That night Blaine couldn't fall asleep. He and Kurt had agreed to go somewhere together after work tomorrow. Blaine didn't know what Kurt had planed, only that Kurt said it was something he thought would make Blaine happy.

The thought of spending more time with Kurt made him happy, he didn't care what they did. 

Blaine kicked his feet a little in excitement. Kurt was amazing, not to mention funny and smart. He saw the world in ways Blaine never had… in fact Blaine didn't realize what a small life he'd been living before he met Kurt. 

Kurt lived in Principle City and worked at World Government Central, just like Blaine, but somehow Kurt's life seemed to be big. Full in ways Blaine didn't understand. Blaine wanted a life like that. More than that he wanted to spend time with Kurt…Kurt made him feel... well he made him feel. 

It was like Blaine had been living underwater his whole life and now with Kurt, it was as if he had broken through the surface and everything was louder, brighter and happier. Things were also more confusing. Kurt made Blaine notice how mundane life was. Blaine noticed other people struggling with their routines more now. No one around him seemed very happy. Blaine had the uneasy feeling that something was wrong, and had been for a long time, he'd just never noticed

Blaine had friends. The WG encourages friendships, at least among those you lived near or worked with. It promotes contentment and keeping people on track with their routines. However, the feelings he had for Kurt felt like something more than friendship. He didn't understand it and it scared him a little, but mostly it felt wonderful. 

Maybe he'd talk to Mercedes about it.

The next morning Blaine's alarm goes off at 6:00am as it always does. He gets out of bed and starts his routine as normal. Maybe he sings a little louder in the shower. Maybe he uses a little less product in his curly hair. Maybe he slices up an apple to add to his oatmeal. Maybe it isn't completely routine as normal. 

Blaine left his apartment a little early, and went across the hall to Mercedes' knocking on her door, rocking on his feet nervously. 

She opened the door, and looked at Blaine in surprise, before smiling. “Blaine. What's going on? Do you need something?”

“I don't want to slow down your routine.” Blaine said, “But do you have a minute to talk before you leave for work?”

“Of course.” Mercedes replied and openrd the door wider for Blaine to come in. “I always have time for you.”

Blaine has never been in Mercedes apartment before. It has the standard WG layout and furniture. It looks like Blaine's apartment, except for some changes here and there. Blue pillows on the couch. Purple curtains on the windows. Painted pictures on the wall. One of a large tree with pink blossoms. One of a huge body of water and land covered in sand. 

“Those are beautiful.” Blaine said walking closer to the pictures. “Are these real places? I've never seen anything like it before.” He turns to find Mercedes smiling softly at him. 

“Yes, they are real places. That one is a cherry tree. And that is the ocean. I've never been, but I've heard it is beautiful.”

Blaine blinked in surprise. “Where did you get these?”

“I have a friend who painted them.”

“I didn't know people had jobs painting things.” Blaine said. 

Mercedes laughed and shook her head. “It isn't Sam's job to paint. He does it because he likes too.”

Blaine looked at Mercedes and back at the paintings... how did someone even find out this was something they liked to do? And how would they go about it once they did? ”But how does he get the equipment to do it? If I wanted to paint a picture I wouldn't even know where to start.”

“There are... ways.” Mercedes said and quickly changed the subject. “You didn't come over to talk about that though. What's on your mind?”

“Oh. I was... I was just wondering...” Blaine rubbed the back of his neck and continued. “We're friends aren't we?”

“Yes, Blaine we're friends.”

“And you obviously have other friends too?”

Mercedes smiled. “I do.”

Blaine let out a long breath before continuing. “Are any of your friends... Do you... That is... do any of them make you feel differently than your other friends? Maybe make you feel more?”

Mercedes was quiet a moment before sitting down on her couch. She patted the seat next to her, Blaine sat down and looked at her trying to read her expression. 

“There is one person in my life who is very, very special to me.” Mercedes said quietly. “It's just that the World Government doesn't want you to have special friends.”

