"You're a lot to lose."

43 Days Until Kurt's Wedding

Kurt flipped through a wedding magazine not really looking at anything other than the color layout of the page. His eyes wouldn't focus. Also, his eyes wouldn't look up. Every time he looked at Alek, he feared he'd spill out the truth. He subtly tried to not be distant, while keeping away from his fianc�.

I CHEATED! I KISSED BLAINE! BLAINE IS IN LOVE WITH ME!YOU SHOULD DUMP MY ASS RIGHT NOW! would be what he'd blurt, what his brain kept repeating.

Being around Alek was bad. However, he didn't even attempt to be around Blaine. Blaine seemed content with their space. Or maybe Blaine was guilty. The occasional hello – how are you? texts weren't that descriptive.

At least Alek didn't bring Blaine up in casual conversation. The last time they talked about him was this exchange:

"So, why'd Eddie leave Blaine?" Alek asked.

"Eddie thought Blaine was cheating," Kurt gave him a half-truth.

"Oh, ouch!" Alek hissed. "Was he?"

"N-no, not really, not the way Eddie thought," he spluttered.

Then Kurt speedily changed the subject. Thankfully, Alek never asked who Blaine allegedly cheated with because Kurt would have had a hard time keeping up his composure and probably would have started shouting he was a cheat, and all that.

"You don't think Blaine's ready to date again, do you?" Alek asked out of the blue.

The name felt like taboo and Kurt, caught off guard, jerked the magazine into the air but caught it before it tumbled to the floor.

"Huh?" Kurt breathed.

"I'm just saying it's been almost half a year, and maybe he just needs some help moving on?" Alek explained.

Kurt bit his lip. "Um, yeah, I gue- I mean, it's a good ide- Yes."

Alek grinned. "I was talking to Dex, and his girlfriend's brother is coming up next week. Maybe we can set up a double date, or…"

"You mean them, Blaine, and that guy?" Kurt said as nonchalantly as possible.

"I meant us and them. Maybe Dex and Kendra, but I don't know how keen Kenni will be going on a group date with her little brother, so we can probably count them out," Alek clarified.

Kurt plastered his eyes to the magazine when he spoke, "Sure, I'll just send Blaine a text."

"No!" Alek ejected. "Don't tell him. Just tell him it's a night out with friends."

Kurt pulled his eyes up slowly. "Why would I do that?"

"Because," Alek started, leaning towards Kurt as if telling him a secret, "he probably hasn't admitted to himself he's ready to forget Eddie."

Kurt's stomach squirmed. That's one of the questions Kurt had: did Blaine still love Eddie or was he completely just in love with him?

"I don't know, Alek," Kurt said apprehensively.

"All I'm saying is, he doesn't have to hit it off with Spencer, Kendra's brother, but he should know there are other guys out there."

Kurt snapped his head up. Alek was right. There are other guys out there – other guys that weren't him. If Blaine had feeling for Eddie, Spencer could make them go away. Spencer could also make Blaine's feelings for Kurt go away. Kurt suddenly liked Spencer, Kendra's little brother, very much!

"I like the way you think," Kurt said, giving Alek a quick peck on the lips.

35 Days Until Kurt's Wedding

6:39PM

Standing outside of a restaurant in the middle of Little Italy, Blaine slapped Kurt's shaky hands away from his cuffs.

"You look fine," Blaine reassured. "I don't even know why we had to go to some fancy restaurant. I would have been fine eating at a wing joint. Such a waste of a clean suit."

"Everyday is an excuse for fashion," Kurt spoke automatically, looking out into the street for stopping taxis.

"Who are we even waiting for?" Blaine asked Alek who seemed calmer than Kurt.

"Dex, his girlfriend Kendra, and her brother Spencer," Alek answered.

Kurt leaped. "Is that hi- them?"

A cab pulled to the curb. The door popped open and a tall, blond thing walked out. Kurt should have known. Kendra was a freakin' model; of course her gay little brother looked like he just walked out of a Hollister ad. Bright smile. Really blue eyes. Sweeping blonde hair. Kurt was swooning even.

