Title: The Most Magical Place On Earth ~Day 1

By: blaineandsamevanderson (SageK on , kaitlia777 on LJ and AO3)

Paring: Blaine/Sam

Rating: PG (so far)

Summary: Prompt: Sam is called to a meeting by Blaine's parents. They sit him down and say that of all of Blaine's friends, Sam is the most reliable, the most trustworthy and the nicest. So they have chosen (maybe even hire) him to keep an eye on Blaine because Blaine tends to go crazy when he takes this annual trip. Cooper couldn't handle him. Kurt couldn't take it. But they think Sam can. When Blaine does his annual week-long trip to Disney World, Sam goes with him. Oh what could possibly happen?

Notes: Sorry for any typos. My transcription software doesn't always understand what I say and I don't always catch the mistakes. I have trouble typing things by hand since I suffered an injury last year to my right hand and it seizes up if I try to do too much.

Note #2: I know the Waldorf Astoria Orlando isn't actually one of the Disney hotels, but for purposes of this fic, just pretend it is!

Sitting on the edge of the couch in Blaine's living room, Sam shifted uncomfortably, wondering why his friend's parents had asked to see him. He really didn't know Mr. and Mrs. Anderson very well, so their scrutiny was doubly strange.

"Sam," Mr. Anderson began, voice reassuringly friendly, "we hear you're attending college in New York and Blaine has asked you to room with him. It's a relief to know he won't be living alone in a strange city."

"Where are you going to study?" Mrs. Anderson asked with a soft smile.

At least this was a topic he was comfortable with. "The Pratt Institute," he replied. "For art and graphic design.'

Mr. Anderson nodded. "Graphic design is a good field."

"Are you planning to head to New York right after graduation or are you going to stay in Lima for the summer?" Mrs. Anderson asked and Sam desperately wished he knew what they wanted.

"I'm... My plans aren't definite, but I want to visit my family for a while and then maybe had to New York sometime in July," he said, as his plans were concrete. "I don't want to be rude, but… Why am I here? Did I do something wrong?"

Blinking, Mrs. Anderson laughed. "Oh dear, I suppose this might seem unnerving," she said, then gestured. "It's simply that our son has spoken so highly of you this year. Of what a kind, supportive best friend you are and such a conscientious and responsible big brother…."

"Every summer we send Blaine on a trip. Two weeks at Disney World in Orlando. He loves it and, since he was 15, we've sent him with a friend or two, Wesley, Nick and Jeff, Kurt… Because he gets a bit over excited and need someone around to attempt to rein him in," Mr. Anderson said, obviously choosing his words carefully.

Sam frowned. "Well, Blaine always has a lot of energy."

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson exchanged a look. "This is different," she said. "We've yet to find anyone who can keep up with them… But we don't want him to go alone. It would spoil it for him."

"Sure," Sam agreed. "What fun is it being someplace awesome if there's no one to share it with?"

"Wonderful," Mr. Anderson said, reaching over and clapping Sam on the arm. "We'll handle all the arrangements, take care of all the expenses. I'm sure you two will have a grand old time."

And that was how Sam found himself sitting in a chair at Port Columbus International Airport with Blaine, waiting to board a nonstop AirTran flight to Orlando, Florida. They had already checked their luggage, so he held his backpack in his lap, peering around at the other people waiting to board the early morning flight.

Blaine was practically bouncing in his seat, exchanging happy smiles with the two kids seated across of them. "You're going to love Disney, Sam. I never get tired of it and is always something new… You look nervous! What's wrong?"

"I'm okay… It's just, this will be my first time on a plane," he admitted and Blaine blinked, settling a bit.

"Oh," he said, then rubbed Sam's arm. "It's really not bad. Just chew gum during takeoff and landing. I've got plenty."

With a cheeky smile, Sam asked, "Will you hold my hand if I get scared?"

"You know I will," Blaine replied with a laugh and squeezed Sam's fingers as an AirTran employees stepped up the little podium by the gate.

"Good morning passengers. This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 21B to Orlando. We are now inviting those passengers with small children, any passengers requiring special assistance and are business-class passengers to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in 10 minutes. Thank you."

"That's us. Business class," Blaine said, standing and shouldering his laptop case. Sam followed him over to the queue, let the friendly young woman check his ticket and ID and then boarded the plane.

He and Blaine were seated in seats 3A and 3B and Sam put his backpack and Blaine's laptop in the overhead storage before settling into one of the large, blue leather seats. From everything he heard about air travel, he thought his legs would be cramped, but there was plenty of room and he turned to Blaine. "So far, so good."

