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It’s not a mystery that Blaine likes hugs. He loves them.
There’s so much you can do with a hug, so much you can say without actually saying it. Sebastian’s not much of a hugger. He’s more into public displays of affection that involve his mouth. He’ll hug sometimes but mostly it’s because Blaine drags him into it.
There are a few times he’ll do it just because, though.
They go to bars a lot in college, Blaine loves the ones where there’s live music or a dance floor. Sebastian loves that Blaine is a bouncy and talkative kind of person, he loves making friends, and he loves getting to know new people. What he doesn’t like is when people take advantage of how friendly Blaine is.
Sometimes guys with too much to drink encroach on Blaine’s space, buy him shots, try to grab at him and manhandle him onto the dance floor. Blaine always assures him that he’s fine, that he can handle saying no himself. But there was one terrible situation where Sebastian was further down the bar getting their drinks and some asshole couldn’t take no for an answer.
So Sebastian doesn’t let it get that far anymore. When guys start moving their way in, Sebastian stands behind Blaine and wraps his arms around him, gently hugging him to his chest. Most of the time Blaine doesn’t notice, he’s too enamored by the life music or his fruity cocktail.
Sometimes he does lean up and kiss the underside of his chin. And really, that says more than enough.
000
Blaine gets sleepy after he drinks too much. It’s a proven fact. It doesn’t help that he’s kinda a lightweight and depending on the combination of drinks he’s done and ready to go home. Parties are always a flip of the coin.
Sometimes Blaine doesn’t drink at all, instead enjoys talking to people and dancing and making ‘tsking’ noises of displeasure when Sebastian smokes. It’s more fun when he does drink, however, because Blaine’s a lot touchier. And this is coming from someone who already loves public displays of affection. After two shots and three mixed drinks, Blaine is practically on his lap the entire night.
A giggly mess of curls and bright eyes, pink cheeks.
The only struggle is getting Blaine out of the house party before he falls asleep on a couch or against his chest. If he does that then game over, they’re spending the night. Sometimes that’s worth the hassle, because his boyfriend becomes a real-life rag doll when it comes time to take the subway back to the dorms.
“M’sleepy.” He mumbles as they wait for the correct line, the subway station hot and humid underneath the bustling city of New York. Which never helps keep Blaine alert and awake either.
Sebastian sighs and wraps an arm around his swaying boyfriend, keeps him tucked against his chest, head under his chin. “I know. C’mere, you lightweight.”
Blaine folds into his chest, snuggling close like they’re in bed. He’s fallen asleep many times while waiting for the subway, curled close into Sebastian’s arms.
“M’not a lightweight. I drank lots.”
Sebastian snorts and runs his fingers through the other’s hair, stroking his back with his other hand. “Oh yeah, two shots and one mixie. You’re practically an alcohol connoisseur.”
He has to practically drag Blaine onto the subway and force him to not sit on his lap as they buckle down for five stops before their own, but that’s okay. Because Blaine cuddles into his side and wraps his arms around him in a warm hug all his own.
And Sebastian can’t find room to complain, really.
000
Sebastian’s first reaction to most situations may not be a hug, but he knows when he has to use it.
He hates to see Blaine upset in any shape, way or form. When he’s sad, that’s his first response—to hug him until he’s not. He’s always been a very physical person, so it’s not a big jump. It’s Blaine who tries to talk first, to try and work through things with his words before he allows himself to be touched.
It’s very strange. Sebastian thinks it has something to do with control, or a lack of it, trying to explain or justify things with talking through it before he succumbs to being held, to crying.
He gets a phone call from his mother one day when they’re out to lunch, and Blaine has to break away from the table very quickly to talk to her. Sebastian watches him leave with a nervous ball in his stomach, that whatever is happening, is not okay.
A few minutes pass before he realizes that Blaine isn’t coming back to the table. He throws a few bills down, with extra for a tip and grabs his coat, exiting the restaurant to see his boyfriend on a bench outside. He’s sitting with his phone in his lap and he’s just. Staring at it.
Sebastian feels sick. He doesn’t want to ask. He slowly sits on the bench and gently touches the other’s wrist, “Hey. What happened? Talk to me.”
Blaine looks up, but it’s like he’s in a daze. His eyes are glassed over, foggy. He chokes on his words, “Cooper was in a c-car accident. He’s critical.” He shakes his head and suddenly, that’s it. One stone falls from a wall and it all comes tumbling down. He’s trembling; “Oh God, Sebastian, what do I do?”
Sebastian gathers him up instantly, wraps his arms around him tightly and refuses to let go. Blaine melts into his chest and sobs, face hitting his shoulder, fingers gathering his shirt up and tugging like it might be his only lifeline.
