"Nice, Blaine," the NYADA professor praised quietly, "That's exactly what I was looking for. You're perfect for Seymour." The former Warbler grinned. His time at NYADA was going unbelievably well. Perhaps Blaine could make it here in New York after all. "The official cast list for this year's spring production of Little Shop of Horrors will be posted tomorrow. Good luck to you all." The teacher patted Blaine's shoulder as he left the room.
Blaine was ecstatic and there was only one person he wanted to call: Sam. His sweet, loving boyfriend was going to be so proud of him. Blaine couldn't wait to hear Sam exclaim "alright, alright, alright" in his classic McConaughey voice as he picked him up in his super strong, gorgeous arms. With that image in mind, Blaine quickly dialed the number he knew so well. "Hi babe!" he exclaimed brightly. The typically excitable Sam responded quietly and almost fearfully, "H-hey Blainey."
"How is the shoot going, love?" Blaine asked gently, fearing the response would be negative. Sam was a working model now and Blaine couldn't be prouder. However, he had noticed a change in the other man, and not a positive one. Sam seemed withdrawn and almost scared. Blaine was confused by this change, but he was confident that something was going on at these modeling shoots, and it wasn't something good.
"Can you please come pick me up?" the model begged his boyfriend. Sam was in shambles. He had bolted out of the room of the shoot and stumbled onto the curb. He needed to get away from her. "What's going on, Sammy?" Blaine questioned as he fumbled with his keys, trying to unlock the car door. "Please just come, Blaine," he pleaded. "I'm coming babe, I promise, I'm only 10 minutes away," Blaine reassured as he entered his car immediately.
Sam paced up and down the sidewalk as tears rolled down his cheeks. Why had this happened to him so many times? Was he behaving badly? He thought he was being a professional, but these photographers seemed to think of him as just another prop. Sam wanted Blaine. He wanted to be held by him and comforted by him. But Sam couldn't shake the feeling that he had wronged his boyfriend in some way. No. No, Blaine wouldn't think that. Blaine would understand. He always did.
"Sam," Blaine called from his seat in the car. The model bolted to the passenger seat. "Thank you, Blainey," he said softly. The shorter man smiled and kissed his sweetheart on the cheek gently. "Always, love. Let's go home." Sam nodded his agreement. Blaine placed his hand comfortingly on the blonde's thigh. Sam smiled and laced his fingers between Blaine's. The other man squeezed his hand gently. The pair drove home quietly. Sam wasn't ready to have this conversation yet. He wasn't sure if he'd ever be ready.
Blaine exited the car then walked around to the passenger's side. Being the gentlemen he was raised to be, Blaine opened the door for his boyfriend. Sam giggled as he proclaimed, "My knight in shining armor!" The curly haired man grinned; keeping a smile on Sam Evans' face was always his number one priority. Blaine offered his arm and Sam gladly took it. Sam nuzzled into the shorter man as he unlocked the door to their small but comforting apartment.
Blaine went to the kitchen as he called over his shoulder, "Hot chocolate?" Sam nodded gratefully, "Thank you, babe." Blaine simply smiled in response as he placed the kettle on the stove. Sam pondered how lucky he is for the millionth time. His boyfriend always knew how to make him feel better, even when he didn't know what was wrong. "You can put on A New Hop, Sammy," Blaine offered, "but after we talk." Sam's stomach dropped; he didn't want to talk about this. However, Sam knew he didn't have choice. Blaine deserves to know. So, the blonde man nodded reluctantly as Blaine prepared the hot cocoa.
Sam unknowingly flinched as his boyfriend took a seat on the couch beside him. The flinch didn't go unnoticed by Blaine; he put the hot chocolate mugs on the table and apologized gently, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." "I know," Sam offered, "I just, I don't like surprises lately." Blaine cocked an eyebrow; Sam loves surprises. However, he let the comment go as there were more serious matters at hand.
Blaine pulled his boyfriend into a loving embrace. "What's going on, babe, huh?" the shorter man asked, hoping to coax an answer from the anxious man. Sam remained silent and Blaine noticed his eyes watering. "I love you, Sammy. You can tell me anything. And if you're hurting I need to know. I need to know so I can help you." The blonde shook his head as the tears fell from his eyes. "I don't want you to be mad at me," he whispered honestly. Blaine's stomach dropped. What if he is cheating on me? What if he wants to leave me? Suddenly, all the shorter man's biggest fears and insecurities were rising to the surface.