“Why not?” Blaine breathed but he felt he knew the answer.

“It distracts us from the routine. It makes something in our lives more important than the jobs and lives we have been assigned. And if something in your life is more important than the routine, what is going to keep people doing what the WG wants? No, we can have casual friendships to keep us in line but nothing more.”

“But the WG just wants what's best for us.” Blaine said hoping he was right.

“Don't you ever want to decide for yourself what is best for you?” Mercedes countered.

“That sounds like something a rebel would say.” Blaine said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Mercedes sighed. “I'm not a rebel. I don't work against the WG but sometimes I do things they might not know about. I like to live my own life.”

“But that's against the rules.”

“Yes it is.” Mercedes said. “Are you going to report me?”

Blaine shook his head immediately. “No. Never.” He thought about his evening plans with Kurt… that was against the rules too. “But do you think breaking the rules is worth the risk?”

“Is there someone in your life that makes you feel more than your other friends do Blaine?” Mercedes asked. 

Blaine just blushed and nodded his head. The strange feeling that stirred in his stomach when he thought of Kurt bubbled up again, spreading like warmth. 

“And if the WG told you not to spend time with that person, would you stop seeing them?”

Blaine's eyes-widened as the feeling went cold. “I wouldn't want to.”

Mercedes stood and turned back towards the paintings on the wall. Blaine joined her. “My friend Sam. The WG doesn't  want us to spend time together. We do it anyway. For me it is definitely worth the risk.”

Blaine thought he understood that feeling. 

“It is almost time to leave for work Blaine.” Mercedes said looking at the clock. “You should be going.” She stepped forward and gave him a tight hug. Blaine stood shocked for a moment before he returned it. 

“Have a good day Mercedes.” Blaine said walking towards the door.

“You too Blaine.” Mercedes smiled. “Oh and Blaine?”

“Yes?” 

“Follow your heart but please be careful.”

Blaine gulped and nodded. “I will.”

Blaine felt confused and worried as he waited at the shuttle stop. Thoughts he didn't know if he liked swirling around his head. Trent walked up and gave him a weak smile. “Blaine. How are you today?”

“I'm well.” Blaine said distractedly “And yourself?”

“I'm worried about you Blaine.”

Blaine's head snapped up to look at Trent. That was the first time in the years Blaine has known Trent that he responded with anything other than the standard greeting. “You... what? Why?”

“Blaine I get that you don't have as much trouble keeping up with the routine as some of us do.” Trent said matter-of-factly. “So spending time with this new guy doesn't really affect you the way it would someone else.”

“Trent. Have I messed up your routine? I never meant to.”

“No Blaine. It isn't that. I'm okay. Just worried about you. Kurt... he isn't from around here. I get the impression that things are very different where he comes from. I don't think you should trust him.” Trent said the last part in a hurry and ducked his head to avoid Blaine's surprised stare. 

The Blue Shuttle arrived and both of them climbed on. 

“Why shouldn't I trust him Trent?” Blaine whispered. 

“Do you even know where he is from? Or why he was transferred? He keeps up with his routine, barely, and he smiles a lot and he talks funny.”

Blaine laughed a little, but felt uneasy. “Maybe it is just the way people act where he is from? Maybe that is part of their routine?”

“And you know where he is from? He's talked about it?” Trent asked lifting his eyebrows.

“I... yes. Well, no. He is really great with computer systems, I know that's why he was transferred. I don't know from where.”

Trent sighed “The Authorities have been watching you lately.” 

“What?” Blaine's heart-rate picked up a bit. You didn't want to draw the attention of the Authorities. You'd see them around, acting like everyone else, following their own routines wearing their drab green uniforms. They were everywhere in Principle City and you learned to pretty much ignore them. And you wanted them to ignore you too.

“They haven't.” Blaine denied. 

