As always,
THEMoDePo: Hahaha, I'm sure you're as adorable as Sam while crying ;) I'm glad you liked the clothing ordeal, it came out of the blue as much to me as it did to them! I really really hope you're not terribly disappointed about this new chapter, 'cause it's really not that good. But thank you so much! :)
StixxandBethany: hahaha, I like the idea of Tina and Sebastian kind of fighting over being Blaine's best friend (although Sam is really his best friend, but whatever). And yes! They're married now! Thank you so much!
Darrinia: Awwww, you're so sweet, thanks! I always thought that about Blaine too, he was always trying to make Kurt happy without thinking about his own needs and tastes. Funny how you told me I should trust myself more as a writer and I wrote one of the worst chapters (or at least one of the most difficult ones) I've ever written. So be warned! :) Thank you so much!
Musicjunky81: Awww, how sweet of you, I'm glad I made you smile! Don't expect too much of this chapter, though, just in case! Thank you so much!
Me-me157: Awww, thanks! I love that you liked the small details, like their clothing or the fact that Don walked Blaine down the aisle... I hope you still like this next chapter because... it was so difficult to write! Thank you so much for all the support! :)
A/N: Ok,before anything else I really need to apologize for the tardiness (I'd never been so long without posting anything!). It's just that... well, it's been a nightmare writing this chapter, really. It was very frustrating because the story was flowing so nicely until now... And suddenly I had so many things I wanted to include and no idea how to put them together...
So this is the result and... I'm sorry. I hope you get to enjoy it anyway, even if this chapter doesn't stand to the others. Though at least is very very long!
Only one more to go! Thank you for being there and waiting!
CHAPTER 5
As soon as the kiss broke, the couple was immediately separated from each other as everyone wanted to congratulate and embrace the boys –men now, married men to be exact–. Because of the proximity, the best men were the first ones, and Sebastian hurried to put his arms around his best friend to surround him in a warm embrace.
"You did it, Killer" he whispered in Blaine's ear, eliciting a soft and grateful smile on the shorter boy.
"I know, can you believe it?" Blaine answered, his voice still breaking with emotion as he reciprocated the hug with all his forces.
"The fact is I do" Sebastian answered as they separated, looking intently into his best friend's eyes. "Congrats, Blaine. You both deserve so much to be happy"
"Thanks, Seb" Blaine answered before being lifted in his big brother's arms, who apparently had finished his role as a minister and resumed the one as the obnoxious big brother. "Will you let me go, you big ox?"
"My little brother just got married, let me celebrate it a bit" Cooper answered with a laugh as he spun the smaller man around.
"Hey, don't make me a widower so soon, will you?" Sam jokingly protested when Puck let go of him and he could see poor Blaine trying to disentangle from his brother's arms.
"Oh, don't get jealous, I've got some for you too" Cooper answered as he let go of his brother and also tried to lift Sam from the floor –with a bit more of difficulty. "Gosh, Blaine, your husband is really heavy"
"But he's my husband" Blaine answered as he removed Cooper's arms from Sam and put his instead, the smile on his lips so bright that Sam thought he was going to get blinded just by looking at it.
"Oh my God, how sweet does that sound?" Sam exclaimed as he dried the last of his tears and squeezed his new husband close to his side for a second before letting go of him so he could properly embrace his parents.
"Ok, time to celebrate!" Puck yelled over all the chaos of embraces and sweet words.
"We have to eat first, you know?" Tina reminded him as she waited for her chance to embrace her dear friend.
"Damn it" Puck exclaimed with a pout.
Even if the supper was not a very complicated thing –again Sam and Blaine had opted for something more accordingly to their not-so-posh standards–, it was delicious, and the fact that the grooms and all the guests were sitting together in a big round table where they could see each other –while being waited by the girls they had contracted the catering to– made it all the more enjoyable. The happiness in the boys' eyes was so evident, and the way they couldn't keep touching each other even if it was just an arm around the other's shoulder or a caress or a quick peck on the lips was so sweet, that the rest of the guests couldn't stop looking at them and sharing their emotion.
They were just finishing eating the cake –while Blaine fondly stroke the Nightbird and Blond Chameleon cake toppers their friends had surprised them with– when Cooper took a spoon to click a glass with and get everybody's attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I think it's time for my favorite moment of the evening. Let's hear the best men speeches! Hopefully Sebastian will have made a good use of all the sordid details I gave him about Blainey's childhood and teen years to make the most of it!"
"There will be no need for that" Blaine tried to defuse the situation, but of course Cooper was having none of it.
"So Sebastian, you were saying…" Cooper insisted, pointedly ignoring his brother, and Sebastian looked mockingly apologetically at his friend before obeying and standing up to give his speech.
"I'm sorry, Killer" Sebastian apologized with his usual smirk that belied his words. "You already knew this was going to happen when you made me your best man"
"I didn't know you were going to ally with my brother to humiliate me!" Blaine protested as Sam laughed at his side, squeezing his shoulder comprehensively.
"Well, then shame of you for not knowing better!" Cooper exclaimed as he motioned with his hand for Sebastian to start.
"Don't worry, Blaine, you know I'm not that bad" Sebastian told his friend with a wink that only worried Blaine even further.
"Suddenly I'm not that sure…" Blaine lamented, trying to look menacingly at his friend even if that only elicited a chuckle on the taller boy.
"Let's see…" Sebastian said as he rubbed his hands together, kind of menacingly, and raised his head to speak for everybody. "I'm just going to make this quick because I'm not good with words"
"That's why you're a lawyer then, right?" Puck joked.
"Shut up, you're going next" Sebastian answered, trying –and failing– to sound annoyed. "Let's see, I knew Blaine when were juniors and he came to Dalton for a visit, and I still blame the heavens that we never got to study at Dalton together. Well, no, I actually blame Sam for that, because I was this close to convince Blaine to go back to Dalton once and Sam had to go and remind him where his heart really was" Sebastian joked as he looked at the blond guy, both of them smiling at the memory. "Even if he did while both of them were ridiculously dressed as superheroes, trying to steal back a trophy and jumping from a balcony when they could have just as well take the stairs but… that was them, ridiculous and adorable nerds" Sebastian chuckled as he saw both Blaine and Sam blush as everyone laughed at their little prank. "And look how that turned up like seven years later.
"But let me get serious for a second" Sebastian continued, sending a softer smile towards Blaine this time that was immediately reciprocated. "Blaine is… probably the most kindhearted person I've ever met. I was a lot of trouble for him and yet he never gave up on me, always giving me once chance after the other, even when I was so past the line. He was the only one to see some good in me back then, even if some of the things I did to him would have deserved for him to never speak to me again… or even get me in jail!" Sebastian added with a shy smile, only half joking.
"Seb…" Blaine immediately interrupted him with a hand to the taller boy's forearm.
"No, Blaine, I know what you're going to say, that it's all in the past and that it's been a long time and all that but…" Sebastian tried, but was again interrupted.