Blaine nodded, grinning and held a pack of gum. Sam took a piece in chewed as he said, "It's only a short flight, so there will be food services, but we can get drinks after takeoff."

"Okay, cool," Sam said and sat back to watch the other business passengers (all sharply dressed men and women) taking their own seats. A few of them cast odd looks at Sam and Blaine, who probably looked a little out of place (Sam, in his tan cargo shorts, blue T-shirt and Chuck Taylors more so than Blaine, who was wearing a red and white striped polo, navy khaki shorts and red Sperry top siders).

Takeoff was a little unpleasant and Sam found himself clutching at Blaine's hand until they leveled off… And even then he held on for a while because Fuck, they were in a giant metal to way up in the sky and he did not like that at all! How the hell were they not falling to their deaths?

At one point, a flight attendant came by, offering drinks, and took one look at Sam before asking, "Nervous flier?"

Sam smiled weakly, so Blaine offered, "It's his first flight. Could mean some ginger ale, please? And crackers? Thank you."

Between the soda and the fact that Blaine turned on air vent above Sam, letting cool air blow over his face, Sam managed to calm down enough to eventually release Blaine's hand. They spent the rest of the flight discussing their plans (or rather, Blaine's plans) for the rest of the day.

"The first day I always take it easy," Blaine said. "Settle in at the hotel, have lunch, and then wander around Main Street USA. We could take a ride around the park on the railroad so you can get a look at everything."

"Sounds good," Sam agreed happily. "I want to pick up a couple of things for Stevie and Stacy. Mickey Mouse ears, T-shirts, stuff like that."

Smiling, Blaine said, "That's sweet. Will make sure to do that. There are shops in every land, not to mention EPCOT."

"Lands?" Sam asked and Blaine began telling him all about Main Street. Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.

Landing, Sam discovered, was no better than takeoff and he clung to Blaine's hand again until they rolled to a stop by the terminal.

No, Sam was not a fan of planes, but apparently he could deal with them.

Orlando International Airport was a bustling hive of activity, far more so than Port Columbus had been. Then again, they had arrived at CMH at 4:30 AM for a 6 AM flight and now it was 9:30 AM, so maybe it was just the hour.

Together, they wrangled their luggage off of the conveyor belts and Sam saw why Blaine had wrapped a length of neon green duct tape around the handles of his duffel bag. Most of the suitcases looked the same, but Sam's bag (and Blaine's plaid, Burberry luggage) stood out.

Then it was off to the Avis kiosk and Blaine smiled at the young man behind the counter. "Hello, we're picking up a rental for Anderson and Evans." Sam blinked and Blaine continued, "Dad put both our names on the car so we'll both be able to drive it."

That made sense, Sam conceded and handed over his license to be copied for the company records, then signed the rental form in about a dozen places. It's like a lot of red tape and the rental agent was giving them a slightly pained look.

Of course, Sam understood when he saw the car, a gleaming, metallic blue convertible with a retractable, black roof. It was an Audi Roadster and, though Sam wasn't a gearhead, he had spent a year and a half living with Burt, Kurt and Finn, so he knew and amazing, expensive car when he saw one.

"Wow," he said and Blaine bounced on his toes happily.

"I know, right?" Blaine sighed as they stowed their bags and he slid into the driver's seat. "I love my Prius and it's very environmentally sound, but this is vacation! Time to indulge."

Leaning back in the black leather seat, Sam put on his sunglasses and grinned. "Let's see what this baby can do!"

With a laugh, Blaine entered their destination into the GPS, then said his iPod in the jack and they set off at an impressive pace.

Just under a half an hour later, Blaine pulled into a long, palm tree lined driveway and Sam tried not to gape at the huge, silver gray and tempered glass structure that was the Waldorf-Astoria Orlando.

"Holy shit," Sam blurted before he could censor himself, gazing in shock at the immaculately maintained grounds.

Blaine grinned. "Pretty cool. Huh?" he asked, rolling to a stop in front of what was obviously the main entrance. Two young men in white linen shirts and shorts hurried out, one dragging a luggage cart, obviously a valet and a bellhop.

Well, this was not a world Sam ever imagine being on this side of.

After Blaine tipped the valet and the two hotel employees piled their bags onto the cart, Sam leaned close to whisper, "Dude, I do not fit in here. People are gonna think you picked me up on a corner or something!"

