Blaine falls in love on a cloudy Wednesday in November. The sky is dark and menacing, and everyone around him is wearing dark clothes. The woman on the bench has a dark blue dress and a grey coat on. The man next to her is wearing a black suit, and his suitcase is black too. All the colors are evolving around dark blue and grey with a twirl of maroon and black. They all seem so sad and lost in their thoughts, Blaine can't help but notice.

Blaine's hold around his coffee tightens, he is searching for warmth wherever he can. The wind is merciless and strong here. It's a perfect addition to the weather. When the train finally arrives, a sea of people jumps off and another jumps in. So many crossing paths, but no one is looking around, they are all focused on getting on the train as quickly as possible to get a seat and go on with their lives. Blaine lets them and climbs the stairs to get in. It isn't hard to find a place to sit, it's early in the morning and everyone must still be at home, having breakfast. Only a few are already ready and on their ways to school and work.

Blaine sits next to a dark skinned man with amazing dreadlocks. He is listening to pop songs and shaking his head to the rhythm. This is why Blaine chose that place, because of that man that seems more alive than anybody else around.

Blaine has seven stops before his stop. Love strikes him on the fourth. He is looking at people coming in and out of the train. Just like at his station the crowd seems dull, moving against its own accord.

And then there is him.

Jumping in at the last second before the doors close. His nose is a little red probably because of the cold wind, he is wearing skin tight mustard pants with a light maroon overcoat with a warm red scarf. There is a little brunette with a bang next to him. They are giggling and holding hands, like he dragged her while running. They are smiling at each other and Blaine is sure that he has never seen someone smiling that happily. The man is standing here on a dark day, almost at dawn and when everyone is frowning and silent, he is loud and smiling.

To Blaine, he is a ray of sun in between the clouds and with another smile the man captures Blaine's heart. He takes it with him as he leaves the train a stop before Blaine's and Blaine isn't sure he minds.

Blaine is certain he'll never see the man again. However, fate has something else in mind because there he is the next day. On the fourth stop after Blaine's. Magnificent in his blue coat. His hair is perfect and again, he is wearing that smile. The one that makes Blaine's heart expand a million times. He is beautiful and Blaine can't help but stare.

The moment the man turns his head Blaine looks down as quickly as he can. He is sure that the man will think he is a creeper and Blaine doesn't look up again until he is sure the man has left the train. He is blushing all day, every time he remembers that there is a man in this city who takes the same train as he does and whom he stared at for good five minutes this morning.

They follow the same pattern for two weeks. Blaine waits for the man to climb on the train after four stops and when he jumps in, Blaine looks at him, takes him all in. The way he is standing and how he looks that day before turning his gaze away, too afraid to stare for too long. He is aware that he must be sporting a blush on his cheeks but Blaine doesn't care. He is falling in love with a stranger on the 7.03am train to the city in the middle of November and it's perfect.

On a Friday night Blaine is sure that his day can't get any worst. He is stressed because of his work, he had a fight with his mother and missed his train this morning because his alarm didn't work. Blaine is glad it's finally Friday, it means a silent weekend at home, drinking tea and reading all day. He can't wait for it, he can't wait for this day to be over.

He is sitting on the train back, lost in his thoughts as he looks at the window. He doesn't notice when the train stop at the next station, he doesn't notice the sea of people coming in, he doesn't notice when someone sits next to him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the person next to him says after bumping a little into his hip as he sits down. Blaine turns his head and there he is. The man with the smile.

He is sitting next to him and smiling at him. His smile is directed at Blaine and he is at a loss of what to say. Blaine smiles shyly and shakes his head lightly to tell him without words that it's okay. Blaine is staring into the man's eyes. He is drowning in them, they are blue and grey, green sometimes and when they catch some light they are everything at the same time. Blaine falls in love with this man's eyes just like he fell in love with his smile a month ago.

Blaine is suddenly aware that he is staring, turns his head back to the window and tries to hide his smile for the rest of the ride. Happiness rushing through his veins as his skin tickles, too aware that the man he loves is sitting next to him, maybe brushing his finger against his coat. Blaine tries not to look at him, tries not to blush when the man says goodbye to him. Blaine's eyes follow the man as he walks on the platform until he can't see him anymore.