"No, I was going to say that… I've not regretted it for a second" Blaine kindly answered, gently squeezing Sebastian's arm. "You more than made up for any of that with your friendship this last year"
"I'm giving a speech here, you're not supposed to interrupt me" Sebastian joked as self-defense mechanism, as he was suddenly too aware of everyone's eyes and ears on them.
"Sorry" Blaine apologized with an embarrassed chuckle before Sam put his arm around him to attract him to him and kissed his cheek in a comforting gesture.
"And again, all these years later" Sebastian continued, even though he seemed to be getting a bit emotional himself, "he decided to only remember about the friendship we once shared and offered it again to me with open arms. He fought for me against everyone telling him it wasn't worth it and then he gave me the best present he could have given me" Sebastian added, looking tenderly at Alex before turning to Blaine. "I simply adore you, Killer. You don't even know how much. So my gift for you today, Blaine, is to ignore all the embarrassing memories your brother told me about you for my speech and keep them to myself"
"Hey!" Cooper loudly protested, only to be shushed by his little brother.
"Shut up, Coop. It's bad enough he got to know them" Blaine replied.
"Oh, and believe me when I tell you I'll make use of them someday" Sebastian answered threateningly. "But no, seriously. I thought no one would ever compare to Blaine's generosity until I met Sam and he gave me another chance too. He trusted me with what he loved the most in the world even if he could hardly stand me"
"More like at all…" Sam reminded him in a joking tone that made everyone laugh.
"Exactly" Sebastian agreed with a hearty laugh. "That makes you even more generous and the perfect match for little Blainey here. It took us some time, but when you made sure I wasn't going to hurt him, you welcomed me in your own little family with open arms, as all your friends did. Well, maybe except for Tina"
"And I'm not planning to change that any time soon" Tina joked in her best bitchy voice.
"So all in all, I can only feel proud to be here today sharing the most important moment of your life with you two, knowing that, if anybody can make it, that's you. You're really made for each other and you are an example and an inspiration for those of us who had lost faith in love and kindness until we met you" Sebastian said, raising his glass to propose a toast. "To the happy couple. I love you, guys"
"Aww, we love you too" Sam joked to lighten the mood, as he could feel his husband pretty moved while standing up to embrace his friend with all his forces.
"Yes, we do" Blaine whispered in Sebastian's ear while in his arms, just before gently kissing his cheek. "Thank you for being the wonderful friend that you are"
"No, thank you for giving me the chance to be it" Sebastian answered with a shaky voice, squeezing Blaine more strongly to him before letting go of him to embrace Sam too. "And stop it, I'm not supposed to be the one to cry"
"Oh, everybody is crying today, don't worry" Alex joked as Sebastian sat down and he was able to kiss his cheek.
"But I have a reputation to keep" Sebastian joked back as he dried a stray tear while Blaine, at his other side, comfortingly squeezed his hand. "Thank God now we have to listen to Puck"
"Me?" the other boy pretended to be surprised. "Am I supposed to talk too? You should have warned me, I didn't prepare anything"
"Puck, you're the best man, you shouldn't need a warning" Mike said while trying not to laugh at his friend's antics.
"Hey, it's me you're talking about, don't assume anything" Puck added as he confidently stood up. "Anyway, I'll improvise. I met Sam… I'm supposed to start like that, right? I met Sam back in high school and we clicked immediately as he was the one of the only ones who never expected me to be anything I wasn't. Of course he was almost as simple as me back then, so I guess it was not such a big deal after all" Puck joked, knowing Sam would appreciate his poor attempt of humor, and was not disappointed when he saw a smile breaking on the blond's lips. "But we were bros, we had fun and we had each other's back. That is, until I graduated.
"I'm ashamed to admit we totally lost contact after I left for Los Angeles. It was mostly my own fault as I was lazy like that at the time, and by then he had already found a real best friend in Blaine so I don't think he was missing me that much" he only half joked, as he remembered the few times he had visited his old high school and how surprised he had been at the close and easy relationship those two had achieved in such a short time. "It wasn't until years later, when I came to New York, that our paths crossed again. And it was not the best reunion at first, that's for sure"
"'Cause you behaved like a douche" Sam reminded him with a smile that belied his words, and Puck chuckled as he saw Blaine gently reprimand his new husband for his bluntness with a nudge to the ribs, even if he was not the least offended.
"I surely did. But fortunately your sweetheart here gave me quite a bollocking and that's how I realized that maybe this little guy was not that bad for my bro" Puck continued, sending a more than slightly tender smile to Blaine that was immediately reciprocated. "And that's how I recovered my best friend. But not a bro like he was to me in high school, but someone who I would trust my life with and whom I know would do the same. I got to know the real Sam, the more complex Sam, the adult Sam that I hadn't had the time to know before" Puck said, looking intently at his best friend. "And I know I'm not the most insightful and emotional guy out there, but I love you, bro. And in the time we worked together in the café, when he did all the job as I got to sit and watch, I got to love your sweetheart too. Not in that way, don't go getting jealous now" he couldn't stop himself from adding, afraid of getting too emotional. "You both are wonderful people, the kind of people I aspire to be one day. Without all the gayness, though, obviously"
"You were going so well…" Sam mockingly lamented with a shake of his head as Blaine and the rest of the guests laughed wholeheartedly.
"Well, I wish you, guys, all the happiness in the world, and for me to be able to share it with you. To the happy couple" he finished and, for once, he let his guard down and let Sam and Blaine envelop him in a three-way hug that he was happy to be a part of.
"Oh, this is getting ridiculous" Cooper protested as he stood up too and waited for the other three to sit. "I must say that you both, best-men-who-wouldn't-take-the-chance-to-embarrass-the-sickenly-sweet-lovebirds, deeply disappointed me, so I might have to take the matter on my own hands"
"Coop…" Blaine threateningly walked to him, trying to stop him, only to be ignored.
"I know I'm not the best man, but I couldn't miss the opportunity to embarrass my dear little brother on his wedding day, right?" Cooper announced, looking at everybody while looking for their complicity. "After all, look at what a lousy job the best men did!"
"Hey, that was not the deal. You were officiating for a reason" Blaine reminded him, already fearing the worst.
"Oh, poor thing, so naïve even when he is already a married man" Cooper joked as he walked Blaine back to his place and pushed him onto his chair again. "Wow, a married man, how crazy is that? You're only a Squirt still!"
"Coop, please" Blaine begged before turning to stare accusingly at his husband, who was too busy laughing at his embarrassment.
"Oh, don't worry, little brother, it's about to get so much worse" Cooper threatened, only half joking, before turning to his whole audience again –there was no doubt he was in his element–. "When Blainey here was little… Even more than now, I mean"
"Is this going to take long?" Blaine groaned, though he couldn't help a little smile when Sam again put an arm around his shoulder and pulled him so he would lean on his chest and kissed the top of his head.
"When he was little he was a very easily frightened child. Every time there was a storm at night, he would leave his bed and run to mine so his big and powerful and handsome brother would protect him from all the bad things"
"Yeah, how wrong I was, ah?"
