It was only the morning after when Blaine found himself waiting for Sam in one of the classrooms designated for music classes, only that it was impossibly early as Sam couldn't cancel any of his real and scheduled classes or it would look too suspicious, so they would have to rehearse before them. Blaine was nervous and sleepy, his head hurt and his stomach felt funny at the prospect of spending some alone time with Sam.
"Ok, neither one of us wants to be here, so at least let's try to get something good out of this" Sam said as he arrived and in a rush grabbed his guitar and stood in front of the younger boy.
"Is it going to be like this all the time?" Blaine retorted before he could stop himself. He had intended to get off to a good start, but that didn't mean he was willing to take any crap from the other boy. "Because I can just turn around and go so I don't force my insufferable presence on you"
Sam seemed surprised by his response and the more than slight anger behind it, so his posture relaxed and he looked at Blaine with a new expression that finally seemed to include some kind of respect towards him. Maybe that was it, he had just been waiting for Blaine to show some personality instead of just taking all the shit he threw at him.
"Ok, sorry" Sam apologized reluctantly. "And now let's see, Seb said you can sing but do you know something about music?"
"I play the piano"
"You do?" Sam asked in complete surprise. Maybe getting Blaine to replace Quinn wouldn't be so difficult after all.
"Yes, I've played all my life" Blaine answered with a shrug of shoulders. Even if it was only because it was common custom amongst children of wealthy family, his parents had enrolled him in the conservatory when he was little, and he had been a natural from the beginning.
"Well, you won't be able to play the piano in the gig because the Shelldrake doesn't have one that I know of, but it's nice to know you're familiar with music"
"Well, I am, so stop being so condescending and start teaching me the songs" Blaine answered, empowered by the fact that Sam didn't seem to think so little of him anymore. "That's the only reason I'm here after all, right?"
"Right" Sam answered, and if he didn't know any better, Blaine would have thought he had seen a hint of disappointment in his eyes as Blaine implied there was no other reason for him to be there.
The same routine went one for the following days: Blaine would meet Sam before his classes started and any other free time he could manage to find. Blaine's time was completely devoted to Sam's timetable and to their classes, and he had the impression he hardly saw his family at all anymore –though they respected him, because they thought he was having a great time and he was on a difficult age where he needed to find his place in the world–. His birthday had come and gone during those days and he hadn't had the time to celebrate it, even if your 18th birthday was supposed to be important, right? Even Cooper had hinted a couple of times how they never did anything together anymore, but Blaine had laughed it off and joked about how he only wanted him as a second fiddle when Santana was not around.
But even though they spent so much time practicing, things weren't going as great as they should. Sam was not teaching him the songs they were supposed to be singing, but focusing on the way he performed. Blaine had to admit he was right, as he only had any experience in classical music and had never sang in front of an audience before –only for himself with those songs he loved so much and that he had to listen to in the secrecy of his room–, so his ways were stiff and unnatural, and he didn't seem to be able to make any kind of feelings flow from his performance, as much as he tried. The words are not enough, Sam had said like a thousand times. Feel the music. But Blaine was so worried about making mistakes and he concentrated so much that he knew he was missing the whole point of it.
One of those times when Blaine was feeling so frustrated, Sam stopped in front of him and spoke to him more honestly and kindly that he had done until then.
"It's not the guitar, it's not the chords, it's the feel, the heartbeat" Sam explained, and then he took Blaine's hand and brought it to his chest so he could feel his heartbeat. And then he covered Blaine's hand with his and gently beat onto it, as if it was his heart so Blaine could feel it more intensely.
Blaine's breath caught in his throat at the intimacy of the moment, at the feeling of Sam's hand on his. He had tried to stop thinking about Sam that way, but the fact that the older boy was slowly warming up to him and wasn't that harsh anymore wasn't making it any easier. Trying to follow Sam's example, he moved his own fingers to gently beat at Sam's chest too, but he could see he was again concentrating too much when Sam called him on it.
"Don't try so hard" Sam whispered to him, not wanting to ruin the moment with a loud voice, and then he grabbed Blaine's hand, still in his, and brought it to the guitar hanging from his neck. "Feel the music" he said as he brought Blaine's fingers to the strings and moved them so he was the one creating the music, so he could feel the vibration of it in his skin.
Sam was a very strict and demanding teacher, and Blaine knew he was not going to stop until he got exactly what he wanted from him. Which was not a problem for Blaine most of the times, as he had never been one to run away from challenges. But sometimes Sam would still get too carried away and would pay his frustrations with him in the form of harsh words and reproaches that Blaine was not willing to take anymore.
"Stop thinking so much, I can practically hear your thoughts"
"I wasn't doing it" Blaine protested, as it was not true this time and Sam was just being too stupid.
"Listen, if you don't stop…" Sam tried to admonish him again, but Blaine was not having any of that.
"I wasn't doing it" he repeated, a little louder and much more confident than before, effectively putting an end to the conversation as Sam looked surprisedly at him.
Sometimes Quinn would be there too, if one of her classes got cancelled, and she was more patient with Blaine as she tried to teach him all her parts as Sam looked at them and offered some advice here and then.
Even if their relationship was still tense sometimes, especially when the day of the gig was coming closer and Sam got increasingly frustrated that Blaine wasn't doing what he thought he should be doing, they spent so many hours together that all thoughts of modesty and formalism were gone from their minds, and more often than not Sam would end up losing his t-shirt and exposing his perfect muscles and sweaty chest when it was too hot. And those were the times where Blaine would lose concentration more easily, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing since Sam only wanted him to enjoy the music and get carried away with it. In the end, though, even Blaine lost his shirt a couple of times, and he probably was going crazy or something because he could have sworn Sam would discreetly check him over every time he did it.
Sam also gave him some tips about how to move on stage, as standing rooted to the floor while hiding behind the mic stand was not an option. Blaine seemed to be very self-aware as Sam put on some music and asked him to act as if he was the artist performing that song. In fact, he was moving in such a clumsy and ridiculous way that he ended accidentally hitting Sam on his face with his arm as he hadn't realized he was standing behind him.
"Sorry" Blaine immediately apologized, shyly resting his hand on Sam's shoulder to check that he was alright.
"You're trying to kill me?" Sam reproached him angrily as he rubbed on his painful chin. Because if they had been warming to each other for the last days, he still had a quick temper that frustration only seemed to make it worse. "You gotta concentrate! Is that your idea of fun?"
Ok, that was enough. He had reached his limit, Blaine knew. He was just as tired and frustrated as Sam himself, and he was only doing it to help them. He was not going to take Sam's anger on top of everything else.
"Yes, as a matter of fact it is" Blaine answered, equally loud, in a sarcastic tone that surprised the other. "We're supposed to do the show in two days, you won't show me the lyrics, I'm not sure about the melodies, I'm doing all this to save your ass when what I really want to do is drop you on it!"
