A couple of people have requested a companion piece to Of Goosebumps, Tingles and Butterflies - so here it is! (It would help to read the first part first, but it's not really necessary - however, it's only a short drabble anyway) – Title from Queen's You're My Best Friend - a song that I feel fits this story rather well.
At sixteen years old, Sebastian realises that he's been in love with his best friend since before he can remember. Maybe even since he was ten years old, when he innocently proposed to Blaine in his back yard. Maybe even before that.
If he's completely honest with himself, it feels like it's been this way since he first met Blaine when he moved into the house next door.
But now, Blaine has his first boyfriend, and Sebastian feels as though his heart is shattered into a million pieces, because by all rights, it should be him.
It should be Sebastian holding Blaine's hand, whispering sweet nothings into his ear, kissing him sweetly on the lips. But, no. For one reason or another, they had always remained friends,despite the moment that they had on Blaine's trampoline.
Well, apart from that one time – they were fourteen, and they were hanging out in Blaine's basement playing Mario Kart, and Blaine's mom had made some cherry pie which they were sharing on one plate, hunched close together so that they could both attack it with their spoons.
He doesn't quite remember the taste of the pie, or who won at Mario Kart, but he does remember (in explicit detail) the taste of cherry lingering in Blaine's mouth as they ended up tangled together after Sebastian had leaned over to wipe a little bit of pie crust from the corner of Blaine's lips. Their noses bumped together awkwardly, and they may have used a little too much tongue, but they explored each other's mouths with enthusiasm, their fingers tangled in each other's hair.
That was Sebastian's first kiss, and it was perfect.
Still, though, all good things must come to an end, and nothing further really came of it. After a few days of awkwardly not mentioning it, they both agreed that they would forget about it, put it behind them, and move on. Sebastian did none of those things, but his friendship with Blaine soon returned to normal nonetheless.
Now, though, Sebastian finds himself wondering if he should have fought a little harder, because watching Blaine and Kurt together makes him feel sick. They've been dating for a couple of weeks now, and this is Sebastian's first time meeting the guy.
He can't quite figure out why Blaine spends so long gushing over him. Kurt dresses and sounds like a girl, he clings smugly onto Blaine's arm, asks too many questions and he just isn't right for Blaine at all.
They're at the Lima Bean, and their chairs are practically pressed together, while Sebastian sits at the opposite side of the table, gripping his coffee maybe a little too hard and trying to force a smile through gritted teeth.
"So how do we know Sebastian?" Kurt asks, all malice and barely disguised jealousy. Blaine doesn't seem to notice, though.
Still, the question does seem to take him by surprise. Blaine turns to Kurt, perplexed. "I already told you. He's my best friend."
"Yes, yes." Kurt replies with a dismissive wave. "I know. I was just wondering how you met."
Sebastian narrows his eyes, arms crossed. Kurt levels Sebastian with a glare. Blaine remains oblivious, and begins talking about the day that Sebastian's family came around to introduce themselves, and tells him how they've been best friends ever since.
He can't help but feel a small curl of satisfaction as Kurt clenches his fist, watching Sebastian with barely disguised contempt. Sebastian sends him a malicious smirk in return.
He decides there and then, he really can't stand Kurt Hummel.
Kurt and Blaine have been together for three months now, and show no sign of breaking it off like Sebastian has been secretly hoping they would.
Sebastian starts sleeping around. A lot.
It's a distraction, if nothing else – but it does nothing to dim the ache of seeing the boy he's in love with wrapped around another guy, smiling at him with complete adoration.
Those should be Sebastian's smiles, not Kurt's.
They last almost a year, and it's the worst year of Sebastian's life.
He's given up all hope, and he's taken to actively avoiding the couple at all costs. He can't stand the smug smiles that Kurt sends his way, or Blaine's obliviousness as he chats amicably as if Kurt and Sebastian are the best of friends.
So, naturally, he feels a slither of satisfaction when Blaine turns up at his door in the middle of the night unannounced and tells him that Kurt broke it off with him.
