As he walked up and out of the subway, Kurt saw the light but was shocked awake by a sharp shoulder to his upper arm.

"Youll have to be a little bit more city savvy Kurt," Sebastian said, laughing as he took in Kurts open-mouthed pained expression. Kurt straightened his back, giving Sebastian his most scathing look before facing forward.

"I am working on it," he snapped as he strutted out into the light. He looked up and around just once, before his expression changed completely.

"Were home," Kurt breathed in awe and Sebastian smiled fondly, linking arms as Kurt came to a stop in the midst of the bustling crowd.

We are," Sebastian said. "What shall we do first? Go to a club? Get laid?" He was only slightly joking. Kurt rolled his eyes and started to walk forward.

"Not just yet," Kurt said. "I need a shower and unpacking is a serious business."

"Great, you can organise my closet too," Sebastian said happily and Kurt was going to say something before they entered their new apartment, but decided it was pointless.

Kurt would secretly love to organise his wardrobe and Sebastian knew it.

---

Blaine had been in New York already for a very long summer. He knew his local neighbourhood better than he knew his hometown and he soon had a favourite coffee shop, knew the best take-outs and the only place in town to get his desired cronuts. Mark was supposed to move in when term started, but Blaine was secretly glad he had the time to get to know his neighbourhood before his friend. He could explore on his own and he now considered himself more of a New Yorker than all the students that came along later. New York allowed him to be independent like he had at high school, friends rarely getting any deeper than the surface.

His parents, wanting him to succeed and be his best, insisted on paying the rent on his apartment and his allowance covered his bills. He allowed them to think they were generous and amazing parents, giving their son exactly what he needed. He secretly knew that as soon as he was able, he would disappear, just like he was made to do with Kurt.

Kurt.

Everything kept coming back to that name, now etched on his palm in scratchy cursive letters. The name pained him, only thinking of what he had done in high school. How was he ever to find Kurt in this massive city?

---

"So we have orientation in the morning," Sebastian said, walking into the kitchen where Kurt was making dinner. "Are you ready?"

"Of course," Kurt said, without turning around. "Are you?"

Sebastian laughed. "I was born ready." Kurt finally spun on his heel and raised a perfect eyebrow. Sebastian laughed again. "Im ready, boss."

Kurt smiled at the familiar name. "Good. Do you want me to plan an outfit for you later?"

"No your tastes are a little different than mine," Sebastian said, "I dont want to scream gay on my first day."

"Hey!" Kurt exclaimed, his mouth a comical o. Sebastian held his hands up in mock surrender.

Sebastian let Kurt continue to cook in silence as he watched on from the kitchen table.

"I can feel your eyes from here," Kurt said, again not turning around. "Something you want to say?"

Sebastian smiled at his best friend. He often wondered how he ended up here, with someone like Kurt. Both knowing their soulmates were somewhere else; they took comfort in the knowledge that they always had each other. Strange friendship though it was.

"Do you think you might find Blaine here?"

Kurt stilled. The spoon he was holding now was hovering over the saucepan. He turned slowly.

"I dont know," he said calmly, though his heart raced at the mention of his soulmate. "We always said wed find our soulmates here."

Sebastians expression softened as he took in Kurts pose, now diminutive, his head lowered. The truth was, it was all Kurt could think about as he came to New York. It pained him to think of Blaine, the one person that he was to spend the rest of his life with, so far away, but potentially so near. He still knew that Blaine had chosen to stay away and not contact him. Kurt had left his Facebook page particularly open, determined for someone, hopefully Blaine, to see his whereabouts and know he could always be reached. However, nothing had been done, no contact made, and Kurt was left feeling like he wasnt good enough —not a diamond to be searched for, after all.

"He must be here," Sebastian said. "He must feel the pull too. Its natures way of bringing us closer together."

Kurt nodded like he knew it to be true, but still doubted.

"Hes had months," Kurt said quietly, ashamed to admit that his soulmate didnt want him.