Sam stood speechless in front of him, the pain on his chin already forgotten as he looked at the small boy with something very similar to admiration in his eyes. So the little guy had some nerve… And he was right after all: he had been rehearsing with Sam for days without a single complaint, putting up with his moods, when he was not even going to get anything in exchange. Maybe he had judged him the wrong way.
"Then let's get out of here" Sam answered in a calmer tone, suddenly having a wonderful idea.
Ignoring Blaine's confusion, he took a hooded jacket and threw it on Blaine's direction so he could shelter himself from the pouring rain falling outside –ok, so maybe he was an asshole, but he was still a gentleman–, not caring about getting drenched himself. He hung his guitar from his shoulder, he motioned for Blaine to follow, and they practically ran towards where Sam's car was parked a few yards away.
Sam was about to open the door when he noticed he didn't have his keys with him. He tried to open the door anyway but of course it was locked.
"Shit!" he exclaimed, slapping his hands against the roof of the car. "I locked the keys inside!"
Blaine looked questioningly at him, as if asking him if they should go back inside, but Sam had other ideas: he turned around himself, looking all around him, until he saw a rock big enough. Without a second thought, he grabbed it and hit with it one of the back windows of his car repeatedly until it broke, and then he was able to get his hand in and open the passenger door.
"You're getting wet" he said with a smirk as he motioned with his hand for Blaine to get into the car, to which Blaine immediately complied with a little smile of his own before hurrying to open the other door for Sam from inside.
"You're wild" Blaine tentatively commented once Sam started the car and began driving.
"What?" Sam asked, not sure he had heard correctly.
"You're wild" Blaine replied more confidently this time, before bursting out laughing.
Sam looked at Blaine for a second while he laughed, and he couldn't help but breaking into a fond smile himself at how adorable the younger boy looked when he got rid of his impeccable stance. And he decided he would like to bring out that part of him more often to hear that perfect and dorky laugh again.
Sam refused to explain where they were going during the whole trip, which only took them about half an hour before he got out of the main road and drove his car along a secondary little path between some trees. Fortunately the weather was clearer there and the shy rays of sunlight making their way through the trees only made the place even more beautiful.
"This is the same lake you can see from Hummel's" he explained as he and Blaine got out of the car and he again threw his guitar's strap around his shoulder. "Only in a more private part of it. There are no buildings or anything around here. Just nature"
"And what are we doing here?" Blaine asked curiously, surprised at the breathtaking beauty of the place.
"I thought this could be a good place to relax and… connect with ourselves. You know, through nature" Sam explained, blushing at what he thought would sound lame to an urbanite like Blaine probably was.
"It's a great idea" Blaine answered with a grateful smile. He knew they had to perform in only two days and there was still a lot of work to do, but he was tired, and stressed, and resting in a beautiful place like that –with only the company of the most handsome man he had ever met– seemed like a very good idea.
Sam smiled back at him, glad that Blaine seemed to appreciate his efforts to stop being a jackass, and before he knew it, he was taking Blaine's hand in his –inevitably making his heart race like crazy– and leading him towards a secluded part of the forest.
"Come with me" he said casually, as if he was unaware of much his actions were affecting the other boy.
Sam didn't let go of him until they had reached what seemed to be Sam's favorite place in the world, judging by the relaxed and content expression on his face, which Blaine had never seen before. Unfortunately, Sam let go of his hand then and sat down, leaving his guitar next to him, so Blaine quickly followed.
"I love this place" Sam said in the softest voice, almost as if he was talking to himself.
"It's really beautiful" Blaine agreed, equally low, as if afraid of perturbing the pace of the moment.
"So what do you do?" Sam suddenly asked, as if he had suddenly remembered he was not alone. "I feel like you are the only person I've seen for days yet I hardly know anything about you"
"I'm starting college in the fall" Blaine explained, the butterflies in his stomach going crazy at the fact that, for once, Sam was starting a conversation with him just for the sake of it. And if that wasn't enough, he was implying he wanted to know him better.
"Oh?" Sam exclaimed, pleasantly surprised. "And what are you majoring on?"
"I… I still don't know" Blaine answered with a shrug of shoulders, still kind of shy around Sam, as if he was expecting him to jump at his throat at any second. But he didn't.
Quite the contrary. There was a newfound kindness in his eyes, and he sounded gentle and honestly interested in what Blaine had to say. Maybe that place really affected him. Or maybe –finally– he was starting to see him as something other than a stupid kid.
"You don't?" Sam asked, sounding confused. "You don't seem like the hesitant kind to me"
"What do you mean?" Blaine asked, also confused.
"You seem pretty sure about everything" Sam answered, and for once he didn't sound as if he was judging him –he sounded almost as if he admired him–. "And especially about what you want and what you are"
"Well… I do know what I want to do" Blaine admitted, his gaze lowering to the ground and the blush on his cheeks accentuating at being the center of attention in their conversation –because he would have never imagined someone like Sam, someone as perfect as he was, wanting to know about him like that.
"Oh?" Sam exclaimed, somewhat encouraging to keep talking.
"I'd like to major in theatre and musicology" Blaine admitted, feeling like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders at finally confessing completely about his most inner dream to someone. "There's this amazing academy in New York called NYADA, and even though I told no one about it, I've been accepted. It's always been kind of my dream"
"Then?"
"My father doesn't look very kind on that choice of career… He wants me to be a doctor, like he is"
"But shouldn't you be doing what you want, and not what your father wants?" Sam asked, smiling kindly at the other boy when he finally turned to look at him.
"It's kind of a tradition in the family to be a doctor, you know?" Blaine explained, sadly reciprocating Sam's smile.
"Your brother isn't" Sam pointedly reminded him, eliciting a chuckle from the younger boy.
"Well, my brother is kind of the black sheep of the family, no one expects him to" Blaine added with a fond shake of his head for his adored big brother.
"Yet he gets to do what he wants, right? And you have to follow your father's steps just because you're his perfect little boy?" Sam said, and he didn't realize how harsh that had sounded until he noticed the hurt look on Blaine's eyes –he had done it again, right?– and he hurried to apologize. "I was not trying to make fun of you, I'm sorry. On the contrary, I meant it isn't fair that just because you're a good and responsible boy you don't get to work on your passion"
"I know" Blaine agreed with a sigh. "I still might try to convince him, though"
"Or you can do it without his approval, you know" Sam added, chuckling at the adorable innocence of the boy in front of him even if that meant he still had so much to learn. "I know it's hard to go against your parents' wishes, but… sometimes you have to do it"
"You sound like you did" Blaine answered, and Sam marveled at how observant he was.
"I did" Sam admitted with a nod of his head, not embarrassed to open his heart to Blaine now that it was his turn. "My parents couldn't pay for me to go to college, and I was too bad of a student to get a scholarship and… I couldn't see myself doing it anyway. But they wanted me to get a steady job back in Kentucky, or to get into the house painting family business. But I just cared about music, you know? It's just… it hasn't gone all that well yet, but I'm still hoping someday it will. And even if it never works out, I'm still doing what I want to do in life, however hard it is"
"You could come to college with me" Blaine joked, feeling more and more comfortable with their conversation as Sam gratefully laughed with him.
