The shadow passing over Blaine was a nuisance he wasn't interested in right then. Finals week was legendary at Dalton and the last thing Blaine wanted was a distraction. The other student stayed where he was for a few moments before, realizing that Blaine wasn't going to look up from his history book, he moved to sit down across from him at the table.
"You already know you're going to pass your final. I don't know what's got you so worried."
Blaine bit back a sarcastic comment. He was running on too little sleep and too much coffee which meant his filter wasn't working as well as it normally did. While he and Sebastian normally both enjoyed their verbal sparring, he knew when it was too far. Sebastian pretended that he didn't have feelings or care about others but Blaine had learned the truth in the almost year they'd known each other. Blaine had a feeling he was one of the few who was close enough to know Sebastian that way.
"I prefer to be sure," Blaine said instead, reluctantly setting down his pencil because Sebastian wasn't going to be going anywhere before he got what he wanted. "Did you come to quietly study in the library or bug me?"
Sebastian smirked a little since Blaine already knew the answer. The taller student didn't have his bookbag with him and had no books to study right then. His smirk wavered though, looking so much less confident than normal. Curiosity piqued, Blaine tilted his head to the side.
"Bother you, of course. Unlike some people, I know my material." Blaine rolled his eyes, moving to pick up his pencil again but Sebastian sighed. "And I… might have something to ask you."
In the time they'd known each other, Blaine had heard Sebastian ask for help maybe a handful of times. Sebastian preferred to do things himself and he'd rather go sleepless getting his own answer to his problems than ask for help. It made Warblers business a pain sometimes but Blaine had gotten used to it.
"Okay…"
Sebastian looked down at Blaine's hands, chewing on his lip, as if thinking of what he wanted to say. Blaine wasn't sure what to do with this uncharacteristic behavior of Sebastian's, so used to the Sebastian that exuded confidence, or at least, was good at pretending.
There were several more moments of silence before Sebastian cleared his throat. "What are you doing this summer?"
Blaine raised his eyebrows, sure that couldn't have been what Sebastian had been about to ask. But he took pity on Sebastian, even if he couldn't help but think he really should be studying. "In August, I'll be going with my mom to visit family in Oregon. Until then? I don't know. Relax, I guess. What are your plans?"
"Ever polite," Sebastian said although the bite was missing from his voice. He shrugged, looking away from Blaine, at nothing in particular. "My family is doing a big beach trip. Me, my parents, brother, sister, some cousins. You know how it is."
Blaine nodded, waiting for Sebastian to continue but he didn't. "That sounds like fun," Blaine said finally, twirling his pencil between his fingers as he hoped Sebastian would get to the point soon. There was no way Sebastian came over just to chat about their summer plans.
"You heard that Sean and I aren't together anymore?"
"Is that what you're calling it?" Blaine asked since the story he had heard was that Sean had thought he and Sebastian were something serious. Sebastian had obviously disagreed since he was still hooking up with other people on the side. When Sean had found out, he had loudly broken up with Sebastian in the gardens.
Sebastian shrugged, looking entirely unrepentant, not that Blaine expected anything else from him. "I didn't realize he thought the two of us were exclusive. We'd never had that discussion. That's not the point anyway. I liked him well enough. We were friends. So… I invited him to the beach. And now he doesn't want to go which, if you ask me, is a little on the ridiculous side. It's a free vacation. We're just going to have fun."
Blaine bit the inside of his lip to keep from smiling too widely. Of course, Sebastian would think it was easy to just hide your feelings and go with somebody on a vacation. Blaine couldn't relate. He fell too hard too fast every time and was awful at hiding those feelings. Most of the time.
"Don't look at me like that," Sebastian said, a tiny smile on his own lips because he knew Blaine well enough to recognize Blaine's expression. "Anyway… I was wondering if you wanted to go to the beach with my family."
At first, Blaine was sure that he'd misheard Sebastian. Then he shook his head. "What's the catch?" Because with Sebastian there was always a catch. Blaine liked Sebastian. He didn't want to. Sebastian was crude and often unkind, too full of himself and insanely stubborn. But he was smart and funny and when nobody was around to call him on it, he had his sweet moments. It would be easy if Blaine could look at Sebastian and only see the asshole Sebastian tried to be. He just couldn't. Honestly, Sebastian was probably his best friend.
Sebastian pressed his lips together in a way that made it very clear to Blaine that there was a catch. "My family was really excited that I had finally invited a guy I was seeing on vacation with us. I've never brought a boy home before and they were thrilled. While I don't care about telling them that we're not together, or even the circumstances, I don't want to spend another week having my family tell me why I should want to make my life more boring by committing myself to one person."
"Oh," Blaine murmured, biting his lower lip as he tried to really comprehend what Sebastian was saying to him. The way Sebastian was describing it seemed so simple. Much too simple. "Are you… asking me to be your boyfriend? Fake boyfriend. Are you asking me to be your fake boyfriend for the benefit of your family?"