"Hes got a lot to apologise for, maybe he doesnt know where to start? Maybe he needs the universe to do some of the work for him, push him in the right direction."

Kurt took a seat at the kitchen table, forgetting the food on the stove and sighing in defeat. There was no point hiding anything from Sebastian, he knew it all anyway and seemed to have guessed the rest.

"He shouldnt need that," Kurt said, trying to hide the hurt, but not succeeding. "I should be enough."

"Oh, you are enough, believe me." Sebastian smirked. "I sometimes think too much." Kurt rolled his eyes at his best friend. "But in all seriousness Kurt, sometimes people just need the universe to nudge them in the right direction. Perhaps hes been a little burnt too, his parents dont sound the easiest in the world. Maybe theyve stopped him? If hes in New York, he might be free at last."

Kurt thought it over and it all seemed a bit of a stretch. He put his head in his hands.

"You could always do what I do," Sebastian said, shrugging his shoulders. "Sleep around while you wait, its quite gratifying actually."

He was deeply serious, but there was a beat of silence before Kurt laughed. He could always trust Sebastian to lower the tone and he might just love him for it.

---

Blaine had located NYADA early on in the summer, so on the morning of his orientation, his first taste of classes, he arrived well prepared to excel. He stood assessing the competition, the freshmen and the older TAs, not speaking a word and making sure his talent spoke for itself later on. There were many people on their own, not sure where they fit in, but Blaine could already start to group them together. He wanted to stand out, but even now he doubted. He had worked on his self-assurance since leaving Lima and there was always a slight voice in his head, never sure, always doubting.

He thought of Kurt, always so confident and quick-witted, but Blaine had known him, knew what he thought and believed. Blaine had seen his doubts and fears, discussing them frequently when they were growing up. He wondered what Kurt thought of himself now, where he had ended up, whether he might be at NYADA too. He scanned the room, but Kurt was nowhere to be found.

He couldnt stand and wait for his soulmate to turn up, or simply walk into the room; surely it wouldnt be that easy. But Blaine had found himself searching the streets for Kurt as the summer wore on and he had started to give up hope. If he wasnt at NYADA, Blaine wasnt sure what Kurt had decided to do with his life after all.

Blaine walked out of the dance studio in a hurry, suddenly sick of the place and the people in it. He still had time; hed grab a coffee at the stand on the opposite side and walk back in later.

He was moving quickly, realising, with coffee in hand, that if he didnt hurry he might miss his orientation. He didnt see, couldnt know that someone was rushing too. The guy didnt know how to get to the studio and was still working his away around New York. Blaine only had eyes for the revolving door, determined to get into the building quickly and didnt see the guy approaching. Before Blaine realised anything had happened, his coffee had been knocked out of his hand as he felt the strange tingling in his body first. He stopped in his tracks.

Time seemed to slow and Blaine stepped back, assessing the situation and his eyes alighted on the guy who had nudged him. He couldnt mistake those eyes anywhere.

Kurt.

Kurt seemed to realise just as Blaine did, his eyes almost comically wide and blue, so blue that Blaine was mesmerised. He felt strangely pulled towards him, coming closer, his body aching to touch Kurt. He could feel it too, Blaine knew, but his face showed his worry. Their bodies reacted, but their minds raced. They were here, together, and their bodies didnt care that they hadnt seen each other in years. This was it, this moment would define Blaines whole future and he knew it.

Arms reached forward with desperation, skin tingling, fingers aching to touch. Minds could resist the actions of the body no longer. Their hands found their final destination and they hugged, chests colliding and fingers splayed on backs. Kurt could feel a heat spread throughout his body, starting at his chest, a sort of power coursing through him. Blaine felt like he could achieve anything.

And then the warmth disappeared.

"Youre here," Kurt whispered, still in shock and although he had parted from Blaine, his body still ached to be back in his arms.

"Youre going to NYADA?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah, are you?"

