Lost then Found 2/15

[gwennylou]

Chapter 2:

Kurt woke up suddenly, and rubbed his hands over his face. He had had
very little sleep as he had been running all the things he and Dave
needed to do the next day for the wedding over in his head, and when he
had finally fallen asleep, it was full of dreams of weddings and
marriage. In fact, just before he had woken up, he dreamed he was at his
own wedding. He was standing in the back with his Dad and Carole, and
as they walked up the aisle, he remembers looking at his groomsmen and
Dave was nowhere to be found. It made him incredibly sad, but he walked
up the aisle anyway, to the groom who was standing with his back to him.
He finally reached the front and his handsome groom, who was literally
wearing a full metal knight’s outfit, opened the lid of his helmet. It
was Dave. Kurt rubbed his hands over his face and tried to force his
breathing to return to normal. That had been a strange dream. What did
it mean? Was his psyche trying to tell him that Dave was his knight in
shining armor? Was he just projecting his desire to be married on Dave,
or was it just the mix of all the wedding details that stayed with him
and he conjured up Dave’s face, because it was familiar and because Dave
was actually getting married? Kurt brushed it off as nothing more than
that, and went about getting ready for the busy day he and Dave would
be having. He went to his closet and pulled out an old faded box he
kept in the back.

He found his old wedding book that he had started when he was an eight
year old kid and had gone to his first wedding. He remembered everything
about it, and while all his friends were playing with Tonka dump trucks
and matchbox cars, he was planning his wedding and playing the Ken to
Brittany Pierce’s Barbie. Now here he was almost twenty years later
helping his best friend get married. He looked through some of the
pictures and smiled as he thought of all the ideas he had stuck in the
book over the years.

Then, he came across a picture of Dave and him from Finn and Rachel’s
wedding. They were both groomsmen and were talking about who knows what,
but it had been a candid picture taken by the photographer who
complimented them on being the cutest couple at the wedding. Neither of
them had bothered to correct her. Looking at the picture again reminded
Kurt that it was at that wedding that Dave had told him that he was
ready to start dating and had asked if Kurt knew anyone.

Of course, Kurt being Kurt did, and he introduced a few guys to Dave.
But Kurt’s guys always turned out to be losers or jerks, and eventually
Dave stopped asking to be set up. They lived in single harmony as best
friends for many years after that. And now it had all changed.

Kurt felt a small pang, but brushed It off as nothing more than him
thinking he’d be the first one married out of his friends and it would
be to Blaine, the love of his life. That didn’t happen, and when Rachel
and Finn got married, he felt that familiar pang, and again when Mike
and Tina followed suit just a few months later. It was no more than
jealousy of not being where he thought he would be at age twenty seven.

He closed the book, no point in thinking about it. He had bigger things on his mind.

Dave finally made an appearance. He looked exhausted. He had bags under
his eyes, his hair was sticking up every which way, and his white tank
top was bunched up, so Kurt could see his rock hard stomach and his
treasure trail that disappeared into his boxer briefs.

For a minute, Kurt forgot what air was or how to breathe. He looked away
quickly, cleared his throat, and told himself he was being stupid and
that the dream meant nothing. Dave was his best friend and nothing
more, right?

Dave mumbled something to him, grabbed a mug off the counter, and poured himself some coffee.

Kurt watched as Dave slowly started to wake up,

“You have a rough night?”

“I barely got any sleep. I called Lance last night and we stayed up until at least four a.m. talking.”

“Wow, I’m surprised you could talk that long! You always used to fall asleep during our conversations in college.”

“That’s because you always wanted to talk about boring shit. Lance and I
were discussing the hockey team. He’s looking to recruit some players,
so we were going over the list of positions he needs to fill with over
half the team graduating this year.”

“Oh, sounds very interesting. So, when is Lance going to be making an appearance to help with the wedding stuff?”

“Sometime later this week. He has a few recruiting visits to make in
Lima, then he’s flying out to see his family and he’ll meet up with us.”

“Oh, to check on his enormous upstate mansion?”

“Well, it his parents’, but yes, he’s coming to visit his sister and
mother. His mom has been working on Broadway for years as a costumer.
She’s doing “Wicked” right now I believe, and every time he goes to the
estate, she’s busy working.”