"For my benefit," Sebastian corrected immediately, shifting in his seat as he shrugged his shoulders. Blaine could tell he was aiming for casual but that this mattered to him. "So I don't need to listen to them talk about how good relationships are."
"Are you actually pretending that I'm Sean because I'm not sure I can remember to answer to that name."
Sebastian laughed, shaking his head and he looked the tiniest bit more relaxed because of it. Blaine looked away so Sebastian wouldn't see how his laugh made Blaine smile. "No. The only thing I ever told them was that he went to Dalton and that we weren't super serious. The only pretending you need to do is tell them I asked you out several weeks ago and we've been dating ever since and that you're crazy about me. I know that last one won't be hard."
From anybody else, that kind of cockiness would be a turn-off. But Blaine couldn't help finding Sebastian gorgeous with the way that he tilted his chin up a notch, the way he smirked at the other boy. Blaine would never admit that out loud, though. "And what do I get out of it?"
"A vacation, like I said," Sebastian responded, shrugging his shoulders again and leaning back. "We're spending a week in California. House right on the beach. I don't know what you think but my family is actually nice and welcoming. Plus, spending time with me. A lot of making out. Shirtless. On the beach. If you're into that."
Blaine shook his head although he knew he still looked too amused for his own good. "I'm not making out shirtless with you. Casual isn't for me. You know I want a relationship."
"And we'll be pretending to be in one," Sebastian said with a grin. And that grin was way too attractive for Blaine's own good. He hated how the idea of making out shirtless with Sebastian on the beach really was sorely tempting. "Seriously, though. You'd be doing me a favor so we don't have to make out. But we also can just for fun if you want. I've been told I'm a pretty good kisser."
"My brother lives in California," Blaine said absently, tapping his eraser against the desk. There were a million reasons why this was a very bad idea. Blaine didn't even want to imagine the two of them getting caught in this lie, how awkward it would be. And pretending to date Sebastian? Blaine already had a hard enough time trying to hide the fact that he found the other student attractive. Although, he wouldn't really have to hide it during the vacation, would he?
"Right. The actor. The one who came to visit a few months ago, right? Maybe we could get away from my family for a day and go to see him." When Blaine only stayed silent, not sure what he wanted to say, Sebastian stood up. "Why don't you think about it? It'll be no pressure. My family will be paying for everything. All you have to do is show up, be your typical, charming self, and get my family off my back about dating."
Blaine nodded. "I'll think about it," he said, watching as Sebastian hesitated, as if he was going to say something else. Maybe try to convince him? Tell him more about the Smythe family? Blaine wasn't sure. Whatever it was, Sebastian obviously changed his mind, heading out of the library without looking back.
Resting his head on his hand, Blaine turned back to his history book. He knew he had to get back to studying but he couldn't help thinking about what this would involve. Kissing, even if Sebastian had said they wouldn't have to because Blaine knew that he had no willpower. Holding hands. Dealing with Sebastian's parents. Blaine pressed his lips together. He could see Cooper. Or just spend time on the beach with Sebastian.
Blaine let out a breath. He felt silly for even pretending he was going to think about it. He already knew he was going to go. What better way to spend the first week of his summer vacation than with one of his good friends? The boy he wouldn't admit to anybody that he had a crush on. The boy that he had a bad feeling everybody knew he had a crush on anyway.
Blaine tried to regulate his breathing as he stepped out of the cab at the airport. His finals had gone perfectly, his bags had been packed, and now here he was. Blaine could pretend he'd made Sebastian bribe or otherwise try to convince him, but it wasn't the truth. After clarifying that he wasn't interested in too much PDA, Blaine had agreed easily. While he still thought it could be a bad idea, Blaine couldn't deny it sounded like a fun time. He could use a vacation. Sebastian was a friend.
That was what Blaine had told his mother when he'd told her that he was going on vacation with the Smythe family. Were there other reasons? Like a curiosity about Sebastian's family or a desire to spend more time with the other boy? No. Blaine's answer to that was no.
"What if I forget your cousin's names?" Blaine asked, picking up his suitcase as they headed towards the ticketing counter.
Sebastian glanced over at him, the same amused smile he'd had every time Blaine had told him he wanted to go over Sebastian's family again. Sebastian told him every time not to worry, that nobody would hate him if he forgot a name or two and besides. They weren't expecting much of anything from Sebastian's boyfriend. That hadn't made Blaine feel better.
"As long as you remember my brother and sister's names, you'll be fine. My cousins will understand, Blaine. They know we haven't been together that long."
