Chapter Text
"Blaine Anderson, you put that ring away right this instant. So help me Mother Monster, I will slap you sillier than you already are. This is not a drill," Kurt screeched in horror as he gaped at his ex-boyfriend who was currently kneeling on the ground with a velvet ring box in hand.
The pair were alone in McKinley High’s theater. Blaine pulled him aside earlier asking for advice on a song he was prepping for an upcoming Glee rehearsal. Kurt probably should have known something was up based on how impeccably the boy was dressed in a crisp, dove grey suit. That and his hair was practically shellacked to his head in a way that definitely spoke to nerves.
After a year and a half together, Kurt knew the amount of gel in Blaine’s hair directly related to his mood. The boy felt more carefree when his dark curls were barely contained with a lighter product that added dimension but less control. When his hair was locked and loaded with the equivalent of dry cement like today, Kurt knew to duck and cover. This is a prime example of why…
But the equally well-dressed boy foolishly missed out on the signs. Now here he was, being proposed to by his high school love who he admittedly would adore for the rest of his life. But their romantic relationship was long over. Kurt knew that. Now it was time to break it to Blaine.
His ex was breathing heavily after finishing what was admittedly a very romantic serenade on the stage where they had performed together countless times over the course of their relationship. And Blaine unsurprisingly looked more than a little shocked by the turn of events.
The serenade was arrestingly lovely after all. Blaine pulled out all the stops. Ever a showman, he incorporated the piano and a tightly choreographed dance routine in an effort to make the best impression.
Say what you will, but he knew how to plan a show. And although Blaine recognized he and Kurt were technically broken up (technically), as far as he was concerned their fates were written in the stars. He knew with the fervor only an eighteen-year-old could muster that they were destined to be together forever. He’d never bet against destiny before, and he wouldn’t start today.
That's what he told himself at least when his friends advised him against buying a ring and popping the big question.
Tina literally plugged her ears and hummed loudly any time her Blainey Days brought up the plan. Artie threatened to run Blaine over in the hallway if he even so much as mentioned Kurt’s name. Brittany warned that Lord Tubbington did not approve of the potential union. The innocent dancer herself didn’t mind two of her favorite unicorns shacking up. However, she refused to cross her beloved cat. Especially since he just started speaking to her again after she forced him into his latest round of rebab for his online gambling addiction.
Unique would not speak to him because she sided with Kurt after the breakup, so he didn’t even bother asking the big-voiced diva how she felt. Blaine was still reeling from Kitty’s acidic tongue-lashing. Why did he ask the Cheerio again? Obviously that wasn’t the best idea. But even Ryder, Jake and Marley took a break from their weird romantic triangle to advice against a proposal.
Then there was Sam.
If possible his best friend seemed even more reluctant about the prospect of Blaine becoming a married man. Honestly, that hurt the most because the pair supported each other through everything. That and Sam had practically proposed to Quinn when he first joined the group. So wasn’t it a bit of a situation where the pot was calling the kettle black? But Blaine was determined to do this with or without their support.
Thankfully it didn’t come to that.
Out of all the New Directioners, Sam was apparently the only other hopeless romantic in the bunch. So his ever-faithful Vice President eventually came around and helped pick out the ring (a simple platinum bang with two glittering diamonds) and was responsible for keeping everyone else out of the theater for the next hour. “If you’re absolutely certain about doing this, I’ll tell them a pipe burst or something,” Sam said with a reluctant wink earlier in the day.
As Blaine looked up at Kurt, he began to realize that maybe his friends were on to something. Maybe he shouldn’t have shouted out “Marry me, Kurt” after singing a medley of the world’s most beloved love songs at boy that he wasn’t technically dating (technically) and hadn’t seen in person for months.
“Seriously Blaine, we cannot do this. We aren’t even dating right now. We’ve been apart for more than six months at this point,” Kurt sighed. “Did you really think this was the best plan?”
“Don’t you think we’re meant to be together,” Blaine stammered out as tears started to develop in the corners of his hazel eyes. That’s when Kurt’s heart softened. He wasn’t going to say yes (obviously, dear Godney), but he could let his former lover down easily.
“Honey, you’ll always have a special place in my heart. You were practically my first in every way, shape and form. You gave me the courage to be true to myself even when oafs tried to bash the gay out of me. You have one of the sweetest and kindest hearts of all time,” Kurt said as he wiped Blaine’s tears away.