Blaine just falls a little more for the stranger on the 8.47pm train.

After this night, every time the man is hopping on the train Blaine smiles at him. The first time the man doesn't see him and Blaine is left with the smile on his lips. But the second time around, he smiles back. A big and toothy smile. And Blaine cherishes the fact that this smile is for him and him only.

Blaine is hoping that in another reality he is bold enough to stand up and go talk to the man, that he asks him out or just starts a conversation. But in this reality, Blaine isn't courageous enough to do so. So he just smiles and waits for a smile back.

Reality hits him when on the first day of December the stranger is followed by a tall blond man. They are holding hands and standing close to each other, looking into each other's eyes and smiling at each other.

Blaine doesn't smile that day and doesn't look at the man. He doesn't receive a smile back and when he jumps off the train he feels like he has just gotten his heart back, the one he gave away a month ago and that doesn't fit properly in his chest now.

Blaine doesn't take the 7.03am train the next day, too afraid to see the smiling man with another guy. He knows he has no right to claim him as his. He never was and never will be his. But it doesn't change the fact that his heart aches. So Blaine avoids that train until the last week of December.

The winter holidays are on Friday and Blaine feels a little better. He almost wishes that today he'll see the smiling man. Blaine is trying to spot the colorful scarf in the middle of the darks suits. He isn't there and Blaine thinks that he is never going to see him again. No more shy glances and colorful scarves. No more bright smiles just for him and intense eyes on him. So Blaine goes back to studying sad people on the train.

There are a few that are lacking sleep and holding their heads against the cool window, there is a woman writing unhappily on her suitcase her 'save the dates', there is a man who's already working on his laptop, and another one who looks like he has been crying all night. Not a single one is smiling and Blaine's heart clenches at that.

A month and a half before

Kurt is sure that he and Rachel are going to miss the train again. She spent almost an hour in the bathroom to get ready for her coffee date and now they are late. Kurt sees the train coming into the station from the bottom of the stairs. He grabs Rachel's hand and starts running, climbing stairs two by two. He can't miss that train or he'll be late again and he can't have that. So he runs, feeling that Rachel is trying to keep up on her high heels behind him. They jump on the train and barely make it. The moment Kurt finally turns to face Rachel they erupt in giggles because of the run. They try to catch their breaths, they are now painfully aware that they are not in shape and it takes them a good ten minutes to calm down their hearts.

Rachel is talking and texting next to him. They don't have a seat so they are standing near the door. Kurt is watching all the people that are sitting and suddenly all he can see is a cute bowtie. The cute red bowtie and the dark hair gelled back. The man has a blush on his cheeks and Kurt is left wondering why. He wants to know why this man is blushing. Has the person next to him just told him something or is he remembering something?

Kurt is staring until he has to jump off. He is thankful for Rachel, without her he would have missed his stop. Kurt doodles bowties all day at work and tries to draw the man attached to it. But it's nearly impossible. All he can remember is the blush the stranger had on his cheek. And once again Kurt wonders why.

It takes Kurt a few seconds next day to catch a glimpse of the man with the bowtie. Once again he has this blush on his cheeks and Kurt wants to ask and to know why. But he can't and instead he just looks at him. Different day, different bowtie, same hair gelled back. Kurt can't help but think that this man could be out of a black and white movie. He imagines him being the gentleman that opens doors and listens to him when he speaks. He imagines him crooning on a stage with a jazz band behind him.

Kurt almost misses his stop again.

He makes sure to take the same train every day hoping that maybe he'll get a clue of who that man is. But instead every day he is greeted with a bright blush on the man's cheeks and a new bowtie. After a week Kurt is sure that the shy smile that comes with the blush must be for someone but again he can't be sure.

Kurt is also wondering what the man is drinking. No matter what he is always holding a cup with him. And Kurt wonders if the man would be a caffeine intolerant and go with a warm and comforting hot chocolate or if instead he is a coffee addict, if maybe he is the kind of person that can't function without 3.5 grams of coffee in his veins.