Blaine had heard all of this. He had made Sebastian go over names and ages and had even written a list to glance at. It didn't help much. Blaine remembered Belle and Ben, Sebastian's younger sister and brother. He knew that Sebastian's parents would be on the trip, his aunt and uncle, plus two other cousins whose mother never came along on these trips. And Blaine could barely remember any of them right then.
"I still want to make a good impression," Blaine said quietly since that mattered to him. He had every intention of having fun but he wouldn't forget his main role as Sebastian's boyfriend there. "Isn't that what I'm along for? To make your family think you're in a stable relationship? To impress them?"
Sebastian shrugged as he approached the counter to get them checked in for their flight. "That feels like I actually care about being in a relationship. I don't. But I guarantee you that if they knew that I was single, they'd spend the entire time talking about how sleeping around isn't as satisfying as being in a relationship."
"I can see why they'd say that," Blaine said, a discussion they'd had plenty of times before.
Like all those times, Sebastian answered the way he always did. "You've never tried sleeping around and your only boyfriend was a dick who broke up with you when you wouldn't transfer to a disgusting and dangerous public school. You don't really have room to talk."
Blaine pressed his lips together, deciding not to answer that. As offensive as Sebastian's words were, it wasn't like they weren't true. Even though he didn't have the experience, Blaine just knew everything would be better in a relationship. Which was why he would never admit to his crush on Sebastian out loud. Because he knew nothing would ever actually come of it and he wanted something more.
Instead, he focused on preparing for their flight. They silently got their bags checked and went through security before going to the gates. It was only when they got themselves coffees and sat down that Blaine realized the silence wasn't as comfortable as he'd thought it was. Sebastian had a harsh grip on the novel that he had brought for the vacation.
"Are you alright?" Blaine asked, wondering if Sebastian's stiffness had anything to do with their vacation ahead.
Sebastian nodded, although Blaine wasn't convinced by the gesture. There was something in the curve of Sebastian's shoulders, the tense lines of his face. It reminded Blaine of waiting for the results of a show choir competition, that nervousness. "'m fine."
"Are you sure? You look worried. Is it about the trip?"
"No. I'm fine, Blaine," Sebastian said, clearing his throat as he shifted a little in his seat, the better to be able to look at Blaine. When it was clear that Blaine didn't believe him, Sebastian groaned, shaking his head. "I'm just not the biggest fan of flying is all."
That wasn't at all what Blaine had been expecting so he stared at Sebastian for a long moment. He didn't let his lips twitch even though the idea of Sebastian, who was constantly talking about the many trips he went on with his family, being scared of flying was amusing. It was interesting to see this new side of Sebastian outside of their school or the gay bar. Even though they were friends, Sebastian still had his masks that he hid behind.
He'd never had friends over to his house or thrown a party when his parents were out of town. His family had come to a few events at the school and Blaine had seen them at Warblers competitions but Sebastian had never introduced them. It was somewhat flattering to think that Sebastian trusted Blaine to be around these people he obviously cared about.
"I never would've guessed you're scared of flying considering how often you fly."
"I didn't say I'm scared of flying," Sebastian snapped. Blaine could tell he didn't mean anything by his angry tone of voice, though. "I said I'm not the biggest fan. And considering how often I fly, I'm much more likely to be involved in an aviation accident."
Blaine had to bite the inside of his lip hard but he managed to hide his smile, even as Sebastian huffed in annoyance at Blaine's expression. Hesitantly, Blaine reached out, taking Sebastian's free hand and tangling their fingers. The other boy tensed immediately and Blaine squeezed. "Well, lucky for you, your boyfriend is here and I'm not scared of flying at all."
Sebastian swallowed, looking down at their hands and letting out a breath. Blaine saw as Sebastian seemed to force himself to relax and he wondered how many times Sebastian had held hands with another boy. "Making out would probably make me feel better."
Blaine laughed, smacking Sebastian's arm playfully before leaning back against the chair. "Not a chance. You probably shouldn't look so uncomfortable by holding hands, though, if we're supposed to be dating."
"Want to practice kissing?" Sebastian asked, his smile widening when Blaine just glared at him. Reading the answer in Blaine's expression, Sebastian squeezed his hand gently back before adjusting so he could hold his novel with his other hand. "Didn't think so. Holding hands is fine."
Blaine couldn't help but look at Sebastian for another few moments, wondering again if this was a good idea, before turning back to his phone. It was too late to back out now.
He'd think later about how right it felt to be holding hands with Sebastian.
The two stood together at baggage claim as Blaine bounced nervously on his feet. Even though they weren't really dating, he wanted to make a good impression and he was within an hour of meeting them all. Blaine was going to be spending the next several days with this family. He didn't think he was being silly by wanting them to like him.
"Will you relax? You're about to start making me nervous," Sebastian said, an odd mix of concern and annoyance in his tone.
