It isn't like Sam set out to lick Artie's abs (or any other part of him). It just kind of happens sometimes. They're both drunk off their asses at Rachel's party so when Artie falls out of his chair doing a bodyshot off of him just seems like the logical thing to do. Their girlfriends are doing one anyway, so it's completely legit.

Sam hadn't anticipated discovering that he is very gay. Sure, there had signs. After all, he definitely thought about naked men more than a straight guy should, but he had hoped that maybe he's just part gay. Maybe just on Thursday or something, and the rest of the time he's just your average heterosexual man.

Then he licks Artie's abs and finds out that he is most definitely a full fledged gay. Sam feels more licking Artie than he had ever felt kissing or grinding against girls, so he decides to lick him again. And again. Artie's just laughing, so Sam figures it's okay to kiss him. It isn't like Artie is straight; the whole glee club knows that more or less. Artie grabs him and pulls him closer, sliding his tongue into Sam's mouth. There's clapping and hooting as they pull apart. Sam feels kind of embarrassed (the boner he can feel growing doesn't help), but Artie is grinning broadly up at him like it's Christmas. His smile falls as Sam scrambles up and runs up the stairs, ignoring the people shouting at him.

Sam ends up stumbling the whole way home, crashing into his bed early in the morning. When he wakes up, his clothes are dirty and there are scratches covering his hands and arms from falling over on his way home. He doesn't want to move ever again.

The next time he sees Artie, everything is completely normal. Artie even invites him over for a gaming night. Sam accepts because he really, really likes Artie and doesn't want their friendship to be messed up because he's a big gay idiot. What he doesn't expect is to have Artie waving some beer at him when he arrives. Even less expected is Sam taking it and chugging it down.

"Our girlfriends are cheating on us, you know," Artie says morosely, already clearly a little drunk. He struggles a little to get out of his chair to his bed, but he manages.

Sam just nods, grabbing another drink and sitting next to him. Oh, he knows. He knows but doesn't want to say anything because as much as he hates his relationship he needs it. There's a long silence and Sam takes a couple gulps of his drink in anticipation of… something.

"That means it can't be too bad if I do this, right?" Artie asks, and before Sam can think Artie has pulled him on top of him and is kissing him hard. Sam decides to stop thinking and just kiss Artie back and it feels so right.

They're both breathing hard when they pull apart and Sam murmurs, "That was definitely not bad."

"I like kissing you," Artie replies, starting to kiss Sam's neck. "You taste good." He sucks hard where Sam's shoulder meets his neck, and Sam knows he should stop Artie because how can he explain a mark on his neck? But Sam doesn't want Artie to ever stop kissing him. When Artie grabs his ass, Sam decides he doesn't want him to ever stop doing that either. Or having Artie push his hand against his groin.

There's a lot of groaning and yelling as they press against each other until they've both cum in their pants. They both fall asleep, curled around each other. Sam wakes up, pants dirty and sticky and gross, and carefully untangles himself from Artie, slipping out the door. He knows that Artie's woken up, but he's more than willing to pretend that he doesn't.

It becomes a pattern. Sam goes over to Artie's, they get drunk, and they make out. Slowly, clothes start coming off. First their shirts slip off one night, Sam deciding that he absolutely needs to see those abs again. His family loses their house and Sam feels so useless, but Artie makes him feel better with his lips and tongue and a finger slipping inside him. Then Artie practically tears Sam's pants off when Brittany dumps him. Sam doesn't get why it's such a big deal to Artie, all things considered, but when Artie wraps his lips around his dick, Sam's confusion slips away. More and more often they talk before falling asleep.

Sam always leaves before Artie gets up in the morning. Truth be told, between working and school, he's exhausted and if he was smart, he would drop this whole thing. But this has never been a particularly smart thing, so he keeps going over to Artie's whenever he's asked and he can.

Then it happens. When Sam wakes up, Artie's smiling at him. Something in Sam tells him to run the fuck out of there, but something larger tells him to press his lips against Artie's. From then on, Sam stays over a little in the morning and sometimes he stays for breakfast too. They sit together at lunch and glee club. For all intents and purposes, they're dating, even if they never say it aloud.

When they're in New York for Nationals, they go out to dinner together at a fancy restaurant. They go out on a walk, and when some guy hits on Sam, Artie accidentally runs that guy's foot over. Sam laughs at him and kisses his cheek. They still aren't dating.

They still aren't dating when Sam moves. Being apart just means that they talk more. Almost constantly, but Sam doesn't tell him when he starts stripping. For some reason, it feels like he's cheating even though they aren't dating.

That's why it makes Sam feel sick to his stomach when Artie rolls into his bar, looking around excitedly. Sam wants to crawl off stage, but instead he just prays that this song ends before Artie sees him. The world doesn't work like that though, so Artie sees him, and Sam watches as his face starts off confused and shifts quickly to something akin to betrayal. Sam wants to leap off stage so he can explain it to him because it isn't as bad as it looks- he isn't as bad as he looks- but he has to finish up.

As soon as he's done, Sam rushes out to try to find Artie in the crowd, but he isn't there. Sam searches frantically. He gives up and walks dejectedly outside, wondering if he's lost out on something so important. Artie is sitting there, looking confused as he looks up at Sam.

There's an awkward silence as they stare at each other. "What are you doing here?" Sam finally asks, wanting to sit in Artie's lap and have him wrap his arms around him.

"Your parents said you were a bartender here. I wanted to surprise you. My parents asked what I wanted to do for my birthday next week. I wanted to see you. I miss you," Artie says quietly. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here. My parents don't know what I do. If they did…" Sam knows they would make him stop, "But if my family needs anything, I can help them with my abs. I need to do what I have to."

Artie closes the space between them and tugs him into his lap. "Come here. Sam Evans, I always knew your sometimes insane desire to help people would end up with you doing something like this." One night, Sam had confessed to Artie how he felt about his body, and Artie had made him feel better, at least for the night. "Come back with me."

"What?" Sam doesn't know how this happened. "I just told you-"

"And your parents just told me how hard it's been for you, trying to adapt to a new school. I'm guessing this too. Your family is going to be fine. Just let yourself be a little bit selfish this time," Artie said.

"I don't have anywhere to go," Sam points out. He can't afford a place of his own.

"You fit in my bed," Artie says with a shrug.

"Your parents will be okay with that?" Sam says.

"They're pretty hands off like that. They adore you, too. Such a good influence. Plus," he sounds a little sheepish, "they noticed how much happier I was when you started coming over and how sad I got when you moved."

"You got sad?" Sam asks.

Artie rests his head on Sam's shoulder and wraps his arm around him. "You're very important to me, Sam. I didn't like you being gone."

"I didn't like being gone," Sam murmurs. "From you more than anyone else."

"Come back?"

"Be my boyfriend? You don't have to, but-"

Sam shuts him up with a kiss.