Trent shook his head, “I feel like they are hanging around our department more. I think they're watching you.” Trent glanced out the window as they pulled up to World Government Central. “Just be careful Blaine. Someone like Kurt, with such an apparent disregard for the routine, could get you in trouble. I... I don't want to see you get in trouble.”

Blaine looked at Trent. He looked so sincere with worried, downcast eyes and fidgeting fingers.

“I'll be careful Trent. Don't worry okay?”

“Yeah... okay.”

Kurt missed lunch that day and Blaine tried not to feel anxious. People didn't miss lunch, unless they were assigned some detail to help them catch up with the routine, or if... if they were in trouble. Blaine couldn't eat his food. Kurt was fine. He'd see him this evening, he needed to stop worrying. At the same time maybe Trent was right, were more than the usual amount of Authorities hanging around?

That evening at the shuttle stop Blaine paced back and forth waiting for Kurt, his stomach knotting up. He ignore Trent watching him and kept glancing back to the doors of World Government Central hoping to see Kurt.

Kurt finally came out and walked to the shuttle stop with a skip in his steps. Blaine let out a breath, his shoulders drooping in relief. “Kurt!” he called out causing people to turn and look at him. Kurt walked up with a smile just for Blaine. 

“You weren't at lunch.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “No. Someone in our department got sick and it threw the whole routine off, several of us had to work through lunch to get things back on track.”

“Oh.” Blaine said trying not to embarrass himself by showing how worried he'd been. “Is everything good now?”

“Yes.” Kurt answered “It's fine.” The Yellow Shuttle pulled up and Kurt wiggled his eyebrows at Blaine, making him laugh as they walked to the shuttle together. 

Trent called out from behind him, whispering to him. “Blaine, that's The Yellow Shuttle.”

“I know Trent. It's okay.”

“But Blaine you said you'd...” Trent glanced around at the others at the shuttle stop who were openly staring at them. 

“I'll see you tomorrow morning like usual.” Blaine said with what he hoped was a reassuring smile before hopping on the shuttle with Kurt. 

Kurt and Blaine were quiet on the shuttle together, not wanting to draw any more attention to themselves. Blaine sat and looked out the window as the shuttle went through parts of Principle City he'd never seen before. Kurt ignored the messages from The Leaders blaring from the screens in the shuttle and watched Blaine, his eyes dancing at just the simple newness of seeing a different part of the city. 

Kurt smiled. He knew he'd done the right thing asking Blaine to come along with him. The shuttle stopped and Kurt stood, motioning to the doors with his head. Kurt and Blaine got off along with a few other people. They waited until the others had walked off before speaking.

“Is this your stop? Do you live near here?”

“No. My stop is one down but I wanted to show you something.” Kurt said as he walked forward and Blaine followed. They got to a bridge that was empty at this time of day, as no shuttles needed this route in the evening. Kurt walked to the railing and leaned against it, Blaine looked around before doing the same. 

“What are we looking at?” He asked.

Kurt smiled and nodded forwards. “That.”

Blaine looked, but didn't see anything. “I... don't understand.”

“The sky Blaine. What color is it?”

“Blue.” Blaine answered wondering what he was missing. 

“Just watch.” Kurt smiled, scooting closer to Blaine. 

They were facing west and soon the sun started setting for the day. As it dropped further down in the sky, the colors started changing. It wasn't that Blaine had never seen the sunset before, he'd been on the shuttle late in the evening more than once in his life but he'd never stopped just to watch it happen.

Blaine's eyes grew round and his lips parted as the sky melted from vivid blue to soft pinks and purples, painting the sky with colors that changed by the minute. Blaine unconsciously scooted his hand nearer to Kurt's as he watched and smiled when Kurt placed his hand on top of his.

As the sun continued its journey, the sky took on deep red and indigo colors. Blaine wet his lips as he tried to hold back the tears forming in his eyes. The funny swooping feeling he got in his stomach when he was with Kurt intensified. He turned to look at Kurt who gave him a sweet smile. The sun dabbling his face in golds and reds. Blaine turned back to the sunset as it dipped behind the horizon with burning orange and crimson, before turning the sky a deep black purple.

