Blaine rolled over and pounded his alarm as it blared. He groaned and rolled over, not wanting to start this day. He's going to go shopping with Kurt. He used to love shopping with Kurt, but back then they were together and he loved anything they did together. He hasn't been shopping for real in years, whenever he went clothes shopping, he just got polos and button down shirts, nothing too fancy. Any fancy clothes he did wear he has had for years and Kurt would slap him if he saw his closet. He dressed in simple black jeans and a blue button-down shirt, making sure to wear black shoes to go with his black pants. He left his guitar at his apartment since he wasn't working for the whole day and locked his door before he began the short walk to work. He still had to tell Nate he was going out with Kurt again. What will he say? Will he be upset that he's seen him so much in the last two days? Blaine hoped he didn't have anything too elaborate planned for them that night. When Blaine got to the shop, Elise was outside smoking a cigarette glaring at the sidewalk.

"You're in early," Blaine said with a grin as he sat down at the table with Elise.

She looked up at him and took a long drag on her cigarette. "I'm not so sure this is such a good idea," she admitted blowing smoke out her nostrils.

"You're right, smoking kills, Elise. I keep saying you need to quit," Blaine replied clasping his hands in his lap. He knew her smoking habits weren't what she was referring to.

She sighed and rubbed the butt of her cigarette out on the sidewalk. "That's not what I was talking about and you know it. I meant this whole date planned with Kurt."

Blaine was taken aback, "Elise, it isn't a date—"

"Not formally no it isn't. I'm just worried about you."

Blaine came over to her bench and sat next to her, "why are you worrying about me?" he asked slipping an arm around her shoulders.

She turned her head to face him. "I listened to you yesterday when you were talking to Kurt," she admitted.

"Well I expected you to do that," he chuckled.

"I'm serious Blaine. I'm worried for you," he raised an eyebrow waiting for an explanation. She sighed and continued, "you obviously cared a lot about Kurt. He was your first love and I totally get that. I just want you to be careful, okay? Don't let yourself get too close to him—"

"You're the one who was pushing me to hang out with him to get some closure! I think it's working! After how easy it was to just talk to Kurt and make normal plans, I think he and I can be friends again," Blaine asserted, getting a little irritated.

"I know this is exactly what I suggested. I'm just saying to be careful and don't let yourself fall for him again."

"Elise I am over Kurt," Blaine spat trying to get it into her head.

"Is that why you were practically falling apart in my doorway Wednesday night after you found out he was engaged?" she asked crossing her arms. When she put it like that, maybe she had a point. Perhaps there were some unresolved feelings that Blaine needed to put to rest.

"Okay, I get it. I promise you I won't get hurt. I know I have no chance in hell with Kurt now. He's engaged to a rich lawyer whom he's been with for five years, so obviously this Glen guy is doing what I couldn't," when Blaine said that aloud, his stomach knotted and rolled unpleasantly. It's your wounded pride, he told himself. "I have Nate now and he is so good to me—"

"But you won't tell him you love him?" she snorted and rolled her eyes.

Blaine sighed, "I'm just not ready yet. Kurt fucked me up when he left and Nate is just starting to put me back together again. I don't want to go back to being miserable again. I think being friends with Kurt is going to help in the long run."

Elise nodded, "I just want you to be careful, okay? I hated seeing you so upset the other night. Please don't make me watch you shoot yourself in the foot with this Kurt friendship," she looked up at Blaine with tears welling in her eyes. "You're my best friend."

Blaine wrapped her in his arms and held her tightly, "I love you Elise. So much," he pulled back, his hands resting on her shoulders and he looked into her eyes, "I'll be careful. I promise." He gave her a reassuring smile.

Elise smiled back at her best friend, "good. Let's get cookin'." And they both headed into the shop.

Blaine made a batch of scones and waited on customers. The shop was busier than yesterday but since it was Friday, most people just got their coffee in the morning, working through lunch so they can get their work done and get out to have fun that night. After eleven, business slowed and Blaine wished he had brought his guitar, but he couldn't bear to leave it at the shop over the weekend. He waited for noon to roll around so Nate would come and he could just tell him about making plans with Kurt without checking with him first. He felt guilty making plans with Kurt on a night that was usually reserved for him and Nate.

