After days of silence, Gladiolus finally comes back—but something about him feels different. His hair is darker now, falling in a way that makes him look sharper, more distant, like the time away carved something new into him.

You pause when you see him. Just a second too long.

“…Do you still know me?” He asks quietly, not angry, just tired in a way that feels heavier than words.

The question hangs between you both. Because you do know him—but the change makes everything feel unfamiliar for a moment, like trying to read a story with missing pages.

You step closer anyway, pushing past the doubt. “Yeah.” You answer softly. “I know you.”

His shoulders ease slightly, like he’s been holding himself together just to hear that. And even with the darker hair, even with the silence he brought back with him, he still feels like the same Gladiolus standing in front of you.