"And well, try to sleep with a five-year-old with no sense of personal space! I don't know how he never strangled me, the way he clung to my neck! Sometimes he would even lie all over my face and not even care about it! He would not let go of me for the whole night. Is he still that cuddly, Sam?"
"You bet he is… but not because he's scared" Sam shamelessly answered, though he ran his knuckles down Blaine's cheek for good measure.
"I'm sure of that. Especially considering I was relegated to the sofa since you both got together whenever I visited"
"Obviously" Blaine replied as cheekily as he could muster. "And I'm contemplating not even letting you stay at mine's next time"
"Don't be like that, Squirt, I even put a room for you on my house!"
"On the other end of the corridor!"
"Well, I love you, but I'm not stupid. Nor deaf"
"Not again, please" Blaine groaned as he jokingly covered his face with his hands as everybody laughed.
"No, but seriously. And yes, I can be serious, and I'm going to be. Everyone here who knows me even if just a little bit knows how much I adore my little brother, even if I don't tell him often enough" Cooper continued in a much softer tone, sending a knowing smile to his little brother that was immediately reciprocated. "There's quite an age difference between us, so I can proudly say I've seen him grow from that annoying but adorable little kid into the fine man he is today, you know? And even if he's always been an optimistic and cheerful guy, I'd never seen him so happy until he met Sam. Even before they were a couple, just having Sam near was enough to make him a better person, you know? And certainly a happier one. I met Sam when they were both sixteen and I went to visit my brother in his school and I selflessly gave a seminar in acting to his glee club"
"You mean in pointing" Blaine couldn't stop himself from pointing out.
"Hey, I'm the one supposed to embarrass you, and not the other way around!" Cooper protested with an embarrassed chuckle. "Anyway, only a few months later, whenever I called Blaine he would never stop talking about his new best friend. How Sam did this, how Sam said that, how funny Sam was, how he had never had a friend like Sam… My brother can be really really impressionable and affectionate, too much for his own good sometimes, so I didn't give it too much thought. How wrong I was, right? I only needed to see them together once to realize that whatever went on between them was no small thing.
"Way before they even started dating, they were each other's person. I realized that the first time Sam accompanied Blaine to visit me and I saw them interacting with each other. They forgot I was in the room so often that I would have gotten angry if it wasn't so sweet!
"It was in this exact same place we are now when I realized that, sooner or later, I was going to see my brother loving and being loved by the most perfect man for him. And fortunately time proved me right, as they just promised to love each other for life. Which I don't have a doubt they will.
"Blaine, my dear squirt, is the strongest person I know and I've always been so proud to call him my brother. And now, on top of it, he's found the most perfect person he could to share his life with, so he's given me another brother to be proud of. I wanted to thank you, guys, because even if you're still so young, you've made me believe in love. You've found your path and you have fought for it. I've never met two people more perfectly made for each other, and I'm so glad you had the chance to meet and run this race together. This is the finishing line, guys. From now on, you get to enjoy the victory for the rest of your lives. To the happy couple"
There was hardly a dry eye around the table as Cooper raised his glass as an invitation for a toast, but he almost dropped it as a very moved Blaine threw himself at him for a strong embrace that lingered.
"Thank you, Coop" Blaine said, his voice breaking with an emotion that made Cooper smile with a fondness Sam knew he reserved only for Blaine.
"You really thought I was going to pass on the opportunity of giving the best speech ever?" Cooper joked as he held Blaine with one arm and motioned with the other for Sam to join them. "I love you, boys"
"We love you too" Sam answered as he put his arms around the brothers, with no trace of joking in his voice this time.
"You all need to stop trying to make me cry" Blaine joked after a while, once he was able to let go of his brother.
"Trying?" Sam replied with a chuckle, as he kissed away one stray tear on Blaine's cheek.
"Shut up, you cried like a baby before" Blaine reminded him as they sat again.
"Touché"
The sun was all the way down when they finally moved from the table. Candles and soft lights were illuminating the place and giving it a very romantic atmosphere that wasn't failing to affect anybody.
"Well, I think it's time for your first dance, boys" Tina suggested as she neared the amazing sound system they had brought for the occasion.
"Wait a moment" Blaine pleaded, as he looked knowingly at Puck, who suddenly disappeared with Mike behind some nearby trees. "I need to do something first"
"What? Are you giving a speech too?" Sam joked, smiling confusedly at his boyfriend, knowing he was up to something.
"Kinda" Blaine answered, his smile only growing bigger as Puck and Mike returned with a guitar and a keyboard. "Though I'm going to need Puck's help"
"What?" Sam asked, his heart beating with anticipation at Blaine's surprise, watching as his husband took a seat in front of the keyboard as Puck sat next to him with the guitar.
"If you thought I was going to let our best men be the only ones to have their moment, you were wrong" Blaine joked, moved at the emotion he could so easily read in Sam's eyes. "I'm Cooper's brother, after all"
All the guests gathered around an expectant Sam, and his mother took his hand in hers to share the moment with him. When the first chords of a song he didn't know gently broke the silence of the hill, Sam squeezed his mother's hand close to his chest and breathed deeply a couple of times. When Blaine's sweet voice filled his ears, he knew it was impossible to love any deeper than how he was loving him at the moment.
For all those times you stood by me
For all the truth that you made me see
For all the joy you brought to my life
For all the wrong that you made right
For every dream you made come true
For all the love I found in you
I'll be forever thankful, baby
You're the one who held me up
Never let me fall
You're the one who saw me through
Through it all
Blaine's eyes were fixed on Sam's as he sang, softly caressing the keys of his keyboard as he put in words all the feelings in his heart. Sam's eyes were slowly flooding with unshed tears as he listened, realizing that was probably the song Blaine had written for him and had refused to show him until then.
You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
Blaine gave his husband his special smile, the one he reserved only for him, and Sam noticed how his beautiful golden eyes were also swarming with tears, even if they wouldn't affect his beautiful voice at all –he was a professional, after all!–. Sam immediately reciprocated the smile, even if his was a bit more watery, and he almost didn't feel the kiss of his mother on his hand, so focused he was on his husband.
You gave me wings and made me fly
You touched my hand I could touch the sky
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me
You said no star was out of reach
You stood by me and I stood tall
I had your love, I had it all
I'm grateful for each day you gave me
Maybe, I don't know that much
But I know this much is true
I was blessed because
I was loved by you
It was getting harder and harder for Sam not to start sobbing in that precise moment: he knew Blaine was being completely honest with his words, and to know he felt so much for him… It was almost more than what Sam could bear. And he knew that, in spite of all the obstacles they had had to overcome, it had been worth it if Blaine loved him like that.
You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
You were always there for me, the tender wind that carried me
The light in the dark shining your love into my life
You've been my inspiration through the lies you were the truth
My world is a better place because of you
You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
Ohhhh
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
The last of the chords were still sounding on Puck's guitar when Sam couldn't help it any longer and ran to lift Blaine from his stool and enveloped him in his arms, quietly sobbing as he buried his face in the smaller man's neck.
"I love you so much" Sam whispered as he still wasn't able to find his voice as he squeezed Blaine so strongly to his chest that for a second he feared he was going to crush him –not that Blaine complained, though.
