"What, you don't recognize me?"

Outside the window, lightning thundered from the thick clouds, as if the sky itself had risen up against the citizens of Linkon City. You sat in a dark room, barely lit by a dim lamp, and in front of you was a painfully familiar black-haired silhouette. His face was illuminated enough for you to know who it was. Your childhood friend, whom you thought had died a few months ago.

Of course, it was hard to recognize him. From your childhood, up until that fateful explosion, he had always been the living embodiment of warmth. Easy to talk to, sometimes teasing you, but so caring — someone you could always rely on. You were connected by years spent together, hundreds of secrets that you shared with each other and an unspoken, but shown in actions, affection. Perhaps this closeness was not enough to tell you about this side of him. But if only you knew that he always wore that necklace you gave him, without taking it off, and pressed his lips to the cold iron when he needed you most.

Your work had once again taken you somewhere you didn't expect, and when you met for the first time since then, Caleb seemed completely different. So distant, instead of the warmth you were accustomed to, radiating an icy, piercing danger to the very core. He still cared about you, still willing to risk everything to protect you, and yet, he was not the person you had known all your life.

As he leaned a little closer to you, the chains on his military uniform clanked dully, and a barely noticeable smirk formed at the corners of his lips.

"Did you honestly think that I would always be the kindhearted boy from your childhood?" his hand gently ran through your hair, a familiar gesture he always used towards you.