He strokes his back, lips pressing kisses every place he can reach. Sebastian shushes him gently, his sobs making his entire body shake. “He’s going to be okay,” He whispers, closing his eyes. “Cooper is far too stubborn for anything else.”
That manages a very small and weak laugh but not much else. Blaine does nod against his shoulder, shuffles closer to Sebastian’s body to close any available space between them. Sebastian holds him until Blaine is calm enough to pull away, face a beautiful mess of tears and wet eyelashes. He cups his cheek and gently cleans his face with his fingertips, pressing a slow kiss against his forehead.
“Come on, we’ll go home and pack a bag and spend the night at the hospital. Hmm?”
He has to help him stand from the bench, tuck him against his side to walk to the car and doesn’t really let go of him until they make it to the hospital.
000
Sebastian can’t stand anyone touching him when he’s sick.
First of all, he always ends up feeling disgusting and tired and why would anyone want to stroke his hair or hold him when he can’t stop sneezing or coughing.
But of course, and he has no idea why he’s surprised, but Blaine is the complete opposite. He brings him soup and tea to a mound of blankets that’s making pathetic sniffling noises; he’s this close to saying ‘I told you so’ about being out in the snow without a proper hat on but he doesn’t feel like getting hit in the face with a pillow or a tissue box.
“Soups here.” He waits a moment for Blaine’s head to pop up from the array of blankets and pillows and smiles a little when he sees curls. His boyfriend turns his head into his shoulder and sneezes, “Bless you.”
Blaine groans before letting out a soft cough, burrowing against the headrest of his bed with a pillow against his chest. “M’not hungry.”
“You need to eat.”
The shorter pouts, “Get in bed with me.”
Sebastian chucks out a laugh, cause, no. “Nice try, sniffles, but no thanks.”
Blaine sits up and grabs a tissue, blowing his nose and throwing it in the general direction of the basket. He misses, of course, and it joins the congregation of dirty tissues on the floor. Lovely.
“Please? I need you.”
That’s so not fair. “You can no longer breathe through your nose, you’ve rendered yourself useless to me.” He teases. That earns him a pillow against his legs. “Hey! Watch it, I’ve got a tray full of liquids here.”
“Put it down and come snuggle me.”
The taller groans, putting the tray down on the nightstand, “So bossy.” He grumbles before sitting on the bed. It takes less than three seconds for Blaine to wrap himself around him like a koala, burying his face in his back.
Sebastian sighs, like it really bothers him but…even Blaine knows it doesn’t, and turns in his arms. He crawls into bed and pulls him close, running his hand through his dark, damp curls.
“You have a fever?” He asks.
Blaine mumbles a ‘no’, already starting to fall asleep against his chest. Sebastian checks anyways, resting his lips on his forehead a long moment before pulling back. He doesn’t but, he’s going to keep checking just in case.
“So much for the soup I brought you that I slaved away in the kitchen making.”
“You poured it out of a can.”
Sebastian hugs Blaine a little tighter, “It’s the effort that counts.”
Blaine falls asleep quickly after that, tucked against his chest in a ridiculous position that he knows isn’t the most comfortable. He rolls his eyes and tries to convince himself that there are other places he’d rather be.
But he knows that isn’t true.
000
Sebastian knows he made a good decision when he takes Blaine to the aquarium and he…won’t stop smiling. He’s completely enamored by what’s going on around him. Large blue tanks filled with manatees, turtles, sharks and so much more.
Wide hazel eyes follow fish while hands touch glass and read all about the fish living in a world all their own. Blaine loves it here, he immerses himself in things like this, things that he loves. It’s one of the things Sebastian loves about him.
Sebastian can’t help but watch him rather than what’s inside the tanks, looking at Blaine is far more interesting. Those wide eyes and bright smile, pure excitement that’s very contagious. He talks to him about sea turtles and jellyfish and sea urchins but Sebastian’s only half-listening. He nods at the right times and chuckles at the pure enthusiasm rolling off of his boyfriend’s shoulders in waves.
It’s hard not to watch him. It’s hard not to smile just because of him.
They stand in front of a seahorse tank for twenty minutes and normally, Sebastian can’t stand waiting around for something that long. He gets restless, twitchy. But Blaine’s there, against the tank like a child would be, following seahorses with his fingertips and reading all about them. He talks to tank workers and other kids who can’t see inside the tank because they’re too short. He even helps a few by lifting them up.
Sebastian shakes his head as they move away towards another tank, gently takes hold of Blaine’s arm and pulls him back against his chest. He wraps his arms around his tummy, making Blaine laugh and rest his head back against his shoulder.
“What’s this for?” He asks, turning his head to look at him.
Sebastian kisses the tip of his nose, “Just cause.” He tells him before stealing a kiss.