Author's Note:

Again, I'd like to welcome all those new readers who've just joined us. This week I've noticed several new story alerts and even favorites for not only this story but also its predecessors. At the same time, I'd also like to grouse. While there have been several new readers and plenty of hits, there have been very few reviews... Come on guys, I don't bite! (Well except on request.) Besides, I usually write back.

Okay enough whining from me ... on with the show!

Don't know anything, don't know anyone, and certainly don't own anything. (I wish though!) Please feel free to review with constructive criticism, etc.

10 - Thanks

Sam lay in the bed thrashing about; he kicked at the sheets as he punched at the air. "No, no," he moaned as he growled and grunted. "No ... Dave ... No!" He lurched forward as he started awake and then covered his face with his hands as he lay back down on the pillow in a cold sweat.

"Sam?" the voice said quietly.

The voice almost scared him as much as the dream. Sam removed his hands to find Blaine standing just inside his door. His hand on the door, he was in his usual boxer brief and tank night attire with a concerned look on his face.

"Are you okay?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Sam, said running a hand through his hair. "Just a dream."

"Yeah, I figured," Blaine, said moving closer to the bed. "Look, I don't want to pry, but like I told you, if it's about what happened ... I've been through it, so we can talk if you want."

"I ... I don't know," Sam said. "It's stupid."

"One thing that Dan's told me that's stuck," Blaine said, "it's not stupid if it's what you feel."

Sam wrinkled the brows above his green eyes. "Well it feels stupid then," Sam said, a crooked half smile creeping across his face.

Blaine smiled back. "You feel like talking, stupid or not?"

Sam shrugged and sat up. He turned on the lamp on his bedside table and then adjusted the covers around his waist. The sweat still glistened across his bare chest as he rubbed at his eyes and face. He ran his fingers through his dirty blond hair then said, "It is stupid, I mean it went great this weekend for Thanksgiving." He shrugged. "I mean, Dave went down, we had a great time with the kids, a great meal with the family..." Sam laughed. "Hell, they even let us sleep together in my room." Blaine gave him a look, his eyebrows raised. "No, we didn't do anything, like I ever could in the same house as my folks and my little bro and sis! We just cuddled together and slept on a palette on the floor."

"Yeah, it doesn't really matter how open they are, it's not happening with us," Blaine said grinning and sitting on the side of the bed. "So, what was the dream about?"

"It was just a replay of what happened," Sam said. "Only this time after they tore into me, Dave was there and they wailed on him." Blaine nodded. "Like I said though, we had a great time down with my folks and we had just as good a time back up here with Dave's folks. I mean it was so awesome that they said it was okay and delayed their Thanksgiving 'til later over the weekend so Dave could go down with me first."

"Yeah they have been great haven't they?" Blaine said smiling at him.

"I really ... yes, it shook me up when those guys jumped me," Sam said. "Shit happens though, like Andy said, they could have jumped me just for the money." Blaine nodded. "I still think that the gay stuff was just an afterthought. So I don't think it's that, I think it's more about Dave and me than the actual attack."

"Okay, I'll accept that," Blaine said. "Is that why you were worried about telling Dave then and why were you worried about him seeing you?"

"Yeah..." Sam started but fell flat. "I was being stupid; I didn't want him to worry about it." Sam shook his head. "I know this is really going to sound stupid..."

"Can we just drop the stupid thing?" Blaine said. "Let's just agree that it's not as cut and dry as stupid or whatever. Okay?"

Sam nodded. "Well even if it isn't stupid, it's probably just me being over sensitive. I mean, Dave's gay, whole hearted, not ever into girls, no question." Sam noted the strange look on Blaine's face. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just never quite thought about it that way," Blaine said, "but I know what you mean, never even had that kind of thought about a girl myself either. Well except for that one time last year, but we'll let that one go."

"Yeah, well," Sam, said giving him a look. "Hell, it may just be me, I mean, I have had girlfriends, and I have felt that way about a girl. I guess I just have the feeling that he doesn't always think I'm really ... I don't know ... that I can be as in love with him if I have been with a girl. I mean, he's talked to me about 'turning it off' about 'ignoring the gay part' like it is a choice ... but it's not a choice..."

Blaine nodded. "Yeah, if you think about it, that's one of the first arguments that a gay or lesbian would make, 'I was born this way, it's not a choice', 'cause it's not something that you choose."

"Yeah," Sam said. "I tried to explain it, that I fall for a person, not a girl or a guy, I love him, but it's not like he trusts that it's true all the time."

"Well, not justifying for him," Blaine said, "but Dave has been through a lot. I mean, he did literally hate himself for a while there, to the point that he threatened to kill Kurt if he said anything..."

"Dave would never really do that," Sam said shaking his head. "I mean he's the sweetest and kindest guy I've ever met."