Blaine made an effort to stay still, trying to think of when he'd met Kurt's family. That didn't feel like it counted considering they'd been friends first and Kurt had been awful to him. But Blaine could remember that he hadn't been nearly this nervous even that first official dinner he'd attended as Kurt's boyfriend.
"I'm sorry. I just… what if they don't like me and then it'll be awkward for a week?"
Sebastian shrugged, tapping his foot and checking his watch as they waited for their flight's luggage to start dropping. "First, who cares if they don't like you? It's not like they're going to show it. They're much too polite for that. Second, I don't know what planet you live on, but there's no way they don't love you. You're you."
While the words were flattering, they didn't comfort Blaine as much as he'd have liked them to. Instead, he stared intently at the baggage claim. He was so distracted that he jumped when he heard somebody yelling Sebastian's name.
The two turned in unison and Blaine glanced over, surprised to see Sebastian's face break out into a wide smile.
"Tyler! What are you doing here? We're supposed to be getting a cab to the house," Sebastian said, greeting the other boy with a hug.
As soon as Sebastian said it was Tyler, Blaine looked closer at the other boy. Sebastian's oldest cousin, Blaine remembered. Sebastian had told him they were close considering they were only a few months apart in age. Blaine tilted his head to the side, trying to keep any interest out of his eyes because Tyler was cute. He reminded Blaine of the best parts of Sebastian, tall, freckles, gorgeous green eyes and a much too confident smile. As far as Blaine knew, Tyler was straight, Blaine was playing Sebastian's boyfriend, and Blaine had no interest in a long-distance relationship but that didn't mean he couldn't look.
Tyler groaned dramatically as he pulled away from the hug, looking over at Blaine curiously. "Mom decided to come on this vacation, God only knows why. I had to get away from her. She's already driving me crazy."
Sebastian rolled his eyes, surprising Blaine as he leaned in to wrap an arm around his waist and pulling him against Sebastian's side. "Great. So, in other words make out with my boyfriend as much as possible in front of her?"
"Exactly," Tyler said to Sebastian before turning towards Blaine, sticking out his hand. "Since Sebastian here is too rude for introductions, I'm Tyler, several months older than Sebastian which he's forever bitter about. My mom is one of the most annoying women on the planet and, relevant to Sebastian's interests, homophobic. Feel free to make out as much as you want in front of her."
Blaine nodded, shaking Tyler's hand from his spot at Sebastian's side. He hadn't expected Sebastian to immediately be pulling him close but he wasn't going to complain about it. "Blaine Anderson. Sebastian's boyfriend. It's nice to meet you."
Tyler shook Blaine's hand before turning back to Sebastian, smirking. "And here I was thinking your boyfriend was fake and there was no way you were actually going to bring somebody along. Did you pay him? Still. He looks nice. Nice bowtie."
The last was aimed at Blaine and he smiled back politely. He didn't know Tyler well enough to know whether he was being sarcastic or not.
"Thanks," Blaine said simply, reaching up to straighten the tie. Even on the airplane, he'd chosen to dress in his best, wanting to be able to make that good first impression. And because dressing his best always made him feel better.
Sebastian rolled his eyes, turning as the luggage started dropping to watch for their suitcases. "I told everybody I was seeing somebody. Blaine's great. He's much too good for me."
"Blaine is also standing right here," Blaine said, sounding more amused than anything. He was just trying not to roll his eyes at Sebastian's words. Sebastian was always saying things designed to flatter. He was like that with plenty of people, even if sometimes it felt a little more pointed when it was aimed at Blaine. Sebastian had made no secret of the fact that he wanted Blaine in bed. It didn't mean anything.
Tyler nodded, looking at Blaine contemplatively. "I think anybody is too good for you, Sebastian," Tyler said in an affectionate tone. "Seriously, though, Blaine, you two will have to be disgustingly cute in front of my mom. It serves her right."
Although Blaine knew the words were mostly meant as a joke, he couldn't help feeling the tiniest bit nervous over the words. He hoped that this wouldn't change things or make Sebastian feel any more pressure. Not that he thought Sebastian felt much pressure anyway, not the way that Blaine did.
"Don't make Blaine nervous," Sebastian said as he pulled Blaine's suitcase off the belt, putting it down in front of the other boy. "I already had to bribe him to come with me to meet you heathens."
Tyler smirked, patting Blaine playfully on the shoulder. "Don't worry. Besides my mom, we're all better company than Sebastian anyway. So, have you ever been to California before?"
Blaine nodded, glancing over at Sebastian but he was focusing on watching for his own suitcase now. "I have. My brother lives here so I've been here a few times. I've never really been able to just relax on the beach, though. My parents tend to pack our vacations with everything we can possibly manage."
"Ah, no. We're not like that. All I plan on doing is getting horribly sunburned on the sand. Has Sebastian shown you pictures of the house? It's right across from the beach."