Nate walked through the door, a lunch box in his hand. "Hey, babe," Nathanial chimed, side-stepping a table and planting a kiss on Blaine's cheek. Blaine laughed and blushed a little. "I have turkey on rye bread today."

"Sounds great," Blaine smiled and the two men seated themselves on opposite sides of one of the small tables. Blaine looked down at his sandwich, not sure how to begin this conversation. I should have never agreed to this. Hanging out with Kurt for the past three days in a row, it looks bad. I've seen him more than Nate! What have I gotten myself into? Blaine argued with himself as a blissfully unaware Nathanial munched on carrot sticks.

"So," Blaine began, "uh, Kurt came into the shop yesterday."

Nate looked shocked and smiled stiffly, "you do make excellent coffee, dear." Blaine smiled, that was not the response he needed to keep this conversation flowing. "So I was thinking about what we should do tonight," Nate continued, "and I've decided that we should go to the movies and see that new romantic comedy we both want to see and go back to my place for some dinner?"

Blaine sucked in a sharp breath and let it out slow. "Actually," he stared down at his sandwich and picked at the crust nervously, "that's why I brought up talking to Kurt, he wants to go shopping and take me to a fashion show to re-educate me on what's happening now in fashion." The table grew tense as the two men sat in silence. This was such a bad idea, Blaine thought.

"I thought Friday was our night," Nate finally said. Blaine refused to shift his gaze from the sandwich he was tearing apart with his fingers. "But I guess if you already made plans we can go out on Saturday night."

Blaine snapped his head up, "really? You don't mind?"

"Well I'm not thrilled that I can't have you all to myself, but Kurt's your friend. I can't hog you even though I want to," he shrugged and grinned.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have agreed. I know it's our night. I'll make it up to you Saturday, I promise."

"I'll hold you to that," Nathanial smirked. Nate lingered longer than he usually did, planning their date on Saturday night. Elise joined them and agreed that she and John would love to go see the movie with them, even though John wasn't particularly fond of romantic comedies. It was past one o'clock when Nate declared he had to get back to work since he was already late. He pulled Blaine into his arms and kissed him once, twice, three times before Blaine shoved him off ordering him to leave before Nate got in trouble with his boss. He leaned down and gave Blaine one more peck before taking a left out of the shop. Mere seconds after Nate left the shop, Kurt glided in, watching Nate as he receded down the sidewalk. Kurt looked at Blaine who was still in the middle of the café, and back to Nate's retreating figure.

"Was that, Nathanial?" he asked craning his neck around the door frame to stare at Nate. Blaine smiled and nodded, trying not to look too flustered. "He's tall!" Kurt exclaimed.

"I like tall guys," Blaine shrugged.

Kurt cast his eyes back to Blaine, "oh, I knew that," he remarked, making his point by looking down at Blaine.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm short. I get it. Are you all set to go?" Blaine retorted taking off his apron and stashing it behind the counter.

"I was born ready," Kurt growled.

"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow night Elise!" Blaine called into the back room and the two men left the shop. Blaine and Kurt walked down the street to some unknown clothing store, or more likely several stores if Kurt was getting his way. "Where exactly are we going?" Blaine asked after they had walked a few blocks.

"My favorite store to start," he chirped stopping in front of a store front. Blaine looked into the display window and saw several manikins dressed in expensive suits. Kurt grabbed Blaine's hand and dragged him up the stairs and into the store. The store was huge and they paused in the doorway so Blaine could take everything in. Racks of suits lined the walls of all different colors ranging from black to bright fuchsia.

"You're not going to make me look like a flamingo, are you?" Blaine asked Kurt.

"If you keep doubting my abilities, you'll wish I made you look that good," Kurt snipped dragging Blaine by the elbow to a rack of blazers. "Now let's see what we have to work with," Kurt said spreading Blaine's arm out, making his body into a "T" shape. Kurt appraised Blaine's body, raking it with his eyes. "Now slowly turn in a circle," he said crossing his arms and tapping his chin. Blaine rolled his eyes and revolved in front of Kurt. Kurt took in Blaine nodding to himself and taking mental notes.

"I feel like a prostitute being evaluated by her pimp before he sells her to another slave trader," Blaine whined as he turned to face Kurt again.