"Why would I be mad at you?" Blaine asked, attempting to remain calm. "I don't want them to do it to me," Sam said, a pleading look in his eyes, "I-I try to get them away from me, but it's hard. I'm like a human prop." Blaine's previous fears vanished, however, they were replaced with some much bigger worries. "What does that mean, Sammy?" Blaine asked nervously. Sam crumbled into his love's body as his shoulders shook with sobs. "Shhhh, honey, it's going to be okay," Blaine comforted, kissing the other man's forehead gently.
Sam shook his head, "No. No, it's not okay, Blaine. It's like I'm cheating on you. I try so hard to get her away from me. I-I tell her no over and over, but that doesn't make this okay and I'm so sorry. Please don't leave." Blaine finally understood. Sam usually told him everything, but with this, Sam was blaming himself. So of course he had been avoiding telling Blaine the truth.
"Sammy, I love you. And it's because I love you and want to help you that I ask you this question: are the people at your shoot doing inappropriate things to you?" Blaine questioned quietly. "I-I don't want to do this anymore, Blaine. The photographer lady, she keeps touching me and when I tell her, beg her, to stop she tells me that I don't get a say. That models don't have a voice. So, I just stand there and cry because I can't hit her, and I can't run away because all the doors are locked. And I pray, Blaine. I pray that she'll stop. But she never stops." Sam gasped as another wave of sobs overtook him.
Blaine felt like someone had run him over with a truck. This disgusting, repulsive woman was taking advantage of his sweet, innocent Sammy. Blaine wanted to kill her. He honestly did. Never in his life had Blaine ever felt such searing, burning rage. "This is not your fault, honey," Blaine responded firmly and lovingly, "You are not doing anything wrong, you aren't hurting me, okay?" Sam shrugged and avoided the shorter man's gaze.
Blaine took his love's face into his hands and gently guided Sam's chin upwards, so he was forced to look into his eyes. "Babe, this is an evil, evil woman. She is using your body for her own enjoyment and that isn't in any way your fault. You aren't cheating or doing anything wrong. She is doing the wrong. And Sammy, sweetheart, we aren't ever going to let you see that disgusting woman again." Sam looked so relieved he could cry, and he did cry. "So, you aren't mad at me?" the blonde questioned, almost disbelieving. Blaine's heart was breaking so he brought Sam's face towards his own and kissed him kindly.
"I am so not at all mad at you, love. I'm mad at the photographer. I'm so mad at her. You know how much I hate violence, but I'd really like to punch that woman right in the face. I am so, so sorry she's been doing this to you. And I am so, so sorry that I didn't find out for so long. But she's done taking advantage of you, babe. We won't let her," Blaine offered. Sam nodded into his shoulder. The brunette held his boyfriend even tighter. "You know what we are gonna do?" Blaine said with a slight smile. Sam simply shook his head. "We are going to drink hot chocolate, order some pizza, and marathon Star Wars."
Sam finally looked up at Blaine, his eyelashes wet, and smiled. A small smile, but a smile nonetheless. "I love you. Blaine, I'm never going to do this to you again," he promised urgently. "You never did anything to me. And I love you, too. I think it's time for Star Wars," Blaine responded gently. Sam nodded in agreement as he laid his head on his boyfriend's lap. "Thank you for this," Sam whispered as Blaine stroked his blonde hair. "For nothing, love. I'll always be here to help you."
"Oh!" Sam exclaimed, "What happened with the Seymour audition?" Blaine grinned, feeling incredibly touched that amid all the chaos and pain going on, Sam had remembered his boyfriend's callback. "Between you and me, I know I'm gonna get it!" Blaine squealed excitedly. "Duh!" Sam responded with equal enthusiasm, "That's my baby! I'm so proud of you." Blaine blushed, "Well, I didn't get it yet. The list is posted tomorrow, but the professor basically told me I was getting the part." Sam sat up from the shorter man's lap. "He'd be crazy not to give you it, babe. You're a star," the blonde praised affectionately.
"You are so irresistible," Blaine gushed as he leaned in for a kiss. Sam giggled, "It's the lips." Blaine nodded and spoke out in agreement, "It's definitely the lips." Sam loved his flirty banter with the love of his life. "Feel free to kiss them as long as you'd like," he challenged. "Oh honey, trust me, I will."