“We did so many incredible things together. But we weren’t good for each other at the end. You felt like I abandoned you when I moved to New York. Which I admit to doing. But then you went and cheated on me, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to trust you again. Plus, remember that guy Adam I told you about last time we talked? Well, it’s getting pretty serious between us. Last time I checked you can only marry one person at a time. I don’t think he’d like me as much anymore if I told him that you and I were getting hitched.”
Blaine’s heart sank as he hastily stashed the ring back in his blazer. Kurt pulled him into a hug once he stood back up.
“So we’re really over, huh,” he sighed. “We won’t be growing old together and one day adopting a fantastic son who we’ll raise on a diet of Tony-winning Broadway musicals and Vogue issues.”
The pair shared a watery laugh as they thought about their old plans.
“That ship has sailed, Blaine. We’ll always be friends. Let’s be real, whether we like it or not, New Directions is forever. But I think you need to let go of what we had together. It isn’t what you need. I’ll never be able to love you the way you deserve. Frankly, you won’t be able to love me that way, either.”
“But,” Kurt added as he pulled Blaine out into the hallway. “I think I may know someone who can love you even better than I did. That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about today.”
“What are you talking about,” Blaine asked as they cut through a crowd of students and walked toward the choir room.
“I happen to believe a certain… as Santana would say… Trouty-Mouthed individual has feelings for you that extend beyond the realm of even the most homoerotic male friendships,” Kurt explained. “And a little birdy named Unique tells me that you most certainly feel the same way.”
Blaine’s eyes widened in confusion at Kurt’s words. Sure, he loved Sam. Anyone with a pulse knew the boy was stunningly handsome. More importantly, he was unfailingly nice and supportive. But even a passing glance at his dating history (including a very recent breakup with Brittany) spoke to him being straight.
Had Blaine missed some sort of sign or was Kurt trying to throw him a bone to soften the blow of breaking up with him (again)?
Before he could ask, Kurt opened the choir-room door, shoved Blaine inside and pulled it shut behind him. “You can thank me later,” he shouted through the door. As his ex stood guard outside and directed curious eyes away from the room, Blaine stumbled into Sam’s arms.
“How’d it go, Dudesicle,” Sam hesitantly asked as he steadied Blaine. Taking a step back, he looked down at his friend’s face and read a sea of confusion there. “Not well?”
“Well, for starters you were right,” Blaine admitted. “Kurt most certainly does not want to marry me.” He gasped in surprise as Sam pulled him into a hug with an obvious exhale. Was that a sigh of relief, he wondered.
Blaine felt his tense muscles release as he relaxed into the embrace.
“He said that we weren’t good for each other anymore. I guess he’s moved on with that English guy Adam, and that we won’t ever be able to love each other the way we used to,” he said with tears in his eyes.
“I’m so sorry. You’ll find someone who loves you the right way,” Sam assured him. This time Blaine definitely noticed a hitch in his friend’s voice. Was Kurt right?
“He said something else that really confused me,” Blaine said as he disengaged from Sam’s arms enough to look up at his friend’s kind, emerald eyes. “Sammy, do you like-like me?”
“Oh. I wonder how he found out about that,” Sam hesitantly said. “Yeah, dude. I guess maybe it’s time to be honest with you about some things. Can we sit down for a minute?”
Sam sighed as he pulled his now-unresponsive friend over to a pair of chairs.
“Blaine. Buddy, I need you to keep breathing,” he stammered as his friend stared off into space. “I can’t tell you the truth if you pass out. In fact, I don’t know if I can tell you the truth unless you hold my hand. This is just as weird for me. I’m feeling woozier than I did when Nurse Penny tried to give me that shot. You know needles freak me out, and this is even weirder…”
“You’re going to be alright, Sam. Put your head between your knees if you need a moment,” Blaine urged as he rushed to grab his friend’s hand. “Just tell me what you feel, and we’ll work it out together.”
Sam took a steadying breath and looked over at Blaine. The boy’s hazel eyes overflowed with compassion like they always did when Sam needed guidance.
“Don’t be mad. I don’t know how Kurt knows because I haven’t told anyone, I swear. But I do have feelings for you. I don’t know exactly how it happened or when. But I have been feeling this way for a while now: You’re my best bro like Finn and Mike were before they graduated. But I never wanted to kiss either of them.”
Blaine slowly blinked and sat back in surprise.
“Woah. I guess I’m confused. You knew I had feelings for you. We talked about it after Guilty Pleasures week. So why didn’t you tell me then? And if you loved me, why did you let me go through with asking Kurt to marry him,” Blaine wondered.