“Wait, you have an in with someone working on Broadway right now and you
didn’t share with me, your best friend, who is trying desperately to
get into Broadway?”

“Isn’t that different though? She does costumes, you sing and stuff.”

“So glad to know you reduce my passion and dream in life to ‘singing and
stuff’. A costume designer has direct contact with the producers of a
show, who affect casting. Also, costume designers know what the
producers want and think, and if I have that information going in to an
audition, it gives me a heads up and a clear chance to nail any part I
want.”

“Wait isn’t “Wicked” about two witches? Are there even male parts?”

“Yes, but you said she’s worked on Broadway for years, meaning she knows
plenty of producers and I can pick her brain to see what each of them
like.”

“It sounds complicated.”

“No, it’s just good business sense.”

“Whatever. I’ll talk to Lance about meeting up with her sometime this week then, if it will make you happy.

“It will make me incredibly happy.”

He jumped up and kissed Dave on the cheek.

Dave had slight stubble on his face and for some reason the feel of it
on Kurt’s lips made his stomach flip. He quickly cleared his throat and
backed up.

“So, what are you feeling like for breakfast? I have some cereal and milk here, or we can go down the street to a diner.”

“What, you’re not going to make me one of your famous breakfasts like you do for your one night stands?”

“I only cook for people I sleep with.” For some reason talking about
having sex around Dave made his stomach flip again. Kurt hated it.

“Well, that will never happen, so let’s go to the diner.”

The pang of hurt that shot in Kurt’s heart when Dave said he and Kurt
would never sleep together was unexpected and completely unwanted.

Kurt turned away from Dave, closed his eyes, and mentally yelled at himself to calm down.

“You okay, Kurt?”

“I’m fine, let’s just go get some food, we’re gonna need it. We have a long day of shopping ahead of us.”

Dave groaned and followed Kurt out of the apartment.

At breakfast, Dave spent most of it telling Kurt how everyone back in
Ohio was doing, and telling him about the capers Finn always found
himself in while on the job. He’d lost his gun on more than one
occasion, and routinely lost his badge. Kurt smiled at hearing about
all of his former friends from Glee and high school, he even didn’t care
hearing about Jesse and Blaine’s gorgeous wedding to which everyone was
invited, except him, of course. Well he was invited, but there was no
way in hell he was going to see his ex-boyfriend marry a complete douche
bag like Jesse St. James. As far as he was concerned, they deserved
each other.

Their first stop of the day was at the florist. Dave took one look
around and said he would wait outside. Kurt just shook his head and
laughed.

“I take it your fiancée isn’t much of a flower person?”

Again, his stomach did a little flip when the owner mistook them as a couple.

“Oh no, we’re not together. I’m his best man actually. I’m helping him plan the wedding, because his fiancée is busy with work.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!”

“Don’t worry about it, it’s not a big deal.”

“So what were you thinking?”

“Well Dave just wants something pretty, but also tasteful and simple.
And I have a book here of ideas, and I was thinking maybe a mix of
hydrangeas, roses, and lilies.”

“Oh absolutely, and you’re in luck, they are all in season, so that should cut down on cost quite a bit.”

Suddenly a shrill voice sounded from behind them,

“Cost is no object for this wedding. Also, roses are so overdone and
cliché, and my brother will not be having a clichéd wedding. “

Kurt turned his head in shock to see an extremely skinny, bleached blonde female walking toward him.

“I’m Sasha, Lance’s sister and I’m the maid of honor. He sent me here to
help with the wedding plans, and none too soon I can see. “

She looked disdainfully at Kurt’s book,

“Oh how adorable, a wedding book. Thankfully, I’m here now and we won’t be needing that.”

Kurt could feel the outrage and anger starting in him. Who the hell did
this lady think she was? He may not be rich, but he had great taste.

The owner looked nervous as she saw the two sizing each other up,

“Well I’m sure we can find some sort of compromise.”

“I’m sure, as long as roses are not included.”

Kurt decided to bite his tongue and simply said,

“We don’t have to do roses, as long as the flowers are tasteful and simple and not too over the top.”

“Why? Because he can’t afford an extravagant wedding, my brother has to suffer?”

