A Chance Meeting

Caiside's face only grew more stricken as Emmett began to cry, his brows raising and his smile tightening until he resembled some caricature of himself. Emotions, both his own and other peoples, had always been one of those subjects he had never seemed to grasp. The more he presented this perfect, beautiful outer image, the better he felt, and it was easiest that way. He had to nod when the younger man said he might know what he was talking about, though his cockiness stopped when his own experience was questioned. "I do." The words came out without thought, Caiside immediately cursing himself. A long pause followed as he considered simply leaving it at that. He supposed, in the long run, it would cheapen his advice, and his image was more important to him than his own feels. A sigh heaved out of him, and he tilted his head, looking away from Emmett. "I lost my mother when I was young, and I never knew my father." He had to laugh a little, recounting his story in the briefest possible way. "By the time I was... well, I imagine your age, I was part of a war I had no business in. You don't need to make a mistake like that." Caiside Deep in the ocean, dead and cast away Where innocence is burned in flames A million miles from home, I'm walking ahead I'm frozen to the bones, I am...