The first time Kurt realizes there's something different about Blaine, it's mid-January. There's nothing particularly special about the moment; they're just talking on the phone, something they've been more often since Christmas as they've started rekindling their friendship.

Kurt had called Blaine to hear about the Sadie Hawkins dance the night before, and Blaine is telling him about Sam figuring out that the Warblers had cheated at Sectionals. Kurt's probably more interested in high school show choir intrigue than he should be now that he's in college, but Blaine is weaving a grand tale of deception and illicit activities that Kurt can't help but be pulled along with.

And that's when it hits him. He can't quite put his finger on it, but there's something about the way Blaine is speaking that's new.

"Trent's sure he'll need to go into witness protection," Blaine finishes with a laugh.

Kurt's so taken aback by the sound of Blaine's laugh-a genuine one that Kurt realizes he hasn't heard in a long time-that it takes Blaine calling his name-"Kurt? You there?"-for him to pull himself from his reverie.

"Yeah, sorry," Kurt replies, face heating up. "It sounds like an eventful night."

"Yeah." Blaine sounds thoughtful for a moment before adding, "But not the bad kind of eventful this time."

Something in Kurt's chest twists at the casual mention of the hate crime Blaine had survived-that was why he'd been desperate to hear how things had gone in the first place-but Blaine seems fine.

Better than fine, actually.

And Kurt isn't sure what to do with that realization.

-----

When Kurt actually sees that something's different with Blaine, it's the end of January and they're on Skype together. Kurt's sitting in bed with his computer on the mattress in front of him, and Blaine is in the same position in his room in Ohio.

"Of course, it was possibly the worst time ever to get sick," Blaine says with a grimace. "But a diva doesn't let a little cold get him down." He adds a finger snap for emphasis.

"Blaine Anderson, diva extraordinaire," Kurt muses with a chuckle. He hates that Blaine was sick this past week, especially with his parents on yet another business trip, but Blaine seems to have recovered remarkably well thanks to Tina's cold buster kit, so he doesn't let himself dwell.

Blaine laughs, a sound that settles something warm in Kurt's chest. "The glee guys didn't think they could take part in Diva Week."

"And you wanted to show them that they could," Kurt finishes, knowing the other boy well enough by now to know that he took it upon himself to prove them wrong. Blaine just grins, and Kurt feels his own lips quirking up in response. "So what did you do?"

"Well, after 'Diva' with the girls, I brought some Freddie Mercury."

Kurt blinks. "'Diva'?" he echoes. He's not surprised that Blaine would do a Beyonce number considering his obsession with Top 40 female artists, but that song doesn't seem particularly Blaine-esque to him.

Blaine's smile turns mischievous. "I went with the Adam Lambert look," he says. "Complete with red feather boa and leather pants."

Kurt nearly chokes at the visual that summons, his pulse speeding up and face flushing. Then again, he supposes, Blaine is a consummate performer. "Please tell me there were pictures."

Blaine just laughs again, and the warmth has definitely moved south from Kurt's chest. "Tina took a few, I think. We all looked kind of ridiculous, but it was a lot of fun."

Collecting himself, Kurt studies Blaine's image on screen, taking in his upright posture, the crinkles in his eyes as he laughs, and the happiness dancing in his kind eyes. There's a faint flush in his cheeks and his teeth are showing.

Kurt can't remember the last time Blaine looked so alive.

-----

But it's not until the wedding that Kurt understands that there's something different about Blaine. Kurt is walking with Rachel into the church when he hears a familiar voice. He stops and Rachel makes a questioning noise that turns into one of comprehension as they both turn to see Blaine, arm-in-arm with Tina, walking across the parking lot.

Rachel squeezes his arm, but Kurt ignores her in favor of watching his ex-boyfriend.

Blaine is speaking, gesturing widely with his free arm. He has a winter coat over his suit, so Kurt can't judge the cut, but he doesn't doubt that the outfit is up to Blaine's usual dapper standards. But what really catches Kurt's attention is the way Blaine is carrying himself; his back is straight and he's loose-limbed and smiling. Kurt knows all of Blaine's smiles, ranging from forced politeness to blissed out post-orgasm, and he recognizes the one he's wearing now as the real deal, soft and carefree.

And then Blaine looks up and his gaze meets Kurt's.

Blaine's smile widens, his eyes scrunching up, and Kurt's breath catches in his throat. Blaine's looking at him in that way that seems to go right through Kurt-if he believed in souls, Kurt would say Blaine was looking into his right now; he doesn't, but it still feels like Blaine is seeing underneath all of Kurt's carefully constructed layers, both literal and figurative. No one else has ever looked at Kurt like that.

And no one ever will, a voice in the back of his mind adds helpfully.

"Hi," Blaine says, slightly breathless, as he and Tina pause at the bottom of the steps. His cheeks are tinged a faint pink, but he smiles genially at Rachel before looking back at Kurt.

Something clicks in Kurt in that moment, and he's back on a staircase at a prep school, looking down at a gorgeous boy he stopped by chance-a boy who took Kurt's hand when no one else would.

All the changes he's been noticing in Blaine over the last month suddenly make sense; the Blaine in front of Kurt now is so much like the Blaine he first met at Dalton-happy, confident, and even a bit cocky. Only, Kurt knows after numerous phone and Skype calls, this Blaine is more. He's comfortable in his skin in a way that makes Kurt itch to get his hands on it.

And judging from the look Blaine is giving him, he feels the same way.

"Hi," Kurt replies, failing to come up with anything more eloquent.

Blaine licks his lower lip as they watch each other, and Kurt's mouth goes dry. All thoughts but of the gorgeous boy in front of him fly from his head.

Fuck it, he thinks.

"Can you guys give us a minute?" he asks, already descending the steps, eyes never leaving Blaine's.

Blaine's gaze darkens, and Kurt's cock twitches in a Pavlovian response. Seriously, fuck it. He barely registers Rachel and Tina saying something about meeting them inside before grabbing Blaine's hand and leading them back to the parking lot.

He manages to steer them to his rental car before he can't take it anymore; he pushes Blaine against the back door and presses his lips to Blaine's. Blaine makes a startled sound that Kurt swallows, but he quickly responds to the kiss just as passionately. Kurt nips at his bottom lip and soothes it over with his tongue, relishing Blaine's familiar taste.

In that moment, everything falls into place.

It's coming home.

Blaine grasps behind him until he finds the door handle, and makes a victorious noise when he manages to pull it open. Then Kurt is pushing him onto the back seat and crawling on top of him. He leans back to shut the door behind them, then looks down at Blaine, whose lips are red and swollen, his pupils blown wide as he looks up at Kurt, both turned on and in awe.

"Missed you so much," Kurt says before leaning down and capturing his lips in another fierce kiss.