"No. He hasn't shown me anything," Blaine said which wasn't a lie. Sebastian hadn't shown him any pictures although he'd told Blaine that they'd likely be sharing a bed. While Sebastian had offered to sleep on the floor if it made Blaine more comfortable, Blaine had known he wouldn't make the other boy do that. They could share. It wouldn't be the first time Blaine had platonically slept with another boy. Maybe just not another boy who he liked, who liked him, even if not the way that Blaine wanted to be liked.
Tyler grinned and it was charming, in the way that Sebastian's smile so often was. It made Blaine smile back instinctively. "You're going to love it. The two of you are sharing the downstairs bedroom. Mainly because my mom's going to be so annoyed by it."
"You really dislike your mom?" Blaine asked, trying not to sound judgmental because he understood having a complicated relationship with one's parents, especially when they were homophobic.
"I don't hate her. But I certainly enjoy making her uncomfortable. If only I was gay. That would really be the rainbow icing on the cake."
At their side, Sebastian scoffed, adjusting his suitcase in his hand. "You're being offensive and that's coming from me. Come on, let's get on the road. I'm starving and all I want is to be drinking on the beach right now."
Blaine picked up his own suitcase, feeling a little more at ease now that he knew at least one other person who was there.
The car ride was interesting. Blaine sat in the backseat, content to listen to the cousins gossip about their family. It gave Blaine an insight into who he was going to be meeting and also into the relationship that Sebastian had with his family. While he'd known it was unlikely that Sebastian was nothing but innuendos and insults with his family, it was fascinating to see the other side of him.
It also had the unfortunate side effect of making Blaine's crush constrict his heart almost painfully. Sebastian smiled easily, laughed often and joked with his cousin in a way that Blaine would with his own. Blaine couldn't help but picture this being real, something he hadn't let himself imagine. What if they really were dating? What if the way Sebastian kept glancing in the mirror to smile at him was real? Blaine knew he shouldn't think this way. It was just going to end up with him hurt but… they had a week. He had a week.
That feeling only intensified when they got to the beach house (which was easily the most gorgeous home that Blaine had ever been in). As Sebastian made introductions in the kitchen, which Blaine knew he was never going to fully remember, Sebastian's mother gave Blaine a smile.
"It's great to finally meet you, Blaine," Amy Smythe said, leaning her hip against the counter. Blaine hadn't wanted to imagine Sebastian's family much but she was exactly how he'd have imagined her. Tall, gorgeous, wearing a billowy summer dress and that same disarming smile. Did all the Smythe's have that smile? So far it looked like it. "Sebastian's talked about you so much since he transferred to Dalton. We wanted to meet you at Nationals but Sebastian's always so private with his school life."
Sebastian looked away from where he was talking to his dad about their flight. "Because you're going to embarrass Blaine and he's only been here for five minutes."
"Embarrass Blaine or embarrass you, honey?" Amy asked, giving Blaine a conspiratorial smile and wink. Blaine turned away to hide his smile.
Sebastian rolled his eyes although Blaine definitely noticed the hint of a flush on his cheeks. Blaine was pretty sure he'd never seen Sebastian blush before. He hadn't even known the taller boy did blush. "Embarrass Blaine. He's sensitive," Sebastian said in a teasing tone, likely as a way to distract from the flush of his cheeks.
Blaine was saved from having to think of a response by two others bounding down the stairs in swimsuits. Sebastian's siblings, if Blaine wasn't wrong. Belle was older at 15 and Ben was 11. Sebastian hadn't given Blaine many details but it what been obvious that Sebastian cared about his siblings a lot. Honestly, it was obvious that Sebastian cared about all the members of his family. It was sweet and Blaine wouldn't mind just stepping back and observing even if he knew he had to play his part.
"Ooh," Belle said, bouncing her way over to give her older brother a hug. Sebastian hugged her back, even as he gave her what seemed to be a warning look. "Is this your boyfriend? Bas has a boyfriend. Bas has a boyfriend."
She continued a few more times in a singsong voice before Sebastian tugged playfully on one of her braids.
"How old are you? You're going to regret this when you ever bring a guy home for us to meet."
"I'll just be like you and never bring them home," Belle teased with a smirk that Blaine recognized as exactly like one of Sebastian's. So yes on her having that smile too.
"Okay, okay kids," Josh, Sebastian's father, interrupted. He was the only one that Blaine hadn't quite gotten a read on yet. He didn't look forbidding exactly but he certainly didn't look as open as the rest of them. He'd shaken Blaine's hand but hadn't said anything else to him. "Why don't we let the boys take their bags to their room before we scare away Sebastian's boyfriend?"
"Great idea," Sebastian said with a shake of his head although he looked more amused than anything. The blush had faded completely by now, making Blaine wonder if he'd seen it at all.
Ben nodded, giving Blaine another contemplative look. "We're going down to the beach before dinner. You guys can come if you want to."
