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James made sure Michael was able to relax. It helped he was already familiar with his family from all the various charity events he had been dragged to throughout his entire life. He was still feeling like an intruder in a way, and Sammy tugged him closer and hugged him, while he was talking to Blake and David.
“Stay right here, buddy. You are family now, okay? These two,” he jerked his chin up to David and Blake, smirking next to each other on the love seat in the living room, “they saved my life, in more than one way. They gave me so much love, and I won’t let you run from it like I did, thinking I didn’t deserve it. Thinking it was pity and failing to see it was real and true.”
David got up and rushed to him, hugging them both. “You were always ours, Sammy. Don’t you ever doubt that.” He pulled away only to look at Michael and nod reassuringly. “And now so are you. We got you, anything you need. Blake and I are more than happy to be there for you, Michael.”
Sammy groaned, then huffed a shaky breath, wiping at his tears. “Fuck, why do we get so weepy every time we’re all together in a room?!”
James laughed and tugged at Michael. “Stick with me, dude, I’ve got you covered in case these two try to ruin you with sap.”
Michael chuckled and wiped at his own eyes, then nodded and smiled at James.
Blake was shaking his head. “JD, you’re one to talk about sap after dragging me on the hunt for the perfect engagement ring for the past two weeks.”
Sammy gave James an incredulous look. “What? You dick! Why didn’t you tell me?!”
James shrugged his shoulders, looking sheepish. “Listen I know you and Danika are cool.Nowyou’re cool, but, dude, I was gonna marry her no matter what and I just couldn’t deal with you saying anything snarky about her.” Sammy opened his mouth to protest, but James raised his hand to silence him, “I know we look crazy together, but she’s the one.” He swallowed hard and with a serious look said, “I’ve put her through more than you know, and she’s still here, no matter how hard I tried to cut her loose. It would mean a lot to me if you guys got along, like really tried and made it work for me. I know I have no right to ask––”
Sammy pulled him in a tight hug and breathed out, “You idiot, I love you! Your happiness matters to me more than anything. I’ll do anything for you, you dickhead!”
James crushed him to his chest and buried his face in Sammy’s shoulder. “Fuck you for making me cry in front of Dad andPapi!” He mumbled in his shoulder and David and Blake laughed from somewhere around them. “I love you, man. You are my family. You are my brother.”
Sammy chuckled, not even bothering to wipe at his tears anymore. “This is embarrassing. We’re scaring the shit out of Michael.”
Michael chuckled. “I’m good. I love this, you guys are … I’ve never had this, even before…” He hid his face in his shaking hands and sucked a deep breath in. Blake pulled him to sit next to him on the small sofa and threw an arm over his shoulder, “You’re alright, sweetheart. I promise you we don’t sit about crying all day and fainting on couches. Wait until the real fun starts and we do movie trivia parties!”
Dave chuckled and gave Blake’s shoulder a squeeze. “You’re impossible.” He looked at his husband with so much love and softness, that both Sammy and James rolled their eyes and pulled away from each other, grinning.
The Wilder-Hermosa power couple at its mushiest and finest!
Sammy ran his hands though his hair and looked at them – David, Blake, and James. They were his family, had beenhisthis whole time. If only he had been brave enough to believe.
With a sigh he said, “I want to pay you back for my college tuition. I know you don’t need it, but now I know the truth and it would make me feel … I don’t know, like I can show you some respect for being so thoughtful and caring. I feel like such an idiot it took me so long to see, to fucking be told by Sarah, when it was obvious all along, you guys were the only ones to look after me.”
Both Blake and David were shaking their heads. “You better not dare try and pay that money back.” They shot James a look, “Are you finally gonna tell this boy the truth, or are you waiting on us to spill the beans? We have taught you better than that, JD.”
Sammy shot his friend a look, and when his head bobbed lightly, he could feel some deep sense of unease settle in his belly. “What is it, James?”
James was looking at the ceiling, avoiding the four sets of eyes drilling into him, shaking his head. “One cry a day ain’t enough for you,Papi?”
Blake chuckled. “Come on, boy, you know Sammy won’t care. Not now.” He smirked, “Can’t ask him to be your best man if you don’t have all your cards on the table now, can you?”
James shot him a look. “Papi! I swear to God, you’re the worst!”
Sammy grinned. “Well, who the fuck else! Yes! I will throw you the most outrageous party! Now spill! What’s your big secret?”
James sighed. “You know how I kept bitching for months after we first met in Mystic, that I hated it there?”
“Yeah, it was an endless loop of sulking and carrying on. I vividly remember all the elaborate ways you managed to shit on Mystic. I think I became your friend solely because I enjoyed listening to you tear into the place I was so eager to leave.”
They laughed, but James gave him a thoughtful sad look. “Papiand Dad moved there for me, because I needed to get clean. I had been in rehab again, for an overdose. After the mandatory ninety days detox, they loaded me into the car and dragged me to Mystic, far enough from anyone I knew that would aid me to slip up again.”
Sammy sighed. “James, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t know. At first, I just wanted to be angry. I didn’t think I even wanted a friend, but … when we got close, I realized, you were my firstrealfriend. You didn’t care about anything but to dream out loud with me. You always made me feel included. Fuck!” He wiped furiously at the moisture on his face. “Happy,Papi!”
Blake chuckled. “Keep going. Stop stalling.”
James huffed and shook his head, but then Blake winked at him. “I love you, kid. Dad and I are very proud of you!”