"If it's about music I could think about it" Sam joked back before turning serious again. "I know my parents love me and everything, but they don't approve of what I do. They would prefer for me to have more of a decent and stable life, you know"
"Parents are difficult sometimes" Blaine complained with a pout that elicited another chuckle from the blond boy at how adorable he looked like that –and yes, he was aware of how many times he had thought about how adorable Blaine was, but… well, he was.
"But you seem to have a very good relationship with your father" Sam made an observation.
"I do, I really do" Blaine quickly agreed, as it was quite evident how much he adored his father. "But sometimes I wonder if it's just because he…"
"He what?" Sam encouraged Blaine to continue when he noticed the latter failing to put his feelings into words.
"He doesn't really know me" Blaine explained, his voice turning soft again so Sam could tell it was some kind of issue for him. "He just loves that version of myself he created"
"What do you mean with that? What is it that he doesn't know about you?" Sam asked, doubting there could be anything in that sweet boy that could make a parent stop loving him.
"Can I tell you something I've never told anyone?" Blaine asked, and he looked so serious that Sam would have never had the heart to refuse.
"Sure, you can trust me" Sam encouraged him, realizing how special it made him feel that Blaine would trust him with something he had never trusted anyone with before.
"I'm… I'm gay" Blaine finally said, his voice faltering away with his confession.
"Alright" Sam said in an understanding voice.
"Aren't you going to freak out?" Blaine asked, as if he couldn't believe that Sam was still sitting next to him and hadn't run away by then.
"Why would I freak out?"
"I don't know. I've always expected people to freak out. At least where I live. That's why I've never told anyone"
Sam watched as Blaine lowered his gaze again and brought his knees to his chest, as if somehow he was trying to make himself smaller until he disappeared. He knew Blaine had made a huge effort to tell him something like that, as it was probably the first time he had said it out loud, so he couldn't just ignore it or pretend it wasn't a big deal. Knowing he could offer him some wisdom acquired through the years that Blaine hadn't had the chance to get yet, Sam stood up and walked all the way to Blaine's side to sit next to him and rest a gentle hand on Blaine's shoulder.
"Blaine, it changes nothing" he honestly said, squeezing Blaine's shoulder comprehensively before letting go of him. "You're still the same person you were yesterday. And… I can't say I didn't suspect something"
"Really?" Blaine asked in astonishment, turning to look at him.
"It must be my gaydar" Sam joked, chuckling as the surprise in Blaine's face only seemed to grow.
"What?" was the only thing Blaine was able to say.
"Blaine, I'm bi" Sam said with a reassuring smile, wanting to let Blaine know he was not alone. "I thought you knew that. I left it pretty clear when we danced together the night you arrived, right?"
"I thought you were just teasing me" Blaine responded.
"Oh, I was" Sam replied with a laugh. "But that doesn't mean I was not having a good time too, you know? You're kind of cute, even if you're such a nuisance"
The shy smile at Blaine's lips, mixed with the crimson on his cheeks, was probably the sweetest image Sam had ever seen. And knowing he had been the one to elicit it made it all the more special. Blaine was honest, innocent and caring, and he probably had the biggest heart ever. And all of that was so obvious that Sam wondered how it had taken him so long to see it. Or maybe he was subconsciously stopping himself from seeing it, because he was afraid of the way he felt? Because he thought that he and Blaine were too different to work and he didn't want to risk falling for him?
Another look at Blaine's beautiful face and he discovered he was still smiling, even if he was not blushing anymore. He looked more like he was… calm. Content.
"What?" Sam asked with a confused smile.
"Nothing" Blaine answered, chuckling happily. "It just feels good to be able to talk about this with someone"
"Well, maybe you should give people a chance" Sam advised him, hating to think how lonely Blaine must have felt for the longest time. "You might be surprised"
"Maybe I'll start with my brother" Blaine suggested, knowing that if there was someone who might support him without any kind of judgment, that would be Cooper.
"That's probably a good idea" Sam agreed, nodding his head at him.
"Thank you, Sam" Blaine offered with a grateful smile, and he sounded so honest that for a moment Sam's heart stopped beating.
"You're welcome, B" he answered, once again patting Blaine's shoulder in a tender gesture.
"B?" Blaine asked with an amused frown.
"It suits you" Sam answered, shrugging his shoulders casually.
"So you giving me nicknames means that we are friends now?" Blaine reluctantly asked, trying to sound as if he was joking, though Sam could see into it. Damn it, he had been unfair with the kid…
"I'll… give it some thought" he joked, and both of them laughed together for what felt the first time of many. "And now enough with sentimentalities, let's start with the reason we came here, shall we?"
Sam picked up his guitar and rested it on his lap, ready to start his lesson.
"Take your shoes off" Sam ordered out of the blue.
"Why?" Blaine asked in surprise, even though he hurried to comply.
"Because you need to feel the ground under your feet" Sam explained as he also removed his own shoes. "I want you to forget about anything else that is not the music, ok? Lie down on the grass"
Blaine smiled questioningly but once again he obeyed and let himself fall until he was lying all the way on the grass, his knees bended so he could keep the palm of his feet on the ground, as Sam had asked him too.
"Close your eyes and breathe deeply a couple of times" Sam continued, smiling to himself as he watched the other boy doing everything that he asked, trusting him completely. "And now try to empty your mind of all thoughts. Just hear the music of my guitar and start singing when you feel it's the right moment"
Both of them fell into silence as Blaine obeyed and breathed as deeply as he dared, feeling a sense of peace and contentment he hadn't felt for a long time, probably since he was little. He could feel the sweet dampness of the grass under him and the warmth of a ray of light breaking through the trees and resting on his foot. He could feel the silence of the place, but above all he could feel Sam's proximity, even if he wasn't near enough to feel the warmth from his body. And when Sam's fingers started working their magic on the strings on his guitar, Blaine finally understood what Sam had meant about letting the music flow through his body, and it was a feeling he would not easily forget. He let the music play a few seconds and then he started singing softly, easily, as if he had been born to it.
While the song lasted he forgot about absolutely everything that wasn't the music and the person playing it. And when he finished and he finally opened his eyes, the proud smile he found on Sam's lips told him he had finally made it.
"That was amazing" Sam whispered after a few second of just staring into each other's eyes.
"Was it?" Blaine asked, his heart full of hope and excitement as he sat up.
"You tell me" Sam answered, encouraging him to be the one to realize what he had accomplished and be proud of it.
"It was good" Blaine admitted with a little blush.
"It was more than good" Sam added. "And now I've seen what you have in you, I'm not going to accept any less than that, ok?"
"Okay" Blaine answered with a chuckle as he willed his heart to stop beating because it felt like it was going to give him a heart attack.
