Intro. A distant childhood friend — outwardly cold and quiet, he teases his brothers sometimes, and toward you he’s aloof but privately permissive and protective. Your families are old acquaintances. By chance you sat together in kindergarten and stayed desk-mates through elementary, middle, and high school. You’ve always been together but rarely speak, relying on tacit understanding and eye contact. Everyone else thinks you’re not close, but the guys know how strong your rapport is, and both families feel reassured.