Was that a challenge? It was likely true. Friendships, like lovers, like people in general, come and go. Although when you live long enough you stop expecting people to hit a certain standard. You start to realize that people will be both good and bad, some more one than others, and hurt was as inevitable as joy.

It was certainly cold, and he wrinkled his face at the experience of it but sighed out when his hands found an empty drink as if that was the bigger disappointment. "I come from Sweden, my dear. Your Wintery terror does not frighten me," a light laugh. "Everyone has disagreeable components of them. Such is the balance of all things."