SLS - Now With EVEN MORE Santana!Manipulation

a/n Howdy, folks. Sorry for how horribly long I've been taking on my different multi-chapter fics, besides the Ianto and Klaine ones. They sort of took me by surprise.

Life has been absolutely insane. I've lost one job, had another one that only lasted a month, finally got a good, long-term job, and am slowly but surely losing my mind. Anyway, I AM working on them. (Particularly Reunion and Revenge of the Slashed.)

Anyway, wrote this up and hoped you'd enjoy it. Be warned, I wrote it fast and it is, as are most of my fics, un-betaed.

… …

Sam had known Quinn was lying about saving Finn's life. Of course he'd known. He might be dyslexic closet nerd with body image issues - but he wasn't the kind of idiot who believed Quinn's horrible lies. (Seriously? What kind of braindead dolt was Finn to believe you could get a chick pregnant by losing it in a hot tub?)

So, yes, Sam had known. But the thing was, he wanted to believe her. He wanted so badly to be worthy of having a beautiful, smart, athletic girlfriend who didn't want anyone but him.

He wanted that enough that he had fooled himself into believing the second dumbest lie (sexless-hottub-pregnancy being the first) he'd ever heard. Then, when Santana had engineered everything to force Sam to realize the truth, he almost hugged the Latina right then and there, just to prove someone wanted him.

It wasn't until later that night, watching Kurt and his new classmates singing, that Sam started to accept that it was all for the best. Especially when Kurt, who he hadn't gotten to know as well as he wanted before the transfer, kept avoiding looking at that Blaine kid everyone said he was in love with.

Even more so when the talented countertenor, and Sam was secure enough in his unspoken bisexuality to admit Kurt was flawless and beautiful, kept finding Sam's friendly face in the crowd.

When the performance was done, Sam didn't notice Santana's calculating gaze, or the way she shrugged to herself and smoothly slid from her chair, aiming straight at the Diva Trio of Kurt, Rachel and Mercedes. In fact, he only finally saw her when the cheerleader grabbed Kurt's arm, glared daggers at the protesting girls he had been sitting besides, and dragged him over to sit across from Sam.

"Rainbow, Trouty Mouth, I think you should bond, or whatever, over the douchebags and bitches of the world."

When they both simply sat there, staring at the girl in confusion and shock, she groaned. Waving a hand at Sam, she announced, "Bleach Blonde just found out Un-Preggers and Frankenteen were messing around behind his back. I was kind enough to out them by giving Finny-boy mono, who graciously passed it on to his skanky, no-longer-ex girlfriend."

Kurt cut in, voice soft and sad. "Oh, Sam. I'm so sorry."

Sam shrugged, "It's okay."

"No, it's not," the thinner boy protested. "Finn knows what it feels like, from when his girlfriend cheated on him with a friend. He's my brother, and I love him, but that is no excuse for-"

Santana clapped a hand over his mouth. By the time he wriggled out her grip, she already turned back to Sam. "Yeah, whatever. Anyway, Porcelain here's hobbit booty went out and sang some slutty song about sex toys to a closet-case at the mall today, and forced the Garglers to back him up."

Sam's eyes were wide, anger setting in as he considered how Kurt must have felt to watch the boy he loved singing to another guy the day before Valentine's.

Kurt just glowered down at the table before mumbling, "He worked at the GAP for Gucci's sake. And that hair!"

"Right, well," Santana raised an eyebrow and smirked. "From what I heard, GAP Guy turned Hobbit down cold, Rainbow told Shorty he liked him, and the curly haired idiot said it wasn't worth the risk. Which is a load of shit since, if there was even a chance Ladyface might be even the tiniest bit bi, I would be all over that."

Her lips curved wickedly. "So, what've we got? Two sexy, heartbroken guys worth way more than their lame counterparts, who find each other attractive and alone on Valentine's night." The grin stretched wider. "You two should get out of here already, and get your hot, gay loving on. As thanks, just send me a tape."

Kurt's mouth opened and closed soundlessly a few times, before he squeaked, "Santana! Sam does not find me attractive, and don't you dare go making the jocks hate him by spreading such vicious rumors-"

"Actually," Sam interrupted, bashfully clearing his throat. "She's right."

Kurt blinked rapidly. "You… you're gay?" He practically whispered the last word, disbelief and fear and hope all at war in his soft voice.

"Bi," Sam responded slowly. "I figured it out when I was twelve. Had a crush on a pair of twins in my grade, Maria and Matt."

"Why didn't you say something?" Kurt couldn't stop the hurt showing on his face.

Sam hunched his shoulders in and stared down at his hands. "At first, I just wanted to get the lay of the land. People can be real assholes. And everyone seemed to hate the idea of gays. That didn't mean I didn't want to sing with you, 'cause I did. But you told me to sing with Quinn, and she was so sweet. I fell for her, and it just didn't seem important. I'm sorry that I didn't say anything, Kurt. And I'm sorry I didn't do more to keep you safe."

The smile that touched Kurt's lips was fond and forgiving. "Sam, you did more to protect me than anyone. And you had the black eye to prove it." His voice fell back to a whisper, and his eyes met Sam's. "Thank you. For telling me, I mean."

The blond boy's grin was enormous. "No problem, Kurt."

Which was when they remembered who else sat at the table, as Santana broke in. "So, hot gay loving, boys? Get to it! And don't forget my damn tape."

Before they could speak, she was up and sauntering away, an extra swing in her step and sway of her hips that had eyes following the girl all the way out the door.

Then Sam and Kurt shared a glance and burst out laughing. Finally, calming themselves, Sam cleared his throat.

"Well, "hot gay sex" isn't gonna be happening-"

"Yet," Kurt winked, teasing.

Sam swallowed hard, his mouth dry as he tried to stop the pictures now running rampant through his head.

"Right," he coughed. "But, um, do you maybe want to go get some dinner?"

Slowly, as though he was approaching a terrified animal, Sam reached out and took the other boy's slim hand in his.

Kurt stared at their hands for a moment, then bit his lip and nodded. "I'd like that."

And, to the amazement of the remaining members of ND and the Warblers, the two stood and walked calmly out the door, hand-in-hand.

… …

(In the end, Santana never got a tape. Instead, she received an enormous bouquet of pale red roses, an almost-impossible-to-get special release bottle of her favorite perfume, a lovely 'thank you' note, and a coupon for a full weekend shopping trip with just Kurt, or the opportunity to watch Sam and Kurt make out for twenty minutes. It was a tough choice, but she went with the watching. And damn, she did not regret it.)

end.