"Ok, so you can certainly sing with all the emotion in the world, we've both seen that" Sam continued as he rose on his feet and shook the dust out of his pants. "But you still need to learn to move on stage"
"Yeah" Blaine replied with a frustrated sigh while he took Sam's offered hand and let himself be pulled to his feet.
"You need to let go of yourself, to stop being so stiff"
"I'm not stiff!"
"Oh, you are" Sam replied with a chuckle at Blaine's mockingly indignant expression. "So see those rocks up there above the lake? We are going there and we are going to jump to the water and we are going to do it in the most ridiculous ways we can imagine. We are going to make complete fools of ourselves until you forget about what embarrassment is"
"No, Sam, I…" Blaine immediately refused. Ok, so he was indeed stiff, he could admit that, so making a fool of himself, especially in front of Sam, was not something he was looking forward to.
"You have a better idea to get over your shyness?" Sam asked, raising his eyebrows at him as if he daring him to say something.
"No" Blaine reluctantly admitted.
"So come on!" Sam happily said as he picked Blaine's hand again and got him running towards the place, making him suspect that had been the main purpose of the trip all along.
As soon as they arrived Sam let go of him to take his t-shirt off and for one terrifying moment Blaine thought he was going to completely strip naked in front of him –he didn't think he could survive that–. But no, he only took his t-shirt off and stood in front of him, arms akimbo, as if waiting for him to do something.
"What?"
"Aren't you going to get your shirt off?"
"I don't want to get into the lake" Blaine protested.
"It's either without shirt or with it, you choose"
Blaine sighed in surrender as he started unbuttoning his shirt, trying to ignore Sam's winning grin. But when he took it off, and he could feel Sam's eyes all over his body as he folded the piece of clothing and carefully left it on the floor, it wasn't so difficult to ignore –and he was probably blushing anyway, so…
"Ok then, after you" Sam said, signaling towards the rock they were supposed to jump from.
"Oh no no no, you first" Blaine said as he took some steps backwards after looking at the height they were standing at. Great, now he was not only embarrassed, but scared too.
"If I jump first you will flee and we both know it"
"If you don't jump first there is no way I'm going into the water"
"Oh, there is a way, believe me"
Before Blaine knew what was happening, Sam took advantage of his small stature to pick him up in his arms as if he weighted nothing and without a second warning he walked back to the edge and threw Blaine into the water, laughing his ass off at the pathetic scream that escaped Blaine's throat at finding himself flying.
Sam's laughter died on his throat when Blaine took a moment to emerge from the water again, and terrified he might have gotten hurt, Sam was about to jump when Blaine finally came to the surface spilling a lot of water from his mouth as he tried to regain his breath at how cold the water was.
"You okay?" Sam asked, his heart slowly returning to its normal pace at seeing the other boy was safe and sound.
"You bastard!" Blaine yelled once the shivering let him, taking his wet hair out of his face.
"Oh, look who's not that well-mannered when he's wet!" Sam replied, trying hard not to laugh at Blaine's annoyed stance.
"That was foul play!" Blaine protested, rubbing his forearms in an attempt of warming up a little.
"Yet it worked! You should have heard how hilarious your shriek was!"
"Very funny"
"Watch out!" Sam yelled before he took a run-up and jumped.
Blaine thought Sam probably did that often enough, judging by the meticulous precision with which he landed right at his side –enough to splash a wave of water on him– but not on top of him.
"Fuck, it's cold!" Sam exclaimed when he emerged, vigorously shaking his long hair.
"You don't say!" Blaine sarcastically replied, making Sam look amusedly at him and throw another wave of water right on his face. "Oh, so that's the way things are?"
Sam laughed as Blaine got out of the water in a jump and climbed on to the rocks as nimbly as a cat, all fear obviously gone from his body at the prospect of some fooling around –Sam guessed he spent so much time trying to be perfect that sometimes he forgot to have fun–. Also taking a run-up, Blaine jumped and bended his legs until he turned into a ball, making a big splash fall on Sam when he touched the water next to him.
"That was good!" Sam had to admit when Blaine laughed, quite proud of what he had accomplished. "You forgot about making a fool of yourself, though, which was the whole purpose of this. Watch me"
Sam went back to their jumping place and didn't even stop to think before he was already jumping while giving the loudest and most ridiculous scream ever, much to Blaine's delight, who couldn't stop laughing. And then it was his turn, and this time he jumped while crazily shaking his arms and legs, wanting to scream like Sam had done but unable to do it because he couldn't stop laughing.
And laughing he continued even after going into the water and his head breaking to the surface again, so much that he could hardly keep himself above the water so Sam took pity on him and took him in his arms to take him to the shore so he could rest on his feet. And he kept his arms around him in a loose embrace while Blaine tried to regain his breath between laughs, his own lips breaking into the widest smile ever at Blaine's contagious laughter and joy, and at the way his nose wrinkled when he laughed and how the whole scenario around them seemed to light with his smile.
It wasn't until his laughter started dying that he realized that Sam's arms were around his waist and his own arms had somehow found their way around the blond's neck in a way that it made him almost hung from him, their naked chest colliding at every breath they took. Trying to look casual, Blaine set his feet more firmly on the ground so he didn't need to lean on Sam and broke the embrace, ignoring the longing on his chest at having lost the warmth of Sam's. He smiled embarrassedly at him, which Sam quickly reciprocated, his eyes filled with something that Blaine couldn't identify but sent shivers all along his body.
"You're shivering" Sam commented as he reached for Blaine's upper arms and started rubbing them in a kind attempt of warming him up.
"It's cold" Blaine stupidly answered, even if that was only half the reason he was shivering.
"Let's get out of the water, come on" Sam suggested, taking Blaine's hand in his again even if this time was only to walk at his side and not to pull him along.
They moved a bit away from the lake in search of the last remains of sunlight in the late afternoon. Of course they hadn't brought any towels with them and they were dripping with water. There was no way they could go back to the hotel in that state, so Blaine just let himself fall to the ground again and lay down on his back, stretching his limbs impossibly with a content smile on his face.
"What are you doing?" Sam asked from his still standing place, as he looked at the other boy, feeling a very familiar now stirring in his heart at his beauty, both inside and out, and he shook his head in amusement as he watched him, shirtless, barefoot and drenched, just lying around in the middle of nowhere with a smile on his face.
"I'm drying under the sun, duh" he answered, because he thought it was pretty obvious.
"You look ridiculous" Sam said, even if he couldn't stop himself from smiling fondly at him.
"Who's the stiff one now?" Blaine asked, not needing to open his eyes knowing his challenge was going to make Sam lie down next to him in a matter of seconds.
Of course Sam wasn't going to let Blaine win on this, so he immediately lay down next to him and stretched both arms and legs like the shorter boy had done, trying not to laugh at the smug smile on Blaine's face as he looked at him.