Eyebrows jumping up, Blaine chuckled, "No, don't worry. People won't think were acting out a gay version of Pretty Woman. It's a resort. Most people are on vacation and don't really dress-up."

That was true, Sam realized, seeing a small group of people sitting at the shuttle stop, waiting for a ride to the Magic Kingdom.

The interior of the lobby was even more impressive than the outside, all high ceilings and marble. The starburst design inlaid in the floor was lovely and he took a moment to appreciate the aesthetics. In the center of the room sat a circular couch and a tall clock, which was positioned under a chandelier and the artistically designed dome ceiling.

He was distracted, trying to study the pressed tin art of the dome and jumped when Blaine poked his side.

"Give me your right wrist," he said and Sam complied, watching curiously as Blaine snapped a thick bracelet around his wrist. At Sam's curious look, Blaine told him, "It's a Magic Band. They'll act as our passes to the Disney parks, our room keys and we can charge things to the room with them, meals, souvenirs, etc. Let's head up to our room!"

They followed the bellhop onto an elevator and up to the eighth floor, then down a lushly appointed hall, passing fresh flower arrangements displayed in expensive looking vases.

"Well," Sam said, gazing around as they stepped inside, "this is a lot different from the last motel I stayed in."

He saw the bellhop fight to hide a smile and Blaine tipped the man. Once they were alone, Blaine asked, "What do you think?"

There was a tidy kitchenette with a tiled floor, marble countertop, cabinets, stainless steel fridge and microwave, a coffee pot and a table that would seat four.

The living room is carpeted with a plush tan rug and the walls were a lighter, airier shade. Upholstered in blue fabric, the sofa and chair looked overstuffed and comfortable while the coffee table, end tables and entertainment center (bearing in an enormous flatscreen TV) were sturdy oak. Out the window, he could see a beautifully manicured golf course. On the right, there were two doors, one leading to the balcony and the other to the bedroom.

"This room alone," Sam said, gesturing around the living room, "is bigger than the place my family lived for six months. It's really cool."

Blaine seemed relieved and told his bags into the bedroom, Sam following with his own things.

Two queen size beds covered in luxuriously soft looking linens were flanked by bedside tables and a large window overlooked the balcony and golf course. There was another overstuffed chair by a small table, a desk and dresser (above which hung another huge, flat TV) sat opposite the beds and a door to the bathroom was beside the closet.

"Do you want the bed by the door or the window?" Blaine asked and Sam shrugged.

"Door," he decided, because he figured he could tiptoe out easy in the morning and sneak down to the gym if he felt like it.

When Blaine began hanging his close and putting other things in drawers, Sam followed suit... Though he really didn't have much that required hanging, just two pairs of dress pants, black and khaki, and two Oxford shirts, white and pale green. Everything else went into a couple of drawers and he tossed his shoes and sandals in the bottom of the closet, kicking off his sneakers to join them.

With a grin, he flopped back onto the bed, sinking into the comforter. "It's like lying on a cloud," he told Blaine, who was still working on emptying his bags.

Hanging a pair of linen shorts, Blaine stepped over to Sam's bedside, waving a finger, "don't fall asleep! We've still got so much to…Hey!"

Sam caught his wrist and tugged him onto the bed beside him with a laugh. Blaine huffed and thumped Sam on the chest, but relaxed for a moment, his head on Sam's bicep before snorting and bumping a barefoot against Sam's calf.

"You stopped shaving your legs," he commented, wiggling his toes and Sam nodded.

"You too," Sam teased, then asked, "Decided it wasn't your thing?"

Months earlier, Blaine had shaved his legs and chest with the other boys for the Men of McKinley calendar. When they saying Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, his legs had still been bare, but now his legs were covered in black fur again.

"Yeah," Blaine agreed. "I mean, a little trimming is fine, but it will really itched growing back. Did you stop deforesting your own chest?"

"There's really not much there to begin with," Sam laughed, then tapped a finger below his naval. "I have let my happy trail make a reappearance though!"

Blaine chuckled, then stretched his legs out and said, "We should totally booked an appointment at the spa for day 7. A massage and men's mani/pedi after week of running around is awesome."

Though he'd never had a massage or a mani/pedi, Sam shrugged. "Okay, I'm following your lead on this trip and I'm willing to try anything once."

"Really?" Blaine asked, pushing himself up on his elbows and giving Sam a devilish grin. "Would that include having a haircut on Main Street? The Harmony Barber Shop could give you a trim."

