THIRTY THREE
FLANNEL SAM!

♫

KURT HUMMEL had his NYADA audition coming up, and he needed some advice on his performance. Blaine had volunteered to give him his true, unfiltered thoughts— he was biased. Violet had only showed up to cheer on Tina, who offered to play opposite him.

She liked Kurt, she really did— but she was still bitter about the whole 'him talking to another guy' fiasco. Blaine had forgiven him, though. For some reason.

"Go Tina!" She yelled once the performance was over. He sang The Music of the Night and it was horrific. Tina being the only saving grace, as usual.

"Fantastic. I loved it." Blaine applauded him.

Violet looked at him with wide eyes, and a faux smile. "You know if he sings this, and doesn't get in, it's your fault for handling him with baby jackets." She said.

"Kid gloves." He corrected her.

"What?"

He smiled. "The saying is 'Handle with kid gloves', not baby jackets." His eyes were still on his boyfriend and he didn't slow his clapping.

"You're so smart." Violet bat her eyelashes at him.

"My entire future is riding on this audition, it has to be perfect." Kurt reminded them, his face turning serious. "What if I sing it in german?" He suggested.

"Yes!" Violet beamed, pointing at him. "I will literally pay you real life money to see that." He smiled.

Tina interjected, scratching at her wig. "Excuse me, my foot fell asleep. I can't feel it at all, can I walk it off?" Tina asked Kurt, who just waved her off.

Violet, who was already standing, decided to follow her to the side of the stage. "Tina, you were amazing."

The aforementioned girl pulled her wig off and gave her friend a wide smile. "That was mortifying, I never want to do that again. Especially that wig."

"You were the star of that performance." Violet kept gushing over her, while she shook out her foot. "I will be adding that recording to my Tina folder."

Tina snapped her head up. "You have a Tina folder?"

Violet nodded. "Of course I do. I have one for all of you. I have a few for Sam, though." She smiled at just the thought of her boyfriend.

"I have, Rocky Horror Sam, Bieber Sam, Just Friends Sam, Boyfriend Sam, Hot Sam, Goofy Sam, Shirtless Sam, Flannel Sam... there's definitely more."

Tina eyed her with a smile, "Flannel Sam?"

"He's so hot in flannels." Violets smile widened, she was looking into space, zoning out. Apparently her happy place was Sam in a flannel.

"Earth to Violet?" Tina snapped her fingers in her face to get her attention. "I know you love your boyfriend, but please give me all your attention."

Violet blinked at her. "You always have my attention. I am literally obsessed with you." She told her.

Tina blushed. No matter how many times Violet said things like this to her, it still caught her off guard.

"You keep this up, and I might forge your name on a marriage license and then we'll be wives forever."

Violet swayed, grabbing Tina's hands. "Aw, your tone sounds threatening but your words are adorable."

"Is your girlfriend trying to steal my girlfriend again?" Mike walked into view, Sam in tow. "This is awful."

Sam shook his head. "No, no. I think your girlfriend is trying to steal my girlfriend." He concluded. "Tina, it's important that you know, I can fight real good."

"If you fight my girlfriend," Mike pointed at him. "I will fight you." He was nose to nose with Sam, both trying to hide their laughs.

"Excuse me." Violet pushed him playfully. "You fight my man, and i'll fight you. Don't test me."

"I want to get in on this," Tina said. "But I just can't bring myself to fight my woman." She was grinning.

Sam gasped. "I will not let her go without a fight, Tina Cohen Chang. How do you feel about a sing off?"

"I feel very good about a sing off, Samuel Evans."

"Oooo fight! fight! fight!" Mike pumped his fist in the air, chanting. His smile was manic.

"I have the perfect song." Sam told her.

Violet gripped his arm. "Every time you sing to me an angel gets its wings." She cooed. "You're so hot."

"You're so hot, I need a whole fire truck to put you out." He wrapped an arm around her waist, moving his face closer to hers. "I love you."

"Barf." Mike gagged. "You guys are so gross."

"You're such a hater." Tina smacked his arm.

"Yeah." he agreed.