"It's my gift for you" Blaine answered, almost too moved for words after seeing the reaction he had gotten of his usual level-tempered and cheeky partner.
"Your love was gift enough, you fool" Sam joked as he broke the embrace enough to look at his husband's eyes. "But thank you so much for this. It's the most beautiful song I've ever heard"
"And I recorded it for your sample" Alex announced happily behind them. "I thought you would never sing it with more emotion than on your wedding day, and I was so right!"
"That's what you were thinking about on a moment like this?" Sam asked, trying to hide his emotion after some light joking. "You and Sebastian are really made for each other"
"That we are indeed" Sebastian answered as he put an arm around his boyfriend's shoulders and captured his lips for a quick kiss. "So what now? Anybody else up to make those two cry?"
"You're so funny" Blaine sarcastically replied, smiling at his friend as the latter squeezed his shoulder in apology.
"But seriously, what's in order now?" Artie asked.
"Something that doesn't imply getting this angel out of my arms yet, please" Sam replied while tenderly smiling at his husband and squeezing him strongly to his side.
"Awww, that was so sweet… I think I'm going to throw up" Cooper joked.
"I know!" Tina suggested. "Let's have your first dance now, so we can have the party started and you can remain in each other's arms forever!"
"I like the idea" Sam said as he moved to the open space they had designated as the dance floor, pulling Blaine along with him as everybody else gathered around them.
Tina smiled as she selected the song she wanted to play for her friend's first dance as a married couple: Your song, by Elton John. He knew how much they both loved it, and she also knew Sam always played it with his guitar for Blaine whenever he was not feeling good –physically or emotionally–. She had thought they would like for that song to be the first song they danced together as husbands, and she was not disappointed when it started filling the air with its first chords and both of them smiled while completely losing themselves into each other's arms.
Sam brought his hands to rest on the small of Blaine's back, pulling him impossibly close, and Blaine closed his arms around Sam's neck. They both started rocking in unison, slowly, and it didn't take them too long until they completely forgot about everyone else around them. Sam, still very moved and drunk on love, started singing in a whisper on Blaine's ear, and the latter immediately melted into his arms and rested his cheek on Sam's shoulder, practically nuzzling his neck as he stopped breathing for a second just so he could better listen to his husband's sweet voice expressing his love for him through the words of the song.
Don Anderson watched them with a serene expression on his face. He had never been a very demonstrable man and it was hard to read him, but the almost invisible smile on his face –that only could be seen when looking for it– showed what was really in his heart at the moment.
"You look very proud" someone whispered unexpectedly at his side, and he turned around in surprise to find Mary Evans standing next to him, her face the picture of tenderness as she also watched the two young men melting into each other.
"I am" Don admitted with a polite smile, turning his eyes again towards the couple.
"As you should. Blaine is quite a remarkable young man" Mary praised her son-in-law.
"He is" Don agreed, his tone full of pride. "So is Sam"
"I guess that's why they make such a good couple" Mary joked, offering a wide smile to her son's in-law.
"Probably" he agreed with a chuckle, before turning serious again. "I don't know how you all can speak to me after… after everything I did"
"Come on, Don, that's already in the past. Blaine is so over the moon that you are back in his life… And we only want for him to be happy, so if he was able to forgive you, why wouldn't we?"
Don looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time, realizing he had not just gotten his son back: he had also gained another family. He couldn't wish for a better husband to his son than what Sam was, and on top of that, he came with a wonderful family that loved Blaine as if he was one of their own. Like he hadn't done for so long.
"I've never thanked you for taking care of him like you did while I wasn't doing it" Don said, surprising Mary with the intensity of his emotions as he rested a grateful hand on her forearm. "He was so fortunate to have you… I know he feels so deeply for all of you. Especially you"
"As I do for him, Don. He's always been such a good friend and then boyfriend to Sam, and he so needed to feel loved and to be included…" she explained, not wanting to hurt him with his words but needing to be honest. "He's like a son to me"
"I'm glad he still has a mother, then" he honestly said as he turned to look at the boys again, leaving her speechless even if he was about to throw another bomb. "Listen, I have been thinking… Maybe we could all get together for a weekend after the boys get back from their honeymoon. After all, they're going to be away for almost a month, we're going to want to see them before they resume their life in distant New York, right?"
"Really?" Mary couldn't help but ask. She knew Don was making a big effort to get his son back, but it was amazing how far he had gotten in his attempt to redeem himself.
"Yes. I wanted to invite you to my house. I once told Sam I wanted to get to know all of you better, and I wasn't lying, you know?" he confessed with an embarrassed smile, as he was usually not one to be so open about his feelings and show so much of himself. "What do you say, then? Up to a gathering of the two families? Well, one family now…"
"It would be great" she answered with a wide smile, resting a hand on his forearm. "That is, if you're up to having two teenagers at your house"
"Please, never tell my boys this but I so miss having young and noisy people in my house… I haven't had them since Blaine…" he said, and stopped himself when he remembered why he had stopped having Blaine in his house for such a long time. "Since Blaine grew up"
"I bet he was quite noisy" Mary joked, knowing about Blaine's talent for music –and mischief, from every time he had seen him goofing around with Sam.
"Oh, he was. But can you blame him, with the big brother he grew up with?" Don joked, feeling more and more at ease with the woman as the conversation progressed.
"I guess not" she answered. "It would be an honor, Don. We'll be there"
"I'm glad"
In spite of the sentimental mood, both of them had to smile as they noticed the other guests starting to dance around the happy couple, and how Stacey immediately went in search of Cooper –Blaine was busy, after all.
"So if Blaine is my brother now, and you're his brother, does this mean you're my brother now too?" Stacey jokingly asked the older man, who immediately smiled at her sweetness.
"I guess" he answered as he feigned to think about it. "Yeah, why not? Would you like that?"
"As long as you dance with me" she answered with a shrug of shoulders.
"Deal" he replied with a chuckle as they started dancing.
Even if the ballad from their first dance was long over and more upbeat music was playing, the newlyweds still had their arms around each other and didn't seem to be in any rush of letting go any time soon. It was almost as if they were not aware of their surroundings, or had forgotten there were more people around them, so comfortable they were in each other's arms, their cheeks glued together skin to skin. That is, until Tina interrupted them with a gentle pat on Blaine's shoulder.
"May I have this dance?" she asked, mockingly polite.
"Ignore her, maybe if we pretend we didn't hear her she'll go away" Sam joked, loud enough for her to hear, before finally letting go of his boyfriend when both he and Tina burst out laughing.
Blaine had danced with Tina, Sebastian and twice with Stacey, and Sam had done the same with his mom, Mercedes, also Stacey and even Puck at Mike's insistence –though Puck had felt the need to jokingly remind everybody he was only doing it for his friend and was not into that kind of things– before they were able to reunite again. Sam hurried to cup his husband's cheek and join their lips together for a quick but loving kiss before grabbing his hand in his and walking to the table they were previously sitting on. Sam encouraged the shorter man with a smile to pick up the flowers at the centre of the table and then they walked towards where Blaine's father was standing.