Sam took a steadying breath as he prepared to break it all down. After steadying himself a bit, he explained to Blaine how it all went down. Shortly after Blaine sang Phil Collins to him during Guilty Pleasures week, Sam started to realize that he wanted to love Blaine like he had loved Brittany or Quinn more than like he’d cared about Ryder and Artie.
“And just as I was coming to grips with it, you started talking about getting back with Kurt. I didn’t want to get between you two. What mattered to me was that you were happy, so I decided to step back and let you pursue your happily ever after with someone who was out and would be able to love you the right way. If you did that, then I wouldn’t ever have to fess up to my feelings. I could marry someone else eventually. You’d be happy, and I’d learn to be happy,” Sam explained.
“I like you a lot, Blaine. Frankly I think I may be well on the way to loving you. But I’ve never done this with a guy before. I can’t be like you and Kurt just yet. Even if you chose me, I’d need time to get settled into this before telling the world. I didn’t want to make you keep me a secret, so I figured you’d be better off if I just stayed your best friend.”
Blaine pulled Sam into a hug as soon as he finished speaking. As he pulled him close, he lost himself in the familiar scent of Sam’s cologne. The boy smelled like a forest. Blaine realized that he’d started to associate the smell with comfort and home. The smell made him feel even more at ease than Kurt’s used to make him feel.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that on your own,” Blaine soothed Sam. “But don’t you think I would have liked to help you work through those feelings? Or to help make that choice for us? I liked you a lot Sam, and frankly I started thinking about Kurt again because I didn’t think we would ever have a chance of actually working. Had I known how you felt, I’d have wanted to see if we could work. Now that I know how you feel, if you still do like-like me that is, I still want nothing more than to give us a shot.”
Reaching out, he brushed the blonde boy’s hair back out of his face. “Do you still want to be with me?”
Sam looked down at the boy and a grin split his face as he nodded.
“Do you really want to give this a shot,” Sam asked nervously. “I can’t promise I’ll be good at this. I haven’t even kissed a guy before. What if I’m bad at it? Santana always called me Trouty Mouth and implied my lips would be good for gay things, but what if she’s wrong? She’s clearly not exactly sticking with the dudes anymore. What if…” What may have been a long-winded panic attack was cut off abruptly as Blaine leaned over and gently brushed his lips across Sam’s. “Woah. Ok, we definitely need to do that again.”
Blaine giggled sweetly and pulled Sam to him again. After a second kiss he pulled back and got a little more serious.
“We can definitely do that again. There’s just one thing, Sammy. I want to take this slowly. After all, I did just ask another guy to marry me. Clearly I need to work out my feelings for Kurt before falling into something super serious again. It wouldn’t be fair to you otherwise. And you’ve never been with a guy before. I don’t want to push in too fast, freak you out and ruin what we already have. I value our friendship too much to risk it. If we go slowly we should be able to protect that. I want to be with you, but I don’t want to ever lose you.”
“I think we can do that,” Sam nodded seriously as he contemplated the situation. “I’m not ready for everyone to know just yet. But I want to spend even more time with you. And if I get to kiss you now when we are together, I’d say that’s a pretty good deal.”
“So let’s shake on it, Blonde Chameleon,” Blaine offered. “We’re together but don’t tell anyone. Well except for Kurt because I think he already knows something is going on in here. Let’s take this slow and see how it goes.”
“It’s a done deal, Night Bird. I’m down if you’re down.”
The best friends executed their secret handshake. Just as they agreed to take the next step in their relationship, the bell rang signaling the start of a new period.
“Shit! I guess we should get to our next classes,” Blaine realized. “I can’t believe we missed a full class working this out.”
With that they rushed out of the door and past a curious-looking Kurt.
“Bye Kurt,” Blaine shouted out as he and Sam raced through the hall heading to their next classes. “Thanks so much for taking the time to let me down gently. We’ll catch up soon, I promise!”
The older boy shook his head in confusion as they walked off. He’d known Blaine had feelings for Sam even before Unique confirmed it. However, he’d only been operating off a hunch about Sam’s feelings for Blaine. Was he right or did his assumption mess things up for the guys?
That’s when he realized…
As the two walked off, Kurt noticed Blaine and Sam had their pinkies linked exactly like Brittany and Santana used to before they came out. It was a subtle form of contact that could easily be brushed off accidental if anyone called them out on it. But it was the sort of gesture that spoke to the cynical boy’s romantic soul.
“Huh, I should get myself a bow and arrow and play Cupid more often,” he thought. “I really hope can they make this work.”