♫

"Mom, there's an old man in our backyard!" Violet called up to her mother, who was trying to relax in a hot bubble bath.

"No, honey." She shouted down. "That's your friend, Puck. He's cleaning our pool."

Violet smacked her head. "I know what Puck looks like. This guy looks older. Also Puck isn't my friend!"

The old man—older man, stood up from where he was sat on her lawn chair, next to Puck. She watched her (not) friend, hand over a lot of money.

Once the man had rounded the house and left, Violet opened the sliding back door. Pucks head snapped up at the sound, and winced when he saw her.

"You saw that, huh?"

"That was kind of embarrassing for you." She joined him by the pool. "Who was that, anyway?"

He sighed, running his hands over his mohawk. "My dad. Haven't seen him in five years."

"Oh." She went quiet. "What did he want?"

"Money." His voice was rough, like he was trying not to cry. "Needed to pay his rent, or whatever."

Violet scoffed. "He doesn't see you for five years, and just shows up when he wants money?" Maybe Puck wasnt her friend, exactly, but she was pissed for him.

"You're his kid." She rasped.

"He brought beer." He shrugged.

Violet frowned at him. "Maybe you're just better off without hitting." She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Dads aren't worth it."

"I thought you didn't know your dad?" He asked.

She pat his arm. "I don't remember him much. I know from what I do remember, and from eavesdropping on my mom and Carole, that he wasn't great." She smiled at him, kicking his shin lightly.

"He never showed up when he was supposed to, and I guess three year old me got upset over that. Though, i'm happy without him. My mom was all I needed."

Puck listened intently to her rehashing, and nodded along to the end. She looked at him again. "If he can't be bothered to know you all year round, then he does not deserve to know you at all, Puck." She said.

"Quick, say something mean. I'm starting to think you actually like me." Puck joked, elbowing her.

Violet laughed—she was actually laughing with Puck of all people. "You're not so bad."

"Can you keep this between us?" He was wringing his hands together. "I'll tell Finn, but i'm not sure if I want the others to know. Not yet, anyway."

"Of course."

He raised his eyebrows at her, unbelieving. "Sure you won't cry?" He teased. "Finn said you used to cry if he asked you to keep a secret."

"Okay, first of all." She held up a finger. "That was a whole four years ago." A second finger went up. "And secondly, that is none of your business."

"Oh, my apologies." His sarcasm made her want to throttle him. This was a short lived friendship.

"Well, I have to go meet Rory." She stood up, dusting dirt off her jeans. "I'm taking him to Target. He wants the full american experience, so." Her phone buzzed.

It was Rory;

can i get target merch?

whatever you want princess

pls don't call me that

okay my little leprechaun

that's not better

such a complainer

"I'm leaving now."

♫

"Okay," Sam clapped his hands together. He stepped forward so he was in front of Tina, his eyes on Violet and ignoring Mike. "We're gonna duel for you Violet, via song." He smiled.

Tina pushed him out of her way so she was front and centre. "Mike this doesn't really involve you, you're just here to record it for us." She told him.

His mouth tightened, forming a line. "You're the best girlfriend ever." He pumped his fist with such a lack of energy it was laughable.

"Do I have to choose a winner at the end or what?" Violet queried. "And when I choose Sam, will you still love me?" She directed this at Tina.

She pondered it for a moment. "I suppose."

"Thank the cowboy romance authors." She whispered, looking up at the ceiling. Mike stood up and peered down at her face. He was confused.

Sam, putting on his best country accent, came to her defence. "Cowboy romances are her favourite books to read, so she thanks the authors, instead of god."

"Yeah, Mike, get with it." Tina sassed.

"Yee haw." Sam said with a grin. He was making sure to win himself points with this sing off where ever he could. Ten points to Hufflepuff or whatever.

Mike pulled out his phone. "Sing already." He yelled.

Violet was sat very politely; her back straight, one leg crossed over the other, and her hands clasped on her knee. "Mike, you have to press the record button."

He mouthed an 'oh' and then followed her instruction. "I'm too old for these things."

"Let me sing to my girl now, please." Sam said, still rocking that country accent. "Yee haw."

Tina glared at him. "You better lose the accent when we start singing. You sound ridiculous."