"Dad, I was wondering…" Blaine started hesitantly, because he knew it was a tough issue to bring up with his father, but the hand on the small on his back, showing him all the support in the world, encouraged to continue. "Could you take this to Mom's grave when you get back? I would like her to have it, as she couldn't be here" Blaine's voice shook a little at the reminder of his mother's absence, but Sam immediately put his arms around him and kissed his temple to comfort him.
"Of course" Don answered with a kind and sad smile as he took the flowers from his son. "She would have been so proud of you tonight, Blaine. Which reminds me…"
"What is this?" Blaine asked, his eyes wide with surprise as Don Anderson took a box out of the inside pocket of his jacket and handed it to him.
"It's my wedding gift" Don answered with a chuckle at the anticipation in both the boys' faces. "Why don't you open it and you'll know more about it?"
Blaine looked hesitantly at Sam's face, his eyes round and sparkly with excitement, and the latter nodded at him so he would hurry and discover the surprise. So Blaine obeyed, and the confusion only grew more evident on his face at the two sets of keys he found inside the box.
"What is this?" he repeated, holding one of the s in his hand and looking quizzically at it.
"These are two set of keys for the Bright Red Mazda3 that will be waiting for you in Ney York when you're back from your honeymoon"
"What?" Sam exclaimed. "You got us a car?"
"Well, Cooper told me you didn't have one. I was going for a Porsche, but he said you'd probably feel uncomfortable with a car like that" Don explained, happy at the astounded faces of the boys.
"This one is perfect, Dad" Blaine assured him, still too shocked to say anything else.
"It sure is! Thank you so much, Mr. Anderson"
"You're very welcome. And now open the envelope. I promised you a honeymoon, right?"
"There is more?" Sam asked as he just noticed, just as Blaine did, that there was an envelope in the box, under where the keys had been.
"You leave tomorrow, remember? Maybe you would like to know where you're going" Don explained with a chuckle.
Even more excited than before, Blaine took the envelope, noticing with a smile that it had the words "Mr and Mr Evans" on its front, and opened it.
"We're going to… Philippines?" Blaine asked once he got to see the plane tickets with their names and destination on it, his voice catching at his throat at the implications of such a trip.
"Well, I thought it would make for a really really beautiful and special honeymoon and… at the same time… It could make you feel closer to your mother. You know, to get to meet her origins. And yours, by default" Don explained, moved to no end by the tears he could see forming in his son's eyes, letting him know he had made the right decision.
"I can't believe you thought of that" Blaine stated, his voice breaking at every word, as he let himself be engulfed on his husband's side-embrace.
"I really loved it when I travelled there with her before you were born, so I know you'll have a great time" his father answered as he took his free hand in his and looked intently at him. "And I thought it would be nice to include her in this in some way"
"Thank you so much, Dad" Blaine threw himself at his father's arms and sobbed on his shoulder, for once not minding at what the older man would think about it because he knew he understood. "Nothing could have been better than this"
"Is it alright for you too, Sam?" Don asked, making sure to include his son-in-law in that, even if he had been thinking mainly about Blaine when plotting the perfect trip.
"Yes, of course! I'm sure it's going to be a beautiful place, plus I've always wanted to know Blaine's origins more closely, you know? We would have done that trip sooner or later, we've talked about that hundreds of times, right, love?" Sam turned to his husband, who was trying to compose himself as he nestled again under Sam's arm.
"It's true. We always wanted to see that part of me"
"She would have loved showing you herself…" Don said, and this time it was him whose voice break and eyes got glassy.
Blaine's heart broke at seeing for the first time how much his father was still hurting about the loss of his beloved wife. Blaine had just married Sam and he didn't think he could survive if something happened to him. To lose the person you've loved for thirty-five years… Moved by a sudden urge to protect his suddenly old-looking father and ease his raging pain, he threw his arms around him again and held him as strongly as he could.
"We're going to be ok, Dad" Blaine told his father, wanting him to know he understood his pain and would share it with him. "We'll get over this. Together"
"Thank you, son" his father answered with a sob, this time being the one to seek the comfort of the other, even if that meant letting his guard down.
"You okay?" Blaine asked once the embrace broke, looking intently at the man who had raised him to never show his feelings at public and was now trying to control his tears.
"I'm alright, Blaine. I just need a little time. But seeing you this happy makes it all the easier" he assured him with a sad smile, caressing his son's cheek gratefully for his worries before turning to Sam, who had already put his arm protectively around Blaine's shoulders again. "So I guess I have to thank you for that"
"Oh, thank you, Mr. Anderson, but…"
"Call me, Don, son. We're… family now, right?" Don offered, already more in control of himself.
"I'll try, though I'm not making any promises" Sam joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere a bit for the sake of the other two men.
"I think I'm going to go for a little walk now" Don explained, though he hurried to reassure his son as he saw the look of worry that crossed his face. "Oh, don't worry, I'm alright, Blaine. I just need to stretch my legs. I might ask Sam's father to go with me. We need to start knowing each other better, right?"
"Are you sure?" Blaine insisted, still a bit shaken at seeing his father losing his stance for probably the first time in his life.
"Yes, of course. Please, don't let me ruin your wedding. Go and have some fun, you two! I'll be back soon!" Don said as he pushed them both towards the dance floor again before disappearing towards Dwight Evans as he had promised.
Sam could see how Blaine was still not convinced about his father's wellbeing, so he took his hand and decidedly pulled him the rest of the way towards the dance room, putting his arms closely around him for a dance as soon as they reached it.
"He's going to be okay, love" he tried to reassure him, glad when he was able to elicit a little grateful smile from him. "My father will look after him"
"I know he will" Blaine reassured his husband that he was not worried anymore as he put his own arms around Sam's shoulders until they were moving completely chest to chest.
"I'm so proud of you, love" Sam said after a minute of enjoying the closeness to the person he loved the most in the world.
"For what?" Blaine asked with a smile, looking intently at his husband.
"For putting all those years of shit behind you like that and… having such a big heart. I'm so proud of being your husband"
"I'm not that good, you know" Blaine contradicted him. "I was so lost in my own pain that I never really stopped to think about his…
"That's not true at all" Sam protested, kissing Blaine's cheek with all the love in the world. "Besides, you had a lot going on for you to be worrying about anything else…"
"I had" Blaine admitted. "But even through all that, I had you, who didn't let me fall. It's so much worse for him, and he doesn't have anybody"
"He has us, Blaine" Sam answered, and Blaine knew he was not just talking. "We'll do anything in our power to help him, ok? We're his family"
"I'm the one who's proud about his husband, you know?" Blaine said, offering Sam his best smile, the one he reserved only for him, before cupping the back of his neck to bring him down and capture his lips in a powerful kiss that was immediately reciprocated.
"Stop snogging my baby brother like that!" Cooper, apparently a bit spirited already, yelled behind them as he smacked Sam on the back of his head.
"Hey!" Sam protested as he was forced to lose contact with the adorable lips of his lover. "You don't get to tell me that anymore, we're married now and I have more rights on him that you do!"