"He is," Blaine said. "That proves my point though, he was so messed up that he let it ... change the way he is." Blaine struggled with the last part. "I don't think that he would have, not now, not after he's faced it head on, but he literally hated himself enough that he probably would have eventually hurt Kurt, or more than likely, himself first."

Sam winced as the words sunk in.

"I'm sure that he wouldn't do it now," Blaine said. "It's the equal and opposite thing that Dan talks about, though. As much as he hated himself, he's got to find it just as likely that everyone else hated him too, or at least that nobody could really love him. I don't think it's that he doesn't believe you, I think it's just hard for him to believe that anyone could really love him that much."

Sam cocked his head to the side. Blaine smiling inwardly as he reminded him of a curious puppy as he mulled over his words. "You know, I never really thought about it like that," Sam finally said. "He doesn't think I'm lying, just that it's too good to be true." Blaine nodded. "I can't tell you how many times I've felt that way, just..." Sam smiled. "Thanks."

"Anytime," Blaine said. "We better get some sleep now, we've got school tomorrow. You've got the shower first tomorrow, so make sure your alarm is set."

"It is," Sam said. "Night, man. Thanks again." He leaned over, turned off his lamp, and began to settle back in.

"Night, Sam," Blaine said as he left the room and pulled the door mostly closed. He turned to find Dan leaning against the opposite wall in his own boxer brief night attire. "Eavesdropping?" he said grinning.

"No," Dan said smiling as he shook his head. "I was just up using the restroom and saw the lights on."

"Hear much?" Blaine asked.

Dan shook his head as he shrugged. "Enough," he said. "Wasn't long ago that it might have been us having that conversation."

Blaine nodded. "So, how did I do?"

"How do you think you did?" Dan asked.

"I think we probably got to the real root of the matter," Blaine said. "We at least started down the path to thinking about the right question." Dan nodded. Blaine squinted over at him. "You know, I'm waiting for you to start charging by the hour. You sound that much like my old therapist."

"Nah," Dan said. "I don't charge by the hour. It's built into the rent you pay."

Blaine glared at him and then playfully punched his arm, right in the tattoo. "That's why Derrick talked you into that thing. It's not a cross, 'X' marks the spot."

Dan reached over and ruffled his hair. "Go to bed!"

"Got all of your homework done?" Stevie asked.

"I've got a couple more Calculus problems and another article to read for that science report that I have to turn in Friday," Sam said. "And Dave and I are going to go over our history worksheets when he gets here later."

"Is it hard?" Stevie asked. "The Calculus and the science I mean."

"Not as hard as I thought it would be," Sam said smiling. "I actually love the articles; Mr. D gives them to me out of science journals and stuff that he gets, so they're really new stuff that I wouldn't ordinarily get to hear about. Hey, did you finish 'Ender's Shadow' yet?"

"I think I've got a couple more chapters left," Stevie said. "Then we can start talking about it. You are right, it was neat to read 'Ender's Game' first and then read 'Ender's Shadow' to look at the same scenes from Bean's side."

"I know, he did do a really great job, especially since he wrote those two so far apart." Sam heard the bell at the front door. "Whoa, that's probably Dave. I gotta go Stevie, love you."

"Love you two Sammy," Stevie said. "Talk to you later."

Sam clicked exit on the chat screen, Stevie's face disappeared, and Sam closed his laptop. He then trotted to the front door and opened it to find Dave there smiling.

"Hey, Sam, how's it going?" Dave said.

"Great, come on in," Sam said holding the door open for him. "You wanna head back to my room?"

"Sure," Dave said as he headed down the hall. "So where is everyone else?"

"Oh, uh, Blaine is over at Kurt's for the evening and Mr. D is at that PTA thing and then the PFLAG thing afterwards," Sam said as he followed him. "You wanna drink?"

"Nah, I'm good thanks," Dave said. "Did you finish your history?"

"All except for a couple of the questions," Sam said. "You wanna do that first?"

"Sure," Dave said.

The two spent about an hour working on their homework before they decided to take a break for some drinks.

"Hey, can we talk a minute?" Sam asked as the two reentered his room.

"Sure, of course," Dave said taking a drink and then sitting his drink down on Sam's desk.

"It's something that I guess has been bothering me," Sam said. Dave perked up at the statement. "I just ... I get the feeling sometimes that you're not really sure that we're okay."

Dave looked at him strangely. "That we're okay? What do you mean?"

"Well, you know I love you right?" Sam asked.

"Of course I do," Dave said.

"Are you sure?" Sam said. "I mean, you've tried to ... 'give me an out', several times ... don't you know that, 'I love you' means that it's not an optional type of thing?"

Dave opened his mouth to say something, and then just closed it. "What brought this on?"