"We'll think about it," Sebastian told him. He picked up his suitcase and Blaine followed his lead.
While Tyler had said the beach was right across the street, Blaine hadn't been ready to be facing the ocean from their room. Blaine glanced around at the room, grateful the bed at least appeared big enough they wouldn't have to be too close. The stairs from the main floor opened up directly to the room so they didn't have a ton of privacy but they had enough with the door closed. Blaine was finding himself relaxing as he thought of dipping his toes in the sand, of enjoying himself. He figured he deserved to enjoy the vacation considering what a favor he was doing for Sebastian. Favor, scoffed his subconscious. As if it was hard to pretend to be in a relationship with Sebastian.
"They're a bit much, I know," Sebastian said as he tossed his backpack onto the bed. "They mean well, though. Except my Aunt Cori. But honestly, nobody likes her. Even my dad and uncle. They haven't been close since they were kids, supposedly."
That aunt must be Tyler's mom, Blaine thought, nodding. He remembered she was divorced and had Tyler and another, younger daughter. But since Sebastian hadn't thought she'd be coming, he hadn't given Blaine many details on her. Blaine just hoped they could avoid her as much as possible.
"It is a bit much," Blaine agreed since that wasn't even close to a lie. Although that had more to do with their situation than his family. It would be one thing to be here as a friend but Blaine couldn't help feeling uncomfortable as he thought about Amy telling him Sebastian talked about him. It shouldn't be a surprise, they were close friends, but something about it felt different. "Why have I never met your family, anyway? I didn't even know they were at Nationals."
Sebastian nodded, sitting down on the bed as Blaine put his suitcase in the corner of the room. "I don't feel like everybody needs to know my family. Once people meet my family, they always have questions and then they feel like they know me or we're friends. That's why I asked you. Because we're friends already so you wouldn't get weird ideas."
Blaine could only stare at Sebastian for a long moment, surprised by how those words made him feel. They'd met at the beginning of the school year. Blaine had been dating Kurt, contemplating transferring schools to be with him even though Kurt had already made it clear very early on that Blaine wasn't a priority in his life. In the end, Blaine had chosen not to transfer and their relationship hadn't made it very far past that point.
It was only a few days after Blaine had told Kurt he wasn't transferring that Sebastian auditioned for the Warblers. As their lead soloist, Blaine had sat in on auditions and had been thankful he hadn't had to say anything. He'd been tongue-tied as he'd watched the other boy perform a pop song. And Sebastian had seemed to be able to tell. While he'd been professional during the audition, he'd approached Blaine after, asking Blaine if he wanted to give Sebastian a tour of the school, starting with Blaine's room.
The line had been ridiculous but Sebastian's gaze had been so intense, his expression so full of confidence and heat. Blaine wanted a relationship and had no interest in the casual sex that Sebastian so often propositioned him with but… he couldn't deny how much he sometimes considered settling.
"And you talked about me?" Blaine asked playfully, deciding that joking around with Sebastian was better than getting into anything more serious. He'd like to talk more about the fact that Sebastian trusted him enough to let him meet his family but that was too much right now.
Sebastian rolled his eyes, turning away and grabbing his suitcase to pull it up on the bed and unzip it. "You're our lead soloist. Of course I talked about you," Sebastian said, refusing to look over at Blaine as he opened his suitcase. "We should go down to the beach or Ben and Belle are going to follow us in here. They've been dying to meet the guy I've been seeing so. Prepare for them to harass the hell out of you."
Blaine nodded, biting his lip as he wondered just what Sebastian had told his family about Blaine. It had been easy to come up with their cover story considering they were on the Warblers together. Blaine just hoped Sebastian hadn't told them too many details. That would be embarrassing.
"Sure. Being on the beach right now sounds perfect," Blaine said, turning towards his suitcase. It was still early afternoon. Plenty of time left in the day.
"Do your swim trunks have ice cream cones on them?"
Sebastian paid no attention to Tyler and Blaine's conversation, concentrating instead on setting up his umbrella and chair next to the towel that Belle had laid out. He knew the answer to Tyler's question anyway. He'd been at the store when Blaine had bought the novelty shorts and he knew he was a big reason that Blaine had bought them. As soon as Sebastian had said they looked utterly ridiculous, Blaine had grabbed them off the shelf.
"Yeah, I love the fun prints," Blaine said and his tone did pull Sebastian into the conversation. Blaine wasn't in any way a shy person but… Sebastian knew he cared about what some people thought of him. He'd seen a completely different side of Blaine when his brother had come to visit him. It seemed like Blaine's confidence had been cut in half and suddenly he'd overthought most of his motions. It wasn't until his brother had left that Blaine had gone back to his cheerful self.