When Blaine finally caught Kurt's eye, he gave him a what-is-this?/what-are-you-up-to? stare.

"Spencer!" Alek yelped, reaching for his hand. Blaine continued to glare at Kurt. "This is my fianc� Kurt, and this is Blaine."

Kurt shook Spencer's hand, giving him cold eyes and gripping his hand tightly. When the blond took Blaine's hand, his eyes actually glittered – Kurt saw a sparkle light up Spencer's eyes.

Abort mission! Abort this damn mission! Kurt's brain shouted, staring at the pair.

Alek clapped Spencer on the back, leading him inside. Before Kurt could follow, Blaine yanked him away from the two.

"Is this a date?" Blaine said in a huff.

"It's a casual, um, group…" Kurt could not think of a synonym for date.

"This is a date! Kurt Hummel, you set me up on a date!" Blaine cried, spinning in a small, exaggerated circle, hands running through his curly locks. "I cannot believe you!"

"It was Alek's idea," Kurt offered.

Blaine grunted. "Seriously, you think I'm ready for this?"

"I'm just helping you get over Eddie," Kurt said in a small voice. "I mean, he's…cute…" Kurt stomach twisted at that last sentence.

"I don't care if he's Taylor Lautner! I can't do this!" Blaine pleaded.

"Yes, you can, Blaine," Kurt said softly.

He took Blaine's hand. Blaine's eyes found his instantly. It felt like a current shot between their bodies because the place where there hands touched felt electrically charged.

"You have to move on," Kurt spoke. "Why not start now?"

Blaine squeezed Kurt's fingers then dropped his hand. Nodding, the two walked into the restaurant.

6:53PM

"We all met in college," Alek said, playing with his utensils, a nasty habit that Kurt ignored because he was too fixated on every one of Blaine's actions. "While I roomed with Dex, Kurt roomed with Blaine."

Spencer nodded understandingly, flashing the table a smile.

"What do you do, Spencer? Are you in college?" Blaine asked politely.

"I just graduated from Coastal Carolina," Spencer answered, eyes flitting over Blaine who tore his away, smiling down into his lap.

Kurt scowled. Spencer's look to Blaine wasn't even creepy or vain. It was a total you're-cute-keep-talking look. Blaine's ears were turning red, something that happened once in a blue moon. The Hollister model was leaving a lasting impression on his friend.

"Are you a model too? Like Kendra?" Kurt spat, finally dragging his eyes away from Blaine.

Spencer laughed. It sounded like a bird – a pretty song bird. Kurt clinched a fist under the table.

"No, God, no," he said, covering his mouth. "I have a degree in Chemistry."

Spencer eyed Blaine again, arching an eyebrow. Blaine smiled back at him.

Oh, cute, make a silent joke about being good at chemistry. You're not clever, Spencer, Kurt thought to himself, readjusting his tie.

The waiter arrived, giving them a brief distraction. As soon as he left, Alek got up.

"I'm going to find the little boys' room," he said pleasantly, looking right at Kurt. Kurt was looking everywhere except at Alek. Alek spoke firmly, "Kurt, do you have to go?"

"No," he answered, oblivious.

Spencer picked himself up, straightening his pant legs. "You know what, that's a pretty good idea."

Alek desperately tried to make eye contact with Kurt as they walked off, but he avoided his fianc�'s eyes like the plague.

"I dislike him very much!" Kurt confessed, turning to Blaine.

Blaine furrowed his brow. "He's really nice."

"He keeps looking at you like you're dinner, and he's starving. Doesn't that unnerve you?"

"No," Blaine laughed, "because I haven't even noticed."

"You were blushing! You were blushing like a little school girl!"

Blaine now turned completely to Kurt, their knees touching. "Kurt, why did you set me up on a date if you're so against it?"

"Why are you suddenly so into it?" Kurt fought back.

"And you want – what – for me to ignore him? He's nice, and I'm taking your advice. I'm giving the kid a chance!"

