Sam plans his approach carefully. He knows the backdoor is the easiest for Artie to get out of, so he waits there at the end of his first day back at McKinley. When Finn offers him a ride home, Sam waves him off. He hadn't really planned a ride home, but he had to talk to Artie as soon as possible.
Time passes slowly, so he slides down the lockers until he lands gently on his ass. Just as Sam starts worrying that Artie is already gone, he hears the familiar sound of Artie's approach. He smiles as he hears the gentle sounds of Artie's wheelchair rolling down the hall.
"Sam? What are you doing here? Did you miss your ride?" Artie asks when he turns the corner.
"Yeah, but on purpose. I need to talk to you." Sam says.
Artie wheels closer so he's right in front of Sam. As he looks up at Artie, Sam realizes how rarely he looks up at Artie. It's kind of interesting.
"What's up Sam? I meant to say earlier that it's really great having you back. I missed you," Artie says.
Sam smiles and tilts his head back so it hits the lockers as a wave of exhaustion washes over him.
"I missed you, too. A lot," Sam says.
There's a pause and Artie tentatively asks, "Is everything okay? Whatever happened between you and Blaine seemed pretty intense."
Part of Sam really doesn't want to talk about it- about what he had to do to feed his family and about his shame. The rest of Sam figures if there's anyone Sam trusts, it's Artie. Sam needs to talk about it and Artie is the only one who he can really talk to about this after the fiasco earlier. He opens his eyes and finds Artie's.
"Finn and Rachel didn't tell you where they found me, did they?" Sam asks.
Artie shakes his head.
"They found me stripping in a bar. You have to understand Artie, I didn't want to at all," Sam says desperately, "I just needed to feed my family and make sure my siblings had everything they needed. I didn't want them to be picked on for ratty clothes or for them to get cold when winter came. Stripping pays so much more than anything else someone who hasn't finished high school can get. So I did it. I was so ashamed, still am ashamed, honestly. When Blaine said that about being for sale I just snapped."
He waits for judgment, for scorn, for something. Even though he trusts Artie and talking about it without someone forcing it out feels good, he still isn't completely sure that he wants to talk like this, slumped in an empty high school hallway. Artie looks at him, face twisted a little like he's figuring out to say.
"Blaine was completely out of line," Artie starts, and Sam brightens. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, Sam. Stripping isn't a bad thing by any means, and you did what you had to for your family. The fact that you were willing to put aside your personal feelings about your body and about stripping because you felt needed to is… admirable. Not everyone would do that. It isn't your responsibility to take care of your family like that, but you did. Of course you did, you're Sam Evans."
Sam feels tears starting to form and he wipes his eyes.
"Thanks Artie. I think I really needed to hear that," Sam says.
"Did anything bad happen?" Artie asks softly.
Sam shakes his head.
"I worked in a pretty decent bar. The occasional groping, but nothing too bad," Sam says.
Artie sighs in relief and relaxes a bit. Sam is touched that Artie was worried.
"Is that why you needed to talk to me?" Artie asks.
"Not exactly," Sam says. He takes a deep breath. "What did you mean earlier when you said that you had tingles? You, like, pointed at your dick."
Artie looks around.
"You're very sexy Sam," Artie says before his eyes widen. "I didn't even think; you've probably been objectified enough and you're probably sick of it."
"It's okay. That's what I kind of guessed. I don't mind what you say, by the way. You're good. Anyway, I didn't know you were gay." Sam says.
"That's because I'm not. Bisexual. You're the first person who has caught on, though. It's amazing what people overlook," Artie says.
Artie looks down at his lap.
"Does it make you uncomfortable, that I'm bisexual?" Artie mumbles.
"No. I think it's kind of a very good thing," Sam says.
Artie looks up in surprise.
"Really?"
"Well you're bisexual. I'm gay. You think I'm sexy. I think you're the best guy I've ever met. So yeah, you being bi works out well from where I'm standing. Sitting, I mean," Sam blurts out.
"You… you think I'm the best guy you've ever met? In a gay way?" Artie asks.
"Yeah, definitely. I figured out I was gay when I missed you so much and when I didn't really find any of the women I gave lap dances to attractive. Not even the ones that the other guys wanted to have. The wet dreams helped too. Wake up from enough dreams of a certain guy with messy sheets and you get the message," Sam says.
Artie blushes.
"You had dreams about me? Wet dreams?" Artie asks.
Sam's a little embarrassed. He realizes now that admitting sexual fantasies about your best friend is probably the wrong way to go about asking him out. Then again, what about either Sam or Artie's lives have gone the right way?
"Yeah. You're really hot too. This is really awkward and dumb since I've just admitted having dirty dreams about you, but those aren't the only dreams I've had about you," Sam says. "I've dreamed about a lot of other things we could do. Like maybe go to a movie on Friday?"
Artie's eyes light up.
"That sounds like a very good dream. I've had plenty of dreams about you too. You do realize that you're not just a hot bod, right? You're my best friend because you're kind and strong and brave. Hopefully, since you think I'm hot and great and I think you're hot and great you'll also be my boyfriend?" Artie says.
Sam sits up so he's crouching in front of Artie, leaning forward so he's resting partially on Artie's legs. He's still looking up at Artie, whose hands are moving towards Sam at an excruciatingly slow pace. For a second it looks like Artie is going to put his hands back in his lap, so Sam nods his permission for Artie to touch him. Artie's hands are gentle as they trace his jawline and tangle in his hair. It feels so good. Sam never thought being touched by someone could feel this good. It didn't when the girls he dated touched him and it certainly didn't when the patrons grabbed at him.
"Come up here. I want to try something," Artie says.
Sam stands up a little bit and leans forward. He holds onto the arms of Artie's wheelchair for support. Artie cups his face again and guides him gently into a kiss. There's plenty of time for Sam to pull back if wanted to, but there's no way that Sam would pull back from this.
Artie's lips are soft against his. Sam shifts so he's standing a little bit more and his hands are grasping Artie's waist, giving him a better angle to deepen the kiss. When they break apart, Sam sits back against the lockers again and they both have the biggest grins on their faces.
"So is that yes to a movie on Friday? Because that was definitely a yes to being your boyfriend," Sam says.
"Yeah, that was a complete and total yes to Friday night," Artie says.
Sam jumps up.
"I'll pick you up at seven? There's a new scifi movie playing in town," Sam says.
"Sounds perfect. Do you want a ride to the Hummel-Husdons'?" Artie asks.
"Sure," Sam says, walking next to Artie outside.
A warm feeling settled over him, even though it was cold outside. His second go at McKinley was already getting off to a better start than the first.