Sebastian hadn't forgotten the look behind the curtain, though. He'd filed the information away where he kept all of the little Blaine facts he'd picked up over the last few months. All of the little things that he used when he wanted something from Blaine, or Blaine needed something from him. Blaine's favorite candy bar when Sebastian needed Blaine to back him up on Warblers business or referencing his favorite animated movie when Blaine was upset over a low score on a test.
Although he'd been doing it for nearly the year that they'd known each other, Sebastian was fairly sure that Blaine hadn't noticed. But then, Blaine didn't seem to notice a lot. He was a little oblivious. The thought made Sebastian grin slightly, grabbing a drink from the cooler that they'd hauled down to the beach with them.
Every summer their family made the same plans and every summer, Sebastian did the same thing. Sat on the beach, sunglasses on, drank a lot covertly because being fined for underage drinking wasn't what he wanted, spent time with his siblings because he'd never admit it out loud to anybody but he missed the little brats while he was at Dalton, and avoided responsibilities.
"They're cute," Tyler said and Sebastian glanced over at him. Tyler was a shameless flirt and had been for as long as Sebastian could remember. They got along that way. They'd go out to clubs together, walk on the beach, pick up tourists who were interested and it worked for them. And while Tyler wasn't using the voice he normally used when he picked up girls, he wasn't using his normal voice.
Not that his cousin was going to flirt with the boy that he thought Sebastian was dating. They were close. Tyler wouldn't do that.
And not that Sebastian should really care. They weren't dating.
Blaine ducked his head, looking down at the trunks and smiling. Sebastian leaned back on the sand, popping the top of his beer and taking a gulp as he made himself comfortable, closing his eyes. He didn't really care about their conversation, he reminded himself. They were talking and it was fine because it meant that Sebastian could relax.
"Thanks. I figured they'd make a good impression. Sebastian hates them," Blaine said and Sebastian opened his eyes to give Blaine a glare that was obviously fake.
"I don't hate them," Sebastian corrected, his lips twisting into a smirk as he looked Blaine up and down, his gaze lingering on the trunks. "They're very flattering on you. I just think that they look like you're in kindergarten. Which, I know that you're not."
Blaine's cheeks went pink as Sebastian looked him up and down. Sebastian just shrugged unrepentantly, leaning back against the chair he was on.
"Wow, you two would certainly be driving my mom crazy right now," Tyler said with a laugh, looking up as Ben called out, having nearly reached them across the sand.
Not yet a teenager, Ben was stuck in that awkward in between phase that Sebastian had never really found himself in. Ben still liked to play with the kids, even though he was the second youngest of all of the cousins, but he also liked being involved with the older teens.
"Are we talking about Aunt Cori? Because I can't wait for her to meet Blaine," Ben said with a mischievous grin of his own. Sebastian grinned back, trying not to laugh as Blaine again looked unsure between them. Just when Sebastian was about to take pity on Blaine, tell him to come over and sit with him or something, Ben turned to him instead. "Want to splash in the water with me?"
Although Sebastian expected to have to save him, assure Blaine that he didn't need to spend time with the younger boy if he didn't want to, Blaine looked almost relieved.
"Sure," Blaine said, looking over at Sebastian, pointedly looking in his eyes instead of down at his chest. Sebastian tried not to smirk. "Want to swim with us?"
"Can't swim and drink," Sebastian said, even though he was certainly sober enough to. Instead, he watched as Ben cheered, grabbed Blaine's hand and dragged him towards the water.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Tyler flopped down next to him, grabbing his own beer from the cooler.
"So… he's quiet. Doesn't seem like your type," Tyler said and Sebastian supposed that was fair.
The type of guy he tended to go with on vacation was nothing like Blaine. He liked the out-there guys, the ones who knew exactly what they were working with. The last thing that Sebastian wanted while on vacation was a virgin, or somebody who wanted something long-term, or worse… both. Virgins tended to be a bit clingy for Sebastian's taste and they got offended when Sebastian left before the sweat had even dried from their skin. Not always but enough for Sebastian not to risk it.
"He's only quiet around strangers," Sebastian said which was also the truth. He looked out towards the water, seeing Blaine, a little bit hesitant still, obviously, but willing to play Ben's games. Knowing his brother as he did, Sebastian had a feeling it was going to involve half drowning in the waves but he knew that Ben knew how to be safe. "He's just nervous. Who wouldn't be?"
Tyler nodded, turning to look out with a contemplative expression. "At least your parents are welcoming. But I get it, I guess. It's going to be even more crazy when Uncle Jack and his kids get here today."
Sebastian was actually counting on that. The addition of his uncle, aunt and three more cousins would undoubtedly take even more of the focus off the two of them. Sure, Blaine was new so there was still going to be interest but not as much. It would be easy for the two of them to escape in the chaos of the household.
