This Perfect Romance that I've Created in My Mind

When did they realize they had feeling?

As said above, for Sam, I think on prom night or within a couple days after. I think Mercedes’ feelings developed more slowly and cautiously, over the next few weeks, including the trip to New York, up until we see them in the coffee shop at the end of S2. I imagine that she probably had a little trouble letting herself believe he really liked her – it was the first time a guy was really interested in HER (as opposed to Puck using her while she was popular). But I think Sam kept showing her with his actions that his words were sincere and then she fell pretty hard too once she relaxed and let herself fall. I think that’s why she kept him at arm’s length in S3 and at the start of their S5b arc. She’d let herself feel too much, that first time letting her heart get so invested, and then being hurt so badly when circumstance pulled them apart – she was terrified of feeling that hurt again.

Is there any canon events you replace with another head canon?

I like to explore a variety of options post-S5b breakup – ranging from the breakup never happening to getting back together in S6, getting back together in ‘Dreams Come True’ (a la the deleted scene from that script about Mercedes being ready to settle down), getting back together sometime before or during the ‘5 years later’ act and getting back together post-canon. The bottom line, in every AU or what if? that I think about, I get them back together. I fully believe that S5b breakup was not the end of them as a couple.

How do their families react and act around them?

This is an interesting question to consider since we NEVER met Mercedes’ parents (which is ridiculous) and we met Sam’s parents once and we have so little other information to go on about them. I think Sam’s parents are pretty – broad-minded, maybe, is the right word. I think they felt incredibly guilty about the responsibilities that Sam took on while his dad was out of works/the family was homeless and I think that was a huge factor in why they said yes to him moving back to Ohio – essentially leaving home at 16. I think his parents are big ‘if our children are happy, then we’re happy’ kind of parents.

Mercedes’ parents, somehow, I have always pictured as Bailey from Grey’s Anatomy and Al Roker from the TODAY show. Short, sassy woman who will take no crap from anyone – I just can really see someone like that character having raised Mercedes. And I see her dad as being a kind of genial, friendly to everyone, LOVES a bad dad joke kind of man. I think Sam is similar to him in that way and they’ve actually always gotten along (more than Mercedes expected or even fully likes sometimes) because Sam thinks Dr. Jones’ jokes are the BEST.

So I think overall, the family relationships are generally good. I do think all 4 parents probably had a moment of pause when they got engaged, to worry about their child marrying someone of a different race, maybe even just each couple privately among the two of them, because knowing people in interracial marriages, it is just a thing that they think about, that there will be people who will have a problem with them being together. For Sam’s parents, I think it probably led to some self-reflection on their internal biases and unconscious prejudices. Maybe for Mercedes’ parents too. But I think again, both sets of parents would go back to, this is what my child wants, this is who my child loves. I’m going to support them.

Oh and obviously Sam’s surrogate parents Burt and Carole are thrilled to death. Sam is their bonus son and they’ve loved Mercedes since before they knew him, so that’s just a lovefest all around.

Who do they go on double dates with? (can be a crackship)

Well. This would depend on which universe I’m in. Obviously, in a world where Kurt and Mercedes built their friendship back up, double-dates with Klaine. Where the running joke would be that it’s really a Blam date and they just let their spouses come along. And Sam & Blaine would get up to all kinds of ridiculousness and Mercedes and Kurt would just roll their eyes, judge a little and love ‘em anyway.

If it’s my other universe where Blaine is with Sebastian, then I think it would still be Blam shenanigans but Mercedes and Sebastian would have a different relationship than Kurtcedes. A little less baggage, someone a little less likely to let himself get pulled into the chaos.

I can also see Rachel and Mercedes growing into a more mature girlfriend-ship (like what we got a peek at in ‘Tested’) and Sam just deciding, okay, Jesse is my friend now. Because he missed the first-year betrayal so he doesn’t have as much deep-seated issues with Jesse. And I like the idea that Jesse would just be totally bewildered by the golden retriever that is Sam just randomly being like, “dude. Fact. We’re friends now. Let’s go do <insert ridiculous Sam plan here>!” And I also think neither of them would understand the other half the time – Sam when he gets all worked up and excited about something, Jesse when he spouts off some insane platitude. But eventually they’d just shrug and move on and Mercedes would toss an understanding look at Sam while Rachel would be totally oblivious and just, so excited! “Look, Mercedes, look how our boys are getting along! Isn’t it wonderful?”

Who proposes? OR If they had a canon proposal, how would it look like if the other one had proposed?

Sam for sure. I go back and forth on whether Sam would pull together some kind of giant grand gesture, if it would be a more quiet, simple moment or if it would even be really planned (like Jim & Pam on The Office getting engaged at that gas station). But the one thing I stand firm on is that as much as Mercedes is a diva in her professional life and loves to be on stage, performing for everyone, her personal life is exactly that – personal and Sam would know that she would want the actual moment of getting engaged to be private and just for the two of them to share.

What's their favorite thing to do together?

Snuggle on the couch watching random old sitcoms. (I mean, I know that’s straight from the show but honestly, it would totally be my favorite thing to do with a boyfriend/husband.)

Do they have kids or not?

Yes. I’ve done a couple different universes where they have more kids in some than in others, but I always see them having kids. It’s hard for me to write sometimes, because I have never particularly wanted children, but if I ever try to write them as just a long-time couple with no kids, it just feels wrong. They’re characters who want to be parents; they even discussed it in an episode.

In an AU, what's their story?

Gosh, I don’t know. I am TERRIBLE at coming up with AUs. I’m a hard-core rule follower, so to change the framework of their stories just doesn’t work in my brain. It’s weird. But I’ve read some good ones – ones where they’re both in the music industry. Oh, there’s a great Firefly-universe one and one where they’re working at their college radio station as DJs with Kurt and Blaine. Whatever they’re doing, I love the idea that they will always find each other.

Any other headcanons you wanna add? (can be NSFW]

Most of my universes stick with Sam as a choir teacher, Mercedes as a pop star, living their lives quietly during the school year while she records and does other off-the-road work and then scheduling her tours around Sam’s summer breaks so that he can come along. They’ve struck a balance that really works for them. I think my favorite universe is the one where they move to New York but way out in Queens so there’s still a little suburbia for Sam.

I think that once Mercedes does decide she’s ready for sex, she finds she quite enjoys it and they have a very healthy sex life. I can’t see her (or Sam really, either) getting into anything really too kinky or out there, but they have a good time together. I also think that in any universe where they were apart for a few years, when they get back together they either run off and get married right away or get engaged and married within 6 months to a year at the most, partly (maybe mostly?) because of Mercedes still wanting to be married before she has sex.

Sam loves going on tour with her, especially sneaking out to watch the show from the arena instead of backstage or in a VIP section. He loves being in the crowd of Mercedes’ fans.

I mostly write them with daughters. I just really see Sam as a girl dad. In my 6 kids universe, I did deliberately choose 3 daughters, then a son, but I did random draws for the surprise twins and the random generator gave out 2 more girls, so I guess the universe agrees with me?

I have so many more that I just can’t think of right now – they’re in my seven kajillion stories, so check Ao3. LOL!

[NSFW] Who tops?