"Ok, this is nicer than it looked" Sam admitted when he started feeling the warmth of the sun on his chest –a warmth that only got more accentuated when Blaine chuckled at his side.
"I know" Blaine agreed as he closed his eyes again and he started softly singing a song, almost whispering it, though Sam could hear it alright.
There's a calm surrender to the rush of day
When the heat of the rolling wind can be turned away
An enchanted moment, and it sees me through
It's enough for this restless warrior just to be with you
And can you feel the love tonight
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far
And can you feel the love tonight
How it's laid to rest
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best
"That's a really beautiful song" Sam whispered once Blaine's voice faltered, not wanting to ruin the moment.
"Thanks" Blaine answered, his cheeks turning red immediately at the appraisal, almost as if he hadn't realized he had been singing out loud until that moment.
"What, you wrote it?" Sam asked in astonishment. There was no way that little boy had written a song like that, was it?
"Mm… yeah, some time ago" Blaine explained embarrassedly. "It just came to my mind now, I don't know why"
But Sam knew why. He very well could imagine how Blaine was feeling after the day they had just spent together, because he was feeling the same way himself. He felt closer to the other boy than he had ever done to anyone before, even if it may be just the heat of the moment. He felt as if he was invincible, as if there was nothing he could do. As long as Blaine was at his side, of course. So the song fitted the mood perfectly.
Sam knew he was not going to see Blaine with the same eyes after that day, even if he had been getting to know him more deeply for days know. There was something about him… At his age he shouldn't be like that, right? He should be only thinking about having fun and meeting hot boys and going to college so he wasn't under his parent's roof anymore and he could party all the time, right? But Blaine wasn't like that: there was a deepness and a maturity in him that made him look as if he was older, even if his looks were those of a kid. And there was so much kindness and warmth and… love in him that Sam felt as if he could keep discovering and admiring him until the end of time.
"Well, it's amazing" Sam felt the need to reinforce his admiration.
"Thanks" Blaine answered, nervously biting on his bottom lip even as he smiled.
"Any other hidden talents I should know about?"
"No, that's pretty much it"
"I don't believe it" Sam answered, making Blaine blush even more furiously, because come on, that boy was full of surprises!
They fell into a companionable silence for a while, both lost in their own thoughts and everything they were feeling after the day they had just shared. And when Blaine brought his previously stretched arms closer to his body, Sam took advantage of it to get nearer until they were practically touching.
Sam had to smile at the picture of contentment that Blaine was right then, with that little calm smile decorating his lips as his face turned towards the sun, eyes closed and the palm of his hands resting against the grass under him. And it wasn't until his face fell a little to the side that Sam realized he was falling asleep. Chuckling to himself, Sam knew he couldn't leave him to take a nap, as it was pretty late anyway and he didn't know what time his parents were expecting him to go back. And after the way Blaine had trusted him that day, the least he could do was to look after him.
"Hey, kiddo" Sam softly said so as not to scare him awake as he gently shook his shoulder.
"What?" Blaine asked in confusion as he lazily stretched his limbs –another thing he shared with cats, apparently.
"You were falling asleep" Sam said as he sat up, pulling on Blaine's arm to get him up with him.
"I wasn't" Blaine protested with a frown, even if both of them knew he was lying.
"Your hair looks really funny right now" Sam said with a chuckle as he looked at Blaine's usually well-kept curls, now all sticking up in different directions.
"Oh, shit! Really?" Blaine said with a terrified expression as his fingers unsuccessfully moved to flatten it.
"In a good way" Sam assured him, grabbing Blaine's wrists to get his hands to stop, as he was just making it worse. "It's adorable"
"Oh my God, how could I let you convince me of having a bath?"
"Well, I didn't exactly convince you, I threw you into the water, remember?"
"I hate you" Blaine said even if a smile was already breaking into the corner of his lips and his hands had yet to move from Sam's grip.
"I hate you too" Sam answered with a smile, before he got on his feet and brought Blaine up with him through the grip on his wrists. "We should get going, or your parents will kill me"
"Oh, if they find out I've been out of the hotel the whole day without previous notice they will kill me first" Blaine contradicted him as they walked to the car, passing by the first spot they had sat in to retrieve their shoes and Sam's guitar.
"Blaine, I'm sorry, I didn't think about that, I should have asked…" Sam tried to apologize, hardly able to believe himself and how he hadn't even thought about that. But Blaine was so composed and mature that Sam sometimes forgot how young he really was.
"No, don't worry, Cooper will cover for me, I'm sure" Blaine answered, not sounding really worried, though maybe he just didn't want for Sam to feel guilty. "And besides… it was fun. Even if they catch me… it was worth it"
Sam stopped for a moment before they reached the car just to look into Blaine's once again blushing face and offer him the best of his smiles, before he walked all the way to the passenger side to gallantly open the door for him.
"I had a great time too" he confessed, fearing he was probably blushing too.
"Really?" Blaine asked as he got into the car, and Sam lamented once again how much of a jerk he had been to him that every nice thing he tried to say to Blaine surprised him so much.
"Yeah. Do you think I just bring anyone to my sacred place?" Sam answered, only half joking, before making all the way to the other side and getting into the car himself.
"We made some progress today, right?" Blaine asked in a hopeful voice after a couple of minutes of silence as Sam drove back to Hummel's.
"We made a great progress today, B" Sam answered, the gig they were rehearsing for the last thing on his mind.
Next day everything felt different. Blaine didn't want to read too much into things but… he was not imagining things, right? Sam had really changed his attitude towards him. A lot. He didn't seem to consider him a stupid and annoying little kid anymore. Yesterday he almost seemed as if he… admired him. As if he appreciated him. Sometimes it even seemed… no, Blaine, stop, don't do that to yourself. There is no way a Greek God like Sam could have more than friendly feelings for someone like you.
But even then, Blaine felt everything was different when he entered first thing in the morning in the classroom where Sam was already waiting for him.
"Hey" Blaine shyly said to catch Sam's attention, as he was very concentrated in tuning his guitar.
"Hey!" Sam answered, immediately letting his guitar down and standing up, as if he wanted to welcome Blaine with all the attention he deserved. "I was afraid you wouldn't come today. You know, because your parents had grounded you"
"No, Cooper is the best, he told them I had been with him the whole day" Blaine explained as he shrugged his shoulders, awkwardly moving from foot to foot as he stood in front of Sam. Which was ridiculous, by the way, they had been rehearsing together for days, why couldn't they just act as they had done until now? "And he even said he was not going to ask where I was until I was ready to tell him myself"
"Wow, he looks cool" Sam exclaimed, nodding his head in appreciation of Cooper's gesture.
"He is, he's the best, maybe I can introduce you to him someday" Blaine enthusiastically said before he realized how stupid that thought was: in just a few more days, they would be gone from the hotel and he would probably never see Sam again. "I mean…"
"I'd like to" Sam interrupted him, as he had been thinking exactly the same and didn't want to go there. At least not yet.
