Blaine's life doesn't have many ups and downs. It is consistent, never really bad but never really good either. Blaine sometimes feels a little jealous when he sees or talks to Mercedes. She is always bright and smiling and she seems genuinely happy. 

Happy.

Blaine can't say he is happy. He is pleasant and cheerful, but not happy. Then again Blaine can't say he feels very sad either. He just is. His life is the same day after day with little to no variation. 

Until yesterday.

It was such a little thing, no one else would think about it. After helping someone with her split food in the cafeteria Blaine had continued his routine as normal. He sat down with a few work acquaintances and ate his lunch. He didn't think what he'd done was all that strange even if Trent did give him a funny look. 

Blaine felt like someone was watching him. He looked up and that's when he saw him. A young man he'd never seen before, with light skin and perfect hair and blue eyes. Really blue eyes. When Blaine glanced at him a smile slipped from his face and he quickly looked away. 

Blaine didn't understand why the man's face was stuck in his head but it had been all day. When Blaine thought about him he got an odd and unfamiliar feeling in the pit of his stomach that he didn't understand. He was trying to ignore it. 

Blaine got through the next day keeping perfect time with his routine, he was always good at keeping up. During lunch he found himself looking for the young man with the blue eyes, he was there sitting at a table alone and eating lunch. Blaine thought for a moment that he'd been watching Blaine too, but he couldn't be sure. 

At the end of the work day Blaine found himself waiting at the shuttle stop without Trent who was told by a supervisor to work late so he would be on routine for tomorrow. That was never good, but as long as it didn't happen often you were okay. Trent would be fine, he'd catch up he wouldn't become one of those people. The people who disappeared. Blaine shivered. 

Blaine waited at the shuttle stop letting his mind drift when the young man with the blue eyes sat down next to him. Blaine stared at him and his stomach swooped. Maybe he was getting ill.

“Good evening.” The man said with a high sweet voice and a slight smile.

“Good evening.” Blaine replied grinning. 

The man looked at him funny for a moment before taking a deep breath and continuing. “My name is Kurt.” He said pushing a stray hair from his forehead. “I just transferred to Principle City.”

Ah, so that's why Blaine had never seen him. He had never met a transfer before. A dozen questions popped into this head, where was he from? How did he get transferred? Was Principle City different than where he came from? Instead Blaine just smiled, “My name is Blaine.”

“Blaine.” The man said like he was testing the name on his tongue. “Blaine. It's nice to meet you.” He stuck a hand out towards Blaine. Blaine just stared at it. The man's face turned red and he quickly withdrew his hand. “Sorry. Sorry. I uh... it is just something we do where I'm from.”

“What do you do?” Blaine asked eager to hear about a place he'd never been before. 

“We shake hands when we meet people.” Kurt answered. “Like this.” He stuck out his hand again and waited for Blaine to do the same. Blaine slowly lifted his hand before Kurt grabbed it with his own and shook it. 

Blaine's smile grew at the feel of Kurt's hand pressed against his own, it was soft and smooth with long strong fingers, Blaine couldn't help but stare at it before Kurt let go. 

Blaine was quiet for a moment trying to think of something to say. Kurt ended up taking care of that for him.

“I saw you help that woman in the cafeteria yesterday.” he said. “That was very kind of you.”

“It wasn't a big deal. It didn't hurt my routine.” 

“It was a big deal to her.” Kurt replied “And no one else stopped to help.”

Blaine looked at Kurt's face, he was looking at Blaine rather intensely and Blaine didn't really understand it. “I... I was happy to help.” 

Kurt smiled and Blaine felt that strange swoop again. He cleared his throat which was suddenly dry and spoke. “Really though, I don't have much trouble with the routine... it seemed like the right thing to do.”

Kurt nodded before speaking again. “Do you like your job Blaine?” he asked out of nowhere. 

Blaine furrowed his brow in confusion. It wasn't that he didn't understand the question, it was just that he had never really thought about it before. Did anyone like their job? It was their job. Assigned to them when they were 17 and kept until they couldn't perform its duties anymore. Liking your job wasn't important.

“Yes...” Blaine answered slowly thinking about it. “I like my job.”

“What do you like about it?” Kurt asked his face attentive like he really wanted to hear the answer. 

“Well...” Blaine thought and thought. “I don't really know.”

It was Kurt's turn to look confused. “You do it every day Blaine. If you like it, don't you know why?” 

“Maybe... maybe I don't like it?” Blaine stammered. He felt dumb, why couldn't he answer a simple question? He thought back to Trent not even thinking about the color of the sky and realized this must be what that felt like. He had just never thought about this before. 

The Yellow Shuttle pulled up and Kurt bounced to his feet. “Well, this is my ride.” he said “I'll see you tomorrow?” 

“Yes. Of course.” Blaine answered. 

Kurt dashed into the shuttle and then leaned back out to call to Blaine. “Think about it!” he said and then the shuttle was leaving. 

Blaine sat dumbstruck until The Blue Shuttle arrived. Kurt walked and moved like no one he'd ever met before. He talked like no one he'd ever met before. And he thought about things in a way that made Blaine's head spin a little. 

As Blaine laid in bed that night he couldn't get Kurt's words out of his head. Had it been kind to help that woman? And if so why had no one else bothered? And what about his job? Did he like it? Blaine thought for a long time. 

Yes. He liked his job.

He was good at his job and it felt nice to be good at something. Plus what he did helped keep the computer systems of Principle City running and that helped people. Blaine liked to help people. That's why he stepped out of line to help the woman who was struggling with her routine. He liked to help people. Blaine spent most of the night just lying in bed thinking about other things he liked. 

He liked sounds and rhythms. He liked bright colors. He liked the feel of cool air on his skin. He liked Mercedes and her cheerfulness. He liked Trent even if Trent wasn't the most lively person he'd ever met. And Blaine was pretty sure he liked Kurt. A lot. Kurt made him think and as Blaine drifted off to sleep he couldn't help but think how much he liked blue eyes. 

-----

Kurt had no idea what in the world was wrong with him. His mission was simple, if not in practice then at least to understand. Keep a low profile. Start working at World Government Central. Keep a low profile. Slowly hack into the computer system that keeps the city running and plant a virus. Keep a low profile. Get the hell out of there.

What part of “keep a low profile” did Kurt not understand? He moaned and flipped over in his bed. Why was we talking to cute strangers at the shuttle stop? Why was he asking questions no one ever asked? Why did Blaine's smile make him want to melt? He didn't even know this guy, sure he was dreamy and nice to people and had the most gorgeous honey colored eyes and tan skin... stop it! Kurt thought, this isn't helping. 

As far as Kurt knew Blaine could love World Government. He may love the routine. He'd probably immediately turn Kurt in if he knew what he was doing. That was it. Kurt would avoid him and just do his job and get out. No cute guys with fluid voices and smiles that sent butterflies to his stomach. Damn it. Why did he always have to fall so fast?