Title: Expert Advice
Author: bana05
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Mercedes/Sam, Mike/Tina, Evans Siblings
Spoilers: All of Glee thus far.
Disclaimer: Glee ain't mine, unfortunately; otherwise, Mercedes would have a harem.
Summary: Sam asks Mike for a primer of how to make a relationship in glee club succeed.
Author's notes: I think Sam and Mike are actually undercover BFFs, and I wanted to explore that a bit. Besides, I don't know who better else to ask about how to maintain a relationship considering Mike and Tina managed to last an entire season. That's like forty years in glee club time...please forgive errors and enjoy!

Mike Chang gave a "bro hug" the minute Sam opened the door, then high-fived Stevie and waved at a suddenly shy Stacy who giggled and hid her face behind a pillow.

"Future heartbreaker, that one," Mike warned.

"We all have shotguns at the ready," Sam joked, winking at his little sister when she deigned to reveal her face once more. Stevie teasing her distracted Stacy from her embarrassment and Sam let his siblings fight for a while. The Electric Company was about to come on PBS and they loved that show, which was why he'd chosen this time to ask Mike over so they could talk.

It was as if the two had immediately recognized a like-minded individual when he'd joined the football team, Mike telling him he'd reminded him of his best friend Matt who'd moved to Texas during last summer while Mike was eerily similar to his best friend Carlos Gutiérrez from home. In fact, it hadn't even been Finn who'd convinced him to join, but Mike, saying it really was one of the most accepting student groups in the entire school.

And as a new transfer, that had been too enticing to turn down.

But then Sam had gotten caught up in the pursuit of popularity and swept into the musical chairs that were glee club's relationships, yet he'd been observant enough to realize Tina and Mike had never been.

He wanted in on the secret.

"So, what's up?" Mike asked, sitting on the edge of the unoccupied bed. Sam sat next to him, amused when his siblings immediately stopped arguing as soon as the beginning strains of The Electric Company theme came on.

Sam nibbled on his bottom lip for a moment, trying to find a way to ask without appearing to be nosy. But this was Mike, and he deserved more than dissembling. "How do you do it?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to be a little more specific…"

Sam chuckled and nodded. "Duh! Yes, I mean…how do you and Tina stay so strong amid all the romantic chaos that is glee club?"

Mike immediately rolled his eyes. "It's not Quinn again, is it?" He groaned, not waiting for Sam to respond. "Look, as scary as she can be sometimes, I really do like the girl; but let's not revisit that particular chapter, okay? Honestly, I'm surprised she waited this long to try to get you back—"

"No! No, no revisiting chapters, I promise," Sam said, shaking his head. "She's not trying to get me back or vice versa. We really are better off as friends, trust me. She's been great…as a friend, it's not Quinn."

"Or Santana," Mike added. "Because, seriously, dude, I'd have to reevaluate our friendship. And your sanity."

Sam merely gave Mike an "Are you kidding me?" look.

Mike sighed in relief. "But it is someone in glee club, otherwise, you wouldn't ask me that," Mike said, clearly not needing Sam's confirmation.

"Ah—"

"And I know it's not Lauren or Tina because they're taken and you're not like that—Brittany? I mean, that kiss at Rachel's party was pretty hot and heavy!"

"And drunken," Sam said, even as he smirked. "She is a great kisser, though."

Mike nodded, a dopey grin on his face. "And if you ever tell Tina that, I'll taint your shampoo in the locker rooms to dye your hair purple."

"Noted," Sam said with a snort. "But not Brittany. She's sweet and hot, obviously, but there's too much…erm…confusion with her."

"There's a word for it," Mike muttered.

"Besides," Sam continued, "I don't think it matters who the person is; people seemed to be very curious about Jesse and he's not in glee."

"Used to be, remember?" Mike said. "And he betrayed us."

"Right," Sam said.

"And given all that's happened, safe to assume it's not Rachel, either. I really hope it isn't. I'm still amazed she's always the epicenter of just about every relationship drama as is."

"Not my type," Sam said definitively with a grin.

"Neither is Kurt, who is taken as well, so, hmm, guess it isn't someone in glee…"

"Really, now?" Sam asked with an edge.