"Besides, he's gorgeous," Sebastian said after a minute, unable to help his grin as he watched Ben and Blaine try to stay standing in the waves. Blaine had only put a little bit of gel in his hair this morning, knowing he'd be going in the sand later, and Sebastian was certain it was going to be all washed out. "He's funny, kind, caring. Really, he's the opposite of who I am. He's just who I need."
Although he tried to hide it, Sebastian couldn't help the wistful tone in his voice. Relationships weren't what he wanted, even with Blaine, but sometimes his mind wandered.
It was natural. Blaine was… amazing. How could Sebastian not fantasize at least a little?
Tyler turned to look at Sebastian instead. "So… you're not interested in going out and looking for some tourists to pick up? Because I thought you'd be wanting that this year."
Technically, Sebastian knew that he could. It wasn't like they were actually dating and he doubted Tyler would be surprised if Sebastian was the kind of guy that would cheat. Sebastian didn't want his cousin to think that of him though. And he'd invited Blaine here. He wasn't going to just abandon him at night to go hook up with somebody.
"No. Sorry to disappoint," Sebastian said simply. He let out a breath, adjusting the umbrella a little bit so it covered his face and closing his eyes.
Recognizing the dismissal, Tyler continued looking at him for a few moments before nodding and pulling his phone out.
Blaine couldn't help the laugh he let out as he watched Ben jump to his feet after getting knocked over by a wave again. They weren't too far out, Blaine didn't actually want to drown in the ocean while on vacation, but they were far enough that they kept getting knocked over. That had been Ben's goal when he'd coaxed Blaine further out into the water and Blaine, always up for a challenge, went along with him.
"So," Ben said when he stood back up, spitting out salt water in a way that made Blaine cringe. "Sebastian wouldn't give me any details which is a little unfair if you ask me. But he's kind of like that. How long have you two been together?"
The question made Blaine tense but he forced himself to relax. They'd gone through their story together, knowing the conversation would likely come up at least a couple of times. Although, most of their strategy involved keeping it vague. Sebastian had said it was fine for him to keep things cagey with his family and Blaine was just to feign shyness.
"A few weeks," Blaine responded, bracing himself against another wave that came at them. He and Ben both managed to stay standing against the water and Blaine continued. "We've been friends for nearly a year but it just kind of happened between us."
Ben nodded, titling his head to the side in a way that had Blaine feeling like the preteen could see right through him. He resisted the urge to turn away, knowing he wasn't the best at lying. He wasn't the worst, by far, but he simply didn't lie often enough to hone it as a skill. "You've known each other since Sebastian transferred but you really started being friends after Regionals," Ben said and Blaine turned to him, startled. That was actually accurate. Ben grinned. "Sebastian doesn't talk a lot but I listen when he does. And it was after Regionals that he started talking about you a lot. It's obvious he likes you."
That had Blaine flushing, thinking about Sebastian liking him, about Sebastian talking to his family about him. Even though Sebastian's mother had said that, it felt different coming from his brother.
Blaine shook his head, helplessly glancing back at Sebastian. The two boys had been joined by Belle and Sebastian was leaning towards her, interested, obviously, in whatever she was saying. It made Blaine feel warm to think about how much that Sebastian cared for his siblings. As if sensing Blaine's gaze, Sebastian turned to him, raising his eyebrows at him in question. Blaine shrugged a shoulder in answer and Sebastian winked at him, too attractive for his own good.
"I like him," Blaine said, surprised by the boldness of the statement. It could've been acting. While Blaine didn't lie well, he was an actor. He was here acting a role. Blaine knew deep down that it was the truth. "So, it's nice to be liked back. We're just in school though, so… There's no pressure."
Ben stared at him until Blaine turned back, nearly knocked over by the wave that he wasn't expecting to hit him. When he was sure he was going to stay upright, Ben was still staring at him. "You say that, but I think you two are underestimating how you like each other. It's pretty obvious, at least for me. But then, I like watching Sebastian. I want to be just like him when I'm older. You know. At Dalton and in the Warblers and maybe lacrosse. But I don't really like lacrosse."
Something had Blaine thinking that Ben could do exactly that if he chose to. "You don't need to play lacrosse to be just like him. You can be on the Warblers if you want. Do you sing?"
Ben gave him a look that reminded Blaine so much of Sebastian that he had to turn away, not wanting to laugh at Ben when he was seemingly being serious. "Of course, I do. Even better than Sebastian. Although, Belle sings better than either of us. That's just a fact. We can sing later. Belle has a karaoke machine she brought."
"Oh. That sounds like fun. Sure," Blaine said because that was something that he would've done with his own family. They didn't have a karaoke machine but they often broke out into song and dance and had for as long as Blaine could remember. Or, he and his mom and brother did. Blaine's father didn't have much patience for something so whimsical.
"Awesome. Wave!" Ben shouted and Blaine turned to plant his feet again so he wouldn't be knocked over.
