brittany said, and she tenderly reached for Santana's right arm, pulling it away from her face.

Santana let the blonde guide her, slightly annoyed at this interference. Brittany had unknowingly tampered with her tether to reality, and the anxiety was growing again now in Santana's chest, her arms useless at her sides-

She felt cold contact against her cheek like a jolt of current. Britany's slender fingers were softly wiping away the remaining tears, soothing where the cotton had rubbed. Santana's chest relaxed and she leaned into the touch, closing her eyes briefly as she reveled in the sensation. 

When she opened them again Brittany's face had gotten significantly closer, her eyes shining with longing.

"Whatever happened to you, it was not your fault", she said. 

Santana shook her head in defeat. "Yes. It was."

"Santana. Santana, look at me." Brittany ordered.

Brittany brushed the tears from her cheeks ever so gently, and held Santana's face in her palms.

Santana saw Brittany's glance flutter, from her eyes to her lips. Back to her eyes. Down to her lips. She never knew which one of them closed the gap.

Lips on lips, longing and pain, numbness and fire, salt and sugar.

Brittany's lips on Santana's. Santana's lips on Brittany's. 

The anxiety receded.

A.N.

Hello beautiful people! Hope you're all fine! Thank you for reading, voting and commenting. What do you think about this chapter? Who's team Brittana? Tell me in the comments 😎😉

Much love,

Alya

P.S. This chapter is dedicated to @Kaz3e_ ! Thank you for voting!