Back to Blaine's Attrition Day...

Blaine's presentation had ended nicely, with enthusiastic applause and good wishes for his next life. The question that had been the most challenging was from one of the boys in the front row. "How did you know to choose Kurt?" After thinking it over, Blaine replied, "He was unhappy, lonely, physically appealing, a talented artist, and open to suggestion." Blaine would later look back on this response and shake his head. Kurt was much more than that.

He had gone home, taken his tincture, and immediately made a connection with Kurt in his sleep. Kurt with the amazing imagination and the malleable mind.

That night lasted years for Blaine, much longer than the previous dream connections. Every memory with Kurt took its time forming and playing out, like an intricately composed symphony. Blaine was blissful, but careful. He counted each year that passed with precision, because each year that Blaine gained for his next life, Kurt lost from his current one.

But Blaine knew it was worth the sacrifice. After all, that's what he had told the kids at the assembly and he believed it wholeheartedly. Everyone deserved to be an actualized person. Blaine loved Kurt, though, and didn't want to reduce Kurt's lifespan too much if he could help it. It ended up taking 15 years for Blaine to be completely colored in. They were 15 glorious years filled with lovemaking, exotic vacations, emotional support for Kurt's difficult teaching job, and Blaine's hit or miss music career. There were hugs and cuddles, and days filled with love.

At the ten year mark, Blaine began to have some doubts. Kurt's imagination supplied endless situations and could easily last for an entire lifetime together. Would he really be ready to say goodbye to Kurt after being fully actualized? In the end, he convinced himself that it was for the best. He would follow protocol, and leave Kurt when he was supposed to. Exactly at the 15 year mark, Blaine felt it happening. He began to wake up in a way he never had before. He found himself securely tucked into the arms of a sleeping teenage Kurt.

Blaine slowly got up, being extremely quiet. This was one of the most crucial moments of his entire life and he couldn't screw it up. He would leave quietly, and Kurt would be free of him. A lump formed in his throat at the thought, but he had to be strong. This was how things worked. Staying with Kurt in this world was not even an option. He crept over to the bathroom mirror to look at himself. His training should have prepared him for the violent emotion that took hold of his body at that moment, but he still punched the mirror.

Blaine tried to pick up the pieces of broken glass from the mirror. "Fuck!" That hurt. He looked at his finger, which was bleeding from the cut. The blood was bright red. Looking back into the mirror that he had just punched, his eyes were a beautiful swirling hazel. He had done it. Today was the day after his attrition day, the first day of the rest of his life.

He heard Kurt moving in the bedroom, and realized he was in serious trouble unless he could think quickly. The bathroom had a window, thank goodness, so he crawled out, jumped to the sidewalk, and broke into a run. He would miss Kurt, but it was time for the next chapter of his life.