"Well, should we get started?" Blaine suggested as he finally walked further into the room, just so he would have something to do.
"Yes, but first…" Sam said as he awkwardly followed the other boy. "I wanted to apologize"
"Why?" Blaine turned to his in surprise.
"Because I've been kind of…" Sam tried to find the right word to define his behavior until then, but Blaine beat him to it.
"Grumpy?" he tried with a mischievous smile.
"Yeah, that" Sam agreed with a laugh. "I'm supposed to be a teacher, and I did it all the wrong way. You were right, I haven't been teaching you the songs"
"Well, you can do it now" Blaine answered, implicitly forgiving Sam for everything, even though he didn't think there was any need for that.
"You probably know most of them, anyway, we are supposed to play popular songs, as you know" Sam explained as he picked up his guitar again and motioned for Blaine to sit on the floor in front of him.
"Yeah, I had imagined that"
"The Shelldrake is a bit more open than Hummel's, though, so I would like to play one original song. One I wrote, if you agree"
"Sure, of course" Blaine agreed with no hesitation.
"And… I would like you to sing it" Sam shyly added, almost begging for Blaine to grant him his wish.
"Me?" Blaine asked in utter astonishment. "It's your song, why don't you sing it?"
"Because I think it would go amazing with your voice" Sam explained, hoping he was not blushing too much. "You're an amazing singer"
"But Sam…" Blaine tried to protest. After all, Blaine was only a temporary substitute for Quinn, Sam was the real artist.
"Consider it a payment for your patience" Sam interrupted him, showing him how he was not going to take no as an answer.
"It would be an honor" Blaine accepted after a short silence, his heart beating at a wild peace just because of the way Sam was looking at him.
"You wanna hear it?"
"Yes, please"
Sam nodded with a grateful smile as he firmly took his guitar and his fingers immediately started caressing the strings. Blaine closed his eyes and sighed, willing himself to open his mind and his heart to it as Sam had taught him to do. Although there was really no need for that, because the melody Sam was creating was so incredibly beautiful there was no way he could not feel it.
If ever you wondered
If you touched my soul, yes you do
Since I met you I'm not the same
You bring life to everything I do
Just the way you say hello
With one touch I can't let go
Never thought I'd fall in love
With you
Because of you, my life has changed
Thank you for the love and joy you bring
Because of you, I feel no shame
I'll tell the world it's because of you
Sometimes I get lonely
And all I gotta do is think of you
You captured something inside of me
You make all of my dreams come true
It's not enough that you love me for me, yeah
You reached inside and touched me eternally
I love you best explains how I feel
For you
Because of you, my life has changed
Thank you for the love and joy you bring
Because of you, I feel no shame
I'll tell the world it's because of you
The magic in your eyes, true love I can't deny
When you hold me I just lose control
I want you to know that I'm never letting go
You mean so much to me I want the world to see
It's because of you
Because of you
"Sam, this is beautiful" Blaine exclaimed after a whole minute trying to control his emotions, not wanting to spill the tears he could feel threatening to fall from his eyes.
"Well, I'm glad you liked it, because you're singing it, remember?" Sam answered, dismissing Blaine's appraisal as he got up to get something from the table. "I wrote down the words for you so you can learn them"
Blaine followed Sam with his gaze around the room, sighing in sadness while he wished Sam would feel for him what he had once felt for someone to write a song like that to them.
"I can't believe it's tonight" Blaine nervously commented as Quinn walked with him to where they kept some clothes the employees of the hotel used for their different performances, hoping they would find something for Blaine to wear on their performance in just a few hours.
"Shelldrake it's 20 minutes away" Quinn said, resting her hand on Blaine's shoulder in an attempt of calming him down. "You can change in the car"
Blaine was about to reply when they noticed one of the hotel guests, Sue Sylvester, tripping right in front of them and almost falling on her face, though in the end she could recover enough and the only thing that ended up falling was her purse.
Blaine, being the gentleman that he was, immediately hurried to pick everything up, as all the contents of the purse had been spread on the floor: make up, tissues, a couple of wallets, a water bottle… Not wanting to pry on her privacy, Blaine scooped everything and got it back in the purse almost without looking.
"Here" he said as he handed the purse to the woman.
"Thank you, youngun" she said, not sounding that grateful, but Blaine had seen enough about her to know she was not the nicest lady around. "And now if you'll excuse me…"
"What a strange lady" Quinn commented once Sue disappeared, and Blaine just shrugged his shoulders in response before getting in the room Quinn was showing him too.
Quinn was a good stylist, and didn't take her a lot of time to find the perfect clothes for Blaine to wear that night, classy but with a hint of risk on them that made Blaine look incredible and very far away of his usual good-boy image.
"You look great" Quinn said as he looked at his reflection in the mirror in front of them.
"You think so?" Blaine asked with a nervous smile.
"Please, you're a hotty!" Quinn answered, making the other laugh and blush at the same time. "Get up on this stool, I'm going to do the cuffs"
Blaine obeyed and stood still while Quinn worked around him so it wouldn't be too obvious that Blaine was wearing some hand-me-downs in their performance. After all, it was an important gig, and they needed to do it well if they wanted to continue with their contract next summer.
"So you've got the whole tracklist figured out?" Quinn asked as she worked.
"Yes, we do" Blaine answered. "All covers except for one: Sam asked me to sing Because of you for him"
"To sing what?" Quinn asked in surprise.
"One of his original songs" Blaine explained, surprised she didn't know about the song given how close she was with Sam.
"Sweetie, I know all of his original songs and I've never heard of that" Quinn answered with a confused frown, although of course she didn't make an issue of it. "He must have written it recently. Very recently"
Blaine's breath caught in his throat at Quinn's words. Could it be…? No, it was not possible. But what it Sam had written that song just the night before, after both of them spending the day together? Maybe that's why he hadn't mentioned about including it in the gig before?
"There" Quinn took him out of his reverie when she finished fixing his clothes, smiling proudly at him. "You are going to do so great"
"What if I forget the words?" Blaine asked, revealing his deepest fear.
"Then you stop for a minute, breathe deeply and look at Sam, and he will help you" Quinn advised him, smiling fondly at him.
"I'm afraid of making a mess, forgetting about to breathe and end up falling on my face" Blaine confessed, only half joking because it was not the first time that thought went through his head, though he changed his mind when he look at Quinn's amused face. "Ok, but I won't. I'm going to do great, I'm going to hold my head high, and feel the music inside of me, and just let the words flow…"
"Thanks, Blaine" Quinn honestly said, turning serious all of a sudden. "I'm sorry if I was a bitch to you at the beginning, I was just…"
"I know" Blaine stopped her, not really needing an apology, before he turned to her and signaled at his own body. "So how do I look?"
"You look so handsome" Quinn said, but Blaine was horrified at seeing some tears forming in Quinn's eyes.
"Hey, what wrong?" he asked.