"I just," Sam started. He coughed. "When I was attacked..." Dave's expression dropped at the memories. "Just hear me out Dave, all the way." Dave nodded. "When they jumped me, I know for the most part they just wanted the easy cash, and then they clicked on the gay connection and thought it would be fun to rub that in."

"Rub it in?" Dave said rather shocked.

"Just hear it all first," Sam said. "They took markers, they marked me up. Hell, I don't even remember what all they wrote. I mainly remember looking like The Joker when the assholes marked up my lips with red sharpie ... and they wrote 'FAG' across my forehead."

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Dave said.

Sam couldn't tell if he were hearing anger or sadness. "As many times as you've asked me why I hadn't just dropped you and gone with a girl ... I just didn't want to give you a reason to ask me again."

Sam could see the tears as they attempted to well up in Dave's eyes. They seemed just at the brink, but he was making a valiant effort to prevent them from falling. Dave cleared his throat and said, "Do you not trust me or something?"

"No, it's not that Dave," Sam said reaching over to take his hand. "Sometimes I just get the feeling that you don't trust me."

Dave looked confused. "Why would you say that?"

"Like I said, you talk to me like you think I have a choice when it comes to falling for you," Sam said. "Like just because I have fallen for a girl before ... that I could have chosen not to fall for you ... but I love you. No choice, implied, inferred, or intended. It just happened, you're stuck with me." Sam smiled at him with tears creeping into his own eyes.

"I..." Dave stared at him. "I'm sorry. I just can't believe sometimes that I got so lucky ... that you could have actually chosen me."

"That's just it, I didn't choose," Sam said smiling. "It wasn't a choice. It wasn't because I'm gay, it wasn't because I like girls and guys, and it wasn't because you're a loveable teddy bear. It's because you're ... you. You're the noblest guy I've ever met, you're generous, you're great with kids, and you're sexy as all hell to boot. It's like I've been looking for something like you all my life and you just fell into my lap. Sometimes I can't believe it either, but it's real, it's true and it's not a choice ... you're as stuck with me as I am with you."

"I..." Dave said then stopped and sighed. "I didn't know it was getting to you. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"It's just something that you don't have to worry about," Sam said. "Just accept it. I have."

Dave smiled and leaned over and kissed him. "I'm sorry. Just accept from now on?"

Sam nodded. "That's all I'm asking."

"They really did all that to you?" Dave said. "And you didn't tell me?"

"Look, I'm not going to say that it didn't affect me," Sam said. "I've had nightmares, I've sat bolt upright in a cold sweat, but more than that I've worried about us. As long as I have us though ... that ... can't hurt me. Do you understand?"

Dave looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, "Yeah."

Sam leaned over and kissed him. "Good," he said. He leaned back in his chair and looked at Dave. Soon a mischievous look came to Sam's face. "Since we've taken care of most of our homework," he said, "and we've got the place to ourselves, and we're not going to worry about stupid crap anymore ... why don't we ... uh ... kind of have some us time?"

"What do you have in mind?" Dave said grinning.

"Well we can cuddle for a start and then see where it goes," Sam said standing up and offering Dave his hand.

"Uh, are you sure you're all okay now?" Dave asked.

"It's been two months," Sam said. "I'm willing to at least risk it."

Dave laughed then took his hand and the two headed for the bed. They lay on the bed and stretched out. "I do love you," Dave said. "I'm sorry if you've ever doubted it."

"Shh," Sam said. "No problems, no troubles, nothing but us now."

Dave nodded. "Hey, there is something I've wanted to do ... ever since we were interrupted the last time..."

"What?" Sam asked smiling over at him.

"Well, it was a little something like this..." Dave moved down and began to unfasten Sam's jeans, all the time staring up into Sam's green eyes.

"We were interrupted that time weren't we?" Sam said smiling.

"Yeah," Dave said nodding. He slowly reached into Sam's boxers and removed his manhood. He bent down to take it in his mouth but stopped. His eyebrows wrinkled as he looked back up at Sam. "If you have any problems ... from what happened ... if it hurts at all, tell me?"

Sam nodded down at him, and then Dave leaned over and took him in as deeply as he could, all the while his eyes locked on Sam's. Sam gasped as his green eyes rolled back. He balled the coverlet in his fists as his back arched.

Dave began a rhythm, first taking in as much of Sam's shaft as he could and then pulling off just leaving the tip in his mouth. He circled the hood with his tongue, being sure to pay attention to the slit at the end and the sensitive underside, before diving back down all the way.

Dave reached up and slowly began to push Sam's shirt up, first uncovering his rippled abs and then his taught chest. He dusted his hand over him detecting the scant hairs that you couldn't really see, following them down to the darker more visible pleasure trail that led from his navel into his pubic region.