Mike cupped his hands around his mouth. "Hater!"

She couldn't help but smile at him, but tried to hide it by looking away. "Shut up."

"Whoever wins gets to have my babies." Violet spat out, without even thinking it through. It wasn't a lie.

"I'm gonna have your babies so hard." Sam mused. He looked at Tina who was cringing. "That didn't sound how I wanted it to." He lowered his voice. "Yee haw."

Mike sighed loudly. "If you guys don't sing soon, i'm gonna record someone else." His threat, although an odd one, set them in motion.

Tina pointed at the band, and they immediately started playing the instruments for the song. Violet loved this song, and Sam knew it— she assumed he chose it.

Ten points to Sam Evans.

They were singing Make No Mistake (She's Mine) and Violet blushed a little too hard when Sam's voice deepened for the lines "there in her arms". It was the hottest he has ever sounded while singing.

Mike panned the camera to Violet, documenting her tomato red face. "Ooo, you wanna kiss him?"

She smacked him. She did, though.

Sam and Tina finished their 'duel' standing even closer to Violet. Sam was practically sitting on her lap. "So, what did you think?" He smiled. "Who won?"

They both looked at her, waiting.

"Based on how hot and bothered she got when Sam sang, I think he wins." Mike cackled from the seat next to her, watching the video for that part.

"I'm so sorry, Tina." Violet pouted.

"I'm not!" Sam planted a big, wet kiss on her mouth. He turned to Tina, giving her his best superman pose.

Tina faked a frown, cuddling up to her boyfriend. "I guess i'll have to go back to giving Mike attention."

"Finally." He muttered.

"So, when's our next double date?" Violet asked.

Mike tilted his head. "Isn't this a double date?"

They all laughed, cuddling up with their respective couples. "Can you guys sing for me all the time?"
Violet asked them.

"They sing for us, and then we dance for them?" Mike suggested. She nodded at him. "Sounds good to me."

"I love us." Sam, sitting on her lap now, kissed her on the forehead. "I love you."

"I love you more."

♫

The glee boys— minus Kurt and Lucas, and adding Violet, were waiting outside the classroom that Puck was retaking his test in. Violet was stood in between Mike and Sam. "How do you think you did?" Mike asked him, when he solemnly walked their way.

"My best."

Blaine was beaming. "Did you pass?"

Violet looked at him. "How would he know that, he literally just took it." She said. He shrugged.

"Does your head hurt?" Sam wondered. "Sometimes after I take a test, my head hurts. It's usually a good sign." Violet stroked her thumb over his hand.

"You know," Puck started. "It's weird, but I think I did thanks to you guys. So, thank you, all of you." Violet gave him a thumbs up.

"It's hard growing up without a dad." He started. "You don't have any dude role models—except NFL players and video game characters. But I lucked out because instead of one dad, I got a whole gang of em."

Violet scrunched her nose. "I don't want to be a father, i'm not ready." She shook her head.

He laughed, and looked at his feet. "Especially you." He kicked her foot with his. "You really helped me."

She shrugged. "It was nothing."

"Don't downplay it." He waved her off. "It meant a lot to me, what you did." Finn looked confused. He didn't like that his friends were friendly without him.

"You guys showed me what it means to be a man. Not just last night," — when they helped him study. Sam looked so yummy playing guitar in that red shirt by the way— "but for four years." Puck continued.

He looked at Blaine, briefly. "Even you, Blaine."

Blaine looked at Violet, and she cackled. The fact he singled him out with the 'even you', and not Joe, was so funny to her. "Blaine is great at being a man."

Blaine furrowed his eyebrows. "Thank you?"

"Anything for you, Blaine Warbler." He laughed.

Sam smiled down at his girlfriend. "Let's hug it out." With his suggestion, everyone moved into a smaller circle, enveloping each other in their arms.

"This would be so much better if it was just me and Sam." Violets voice was muffled by the fact everyone was crowded around her. "And Blaine, maybe."

"That's so rude." Finn grumbled. "I'm literally your best friend." He reminded her, resting his chin on her head—more like digging it into her head.

"I said what I said."