With a grin of his own, Sam shook his bangs into his face. "What, you don't like the Keith Urban look I'm going for?"

"It's better than the Bieber cut," Blaine conceded, smoothing Sam's hair out of his face. "But the style you wore this fall was extremely flattering."

From the sound of Blaine's voice, Sam figured he was trying not to say that he thought Sam's back to school haircut had been really cute. "You thought the short hair was good on me? I can never tell, so I just ignore it unless someone says something,' he admitted, slightly embarrassed. Usually it's my mom or Carole."

"You always look good," Blaine told him softly. "But yeah, I thought the short haircut… It was nice.'

"Then I'll cut it," Sam agreed, feeling his cheeks warm. Honestly, he liked knowing that Blaine thought he was handsome. It was a sorely needed ego boost that someone as incredible as Blaine liked him and not only for his looks.

After his amicable split with Brittany, Sam had done a lot of soul-searching. He realized that, once again, he had tried to adapt himself to exactly what he thought his girlfriend had wanted. Quinn and Santana wanted a football player boyfriend who was submissive to them. Mercedes wanted a cute boy who adored her (as was totally her right) and also did exactly what she wanted them to do, when she wanted it. Britt wanted someone who understood her and didn't make her feel dumb (also a completely normal thing to want), but for Sam….

He just wanted to be loved so he was willing to try to be which she wanted. When he didn't understand her, he just tried not to question it and he figured he wasn't too smart to begin with, so what was wrong with just…not trying so hard anymore?

Of course, that made him feel even dumber and people just accepted it and he started to feel horrible about himself….

Blaine was the only person who saw him and bothered to notice his pain and hurt. He liked Sam for who he was and didn't ask him to change for him. Sure, he gave advice and shared his opinions, but if Sam didn't agree with him, there were no negative repercussions.

Sam was pretty sure his relationship with Blaine was the healthiest one he'd ever been involved in and he was totally able to admit to himself that he had, at some point, fallen for his best friend… But, while Blaine had feelings for him, Sam knew he couldn't tell him how he felt, not until he was sure Blaine was over Kurt.

He knew his limits and, if he gave Blaine his heart and then Blaine went back to Kurt... No. That was a heartbreak that would actually break him. But Sam was patient; he could wait and see how things unfolded.

Blaine's voice shook him from his musings. "Hey, want to go get some lunch? Peacock Alley will be open and then we could head over to the park."

"Okay," Sam agreed and they hauled themselves up off the bed.

Peacock Alley, it turned out, was a restaurant down in the lobby and Sam happily peered up at the ceiling again before glancing at the menu. It looked… Intimidating.

Blaine seemed to notice his discomfort and said, "You trust me, right, Sam?"

"Of course," Sam replied immediately, because, out of everyone he knew who wasn't a blood relative, Blaine was the person he trusted the most in the world.

"Then let me order and surprise you!"

"Okay," Sam agreed, taking a sip of water, which was flavored with mint and sliced strawberries. It was really good.

While they waited for the food to arrive, Blaine pulled a pen and paper out of his pocket and asked, "Is there anything special you'd like stocked in the fridge? I'm going to drop the list at the desk before we leave and the guest concierge will have everything waiting in the room by the time were back from the park."

Having someone get groceries for them was something that never would have occurred to Sam. "Seriously?"

With an abashed smile, Blaine shrugged. "I know we could go shopping ourselves, but this is vacation!"

What the hell. "Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, vanilla yogurt and granola. So we can make a healthy breakfast before we head out in the mornings."

Blaine grinned and wrote on the list. "Drinks? I mean, we can order anything we forget from room service, but it's nice to have some things on hand."

"Orange Blossom and Youthberry tea, cranberry juice and soy milk," Sam listed and Blaine raised a brow.

"I already have all of our favorites listed," he said. "I'm talking about anything unusual. Like, I put starfruit, Tasty Kake Coffee Cakes and bottled Starbucks mocha Frappuccino."

"Oh," Sam replied, smiling as he tried to think of something. "Mozzarella cheese sticks."

They continued adding items to the list until their starters arrived and Sam peered curiously at his plate, studying the avocado and crab summer roll in its rice paper wrap.

Blaine dug in immediately, dipping his into a little bowl. "The ginger garlic dip is incredible."

The whole meal was incredible. The summer rolls were followed by filet mignon sliders topped with Russian dressing, tomato and arugula. Everything was delicious and rich, but the servings were small enough to leave Sam feeling full but not stuffed.