They stood in silence as the moon came out and lit the dark around them with gentle pale light. 

Kurt had watched the sunset from his peripheral, his eyes mostly trained on Blaine's face. Blaine face was full of wonder, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears. Sometime during the setting sun Kurt realized he'd moved his hand to rest over Blaine's. Blaine either didn't mind or hadn't noticed. Kurt kept it there, resisting the urge to squeeze Blaine's hand and take it into his own. 

Blaine turned to Kurt and opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if he couldn't find the right words. His eyes were damp and shining in the light of the moon. 

“Kurt” He finally breathed out. “That was... it was beautiful. Why have I never stopped to watch that? I've never seen so many colors at one time.” Blaine said as he wiped at his eyes before the tears could fall. “I don't understand.”

“What don't you understand?” Kurt whispered, not wanting to break the moment with words too loud.

“How there are such wonderful things in the world, but people never talk about them. We don't stop to see them. That has been right outside of my door my whole life. Why... Why have I never seen it?” Blaine's throat was rough from suppressed tears. Kurt wanted nothing more than to lean in and hold him but he didn't want to push his luck and scare Blaine away. 

“Because we do what we are told Blaine. Because it's what we are used too… Because we're afraid of being punished if we don't.” Kurt answered sadly.

“Do you think it's always been this way?” Blaine asked. “Have people always ignored what is right in front of them.” Blaine said gesturing to where the sun had just been. “In favor of rules and routine?”

“No Blaine. It hasn't always been this way. It’s been this way long enough for people to forget though. To be content with the lives they lead.”

“But not you Kurt. How is it that you see everything so... so much more clearly?”

Kurt laughed softly, and shrugged, not answering Blaine's question. He didn't know how to answer and he didn't want to lie, so he said nothing at all. 

“I know there are things you purposefully don't tell me.” Blaine said, moving his hand so that he could rub his thumb across the back of Kurt's. Kurt felt goose bumps raise on his skin at the soft contact. “And it’s okay. Just know I'm ready to listen when you are ready to talk.”

Kurt smiled and blinked back a few tears of his own. 

“Thank you for this.” Blaine continued. “There isn't anyone I would rather share it with.” 

Kurt ducked he head, speaking softly. “I should show you back to the shuttle stop. You don't want to miss the last Blue Shuttle of the evening.” 

Blaine took a last long look at the sky and squeezed Kurt's hand, before letting it go. Kurt's heart skipped a beat. There were no stars to be seen in Principle City but someday Kurt wanted to show Blaine a star filled sky. He wanted to show Blaine the mountains and rivers, the ocean, and well... he wanted to show Blaine everything. They walked to the shuttle stop together in companionable silence, even as Kurt itched to reach out to hold Blaine's hand. 

“You'll be okay to get home?” Kurt asked.

“Yes.” Blaine said as he saw The Blue Shuttle arriving. “Will you?” 

“I'll be fine. I'll see you tomorrow Blaine.”

“Good night Kurt.” Blaine said, before swooping in, giving him a tight hug. Kurt didn't even know people in Principle City hugged but he immediately wrapped his arms around Blaine to hug him back, releasing him when The Blue Shuttle pulled up.

Blaine climbed on board, shooting Kurt one last smile before it pulled away. Kurt dug his hands into his pockets and decided to walk to his apartment, smiling the whole way.

Kurt got back to his apartment and closed the door behind him. He leaned his head back on the wall and smiled. Thoughts of Blaine's face as he watched the sunset filling his mind. He let out a contented hum. 

“There you are Hummel.” A voice called out from the darkness of Kurt’s supposedly empty apartment.

Kurt jumped and pushed himself away from the wall, quickly fumbling to flip on the lights, his heart hammering in his ears.