"Excuse me?" Blaine exclaimed, trying to look offended even if he couldn't help a smile from breaking into his lips.
"That sounded better in my head" Sam tried to defend himself.
"Whatever. Squirt, grab this, I need to steal your husband for a moment" Cooper said, planting a full glass in his hands. "Steven Soderbergh is making a movie about strippers and I so want to get a role in it, so I need Sam to show me how to do that trademark body roll of his"
"I'm trying to dance with my husband here, you know?" Sam protested, even though he knew his brother-in-law would win the battle.
"Please, you were not dancing, you were making out and you've got all eternity to do that" Cooper explained, and he tried to ignore the look of absolute tenderness and cloying love the two lovebirds gave each other at his words. "Now B, if you'll excuse us…"
"Glad to know I'm that useful to you" Blaine complained, though he laughed as he playfully tried to avoid the apologizing kiss on the cheek Cooper was trying to give him. "I'll see you in a while, love" Blaine said more tenderly to his husband before giving him a quick peck in the lips.
Blaine couldn't help but laugh as he watched the two people he loved the most in the world interact, with Sam patiently trying to show Cooper how to bodyroll and the latter trying –unsuccessfully– to look sexy while doing it. Taking a sip of his drink –and gosh, it was strong, what the hell was Cooper thinking about, giving him something like that?–, Blaine saw Mary was sitting down for a bit, probably resting even though it was obvious she was very happy by the smile she kept on her face as she watched everyone else dancing, so Blaine decided to keep her some company.
"Are you having a good time?" he said with a polite smile as he sat next to her.
"Oh, hi, sweetheart" she happily answered as she saw him next to her. "What a great party this is!"
"Don't you want anything to drink?" Blaine offered.
"Oh no, thanks. I'm not getting younger, booze doesn't agree with me anymore"
"It doesn't agree with me that much either, I'll probably end up a little too spirited if people keep giving me these" Blaine joked while signaling at his glass.
"It's your wedding, get as drunk as you want" she reassured him as she lovingly patted his thigh. "So Philippines, right?"
"Oh, you heard?" Blaine answered, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. "I can't wait, it was one of my dreams to visit the place where my mother was born. And Sam always said he wanted to connect to that half of me that was more unknown to him, so…"
"Your father was very generous"
"He was"
"Blaine, I know what you're going to say but… I'm sorry we couldn't make a bigger gift" she lamented, turning to him almost with shame in her eyes.
"What are you talking about?" Blaine asked, as if he couldn't even understand how she could feel embarrassed about it. "You gave us the rings! It's the most important thing in a wedding, right? And they're so beautiful!"
"I'm serious, Blaine. Besides, they aren't fancy or anything, they're quite simple" she insisted, even if she knew how stubborn her son-in-law could be.
"They're perfect" he answered, stretching his hand in front of him to look at his ring with a tender smile on his face, because to him it was absolutely perfect. "You know us enough to know we wouldn't want any other kind of rings"
"Still…"
"No, Mary. Please" Blaine insisted, more seriously this time as he picked her hand in his. "You have given us, me, much bigger gifts than anything money can buy. I know my father went a little crazy with the honeymoon and the car but… money it's not an issue for him, and it's the only way he knows to show his affection and repentance. But I would never trade everything you've given me when he was not around. There is no greatest gift that the love you've given me all this time, Mary, and I'll never be grateful enough for it"
"Really?" she asked, although she could see Blaine was perfectly honest in every one of his words.
"Of course. I'm not taking Sam's name only for him, you know. You and Dwight are as much my parents as my father is, and the fact he's back in my life and I couldn't be happier about it will never change how you were in it all along"
"I love you, Blaine" she said, her voice full of emotion as she embraced the young man she had come to count as a son strongly. "I'm so happy my son found someone like you"
"Not happier than I am that I found him" Blaine honestly answered once the embrace broke, just before taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "And all of you. And now enough sentimentalities, you're the most beautiful woman here today and you're going to dance with me"
"Alright" she laughed as she let herself be pulled to the dance floor.
Everybody seemed to be having such a good time as Blaine looked all around him after a while of dancing with his mother-in-law. Cooper and Sam were laughing their asses off about the older's man inability to roll his body in a proper way; Tina and Mercedes were doing a choreography together to some song they had performed while on their first year in the Glee club as Artie, Mike and Puck cheered them on; Alex was manipulating the sound system as if he was a DJ while Stacey and Steve were going through the mp3 player connected it, probably trying to find some ridiculous song to play next; and he could see both Sam's and his father getting back from their walk, chatting animatedly about something. The only one he could not see was…
"Hey, Killer!" Sebastian gleefully yelled as he purposefully bumped into Blaine from behind, his hands busy with a glass in each one. "Have a drink with me!"
"I just had one!" Blaine answered, amused at the slight though obvious tipsy state of his friend.
"But not with me! Here, I got your favorite!" Sebastian replied leaving no room for argument as he handed Blaine his drink and put his arm around his shoulder before starting to jump at the change of song. "Dance with me!"
"Oh, ok" Blaine laughed as Sebastian's sudden movements made him spill part of his drink, even if he couldn't seem to bring himself to care.
Apparently dancing meant jumping like a madman, and Blaine could feel his friend's enthusiasm very contagious as he finished his drink faster than he knew he should. Puck and Mike were quick to join the friends, bringing more drinks even if Sebastian was obviously a little too intoxicated already and Blaine seemed to be well on his way.
Suddenly This is the new year by A Great Big World started playing and Sam immediately appeared out of nowhere in search of his husband, his heart full of fondness and sweet memories from when they had performed that song on the Glee club soon after becoming best friends and Blaine moving heaven and earth to make him understand how special he was. He took Blaine's hands in his and pulled him from everyone gathered around him –ignoring everyone's protests, as he was starting to be the life and soul of the party thanks to his intoxicated state– and put his arms around him for another dance.
"What is this about?" Blaine asked, looking flustered with alcohol and happiness.
"This, my love, could almost be considered our song, you know?" Sam replied just before capturing Blaine's lips for a sweet kiss.
"Oh, is it?"
"Yes, because it was with this song that you made me believe for the first time that I was special"
"Well, you are"
"But let's get back to you" Sam sang along with the song, his heart about to burst at the smile that broke in Blaine's perfect lips.
"And I will wait for you" Blaine sang back, his eyes never moving from those of his husband as he took both his hands in his.
"'Cause I would give the world" both sang at unison, exactly like they had done all those years before, their voices still harmonizing perfectly together. "And I would give the world and I… would give the world to you" they sang at the top of their lungs before breaking into pure joy-induced hops that brought everyone's attention at them again, so everybody gathered around them and copied their actions until the song finished and the couple fell in each other's arms amongst the laughs around them, Sam needing to support half of Blaine's weight as he was starting to feel so wasted.
"That was so sweet!" Artie exclaimed, having been one of the few to share that moment all those years ago with the couple –best friends then– and understanding the depth of their emotion at the song.