Kurt turned away, sheepish. What was he doing? Kurt wanted Blaine to move on. He was just being selfish. But he didn't like Spencer, or Spencer's perfect hair, or Spencer's perfect smile, or eyes, or body, or personality. Kurt didn't like Spencer because Spencer was too perfect.

Blaine deserves something perfect, doesn't he? a small voice in the back of Kurt's mind said. He regrettably agreed with it.

He reached over and placed his hand on top of Blaine's. "I'm sorry. You're right."

Blaine lifted his fingers and laced their fingers together.

7:32PM

"So, Dex was telling me about some wedding problems," Spencer said suddenly.

Blaine's fork almost slipped into his glass of water. Recovering, he looked up at Spencer. Hoping, praying even, that Spencer was directing his words at either Alek or Kurt, his heart dropped when they locked eyes.

"Um, yeah, I was engaged, and, well…"

"The jerk left him at the altar," Kurt finished, saving Blaine. Under the table, Kurt bumped knees with Blaine; Blaine pushed back.

Spencer scrunched up his face sympathetically as he took a swig of soda.

"I'm sorry, Blaine. He must have been an idiot. I've only known you for a little while and can tell you're a lot to lose," Spencer said, reaching over and touching Blaine's hand. His touched lingered. Kurt watched Blaine's breathing arch.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom," Blaine said abruptly, standing up. "I'll be- I'll be right…yeah."

Without giving a second look at the table, Kurt ran after Blaine. Weaving around waiters and customers, Kurt managed to be right on Blaine's tail when the smaller man pushed open the bathroom door.

It was much brighter in the bathroom. So in the reflection of the mirror, Kurt saw how red Blaine's eyes were.

"Blaine," Kurt whispered, placing a tentative hand on his back.

"Kurt, he doesn't even know. He doesn't even realize…"

Blaine rolled his eyes, probably for the sake of preventing tears from forming.

"It's okay," Kurt said, rubbing small circles into his back.

"It's not. You don't understand how guilty I am that this is all my fault!"

"Our fault," Kurt muttered.

Blaine spun around, a stunned look in his eyes. He put both hands on Kurt's shoulders.

"This was never your fault."

Kurt looked away. It sure felt like his fault. Maybe that's why he's been running from this for days now.

"Blaine, can I ask you something?" Kurt whispered. Blaine only nodded. "How do I tell Alek? Do I tell Alek?"

Blaine pulled away, slumping back against the sinks. "The easy thing to do would be to forget it ever happened, which might be really easy because you have no recollection of it happening."

"But it did happen. Even if I don't remember, I know it did!" Kurt retorted.

"I wish it didn't," Blaine whispered.

Unexpectedly, deep inside Kurt's heart, a piece tore in half.

"Same," Kurt said automatically.

Blaine picked his head up, looking into Kurt's eyes. Although Blaine tried hard to mask it, Kurt saw how hurt Blaine was with this new information. Kurt felt the need to clarify, to take that feeling out of Blaine's system.

"None of this would have happened. No one would have gotten hurt," Kurt said. With a heavy heart, he added, "You'd be married."

Blaine tried and tried and tried to reply, but his mouth lipped wordlessly at the start of each failed sentence.

Finally, he said, "I'm glad I'm not."

Kurt swallowed, even though his mouth had become incredibly dry.

"Why?" Kurt whispered, a chill running through him.

Blaine looked directly at Kurt. He would have pulled his gaze away, but Blaine's eyes dug until his, taking root, making him immobile.

"I wasn't supposed to be with Eddie."

The piece of Kurt's heart that tore off moments ago somehow reattached itself. His brain was making him feel funny though. His insides were also acting strange.

Ignoring everything – the look Blaine was giving him and the way he was currently feeling – Kurt said, "Maybe you're supposed to be with Spencer."

With a smile that Kurt wasn't sure Blaine caught because he just couldn't make eye contact, they started to walk out of the bathroom.

Kurt chanced a glance to his right. The lights were not as bright in the dinning area, but that couldn't mash Blaine's sad eyes.

Kurt tried to push away the sadness that washed over him but knew his eyes had a huge likelihood of resembling Blaine's eyes.