"Oh my God," Sam panted. "That feels sooo good."

Dave couldn't help but smile around his mouthful. He continued his motions with his mouth as he began to play with Sam's balls. He first rolled one, and then the other and then both against one another as he also played gently with the hairs.

It wasn't long before Sam was tapping at his shoulder. "Dave." He swallowed. "Dave, I'm close," he panted. "Really close."

Dave continued his job for a few more repetitions, wanting to continue as long as he could, but then pulled off and continued with his hand. It only took a few more strokes and Sam emptied himself.

Dave looked on in awe. Sure he'd finally become adventurous and checked out some of 'those' sites. He'd seen videos of guys masturbating, he knew what it looked like to shoot a load, he'd shot more than several himself after all. This time was different though, he'd done it, not to himself, but to his boyfriend, his beautiful, sexy, hot boyfriend.

He and Sam had made love before of course, but each time there hadn't been a 'show' to see. It was a mutual thing or it was a hidden thing, in a towel or over the phone. This time he got to see the real fruit of his labor. He saw the arc of each volley as it issued from Sam, watched it as it flew and landed on his abs, his chest, and his thighs. Dave let go and marveled as he watched the little twitches subside as cum continued to trickle from Sam.

Sam finally opened his eyes and Dave could see the sated lust burning inside them. "That was the best I've ever had," Sam said. "I thought you told me last time that it was your first time."

"This is my second time trying it," Dave said smiling up at him.

"Whatever!" Sam said falling back to the pillow.

"C..can I try something?" Dave asked tentatively.

"You have to ask?" Sam said smiling down to him. "Darlin, you can try anything you want."

Dave reached down, dipped his finger into one of the puddles on Sam's stomach, and tentatively moved it to his mouth. He put the finger in and tasted.

Sam grinned. "Uh, how is it?"

"Interesting," Dave said. "Not exactly what I thought it would be, but I could get used to it."

"You know you don't have to if you don't want to," Sam said.

"I'll just try it a few more times and let you know," Dave said smiling at him. "Until then, you got some tissues?"

"Yeah, Blaine gave me a box for beside the bed," Sam said. "I wonder if this is what he had in mind for them."

They looked at one another for a few seconds then both together nodded and said, "Probably." They took a few minutes to clean Sam up and then both lay down beside one another again.

"You ready for your turn?" Sam asked smiling. Dave nodded. "Um, I don't think I'm quite ready to..."

"It's okay," Dave said. "Whatever you're comfortable with."

Sam reached over, opened Dave's jeans, removed his swollen shaft, and began stroking. He sat up onto his knees and used his other hand to raise Dave's shirt.

Dave took the initiative and pulled it the rest of the way off, then helped Sam to remove his. "I like you like this," Dave said grinning.

"I like you like that too," Sam said. "I wanna try something again."

Dave nodded and Sam halted his strokes to remove his jeans and boxers fully. Dave took the hint and did the same. Sam then moved to straddle Dave's thighs and resume stroking his shaft.

Sam brushed his free hand through the fur on Dave's chest as Dave ran his hands up and down Sam's thighs. Eventually Sam brought their shafts together and began stroking them together.

Dave moaned as he felt the tender undersides of their shafts roll about one another. "Oh God, Sam, I missed this," Dave said.

Sam smiled and moved around on Dave's thighs and Dave spread his legs letting Sam's balls fall between them. Dave gasped as he felt Sam's balls roll over his own. Sam too let a moan escape his lips.

The two moaned together until Dave arched his back, Sam rising with him. Dave screamed as his orgasm hit. His cum sprayed across his stomach and chest and even managed to hit Sam's stomach as Sam pumped at their two shafts.

Sam felt the warm sticky cum flow down his hand and around his shaft, altering the sensation and then he felt his own balls tighten again as he added his second load to Dave's. Sam continued to pump until he felt both their pulses calm. He then sat back onto Dave's thighs.

Sam smiled down at Dave. "Feeling better?"

Dave huffed out a deep breath. "Oh, yeah, I feel wonderful."

"I can't believe we haven't done that since we were in New York," Sam said.

"Well, face it, we've been a bit limited since then," Dave said.

"That is true," Sam said. Sam looked down to see a conflicted look on Dave's face. "You okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah!" Dave said. "I'm just a little torn here."

"Why?" Sam said quickly sounding worried.

"I just ... well I like this ... love to stay like this," Dave said, "but I am a bit thirsty. We did just stop for drinks."

Sam laughed. "First tissues, and then drinks. Then I think we can cuddle some more." He looked at his watch. "I think we still have an hour or so before Mr. D's due home."

End note:

Okay, there you go. Hope you all enjoyed, and yes, you do know how to let me know...