"And fun! Here, have some more drinks" Puck added as he placed a drink in Blaine's hand and then turned to Sam. "Is your husband still so easy to get drunk?"
"Yes, he is, so stop giving him drinks!" Sam reprimanded him with a laugh, taking the glass from Blaine's lips to take a long sip himself, ignoring the shorter one's protests.
"But he's so funny when he's drunk!" Puck protested as he produced another drink and gave it to Blaine again, who gratefully took it from him.
"You're getting so drunk, aren't you?" Sam commented as he squeezed Blaine to him with his only free arm, fondly smiling at him and at how adorable he was looking in his white outfit, his hair starting to get really wild as his cheeks were blushed and his huge eyes sparkled in the candlelight.
"You bet I am!" Blaine exclaimed proudly as he buried his face in Sam's neck, nuzzling his skin on purpose until he made him shiver. "But you still love me, right?"
"Right" Sam answered with a chuckle as he squeezed him even more strongly. "More than ever"
The party went on until the early hours, and not even the oldest guests left until everybody was ready to go, they were having such a good time. They called a few cabs that took them to their hotel –with the more sober guests taking care of the most wasted, like Puck, Sebastian or Tina–, though Blaine and Sam were driven there in Cooper's car, that offered to take them before going home with his father.
Blaine hadn't wanted to finish the party yet –even if he could hardly stand on his feet–, and had protested effusively to the point where Cooper had threatened to throw him over his shoulder and carry him to the car himself, but as soon as Sam helped him on the backseat of the car and settled next to him, Blaine nested on his chest and fell asleep, snoring so lightly that it brought a fond smile to the other three men in the car.
"Oh my God, I thought he was never going to stop!" Cooper commented with a chuckle, careful to whisper so as not to wake his little brother up.
"Come on, he was just happy" Sam felt the need to defend him as he caressed the curls falling on his forehead, even if he knew Cooper was only joking.
"And drunk"
"But happy nonetheless"
"Come on, Cooper, give them a rest" Don intervened while trying not to laugh. "They just got married after all"
"Alright" Cooper feigned to surrender. "I'll keep my jokes for tomorrow, when he has to take the plane and he can hardly hold his own head up from the hangover he's going to sport"
The three men –and the fourth one, even if he was dead to the world– fell into a companionable silence as they reminisced about the wonderful night they had had and all the years that had brought them to that moment. They were tired, and some of them a bit tipsy –mainly Sam, who was not nearly as drunk as his husband but had had his own share– but happy. Content. Satisfied. And amused when Blaine murmured something in his sleep –he was still singing This is the new year, apparently.
"Well, there you go" Cooper said as he stopped in the hotel's entrance. "Do you need any help with that one?"
"No, I think I'll manage" Sam answered gratefully as he gently shook the boy in his arms to get him awake enough to reach their room. "Hey, B" he said when Blaine slightly opened one eye. "Time to wake up"
"Is it morning already?" Blaine asked, completely disoriented.
"In fact, it almost is" Sam joked as he unfastened Blaine's seatbelt to get him to move before he could fall asleep again.
"Is he going to be okay?" Don asked, turning around to look at the spent couple.
"Yes, of course. I'll take care of him" Sam answered, not wanting for Blaine's father to worry –after all, he was more than used to take care of the little guy, right?
"I know you will. You've always done" Don replied, surprising Sam with his serious tone.
"He's my husband, after all" Sam answered, trying to diminish the importance of it.
"Thank you, son. For everything" Don said as he squeezed Sam's shoulder before the latter exited the car. "I'll see you at breakfast"
"Right. Thank you, Don" Sam said, a little bewildered at his father-in-law's appraisal, before finally coming out of the car and pulling Blaine by his side. "Bye, Coop"
The car left as the two young men stood there for a second, almost tempted to wave at it even if they knew its occupants could not longer see them. Sam then turned to Blaine and hooked their arms together.
"You awake? Think you can walk to our room?" he asked with an amused smile as he saw Blaine looked slightly unstable on his feet.
"Of course I can, Sam, I'm not that drunk" Blaine protested even if he tripped over his own feet on the first step he tried to take and would have fallen right on his face if Sam's arms hadn't stopped the fall.
"No, you look indeed so not drunk" Sam joked as he held Blaine around his waist and silently directed him to the elevators.
"I'm not that drunk!" Blaine repeated as a protest, too loud for the time of night they were in.
"Ssschhhh" Sam immediately shushed him as he covered his mouth with a hand and didn't let go until the door to the elevator closed.
"There were other ways to shut my mouth, you know?" Blaine said as he leant against the wall, trying to sound seductive though he only managed to make Sam laugh.
"Oh yeah?" Sam played along anyway, towering over his husband to trap him against the wall. "Like what?"
"Like this" Blaine answered as he captured Sam's lips with passion and let himself be pushed as Sam grabbed his wrists and pressed them against the wall as he reciprocated the kiss with fervor.
"Interesting" Sam answered against Blaine's lips before moving to attack the soft skin of his neck, still pressing him against the wall. "I'm even willing to ignore your horrible breath"
"You really know how to kill a mood, you know" Blaine answered with a chuckle before interrupting himself with some hiccups. "Sorry"
Both of them burst into laughter at the absurdity of the situation, and Blaine was glad that Sam was holding him upright because he didn't think he would have been able to stand on his own, so tired and dizzy he was. And then the door opened when the elevator reached their destination and Sam gave him a last peck on the lips before letting go of him and gently pushing him out.
They walked the rest of the corridor to their room hand in hand, silently looking and smiling at each other. Then Sam proceeded to open the door with their card and pushed it for Blaine to enter.
"After you, love" he offered, but was surprised when Blaine didn't move and instead seemed to get lost in thought.
"We just got married" he started, as if he was going to say something very important even if he could hardly vocalize because of the booze in his veins. "Someone has to carry someone through the threshold of our home"
"This is not our home" Sam answered, unable to stop grinning at his husband's silliness.
"We're not going to go home for weeks, so it will have to do" he pondered as he moved closer to Sam. "I'm going to carry you now"
"Oh, you're going to carry me?" Sam asked, raising his eyebrows at the idea.
"What, are you doubting my strength?" Blaine asked, feigning to feel offended.
"No, I'm doubting your sanity"
"Just watch"
And before Sam could think about offering any resistance, Blaine, moved by a powerful desire to show his husband how strong he was and to keep an ancient tradition, put one arm around Sam's back and another one under his knees and properly lifted him from the floor, trying to ignore how his own knees were threatening to buckle at the added weight.
"Oh my God, you're strong" Sam exclaimed as he put his arms around Blaine's neck, trying not to laugh at the effort that was so evident in Blaine's strained expression.
"I'm Nightbird after all, you know?" Blaine answered as he managed to take a step forward. "Superheroes are supposed to be strong"
"Ok, you proved your point already, now let go of me before you seriously hurt your back"
"Not until we reach the bed"
"B…" Sam insisted, because Blaine was so stubborn and he had only been able to take like three steps.
"Sam, I said… shit!" Blaine exclaimed as he felt himself falling, finally succumbing to the weight of his husband.
