A/N: Alright, well this is a sequel to Security Blanket. It was supposed to be only a oneshot but it's turned out to be a lot longer; maybe about five or six chapters worth (I haven't finished it yet, so I don't know). This is set sometime between the episodes Theatricality and Funk; it's also slightly AU, I think.

Warning: Contains swearing and lots of Brittany pouting

"Black as the devil, Hot as hell,

Pure as an angel, Sweet as love."

~Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord (about coffee)

Santana's kind of like coffee, Brittany decides as she watches the Latina finish off both her and the blonde's chemistry homework. The taller girl gazes into her Styrofoam cup of brown liquid; Santana's the same colour as coffee and, like the first time you take a big gulp of it, she can be kind of bitter tasting as well. But she's also addictive and always keeps people coming back for more, something Brittany is quite sure Puck would agree with. Also, like coffee, Santana's the only thing that has ever had any success at getting her out of bed in the morning and making sure that she doesn't go back until night-time.

That's why, above everything else, coffee is her favourite drink. Even though the blonde likes her slushies and is probably the only one on the Cheerios who actually prefers to drink theirs over throwing it at someone, not to mention that lemonade makes her giddy and hot chocolate puts a sleepy little smile on her face, coffee is still her favourite drink; mostly because Santana is her favourite person.

Today, Santana's the bitter kind of coffee as she glowers at the books spread out in front of her on the library table and ignores most of Brittany's attempts to start up conversation. She's like this sometimes; for no particular reason that the blonde can see, Santana's grumpy on some days.

Maybe her friend just doesn't like homework; after all, she doesn't like it very much. To test this theory Brittany decides to offer her assistance. "Do you want me to help?"

Santana just looks at her with an expression that's not quite a glare but certainly something that's well on the way to it. The Latina never gets angry with her, at least Brittany's never noticed her being angry at her before, so the blonde doesn't take offence – it's just another side effect of Santana's not-so-happy mood. She also admits to herself that she might not have been much help anyway – the blonde finds chemistry, like most things, confusing, even more so than recipes and those really take her for a loop.

Brittany pouts. "Do you want some of my coffee?" There's not much left but she thinks Santana might be able to get a sip or two out of it.

The brunette rolls her eyes and returns her gaze to the books piled up on the table in front of her. "I'm cool, B."

The word confuses Brittany because she knows very well that Santana is cool – most of the Cheerios are – but she doesn't really see what it could have to do with the present conversation. Maybe it's just another one of those things that she doesn't quite understand.

Seeing how puzzled her friend is, Santana's expression softens slightly and she offers a small smile. "I mean I'm fine."

"Oh." But now Brittany's even more confused because she knows for a fact that the Latina is not fine. She might not ever know why her best friend is upset but she's always the first to recognise when she is.

They continue in silence for a few more minutes, Santana poring over notes and volumes so thick that they make the blonde exhausted just looking at them. Brittany busies herself with staring at the Latina, trying to see whether just by looking she will be able to figure out what is wrong. "San?"

"Mm?" she replies distractedly, not looking up as she continues writing down some notes.

"Why do you lie to me?" Brittany knows she's not very smart, she sees the looks that people give her when she says something that maybe she shouldn't have said, but she also knows that she's Santana-Smart – the blonde knows what every little look, every movement and action, crease of her forehead, mean in regards to her best friend's mood. She's the best person for the job when it comes to helping her best friend because she knows what little things will make her smile and just what to say to make her laugh. So Brittany doesn't understand why Santana would keep anything from her.

The brunette's head shoots up in alarm. "What do you mean? I don't lie to you."

It's another lie because Brittany can always tell when Santana's not being completely honest – the Latina always either clenches her hands or taps her fingers when she lies. She's doing the latter now."Yes you do."

She's not upset by the fact, just confused because she tells Santana everything and she doesn't get why the brunette wouldn't do the same when it comes to her. But, then, Santana can be a very confusing person sometimes. Puck says this is because she's a girl and all girls are confusing but Brittany doesn't find Pregnant Quinn, Strong Mercedes, Goth Tina, Star Rachael and Cute Kurt as confusing as Santana so the advice doesn't make much sense; maybe it's just a Puck thing.

When it looks like Santana's about to protest again, Brittany cuts her off, even though she knows Santana hates it when she does that. "You said you're fine but you look grumpy."

She forces a smile that looks nothing like the real ones the blonde is used to and it kind of hurts to see it. "I'm just pissed at fucking Mr. O'Conner for giving us this stupid assignment. I mean, who besides dumbass scientists need to understand Entropy?"

"What's Entropy?" Brittany isn't very sure what Entropy is, though by the amount of notes Santana has written by now she seems to understand it very well so the blonde doesn't see why it would upset her. She also isn't about to say that she actually likes Mr. O'Conner because last month he gave her a lollipop for getting her first A – he still doesn't know that it was Santana who actually did the work.

"A disorganised system or whatever," Santana responded distractedly, waving away the comment. "I'm not lying to you."

Brittany stares at her for a moment, really looks at her, because she wishes she wasn't lying, she doesn't want her best friend to lie to her but she's not stupid. She may be a little dimmer than other people but she's not stupid, not when it comes to Santana. "But you're not telling the truth either."

Something like pain flashes in Santana's eyes and the stare is broken, the Latina busying herself with flipping a page in her textbook. "You know what, Britt? I think maybe you should go. You don't need

to be here for this. Go make out with Jackie Chan or whatever." She doesn't look at her when says this and Brittany's pout deepens.

"I thought you always needed me." Santana had certainly given off that impression. They did everything together and the whole school knew it. Then there were those nights when San would climb in through her bedroom window and curl up beside her in bed, holding her tightly. Sometimes those nights would involve kissing and groping but more often than not Brittany would just hold her because, at night, that was when Santana needed her the most.

For a moment, Santana looks guilty and her mouth opens as if she's about to reassure the blonde but instead she squares her shoulders and turns away once more. "Like I said: Just go have fun with Mike or something."

Brittany's heart gives a little squeeze that is not at all pleasant, not like when she's at Glee club and Santana threads their fingers together, not really caring what the Gleeks will make of the action, and sends her maybe-more-than-a-friend a smile that's meant just for her. This is a painful squeeze, kind of like what Brittany imagines having your heart compressed between Coach Sylvester's shoe and the ground of the football oval would feel like.

It's not a feeling she's used to.

Looking down at the coffee in her lap, no longer as appetizing as it once was, the blonde's nods her head and murmurs something that might have been an 'OK' but she's not entirely sure. Her mouth is too full of the bitter taste of coffee to really notice.

A/N: What did you think?