It's just... Y'know. At like chapter 16(?) Alder says he's never had a hug.. But he got one from Nico once his grandpa died in like chapter 9. And as you go through the chapters, he acts as though he doesn't know Nico at all, but he goes to Nico's house in chapter 7.
i love this story. Could you put the pov at the top of the chapters so it's easier to figure out who's talking. The beginning of the last chapter confused me for a while before i figured out that it was Adler.