“Dave told me that he and Lance both wanted a simple wedding.”

"Honey, how can I put this politely? Dave is poor, he can’t afford an
extravagant wedding. Thankfully, my family can, and our family has a
standard to keep up with. They will not be getting married at whatever
backyard barn hootenanny you’ve come up with!”

“Excuse me? Backyard barn hootenanny? I have never even been on a
fucking farm in my entire life. Secondly, I am helping my best friend
plan his wedding, and he has just as much part of it as his fiancée or
his fiancée’s sister!”

“The problem is that your best friend isn’t putting any money up for it, so he only needs to show up.”

“Wow. Okay then. So you’re saying that he gets no input whatsoever?”

“No, of course that’s not what I’m saying, but he did sort of overstep
his bounds when he asked you to help plan it, considering he’s not
contributing anything whatsoever.”

“Okay you know what? I’m tired of you constantly throwing the
money thing in my face. I get it, your family is paying for everything,
and Dave is simply getting married to your brother. But you know what? I
do have money. So guess what? I’m going to help pay for some it, so
that my best friend can have the wedding he wants as well. So I’m paying
for the flowers and the cake and the tuxedos. And you and your precious
family money can pay for the rest.”

“Whatever, if the flowers are the important to you, we can have roses.”

“It’s not about the fucking roses, it’s about treating others
with dignity and respect, even if they don’t make as much money as you
do. Now, if you don’t mind, my best friend and I are going to go pick
out a cake and tuxedos for the wedding, and you can get back on your
broom and fly away.”

“Are you implying I’m a witch?”

“I thought that was pretty obvious.”

“There is no need to be nasty simply because you’re bitter and angry about being poor.”

“And there is no need to be nasty simply because you have a nose like that.”

Sasha gasped and touched her nose,

“My nose is perfect, thank you very much!”

“Yeah, if perfect means it’s one nose job away from looking like Michael Jackson’s.”

“You are a terrible little man, I can’t imagine why my brother would marry anyone who would be best friends with you.”

“Well, I’d say the same about you, but you don’t get to choose
your family, because I know no one in their right mind would choose to
have you as a friend.”

“How dare you? I’m going to tell my brother how awful you treated me.”

“See if I care.”

“Oh you will, when he tells Dave to never see you again.”

“Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.”

“Honey, we all know Dave is marrying Lance for his money.”

“Are you insane?”

“No, but I am positive Lance is, but he’s convinced that Dave will help him on the campaign trail.”

“Campaign trail?”

“Lance is running for mayor of New York City in the next
elections, and now that gay marriage is legal in New York, and my
brother is extremely popular, he’s decided to run. The problem is, some
of his ex-boyfriends and past relationships make him look like a
maverick and a playboy, and so we decided he needed to find a good
wholesome Midwestern boy who could settle him down and be vanilla.”

“You’re saying that Dave is supposed to be the trophy husband for Lance? “

“Well he’s not much of a trophy, but yes, basically he was the
best guy Lance found after he took the coaching job in Ohio. He was a
public servant and hero, had a steady job, owned his own house, and best
of all had no criminal record.”

“But, Dave lives in Ohio. He likes it there, he told me once he
would never move to New York City, even when I asked him after college.”

“Well the thing is, he’s in love with Lance, he’d follow him
anywhere. You’re just a friend. Why would he uproot his entire life for
you?”

Kurt was definitely hurt by that sentiment, and he also felt
terrible for Dave. He was being used by his fiancée, and worst of all,
his bitch of a sister.

“Does Dave know any of this?”

“Not yet, Lance is flying in tomorrow and he’ll do it over dinner.”

“Dave will never go for this.”

“Are you so sure? Dave is in love with Lance, otherwise Lance would have never proposed.”

“I’m telling you that this is not going to work.”

“It will work, and you will lose your best friend if you try to interfere.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No. It’s a promise. You may be his best friend, but he is in love with Lance. Love trumps friendship.”

“Does Lance even love Dave?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Umm, hello, they are getting married, it’s everything. Even if they get married, who’s to say it will work?”

“Well we only really need it to work until the election is over. Whomever he marries can be replaced.”