They fell in a mess of limbs right on the floor, Sam practically on top of Blaine, still only a couple of steps inside the room, and it only took them a second to burst into maniac laughs again, after making sure the other was not hurt.
"You alright?" Sam asked between laughs when he was able to speak, needing to make sure even if Blaine could not stop laughing –he was drunk enough to be laughing even if he was hurt, after all.
"Oh my God, Sam!" Blaine exclaimed, all of a sudden.
"What?" Sam asked as he raised his head to look at him, momentarily worried that Blaine had gotten really hurt with the fall, after all.
"I'm so happy" Blaine exclaimed, letting himself lie completely on his back, his arms extended on the floor as if he was going to draw an angel on the snow, looking up to the ceiling with an expression of utter contentment and naïve innocence that immediately warmed Sam's heart.
"Really?" he asked, looking at his husband –wow, his husband!– with an adoring smile as he stretched his leg to close the door with his foot –it didn't look as if they were going to be moving soon.
"Of course! I have a husband that just happens to be the best and most kindhearted man on the face of the Earth" Blaine explained with the honesty of the drunkards, which moved Sam even more deeply than he already was.
"I'm not that good" he answered, smiling at himself as Blaine continued with his monolog.
"And you love me. Me, of all people! Can you believe that?" Blaine exclaimed happily, as if he was amazed by the turn of events –even if they had been together for a long time now and had been engaged for months–, making Sam chuckle.
"Yeah, I surely can" Sam answered, sliding closer to his husband to grab his hand in his and kiss it to show him how much he loved him indeed.
"We are married now" Blaine blurted out.
"I know" Sam answered, laughing again.
"But like really married"
"Pretty much, yeah, that's kind of why we said I do"
"I feel like such a grown up right now" Blaine commented spontaneously, making Sam laugh wholeheartedly at his nonsense.
"You surely don't sound like one, though" he replied.
"Are you mocking me?"
"Yes"
"Ok, so you're not getting any action tonight, just so you know"
"Oh, we've been married for just a few hours and apparently the time to bribe me with sex has already come"
"Apparently so, yes"
"We'll see about that"
Sam crawled the rest of the distance separating him from his husband and hovered over him for a second just so he could look at him. He was so beautiful… and right in that moment, lying totally spent on the floor with a soppy smile on his face, he looked so young and innocent… Sam knew very well how Blaine was so much stronger than he looked, in every possible way, but even then he felt a rush of love and protection urges towards the smaller man. His husband now. After all, he was now his to protect, right?
"Are you going to kiss me or not?" Blaine's mockingly demanding voice took him out of his stupor and with a smile he lowered his face the rest of the way down and complied with his lover's wishes.
They kissed slowly this time, tenderly, knowing they were in no rush, as they had the rest of their lives for themselves. Blaine put his arms around Sam's shoulders in a sweet embrace and Sam caressed the top of his head, as if he wanted to memorize every single curl of his hair. When the kiss broke, and driven by a sudden rush of emotion, Sam let his head fall on Blaine's chest as the brunet's hands moved to his hair. Just lying there, letting Blaine's touch and heartbeat lull him into a heavenly slumber, his brain started reminiscing about all the highlights of their relationship, all the moments that had brought them to where they were now. And he couldn't believe how everything had worked in the best possible way.
"We've come a long way" he whispered, not wanting to disturb the peacefulness of the room.
"We have" Blaine agreed, his voice slurred with alcohol and sleep, but still tinted with a devotion that made Sam's heart melt.
"And I don't regret a single second of it"
"Well, I…" Blaine started, but Sam raised his head to look intently at him and stop him before he could say anything else.
"If you dare to say you regret hurting me when you were so bad, so help me" Sam threatened him, only half joking, as he slapped his hip for good measure.
"I won't" Blaine surrendered with a blush and a smile, marveled at how well Sam knew him that he could even guess what he was about to say.
"Good" Sam answered, his stance fading into a smile as he gave Blaine's lips a slow peck, just before resting his head on Blaine's chest again. "Say it"
"I have no regrets" Blaine complied and, even if he couldn't see his face, Sam could hear the smile on his voice –and the sleepiness.
"Maybe we should move this to the bed" Sam suggested, even if he couldn't bring himself to move from Blaine's comfortable and delicious chest.
"Let me rest for a minute first, you pervert" Blaine answered, by then his voice no more than a slurred whisper.
"I was not making propositions, evil-minded bastard" Sam answered with a chuckle, gently tickling Blaine's side. "Come on, don't fall asleep on the floor, let's get you into bed"
"In a minute" Blaine insisted in a pleading voice and, as usual, Sam couldn't bring himself to say no to his angel.
"Only a minute" he relented. "But don't fall asleep"
"I promise" Blaine answered, already more asleep than awake.
Even though Sam knew he would be unable to keep his promise, he contented himself with just laying there, feeling Blaine's warmth underneath his cheek, hearing his heartbeat that reminded him of how much the short boy loved him. He thought that maybe he should be disappointed that they were not going to celebrate their wedding more intimately that night, but he wasn't. Just feeling Blaine like that was more than enough. And, after all, they were going to spend the eternity together, there would be enough time for that. They were husbands now, right? And yes, nothing would really change in their lives, as they had committed themselves to each other a long time ago, but at the same time, everything did. Because now they truly –and legally– belonged to each other. Because they had promised and celebrated their love in front of all their loved ones. Because now no one would ever doubt their love again. And well, maybe Blaine would awake later, hopefully without too much of a hangover, and he would be up to some fun.
He was softly humming a meaningless melody before he realized it, subconsciously taking care of his husband in a way –yes, wow, his husband, he would never stop marveling at the turn of events!– and lulling him to sleep. Not that he needed to, he realized as he raised his head again a couple of minutes later and he found the smaller man deeply asleep, his hand stilled at mid-motion on the blond's hair from where he had been caressing it. Smiling like an idiot, blushing with embarrassment at the intensity of his own emotions at how proud he felt of calling him his husband, Sam kneeled up and brought a hand under Blaine's torso and another one under his knees and effortlessly lifted him up as he knew he should have from the beginning –no matter how much Blaine tried to deny it, Sam was stronger than him and that was it–.
His heart melted when Blaine's arms closed again around his neck and his head felt on his shoulder, implicitly trusting him to take care of him even in his sleep. And he knew how Blaine had been made to be a not-so-trusty person along his life thanks to the multiple betrayals he had been forced to face, so knowing he had his absolute trust just like that only made Sam feel all-the-more special.
"I will always take care of you" Sam promised with a whisper as he very gently deposited his precious burden on the king-sized bed, undressing him to make sure he was completely comfortable before undressing himself and getting in the bed to immediately gather his sweet husband in his arms. "Always" he repeated before resting a soft kiss on Blaine's forehead, who just sighed and nestled even more closely to his chest, as if he didn't have any intention of ever letting go.
A/N: The song is Because you loved me, by Celine Dion. I'm not much of a Celine Dion fan, but I thought the lyrics really went with Blaine's feelings, so...