The satisfaction only lasts as long as it takes for Sebastian to take in Blaine's appearance, though. The boy is a mess, and he looks as if his entire world has been turned upside down. The pain in his eyes is clear, and there's a definite slouch to his posture, and to add to it all, Blaine has walked from Kurt's house to Sebastian's (a twenty minute walk at the very least) in the pouring rain, and is dripping from head to toe.
After ushering him in and fetching Blaine a towel and some dry clothes for Blaine to change into (Sebastian's Dalton lacrosse t-shirt and loose pyjama bottoms), they sit on his bed, leaning up against the headboard and share a tub of vanilla and cherry ice cream that Sebastian manages to dig out of his freezer.
They talk, and it's just like old times – before Kurt. They sit closer together than they have the entire year, and their hands brush together while passing the ice cream, sending ripples down Sebastian's spine. Once the tub is finished, Sebastian holds a tearful Blaine in his arms, strokes his hair and tells him that he was too good for Kurt, anyway, and that he'll find the right person eventually. At those words, Blaine gives him a small, sad smile, laced with meaning that he can't quite decipher.
When Sebastian asks why Kurt broke it off with him, though, Blaine clams up, and avoids eye contact. Not wanting to push, Sebastian suggests that they watch a movie – a comedy, since Blaine needs cheered up. They fall asleep tangled together on Sebastian's bed, their hands intertwined, faces barely an inch apart.
When they wake up the next morning, Blaine tells him that he needs to go home to check in, but ends up back at Sebastian's an hour later, armed with more ice cream and a bunch of musicals, and Sebastian feels his heart quicken at the fond smile Blaine gives him when he takes the ice cream to place it in the freezer.
He doesn't find out why they broke up until just over a month later, and it's completely by accident.
Blaine is in his own house, ill with the common cold, and Sebastian is at the grocery store frantically searching for soup ingredients and medicine.
He freezes, though, when he overhears a voice that he was hoping never to hear again, accompanied by another slightly more feminine voice.
"-about you, Rachel? You're barely over Finn, yet you're dating Jesse?"
"That's different. We agreed to date other people for a while. You and Blaine just- broke it off, no explanation."
Kurt sighs, and Sebastian presses a little closer with interest, because Blaine still hasn't told him why Kurt broke it off, and this may be the only way that he'll ever find out. Deep down, he knows that this isn't right - that if Blaine wanted him to know, he would have told him by now, but Sebastian's only human.
"He's in love with someone else. How can I compete with that?" Kurt asks, and Sebastian almost does a double-take, because what the fuck?
There's a pause, in which Kurt's friend seems to be digesting the information, considering what to say next. "Are you sure you're not being paranoid?" she asks.
Another sigh. "No, Rachel. I'm not being paranoid. He denied it at first – I don't even think he realised it until I pointed it out to him, but then he just- admitted it, and left." There's some rustling, and Sebastian can hear the footsteps moving closer.
Shit, shit shit. He backs away slowly, rounding the corner, still within eavesdropping distance, because he needs to know. Needs to find out once and for all.
"And the guy he's in love with- he has feelings for Blaine, too?"
At that, Kurt lets out a derisive snort. "He didn't even try to hide it in front of me. I don't know why Blaine hasn't noticed yet, but it's obvious to anyone who has known them for like more than five minutes that Sebastian is madly in love with him."
Crash.
It takes Sebastian a couple of seconds for his brain to catch up with him, and then he realises that he's dropped everything in his arms, attracting the attention of everyone in the general vicinity in the process, Kurt and Rachel included. Thankfully, he's only collected vegetables so far, so nothing is smashed, but his mind is going at one hundred miles per hour, and he's struggling to even function enough to pick up his mess.
"Speak of the devil," Kurt says, and he just sounds bored.
Sebastian blinks. "I, ah-"
He's vaguely aware that he must look like a deer in headlights. He doesn't know what to say, though. He doesn't have anything to say. He's still trying to process the information, because he can't quite figure out if this is reality or not. Everything seems surreal – skewed.
"Is this-?" Rachel asks, gaping.