After they finished, they wandered out to the shuttle stop and waited with several families. The kids were all vibrating with excitement and Blaine was bouncing again.

A tiny little girl with a mop of curly red hair and a Brave T-shirt grinned up at Sam and told him, "We're going to Disney World! I've never been before, but my brother has."

She pointed at a slightly older boy, who was trying to seem cool but not quite concealing his own excitement.

"It's my first time too," Sam shared with her, then asked, "Is Merida your favorite princess?"

"Yes!" she bubbled happily. "Her and Rapunzel!"

He laughed. "They are my little sister's favorites too."

Her eyes grew wide. "Is she here?"

"No," Sam told her gently. "I came with my friend, Blaine.' He turned to Blaine, who gave the girl a wave.

"Hi," he greeted her, but, like Sam, made no move to shake her hand or step closer. As a big brother, Sam knew he didn't like it when strangers touched his siblings, so he respected the idea that other people wouldn't like strangers getting familiar with their children. As it was, the little girl's parents were watching their daughter, amused, and clearly having judged that Sam and Blaine were no threat to her.

When the shuttle arrived, it was a far cry from a school bus or even the chartered buses New Directions took for distant performances. It was large and very clean, the air conditioner running hard to combat the heat and humidity.

Even though they were to the park yet, Sam pulled out his phone and began snapping pictures of passing scenery, until the traffic slowed and he saw that they were approaching a larger sign, stretched over a series of lanes funneling traffic into the park, that read Magic Kingdom.

The shuttle let them off by an entrance and Sam paused to take a picture of the decorative garden in the brightly painted entrance that was designed to look like an old-fashioned train depot.

Once they scanned their park passes, they entered the Magic Kingdom via Tom owns under the railroad tracks. They emerged into the bustling area Blaine identified as Main Street USA and, in the distance, Sam could see Cinderella's Castle, big and blue and shining like it had been pulled straight from the cartoon.

"Oh, Wow," he breathed, trying to take in everything at once and not caring if he looked like many of the small children surrounding him. "This is really kinda…."

"Magical," Blaine supplied with a grin, wrapping his hand around Sam's wrist and urging him into motion. "C'mon!"

Everything seemed almost a blur as Sam let himself be led through City Hall, the Main Street Chamber of Commerce and Town Square Theater (where they met the 'Mayor' of Main Street USA). Blaine was a treasure trove of Disney information and rambled off facts and details about everything. Most of the time, Sam noticed other tourists listening to him talk and that made Sam grin.

Blaine had a way about him that just drew people's attention.

After a quick stop at the Main Street Market House (which was just a not so thinly disguised Starbucks) for refreshing (and huge) iced coffees (well, it was kind of iced coffee, but more like a coffee milkshake topped with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and gooey caramel goodness), Sam found himself seated in a chair at the Harmony Barbershop.

The barber, an older man who introduced himself as Thomas, was eyeing Sam's long hair was a slight smile. "Well, you've got a head of hair on you," he mused, then nodded. "Good to work with. What sort of cut would you like?"

Sam paused, trying to think of how to describe their hairstyle he'd had earlier in the year. "Short and tight in the back and off my ears," he finally said. "But leave it a little longer on the top."

He was relieved when Blaine pulled out his phone. "I have some pictures from this fall," he said, then turned it for the barber and Sam to see. "This cut, right?"

"Yeah," Sam agreed, grinning at the photo. They had been joking around in the choir room and somehow Sam had wound up holding Sugar bridal style with Brittany piggybacking him. When the girls saw the camera, they posed, both swinging their arms out, Sugar pointing one leg while Britt Herself on Sam's back using only the hold her strong, dancers legs had on his hips. Sam was grinning and laughing.

With a nod, the barber said, "Good choice. It will show off that bone structure."

"My thoughts exactly," Blaine murmured and, 20 min. later, they left the shop.

Sam's head felt significantly cooler. The heat and humidity had made his long hair stick unpleasantly to the skin of his neck and face. He didn't know how Blaine could possibly be comfortable with his hair plastered down as it was with gel.

They stopped with a crowd to watch the Main Street Singers perform Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. It made Sam smiled to hear Blaine quietly singing along and he chuckled when he saw a pair of little girls staring at Blaine with big, besotted eyes.

Leaning close, he whispered, "You've got fans, Prince Charming."

Without missing a beat, Blaine grinned at the little girls and gave them a wave, which caused them to become suddenly shy and duck against their mother… Who had been only slightly more discreet in her own appreciation of Blaine's talent.

