His Name is Beloved
"I'm expecting a gift soon." Santana's mouth was a hard line. "In fact, if I'm not mistaken, I should have one already."
Sam was driving her home after glee practice on Monday.
"Fine. I'll buy it tonight. I was just sick Sunday -"
"Oh, bullshit. I've heard that sore throat and that excuse enough to know that it's from giving head." She smirked. "Either you're really bad or really inexperienced. They might be the same thing, though."
Sam tried to laugh, but it still hurt. "You're crazy. I'm not gay."
"I didn't say you were. Are you paranoid about it, people calling you gay?"
Yes. "Why would I be?"
"Because I happen to know that just as I watched you leave, Brittany saw someone else on the football team leaving. I also know that you left surprisingly early and that you weren't home until two hours after you left."
"Alright, Santana, I'll play. Who do you think I'm fucking?"
"Karofsky. Which is weird, because the last I heard, Finn was digging at him for never having a girlfriend... and running off our friend."
"Oh, so Kurt's your friend?"
"Let's stay on subject." Her smile was curved like the edges of a poster. "You know, I haven't actually fucked Karofsky. How big is he?"
"I'm not having sex with him." I should have called him a name.
"Then who's the girl you are fucking?"
"You think I want to tell you her name after what you tried to do to Lauren?"
"Look, tell me who it is, or I start a vicious rumor about you and Karofsky anyways."
"Like anyone would believe that."
"They won't when he freaks out and punches your pretty face in to prove just how straight he is."
"You're a horrible bitch."
"I want to know who you're fucking."
"Fine! Yes! It's Dave." He rested his forehead on the steering wheel. "Shit! Santana, why do you have to ruin everything? Can't people just have secrets? We had a deal!"
"Now I have another one."
"Excuse me?"
"I want you to work on a number with Artie."
"Why?"
"So I can work on one with Brittany. We don't get enough girl time anymore."
Sam scoffed. "Oh, please. Your 'girl-time' is just you two making out."
Santana frowned.
"I bet you two don't even care if you're dating someone else or not."
"I just want my best friend back for a week, okay?"
"I'll do it." He swiped some blonde hair out of his eyes. "You promise you won't tell anyone ever?"
"Ever." She leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.
The good thing was that Dave came to visit him on Wednesday.
"Your voice is still off," he said, leaning forward, "but it sounds totally sexy. Did you ask your mom about it?"
"Uh, no, I got advice from someone else."
"What?"
"Santana knows about us."
For a long time, they were silent. Sam watched the shock register on Dave's face, then the fear. Then Dave crumpled into a ball on the floor. He wasn't crying, at least Sam didn't think he was. When he checked, Dave just stared at him with dry eyes.
"Sam."
"She won't tell."
"Sam, I want to punch you."
"I made her promise!"
"How could you have told her!"
"She figured it out on her own!"
"She's going to tell people, Sam!"
"I worked out a deal, okay?"
"Yeah, that's what you said about cheating on her!"
"She promised!"
"How much does that mean, exactly?"
Sam couldn't answer him, and that's when the tears came.
"Fuck, Sam!"
"Sh..."
"Get off me!" Dave sat up. "Why can't anything work out for me?"
"Come on, it'll work out." Sam tried to smile for him.
"If – if she ever told – Sam, Sam, I would die."
"You wouldn't die; you'd get through it."
"No." He shook his head.
"You're stronger than you think." Sam wrapped his arms around Dave.
"Not strong enough for that."
Dave spent the night on Friday. It was the first time he'd done that. Dave was too nervous to do more than kiss, but Sam didn't care. Dave didn't even use the sleeping bag he'd brought; he fell asleep snuggling with Sam. When he woke up, Sam tried not to move. He didn't want to wake Dave up, too. Sam put on a brave face for Dave, convincing him that everything was going to be fine, but in reality, Sam was almost as scared as Dave. Kurt had every right to not forgive Dave, but Sam knew how much Dave needed it. Sam nestled his head on Dave's shoulder.
I love you.
The words surprised him. The worst part was that he couldn't tell Dave. Dave wasn't ready for it.