"Well, we went over all the—!" Mike's eyes suddenly went very wide and he slapped his hand over his mouth.

Sam rolled his eyes, irritated by the blush he knew Mike saw and his friend's reaction.

"How—wait—what? Start over!" Mike whispered fiercely, leaning forward. "You're interested in Mercedes?"

"I don't know if I like your tone," Sam whispered back with a frown.

"No! Nothing like that, just surprised," Mike admitted. "Really, though?"

"Why not Mercedes? She's smart, funny, loyal, the most talented person in the whole club—"

"And Mercedes!" Mike reiterated. "I just—I don't know, she always seemed above everything, you know? And talk about hard to impress! She shot Puck down multiple times—nobody shoots down Puck!"

"Lauren did," Sam reminded him.

"The very Lauren who is now dating him."

"So did every other girl in glee club except for Tina…what does Puck have that nobody else does?"

"It's the mohawk," Mike said simply, "although he didn't have it when he and Mercedes were dating; he was really just Noah then."

Sam ran a hand through his hair and made a face. "I don't think that would work for me."

"Or for Mercedes," Mike said with a frown of his own. "She doesn't like fake, Sam. She's one of the most genuine people I know; so if you really want a shot, be real with her."

"I can do that," Sam said.

"And as for Tina and me…" Mike grinned and looked down at his fingers. "She accepts me and affirms me and I accept and affirm her. There's no one else in our relationship but us. I think the problem with the glee relationships is everyone is so concerned about what other people think. As long as your primary focus is each other, I think you'll stay out of the fray—that is, if you manage to convince Mercedes to go out with you!"

Sam nodded, not bothering to correct Mike's assumption on the status of his and Mercedes' relationship. "How is Tina?"

The immediate smile that came on Mike's face really said it all. "She's great! Actually, hanging out with Mercedes and Quinn at Mercedes' house. I'd just dropped her off there," Mike said and he rubbed his hands. "They're baking cookies!"

"Cookies!" Stevie and Stacy shouted. "Sammy, is Mercedes coming over with cookies?" Stacy asked.

Mike's eyebrows rose and Sam ignored it to answer his sister. "It's not Thursday, y'all."

"But the cookies, Sammy!"

"I can text Tina to save some—Mercedes offered to drop Tina off here so I wouldn't have to double back; we're going to the movies," Mike said, whipping out his phone with his thumbs hovering over the keys.

"Sure! Yeah, Mercedes comes by with cookies on Thursdays; it's become something of an institution for them," Sam explained.

"That's awesome," Mike proclaimed. "She is one of the most generous people I know."

"She's amazing," Sam said, a dreamy look in his eyes that he couldn't quite hide.

Mike chuckled and began his text. "You're already gone, brother! Already gone!"

"Look," Sam said, lowering his voice and leaning forward to Mike. "Don't….tell anyone, okay?"

Mike shook his head. "Secret's safe with me." He then looked up from his phone and grinned at him. "Good luck, man. Now that I think about it, you two did look really good together at prom. Maybe this could be the start of something special."

Sam brightened at that. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Mike said. "At least you have that to go on. Let things flow naturally too. Trying to pace it will only lead to frustration and unnecessary heartache."

"You and Tina?"

"Tension all through Asian Summer Camp last year," Mike admitted, shaking his head wryly. "Tina refused to act on it until she broke it off with Artie."

"Y'all seem fine now—you, Tina, and Artie, I mean," Sam said.

"Because Artie is cool. It was rough at first, but then he found Brittany and we actually became quite close."

About fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the door and Sam answered it. He gave both Tina and Mercedes a kiss on the cheek as they entered.

"Where's Quinn?" Sam asked, smiling a little at the way his siblings rushed to the Tupperware full of cookies.

"She had to go home, but she told me to give you guys these!" Mercedes said, enveloping Stacy and Stevie with large hugs.

Mike and Tina didn't stay long because their movie was starting soon, but Mike eyed Mercedes as she was saying goodbye to Tina and gave Sam a surreptitious wink of encouragement.

"And tell me if the movie is awesome; I'm still on the fence," Mercedes called after Tina as they left.