When the singers concluded their set, Sam found himself seated beside Blaine on the Walt Disney World Railroad, which traveled around the Park. Though it did make two stops, they chose to simply enjoy the ride, watching everything go by as they made a full circuit around the Magic Kingdom and were let off back on Main Street.

As they had managed to spend the entire afternoon in much of the early evening in the Park, they decided to go back to the hotel for a swim. Before they left, Sam did stop at the Emporium to pick up Mickey Mouse ears for Stevie and Stacy. He knew he'd probably get them a few more souvenirs before he left, but the mouse ears were a must-have.

Hot, a little tired and sunburnt, Sam relaxed on the ride back to the hotel, air conditioning almost too cold against his skin. Clearly, Blaine felt the same, as he leaned into Sam's side to share his warmth.

All in all, Sam would call day one of their Disney adventure a success and it had even ended.

The pool area was fairly crowded when they made their way down, but Blaine was pleased when they managed to snag side-by-side lounge chairs. Kids were happily playing in the pool as tired parents looked on and there were a few girls and young women stretched out in the sun, trying to seem too cool to be interested in anything that was happening around them.

Though they did turn in near unison when Sam peeled off his shirt, revealing miles of tanned, toned skin. He swung his arms, stretching his shoulders and Blaine appreciated the bunch and flex of his muscles, which looked amazing as always, strong and lean, well-developed without that overly bulky, scary look… And his abs were just….

Bad Blaine! Stop ogling your best friend.

Since Sam had told Blaine that he knew Blaine liked him, he felt less awful about his crush. Especially since he now knew that Sam liked the attention and Blaine heartily approved of anything that would buoy Sam's sense of self-esteem….

Still, there was a difference between crushing on a friend and really falling for him… And Blaine wasn't sure exactly when that it happened, but it had and it wasn't going away. To be honest, he really didn't want it to, as loving Sam, sweet, wonderful, good Sam, was a really lovely, if unrequited, thing. Sometimes, he thought maybe it might not be so unrequited, but then he shook himself back to reality.

Sam was his best friend and, despite Blaine's crush, he never wavered in being the best best friend. Blaine wasn't about to abuses trust and get all creepy and lecherous as Tina had done during the worst part of her 'phase'.

"C'mon, dude!" Sam said, ignoring the two scantily clad college girls beside them who were unsubtly adjusting their miniscule bikini tops in hopes of capturing Sam's attention. "It's hot. Time to swim."

The cool water did look tempting. Blaine hated getting his hair wet and public, but it was hot…. "Sounds good," he replied, dropping his own shirt and towel on the chair and following Sam into the water, which felt amazing against his skin.

The shocking splash of water in his face, not so much.

"Sam!" He yelped, retaliating, and, before he knew it, and all out splash war had begun. There didn't seem to be any rules, as children joined in, giggling and delighted to be playing with 'big kids'.

By the time things calmed down, blames hair had won its own battle against the gel and was curling wildly around his head. Wrapping themselves in towels, they made their way back inside, sharing the elevator with a young family (the two children had been splashed were participants and Sam gave them each a fist bump).

True to Blaine's predictions, the concierge had filled the fridge and cabinets with their requested foods. Since it was still fairly early (8pm), Blaine suggested, "Let's eat at the Bull and Bear."

"Okay," Sam agreed and, after they each took a quick shower to rinse off the chlorine and changed into fresh clothes, they headed down to the restaurant.

To Blaine's pleasure, Sam ate another full meal without protest or obvious worry over calories. Maybe between the sweating at the park and splashing in the pool, Sam decided he was good for the day, or, and this was what Blaine hoped, Sam had finally begun to accept that little splurges on his diet were completely okay.

Plus, the food at the Bull and Bear was awesome. Sam had the roasted chicken with broccolini and fingerling potatoes while Blaine decided on the shrimp curry and Jasmine rice. Dessert was raspberry and cream gelato with coffee for Blaine and chamomile tea for Sam.

Bellies full and tired after a long day, they fell into bed, a rerun of Iron Man playing on the TV. They were so used to sharing Blaine's bed during their sleepovers that they automatically climbed into one bed, comfortably sharing their warmth in the air conditioned room.

Blaine was barely half awake when he felt Sam's arm slide around him and realized he had rolled over to rest his head on Sam's chest. In his favorite place with his favorite person, Blaine fell asleep with a smile on his face.

TBC…