"Are you coming tomorrow?" Sam asks.
"Yeah, but I'm saying my goodbyes tonight," Artie says. "I don't like coming anywhere near crying in front of people."
"I'm people!" Sam protests.
Artie gives him a peck on the lips.
"You're special people," Artie says in a slightly grumpy voice.
Sam pulls him into his lap. Artie's hair is soft under his cheek.
"You too. I'm going to miss you so much," Sam says.
Artie looks up at him with a skeptical look on his face.
"You're going to a big city and meeting new people. You'll have plenty to keep yourself occupied. I'm going to be stuck here in Lima for another whole year," Artie says.
"It's going to be like when I moved a little bit last year. Yeah, I'm going to go and meet people and see things, but I'm still going to see something funny and turn to you and you won't be there. I mean you definitely have the raw end of this deal, being stuck here, but don't you dare think that I'm not going to miss you every single day," Sam says.
Artie looks up at him with a watery smile.
"You did that when you were gone? Sam, we weren't even together yet," Artie says.
Sam shrugs.
"Still loved you," Sam says.
"Yeah," Artie says.
They stare off into space for a while. Sam runs his hand from the nape of Artie's neck to the base of his spine. Artie traces shapes absentmindedly on Sam's leg.
"We're going to make it, you know," Artie says.
"Hmmm?" Sam says as he's pulled out of his reverie.
"You and me. We're not going to have a big messy breakup like Tina and Mike or even a quiet agreement to be put on hold like Kurt and Blaine. I mean, yeah, Tina had been planning on breaking up with Mike for a while, with separation for college just being the tipping point, but that was just a mess. And everyone knows that Kurt and Blaine's quiet agreement is just a prelude to ease their eventual breakup. We're not going to do either of those things though. I have faith in us," Artie says resolutely.
"I believe you. We'll come out on the other side stronger than ever," Sam says.
"Okay, I really don't want to spend our last night together moping and making big declarations of love on the couch all night long. No offense, I do love cuddling with you, but we should have some fun tonight, too," Artie says.
Sam perks up a bit at the way Artie's voice deepens a bit at the end of the sentence.
"I might have a couple ideas for fun," Sam says.
Artie grabs the hem of Sam's shirt and pulls it up over his head.
"Okay so we're having the same ideas for fun tonight," Sam says. "Here or your bedroom?"
Artie has a quick internal debate. It's fun on the couch, but in his bedroom they can lock the door to make sure that no one walks in on them (again).
"Bedroom. My mom doesn't need to see that much of you. Or me for that matter. It was weeks before she could look either of us in the eyes after that last time," Artie says.
Sam laughs at the memory and then nods.
"Good point. Better safe than sorry," Sam says.
Artie breaks away from Sam to get back in his chair.
"I'll race you," Artie says, shooting down the hall. "Winner gets to strip the clothes of the loser."
Sam might have lost on purpose.