"I'm scared, Blaine. I'm so scared" she confessed, breaking into sobs and letting herself be wrapped in Blaine's comforting arms.
"You'll be fine" he said before kissing the top of her head. Because Quinn was a good girl and she only deserved good things happening to her. He was sure of that.
Of course Blaine couldn't just leave at night without saying anything. Nor could he ask his parents for permission because he couldn't tell them where he was going. He hated doing it, but he didn't have another option than to lie. And he would need Cooper's help for that.
So when the time for dinner arrived, and Blaine was sure his parents would already be waiting for them at the table, he searched for Cooper –he was always late, so he didn't need to worry he would already be in the dining room– and found him fooling around with Santana –which Blaine hated, but he didn't have the time for that now– before she kissed him and went back inside to continue with her job. And Blaine took that as his cue to stop Cooper before he got inside and pulled him from his arm to take him a little to the side.
"Coop, you've got to do something for me" Blaine said as he grabbed Cooper's arm to stop him before he followed their parents into the dining room.
"Ooh, that sounds interesting, what is it?" Cooper asked, with an amused smile.
"Just tell Mum and Dad that I'm sick and I went to bed, and check on me once, okay?" Blaine quickly said and turned around to run, but this time it was Cooper who stopped him with a hand to his arm.
"Wait a minute, Blaine" Cooper said, sounding almost as if he was worried about all the mystery of lately. After all, they had never had secrets with each other before. "Where are you going?"
"I can't talk right now, Coop, just do me this favor, please" Blaine pleaded, giving Cooper his best version of puppy eyes that he knew his brother could hardly ever resist.
"But B…"
"Please, Coop"
"Is it worth it?" Cooper asked with a resigned sigh that told Blaine he had won.
"Yes" he answered with such enthusiasm that Cooper could only nod his head at him.
"You and I are going to have a little talk one of these days" Cooper warned him, pointing his finger at Blaine's face to make more of an impression.
"We will, I promise, just… not now, I'm in a hurry"
"Ok, then go"
"Thanks, Coop, you're the best" Blaine said as he hurriedly gave his brother a hug and then started running like a madman.
"You owe me one!" Cooper shouted at him, fondly shaking his head.
"I will make it up to you, I promise!" Blaine screamed back over his shoulder.
"Ah, young love" Cooper joked to himself as he watched his little brother run away from him. Though he probably wasn't that little anymore…
Blaine felt his knees shaking as he waited on the stage in the dark to be presented. The sound system was ready, and Sam's guitar was lying next to the stool he would be using. Blaine breathed deeply a couple of times, trying to calm his nerves, fearing he was going to pass out any moment until he felt Sam's hand closing around his and his hot breath on his neck as Sam bended over to whisper in his ear.
"Relax, you're going to do great" he said, looking intently at him until Blaine nodded.
"Welcome tonight, ladies and gentleman" a voice announced through the speakers, making Blaine jump out of his skin. "The Shelldrake hotel is proud to present Sam Evans and partner!"
Sam squeezed his hand again before letting go of it and then the lights of the stage were switched on to discover them to the audience, spread around the place on dozens of tables. Blaine breathed deeply one more time and then he smiled, following Sam to the center of the stage.
The first song was a solo from Sam and he would be the backup singer. They had decided that it would be a nice way to start, so Sam, who was already a professional, would break the ice and Blaine would have more time to get slowly into it.
Not for the first time, Blaine wished he had been able to play the piano, as he could have easily hidden behind it and everything would be so much easier. But it was not an option, and Blaine had to man up and be confident. He knew he could do it, Sam had said so. And if Sam trusted him… who was he to contradict him, right?
Song after song they played, and Blaine grew more confident with each passing moment, especially every time Sam would turn to him and give him one of those smiles of his that made him feel he could touch the sky if he really tried. His nerves had vanished, and he was starting to enjoy the performance as if he had been born to do it. Just for a moment, he closed his eyes and imagined the grass under him, connecting him with the ground, while Sam played his guitar only for him. And he let the music flow through his veins like Sam had taught him. And he wished that moment would never end.
They had planned to leave Sam's original song for the last, as Blaine had insisted it was just too special and amazing to be just one more of them –and Sam had let himself be convinced by Blaine's sweet excitement–. Blaine firmly put his feet on the ground and stood behind his mic, ready to give the best of himself for Sam, because he had given that song to him to sing and he was not going to disappoint him.
With only the sound of Sam's guitar filling the ballroom of the Shelldrake hotel, Blaine took a deep breath and looked at the other boy as if to send him a silent message that he was going to do it right. But when Sam's eyes met his, Blaine saw something there, raw and powerful, something that had been glimmering there since the day at the lake but was now clear as day: Sam had written that song for him. Sam felt something for him.
Blaine was so shocked and overwhelmed at the discovery that he missed his cue to start singing. As much as he tried, he couldn't possibly remember the first words to it or how to even move his lips to articulate any sound. That wasn't supposed to happen; he wasn't supposed to ruin Sam's song; he wasn't supposed to break his trust.
But far from being angry or disappointed at him, the next time Blaine looked fearfully at Sam the blond was patiently smiling at him and, with a reassuring nod to him, he started singing. He only needed to sing two verses for Blaine's brain to start functioning again, and he joined Sam on the third. Only Sam didn't stop, and continuing singing with him, making the song into a duet in which they never stopped looking into each other's eyes the whole time.
And they remained looking into each other's eyes even after the song ended, and even when the audience started applauding. Of course Sam was a professional and was the first to react, so he let his guitar on the floor, took Blaine's hand strongly into his and moved to the edge of the stage to take a bow.
And that's when they saw that Sue Sylvester lady from Hummel's being accompanied to one of the tables closer to the stage by a waiter, as apparently she had just arrived to have a drink at the place. Blaine looked worriedly at Sam, because no one was supposed to know he was there. Sam reciprocated his worried look, bowed again and quickly pulled of Blaine's hand and got him out of sight before that woman raised his gaze and could recognize him.
The trip back to Hummel's in Sam's car started as the previous one had, with Blaine changing back into his own clothes in the back seat as Sam drove –though he couldn't help sending furtive glances at the younger boy every now and then through the rear mirror as Blaine got changed.
"You did good, you worked hard" Sam said, breaking the silence, so he could get distracted from the feelings that looking at the shirtless boy was giving him.
"When I saw that woman from Hummel's I thought that was it" Blaine answered with a nervous chuckle, completely oblivious to Sam's inner turmoil.
"Oh, me too!" Sam answered with a laugh as he turned to look at him before he remembered he wasn't supposed to look, so he turned his face back to the road, hoping Blaine hadn't noticed his blushing. Better to keep a light conversation. "You really killed the second to last song"
"But I went blank in the last one" Blaine lamented as he finished buttoning his shirt.
"It doesn't matter, we fixed it" Sam immediately reassured him in complete honesty, because Blaine had been terrific.