"Sebastian? Yes. I'm afraid so."
"Uh, I need- to go." Sebastian stammers.
Then he's marching in the opposite direction, completely forgetting his abandoned shopping basket and scattered vegetables.
"Idiot," he hears Kurt scoff, but he's far too focused on getting back to Blaine that it doesn't really register.
He's pretty much on autopilot, so he blinks in surprise when he finds himself parked outside Blaine's house, shaky hands gripped tight onto the steering wheel.
He gives himself a few minutes, inhaling and exhaling slowly, trying to get his heart back to a normal speed, but it's no use, so he makes his way into Blaine's house, not bothering to knock. (The last time Sebastian had knocked, Mrs Anderson gave him into trouble and told him that he's practically family and there was no need for such formality).
He does knock somewhat timidly at Blaine's bedroom door, though.
"Bas?" Blaine croaks.
He opens the door slowly, peeking round. Blaine is lying propped up on the pillows, magazine in his hand, and a cold compress draped over his forehead. His usually tamed curls are matted, and his eyes are heavy. Yet somehow, he's still the most beautiful being on the planet.
Upon catching sight of Sebastian's expression as he enters into the room, though, Blaine stirs, pushing himself to the side a little so that Sebastian can occupy the space next to him.
"What's wrong? You look as if you've seen a ghost." Blaine asks, worried.
"I-" Sebastian swallows shakily, glances down to his hands, which are laced together over his legs. "I ran into Kurt."
"Oh. Okay? And?"
"I- uhm. I overheard him talking to his friend, uh, Rachel?" Blaine nods, and Sebastian continues. "He was telling her why he broke it off with you."
Blaine averts his eyes, expression guilty, and lets out a shaky "oh."
"I just- Blaine, I need to know if it's true. Why did Kurt break up with you?"
Blaine lets out a sigh, closing his eyes, still facing away from Sebastian. "If you know already, why do you need to hear it from me?"
Palming the side of Blaine's cheek, Sebastian moves Blaine's face so that they're facing each other again, and Blaine opens his eyes, shallow breaths escaping from his lips.
"Is it true?" Sebastian asks, voice strained.
"I-" Blaine licks his lips, then whispers, "Yes. I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry?" Sebastian asks, forehead crinkling as his eyebrows drew closer together.
"I didn't want to- to make you feel awkward."
At that, Sebastian's chest loosens, and he huffs a laugh. "You know what's awkward? Being in love. Being in love and thinking that the other person doesn't feel the same way, only to find out from his ex that he does."
Blaine's eyes snap to his, wide. There's a beat, before Blaine speaks. "You mean- you-"
"Blaine, seriously. How can you not know how I feel about you? Kurt said it himself. I never did hide it well."
"Bas-" Blaine breathes, leaning into his palm, which Sebastian quite frankly has forgotten is still brushing over Blaine's cheek.
The air thickens, and both boys stare at one another for a few seconds, neither saying a word. Then, Blaine draws closer, presses their lips together somewhat timidly and unsure, and Sebastian's too shocked to even respond. When they draw apart, Blaine looks like he's about to apologise, but Sebastian pulls him back in, brushes their lips together again, and this time they end up tangled together, Sebastian's hand stroking through Blaine's curls, Blaine pressed against him, fingers running up the back of his neck lightly.
They're so wrapped up in one another in a blur of racing hearts and lips and tongues and roaming hands that neither notice Blaine's mother enter the room until she clears her throat over the tray she's carrying in her hands.
They jolt apart immediately, faces guilty.
"Mom-" Blaine splutters.
"Uhm.. hi, Mrs Anderson." Sebastian says, cringing.
Shit.
She just grins wide at them though, placing the tray on the table next to Sebastian and ruffling his hair. "I was starting to wonder if either of you would ever get a clue."
Blaine whines, covering his face. "Mooom-"
Mrs Anderson snorts at her pouting son. "Don't mom me. Do you realise how tiring it is to watch you two and your staring contests and your constant pining?"
"What's going on?" Coop asks from the doorway, startling the pair on the bed.