"Interesting comparison," Kurt acknowledged. "I assume you don't want anything too flashy?"

"Well, your idea of flashy and mine differ somewhat, I'd say," Blaine answered with a chuckle. And with that Kurt was off like a shot, disappearing among racks of blazers. Kurt was like a machine when he was picking out clothes for other people. Back in high school, he wasn't nearly this concentrated, but being in the fashion business, everything about someone you dress has to be perfect. They went from store to store sometimes trying on a pile of clothes, and sometimes none at all. At the end of the afternoon, both men were laden with bags containing a full suit and matching shoes for Blaine.

Kurt slid up his sleeve and checked his watch, "it's almost four o'clock now, we should be at the show for six. Want to go back to my apartment and get ready?" Kurt asked turning to Blaine.

Blaine looked at Kurt for a moment, startled by his question. "Sure."

Kurt smiled and hailed a taxi. They scrambled in and arranged their bags neatly. Kurt gave the driver the directions to his apartment and they pulled away from the curb.

The two men chatted about their shopping adventure and all the ridiculous things Kurt had Blaine try on, "feathers? Really Kurt? I know I'm not as up on fashion as you are, but covering a perfectly good lapel in feathers?" Blaine laughed.

Kurt giggled, "it is a high fashion piece from Milan, it isn't supposed to look plain."

"Looking like a rooster is in style now? Good thing I've been out of it for a few years," Blaine chortled.

"Why have you been so out of it? In school whenever you weren't in that uniform, you dressed very well. None of this plain-Jane stuff you're dressing in now," Kurt inquired.

Again Kurt brought up the past, "after school didn't work, I just kind of settled with mediocrity in Ohio. Coming to New York was a huge and much needed wake up call."

"Doesn't sound like the Blaine I once knew," Kurt mused aloud.

"People change," Blaine mumbled casting his eyes out the window of the moving taxi.

Kurt glanced at Blaine out of the corner of his eye, "yes, they do."

They spent the rest of the drive in silence, each man looking out his respective window as the city flashed by them. They pulled up to the curb and got out at a huge, lavish apartment complex that was even nicer than Nate's. Blaine let out a whistle, "nice digs," he observed.

Kurt smiled and led the way to the building and into the elevator. They rode to the top floor and got out. Kurt handed his bags to Blaine and extracted a key from his pocket and unlocked the door, Blaine followed inside. Blaine was struck by how beautiful the interior was. Everything was color and pattern coordinated; obviously Kurt's meticulous work was responsible for it. There was a balcony and an office and one bedroom that lay adjacent to the kitchen. Off the bedroom was a huge walk in closet into which Kurt led Blaine.

"I can safely say I am not surprised at all at how huge this closet is," Blaine said setting the bags down at the foot of the bureau.

"If you cross to the other side of the bed there is the master bathroom, you can change in there and meet me in here when you're all set," Kurt said, immediately pulling things from his wardrobe to wear.

"Okay," Blaine picked up his bags and left the walk in closet. He skirted around the queen size bed and into the bathroom. Again, it was huge, and furnished in white marble. He set his bags on the sink and began undressing. He reached for his bags and noticed two tooth brushes in a cup next to the sink. Two brushes. Then it hit him. He lives with Glen. Of course he lives with Glen, they've been together for five years. Blaine frowned at the innocent brushes and was angry that Kurt hadn't told him this little bit of information. Why did that extra toothbrush piss Blaine off so much? Because it should be yours, the voice in his head spoke. Blaine shook his head and threw his shirt into one of the bags. He got dressed as slow as he could, silently fuming, but knowing Kurt would need all the time he could get to pick an outfit. Blaine tied the laces of his new shiny shoes and crammed all of his street clothes into one of the shopping bags. He folded the suit-jacket over his arm, snatched up the bag, and left the master bathroom and that damn toothbrush.

When he walked into the room, the door to the wardrobe was open, meaning Kurt was decent. He walked over and knocked lightly on the door. Kurt was sitting at his bureau, lightly dabbing something on his face. When he heard the tapping, he turned in his seat and saw Blaine leaning against the door frame. His mouth fell open and his eyes widened. "Helloooooooooo handsome."