Blaine jumped over the seats once he was finished dressing so he could sit in the front with Sam, and they smiled at each other when their gazes met again. If the day at the lake had changed the dynamic between them, that duet had been another turning point for them for sure, as they were more aware of each other's feelings and… maybe they were ready to give it a try.
When they were back at the hotel and Sam parked his car, he hurried to go out and walk to the other side while Blaine tried to fix his hair as he looked at his reflection on the rear mirror. But as soon as Sam opened the door for him –which was something he apparently loved to do–, Blaine immediately forgot about his hair and let Sam take his hand and help him out, unable to keep a smile out of his face at all the attentions.
Everything was so silent and there was so little light under the stars that they felt as if they were the only people in the world. And of course they didn't need anybody else as they got lost in each other's eyes again for a second, before Sam started leaning into Blaine slowly, as if giving Blaine time to retreat if he wanted. But Blaine just smiled approvingly at him, and Sam was about to let their lips touch when someone came running to them in a frenzy and interrupted them.
"Sam! It's Quinn" Sebastian shouted as he came to his cousin and pulled on his arm, desperate to make him follow.
Of course he didn't need to worry, because as soon as Sam heard about his friend he started running himself, so Blaine and Sebastian could only follow.
"She didn't want to do anything until you got back" Sebastian explained in a rush as they reached Quinn's room.
Sam almost screamed in terror as he saw the state of his friend: Quinn was covered in sweat and writhing in pain, and Sam only needed to brush her arm to notice she had a very high fever.
"You didn't call an ambulance?" Sam reproached him as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
"She said the hospital would call the police, she made me promise" Sebastian tried to justify himself, and even through his anger Sam could see he had a point. "He didn't use no ether, nothing"
"I thought you said he was a real MD" Blaine said, turning to Sebastian without trying to sound reproachful.
"That guy had a dirty knife and a folding table" Sebastian replied, obviously upset and feeling more than a little guilty. "I could hear her screaming from the hallway and I swear to God, Sam, I tried to get in, I tried"
Blaine never got to hear Sam's answer as he left the room and ran like the devil towards his own cabin. He knew a real MD, the best of them, and that was his father. He would get him and he would save Quinn's life. The fact that he would get to know about Blaine's escapades didn't even cross his mind in his rush to help Quinn.
"Dad" Blaine whispered as he silently entered his parents' room and knelt next to the bed to gently shook his father awake. "Dad, I need your help"
"What is it?" Don asked, his eyes only half open still. "Is it Cooper?"
"No" Blaine didn't offer any other explanation as he moved away from the bed to give his father room to get out from it.
"Let's go" Don decidedly answered as he picked up his medical bag and followed his son, not even bothering to change out of his pajamas.
Father and son didn't exchange a word in all the way to Quinn's room as they ran, and for the love of God that Don Anderson didn't have a clue about what was happening or where Blaine was taking him. Or how did Blaine know something was happening at that time of night. But he trusted his son and he preferred to give him the benefit of doubt. They would have time for explanations later.
Blaine showed him to the little that was Quinn's room, and that it was exactly the same as the others for the staff, and Don Anderson immediately took care of the situation and started getting people out of the way –as most of Quinn' and Sam's friend were there–.
"Excuse me. Everybody get out, please" he said in a calm but authoritarian voice, and he even pushed Sam aside so he could take his place on the bed's edge and take care of the obviously suffering girl. "Ok, I know it hurts, but we better take care of that"
Don started rummaging through his bag and he easily found a little bottle that probably was some kind of painkiller.
"Who's responsible for this girl?" he asked, not raising his gaze from the girl while he administered the medicine.
"I am" Sam immediately answered, unsurprisingly, as he was the closest person Quinn had in her life. "Please, is she…?"
Blaine hurried to comfort Sam when his voice faltered, full of fear and guilt that he had let that happen and other million thoughts going into his head. Blaine stood at his side and rested one hand on his shoulders as the other hand held onto the opposite biceps, hoping to offer some reassurance.
And that's how Don Anderson saw them when he turned to look judgingly at that Sam guy, who apparently had knocked up that poor girl and sent her to a fake doctor to send his problem away, and on top of that somehow had managed to get Blaine's interest. This wasn't at all the kind of acquaintances he wanted for his son, who was younger than all those people and because of that so much impressionable than any of them. So that's where he had been spending all his days away… And when had he become so close to that guy to embrace him like that? Were they like best friends now or what?
Needing some space and intimacy to work on his patient, who was his main priority right now, he ushered everyone else from the room, and Blaine didn't miss the disappointed look he sent at him that made him feel as the most dishonest person in the world. And he was, he thought as they waited just outside Quinn's bungalow: he had been chaining one lie after another to help Sam and Quinn when they needed it. But who was he trying to kid? He had lied to be with Sam, to spend every possible minute of the day with him. And he had never lied to his father before of that.
And what was going to happen between Sam and him now? Now that they didn't have the rehearsing excuse? Now that his father knew about it and was surely going to oppose to them spending time together? Now that Blaine felt so intensely for him that he couldn't almost function, and he was starting to believe Sam felt it too?
His thoughts were interrupted when his father finally came out of the room. He didn't need to speak for Blaine to see exactly what was going on in his head.
"Doc, thanks a lot" Sebastian said, effusively shaking Don's hand in gratitude.
"Doctor Anderson" Sam said, offering his hand for Don to take too. "I don't know how to thank you…"
But Don ignored him. Just like that, he sent a killer look at him and rejected his offer for a handshake as he not-so-gently pushed Blaine away from those people to get him walking towards their cabin, in a way that Blaine could only look backwards for a second to see quite a devastated look in Sam's eyes before he went back into Quinn's room to be with her.
"Is that what my money paid for?" his father asked in an angry tone as Blaine rushed to keep up with his father's furious pace.
"Dad, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lie to you" Blaine immediately apologized, even though he knew no words were going to make the situation better at that point.
"You're not the person I thought you were, Blaine" Don retorted, and the disappointment in his voice hurt even worse than the previous anger. "I'm not sure who you are… but I don't want you to have anything to do with those people again"
"Can I just explain…?" Blaine tried, because as sorry as he felt about everything, he still thought his father was being unreasonable, and hadn't he always loved to say how close they were and how they could talk about anything? Where was that now?
"Nothing!" Don answered, turning in anger to him. "You will have nothing to do with any of them ever again!" Don breathed deeply before he continued talking, trying to calm himself down before he said anything he would really regret. "I won't tell your mother about this. I'm now going to bed"
Blaine watched his father go, as angry and disappointed as he had ever seen him, and Blaine's heart broke. But what really brought tears to his eyes was the memory of the expression on Sam's face that night, with his dear friend injured like that and Blaine's father forbidding him to see him again. And Blaine felt like the most terrible person ever about the fact that he was going to keep lying and disobeying his father, but there was no way he could stay away from that boy. Especially not when he knew Sam needed him that night.