“Wow. That is terrible. You are willing to destroy Dave’s life
for political aspirations that he may not even achieve? What happens if
Lance loses? What then? Is he going to just toss Dave aside?”

“Lance adores Dave. They are great friends, they are very compatible. You have nothing to worry about.”

“That’s great, but none of those words you used was the word love.”

Just then Dave walked back in,

“You about done? Oh, Sasha! I didn’t realize you arrived! And I see you two met!”

“Hello Dave.”

She gave him an air kiss,

“And yes, I met your friend Kurt. He’s such a doll.”

The smile was so fake it would’ve made Barbie’s cheeks hurt.

“Oh yes, Sasha, what a peach and absolute treasure she is.”

Kurt couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of his voice, thankfully Dave ignored it.

“So, what did you decide for the flowers?”

“We decided on lilies and hydrangeas.”

“I have no idea what those are, but great. Can we go eat something now?”

“We just ate less than an hour ago!”

“I know, but I’m hungry.”

Kurt just rolled his eyes,

“Yes, Dave, we can go eat now. The cake tasting is next.”

“How many?”

“I think we’re tasting 8 different kinds.”

“Oh my God. You’re kidding me - I love cake!”

“I know. Come on.”

Two hours and a few sugar comas later they were leaving the bakery.

“This is going to be the best wedding ever.”

“I’m glad you’re happy with the cake, Dave.”

“Fancy, you are the best friend any guy could have.”

“As are you, Hamhock.”

“You two have the strangest nicknames for each other.”

“Oh yeah, they started as insults when we first met in high school, but now they are our pet names for each other.”

“I didn’t realize best friends could have pet names.”

“Why not?”

“Well isn’t it strange? Two gay guys being best friends and being as obviously flirty as you two are?”

“What? No, that’s absurd. I do not flirt with Kurt.”

“It’s quite obvious that you do.”

“Sasha, we are best friends and have been for years. What you see
is Dave and I joking around. No flirting going on, okay? No worries,
he’s in love with your brother and marrying him. We are nothing more
than friends.”

“If that’s what you want to believe.”

“Just drop it, okay? Two gay guys can be best friends without them being in love and wanting to sleep together, okay?”

“Whatever. I have to go meet my mother for lunch, so I’ll leave
you two to go pick out the tuxedos. But don’t worry - I’ll be back
tomorrow so we can go to the caterer and the ice sculptor.”

“It’s a good thing you said that, because I would’ve been worrying all night.”

“I’m so extremely grateful it wasn’t you that Lance met in Lima.
Oh, wait, he actually has taste, so you wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

“Well if I cared at all for your opinion, I’d be hurt, but since you’re a soulless, succubus, I don’t.”

“It was lovely to see you again, Dave. You should really choose better friends.”

With that, Sasha was out of the restaurant leaving her
overpowering scent of Chanel No. 5 lingering in the air, and her Manolo
Blahniks clicking on the marble floor.

“You couldn’t have been polite for one day, Kurt?”

Dave looked upset.

“I’m sorry, but she is a total bitch.”

“So are you!”

“I am a diva and I have an attitude, but I am not a bitch.”

“What the hell is the difference?”

“She throws her money around as if it’s everything.”

“It sort of is.”

“This coming from the guy who told me when I moved to New York
City to make something of myself, that all you ever needed was to be a
cop, and that your life was great being a simple kid from Ohio.”

“Because that’s all I’d ever known.”

“And whose fault is that? I invited you to come live with me in
New York City, and to expand your horizons and you told me that city
life was for me and not you.”

“What did I know? I was a 22 year old.”

“That was like five years ago!”

“Why do you care so much?”

“Because you are not the best friend I remember from college.”

“Well that guy hasn’t been around for a long time.”

“What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean why did you suddenly change?”

“It wasn’t a sudden change. I grew up, I got a job, I bought a house, I fell in love.”

“So losing yourself in the process was worth it?”

“Kurt, I have no idea where the hell any of this is coming from,
but I don’t appreciate your hostility. You live in New York now, I live
in Ohio. I changed, and I’m sorry that you weren’t around to see it or
experience it with me, but I’m not going to apologize for living my
life, simply because you are stagnant and have no growth whatsoever.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Just because you are still sleeping around with anything that
has a penis and can’t settle down, doesn’t mean I can’t find happiness
and love.”