Blaine nodded and then realised what they were missing.

"It must be starting, were late," he said and without thinking, going completely on instinct, Blaine grabbed Kurts hand and walked him quickly through the reception, past the boards and common areas, and to the dance studio.

---

They stood, listening to the tutors and experienced upperclassmen tell of their experience at NYADA, all the while still holding hands. It was strange. Although Blaine didnt seem to notice, who was seemingly engrossed in the talk, Kurt could feel nothing except for the warm hand in his. He felt numb, like he might wake up at any moment and realise this was all wrong. They were suddenly being given their timetables and Blaine finally seemed to notice he was still holding Kurts hand. He dropped it immediately.

Kurt felt the wrench from his hand, his blue eyes still wide as if trying to capture anything that would make sense in the world around him. Blaine looked briefly at Kurt but couldnt bear it. He turned to the speaker, once again.

They were briefly shown the various studios and teaching rooms and then finally invited to have a coffee in the shop on the bottom floor. It was an unsaid agreement that they would sit together, so, silently, they bought coffees and sat opposite each other at a circular table.

"You still drink Mocha?" Blaine asked after a while, when the silence got to be too much.

Kurt nodded.

"I havent changed much since the last time you saw me," Kurt said.

Blaine could see the hurt and pain on Kurts face. He winced and closed his eyes in pain. It was like the dam had burst.

"Im so sorry Kurt, I really am," he babbled. "I wasnt allowed to contact you. My dad said it was for the best and then we were travelling and leaving home and…"

Kurt took it all in: the babble, the determination to be understood, his wide whiskey-coloured eyes. Kurt nodded and though he was already tempted to reach out for Blaines hand, he resisted. Kurts sad expression had stopped the chatter.

"Were you mad?" Blaine asked.

"No," Kurt said sadly. "I just didnt get it. I called you, texted you, went to your house, but your father told me to leave you alone. When I returned a few days later, youd left. Just put up a for sale sign and left town."

"I wanted to say goodbye, begged my dad to stop outside your house as we drove past, but he only said we had to get going. I didnt get it."

The hurt and pain still hung in the air like a bad smell.

"So were here now," Kurt said finally.

Blaine could feel the itch along his palm, reminding him of their connection. He unclenched his fist and opened his hand, palm up on the table in a gesture of sincerity. Hed never exposed his mark like this before; no one had seen it so close. Kurt looked at it in awe.

"So, you are my soulmate…" he breathed.

Blaine searched Kurts face as those blue eyes continued to rest on his palm. His courage building, Kurt rested his own hand on the table, and with his eyes fixed on Blaines palm, he revealed his own mark. Blaines eyes widened and he instantly felt a surge of heat in his chest.

"You have it too," he whispered.

They finally locked eyes and smiled.

"Did you ever think…?" Kurt asked and Blaine finished the question with a shake to his head.

"No, but then as soon as I saw it scratching on my palm it made sense. We were best friends, Kurt, always together. You always completed me, it makes perfect sense now."

Kurt knew it was true, knew he felt the same, but so much had gone on, so many things had changed. He wasnt the same Kurt that Blaine left over three years ago and as he took in Blaines confident but guarded stance, he guessed Blaine was very different too.

"So much has happened…" Kurt whispered, shaking his head.

"I know," Blaine said, quickly grabbing Kurts upturned hand in case he went away. "I know, but were soulmates Kurt and we found each other; that has to mean something."

Kurts eyes roved over Blaines sincere expression. He was so desperate to make it work; Kurt wondered how everything could be erased. How could they possibly start again?

"So what now?" Kurt asked.

"Now we take it slow," Blaine said, though he suddenly had a rush of feeling, urging him to take Kurts face in his hands. "We go back to the beginning."

Kurt thought it through. He wasnt sure if they would ever get their friendship back, let alone start a relationship that might prove to be the most intimate they would ever experience.

But it was worth a try.