"Oh, well, it seems that you owe me five dollars." Mrs Anderson tells her older son, gesturing to Blaine and Sebastian.
"Seriously?" Cooper huffs, turning to the two, who were pointedly not looking at one another, faces flushed. "You couldn't have left it another year, Squirt? I was so close."
"You bet on us?" Blaine moans, glowering at his mother and brother.
Sebastian groans and covers his face. "Seriously. Can you guys just leave? We were kind of having a moment."
He worries for a second that he may have been a little too blunt, but Blaine's mom barks a surprised laugh, and Cooper snickers, sending the boys a wink, before taking his exit.
"Well, I hate to interrupt your 'moment', but that soup will probably get cold if you don't eat it soon. It's only tinned soup, though, seeing as someone forgot to pick up ingredients in his haste to march into my home and stick his tongue down my son's throat." She sends a playful glare Sebastian's way, then makes herself scarce.
"My family is the worst." Blaine whines.
Sebastian just smiles at him fondly, though, passing the tray to Blaine. "Eat your soup, killer. Don't want it to get cold."
Sebastian catches a cold a few days later, and his boyfriend runs himself ragged trying to make him feel better because he feels somewhat responsible for passing his germs onto Sebastian.
Worth it.
They're together for three years before Sebastian decides that it's time.
It's coming up to an anniversary of sorts. Not of the day that they finally owned up to their feelings, but the day that his ten year old self proposed that he and Blaine get married, not fully knowing exactly what marriage was.
Now, though, Sebastian's fully aware of what a marriage means. It means joining together as one. It means a wedding, and vows, and cake, and a lifetime commitment. It means sharing your life with another person, riding the tidal wave of ups and downs together.
If it was anyone else, Sebastian's sure he'd be running in the opposite direction, but this is Blaine – and let's face it, he's known that he wanted to marry Blaine since he was ten years old.
So Sebastian calls Blaine's work, arranges time off, and drives them away for the weekend to a small five star countryside resort. He has the ring ready – a simple white gold band, a small green gemstone indented in the middle.
He calls for room service, and they both perch on the bed, stuffing their faces, and the ring is a heavy weight in Sebastian's pocket. He waits impatiently for Blaine to finish desert before he takes his hand, fixing him with a serious expression.
"Uh oh, is this where you tell me that you're actually straight, and you're leaving me for a woman?" Blaine jokes nervously, taking in Sebastian's expression.
Sebastian lets out a soft chuckle, swatting Blaine playfully before digging his free hand into his pocket. "Quite the opposite, actually."
Blaine's eyes dart to the box immediately, and he sucks in a breath, eyes wide with wonder.
"When I was ten years old, I asked you a question – do you remember what that was?"
Blaine nods, mouth curling into a smirk.
Sebastian smiles fondly. "I knew back then that the only person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with was my best friend – so without really knowing what it meant, I asked you to marry me, and you said yes. Now I know what it means, and I still feel the same way. Blaine, I love you so much. Marry me."
"Yes!" Blaine chokes, eyes watering like the sentimental bastard that he is. Not that Sebastian would ever have him any other way.
His hands are shaking, but eventually he manages to get the ring on Blaine's finger, and he stares at it with a soft smile, playing with it between his thumb and index finger as he brings Blaine into him, stroking his cheek with his free hand and placing a soft, short peck on his lips.
Blaine brushes his palm up Sebastian's chest, and grins wide at him through his tears. "You know, we've been engaged for ten years. I don't understand why you went to all this trouble," he jokes, but his expression betrays the emotions running through him. They're both running on a high, and the elation is almost too much to handle.
Sebastian lets out a choked laugh. "Yeah, well I just wanted to remind you that you were mine."
"At least you bought me a ring this time," Blaine nudges him playfully. "Ten year old you was a cheapskate."
"Psh, I was adorable." Sebastian grins.
"Yeah. Yeah you were," Blaine agrees, stroking Sebastian's cheek softly. "I love you."
Sebastian smiles contentedly. Yup, definitely the right decision. His ten year old self was a genius.