That man is a puzzle, a mystery. And Kurt is left wanting to know more, always more.

Few days after, he thinks that maybe it's his chance or maybe it's just a coincidence. But on the train back he spots the man. For once no one is sitting next to him. So Kurt thinks why not and he sits down next to him.

"Oh I'm sorry," Kurt tries as he voluntary bumps a little against the man, wanting to get his attention. The man turns his head and Kurt doesn't breath and doesn't move. The bowtie man is gorgeous, he knows that. But his eyes, his eyes are an open door to his emotions. And Kurt sees everything, the pain that must have been here seconds ago and the joy that is replacing it. Kurt sees hope and shyness. The man blushes and shyly turns his head. Kurt is in awe, because for once he is the one that caused the man's blush. He turns his head to the side, trying not to breath to deep, but he can't contain the happiness that is coursing through his veins and jumping inside his heart. He has to bit his lips to contain the smile that's threatening to take over his face. Kurt wants to have a small talk with the man, but this, this is a million times better.

Kurt is running every morning but he doesn't care. He is running every morning to get to the 7.03am train. He is running to get his chance at smiling at the man. And every morning there he is, smiling and blushing, because of him. And Kurt can't help but hope that one of them would have the courage to make the first move, to go and talk to the other. But they don't and for a while Kurt keeps all the smiles and the blushes in his heart. Because it's what keeps him going.

When Adam asks him out Kurt wants to say no, wants to say that he already has someone. But the truth is: he doesn't. The stranger with the bowtie isn't his, no matter how hard Kurt wishes every night. So Kurt says yes. Yes to a date with Adam. It's wrong from the start to the end. Adam doesn't have dark hair. He doesn't blush and he doesn't wear a bowtie. Adam is nice and handsome, his accent is to die for, but he isn't the man who is always blushing and wears his emotions on his sleeve. Kurt lets Adam walks him to the train the first day of December. He lets him take his hand and when they hop in he lets Adam get close to him. It's wrong and Kurt knows that it won't last. He glances at the man he wants to see every morning but he isn't looking at him. He isn't smiling back and isn't blushing. Kurt can see the pain and the hurt painted on his stranger's face and his heart longs for him.

Kurt realizes a little too late that he fell in love with a stranger on the 7.03am train.

Kurt stops things with Adam and the next morning he is waiting for the train. He is waiting for it instead of running because today he is standing with two cups of coffee in his hands. Today he is going to gather all the courage he has and he is going to talk to his stranger.

Kurt climbs first on the train and looks avidly around, waiting for his eyes to finally meet the ones he is looking for. But he can't find them and soon he is blocking people behind him. So he steps away and tries again.

But the man isn't there. Kurt tries not to be disappointed, he tries not to be mad at himself and he promises himself that he'll try tomorrow.

Kurt buys two cups of coffee for a week. And every day he offers them to the woman who is sleeping at his train station. Because the man with the bowties doesn't take that train anymore and Kurt feels his heart breaking a little more every day. He had something nice, something just for him and because he didn't realize it, now he has nothing but his memories.

Kurt wants to wait at the man's train station and talk to him. But he can't because he is always on the train before Kurt and is always leaving after him. So Kurt has no idea how to get his stranger back into his life.

Kurt misses the smiles and the glances. He misses the bowties and the bubbling happiness in his chest every time he sees him.

Kurt goes home for Christmas holidays a week before everyone does. He wants to see his father and Carole. He wants to banter with Finn and see him fall in love with Rachel all over again. So Kurt goes back to Lima and when he is flying above New York he wonders where his stranger is and if he'll see him ever again.

Two days before Christmas Kurt is sitting at the Lima Bean, sipping his coffee and reading a magazine.

He doesn't see the dark haired man who enters the shop, he doesn't see how the man's face lights up the moment he sees Kurt. He doesn't see the man biting his lips and ordering two coffees. He doesn't see the blush and the shyness.

Kurt is unaware of the man crossing the coffee shop to sit in front of him and finally engage the conversation they have been postponing for two months now.

It's 9.06am on a snowy day and Kurt Hummel falls in love with Blaine Anderson, his blushing stranger.