Sam shut the door and remained so close that Mercedes had to rest her back against it. "What are they going to see?"

"Thor," Mercedes answered.

"Have you read the comic?"

"Do I look like I read comics?"

Sam shrugged. "You look like you could…"

She tried to look aloof, but he raised a challenging eyebrow at her. "Fine, primarily X-men though because I used to watch the cartoon when I was younger."

"This surprises me none," Sam said on a laugh. "That is such a starter comic for the layperson, but maybe we can go to the library and I can introduce you to more."

"Ask your parents if I'm allowed to take the Evans children on field trips, and we will," Mercedes said with a small smile.

Sam looked over his shoulder quickly and internally cheered when he saw his siblings occupied by the television again. He then wrapped Mercedes in his arms and snuck a kiss to her temple.

"I told Mike…sort of…"

"I told Tina…sort of…" she whispered in return.

Sam pulled back and grinned. "You had to tell someone too?"

"Yeah," Mercedes said, bunching his shirt at his waist. "This feeling I'm feeling is too much for me to keep inside. I would tell Kurt but he's on his 'love high' with Blaine and he'll try to yank us along to get us there with them, and I—"

"Want to go at our pace," Sam said, brushing his knuckles against her cheek.

She sighed softly and leaned into his caress, closing her eyes. "Yeah."

"That's what Mike said to do," Sam said.

"Tina too."

"We have very wise friends," he murmured against her forehead.

"Yes," she agreed, snuggling into his chest.

They just stood there and held each other. Sam didn't remember feeling this content in a long while. She smelled of the cookies his family had grown to love and he really wanted to taste her; but he couldn't take the risk with his siblings in the room.

"We need to move out of this motel soon," Sam murmured, his breath brushing her hair atop her head. "I need privacy with you."

"Uh, what do you think is gonna go down, boy?" Mercedes asked on a chuckle.

"Hopefully some kissin' and some cuddlin'," he teased, sneaking a hand down to her hip and squeezing.

Mercedes muffled her giggle in his chest and he hid his smile in her hair. "I see."

"You want my kisses and cuddles," Sam whispered in her ear.

"Yes," she confessed, suddenly becoming quiet. "More than anything."

Sam pulled back again and lifted her face so their eyes could meet. "Mercedes…"

"I should go before I tackle you in front of your siblings," Mercedes mumbled and managed to use his shock at her words to walk around him and give Stevie and Stacy hugs goodbye.

"I'm walking you to your car," Sam announced so his siblings would know he was going to be out for a few moments.

Mercedes shook her head. "You don't—"

"Yes, I do," Sam rumbled, and Mercedes' eyes widened as she nodded.

"We'll still see you Thursday, Mercedes?" Stevie asked, never taking his eyes from the television screen.

"Yes, sweetie, you will," she told them both. "Be good for Sam!"

"We will!" they promised.

"Lock the door behind me and don't open it unless it's me, Mom, or Dad," he told Stevie.

"How far away is the car?" Stevie asked, this time turning around to regard him, but immediately turned back when Sam shot him a menacing look.

Mercedes giggled the entire short walk to her car, Sam trying not to grin but unable to help it when she laughed like that.

"You only think they're cute because you don't have to spend all day with them!" he said, leaning her against her car door.

"I bet you were just as cute when you were their age."

"I'm still cute."

"Yes," she agreed.

"And you are gorgeous," he whispered and finally kissed her, brushing his nose against hers when they broke apart. "Drive home safely, lady."

"Kiss me again and I'll go," she murmured.

"Only you could make kissing a threat instead of a promise," he teased but kissed her again, making sure this was a short one so he wouldn't give into pulling her close and never letting her go.

He remained outside until he could no longer see her taillights. Stacy opened the door for him when he knocked and demanded to be held.

"Is Mercedes your new girlfriend?" she asked once he'd settled her on his hip.

"Uh—"

"If I were you I wouldn't let a woman like that go," Stevie said wisely, and Stacy nodded emphatically.

He chuckled, giving Stacy a smacking kiss to her cheek and ruffling Stevie's hair. "I'll keep that advice in mind," he promised.

He'd also keep it in his heart.