“I can’t believe you just said that to me.”

“What? The truth?”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about, Dave, but whatever.
Why not prove you right? I’m an enormous gay slut, so here’s $20 so can
you can take a cab ride back to the apartment. I’m going to find
anything with a penis to sleep with.”

“Don’t be such a fucking drama queen.”

“Oh, so that’s the game we’re going to play is it? Go fuck
yourself, Karofsky. I was trying to look out for you, but you know
what, I’m done. Marry Lance and be the perfect fucking husband for him.
I don’t care.”

Kurt walked away and hailed a cab. They rode in awkward silence until they arrived back at the apartment.

Kurt handed Dave the key to the apartment.

“I’m going to go get a drink at a local bar with some friends, I’ll be back later.”

Kurt walked into his favorite bar and sat down. Normally he’d be
surrounded by close to 10 of his friends, but tonight he just wanted to
be alone.

He sat and drank his Malibu and coke and thought about what Dave
had said, and he was right. He was tired of sleeping around with random
guys and never calling them again. He did want to find love, and while
he wasn’t convinced that Lance and Dave would be getting married for the
right reasons, he couldn’t pass judgment on their love. He hadn’t even
met Lance yet, and he knew Dave was head over heels. He felt terrible
about the fight, so after he finished his drink he put some money on the
bar and hailed a cab so he could go home and make up with his best
friend.

Kurt walked in and Dave was pacing,

“He’s not fucking coming. We’re getting married really soon, and
he’s off doing God knows what for the hockey program, and I just wanted
him to at least participate in some of the stuff.”

“Dave, stop. You love Lance. So he’s going to be a few more days late. He’s still coming and he still wants to marry you.”

“I just don’t know. I’m really tired of always feeling like I
come second in his life. It’s like if it’s not hockey, it’s something to
do with his family, or him talking about politics and what it would be
like if he could run for office someday. I just feel like I’ll always
come second.”

“Well, do you love him?”

“What the hell kind of question is that? Of course I do. I
wouldn’t have said yes to spending the rest of my life with him if I
didn’t.”

“So putting up with the late nights of him being with the team, family or maybe on the campaign trail someday is okay for you?”

“I want to say yes, I really do, but I don’t know. Does that make me selfish or a bad person?”

“Why in the world would that make you a bad person? Lance is not the only one in this relationship.”

“I know, but I don’t want to stop him from achieving his dreams. I love him, and I want him to get everything he wants.”

“I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but I’m your best
friend, and I know that we fought earlier, and I’m sorry for it, but you
need to know something about Lance.”

“What about him?”

“His real reason for wanting to marry you is because he’s running
for Mayor of New York next term, now that gay marriage is legal. He
wants to have a husband, one, as Sasha put it, is vanilla and safe.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Kurt? You have no idea.”

“Sasha told me this afternoon.”

“Did you think maybe she told you that because you were being an asshole to her?”

“No. I think she was being honest for the first time all day.”

“Lance is marrying me because of politics, Kurt? We are getting
married because we love each other. Why is that such a hard concept for
you to grasp? Because you can’t find it?”

“God damnit, Dave. I came back here to apologize to you for
earlier and say that you were right. I am tired of going from one night
stand to another and never finding anyone. I want to find love, I want
to be with someone who loves me for me, and you’re right I can’t find
it. Would you also like to kick my puppy and kill a unicorn while you’re
at it?”

“I’m sorry, Kurt. I just don’t understand what you’re doing. I
love Lance. We are getting married and I really want the support of my
best friend on this. I don’t think I’m asking you for too much. Just
stand up beside me and share the greatest day of my life with me. Can
you do that?”

“I’ll try. But I swear to God if Sasha comes at me one more time, I will cut the bitch.”

“She’s not that bad, Kurt.”

“Maybe not to you, since you’re marrying golden boy, her brother.”

“Just stop, Kurt. She’s my future sister-in-law.”

Kurt just sighed.

“I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning; please don’t spend all night worrying about Lance, okay. Get some sleep.”

“I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try. Thanks for the semi-weird, insulting pep talk.”

“Well that’s what best friends are for.”